Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai vs Zoey Stark & Io Shirai
NXT 3/24 kicks off with a tag math. NXT does a much better job of laying out “champion and challenger meet on opposite sides of a tag match” than RAW or Smackdown. This match was laid out so that Io and Raquel were away from each other as much as possible with Dakota working to keep Zoey Stark inside the ring and use their established team dynamic to keep Io and Zoey at a disadvantage. Big Tex carried the end of the match, lifting Zoey up for the one-arm power bomb and kicking Io off the apron to ensure victory before sending the NXT rookie crashing to the mat. After the 1-2-3, Dakota tries to get a piece of the champ during a stare down but pays for it. Raquel flattens The Genius of the Skies with another big boot to establish dominance as we roll towards Takeover.
Winners: Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez
Security footage is shown from Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu’s Oviedo (FL) location. Adam Cole bursts in to confront Kyle O’Reilly as he trains. Cole is promptly taken down but gouges at O’Reilly’s eyes as they’re pulled apart. Cole supplies a bevy of *bleeps* as he is shoved out the dojo door with O’Reilly’s coaches and classmates asking “What the hell was that?” (That’s what happens when you wear shoes on the mats, Adam!)
McKenzie Mitchell catches up with an arriving O’Reilly as he’s flanked by security guards. She starts to ask him about the escalating beef when Roderick Strong appears. Roddy tells Kyle that they need to make Adam Cole pay. O’Reilly respects the sentiment but he advises Roddy that there is no more “them.” “The Backbreaker Messiah” says to hell with both of them and walks off.
LA Knight wants to talk to us and he wants Bronson Reed to her and understand; you touch the man’s clothes, you get the man’s hands and that is not an insult. That is just a fact of life.
Jordan Devlin (with an NXT Crusierweight Championship belt on his shoulder) says that he respects Kushida. He even likes Kushida. But, later tonight, he’s going to make an example of Kushida so that Santos Escobar knows what he’s getting into come Takeover.
Bronson Reed vs LA Knight
LA Knight is used to physically dominating his opponents but thick boi, Bronson Reed, can match him in strength and quickness with a 100 pound weight advantage to boot. Savvy and savagery allow Knight to get back into it, using the ring ropes and ground-and-pound to make up the difference. A trip to ring steps keep Bronson on the defensive and slowed down enough to take a brawler’s beating from LA Knight’s knees and knuckles. Bronson taunts for more but misses a chance to spring the trap. Knight goes for his leaping superplex but is shoved down in place for the big tsunami! Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi Oi Oi!
Winner: Bronson Reed
A medical update on Danny Burch reveals that he has a separated shoulder from his match last week. Due to the long term nature of the injury (Best of luck, Danny, I know all about it,) NXT commissioner, William Regal, has vacated the NXT Tag Team titles and new champions will be crowned at Takeover after a three way match between MSK, Grizzled Young Veterans, and Legado del Fantasma.
The NXT:UK talent and staff give their opinion on WALTER and why NXT should be very, very concerned about his reappearance on their programming.
Karrion Kross vs Oney Lorcan
Kross cost Oney his gold by proxy when he took out Danny Burch and, now, the cost gets paid! Lorcan goes right after Kross with right hands… and it is everything Kross loves. Tables turn quickly as Oney is tumbling from one side of the ring to the other like a cat in a shower. It’s all he can do to keep from being triangled. When Kross taunts him with Burch’s injury, Lorcan manages to send him into the ring post shoulder-first! Multiple running uppercuts but Kross hits the Saito suplex and the shot to the back of the head to put the scrapper down.
Winner: Karrion Kross
After the match, Kross takes the mic to address “the actions of Mr Bálor” from last week. He makes it clear that he considers the collision with Scarlett to be Finn’s fault. This brings the champ out to stand over a writhing Oney Lorcan and tell Kross that, inadvertently, he has learned Kross’ weakness last week: emotion. When he reacts on emotion, he’s sloppy and Finn can take advantage of that. If the big man can’t control himself, the champ will control him.
William Regal announces that, next week, 12 NXT superstars (shown are: Dexter Lumis, Bronson Reed, Leon Ruff, Jake Atlas, Roderick Strong, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Austin Theory, LA Knight, Kushida, Tyler Rust, Pete Dunne, and Cameron Griiimes… Cameron Grimes!) will enter a Battle Royale next week and the last six remaining will be in a gauntlet-type match on the first night of Takeover: Stand & Deliver with the winner facing Johnny Gargano for the NXT North American title on night two.
Kushida and his subtitles tell Jordan Devlin that, for the past year, he’s been taking down everyone who stepped in the ring with him so answering Devlin’s open challenge was just a natural fit for “the best technical wrestler in NXT.”
Drake Maverick vs WALTER
Yesterday, Drake Maverick was ready to take a steel bar to Imperium in the locker room in order to find out where Killian Dain has been. The NXT United Kingdom Champion, straight up sonned him and sent him off with a promise to take care of it. This is the “taking care of it.” Walter probably regrets taking the time to change into his ring gear as the match takes less time than that likely did. Some clubberin’, a power bomb, and a cruel-looking single leg crab has the referee calling for the bell on Drake’s behalf.
