[music playing]
WWE FOREVER
[female announcer] Please welcome, Grammy-nominated artist,
Poppy.
[crowd cheering]
[upbeat music playing]
♪ Stand and Deliver ♪
♪ I'm the dandy highwayman ♪
♪ You're too scared to mention ♪
♪ I spend my cash on looking flash ♪
♪ And grabbing your attention ♪
♪ The devil take your stereo ♪
♪ And your record collection ♪
♪ The way you look, you'll qualify ♪
♪ For next year's old-age pension ♪
♪ Stand and Deliver ♪
♪ Your money or your life ♪
♪ Try and use a mirror ♪
♪ No bullet or a knife ♪
♪ I'm the dandy highwayman ♪
♪ So sick of easy fashion ♪
♪ The clumsy boots, peekaboo roots ♪
♪ That people think so dashing ♪
♪ So what's the point of robbery ♪
♪ When nothing is worth taking? ♪
♪ It's kind of tough to tell a scruff ♪
♪ The big mistake he's making ♪
♪ Stand and Deliver ♪
♪ Your money or your life ♪
♪ Try and use a mirror ♪
♪ No bullet or a knife ♪
♪ And even though you fool your soul ♪
♪ Your conscience will be mine ♪
♪ All mine ♪
[heavy metal music plays]
♪ Hands behind my back ♪
♪ I'm under attack ♪
♪ I will not react ♪
♪ I won't give you that I'm up to my neck ♪
♪ Lost all self-respect ♪
♪ I don't want revenge ♪
♪ Just want it to end ♪
♪ Show me your teeth look at me ♪
♪ Look at me ♪
♪ Everything's going perfectly ♪
♪ So say cheese ♪
♪ Move ♪
♪ Show me your teeth ♪
♪ Come on look at me ♪
♪ Show me how to be happy ♪
[heavy metal music stops]
[crowd applause and cheers]
[crowd chants "Poppy"]
[male announcer] And now, WWE presents
NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver
[suspensful music plays]
[bell rings]
[female announcer] The following is a unification ladder match
to determine the undisputed NXT Cruiserweight champion.
Introducing first, representing Legado Del Fantasma,
he is the NXT Cruiserweight champion,
Santos Escobar.
[Vic] What a way to kick off NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, night two.
And how about the way we kick things off?
What an absolutely epic performance from Poppy,
here at NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver.
Right now, you can get your exclusive limited edition
Poppy Stand & Deliver shirt, only available at wweshop.com
for a limited time.
Go to wweshop.com to purchase tonight.
Santos Escobar oozing charisma,
your pick to unify the championships here tonight,
Wade will get to that in just a moment.
[upbeat music plays]
[female announcer] And his opponent from Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland,
weighing in at 180 pounds,
he is the NXT Cruiserweight champion,
"The Irish ace" Jordan Devlin.
[Wade] Well, now Jordan Devlin makes his entrance, let's just drag back
to that entrance of Santos Escobar wearing that bandana.
The mask of death.
Santos Escobar says he walks with death every single day
and he's had to make peace with death ahead of this battle.
What an epic shot, those Cruiserweight Championships hanging
between these two claimants.
[Vic] And you see those two titles are glimmering memories,
Beth, of Hall of Famer, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon
and Wrestlemania revolutionize the ladder match.
[Beth] Making peace with death,
you mentioned, Wade, that speaks of the danger of this match.
HBK had a brilliant idea
suggesting that we use a ladder match to determine
who is the rightful owner of the Cruiserweight title here tonight
in the most dangerous way possible.
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] The wrestling world has wanted to know who is the real
Cruiserweight champion.
It's simple.
Climb the ladder, retrieve the championships, only way to win.
And we are determining who is the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
[Wade] Oh, this is a brawl straight
from the bat, no love lost whatsoever.
[Vic] There's Jordan Devlin
over 430 days as champion,
and, oh, he's held the title longer than anyone.
You can go back, Beth, all the way to WCW.
[Beth] I know. Jordan Devlin brings so much to the table.
And there's a lot of ego involved in this match.
Tonight at the global press conference, Devlin said he'd be ashamed to think
someone would trade a thing Escobar
represents the Cruiserweight division.
[Vic] Wade, you were impressed by Devlin at that global press conference.
[Wade] Yes.
We haven't seen too much of him, but I got to say,
he's one confident, eloquent young man.
He did concede that the cruiserweight style
was originated in Santos Escobar's Mexico, however,
he says it's been perfected in Ireland.
[Vic] Oh, Devlin quickly looking for that Devlin side.
Nice counter by Escobar.
And guys, quickly, who is the best? Wade, I'll start with you.
Insults have been hurled around-- Paper champion, imposter.
[Wade] Well, I'm always going to lean towards Santos Escobar.
I'm simply more familiar with him, but in truth,
it's really a coin flip between these two.
Both men are worthy of calling themselves the undisputed
Cruiserweight champion.
[Beth] Wade, let me familiarize you with Jordan Devlin.
First of all, everything that he's been speaking about, he did it.
Devlin won the Cruiserweight title first.
He statistically defended the title more.
He even made an open challenge for the title, and then Escobar
followed the next week with the same thing.
[Wade] Let me ask you this,
did Jordan Devlin take the Cruiserweight title
from the pre-show to the main show?
No, that was Santos Escobar.
[Vic] All right. Now, Jordan Devlin is in control
of Santos Escobar in this unification ladder match.
Devlin, Escobar [unintelligible]
goes up, goes over, lands on his feet.
Escobar quickly trying to counter, actually getting
dangerously close.
[crowd cheering]
"The Irish ace" always bets on himself, and right now,
everything coming up for Jordan Devlin.
[Beth] I mean, the high-risk--
we haven't even involved any ladders yet
in this matchup, and take a look at that crash and burn.
[Vic] Again, no count-outs, no disqualifications.
It's simple. Climb the ladder, retrieve the gold.
Wade, you've actually defended the Intercontinental
championship at WrestleMania.
How does one prepare for this sort of match?
[Wade] I'll be honest with you, Vic, of all the things in life that
I'm designed for, it certainly wasn't ladder matches.
As we get a first glimpse of this ladder being pulled out by Jordan Devlin.
I've got to be honest with you, these two men have both been
preparing for this kind of match for all of their careers.
Much more in their wheelhouse.
[Beth] Escobar meet ladder. Wow.
[Vic] I'm sure, you try to,
prepare to have someone swinging a ladder at you.
[Wade] To be honest, I don't think
I ever got above the fourth rung of the ladder.
[Vic] Jordan Devlin trying to climb
over that fourth rung, to reach
for the cruiserweight championships.
Jordan Devlin fingertips away.
Escobar's able to run some interference, and pull Devlin down.
There, we have a ladder, again, coming into play.
[Beth] And you see the precarious, awkward way the bodies fall
in this sort of matchup.
The thing is, the ladder doesn't obey any physics, any rules,
it is truly the X-factor in a matchup like this.
[Vic] Talk about creating history, Standing & Deliver,
just to know, this is the first ladder match
for the cruiserweight championship in the history of NXT.
It's Santos Escobar in control.
Escobar, who's following the footsteps of other cruiserweight
champions like Rey Mysterio
and Eddie Guerrero, looking to cement his legacy here tonight.
Devlin able to escape him.
You hear the very rowdy,
the very loud NXT universe.
[Beth] We've been waiting for this moment for a long time.
[Vic] Oh. Nasty landing for Jordan Devlin.
[Wade] Ping-ponging to the outside over the top rope.
Not only that impact into the ladder, but all the way down to the concrete.
[Vic] We've been waiting. The world has been waiting.
[Beth] Check out the unpredictability, the way the ladder bounced on the rope
and propelled Devlin to the floor.
[Vic] They've been talking about who is the real champion
for months and months.
-Escobar. -This is my bingo.
I run it as I see fit.
You'll learn that. [speaks in Spanish]
[Vic] Escobar [unintelligible] Into Jordan Devlin,
damn near put him into the front row.
[Wade] Well, you heard Santos Escobar, "This is my bingo."
Santos Escobar unquestionably
the man who runs the bingo in the cruiserweight division.
[Vic] Now Escobar bringing out, Beth, another ladder.
[Beth] The stakes continue to be raised with each new implement
of destruction in this, and Escobar being creative the way
he's setting it up.
It's all about angles.
[Vic] An uppercut from Devlin.
Escobar, trying to answer back.
Escobar, who has stated time and time again the cruiserweight
style in his veins represents
the culture of lucha libre and has called himself the champion of champions.
[Wade] He is the emperor. He is the man who represents
a century of lucha tradition.
We saw the entrance from Santos Escobar
wearing that classic lucha mask, the classic
world paying homage to all the greats from history,
from Mexico who have represented this style.
He is the current ambassador.
[Vic] Oh, Escobar. Wisely, guys,
ready to climb that ladder,
saw Jordan Devlin coming, and then gets a little extra bonus.
[Beth] You saw the urgency of Devlin.
As soon as he saw that ladder beneath those title belts,
he rushed right in the ring.
[Wade] Just so mentally sharp is Santos Escobar.
It's one of many things I admire about him.
[Vic] Hold it, guys. Devlin, though, is limping
after the ladder went into his knees.
[Beth] So many… corners and rough
edges on that ladder, nothing forgiving when it crashes into the body like that.
[Vic] And again, Escobar charging in, and oh, damage continuing to be done
to the midsection of Jordan Devlin.
You got to wonder if Devlin's even going to be able to raise
his arms to grab the titles.
[Wade] I'm not sure he can breathe right now.
He might have a smashed rib after that.
That was steel crushing against flesh and bone.
Make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, that is painful.
[Vic] Santos Escobar, right now-- you can see
the smile on the face of Santos Escobar.
Believes, Wade, he's got everything in control.
It's hard to argue.
Escobar now back on top of Devlin.
[Wade] Life still in Jordan Devlin for sure,
this audience firmly behind.
One of these two competitors don't quite make it out,
but this could be the opportunity for Escobar to climb the ladder,
ascend and become the undisputed cruiserweight champ.
[Vic] Centering that ladder. Now it's Escobar, starting to climb.
You can see again, Beth, Devlin grabbing simply at the ankle,
and Escobar makes Devlin pay.
[Beth] Despite what happened earlier, Devlin just acting out of desperation.
Now Escobar turning it up.
[Vic] Continuing to talk trash is Santos Escobar.
[Wade] Unparalleled aggression from Santos Escobar.
He can be flashy when he needs to, but he can also be gritty.
[Vic] Escobar's been in absolute control since the start of this matchup.
What is Escobar trying to do?
[Beth] Coming into this with a little bit of creativity.
Clearly, Escobar did his homework, watching prior ladder
matches to just stir that creativity.
Do you see what happens, huh?
Do you see what happens?
[speaks in Spanish]
[Vic] Escobar just wants to inflict more damage to Jordan Devlin.
Escobar-- now Devlin-- oh, it's Escobar who eats the ladder.
[Wade] That slap fired up Jordan Devlin.
He can take a kicking but that humiliation was just too much for him.
Exploding on Santos Escobar.
[Vic] Jordan Devlin-- the biggest spotlight,
the biggest stage in Devlin's career.
To continue his historic reign
as cruiserweight champion,
he's got to climb the ladder, retrieve the titles.
Eyeing it up now is Devlin. Escobar though.
[Wade] Pinpoint accuracy. Back to those ribs of Jordan Devlin
that he attacked earlier.
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] Right back to the midsection goes Escobar.
Escobar now looking to launch Devlin.
Devlin was able to counter. Devlin climbing--
he just touched the gold.
Devlin so close and-- oh, DDT.
Devlin turning things around very quickly.
"The Irish ace" now, if he can get back to his feet,
might be the best moment of the match for Devlin.
[Beth] That ladder--
he's putting out of position.
[crowd chanting "This is awesome."]
[Vic] This, indeed, is awesome.
This's just the opening match here of night two.
Escobar takes Devlin up and over.
Devlin lands on his feet, so close to that ladder.
Escobar now, picking up the pace, looking to fly.
Devlin spine-first into the ladder…
and somehow, that ladder staying perfectly straight up.
[Wade] Escobar like a torpedo aimed directly at Jordan Devlin.
We take another look at this.
Fingertips of Jordan Devlin against the cruiserweight championship.
[Beth] Now listen to this, the crack
of the flesh and bone against the steel of the ladder.
[Vic] Both men, same message.
They wanted to leave no doubt in the eyes of the world
who is the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
Escobar again, looking up, but Jordan Devlin back into the ring.
[Wade] You just cannot keep the man down.
This is why he was the original of these two.
[speaks Spanish]
[Beth] Escobar calling Devlin a cockroach.
[speaks Spanish]
[Vic] Escobar continuing to pressure.
Is Escobar may be getting frustrated with Devlin?
[Wade] He's definitely not frustrated. He's in complete control--
[Vic] Escobar, countered by Devlin. Up and over.
In the back…
of Escobar bouncing off the edge of that ladder,
something you felt before, Wade.
[Wade] That was a desperation move from Jordan Devlin.
It was almost lights out for the Irishman there,
but he lives to fight another day, and perhaps
gaining momentum, gaining steam.
[crowd cheering on punch]
[Vic] Oh, Devlin with the counter, going to the body.
Might be the knockout blow. Escobar rocked.
Devlin-- oh, jumping knee connects.
Devlin now rocked. Irish ace, knees buckled.
[Wade] Devlin going for the Devlin side there,
but Santos Escobar, one step ahead.
-[Vic] Spanish fly. -[Wade] Oh my word.
[Vice] Jordan Devlin feeling it now.
Can Devlin climb the ladder?
Escobar back to his feet, Devlin able to sidestep Escobar.
Escobar bounces off the top turnbuckle, spinning cutter.
[Wade] Santos Escobar, for the first time in this match, at sixes and sevens.
This could be Jordan Devlin's opportunity.
[Beth] You see Jordan Devlin looking up at those titles.
It might as well be miles away. Struggling to get that ladder.
He's got to set it up in the center and climb for his life.
[Vic] To Beth's point, Wade, Jordan Devlin struggling back to his feet,
now just trying to set the ladder up.
[Wade] Let's be honest, Jordan Devlin has taken an absolute
whooping in this match.
He's got the best of the last 60 seconds, but that is about it.
Santos Escobar already back on his feet.
[Vic] Escobar trying to run a little bit of defense, and a nasty,
vicious headbutt from Devlin.
[Beth] I got to give it to Santos Escobar.
Brilliant strategy in NXT. Every time Devlin sets up that ladder,
Escobar is shoving it, moving it, getting it out of position
to eliminate that advantage.
