411’s WWE NXT Report 5.8.19

TONIGHT ~ Adam Cole vs. Matt Riddle!

Bianca Belair vs. Mia Yim

They had a match last November that Bianca won (**1/2). They lock up and Bianca takes Mia over with an armdrag. Mia blocks a second and they both go for dropkicks. Standoff. They show a bit of respect to each other only for Bianca to get in a cheap shot. Mia shuts up Bianca’s trash talk with a dropkick and talks smack back. Another dropkick and some open hand strikes before a dropping Pele Kick. She misses the corner cannonball. Bianca takes over and works a neck crank. She gets two on a big splash. My feed skips a bit and I see them finishing a move in the corner that gets Bianca two. She talks more trash and avoids slaps. Bianca shoves her down and taunts before telling Mia to kiss her ass. Drop toe hold from Mia and a rolling pin attempt gets two. Mia slaps on a guillotine and Bianca fights out A shoulder tackle works but Mia gets her knees up on a Bianca splash. Series of kicks from Mia and a shotgun dropkick. Cannonball connects this time. She misses a corner charge but gets on the Tarantula. Bianca blocks a sunset flip and tries to pin with her hands on the ropes but the referee catches her. Mia pulls her down for a near fall and Bianca gets back up and uses her hair instead of her hands for leverage on the pin, stealing this. Creative finish.

WInner: Bianca Belair in 7:35 [***]

Earlier today, the War Raiders were ambushed by the Forgotten Sons at the Performance Center.

Another clip runs from the Performance Center. Shayna Baszler led a sparring session between Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke. As they went at it, Io Shirai ran in and attacked Shayna. The scuffle was broken up by others working out.

Raul Mendoza vs. Riddick Moss

Riddick’s tron said “Riddick Regimen.” The idea seems to be something about his physique. Their first exchange ends in a standstill and Moss stops to work out a bit. Mendoza is too quick for him and lights him up with strikes and kicks. He slides through the ropes to avoid a corner shot and hits an enziguri. Springboard rana follows, as does a running SSP. Moss catches him out of the air and curls him before hitting a fallaway slam. Running shoulder thrust in the corner by Moss. He adds a press slam variation for two. Raul starts a comeback with a kick to the knee and sends him into the corner. He lights him up with shots and a step up enziguri. Flying headscissors sends Moss back to the corner. Another enziguri. Mendoza goes up. Moss follows but Raul drops to the apron and hits a leaping kick. With Moss down, Mendoza wins with a twisting springboard splash.

Winner: Raul Mendoza in 4:34 [**]

A video package recaps KUSHIDA’s debut last week. He’ll be in action again next week!

Adam Cole vs. Matt Riddle

Riddle owns Cole on the mat to start, throwing him around with ease. He goes for the Bromission but Cole rolls to the ropes in a panic. After a breather, Cole still finds himself in trouble as Riddle gets two on a senton. Rolling gutwrench suplexes from Riddle. Cole finally gets an opening and works a figure four headlock. After Riddle gets free, Cole lays into him with forearms in the corner. Cole ducks a Riddle shot and nails a back elbow that takes him down. Cole calls him a pathetic joke so Riddle lights him up with a chop. They trade forearms and chops. Riddle lays into him but eats a step up enziguri, only to fire up and hit a release German suplex. More chops from Riddle and a modified Pele. Forearms in the corner and an Exploder. He misses a splash but rolls into a senton. PK gets two. German has the same result. Riddle fights out of a fireman’s carry but still takes the Ushigiroshi for a near fall. Ripcord knee from Riddle takes down Cole, who comes back with a Backstabber that gets two. Riddle blocks a superkick and turns it into the ankle lock. Cole turns over but still ends up in the Bromission. However, he rolls it into a pin for two. Kick to the head by Riddle and a Fisherman Buster. He rolls into a second but the third is countered into the Brainbuster on the knee. Riddle blocks the Panama City Destroyer. It leads to a series of counters. Cole with a superkick to the back of the head and Last Shot, but Riddle kicks out. Riddle fights back with the Go to Sleep, powerbomb, and a pump knee that sends Cole outside. Roderick Strong runs out to help him up but Riddle delivers a PK. Inside, Riddle flips into a superkick from Cole. That only gets two and Riddle turns the kickout into the Bromission for the win.

Winner: Matt Riddle in 13:52 [***1/2]

Post-match, Cole and Strong get into it as Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly try to keep the peace. As Cole walks off with Kyle, he says he won big matches alone but all his big losses involve Roddy.