411’s WWE NXT Report 9.18.19

The first ever NXT on the USA Network is here. Hour one is on USA and hour two is on the WWE Network.

Triple H narrates a video package hyping the live debut. We see various clips of the NXT roster. He then steps out onto the NXT stage.

Number One Contender’s Match: Bianca Belair vs. Candice LeRae vs. Io Shirai vs. Mia Yim

Big deal for these ladies to open this night. The two rivalries start us as Candice goes after Io and Bianca battles Mia. Bianca ends up alone with Candice and uses her power to press slam her. A handspring knocks Io off the apron and she connects with a splash on Candice but Mia breaks things up. Bianca whips Io into a Tiger Feint Kick on Yim. Io kicks the hell out of Candice outside and springboards in with a dropkick for two. Mia kicks Io as she hits a tornado DDT on Bianca. Candice goes wild with a flurry of offense until Bianca hits her with a fallaway slam outside. Mia takes them out with a tope suicida. Io then hits a moonsault to the outside on them. Commercial break. We return to a Tower of Doom spot where Candice brings everyone down. Candice has an Octopus Stretch broken up. Bianca with a spinebuster on Mia. Io with a butterfly backbreaker. Everyone is down. Snap German by Candice. Bianca blocks the Poison Rana with power and sends her into the turnbuckle. Mia interrupted the KOD and hits Code Blue but Io breaks the pin. Bianca plants Candice with the KOD shortly after but it is broken up. Mia hits Protect Ya Neck but Bianca heads out. Io sends Mia out and charges into Candice with Meteora. She goes up but Mia knocks her off the top and outside. Candice goes up with Mia and blocks a powerbomb. She turns it into a Poison Rana. Quebrada for Candice and that’s it.

Winner: Candice LeRae in 10:00 [***3/4]

Candice’s celebration is cut short as Shayna Baszler and her friends walk out to stare her down on stage. They surround her and Shayna poses with the title. She holds it up by Candice’s face and they talk trash to each other.

Time for a short video package promoting our NXT Champion, Adam Cole. We then see him backstage with the Undisputed Era hyping Roderick Strong. It cuts to show Velveteen Dream also getting ready.

A video package runs chronicling the rivalry between Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic. It focuses on their size and the impressive things they can do.

NEXT WEEK ~ Dijakovic vs. Lee on USA.

TONIGHT ~ Matt Riddle vs. Killian Dain in a No DQ match on the WWE Network portion of the show. That leads to a video package on their feud.

Cameron Grimes vs. Sean Maluta

Cameron Grimes hits the double stomp instantly and wins.

Winner: Cameron Grimes in 0:06 [NR]

A video package is shown to hype Velveteen Dream vs. Roderick Strong.

A Damian Priest vignette runs.

NXT North American Championship: Velveteen Dream [c] vs. Roderick Strong

Early exchanges go to a stalemate with Dream blowing kisses from time to time. Dream wins out by sending him outside and taunting him as he attempts to get back in. Commercial break. We return to see Dream in control and still playing mind games. He taunts or gloats after each move. Double axe handle to the outside connects but Strong turns it around and drops Dream back first onto the edge of the guardrail. He adds the Wrecking Ball dropkick. Roddy wears him down inside and focuses on the back. Uranage backbreaker gets two for the challenger. Dream blocks a slingshot and wants a Sharpshoter but gets kicked outside. He avoids the Wrecking Ball dropkick and sends Strong into the steel steps. Commercial break. Coming back, they fight on the top where Dream blocks a superplex and hits a double axe handle. Dream fires up and gets two on a superkick. Strong avoids the Dream Valley Driver but eats the Dream DT for two. They fight on the apron and Dream gets hit with a loud kick. Dream gets tied in the ropes and Strong reels off forearm strikes before adding a backbreaker. Gibson Driver hits for two. Strong goes right into the Strong Hold. Dream struggles and makes it to the ropes. Out come the Undisputed Era to surround the ring. Dream starts a comeback but notices the guys at ringside. Strong sends Dream into the referee who takes a bump. Dream Valley Driver hits. UE gets on the apron. Dream knocks them off but takes a jumping knee and End of Heartache. Dream still kicks out! Another Dream Valley Driver. Cole kicks Dream off the top as the referee is distracted. Another End of Heartache wraps this up.

