Hello NXT viewers! It’s Tuesday, and that means it’s time for a special Roadblock-themed episode of WWE NXT. I’m Jeremy Thomas, here as ever, and tonight we have a big show lined up for us! The NXT Championship will be on the line as Bron Breakker defends against Tommaso Ciampa and Dolph Ziggler, while Imperium will defend the Tag Team Championships against the Dusty Cup winners in the Creed Brothers. Also, LA Knight and Grayson Waller will end their feud (hopefully) with a Last Man Standing match. Oh and Nikkita Lyons will be on the return of Lashing Out With Lash Legend, I suppose. There’s sure to be plenty more coming our way as well, so hopefully tonight will be able to deliver like the big NXT events tend to.
Here at Thomas I had a busy week of entertainment consumption. I watched Netflix’s The Tinder Swindler documentary which was rage-inducing in the way it meant to be, then did a rewatch of Easy A which remains a delightful little teen comedy. This Saturday was a movie theater day for me and I saw Dog which was solid, Uncharted which was very meh though I wasn’t mad at it, and The Batman which I really liked and have grown to love more as I’ve thought about it since then. Hulu provided me with the new horror thrillers Fresh and No Exit, both of which are well worth checking out, and then I went into the past for the wildly comical Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical from 2001. Finally, I watched Liam Neeson’s Blacklight this morning which is the nadir of his mainstream career to date. Seriously, skip that one folks; it will be on my Worst Of list for 2022, I’m pretty sure.
I also continued my reading of the classic Forgotten Realms “War of the Spider Queen” series, finishing up book one Dissolution and moving onto Insurrection. It is still intensely readable, if not truly great.
Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop right in.
As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.
* We start out with a hype video promoting the road to Stand & Deliver running through tonight’s show, focusing on tonight’s NXT Championship Match.
* We’re LIVE in the Capitol Wrestling Center and launching right into a Dusty Classic match!
Cora starts off with Wendy and they do a brief pose-off before Wendy takes Cora down with a wasitlock and does a peek-a-boo crossface. Back up and Cora goes into the ropes, but Wendy is taking a nap so Cora creeps over and tags in Raquel, who goes for a sneaky elbow drop. Wendy moves, but Raquel catches her and puts her on her shoulders for an extended airplane spin and then a dropped sidewalk slam. Blame the fuzzy jumper, maybe.
Raquel whips Wendy into the corner and tags in Cora, whipping her into Wendy. Snapmare and cover for two. Choo pushes Cora into the corner and tags in Kai, they double team her and hit sequential charging kicks in the corner, while Kai covers for two. Kai slams Jade down for another two count as Toxic Attraction have slipped away from the TA lounch.
Jade tossed into the hostile corner and Choo and Kai trade tags, punishing Jade with strikes. Jade with a fist to Kai but she gets knocked down, Kai twists her arm up and tags in Choo. Whip into the ropes, double trip and then a kick, elbow drop, and cover for two.
Choo goes for a suplex but Jade blocks it, then gets pushed into the corner. Snapmare by Choo into a headlock on the mat, Raquel tries to pump Cora up from the corner. Jade gets up to her feet and punches her way out of the headlock, blocks a suplex and another, but Choo with an inside corner. They turn it into a roll around the ring, Choo ends up with the cradle for two. Jade up and goes for the tag but gets dropkicked and falls out of the ring, where Choo slides out into her!
We’ve spilled to the outside and Raquel faces off with Dakota — which lets Toxic Attraction ambush Raquel and smash her knee with a bat. Raquel is down, Kai is beside herself, and we’re on break.
We’re back and Kai is in a straightjacket hold from Kai. Apparently during the break, Raquel said she’s sticking with it. Kai rushes at Jade in the corner but eats a boot, dropkick follows that up. Kai tags in Choo, who Jade clotheslines down. Choo catches a kick and eats an enzuigiri, Jade then hits a high knee in the corner. She backs up and hits a double knee strike on Choo, then covers for two.
