Halloween Havoc 2020
Live from the Capital Wrestling center in Orlando, FL
Amidst imagery of past Halloween Havocs complete with the occasional glimpse of the WCW logo, our horror story Halloween hostess with the mostest for the evening, Shotzi Blackheart welcomes us with enthusiastic cackling and a shower of sparks from an angle grinder.
Damian Priest(c) vs Johnny Gargano for the NXT North American Championship
We start out hot with Damian Priest getting live music for his entrance… preceding the challenger. Johnny channels Jack Skellington in his outfit and heel turn Bayley when he slices the Jack o’ Lantern inflatable. No Great Pumpkin on any channel this year, huh? Shotzi spins the wheel: Devil’s Playground match. Apparently, that means falls count anywhere, no DQ. The champion seems to like it. Johnny doesn’t and his focus on Shotzi lets Priest get the first shot in.
They’re going back and forth with back elbows, kendo sticks, steel pipes, and trips to the ring steps. Priest hits two Broken Arrows on Johnny, one over the announce table, as the crowd cheers him on. Johnny manages to rally with weapons shots and finds an obvious way to cool Priest’s flame. He’s relentless in battering the champion through the backstage area.
They get up on Shotzi’s stage where Johnny curiously takes time to yell at the wheel. Priest comes back with a kick to the face but it’s Halloween and the freaks come out at night. Someone dressed as Ghostface from Scream clobbers Priest with a pipe. Johnny seems genuinely surprised but takes the tombstone handed to him by his mysterious benefactor. A concrete kiss sends Priest off the stage, through a table, and down to the unforgiving arena floor. An academic cover makes Johnny the first time, two-time North American champ.
Winner and new North American Champion: Johnny Gargano
Our announce team shows Vic Joseph as a very convincing Where’s Waldo but he questions Wade Barrett’s lack of costume. He’s got some… Bad News… and reveals that he’s dressed as a former WWE superstar with the addition of a simple gavel.
The GOAT, Pat McAfee, is seen walking through the back with new NXT tag champs, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch.
We get a promo package updating us on the injured NXT champ, Finn Balor.
Cameron Grimes is jumpy and sweating about his “Haunted House of Terror” match with Dexter Lumis. Understandable, seeing as how Lumis is basically Michael Myers to begin with. Regal seems to take restrained delight in ushering him on outside to the parking lot.
McAfee, comes to the ring with Lorcan & Burch. He starts in on the classic heatseeking routine. He dumps on the live crowd for showing up in costume, pumps up his match against Adam Cole, talks about getting Ridge Holland as a hired gun, and and getting the belts onto Oney & Lorcan. Kyle O’Reilly has had all he can stand and he can’t stand no more. Three on one aren’t great odds but he’s got a surprise equalizer. It’s a newly shredded Pete Dunne! Dunne and O’Reilly close in on the champs and McGOAT with steel chairs but O’Reilly takes a few steps past Dunne and that leaves his back open for stabbing. Dunne drops O’Reilly and gets picked up by McAfee Brand.
Cameron Grimes is still Richard Pryor levels of scared as he awaits his transport. Up pulls a sketchy white van. It’s not Buffalo Bill inside, though. It’s… Michael Hayes for some reason? The ride is guaranteed by a Boo Radley-looking passenger and off they go.
Santos Escobar(c) vs Jake Atlas in a non-title match
Seth Rollins beat Escobar to the punch by invoking Rey Mysterio’s classic Halloween Havoc gear but that was a taunt and tonight seems to be an homage. This one goes quick with Jake Atlas valiant but unsuccessful. He got it going with his signature cartwheel DDT and took it to the ringside area but that’s where the cruiserweight champ’s entourage got to work. Mendoza and Wilde feed him back into the ring and a Phantom Driver is all it takes.
Winner: Santos Escobar
Cameron Grimes vs Dexter Lumis
The ride to the Haunted House of Terror has a soundtrack, namely Marilyn Manson’s “Don’t Chase the Dead.” Grimes walks to the house but doesn’t see Lumis pulling a Predator by hiding in the trees. Once he’s inside, Grimes is so freaked he gets spooked by a deer head that he almost walks into. He thinks he’s found a referee stuck in the Blair Witch corner but it’s another freakout. Grimes tries to hide in a bathroom but it’s being used. He thinks the shower running is an invitation but it’s half The Shining and half The Grudge. Grimes is spinning from room to room until he gets grabbed through a window by Lumis. A few Cameron Kicks and he gets away but is caught by more Grudge girls. Night of the Living Dead referees chases him out to the van… where Lumis is waiting! Grimes is off and running. This match is to be continued?!
