[opening theme song playing]
[narrator reading]
[Oba] Trick Williams and Je'Von Evans had all these dreams
and aspirations about becoming the NXT champion at Stand & Deliver
[intense music playing]
[Oba] Not on my watch.
[dramatic music playing]
As for Trick Williams cannot stand him.
Have no love for Williams.
As good as he is, the Ruler is just that much better.
Na, na, na. You know, I ain't even going out like that right there, Oba.
Every single time it comes to me getting mine,
Oba, you always find the easy way out.
What more do you want?
I want my title back.
I want my one on one.
I'm tired of letting people butt in.
I'm Trick Williams.
I'm the face of this brand.
I ain't no regular Joe.
[echoing] Joe, Joe, Joe.
♪ Say his name and he appears ♪
-[Vic] Holly crap. -[Corey] Oh, my god!
♪ I believe in Joe Hendry ♪
-Joe Hendry is back in NXT. -[crowd cheering]
Trick Williams, you've changed.
You're not hungry.
You're entitled.
Did you maybe think the reason you didn't win back the NXT championship
was because Trick Williams is a whiny bitch?
[crowd awws]
[Vic] The two that are holding gold are done playing games.
The TNA World Champion, is locking eyes with Oba Femi, the NXT Champion.
[Matthew] Standing ovation.
Hendry withstand the chaos.
[Tom] Joe Hendry count's off the greatest win of his career.
Stands tall as champion.
[dramatic music playing]
[Tom] Trick shot.
Hendry took the spotlight on NXT.
Tonight, Trick took it back.
On Hendry's turf.
[music playing]
[NXT theme playing]
[Vic] Well, buckle up because we are back in Orlando, Florida.
Welcome to NXT.
[NXT theme playing]
[Vic] And I want to welcome in ringside.
Vic Joseph alongside Booker T, Corey Graves.
And guys, we are in for one hell of a night.
That is an understatement Vic.
The Women's World Championship Iyo Sky is in the house tonight.
We saw that earlier day and also in the house tonight.
We saw him arrive on social media,
is the TNA World Championship Joe Hendry.
And we know that Joe Hendry isn't--
-You did it. -It worked again.
[Vic] It works again.
♪ I believe in Joe Hendry ♪
♪ 'Cause they love him in London, and Paris, and Tokyo ♪
♪ America, Scotland, and Canada, and Mexico, ♪
[Alicia] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome.
The TNA World Champion.
Joe Hendry
[Vic] And Graves, the champion is not 100%.
Grade three sprain in his right shoulder.
But there is no doubt who he is 100% focused on.
[Corey] It would appear that Joe Hendry has his sights set.
On none other than he Ruler of NXT.
Book, you know, a thing or two about fighting hurt as a champion.
What's going through Henry's mind right now?
[Booker] Ah, this guy is the real deal, man.
I give him credit for stepping up on a
few hour's notice to step into WrestleMania.
To take on The Viper.
Oh! Yes, man.
[Corey] When HBK Invites you personally to NXT, you do not ignore it.
[crowd cheering]
[Joe's theme playing]
[crowd chanting] We believe!
[Booker] Do you?
[crowd chanting] We believe!
Say his name and he appears,
Joe Hendrie is back in front of the NXT universe.
[crowd cheering]
And what a journey it's been.
I just wrestled Randy Orton at Wrestlemania.
[crowd cheering]
And less than 48 hours ago, I successfully defended
my TNA World Championship at Rebellion.
[crowd cheering]
Unfortunately, you know what happens next?
[crowd murmuring]
Trick Williams attacked me when my back was turned.
[crowd chanting]
Oh, I'm gonna I'm gonna.
[crowd cheering]
Trick I know that I embarrassed you in Las Vegas, so I expected retaliation.
But, my friend for what you did, you just crossed the line.
[crowd cheering]
And I called you entitled,
but I'm afraid it's so much much worse than that.
Because you used to be somebody that these people could get behind.
You used to be someone that could lead that locker room.
You were "Mr. Let's Talk About It."
But the truth is, you just can't stand the fact,
they weren't talking about Trick Williams,
they were talking about Joe Hendry.
[crowd cheering]
And what they were saying was, "We believe."
[crowd chanting] We believe!
And you're not just entitled.
You're arrogant.
Because instead of looking within,
you wanted to blame everybody else for the fact
that you couldn't win back the NXT championship.
[crowd booing]
And you know that Oba Femi won't just give you
another title match for that championship.
So you thought you would just hop on over
and take a shot at the TNA World Champion,
[crowd cheers]
Trick, let me assure you, I am an entertainer,
but I also have an antagonistic side.
So I recognize what this is,
and I will not fall for the deception.
So I'm gonna make it nice and easy.
Trick, I'm gonna say your name and make you appear.
Trick Williams, get your ass out here right now!
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] It sounds like Hendry's got his… Wait a minute.
[Booker T laughing]
[Joseph] Lookout, gentlemen.
[Graves] I don't know why you think this is funny, Book.
[Booker T] It's about to get busy. That's why.
[Joseph] Graves was right.
Joe Hendry was invited by Shawn Michaels to be here tonight.
But these four, known as DarkState,
they don't need a damn invitation…
-[Booker T] Oh, it'll be gold. -[Joseph] …to wreak havoc.
And their attacking Hendry.
[Graves] Hendry's about to get mauled.
[Booker T] Oh, yeah!
[Graves] Another detour on Joe Hendry's path toward Oba.
Not Trick Williams tonight. DarkState.
[Joseph] Another victim for DarkState.
And it doesn't matter what promotion.
If you are or aren't a champion, everyone is a target to DarkState.
I know it's been a couple of weeks, but congratulations on your victory
at WrestleMania and welcome back to NXT.
-Thank you, Ava. -You're welcome.
I knew you were coming because I know
you've had your hands full with Giulia and Roxanne on RAW.
So I figured a tag match was perfect, but, um, have you found your partner yet?
Well, not yet, but I will tonight.
-Giulia and Roxanne are-- -I'll be your partner.
I'll have your back tonight, Iyo.
Whatever gets me one step closer to the NXT Women's Championship.
Okay, so The Juggernaut and The Genius of the Sky.
-I like the sound of that. -Okay.
Yes.
-Tight! -Ooh. Sorry.
-Tight, tight. -Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
[Joseph] Graves, that's what you were alluding to earlier.
It's a huge Main Event here tonight
after what has happened on Monday Night RAW,
the Women's World Champion is here,
teaming with Jordynne Grace against The Prodigy
and The Beautiful Madness in our Main Event tonight.
But coming up in moments, our first championship match of the night.
There is Lexis King, who's without his cup.
But he has a chance to wear gold once again on his throne
if he can defeat this man,
because the champion is ready to defend the title once more.
North American Championship is on the line, next.
As we mentioned, we are back in the city,
beautiful home of the WWE Performance Center.
So while we're in Orlando tonight, Graves, let's go back to last week.
[Graves] Las Vegas, the homesite of WrestleMania week.
Women's Tag Team titles on the line.
Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez,
a dominant performance.
Strong effort by Gigi Dolin and Tatum Paxley.
But oblivion would seal the deal in a championship retention
for the Women's Tag Team Champions.
You guys were so close to beating Liv and Raquel last week.
Not to mention you almost won the TNA Knockouts tag titles on Sunday.
-We weren't even pinned at Rebellion. -Right.
-So I don't understand-- -We weren't even pinned at Rebellion.
And I just feel like if we had one more shot--
-Hey, there you are. -…we would totally win that one.
Don't worry about these losers. Look, we got to go
'cause I just got you a match against Sol Ruca.
First of all, don't do that. They're not losers.
Sorry, ladies. Anyways, look, I just want you to get ready.
-Hello? -Yeah. No, I heard you.
-Have a match with Sol. When? -Tonight.
Tonight?
I'm not ready.
What do you mean you're not ready?
Girl, you better get ready.
And after you win tonight, we have a title match.
Come on, let's go.
"We" have a title match?
-[chuckling] Wow. -Cringe. Oh, my God.