Jade goes for a double underhook, but Choo counters it onto a uranage and tags in Kai. Double facebuster, Kai cover for two. Jade nails Kai and goes to tag in Raquel, who limps in and clotheselins Kai and Choo down in succession. She picks up Kai for a powerslam, covers for two.
Raquel up, she grabs Kai but Kai with a backbending kick to the head and she knocks Raquel down. She goes to charge in for a kick but the voices in her head told her know so she backs off. She goes in for the kick again, Raquel blocks it and goes for the Chingona Bomb, but she crumples. Kai with the big kick, Choo tages in for a splash, Kai with a double stomp off the top for three.
Winner: Wendy Choo & Dakota Kai (14:01) Rating: *** Thoughts: This was a pretty good opener with a surprising result thanks to the Toxic Attraction interference. It was very effective booking and shakes up the finals in an interesting way.
* Tommaso Ciampa says tonight he becomes a three-time NXT Champion and is proud of his wrestling, but this time it feels different. Maybe it’s Dolph disrespecting his legady or it’s Bron’s success, but this feels like more important than the title. He says that a win means he’d head to Stand & Deliver as the NXT Champion which is important to him. He says Bron and Dolph can argue over who’s #2, but never has there been such a gap between #1 and #2.
* In the NXT parking lot, the Creed Brothers have been assaulted with steel pipes and officials tend to them. Malcolm Bivens is there and he’s pissed.
* We’re back and the Creed Brothers are being attended to in the medical area as Cora Jade helps Raquel in to be checked out.
Lockup to start, Fallon with a wirstlock which Stratton flips out of and reverses. Henley with an armdrag, but Stratton takes over and gets Henley on her back, Henley slips down and pushes Stratton into the ropes ofr a dropkick. Stratton gets Henley down against the second rope and splashes her against it, takes her down and locks in a front facelock.
Henley fights out and chops Stratton, dekcs her, and hits a knee and then clothesline. She goes for a bulldog but Stratton pushes her off, then picks her up for a Samoan drop. The Tron distracts everyone and Sarray sneaks into the ringside area, kicks Stratton in the head and jets. That lets Henley get the pin.
Winner: Fallon Henly (2:48) Rating: N/A Thoughts: What we got of the match was fine, though not enough to really mean much.
After the match, Briggs and Jensen lift Henley on her shoulders.
* We’re at Andre Chase University, and Chase breaks down his entrance of last week when his students bungled things and cost him the win. He tells the two they let the whole team down, and that Bodhi Haywood was the beacon of light by taking one for the team. A guy asks about Bodhi’s ugly-wounded eye and gets yelled at, which turns into a bleeped-out mess.
* Carmelo and Trick are at the barber shop, and Trick talks about how everyone keeps coming up short. Hayes says he doesn’t keep score, he just keeps scoring. He talks about running it back with the North American Championship Ladder Match, and his peeps ask how many opponents. One guy suggests 10, but he says there’s no one at that level. Trick suggests four who have to qualify, and Melo is cool with that. Trick isn’t sure whether it should be a ladder match, and Melo says he’s doing it because he can. His goal is to prove he’s the greatest North American Champion there’s ever been.
* Fuck me, it’s time for Lashing Out. Lash welcomes Nikkita Lyons in, and asks her about her journey, wanting to know if her mom was just her dad’s groupie or if she was EVERYONE’s. Lyons says her mom was a free spirit. Lash talks trash, Nikkita says to get her finger out of her face and Lash asks what she and her butt implants are going to do about it? Lyons says she’s all natural, and Lash says that’s all we have time for as they argue.
* McKenzie is with Imperium and asks about the Creed attack. Marcel says they would never do that and they wish they could face them. Aichner says that apparently the Creed Brothers weren’t ready for them after all. MSK come in and say they’ll take the spot and give the Creed Brothers a title shot when they’re ready.
