[Triple H] Then…
Now…
Forever…
Together…
[Joseph] For the first time ever, we are in Prescott Valley for the 176th broadcast
from Arizona in WWE history,
which includes last night's SmackDown, nine WWE Premium Live Events,
and of course, WrestleMania.
Well, here in the Findlay Toyota Center tonight, it will be the first time ever
Trick Williams competes in the desert, looking to become Three-Time Trick.
Can he make history? That's the question.
To do so, he must defeat the champion, that of course being Ricky Saints,
making his first defense of the title.
Those two will meet in our main event tonight.
As for Zaria, she's here to defend the honor and the championship
of her friend Sol Ruca.
Ruca not cleared to compete tonight,
so Zaria will defend the Women's North American Championship
against this woman, Blake Monroe.
Can she capture gold and start to make NXT glamorous?
We'll get our answer tonight.
Jacy Jayne and the new look of Fatal Influence
are ready for tonight as Jacy looks to add
to her historic year by defeating the number one contender to her championship,
that being Tatum Paxley, who along with The Culling is looking for her moment.
Will it happen? We'll find out later on.
But the ghouls, the ghosts, they're out alongside wrestlers from TNA,
luchadors from AAA, and the superstars of NXT.
All the while they are here to compete on the spookiest night of the year.
Get your candy ready for Halloween Havoc.
[crowd] NXT! NXT! NXT!
[narrator] As the sun shines over the scorching desert.
A calm stillness is felt throughout the barren land.
[children giggling]
[narrator] But as the moon rises, the stillness becomes unsettling.
The light twists into gloomy abyss, and an indescribable darkness
is unleashed upon NXT to wreak havoc.
Gold holds the power to a coven's insidious reign, but one looks to add
that gold to her collection of playthings.
Jacy Jayne's rule will end
when I become your new NXT Women's Champion. [giggles]
Tatum, at Halloween Havoc, your little fairy tale is gonna become a nightmare
when I retain my NXT Women's Championship
and leave you heartbroken and all alone.
[narrator] Brothers of the extreme face a diabolical force from the shadows.
One team leaves with gold, the other is left beaten, battered, and broken.
[Cole] It'll be a Broken Rules Match,
where the Broken Hardys will defend the NXT tag team titles against DarkState.
And a Broken Rules Match has no rules.
You are sentenced to deletion!
Man, hell nah.
When DarkState strikes, ain't nobody safe.
[pop music playing]
[screams]
[narrator] Devilish ego collides with Lucha Libre spirit
as the North American championship will be defended in a Day of the Dead match.
Dr. Wagner Jr., when it comes to my title, you will be
the one left for dead in the desert.
Ethan, anything falls.
[laughing]
[narrator] Two of NXT's most sensational superstars will clash.
[Cole] You're gonna want to miss it. NXT Championship will be defended.
Saints, Williams.
[narrator] One leaves the champion, the other will be haunted by defeat.
I'm becoming a three-time Woo Woo Woo Yeah NXT Champion, let's talk about it.
[Saints] I am the man that is the face of NXT.
This is my house!
Because I am Absolute Ricky Saints.
[narrator] Tonight, the dark side of NXT manifests
in a show so horrifying, so frightening, it will send chills down your spine.
Welcome to Halloween Havoc.
[narrator 2] And now WWE presents NXT Halloween Havoc.
[Joseph] You can feel the excitement in the air
for the spookiest night of the year.
["Who Want It" playing]
[yelling]
[bell rings]
[Rome] The following contest is a Tag Team Match
scheduled for one fall. Introducing first,
from Greensbro, North Carolina, weighing in at 195 pounds,
Je'Von Evans.
[Joseph] A Premium Live Event here on NXT for Je'Von Evans.
Think about it. How far has the young OG come?
[Booker T] He's come a long way, but, uh, still having a lot of fun right here.
You gotta love this kid right here.
Je'Von Evans, the young OG,
got these people fired up right here tonight, man.
Oh, yes.
I love the energy of this young kid, man.
Can we bottle it because I need some of it.
-[Joseph laughs] -[Booker T laughs]
I'm serious, dog.
[Joseph] Well, I'm sure the same can be said for his tag team partner.
[music fades]
["Youngest In Charge" playing]
Let's go!
-[crowd cheering] -[exclaims]
[Rome] And his tag team partner, from Bradford, England,
weighing in at 198 pounds.
He is the TNA X-Division Champion
Leon Slater!
[Joseph] And he won that championship at just 20 years old.
How unbelievable is that to you?
[Booker T] Well, it's unbelievable, but the guy he won it from…
[stammers] …a moose.
I'm talking about 300 pounds, 6'5" tall and a hell of an athlete in himself.
That right there tells you a lot about the young Slater, dog. Come on.
[Joseph] We're set for tag team action to kick us off tonight here
at Halloween Havoc.
-[Booker T] Unidentified flying object. -[Joseph] Welcome in.
-That's what that kid is. Huh? -I get it. I want to…
You know, I actually owe you an apology, Book.
I said, you know… I always read that you lost to
the Shockmaster at '93 here at this event.
-Your shoulder was coming off the mat. -Yeah, yeah, it was, but in '96…
-that's another story. [laughs] -Yeah, it wasn't, was it?
-Call in Nash. -Welcoming you ringside, Vic Joseph,
alongside Booker T.
We are set for tonight.
["Thriller" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Mr. Iguana entrance theme playing]
[crowd cheering continues]
[Rome] And their opponents,
the team of La Parka
and Mr. Iguana!
[Joseph] Listen to this ovation, Booker.
It's hard for even you to ignore the charisma of these two.
I mean, it is absolutely off the charts.
[Booker T] It is. I mean,
it's a little eerie for me at the same time looking at La Parka right here.
This guy has been reincarnated like The Exorcist or something like that.
[Joseph] I mean, you're no mystery…
You're no stranger to the mystery of La Parka.
[Booker T] No, no, no, no. No doubt, but uh…
Let's talk about Mr. Iguana. Talking about somebody with a lot of charisma,
and he is the iguana, so he should be able to…
-[Joseph] That's mister. Mr. Iguana. -…adapt in this matchup.
[Booker T] Mr. Iguana, he should be able to adapt in this matchup,
change his colors and spots.
-Let's see if he can do that. -Not a chameleon, he's a… Never mind.
[Booker T] Hey, lizards do that too, man.
-[Joseph] Do they? -Yes!
They walk around my house all the time, and they're never changing color.
-You need to get something like Yesca. -What is Yesca?
-[Joseph] The iguana. -[Booker T chuckles]
[Joseph] You need to get like a… [stammers]
…maybe you need an iguana.
-Maybe a little dog. -I don't need a yesca.
Okay, I don't need a yesca. I got a dog. Okay?
[Joseph] Je'Von Evans starting off with La Parka in this matchup.
Evans's tenth tag team match of the year.
[Booker T] That's a collar and elbow tie-up right there. Victor, uh…
-[Joseph] Dynamite. Dynamite drop in. -I just wanted to give you that.
[Joseph] Obviously, you're Monty from Major League here tonight.
At the desk, dressed as a two-time hall-of-famer.
This matchup was made Tuesday on NXT.
Slater, Evans, they were searching for opponents
just to be part of today if you remember.
[Booker T] Let me tell you right now, La Parka and Mr. Iguana
is made for a match like tonight, Halloween Havoc.
Let's see exactly what they're made of them though.
[Joseph] Reaching out for the tag. Of course, the original La Parka
debuted in AAA 3 decades ago.
Been a mainstay in the world of Lucha Libre.
And as Corey Graves has said,
one of the most popular stars in Lucha history.
[Booker T] He's a legend. He truly is a legend.
-I've been in the ring with him… -[Joseph] Hey!
[Booker T] There goes that damn dance.
I hate that dance. I don't like that dance.
[Joseph] La Parka was victorious at September's Worlds Collide event.
And right now both these men starting to trade blows center of the ring.
[crowd] One, two!
[Joseph] Early going here for Je'Von Evans.
And Evans right now showcases… Oh.
[stammers] Look at La Parka!
[Booker T] Talking about somebody with a great sense of in-ring right there.
Talking about balance. That's La Parka, right here right now. Looking great.
[Joseph] I got no offense to you but when I was playing WCW/nWo Revenge,
I liked playing as La Parka.
He always started with a chair, didn't have quite the dance moves, but right now…
Look at this boy, getting bouncy!
[Booker T] Oh, yes! Ask me do I care about…
-[Joseph] I'm not doing that. -[Booker T] Ask me.
-[Joseph] Do you care? -No. I don't. I don't care.
[Joseph] I figured you didn't care about anything I did.
-[Booker T] Whoa, baby! -Oh, look at Evans…
-Je'Von Evans. -…answering right back.
-[Booker T] Talking about a guy that's… -Gross!
[Booker] That's a hiccup. Both of these guys, right now…
[crowd cheering]
You got me.
[crowd] NXT! NXT! NXT!
[Booker T] Oh, yeah!
Here comes the people.
-[crowd members] NXT! NXT! -[crowd cheering]
[Joseph] Oh, look at it. Tagging in Mr. Iguana.
And entering on the other side, Leon Slater,
his first WWE Premium Live Event,
you know, he is very excited.
[Booker T] I'll tell you something about Leon Slater.
I mean he's so, so young but yet so smart.
I'm talking about capturing that… that X-Division champsionship.
Now having the ability to go out here,
Halloween Havoc, and display some of the most awesome talent.
[Joseph] Iguana was almost, I don't really know.
-And now going underneath. -Quick!
[Joseph] Mr. Iguana is so unique.
So is Leon Slater.
Coming right off that middle rope, landing on his feet. Slater coming in.
-Looking for the enzuigiri. Missed it. -Oh!
-Baby! Oh, baby! -Caught him with the back!
Iguana rocked.
[Slater, Mr. Iguana exclaim]
[Joseph] Trying to pick up some steam, ducking right underneath.
Iguana charging in now.
Hurricanrana. Rolling right through, though, is Slater.
Slater just got taken out into the cover, quick kick out.
Both men trying to get right back into it.
-Another kick out this time by Iguana. -[Booker T] Oh, yeah.
-Let me tell you something. -[Joseph] Hey!
-[Booker T] Tell you something. I'm… -Look at that…
[Booker T] I'm watching Mr. Iguana
and there's no wasted motion in this guy right here, man.
He knows what he's doing in the middle of that squared circle.
-Do not go to sleep, Slater. -[crowd] Iguana! Iguana! Iguana!
-What is it? What is it? Eva gah? -[crowd chanting]
-[Joseph] No, they're saying iguana… -[Booker T] Oh.
-…iguana. I know you got new glasses. -My bad.
You need hearing aids now, Book? What's going on?
You can't hear this place?
As Iguana… To the top.
High cross body! Look at the strength of Slater.
And as we mentioned, Slater, the X-Division champion has been
-so for the last 97 days. -[Booker T] Well…
[Joseph] Just got caught though by Mr. Iguana,
and I believe a tag was made. Big back elbow rocking Iguana.
Iguana might not realize it. Did now.
Je'Von Evans, the legal superstar, and now look at this tag team continuity.
[Booker T] I like it right now.
See exactly how these guys move together as a tag team.
We know as singles they're dynamic, but as a tag?
We're gonna find… Oh, little dance action.
Little shimmy. Oh, yes, man!
[Joseph] Well, Iguana trying to crawl over to the cover
or the, excuse me, the tag, not to get covered.
And, oh, enzuigiri.
Caught Slater. Finally able to reach out and in comes La Parka.
So much going on in this matchup.
Big tilt-a-whirl backbreaker connects for him
under the jaw of the X-Division Champion
and Slater just got taken all the way out to the floor.
La Parka right now cleaning house.
-[Booker T] Oh, wow! -Wiping out the competition.
[Booker T] We're gonna see it.
We're gonna see something right here. I can feel it in my bones.
[Joseph] Hey! Oh!
Playing hot potato with a lizard.
-And Iguana! -[Booker T exclaims]
[crowd cheering]
[Joseph] AAA is on fire.
[Booker T] Let me tell you something. AAA is in the building right now as well,
because Mr. Iguana seemed like he got some kind of connection
-with the people. Oh, yes!
[Joseph] And La Parka flies like a luchador,
dances like a top hat in a tornado.
Take another look.
First was hot potato with Yesca.
Mr. Iguana flying through the air, opening up the door, walking,
can't tell if he was talking, but he was flying, was La Parka.
[Booker T] I don't remember seeing La Parka do anything
like that back in the day, but I'm gonna tell you right now,
this guy right here, he's… he's something special.
[Joseph] Into the cover, hook of the leg and Evans able to kick out.
[Booker T] A win for Mr. Iguana and La Parka's a win
for the whole of AAA here.
-A lot is on the line. -It'd be huge, right?
[Booker T] A lot is on the line.
[Joseph] La Parka trying to answer now,
right in this matchup, and no team really has been
able to gain any momentum in this matchup
and La Parka trying to do that right now with a big press
-into a gut buster. -[Booker T] Know why?
Here we go, here we go. Here we go.
[Joseph] Hey, grapevine with the--
[Booker T] I think both teams right now trying to one up each other
to try and land that one big shot that's gonna switch the tide, I think.
[Joseph] You see La Parka in there, a blend of Mexican folklore
-showmanship, innovation. -[Booker T] Here comes Iguana.
[Joseph] Mr. Iguana back in.
One half of the AAA World mixed tag team champions.
-Over 320 days… -[Booker T] Look at this.
…he's had that gold around his waist, but when you talk about innovation.
[Booker T] What is this?
[Joseph] Booker, so I'm saying and you're…
Oh, he just tied up Je'Von.
[crowd cheering]
[Booker T] Iguana. I like him.
-Can I call him Guana? -[Joseph] I'm not gonna argue with you.
-You call him whenever you want. -[Booker T] I like Guana.
-[Joseph] And La Parka! -[Booker T] Oh, yes!
[Joseph] Right to the rump of Evans.
Into the cover. Will it be enough?
-And a near fall. -[crowd booing]
[Slater] Come on, Je! Let's go!
[Joseph] Mr. Iguana, by the way, and the Hardy's,
the only superstars tonight to have matches on SmackDown,
Raw and NXT.
Of course, Broken Rules Match still to come for the NXT tag team titles.
Here at Halloween Havoc,
and this could be a crucial point in the matchup.
[Booker T stammers] It could be? Um, not just it could be, it is.
-Now look at Je'Von Evans. -[Joseph] Oh, my!
Look at Leon Slater. These guys are…
This is the evolution of this business right now
and, the thing is, they're gonna have those bumps in the road.
It's not gonna be a smooth, smooth ride,
but right now Je'Von Evans, that young OG, is… He's feeling it, man.
[Joseph] Off that snap German suplex, Leon Slater deseperately wants
-to get back into this matchup. -Whoa!
[Joseph] But just got caught. Couldn't quite reach his tag team partner.
And La Parka answers right back with one of his own,
and I do need to note that, for Mr. Iguana and La Parka,
it's the first time these AAA standouts have shared the ring as teammates
and so far I don't think you have any concerns…
-No, I don't think so at all. -…over their continuity.
[Booker T] Like I said, because both of these guys are fighting for a common goal.
And that's going out there and representing AAA
and doing it at its finest.
But right now, Leon Slater,
we know when this guy get on the move, he's almost unstoppable.
Oh, yes. Beautiful!
[Joseph] He is representing TNA here tonight,
youngest exhibition champion.
And… [stammers] …as we mentioned…
-See that? -…defeated Stacks Tuesday.
Looking to pick up a win here tonight in the desert
in a near fall.
[Booker T] He's wasting time, getting another… trying to get that cover.
I like that on Leon Slater.
[Joseph] You brought this up earlier.
And for Evans and Leon Slater, I mean, can they be the cornerstone?
-[crowd] TNA! TNA! -Listen to this place.
-Can they be the cornerstone? -[Booker T] No, they can.
But the thing is, like I say, there's a lot of bumps in the road.
They're definitely gonna have to watch out for those bumps in the road.
But like I said earlier, both of these guys,
Slater as well as Evans, they're smart. They're smart.
I like their chances.
[Joseph] Man, when you talk to both these men,
you wouldn't know that they were just 21 years old.
Had a chance to chat with both this week
as you saw on Countdown to Halloween Havoc,
-and right now they are both… -[Booker T exclaims]
-Beautiful! -[Joseph] …in the work.
-Into another cover. -[crowd] One, two…
Hook of both legs and Iguana just able to get that right shoulder up.
[Booker T] I'm so surprised La Parka didn't get in there to make that save,
because that's what I would have did as a tag team partner.
That might be what's missing in this team.
[Joseph] Goes back to teaming with each other for the first time.
Maybe La Parka saw something that…
-[Booker T exclaims] -…he wasn't sure of.
As Evans bouncing right back up.
-La Parka staring right in the ring. -See that?
[Joseph] I don't know if Evans just…
Oh.
[crowd] We want tables!
Oh, Je'Von might have jammed the knee a little bit
and said he just wanted to dance with La Parka for a moment,
but that was more about sending a message.
[Booker T] You know what I think La Parka's in the head of Young OG
for him to do something like that.
Like I say, you want to stay on the gas.
You don't know a whole lot about these luchadors.
-[Joseph] Take down! -Oh, yes!
[Joseph] Submission. Looking for the arm bar, trying to extend.
And Mr. Iguana came up for a moment and that allowed Evans to pull back,
shift weights, shoulders down, right shoulder up, left shoulder up.
-[Booker T] Yup. -Referee in great position.
[Booker T] Iguana still got it locked in right there.