["King (Lexis King)" playing]
[Joseph] Looks like we got Karmen and Sol coming up later tonight on NXT.
But right now it's time for our first of two championship matches live tonight.
[bell dings]
[Rome] The following contest, scheduled for one fall,
is for the NXT North American Championship.
Introducing first from Cincinnati, Ohio, weighing in at 225 pounds,
Lexis King.
[Joseph] This, of course, could have been title versus cup,
but, well, King didn't hold up his end of the bargain.
[Graves] Congratulations to the new Heritage Cup Champion.
Once again, Noam Dar.
["Welcome to the Revolution" playing]
[Graves] But tonight The Revolution has returned to Orlando.
[Rome] And his opponent from New Orleans, Louisiana,
weighing in at 200 pounds,
he is the NXT North American Champion,
Ricky Saints.
[Joseph] And, of course, guys, he's coming off that victory
at Stand & Deliver and, Graves, he set the tone.
Ricky Saints set the tone for WrestleMania weekend.
[Graves] Stand & Deliver, an absolutely incredible event
more than lived up to the hype.
But everyone in the wake is still buzzing
about The Revolution, about Ricky Saints, the North American Champion.
Everyone, that is, except Lexis King.
[Booker T] Yeah, he did set the tone.
He walked away and still North American Champion.
-[bell dings] -[crosstalk]
[Booker T] This man dropped him [indistinct].
and showed him what NXT is all about.
That's when everything got heated up.
[Graves] It's the first time these two have gone one-on-one,
and you can see already the animosity between the two.
And, Booker, I think it's safe to say though
Saints had a better time in Vegas than Lexis King.
Penn and Teller didn't really help that way.
[Booker T] He had a good time.
But when Lexis King rolled up on him and pulled that walk by,
it was real nice. Lexis King, come on, give him his due, man.
He's the star [indistinct] here.
[Joseph] I get it. He held the cup for 126 days,
four successful defenses, established rules, I understand.
But, Graves, did King even surprise you.
Booker mentioned it, laying out Ricky Saints last week.
Did he surprise you by showing a loose cannon inside of himself.
[Corey] I don't think it's a surprise, I think it's the true Lexis King
It's lying dormant deep inside.
The more Lexis taps into it, the better it's going to serve him.
Especially against someone as high caliber as Ricky Saints,
who is firing on all cylinders
since arriving here in NXT.
-[Vic] Well, there we see-- -[Corey] Oh, goodness.
[Vic] Two feet, right in the face.
King, a former champion, much like Gunther, who will face
Pat McAfee, Graves, at Backlash.
[Corey] Pat and I have had our differences over the years,
this is a scary situation. Why would Pat put himself in harm's way
over Michael Cole?
[Vic] What's wrong with Michael Cole, I'd have done the same thing.
[Corey] Loyalty is one thing, insanity is another.
[Booker] Sometimes a man's got to do, what a man's got to do.
[Vic] Two feet right to the face has changed the complexion of this match,
and Ricky Saints, turning it right back around.
And, Booker, hasn't Saints backed up everything he has said,
since he arrived here on NXT?
[Booker] You gotta understand, you got the Tag-Team Champions,
you got the NXT Champion, you got this man, Ricky Saints
the North American Champion, he got a chip in the game,
and he cashed it in, in Las Vegas.
[Vic] Big main event, still to come, thoughts, Graves?
-[Booker] Come on! -[Vic] Grace joins forces with
the Women's World Champion, Iyo Sky.
[Corey] I can't wait to see what unfolds,
gonna be a huge main event, but who is walking out tonight
with the North American Championship?
[crowd chanting "Ricky Sucks"]
[crowd cheering]
[Vic] North American title is on the line, Champion Ricky Saints
trying to get back into the match.
But, oh! He was on top of King,
they both had the same mindset but, too much.
[Corey] Both men simultaneously attempted, and succeeded, cross bodies.
[Booker] I can tell you guys, from experience, that knocked all the wind
out of Ricky Saints, check it out. Here it is again.
-[Vic] Oh! -[Booker] Man, car crash.
[Vic] Well, who will be the North American Champion when NXT heads to
Tampa, Battleground, Memorial Day weekend?
It's a Tampa takeover for the WWE.
And, Lexis King, right now, going high risk.
It didn't pay off last week, but this could be certainly a different story.
[Booker] Beautiful! Four-time. Beautiful!
[Vic] Four-time, what do you mean four-time?
-[Vic] This is the first time he won. -[Booker] I said one time.
-[Booker] For one time. -[Vic] You said four times--
-[Booker] I said one time. -[Corey] I think you need to watch
what you said there. A big Swanton off the top for King.
[Booker] Did you see the velocity
[Vic] Oh! I saw the impact there, Booker.
Knees to the gut, cover, and another nearfall.
[Booker] Don't waste any time, King. Don't waste your time.
Press the button, press the button.
[Vic] Saints has shown you the heart of a champion.
King, who's gotten himself in trouble with Penn and Teller,
then with Noam Dar, can he put it away tonight?
-Put gold around his waist-- -[Corey] Missed the super kick,
coming right back into … same mindset.
But it's Ricky Saints who comes out on top.
Big time slam by the North American champion and Saints is feeling it.
[Vic] It's almost as if he took King's own momentum with him
on that last maneuver. It's an art form being able to use
your opponent's momentum against him and look at this tornado DDT.
But King slides out the back
and face first goes Saints. King from behind, shoulder down. Another nearfall.
[Booker] If King could've got that toe on that bottom rope, this match would be over
[Vic] He would have cheated. What do you mean?
[Booker] What are you talking about? I'm talking about any means necessary.
[Vic] I'm talking about Ricky Saints-- Got caught. Super kick under the jaw.
Champions rocked. Looking for the coronation now.
[Booker] Rock-a-bye…
[Vic] Countered by Saints. Saints again!
This time, Graves, got that tornado DDT.
[Corey] Spiked King.
This could be the beginning of the end for Lexis.
-[Booker T] No way he could do this. -[Vic] Trying to hoist up King
for a Roshambo.
[Vic] Saints into the cover.
[crowd chanting] One, two, three!
and the champion successful tonight.
[bell dinging]
[Mike] Here is the winner and still the NXT
North American champion,
Ricky Saints!
[Vic] Ricky Saints. was one of only four champions
to retain over Wrestlemania Weekend, and he did it again tonight.
[Corey] A picture perfect tornado DDT on the second attempt
and hoisting up the challenger before Lexis King experiences
Roshambo, courtesy of the Revolution.
Well, there you see the champion and the question now on our mind,
who will be the next to try and stop the Revolution?
Over the past few weeks, you all have fallen short of expectations.
Brooks, Niko in the gauntlet match
and Izzi mere fingertips away from becoming the women's
North American champion at Stand and Deliver.
It hurts to lose. I know.
But you can't let your failures define you.
Let your failures teach you.
If you fear failure, you're simply putting limitations on your life.
I'm going to be honest with you, Izzi.
This NXT women's roster is deep and rich with talent.
So I need you to focus on how you're going to stand out from the pack
and I need you to take, and I need you to rip that spotlight
from somebody and put it exactly where it belongs. On yourself.
Gentlemen, Hank and Tank are the new NXT tag team champions.
So how do we build a stronger bond?
How do we become a more cohesive unit in that ring?
Well, we work deeper than the surface level.
And if we do that, we'll find the results that we seek.
As always,
I'm here for you all.
So I want you to rise up and seize control.
[Vic] We did this earlier, but we want to go back to Vegas.
It was Stand and Deliver.
It was Dark State versus the D'Angelo's,
and I still haven't collected the right words
after what we just witnessed. The unthinkable happened.
The underboss stabbing the Don and his family in the back.
Tony confronts Stacks.
Next on NXT.
[Vic] I cannot imagine
how the Don feels in this moment.
[Mike] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome the Don of NXT
Tony D'angelo!
Now, betrayal
is something that everybody can relate to.
And everybody's been asking me,
did you expect this to happen?
Did you expect this to happen at Stand and Deliver?
And honestly,
no, I didn't.
