The show opens with new NXT North American Champion Tony
D’Angelo seated in the ring at a table with a red
tablecloth. His newly won title is propped up on the table
next to a glass of wine. A lone spotlight shines down on
“The Don” as he begins the show with an opening monologue.
D’Angelo says he wants to toast his glass to the former
champion, the man who D’Angelo says broke him. D’Angelo goes
on to say he baited Oba Femi, and D’Angelo used his pride
against him. Tony D. then did the unthinkable and beat Femi
for the title.
As “The Don” lifts his glass in a toast to Oba Femi, the
theme song for the former champion blares over the loud
speakers. Oba Femi enters the sound stage to confront Tony
D’Angelo. After the entrance of Femi, the house lights are
up as D’Angelo stands in the ring to meet Femi. Flanking
Tony D. are Channing Lorenzo, Adriana Rizzo and Luca
Crusifino.
Femi has to admit that D’Angelo got him. Femi congratulates
D’Angelo on winning once, but it will not happen again. Femi
says he is reclaiming his title at Halloween Havoc, and Femi
adds that The Family will not be there (meaning they are
likely barred from ringside). Femi exits the ring, and goes
to the spin the wheel, and make the deal.
The wheels stops on TLS, which is Tables, Ladder and Scares.
I get it, because of Halloween and all, but did they really
need a silly name for such a serious rematch. Then again, I
get scared for the wrestlers’ safety during most TLC
matches, so maybe “scares” is more accurate.
Byron Saxton interviews Oro Mensah, ahead of the Gentlemen’s
Duel. Lexis King interrupts Mensah, and King continues the
pompous gimmick. King promises the best man will win.
Stephanie Vaquer defeated Wren Sinclair (with No Quarter
Catch Crew)
Vaquer pinned Sinclair after a her finisher where she does a
package piledriver into an ushigoroshi. Vaquer looks strong
in her television debut, but Sinclair got some time to
shine. Sinclair even got a near fall, but Vaquer cuts off
Sinclair and catches her with a dragon screw. From there,
they go home into the finish.
Vaquer got to showcase a lot of her offense, as this was
character development for Vaquer. The live studio audience
was receptive to her, and even more so after the angle that
followed the match.
NXT Champion Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade run down to jump
Vaquer. They begin to pummel and stomp Vaquer, when Giulia
runs down for the save. Giulia fights off the heels, as
Vaquer joins her in clearing the ring of the heel duo. Perez
& Jade powder, but a tag match seems near. Vaquer would go
on to issue the challenge for the match at Halloween Havoc.
NXT Champion Trick Williams chats backstage with NXT Women’s
North American Champion Kelani Jordan, and they are overly
friendly with each other.
Lexis King defeated Oro Mensah in a Gentlemen’s Duel match
King pinned Mensah with a cradle bridge. The rules of this
gimmick match includes the old NWA rule where a wrestler
cannot throw their opponent over the top rope. Also, a three
count rule instead of a five count. No fighting on the
floor, and they cannot strike their opponent on when they
have four points of contact on the mat.
Although it was his own rules, they teased King being
disqualified for almost throwing Mensah over the top rope.
This was a pretty good match with the rules in place. For
the finish, Mensah blocks The Coronation, and Mensah gets a
near fall with a crucifix. King escapes and uses his feet to
cradle Mensah, and King bridges into a pinning combination.
The ref counted three, and Mensah wins the match.
Cedric Alexander & Je’Von Evans are chatting backstage with
the NXT Tag Team Champions, Nathan Frazier & Axiom. In walks
Wes Lee to interrupt, and gets into an argument with Evans
ahead of them meeting in the triple threat main event.
After a commercial break, the show comes back with a series
of video packages and plugs. Nikkita Lyons is the focus of a
hype video. Her opponent tonight, Lola Vice, gets an
entrance before the show cuts again to a commercial break.
The entrance of Lyons comes after the break, in what is
Lyons return bout on NXT television.
Nikkita Lyons defeated Lola Vice
Lyons pinned Vice, thanks in large part to interference by
Jaida Parker. Although Lyons won, the heat was more on
Parker, as Vice against Parker is an ongoing program.
Just before they go home, Vice fires up with a series of
kicks. Vice signals and executes a hip attack. In runs Jaida
Parker to interfere. Parker distracts Vice, and Vice knocks
Parker off the ring apron. The distraction allows Lyons to
hit Vice with a superkick. At ringside, Parker hits Vice
with a hip attack. Vice is rolled back into the ring, where
Lyons executes a Vader splash. Lyons then covers Vice for a
pinfall.
Meeting with NXT GM Ava in her office is Stephanie Vaquer
and Giulia. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley &
Jaxmyn Nyx) barge in to interrupt them. Ava offers a North
American title match to Fatal Influence if they can beat
Vaquer & Giulia in a match next Tuesday. Fatal Influence
agree. Freebird rules I guess, as we do not known which two
of Fatal Influence will face Vaquer & Giulia.
Riley Osborne gets a full entrance with Thea Hail, and the
show cuts to commercial. Enjoy while you can, kid. Ridge
Holland arrives after the show returns from the break, and
he proceeds to pummel Osborne.