Rhea Ripley vs Raquel Gonzalez
It’s rare to get a Hoss vs Hoss dust up between the women but this match has more than novelty to it. Once they get going, Rhea attempts a cannonball senton off the apron. Impressive strength from Raquel, though, as she not only catches it, she pulls Rhea up into a powerbomb. Once into the crowd barrier and again all the way down to the floor. Rhea is usually the powerhouse but not today. Raquel is in command, stretching Rhea in a Gory Special. It looks like she’s going for the powerbomb but Rhea turns it into a back body drop. Strikes and a kicking leg sweep chops down the giant’s beanstalks, putting her in place for a cloverleaf attempt. No dice and Raquel hits a Jeff Cobb-style Tour of the Islands. Another powerbomb attempt gets her a head scissors takeover. Now, it’s Riptide time.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
Cameron Grimes still running shirtless down the middle of a desolate highway.
Drake Maverick is pumping up as Hollywood Hulk Hogan but what’s this, brother? It’s a Giant! And a mummified Yettay! It’s the double bear hug of doom! The Shockmaster to make the save? Nope. Killian Dain will wear the helmet but no spill to the floor, much to Drake’s chagrin. He had the skit all planned it out but Dain don’t play that.
Cameron Grimes is still running and has made it back to the arena. He’s creeped out by zombie cosplayers in the graveyard. He retreats to the ring only to find that Lumis has creeped up on him. Zombies try to prevent Grimes’ escape but one has to eat a Cave In. Side Effect by Lumis to put Cameron Grimes into position and then it’s just the sound of Silence.
Winner: Dexter Lumis
Tomasso Ciampa rants about the changes in NXT and how he still has to be the top because nobody else is up to the task.
Io Shirai(c) vs Candice LeRae for the NXT Women’s Championship
Candice walks out in tattered pixie wings. Io has Poppy in Japanese schoolgirl gear there live for her entrance. Shotzi spins the wheel and we get Tables and Ladders and… scares!? Scares apparently means fake body parts that Candice finds and is disgusted by when accessing a table under the ring. Io is less squeamish and more than happy to beat Candice with an arm and a leg. Candice makes use of ladders and monitors on the champ. She sets up a bridge from announce table and ring but Io scraps that. They brawl all around the ring.
Io’s Moonsault misses Candice but the vertical suplex onto an open chair more than makes up for it! Shirai is looking for a Spanish fly onto chairs but Candice escapes. The champ catches a kick with a through the ropes using a chair and turns it into a sick looking dragon screw. Miss LaRae’s Wild Ride off the apron and through tables puts both of them down! Ghostface is back! He runs in to help Candice up the ladder but Shotzi isn’t going to let it happen. The Punk Princess gets up underneath and drops him onto the folded chairs! Both champion and challenger climb the ladders. Candice knocks Io down but she lands safely and shoves Candice all the way down onto the ladder bridge! Open field for the champion to ascend and retain.
Winner and still champion: Io Shirai
Five Takeaways from Halloween Havoc 2020
- NXT is known for packing their two hours and moreso these “free-per-views.” The PPV schedule is packed in WWE (likely to their detriment) but a few of these very special NXTs between Takeovers can be a good thing for the black-and-gold brand.
- Speaking of which, there was some commotion about putting Bash at the Beach on when they did. Timing aside for that event, I think these WCW properties (which WWE had let lapse and likely had to shell out to re-obtain) being used on NXT shows could be another something unique for them.
- Including Shotzi as host was a nice touch and being an indy-rific Elvira was probably a hoot for her. Her getting involved in the main event looks to put her in a high-profile program with LaRae… and whoever they decide was under that Scream mask.
- The Haunted House of Terrors reminded me a bit more of Roddy Piper and Goldust’s back alley brawl than the Orton/Wyatt debacle of the same flavor. It went off well for what it was, especially the parts that are intentionally hilarious. Grimes did a great job and chewed enough scenery to cover an “L” any day.
- That was a short reign for Damian Priest. It may signal a call up to RAW or Smackdown soon. Rhea, on the other hand, may climb up to take the NXT strap again… or continue winning ways until a Rumble win.
