With the show’s CW premiere now two weeks away, CM Punk comes to WWE NXT tonight.
Punk is set to appear in Chicago when NXT debuts on The CW on October 1. Tonight, he will also be appearing on the show for what WWE has hyped as a “special announcement.”
NXT’s CW premiere episode is scheduled to include an NXT Championship match with Ethan Page defending against Trick Williams. The two will have a contract signing tonight to make that official.
Main roster star Lyra Valkyria is back in NXT tonight, providing backup for Tatum Paxley in a tag team match against Wendy Choo & TNA star Rosemary. Another tag match will see Cedric Alexander & Je’Von Evans team up against Myles Borne & Tavion Heights of No Quarter Catch Crew.
Lola Vice vs. Jacy Jayne has also been announced, along with Brooks Jensen vs. Dion Lennox.
Plus, WWE will follow up on Giulia’s successful in-ring debut from last week ahead of her challenging Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship on the CW premiere.
NXT is recorded before a live studio audience in a sound stage at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.
The show opens with NXT General Manager Ava standing at a table set up in the ring. She mentions two important dates for NXT in the coming weeks, which are the shows on the road for the first two weeks on CW.
Ava announces hip-hop artist Sexyy Red returns to NXT in St. Louis. That is not her only surprise announcement for the CW debut. Randy Orton is set to wrestle in NXT for the first time on the show in St. Louis on October 8.
Besides plugs for the upcoming shows on CW, Ava is in the ring for a contract signing. Trick Williams challenges Ethan Page for the NXT Championship on Oct. 1 in Chicago, and tonight they sign the contract.
Trick Williams enters the ring for the contract signing, but first he cuts a promo. He is hurting and still in pain from his match last week, “but Pete Dunne is still a “Butch.” Williams was the “last man standing” in their match, and on October 1st, NXT fans will be chanting “whoop that trick” in Chicago.
NXT Champion Ethan Page interrupts the chants, and he mocks the crowds. Page mimics Trick dancing, and the crowd chants about the way Page is dressed. Page keeps cutting a promo as he enters the ring and takes a seat at the table along with Trick.
Williams accuses Page of “stealing” the championship. That angers Page so much he takes off his sports coat as he rises to his feet. Page gets in Trick’s face and cuts a heckuva promo where he vows to defeat Trick and retain the NXT Championship. Then, Page does the silly “N-X-Me” catchphrase.
Trick responds with a promo of his own, where he says the “N-X-Me” era is over. As Trick is responding, Page attacks him. Page then sends Trick crashing through a table with a Razor’s Edge. Page screams that Trick will not even make it to Chicago.
Neither sign the contract, which is noted by Vic Joseph on commentary. That will likely play into the story later on, or at least it should.
Skit from last week shows Tony D’Angelo getting into an argument with Hammerstone. This sets up a match between the two for this week.
In a backstage skit, Je’Von Evans “shoots his shot” and asks Ava for a match on the CW debut episode. Ava will think about it.
Tatum Paxley & Lyra Valkyria defeated Wendy Choo & Rosemary
Paxley pinned Rosemary to win the match. I guess this is NXT’s spooky division. Maybe they get their own spooky championship. Heaven knows another title is just what we need.
Valkyria & Paxley worked well together, as they are now pals. If you ignore much of their back story, this makes all the sense in the world. They were in control as the match cuts to a commercial break, but Choo & Rosemary regained the advantage when the show returns from the break. Hot tag to Valkyria, and she runs wild.
Paxley takes a super belly-to-belly off the ropes from Choo, and Paxley is then speared by Rosemary. She goes to cover Paxley for a pinning attempt, but Paxley gets a foot on the rope. Valkyria pulls Choo out of the ring to break up a double team attempt from the spooky heels. Choo eats a spin kick from Valkyria. Paxley then executes her finisher on Rosemary in the ring. Tag to Valkyria, who jumps off the top rope with a guillotine legdrop on Rosemary. Paxley then covers Rosemary for a pinfall.
In a backstage interview with Sarah Schreiber, both Trick Williams and Ava say the contract for the title match must be signed tonight.
In a skit at the dojo of the No Quarter Catch Crew, Charlie Dempsey tells Wren Sinclair she needs to prove herself like everyone else in the crew.