Ridge Holland defeated Riley Osborne (with Thea Hail)
Holland pinned Osborne in a decisive win. A post-match
beatdown by Holland leads to the surprise return of Andre
Chase. He runs in to make the save.
Osborne strikes before the bell, as he dives on Holland
during Holland’s entrance. It was all downhill for Osborne
from there, but he looked good in the ring while putting
over Holland. Setting up the finish, Holland does a
gutwrench into a Sid Vicious powerbomb. Holland then hoists
up Osborne for the Redeemer DDT, and Holland easily covers
Osborne for a pinfall.
Osborne got some hope spots, and he also executed a tornado
DDT on the floor. They fought near the announce desk, which
would foreshadow a key moment in the post-match attack.
Holland would attack Osborne again after the bell. Holland
is pummeling him, and Holland teasing putting Osborne
through the announce desk. Suddenly, Andre Chase runs down
and is a house of fire. Chase sends Holland packing, and
Chase sends Holland out of the ring.
Byron Saxton is interviewing Tatum Paxley, and they are
discussing Paxley’s feud with Wendy Choo. Jaida Parker,
flanked by OTM, interrupt the interview, and she steals
Saxton away for a promo of her own. Parker is cutting a
promo on Vice when Paxley takes exception to Parker’s
interruption. This would seem to set up a match between the
two.
Brooks Jensen (with Shawn Spears) defeated Ashante “Thee”
Adonis
Jensen pinned Adonis after a draping DDT and a few
distractions. Karmen Petrovic causes a distraction at
ringside, and Shawn Spears also interferes to set up the
finish.
This match itself was set up earlier in the show with a skit
where Jensen stomps on roses that Adonis had given to Karmen
Pertrovic. She appears at ringside during the match with a
bag. Petrovic empties the bag on the ring apron, and the
tattered rose pedals fall out. This distracts Adonis, and
ultimately costs him the match. But maybe he at least has
romance with Petrovic, who appears to be turning heel.
For the finish, Adonis is already distracted by Petrovic as
he climbs the turnbuckles. Spears jumps on the apron and
grabs the top rope, which trips up Adonis. He is crotched on
the top turnbuckle, and Jensen strikes with a draping DDT.
Jensen then covers Adonis for a three count.
Another video package hypes the arrival of DELTA, although
she is still not identified by name.
Lexis King is gloating about his win tonight with Charlie
Dempsey and company. King passe by Tony D’Angelo and The
Family. Luca Crusifino wants to face Oba Femi in a singles
match, and “The Don” gives his blessing to the match.
Iyo Sky & Kairi Sane against Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend in
a tag team match is announced for next Tuesday on NXT.
Another women’s tag match is confirmed for next week, with
Giulia & Vaquer teaming against two members of Fatal
Influence.
Ethan Page defeated Je’Von Evans and Wes Lee in a triple
threat number one contender’s match
Page steals a pin from Evans, and Page pins Evans in the
process. Clever finish to put heat on Page, while keeping
Evans strong. Lots of action and other clever spots, albeit
at a rapid pace. Page ambushes Trick Williams in a post-
match angle where they spin the wheel.
Just before the show is cutting to its final commercial
break, Page backdrops Lee on the announce desk. Page is
proud of himself, thinking he is clever. All of a sudden,
Evans comes flying over the top rope to wipe out Page with a
dive. The show cuts to commercials as Evans takes his turn
to boast.
The fast-paced high spots continue when the show returns
from the break. Page begins to run roughshod on both Lee and
Evans. Page gets a near falls where Lee flew in to break up
the count. Lee soon some time to shine, as gets a near
falls. That leads to the studio audience starting a “N-X-T”
chant.
All three fall for a triple down. The studio audience again
start “N-X-T”, along with some “fight forever” because why
not?
Evans leaps to the top rope to execute a great Spanish Fly.
Evans springs off the ropes to deliver a jumping kick for a
close near fall. Evans gets another near fall on Lee, after
a springboarding into a cutter.
They set up a Tower of Down as they go home. Evans sticks
the landing. After landing on his feet, Evans boots Page out
of the ring with a superkick. Evans then leaps off the top
rope with a tornillo splash. Evans seemingly has victory in
his grasp when Page jumps in to roll-up Evans with a cradle
for a three count. Page steals the pinfall, and becomes
number one contender in doing so.
Page cuts a promo after the match, when Page calls out NXT
Champion Trick Williams. Out comes Williams to face off with
Page. They spin the wheel to make the deal. The wheel stops
on “Devil’s Playground” for their rematch. So whatever that
means. Weapons I am sure, and no disqualification. Another
serious rematch is made silly with a cheesy gimmick match,
and this one happens to involve the brand’s top men’s
championship. I guess it is still for a good cause, which is
a Halloween-themed PLE.
Trick is cool with the gimmick match, and he poses with the
NXT title. Page cheap shots Trick and waylays him with a
lighting fixture. Page grabs the title belt and stands over
Trick as the show goes off the air.
Overall, this was good show. However, they never explained
the wheel gimmick that well for those that are likely
unaware. Likewise, the wheel gimmick came off so silly. It
detracts from the current feuds instead of complimenting
them.
