NXT took place at the Capital Wrestling Center in Orlando Florida. The show featured matches such as the in ring debut of LA Knight and Dexter Lumis took on Austin Theory. Plus, the NXT Champion Finn Balor was scheduled to kick off the show.
[lawrence-related id=1193391]The show kicked off with Finn Balor in the ring. He names the people he has beaten lately and says he has been waiting for Karrion Kross. He says Kross’ time will be up at Stand and Deliver. Kross and Scarlett came out to the ring. Kross tells Finn now that they handled their separate affairs, it’s only the two of them. He tells Finn the entire world needs to know who is better between them. Finn tells him that he walks like a champion but he is the real champion and doesn’t have what it takes to beat him. Kross says he promises Finn will know exactly what it feels like when he chokes him out. Finn says Kross will know what it feels like to be in the main event and choke. Scarlett says that this all happens for a reason. She hypes up the match until Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan interrupted. They say Finn should be wrestling Pete Dunne. They say they know Pete could beat him and Pete could beat Kross too. They say Pete will be NXT Champion. Scarlett says it’s moments like this that their tag titles will be on the line against Finn and Kross. She tells them they know what they can bring to the table and wouldn’t stand the word coward being associated with them. Burch and Lorcan accept the challenge. Scarlett says every moment happens for a reason and Finn can’t change fate.
.@ONEYLORCAN & @strongstylebrit are NO cowards! They'll defend the #WWENXT #TagTeamTitles against @FinnBalor & @WWEKarrionKross TONIGHT on @USA_Network! @Lady_Scarlett13 pic.twitter.com/4jpbVZnrCK
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 18, 2021
Austin Theory talks to Gargano and Candice on face time asking where they are. They say they are home and tells Theory that they want him to finish Lumis on his own. Gargano tells Theory that he needs to face his fear. Theory agrees and goes out to the ring for the match.
Dexter Lumis Defeated Austin Theory
Will the therapy sessions for @austintheory1 pay off and help him to victory over @DexterLumis? #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/XSbUsUwcB3
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
CC: @indi_hartwell #WWENXT @DexterLumis @austintheory1 pic.twitter.com/gOpr5GXBAL
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
McKenzie was outside Regal’s office to get a word with him but Ciampa interrupted saying that he wants her to ask Imperium if they’ve seen Alexander Wolfe lately. He says they will find out tonight they messed up when he faces Wolfe in the ring.
Adam Cole was in the ring as the came back from break. He say Kyle O’Reilly made the biggest mistake of his life last week. He says Kyle is jealous of him because he will never be as successful as him. He tells Kyle he has signed his death warrant. He says he is not leaving until Kyle gets in the ring to fight him. Regal came out saying Kyle damaged his neck more so he’ll be out further. Regal said he banned Kyle from coming into the building tonight. Kyle showed up on the screen saying he is not medically cleared but he was happy with what he did to him last week. He says he can’t wait to get his hands on Cole again. Kyle says he doesn’t know what he is going to do to him but he will find him. Cole says he will find Kyle first as he walks out.
.@KORcombat and @AdamColePro are looking for each other…but who will find who first?! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/A3rofA2ZGs
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
They recap Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon winning the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship last week.
Shotzi and Ember was interviewed about last week. They say they are psyched. Ember said she came back to NXT to win gold and that’s what she did. Robert Stone along with Jessi Kamea and Aliyah interrupted to challenge them for the titles next week. Ember and Shotzi accept. Ember tells Robert his suit sucks as they leave.
Jordan Devlin was shown arriving at the Capital Wrestling Center.
Look who just arrived to the Capitol Wrestling Center. ๐ฎ๐ช #WWENXT #NXTUK @Jordan_Devlin1 pic.twitter.com/9GDMTTAVxZ
— NXT UK (@NXTUK) March 18, 2021
Legado Del Fantasma Defeated Breezango
Santos talked trash on commentary about Jordan Devlin and asked where he is. Jordan’s music hit and he came out to the ring. Jordan tells Santos this is what a real champion looks like. He says he told Santos he was going to call him out and he doesn’t need two stooges with him either. Legado Del Fantasma was about to attack but Santos stops them. Santos gets in the ring. Devlin tells Santos to dump that fake title in the trash because the real champ is back. Santos says he has redefined what it takes to be a champion and proved he is the champ time after time. He tells Devlin that everyone forgot he had the title. He challenges Devlin at Stand and Deliver to prove he is the real champion and settle it. Devlin landed a head butt and a tear drop suplex on Escobar. Devlin escaped as Legado Del Fantasma went to attack him.
.@Jordan_Devlin1 had a huge response to the challenge laid down by @EscobarWWE! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/mWQMjWYtH5
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
Adam Cole was interviewed as he was leaving the Center and was asked if he is concerned about what Kyle had to say. Cole says he will leave the building when he finds Kyle he will do exactly what he is going to do. He promises that he will end Kyle.
A video promo for the newest female competitor Sarray is shown.