Hammerstone defeated Tony D’Angelo via count-out
After dropping a fall in match last week, Hammerstone gets a win on NXT television this week, albeit by count-out. This all plays off “The Don” hiring Hammerstone for a bounty, but Hammerstone lost.
Hammerstone makes a comeback in the match, and D’Angelo powders. The Family pleads with “The Don” to get back in the ring, but D’Angelo instead walks out on the match. He is counted out by the referee, awarding the match to Hammerstone. NXT North American Champion Oba Femi is seen watching on a monitor, and Femi smirks as he says that D’Angelo is broken.
Zachary Wentz jumps over the barricade and he gets into the ring with a microphone. Wentz has footage shown of Wes Lee attacking and injuring Trey Miguel in a parking lot ambush. Wentz then cuts an impassioned promo on Lee ahead of their street fight in Chicago.
Pro basketball player Tyrese Haliburton is backstage in Ava’s office. Halliburton is confident he will get the contract signed for the title match. Stevie Turner is not sure he can, but Robert Stone takes up for Halliburton and puts him over. Halliburton then big leagues Stone, making Stone look like a geek. No one got over in this segment.
In a backstage interview, Fatal Influence cut promos on Lola Vice and Jaida Parker. Meanwhile, Parker and Vice exchange unpleasant words about each other in the locker room.
Eddy Thorpe defeated Ashante “Thee” Adonis
They have a father short match, given how well both can go. Adonis takes most of the offense, and goes on to drop the fall. Adonis does a tornillo splash off the top turnbuckle to the floor. Adonis goes to follow with a high cross in the ring, but no one was home. Thorpe then delivers an implant DDT, and Thorpe covers Adonis for a three count. I am hopeful they are now going to push Thorpe, but they have disappointed me with that several times in the recent past.
CM Punk is seen walking into the building. He is up “next” on NXT at the top of the hour.
What is actually up next is a video package. It shows Thea Hail and Riley Osborne reflecting on Ridge Holland’s heel turn on Chase U. Osborne and Holland meet in a singles match next week.
CM Punk enters the sound stage, as the studio audience goes wild singing “Cult of Personality” during his entrance. Punk gets into the ring to address the audience. Punk handled some “business” last night on Raw so he would not be in a good mood tonight on NXT.
Punk goes to say to put over the crowd, and he says this is his first time being the NXT ring surrounded by of the NXT fanatics. Punk then kills the “first time” gimmick by saying he used to try sneaking in to watch the NXT show while recovering from an injury. Punk says he recognized some in the crowd as having been here every week, and they say him watching the show despite Punk trying to sneak around. The studio audience then chants “we saw you” at Punk.
Punk keeps putting over the show by saying how much loves watching it. Punk says he is also doing some scouting because he knows one day he might face some of these NXT talents in a ring. Punk mentions several people before he mentioning he has shirts older than Je’Von Evans.
Punk says he talked to Shawn Michaels, and Michaels says Punk can go whatever he wants on the show. Punk is then interrupted by the entrance of NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez. She is looking at her wristwatch during her entrance, which is an obvious nod to Punk.
Perez apologizes for interrupting Punk, and she promised not to interrupt for long. She rants for big on Giulia before Perez says 13-year-old her would be freaking out. Perez puts over Punk as an inspiration for her, but Perez says she always preferred Punk’s wife. The studio audience chants for AJ Lee.
Perez goes on to say she waited so long for Punk to return in WWE. Perez then heels on Punk by saying she should have been a Drew McIntyre fan. Perez tells Punk to stay home at the NXT debut on CW. Perez adds that Chicago will be her town after he defeats Giulia.
Perez keeps cutting a promo on Punk, as he asks if can respond. Perez tells him she is not done yet. Perez cuts a promo on Giulia.
Punk finally responds with some encouragement. Punk says Perez has a chip on her shoulder like Punk had on his shoulder. That is what made Punk the best in the world, and that is also what makes Perez the best not only in NXT, but all of WWE. Punk talks about how Perez could succeed in WWE, but none of that matter if Giulia beats Perez in Chicago.