* Briggs and Jensen are celebrating with Henley when she asks who attacked the Creeds. They see Legado and say “Parking Lot,” then confront the stable. They deny it, and Joaquin suggests it was Briggs and Jensen as revenge for their first-time loss. Jensen is skeptical of Lopez, who points out that he’s angry just because he can’t get laid. His response: “I’m working on it!” Legado leave and Henley asks if Briggs and Jensen did it, to which they say no.
Knight runs down the ramp and attacks Waller to kick this off. He gives Waller a snake eyes into the guardrail, decks him, and then goes under the ring. He comes out with a garbage can but Waller kicks him in the gut and sends him head-first into the guardrail. Waller tries to whip Knight into the steps but Knight reverses, then gets Waller onto the apron for an elbow. He slips into the ring and catapults Waller into the bottom rope, then sets him in the corner and stomps him down to the mat for repeated boots. Knight off the ropes into a knee to the head, the ref counts but only to three.
Knight decks Waller and goes for a whip, Waller reverses and drops Knight throat-first into the ropes. Waller lays into LA with strikes and traps the head for a few knee-lifts. The ref begins the count, Knight is up at four and Waller with an elbow to the head. Knight reverses a whip and hands Knight on the ropes, then hits his somersault through the ropes into a Stunner. Knight is up at seven.
Waller gets Knight on his shoulders, but Knight slips off. BFT blocked, Knight off the ropes into a knee to the jaw. LA reverses an Irish whip into the corner, Waller hits a boot to the face and climbs up, but Knight leaps up and hits a superplex! Knight hits the BFT, the ref counts to seven before Waller slides to the floor.
Knight pulls Waller onto the apron for a shot across the chest, Waller drops to the mat. Knight goes to grab him and Waller with a garbage can shot to the head as we go to PIP break.
We’re back and during the break, Knight and Waller have fought to the upper podium area in the arena. Knight goes to bodyslam Waller but Waller slides down, they trade shots and Knight gets Waller on the other side of the guardrail, knocking him down. Sanga is there to the rescue and Knight hits him with a chair, but he no-sells it and chokeslam Waller onto the apron.
Waller has Sanga hold Knight as Waller decks him and backs off, which allows Knight to pull Sanga against the ringpost and then handcuff him there! Knight attacks Waller, hits some strikes and hits a leaping neckbreaker. Waller to his feet, he gets powerslammed and Knight lies in wait. He goes for the BFT but Waller hits a thumb to the eye, then goes for his stunner but gets caught! Knight drops Waller over the ropes ONTO A TABLE! The ref counts…Waller up at nine, but he drops right back down.
Knight drops down and picks Waller up, battering him. He grabs a chair and prepares to deck him with it, but he throes it down and just kicks Waller in the head. He puts a garbage can over Waller and swings away with the chair, batting the can. And then he tees off on Sanga’s back for good measure. The ref starts his count, but Knight isn’t done and he clears the commentary table. He grabs Waller and puls him up, but Waller decks Knight with a sap. He rolls into the ring and the ref counts as Waller goes up top — ELBOW DROP OFF THE TOP through the table! Both men are down! The referee counts and both of them are stirring — Waller uses Sanga to help get to his feet and it’s over.
Winner: Grayson Waller (16:00) Rating: *** 1/2 Thoughts: Great brawl between these two that felt like a big match. I’m honestly surprised that Waller got the win, but I’m also not angry with it. Knight loses nothing really by the loss and Waller does get a big boost with this victory, perhaps on his way to a Ladder Match spot at Stand & Deliver?
* Bron says that he’s walking into this Championship match as the champion, but also the underdog. Dolph and Ciampa have the experience, but he puts the work in. He talks about the legacy of the title and how that drives him to keep it. He’s going to run right through the Roadblock on his way to Stand & Deliver.
* Tony D’Angelo is at his cousin Mikey’s restaurant getting pasta. You know, because he’s an Italian mobster. He talks about how Mikey muscled his partner out, and how he’s also going places. He says WrestleMania is huge and people from over 60 countries will see Tony D, the new Don of NXT.
