411’s WWE NXT Report 7.24.19

A recap airs of the Adam Cole/Johnny Gargano confrontation from last week.

TONIGHT ~ Cole and Gargano will announce the stipulation for each fall of their TakeOver match. Plus, Keith Lee vs. Damian Priest!

NXT Breakout Tournament Semi-Finals: Angel Garza vs. Jordan Myles

Crowd is split. Garza fakes out a handshake. They come to a quick standoff. Their next exchange ends when Myles dropkicks Garza, who takes a powder outside. Garza plays possum outside and goads Myles to the apron, where he pulls the ring skirt out from under him. Myles takes a rough spill. Garza throws Myles into the steps and barricade. Inside, he strips off his pants to a pop. Myles beats the count and takes a backbreaker inside. Garza slams down on Myles’ back and applies a modified camel clutch. Myles gets out and picks up a near fall before taking a superkick for two. Myles fires up with strikes and kicks in the corner. He ducks a clothesline and hits running forearms. Sweeping slide kick and dropkick take Garza down. Myles charges in with a discus corner clothesline. He goes up but Garza rolls across the ring to safety. Myles goes after him but Garza hits an impressive springboard dropkick. Garza climbs up for a second rope moonsault. Myles avoids it, sweeps Garza, and hits a spin kick. Another discus corner clothesline. He deadlifts Garza into a German suplex that ends it.

Winner: Jordan Myles in 8:24 [***1/4]

Commentary is interrupted by Shane Thorne. He says this tournament is pointless because NXT already has a guy like him and give him no opportunities. He jumped off a scaffold at TakeOver while these guys were sitting at home. Thorne will break out on his own without this tournament.

Backstage, Johnny Gargano talks about TakeOver: Toronto. He will do whatever it takes to beat the hell out of Adam Cole. He chooses a Street Fight for his fall stipulation.

Bianca Belair vs. Xia Li

Belair immediately explodes into Li with shoulder blocks in the corner. Stomps follow. Li shoves her away but Bianca just wails on her. She rags Li across the ring. Li avoids a corner charge but gets caught by the hair. Glam Slam and the handspring moonsault by Belair. Kipup and taunt. Li goes to the apron and is brought in by a hip toss. Li with an elbow but she runs into a release fallaway slam. Bianca with a stalling vertical suplex, complete with squats but Li escapes and fires off kicks. They send Bianca to the corner. Li runs up and leaps over Belair but gets run over. Bianca ends it with the KOD.

Winner: Bianca Belair in 3:00

Killian Dain speaks in a vignette about his attack on Matt Riddle last week. He says it was only a glimpse and that he can’t wait to show us everything he’s capable of.

Earlier this week, Jessamyn Duke wrapped up a training session at the Performance Center. Mia Yim showed up and slammed the locker door into her. She even pulled a Doakes and shouted “SURPRISE, MOTHERFUCKER.” Yim’s beating ended when she kicked the door onto Duke’s arm.

The North American Champion Velveteen Dream makes his way down to the ring. He talks about how not having the title would be like being in hell. He can’t even bring himself to say that Roderick Strong sold his soul to the devil to claim victory over him. Dream heard that Roddy can go all night but if he gets the experience he’s asking for, the dream will be over. Roddy will learn that he’s not big enough to ride this ride. Maybe there is someone who is big enough. He calls out whoever that is so he can experience him. Strong comes out and says that he can see how scared Dream is of him. He’s the most deserving challenger on this continent and he wants his shot at TakeOver: Toronto. The experience will die and that’s undisputed. In a surprise appearance, Pete Dunne’s music hits. he walks out to a thunderous pop. Strong walks up to Dunne who takes his fingers and snaps them, sending him outside. Dunne stares at the title and Dream walks off with concern on his face.

Backstage, Roderick Strong pulls a cameraman to William Regal to ask for a shot at Dream at TakeOver. First, he complains about Pete Dunne. Regal says he spoke with johnny Saint and Dunne will be part of NXT for a while. Though Strong earned a title shot, the title match at TakeOver will now be a Triple Threat match. STrong asks for Dunne one on one next week.. Regal says he’ll consider it.

Io Shirai vs. Kacy Catanzaro

Io bursts out with a dropkick at the bell. She adds running knees and a butterfly backbreaker. Candice LeRae runs in to attack Shirai.

Winner via disqualification: Io Shirai in 0:24

Candice hits an enziguri and a tope suicida. Candice gets a steel chair and Io runs up the ramp to avoid it. They trade words to end the segment.

Backstage, Adam Cole complains about the unfair situation of adding Dunne to the North American Title match. He puts over Strong being able to win the title anyway. The same goes for Fish and O’Reilly beating the Street Profits in Toronto. As for his stipulation, he picks a straight up wrestling match. When he beats Johnny, he can no longer call himself Johnny Wrestling.

NEXT WEEK ~ Jaxson Ryker vs. Tyler Breeze, plus Pete Dunne vs. Roderick Strong.

Damian Priest vs. Keith Lee

Priest is unimpressed with the “bask in his glory” chants. Their first exchange is equal. They raise their fists and both guys avoid the strikes and kicks of each other. The fans pop for Lee’s jumping spin kick attempt. Lee wins out on a knuckle lock that he elevates Priest with. Priest uses a forearm to get free. Lee is kicked in the knee and Priest hits a bunch of punches and kicks before booting him into the turnbuckle. Lee blocks a suplex but eats a clothesline. Priest kicks away a forearm and gets two on a discus clothesline. Lee fights out of a rest hold and Priest again fails at a suplex. Forearm connects. Lee blocks a whip and sends Priest to the corner. He goes to the apron but Leepowers him down with another knuckle lock. Priest gets up, walks the top rope a bit and gets two on a cross body. Preist gets held at the wrist and can’t break the grip. Even with shots he can’t. Lee fires up and knocks him down a few times with left hands. Corner forearm and running clothesline get a near fall. Priest avoids some shots and finally gets the Falcon Arrow to work. It is good for a near fall. More shots from Priest but a Lee discus forearm sends him back. The same for a double chop. Preist is spun out with the Pounce. Priest takes a powder but Lee sends him back inside. Priest knees him off the apron. He tries a tope con hilo but Lee catches him in powerbomb position. Priest escapes and pump kicks him into the steel steps. Priest laughs but Lee is pissed. Lee gives chase as Priest backs off. He hides behind the referee and then hits a cheap Cyclone Boot. He wins with the Reckoning.

Winner: Damian Priest in 9:39 [**3/4]