[Vic] Wait a minute.
Devlin-- he's far away
from the championships, as now Escobar
meeting Devlin high above the ring, here in the capitol wrestling center.
[Wade] Trading at the top of the ladder, not where you want to be.
Santos Escobar coming off second best.
[Beth] Devlin has something else in mind.
[Vic] Jordan Devlin--
[Wade] Oh, no.
-[Wade] Oh! -[Vic] From the heavens, what a Moonsault.
[crowd chanting]
[Beth] Have you ever seen anything executed this flawlessly?
Beautiful, from the heights.
One more, look at this perfect execution.
What an impact across the chest of Escobar.
We got to see this one more time.
Boom.
[Vic] Now Jordan Devlin alone in the ring. This is Devlin's moment.
Is it Devlin's time?
Devlin has the ladder set up right underneath
both cruiserweight championships,
as Devlin starts to climb.
[Wade] Santos Escobar down and out,
Devlin has all the time in the world.
[Beth] Oh, hold on a second.
What?
[Vic] Legado del fanta-- oh.
[Wade] Oh my God.
[Beth] What about solidifying your legacy?
[Wade] Oh, this is a mugging.
[referee] Get out of here.
Guys, get out of here.
Come on.
[Vic] Legado Del Fantasma--
It's all legal, there's no disqualifications,
Beth, to your point.
[Beth] Escobar just turned this into a three-on-one.
[Wade] Hey, steady on, Beth, steady on.
I heard Santos-- sending them to the back.
Good man. What an honorable man, Santos Escobar--
[Beth] Are you kidding me, honorable?
[Wade] Legado Del Fantasma not to get involved in the matchup.
[Beth] We're talking about legacy,
heritage, and you don't do that by cheating.
[Wade] In the middle of all this,
Santos Escobar alone in the ring with the ladder.
[Vic] Now Santos Escobar, starting his climb,
after Legado Del Fantasma took out Devlin.
Escobar, so close to the titles.
Devlin, out of desperation just chucked the ladder at Escobar.
[Wade] Refusing to stay down, managing to stay in this matchup.
Perhaps that was a mistake by Santos Escobar,
sending Legado Del Fantasma to the back.
[Vic] Devlin now setting up his ladder.
Both superstars out to prove they're the best,
they're the undisputed champion of the world, they're the one,
they're the only.
This is what they're willing to risk,
everything
to call themselves champion.
[Beth] Jordan Devlin doing everything in his power.
Santos Escobar upping the level of danger.
-Oh my God. -[Vic] Oh god.
Oh no.
Escobar trying, Devlin countering.
Devlin continuing to fight. You got to be kidding me.
[crowd chanting]
The destruction in this match.
[Beth] Take a look at these men, jockeying for position.
Then out of nowhere to a Spanish fly, and neither man able to move.
[Wade] Let me tell you, nobody comes off well in a move like that.
[crowd chanting "This is awesome."]
[Vic] This, indeed, is awesome.
This is about becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
Santos Escobar hasn't moved.
Jordan Devlin, Beth, a clear path up the ladder.
[Beth] Jordan Devlin is just a few feet away from accomplishing
everything that he set out to do,
becoming the one and only undisputed cruiserweight champion.
[Vic] Devlin struggling, but pulling himself up.
Devlin closing in-- closer, almost to the top rope.
Escobar's starting to move,
Devlin's starting to reach.
Devlin one more rung away to have the titles.
-[Beth] He's got it! -[Vic] He almost had the titles,
Escobar now starting to fight.
Escobar right, after right, after right, wearing down Devlin.
Escobar's all the way at the top.
Both superstars teetering, reaching, trying to get the titles.
[Wade] Both men surely burning on their final embers at this point.
[Vic] Oh, Devlin's got the gold.
Oh, Devlin sent crashing through the ladder.
There is nothing now stopping Santos Escobar from etching his name,
continuing to grow his legacy.
As Santos Escobar looks around,
now just needs to look up to grab both cruiserweight championships.
One more rung for Santos Escobar.
[Wade] The carnage of a broken ladder that Devlin lies in--
Santos Escobar claims one championship,
claiming the second championship.
-[bell rings] -[Wade] We have a winner.
-[Vic] Escobar has done it. -[female announcer] Here is your winner,
and undisputed NXT cruiserweight champion,
Santos Escobar.
[Vic] The champion of champions continues to grow and etch his name,
and the legacy, and the heritage of lucha libre.
[Beth] We were talking about the evolution of the ladder match.
The limits of the human body adapt to how hard we push them.
Tonight, these men not only surpassed, but smashed the precedent.
Let's take a look at some of these amazing moments from this matchup.
Jordan Devlin executing this flawless Moonsault
across the chest of Santos Escobar.
[Vic] There was a lot of high-risk, high-reward for both superstars,
but Legado Del Fantasma, Wade, the difference-maker.
[Wade] Santos Escobar told me he told them not to get involved.
You cannot control family.
We take another look at this Spanish fly off the top of the ladder.
Both men in turmoil.
[Beth] Then you see this moment here, the interference of legado,
a factor that was just too much for Devlin.
[Vic] Didn't you notice Santos Escobar with the headbutt to Jordan Devlin?
The same almost a receipt, so to speak, Wade.
[Wade] That is just perfection from Santos Escobar.
A lot of people will have taken their first glimpse.
Oh.
[Beth] Do you see there, Santos Escobar,
Devlin suffering the effects of the match, but his nine-year-old son
joining him in celebration.
There's nothing short
of generational excellence with Legado Del Fantasma.
[speaks in Spanish]
[upbeat music playing]
[Beth] Following that incredible performance,
we still have our co-main event tonight to follow.
Two former allies, friends, brothers, whose personal views
have degraded them into bitter rivals.
Earlier today, arriving flanked by security, Mr. Regal has been
following him everywhere he goes, keeping these two men apart.
Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly, still set for action tonight
in this bitter, bitter rivalry.
[Vic] Oh, that is our co-main event, that unsanctioned matchup.
[Wade] Of course, here is the opponent in that matchup.
Kyle O'Reilly, again, flanked by security and watched closely by Mr. Regal,
keeping these combustible elements apart.
[Vic] Off the heels of our first championship matchup,
it's time for our second championship matchup for the night.
For the first time ever, the NXT women's tag team titles
will be defended here on a TakeOver.
Quickly, guys, let's go back to just last night.
24 hours ago, it was night one of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver,
where we crowned new NXT tag team champions in a wild
triple threat match.
It was MSK who was able to take
control of this matchup, and then Wes Lee, Nash Carter,
would begin to build their own legacies within
the tag team division.
Right now, our backstage correspondent,
McKenzie Mitchell is standing by with the new NXT tag team champs.
MSK, congratulations. New NXT tag team champions.
First off, how you feeling?
Oh, really good. It was really hard to sleep last night, but even still--
Look, dude. We got nameplates, dude. Look at that.
Mine's covered in fingerprints, I've been touching all over it.
-I like mine. I love it. -It's fine.
We learned earlier on the pre-show, you have new top contenders
for the titles in Drake Maverick and Killian Dain.
How do you feel about that?
Ready.
Really looking forward to seeing
what they're going to be bringing towards us,
to try to take away our NXT tag team championships.
We've already faced them once in the dusty cup.
We're the champs now. We're not losing these.
-Not no way, not no how. -No.
Not now, not never.
Never.
Before you guys go, I want to get your quick thoughts and predictions
on Finn Balor and Karrion Kross and Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly tonight.
Okay. O'Reilly and Cole, ready?
One, two, three.
-[Wes] Cole. -[Nash] O'Reilly.
Oh, okay. Awkward.
Balor-Kross, ready?
One, two, three.
-[Wes] Balor. -[Nash] Kross.
Looks like one of us is going to lose.
Lies. Because we're both champs.
You're right.
-See you. -See you later.
-Congrats again, guys. -[Nash] Thank you!
Back to you.
-[girl] Ready, girls? -[upbeat music playing]
PEACOCK HAS IT ALL
HUNDREDS OF MOVIES
You will not laugh or giggle.
-Let's do this. -Bring it.
[Daffy] Luke and I are teamed in a hot dog eating contest.
Aye aye captain.
Oh my!
Woo. Boom.
[Booker] If you're not excited, you better check your pulse.
THRILLING SPORTS
You got to work with what you got, and we've got each other.
ALWAYS DISCOVER SOMETHING YOU CAN'T NOT WATCH
-I knew it the whole time, buddy. -Wow.
WRESTLEMANIA
[Vic] Of course, WrestleMania streaming live exclusively here on Peacock,
Saturday and Sunday.
[rock music playing]
It could be quite the night for the way, if this duo can capture tag team gold.
[rock music continues]
-THE WAY -CANDICE LERAE
Hey, guys, want to remind everyone, tonight only NXT fans can play in a free
NXT TakeOver pool on DraftKings.
Answer the questions on tonight's matches like who will win the unsanctioned match,
what will be the first weapon used,
and if you get enough correct, you can take home your share
of $1,000.
Download any of the DraftKings apps, sign up with promo code
WWE to play free, for your shot at $1,000.
The Way, Beth, talk a big game. Can they back it up tonight?
[Beth] The Way walked up to Moon and Blackheart and said
they want to challenge for the title on their stage.
My question is since when is NXT TakeOver the property of The Way?
[rock music playing]
[Vic] Unorthodox, unpredictable.
We're getting set for the first title defense
of the NXT women's tag team titles on a TakeOver.
Beth, I got to correct myself. I got to apologize to Ember Moon.
Ember Moon, the first woman
to hold the NXT women's title and the tag team titles.
We got [unintelligible].
She said she came back to NXT to make history, she's doing just that.
[Beth] Ember Moon, a trailblazer. She has done everything she set out to do,
including partnering up with Shotzi Blackheart to find success
and etch their names in the history books as well.
Tonight, they promise that they'll be
exiting the ring with those same titles.
[heavy metal music playing]
[Vic] Smiles on the face of Moon and Blackheart.
Can't say the same for their opponents here tonight.
[bell rings]
[female announcer] The following contest scheduled for one fall
is for the NXT women's tag team championship.
Introducing the challengers, representing the way,
the team of Indi Hartwell and Candice Lerae.
Their opponents, they are the NXT women's tag team champions,
Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart.
[Vic] There you see Blackheart, the 2020 NXT breakout star of the year.
Wade, Blackheart really has elevated her game in the last few months.
[Wade] She's always been a highly emotional, erratic personality.
She really just thrive on that to an extend, but I think Ember Moon
has provided a grounding influence for her,
has really helped her march to the top of the women's tag division.
-[bell rings] -[Vic] And it's [unintelligible]
Oh, Lerae, and Indi Hartwell right off the ring,
going right at the tag team champions.
It's what you were talking about moments ago, Beth.
[Beth] I'm not surprised that this was their strategy coming out
of the gates, looking to wear down the highly durable champions
right off the bat.
[Vic] Beth, look Lerae, well, been a Thorn in the side
of Shotzi Blackheart for some time.
[Beth] We've seen these two women mix it up.
Check out the power there, of Indi Hartwell, just snatching
-Blackheart off of her-- -[Vic] Oh!
-[Beth] Again, Lerae delivering the blows. -[Vic] Senton. into the cover titles
on the line, Blackheart kicks out.
[Beth] These women have a lot of history. Lerae still blames Blackheart
for costing her the women's championship in late 2020,
and of course, Lerae's team, defeating team Blackheart at Wargames.
[Vic] There's that shoulder,
driven right into the midsection of Shotzi Blackheart.
The way certainly has come in
with a game plan, Wade, and they're executing it.
[Wade] Absolutely.
They seem to have isolated Shotzi Blackheart very early
in this one [unintelligible].
I admire that. As Beth mentioned, Indi Hartwell developing--
[Vic] Cover. Oh, got away. Kick-out by Blackheart.
…into something of a powerhouse in the way.
[Vic] Blackheart, Ember Moon, caught a little bit off guard,
and now, Blackheart having to
almost play from behind in this matchup.
[Beth] What I'm seeing here is Hartwell stepping up in a big way.
[Vic] Another cover off that back elbow,
another hook to the leg, and another kick-out by Shotzi.
[Beth] We've seen her development,
and we've seen her improve week after week,
but she's really leaning on her strength.
She's a tall, strong woman
developing her in-ring repertoire to reflect that.
[Vic] Back in, Candice Lerae. Lerae and Johnny Gargano,
the mentors to Indi Hartwell and Austin theory.
Again, Lerae goes up, goes over quickly.
Cover, shoulders down, again, titles on the line.
Blackheart, another kick out at two.
You can just see Shotzi Blackheart
right here in front of us, Wade, gasping for air,
gasping to get breath.
[Wade] She's been mauled from the very beginning of this particular matchup,
and really needs to get over and tag Ember Moon quickly as she can.
Unable to buy that time though.
[Vic] Of course, Lerae, Indi Hartwell, remembering being eliminated
by the champions in the Women's Dusty Cup.
Is off another elbow, another cover, and yet another kick-out by Blackheart.
[Beth] We've talked about the competition between
Lerae and Blackheart, but there's also an emotional edge to this.
Don't forget, Candice Lerae, destroying at one time,
Shotzi Blackheart's tank that she was very emotionally connected to.
[Vic] There is the confidence in Indi Hartwell and Candice Lerae.
You certainly can't question the confidence of the way.
[Wade] Absolutely. They are like a family of real-life superheroes.
Any family that can recover from that weirdo Dexter Lumis trying
to rip them apart and come out the other side stronger
is pretty impressive in my book.
[Beth] Hold on. Lumis wasn't trying to--
[Vic] Another cover by Indi Hartwell, and another kick-out by Blackheart.
[Beth] Lumis wasn't trying to rip the family apart.
He wanted to be a part of the family. He had a connection with theory.
I think him and Indi still have
a little something, something-- some flair going on there.
[Wade] Do not start with that index nonsense with me.
He kidnapped Austin theory.
[Vic] Tag made.
Candice Lerae is legal.
To Beth's point, Indi Hartwell's been a different woman,
been more focused after Dexter Lumis, maybe, has inspired her.
[Wade] No, it's not Dexter Lumis, it's Candice Lerae.
She is flying under the wing of Candice Lerae.
[Vic] Another cover, hook of both legs, and another kick out by Shotzi Blackheart.
[Wade] Are we watching the same things here, Vic and Beth?
[Vic] We are. Another cover by Candice Lerae.
Candice Lerae getting caught that time. I'm interested, Beth.