Now, I expected me and Stacks
to have a conversation man-to-man,
but never this.
Now, Stacks, he's always been so passionate.
And when things started turning sideways,
I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
It made me think about when we were kids.
And Stacks would pop off on some of the bigger than him.
What'd I do?
I stepped in and I handled it.
And it didn't matter if it was in the schoolyard,
it didn't matter if it was in the streets.
I always have his back because that's what loyalty is all about.
[scattered applause]
Now, Stacks, he's always had his eyes on the big seat.
He always wanted to leave the family.
You know what?
There were plenty of times where I was down
and Stacks have my back.
When I got locked up, Stacks stepped in and he handled business.
When I got hurt, he stepped in and handled business.
And he showed the world why he was deserving to be the underboss
so I rewarded him.
But at the same time, Stacks' impulsivity jeopardized this family.
And I had to step in and show him why I am the Don of the family,
why I make the big decisions.
[crowd applauding]
So Stacks, he waited.
He waited for the right moment.
He waited for the whole world to be watching.
He waited for Stand & Deliver.
He took that knife and he stuck it right in my back.
Now, Stacks, you're gonna pay for your sins.
'Cause now my whole family is in disarray.
Nobody has heard from Luca.
Rizzo is in hiding.
[Stacks] Tony.
Tony.
Tony, up here.
You know, I was thinking about coming out there tonight,
standing across from you with those Manson lamps staring back at me.
Then I thought, that's not what the Don would do.
Security is out there anyways.
Nothing was gonna happen.
But, Tony, I'm going to tell you exactly what you need to hear.
I'm sick of taking your orders.
You were getting soft.
You talk about this pledge, this code you live by.
But you are making decisions that allow people like the Darkstate
to think they can push us around.
You aren't capable of leading us anymore.
Let's be honest, T.
You were never going to lead the family anyways.
So you left it to me.
I had to take the reins myself
and put you in your place.
I know you, T.
Better than anyone.
And you're shaken.
Your underboss and best friend, gone.
Luca, gone.
And then you send Rizzo into hiding.
You're losing more power every day.
Probably thinking to yourself, "What's next?"
Can I even trust my own family?
Let's be real.
You don't even know who you can trust right now.
Do you?
[Vic] Whoa.
To that point, the security just charged into the ring
we thought they were creating a barrier
but they're obviously doing Stacks' work.
[Corey] These guys out here doing the bidding of--
Uh-oh.
[Vic] Stacks trying to take out the Don.
Paranoia running rampant.
Stacks, you want the big seat, huh?
You want to be the Don?
You're gonna have to bring your ass down here and take it yourself.
[Corey] Well, there's going to be no sit downs.
There's going to be no talks.
D'Angelo wants Stacks to take a shot at the seat here on NXT.
Time to calm down.
These two are about as close as sisters.
There is the new women's North American champion, Sol Ruca,
is in action, next.
[Vic] Take it back to Las Vegas one more time.
Last week on NXT, courtesy of Penn and Teller,
a surprise Heritage Cup defense for one Lexis King
was answered by your returning Noam Dar.
One elbow later, once again Heritage Cup champion Noam Dar.
-[Noam speaks indistinctly] -Oh, the cup is finally where it belongs.
Look at this.
[all exclaiming]
Oh, my God.
Noam, Congratulations.
Thank you so much, Ms. Jackson.
But I'm thinking reunion time.
Ah! Finally, my guy.
I… I think we all need to talk.
Let's sit down for a second.
[sighs] You know, Noam, a lot has changed since you been gone.
I mean, I was in the Royal Rumble,
Jakara and I, were in Saudi.
We had an opportunity at the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.
And Oro, he's been killing it on Evolve.
Mmm-hmm.
But honestly,
Oro has always been Noam's main man.
It's time for Oro to be Oro's main man on Evolve.
Yeah.
And Ms. Jackson, my sister,
it's time for you to be about your action.
And me, it's time for me to lash out and do my thing.
-[sighs] -Lash, you're right.
What made this group special
was it always took care of our individual needs.
And if it means that we need to go our separate ways
to be the stars that we know we are, then that's the move.
-Five, six, seven, eight. -Last time.
And no matter what, we will always be M-four.
-Always. I love you all. -I love you.
-I love you, too. -I'm so proud of everything you've done.
Hell yeah, we did it.
My gang.
Bye, gang.
Bye.
[exhales]
Well, [indistinct]. It's just the two of us to again.
[Corey] I'm heartbroken.
I'm gonna go back to my hotel and eat raw cookie dough.
[Booker T indistinct]
[Vic] It's the return of Grand Slam Track.
This time from Miami
and some of the top names in the game are here with us tonight.
I agree with you guys.
I'm heartbroken and devastated too.
[Corey] I feel a little better.
["Chasing Surf" playing]
[Mike Rome] And her opponent, accompanied by Zaria,
she is the new
NXT Women's North American Champion,
Sol Ruca!
[Vic] And as we get our emotions in check, there's no doubt Sol Ruca has been riding
a monstrous wave of momentum.
[Corey] Capturing the WWE Speed Women's Championship.
As you can see right before your very eyes,
the new Women's North American Champion,
outlasting five other competitors
in a mind-blowing ladder match at Stand & Deliver.
[Vic] And it was a very innovative way
she was able to almost pull herself to the top of that ladder, Booker,
if you go back to Las Vegas.
[Booker T] Sol Ruca, I tell you, she's so good in so many ways,
but this is Karmen Petrovic's time to shine, guys.
Let's see exactly how this thing play out.
[Corey] Did you guys see the way
Zaria was staring at the North American Championship?
I mean, far be it for me to cast aspersions. I'm just seeing what I saw.
[Vic] After you saw it, I looked over and saw her holding it,
but also, you talk about something that's a little odd, Graves,
did you find it odd how Ashante used the word "We"?
[Corey] No, it was like the royal "We." Like, "We're doing really well."
-"We're having a great time." -[Vic] Oh! X-Factor.
-[Corey] Speaking for everybody. -[Booker T] No, no! "We" have been
winning these matches lately if it wasn't for Ashante out there
-pulling tricks, pulling little things-- -[Vic] Whoa!
-[Booker T] Whoa! -[Vic] Uh-oh, uh-oh!
Seems we're on the same page. Everything's good.
But, Booker, it's safe to say there is no web of loyalty anymore
when it comes to The Underboss and The Don.
[Booker T] No, man. I'm not even gonna get into family business.
I always tell you about that, Vic, mind your business, man.
Concern yourself with things that concern you.
[Vic] Little bit of a stalemate between these two forces.
Sol Ruca, who had her Stand & Deliver moment in Vegas.
And, Graves, I need to get your take on Spears' advice to Izzi Dame
as we start to look at the rest of the women's division.
[Corey] Listen, I think The Culling has done very well
since Spears has voluntarily stepped aside
and allowed the rest of the cast to find their place in the spotlight.
I think it bodes very well for Dame and the rest of The Culling.
-[Vic] Look at Petrovic right on top. -[Corey] I like this, too. Ruthlessness.
-That's what it'll take. -[Booker T] Yeah, baby!
[Vic] Into the cover. Trying to pin the Women's North American Champion.
And, Booker, how can the women in this division
start to stand out from the pack?
[Booker T] I mean, that's something. That's a really hard question, Vic,
because we got so many ladies in this division that's so talented.
We got a plethora of talent in this division.
And one of the things I always say, figure it out. Figure it out.
-It's the only job training. -[Vic] Oh!
Well, women in action right now. Women take centerstage in the main event,
the Women's World champion IYO SKY teaming with Jordynne Grace
against Roxanne Perez and Giulia.
But Karmen Petrovic is bringing it to Sol Ruca right here.
Cover. Hook of the leg. And another near fall.
Graves, a victory certainly would put Petrovic
in championship title conversation.
[Corey] Every matchup is of the utmost importance right now
in NXT's women's division. You may not get a title shot off of one victory,
but you've gotta build a resume because, as you guys were saying a few moments ago,
the division is so deep with such incredible talent right now,
any way you can figure out how to stand out, you gotta take it.