A lot of power here from the Young OG.
[Joseph] And that is something we typically don't talk about with Evans.
[Booker T] Yeah, but you can tell Young OG over this last six months,
-he's gained about ten pounds… -[Joseph] Tag!
…of solid muscle.
[Joseph] La Parka just checked in. And now La Parka…
Go on out, Leon.
[Joseph] Trying to get his team back in to this match.
[Booker T] Oh, baby. Oh, baby.
[Joseph] When you talk about the weight on the shoulders of La Parka
to keep up the lineage, the heritage.
-Stories… -Oh, baby. Look at the dance.
-…the folklore. -Look at the dance. Look at the walk.
[Joseph] And look at the drop into the cover.
Count, and…
[Booker T] I'll tell you, this La Parka right here. He's got a lot of agility
but his power effect is coming into play here late in this matchup.
[Jospeh] Do you wonder if La Parka or even Mr. Iguana's thinking,
"Man, if I can get a…
If I can get a pin, if I can beat the X-Division Champion,
does that put me in line for
-a future opportunity?" -[Booker T] Of course it does.
I'm gonna tell you, you beat Leon Slater,
he's gonna wanna take you on just to get his lick back.
Trust me on that.
[Slater speaks Spanish]
[Joseph] Ooh, wait a minute.
[Booker exclaims]
[Joseph] Oh!
[Booker T] That was all bone right there, all bone.
[crowd cheering]
Ah, yeah!
[Joseph] La Parka lighting up Leon as Je'Von tagged himself in.
-Oh, I don't think he wanted that. -Get some, want some.
You better be bad enough to take some.
Here we go!
[Joseph] Super kick under the jaw, and I believe Mr. Iguana inadvertently
was tagged into the matchup.
[Booker T] Look at the lat spread on Iguana.
[Joseph] You're impressed with, uh, Guana, aren't you?
Let's see. Maybe we can all Corey.
You, Konnan and JBL can all do commentary down at AAA.
[crowd chanting]
[Booker T] Yeah, I like Iguana.
[Joseph] Is this wise?
[Je'Von] That hurt.
[Mr. Iguana] No, no.
-[referee] Tag! -[Je'Von] Yeah, that hurt.
[Joseph] Oh, you heard Je'Von. Je'Von said that hurt. Oh…
[speaks Spanish]
-[speaking Spanish] -[referee] Get out of the ring. Let's go.
Leon, please go.
Both of us?
Together? Together?
[Joseph] What sort of moment is this?
-Okay, I… I guess. -[referee] Come on.
[Booker T] No, I don't know.
[crowd cheering]
[Joseph] Oh!
Yesca!
[Slater] Yesca!
[Joseph] We've seen Finn Bálor, The Judgment Day,
have his issues with Mr. Iguana,
who's looking for a 2-for-1.
[Booker T] Wow!
Like I say, this guy's balance is incredible.
Like I say, wasted… no wasted motion by Iguana.
-Oh, got caught right there though. -[Joseph] Big boot!
Say that again.
[Booker T] Looking at this guy, he got caught. [exclaims]
-[Joseph] Oh, La Parka just got caught. -[Booker T] You see that?
-That could be it. -[Booker T] That was amazing!
Let's go, Iguana. Get him out.
[Booker] Should be a disqualification, surely?
With your iguana?
[Joseph] I'm not gonna question anything, Booker.
Because this is quite a matchup between these four showcasing NXT, AAA,
TNA, and kicking us off here at Halloween Havoc.
But, oh, that was a little bit of a scissor kick, so to speak.
[Booker T] Modified, modified.
-[Joseph] Oh! -[Booker T] Like I say, Leon Slater,
this guy get in the air, you better watch him.
You better watch him. Talking about prolific, talking about somebody can fly
with the greatest of ease.
-Yes, man! [exclaims] -[Joseph] Big Splay Slater!
-[crowd] This is awesome! -[crowd applauding]
Booker, can you believe this is only the first matchup of the night?
[Booker T] I'm gonna say right now these guys are not taking time
to take a breather at all in this match.
It's been all action since the outset.
-Oh, yes! -Big high cross body momentum
of Slater though bounced him right off
and he tagged right in to Je'Von Evans, and we know Evans can fly too.
-Long way away. -[Booker T] A lot of air there.
-Can he get a cover? -[Joseph] What a frog splash!
[crowd] One, two…
[Joseph] Oh. [laughs]
That was close.
-[Booker T] What a kick out. -[crowd] This is awesome!
What a kick out.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome!
[Joseph] NXT universe showing their love for these four, for this tag team match.
Now Evans, Slater…
what in the world?
[crowd chants] Yesca, Yesca!
[Joseph] Oh!
Well, one shot rocked Evans for a moment.
-[Booker T] Whoa! -Whoa!
Able to take him out.
-A little utopia. -[Booker T] The power on this young man…
[Joseph] And I think what you were talking about earlier,
the fun and the games, not wanting to win. I think Slater now,
and Evans, they're looking at things in a whole new light.
At least for a moment. He was going to the top. Slater… Hey.
-No! -[crowd chants] Iguana!
No, no!
[Joseph] Don't do that.
Slater got caught.
Slater got hoisted.
[Booker T] Oh!
-[Booker T] Wow! -[Joseph] Well, that was innovative.
-Cover! -[crowd] One, two…
[Joseph] Evans breaking things up from the outside.
You talk about power.
You talk about showmanship.
Everything we talked about with the lineage and history of La Parka.
Have you ever seen anything like that?
[Booker T] There's a lot of power by Parka right there, but…
That break right there. Oh, wait a minute!
You see that right there by Je'Von Evans?
The greatest of ease. This kid got so much talent.
And then that right there by La Parka.
That big… I don't even know what you wanna call that.
[Joseph] Whatever it was, it was impressive as
this matchup continuing between these four impressive
athletes here at Halloween Havoc.
La Parka signaling it is the end, hoisting up Evans.
Je'Von thinking about it.
You could see the eyes of Je'Von may not be there right now.
[Booker T] Yeah, La Parka held that suplex let the blood rush to Je'Von Evans's head
and then dropped him and now Mr. Iguana and La Parka's looking for something.
[Joseph] Evans somehow back up still throwing right hands.
Iguana, La Parka.
-[Booker T] Iggy. -[referee] Get to your corner. Come on.
[Joseph] Je'Von.
Trying to look around where Leon is.
Leon was taken out, as Je'Von getting right back up,
got smacked one more time.
Uh oh, the X-Division Champion flying across wiping out La Parka.
-[Booker T] Oh, wow. -[Joseph] No one's staying down.
-All four of these men continuing to fly. -[Booker T] I can tell you right now.
The stamina of Mr. Iguana is something different.
Oh, whoa! What happened?
-What happened? -I think both men had the same idea.
Both men were maybe looking for that springboard cutter on one another.
And almost a dangerous meeting in the center of the ring.
Iguana's down.
Evans trying to pick up the victory.
And, oh!
La Parka though did get caught
-with a cutter from Leon. -Je, Je, Je!
[referee] Tag!
-[Joseph] And now watch out. -[Booker T] Oh, baby!
-[Joseph] Oh! -[Booker T] You got to be kidding me.
[Joseph] Back into the ring!
-Leon Slater picks up the win. -[bell rings]
[Rome] Here are your winners.
The team of Je'Von Evans and Leon Slater!
[Joseph] Slater, Evans wanted to be part of Halloween Havoc.
They got their wish against two AAA international sensations,
and this one did not disappoint.
Take another look. I mean,
we were making sure they weren't gonna fall into our laps
and back into the ring that Swanton 450 connecting.
-Take another look. -[Booker T] Man, how does he do it?
-How does he do it? -[Joseph] Gonna have to ask him.
-It's unreal athleticism. -[bell rings]
But the X-Division Champion Leon Slater, the Young OG Je'Von Evans,
showing us tonight just how bright the future truly is.
Ethan Page, thank you for your time
ahead of your NXT North American Championship defense…
-Sure. -…coming up against
Dr. Wagner Jr. at Halloween Havoc.
But I would like to talk to you about your championship reign.
Ever since winning the title back in May, you have proclaimed that you are
the greatest NXT North American champion.
My question is, how do you deal with the day in and day out pressures
of living up to your moniker?
Mo-Moniker, that's like a nickname.
No, no, no, the greatest North American champion of all time.
That's, that's just a cold hard fact at this point.
You're talking about a champion who's defended this title
against pretty much every locker room in professional wrestling.
Every single locker room is gunning for this championship.
Also the only man on Team NXT that was victorious at ShowDown,
representing his brand with pride and a big win.
The proof is there. I am the greatest.
I defend this championship more than anybody else in the entire company.
So not only am I the greatest North American champion of all time,
as we live and breathe, Blake, I'm the greatest champion in WWE currently.
Your rivalry with Dr. Wagner Jr. began back at AAA Worlds Collide
-in Las Vegas, and frankly… -Wow.
…it quickly became personal.
Ultimately, Ethan, what is it about Dr. Wagner Junior
that gets under your skin?
-I don't think it's personal. -Okay.
Wagner definitely does. For me though, I just had a little bit of a plan.
Quickly conquered North America.
Thought, why not jump over to AAA, conquer Latin America,
and keep the train rolling.
We had that match.
He cost me my glorious moment of becoming double champion,
and I thought that was that.
He clearly had different plans, decided to follow me around like a puppy,
actually a stalker coming to my place of employment,
sitting in the crowd, don't know if he even bought a ticket,
befriend one of my rivals.
Then he decided to infiltrate the locker room and then somehow
convinced my boss to sign on for a Day of the Dead Match.
I don't know how this man has so much influence in my company,
the company that I successfully defended at ShowDown,
and now will have to defend
from a very dangerous intruder at Halloween Havoc.
Any final words on what it would mean to you to leave Halloween Havoc,
survive the Day of the Dead Match, and still NXT North American champion.
Oh, it means a great deal to me,
but what I would like everyone to understand is that this means
a great deal to the fans, to WWE.
And to Wagner himself.
We have officially approached
150 days with All Ego as the greatest North American champion of all time.
And after Halloween Havoc, I plan to continue growing that number
and proving to everybody that what I say comes true.
My reign will continue, Wagner,
and I hope the only honor and privilege
you take home after Havoc
is the pride of knowing your name will be listed amongst
all of the great challengers that fell before
the most historic title reign in WWE history.
Blake, those would be my final thoughts.
But Halloween Havoc will not be my final day as North American champion.
[clicks tongue] Thank you for your time.
Hey, the doc said you can be ringside tonight. That is good news.
Yeah.
Why do you still look down?
-It's just a lot to process. -[sighs]
I know how much this title means to you. That is why I wanted to do this for you.
Don't worry, at the end of the night,
you are still going to be the North American champion.
Well, I don't know about that.
What I do know is there's gonna be a new NXT Women's Champion,
-and her name is Tatum Paxley. -[giggles]
I mean seriously, Tatum. Aren't you so glad you chose me over them?
Honestly? Yes, The Culling is the best thing that's ever happened to me.
-You guys hear that? -[groans]
Well, I know the one person that won't be walking out as champion tonight,
and that's you, Izzi.
Oh. [chuckles] Well, when Tatum wins, The Culling wins.
I can't say the same about Zoruca though.
I'm really starting to dislike Tatum.
[Joseph] Halloween Havoc live tonight, then NXT is hitting the road
and coming to a city near you.
Check out NXT live at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium
in St. Paul, Minnesota, November 13th.
Resch Expo Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin November 14th,
and we're coming back to Chicago on November 15th.
The question I have is who will be the North American champion when we come
to a city near you and who survives? With the North American title on the line,
Ethan Page enters the world of Dr. Wagner Jr. in a Day of the Dead Match.
["El Mariachi Rockero" playing]
[bell rings]
[Rome] The following contest is a Day of the Dead Match,
and it is for the NXT
North American Championship.
Introducing first,
he is the AAA Latin American Champion
El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.
[Joseph] Anything goes in this matchup.
Decision must take place inside the ring and look,
Dr. Wagner Jr. chose this match.
He's gotta be the favorite even though he's a challenger.
[Booker T] It shows you the kind of man that Ethan Page is…
-Oh, here we go. -…man.
This should be title for title.
-This should be, right? -Yeah, but it's not.
This should be title for title.
That Ethan Page is willing and more confident
than any man in NXT, not just NXT.
The whole damn brand.
[Joseph] You're right though it is champion versus champion,
but only this man's championship is on the line.
["With a Smile" playing]
[Booker T] Kill them with a smile.
[Rome] And his opponent from Hamilton, Ontario…
The greatest North American alive!
…weighing in at 245 pounds.
He is the NXT
North American Champion.
All Ego.
Ethan Page!
[Booker T stammers] Did you hear that? Did you hear Ethan?
I read lips.
Ethan said he's the greatest North American Champion of all damn time.
That's what he said.
That's what he said. I loved it.
-I love it. -He says every single week, Book.
So, okay, I'll give you credit where credit is due,
and we'll get back to that.
-I want to ask you though… -Look at that.
-…before this starts. -By the way,
I hate that damn suit.
-[Joseph] What? -I hate the suit.
Okay? I just want to let you know that.
[Joseph] Well, it's CM Punk approved. What does it matter if you like it or not?
-Can we get focused, please? -I am focused.
[Joseph] Is the champion ready for the hell
that awaits him in this Day of the Dead Match?
[Booker T] Did you see the confidence of Ethan Page when he made his walk?
That wasn't just a regular walk. All right?
That's…that's what in this business is called a power walk.
Oh, yes, man! Ethan Page, he's ready, more confident than ever.
-[Joseph] 150 days as champion though. -[Booker T] 100… [stammers]
-Six months, six months. -[bell rings]
Just put it out there, six months.
[Joseph] Does six months sound more impressive or 150 days?
-Six months. -Okay. Six months is…
[Booker T] Half a year. Half a year. Right?
You know what? Ethan Page may hold on to this title
-until he moved to the main roster. -Did you get into my candy?
[Booker T] I'm just saying.
[Joseph] We also see a little bit different atmosphere around the ring
for this Day of the Dead Match, but…
Dr. Wagner Jr. right now taking it to…
-[Booker T] You just said it. -The…
You just said it. The Day of the Dead Match.
All the pressure goes to Dr. Wagner.
All the pressure is on his shoulders to come out here and beat Ethan Page,
the greatest North American champion in its history.
[Joseph] Well, Dr. Wagner, the AAA Latin American champion,
-70 days-- -[Booker T] Shut it.
-His title should be on the line. -Booker…
It should be on the line.
…I heard you the first time, but it's not.
He could join Dominic Mysterio as a double champion…
-[Booker T] Whoa! Whoa! -…in AAA.
-If he's victorious. -That was impressive.
[Booker T] That was impressive by the Doctor.
[Joseph] Need to note he defended the title,
that being the AAA Latin America Championship
at Worlds Collide in Vegas
-in a Fatal 4-Way. -[Booker T] Wait a minute.
[Joseph] One of the men he defeated was Ethan Page.
That has to help the challenger tonight to know he can beat the man.
He can beat the champion.
Dr. Wagner Jr. knows the formula
to take out the so-called…
Greatest North American alive.
[Booker T] Look here, Ethan Page is gonna have to dig deep tonight.
But if anybody, if any man, can… can dig deep, it's Ethan Page.
[Joseph] Oh, oh.
-Hit him harder! -[crowd chants] We want tables!
-Translate that for me. -[Booker T] Watch yourself, Page.
-[Joseph] Quit helping him. -Watch yourself, son.
[Joseph] Whoa, wait a minute. Uh-oh.
Wagner…
Well, Page able to get back
to a vertical place and then just got taken out.
Missile drop kick, cover, title on the line.
Near fall.
[Booker T] Wagner's letting it all hang out tonight and I like that.
I like that right there with a big shot and one thing with Ethan Page,
you get out there continuously laying big shots if you wanna
separate this man from his consciousness.
[stammers] It is hard to do, trust me.
[Joseph] Now 15th time the North American Championship
has been defended this year. Ethan Page, though, has been fighting.
Anytime he's been called out, anytime he's felt disrespected,
-he has not ran from a fight. -No…
-I'll give him that. -No paper champion.
[Booker T] Anybody that wanted a shot with Ethan Page,
he's been willing to step up and give 'em a shot as well as…
-Look, look. [exclaims] -Man.
[Booker T] He's the true champion.
He's gone out there defended several times.
[Joseph] Dr. Wagner Junior also got a note, if you look at his gear,
there's a crown in the middle of his mask along with the color scheme.
He's paying tribute to Rey Mysterio
and what Rey wore back at Halloween Havoc in 1997.
-Don't think about it. -Not this again.
[crowd member] Yeah!
[Joseph] Well, don't… [stammers]
-[Booker T] It's to the rump, to the rump! -[Joseph] No, wait!
-[Booker T] To the rump! -[crowd member 2] Do it again!
[screaming]
[Joseph] So nice.
Let's see this again twice. Big knee back to the action of the ring.
It was a near fall and Ethan Page certainly was rocked after that knee
rocked again right there to the tailbone,
-but this has been all… -[Booker T] Tailbone. Tailbone.
-[Booker T] I like that better. Yeah. -I said tailbone. Fair enough.
It has been all Dr. Wagner Jr.
Look, this is a man who fights for his family.
The lineage he represents, he puts his body, his career on the line
for not just everything I just said,
but also a sacred mask because sometimes to some the mask is more
important than a championship.
[Booker T] If this match was to end right now,
Dr. Wagner would win on points,
but let me tell you something about Ethan Page.
