NXT 2/17 emanates from The Capitol Wrestling Center with the crowd chanting “N-X-T!” and the broadcast team abuzz over the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Challenge winners but Kyle O’Reilly is in a mood for neither. He marches down to the ring and recounts the chaos at the end of Vengeance Day when Undisputed Era leader, Adam Cole, shocked the system and the WWE Universe when he superkicked NXT champ, Finn Balor, and then his own stablemate, O’Reilly!
O’Reilly is down about it but he’s also angry and wants answers. But it’s Roderick Strong that comes out to smooth things over and not Cole. Kyle wants none of it. He just wants Cole. You know who else wants Cole? Finn Balor. He comes out and tells O’Reilly that if he wants Adam Cole, he has to get in line behind the champ. Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch run out and beat down Roderick and Finn at ringside. O’Reilly has seemingly had enough and stood by for it. Officials run them off but not before Finn gets stomped out.
William Regal releases a video statement from Santos Escobar. The NXT Cruiserweight Champion says that his scheduled match with Karrion Kross will happen on his time. Not Regal’s time or Kross’ time. So he’s going to go home for now. Regal announces that, in place of that main event, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch will face Finn Balor, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly in a six-man tag. Escobar will face Kross next week on NXT, however. Because, although the match is not for the cruiserweight strap, he will be suspended indefinitely and stripped of the title if he no-shows again.
Indi Hartwell & Candice LaRae vs Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart
Johnny Gargano comes out with his Way-mates to sit at commentary and pass out “Missing” flyers after Austin Theory was abducted by Dexter Lumis at Vengeance Day. Ember and Shotzi are looking to get some mojo back after the Dusty Cup finals and The Way maintains that they were more deserving of that spot to begin with. Moon and Blackheart stay in control with great tag timing, including a neat spot with swinging kicks that sandwiched the rope hung Way. When Shotzi has Indi in a hanging head scissors, she’s open for a jaw jack from Candice.
During the match, we see a windowless white van pulls up in the CWC parking lot. Commentary and Candice see it, too. Ember is being ground down by stretch holds and side slams. Seems like it’s safe for Johnny to leave his teammates and investigate the van.
Shotzi is a ball of fire off the tag, using a bulldog and cattle mutilation. Candice comes in with a senton and Ember retaliates with a suplex. Spinebuster by Hartwell on Moon. Discus forearm by Shotzi. Big clothesline by Indi Hartwell. Everybody is laid out. Shotzi and Ember get creative with GTS variations but Candice keeps kicking out. Emebr goes up top for the Eclipse but is knocked down by Candice. The Way is setting her up for a double team maneuver but Johnny Gargano is back with a hooded figure. It’s Austin Theory! The ladies are elated. Candice runs up the ramp to give Austin a big ol’ hug and Indi is breathless with relief. She’s also completely unawares and gets folded up by Ember Moon for the win!
Winners: Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon
Pat McAfee is on board a private jet and rubbing it in to the internet wrestling community that he was right all along. Adam Cole was always a dirty dog and Pat was always smarter than the fans.
McKenzie Mitchell catches up with Kushida doing physical therapy. Kushida says that he accepts his loss at Vengeance Day but that he’s not done with Johnny Gargano or the hunt for NXT’s North American title. Bronson Reed checks in with him and, while wishing him well, lets him respectfully know that they’re chasing the same title. Malcom Bivens confirms that Kushida is medically cleared and says that he has the perfect opponent for him tonight.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs Leon Ruff
Swerve big-brothers Ruff at every opportunity in the early goings on. Ruff’s not going to be frustrated so easily, though. He builds momentum to that twisting cutter off the second turnbuckle but too close to the ropes to get the pin. Swerve gets down to business with gut punches and a standing clothesline that turns Ruff inside out. He could go for the pin there but picks him up and gets the crucifix pin for his troubles!
Winner: Leon Ruff
Swerve is shocked and amused by the loss. He offers a handshake but turns it into a beat down. He tosses Ruff upside down into the corner and pulls his head back by the hair to tell him that he’s through watching Leon Ruff get opportunities while he sits and waits.
Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter vs Jessi Kamea & Aliyah
Team KC is concerned for their (former?) friend, Xia Li, and The Robert Stone Brand is looking to capitalize on their distraction. Despite Boa making his way to the entranceway, a splash assisted Russian legsweep wins it.
Winners: Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro
After the match, Xia Li appears and Kayden is having none of it. Kacy jumps in to make peace like Meatballs but gets marked for death like Steven Segal! Xia promises to hurt her next week.
Malcom Bivens is in the locker room, talking up his “Diamond in the Rust.”