You know, I think you guys gotta give the hype man, Ashante Adonis,
a little credit too, man, 'cause he's been a hell of a motivator for Karmen Petrovic.
[Vic] You gotta wonder what he's saying right now to Petrovic,
because Sol Ruca is rocking and rolling in this matchup with Zaria on the outside,
who has been supportive as ever.
And Sol, now, looking for a backpack stunner instead!
Just went right to her back.
-[Corey] Flattened Karmen. -[Vic] Boom! Big knee, right to the jaw.
Petrovic is rocked. And now, we could be seeing that Sol…
Oh, counter!
[Corey] The Sol Snatcher attempt was thwarted by Petrovic.
And this could be the tide-turner in this matchup.
This might be exactly what Karmen needed.
[Booker T] I'm loving it. [indistinct]
You can tell right now,
Karmen Petrovic is on top of her game here in this matchup.
[Vic] Into the cover. And, oh, shifting weight is Ruca.
-[Booker T] Wow! -[Vic] Hook of the leg. And a near fall.
Petrovic has been so close to championship gold in the past.
Not a championship on the line tonight, but certainly a big match.
Just got caught there by the champion, who drops her face first.
And, then, here it comes! Sol Snatcher!
Just like that!
Into the cover! And Ruca snatches
-another soul tonight. -[Booker T] Wow! Impressive.
[announcer] Here's your winner,
the NXT Women's North American Champion,
-Sol Ruca! -["Chasing Surf" playing]
[Vic] Champion standing tall here tonight, Graves.
[Corey] Let's take another look at this Sol Snatcher.
A breathtaking maneuver so nice, let's watch it twice!
Great retention for the Women's North American Champion, Sol Ruca,
who, in my opinion, is just getting warmed up in this game.
["Chasing Surf" continues playing]
[Vic] Oh, wow.
-[all exclaiming] -[Booker T] What the hell?
[Vic] Well, Meta-Four might have broke our hearts earlier…
but Karmen might just have broken the heart of Ashante.
[Corey] Or his jaw.
[Vic] Well, there is Trick Williams.
We, of course, will hear from Trick Williams here tonight.
♪ Told 'еm, "No biggie I'm makin' them bands" ♪
♪ Flight that go overseas I take a Xan' ♪
♪ I get a deal And then I get some equity ♪
♪ When I get money Then I'll buy some land ♪
[Vic] Welcome back to NXT.
And here's a man who has been making headlines all over.
-["Locked In" playing] -[Booker T] Uh-huh!
-[crowd chanting] Whoop that trick! -[Booker T] Uh-huh! That's right!
-[crowd chanting] Whoop that trick! -[Booker T] What?
-Yeah! Uh-huh! -[crowd chanting] Whoop that trick!
-[Booker T] I like it.
Oh, yeah, man!
-[crowd continues chanting] -Oh, yeah! That's that boy, Trick!
Check out that neck piece! Check him out, he's chiseled.
They call that [indistinct]. Oh, yes, man!
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
Trick Williams!
[Vic] Book, he may have that neck piece, but he doesn't have what he wants,
championship gold around his waist.
[Booker T] You know, he's spending money. He's spending money.
He's feeling good about himself. And you know what?
The championship, in my estimations, is right around the corner, dawg!
-Oh, yeah! -[crowd continues chanting]
-[Trick] Let's talk about it. -[Booker T] Uh-huh.
Joe Hendry.
Hold on. Maybe this microphone ain't working.
Let me try one more time. I said…
Joe Hendry.
[crowd jeering]
See, I've been calling your name all night long,
and somehow your ass done disappear.
And you better be glad DarkState got to you before I did,
'cause even those young punks know
Joe Hendry don't belong here, dawg.
But I ain't gonna lie. Joe,
you got the best of me last week.
You had my number.
I was a little bit out of character.
Some people may even say that Trick Williams crashed out.
[crowd jeering]
[indistinct shouting from crowd]
But let me tell you what helped Trick really feel better.
I looked up your schedule.
I saw you at TNA Rebellion all the way in Los Angeles.
So I got me a first class ticket to come whoop your ass.
Let's talk about it.
[crowd cheers]
That's right, Joe, I came to your show and I made it a Trick Williams show.
And let's talk about this… While I was in LA, I went to Hollywood
with some of my good old friends…
And in case y'all ain't heard by now, Trick Willy hitting the big screen.
[crowd cheers, shouts indistinctly]
Coming to the CW Network on Trick Willy's second show,
Season 7 of the all-hit show, All American.
On the season finale, I'm making my debut.
Let's talk about that.
[faintly] Hollywood Trick!
What I'm trying to tell you, Joe Hendry,
is you and me ain't on the same level, dawg.
[crowd chanting] Hollywood Trick! Hollywood Trick!
Hollywood Trick! Hollywood Trick!
Hollywood Trick! Hollywood Trick! Hollywood Trick!
That's right, I'm Hollywood.
Joe Hendry, you local talent.
We ain't on the same level, dawg.
And while you're trying to figure out your lane in this business,
you look at my lane, the same lane as people like…
the Rock…
-You thought. -[crowd laughs]
…people like John Cena.
[crowd cheers]
Joe Hendry, you can't see me.
But while you're trying to figure it out, Joe,
I'm moving on to bigger and better things.
You already know what that is, that's the NXT Championship.
Oba, I meant what I said!
I want my title back,
and you know what you've got and it belongs to me.
["Undeniable" playing]
Trick. Trick, you just don't get it.
I mean, last week, I had to kick you out of the arena,
because you wrecked the place, destroyed a camera,
but it still wasn't enough, was it?
Because you went on over to another promotion and attacked their champion.
What are you doing?
See, Ava, I would hear you out, but I need for you to hear me out right now,
because I did some thinking about it myself.
I used to think that Trick Williams was NXT,
but after Sunday, I see Trick Williams is bigger than NXT.
Let's talk about how I'm the biggest superstar here,
and after Sunday,
I'm the biggest superstar at TNA too.
Joe Hendry, I hope you believe that.
Wow, biggest superstar here.
These are some really bold claims,
and all of this just to get "your title" back.
You know what? You want another shot so bad, you can have one.
But this time, you're not cutting the line.
You're actually gonna take about 25 steps back,
because next week there's going to be a 25-man Battle Royal
for the number one contendership.
So if you can outlast all 24 of those other men,
then the title shot's all yours.
Because the winner of that Battle Royal,
will face Oba Femi at Battleground for the NXT Championship.
Good luck.
[Vic] If Trick wants it, he's going to have to earn it next week.
[imperceptible]
Giulia, I'm gonna be honest.
I wasn't the biggest fan of you when you came into NXT.
I mean, you took what I loved the most, my NXT Women's Championship,
but after being inside the ring with you and having the same exact idea, I think--
Roxy.
You are a great champion.
I understand now, you are right.
The Prodigy and the Beautiful Madness together.
-Unstoppable. -[chuckles]
["Burn This Engine Out" playing]
[Vic] Main Event still to come here tonight.
[indistinct shouting]
[bell dings]
-[Booker T] Oh, yeah! -[announcer] The following contest
scheduled for one-fall, is for the NXT Tag Team Championship!
Introducing first, they are
the new NXT Tag Team Champions,
Hank Walker, Tank Ledger,
Hank and Tank!
[Vic] Well, the Belly Bandits are here off the biggest win of their careers,
the biggest weekend in the WWE at the biggest event NXT has to offer.
The NXT Tag Team Championship is live, next.
["A Million Dollars From Now" plays]
Twenty-five men, one opportunity.
Next week, a No. 1 Contenders Battle Royal
for an NXT Championship Match-up at the Battleground in Tampa,
and I understand right now that our NXT Champion is standing by.
I'm here with the NXT Champion Oba Femi.
Oba, Trick Williams is still demanding another NXT title opportunity,
and we've just heard from ava that next week,
Trick will be competing in a Battle Royal,
the winner of which receives a title shot at Battleground.
You see, Trick William's complaints are starting to sound more and more
like the cries of an overgrown child.