Well, now, let me tell you something. Ethan Page is the guy that goes by
that saying I'm always talking about.
Preparation. Preparation is the only luck you're ever gonna…
You don't think he's prepared for this?
You don't think so? You don't think he's prepared for this?
[Joseph] You've told me a couple times you're always prepared
until you get punched in the mouth,
and Ethan Page did get punched in the mouth, right out of the gate,
able to land on his feet and slither down the back, escaping
possibly a power bomb.
-[Booker exclaims] -[chuckles] Trash can.
[Joseph] But he couldn't escape the trash can that time.
And look, I wonder if Page is starting to regret crossing a line
disrespecting Dr. Wagner Jr.'s father.
[Booker T] Not the type of guy Ethan Page is, man.
Ethan Page knows what he's gonna have to do in this match.
He's gonna have to weather this storm and right now the…
-Oh! -…storm is clearing up.
-I love that! Here we go. -[Joseph stammers] Look at Page.
Page pulling… Bam!
And that confidence breaker with the lid of the trash can
into the cover to retain.
And a near fall. And again, I have to admit he has had a reign like no other.
He has defended the title against from them all.
-Raw, TNA, AAA, NXT, Smackdown… -You know what he started?
-Booker, that's six different brands. -[Booker T] Oh, yes.
[Joseph] No one has done that in this company's history.
[Booker T] And I love how he's taking out the trash right now.
-I'm loving it. -[Joseph] I'll ask you,
'cause we heard what he had to say on the Countdown with Blake Howard,
knowing that, is he, in your opinion,
as he's in control now, the best, best champion…
-the best champion in WWE? -[Booker T] Look here.
Who are the people talking about? Who are the people talking about on social media?
That's what this world is all predicated on these days, is social media.
And right now everybody, and I'm talking about everybody,
Everybody is talking about Ethan Page, the greatest North American champion
of all time. That's what they're talking about.
[Joseph] I notice you didn't say the greatest North American alive,
not even you buy into that.
-[Booker T] Alive, alive, damn it. -Oh!
I'll give him that.
[Joseph] We know somewhere, Chelsea Green watching. Fellow Canadian.
Because Ethan Page right now is doing work
and taking over in this Day of the Dead match.
[Booker T] Dr. Wagner came out the shoot quick, man. Right now.
I don't know if he's let everything all hang out there.
I don't know if his playbook is all used up, but right now, the people…
[Joseph] Are you sorta also hinting to the fact that Ethan Page, battle tested,
so to speak, was able to weather a storm?
[Booker T] Battle tested, man.
I'm talking about this guy comes with his shield, in his armor gear.
I'm talking about on every night's occasion, and right now
Doctor… the Doctor is getting a house call, in my opinion.
[Joseph] At the last moment, Wagner Jr., able to reverse right in that
safety barricade and firing right back.
Now is the challenger to the championship.
-And again, anything goes. -[Booker T] Oh, yes!
[Joseph] Well, that was one of the props,
one of the Halloween decorations right now, a cross.
[Booker T] Anything goes, Vic. Anything goes.
[Joseph] I think that's a femur actually.
And that was a face into some steel
as Page, once again, able to turn things around.
[Booker T] You're talking about somebody who is very, very calculated.
I'm looking at Ethan Page right now.
He's walking with a certain air of confidence.
Seems like he knows he has this thing in the bag.
All he has to do is just wrap it up, take the candy home,
and it's gonna be all good.
I love it.
[Joseph] Well, things might not be going Page's way right now.
You know, wheb you talk… When you listen to Ethan Page
and you hear him talking, he calls himself this and he calls himself that.
He does have eight title match victories, third most in WWE this year,
but he hasn't faced anything or anyone
-like Doctor Wagner Jr. -He hasn't.
He's never been under these conditions as champion.
[Booker T] Ah!
You know what I call Ethan Page? Mr. Resilient.
He's the guy that's gonna go out there.
He can take it just as well as he dish it out, and you know that.
You know that thing. Just like that.
How cunning was that?
How calculated was that?
[Joseph] Booker, did you see what happened
-to Dr. Wagner Jr.? -[Booker T] Yes! Yes, I did.
Exactly what I'm talking about.
[Joseph] That might have been throat first into that table leg.
[Booker T] Let me tell you something, Ethan Page set the Doctor up right there,
and the Doctor fell for it.
Hook, line, and sinker!
[Joseph] I thought you were gonna make a Halloween candy reference
-and say, "Hook, line and sucker." But… -Hook, line, and sucker!
-Plays into your catch phrase too. -[Booker T] I like that.
[Joseph] Ethan Page, getting the table into the ring. And again, anything goes.
Everything is legal.
The decision must take place inside the squared circle.
[Booker T] I know this is a Day of the Dead match, but right now,
-Dr. Wagner, he's in dire straits. -[Joseph] Oh, man!
[Booker T] Right now, he just caught a…
He might be a hip replacement after that right there.
-[Joseph] Let's jump to conclusions. -[Booker T] We know his larynx
is all messed up right there. The medulla oblongata…
He can't even talk right now. You feel what I'm saying?
[Joseph] I do, but I'm trying to look at Ethan Page right now as Page
putting that chair right to the spine.
[Joseph] What a battle this has been, and these two…
-Situation. -…have been destroying each other
in this Day of the Dead match.
-Page… -[Booker T] Situation just…
Situation just changed right here, Vic.
[Joseph] Page showing you what it means to him to be champion,
and look, I got to give credit when credit is due.
Page may be the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the world.
[Booker T] That is, that is.
I appreciate you for giving Ethan Page his props.
I don't think Ethan cares too much about it because this guy goes out
and he proves it day in and day out. Not to you, but his peers.
I'm talking about guys like Dr. Wagner on a regular basis, man.
[Joseph] Dr. Wagner Jr. now has to sense that maybe the time is right to strike.
A lot of time right now for Ethan Page.
-[Booker T] Ah! I love it, man. -[Joseph] In his cold, calculated mind.
[Booker T] It's all about the pain, man. This is the pain game.
Right now Ethan Page is bringin' it.
[Dr. Wagner screaming]
[Joseph] You can hear Dr. Wagner just screaming in agony.
Things not going the way the Doctor thought they would in this matchup.
And one more time, back to the hip you were talking about.
-Look at… -[Booker T] Oh!
…everything Page has set up around this ring.
All of the toys, all of the tools of destruction.
And following up with a Sidewalk Slam, bending that steel chair.
[Booker T] Dr. Wagner asked for this. I mean, he knew exactly--
[Joseph] Cover, cover, cover. To retain…
Near fall, this matchup continues.
[Booker T] Doctor knew exactly what he was walking into. But I don't think he…
Ethan Page was gonna bring the fight like he's bringing it here tonight.
This is Halloween Havoc. This is it, man.
[Joseph] Certainly is. And this is a huge night.
You've been part of a lot of Halloween Havocs.
This is just a different feel to it because of the superstars,
both men and women, we have here in NXT.
[Booker T] I mean, it is. I mean, Halloween Havoc is huge…
-I mean, for NXT, it's like-- -[Joseph] Hold on a second!
[Booker T] Whoa, whoa. Here we go!
This is gonna change everything! He's gonna change everything. I'm sure--
[Joseph] This is just… Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
How disrespectful!
[Booker T] Look at the face.
Look at his face. Oh, my God.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Wagner!
[Joseph] And Ethan Page may want to rethink
a lot of life decisions,
because right now, Dr. Wagner Jr. going to that place.
[Booker T] What place is that?
-I mean, right now… Oh! -[Joseph] A little magic mask.
And right now, coming unglued almost like a flip has switched…
-[Booker T] Yes indeed. Yes indeed. -…in the Doctor.
And the AAA Latin American Champion
looking at another piece of gold here tonight.
Big jumping clothesline. He's in his environment.
He's in his match. It's a Day of Dead match. Page is rocked.
Challenger right now is cooking.
[Booker T] My first look at Dr. Wagner up close and personal,
and you talking about… Oh, yes! This guy got… he got it.
He's got it, Vic.
[Joseph] And he's taking it to Ethan Page. Page, who crossed the line one more time,
going after the sacred mask! Just got dropped.
-[Booker T] Will this be it? -[Joseph] Do we have a new champion?
[Booker T] Whoa! Didn't I tell you?
[Joseph] Page just… Got that right shoulder up, and bam!
High impact offense. Page right now is rattled.
He's rocked, and this is the moment, do you not agree?
This is the moment for Dr. Wagner Jr.
[Booker T] I talked about separating Ethan Page from his consciousness.
Consciousness.
And right now, Dr. Wagner…
If he can land one more big shot, Victor… If he could just land…
Whoa, wait a minute. I thought it was gonna be the table.
Thinking about something else here.
[Joseph] Got to remember, too, Dr. Wagner Jr. coming off a victory over NXT.
On NXT over Lexis King, he is battle tested as well.
He has fought all over the world. Here tonight at Halloween Havoc,
looking to crown himself the new North American Champion.
Trying to feed off the energy of those here…
-at Prescott Valley. -[Booker T exclaims]
-Wow! Got all of it! -[Joseph] And a little bit more.
Look at the body of Page. Just went lifeless in this Day of Dead match.
[Booker T] Got him right on the ear. [stammers] That was an equilibrium shot.
And Ethan Page right now, I don't think he knows where he's at.
[Joseph] Well, he better figure it out quickly, Book.
-[Booker T] Oh, baby… -[Joseph] As we talked about Ethan Page…
[Booker T laughs] Oh, yeah!
[Joseph] …thinking of ways to hurt, thinking of ways to maim.
The same can be said for the challenger.
[Booker T] Day of the Dead. Day of the Dead!
-Day of the Dead! Oh, yeah! -[Joseph] Coast to coast!
Derek Sanders.
-[Booker T] That's it. -[Joseph] Count that!
-[Booker T] Whoa! -[Joseph exclaims]
-Booker almost came out of his headset. -[Booker T] I did come out of my headset.
Talking about having the wherewithal, the understanding and know how
knowing the referee was about to make that final count.
Oh, my God, man.
[Joseph] Talk about the high flying, the technical ability
of that first matchup tonight.
We're talking about the absolute human demolition derby destruction of these two.
[Booker T] We're talking about two guys…
[crowd chanting] This is awesome!
[Joseph] And Page going right back to that mask.
[Booker T] Smart. So smart, so smart.
Oh! Ring-ading-ding.
[Joseph] Dr. Wagner Jr. saving his mask, but it might have cost him the match.
Trying to find a way through, but Ego's Edge through the can.
[crowd] One, two…
-Good for Ethan… Not yet. -[Booker T] Oh! What the hell?
[Joseph] Still some life…
-[Booker T] What the hell? -…left in the Doctor.
[Booker T] What the hell?
[Joseph] Look at the destruction.
Look at the impact.
And, well, Page got into that cover quickly.
It's still enough.
[Booker T] Wasted no time getting that cover right there.
Dr. Wagner still got something left in the tank.
But right now, I think he's running on pure fumes.
in the end of this matchup right here, Victor.
[Joseph] The ghosts and the ghouls, coming to life, as Page…
Page was looking for that exclamation point.
Same could be said though right now for Dr. Wag…
-No! -[Booker T] Wow!
[Joseph] That's gotta be it for the title.
But how in the…
-Well, you… I don't like Ethan Page. -[Booker T] Pure heart.
-Pure heart. -[Joseph] I gotta respect Ethan Page.
[Booker T] It's just pure heart from Ethan Page.
That's the North Ameri…
That's the greatest North American champion in the history!
That's who that is, man.
[Joseph] Well, Doctor Wagner Jr. right now, looking to go all the way to the top.
Moonsault!
[Booker T] Got all of it. Got all of it!
[Joseph] Hook of he leg for the title.
Another… another near fall.
[Booker T] How courageous.
How courageous of Ethan Page to keep kicking out like he is, man.
[crowd cheering]
[Joseph] And it's hard to argue with you, Booker, but right now…
Dr. Wagner Jr., the AAA Latin American champion,
looking to find himself a table snap.
[crowd chanting] Tables! Tables! Tables!
And he could be looking to snap, crackle and pop Ethan Page.
And Page senses it. Page knows it.
Page right now has to feel desperation deep down.
He's got to feel that championship…
-The thing is-- -…slipping.
[Booker T] You talk about it being desperate,
I don't think Ethan Page is gonna panic in a situation like this.
He's been here. This guy's a veteran.
This guy's a tested veteran.
-You said that yourself, Victor. -I did.
And look, you've told me before as well,
power doesn't panic. And Ethan Page, right now fighting, his way back into
this matchup, but he is in a dangerous, precarious position on that top rope
with the challenger just flying to the top.
-[Booker T] You see that? Cat wit there… -[Joseph] I did.
…by Dr. Wagner.
[Joseph] Page trying his best, couple of body shots.
Page able to slither away free and turn things around.
-And now Page realizing. -[Booker T] Wait a minute.
Wagner fighting free, trying to do his best.
Back to the mask, turning that mask right around, right into the face.
Wagner Jr., I don't even think he can see.
[Booker T] Wagner can't see anything right now.
[Joseph] Trying his best though and was able to create separation
which is allowing him right now to fix some of that mask that was ripped.
That was shredded by Ethan Page.
And Page!
[Joseph exclaims]
-And it's all legal. Powder to the eyes! -[Booker T] That's legal.
Day of the Dead!
-[Joseph] The challenger is blinded! -Day of the Dead! Oh, yeah!
[Joseph] And a twisted table snap.
[crowd] One, two, three!
-[Joseph] As Page survives in the desert. -[bell rings]
[Rome] Here is your winner… And still,
the NXT North American champion…
All Ego!
Ethan Page!
["With a Smile" playing]
[Booker T] Go ahead say it.
Go ahead, say it, Victor.
The greatest North American champion in its history.
-Go ahead, say it one time for me. -[Joseph] And he could be right.
He could be the best champion right now in all of WWE,
because he took the best shots
from the challenger, the AAA Latin American champion, Dr. Wagner Jr.,
who had the stipulation he wanted.
Day of the Dead match where everything, including that powder, was legal
and then a twisted grin, table snap, seals the deal
as the champion again retains.
And Page conquers another challenge
as his ego will only grow after tonight.
[sighs]
-[knocks on door] -Come in.
Oh, gosh, what do you want?
Jinkies, you're own locker room.
Well, yeah, I'd rather not share a locker room full of haters.
You know, champ perks.
-Do you remember what that feels like? -[scoffs]
You know, haven't been champion since TNA.
Kelani, I don't know what's crawled up your…
You know what? Never mind. [clicks tongue]
You've tried this attitude on before and it got you nowhere.
Now you're crossing a line.
Like, is it a problem with me specifically, or do you think
that just because you're a champion again, that you're untouchable?
Crossing the line?
Yeah, you're supposed to be this smiley girl next door
-that everyone loves to watch. -[sighs]
I like that you think you know me, Jordynne, but you don't.
We've had what, two conversations, like, ever?
So wrap this up because I'm waiting to talk to Santino about my next challenger.
Santino. You know what, maybe I will stick around because I have
a great idea for your next challenger.
Well, good thing that's up to me and Santino.
Well, actually, as luck would have it, me and Santino go way back, and knowing him,
I'm sure he'd love to see the only Triple Crown knockout in TNA history…
-me… put you in your place. -I get it.
Going back to your comfort zone, the TNA knockouts championship,
but now that I'm holding it, it holds way more weight than you.
You're gonna regret that.
[Joseph] Here tonight at Halloween Havoc.
And Sol Ruca cannot compete, so her partner Zaria will.
Can Sol Ruca stand tall, or is the women's division about to get
a makeover courtesy of Blake Monroe?
Izzi, Tatum, thank you so much for having me here today.
And Tatum, congratulations on winning the Number One Contenders Battle Royale.
Thank you. [giggles]
Now you've had a long journey here at NXT and you've had a lot of friends
by your side along the way, and it seems like you've always been just one degree
of separation away from championship gold.
It's always been just out of reach.
So do you feel like Halloween Havoc is your time?
You know, girls like Roxanne, Tiffany, Lyra… [chuckles]
…I've watched every single one of them become champion,
and I've always wanted what they had: to be loved, accepted, a leader.
That's what a good champion is.
And this time I have Izzi, The Culling.
They've accepted me, and that's how I know this time it will be different,
because I'll have them in my corner following my lead.
-Now, Tatum, you mentioned Lyra. -[whispers]Yes.
How does it feel to have her support again?
-Kelly, it just feels… -Uh-uh.
-Do you care if I hop in on this one? -Okay. Yeah.
Kelly,
I'm well aware of the unique bond Tatum and Lyra have, but make no mistake,
Tatum belongs to The Culling,
and it seems that everyone has forgotten where Tatum was a year ago.
Alone, abandoned by people like Lyra,
trying to be befriended by people like Sol and Zaria.
The Culling is stronger than ever, yet everyone seems to think
that Tatum made the wrong choice.
Why is that?
Maybe everyone else doesn't have Tatum's best interests at heart.
And as far as this Lyra situation goes,
Lyra has abandoned Tatum once before.
And she'll prove to do it again.
And the only thing that that's going to do is leave Tatum broken and in pieces.
But you know what, Kelly, you know who's gonna be there to pick up
every single one of those broken pieces?
Me and The Culling.
And if Tatum has to go through this little experiment with Lyra
to figure out that The Culling is her only one true family, then so be it.
But I'll be there every step of the way to make sure
she doesn't get left behind again.
Now the two of you are driven by a lot of the same things.
You want to be champion, you want to be a leader in the women's division,
and because of that, you've had a lot of shared experiences.