All these covers that the way is going through, it's also taking
a toll on Blackheart.
[Beth] 100%.
Shotzi Blackheart, she's been catching a whooping the majority
of this matchup, and I got to
hand a lot of if to the powerful offense of Indi Hartwell.
[crowd clapping]
[Vic] Capitol wrestling center now trying to rally Shotzi Blackheart.
For a moment, was able to break
away from Candice Lerae.
Finally does. Tag's made.
Indi Hartwell is legal, and Blackheart, again, couldn't get over to Ember Moon.
[Wade] Notice Indi Hartwell immediately dragging
Shotzi Blackheart back to her own corner there,
away from that tag to Ember Moon, which is the most
dangerous part of this match here for the way.
Perhaps Shotzi Blackheart, once again, buying herself a little bit of room.
Can she make it count?
[Vic] Oh, that step-up Enzuigiri rocking Lerae.
Finally, a tag, and in comes Ember Moon.
Moon taking down Lerae.
Moon's been waiting patiently on the outside, takes out Hartwell.
[Beth] Ember Moon like a purple hurricane.
Boom.
[Vic] Take a look at this offense.
Now peppering Lerae with stiff left jabs.
[Moon] Suck it.
[Vic] Oh, that one's for you, Lerae. What a right hand.
Lerae's out.
[Beth] I love seeing this fire out of Ember Moon.
[Vic] Moon charging right back in onto Candice.
Lerae's down, Moon to the outside. We've seen this before.
[Beth] Ember Moon is a devastating force on the top rope, looking for that eclipse.
[Vic] Indi Hartwell, that momentary hesitation provides the distraction.
[Wade] Indi Hartwell proving her worth once again, saving the day there,
perhaps, for the way, and certainly Candice Lerae.
Now a double-team maneuver in attempt there.
[Vic] Oh wait a minute, Blackheart ripping down Hartwell.
Blackheart now, things starting to break down.
[Wade] Referee's losing all control here.
[Beth] Blackheart doing a great job having eyes on her partner,
but Indi Hartwell's interjecting herself.
[Vic] Oh.
[crowd cheering]
All four women down.
Hartwell wisely sees Ember Moon, who kicks out at two.
Again, tag team titles on the line.
Pinfall, submission, only way titles can change hands.
[Beth] Take a look at this pile of humanity crashing to the mat.
One more look from another angle.
High above, boom. Like a car crash.
[Vic] Bodies absolutely everywhere.
We'll give credit to Indi Hartwell realizing the opportunity at hand.
[Wade] The development of Indi Hartwell, not just physically, but mentally,
has been so impressive.
She used to panic in the big moments. No more.
This is a woman on the rise here.
[Vic] Hartwell, again, into another cover, another hook of the leg.
Moon again, able to kick out.
Moon able to fight back to her feet after the start.
Remember, Hartwell, Lerae jumping the champions from the get-go.
Now Ember Moon, more of that strength on display,
as Hartwell, into the cover for the titles.
Moon kicks out one more time at two and a half.
[Beth] Take a look at this powerful move one more time.
Decisive slam to the ground.
Got to wonder if Hartwell was watching Raquel Gonzaález
and how her strategy was effective last night.
[Vic] Beth, you were able to speak with Lerae and Hartwell earlier tonight.
[Beth] Candice Lerae, of course, looking to make this opportunity count.
She feels that she's been denied chances, she's been robbed time and time again.
Aligning with Indi Hartwell to, this time,
make it her moment and bring home gold to the Gargano household.
[Vic] Could it happen here tonight, as again--
two-on-one didn't work out, Moon able to fight off,
make the tag, and Beth, in comes Blackheart.
Blackheart to the top rope, looking down, takes out both members of the way.
This is that unorthodox style.
Throw caution to the wind,
leave it all on the line for Blackheart.
[Wade] Never know what you're going to get with this young lady,
but it is always effective.
[Vic] What a suplex by Blackheart. Lerae to the outside.
Another tag made, in comes Ember Moon.
[Wade] Champions coming into their own now,
in pursuit of this defense.
[All] Oh!
[Vic] We said unpredictable. We said unorthodox.
We said Shotzi Blackheart would do whatever it takes to retain
the titles tonight.
[Wade] Horrific-looking landing.
This topeé attempt, assisted there by Ember Moon,
but Shotzi Blackheart, coming crashing down, taking her opponents with her--
it must be added, could not have felt good.
[Vic] All three women on the outside staggering to their feet.
Beth, look at Ember Moon.
[Beth] Moon not to be outdone.
[Vic] Moon taking out the way, Blackheart able to escape.
Moon gets Candice Lerae back into the ring.
Tag, Blackheart now legal. Moon back on top of Lerae.
Up goes Lerae, and what goes up must come down.
Blackheart is legal, into the cover, hook of the leg,
Candice Lerae kicking out at two.
[Wade] Candice Lerae running on fumes.
We take another look at Ember Moon flying on the outside,
perhaps [unintelligible] her partner, Shotzi Blackheart.
[Beth] Then this beautiful teamwork-- Moon and Blackheart,
obviously, working hard on their tandem maneuvers,
but the durability of Candice Lerae cannot be understated.
Oh, wait a second.
[Vic] Poison pixie with a roll-up, and a kick out by Blackheart.
Oh, superkick under the jaw.
Again, these two teams who know each other so well--
Lerae, what a cheap shot.
[Wade] Absolutely not. This is all legal.
-Come on, Vic. -[Beth] Cheap shot?
-[Vic] Tag. -[Beth] Come on.
They've been doing nothing but cheat throughout this whole matchup.
Indi Hartwell was the catalyst for getting the advantage earlier.
[Vic] Now Hartwell, up goes-- oh.
The way, they might've just punched their ticket to gold.
Moon, oh, and that was so close.
That was oh so close.
[Wade] Ember Moon needing every wit about her to break that one up.
The gold was slipping away from Moon and Blackheart.
[Beth] Blackheart, having taken the brunt of the damage throughout this matchup,
Moon realizing she's got to step up for her partner.
[Vic] Devastating knee right to the side of the face of Candice Lerae.
Hartwell is legal, as is Blackheart.
Step-up enzuigiri again, taking down Hartwell.
I believe a tag was made. Moon's legal.
Moon to the top.
-[Beth] Moon's got-- -[Vic] Tag!
-[Beth] Hartwell and Lerae. -[Vic] Double eclipse.
Blackheart though, is legal. Blackheart made the tag.
Blackheart to the top.
[Wade] We've seen this before from Blackheart.
Can she hit senton?
[Vic] Got every inch of it.
Blackheart into the cover.
Moon and Blackheart retain.
[female announcer] Here are your winners
and still the NXT women's tag team champions,
Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart.
[upbeat music playing]
[Vic] The NXT women's tag team champions again,
show they have absolutely no fear and no quit.
[Beth] Blackheart and Moon said they want to elevate
the tag team division, they certainly did that tonight.
Right here you see Hartwell, Larae getting their best opportunity for a victory.
Boom.
Blackheart, we thought we could count her out,
we were going to have new champions, but Moon at the last second
making the save.
[Wade] Here we take another look at this, perfectly executed total eclipse
on two women there from Ember Moon, followed up immediately
with the [unintelligible] Shotzi Blackheart, top rope senton.
Nobody is getting up from that.
[Vic] You could almost say it was a total eclipse of the Blackheart. Get it?
[Beth] Well done, Vic. I want to see a trip to the ball pit.
Boom, Shotzi Blackheart,
effective and looking good doing it.
[Vic] All the way asked for the champions,
they got the champions.
[heavy metal music playing]
Blackheart, Ember Moon show
they are the top of the NXT women's tag team division, yet again.
[Beth] When you want to speak about being in the top of the division,
you've got to look at this man here.
"The prince" has continued to be seen operating on a plane of his very own.
The Echelon [unintelligible] Balor is at his very best,
and he'll be taking on this man in our main event.
[Wade] Here is the challenger,
Karrion Kross, throwing some heavy leather, as he warms up
for our co-main event later on this evening, of course, as always,
under the watchful eye of the angel of doom herself, Scarlett.
[heavy metal music continues]
THIS SATURDAY
[male commentator] Bianca Belair is going to WrestleMania.
[Bianca] Bianca, I am more than the champion, I am the standard.
If you want to make history,
then you would choose me.
[Sasha] I'm the strongest, I'm the fastest, I'm the toughest,
I'm the B-E-S-T of WWE.
I'm going to take your title on the grandest stage of them all.
[Bianca] This women's division
revolves around me.
I'm going to make you eat your words, Sasha.
It's on.
WRESTLEMANIA LIVE THIS SATURDAY & SUNDAY
[Vic] Oh, what a matchup that'll be, night one of WrestleMania.
As you can see these images from London, England earlier this week,
the world ready for WrestleMania.
Truly a global phenomenon, and one that has turned into a week-long event.
Want to thank our friends over at BT Sport.
Look, we started the week, we're going to carry
on the week here of NXT because NXT making the move
to Tuesday nights on the USA network.
This Tuesday, we cannot wait.
We cannot wait for Tuesday to end,
to cap off the week that was WrestleMania.
Got to be honest guys,
we really think about everything that's gone on here,
you got to think about last night, you got to think about Bronson Reed.
Let's go back to 24 hours ago.
[Vic] Bronson Reed punching his ticket
here to night two, taking on not one, not two, not three, not four,
five other men in this gauntlet eliminator.
Beth, he entered third.
[Beth] Bronson Reed, nothing short of a human highlight reel.
Wade, this is your moment right here,
Tsunami for the victory on Isiah "swerve" Scott.
Congratulations to Bronson Reed,
as he moves on.
[Vic] To tonight to face Johnny Gargano
here in just a matter of moments.
[Wade] It is great to have Gable Steveson here at TakeOver.
Remember that name.
This young man is an NCAA wrestling champion, a future olympian,
and the winner of the Danny Hodge trophy,
which is the equivalent of college football's heisman.
He's worked with the SVP of talent development Canyon Ceman, and of course,
our very own Stephanie McMahon.
[upbeat music playing]
[Vic] Now, tonight only NXT fans can play in a free NXT TakeOver pool on DraftKings.
Answer questions on tonight's matches
like who's going to leave NXT champion, how many pinfall, taps will there be,
what will be the last finisher used during the match,
and if you get enough correct, you can take home your share of $1,000.
Download any of the DraftKings apps and sign up with promo code
WWE to play free for your shot at $1,000.
It's Bronson Reed who's got to be right now,
just rolling with confidence entering this matchup,
after what he accomplished 24 hours ago.
[heavy metal music playing]
[Vic] There is self-proclaimed NXT's iron man.
Johnny Gargano with Austin theory.
Wade, I saw you talking to the champion earlier today.
[Wade] Absolutely. Johnny Gargano, North American champion
feeling very confident going into this.
We all know about Gargano's career.
He knows from personal experience that you cannot go
through a Gauntlet match and be 100% healthy just 24 hours later.
He thinks he's facing a weakened Bronson.
[Vic] Bronson Reed, almost like a caged animal just pacing,
been waiting for this opportunity.
[Wade] Did you see that no look high five again from Gargano and theory?
That is so impressive.
-[Beth] It's not that important-- -[bell rings]
The following contest scheduled for one fall
is for the NXT North American championship.
Introducing the challenger from black forest, South Australia
weighing in at 330 pounds,
"the colossal" Bronson Reed.
His opponent from Cleaveland, Ohio weighing in at 199 pounds
representing the way, he is the NXT North American champion,
Johnny Gargano.
[Vic] We said Bronson Reed was almost like a caged animal.
He wanted to get his hands on Johnny Gargano.
Look right now, Beth, Bronson Reed
standing in the middle of the ring, waiting.
[Beth] I want to just point out
the demeanor of Johnny Gargano is all smiles.
He did that great no see high five thing.
Oh, it's awesome, but suddenly, things got serious,
when now he is standing across from the ring
and the bell is about to ring.
[Wade] Beth, I'll ask you as we get ready
to officially start this matchup, is tonight Reed's time?
Is this his moment?
[Beth] Bronson Reed is somebody that I've watched grow.
His backstory is amazing.
He's faced a series
of challenges, even before everything he's been through to get to this matchup.
He'll continue to cut his teeth internationally on the independent scene.
Left his friends and family to pursue his dream here in the United States.
Reed has earned this, and tonight I feel strongly is his night.
[Vic] Gargano going up, going over,
starting to quicken the pace, trying to get away
from Bronson Reed.
Ducks the clothesline. Gargano ducks an elbow.
Gargano, oh, up and over.
[Beth] Bam bam Bigelow, an inspiration to Bronson Reed.
[Vic] Again, this goes back to, Beth, what you're talking about is Reed.
[unintelligible] The clothesline attempt, comes back, catches and drops Gargano.
Wade, is Bronson's power going to be too much for Gargano?
[Wade] Reed said in his post-match comments after the gauntlet
yesterday that he knows Gargano will have no answer to his size,
and strength and certainly, he believes [unintelligible] from the beginning
of this match, he's absolutely right.
He's just toying with Gargano.
[Vic] What a fallaway slam.
After competing 24 hours ago,
Wade, you would think Bronson Reed wants to get this match over very quickly
as we see this fallaway slam once again, power on display.
[Wade] But here's the thing, perhaps Bronson Reed wants to get
this one over as quickly as possible.
As Johnny Gargano said, perhaps he's not 100%.
He must be tired after last night.
He went through five other men in that gauntlet
matchup to get to this point.
[Vic] We hear the capitol wrestling center split as now Gargano
trying to fire some elbows.
Able to get down right back. Forearm that time.
Reed again, almost to the throat.
Gargano, right inside and just rocked Reed.
Didn't drop Reed.
Gargano shocked again.
[Wade] Reed still on his feet.
What will it take to put the big man down here?
Johnny Gargano trying his best.
Reed seemingly shaking things off here.
[Vic] It's got to be almost demoralizing, Wade,
when you start throwing everything you have
and in one single chop, you get dropped.
[Wade] It really is the size difference.
Just look at the pair of these, and you take another look
at the slingshot spear here from Johnny Gargano.
Unfortunately, he followed-up immediately with that drive chop on Reed.
[Vic] Johnny Gargano wants to retain his title tonight.
He's got to turn now into Johnny wrestling.
Now Johnny up on the shoulders. Goes up, goes over.
Trying to chop down Bronson Reed.
[Beth] Johnny Gargano ever the opportunist.
Once he finds an opening he's finally able to take the big man off his feet.
[Vic] That's the Johnny wrestling mantra, going to the knee,
taking that forearm, dropping the challenger.
