Good evening Fight Fans, and welcome to our coverage for tonight's edition of WWE NXT!
Shotzi Blackheart vs Candice LeRae (w/ Indi Hartwell)
Shotzi takes Candice down and lays into her with strikes before hitting a diving cross body for two before rolling Candice around the ring. Candice counters an armbar for two before getting to the ropes when Shotzi locks it in a second time before Shotzi rips her off of the second rope. Shotzi covers Candice for two before locking in a Muta Lock and driving Candice shoulder first into the post. Indi then distracts Shotzi before Candice hits a springboard clothesline and rolls back inside as we go to commercial.
We come back to Shotzi in control as she rocks Candice with an enzuigiri and follows up with a roundhouse kick into an inverted cannonball for two. Shotzi hits a suicide dive that takes out both Candice and Indi at ringside before tossing Candice back inside for two. Candice side steps Shotzi and hits a running dropkick into a thrust kick for two before locking in the Gargano Escape that Shotzi powers out of. Shotzi then hits a running knee into a DDT in the corner before Indi distracts her and Candice hits a swinging neckbreaker off of the top for the pin and the win.
Winner: Candice LeRae defeats Shotzi Blackheart via pinfall.
- We see NXT champion Finn Bälor backstage before we see The Kings of NXT minus Pat McAfee entering the parking lot and going into the arena as we go to commercial.
- We come back to NXT champion Finn Bälor in the ring as he calls out anyone in the locker room and says that he'll face anyone who wants to step up. Pete, Oney and Danny come out to the ring as Pete says that the only reason Finn has the NXT Championship is because he hasn't taken it from him yet and that he's not waiting anymore. The Kings then attack Finn who takes the three out for several minutes before Pete goes after his injured arm and they stomp Finn down. Kyle O'Reilly comes out and tries to help Finn before Adam Cole and Roderick Strong join him and they send the Kings up the ramp. Finn then faces off with UE before rolling out of the ring and leaving.
- We go backstage to an interview with Johnny Gargano who says that Shotzi got what she deserved and that he's going to beat Dexter Lumis and he and Austin Theory will win the Dusty Classic. Austin then shows up and gives Johnny a present from Dexter Lumis before he opens it to see two caricatures of Johnny and Austin as we go to commercial.
- We come back to a graphic for Jake Atlas and Isaiah Scott versus the mysterious team of MSK.
- We go to the ring for our first Dusty Classic match of the night with the Grizzled Young Veterans versus Ever-Rise.
Dusty Classic First Round Match
Grizzled Young Veterans vs Ever-Rise
James and Chase start the match off with James taking Chase down repeatedly before Chase drops him and Zack drags him out of the ring. Zack calms James down before coming in and knocking Matt off of the apron before GYV hit Chase with their signature backbreaker diving knee drop at ringside. Back in the ring Zack locks in a half crab before driving Chase into the corner and GYV double up on Chase for two as Matt chomps at the bit to enter the match. Matt comes in and hits a German to James before knocking Zack off of the apron and clotheslining James before Zack saves James for a near fall. ER then double up on Zack before Zack drags Chase out of the ring and GYV hit Ticket to Mayhem for the pin and the win.
Winner: Grizzled Young Veterans defeat Ever-Rise via pinfall to advance to the next round of the tournament.
- We get a video package promo by Raquel Gonzalez after her defeating Rhea Ripley in a Last Man Standing match last week.
- We get a graphic for Johnny Gargano versus Dexter Lumis up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to a backstage interview with Shotzi Blackheart who says that she's focusing on the future and needs a partner for the Women's Dusty Classic Tag Team Tournament. Shotzi then talks about the kind of partner she needs before her partner is revealed to be Ember Moon and the two leave together.
Johnny Gargano (w/ Austin Theory) vs Dexter Lumis
Johnny rips up the picture Dexter drew for him before Dexter drops him and hits a Thesz press before the two meet eye to eye and slide out of the ring. Dexter rocks Johnny with a back elbow before Johnny rocks him with an uppercut into a superkick before Dexter drops Johnny with a thrust to the throat. Dexter then knocks Johnny off of the top when he goes for a superplex and misses a Swanton Bomb as we go to commercial.
We come back to Johnny in control of Dexter on the mat, hitting him with elbow drops and knees to the ribs before driving his forearm into his back. Dexter comes back with a spine buster before dropping Johnny with right hands and a running clothesline in the corner. Dexter hits a bulldog into a slingshot suplex before hitting a belly to back suplex into a jumping leg drop for two. Johnny counters The Silence before Dexter catches him coming off of the top and Johnny gets a near fall off of a crucifix. Johnny superkicks Dexter for a near fall before Austin grabs the ankle of Dexter and Johnny capitalizes before Dexter counters One Final Beat twice.