Izzi, I can't help but notice that you were a little bit frustrated
when Tatum was celebrating the biggest win of her career.
I was so, so happy that Tatum won and represented The Culling so well.
My frustration came at the end when Lyra was in there celebrating
with my best friend and not me.
Kelly, I'm just so thankful I'm gonna have both of my friends supporting me.
And Izzi, I'm so happy you're gonna be there
supporting me through the biggest match of my career at Halloween Havoc.
And, Tatum, It's good that you're going to have The Culling in your corner
because Jacy Jayne will once again be backed by Fatal Influence.
I'm not unfamiliar with Fatal Influence.
Not only have I faced them in tag matches,
I'm not unfamiliar with girls like Fatal Influence,
especially Jacy Jayne.
Girls like that have always mocked, bullied, belittled me my whole life,
but that's gonna end at Halloween Havoc when I have my best friends
holding me in the air, and the NXT Women's Championship in my hands.
[giggles]
Well, good luck, Tatum.
-[giggles] Thank you. -She doesn't need it.
["Glamour is Forever" playing]
[bell rings]
[Rome] The following contest, scheduled for one full,
is for the NXT
Women's North American Championship.
Introducing first, from London, England,
Blake Monroe.
[Joseph] Well, the Bride of Chucky is here.
And certainly, Booker, this woman has been on a mission to make the women's division
one thing and one thing only.
Glamorous.
[Booker T] The mega-blonde bomb shell, Blake Monroe.
Give her credit, man. Ever since stepping
into NXT, it's been all business.
I love it, man.
["Tortured Minds" playing]
[Rome] And her opponent, representing the NXT
Women's North American Champion Sol Ruca, from Adelaide, South Australia,
Zaria!
[Joseph] Look, I know we've had a lot of fun tonight,
uh, typically when we're sitting here with each other ringside,
but I do want to get serious for a second here.
Is this the most pressure Zaria has ever felt since her arrival here at NXT?
[Booker T] It's a very, very pivotal moment for Zaria.
Zaria came to NXT very, very highly doubted.
Thought she should have been champion by now, but now she's going
and defending a championship by default,
in my opinion. Of course,
these are the brightest lights that Zaria has competed in
under the conditions in the NXT.
It's gonna be great to see how well she pan out here in Halloween Havoc.
-It's gonna be good. -[Joseph] We saw Sol Ruca
on one crutch, braced up left knee.
Suppose it's a… it's a bonus that she can be ringside,
but your heart just has to go out to Sol Ruca who truly here is the champion
-and she's helpless. -[Booker T] Did you hear what I just said?
Zaria defending the championship by default.
She shouldn't even be in there right now. All right? This match--
[Joseph] So you actually feel bad for Sol Ruca?
[Booker T] This match should not even be happening.
I'm talking about, Sol Ruca should have forfeited that championship.
[Booker T stammering] Come on.
[Joseph] I get what you're saying. Our general manager…
-[Booker T] Vacated it, right? -[Joseph] She made the ruling.
It is what it is. This title is on the line.
[Booker T] This is not right. This is not right.
-This is not right by any means. -[Joseph] Would you rather have Sol Ruca
than have her title just taken from her? Maybe she…
[Booker T] Defend the championship. If you have to.
-But don't… [stammers] -[Joseph] Oh!
[bell rings]
And there comes the challenger right in, and it's going to be awkward
to say champion when it comes to Zaria, but she is defending the title tonight.
Sol Ruca, of course, sidelined, stemming from a women's tag team title match
that took place on SmackDown! match, I want to add, Booker,
Blake Monroe had no business being ringside, and we can debate
-that until we're blue in the face. -[Booker T] Of course we can.
[Joseph] My question is, are we going to see a different side now
of Zaria, who's fighting for her friend, fighting for her teammate.
Big pump kick into the cover to retain and a kick out.
[Booker T] I don't know what we're gonna to see out of Zaria.
Zaria has always been, you know, built on power, you know. I mean,
going out there using that technique. And it's worked for her. It's worked for her.
But the thing is, can Blake figure it out?
That's the question. Can Blake figure that power out?
[Joseph] Oh!
Well, as you've already mentioned, this is very unusual,
but it is not unprecedented for someone else to be defending a championship
as Zaria is here tonight defending on Sol Ruca's behalf.
And just trying to pick my head up from the monitor and take a look
at Sol Ruca. Seeing her eyes right now. Great job by our production crew.
I wonder, truly, if she even slept a wink last night
knowing she had no control over the fate of something she fought so hard for.
Literally climbed rung by rung up the ladder.
-[Booker T] Yeah, yeah. -…to retrieve.
[Booker T] I'm so surprised, you know, that Sol Ruca's
you know, chose to let Zaria go in there and defend her championship.
There's no way I will let someone go in there and defend my championship.
No way that would ever happen.
[Joseph] Blake Monroe coming right in, got caught for a moment
and right out of the gates here,
Blake Monroe turning right around and not only shoulder but also the neck
of Zaria snapping. And right now if you are the challenger
as we really get into this matchup, how would you go after Zaria?
How would you combat the champion here tonight?
[Booker T] Just keep chipping away. I mean, it's about making,
you know, Zaria feel exactly what it's like to be in there with someone
that's as talented as Blake Monroe.
I mean, using that power against her somewhere in this matchup
could come into play. I mean…
Like I say, under the bright lights, we've never seen Zaria in this situation.
[Joseph] Shoulder first driven. And Blake Monroe when we talk about strategy,
you got to think right now for Blake Monroe, take away the power game of Zaria.
[Booker T] Not just take it away from her, but use that power against her.
I mean, Zaria early in this matchup, she's gonna have that power.
She's gonna have that stamina. Like I said, in those deep waters…
Taking Zaria in those deep, deep waters, drawing her in and drawing her in
and trying to drown her.
I think that's what it's gonna be all about for Blake Monroe.
[Joseph] Zaria charged in got caught from the challenger, and right now Blake Monroe
-almost with a smile on her face. -[Zaria screams]
Trying to hyperextend that left elbow. Trying to do more damage to the shoulder.
And the official in this match of Joey Gonzalez being a little bit lenient
as Blake Monroe just looking over at Sol Ruca.
Keep it inside.
[Joseph] And again, my heart just goes out to Sol as Blake, target acquired,
flying in. Bam. And that drop kick to the shoulder of Zaria.
Into the cover to win the championship.
And a kick out.
[Booker T] Is a disadvantage for Sol Ruca to be out here?
I mean, for Zaria, is that a distraction?
[Joseph] That's a great question that you bring.
I mean, do you think it's a distraction?
I thought Zaria would be able to use it as motivation.
[Booker T] I think so. This is Zaria's first time under the bright lights,
like this, defending a title that's not even hers.
[Joseph] Look at this submission though, Book. Really?
Trying to bend back the body of Zaria. And Blake Monroe has been on top of Zaria
and maybe Zaria not ready for those bright lights.
I don't think it's that.
I don't think she's ready for Blake Monroe's… [stammers]
Monroe in rings acumen right now.
She's looking great. Right now, got Zaria in a bad, bad position.
[Joseph] I heard what she said.
I felt like I was back in Houston for a moment, but we're not.
We're here in Arizona. It's Halloween Havoc.
-[Booker T chuckles] -And Zaria turning things around
with a clothesline.
Big back elbow
and she just looked out for a moment at Sol Ruca.
Maybe she is using it as motivation. Big pump kick, dropping the challenger.
[Booker T] Look at Zaria, she's favoring that elbow.
Could it be hyperextended? That's the question.
That's the question right there.
[Joseph] It doesn't look to be affecting her power at this juncture,
-Belly to back suplex. -[Booker T] Still favoring it though.
Still favoring that left elbow.
[Joseph] You talk about the inexperience of Zaria,
but when it comes to championship matches,
to my knowledge for Blake Monroe, this is her first title match here in NXT.
Trying to make the most of it.
Monroe, who made her debut in July, trying to live up to the hype here tonight.
More high impact offense. Blocking out the pain, into the cover.
This matchup is gonna continue.
[Booker T] Just think about how fast Blake Monroe got to this position though,
this championship match.
[Joseph] Take another look, and see the pain on the face of the challenger.
[Booker T] The thing is, I think it would be a travesty of justice
even if Blake Monroe wins this matchup.
She don't want to win the matchup like this.
She wanted to be Sol Ruca for this championship.
[Joseph] She wanted Ava to hand her the title Tuesday on NXT.
She didn't want to fight for it. She wanted to take the easy way out.
But there is no easy way out.
[Booker T stammering] The proper… The proper way out.
[Joseph] We can argue about it all day, but Zaria trying to bend the body
-of Blake Monroe… -[Booker T] Torture rack.
…in the center of that ring.
-And Monroe… Nice counter! -Do you see that?
Looking for the for the arm bar.
[Booker T] Did you see that? Talk about a hyper… [stammers]
She might break it.
[Joseph] That arm is extended. Zaria is screaming.
Sol trying to root on and fire up her partner who's defending her title.
And Zaria, able to roll those hips.
Take away the pressure.
[Booker T] Taking about a hyperextension. Like I said, that elbow,
-it could be broken. -[Joseph] Oh…
Whoa, whoa, whoa, and…
Fighting through the pain.
[Booker T] Took everything out of her though,
-right there, Vic. -[Joseph] Did you notice Zaria
went right for that elbow, looking for the arm bar.
[Booker T] That one move right there took so much out of Zaria.
[Joseph] If you were Sol Ruca right now, would you be worried?
-[Booker T] Of course. -As this matchup's been going on.
[Booker T] Of course I would be worried. I mean…
Sol Ruca, I mean…
Double champ, but one title could be about to slip away real quick.
[crowd chanting] Booker T! Booker T!
[Joseph] This is the second of five championships
to be defended here at Halloween Havoc.
And I gotta ask you, Book,
if Blake Monroe wins does she shoot up your fab five?
-How about this? -[Booker T] Fav five.
-If Zaria wins, does she enter fab five? -Fav five.
-[Booker T] Fav five. -[Joseph] Fav five.
[Booker T] If Zaria can, perhaps, somehow win this match,
she definitely would…
Her stock would rise, but I'm gonna tell you right now,
-Blake Monroe, she's a player. She-- -[Joseph] Oh!
-Got caught right there with a big shot. -[Joseph] Another pump kick.
Oh, and both women with the same thought process.
And both going to the outside right now, and…
Zaria, at least on her feet for a moment, trying to regroup. And again,
that left arm just dangling, just hanging, as…
-[Zaria screams] -Charging in. Oh!
[crowd member 3] Oh, damn!
[Joseph] Well, if that shoulder wasn't damaged before, you gotta think maybe now
some sort of separation.
[Booker T] Do your job, ref. Do your job.
[groaning]
[Booker T] Call it.
Zaria, come on.
Just get up.
[Booker T] Do your damn job, ref.
[Gonzalez] Still in it? Are you sure? Go in there. Go in there.
[Joseph] If the match is stopped, we got a new champion.
-[Booker T] Look here. -Zaria doesn't want to stop.
-[Booker T] The ref got the wherewithal… -[Joseph] Oh! Sol just…
-You're okay, you're okay. -Oh, my God. It's good.
Oh, my God. It's good!
[shouts]
[Joseph] Sol had to have popped that shoulder back into place
by shoving her partner and friend
into the steel post, and now Zaria.
with a German suplex and it's almost like Zaria has been reborn, Booker.
[Booker T] What the hell? What the hell? Outside interference
-in a matchup like this? -[Joseph] Spear!
[Booker T] Of this magnitude? Come on! Come on, ref!
That's on the ref.
[Joseph] Sol Ruca didn't harm Blake Monroe though.
[Booker T] That's on the ref. That's on the ref.
[Joseph] Zaria now with a new lease in this matchup,
defending the championship of her partner, of her friend.
Could be looking for that F5, maybe trying to go around it.
-Oh, countered! -[Booker T] Oh, baby!
-[Joseph] Into another arm bar. -Oh, baby.
[Joseph] And Blake Monroe, you can say what you want about her.
She's traveled the world through the United Kingdom into Japan
trying to showcase some of that ability right now. Has the wrist, almost twisting
the wrist. Hyperextending the elbow.
[Booker T] Trying to separate that shoulder right now.
-She's so close. So close! -[Joseph] Sol Ruca, Sol Ruca!
[Booker T] Sol's gonna tap.
[Joseph] Sol can't tap. Zaria's gotta tap.
Sol's trying to roll over. Zaria just rolled over.
-[Booker T exclaims] -And a kick out.
-Man… -Got me all confused, trying to counter--
-But there's no counter to that knee! -[Booker T] My bad. Oh, yes!
Tap! Tap!
[Joseph] Oh, kick out.
-Whoo! -[Gonzalez] That was two.
[Joseph] What a moment.
[Booker T] Gotta give Zaria a lot of credit right there. I mean,
Monroe just barking at the referee right there,
"That should have been a three count."
[Joseph] Sol reaching out and letting her partner…
[stammers] That…
There's that hair pick!
And that's the same hair pick Blake Monroe used two weeks ago
-to beat Zaria on NXT… -[Booker T] What are you talking about?
-…right to the throat. -[Booker T] What are you talking about?
[Joseph] And now Blake… Oh! Got caught with another spear.
-[Booker T] No way! -[Joseph] The greeting…
[Joseph stammers]
-No… -[Joseph] And you start to wonder now,
not just for Sol Ruca, but also for Zaria…
what else needs to be done in this matchup?
That was the second spear,
and Blake Monroe right now knows she's in trouble.
Blake Monroe, trying to get as far away from Zaria as she can.
Zaria looked over that title.
That's what she's fighting for. The championship.
Her friend, her partner.
Well, that was inadvertent. That was inadvertent for a moment.
Zaria, though, just saw Blake Monroe take out her injured partner.
Hey, Zaria, help her up. Come on!
[all chattering]
[Joseph] Zaria, making sure Sol's okay,
but the championship's on the line right now, Book.
[Booker T] Championship is on the line,
and that's what Zaria don't really understand.
This is her first time in this position right here, under these bright lights
and Monroe is gonna take advantage of it.
[Joseph] Glamour shot. A Glamour Shot DDT. Blake Monroe
back into the ring for a second time.
[Booker T] We got a new champ.
-[Joseph] Another Glamour Shot. -[Booker T] We got a new champion.
-Oh, yeah! -Monroe has finally done it.
[Rome] Here's your winner, and the new
NXT Women's
North American Champion,
Blake Monroe!
-[Booker T] Stand up. Stand up, man. -[Joseph] No.
-Blake Monroe… -[Booker T] In record time.
In record time. [exclaims]
[Joseph] Not getting into this debate with you.
We'll talk about it over the weekend. Nonetheless, we got a new champion.
But just like I mentioned, the hairpin, that is what Blake Monroe used
to defeat Sol Ruca on NXT several weeks ago.
Tonight, in that moment, wasn't to be undone.
Zaria with that spear, couldn't keep the shoulders down,
and the more I've thought about it,
did you see… Blake Monroe looked down. I don't know if that was accidental.
I think that was on purpose. Blake Monroe knew Zaria would go…
-[Booker T] It was an accident. -…and help her partner,
and that would open the door for not just one
but two Glamour Shot DDTs
to put gold around her waist.
And for Blake Monroe,
she has just become the most glamorous champion
-in all of NXT. -[Booker T] In record time!
In record time!
You don't look too happy.
[Joseph] Can only imagine how Blake Monroe will celebrate her championship victory.
Okay, let me set the scene for you.
Last Tuesday, I was in here talking to Charles, minding my own business,
and then Lash comes in and she's like, "You're being too loud."
And then Kendal came in and Lash was like, "What are you gonna do about it?"
And then Kendall was like, "I don't care how big you are,
if you talk to Wren like that again, I'm gonna beat your ass."
And Lash was all like… She had no idea what to say.
It was something like that, something like that.
Pretty word for word.
[Charles] You told me this story, what, six times now?
-Well, Charles… -Every time it keeps getting different.
I was trying to tell them.
I was trying to tell them the story about it.
Wren, the reason I'm calling is 'cause I wanted to ask,
you said you're gonna build up the Wren QCC?
Oh, Charles, you're breaking up. [sputtering] Can't hear you.
Okay, gotta go. Bye.
I guess they have NXT in Japan, but the details don't really matter.
The point is Kendal totally stood up to Lash.
Well, I wasn't gonna let Lash push her or anyone else around.
[Legend] Little girl love.
You still feeling yourself after last week, huh?
I see you got yourself a little audience and you're telling everybody what you
-thought you told me… -And what if I did?
[sighs] Keep trying it. [chuckles]
I already told you once. I'm not gonna tell you again.
You may be the Evolve champion and all, but, uh, things are different around here.
Matter of fact, I think it's, uh, time you go toe-to-toe with a real NXT
superstar like the Boujee Bully.
-I don't think that's… -[exclaims] Shut up!
Don't… [exclaims] "Shut up," to her, okay?
If you wanna keep talking about me or Evolve, then let's run it this Tuesday.
Bet. I'm gonna take that title and humble you. Can't wait.
I don't think Kendal actually said anything about a title.
I mean, I didn't, but let's go ahead and put it on the line anyway.
[sighs] Wren, your bodyguard is delusional And, Kendal, consider that title snatched.
We'll see if she's ready for the Grey area.
[Joseph] More on the champion… Or more on the plate of our general manager
when it comes to championships.
This is a big fight feel.
There was the challenger, there is the champion.
Our NXT Women's championship on the line in moments.
[entrance song plays]
[Joseph] Gotta admit, Book,
there is a lot of momentum behind The Culling and the challenger.