Now Gargano, now elbows, knees, whatever he can do to keep Reed down.
[Wade] He's giving Reed a full-body
workout at this point.
[Beth] Let's not forget one of Johnny's nicknames,
Johnny TakeOver, where he brings his best.
[Vic] He always brings his best.
This is the 16th consecutive TakeOver for Gargano.
As Gargano goes up, goes over.
[Beth] Oh, my God.
[Vic] Get's caught.
[Wade] Oh, my word.
[Vic] Now Gargano slipping down--
[Wade and Vic] Oh!
Again into the midsection of Bronson Reed.
[Wade] Ribs first into the corner of our announce desk, and now,
Reed is really favoring those ribs.
[Vic] One more time after raking the face,
and just take a look at the impact.
The announce desk literally moving with the impact of Bronson Reed,
and now Wade, Gargano focusing on the midsection.
[Wade] Well, Gargano said it himself, he wouldn't be 100%
after that gauntlet match.
It looks like he's right.
I'm thinking back to that gauntlet match.
I recall swerve Scott hitting a 450 splash here,
right on those ribs of Reed.
I recall Cameron grimes in a collision cross on those ribs of Reed.
Perhaps that is the way to
victory for Johnny Gargano.
Attack the midsection of the big man.
[Vic] There's the speed of Gargano.
Gargano right back to the lower back of the spine,
driving the air out of Bronson Reed.
Now Gargano really applying the pressure.
Measuring, delivering a splash
into the cover.
Hook to the leg to retain
and Bronson Reed powering out at one.
[Beth] A continued deliberate offense to the midsection
and ribs.
You see Reed [unintelligible] and
that there may be an internal injury or something going on.
[Vic] Another shot right to the ribs, and again, looking where
Johnny Gargano lands.
Right into that midsection of Bronson Reed.
[Wade] Well, this is brilliant for Gargano.
Rode out that early storm from Bronson Reed.
Consistently targeted different body parts of Reed until he found the weakest one.
It turns out to be, apparently, those ribs.
Who can forget that collision with the corner of our announce desk,
which is now all over the place.
Every time, Johnny Gargano
striking those ribs.
[Vic] Able to take down Bronson Reed, and now look at Gargano.
Gargano applying the pressure,
continuing to mount the pressure.
Not allowing Reed to breathe at all.
[Beth] You see the impact from the knees again to the ribs,
but also Gargano remaining on his toes to lay all his body weight
across the midsection of Bronson Reed.
[Vic] Making it difficult for the lungs to expand in Bronson Reed.
Reed now again, trying to get back to his feet.
You could see Reed visibly holding his midsection.
[Wade] Really know there was no path to victory tonight for Johnny
Gargano, but there is always a way.
[Vic] Gargano now jumping on the back of Reed, and Reed finally
able to break the hold
of Gargano.
[Wade] He can hardly breathe though.
Moving so gingerly, and then cannot follow it up with anything significant--
[Vic] Oh! What are you saying, Wade?
[Wade] Don't speak too soon, Barret.
[Vic] Well, you got to imagine anything that Bronson Reed does right now,
Beth, it hurts.
He's got to block out the pain.
[Beth] When you're hurt, even delivering an incredible move like this,
it takes every bit of your strength and it directly affected the injured ribs.
[Vic] Reed back to his feet as is Gargano.
Austin theory on the outside
trying to help his mentor,
I should say, Gargano out as Reed starting to roll again.
Reed trying to find his second wind, but Reed using his own body.
[Wade] Must've stung Reed himself.
I'm not even convinced Reed can get a full load full of air.
So much of his offense revolves around that girth, that midsection.
[Wade] A massive chokeslam onto Gargano.
[Beth] To add to that weight, it's completely obliterating
his stamina in this matchup.
Reed moving a lot slower than he was at the beginning.
[Vic] Look at Bronson Reed, the challenger,
starting to refocus himself and starting to figure out a way,
trying to get that extra moment right now to breath
just a little bit more.
Taking a little bit extra time, but it may pay dividends for Reed
as this match continues to go on.
Looking for the suplex, looking to use his power.
Up goes Gargano.
Gargano, though, couple of knees in--
Reed's strength.
How is Reed doing this?
[Wade] Even with injured ribs, the power on display.
-Jagged edge from Reed. -[Vic] Cover.
Title on the line.
New champ, oh!
[Beth] Again, Reed clutching those abdominal intercostal muscles.
Take a look at this right here,
Reed hoisting Gargano with a hard landing on the shoulder.
[Vic] You've got to think right now, Wade,
Bronson Reed needs high-impact full offense.
[Wade] The issue with Bronson Reed right now
is that he cannot follow anything up quick enough
to really capitalize on a wounded Johnny Gargano.
It's just buying Gargano time to recover and come up with a plan C.
[Vic] Can you believe it was Gargano
who had thought he'd be at the disadvantage tonight?
[Beth] Yes, Gargano going on and on about that he would only have 24 hours
to prepare for his contender.
[Vic] Bronson Reed. What is on Reed's mind?
There's no way.
Reed trying to hoist up Gargano, Gargano blocking.
[Wade] You have to think he would've been successful if not for those
injured ribs, with Johnny Gargano immediately pouncing.
[Vic] Backstabber.
Again, focusing on the lower back, focusing on the ribs.
Gargano now, crawling into the cover to retain his North American title,
and this time Bronson Reed again kicks out at two.
Take a look one more time.
The pinpoint precision of both knees' weight of Gargano.
[Wade] Well, you have to say Gargano at this point really is in the ascendancy.
He's a mess himself, but if I'm backing anyone at this point,
it has to be Gargano.
[Vic] Watch the head snap.
Take another look. Slow motion just… Oh, the whiplash effect.
[Beth] I was going to say,
that is going to hurt tomorrow.
That whiplash strains all the muscles in the neck, Burt.
Right now.
[Vic] Speaking of neck, Bronson Reed holding up for a moment.
Gargano looks for the super kick. Block.
Goes back to the midsection.
Gargano goes up, goes over.
Reed, full reversal. What a suplex.
[Wade] Bronson Reed doing his very best to block out the pain.
As we see this once again, this suplex here from Reed.
Must've been agony for the man.
Austin theory desperately trying to gee-up Johnny Gargano.
He sees that North American
championship slipping away.
[Vic] Now, Bronson Reed
looking down at Gargano, could've been looking for the Tsunami.
Gargano, of course, had it scouted, Wade, back to your original conversation,
with the champion able to roll out of the way,
Reed, and almost baited in by Gargano.
[Wade] Senton attempt there from Reed.
Quick, ref.
[Vic] Cover. Reed able to kick out again, off the crucifix.
Gargano back to his feet, connects with another kick.
North American champion now bouncing off the ropes,
bouncing right in, goes up, goes around, trying to take down Reed.
Reed able to roll through.
Gargano, a swing and a miss. Reed now hoisting up the champion.
What goes up… Oh!
How the heck did Gargano pull that off?
Gargano now charges back in. This time takes down the challenger.
Looking for the garga-no-escape,
Reed trying to block, Gargano trying to lock it in.
Back to the ribs goes Gargano,
driving the air out.
Gargano's got it locked in.
He's got the garga-no-escape locked in.
Is Reed going to tap?
[Wade] Center of the ring. This has to be retention here.
Digging deep, is Bronson Reed.
Nowhere near the ropes, though.
[Beth] Bronson Reed is no ordinary superstar.
He's got the grit, he's got the guts, and he's almost got that bottom rope.
[Vic] He's got the determination.
You can see the look on Gargano's face as Reed reaches out,
gets the bottom rope.
[Wade] Bronson Reed has worked so hard to earn himself this opportunity,
winning last week's battle well, being involved in last week's
battle royal and qualifying.
Winning last night's gauntlet, and he's not going to let it
slip away that easily.
[Vic] Reed right now, breathing deep in this matchup.
You've got to imagine every breath that Bronson Reed takes
has to be excruciating pain,
as Gargano now could be looking for that one final beat.
Instead, knockout blow, maybe, from Reed.
Reed now with Gargano up in the air.
Just laser etching Gargano into the ring.
Gargano is out. Reed's moment, Beth. Reed to the top rope.
[Wade] This is it. Oh, my God.
Ladies and gentlemen, tsu-- no
[Beth] Tsu-not so much.
[Vic] Right back to the ribs of Reed.
Superkick from Gargano.
Gargano falls into the cover to retain, and Reed kicks out again.
What is it going to take to keep Bronson Reed down?
[Beth] Please check this out.
Johnny Gargano racking up the frequent flyer miles.
The power of Bronson Reed.
[Vic] Speaking of flying.
After the missed Tsunami, kick upside the dome,
Gargano thought he might have Reed down, but no.
Reed not out.
[Wade] Somehow someway this match continues.
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] Right now back to their feet is Gargano, looking at Bronson Reed.
Gargano, as we've seen so many
times at TakeOver past, gets caught by Reed.
Reed back to his feet. Headbutt connects.
Shoulder clothesline drops Gargano.
Again now, Bronson Reed to the top rope.
[Wade] Attempt number two.
Is this going to be the moment Bronson Reed crowns himself
the new-- No.
[Vic] Wait a minute. Austin theory.
The referee being distracted by Gargano.
Theory was absolutely no help, but-- I spoke too soon.
Off the distraction the window opens.
[Beth] That was the moment that Johnny Gargano needed to catch
the advantage, and setting up Bronson Reed for something devastating.
[Vic] A left hand from the Southpaw
from Cleveland.
Gargano has to turn into now
Johnny TakeOver from Johnny wrestling if he wants to retain
his North American title.
Gargano surveying the capitol wrestling center.
Was looking for that top rope-rana, instead Reed able to block.
Counter, scoop, and plant the champion.
[Wade] Reed just managing to hang on to those top ropes with enough strength.
[Vic] Another cover. Looking--
Again, Austin theory.
[Vic] Theory just saved Gargano's championship.
[Beth] The referee, unfortunately, didn't see that,
but that was clearly Austin theory and Bronson Reed saw it.
[refree] Hey, he's not in the match.
[Vic] Reed, he's had enough of theory.
Gargano got caught by Reed.
Both members of the way taken out by Bronson Reed.
I don't know how Bronson Reed is continuing in this matchup.
[Wade] It's simply that drive and desire to win the North American championship.
Any other kind of match he could've been long gone
in the locker room getting his wounds treated.
[Vic] Wait a minute.
Bronson Reed, like a 747.
Again, back to the midsection.
Back to the ribs. Off the distraction.
Gargano again looking for the one final beat.
Instead gets countered.
High impact offense. Reed into the cover for the title.
Gargano kicks out at two.
[Wade] Somehow Bronson Reed just one step ahead of Johnny Gargano
despite the abuse that that frame has taken in this matchup.
[Beth] An unfortunate choice to not hook the leg,
gave Johnny Gargano the space to kick out
at the very last millisecond.
[Vic] Again, Bronson Reed taking moments right now to take some
extra breathes, because the ribs, the midsection, the back,
so much pain and devastation, destruction over the last 48 hours,
as Reed trying to muscle up Johnny Gargano all the way up.
Gargano trying to fight his way free.
Turning the around. Again, off the ropes, into the ribs.
Gargano superkick to Reed.
Reed now still staggering on his feet.
Again, Gargano connects.
[Wade] Moved the hands to protect the ribs.
Straight to the face, but here's one in return from Reed.
[Vic] Reed, off the superkick now, the challenger
starting to climb.
No way. No way.
Biggest match, go big go home. Did it work for Reed?
One final beat from Gargano.
Challenger still back to his feet.
Champion needs another.
Second one final beat.
Gargano into the cover.
Hooked the leg to retain his North American gold.
[female announcer] Here is your winner, and still the NXT North American champion,
Johnny Gargano.
[Vic] Two matches, two days.
Bronson Reed bet everything,
absolutely everything in this match.
[Beth] Despite it all, Bronson Reed took an unbelievable amount
of punishment in this matchup,
and you see he is still surviving and yet thriving with this
unbelievable top rope maneuver.
Unfortunately, landing on those damaged ribs.
[Vic] Those ribs will make it hard throughout the entire night.
Johnny Gargano, who went from Johnny wrestling to Johnny TakeOver
to Johnny champion, retains his title tonight,
and it's all celebration for Johnny Gargano.
Gargano retains the North American championship.
Let the celebration start for the way.
[heavy metal music playing]
That's the way, baby.
Papa John.
THIS SUNDAY
FROM FIRE
[Randy] I enjoyed every second
as I watched the fiend burn.
AND FURY
THROUGH MADNESS
Come on, Randy. Come play.
AND MANIPULATION
♪ Ring around a rosey ♪
♪ A pocket full of posies ♪
What the hell? What is that?
My God, it's the fiend.
HE HAS RETURNED
[dramatic music playing]
[Randy] At WrestleMania, it comes to an end.
At WrestleMania, the legend killer dies.
[haunting laughter]
[heavy metal music playing]
WE ARE
PASSION
WE ARE
PRIDE
WE ARE
UNAPOLOGETIC
WE
ARE
NXT
SHOW YOUR
ALLEGIANCE
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Tonight only, save up to 40% off championship titles and tees.
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[heavy metal music continues]
[Beth] We want to send a shout-out to Rob Zombie.
You're listening to the triumph of king freak,
a crypt of preservation and superstition from the album,
"The Lunar Injection Kool-Aid Eclipse Conspiracy."
An NXT loud themes song for NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver.
Available on Apple Music and Spotify.
[Wade] Here, we take a live look at the icy stare of the apparently
calm and collected Adam Cole,
ahead of his unsanctioned main event later on tonight.
[Beth] In stark contrast, Kyle O'Reilly, a highly agitated state.
Unable to focus on anything other than the monumental task at hand,
survival and destroying Adam Cole.
[Vic] What a co-main event we have here this evening, but let's go
back to some of the action from night one,
including the United Kingdom championship on the line.
[Wade] Oh, my word, big Walter and those jumps, up against Tommaso Ciampa.
What a herculean performance it was from Ciampa against
the big Austrian NXT UK champion.
[Vic] One of the most physically dominating matches we've ever
had on the TakeOver stage, most certainly, Stand and Deliver,
but Beth, how about the main event last night as well?
Lo Shirai taking on Raquel Gonzaález, but we got to talk
about the NXT championship.
Finn Balor, Karrion Kross, the NXT title is on the line.
The prince wants to defend his kingdom
against the man who wants to put an end to the reign
of Finn Balor.
[Kross] It is inevitable
that I will take back
what I truly never lost.