However, if he can somehow manage to win the Battle Royal,
I will face him at Battleground.
But what he doesn't quite understand yet,
is that it doesn't matter if I face him one more time or one million times,
at Battleground, the title will stay on the shoulders of Oba Femi.
-[crowd exclaims] -Big man.
I've said it before.
This…
is your yard now.
You know, that means a lot coming from you.
This is your yard for now.
Just so you know, I've got some guys from LFG,
and they're gonna be coming for you really soon.
[crowd exclaiming]
-Is this the Future you're talking about? -It is.
I look forward to the challenge.
I know you would.
Well, Book, we look at you because it appears the Future
-might be now. -Oh, baby-- Anthony Luke…
[splutters]
Shiloh Hill.
Shiloh Hill has had most--
I got choked up.
Jasper Troy, the most-- He can do it.
He can take the whole damn-- I'm so excited! I'm choked up.
I think the Future is so dangerous, Booker's already afraid.
I think he got choked up on [continues indistinctly].
Quit pulling on my shirt.
Right now, we got a Tag Team Championship Match-- [laughs]
[Booker T laughing]
[Yoshiki Inamura and Josh Bridges entrance theme playing]
[announcer] And their opponents, the team of Yoshiki Inamura
and Josh Briggs!
[Corey] Guys, it's all right to be all smile at the moment
but once the bell rings, you can…
you can reliably say that the smiles will all be erased,
it's about to be all business
for the new tag champs and these challengers.
[crowd cheering]
[Booker] This is about to get busy right here, guys.
High implications in this match-up right here.
I'm sure we're going to talk about it.
-[Corey] Of course, this-- -[Vic] I'm still stunned.
-[Corey] Why? -[Booker laughs]
-[Corey] And, Book-- -[Booker] I'm choked up.
I'mma be all choked up about God.
[Vic] It was as if they woke him up at the Hall of Fame,
and he was shocked coming out of a dream.
[Booker] I was praying.
[Vic] That's what you keep telling people.
[Corey] Book was getting right with the Lord.
-Let's talk about this tag team match-up. -[bell dings]
-Inamura just flattened Tank! -[Booker] Oh, baby.
[Corey] He put one half of the tag champs on his back, out of the gate.
[Vic] I think both men were in a three-point stance,
like they were getting ready to go to the NFL draft.
And Inamura just planted the former Northwestern standout.
[Corey] I think Tank just slid to the fifth round.
Big boot right on the jaw of Inamura.
Here comes Hank.
Listen, I'll be the first to admit, I'm not wrong often.
So when I am, I'll admit to my faults.
Hank and Tank have surprised me.
-They have proven themselves to me. -[Booker] All right.
[Vic] Into the cover, hook of the leg, to retain in a near fall.
-If you want to continue. -[Booker] I agree with you.
I agree with you 100%.
Hank and Hank did it their way, and right now, look at them,
they're on top of the mountain.
[Vic] Let's talk about the challengers here for a moment.
Because, Corey, can the challengers put it together here?
[Corey] I have been nothing short of impressed by what
Inamura and Briggs have accomplished in their short tenure as a duo.
I really enjoyed the mind trick, the old Japanese trick,
as Inamura explained it last week, that earned them this opportunity.
And Briggs, I've known Briggs since his days on the independents.
The guy just continues to get bigger and better each and every time out.
[Vic] We're seeing the champion-- Go ahead, Book.
[Booker] I see it a bit different.
Inamura, he did something these young kids talk about these days.
He finessed…
He finessed Ava into this title shot right here.
[Vic] You can say that again.
And right now, Briggs missing wildly again.
And-- Oh!
-[Booker] Beautiful shot! -[Vic] Third time--
The challengers right now are rolling.
And, Booker, what is it you say about the champions,
since being a champion…
[continues indistinctly]
[Booker] I said many things about being champion.
But I said, being champion makes you about 30%--
[Vic] Shoulders down.
[Booker] Makes you about 30% better.
Let's see if Hank and Hank can actually go out there and live up to those…
those numbers.
Beautiful shot.
[Vic] Tag was made, Tank is now legal.
And now it looks like Tank might be getting ready
to launch his tag team partner,
so to speak!
And they've taken this match back over, have the champions.
[Corey] Cover here by Tank.
[Vic] To retain, and a kick out.
Corey, how do you actually properly describe the journey of Hank and Tank?
[Corey] I've only been here for a short time,
watching first-person at NXT.
And listen, Hank and Tank, Tank particularly,
I remember him being backstage and catering
when I was called on SmackDown.
-And the guy had way too much-- -[Booker laughs] Looking for a meal.
[Corey] He was. He just had way too much energy.
It looked like he was the perfect type to be eaten by the wolves.
But he's withstood all the pressure.
He's turned into a diamond.
Pressure can make you crumble or it make you great.
That's what we've seen out of Tank, especially recently.
[Vic] What Corey just said, Booker.
Did they, the champions, need the guidance of those other teams,
or did they have it inside them all along?
[Booker] I disagree with that.
This is all Hank and Tank believing in each other, man,
that's what tag team work is all about.
And that gauntlet match, I think that's what sparked the flame
for Hank and Tank believing
that they could actually go out there and get the job done.
[Vic] I don't think we can gloss over what this opportunity means
for Yoshiki Inamura.
[Corey] He has admitted that his time here in the United States is coming to a close.
He's going to eventually return back home to pro wrestling,
NOAH, his home company in Japan.
-Inamura-- -[Vic] Oh, ho-ho!
[Booker] Big shot by Inamura.
[Corey] Wants to return from this excursion with championship gold,
or at least tails of the-- taking the champions to the limits.
-[Vic] Here we go. -[Booker] Can I say this?
Inamura, he doesn't want to go home.
And a win for that team right there
would definitely-- I'm talking about thesis.
Let's extend that thesis. Let's stay a while longer.
[Vic] It could happen if gold run is wasted by Briggs.
The challengers are rolling.
Who is going to leave tonight with tag team gold here on NXT?
[shouts indistinctly]
[Vic] Tag team championship's on the line, big boot.
And the champions starting to find their groove back in this match-up.
[Booker] Got all of it too, with that big boot.
But Inamura just sucked it up, ate all of it.
[Vic] And, Corey, you said it perfectly earlier.
Inamura played up the sympathy card last week perfectly.
Could see the sorrow in the eyes of our general manager.
You got to wonder what she's thinking right now, watching this matchup.
[Corey] Inamura's a smart competitor, his brain's so big, half of hair--
[Vic] Another big boot, and, oh, tag was made.
Briggs is now the legal superstar.
-[Booker] Wow! -[Corey] Love that!
[Vic] Great move, but he didn't realize that Briggs was legal,
and Briggs wiping out Tank,
turned his attention back over to Hank
who is the legal man for his team.
-[Booker] This could be it. -[Vic] Slam. Splash.
[Corey] I agree, Booker.
[Booker] Waste no time, big guy.
[Corey] You can feel the tides turning.
Tag made. Yoshiki Inamura now legal for his team.
[Vic] We talk about the journey for the champions.
The journey could also just be beginning!
-The challenger's shoulders-- -[Booker] We got new champions.
-[Vic] Oh! -[Booker] Whoa!
[Vic] Wow, near fall.
[Corey] Stalling German suplex from an incredible height,
right on the back of Hank's neck.
[Booker] That was a big kick out from Hank Walker.
[Corey] Great display of toughness, but Inamura's got more to deliver.
[Vic] And just walking over halfway across the ring
with over 300 pounds.
And you saw Briggs lifting his hands up.
He wanted the official to know he was not helping out his partner,
did not want to get disqualified.
Briggs, well aware of what this opportunity means,
and it's not like they hand out the championship matches
is on a whim here in NXT.
Hank from the top, looking to fly--
[Vic] Whoa!
Clothesline, and rolls right into his partner, makes the tag.
[Corey] A serendipitous ode to his own--
Corner, and a splash from Hank.
[Booker] Beautiful tag team work here by the champions.
[Vic] Tank is the legal superstar.
Look at-- Oh!
[Corey] Briggs, from the outside, just ripped Hank out of the ring.
