This is the Fightful.com live coverage for tonight's episode of WWE NXT. Tonight just days before preparing to challenge Andrade Almas for his NXT Championship Johnny Gargano puts his title shot on the line against Velveteen Dream. We also have No Way Jose returning to NXT television to take on Cezar Bononi and much more so be sure to come back here at 8 PM EST for an hour showcasing the WWE NXT brand!
-Velveteen Dream cuts a promo before the show in a fog of purple smoke about his match against Johnny Gargano tonight where he says that he will take his title shot and face Andrade at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.
No Way Jose vs Cezar Bononi
They lock up to start the match before exchanging head locks, then Cezar drops Jose with a shoulder block before Jose comes back and drops him with a back elbow. Jose hits an atomic drop into a hip toss and a straight armbar before Cezar comes back and powerslams Jose for a quick two count. Cezar takes Jose down and puts a side headlock on him before Jose breaks free and hits Cezar with a series of right hands and double axe handles into a powerslam. Jose then finishes up with the Fastball Punch for the pin and the win.
Winner: No Way Jose defeats Cezar Bononi via pinfall with the Fastball Punch
-We have a video package for the rivalry between Aleister Black and Adam Cole leading up to their Extreme Rules match this Saturday at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.
Bianca Belair vs Latoya Allsopp
Bianca shows off her strength early, overpowering Latoya and beating her down in the corner before countering an attempted head scissor into a backbreaker. Latoya tries to come back with a series of kicks, but Bianca drops her with a forearm before putting her in a stock submission that Bianca lets go of herself with a facebuster. Bianca then misses a splash in the corner before Latoya goes for a move off of the top, but Bianca hits her with her ponytail before finishing with a reverse powerbomb for the pin and the win.
Winner: Bianca Belair defeats Latoya Allsopp via pinfall with a reverse powerbomb
-We have a sit-down interview between Ember and Shayna where Ember does all of the talking about how she's going to beat Shayna at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia before Shayna says that she has worked just as hard as Ember and that she's going to wake up after their match and see Shayna with the title. The two then square off before Shayna leaves as we go to commercial.
-We come back from commercial to a another video package for TM61 where they talk about how the group was sidelined by injuries before we're told that they'll return to action next week.
Authors of Pain vs Chase Brown & Damien Smith
AOP attack their opponents before the match can start and immediately hit a double running DVD in each corner before calling out Undisputed Era in two separate foreign languages and say that they're taking the titles back before finishing up with the Super Collider.
Winner: No contest as the match never started.
NXT Championship Number One Contender Match
Johnny Gargano (N1C) vs Velveteen Dream
They lock up to start the match before taking each other down and grappling, Johnny putting on a front choke and keeping Dream down on the mat before he turns it around and gets on top of Johnny before they get back to their feet. Dream plays to the crowd and mocks Johnny after hitting a snapmare before Johnny tries to lock in Gargano Escape, but Dream is quick to get to the ropes and get out of the ring for the break, even going into the crowd momentarily as we go to commercial.
Johnny is in control as we come back from commercial, hitting a blockbuster off of the apron and to the floor before they get back in the ring and Dream catches Johnny in the ropes and hits a draping, swinging neckbreaker. Dream stomps on Johnny and chokes him in the ropes while yelling at him and saying that Johnny took his spot and that he didn't deserve it before Johnny gets a quick two count off of a backslide. Dream sends Johnny out of the ring before teasing a diving move to the outside, but he hops off of the top turnbuckle, playing to the crowd before going out of the ring and beating on Johnny at ringside. Dream keeps getting back in the ring and breaking the count before Johnny hits a series of chops at ringside only for Dream to back drop him onto the apron as we go to commercial.
Johnny is in control as we come back from commercial, hitting a series of right hands and clotheslines before dropping Dream with an enzuigiri, then hits an avalanche flatliner for a near fall. They exchange near falls off of a roll up and a sunset pin attempt, respectively before Gargano turns Dream inside out with a rebound lariat, Johnny countering a running DVD in the corner before Dream hits a DDT for a very close near fall. Johnny catches Dream on the top rope and sends him off of it and out onto the floor before hitting a tope to the outside, then once they're back in the ring Dream hits an avalanche DVD for a very close near fall. Johnny then locks in the Gargano Escape and Velveteen Dream is force to tap, Gargano retaining his number one contendership.
Winner: Johnny Gargano defeats Velveteen Dream via submission with the Gargano Escape and retains his shot at Andrade Almas' NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.
-After the match Andrade comes out and attacks Johnny before Johnny comes back when he gets in the ring and plays to the crowd, Gargano hitting a tornado DDT before holding up the belt over a fallen Andrade as we go off the air.
