WWE NXT live results: The road to Showdown
WWE NXT sets the stage tonight for its newly-named Showdown special with TNA Wrestling, which is happen next Tuesday on CW.
Last week saw the TNA roster invading NXT, causing the Oba Femi vs. Trick Williams main event to end in a no contest. Announced since then is a clash for next Tuesday, which includes two Survivor Series-style elimination matches pitting the show’s wrestlers against each other.
NXT General Manager Ava and TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella will appear tonight as they choose their captains for both the men’s and women’s matches.
Also confirmed for the Showdown card is DarkState vs. The Hardys in a Tag Team title vs. title match. That could lead to more build for Showdown.
There is a new NXT Champion after Ricky Saints dethroned Femi at No Mercy, and the new champ scheduled for the show tonight to begin his reign.
Plus, Lash Legend and Jaida Parker face off one-on-one in a bout on tonight’s card.
Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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NXT is on the air in front of a live studio audience on a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando.
Opening the show is the entrance of the new NXT Champion, and Ricky Saints enters dressed in street clothes while holding his title belt.
Team captains announced for Showdown
“You deserve it” chants from the audience as Saints begins his monologue. Saints talks about winning the title from Oba Femi at No Mercy. Saints then reflects back to February when he debuted in NXT, and the reality of him headlining NXT shows and winning the title. Saints gets excited when saying reality is here standing in front of the crowd (as the new champ).
“Ricky” chants from the crowd. Saints says the journey has not been easy, and the question was whether Saints would do it. He asks the crowd if he did it, if we did it? The audience pops of course.
Saints put all of his chips on the line and bet on himself, and he walked out as the new champion. That is proof the only person to worry about is you. The only one to bet on is you. There is always one person you must see when going to sleep, and that is yourself. I think he meant looking in the mirror, but you get the picture.
Saints is suddenly interrupted by theme music for Fatal Influence, followed by the entrance of NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne. She congratulates Saints on winning the title, but Jayne says they have bigger things to worry about (likely meaning TNA).
The studio audience loudly boos Jayne, and she calls them idiots before telling them to shut up. Jayne goes to say TNA is trying to take over NXT. (The hostile takeover plot is so 1996, yet here we are.)
Jayne is interrupted by the NXT General Manager Ava, who says Jayne took the word out of her mouth. They do have more things to worry about. Ava informs them she appointed them as the team captains for NXT. That means they will decide who is on their team.
Ava asks them to put their differences, and their pride, aside because Ava needs the best team. Ava needs the best men and women in NXT. Before Ava can finish speaking, she is interrupted by Santino Marella. He is an authority figure for TNA.
Marella says Ava has a great idea, and he will also allows his team captains to pick their teams. Marcella then says “Tricky” Williams will not be his captain. Trick Williams holds the TNA Word Championship, but Marella says he cannot trust a man named “Tricky” to be captain.
Marella then introduces Mike Santana as captain of the TNA team. Marcella also introduces TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan as the captain of the women’s team for TNA. That is interesting because Jordan is actually a wrestler from NXT. Jordan won the title at TNA Victory Road last Friday.
The authority figures and the team captains face off in the ring. Marcella says this not an “invasion” since the two promotions have worked together for months. Marcella this is more of a “showcase” or a “showdown” between the two promotions.
Jayne objects to Marella picking Jordan as team captain, as Jayne says that does not make sense. Saints interjects to say they need to focus on their own teams. Saints tells Santana he will see him later on.
— Before and after a commercial break is hype Saturday Night’s Main Event, with advertising focusing on John Cena and tickets soon going on sale.
— TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater meets up backstage with Je’Von Evans. They are cordial, and they are hyped about their title match set for TNA Bound For Glory. They are interrupted by Shawn Spears and The Culling. Spears and Niko Vance take exception to Evans being friendly with a TNA talent. That led to Vance challenging Evans and Slater to a tag team match later tonight.
Lyra Valkyria walks up as Evans and Slater leave. Valkyria has a new doll she gifts to Tatum Paxley. Paxley throws her other blonde doll behind her, and Izzi Dame catches it with a look of disgust on her face.
Jaida Parker vs. Lash Legend
This was a rematch from a few weeks ago, and this was much better this time around. They added some heat to the feud as Legend cost Parker a recent title match.
The match goes through a commercial break. Parker with a Samoan Drop, and Legend takes the bump on the floor just before the show cuts to a commercial. Legend is working a leg as the show returns from the break. Parker gets a rope break and fights back.
Comeback by Parker, and she executes a twisting neckbreaker for a two count. Moments later, Legend no sells one of Parker’s signature moves, and Legend lands a big boot. Outside the ring, Legend sends Parker crashing into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Legend goes for her finisher, but Parker blocks it. Parker follows up with a running hip attack, and Parker covers Legend for a three count.
Match result: Jaida Parker defeated Lash Legend via pinfall.
— TNA World Champion Trick Williams is in the NXT locker room. He wants to be co-captains with NXT Champ Ricky Saints. After scoffing at such, Saints announces Je’Von Evans as his first pick. Evans is pumped up. Myles Borne is the second pick, and Trick says they need more size. Jasper Troy rattles his chain like Hercules Hernandez, as if to say he wants the spot. Trick instead suggests Josh Briggs. Evans objects, and Evans calls Briggs goofy and selfish. Evans storms off as Trick suggest Briggs against Borne in a match tonight. The winner is added to the team, and Saints likes that idea.