[Booker] Oh, my God!
[Vic] Gnarly, takes up set.
Inamura from behind.
Near fall, almost had it, tag was made to Briggs.
This is two on one now, Graves.
[Corey] Hank is all on his own.
[Vic] Choke… slam.
[Booker] Guys, we might have new champions here.
[Vic] Tag. And look at Briggs.
Briggs is calling out to Inamura.
Inamura's crawling.
And a clothesline.
[Corey] Here we go!
[Vic] Inamura, through the air.
-[Booker] That's it! -[Vic] Splash, cover, count, titles.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
[Corey] How did Hank get up?
Let alone break up the fall?
Thunderous splash by Inamura, deep hook of the leg,
and Hank, at two and nine tenths, saves it.
[crowd chanting] NXT! NXT! NXT!
[Vic] This match-up is continuing.
[Booker] No, Tank will [indistinct]--
That goes back to what I was saying, "relying on your partner."
-That's what these guys are doing so good. -[Corey] Tag made. Briggs legal.
[Vic] Briggs looking for another chokeslam,
calling in Inamura now.
Trying to double it up.
-Oh… -[Booker] Man…
[Vic] And one more time…
[Corey] Clipped Briggs.
[Vic] Briggs is down.
Remember, Briggs is legal.
Briggs is the legal superstar.
Briggs just got rocked. Tag was made.
Hank is legal for his team, just like at Stand & Deliver.
-[Booker] Oh, [indistinct]. -[Vic] Center of the ring.
[crowd] One, two…
-three. -[Vic] They hit first
-and they hit last, to retain. -[bell dings]
[MIke Rome] Here are your winners.
And still the NXT Tag Team Champions,
Heath and Tank!
-[Vince] What a fight. -[Booker T] Wow.
[Vince] An incredible effort by the challengers.
Look at this. Totally incidental contact. Inamura whipped Hank into a slam position.
His boot caught Briggs, which opened
the door for the champions to slam it shut.
And still.
Miscommunication for the challengers, but Reign and Supreme are the champions.
Congratulations on their first offense to Hank and Tank.
[indistinct conversation]
-What's up, guys? -What's good, bro?
Did y'all hear about Avery's announcement?
Battle Royale?
-Yeah, the Battle Royale next week. -Yeah.
So apparently there's gonna be Vov talent, TNA talent, and maybe some LFG talent.
-Damn! -I mean, who knows who's gonna be
a part of this thing?
-But next week, it's gonna be huge. -Yeah.
Where's Charlie?
Bro, he's not here right now. You know he's still pissed at you, right?
For what? Teaming with Je'Von?
Yeah.
You went outside the group, bro.
Who cares? Charlie will get over it. It's time for us to break out.
I'm talking about you too, Tavion. This battle royale, that's our chance.
I know it is, bro, but what is Charlie gonna say?
Who cares what Charlie's gonna say?
We've done everything that Charlie ever asked of us.
It's time that we think for ourselves.
I don't know about you guys, but next week, I'm in that battle royale.
-I want in too. What is Charlie gonna say? -Well, Charles is a complex man.
He has many thoughts about many things.
What does that even mean?
I don't know.
[Vince] Well guys, you can feel the shift of NXT superstars
wanting to break out and have their moment.
But this is going to be a moment because it's main event time.
It's a dream tag team match and it's next on NXT.
Welcome back to Andre Chase University.
[all cheering]
[man] Yes!
Obviously, it's been a while as five months ago,
Rich Holland ended Chase University as we knew it.
He forced me to let go of the people who helped build
Chase University from the ground up.
And I wasn't sure that I'd ever open these doors again.
But never say never,
because today is a new semester with a new agenda.
-A Chase U that… -Sorry.
I'm sorry.
Mr. Chase, didn't you say we needed to be here at 9 o'clock?
Chad, is it?
-Yeah. -Yeah, pipe down, bro.
Ain't nobody like a snitch, all right? Hey, Uriah, sit down.
-All right. -Listen, I'm not gonna sit up here
and let other students talk to other students that way.
We all wear these colors proudly.
Now Chad, ask for your question.
…your question! You stupid son of a…
You got questions?
…them! Oh, oh, I got questions. …your question!
[sighs] That just feels right.
Chase University is back, baby!
[all cheering]
[all chanting] Chase U! Chase U! Chase U!
-[indistinct conversation] -I did.
Hey, at least we don't have any issues like that, right?
[clapping] Congrats on the win tonight.
Now look, so I don't mean to discredit you,
but when I was champion, I defended that title every single match.
And I thought you'd do the same, but I was wrong.
In the audacity, you could have picked any woman in the locker room.
Instead, you picked the girl who has more distractions than you can count.
Some champion you are.
Okay, look, Kelani, if you have an issue with how I carry this title,
then you can step up whenever you want.
-Great, next week you're gonna defend me. -Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Soul is not defending that title against you next week.
-Kyle, I wasn't talking to you. -Soul, you busted your ass
in that ladder match.
Put hours and hours into finally becoming a champion.
-You're right. -She's not throwing around title shots
-just like that. -Throwing around?
So if you wanna step up to Soul, you're gonna have to step up to me first.
-[crowd cheering] -Fine.
That's it, that's the title defense though, tally it, tally it.
-Hey, Joe. -Joe, Joe.
Tough week, man, Trick jumping you at Rebellion.
And tonight with Dark State, you okay?
Yeah, in due time, Trick Williams will get his.
But first, I need to get my hands on Dark State.
Joe, let it be known, Hank and Tank, we believe, brother.
As far as Dark State goes, just say honk honk, Hank and Tank are there.
[grunts, sighs]
[exhales] Honk, honk.
Anything you need…
[Vince] Guys, do you believe in the Belly Bandits?
I believe Dark State is more of a force than we realize.
[Vince] Guys, please, please, stand up, stand up, please.
It's Roxanne Perez. Damn it.
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following contest is a tag team match scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, from Laredo, Texas, Roxanne Perez.
-[Vince] All right, Book. -Uh-huh.
[Vince] Is the prodigy operating on a level not even you have seen before?
[Booker T] Roddy is out there like in the nebula right now,
way past the stars, past the moon, all that.
She's operating in her own zone. Give it up.
[Vince] Booker started talking about the nebula.
Well, I can't disagree. Roxanne Perez has been on fire.
She's got a chip on her shoulder and she's rattling cages.
It was, what, 24 hours ago on RAW.
She put the boots to Rhea Bloody Ripley alongside this one.
[Booker T] Let's talk about it.
["Time of Arrival" playing]
[announcer] And her tag team partner
from Tokyo, Japan, Guilia.
Well, at one point in time, I would have questioned
if these two would have ever wanted to become a tag team.
But they seem to have the same mindset, Graves, as you said,
that it tapped yesterday on Monday Night Raw
in Kansas City against Rio Rizzo.
[Graves] If you wanna make waves in this game,
You wanna have somebody to watch your back.
Eventually, it'll explode. Eventually, you'll collide.
But on the journey up the mountain, it's always nice to have someone
standing by your side.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. It is a tag team made event.
It's coming your way live next on NXT.
[Vince] Our general manager has sent out the invitation.
Next week, we will have a number one contenders Battle Royal,
25 men with the winner receiving an NXT Championship opportunity
at our next premium live event, WWE Battleground in Tampa.
[Graves] And moments ago, we witnessed Kelani Jordan declare her intentions
to challenge Sol Ruka for the North American Championship.
However, Kelani learned the path to the top of the mountain
runs through Zaria.
Jordynne and Zaria go one-on-one next Tuesday.
[Vic] And guys, we know it has been a busy night for our general manager.
This is from Ava's desk after an attack that we saw earlier to start the night.
TNA World Champion Joe Hendry will team
with our NXT Tag Team Champions Hank and Tank.
Can this trio, can they be the ones to stop Darkstate?
We're gonna find out live next week on NXT.
["Thicc Mama Pump" playing]
[audience cheering]
["Tokyo Shock" playing]
[audience cheering]
[Mike] And their opponents, the team of Jordynne Grace,
and the Women's World Champion,
Iyo Sky!