In the ring, Beth Phoenix, presents the Dusty Cup and the men’s bracket winners, MSK! Nash Carter & Wes Lee are full of excitement. They give Beth a hug and call out NXT tag champs, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch. This moment feels good but hearing “and new…” will feel even better. The women’s winners, Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez strut down to get their propers. They love crushing the competition but they do it to get moments like this. The moment is cut short by Shayna Baszler’s music, though. Shayna and fellow WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, Nia Jax, come down to stare down their future challengers. Dakota introduces them to Raquel as “big” and “ran away after Rhea [Ripley] beat her ass.” Raquel brings up her recent defeat of Rhea and Shayna remembers breaking Dakota’s arm. MSK and Beth are munching popcorn in the corner to this. They’re intrigued by the champs but lose it when Raquel tells Nia that a boot is going up her hole.
Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong are arguing in the parking lot and that doesn’t bode well for their tag match later.
Cameron Grimes is stackin’ money off his investments in his own rap video. He’s got swimmin’ pools and Lambos and anyone hatin’ can kiss his grits!
Toni Storm attacked Io Shirai at a photo shoot earlier in the day. Is Toni still/again the #1 contender after this?
Kushida vs Tyler Rust
Both men are seasoned veterans with juuust a bit more spice on Kushida. Malcom Bivens hoping that Kushida isn’t at 100%. Rust and Kushida put on a technical clinic but Rust does get a bit of a cheap shot in while questioning the referee after a near fall. Rust starts to focus on the sore neck of Kushida with kicks, sleeper hold, and a facelock transitioned to a suplex. Big ax kick that would make Booker T proud to the back of the neck but Kushida counters every pin attempt. Rust transitions a sleeper to a twister/banana split! Pin attempt makes him release the hold. Kushida is lifted onto Rust’s shoulders but slides off and gets the Hoverboard Lock onto Rust! Malcom Bivens jumps on the apron and… calls for the bell? He verbally throws in the towel to protect his investment.
Winner: Kushida
At Vengeance Day, LA Knight debuted. NXT caught up to him at his home. He didn’t like them coming around unannounced but he relished in the chance to tell them so. He reinforced his earlier comments because they weren’t an insult… they were just a fact of life!
Zoey Stark vs Valentina Feroz
Zoey’s got the Fluer-de-Lis on her shins and fire in her heart. Half-and-half suplex, sliding knee strike, and a backflipping GTS puts her opponent down.
Winner: Zoey Stark
Karrion Kross and Scarlett give Santos Escobar two options. Option A is that he shows up for their match and Kross brutalizes him. Option B is not nearly as nice.
The Main Event of NXT 2/17: Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch vs Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, and Finn Balor
Strong, O’reilly, and Balor are at a distinct disadvantage. Not on the same page at all, O’Reilly is running off of rage and right into every trap that gets set for him. Strong is used to having someone watch his back and falls prey to double teaming. Balor looks like he has Pete Dunne in hand during a ref bump but, perched for the coup de grace, he’s taken out but Adam Cole! Cole hits a kick and a suplex on the steel steps on Kyle O’Reilly! Roderick Strong saves Finn Balor from Oney lorcan but Finn doesn’t see who’s grabbing him and hits the Pele kick on him. Pete Dunne with The Bitter End on the NXT Champion.
Winners: Pete Dunne, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan
Adam Cole comes back out to twist the knife on Kyle O’Reilly and Finn Balor, holding the NXT title aloft as we go off air.
Five Takeaways from NXT 2/17
- NXT has had a number of top signings lately, including Eli Drake (LA Knight), Gigi Dollin (Priscilla Kelly), and the yet-to-debut, Taya Valkyrie. We can all expect great things from them. There is a lot of buzz for Zoey Stark, however. It seems that the former Lacy Ryan has garnered the attention of none other than Shawn Michaels himself who sees a big upside. She is yet to have any mic time but she’s checking off the other boxes thus far.
- I like that Tyler Rust was protected in his loss and that it made sense for Malcom to protect his client. But who is going to protect the manager concept? With Indus Sher unseen for weeks (months?) Robert Stone Brand at two clients, and none of these talents getting wins, why the waste?
- I love the Cameron Grimes millionaire bit. I loved it with Jaime Noble. I loved it with Diamond Dallas Page. It makes for great TV and always has a built-in exit.
- Jordan Devlin’s name was brought up when the possibility of Escobar flaking on his match with Karrion Kross was stipulated. Maybe he does. Maybe he gives up the NXT Cruiserweight Title for a “main roster” spot. Maybe Kross makes good on his threat to find him anywhere he goes.
- Degeneration X. The Rock. Jericho. Cena. The New Day. There has always been a “party host” type to anchor the shows. With three shows a week on TV, MSK might be an act that can fill that role on NXT or beyond.
