Today’s edition of NXT takes place from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, and is the go-home show for NXT Takeover Toronto.
Intro song. (All out Life by Slipknot)
Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Beth Phoenix welcome us another edition of NXT television. General manager William Regal is in the ring to officiate the contract signing for the NXT tag team championship match between the Street Profits and the Undisputed Era. The champs are out first to a loud ovation from the crowd. Regal is about to introduce the U.E. when Dawkins and Ford give them a custom introduction where they call Kyle O’Reilly “O’Reilly Auto Parts” and Bobby Fish “Lawrence Fishburne. U.E. comes out unaffected by the name calling.
Fish gets on the microphone and says that he forgot to laugh at how unfunny the Profits are. He claims that the Profits stand no chance because they’re not on the U.E’s level. Ford and Dawkins fire back, calling the Undisputed Era the best tag team in NXT history, who have been featured on every Takeover, and have even had multiple title reigns, and because of that…losing is not an option for the Street Profits. They promise to “beat that ass” at Takeover. Both teams sign, thus ending the segment.
A video package highlighting the NXT North American championship triple threat for Takeover is played. Footage of Velveteen Dream, Roderick Strong, and Pete Dunne’s intense showdowns over the last few weeks is played.
Tonight’s main event, Matt Riddle versus Killian Dain is hyped by commentary.
Preview for Takeover Toronto. A special message from Slipknot is played, who played the theme for Toronto.
Cut to another video package hyping the NXT women’s championship match between Shayna Baszler and Mia Yim. Yim discusses growing up in the streets of Los Angeles, and because of that hardship, she’ll be damned if she lets those people down. Baszler responds by calling Yim’s tale a good story, but at the end of the day she’ll suffer the same fate as everyone else…by tapping out. Footage of Yim taking out Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke out of action.
Time for some wrestling. Joaquin Wilde is out first. He’ll be facing former TMI member Shane Thorne.
Joaquin Wilde versus Shane Thorne
Tie-up. Thorne forces him to the ropes and starts talking trash. Wilde with a quick roll-up…two count. Thorne traps Wilde in a headlock but Wilde escapes and tosses Thorne to the mat. Arm ringer from Wilde…he brings Thorne down…nice sequence of counters and mat wrestling from both men that ends in a stalemate. Lariat attempt by Thorne…Wilde ducks and hits an arm-drag. Thorne charges…elbow by Wilde…he strings together moves ending with a dropkick for a nearfall. Wilde applies a guillotine…Thorne powers out and nails a brainbuster. He doesn’t go for the cover so he can inflict more damage.
Stiff uppercut from Thorne. He targets Wilde’s arm with a wristlock…Wilde fights out of the old but gets dumped to the apron. Slingshot lariat from Wilde but he didn’t get all of it. Springboard back elbow. Running chop to the corner…Throne with another elbow…he climbs…Wilde catches him with a powerbomb. Pinfall…Thorne gets a shoulder up. Wilde again with the guillotine…Thorne has it scouted…a vicious combo of strikes…Wilde answers with a pop-up double-boot sends Thorne to ringside. Suicide dive through the ropes! Right back up…Wilde with a tope con hilo. Thorne just beats the count but rolls right back to the outside so he has time to recover. Wilde tries to pursue him…Thorne pulls him out and throws him into the stairs and the barricade. Back in the ring…thrust knee…and that’ll do it.
Shane Thorne wins by pinfall
Another video package, this time highlighting the feud between Io Shirai and Candice LeRae. What began as a partnership ended with Shirai turning on LeRae after unsuccessful attempts at Shayna Baszler’s NXT women’s title. LeRae would exact some revenge of her own. Tension was so bad that General Manager William Regal gave them a Takeover match as long as they stayed away from each other.
The Harley Race tribute video that premiered on Raw is played. Legends like Jake the Snake, Jerry Lawler, Shawn Michaels, and Stone Cold Steve Austin talk about Race’s legend, including his eight title reigns as NWA champion.
Main event time. Matt Riddle is out first. Killian Dain comes out of nowhere and nails Riddle with a crossbody! They briefly brawl, with Dain sending Riddle into the steel steps, then hitting a running cannonball. Riddle is rocked. Referees and security take Dain away…get this match is not going to happen.
A recap of the NXT Breakout Tournament is played out, where Cameron Grimes and Jordan Myles advancing to the final round. As a reminder…the winner of the tournament gets a future title shot of their choosing.
Commercial for SummerSlam featuring Shane McMahon’s showdown with Kevin Owens.
Flashback to last week’s NXT, when Tyler Breeze upset Jaxson Ryker in singles-action. Post match, the Forgotten Sons started beating Breeze down when Fandango made the save!
Cut to an interview with Breeze and Fandango. Breeze asks Fandango where he’s been…Fandango says he was in too deep. “We’ve been so concerned with everyone else’s fashion sense…we haven’t been policing ourselves.” He and Breeze decide that it’s time for a makeover. “Breezango reimagined.”
Commentary tells us that Forgotten Sons will face Breezango on next week’s NXT. Also next week..Cameron Grimes against Jordan Myles to determine the NXT Breakout tournament winner.
Finally…a video package hyping the NXT title matchup between Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole in Takeover Toronto’s main event. The bout will be a 2-out-of 3 falls matchup, wit Gargano and Cole each choosing their own stipulation. Cole chose a basic singles-wrestling math, while Gargano picked a street fight. If they end up needing a third fall…General Manager William Regal will announce the final stipulation.
That’s the show friends.