[Booker T] Shawn Spears the GPS, looks like he's
looking to direct Tatum Paxley all the way to the championship.
I wonder what the significance is of the color white tonight.
Could you explain that?
[Joseph] Thought you would've talked to him beforehand.
Shawn Spears, Izzi Dame and Niko Vance.
Who could be having himself a homecoming celebration with a champion tonight.
But the NXT universe is on their feet.
-[fans cheering] -[fan] Come on!
[Joseph] There was just a different…
almost air around Tatum Paxley in The Culling.
[Booker T] You said it. It's a big fight feel here for Tatum Paxley.
["Cash In (Money In The Bank)" playing]
[fans scream]
[Joseph] Well, there is the champion.
And, Book, this is someone
who has certainly changed the narrative of her career
-over the last 12 months. -[Booker T] Most beatable, huh?
Most beatable.
Let me tell you something about Jacy Jayne.
I'ma just put it like this.
Don't do it like that, baby.
That's what Jacy Jayne is all about.
The watchdog.
You better get a ticket.
You better get your ticket and why?
Because she is the champion. Oh, yes, man.
We're 'bout to get busy up in this. Look.
[Joseph] Well, it's the first time these two women
-have met in singles competition… -[Booker T exclaims]
…according to our stats team.
And there you see another statistic.
-151 days as champion. -[Booker T] Stacked up. Stacked up, man!
-[Joseph] As we get ready to settle in. -[Booker T] Six months!
[Joseph] As we get ready to settle in and go up to our ring announcer,
Mike Rome.
[Booker T] What the hell has he got on tonight?
[bell dings]
The following contest scheduled for one fall…
[fans] One fall!
…is for
-the NXT Women's Championship. -[fans cheering]
Introducing the challenger,
representing The Culling,
Tatum Paxley.
And her opponent, representing Fatal Influence,
She is the NXT Women's Champion,
-Jacy Jayne. -[crowd boos]
[Booker T] Give it up for the champ, man.
Give it up.
[Joseph] We saw the ovation
that she just received from the NXT universe.
[Booker T] She looks ready, man. She looks 100% ready. [mutters]
Oh, but Jacy Jayne…
[Joseph] Why do you keep looking at Mike Rome?
[Booker T] Jacy Jayne. Let's talk about Jacy Jayne.
Someone who has gone out and proved night in and night out
how good she really is inside the squared circle.
[Joseph] I'll ask you this, is Izzi in The Culling genuinely happy for Tatum?
[Booker T] Let me tell you something. If Tatum Paxley wins this championship…
[chuckling] …The Culling is gonna be overjoyed.
But if she loses? That's the question.
That's the question, Victor.
[Joseph] I'll tell you Tatum Paxley said she feels she finally has a family.
Let's remind everyone.
It was Tatum Paxley who earned this opportunity,
winning a Battle Royale on NXT.
Here's another stat of the night.
When we talk about our statistician team,
Owned 11 in title matches, WW NXT Tag titles, Knockouts title, Women's title,
Knockouts Tag title, Women's North American title.
I can keep going on.
-How does anyone… -[fans chanting, cheering]
[Joseph] How can anyone block out that fact?
How can Tatum Paxley block out the noise?
[Booker T] See, Tatum, I mean, she hadn't been here too often.
I mean, Tatum knows exactly what this thing is all about.
That's getting to this dance.
Getting to the dance is the first thing.
Winning it, that's something totally different.
I think about the Lyra Valkyria effect, all right?
I'm talking about iron sharpens iron.
I think Tatum Paxley is as good as she's gonna get here tonight.
Can she cash in? That's the question.
[Joseph] Well, she spoke about her past on Tuesday,
and look, she's in there with Jacy Jayne, right?
-Someone you just gloated about. -The best. One of the best.
[Joseph] Jacy was once the one who people doubted.
Am I right or wrong with that?
People doubted her. People doubt Tatum Paxley.
It's almost as if Jacy Jayne could be looking into what she once was.
Jacy can't forget that fact.
She can't forget the fact of the hunger that's inside the challenge.
[Booker T] Let me tell you something. Jacy Jayne forgot that a long time ago
once she became champ-champ.
I'm talking about double champ.
And right now, she's out here proving, right now,
here on Halloween Havoc night
-how good she really is right now. -[Joseph] Oh, senton.
-[shouting indistinctly] -[Booker T] This is a clinic.
[Joseph] Senton right to the lower back
-is there you see the cruel look. -[Booker T] Don't waste no time, Jacy.
-[Jospeh] Fatal Influence on the outside. -You're a loser!
[Booker T] I don't think she wants to hear that.
[Joseph] "You're a loser"? I mean, Tatum Paxley is not a loser.
[Booker T] I mean, she hadn't been winning a lot of matches lately.
-I mean, come on. -[exclaims]
[Joseph] Paxley going up over now.
Looking right back, senton!
Didn't work the second time, challenger.
Right back up, taking down the champion and now look who's standing tall.
-[fans cheering] -And listen to the reaction.
It's hard to deny the genuine support Tatum Paxley receives.
[Booker T] Little mistake there made by Paxley.
-Wait a minute! -[Joseph] Cover, cover! Wasn't a mistake!
[Joseph] Nice counter shoulders down now.
Challenger able to roll right through back up looking for a clothesline, got caught.
Jacy Jayne right now up.
Maybe looking for a crucifix, instead rolling right around.
Nice little arm drag takedown.
Charges in, bounces right off the rope, right back in
hurricanrana taking the challenger down.
Challenger is rocked into the turnbuckles.
[Booker T] You can tell that Paxley is prepared for this moment,
-but Jacy is just perhaps one step ahead. -[Jayne exclaims]
-[grunts] -[Joseph] Oh!
Paxley able to get ahead of the champion for at least one second
-talk about not winning much-- -[Booker T] Oh, beautiful!
Incredible!
[Joseph] And a quick kick out. Hasn't had a singles match victory since 2024,
but the challenger though has stayed prepared. You got to give her that credit.
She's always been ready for the opportunity.
-Can she cash in tonight? -[grunts]
[Booker T] I've said it so many times how good I think Tatum Paxley is.
-I think just given-- -[Joseph] Backslide of a sword
into a cover.
[Booker T] Just giving her that chance.
And the thing is, if Tatum wins or not,
I don't think it's gonna be a fluke or anything like that.
I really don't.
[Joseph] And now you take a look at the neck strain of Jacy Jayne
and advance and Shawn Spears on the outside shouting right now.
[Booker T] Is it an advantage The Culling being out here? I mean…
-Go! -[Booker T] I mean, this is…
[Joseph] That's the first premium live event for Paxley, I'll give you that.
[Booker T] Numbers game.
[Joseph] Drop kick taking out the champion.
You know, for Jacy Jayne…
And she's able to counter for at least a second,
turn around and… Oh!
-And again just got outsmarted! -[fans cheering]
Paxley step up in…
And look, Tatum Paxley saw her best friend Lyra Valkyria
win this very title at this very event in 2023.
How has Lyra helped Paxley focus
-and even better herself. -[Booker T] There again.
The Lyra Valkyria effect coming into play, like I say, iron sharpens iron.
I don't think this is by osmosis or anything like that
as far as Tatum Paxley doing so good in this matchup. She's prepared.
She's been preparing for this for quite some time.
[Joseph] Well… Oh, Jacy…
Jayne looking around, I mean.
And look at where Paxley taking out Fallon and now… Oh, got caught.
-[Booker T] Got caught, big time. -[Joseph] Oh, no, no, no!
-[Booker T] Oh, baby. Oh, yeah! -[Joseph] No, no.
-Throat first into that steel! -[Booker T] Oh, my God.
[crowd booing]
And it may not have been the throat, it may have been the chin.
It may have been the jaw. Take a look.
[Booker T] Might be a broken nose.
[Joseph] Could be a broken nose, could be a broken jaw.
[speaking indistinctly]
[Joseph] And did you just feel the air leave this arena?
[Booker T] I'm looking at the body language right now of Tatum Paxley
and I don't…
It's not good at all.
It's not… It's not good at all.
-Here we go, here we go! -[Joseph] Neck-breaker from Jacy Jayne!
-And this could be it center of the ring… -One, two!
…hook to the leg and well, Paxley still has some fight,
but you felt the air leave the Findlay Toyota Center.
When Tatum Paxley just went face first into that steel part of the ring.
-And Jacy Jayne… -[grunting]
Come on, let's go. Break up! One, two…
-[Joseph] In control. -[Booker T] Jacy's laying it on thick.
You know, for that big shot I'm looking at it.
[Joseph] And I'm stunned right now sitting here after what we just saw.
Even more so that Tatum Paxley's continuing.
[Booker T] I'm looking at Tatum Paxley.
She's got that athletic tape on the left shoulder…
-One, two… -…and we don't know if that's an injury
-or a sprain or anything like that. -…three, four…
But Jacy Jayne right there… It's a target for her, man.
-[Booker T] Oh, yeah! -[Joseph] Oh!
-Lainey Reid. -[Booker T] Oh, yeah!
Oh, I'm talking about the number one draft pick.
That's Lainey Reid.
-Oh, yes! -[Joseph] Back in live action in the ring.
Can't worry about what's going on on the outside.
-Hook to the leg. -One, two…
[Joseph] And another near fall.
Look, Jacy always seems, Booker, to rise to the occasion.
-[Booker T] Yeah. -[Joseph] And it's what you say,
by any means necessary.
There you saw Lainey Reid, door was open.
There it gets exploited by Jacy Jayne as this fight continues.
[Booker T] You always question if
Fatal Influence if… Are they on the same page?
-What do you think? -[Joseph] Another cover.
-What do you think? -It certainly didn't--
[Booker T] With the extra added edition of Lainey Reid.
The biggest, the largest. What do you think?
[Joseph] They certainly look to be on the same page tonight, Book.
[Booker T] Okay, okay.
[Joseph] And it's been a special night, a special event for Jacy Jayne.
She won her first championship at NXT at this event.
She helped Fallon Henley win gold last year.
And speaking of which, it was Fallon Henley who really winning that title here
12 months ago,
really kick-started Fatal Influence's 12 months of dominance
-in the NXT Women's League. -[Booker T] It ignited Jacy Jayne.
I'm talking about like nitrous oxide.
I'm talking about just throwing gasoline on the fire
to take her all the way to double-double champ status.
That's what I'm talking about. That's Jacy Jayne.
[Joseph] Bring up double-double champ.
She did make history winning the TNA knockouts title earlier in the summer.
[Booker T] Double-double champ. Champ-champ.
[Joseph] It's been quite the year for Jacy Jayne,
but this will be quite the moment for Tatum Paxley,
-who is rallying at the moment… -[Booker T] Oh, baby!
-…and that door just got slammed shut. -[Booker T] Big clothesline!
Chasing my homie JBL right there.
Just dropped the hammer right there,
Beautiful, beautiful clothesline.
[Joseph] And again, Jacy Jayne has just taken the crowd
-out of this matchup. -Her hair.
-From the beginning, so pro-Tatum Paxley. -Pulling her hair.
-[Joseph] Jacy Jayne has shut up… -[Booker T] Textbook.
-…everybody here in this arena. -[Booker T] Textbook world champ.
Right there, just putting all the pressure right there on Tatum Paxley.
-Keeping her close to the body. -[fans chanting] Jacy sucks!
[Joseph] And I know you can hear what they say, but she's been champion
-for over 150, 6 months. -[Booker T] They're saying Jacy's good.
Jacy's good.
-Jacy's good. I like it. -[shouts]
[Booker T] I like that chant. One more time, one more time.
[fans chanting]
[Booker T] Double champ, double champ, double champ. Yes, I like that chant too.
[Joseph] When we get back to Orlando, we're gonna get you to a hearing center.
We're gonna get that all checked out when we return to the performance center
on Tuesday for NXT.
As Tatum Paxley, trying to create a little bit of separation,
trying to rally back into this matchup, but one more time,
Jacy Jayne just a step ahead and a cut above.
I didn't just let her…
[Joseph] We talk about wins and losses. I gotta throw this out there.
Last loss for Jacy Jayne in singles competition
was the current Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer.
[Booker T] Talking about that percentage factor when you become champion,
Jacy Jayne has definitely used that to her advantage.
It being IQ. It being acumen.
I mean, she has all of it. She has everything.
[Joseph] Oh, but Tatum Paxley just got all of that belly to back suplex.
It… Book, I gotta give you credit too right now.
Tatum Paxley went right for that taped shoulder.
Something's… Something's going on in Paxley's body.
I don't know how much more usage she's gonna have from her left arm.
[Booker T] You do not come in with athletic tape on the shoulder
and it's not something going on there.
No way, no way. Trust me on that.
Oh, wow!
[Joseph] Paxley right now rallying,
we talked about this being her first premium live event.
Could the champion exploit that fact?
But it's now Tatum Paxley, who in the deep waters…
-[Booker T] Oh, baby! -…of this matchup just shoved off
Jacy Jayne.
Was able to counter to what looked like a sort of a fisherman suplex.
And Tatum Paxley now.
I mean, you can't blame her. You got to go for broke.
You've got to risk it all.
[Booker T] Pulling out all the stops right here.
Willing to throw caution to the wind for a victory.
[Joseph] And Jacy Jayne, out of desperation--
[Booker T] So smart, so smart.
-Oh, yes. -[both grunt]
-Come on, hey. Come on… -[crowd chanting]
Come on, back in there!
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Tatum!
Hey!
Get down!
[Joseph] NXT Universe trying their best here tonight.
As both women, Book…
[Booker T] Pulling a full bulldog off the top? Bulldog?
Oh, my God!
-[Joseph] A super! -[Booker T] Neck-breaker!
-Neck-breaker avalanche off the top! -[Joseph] Super!
Avalanche neck-breaker!
-Jayne into the cover, and… -One, two…
[Booker T] Oh!
Jayne… Shawn Spears just reaching in.
-What do you call him, the GPS? -[Booker T] The GPS.
[Joseph] Lainey Reid.
-[Booker T] Wow! -[Joseph] Fatal Influence
proving they're stronger than ever, but there's Izzi Dame.
-[Booker T] Numbers game. -[Joseph] And… Oh, Fallon!
Is that all we got?
-[Joseph] And Fallon-- -[Booker T] Oh, we got a fight.
[Joseph] We certainly do.
A lot going on and our official…
[all arguing]
[Joseph] Chip Danning.
-How dare you! How dare you! -You, you
and you…
Out!
[arguing continues]
[Joseph] Chip Danning had to make the call.
The Culling is gone, but how is that fair?
-[Booker T] That was a good call. -[Joseph] How's that fair?
-[Booker T] It was a great call. -[speaking indistinctly]
-Lainey, Fallon! -Referee's doing the job.
-You and you, out! -No, no, no!
[Booker T] What the hell? What the hell?
[Joseph] Well, the job. Referee's doing his job.
He sending everyone to the back.
Great job by our official.
[shouting indistinctly]
[Joseph] And it's truly going to be one-on-one.
I need you guys!
What am I gonna do?
[Joseph] There's no one for you, Jacy.
-Tatum from behind. -[Booker T] Oh, no. Not like this.
[Joseph] Oh, Jacy able to kick out back up.
Oh, my word. Did you hear that?
-[Booker T] She ate it. -One, two…
[Joseph] Still some fight though in the challenger.
[stammers] I mean, Book, feel this.
I mean, did you hear the impact?
Knee to jaw. And then think about that jaw.
The face of Tatum Paxley that went into the steel.
[Booker T] She got all of that knee right there.
I'm sure she thought that was it.
Thought that was the coup d'etat, but she's still in it.
She knows what this is all about.
This is about checks and championships, man.
[Joseph] Jacy Jayne has been called the most beatable. She's heard all of it.
She's proven everyone wrong, maybe looking for another
opportunity to do more damage to Tatum Paxley
who was able to break free for a moment and then right in and… Oh!
That bottom rope right into the throat.
The rolling encore didn't connect.
Paxley turning it around.
-One, two… -[Booker T] Oh, man!
[Joseph] Hooks and a near fall.
Paxley right now holding on to that throat trying to block out the pain.
Looking for Cemetery Drive.
Jacy Jayne though able to counter.
Rolling right through, shoulder's down, pinning combination, another near fall.
[Booker T] So close there by Jacy Jayne, but she's not letting up the gas.
-Still going through it right here. -Certainly is.
Now and again, The Culling sent to the back.
Fatal Influence sent to the back,
all ejected from ringside.
And…Oh, the cannon ball!
Misfire.
Oh, that was a rolling encore!
[Booker T] Jacy looked like she's out.
[Joseph] Jacy just got hit with the rolling encore!
[Booker T] Jacy sees stars right now.
[Joseph] Paxley.
-[Booker T] Move, Jacy, move! -[Joseph] 450!
-She got it, but will it add up to three? -One, two…
-[Joseph] Oh, damn! -[Booker T] Wow!
[fans cheering]
[Joseph] First that massive rolling encore.
450 connected.
-One, two… -[Joseph] Not quite yet.
Jacy Jayne showing some fight.
[Booker T] So, so close there, but Jacy handling it well
with all the kick outs at the last millisecond.
[Joseph] You can say that again, right now looking again for Cemetery Drive.
Second time wasn't a charm.
Back fist right to the chin, knocking around, opening up a little bit.
And now looking for a little extra.
Another knee right to the side of the face.
I sorta gotta point out, Paxley's continuing to hold on to her.
-[Booker T] Oh, man! -[Joseph] Jacy Jayne has to sense that.
