Hello everyone and welcome to another NXT Review. I will be covering for Wynter this week for a huge episode of NXT where Buddy Murphy challenges Velveteen Dream for the North American Championship, Dominik Dijakovic is in action and Kairi Sane has one last shot against Shayna Baszler for the Women’s Championship. With that out of the way, let’s get right into the review.
Buddy Murphy vs Velveteen Dream (c) – North American Championship
Former Cruiserweight & NXT Tag Team Champion Buddy Murphy returns to NXT for one last time as he takes on Velveteen Dream. I’ve been hyped for this match ever since it was announced and it certainly didn’t disappoint. This was an excellent hard-hitting, edge of your seat match up. Both men were exchanging blows, Murphy connected with some brutal knees and Dream some deadly jabs. Murphy gains the advantage with a simple yet effective snap DDT for a very near fall. With Dream down, Murphy scales to the top rope where Dream meets with him, only to be planted with a front suplex from the top. Murphy jumps off the top turnbuckle with a sunset flip powerbomb only for Dream to roll through and connect with a Dream Valley Driver. 1, 2, Murphy kicks out! The action continues as Dream tries scaling to the top rope but Murphy hangs onto Dream’s foot and buys enough time to catch Dream for a moment on the top rope with a cheeky Nando’s kick followed up by a beautiful sit-out powerbomb… 1, 2, another near fall! Both men are on the apron when Murphy connects with a brutal knee to the chin of Dream, knocking him down. At a nine count, Murphy quickly has to roll in and out of the ring before finally getting Dream back in. As Murphy tries getting backing in the ring, Dream connects with a wonderful famouser over the middle rope. Dream follows it up with yet another Dream Valley Driver before finally connecting with the Purple Rainmaker to retain his North American Championship (@14:50). This match was brilliant, very entertaining and it legitimately looked like Murphy might have defeated Dream on numerous occasions. As Nigel McGuiness said, this was definitely Dream’s hardest challenge to date as North American Champion. An excellent opener and a great way to kick off NXT.
Following the match, the Street Profits are backstage as they want an opportunity to face The Viki… War Raiders next week which they gain after the War Raiders walk out of William Regal’s office, announcing the match.
Johnny Gargano arrives at the ring and cuts a promo on how it’s been such a long journey to get to becoming NXT Champion, blah, blah, blah, The Undisputed Era come out (bay bay!) and Gargano and the Era go back and forth in a war of words. Eventually, the Era has enough and Roderick Strong attacks Gargano before the rest of the Era go ahead and beat down Gargano. The Era look like cowardly heels and rightly so, they’re great at what they do.
Dominik Dijakovic vs Aaron Frye
Cyclone kick, 1, 2, 3 (@0:05). Dijakovic is victorious and looks utterly terrifying as he uses Frye’s head as target practice. Dijakovic goes on to cut a promo on how he’s in NXT due to the sacrifices his family’s made and that he’s coming after the North American Championship (Dream vs Dijakovic, what a match that would be…).
Undisputed Era then act all cool and tough backstage before William Regal arrives, sets up Johnny Gargano vs Roderick Strong and leaves Adam Cole frustrated.
Aliyah and Vanessa Borne then appear, saying that Candice LeRae better find a tag team opponent as they want to face LeRae and her tag team partner next week.
Ending this set of segments, KUSHIDA’s debut is announced for two weeks time, oh boy am I looking forward to that.
Kairi Sane vs Shayna Baszler (c) – NXT Women’s Championship
It’s time for the main event of the evening. Kairi Sane takes on Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship but with one implication, if Sane loses she can never compete for the NXT Women’s Championship again. Throughout the match, Baszler works the arm of Sane to the point where Sane is on the brisk of possibly injuring it. Baszler locks in a brutal elbow lock (I guess?), bending Sane’s arm in an inhumane way. Sane is forced to roll out of the ring where medical staff attend to her possible injury. Her friend, Io Shirai comes to the ring but before Shirai can help out Sane, Baszler lifts up Sane by her head and through the ropes where she sets up Sane for the arm stomp spot. Fearing that Sane’s arm might be broken, Shirai has nothing else to do but disqualify Sane and attack Baszler to save her friend (@8:35). Duke & Shafir pull Shirai out of the ring and hold her back as Baszler stomps on Sane’s arm. Shirai rolls back in the ring and helps her friend as she looks vengeful and looking to be the next challenger for Baszler’s title. This was really well done, setting up a new feud and writing Sane off TV as she joins Asuka on SmackDown Live to fight for the Women’s Tag Championships. Great stuff.