A new warrior will rise. โ๏ธ @SarrayWWE is coming to #WWENXT. #WeAreNXT pic.twitter.com/JyLgQGWh15
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 18, 2021
Dakota Kai Defeated Zoey Starks
Dakota and Raquel taunt Zoey after the match until Io Shirai confronted them in the ring with a contract in her hands. She says she wants Raquel and gives her the contract. She leaves the ring and helps Starks to the back.
.@shirai_io wants @RaquelWWE to do one thing, and that's sign the contract! #WWENXT@DakotaKai_WWE @ZoeyStarkWWE pic.twitter.com/UuoiKdhgAD
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
Regal was interviewed about Jordan Devlin until a producer needed Regal fro something. He leaves to go with the producer.
The Grizzled Young Veterans were in a video promo saying what MSK did to them last week was a big mistake and they will not forgive them for it. They say they will not like where this going to go for MSK next.
Imperium were in the ring for a match until Ciampa hit Aichner with a chair. He attacks Barthel before the match as well until the bell rings as they got in the ring.
Tommaso Ciampa Defeated Marcel Barthel
Imperium’s music hit after the match. Walter came out to the ring to confront Ciampa. The two went face to face until the rest of Imperium attacked them. Ciampa fought them off but Walter landed a vicious chop to the chest. They beat Ciampa down and Walter powerbombs Ciampa on the mat.
The #NXTUK Champion @WalterAUT has arrived to #WWENXT and with #Imperium by his side, sends a strong message to @NXTCiampa! @Marcel_B_WWE @FabianAichner pic.twitter.com/xh7oqnet4m
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
In the parking lot, cameras show Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly getting arrested. Cole says Kyle tried to run him off the road. Cole and Kyle scream at each other as Regal tried to get cameras away from the crime scene.
This hostility is truly getting out of control. #WWENXT @AdamColePro @KORcombat @RealKingRegal pic.twitter.com/TuTo52aJVj
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 18, 2021
LA Knight was preparing for his match backstage saying everyone is about to find out why he is a superstar.
During the match with LA Knight, Bronson Reed came out with Knight’s jacket. Bronson ripped it apart.
LA Knight Defeated August Gray
#LAKnight makes his impressive debut on #WWENXT against @AugustGreyWWE!
@TheEliDrake pic.twitter.com/YCx9FnlCMQ
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
Raquel Gonzalez was interviewed about her confrontation with Io. She says Io’s title run has an expiration date and made a big mistake handing her the contract. Dakota Kai tells Raquel that next week they are in a tag match against Io Shirai and Zoey Starks. Raquel says she can have Io whenever she wants. Kai tells Raquel they need to remind the women’s division who runs the place.
A vignette for Tian Sha was shown.
.@XiaWWE sends a strong warning to the rest of #WWENXT!@FearTianSha @Bigboawwe pic.twitter.com/ux4gOaZkQe
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
Regal was approached in the parking lot about what happened between Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole. He says everything is out of control and hopefully they drop the charges on Cole and O’Reilly. He says he will have a solution to their situation.
Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan Defeated Finn Balor and Karrion Kross
Kross attacked Lorcan after the match. Kross turned his attention to Balor after Balor accidentally knocked Scarlett down during the match. He beat Finn down and put him in the choke until Scarlett stopped him. She helped Finn up but then Kross landed a shot on Finn to the back of the head. Scarlett reminds Finn that everything happens for a reason and he can’t escape fate. The show ends with Kross and Scarlett standing tall over Finn who is knocked out.
Is this a preview of what @WWEKarrionKross could do to @FinnBalor at #NXTTakeOver: Stand & Deliver? #WWENXT@Lady_Scarlett13 pic.twitter.com/ZvRNpG3sSf
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
She told us earlier in the night, "๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐."#WWENXT @Lady_Scarlett13 @WWEKarrionKross @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/mwAAiAatMT
— WWE (@WWE) March 18, 2021
Overall Review: The show was really good in terms of helping build towards NXT TakeOver: Stand And Deliver. The matches were pretty solid including the first match between Lumis and Theory that had story going into it. Lumis beating Theory was what was expected so no complaints there. The opening segment though was good but having Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan come out to say that Pete Dunne should face Finn didn’t make sense. I know they were trying to give them a reason to set up the tag title match for later on in the night but did they forget that Finn already beat Dunne at the last TakeOver? The main event tag title match was okay but I don’t think they should’ve had Finn get pinned the way he got pinned. They should’ve just done the whole Scarlett incident the way they did then Kross snaps at Finn and everyone else to get themselves disqualified that way Burch and Lorcan retain. Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly’s segments were really great especially the scene of them getting arrested. We’ll see where that goes. Jordan Devlin and Santos Escobar’s confrontation was what it was and clearly they are setting up for these two to face at TakeOver to determine who is the real Cruiserweight Champion so that was expected. Zoey Starks and Dakota Kai had a really good match. This was all though to have Io give Raquel the contract for their eventual match for the Women’s title so again was what it was. LA Knight’s debut was really good. The whole thing with Bronson Reed pulling a Chris Farley with the big guy in a little coat gag from Tommy Boy was pretty funny however it would’ve been better if they did this after Knight got the victory. That’s just me though.
Grade: 6/10
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