[Vic] Karrion Kross, I've been waiting for you.
At TakeOver 30, I told you that I would become the NXT champion.
I've seen the comparisons.
However, my shoulder separated.
[Finn] We've both had to give up championships in our careers.
[Kross] There's no way they're going
to let me defend the NXT championship.
[Finn] But when I got hurt, I came back and I became a champion.
Finn Balor, NXT champion.
[heavy metal music playing]
[Vic] Pete Dunne, Kyle O'Reilly, Adam Cole
beat them, beat them, beat them.
[heavy metal music continues]
[Vic] Now, only one man remains.
What took you so long?
[dramatic music playing]
TikTok.
[Vic] NXT needs to know who the real champion is around here.
Doomsday is still coming.
I've been expecting Kross for a long time.
Finn Balor's greatest strength coming into TakeOver
is going to be his experience.
[Finn] This is my 16th TakeOver.
When the pressure's on, it becomes hard to breathe
and the nerves make your legs heavy.
Well, you see those rules?
They don't apply to Finn Balor.
[Kross] A lot of people might try to train endurance, thinking that
they're going to catch up to where Finn is.
[Finn] Finn Balor doesn't get gassed out.
My training prep for this match was very simple…
Kross is a big man.
…To create maximum damage.
[Finn] He's a skilled striker.
[Kross] I stick to my strengths.
Catch wrestling, judo, striking.
[Finn] He's fierce.
I train to hurt people.
[Finn] Kross may try to dictate the pace of the match.
He fights on emotion.
[Vic] Kross is on a rampage.
When you fight on emotion, you make mistakes.
Fall and pray.
[Kross] I'm going to light his ass up with shots that
he's going to carry with him for the rest of his life.
[Finn] The people we get into the match, that deep water?
That's where he drowns.
[Kross] Expect to see a prince dethroned.
[Finn] Time's up.
[heavy metal music playing]
[Beth] You see someone there that has a vested interest in this matchup,
Pete Dunne who kicked off TakeOver: Stand and Deliver night one,
[unintelligible] Danny is Burch recovering from the injury will definitely
have a careful eye on tonight's competition.
[heavy metal music stops]
[suspensful music playing]
[crowd cheering]
KROSS BALOR
["Dead Silent (Karrion Kross)" playing]
♪ He is time ♪
♪ Famine, war ♪
♪ Pestilence ♪
♪ You cannot endure ♪
♪ The end is here ♪
♪ Fall and pray ♪
[upbeat music playing]
[crowd cheering]
PRINCE
[Vic] We saw moments ago some of the highlights of illustrious career
of Finn Balor, reminding not just everyone, but one man,
that being Karrion Kross and the fire
and the fury that's within the prince is almost at question.
His legacy of being the best, he can prove it again tonight.
Balor staring a hole in Kross.
Kross staring a hole in Balor.
This is the epitome of NXT.
[Vic] Before we get far into this, guys, the strategy of the champion tonight.
-Barret, I start with you. -[Wade] Let me tell you.
I spoke to Finn earlier today. He realizes that he cannot
possibly match the sheer power of Kross, but he knows that
Kross has emotional weaknesses that he can exploit
if he can frustrate Kross enough to throw him off his game.
That's going to be the strategy for Balor. Take Kross out of his game.
[Beth] That being said, I want to bring forward something Balor said.
What some people call demons, Finn Balor says are uncontrolled emotions.
He is confident he can maintain that stoic control, that sniper calm,
that hold your breath visual.
[bell rings]
The following contest scheduled for one fall
is for the NXT championship.
Introducing the challenger.
From sin city, weighing in at 265 pounds,
Karrion Kross.
His opponent, from Bray, county Wicklow, Ireland,
he is the NXT champion,
Finn Balor.
[Vic] NXT, 14 -1 for Finn Balor.
Balor has never lost a championship on the TakeOver stage,
but he's taking on Karrion Kross.
Kross never lost a singles match. Perfect 12 - 0.
[crowd cheering]
All about the NXT championship.
Are you guys ready? It is time.
The first of two main events here
on night two of NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver.
[Vic] There we are now. Lockup. Center of the ring.
There's that power, Wade, you talked about of Kross.
[Wade] Toe to toe, neither man wanting to take a step back.
Inevitably perhaps, Kross winning that test of strength.
[Vic] You can see Kross embodying a gladiator here tonight,
because he knows he's going to be in the Coliseum
that is the capitol wrestling center, and he's in for a fight.
You can almost feel the uneasy tension
right now between these two as again circling each other, Balor and Kross.
Now quickly going in is Kross.
Kross trying to tie up the champion.
[Wade] I tell you, most men would be in a state of terror,
staring across the ring at Karrion Kross,
but such is the experience of the prince Finn Balor.
A smirk on his face now.
[Vic] You can't discount the x-factor, Scarlett on the outside.
[Beth] Scarlett, think back to her plan coming together
as the puppeteer earlier, basically lighting a fire in Karrion Kross
when she was inadvertently knocked down by Finn Balor.
[Vic] You see the smile on the champion's face?
[Wade] He's sending a message, I think, "Karrion Kross,
I can take your best shot now."
[Vic] Another headlock here by Finn Balor, who has said
on a few occasions he has found the weakness of Karrion Kross.
Now trying to grind Kross down to the mat.
The champion controlling the challenger early on.
Finn Balor also said he doesn't get tired, he doesn't get gassed, and right now just
holding on to Kross.
You got to wonder, Balor spending a little extra time in the gym, Wade.
[Wade] Yes, absolutely. He talked about it earlier in that package that we saw,
he wants to take opponents into deep water.
What he means by that is take them into late stages of matches
where they will drown.
To do that you need the top, top cardio,
and that's what Finn Balor has been working on going into this match.
[Vic] Now charging-- Kross again, dropping Balor.
[crowd cheering]
One more time, a smile on the face of Balor.
[Wade] I promise you in the history of the career of Karrion Kross,
nobody has ever laughed in that man's face.
[Vic] Well, it's now Kross almost mocking
Finn Balor after that last kick.
When we talk about strikes, that's right in the wheelhouse
of Kross.
Kross now fired up.
Kross just tossing the champion across the ring.
I think the time for games, smiles is over.
[Wade] Yes, that slap suddenly fired up Karrion Kross.
He was cool, calm, and collected coming into this.
We saw that explosive anger--
[Beth] Hold on, guys.
Balor once again is smiling in the face of getting tossed halfway across the ring.
[Wade] Yes, and look at the rage across the face of Karrion Kross
as he sees this.
Perplexed perhaps.
Now, he's just going to piss Kross off.
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] Well, this is right into what Finn Balor said.
The emotion of Kross,
as Kross now unleashing right in the midsection of Balor.
Champion just gets rocked with a huge forearm.
-This is what you want? -[refree] Let him out.
-Now you're going to get it. -[refree] Out of the corner.
-[Vic] Kross now. -[refree] Let him out.
[Vic] Champion in his hands, Irish whip across, back to the midsection.
[Wade] Firing up Karrion Kross may well have backfired here for Finn Balor.
[Vic] Kross again, and you can hear Balor, and one more time to the midsection.
That time Balor able to sidestep the running bull.
That was Kross.
[Wade] "When he's emotional, he will make mistakes."
That is a Finn Balor quote.
[Beth] Balor has driven the bull to rage and now he's taking advantage.
[Vic] Taking on the left arm of Kross, and now Balor again,
focusing on a body part and starting now to dissect physically.
Kross trying to wear down some of that power advantage.
[Wade] Make your opening and exploit it.
Scarlett on the outside desperately trying to get a hold of her man,
trying to get him to collect his emotions once again.
[Beth] You think about the physical effort that Karrion Kross
has put forth in the beginning of this matchup,
all that raging on the frontend.
Now Balor is wearing him down and getting ready to strike.
[Vic] That shoulder going against that steel post.
Balor saw that opening, Wade, to your point, exploiting it now,
and Finn Balor always seems to rise to the occasion.
[Wade] Well, they call him big fight Finn for a reason.
I've known Finn Balor since 2004.
This run he is on here as the champion in NXT,
is the best I have ever seen from the man.
[Vic] Now we get Balor trying to tie up Kross center of the ring,
trying to keep the pressure on the left shoulder.
[Beth] You see the way Kross's face is being smothered,
the airway being cut off.
-[refree] You're stopping now. -[Beth] This is a lights-out move
Balor can keep it locked on.
[Wade] Finn Balor is manhandling Karrion Kross up until now.
There once again, we see the power of the big man.
[Vic] That power creating a little separation,
back in with a clubbing clothesline.
Again, Kross, becoming unleashed fury of offense
from the challenger to the champion.
[Wade] Kross is in disarray right now, favoring that left arm,
wiggling those fingers.
Scarlett again, trying to get control of him.
[Vic] Kross now, methodically, almost stalking the champion.
The challenger now, champion in his grasp, suplex.
You just feel and saw Balor,
Beth, bounce about two inches off the mat.
[Beth] The velocity is unbelievable.
Karrion Kross, we saw all of his MMA training.
What he is capable of, I don't even think we've seen yet.
[Vic] Kross again, champion in his grasp.
Kross, who will stick to the power game, stick to the striking, stick to the judo,
trying to tie up now Finn Balor.
[Wade] Tie him up in that tree of woe, opening Finn Balor
up to a series of volleys and strikes to the chest.
Finn Balor, desperately trying to free himself.
[Vic] What a knee to the midsection. Kross has to watch himself.
The official's on top of Kross.
Kross does not want to get himself disqualified.
[Wade] Absolutely not. A huge opportunity for Kross
that he has waited for for months and months.
Do not let this slip through your fingers.
[crowd cheering]
They've been rowdy, they've been loud,
the NXT universe
in the capitol wrestling center.
Balor now looking for the submission, took down Kross.
Balor, center of the ring, trying to lock in the armbar.
[Wade] Trying to extend that arm in the middle of the ring.
It appears to me almost fully extended, and the agony,
etched over the face of Kross.
[Vic] See the eyes popping out of the head of Kross.
Kross now realizing he's got to get to the bottom ropes,
got to navigate his way free.
[Beth] It is not often we see Karrion Kross in a vulnerable
position like this, but you can see the agony written all over his face.
[Vic] It's that emotion coming into play. Balor able to catch Kross.
[Wade] Kross desperately needing to grab that bottom rope,
but he's not making any progress to it whatsoever.
[Vic] Balor able hang on, really trying to wrench away,
and Kross able to counter, now trying to roll through.
[Wade] A little BJJ experience of his own, perhaps?
[Vic] The power, going to be on display again, of Kross.
Try to transition now is Balor.
Balor gets hoisted up, and then-- again, what a counter by Balor,
and focusing on that elbow, trying to hyperextend the arm.
[Wade] Almost a DDT to that elbow, that shoulder of Kross
that is causing so much grief in the early goings of this matchup,
back into a grounded hammerlock.
[Vic] This is what has made Finn Balor so special, Beth.
He's now come in with a game plan.
He's had to revisit it, and now focusing on a body part.
[Beth] Balor waved the big red flag, and take a look at the power
of Karrion Kross, but Balor adjusting midair,
and picking that shoulder apart.
What do you say, Kross?
[Vic] Finn Balor in control of Kross.
[Wade] I promise you this, Karrion Kross has run through
this match 1,000 times or more in his head.
Not one of the scenarios he played out look anything like
how this match has turned out so far.
[Vic] Vicious chop, and again, Balor ripping away at that left elbow.
[Beth] One of the detriments to a having a thick,
heavily-muscled physique like Kross is the lack of flexibility.
Again, a brilliant strategy by Finn Balor to target,
hyperextending that delicate joint.
[Wade] When you're in pain, you cannot breathe.
This is what Balor does.
He takes opponents into deep water, then they drown.
[Vic] Back to the midsection of Karrion Kross.
Now it's Finn Balor picking apart, as you both have said,
first, the upper body, now to the midsection.
Again with another chop across the chest,
but Kross able to hold on.
What a spin kick
to the midsection.
Finn Balor, right back at Kross with another kick.
[Wade] Let me tell you what that reminded me of.
NXT TakeOver 31, Balor against O'Reilly,
the liver kick, the delayed reaction, eerily similar, perhaps.
Kross is in a mess here, guys.
[Vic] Kross is down.
You got to feel the sense of urgency going through the veins now of Finn Balor.
Balor, again, just stretching out the body, stretching out the ribs,
that midsection wide open right now.
[Wade] Balor has to keep this up.
Clubbing forearm across that midsection, perhaps attacking the liver.
That is paralysis for Karrion Kross.
[Beth] Everything that Finn Balor does is deliberate.
[Vic] How about the kick by Kross?
Maybe out of desperation.
[Wade] That was a lifesaver for him. He is in a world of trouble here.
It might not be enough.
Finn Balor already stirring. Can Karrion Kross capitalize?
[Beth] Those effects of the liver kick are long-lived.
[Vic] Kross now picking up and boom,
buried Balor again into the top turnbuckle.
Now the lower back of Balor coming into question.
Balor counters, and again to the center of the ring.
[Beth] Karrion Kross just going to destroy Balor,
but Balor finding the leverage to nail Kross,
and now neither men has budged.
[Wade] It really speaks volume for the conditioning of the prince,
Finn Balor, that he was able to bounce back
from that volley.
[Vic] Referee continuing his count.
Balor-- Look at Kross.
Kross just grabbing the ankle of Balor.
Now, what must be going through the mind of the champion?
[Wade] He's like the Terminator.
[Vic] Challenger trying to hold on, ripping around the champion.
Kross just caught Balor and tossed him up and over.
Northern lights suplex, and rolling through is Kross.
Kross, unbridled rage unleashing clothesline.
Kross blocking out the pain, going to new depths, trying to hoist up.
Trying to put Balor in a powerbomb.
[Wade] The liver.
[Vic] Cover for the championship.
Finn Balor kicks out at two.
[Wade] That split-second flinch from Karrion Kross there
on that cover cost him the victory.
In this match, we see another one of that powerbomb and the flinch.
[Vic] Now we're in that proverbial deep water you were talking about, Wade.
[Beth] You see Kross massaging
those abdominals trying to get feeling back.
It reverberates through your entire body.
[Wade] As good as Balor is, all he needed was that moment.
[Vic] Waiting for that Saito suplex, counter.
Look at Balor now.
Trying to take down.
Look at the vicious knees right to the midsection.
Right to that liver shot and now we get the double stomp to the chest.
Balor back in with a kick
right across the sternum.
Kross somehow rolling to his chest, trying to get some breath,
but now Balor opening again the challenger.