Speak her name and she appears, as out comes Giula to confront Perez. Giula tells Perez the countdown is on, and Perez has only two weeks remaining as champion. Giulia turns to leave, and Perez goes to attack her. Punk stops Perez and holds her back. Giulia then wags her finger in the face of Perez.
NXT North American Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan cuts a promo on Fatal Influence in an backstage interview. Wren Sinclair interrupts looking to make a name for herself (which plays on an earlier skit). Sinclair slaps Jordan across the face, and Sinclair flees.
The Family is worried about Tony D’Angelo, and he finally breaks. D’Angelo says he is afraid of Oba Femi, and “The Don” is not confident he can beat Femi. What a fantastic way to build a challenger.
Cedric Alexander & Je’Von Evans defeated No Quarter Catch Crew (Myles Borne & Tavion Heights with Charlie Dempsey & Wren Sinclair)
The tag match goes through a commercial break. Heat on Evans as he is worked over. Hot tag to Alexander. When the tide turns again, Evans has to jump in to break up a pinning attempt. Not long thereafter, Sinclair runs down to attack Sinclair at ringside. The women fight their way off the sound stage. Borne is distracted by the goings on at ringside, and he is given a backstabber. Evans follows up by springboarding into a tornillo splash on Borne. Evans then covers Borne for a three count.
A tweet from Randy Orton is shown on screen, in which Orton announces his match on NXT will be against Je’Von Evans.
Ridge Holland cuts a promo on Riley Osborne and company. Meanwhile, Brooks Jensen is heading for Gorilla. Shawn Spears wishes Jensen good luck, and Jensen in turn asks Spear to be in his corner.
Brooks Jensen (with Shawn Spears) defeated Dion Lennox
Jensen pinned Lennox after a DDT. Lennox got some offense, but this match was more about getting Jensen over. Jensen put on Lennox glasses at one point to mock Lennox, which fires up Lennox. He was a cleaning house when he sees Spears grabbing her the glasses. Lennox steps on his foot, before saying, “Not today!” Jensen counters a schoolboy, and then Jensen delivers a DDT on Lennox. One..two…three.
In a video clip posted in X, Wes Lee cuts a promo where to takes credit for injuring Trey Miguel. Lee goes on to cut a promo on Wentz ahead of their street fight.
Lola Vice defeated Jacy Jayne (with Fatal Influence)
Fallon Henley interfered by grabbing Vice’s leg, while Jaxmyn Nyx distracts the referee. However, that backfires on the heel trio after Jayne turns around and walks into a back fist from Vice. A three count later, and Vice has pinned Jayne.
Henley and Nyz jump into the ring to attack Vice for a post-match beat down. Jayne joins in as the heel trio stomp on Vice. Jaida Parker runs down to make a save. Parker cleans house and clears the ring of the heel trio. Vice gets to her feet and she confronts Parker. They have a pull-apart argument. Unlikely partners do not get along. What an original story on a wresting show?
Adrianna Rizzo gives Tony D’Angelo a pep talk, and they hug afterwards.
Tyrese Haliburton is in the ring holding the title match contract in one hand and a microphone in the other. Haliburton says he did not come along, and he brought reinforcements of his own. In the front row are teammates of Haliburton from the Indiana Pacers. The studio audience boos them, which I thought was hilarious. Haliburton then heels on the crowd by insulting the Orlando Magic. More boos. The Haliburton cameo is going rather well, don’t you think?
Trick Williams comes out to join Haliburton in the ring. Trick tries puts over Haliburton, but the studio audience boos again.
Out comes NXT Champion Ethan Page, and he joins Haliburton and Williams in the ring. Trick signed the contract as Page’s entrance.
Page gets into the ring, and Page cuts a promo likening himself to the Boston Celtics (who won the NBA title this year). Page continues his promo by ranting and yelling at Trick. Page then signs the contract.
Haliburton says that is all we have, before he turns back around to say he forgot something. “Hit the music..”
CM Punk enters the sound stage again for his advertised announcement. Punk reveals that he will be special guest referee for the NXT Championship match in Chicago where Williams is challenging Page for the title.
Punk says the only rule is they have to listen to the referee, and he says they can start fighting now. Williams and Page must have listened, because they proceed to have a pull-apart brawl. They are being separated as the show goes off air.
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