NXT held its live TV tapings at Full Sail University on Wednesday night, for most of February 2019. Here’s everything that happened, and everything you need to know.
Please be aware that everything you read in the subsequent paragraphs is an actual, massive, legitimate spoiler for what will happen over the next several weeks of NXT television. You may read on only at your own risk. But if you’re the sort of person who just simply cannot wait until it happens on WWE Network to find out what happens next, congratulations! This post is for you!
Note: Normally we divide these into “episodes,” but that wasn’t totally clear this time. You’ll see why certain stuff gets confusing.
NXT Taping Results:
– Dark Match: Luke Menzies defeated Sean Maluta. Menzies won a quick squash with a headbutt.
– Johnny Gargano opened the tapings, talking about his North American Championship win at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. He’s interrupted and challenged by the Velveteen Dream, who gets a title shot for winning the yet-to-be-aired Worlds Collide tournament.
1. Jaxson Ryker defeated Mansoor. You may remember Mansoor from the Greatest Royal Rumble. Ryker wins with a sit-out chokeslam, which may have replaced the slingshot powerbomb as his finisher. After the match, Forgotten Sons cut a promo on War Raiders and continued to attack Mansoor.
2. Drew Gulak defeated Eric Bugenhagen. Gulak said he represents 205 Live as the best submission wrestler in the world and challenges anyone from NXT. Matt Riddle accepts the challenge, setting up a match.
3. Matt Riddle defeated Drew Gulak. Riddle won by submission with the Bromission.
4. Io Shirai, Kairi Sane, and Bianca Belair defeated Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir. Shirai pinned Baszler after a moonsault.
5. Dominik Dijakovic defeated Shane Thorne. Thorne, now a solo act, still uses The Mighty’s entrance theme. Dijak hit Feast Your Eyes for the pin.
– Stacey Ervin Jr. and Humberto Carrillo showed up to wrestle, but were interrupted by Kassius Ohno. Ohno says he hates the fans and is leaving. Keith Lee interrupted him, knocked him out, and apologized for the interruption.
6. Street Profits defeated Humberto Carrillo and Stacey Ervin Jr. After the match, the Profits cut a promo about wanting a title shot. They’re confronted by Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel, which brings out Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch, and eventually War Raiders. Undisputed Era attacked the Raiders.
7. Aliyah defeated Taynara Conti. Vanessa Borne was at ringside for Aliyah, and raised her hand when she won. They get attacked by the three Four Horsewomen.
8. Ricochet defeated Adam Cole. Ricochet won the match with a combo of moves, ending with a Cradle Shock. Undisputed Era attacked him and Aleister Black tried to make the save, but UE stood tall.
9. Keith Lee defeated Kassius Ohno. Lee blocked a low blow and hit a Spirit Bomb to win. The crowd chanted “go home” to Ohno to the tune of his entrance theme.
10. Aleister Black defeated Roderick Strong. Black Mass, from outta nowhere. Ricochet helped prevent a post-match attack from Undisputed Era.
11. Mia Yim defeated Xia Li. Mia hits Eat Defeat for the pin. After the match, Yim gets attacked by the three Four Horsewomen. Lacey Lane, Jessie, and MJ Jenkins tried to make a save, but failed.
12. NXT North American Championship Match: The Velveteen Dream either did or didn’t defeat Johnny Gargano. Dream hit two rolling Death Valley Drivers and the Purple Rainmaker to win the match and the championship. After the match, Gargano attacked Dream, took the belt, and posed with it alongside Tommaso Ciampa on the stage. The interesting bit here is that when Gargano came back down to attack Dream, they appeared to re-tape teh finish with Gargano avoiding the Rainmaker and submitting Dream. He then left with the championship, leaving us to wonder which finish they’ll use on TV, possibly having taped multiple finishes to avoid spoilers (like these!).