Winner: WALTER
As Imperium centers themselves in the ring for their parade rest, Tommaso Ciampa, comes out to the ring (looking like every Crossfit dad come summertime) to tell Walter that he was wrong last week. He had told Walter that he was intrigued by him. The truth is, the NXT:UK title intrigues him! The Blackheart challenges him and, when dismissed, attacks the Bavarian behemoth. Imperium gives Ciampa a right thrashing and rips his lanyard pendant from his neck to taunt him during the beatdown.
Pete Dunne pledges to outwork and outlast the other entrants before winning the NXT North American title at Takeover.
Robert Stone attempts to woo Mercedes Martinez over to his brand and team with Aliyah. She’s not looking forward to the idea but enjoys looking into the envelope provided, expecting another payment after the match.
Johnny Gargano feints a kick at William Regal’s door before opening it properly and asking for clarification of his North American title match at Takeover. He will only have 24 hours to prepare for a particular opponent. He’s so upset that he won’t close the door on the way out. Wade Barrett’s insistence that one week is the standard announcement protocol prompts Beth Phoenix to invoke the name of Jack Tunney!
Mercedes Martinez & Aliyah vs Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon (c) for the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship
Mercedes Martinez plays the part of the hired gun well, protecting Aliyah to isolate Shotzi. When Ember comes in like a buzzsaw, it’s too much however and she hits the Eclipse on Aliyah to retain.
Winners and still champions: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart
Roderick Strong is sulking in the locker room when Cameron Grimes tries to empathize with him about the end of Undisputed Era… and all of the intellectual properties associated with it. He offers to buy the trademarks but the only mark he gets is a welt across the face courtesy of a right hand. Clearly, Roddy is not cut out for the business world.
Shotzi & Ember are enjoying their victory rush walking down the hallway when Indi Hartwell & Candice LaRae decide to rain on their parade. They tell the champs that real competition is with The Way. Shotzi & Ember laugh but The Way maintains their position on the matter.
Raquel Gonzalez vs Io Shirai for the NXT Women’s Championship is formally announced as the main event of Takeover: Stand & Deliver’s night one. Tommaso Ciampa vs WALTER for the NXT:UK title is confirmed for night one as well.
Jordan Devlin (c) vs Kushida for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship
High octane all the way through the KFC sandwich commercial, with Devlin showing me something new as he counters a baseball slide with an Asai moonsault. On the mat, though, Kushida is the quicker man and picks Devlin apart with kicking combos and arm wrenches, setting him up for a later submission. Jordan tries to get airborne again, perching them both on the top turnbuckle but Legado del Fantasma’s arrival proves too distracting. Kushida nails a superplex, floats over into a Falcon Arrow, and drops the champion right into a cross armbar. He escapes outside to be surrounded by Escobar y los vatos. He slips them all and gets back in time to duck a handspring kick (which takes out Legado del Fantasma) just in time to roll up Kushida with a jackknife pin.
Winner: Jordan Devlin
Kushida is incensed and takes out Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde. Escobar climbs into the ring to confront Jordan Devlin when the music hits for… HBK?! The Heartbreak Kid has experience with contested championships and a long memory. He makes his feeling plain when he slides a ladder into the ring and both “champions” seem more than agreeable to the idea.
The final segment of NXT 3/24 finds William Regal has Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly sat down with security at the table. With the police being involved, the situation has gotten out of hand. The idea to save the dignity of NXT is to bury this issue by having O’Reilly and Cole in an unsanctioned match where NXT is not liable for their resulting injuries or for Kyle O’Reilly not being medically cleared. Adam Cole cuts a promo about what Undisputed era really was: It was about being the best and the best was Adam Cole while Kyle O’Reilly was nothing more than a lapdog. O’Reilly counters that he was through being a cutthroat sneak attack artist. He was more successful but never became “better.” He’s trying now but Adam is still an “insecure prick(!)” that uses people. Cole urges him to sign “that death warrant” and it’s done!
Five Takeaways from NXT 3/24
- Giving us Santos Escobar vs Jordan Devlin in a ladder match is all anyone can ask for… but I’m going to go one higher. Since 2/3 of the NXT/NXT:UK roster fits the 205 Live criteria, can we start calling it the WWE Cruiserweight Championship again? Being defended on all brands could do a lot for the belt, the title holder, and the shows.
- Real talk? If they keep bringing in “guest stars/independent contractors,” Robert Stone Brand could be considered a cornerstone of the women’s division. Question is, “Who is the Raven to this Flock? Who is the Undertaker to this Ministry? Who is the Bret of this Hart Foundation?”
- I don’t know what’s harder to choose, the likely winner of the battle royale and subsequent North American title shot or who I’d like to see get it. A lot of interpersonal storylines here. Austin Theory/Dexter Lumis/Johnny Gargano, Swerve/Ruff/Atlas, Kushida/Gargano, Roderick Strong/Cameron Grimes, Bronson Reed/LA Knight. Pete Dunne is still looking for that first big time validation in a while and Tyler Rust is looking for any validation at all.
- All the best to Danny Burch. It’s an unfortunate inevitability of professional wrestling that legitimate injuries do occur. Making chicken salad out of chicken $#!+ is another one. In the meantime, I could certainly see giving Oney Lorcan a few weeks with his friends and family to pump up the threat of Karrion Kross “injuring opponents.” Work or shoot, it did a lot for Greg Valentine, Owen Hart, [title vacant,] and many others.
- Two nights of Takeover. Two nights to get every… single… title… on NXT and 1.5 title from NXT:UK on the cards. And two nights to make Imperium the modern day nWo. Because, otherwise, what the hell are we doing here?
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