[Booker T] That was a gnarly, gnarly bump right there.
I don't know what it was, but definitely effective.
[Joseph] Got caught. Both these women right now doing battles,
showing you, Booker, truly what it means to be the Women's Champion on this brand.
Think about all the women that have held that title:
Stephanie Vaquer, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, you could go… Rhea Ripley.
The list goes on and on.
Lyra Valkyria, Bayley.
[Booker T] Tatum Paxley fighting like this is her one and only shot
at this championship.
And she's looking to try to cash in by any means necessary.
-Here we go! -[Joseph] Jacy got caught one more time!
And still able to kick out this one, continuing to roll on.
Another forearm under the jaw.
Jacy answering right back.
Champion.
Challenger.
Leaving it here tonight.
In the center of the ring.
[Booker T] Jacy is not willing to relent.
She's not willing to let go of that championship here tonight.
That is something she worked so damn hard to actually finally capture.
Oh, my God. Man…
[Joseph] Both women with the same idea
and now the question, Book, I ask you,
who is going to give?
Who has… Whoa, wait a minute. You see far in the back?
[Booker T] What the hell?
[Joseph] The Culling. Referee's doing their best.
-And Fatal Influence's coming out here. -[screaming]
[Joseph] What? Izzi Dame? What's she doing back out here?
Izzi with the Women's Championship.
And Izzi…
What was Izzi looking to do?
Just got caught!
-[Booker T] Oh! -[Joseph] Cemetery Drive!
[Booker T] Nobody had a count!
-No referee! No referee! -[Joseph] Where is the ref?
Two, three!
-[Joseph] Paxley shocks the universe. -[bell dings]
[Rome] Here is your winner! And the new…
NXT Women's Champion…
Tatum Paxley!
[Joseph] Whoa! What a moment.
I don't necessarily know what the hell Izzi Dame was doing,
but take nothing away
from Tatum Paxley.
Who has reached the mountain top, and listen to this place.
[fans cheering]
-[Joseph] 450, I mean… -One, two…
[Joseph] Jacy Jayne gave it her all.
She took everything. This is the turning point.
Here comes Fatal Influence. Here comes The Culling.
Everyone was sent, everyone was ejected from ringside.
And then Izzi Dame…
What was Izzi trying to do?
She saw Jacy coming in.
Jacy caught Izzi. The match would continue.
Cemetery drive. Tatum Paxley into the cover.
Finally the official would turn around and Tatum would have her crowning moment.
[Rome] Here is your…
[Joseph] And this week she spoke of her father,
who at one point took her into a city, their hometown to see a marching band.
It said, when you grow up, would you be the champion
for the broken, the beaten and the damned?
Well, right now in The Culling, Tatum Paxley did just that.
-She is the champion and she is on top… -[exclaims]
…of the NXT Women's division.
Look, Ava.
I know I could've done more for Team NXT,
but last week I'm talking to Tavion,
and Josh Briggs just wants to walk in on our conversation.
I know, I saw it.
We all saw, and look,
NXT Anonymous is weird, to say the least, okay?
Who is it?
I don't know, but I'm gonna figure it out.
But let me guess what you're gonna say.
Briggs got under your skin, now you want another match with him.
Obviously, I mean,
-I know I can get to the top. -[knocking]
-Briggs believed-- -Come in.
I know that I can do that.
I need more food on my plate, okay?
If you would have heard the way Josh was talking to me last week…
I already asked for Briggs.
Okay, so we just do rematches for the sake of rematches?
No, you already had a match with Josh Briggs.
-Ava. -T.
Look, I love you, man. You're like a brother to me.
Right?
But I gotta be honest,
if it wasn't for me, you'd still be stuck with Charlie.
Oh, as if I ain't done just as much, if not more than you
since we've left NQCC, Myles.
Ava, let me get Josh.
He's mine.
All right, hot take.
Briggs was right.
There's only room for so many people at the top of the mountain,
and it's clear that both of you have something to prove.
So instead of fighting over Josh Briggs,
what I want to see is Tavion Heights versus Myles Borne this Tuesday.
And may the best man win.
[Heights sighs]
[sighs]
May the best man win.
All right.
[Joseph] Who will be crowned champions?
DarkState has awoken the Brothers Hardy.
And with the tag team titles hanging in the balance, who will delete the other?
All four men are legal in this Broken Rules match.
Looks like Team Extreme got extreme.
-DarkState beat down, huh? -Yeah.
The heart has been riding real high after becoming double champ,
retiring the Dudleys.
Thought they was just gonna move on from us, huh?
Man, hell no!
You don't just move past DarkState, fool.
And them Hardys found out real fast
when they was splayed on the pavement last week.
The worst thing you could have done is single us out.
Now your little fun time's over.
We don't care that y'all are the greatest tag team of all time.
We are the here and the now.
And putting y'all down for good gonna make it a whole lot sweeter
when we those tag titles back at Halloween Havoc.
And then Saturday y'all gonna find out once again
when DarkState strikes ain't nothing--
[Matt] DarkState, oh, DarkState,
those are strong words from a powerful group of renegades like you,
but if you thought you caught The Hardys off guard
with what you did last week, you didn't.
-You're more naive than you realize. -[children chanting]
We have been around the block together, separate, teammates, rivals, man,
we have been through it all, man.
Hello.
We knew you weren't gonna go away after you lost the NXT title to us.
Dare I say, we knew you'd come.
[laughs maniacally]
And you sit there and think you have us exactly where you want us.
Vulnerable, weak.
[echoing] Broken.
But dare I say broken is where Brother Nero and I thrive.
[shouts]
Brother Nero!
I knew you'd come. [laughs]
State of dark, you have woken the Broken Hardys.
DarkState, you only broke us to make us stronger.
Our next encounter will be a Broken Rules match.
And a Broken Rules match has no rules.
Because in the Broken Universe…
[thunderclaps]
…anything is possible and everything goes.
[laughs]
DarkState, you'll simply fade away and classify yourselves as obsolete.
-Obsolete. -[whispering] Obsolete.
You are sentenced to deletion!
Delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete.
-Delete, delete, delete, delete, delete! -Delete. Ow!
-Delete! -[thunder rumbling]
[chattering]
["CHAOS" playing]
[bell dings]
[Rome] The following contest is a Broken Rules match
and it's for the NXT Tag Team Championship!
Introducing first, DarkState!
[Joseph] And again, in this Broken Rules match,
all four men will be legal.
No tags. Decision must take place inside…
the ring.
These men must be in a foul mood.
[Booker T] Of course they are, but I'm gonna tell you there's a lot of pressure,
a lot of pressure on DarkState.
I mean, they talk a lot, but can they walk it like they talk it?
That's the question.
What?
-[entrance music playing] -♪ Yeah! ♪
♪ I will delete you ♪
[exclaims]
[Rome] And their opponents, from the Hardy compound…
They are the TNA World Tag Team
and the NXT Tag Team Champions…
Broken Matt Hardy and Brother Nero,
the Broken Hardys!
[Joseph] It's important to note that the TNA Tag titles
are not on the line in this matchup.
But there you see Broken Matt, Brother Nero, they're more animalistic.
They're more primal, so to speak, when they have been re-awoken
-by the DarkState. -[Booker T] Matt and Brother Nero.
-Nero? Nero, right? -[Joseph] Yep.
-[Booker T] Let me tell you-- -[Joseph] What the hell?
[Booker T] It's not like anything that they ever seen before, I mean…
-[Joseph] You seeing his eyes? -Yes, I saw them.
You talking about the Shugar man? You talking about the Shugar man.
[Joseph] I was talking about what was on the monitor, that being Jeff Hardy's eye.
-I thought you were talking about-- -No, there's a lot going on.
There's six bodies, all right? I get you, Book.
I understand what you're saying.
Hardys competing on their first WWE premium live event since 2017.
[Booker T] This ain't nothing new though. This ain't nothing new.
[Joseph] Isn't it interesting though, before this gets underway,
first NXT premium live event.
[fans chanting] Delete, delete, delete!
One Nero!
[Joseph] And it's just crazy to think this is another first for these two
-who have had a Hall of Fame career. -[Booker T] It is.
It is another first, but Brother Nero and Matt,
these guys have been under the bright light many, many times.
They've defended their championships many, many times
and like I said, the pressure goes to DarkState, the young guys.
Look at them.
Up in the Hardys.
That's what this is all about.
[Joseph] Adrian Butler, the official, is gonna have his hands full
in this matchup.
[Booker T] We got Lennox
and Sugar man, uh, who we got?
Who we got in this match?
We got Osiris the Virus, who we got?
Have we got Cutler James?
-[grunts] -[Joseph] It doesn't matter who it is.
[Booker T] The Osiris.
[Joseph] Swinging on everybody, and again, all men are legal in this matchup.
And the Broken Hardys right now.
It does appear though, to your point, Osiris, Dion Lennox,
they will be the two for DarkState.
They're the same two the Hardys defeated for the championships.
And look, let's not forget,
DarkState attacked, which reawoken the Hardys.
You gotta admit that was a bad idea.
-[Booker T] You gotta understand-- -Come on, that wasn't a bad idea?
You gotta understand the Hardys, they need to understand these young guys,
DarkState, they don't give a damn about these veterans, man.
They don't care about the the lineage of the Hardys or anything like that.
They're looking to break the Hardys and take back the championships.
[Joseph] Some of the greatest hits right off rip
being played here by the Hardy Boys.
Broken Matt and Brother Nero dropping Osiris again into the cover.
All pins, any submission, any decision it's got to take place inside the ring
-to be victorious. -[Booker T] No rules.
-Who's this match's favorite? -[Joseph] Oh! Side effect.
[Booker T] It's gotta favor the Hardys.
[Joseph] I would agree with you. It's their match, right?
It's the Broken Rules match.
-Splash into the cover onto Lennox. -One!
-Hook of the leg and a kick out game. -Two!
-Same goes back to… Hey! -[fans cheering]
[Booker T] Anything goes. Don't start complaining now.
Don't start complaining.
You just said it a second ago.
This is their match. You said it.
[Joseph] I did say it, but Adrian Butler can't do anything.
It's all legal, like you just mentioned.
[Booker T] Look here, man. Look here.
Darks can't… [chuckles]
It's about that moniker I always talk about, right?
If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying right now.
It's about the championships.
It's about getting the gold back on the on the NXT brand.
And look here, I can respect that.
I can respect that.
[Joseph] Well, DarkState lost the titles to the Hardys at ShowDown.
[stammers] And look, I…
Look at all these bodies right now.
I mean, there's a lot of moving parts to what's going on in this matchup.
Is this the first time when it comes to DarkState
that they truly face any sort of adversity?
[Booker T] Yeah, I mean there's a lot of factors going to go into this matchup.
I mean facing a legendary team.
This crowd, of course, going to be behind the Hardys.
Coming in the challengers instead of champions,
under these bright lights here at Halloween Havoc.
A lot of factors are gonna come into play.
[Joseph] All right, he's eight-time WWE Tag team champion
showing you right now why.
First team to hold the NXT
and TNA Tag Team championships at the very same time.
Also the first TNA contracted wrestlers to hold NXT gold.
[Booker T] It says a lot about the Hardy's.
I mean, these guys got a lot left in their tank,
and right now they're proving it,
beating the hell out of Osiris as well as…
Dion Lennox. But you don't wanna piss off The Virus.
[Joseph] Well, you can do whatever you want to The Virus if you're beating it,
beating him down, if you're destroying him, if you're taking it to him to--
-[Booker T] Wow! -[Joseph] His size doesn't do too much.
-And look at Brother Nero, AKA Jeff Hardy. -One more time!
[Booker T] Oh, he is in a comfort zone right now.
-You can tell they are. -Oh, hell yeah, they are.
They're on cruise control right now in this matchup.
[Joseph] Back to the ring. Look at that.
Jeff to the outside taking out Shugar.
I wanna talking about what's going on inside the ring.
With a steel chair, assisted twist of fate.
A table snap on the far side.
[Booker T] The Hardys are taking DarkState…
-[Joseph] Covering… Oh! -…out tonight.
[Joseph] I think Cutler James has realized all the bodies were spilling around.
He was the only one standing.
He was the only one to saved this for DarkState.
[grunts]
[Joseph] Things really breaking down in this matchup.
[Booker T] And they are, but right now The Hardys
are still in total control
other than what's going on on the outside with the Shugar man.
-[Joseph] Oh! -Oh!
[Joseph] There's brother Nero coming right back. Great equalizer.
Oh, Shugar man is getting whooped right now and right back into James.
[Booker T] Look, it's gotta be the first time
DarkState have been in a position like this, in a matchup like this,
and they're definitely, you can tell they're out of their comfort zone.
[Joseph] Oh, 100%. I mean, that was the reason behind…
[fans chanting]
-…a Broken Rules match. -[Booker T] This is gonna be…
[Joseph] I'll take it one step further than you,
Book, you take a look at all the bodies that are around here…
[fan] Hey, man! Get his ass, man!
…not knowing how the hell can DarkState even prepare for a Broken Rules match.
[Booker T] You can't. You can't prepare for it.
But like I said, DarkState is four young guys
looking to make a a claim here at the WWE here at NXT,
and tonight they got, they got the biggest chance of their career.
Doctor Hardy is on. Doctor Hardy is on.
[Joseph] Well that's where we saw Osiris get wiped out
and that brought in Cutler James
right here in front of us to save this matchup for DarkState.
[Booker T] It's a handicap match right there.
[Joseph] This is a battle, and it's different.
It's not just Matt and Jeff, it's not the Hardy Boys.
It's the Broken Hardys.
They go to a different place.
We can see that.
They go to a different zone. You call it a comfort zone.
[grunting]
[Booker T] Seems like they're not worried about the numbers game at all.
Seem like they're willing to take the fight right to the DarkState
and I think this might be the first duo to take it to the DarkState like this.
[Joseph] And I mean, look at these unique tables coming out.
You don't think that has the Brother Nero touch?
[Booker T] It's Halloween Havoc, man.
-This is it. -[Joseph] And I also agree with you.
This is the first time someone that we can honestly sit here
and say DarkState are the underdogs.
They're not the favorite in this matchup. There's no way.
Like I say, losing a title, that's like like losing that cloak of invincibility.
And right now DarkState,
I'm looking over to my left, I'm looking at the Shugar man
and he's in dire straits right now, man.
[Joseph] What is on the mind of them?
Brother Nero, I mean, you've known Jeff longer than I have.
A lot of things go through his mind.
[Booker T] Never been willing to compete in a match like this
against the Hardys though.
Just not my cup of tea.
[Joseph] One would have assumed coming into this match
if that the Shugar man, as you call him,
who is the man who typically has the plan,
would have figured out the landscape of this matchup.
But it even seems his genius in some sort of way has been altered
because the Hardy Boys
-are in an altered state here tonight. -[Booker T] They're on cruise control.
They're on cruise control right now.
And they're taking it right to DarkState.
We're about to see something.
[Joseph] And, Booker, think about the two men right now
-that are laid across these tables. -[Booker T] Wait a minute.
They're not the two that are in the match.
[Booker T] Wait a minute, Victor.
[Joseph] The Hardys are looking to take out the equalizers right here.
[Booker T] Talking about taking it to the extreme.
-[Joseph] Right now! -[Booker T] Here we go.
Oh, my God, man!
[Joseph] A swanton table snap!
Followed by a second
from Broken Matt.
[fans cheering]
[Booker T] Double up.
[Joseph] That is one way to take out the competition.
Because you said at the start of this, Booker, did you not?
-"Oh, this is a handicap match." -[Booker T] Numbers game.
-That's what I said. -The number just got equaled out, right?
[Booker T] Numbers right now are definitely evened out right now.
Cutler James is down.
The Shugar man is down, but Dion Lennox, he's still in the fight, man.
And Dion Lennox, you gotta give this guy a lot of credit.
He's the one who put this thing together.
He's the one who put this whole DarkState thing together.
Came in like a choir boy and Dion just got dark all of a sudden.
-[Joseph] Yeah, he's… -You gotta love that.
[Joseph] He certainly did fly under the radar, so to speak,
but you also talk about the Hardys, no matter what state they're in,
they knew that it was gonna be a numbers advantage for DarkState.
They knew somehow some way they needed to create an opportunity
to isolate the other two members of DarkState
and Booker, they've done that.
This is back down to two-on-two.
And in this Broken Rules match again,
all four men are legal.
There are no tags that need to be made.
The decision though has to happen inside the ring.
-But right now, Lennox, right now Osiris… -[Booker T] Ah, yeah.
How much can the Hardys take at this stage of the game?
We're… That's… I think that's another question.
I think that's a valid question as well.
[exclaims]
[Joseph] They arrived at being DarkState in February.
Some would say that we're gonna learn a lot about them tonight.
And everything that they've learned over the last several months.
[Booker T] How much time have The Hardys put into this business?
[stammering] How many bumps can you take?
I mean, they always say you got only so many bumps on the bump card
and right there The Hardys, they got they gotta be damn close to it.
They got to be so close.
[Joseph] There sure are a lot of bumps being added to that card
right now in this moment
as the NXT universe trying to rally the Broken Hardys.
And look at Dion Lennox with no fear, went and grabbed the ladder.
Not many men would just go out and grab a ladder when facing the Hardys.
My big homie Kevin Nash, he would say it's about the money in the mouths.
How many mouths do the Hardys have?
-[Joseph] Booker, look! A power slam! -[Booker T] Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!
-[Joseph] To that ladder. -[Booker T exclaims]
How many bumps left?
How many bumps on the bump card does Matt have?
That's the question.
