As we open NXT 8/10, Vic Joseph advises the audience that Ember Moon is not medically cleared to face Sarray tonight. She will be replaced by the #1 contender for the NXT Women’s Championship, Dakota Kai!
Dakota Kai vs Sarray
Before Sarray’s walkout, Dakota gets a mic and taunts champion Raquel Gonzalez, saying that she will defeat the undefeated Sarray on her march to victory at Takeover 36. The Warrior of the Sun doesn’t make it easy on her. Throughout the match, Sarray’s mat acumen gives Dakota fits as she uses suplexes, unique submissions, and even beats “The Captain” to the kicks. Wily Dakota knows how to turn the tide with ring awareness and using the environment to her advantage as Sarray takes as much damage from the turnbuckles as she does from Dakota’s limbs. Even as Sarray seems to have the advantage, the killer Kiwi catches her with a corner kick from her blindside to hand her an inaugural loss in what might be a minor upset.
Winner: Dakota Kai
During the match, we see Raquel Gonzalez arrive at the Capitol Wrestling Centre. Not a moment too soon for Sarray either as the Tejano Titan interrupts a post match corner kick aimed at the former Joshi star.
We go back to last week as Johnny Gargano wins his match but loses his Way when Indi Hartwell risks leaving the family to be with Dexter Lumis in the aftermath. Now, to make it work, Candice and Johnny allow Dexter into the home and off on a date with Indi. Of course, no sooner does he hand her a bouquet of black roses and they leave, do we see Candice and Johnny prepare to follow them. You know, to make sure no “funny business” happens.
Hit Row won’t stand for the North American title, Swerve’s stolen grill, or their culture being disrespected. They say so while throwing a luchador mask into a flaming barrel… that they have set up in what appears to be the back of a box truck for some (quite possibly unsafe) reason.
Ilja Dragunov addresses the US audience from the center of the ring. He says that he doesn’t talk much because words don’t carry the same meaning as his struggle, his conviction, and his will to fight. He vows to end WALTER’s reign as NXT UK champ at Takeover 36. Pete Dunne feels that is a good time to come down to the ring and demand a big “Thank you” from Dragunov. He says that, because he carried the NXT UK Championship around the world, it means something. Ilja says that he got to the top and will beat WALTER (something Pete never did!) off of his own sacrifice, not Pete’s. He challenges Pete to let him show that will fight against him… tonight! Pete accepts.
In the locker room, LA Knight is asked about abandoning his tag team partner, Cameron Grimes, last week. He says that Cameron, the butler (respeck on his name!), let him down by losing. He also doesn’t want to hear anymore about Ted DiBiase. Because who’s game is it? LA Knight’s game. Yeah!
LA Knight vs Andre Chase
Andre Chase was last seen being eliminated from the 2021 Breakout Tournament and is itching to prove himself tonight. He gets in two quick hip tosses on LA Knight but is pulled into the middle rope and then takes the Snapmare Driver for a short night and long drive home.
Winner: LA Knight
LA Knight directes Cameron Grimes to the center of the ring to wipe off his brow and his boots when Ted DiBiase has seen enough. He comes down to the ring and says that, while Cameron Grimes is trying to be a man of his word and keep to the terms of the “butler match,” he’s got so much more potential that Ted and the people see in him. LA Knight asks if he has a point or if he’s just looking to get punched in the mouth again. Ted says that, if they met again, Cameron would beat LA Knight. Knight says that he’s 2-for-2 and he’ll do it again on one condition: If he beats Cameron a third time, Cameron isn’t his butler anymore… Ted is! It’s on for Takeover 36!
GiGi Dollin is ready to take on the top tier of the NXT women’s division. When she says that she’s not doing it alone, the roses she’s pruning give us a hint as to who she means.
GiGi Dollin vs Amari Miller
GiGi comes down to the ring with a large orange rose and Jacy Jayne with her. GiGi ties up and gets the better of a hammerlock exchange with Miller, punctuated with a mush to the face when they break apart. Miller starts battling back with some sharp elbows but GiGi uses the bottom rope to devastating effect on her left arm. She keeps up the pressure until hitting what can only be described as an abdominal stretch driver for the win.
Winner: GiGi Dollin
At Fresca Cucina Italiana, Indi orders every appetizer on the menu when she hears the crackle of Candice’s walkie-talkie. She tells Johnny that the op is compromised and Indi continues her date with Dexter.
William Regal calls Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly to a ring filled with extra security. This will be a 2-out-of-3 falls match with each of them picking a stipulation. The third fall, if necessary, will be chosen by William Regal. Kyle says that the loss in their first match doesn’t sit well with him. He wants a straight up match, pin or submission for victory. Adam says that getting his skull smashed into the steel ring steps makes him think that the second fall needs to be a street fight. Kyle says that he doesn’t care anymore and that makes him dangerous. Cole says he’s delusional and has been riding his coattails. When they have their inevitable dust up and pull apart, Regal reveals that the third fall (if necessary) will take place inside of a steel cage!
Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher reflect on their recent match against Pete Dunne & Oney Lorcan when Ridge Holland interfered. Ciampa says that Ridge is big and bad but isn’t what they are. He calls out Holland but Toothless Timmy respectfully cuts in and amends the challenge to be a match against him.
Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner of Imperium are ready to pontificate on the sacredness of the ring but the signal breaks and Wes Lee & Nash Carter of MSK clown them about their schtick. Turnabout is fair play, boys.
Odyssey Jones vs Trey Baxter
Trey Baxter puts in his mouthpiece and that’s a good idea. He has a mountain of a task vs the absolute unit that is Odyssey Jones. Baxter can hardly catch a hold on the 405lb frame of Jones. He’s slick enough to stay out of trouble but, when he’s caught, he pays. A sleeper hold doesn’t do him much good but attacking the right leg gets the massive Jones in position for a Miz-style short DDT. Baxter has to keep up the pace but Odyssey is surprisingly quick himself. Big avalanche in the corner and Blue Thunder variation end Trey Baxter’s quest for the Breakout Tournament finals.
Winner: Odyssey Jones
Odyssey is hyped to be in the finals, giving shouts out to his momma and the NXT Universe.
Tian Sha declares that “Disobedience will not be tolerated.” Boa is sent to prove that.
McKenzie Mitchell is outside of William Regal’s office awaiting news on next week’s NXT. Kushida comes out holding the NXT Cruiserweight title belt. Immediately afterwards, Malcom Bivins comes out, telling Regal that he “won’t regret this decision.” He hands his business card to the towering security guards outside Regal’s office and tells McKenzie that Regal has news. He’s right. Imperium vs MSK for the tag team titles and Kushida will defend the cruiserweight belt against Roderick Strong.
Boa vs Drake Maverick
Mei Ying came to ringside with Boa upon his walkout, something we haven’t seen before. Drake Maverick gets blasted across the ring with a kick. (Something we have seen before.) Drake attacks the left knee but each strike from Boa drops the bite-sized Brit. Maverick rallies after some bullying to his ribs and connects on a dive to the outside. Drake goes after Boa’s leg again but Mei Ying hits him with the poison mist! Roundhouse kick to the back of the head gives Boa the win.
Winner: Boa
Back at Fresca, Indi has room for dessert but no tolerance for Johnny dressed as “Jean-Paul ze waiter.” She plays tug of war over a coconut cake until Dexter wears it. She sends Johnny away and we fade to black as she moves to eat cake off Dexter’s face.
Hype package plays for Samoa Joe vs Karrion Kross at Takeover and does a good job of fleshing out the two personalities and what got us to this point. There’ll be a face-to-face next week and I think we all know how that will play out.
Main Event of NXT 8/10: Pete Dunne vs Ilja Dragunov
This is Dragunov’s first match inside NXT Original Recipe and it is a war of attrition. A lot of strikes and submission attempts with Dragunov largely on the defensive. Right away, he goes for a flying attack off the top rope and eats Dunne’s forearm hard. From there, he’s in a constant battle to keep his fingers unbroken and his head and arm out of a triangle hold. Over and again, Dunne punishes Ilja’s right hand. Multiple times, Ilja lifts Dunne in a high crotch suplex but doesn’t get him over until the fourth or so try. Even then, the fresher Dunne kicks out of the bridge. Dragunov goes for the senton from the top and connects with it. He sets up in the corner for the Torpedo Moscow but… the Imperium theme hits. WALTER comes out, holding the NXT UK title belt. Dragunov makes the age-old mistake of kicking Dunne out under the ropes to the announce desk side and turns his attention to WALTER. Dunne comes in for the blindside Bitter End and misses it. Dragunov hits a beautiful leaping kick and gets ready for the Torpedo but gets caught and it really is a Bitter End for him.
Winner: Pete Dunne
Afterwards, WALTER comes in to manhandle the defeated Dragunov. The fighting spirit is still there, though and, after a few shots, he hits a Torpedo that sends the champion sprawling to the ringside area.
Five Takeaways from NXT 8/10
1. Not sure this was the best introduction to the casual NXT viewer for Ilja Dragunov. You get to show him off to hype Takeover but he lost a match (very much cleanly) after being outclassed for much of the match. Maybe fans will remember him fighting on and sending WALTER packing but the Torpedo is not a very exciting finisher to end on there. Protecting Pete Dunne seems to have been a high priority.
2. The Raquel/Dakota match is quick to the card but doesn’t seem that way because it has been long in the build. It has been about a year-and-a-half since they paired up and we all saw it coming back then. Raquel has taken on and beaten everyone on that roster… except one. Everyone except the backstabber who brought Raquel in to save her from the consequences of her own actions at War Games. Masterful.
3. Less time in the build but just as sensible has been Kross/Joe. The hype package tonight really tied these two together with Kross talking about how similar they are. This should be bigger than it is. Unfortunately, Kross was recently castrated on Monday Night RAW.
4. Boa sort of reminds me of Lacey Evans. He looks great and has athletic measurables but he still seems a little wooden out there. He can do the moves but it’s like he moves to individual points and then does them. I don’t know how much longer he has to sand down those edges.
5. Not as much was made about the Breakout Tournament this week. Speculation on why that may be is already rampant but Odyssey Jones saved it. There’s 405 lbs. of charisma right there on the table. I hope nobody leaves it out to rot.
 the INDEX saga go on a date, Odyssey Jones score big, Dragunov stumble and more.){kind=link}