* Up in the TA lounch, Edris and Malik took out the guards so they can serve Mandy. Vic and Wade argue about who the beta is, because of course they do.
KLR and Kayden start this one off and circle, Kayden armdrags Ray. Ray with a kick attempt that is caught, Ray ducks a shot and kicks her. They trade chops, KLR rolls Kayden up but Carter rolls over, cover for one. Big kick and a cover for two, Kacy tags in and they hit their tandem offense combo. KLR gets away from them and tags in Io.
Kace off the ropes, handspring rana, which Io flips out of. Kacy manages to get a sunset flip for two, they trade a couple more pin attempts and all four women are in now. Ray gets dropkicked out of the ring, KLR and Io get superkicked and then dived on as we go to break.
Back from break and Kayden tosses Io, and right there Xfinity goes twitchy for a moment. But when we’re back Kacy is throwing shots at Io, she hits a knee in the corner and rushes in, Io pulls her up for a powerbomb by Kacy turns it into a facebuster for two.
Tag to Kayden, Io gets knocked down with a spinning heel kick. Kacy goes to leap into a moonsault, but Io gets the knees up. She hits a drop toe hold and sends Kayden into the ropes, big kick followed by a missile dropkick for two.
Kay Lee Ray tags in but gets knocked off the apron, Io hits a palm strike on Kayden but gets kicked by Kacy. Kayden hits a bulldog on Kay Lee Ray and both women are down, KLR nails Kayden but gets kicked hard. Kayden tags Kacy who goes up top, but Io makes the save and knocks down Kayden. Io and KLR go up, but Kayden makes the save and knocks Io down. STACKED REVERSE RANA! Kacy covers but Io in to knock Carter into Kacy to break it up!
KLR takes out Kayden on the outside, Io kicks Kacy in the head. KLR Bomb, top rope moonsault, and that’s it!
Winner: Kay Lee Ray & Io Shirai (11:07) Rating: *** 1/4 Thoughts: That was some stellar work by both teams for a fast-paced match that saw both sides .
Mandy Rose claps from the TA lounge when Cora Jade attacks! They get held off as we cut away.
* Indi asks where Persia has been when she arrives with Duke Hudson. She asks where Persia’s been, and Persia says they had a romantic weekend. It quickly devolves between them and they start arguing about who’s the better woman. It sounds like they’re going to find out who the better woman is, and Indi heads off so Persia can make out with Duke.
* McKenzie is there with Tiffany Stratton who tells McKenzie to shut up. She says she tried to help Sarray with her necklace and look at the thanks she got. Next week she’s not just going to break Sarray’s necklace; she’s going to break her face.
Barthel starts off with Nash Carter, who gets dropped to the mat and kicks at Marcel’s head. Barthel with an ankle lock but Nash gets out of it, he goes up top and hits a rana, then comes off the ropes with a diving dropkick. Chop and Irish whip reversed, Barthel with a big elbow to the jaw off the ropes. He kicks Nash in the back and then locks in a reverse chinlock.
Carter with a jawbreaker and he escapes to tag in Lee, they hit a quick flurry and kicks and Lee covers for two. Lee batters Barthel with kicks, but he fires back with a chop to the chest and then tags in Aichner. Lee with some strikes, he leaps but gets caught for a bodyslam that sends him into the ropes. Aichner immediately starts in on the knee and ankle, he covers for two.
Aichner goes for a bodyslam but Lee slides down and takes Aichner down with a a kick, Nash tags in, dropkick to the head, Carter covers for two. Aichner fights back but a backslide from Carter for two more. Carter sent into the corner and he gets slammed down by Fabian for a two-count.