[Joseph] We talked about strategy.
How much energy did the Broken Hardys use wiping out the rest of DarkState
to make this back to just two on two.
Here's Osiris. and Len… Oh!
In a 3D.
Who was that a message to?
Hit and a cover.
-Left Matt Hardy's left shoulder up. -[Booker T] Don't even say it. [stammers]
They don't want none of this smoke.
Let's not… Let's let's not even go.
[Joseph] Let's talk about DarkState.
Four rogue men. We're on one-- Four men with one mission.
They don't want to wait their turn,
but Brother Nero right now is unloading, unleashing.
[Booker T] There's no quit.
There's no quit in B-roll.
-[Joseph] It's all legal. -[Booker T] This is legal.
[Joseph] And they're getting… [stammers]
-Getting a little maybe too close. -[groans]
You start talking about the Broken Hardys and what they've been thinking about.
[Booker T] Look at the welts.
[Joseph] Yeah, I was about to say, look at the welts on the body of Matt Hardy.
-Oh. -[Booker T] That's Dion Lennox, right?
That's a young man right there that's got a, a lot of adrenaline flowing
-through his body and… -[grunts]
he's not looking like he's ready to quit anytime soon.
He's ready to fight. I like it.
[Joseph] And that that may be the thing that saves DarkState in this matchup
is being able to go deep into this match,
going to find some more in the tank based on the facts.
[Booker T] Talking about that earlier with Je'Von Evans
when he came and I said you can bottle it.
You can bottle everything. I mean, I could use a little bit of it.
That's… That's Dion Lennox, a guy who's got enough blood to--
-[Joseph] Right into that side kick. -[Booker T] Oh, yes.
[Joseph] Again there's no rules in this Broken Rules Match.
Brother Nero just trying to pull himself up at this juncture.
[hosts exclaim]
[Booker T] Should've just stayed down.
Wow.
[fans chanting] NXT! NXT! NXT!
[crowd exclaims]
[Joseph] After everything we've seen here tonight at Halloween Havoc…
that collision could have been the scariest.
And this matchup continuing…
[Booker T] Could be the one that tips the scale, I can tell you that.
[Joseph] Gotta wonder somewhere Je'Von Evans, Leon Slater,
two men we saw open the night, the Hardy pupils,
they got to be around a monitor somewhere, looking on, watching this matchup
and right now watching the beat down that DarkState is giving.
-The Broken Hardys. -[Booker T] Let me tell you something.
It's a sellout in the back,
you know, with the boys at the monitor watching this match right here.
[stammers] It's a sellout, trust me.
[Joseph] And Hardy…
That brings Brother Nero right back in.
-[Booker T] Oh, yes. -[Joseph] Twist of fate.
[Booker T] Still got a lot left in the tank. At least a little bit.
-[Joseph] What is left in that tank? -[Booker T] Nero's going up top.
Oh, yes!
-[Joseph] Whoa. [exclaims] -[Booker T] Got all of it.
[Joseph] Three to the cover to retain the titles and…
[Booker T stammers] In the nick of time, right, the last second.
[Joseph] He was at the right place at the right time,
but, Booker, get ready for a little plot twist.
[Booker T] My God!
-[Joseph] Broken Matty-- -[Booker T] Double up!
[Joseph] Again all four men legal. Still not enough.
Tables.
[Joseph] And I-I don't know if…
I just saw what Matt did, but did Matt say go get more tables?
[Booker T] Create the noise, man. I think that's what this is all about.
Like I say, the-the Hardys are in a comfort zone right here.
Pain is their friend.
That's… That could be the difference right there, Victor.
[Joseph] Truly looking to put these hungry lions down.
As we've seen a lot of moments…
[Booker T] We were thinking about that earlier, the pain threshold
the Hardys are willing to go through that they're willing to take,
it's a little different.
It's a little different than anything that I've ever seen in this business
Just trust me on that.
[Joseph] Now you've been in the ring with them.
You shared a locker room with them, that being the Hardys,
but you never have shared the locker room with them in this state of mind.
[Booker T] No, I'm gonna tell you right now,
I do believe that Matt and Jeff Hardy are, uh, from a Seger's perspective,
both of those guys are highly talented, highly talented.
But this match right here, this is… this is something
they've invented this type of wrestling. They invented this.
[Joseph] That was the Swanton Bomb that did get the job done.
Plot twist.
Hardy Boyz started rocking again on all cylinders.
Give credit where credit is due to Dion Lennox,
but I want to go back to right before we saw that replay.
Sugar was starting to rise.
Matt Hardy realized it and quickly chucked that table,
chucked a table at another man, smacked him right in the face.
[Booker T] You know how you prepare for a fight
you don't know that's coming to you.
You can't do it.
You can't prepare for a matchup like this. Tables, ladders, get those sticks, chairs.
[Joseph] Then you start to wonder, does DarkState regret awakening these two,
because while they're laying out
and we can keep talking about how much energy is left,
does it look like broken Matt?
Does it look like Brother Nero are running out of energy right now, Book--
[Booker T] The Hardys look like two wild dogs right now. [chuckles]
It just… Just taking out Osiris.
I'm talking about just biting him every every inch of his body.
-Oh, yes, man. -[Joseph] Or they might've been biting,
but right now they are looking to feast.
The lengths Jeff is willing to go.
[Booker T] Nobody does it like Jeff Hardy.
Nobody does it like Jeff Hardy. Oh, my God, man.
-Here we go. -[Joseph] No!
[Booker T] Wow.
[Joseph] And that might have been the damnest table snap we've ever called.
The height Jeff Hardy just fell.
[fans chanting] This is awesome! This is awesome!
Brother Nero twitching 'cause there was no one.
Osiris has to be thanking his stars right now,
but Broken Matt's got realize this matchup's continuing.
This matchup-- Oh! Maybe not after that spinebuster.
-[Booker T] Beautiful spine. -[Joseph] Matt got that shoulder up.
Broken Matt continuing to fight, will not be deleted,
will not be defeated here at Halloween Havoc.
[Booker T] Matt's in dire straits right now though, Vic.
Right now he has nobody to help him, I mean.
Brother Nero is down and-and he's out. I think-I think he's out for the count.
[Joseph] I mean, we thought we saw a lot of that from the Day of the Dead Match.
The Broken Rules Match right now taking things as you've said to the extreme,
and Dion Lennox might be doing something we've never seen him do before.
[audience booing]
-But as you say… -[Booker T] Put the thing together.
[Joseph] …by any means necessary. Oh, Hardy!
Matt's starting to fight back.
Broken Matt now looking back, sees the table.
Lennox trying his best to fight, trying to fight right through.
[Booker T] Lennox's holding on to that top rope right there.
He's holding on tight.
[Joseph] And there comes Osiris in the last moment
trying to even things up, but Matt trying to fire right back, shot after shot,
forearm after forearm, beaten back.
Osiris, and there comes Lennox, and they get all four men legal
and there's that pack of dog mentality you talk about with these rogue athletes,
but take a look…
at the Broken Hardys continuing to fight
with their championships on the line.
I don't know how much more, uh, any of these men can take.
[Booker T] Matt Hardy's holding his own right now though
against DarkState right now.
Osiris trying to… trying to lure the boom, trying to do something to…
-to finish this thing but… -[Joseph] You know those body shots…
[Booker T] …Hardys won't quit.
[Joseph] Those body shots feel a little bit different at this stage of the match,
-do they not, Book? -Of course they feel a bit different,
but I'm gonna tell you,
the Hardys, I'm wondering what's keeping them up.
[fans chanting] Hardys! Hardys!
-Matt Broken! -[shouts]
[Joseph] And Jeff, in defiance, fighting back.
-But how much left? -Stand up!
After that nasty spill, Matt Hardy's tangled right now.
Broken Matt is tangled in the turnbuckle.
[Booker T] Lennox calling for something. I don't know what it is.
Lennox called for something, but what the hell?
What is this?
-[Joseph] Oh. -[Booker T] Doomsday Device on the table.
-What are we about to witness? -Doomsday Device over-- On the table?
Oh, yes.
[Joseph] A Doomsday table snap.
Matt can't move. Matt's tied up.
Brother Nero could be out
-and DarkState just recaptured the titles. -[bell dings]
[Rome] Here are your winners,
and a new NXT Tag Team champion
DarkState.
[Booker T] Wow.
A lot of unhappy people in the building tonight.
[Joseph] You can say that again, Booker, but also…
with this victory…
you got to talk about an ultimate power swing to DarkState.
[Booker T] Pendulum has shifted.
[Joseph] And you can go back to this Broken Rules Match,
and I think you can pinpoint this moment.
I think you can look at this exact moment in time
to saying this is where everything changed,
even the look on Broken Matt's face,
saying, "Oh my God," looking at his brother,
Matt would go at it two-on-one.
The big spinebuster, but Broken Matt, always is fueled, continuing to fight.
This one would continue, but as you called it…
-quite a Doomsday Device. -[Booker T] Yes.
-The welts on all these men's bodies. -[bell dings]
But in the end, we have new Tag Team champions.
What are you gonna do? We're DarkState.
[Joseph] And DarkState has dethroned and deleted the Hardys.
-[blows raspberries] -Oh.
-Oh, you're lying. -Nah. That's not right.
[groans] Hey, that was a war though, man.
It was, but I can't believe goofy ass DarkState got their toes back in.
I know, fam. I know it doesn't sit right, man.
-It doesn't sit right. -Hell no, it doesn't.
Of course it don't sit right.
Bro, bro, the OG said that they were gonna take care of business.
I know you reckon we should have had
-their backs out there or something? -No, no, no, no, no.
They said that they were gonna take care of business
-and we wasn't gonna do anything. -You're right.
-That's what we're gonna do. -Yeah, you're right,
but it's the numbers game, always the numbers game with these, man.
But that's not nothing new.
-I know. Hey, after-- -Hold on, hold on, wait.
We got unfinished business with DarkState after Bound For Glory, right?
I was just about to say it. Bound For Glory, bro.
-You're right. -Hey, what are you thinking, man?
Reckon we should jump them like they did us?
-Jump 'em like they did the Hardys? -No, no, no, no, no,
-We'll fire as the Tag Team, right? -Yes, sir. [chuckles]
So how about we go after those Tag Team titles?
-And get them where it hurts. -Yeah, yeah.
-I'm down for that, coz. -Exactly.
I'm down for that, hey. I can't lie though, bro,
I'm a little bit busy with the X-Division Title coming up,
but as soon as I'm free, I'm locked in on that, coz.
-You sure? -I'm locked in.
-All right. Say less, say less. -I'm locked in.
[Joseph] We saw the champion stand up to the Bougie Bully for herself,
for Wren for Evolve.
Well, in 72 hours. she'll put her Evolve Women's Title on the line.
Grey, Lash, one-on-one Tuesday on NXT.
These two men have had very similar past. Both hungry for more.
Who is striving to be the greatest?
Well, they're going to have a chance to meet on Tuesday.
Borne, Heights. May the best man win.
There'll be another women's title defended this Tuesday
as Kelani Jordan will put her TNA Knockouts Title up
against perhaps the best who have ever held it.
It's the Standout versus the Juggernaut live this Tuesday on NXT.
And who can beat the clock?
Will it be the speed of SmackDown's Axiom or the power of Jasper Troy?
It's the finals of the Speed Tournament to meet this man, El Grande Americano.
[Joseph, in English] Though Smackdown was last night,
Halloween Havoc is tonight and what a night it has been
since the very beginning.
New champions have been crowned.
The internet's still buzzing about Tatum Paxley.
What a night it's been,
but it's almost time for our main event matchup.
One championship still to be decided.
Two men that want to be at the top,
one for the glitz, the other for the prestige,
but there's only room for one.
Saints, Trick, for the NXT Championship.
Trick Williams. Let's talk about it.
You showed up in NXT and you had the NXT universe eating out of your hand.
You became the NXT North American champion, Iron Survivor.
You ushered in the whoop deck era when you became the NXT champion
not once but twice.
You were the first WWE superstar to cross the line and become a TNA champion.
[host] History has been made tonight.
You may have won gold, but you have lost the plot.
[Williams] Trick Williams is bigger than NXT.
I'm bigger than TNA and I'm Hollywood Trick.
[Joseph] It's Team NXT. It's Team TNA.
It is now four-on-two.
[Saints] It's been said you either die a hero
or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
[Joseph] Trick Williams is walking out unsafe.
No!
[fans] One, two…
-three! -[bell dings]
[Williams] What you don't seem to understand
is you're always the villain of someone else's story.
Ricky Saints. Let me give you the absolute truth.
You are salty that I made it to WWE
and accomplished everything you ever dreamed of
in a fraction of the time it even took you to walk in the door.
You had a WWE try.
[Saints] You can see it in my eyes
and you can hear it in my voice and you can feel it.
That's the passion, man. That's what I got.
But guess what, pretty Ricky? Your best just wasn't good enough.
So then you spend the next decade trying to prove everyone wrong.
You convince everyone that you're something special.
But we both know you're a knock-off,
bare minimum bargain basement Trick Williams, following my path.
Your first title, the NAC North American Championship.
Sounds familiar, huh?
Then the NXT Championship.
You waited until I physically dominated Oba Femi so you could swoop in
and take the title a few days later.
You're welcome for that.
This right here is what separates men from boys.
Men stay and fight.
My mother taught me that there is no reason to ever give up.
We didn't give up when Katrina took our home.
I didn't give up when WWE told me no.
I kept grinding. This is all I've ever gambled on.
There is no Plan B, unlike you,
you're only here because you couldn't cut it in the NFL or as a rapper.
You aren't worried about being champion, Trick.
You're too concerned about being famous
and that right there is the big, big difference.
To me, you were already ready to leave this place a long time ago, playboy.
I am the man that is the face of NXT.
It's my house because I am absolute Ricky Saints.
That's big talk for a little man.
[indistinct shouting]
[Williams] Tonight in the main event, I'm gonna show you how much of a man I am
when I reclaim my NXT championship.
[Saints] There's only one thing left to say.
[fan chanting, in English] Whoop that Trick!
["Locked In" playing]
[chanting] Whoop that Trick! Whoop that Trick!
-[Booker T] Uh-huh! -[fans chanting] Whoop that Trick.
[Booker T] That's right. Say what?
-Yeah. Uh-huh. -[chanting continues]
-I like it. Oh, yeah, man. -Let's talk about it!
[Booker T] Oh, yeah, man. Looking to step up in here tonight.
Take what's rightfully his,
and that is, you know what it is, the championship.
Looking to become what? What? Three times, three times…
NXT's Champion.
Stand up, stand up for this man.
-Uh-huh! -[Joseph] Can I ask you a question?
-[Booker T] That's right. Say what? -What do you want me to--
[Booker T] Uh-huh.
-[Joseph] Do you want me to do it now? -[Booker T] Oh, yeah, man.
-Oh, yeah, man. -[Joseph] I'd like to get your input--
[Booker T] 6'3", 258 pounds.
[Joseph] I want you to break down every--
[Booker T] Ropage stumping rage taking destruction.
-Look at him. -[Joseph] Never mind.
-[Booker T] Look at this man. -I'll just wait.
[Booker T] Chiseled and carved out of granite.
Oh, yes, man!
Now what you want to say?
[Joseph] I'll talk after the champion.
["Revolution" playing]
[Booker T] Ain't gonna say nothing.
[Joseph] You don't want to say anything, but this man said a lot this past Tuesday.
He spoke with passion, the desire to be the flag bearer for this brand,
to be the one that takes it into the next era,
to get on those flights, to do the media, to represent everyone, to be the champion.
[Booker T] What is the ensemble here
that Ricky Saints is wearing tonight? Is that from the movie Gladiator,
uh, 300, or Xerxes?
What the hell is going on here?
[Joseph] Oh, what's going on, Book,
is we're getting set for a main event here at Halloween Havoc.
[Booker T] Told me this dude was debonair. [chuckles]
You told me this guy flap and flavor, right?
-[Joseph] Let's go up to someone else… -[Booker T] What the hell is that?
…who's debonair, our ring announcer, Mike Rome.
[bell dings]
The following contest scheduled for one fall…
[fans] One Fall!
…is for the NXT championship.
Introducing the Challenger from Columbia, South Carolina,
weighing in at 240 pounds.
Trick Williams.
-[Booker T] There it is. -[Joseph] Way to be unbiased.
[fans chanting] Whoop that Trick.
[shouts]
And his opponent from New Orleans, Louisiana,
weighing at 210 pounds.
He is three NXT Champion
Ricky Saints.
[Booker T] Talk to me about the ensemble please.
-Can you tell me what the… [stammers] -This is it!
[Booker T] What does, uh… Describe… What does that mean?
[Joseph] I'm not here to talk to you about the ensemble.
I'm here to talk about the main event.
I'm here to talk about these two men who want to be at the top.
I mean, Michael Jackson would be proud right now.
- I mean, I mean… "Thriller." I mean. -[Joseph] Can you focus?
-I mean, "Thriller," Halloween. -[Joseph stammers] What do you--
[Booker T] Halloween. "Thriller." [chuckles] You know?
[Joseph] And Trick went after Rick.
Going right at the champion and look, Trick Williams rightfully so,
he's pissed off.
And what I wanted to ask you was, is there any truth to what Trick said
that Ricky Saints is jealous of him?
-[Booker T] Of course. -[Joseph] Whoa, whoa, whoa…
Tricky said I'm gonna put your ass through that table and he looked right over here.
Let's not forget it was Ricky Saints who embarrassed him.
You're going through that table.