Mustafa Ali returns to challenge Ethan Page
North American Champion Ethan Page enters the sound stage for a monologue. Page proclaims himself the greatest North American Champion ever, and Page says he beat an Olympic threat. Page claims that proves there is a talent gap between him and the Olympics.
While Page says everyone else is worried about TNA, Page has problems south of the border. Page brings up his feud with El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., who holds the AAA Latin American title.
Page is getting fired up about Wagner and doctors when he is interrupted by a vehicle arriving to the building.
Mustafa Ali enters the sound stage, and he gets in the ring to confront Page. Ali says he has no issue with NXT of the fans, but he has an issue with what Page is holding in his hand (meaning the title). Ali earned a shot at that title a long time ago, but he was faced twists and turns instead. Ali thought he was cursed, as on this very day two years ago, Ali thought he was booked in a title match at No Mercy. Instead, Ali got a phone call that his services were no longer needed. Here he is 749 days later, and Ali still wants the title he earned. Ali goes on to announce next Tuesday he finally gets his title shot, as he meets Page next week at Showdown. Ali vows to end the curse.
Page cuts a promo and Ali punches him. They brawl in the ring, until Ali dropkicks Page out of the ring. Page fetches his title belt and clutches it as he flees the scene.
— A locker room skit sets up Lola Vice against Fallon Henley, with the winner being added to Team NXT.
— TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardy Boyz in a pre-taped promo talk hope their match next week against Darkstate.
Josh Briggs vs. Myles Borne
The winner gets a spot on Team NXT. The match itself goes through a commercial break. Briggs wore a chain necklace, which is interesting considering that is Jasper Troy’s gimmick these days. Regardless, Briggs gets heat on Borne before the show cuts to commercial. Briggs gets a near fall after a chokeslam from the heavens.
Borne mounts a comeback, but Briggs cuts him off and delivers backbreakers. Borne soon fights back with another comeback. Powerslam by Borne for a two count. They then trade big moves for a double down.
Briggs rips the chain off his own neck, and Briggs wraps the chain around his fist. Matt Cardona suddenly runs in and stops Briggs from using the chain. The referee then takes the chain away. Borne strikes and delivers his “Borne Again” (Zig Zag) finisher. Borne then hooks a leg and pins Briggs.
Match result: Myles Borne defeated Josh Briggs via pinfall.
— Knockout Champion Kelani Jordan is talking with Jordynne Grace, and Grace lobbies to be on Team TNA. Jordan raises the obvious conflict of interest. Grace by chance name drops Joe Hendry. Say his name and he appears. Santana enters and basically points out the conflict of interest with both Hendry and Grace. She tells Hendry they should be somehow be a part of Showdown.
Fallon Henley vs. Lola Vice
Jacy Jayne was ringside in Henley’s corner. The winner of the match gets a spot on Team NXT. Henley and Vice had a good competitive match. Henley is knocked outside the ring , where she trips up Vice with the ring skirt. Back in the ring, Vice counters Henley with a spinning back fist. Vice then covers Henley for a clean three count.
Match result: Lola Vice defeated Fallon Henley via pinfall.
— Darkstate cuts a promo on The Hardy Boyz ahead of their match next week.
— Lainey Reid talks with Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne in a backstage skit. Reid reveals to them she was under the mask at No Mercy. Reid also takes credit for the phantom attack on Jazmyn Nyx last week.This seems to set up Reid joining the Fatal Influence faction.
Je’Von Evans & TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater vs. The Culling (Shawn Spears & Niko Vance)
Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley are in the heel corner as members of The Culling. The tag bout goes through a commercial break. The babyface duo hit stereo dives as the show cuts to a break. After the break, The Culling is getting heat on Slater.
Hot tag to Evans, and he cleans house. Evans and Slater get near falls on The Culling down the stretch. Just before they went home, Eavns and Slater both springboard into stereo cutters. Vance is taken out by a dive from Evans, before Slater climbs the turnbuckles. Slater leaps off the top rope with a 450 senton bomb, and Slater pins Spears.
Match result: Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater defeated Shawn Spears & Niko Vance when Slater pinned Vance.
— TNA wrestlers arrive in the building, albeit some that are walking up have already been there tonight. NXT talent meet them in the parking lot for a verbal altercation as the show cuts to a commercial break.
Summit turns into a melee
The talent that meet in the parking lot surround the ring for a NXT/TNA “summit” meeting. Santion Marella and his captain, Santana, are in the ring opposite Ava. She is joined by Ricky Saints and Trick Williams.
Saints bickers some with Trick. Nonetheless, Saints announces the men’s NXT team was Saints, Trick, Borne and Evans.
Marella has Santana announces the TNA team, which is Santana, “TNA OG” Frankie Kazarian, Moose, and Leon Slater.
Jacy Jayne cuts a promo on Kelani Jordan. Jayne then announces the NXT women’s team as herself, Sol Ruca, Jaida Parker and Lola Vice.
Jordan responds with a promo of her own on Jayne. Jordan then announces the first picks for the TNA women’s team as Jessica McKay and Cassie Lee. They are The Inspiration, but they were formerly a team in WWE (which was not acknowledged, yet hinted at by Jordan). Rounding out the team is Mara Shade (who was formerly Jakara Jackson in NXT).
Santana vows that TNA will win next Tuesday, just like he will win the TNA title at Bound For Glory. From there, a brawl erupts. Mayhem and bedlam in the ring. As the melee unfolds, out comes Shawn Michaels to watch the brawl.
The melee continues as the show fades to black.
