NXT 11/20 begins with William Regal is in the hallways welcoming a very special guest… RAW Women’s Champion, The Man, Becky Lynch!
Becky is down to the ring and says that the Full Sail faithful have been watching her for years but it’s been a while since they’ve seen her kick some ass live. There was an open challenge by Triple H for anyone from RAW or Smackdown to show up on NXT. First up had to be The Man. She runs down Bayley to applause but gets some “Shay-na’s gon-na kil you” chants when she brings up the NXT champ. She takes the prod and calls out Shayna Baszler but a different black-and-gold brand bad girl shows up, Rhea Ripley!
Becky Lynch vs Rhea Ripley
Rhea gets to play the heavy and the heel, using power moves and grinding holds. Becky scraps her way out and nearly gets the tap from the Disarm-Her. It’s back and forth but then Shayna Baszler hits the ring with Marina Shafir & Jessamyn Duke! It’s a melee but Rhea and Becky end up covering each other’s backs and sending them to the back.
The result of this contest … is a no contest!
In the parking lot, the big black SUV pulls up and multi-time, multi-brand tag champs, The Revival, step out. The Top Guys make their way with security lined up like a military procession.
Our next contest is about to get started with Kona Reeves walking to the ring and ready for action against Matt Riddle but he gets blasted by Ricochet! He’s wearing the RAW reds but still gets love from the NXT fans. The Original Bro comes down to the ring and it’s an official match!spoil the fun
Ricochet vs Matt Riddle
Great back and forth with martial arts, acrobatics, power moves, and good transitions throughout. It’s cut short when Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro arrive to spoil the fun. Off the distraction, Riddle catches Ricochet in the ol’ banana split for a three count.
Your winner by pinfall… Matt Riddle!
Immediately afterwards, Nakamura & Cesaro go to work on the two men. Cesaro takes out Ricochet, Riddle takes out Cesaro and Shinsuke drops Riddle and readies for the Kinshasa… but a wild Roderick Strong appears! He’s less concerned with saving Riddle than he is with beating his Survivor Series opponent. The King of Bros is still fortunate until Finn Balor comes out to rough him up prior to their War Games match up. Riddle beats him back, though and Balor leaves breathless.
Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly are warming up under the watchful eye of NXT champ, Adam Cole.
The Revival vs The Undisputed Era
Commentator Mauro Ranallo references the Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs, Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, Midnight Express, Japanese MMA Legend, Kazushi Sakuraba, and it’s all warranted. Plenty of ring psychology and tactics. Tandem striking, parried, countered, and the counters parried. Double team moves and an out of the ring suplex spot I don’t know if I’ve ever seen before. Plenty of “tag team Wrest-ling!” and “Fight For-ev-er!” chants. Kiss of the Dragon doesn’t end it! Shatter Machine doesn’t end it! A little Total Elimination catches Scott Dawson and that’s all, folks.
Your winners by pinfall… The Undisputed Era!
Outside the arena, The Viking Raiders and The Forgotten Sons are barely being held apart by a thin line of security.
Kay Lee Ray vs Dakota Kai
Dakota is a ball of fire, nailing a few signature kicks and a Kiwi Destroyer(?) before Kay Lee Ray slows it down and takes over. Multiple attempts to get the NXT UK Women’s Champion up for the Go to Kick but Ray fishhooks her way out and nails a Gory Bomb to win it as the Captain of Team Kick continues to be lost at sea.
Your winner by pinfall… Kay Lee Ray!
All of sudden, Carmella jumps up onto the apron to moonwalk a distraction Kay Lee’s way. Dana Brooke, Mandy Rose, and Sonya Deville slip in start putting the boots to both NXT women. Bianca Belair, Mia Yim, and Teagan Nox of NXT! Natalya, Sarah Logan and Kairi Sane of RAW! It’s pandemonium! Io Shirai is out by herself and Nikki Cross clears house with a trash can lid and takes the ring for herself!
Dominic Dijakovic is warming up for his ladder match against Adam Cole in the main event.
The Viking Raiders vs The Forgotten Sons
At first, it looks like a squash as War Machine Experience hits the classic Quebecers self slam and Ivar comes off the top rope early. Count gets broken up, though, and we got a real match. Jaxson Ryker on the outside and sound strategy work for Forgotten Sons against Viking Raiders’ power advantage and Ivar’s surprising mobility. Lots of big slams, including a Codebreaker/Bucklebomb on Ivar and a Death Valley Driver on Erik on the apron (it’s the hardest part of the ring!) Ryker gets ejected and gets a 300+lbs push towards the door when he protests. Dueling cartwheels in the middle of a hockey fight! Juggling powerslam sends the RAW tag champs home with their heads held high as the crowd chant “War!”
Your winners by pinfall… The Viking Raiders!
Adam Cole vs Dominic Dijakovic in a ladder match (to determine War Games advantage)
It’s held true in MMA, pro wrestling, and over a hundred years of professional boxing: Styles make fights. In that respect, this had all the makings of Shawn Michaels vs Diesel or CM Punk vs The Undertaker. It didn’t quite end up that way, though. Not that it was a bad match at all, just flawed. There were a few spots where Cole had no business using certain moves against a 6’7” 270lb man. In others, Dijakovic’s lesser level of polish showed. But it had its big moments. Both men took spellbinding bumps on the ladders, one of which took out Dijakovic long enough for Cole to grab the briefcase.
Your winner… Adam Cole!
The other members of The Undisputed Era come out to the ring but, as they do, they’re cut off by Smackdown and RAW. Screw it. They don’t back down and get their one off before being put to the ground. Then RAW and Smackdown go after each other! The locker room clears out and it’s a Pier 6 brawl! Drew McIntyre appears in the ring to turn Dijakovic inside out with a Claymore kick! Keith Lee hits him with a pop-up powerbomb. Ivar from Viking Raiders stops Keith Lee from basking in his own glory but, instead of fighting, they, side-by-side, hit topes to the outside, laying out over a dozen guys! Adam Cole is elated to be all alone and unharmed but Seth Rollins superkicks him into another dimension. He readies to do it again but Tommaso Ciampa’s music hits and he comes down to the ring, dropping Cole himself on the way there. “The Blackheart” and “The Architect” go at it in a hockey fight as we go off the air.
Reaction: I haven’t been a regular NXT watcher but I am aware of the pride taken it by those who are. Outside looking in, the invaders from RAW and Smackdown seemed to enhance the experience for me. The show was well-booked and superbly performed. It’s a little unfortunate, though, that the upcoming War Games is affected by Survivor Series and the show had a minor identity crisis on its hands.
NXT 11/20 is streaming on the USA website and app, and will be live on the WWE Network later today.