[Joseph] It was Ricky who embarrassed Trick this past Tuesday,
when of course he planted him right through that kick.
-[Booker T] Oh, baby. -[Joseph] Oh, what a kick.
[Booker T] Trick Williams coming in here tonight
with a purpose, all right, with a vengeance,
and that's to take this young man…
He already told him, "Man, you too small."
You shouldn't even be in here with me. And now he's gonna make an example.
-I don't… Is Ricky running? -[Joseph] No, Ricky's not running.
Would you wanna go through a table, Book? The champion…
-[Booker T] Is Ricky running? -No.
Ricky Saints is getting back in the ring.
-Is Ricky running? -No, he's not running.
[Booker T] Would Ricky just run from a fight outside?
-Did I just see… -He's trying to create separation.
[Booker T] Are my lying eyes deceiving me.
-[stammers] Did I just see that? -[Joseph] I mean, you did get new glasses,
but I wouldn't think that your eyes are deceiving you
because no, he's the champion.
He's trying to get back into the ring. He's trying to create separation.
He was down. He had to figure out a way to get his wits about it.
[Booker T] I get it right now. Trick's on fire though.
Trick's looking to regain his championship
and I understand he's looking to bring the noise…
-[Joseph] Ricky's thrown to the outside. -[Booker T] I get it.
[Booker T] Oh, yes!
Oh, yes. Bring it to the woodshed, son, bring it to the woodshed.
[Joseph] Trick, come on.
Referee right now showing some leniency in this matchup.
[referee] Two!
Three!
[Joseph] Well, Trick can't figure out where Ricky went because one more time,
Ricky got the better of Trick Williams.
He did say he was smoother, he was silkier than Trick, and now Ricky Saints
finally getting into this fight, getting right on top of the Challenger,
Champion taking a right to him.
This is a man who again said, spoke with passion.
And are you surprised that this has gotten
-so personal between these two? -[Booker T] No.
No, I'm not. I mean, Ricky says he stepped in the innings
and became champion at a fast, fast pace
and trust me, a guy like Trick Williams, he don't like that.
[Joseph] Oh.
Trick called Saints a stand-in, almost as if he called them a placeholder.
How would that sit with you, Book, if a challenger came up to you
-and said, "Ah, you're in my place…" -[Booker T] Look here. Trick Williams…
[Joseph] You're my stand-by.
Trick is looking to make history here tonight, man.
You know it just like I do, to become three time NXT champion
and the only person that's standing in his way
is Ricky Saints, a guy who just came in here looking like he was… [stammers]
…a cast member in the movie 300. I mean, come on.
[Joseph] I get what you're saying, Book. Okay, I hear.
But is he more focused on embarrassing Ricky Saints
and mocking him, or is he more worried about winning the championship.
-[Booker T] Oh. [exclaiming] -Is he more worried about dancing?
[Booker T] Oh, watch yourself, son.
[Joseph] And he just got dropped for doing all that.
So what's he more worried about, Booker?
-[Booker T] Look here, man, I get it… -[Joseph] He got sent to the outside.
[Booker T] Ricky Saints is trying to stake his claim.
I mean, it's a fight or flight mode right here right now.
This right here though, this showboating,
this is what's gonna lose the championship for this man tonight.
I'm just saying, like I said, this showboating.
There it is.
There it is right there.
You better keep your eyes on the prize which is the NXT championship.
-That is such… break them down. -[Joseph] Hey, hey, hey. Okay.
Trick, are you more worried about putting it through a table or winning the title?
Where's your focus at?
-[Booker T] That's part of the agenda. -Get out of the way, Book.
[Booker T] You put it to the table that of course will weaken this young man.
[Joseph] Yeah. Could also… Whoa…
[stammers] Get turned right around and Trick right to the eyes
and Saints now right into that safety barricade.
[referee] Three!
[Joseph] And following up going shoulder first into the post. Trick again.
Trick just ragtagging this poor boy right now.
Trick is relentless and he's right back over here.
Ricky Saints right there in a whole lot of trouble and you know why don't you?
Because let's talk about it.
Let's talk about it.
Trick Williams is breaking the noise.
Oh, yes! Beautiful side kick.
-[Joseph] …to become a three-time champ. -Another side kick.
And a kick out. Let's not forget you want to talk about something.
Let's talk about Trick Williams walking out on NXT.
Let's talk about Trick Williams walking out on Ricky Saints at Showdown.
-[Booker T] You know why, don't you? -[Joseph] What?
[Booker T] You know why? You know why?
[Joseph] Tell me, enlighten me.
[Booker T] Because Trick Williams got that military mindset.
You know what military mind means, right?
That means money, that means money which goes with checks, championship.
That's what that is all about. That's Trick Williams, all right?
[Joseph] The NXT universe, no doubt who they are behind in this match.
[Booker T exclaims] Beautiful flapjack
[Joseph] Championship on the line into the cover.
[Booker T] Beautiful cover there too. Wait a minute.
Ricky Saints, looks like he… Is he…
He looked bruised there…
Wait a minute. Is he busted open a little bit?
[Joseph] Oh, referee doing his best right now.
I mean, let's talk about this for a second, Book.
Ricky Saints has been beaten around in the safety barricade to our left,
bounced off this announced desk how many single time?
Went into the steel post.
Trick came out the gates hot. Trick right now looking for a submission.
Trick, the first active superstar to hold a TNA title,
but does he care about legacy?
[Booker T] Of course he cares about legacy.
Does he? Because right now I see him more worried about trying to prove a point
-from Tuesday. -Legacy means
becoming three-time NXT champion.
Isn't that what legacy is all about? Isn't that what that is, right?
Huh? Becoming the greatest champion NXT has ever seen,
isn't that what it's all about? Huh? Talk to me. Huh? Let's talk about it.
[Joseph] Let's talk about you know what, I won't take that away, Book.
I won't take that away from Trick.
That's what he's looking to do, right? If he wins,
he could very well be the greatest NXT superstar of all time.
He called out the past of NXT before Homecoming.
He certainly could cement himself. Yes, you're 100% right.
[Booker T] It's not about the past. It's about the present. It's about the future.
It's evolution right here in the middle of this.
[stammers] We got the pleasure,
the privilege to be here watching it right here
in Halloween Havoc, in Prescott. In Prescott, baby. Come on.
[Joseph] We've seen the future since the very beginning.
TNA has been represented tonight.
AAA has been represented tonight and of course NXT with the biggest prize we have
-being… -[Booker T] Oh, baby!
-…defended in the main event. -[Booker T] Oh, baby got busted.
Oh, yes. Did he say he's got a little mouse over his right eye as well.
[Joseph] Taking another look, look at that blockbuster.
If he would've gotten the three, he would have been Hollywood.
And it would've been a three-time champion.
Something you did just say though.
You talk about the future.
Does this encounter, does this main event, Booker, in your opinion,
-dictate the future for this brand? -Of course he does.
I mean, Ricky Saints is doing something that he really needs to do.
Let's go out here and defend this championship against Trick Williams
tonight because they say if you don't defend, you're truly not a champion.
-Is that what they say? -I mean, you've been a champion.
I'll take your credit.
-I see what you're saying. -If you don't defend,
you're not truly a champion. That's what this thing is all about.
[Joseph] This is his first defense of the title.
[Booker T] Exactly my point.
[Joseph] How difficult is that first defense?
[Booker T] It is. It's very, very difficult.
That's why I say like I said, you-you just a placeholder
just like Trick Williams said.
You're just holding something for me until you get that first,
that first time defense, and right now Ricky hadn't done that.
[Joseph] Well, it's been all Trick Williams.
And you talked about the body. Oh, Ricky Saints turning things around.
[Booker T] That's reversal. That's reversal, that Ricky Saints.
[Joseph] I see what you mean.
I just looked up from the monitor. I saw Ricky's face.
I wonder if that goes back to when he went face first into the post.
So much has been taken out of the champion who's showing you his grit,
who's showing you his determination, who's showing you the toughness
-that it takes to be champion-- -[Booker T] Oh!
-See that? -[Joseph] Punch to the throat.
[Booker T] Right to the medulla. Oh, yes.
[Joseph] That neck breaker into the cover championship on the line
and we do not quite have three-time Trick yet.
[Booker T] Some type of aggression in Trick Williams tonight.
You can see it, man. You can sense it and feel it.
[Joseph] I mean, you can feel that kick as well and then, bam.
And Trick knows the champion has never lost at this event
because he was a champion last year when he defended it successfully,
I might add in the Devil's Playground. Well, there's a whole new version of hell
Trick is trying to unleash tonight and he's trying to cinch in this submission.
[Booker T] Beautiful front face lock there applied by Trick Williams to take out
all the oxygen out of Ricky Saints' body at this moment.
[Joseph] It's been a very vocal, very fired up NXT universe,
and one more time Trick right in front a step ahead of the champion…
[exclaims] …and caught,
and the Challenger is now down and this could be a big point,
almost a turning point for Ricky Saints.
-Could… -[Booker T] Could be.
[Joseph] Booker, I hate to say, he hasn't gotten out of the block.
[Booker T] Could be. I mean, Rick Saints just landed that big drop right there
Trick actually landed on the left shoulder, so hopefully…
Hopefully there's not that much damage for Rick and Trick can still stay
in this fight, but right now, Ricky Saints is on the move.
[Joseph] On Saints, there's a little extra on that. It's Saints.
Looks like a man who talks the talk.
He's backing it up by walking the walk. With a little extra.
Right into that Russian leg sweep.
But Trick's the first man back up.
[Booker T] A lot of flash here from Ricky Saints.
I'm wondering how much substance this kid is gonna have later on in this matchup
when it really gets serious, because right now he's still showboating.
He's still showboat a little too much for me, Victor.
[Joseph] After a series of clothes line just dropped trick, champion to retain
and didn't quite yet, and I thought coming into this matchup.
-[audience boos] -Ricky might have an edge.
He might have an edge mentally against Trick
'cause he knows that he beat a man that Trick couldn't,
that being Oba Femi, and we haven't seen Oba since that loss to Ricky Saints.
But the champion right now,
that adrenaline might have just wore a little thin.
And Saints taking a big… took a big risk,
him landing on his feet rolling right through, right back up, and oh, my.
[Booker T] Got caught, got caught. Got caught big time.
-[Joseph] Into a… -[Booker T] Oh, yeah!
[Joseph] And you got to imagine the pain shooting through the back of Ricky Saints.
You can see the agony on the face of Ricky Saints in this moment.
Game playing in the playbook that this young man Trick Williams is coming into
this ring with tonight is impeccable. Right now he has the perfect strategy
to go out here and beat Ricky Saints.
[Joseph] Ricky was so close,
but Trick walking right back into the center of the ring.
Trying to sit down and look right when
Ricky thought he was about to break the hold
Trick just started stomping away.
That shows the maturity in Trick Williams. And Trick…
[Booker T] It's all about the playbook.
It's all about the game plan and right now Trick Williams is executing.
-Oh, yes, that's it. -[Joseph] First with the full body,
then with the rock bottom and a near fall.
[Booker T] A bookend. It was a bookend. He went down to the knee.
That was the bookend.
[Joseph] Well, it was not the end of the match. It was not the end of the night.
It was not the end of the reign of Ricky Saints, because Saints right now,
if he's breathing, he's fighting.
It's a cradle.
-It's like… -[Booker T] Oh, baby.
Trick knows…Trick knows the ramifications of this match.
I mean, that right there was a slick move by Satan
you're going to need more than that to beat this man.
Here we go, here we go…
Man…
[Joseph] A little bit of an attitude adjustment, some would say.
Still not able to put Ricky Saints away, but you start to see Trick taking in
some deep breaths right now at this point of the match.
As much as we want to talk about the other champions,
we got to highlight Trick Williams.
Trick Williams was fighting for two brands,
-was the champion… -[Booker T] Double champ. Champ, champ.
…was the champion of TNA,
was also trying to once again become the champion of NXT.
He was saying that he was a man carrying two brands.
-[Booker T] I mean, come on. [stammers] -I'm not taking away it away from him.
[Booker T] Isn't that carrying two damn brands?
[Joseph] On his plate this summer and that has brought us to here.
That has brought us to this October night at Halloween Havoc.
[Booker T] Just slap the taste out of Ricky Saints's mouth.
[Joseph] Oh, kicked the taste out of his mouth too.
Jumping neck breaker didn't connect.
Saints a little bit too quick, now a little bit too smooth.
Crucifix pin didn't get the job done roll right through into a cross face.
Cross face submission and now there's nowhere for Trick to go
[Booker T] Gotta fight, Trick. You gotta fight, the pain's on.
[Joseph] Let's see if Trick knows the awareness of where he's at in the ring.
His long limbs so close to the rope behind him with his foot.
Trick though trying to turn.
Trying to turn his body, maybe trying to turn his weight,
and right now just trying to navigate a different way to get to that bottom rope.
-He's got to alleviate the pain right now… -No, no.
This is just what you bite down on your mouthpiece right now, Trick Williams.
-So close. There he is. -[referee] Where's the hold?
One, two… Break it! Three! You gotta break it.
[Booker T] Look at the eyes on Ricky Saints.
-[referee] Four. Breaks the hold. -[commentators chattering]
[Booker T] I mean, he just looks defeated.
We looks defeated.
[Joseph] It could be moments away and…
That is what you're fighting for, Trick.
You're looking… you're fighting for history.
You have a three-time champion.
Oh! Ricky realized it.
And I don't know if the title went back into the face of Trick or not.
-But Ricky… Oh! Ricky got caught. -[Booker T] Oh, big shot, big shot.
-Book him. -[Joseph exclaims]
My! And quickly though.
Of the… whatever the hell you wanna call it, Book.
Got Rick Saints back into the ring.
-Trick shot. -[Booker T] Trick shot. That's it, man.
[Joseph] For history.
-The kick out. -[Booker T] What?
-[Joseph] Don't you start celebrating. -[Booker T] What the hell?
-What the hell? -[audience booing]
[Joseph] You didn't see it.
Take another look at it. There was that Trick shot.
-After pointing… -[Booker T] There's a three-count!
-[Joseph] It was not. -[Booker T] What the hell?
[Joseph] Saints is showing you what it means to be champion.
He's showing you how bad he wants it.
He's showing you how bad he wants to be the leader of this brand.
He wants to carry this brand.
He wants to wave the flag for this brand every single week,
no matter where we are across the globe.
But Trick Williams again this time counter…
[Booker T] Oh, beautiful counter there by Ricky Saints.
[Joseph] Trick Williams right back up.
-Ricky coming right back… -[Booker T] Whoa.
…delivering a massive clothesline.
Both men down, but I even have to admit, if you're talking about worse for wear,
it's gotta be the champion.
[Booker T] Ricky Saints has to be a dire straits right now.
Trick Williams has to be a little bit less worse for wear
than the champion Ricky Saints.
[Joseph] This is our main event of Halloween Havoc for the NXT Championship,
the Women's Championship has changed hands.
The NXT Tag Team championship has changed hands,
and Trick Williams, if he can win tonight,
if he can win the title from Ricky Saints, will make history.
[Booker T] There he is, there it is. You said the optimal word, history.
Trick Williams has a chance to make history here tonight
and he's fighting tooth and nail for it. I love it.
[Joseph] But Saints fighting as well
fighting to stay champion fighting to stay on top,
something he has been trying to do for over a decade.
Everything that's come his way,
everything he's had to fight through, not just him,
his family throughout life.
[Booker T] Capoeira! Capoeira kick.
[Joseph] And… Oh! Trick got… Trick countered Saints.
-Trick countered Saints. -[Booker T] Oh, man.
[Joseph] Again close and… Oh, big pump kick from Trick rocking Saints.
Champion now, getting hoisted by the challenger.
Only one place to go and… Oh!
Book, that was counter almost like a stun dog millionaire.
Saints coming right back in. Spear!
[Booker T] Oh, got all of it. Got all of it.
[Joseph] He got all of it and then some
and then with the top rope assistant, Tornado DDT.
-Saints weathers the storm and retains. -[Booker T] Oh.
[Rome] Here's your winner, and still NXT champion,
Ricky Saints.
[Joseph] You can give that man credit
for everything he just overcame in this match.
-[headset clatters] -Booker threw his headset off.
Well, you could be angry, Book, because our champion is still one man,
that man is Ricky Saints.
And I take nothing away from Trick Williams.
In this matchup, Trick showed a different side of himself.
Trick brought it tonight,
but Ricky Saints, I think, answered a few questions
that those may have had about him throughout this match.
This was right after Ricky got put through our announced table,
that trick shot which has put down so many, which has made Trick a champion
multiple times on two different brands,
but it wasn't enough to keep Ricky Saints down.
And Saints to first hit that spear
and then, off the top, boom, a thunderous DDT.
-One, two, three. -[bell dings]
[Joseph] To retain his title.
And through all the smoke, once it clears, there's one thing for certain.
That's for the man we're looking at. Saints is no stand-in.
He is the headliner. He is the champion.
He is the absolute measuring stick of NXT.
[cheering]
Excuse me, Tatum Paxley, congratulations. You're the new NXT Women's champion.
-Yeah, I know. -What an amazing night.
-What does this moment mean for you? -This is the biggest night of my life.
-This is the best I've ever… -We are so proud of you, Tate.
Tatum, you brought home gold to The Culling.
-Yes! -Let's go.
What are your intentions going back out there?
Spider lady, do not make this about me.
Don't take away from Tatum's moment. She's our new NXT Women's champion.
[both scream]
If you guys thought that NXT was already crazy,
it's gonna get even crazier next Tuesday. [screams] XT Women's champion.