Barthel now in, he lays in a submission but Carter rolls out and kicks him in the head. He goes to tag, Barthel blocks it but he gets it anyway. Lee with raped-fire kicks, he sends Barthel into the corner, knocks him down and hits a moonsault. Carter moonsaults onto Aichner on the outside and the Creeds run in for the DQ.
Winner: No-Contest (5:34) Rating: ** 3/4 Thoughts: Great match until the non-finish.
* Draco Anthony is working out as Hardland walks in behind him. Anthony sees him and steps up but Gacy walks in to play peacemaker. He says he knows Draco has considered joining them, but Xyon Quinn walks in and tells Gacy to back off. Gacy is creepy and departs, and Draco thanks Quinn.
* Dolph cuts a promo in the back about how DZ is going to screw up WrestleMania weekend. Here he comes for the main event!
* We get a promo for A-Kid, talking about his getting signed by NXT UK and succeeding there to become the Heritage Cup Champion. He’s coming to NXT 2.0. Well now, business just picked up.
* Ikemen Jiro is very excited about A-Kid coming to NXT, and Kushida is less so.
Set For Next Week: – NXT NA Championship Qualifier: Cameron Grimes vs. Santos Escobar – Indi Hartwell vs. Persia Pirotta
The three feel each other out at first before Ziggler rolls out. Bron goes to go after him and Ciampa rolls him up for one, and Dolph is already back in to attack both. Bron whips Dolph into the corner but Ciampa attacks Bron, he sends Breakker into the ropes and ducks the leaping shoulder tackle. Chop to Dolph, chop to Ziggler, but Bron turns it around with a spinebuster! He grabs both Ciampa and Ziggler and suplexes them both at once!
Bron with shots to Ciampa in the corner and he sets him on the top, he climbs up for a Frankensteiner but gets crotched by Ciampa. Dolph and Ciampa in the ring, Ciampa nails a big right hand and goes for the legs, but Ziggler kicks Ciampa. Ciampa takes back over and catapults Ziggler HARD into the corner, then leaps onto Bron on the outside and pats his back.
Ciampa rolls Bron in, he rolls Dolph in, then comes off the ropes for the alternating shots to Dolph and Bron in opposite corners. But Dolph hits a dropkick, quickly followed by Bron clotheslining Dolph as we go to PIP break.
Back from break, Ziggler delivers a ton of elevated punches in the corner to Ciampa but gets spinebustered by Bron. Bron locks in a Steiner Recliner on Ciampa, but Dolph back in and he locks a sleeper into Bron! Ciampa gets free, Bron stands up and drops onto his back, slamming Dolph onto Ciampa to break the hold.
All three slow to get up, they start to trade shots with each other. Ciampa is in control for a moment before Breakker drops him, then Dolph charges with fists to Breakker. Ciampa knees Bron to the floor, Ziggler with a Famouser and a Zig Zag for a near fall!
Ziggler goes for a superkick but Ciampa catches him. Weird moment where Ciampa picks Ziggler up high and Bron dives, it looks like he was going to nail Ciampa but missed. CIampa goes for a FTE, Breaker spears him. Ziggler attacks Bron and takes over, but he goes for the Famouser and Bron speers him. Powerslam, cover but Roode pulls the referee out! Bron attacks Roode and takes him out, Ciampa grabs Bron and hits the Last Beel, Fairy Tale Ending, Ziggler shoves Ciampa aside and covers but Bron kicks out! Ciampa tosses Ziggler and drops the knee pad, he goes for the knockout blow and Roode pulls him free. Ziggler takes out Ciampa, cover, new champion!
Winner: Dolph Ziggler (12:23) Rating: *** 1/2 Thoughts: Damn good match, and again a surprising result. I didn’t expect Bron to lose the title before Stand & Deliver at the earliest, and certainly not to Dolph. But this does delightfully change things up and adds an interesting wrinkle heading onto WrestleMania weekend.
After the match, Ziggler celebrates with Roode and Bron is pissed. And with that, we’re done for the night!
NXT: Roadblock, WWE NXT, Jeremy Thomas
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