Winner: Roderick Strong in 22:29 [****]

Time for hour number two over on the USA Network.

We open to the Undisputed Era celebrating and posing with all the titles.

They recap Candice LeRae’s win. She faces Shayna Baszler on the USA Network in two weeks.

Arturo Ruas vs. Pete Dunne

Ruas busts out a sweet scissors takedown and they do some fine grappling on the mat. That is followed by them throwing strikes. Joint manipulation from Dunne and he steps on the arm. Dunne fights off some shots and twists on Ruas’ bare feet. He hits a German and stomps on his hands. Kick to the head gets two. Ruas back with a kick and German suplex of his own. Set up enziguri into a triangle. Ruas fights but Dunne turns it over and snaps the fingers. He bends on them for the submission victory.

Winner: Pete Dunne in 6:42 [***]

TONIGHT ~ Lio Rush vs. Oney Lorcan in a #1 Contender’s Cruiserweight Title match!

A vignette runs to hype the return of Dakota Kai. NEXT WEEK~

Aliyah vs. Xia Li

Vanessa Borne is with Aliyah. Xia confuses Aliyah with a corner handstand and fires off kicks. Aliyah is baited into the corner and gets swept. Xia rocks her with a dropkick. She adds a tornado kick and wins handily.

Winner: Xia Li in 1:50 [NR]

We’re set for KUSHIDA vs. Denzel Dejournette. During Denzel’s entrance, IMPERIUM INTERRUPTS! They come in through the crowd and surround the ring. The trio, minus WALTER, jump Denzel and hit him with a powerbomb/European uppercut combo. Loud “Where is WALTER” chants. Imperium poses in the ring and the theme hits, with WALTER stepping out onto the stage. He enters the ring and poses with his guys before taking a microphone. The mat is sacred to them and they’re here to restore the honor and tradition of their sport. If you disrespect the tradition, you answer to them. KUSHIDA’s music hits to interrupt them. He says it is his time right now. Imperium attacks and KUSHIDA dispatches of the three. WALTER grabs him and brings him in the ring the hard way. WALTER picks him up again but KUSHIDA slips out of his jacket, gets in a kick and bails as Imperium regroups. KUSHIDA indicates a challenge to WALTER.

Number One Contender’s Match: Lio Rush vs. Oney Lorcan

“Welcome back” chants for Lio. Oney explodes with a European uppercut into the corner. He adds a few more charging shots and a running Blockbuster for two. Lio fights back and hits a trio of tope suicidas. Inside, Oney turns the tide with a dragon screw. Someone watches Tanahashi. He hangs him out on the top rope and drives an uppercut into his jaw.

My stream has frozen during this match and it isn’t coming back on. Bear with me. Seems like a lot of people are having this problem.

I come back to it a few minutes later and Oney is beating on him but it keeps freezing. Oney locks in a deep half crab. Lio gets to the ropes and fires off kicks but ends up trapped in an STF. Lio again survives and fires off strikes. That just fires up Oney who responds with vicious slaps. Lio catches a charging Oney with a Spanish Fly from out of nowhere. Dragon’s Call Frog Splash gets him the win.

Winner: Lio Rush (stopwatch issues so I don’t have a time and can’t fully rate the match)

Street Fight: Matt Riddle vs. Killian Dain: Dain attacks right away but Riddle fights back wit a German and XPLODER. Dain counters the senton and gets a kendo stick, but Riddle cuts him off with kicks and he follows with kendo shots. Dain dumps him into the crowd, and then he follows with kendo shots. The senton on the floor follows, lays in strikes, and they brawl backstage and then outside. Dain slams him into the side of a semi truck, WALTER is there and attacks Riddle as Imperium joins in until the Street Profits & Forgotten Sons join into the brawl. Dain & Riddle brawl back into the arena along with the others who are brawling. Riddle tackles Dain until security separates them. Riddle starts suplexing security as we get a mass brawl in the ring. EVERYONE FIGHT EVERYONE! Dain follows with a suicide dive into a pile of bodies to close the show.Matt Riddle vs. Killian Dain went to a no contest @ 6:00