[Vic] Graves, you take a look at both these duos,
we've talked about Perez and Giulia,
but what do you make of The Juggernaut and The Genius of the Sky?
[Corey] I think this is a union of necessity
bound by nothing more than respect.
Iyo Sky, the Women's World Champion, a world class competitor.
Jordynne Grace has designs on becoming great in her own way.
This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship,
provided they achieve success tonight.
[Booker] Friendship? Did you say friendship?
-[Corey] Yeah, you know why? -Friendship?
[Corey] Because what makes friends faster than checks and championships?
You of all people should know that.
-[Booker] Ah. -If Iyo comes back to NXT for one night,
makes herself a boatload of money in the winner's purse,
she and Jordynne Grace will get along just fine over the next couple of years.
I also want to take a second to acknowledge Meiko Satomura,
who had her retirement match
-over in Japan. -[bell rings]
[Corey] We know Meiko here,
an absolute legend in the game of women's wrestling.
Congratulations on an unbelievable career.
[Vic] Well, as this matchup gets started, it looks like it's… Ooh, Perez and Iyo.
But Perez not gonna like what she just ran into.
But wait a minute.
-[Corey] Oh! -[Booker] Man.
[Vic] Out here now, and The Juggernaut strikes first.
Genius of the Sky strikes second.
And this matchup, I feel bad for our official in this one.
[audience chanting]
[Vic] But welcome back to NXT for the Women's World Champion, Iyo Sky.
And no doubt, Booker, Iyo came to NXT tonight looking for a fight.
[Booker] Let's tell it like it is,
Iyo Sky came here to test herself against two of the best in this business.
And that's Roxanne Perez and Giulia as well as Jordynne Grace.
Let's see exactly what she has to show us in this ring here tonight.
[Corey] I won't disagree with you, but I'll do you one better.
I think there's a measure of vengeance in the heart of Iyo Sky tonight.
After having experienced last night
watching Rhea Ripley be beaten down by Giulia and Roxanne Perez,
it wasn't until Iyo arrived that the chaos slowed down.
[Booker] Beautiful! Did you see that combination right there?
Iyo Sky right there with back… back into the drop kick.
Beautiful timing.
[Vic] What has made her the Women's World Champion,
but also taking a step further, Corey,
you think about leading up to WrestleMania,
being disrespected by Bianca Belair, being disrespected by Rhea Ripley,
almost being forgotten of sorts.
[Corey] And letting all of her talking be done in the ring
on the grandest stage of them all!
Iyo emerging from WrestleMania, and a classic, by the way. Cover by Grace.
[Vic] Looking for the victory in a kick out.
Look, Iyo, you talk about the history of this brand,
you think about Iyo Sky defending the NXT Women's Championship
in the first ever Stand & Deliver main event,
a title that both her opponents have held.
Beautiful Madness would like it back,
but it's also a title that her partner, Jordynne Grace, has dreams of holding.
[Corey] Well, Jordynne understands that a win tonight,
even in tag team action is gonna help her case
for another future title opportunity.
[Booker] What I like about Grace,
she's not crying or anything like that for a title shot.
She's just gonna go out there and make her own breaks.
I love that about Jordynne.
Big… Look at the power.
[Vic] Able to slip down the back there with Giulia
and then just got ran over by Jordynne Grace.
-Booker, you respect Grace's reasoning… -[Corey] Oh, my God!
[Vic] …for wanting to compete in this matchup.
[Booker] No, that's what Grace's been about her whole career.
You saw the many, many faces of Jordynne Grace,
where she came from and where she is right now.
She's primed for a championship.
[Vic] Round and round we go.
-[Corey] Oh! -[Booker] Beautiful.
[Vic] Inverted gut buster of sorts.
Going into the cover, does not opt to hook the leg.
And it's a kick out,
and Booker goes back to what Corey kinda just said,
every opportunity matters
when the lights are on.
[Booker] Definitely does.
That's why I think about Iyo Scott being here right now.
-She's putting herself-- -[Vic] Hey, oh.
Referee distracted by Roxanne Perez
-and Giulia raking the face… -[Booker] Beautiful!
[Vic] …ripping the eyes.
[Booker] Beautiful work right there by Roxanne Perez.
[Corey] Listen, you can understand it.
For Roxanne Perez, for Giulia,
they experienced being in the fire.
They stood toe to toe with Rhea Ripley, for God's sake.
Sometimes you gotta take some shortcuts.
Sometimes you gotta ruffle some feathers and bend the rules a little bit
to get where you wanna be.
[Vic] If that happened to Roxanne Perez, you wouldn't be saying the same thing.
[Booker] Roxanne is about legacy.
Roxanne is about championships.
It's about checks.
It's about going out here and being the most famous you can possibly be.
[Vic] Bam!
Yes, that's what it feels like.
[Vic] Rolled over off the Russian leg sweep,
and a kick out.
[Booker] Let me tell you something,
Roxanne Perez, she came from Reality of wrestling, right?
-She-- No, no. -[Corey] You don't say.
[Vic] I haven't heard that before.
[Booker] She went to ROH, became champion.
She came here and made history.
Right now, if Roxanne Perez retired, she'd go into the Hall of Fame.
[Corey] Booker, as someone who knows Roxanne extremely well,
where has Roxanne's head been recently?
This is a woman who made huge waves in the business back at the Royal Rumble.
It seemed as though Roxanne was destined
-for immediate massive success. -[Vic] Whoa!
Where's Roxanne's head?
-[Vic] Tag. -[Booker] I'm not gonna lie,
she's frustrated a little bit.
Because she's so close to actually making that transition
-to the main Raw. -[Vic] Uh-oh. Boom!
[Booker] And become the WWE Champion, that's what she's thinking about.
[Vic] Big missile drop kick from somebody who's on Raw.
The Women's World Champion, Iyo Sky, is in control.
Smile on her face, rolling through, shoulders down.
Near fall.
[Corey] Booker can attest,
sometimes frustration can be a great motivator.
[Booker] No, no. I tell you, for me, myself,
-actually losing that championship… -[Vic] Oh, tag.
[Booker] …made me go into the war room,
actually put those blinders on and go to work.
And I think that's what Roxanne Perez is gonna do.
-[Corey] Oh! Wow. -[Vic] Jordynne Grace who made the tag,
just rocking Giulia, making a tag right back out.
And for the most part, The Juggernaut and The Genius of the Sky have been
working like a well-oiled unit.
They've done this a time or two in the past.
But look at Perez, saving her partner
-and then wiping out-- -[Corey] Oh!
Oh, my God, I think Iyo might have gotten the worst of that.
[Vic] Wiping out the opposition.
Can Iyo and Jordynne Grace bounce back in this main event tag team match?
[audience booing]
[Vic] Oh, and now in control of Iyo Sky, submission hold, modified surfboard.
-[Booker] Oh, wow! -[Corey] Just stomped the lights
out of the world champion.
[Booker] That was nasty.
[Vic] Cover and a kick out.
What a main event this is. Corey, you asked Booker
about the mindset of Roxanne Perez.
Let me ask you this about Giulia. What has gotten into the Beautiful Madness?
[Corey] I think Giulia understands that in this game,
you're not here for a long time.
You're here for a good time, if you're lucky.
You gotta strike while the iron's hot.
-Giulia has been red hot recently. -[Vic] Roll-through!
[Corey] And a tremendous fear!
-[Vic] Wow! -And Giulia wants to make it
to the top of the mountain sooner rather than later.
Why spend any more time honing your skills than you have to?
It's time to make money.
It's time to make headlines.
It's time to put your name on the lips of the world.
-[Booker speaks indistinctly] -[Corey] Championships!
[Booker] That is dope!
[Vic] The world champion reaching out and, oh!
Jordynne Grace just got popped by Perez.
Perez charging right back in,
-and could be looking for the Cross-Face! -[Corey laughing] Wow!
-[Vic] Iyo able to roll through. -[Booker] Wow.
[Vic] Iyo now, double under-hook.
Back-Breaker connects!