[Wade] Attacking his liver again, the ribs, the midsection.
Whatever it is. Whatever it is that Balor opened up with that liver shot,
debilitating Kross so much.
[Beth] Balor working to pry open the crack in the armor of the gladiator.
He's got that abdominal stretch
applied tightly with that leg
grapevining in there.
[Vic] Now it's Balor focusing on that separated shoulder from the summer.
The right shoulder of Kross who somehow, again, able to counter.
[Wade] That's the story of it. The power of Karrion Kross.
Can he maintain it with that--
[Vic] [unintelligible]
Balor catching Karrion Kross, and as we've seen so many times
Finn Balor standing.
Finn Balor delivering epic performances with Kross in this sights.
[Wade] The [unintelligible]
Karrion Kross swinging the match back in his favor.
[Vic] Kross now almost with a lifeless Balor,
looking for that doomsday suplex.
Kross. You can feel Kross.
You can feel it coming out of his pores.
Kross setting up now Finn Balor.
The moment Kross has been waiting for.
[Wade] He smells victory. We've seen this before from Karrion Kross.
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] Time is almost up for the prince.
-Balor-- -[Wade] Pele kick.
[Vic] Balor turning the tables. Dropkick to the chest.
Kross, also those ribs bounced off the top turnbuckle.
Again, this time to the back. Kross is down.
Balor, can he do it again?
Balor to the outside.
[Wade] The champ rocking and rolling in agony.
His body, torturous pain from head to toe.
Perhaps the coup de graâce.
[Vic] Connects. Got over into Balor, coup de graâce.
Balor, crawling into that cover.
Hook of the leg.
Championship on the--
-[Beth] Oh! -[Wade] Oh!
[Beth] Wait a minute. Kross has turned around.
He's got Finn Balor.
[Vic] Kross into the submission.
Looking for that straight jacket submission.
Trying to put Balor down. Balor trying to roll through,
get back to his feet.
[Wade] Kicked out of coup de graâce,
straight into his own submission.
What on earth is Kross made of?
[Vic] Balor trying to create
that separation reaching out, looking for the top rope.
Kross rolling through. Balor [unintelligible] again.
What is it going to take to keep one of these two down?
This is the emotion.
This is what it means to be champion.
[Karrion groans]
[crowd cheering]
Another kick to the ribs.
It's Balor now unleashing.
It's Balor focusing on the midsection.
Balor now, trying to lock into another submission.
[Wade] This grInding abdominal stretch on Karrion Kross.
The gargantuan taken down in agony away from the ropes.
Scarlett screaming out at the man, "Make it to the rope".
[Vic] Kross can see the bottom ropes.
Balor trying to hold on, trying to continue to squeeze.
[refree] Come on, Kross.
Come on, just stop it, Kross.
Come on Kross, you've got to call.
You've got to stop. I'm going to stop it, Kross.
[Vic] Scarlett, who was trying to calm down Kross earlier,
trying now to fire up Kross.
Kross trying to break the hold of Balor, and does.
[Wade] This is your moment to unleash rage and it's working.
[Vic] Kross right on the back of Balor.
Champion could be out,
challenger raining down.
Balor's not moving.
[Wade] Balor's got to protect himself.
[Vic] Kross looking down at the fallen champion,
again, the lifeless body of Balor, hoisting it,
planted him with a German suplex.
[unintelligible]
[Wade] The prince in a world of trouble right now.
He wanted deep water, he's getting it.
[Vic] They're both swimming.
Balor to his feet, Kross hoisting up one more time,
looking for that doomsday saito, folding the champion in half.
[Wade] Landing high on the back of his neck was the champ, Finn Balor.
Has he got any response whatsoever to Karrion Kross,
a man possessed?
[Vic] Balor's back to his feet. Kross charging in again.
That could be the knock-out blow.
The champion is down.
[Wade] He has no idea where he's at right now.
Finn Balor is there for the taking.
[Vic] Kross blocking out everything, looking at Balor.
Balor staggering to his feet.
Champion center of the ring,
again, to the back of the neck goes the challenger.
Kross into the cover, hooks the leg,
and Karrion Kross is the new NXT champion.
[female announcer] Here is your winner,
your new NXT champion,
Karrion Kross.
["Dead Silent (Karrion Kross)" playing]
[Beth] Let's take a look at some of this destructive performance.
Finn Balor showing so much valor,
this incredible coup de graâce high in the sky across
the injured midsection of Karrion Kross, that damaged liver.
Balor covered Kross, and somehow--
[Vic] Took too much time, then Kross stood to lock in the straight jacket,
and then Karrion Kross would start picking apart the champion,
raining down.
That emotion that Finn Balor talked about,
it played right into the hand of Karrion Kross.
[Wade] It's that emotion, let it explode at the right moment.
Finn Balor, the champ, tried to control it, but this man,
Karrion Kross, following up with one final blow to the back
of the skull of Finn Balor, and there is no response from a now
former champ, Finn Balor.
[Vic] NXT needed to know who the champion was.
Karrion Kross reclaims the title he was never beaten for,
and doomsday once again falls onto NXT.
["Dead Silent (Karrion Kross)" continues playing]
COVID-19 changed our way of life.
The way we work, the way we play,
and the way we live.
Right now, COVID-19 vaccines are available to millions of Americans, and soon,
they'll be available for everyone.
Let's get back to our lives and get vaccinated.
Roll up your sleeve and do your part for the ones you love.
This is our shot.
And we can do this together.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT GetVaccineAnswers.org
[man] This Saturday, just in time for WrestleMania,
WWE is dropping limited edition NFTs
showcasing iconic moments from the undertaker's legendary career.
Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of WWE history.
Register now to choose from unique WWE NFTs from either
platinum, gold, silver, and bronze tiers.
Go to wwe.com/nft for more information.
Watch out for the drop this Saturday at 10:30 am
and be a part of history.
[dramatic music playing]
[Beth] I know I've been waiting.
We can't wait to see Frankie Monet this Tuesday.
NXT
Santos Escobar, Legado Del Fantasma, what a match.
What more is there to say?
The undisputed cruiserweight champion.
You're right. I got to tell you, that guy, he just kept coming back.
It didn't matter what I did, he would come back.
I had to put him down for good.
But you had some help from Legado.
Whoa, McKenzie, you got to know one thing.
Legado is familia.
Legado is family.
Now let me tell you one more time, so you won't forget.
Santos Escobar, undisputed cruiserweight campeon,
the emperor of Lucha.
Guys, back to you.
[Wade] Here is the lady who sits atop the women's division,
the new women's NXT champ, Raquel Gonzalez.
We'll hear from Raquel this Tuesday, when NXT
moves to its new night on usa.
[Beth] That's right. We're all moving to Tuesdays.
The black and gold brand is taking over, and it all kicks off
this Tuesday night on usa.
[Vic] Well, coming up, and it's the second
of our two main events.
There's no rules, there's nothing stopping Adam Cole,
Kyle O'Reilly from literally tearing each other apart.
NXT is not held liable for what's going to happen in this unsanctioned match.
[Adam] We've known each other for a long time,
at least I thought we did.
When we first got here,
we didn't care who we stepped over to succeed.
Four hungry pitbulls,
determined to take a spot
at the top of the card where we belonged.
We were making a statement.
We didn't give a damn about
whose expense or who was footing the bill.
We became champions,
we became stars,
but only one of us became a better person,
a better human being.
Adam Cole is just the same
[bleep] that walked into this place three and a half years ago.
I want you to imagine that you were born blind,
that you could not see and then one day you wake up
and you can see everything.
You know what we call that? We call that a revelation,
and I had one.
I realized that I didn't need the undisputed era.
As a matter of fact, the undisputed era was holding me back.
You know what made me realize that?
It was you, Kyle.
I sat back and I watched you fail not once, but twice.
You tried to have Finn Balor
join the undisputed era.
Have you lost your mind?
Then it all made sense to me.
Because deep down in your core,
you were nothing more than a lapdog.
You were someone comfortable being on the sidelines and that is not me.
[news reporter] Mr. Regal.
What happened between Adam and Kyle?
What's happened is everything is completely out of control,
and hopefully the cop is going to drop their charges,
as nothing is going to stop them destroying each other.
I'm going to have a solution to their situation.
[male announcer] This is a contract for Kyle O'Reilly to face Adam Cole
in the co-main event at Stand and Deliver.
This match can only take place when you have both signed
this contract and you have knowledge
that NXT is not accountable for anything that happens to both of you.
Let me explain something to you, you little punk.
You know deep down in your heart
you are jealous.
You are jealous of me.
[dramatic music playing]
I'm going to remind you who the better man is.
[Adam] We've been friends for 11 years, and you tried to end my career.
You tried to end my career, man.
I sold my soul to the undisputed era
and I want it back.
[Kyle] You just wrote your death warrant.
[indistinct shouting]
[dramatic music stops abruptly]
[man] Shock the system.
UNSANCTIONED COLE VS O'REILLY
[dramatic music playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] The energy, the tension in this arena right now,
guys, is absolutely palpable.
It's unbelievable, the feeling that is rising in the NXT universe.
["Axe and Smash" playing]
You see the eyes, the determination in Kyle O'Reilly.
Beth, I'll start with you.
We are about to witness a fight we might not be ready for.
[Beth] You said the word "fight". This isn't just a match.
What are we going to see? We've seen these two men fight
in the locker room, fight in their training facility.
They've tried to run each other down with their vehicles.
They've been arrested.
I think the better question is,
what are they not willing to do to each other?
[Wade] Yes, let's be honest, Mr. Regal had to hire extra security
over the past week, so just to ensure that these two are kept apart,
so they don't tear each other to shreds before this match can officially begin.
["All About Tha (Boom!)" playing]
Wade, some would think that Adam Cole has the advantage coming in tonight.
[Wade] You have to say the simple fact that he's had more
big-match experience than Kyle O'Reilly certainly bodes well,
but here's the kicker for me.
One of the many reasons this match has been made
unsanctioned is because Kyle O'Reilly quite simply is not medically clear.
Cast your mind back a few weeks ago, that brainbuster on the steel
steps from this man, Adam Cole, causing all kinds of damage
to the neck of Kyle O'Reilly.
I'm no doctor clearly, but Kyle O'Reilly might only be about 80% tonight.
[Vic] The same match, and I want you guys to really listen to this, so dangerous.
There's only been one other unsanctioned match in the history of NXT.
[Wade] Well, this is the kind of match you might have to watch
through your fingers, but believe me--
-Adam Cole, baby! -[Wade] You are not going to want
to walk away.
[bell rings]
[female announcer] The following contest is an unsanctioned match
scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, from Vancouver, BC,
weighing in at 200 pounds,
Kyle O'Reilly.
[crowd cheering]
His opponent from Panama City,
Florida, weighing in at 200 pounds,
Adam Cole.
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] Again, unsanctioned match, the official
here just to count the pinfall.
Just to acknowledge a submission of sorts.
-[bell rings] -[Vic] Here we go.
[crowd chanting "Adam Cole"]
[Vic] Right off the bat, goes Kyle O'Reilly,
and O'Reilly right to the body, now going right up top,
and this is going to be nothing more, but a straight-up
ass kicking for these two.
[Wade] No man wanted to flinch first, straight into this hockey fight.
Who is going to get the early advantage in this one?
[Vic] It seems Kyle O'Reilly getting the upper hand.
You've got to imagine, Kyle O'Reilly has been angry,
very angry for a very long time.
[Beth] I mean, why wouldn't he be?
Think about the things Adam Cole said, that undisputed
era has been holding him back.
He said about Kyle O'Reilly,
"you are comfortable on the sidelines," after O'Reilly's main evented
with Finn Balor for the title.
[Vic] What a pup kick from Adam Cole.
Again, we heard Kyle O'Reilly on the pre-show
say he wanted to end this match-- Oh, up and over goes Adam Cole.
Cole on the outside, and look at O'Reilly,
up and over, and this is what it's about now.
-O'Reilly wants to end it quickly. -[Wade] Straight to an armbar.
[Vic] Wanting to just destroy his former friend, his former brother.
[Wade] Well, Adam Cole desperately found his way out that armbar
from the BJJ expert, Kyle O'Reilly.
The first 60 seconds of this match, both men busting out
their heavy artillery immediately.
[Vic] Oh, this is all legal, in this unsanctioned match.
[Wade] No feeling out process whatsoever, Beth.
[Beth] You've got to point out how well these men know each other.
Adam Cole knows how dangerous Kyle O'Reilly
is with the brazilian jiu-jitsu.
[Vic] Again, Kyle O'Reilly just bouncing, just ricocheting off the barricade.
[Beth] It's to Cole's advantage to keep this into a straight-up mauling.
[Vic] Look at that. Right back on top,
and this is that background of Kyle O'Reilly.
[Wade] Ground and pound.
That's what we're going to say, Beth.
[Beth] Yes, you took the words right from my mouth.
[Vic] These two have been licking their chops to just destroy
one another here tonight.
Just now, look at Kyle O'Reilly just stalking Adam Cole.
[Beth] There is going to be nothing pretty about this match-up.
[Beth] There we go again for Kyle O'Reilly.
Really, Wade, in your opinion, what's the challenge for O'Reilly tonight?
[Wade] He's fighting two battles tonight.
He's not only fighting Adam Cole,
but he's fighting his inner turmoil within himself.
Is he prepared to take himself to the places of savagery
that will be required to win a match like this?
This is way outside of Kyle O'Reilly's normal personality.
This is a clean competitor.
[Vic] Everything legal.
There's nothing stopping anything in this matchup.
Kyle O'Reilly, extra aggression
on these kicks.
Extra focus on these strikes.
Another one into the chest of Adam Cole.
Adam Cole, who tried to end the career of Kyle O'Reilly,
and now it's Cole turning things around.
[Wade] Cole, of course, knowing exactly what was coming there.
Was he able to recover in time?
Oh, piledriver attempt.
Kyle O'Reilly, of course, gets out.
Let's not forget the injured neck of Kyle O'Reilly.
That would have been devastation.
[Vic] Absolutely. Early on, as you mentioned, Beth,
for Kyle O'Reilly just wanting to end this match,
just wanting to beat down Adam Cole.
[Beth] O'Reilly's goal is to finish
Adam Cole as quickly and as efficiently as possible,
and right here, with this guillotine, he could do it.
[Vic] Look at that. Now, it's Kyle O'Reilly
locking in that guillotine, trying to put to sleep Adam Cole.
Any means necessary, O'Reilly now, positions for an extra leverage,
Adam Cole trying to fight his way free.