Dexter then suplexes Austin into the ring at the same time that Johnny rolls him up for the win.
Winner: Johnny Gargano defeats Dexter Lumis via pinfall.
- After the match Dexter locks in The Silence on Austin before Johnny stomps him to break the hold and KUSHIDA evens the odds before telling Johnny that he's coming for the NXT North American Championship.
- Backstage The Kings say that they run NXT and everyone needs to learn to keep their noses out of their business. Pete then says that Kyle has put himself in the way of the NXT Championship and he's going to get rid of him.
- We go to earlier today where Wade Barrett moderated a meeting between Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher where Ciampa says that he's going to take every liberty he wants. Tim then says that Tommaso is questioning whether he's still got it before Ciampa says that Tim will get the answer next week in the Fight Pit as we go to commercial.
- We come back to a backstage interview with UE who say that they're going to advance in the Dusty Cup and take care of The Kings when they need to.
Dusty Classic First Round Match
MSK (Nash Carter & Wes Lee) vs Isaiah Scott & Jake Atlas
Carter and Jake kick things off with Jake dropping Carter for two before dragging Carter to the corner to tag in Scott. Carter comes back with a springboard corkscrew cross body for two before Lee comes in and takes Isaiah down onto the mat. Isaiah stomps Lee in the corner before Jake rocks Lee with strikes and Isaiah rips him through the ropes and out of the ring. The four then hit each other with a move before Lee hits a tope that takes everyone out as we go to commercial.
We come back to Isaiah in control of Carter before Lee gets the hot tag and drops Jake repeatedly before hitting him with chops and elbows. MSK hit the finisher they used in IMPACT for a near fall that Isaiah breaks up before Carter is sent out of the ring and Jake hits a German suplex into a brain buster by Isaiah. Jake and Isaiah hit a spinning slam into a 450 for a near fall that Carter breaks up before Isaiah dumps him out of the ring and Carter takes out Jake before Lee hits a poison rana. MSK then pin Isaiah with their finisher, a blockbuster spine buster combo also called MSK for the pin and the win.
Winner: MSK defeat Isaiah Scott and Jake Atlas for the pin and the win to advance to the next round of the tournament.
- We get a video package for the Women's Dusty Classic that kicks off next week with Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter taking on Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez.
- We then get a video package for Xia Li who is in action up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to an occult video package promo by Scarlett targeted at the NXT champion Finn Bälor before we go back to the ring for our next match.
Xia Li (w/ BOA) vs Local Talent
Xia nearly knocks her opponent out immediately before dropping her with a kick and pinning her opponent with two strikes in under thirty seconds.
Winner: Xia Li defeats a local performer via pinfall.
- After the match Xia traps her opponent in the ropes and attacks her under the instruction of the mysterious woman seated at the top of the ramp.
- Kacy and Kayden talk about their first round match in the Women's Dusty Classic where they say they hope everyone in the tournament overlooks them and plan to shock the world.
- We see Breezango and UE making their way out to the ring for our main event up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to see that Jake Atlas and Isaiah Scott nearly came to blows backstage before they were separated and Bronson Reed got in Isaiah's face.
Dusty Classic First Round Match
Breezango vs Undisputed Era (w/ Kyle O'Reilly)
Adam and Tyler kick things off by exchanging head locks and mirroring a superkick that they both stop at the last second. Fandango and Roddy come in and Roddy takes Fandango down to the mat before wrenching his arm and the two exchange wrist locks. Fandango then counters a Boston crab before sending Roddy into the corner as we go to commercial.
We come back to Fandango in control of Adam before he gets the hot tag to Roddy who brawls with Fandango and clotheslines him. Roddy dropkicks Fandango and hits a backbreaker before rocking Tyler with a series of forearms and slamming Tyler on top of Fandango. Adam comes in and drops Fandango with a flying kick for two before Fandango ducks The Last Shot and Adam turns Tyler end over end with a pump kick. Tyler hits a back stabber for a near fall before Breezango hit a diving elbow drop back stabber for a near fall that Roddy breaks up. Everyone hits a move before Kyle is attacked by The Kings at ringside only to be saved by Finn Bälor momentarily.
Pete then takes out Finn before taking out Kyle and Tyler hits Adam with the Supermodel Kick before Adam superkicks Fandango out of the air when he goes for a diving elbow drop for the win.
Winner: Undisputed Era defeat Breezango via pinfall to advance to the next round of the tournament.
- UE check on Kyle after the match before they have a stare down with The Kings on the ramp as we go off the air.