So much, though, taken out of the champion.
Maybe the last gasp from the women's world champion.
Now, pivotal moment in the matchup.
Both women need to tag their fresh partners.
-[Booker] Here we go! Here we go! -[Vic] Perez makes the tag.
[Vic] NXT Universe rallying Iyo in that moment.
And there's a Juggernaut on the loose.
You can say that again.
[Booker] You don't want to match strength and power with Jordynne Grace.
She's the Juggernaut, man!
[Vic] Big clothesline to Perez, hoisting up Roxanne now.
And a little two for one clothesline,
continuing to hold on to Perez, rolling through.
Jordynne Grace is wiping out the opposition.
Backhand rocks Giulia, setting the position for Roxanne Perez.
-[Corey] No way! Wow! -[Booker] You've got to be kidding me!
-[Vic] German Suplex-- -[Corey] Cover! By Grace!
[Vic] Add it up however you want. Still didn't get the three on Giulia.
[Corey] That was ridiculous.
[Booker] That was impressive. That was so impressive by Jordynne Grace.
[Corey] Now, see, here's where Grace needs to keep her foot on the gas pedal.
-[roars] -I don't imagine exhaustion's
playing a factor.
That's what we need to see. The fire in the eyes of the Juggernaut.
You've got Giulia down.
Can you finish the job?
[Vic] Giulia and Perez,
who have worked so well as a team thus far here in this match.
And, of course, those two competed in the first match.
Find themselves as teammates tonight,
but who are also finding themselves as teammates
is Grace and the women's world champion!
-And Iyo Sky is determined! -[Corey] My goodness!
[Vic] She's angry.
She came here with a mission.
She goes into the cover, hook of the leg!
For the victory!
-And Roxanne Perez… -[Corey exclaims]
…just risked herself
to save this match for her and her partner.
[Booker] Risk for reward right there.
Roxanne Perez did the right thing,
[Corey] But at what cost to herself, and perhaps even her partner, Giulia.
There was a lot…
of weight that came crashing down on that entire pile.
[Vic] I will say, Graves, though,
that with that as well, she wiped out Jordynne Grace.
-[Corey] It was effective! -[Vic] And all three bodies
-fell on Iyo Sky. -[Corey] Don't get me wrong.
[Corey] It didn't end well for anybody aside from Roxanne.
[Vic] But somehow, the women's world champion…
the genius of the sky…
[stammers]
I-- Did you see a tag?
-[Corey] I think I did! -[Vic] In your head!
[Vic] I'm not 100% sure
-but I think Roxanne Perez is legal! -[Corey] You know who didn't?
[Corey] Iyo Sky didn't see a tag, for sure!
Here it comes!
-[Vic] Certainly knows now! -[Booker] Beautiful!
[Vic] But if she didn't know then, she certainly knows now.
And Roxanne Perez,
-can she pin the women's world champion… -[Booker] Do it!
[Vic] …here on NXT? Tag was made!
Or will it be Giulia that could pin Iyo Sky?
[Corey] Jordynne Grace sent to the outside--
-Big headbutt by Giulia! -[Vic] Superkick connects!
[Vic] Right back into the Beautiful Madness,
who's looking to hoist up for that Northern Lights Bomb!
Tag was made to the prodigy.
[Corey] Around we go!
[Vic] Bam!
[Corey] Down goes Iyo. Here comes Roxanne!
[Vic] A Side Moonsault connects! Hook of the leg!
-[Booker] They're gonna do it! -[Vic] And Jordynne Grace
-breaking up the count. -[Booker] Wow.
-[Booker] In the nick of time. -[Vic] What a match.
[Vic] What a main event.
All four of these women right now laying it on the line.
And you can see…
[crowd chanting] This is awesome!
This is awesome!
[Vic] Everything from last night on RAW.
-Everything from this week in Las Vegas. -[Corey exclaims]
[Vic] All four of these women are almost spent in this main event.
[Corey] Well, the bad news is it's opening day, essentially.
Brand new season leading up to the next year!
-To WrestleMania! -[Vic exclaims]
[Corey] Everyone wants to make their names for themselves.
[Vic] Spine first! But look at Jordynne Grace overpowering Giulia!
[Corey] This is it! I love it!
-[Vic] This is turning into a brawl! -[Booker] Oh, my God, man!
[Vic] Things are breaking down!
[Corey] Roxanne realizing she's been left high and dry by Giulia!
Who's scrapping on the outside with Jordynne. Here comes Iyo!
[Vic] It's Roxanne Perez and Iyo Sky
who are the two legal superstars.
Rolling through, Perez, shoulders down, kick out!
Counter by Iyo, women's world champion.
Stacking up Perez. Perez able to kick out.
She goes up, she goes down, she goes around,
shoulders down, a little bit of a bridge!
-You don't get points for style! -[Booker] Beautiful!
[Vic] But she didn't get the three! Iyo Sky trying to do the same!
Couldn't get it done!
[Booker] Roxanne is going toe to toe with the champ right now!
-[all exclaiming] -[Vic] Okay.
[Vic] Under the jaw!
Perez is rocked! Iyo trying to pick apart the prodigy!
-[Booker] Beautiful! -[Vic] Pop Rocks!
[Vic] Countered one more time!
So we get a miss by Iyo, knee-first!
Sky! Superkick from Perez!
Perez-- Look at the combination offense, buckling the legs
-of the women's world champion! -[Booker] Yeah!
[Corey] This one hasn't even ended,
and I can tell you right now I'm looking forward to these two running it back
many times in the future!
-Here it comes! -[Vic] Rolling through! Can't connect!
-[Booker] You've gotta be kidding me! -[Vic] Iyo's kicks certainly did!
-Wow! -Right up against the mush!
[Vic] Walking over the prodigy!
Iyo Sky to the top,
looking for the Moon over Moonsault!
Count it!
-Welcome back to NXT! -[crowd] One! Two! Three!
-[bell ringing] -[Booker] Yeah!
["Tokyo Shock" playing]
[announcer] Here are your winners,
the team of Jordynne Grace,
and the women's world champion,
Iyo Sky!
[Vic] The alliances may be temporary
but mission accomplished tonight
for the Women's World Champion Iyo Sky
and Jordynne Grace.
Picking up the W in a tag team matchup for the ages.
Look at this ridiculous display of power by Jordynne Grace,
taking both opponents over.
Very nearly ending the matchup.
But as we know, almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Very special double stomp. Giulia Bomb.
But keep your eyes on the prodigy.
Soaring through the sky, wrecking the pile,
breaking up the pinfall.
A driver from Giulia.
Roxanne with a double jump moonsault right on the money.
Surely this was it, right?
No! Jordynne Grace,
at the last possible second.
Things break down in spectacular fashion on the outside.
Jordynne and Giulia going to war!
Which left Iyo and Roxanne alone.
Over The Moonsault from Iyo Sky!
-[crowd] One! Two! Three! -[Vic] What a win…
-[bell ringing] -…for the champion and the Juggernaut.
What a victory for Iyo Sky!
Frustration building in Roxanne Perez.
But what a main event here tonight.
But I'm really glad you're here.
And you did amazing on RAW last night.
-Thank you so much. -You're welcome.
Ava, but I'm ready to defend my championship.
-Mmm-hmm? -Who is my next challenger?
Well, given everything that's happened,
I think it should either be Giulia or Jordynne Grace.
Well, listen, I already know what you're gonna say.
And here's what I'm gonna do.
Next week, they're gonna have a number one contender's match.
Whoever wins that, that's your opponent at Battleground.
-Great. -Perfect.
[Vic] Well, let's not forget next week, 25 superstars.
It is a Number One Contender Battle Royal!
Who heads to Battleground?
[Corey] And how about this colossal six-man tag
that was just announced tonight?
Joe Hendry, the TNA world champion, joins forces with Hank and Tank,
the NXT champions, to battle DarkState in a six-man tag team match.
[Vic] Big win tonight for the women's world champion!
But next week, battle lines will be drawn with Battleground implication.
Two words are "golden opportunity" here on NXT? attleground implication.