[Wade] Trying to cut off the airway.
[Vic] Oh.
[Wade] Pushed to the outside.
Adam Cole desperately escaping.
[Vic] The neck of Kyle O'Reilly.
You saw O'Reilly landing, immediately grab his neck.
Take a look one more time at the fall.
[Beth] Vicious on the corner of the apron,
you could just see that neck snapping to the side.
[Vic] Now, Adam Cole, of course, stalking his prey.
This is exactly where he wanted Kyle O'Reilly.
[Vic] Again, into that barricade goes O'Reilly.
[Wade] The neck, the upper spine, surely the target now for Adam Cole.
[Vic] The is Adam Cole, Beth, just showing his true colors,
as number one trend right now throughout the entire United States,
much like yesterday, NXT TakeOver: Stand & deliver, this,
the unsanctioned matchup between Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly.
[Beth] To your point, Adam Cole played the undisputed era like a fiddle.
Played on the emotions of Roderick strong,
the emotions of Kyle O'Reilly, and then nailed him with a low blow.
He is not a nice guy.
[Vic] Adam Cole measuring Kyle O'Reilly to the mid-section.
[Wade] I'll go one further, Beth, you want to win a match like this,
you cannot be a nice guy.
[Vic] Did you notice the steel chair Adam Cole
is holding, right off this--
[Adam] This is what you want?
[Vic] Right off the back of O'Reilly, that undisputed era logo
painted on that chair.
You don't think that was added?
You don't think that was on the mind of Adam Cole?
[Wade] The brotherhood that was nuked by this man, Adam Cole, and perhaps,
the career of Kyle O'Reilly will be nuked before our eyes tonight.
[Beth] Once again, absolutely purposeful, the selfishness
of Adam Cole that had been boiling all this time, undisputed era,
who was so loyal to him, stood by his side, defended him.
[Vic] Now, it's Cole focusing on the neck, Wade, of Kyle O'Reilly.
As you pointed out, O'Reilly not medically cleared.
[Wade] Just a terrible attack, point of that steel chair driven
into those top vertebrae.
You have to think the feeling in the limbs of Kyle O'Reilly might
be disappearing second by second here.
-[Vic] Oh. -[Beth] Oh.
[Vic] Now, take a look at Adam Cole almost salivating.
You ruined it, Kyle.
You ruined it.
[Wade] This is the exact reason Mr. Regal said,
"NXT will not be held accountable for anything that happens."
[Vic] Cole, whose blaming Kyle O'Reilly for the downfall of undisputed era.
[Wade] The neckbreaker straight on that steel chair.
[Vic] With that eerie logo.
This is what you want.
[Vic] We're talking about that tension, just the nastiness.
One more time, you just see O'Reilly, side of the face,
and then back in the ring, vicious neckbreaker.
[Wade] O'Reilly is getting eaten alive in there.
This referee taking a very close look.
[Vic] O'Reilly keeping the pressure on, and Wade, this is just the animosity
between these two.
The absolute hatred between these two.
[Wade] Let's be honest, you want to see competition,
you want to see people lay it all on the line,
I'm not sure anybody wanted to see this.
[Beth] I don't understand, how you can have such a friendship
and a bond for so many years, and Adam Cole could throw it all away,
and then on top of it, be just remorseless about it.
[Vic] Oh, wait, wait.
O'Reilly showing a comeback in the matchup,
trying to roll through, back to that offense,
and now trying to snap, trying to break the arm of Adam Cole.
Cole, a couple of knees to the side of the neck.
O'Reilly trying to continue to focus in on Cole.
Cole, no, no, no. Oh, again, to the neck.
Again, to the neck of O'Reilly. Into the cover.
O'Reilly kicks out at two.
[Wade] O'Reilly buying himself about five seconds of desperation
offense here until it was immediately turned around by Adam Cole,
in this modified neckbreaker onto the knee.
Somehow Kyle O'Reilly still has enough to kick out.
You have to think, Kyle O'Reilly, those limbs must be weakening.
I made you.
You hear me?
I made you who you are.
You would be nothing without me, you ungrateful creep.
[crowd cheering]
Do you hear me?
[Vic] Cole daring O'Reilly.
[Beth] O'Reilly taking that challenge.
[Vic] O'Reilly coming right in on Adam Cole.
A couple of forearms. Cole, right back to the body of the weakened O'Reilly.
O'Reilly not to be outdone.
[Wade] Something has awakened inside Kyle O'Reilly, but it might have been
brought straight back to Stand -- Oh!
[Vic] Again, these two who know each other so very well,
have never faced here in NXT, but the friendship has boiled down
to what we're seeing right now.
[Beth] It's boiled down to straight up, just dislike and hatred for one another,
and Kyle O'Reilly looking for redemption.
[crowd chanting "we want tables"]
[Vic] Nice combination offense, as you can hear
the NXT universe.
I don't think you need to put
any more unpleasant thoughts into the mind of O'Reilly.
[Wade] They're a bunch of blood-thirsty lads, aren't they?
Isn't this enough for you? Have some respect for them.
[Beth] Wade, that's why they came.
That's what Kyle O'Reilly and Adam Cole wanted, unsanctioned.
[Wade] Tell them to get in the ring then.
[Vic] Up to form, and now O'Reilly continuing to focus,
continuing to try to break down Adam Cole.
[Wade] Oh, with the heel hook.
[Beth] An ashi garami.
[Vic] Trying to roll through, Adam Cole.
Cole, now trying to roll all the way, trying to do anything to break this hold.
[Wade] That'll not help you.
[Vic] You don't get a damn anything about a rope break, there's no rules.
[Wade] The referee just looked on, as he should in this one.
[Vic] Cole, to the outside, able to break the hold.
He's just trying to get back to his feet.
Unlucky for him, Kyle O'Reilly right now piecing through,
trying to look down at Adam Cole.
O'Reilly charging in.
[Wade] Leaping dropkick to the chest of a seated Adam Cole.
[Beth] In this moment, Kyle O'Reilly delivering
the blow to Adam Cole, but you see again,
O'Reilly clutching at that injured neck, struggling through the pain.
[Wade] One more look at this, and what a time to take a seat,
from Adam Cole that was.
Kyle O'Reilly finally getting
his window of opportunity, and making the most of it.
[Vic] Well, Kyle O'Reilly back into the ring right now with Adam Cole.
Cole, out of almost anything right now.
Oh, he was waiting for huge shot with that steel chair,
able to block O'Reilly to the back-- Oh.
[Wade] He could have broken his hand.
He punched the chair to save himself, is that going to be enough?
[Vic] Cole might be out. Adam Cole just kicked out.
I thought for a moment Adam Cole was knocked out after that chair
ricocheted off his face.
You can see a dent in that steel chair from the fist of Kyle O'Reilly.
[Beth] Kyle O'Reilly surveying the scene.
[Vic] Capitol wrestling center, I just took a look around,
everyone is on their feet right now inside this building,
inside for this main event,
inside for this-- What the heck?
[Wade] Oh my God.
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] What is in the mind of Kyle O'Reilly?
That chain. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. No, no, no, again.
Oh.
[Wade] Hangman's neckbreaker off the second rope onto those chains.
[Vic] For the victory, O'Reilly, determination helping him kick out at two.
Just look at O'Reilly right now, oh-oh.
[Beth] O'Reilly driven into about 15 pounds of steel chain link.
The chain that was brought into this matchup from Kyle O'Reilly.
Adam Cole, with his own thoughts, and Beth,
I've seen you flinch a number of times in this unsanctioned match.
[Beth] This is hard to watch.
These tools were never meant to be inside a wrestling ring.
[Vic] Oh, come on.
[Beth] …let alone used like this.
[Vic] O'Reilly trying to block Adam Cole.
What lengths are these two willing to go?
[Wade] Well, clearly, there is no limit to which they'll go here.
Both men slugging away, but have to gain control of the chain.
[Vic] Well, that last forearm just dropped Adam Cole, and now,
Kyle O'Reilly refocusing
on that chain.
O'Reilly.
[Wade] What on earth does he have in mind here?
[Beth] Well, we've said Kyle O'Reilly's kicks are like a baseball bat.
[Vic] You don't think-- Oh.
O'Reilly, it's all legal.
Right off the face of Adam Cole, and again, O'Reilly.
[Wade] Three was not enough, can O'Reilly go for more, but no.
[Vic] Oh, nice counter by Cole, and Cole now turning things around,
looking for the figure-four with the chain.
With the chain.
[Wade] Locked onto that left leg of Kyle O'Reilly, middle of the ring.
All you can do is submit, there is no escape.
[Beth] Kyle O'Reilly staring into the eyes of the man
that has broken down his relationship to this point.
[Vic] There's no quit in Kyle O'Reilly.
O'Reilly trying to turn the pressure, trying to turn out.
O'Reilly trying anything he can do, trying to finally turn it over,
and now it's Adam Cole.
It's Adam Cole who's in pain.
[Beth] Kyle O'Reilly able to reverse the hold and continuing to clutch
and there's no way out for Adam Cole.
-[Vic] Cole right back into it. -[Wade] Switching it now.
[Vic] Oh.
Both men, same thought.
Both looking for a knockout.
Adam Cole continues to talk trash throughout this entire match.
O'Reilly could have just been trying to knock his teeth down his throat.
[Beth] Both men were shouting at each other, "just give up,"
and I know for Kyle O'Reilly that is not in his repertoire.
[Wade] The wrestling ring is not supposed
to look anything like it does right now.
Carnage in every corner.
[Vic] O'Reilly favoring on that neck coming back in with a knee strike
right to the midsection, followed up combination offense from O'Reilly,
dropping Adam Cole.
Maybe looking for another huge blow. There's O'Reilly.
-Oh. -[Wade] Oh.
What an ingenious move
by Adam Cole strikes to the neck of Kyle O'Reilly wrapping him up.
Backstabber, chain assisted.
[Vic] Cover.
Cole, could not put O'Reilly away.
O'Reilly kicking out again.
[Beth] Take a look at this insidious maneuver,
the chain across the face, and then using the chain again
to drag O'Reilly's body across his knees.
[Vic] In your hall-of-fame career, Beth,
have you ever seen anything like that?
[Beth] I got to give it to Adam Cole, ingenious and destructive
on a variety of levels.
[Wade] Really impressive, fast thinking at the worst possible
time from Adam Cole.
Just what this needed after the abuse that his body has gone through already.
That speed of thought is so impressive.
[Vic] What now is going through the mind of Adam Cole?
[crowd cheering]
Cole limping over to O'Reilly.
Cole said he would end the career, he would finish the job he set out to do.
O'Reilly able to wiggle free.
O'Reilly looking for a German suplex, but the neck of Kyle O'Reilly--
right back goes O'Reilly with a forearm.
Adam Cole now playing defense.
Nice sharp elbow,
standing switch by Cole.
Boom, and on the injured neck of O'Reilly.
[Wade] Climbing so high, set up in that chair.
[Wade] Shining wizard, folding it down, O'Reilly onto a pile of steel.
Cole into the cover.
Again, O'Reilly kicks out.
[Wade] I've no idea how Kyle O'Reilly was not out cold from that shining wizard,
as we take another look seated in those steel chair,
twisted, contorted in the corner, but somehow, able to kick out
a sliver away from the three-count.
[Vic] Cole back to the outside.
Cole's looking at the steel steps.
[crowd chanting "Kyle O'Reilly" and "Adam Cole"]
[Vic] You guys don't think--
[Wade] Well, I suppose seeing the steel steps have certainly been a very good
friend to Adam Cole, of late.
Less so for Kyle O'Reilly.
[Vic] Cole just dragging Kyle O'Reilly to the outside.
Again, nothing the official can do in this unsanctioned matchup.
-[Wade] Kyle is just limp. -[Beth] This is too much.
[Vic] O'Reilly. Not again, not again.
-Turning things around. -[Wade] Locked that guillotine.
[Vic] Trying to lock it in, and put Adam Cole out.
Right onto the steel steps, O'Reilly.
[Beth] O'Reilly has got it locked.
-[Wade] Cole is fighting. -[Beth] He's [unintelligible]
[Vic] Referee in great position.
[Wade] O'Reilly released it.
[Vic] Oh, what a knee, and O'Reilly,
both men's bodies falling limp for a moment.
[Wade] Perhaps, Adam Cole got a little too cocky,
taking too much time setting up those steel steps.
-This may come back to haunt him. -[Vic] Not now. Knock it Kyle.
[Vic] He's way back. This is the savage Kyle.
[crowd chanting "Adam Cole" and "Let's go Kyle"]
Second thought by Kyle O'Reilly.
He can't bring himself to do it.
[Vic] Guillotine-- No wait, O'Reilly. O'Reilly, too much time,
and Cole, taking advantage.
[Wade] Kyle O'Reilly, perhaps, not prepared to go there.
This one, spilling out all over the capitol wrestling center.
Kyle O'Reilly ripping apart our desk now.
[Beth] Inner turmoil here for Kyle O'Reilly.
[Vic] Well, you talked about that turmoil, Wade.
Earlier, when it came to O'Reilly, the struggles within.
The question is, what depths is Kyle O'Reilly willing to go,
Wade, to destroy Adam Cole?
[Wade] Is this really about revenge, or is it about redemption
for Kyle O'Reilly?
Whatever's going on now, it's going to be ugly.
[Vic] O'Reilly. Adam Cole.
Cole able to answer back, and again, it's O'Reilly firing.
[crowd cheering on punch]
Cole's looking over at you right now, Wade.
Might be looking for a landing spot.
-Pay attention. Oh! -[Wade] I need to wind the wire.
[crowd cheering]
[Beth] Sickening thud.
[Wade] No give whatsoever to this announce table, for once.
[Beth] Let's take one more look at that.
Adam Cole's body just bouncing off of our announce table.
[Wade] What about Kyle O'Reilly's body?
That couldn't have felt good for him either.
[Vic] Adam Cole bouncing off the announce table.
[crowd chanting "This is awesome"]
This indeed is awesome.
[Wade] The sweat pouring off the body of Kyle O'Reilly,
notes attached to it.
Somehow, our table's still standing for once.
[Vic] This could go-- Oh, holy--
[Wade] Lying in wait, Adam Cole, like a predator.
[Beth] The glass shattered across the face of Kyle O'Reilly.
[Vic] That was a TV monitor.
[Wade] All is fair in love and unsanctioned matches, Vic.
One more look at this.
Are there no depths to which Adam Cole will stoop?
[Vic] No, because he wants to end the career, Wade, of Kyle O'Reilly.
-He's willing to do anything. -[Wade] Kyle O'Reilly needs
to discover that edge himself or he's going to get eaten alive.
[Vic] Back into the ring--
O'Reilly can't even get to his feet.
[Beth] Are you surprised?
We just saw what happened here at the announce table.
Both of their bodies-- I can't believe Adam Cole is still moving.
[Wade] What is this toolbox that Adam Cole is introducing here?
[Beth] A hardware store nightmare.
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] Oh, no, no, no, no. Come on.
Are you going to-- Come on.
Adam
Cole right back in.
[Beth] Straight to the mouth of Kyle O'Reilly again.
[Vic] Right into the side of the face, almost into the ear of O'Reilly,
and now, what the hell does he have?
[Wade] This ring looking like a devil's playground.
-Adam Cole hoisting that tire iron now. -[Vic] A tire iron.
Oh man.
Kyle O'Reilly, now O'Reilly with the tire iron.
Oh.
[Wade] Enzuigiri, but Kyle O'Reilly,
straight back with that rebound clothesline.
[Vic] Hatred fueling O'Reilly right now.
[Vic] This is absolutely brutal.
The destruction, as O'Reilly continuing the offensive onslaught.
Brainbuster, center of the ring to put down, Cole,
kicking out at two.
[crowd chanting "NXT"]
Let's take a look at the mess.
Take a look at disaster around us.
Take a look at the environment, guys, in which we are in right now.
[Beth] Complete and total carnage, and Kyle O'Reilly is not done,
as he continues to wrap that steel chain around the left arm.
[Vic] Yes, trying to break the arm of Adam Cole.
[Wade] Cross armbreaker applied right center of the ring.
Chain wrapped around that limb, all extended,
perhaps popping out of his socket.
[Vic] Cole trying to roll through and allow a transition
to another submission.
[Wade] Triangle choke with the addition of that chain in there.
[Vic] Just trying to choke out Cole. Cole fading.
Cole could be out. Cole might be out.
Referee checking on Cole.
[Beth] Cole still in this.
[Wade] Still something left and Cole just about, surely, not very much at all.
Oh.
-[Vic] The tire iron. -[Wade] Oh.
[Vic] The tire iron to the ribs of O'Reilly.
[crowd chanting "NXT"]
Well, we mentioned in the previous match NXT TakeOver 31,
the liver shot to Kyle O'Reilly.
[crowd chanting "fight forever"]
I know you hear the NXT universe shouting out,
"fight forever".
Something has to give.
[crowd chanting]
[Vic] Cole, O'Reilly.
[crowd chanting "This is awesome."]
[crowd chanting "Adam Cole"]
[Vic] Vicious kick from O'Reilly. Cole answering back.
[crowd cheering on punch]
[Vic] Oh, no. Come on.
[Wade] Come on, Vic, it's perfectly legal.
[Beth] Perfectly immoral too.
[Wade] The entire match has been immoral.
[Beth] Can't argue with that, Wade.
[Vic] Adam Cole, now with O'Reilly in his sights,
after everything these two have been through,
O'Reilly looking for the final-- Boom.
Superkick.
Cover.
O'Reilly is not dead.
[crowd chanting "NXT"]
[Beth] With precision to the jaw. Kyle O'Reilly looked to be clean out.
Look at that one more time.
You can see the head jolted to the back.
[Vic] Again, the neck, Kyle O'Reilly is not medically cleared.
We've made it perfectly clear--
Oh, what?
When's enough, enough?
[Beth] Adam Cole.
[Vic] Adam, when is enough, enough?
[Wade] This is a career-ender right here if he pulls this off.
Adam, you don't want to do this, Adam.
Adam, you don't want to do.
Adam, you don't want to do on head.
[Wade] Oh.
[Vic] Cole just--
Shut up.
When I say shut up, you shut up.
You hear me.
[crowd chanting "You deserve it"]
[Beth] Cole's an absolute monster.
[Vic] Cole turning his attention
now back to O'Reilly.
Adam Cole looking for the exclamation point,
so that Kyle O'Reilly can never stand again.
Can never deliver again.
Looking for Panama
sunrise on the injured neck.
Into the cover.
[crowd chanting "one, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten."]
[Beth] Well, Cole you made your pin. Now lie in it.
Get up ref. Get up.
Are you stupid? Are you stupid?
Get up. Get up. Get up.
[crowd chanting]
You suck. You know that? You suck.
You have one job. You have one job.
[crowd chanting]
[Vic] Adam Cole, again, looking around.
One would think, Adam Cole would have had this match over,
but Adam Cole, now, bids to inflict more damage.
[Wade] Yes, he's frustrated, but was it ever really about winning
the match, or was it about ending the career of Kyle O'Reilly?
-[Vic] The neck of Kyle O'Reilly-- -Now, I got you Kyle.
Now I got you.
You have nowhere to run.
[crowd chanting "Let's go Adam"]
[Vic] Again, oh, legal.
[Beth] O'Reilly unable to get his hands up.
You got nowhere to run, Kyle.
You got nowhere to run.
[crowd chanting "Adam Cole"]
[Vic] You see Cole feeling the effects.
NXT universe in the capitol wrestling center, all on their feet,
as these two men absolutely destroying one another.
[Beth] Kyle O'Reilly's completely defenseless.
Stop this, Adam.
[Vic] Oh, O'Reilly turning real quick.
There's nothing stopping this matchup.
Someone's got to win, that's how it'll stop.
[Beth] Without a referee, it can't.
[Wade] I can't see any of our other referees rushing to get
themselves involved in this one.
[Vic] O'Reilly back up top.
Onto his feet, looking to put down Adam Cole.
Oh, did you see that barricade bend?
[Wade] Shaking, somehow still standing, unlike the two competitors.
I have no idea how Kyle O'Reilly has anything at all
left after what he has gone through.
[Vic] He's still clinching onto his neck.
Cole, obviously, knows--
Now, what does Adam Cole looking at?
What is going through the sick,
sadistic mind of Adam Cole?
[Beth] There's clearly no depths to the depravity he's displayed tonight.
Adam Cole now, really starting to look at Kyle O'Reilly,
really looking to put in the finishing touches on the career of--
O'Reilly, fighting right back,
trying to put down Adam Cole,
trying to put Cole to-- Holy hell.
[crowd chanting "Holy shit"]
[Vic] What the hell did we just witness?
[crowd chanting "NXT"]
[Beth] Kyle O'Reilly, in desperation, but Adam Cole--
They've literally destroyed the steel ramp.
Two bodies flying through. You can hear that crunch.
[Vic] This is just proof of the depths these two are willing
to go to destroy the other.
[Wade] The capitol wrestling center,
a complete wreck, and these two men must be feeling
every moment of this match somehow.
Adam Cole--
[Beth] Cole just dragging himself out of the pit of hell.
[Vic] Cole somehow back to his feet.
I don't know where O'Reilly--
Now what?
Wade, have you ever seen anything like this?
[Wade] Come off it, Vic.
Nothing like this has taken place here before.
We almost need a mercy rule at this point.
[Vic] Adam Cole is pulling O'Reilly through the side of the stage.
[Beth] Destroying the set.
[Vic] As you guys mentioned, I don't know if any of these--
How these two have anything left at this point.
Through the stage, through the side of the stage,
on the announce table, everything around the ring,
all the carnage.
[Beth] Look at the flesh, the back of Kyle O'Reilly,
the lacerations and bruising.
The war these two men have been through.
[Vic] Both men almost unable to stand.
O'Reilly just collapsed yet again.
Adam Cole back in, and just trying to take a look up at a Kyle O'Reilly.
O'Reilly just fell out of the ring.
[Beth] I don't know if O'Reilly knows where he is right now.
[Vic] No way in hell he knows where he's at, Beth.
Kyle O'Reilly, on pure instinct at this point.
I mean, you're the one who pointed his back, the lacerations.
No, come on.
Please, God, no.
[Wade] Oh, no.
[crowd chanting "NXT"]
Wait, Beth--
[Beth] Adam Cole has no conscience.
[Vic] It's getting hard to watch.
[Wade] Cole has to capitalize now. Poor Kyle O'Reilly.
I didn't want to see this.
[Vic] Adam Cole with O'Reilly back into the ring.
-[Wade] Ref has brought himself around. -[Vic] Is this it?
Cover by Adam Cole.
-[refree] Shoulder. Shoulder. -[Vic] Barely.
Shoulder, Adam.
His shoulder was up. That was two.
[Vic] I mean barely.
[Wade] Kyle O'Reilly knew nothing about that.
Somehow, he kicked out. Talk about instinct.
[Vic] I mean absolute barely.
[Wade] It might be the biggest mistake of his entire life.
[Beth] The last ounce of strength in O'Reilly's body.
[crowd chanting "Kyle O'Reilly" and "Adam Cole"]
[Vic] I don't know if Adam Cole knows what to do next.
I don't know if he knows what else to do to keep O'Reilly down.
O'Reilly's out.
There's only one last thing Adam Cole knows.
One last shot.
[Wade] Oh, inadvertently saving himself, was Kyle O'Reilly.
[Beth] This is awful.
[Wade] Lacks the fiber to even keep himself vertical.
You are nothing.
[Vic] Cole picking up O'Reilly, charging in--
Oh, last shot didn't connect.
O'Reilly back to his feet, somehow rolling through.
-[Wade] Here we go. -[Beth] There it is.
[Wade] Locked in, torqueing the ankle, the knee of--
Adam Cole, desperately fighting his way out of it.
[Vic] Cole with [unintelligible]
Undone. O'Reilly now locking in both legs of Cole.
Cole screaming in pain. Is Cole going to tap?
[Wade] Kyle screaming in agony here, as he slaps the--
Oh, clocked with the chain.
[Vic] That's got to be it.
That has to be it, that chain right between the eyes of O'Reilly.
[crowd chanting "That was awesome."]
Everything these two men have put themselves through tonight.
The insanity that we have witnessed, Kyle O'Reilly,
out of nowhere slapping on that imanari roll into a heel hook.
You thought that was perhaps it.
[Vic] Again, Cole measuring O'Reilly.
O'Reilly though, countered. Countered.
Cole down across the knee,
across the neck of Cole.
Boom.
[Wade] Oh, my God.
[Vic] What a kick from O'Reilly. O'Reilly, now can sense it.
O'Reilly can feel it.
Whatever he's got left, O'Reilly's got to unload the tank.
O'Reilly's got to unleash all the demons.
He's got to go into the place he didn't know he had.
O'Reilly's got to unleash, unload.
[Wade] Wait a minute.
[Vic] O'Reilly right to back. Last shot to Adam Cole.
O'Reilly into the cover. O'Reilly into the count.
Kyle, oh, my God.
[Beth] Whoa, you talk about digging deep in the basement,
Kyle O'Reilly with a last-ditch effort on Adam Cole, and somehow,
after everything these two have been through, that was not the end.
[Wade] I cannot believe what we all witnessed.
How sweet would that have been
for Kyle O'Reilly to put away Adam Cole with his own move,
but now, perhaps, the savagery finally taking over.
Kyle O'Reilly, what does he have in store?
[Vic] You said earlier tonight, O'Reilly would have to go to depths
he didn't know he had.
He had to go to places most men don't even know exist.
Kyle O'Reilly now, evil thoughts through his mind.
What is going through the head of O'Reilly?
Is Kyle O'Reilly willing to go to the depths he didn't know he had
in order to destroy Adam Cole?
[Wade] Kyle O'Reilly must feel like a zombie right now.
[crowd chanting "Adam Cole"]
[Vic] O'Reilly to the outside.
O'Reilly right now, Beth, can't even stand.
[Beth] I disagree, Wade.
I think O'Reilly's thinking clearly, and he's thinking about
breaking the leg of Adam Cole.
[Vic] O'Reilly crawling himself, pulling himself to the top--
Oh Adam Cole with that steel chair right to the back.
Some of it might have caught the neck of Kyle O'Reilly as well.
[Wade] The cumulative damage absorbed by Kyle O'Reilly coming
to the forth at the worst possible moment, just when he had Cole
right where he wanted him.
[Vic] What is Adam?
Adam. Adam Cole.
You don't think--
[Beth] He could impale Kyle O'Reilly.
[Vic] O'Reilly.
O'Reilly, again, after that steel chair, barely moving.
Adam Cole trying to move his way around the carnage, steel chain.
I'm better than you. Do you hear me?
Always, and I always will be.
Do you understand? Do you understand?
Do you understand?
[Adam groans]
[Vic] Oh. O'Reilly answered back.
[Wade] Giving Adam Cole a taste of his own medicine.
[Vic] Kyle looking down.
O'Reilly again wrapping that chain around his right leg.
O'Reilly's got a plan.
The sick, sadistic thoughts flowing through the brainwaves
of Kyle O'Reilly.
O'Reilly.
-Adam Cole not moving. -[Wade] The knee is loaded.
[Vic] The knee indeed is loaded.
O'Reilly is perched.
Oh, across the neck.
Cole threw the chair.
For the love of God. Into the cover.
-Kyle O'Reilly puts away Adam Cole. -[bell rings]
[female announcer] Our winner, Kyle O'Reilly.
[Vic] That is the damnedest thing I've ever been a part of.
Take a look at the capitol wrestling center, standing ovation,
on their feet for two men, whether you like them,
or whether you don't, stood and delivered on the biggest stage we have in NXT.
["Axe and Smash" playing]
[Beth] I can only imagine the pain that has to be coursing
through both of these men's bodies.
You see Adam Cole--
[Wade] We need help out here.
When you see shots like these,
you have to really question, is either man a winner?
[Vic] Let's go back to some of the absolute carnage in this match.
[Beth] Shocking events of this matchup, and all through the arena,
but nobody could predict this.
Kyle O'Reilly and Adam Cole destroying the stage with their own bodies.
[Vic] Adam Cole, again, just looking to end the career of Kyle O'Reilly.
[Wade] Only why Kyle O'Reilly shouldn't have even been in this match,
yet, he took a second dose of it.
Do you understand?
[Beth] The story of redemption here,
Kyle O'Reilly giving Adam Cole a little bit of his own medicine.
[Vic] In the end, Kyle O'Reilly, indeed, would go to that dark place
to put away Adam Cole.
Another look.
Oh, it's so hard to watch.
[Beth] That chain became a factor throughout this matchup,
but this was the final blow to the back of Adam Cole,
who then reverberated on the steel chair.
[Vic] For the love of God.
[bell rings]
["Axe and Smash" continues]
Subtitles: Aadesh Surana s]