WWE NXT Showdown live results: NXT vs. TNA
In a feud building for months, the rosters of WWE NXT and TNA will do battle on tonight’s Showdown special on The CW.
Two eight-person Survivor Series-style tag team matches are on tap as are two title bouts.
On the men’s side, Team NXT (Ricky Saints, Trick Williams, Myles Borne & Je’Von Evans) take on Team TNA (Mike Santana, Frankie Kazarian, Moose & Leon Slater). Joe Hendry will be special guest referee.
For the women, it will be Team NXT (Jacy Jayne, Sol Ruca, Jaida Parker & Lola Vice) vs. Team TNA (Kelani Jordan, The IInspiration & Mara Sade). Jordynne Grace will be special guest referee.
In a winner takes all bout, NXT Tag Team Champions DarkState defend against TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardys while NXT North American Champion Ethan Page defends against Mustafa Ali who is getting the opportunity he earned before his WWE run ended.
The Dudley Boyz/Team 3D will appear on the show.
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This is it, friends! It’s all over but the shouting as NXT takes on TNA in what is totally not an invasion, it’s a SHOWDOWN!
With two massive elimination matches, a winner-take-all tag title bout and a defence of the NXT North American Title, it promises to be quite the Showdown indeed. And what’s on the line when these two companies clash, you ask? Why the ultimate prize in professional wrestling:
BRAND SUPREMACY!
-The Men’s Team NXT and Team TNA were shown arriving to work, all at the same time (presumably carpooling) and the Women’s Teams were shown preparing as well.
NXT Tag Team Champions DarkState vs TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardys
The tag team Champions vs Champions, Title-For-Title, Winner-Take-All match led off the show with the Hardys entering to a massive ovation while the Dudley Boys watched from the crowd alongside TNA President Carlos Silva. The Hardys set a hardcore tone off the top by wearing all white after Labor Day
Darkstate arrived in full force though, with all four members coming to ringside and jumping the Hardys before the match could even begin. The Hardys cleared the ring, but were still surrounded by DarkState until the Ref sent Cutler James and Saquon Shugars to the back, leaving Dion Lennox and Osiris Griffin
The Hardy’s kicked off the match with an exctended double team on Lennox before separating and leaving Jeff and Griffin to face off. Griffin used his size to control Jeff who tagged in Matt. Osiris hoisted him up, but tagged in Lennox. Matt went for a Twist of Fate, but didn’t realize that Lennox was now legal, so Lennox was able to knock him to the mat.
The Hardys fought back with Jeff taking on both Lennox and Griffin for a few moments before stepping on the gas with Lennox and dropkicking him. Jeff went for a Twist of Fate, but Lennox picked him up and put him on the ring apron (The Hardiest part of the ring!) where he and Griffin went high/low on him.
DarkState isolated Jeff in their corner and dropped some double teams on him before Lennox put a headlock on in the middle of the ring. Jeff tried to power out, but Lennox pounded him and hit a standing crossbody. Jeff tried for a tag, but Griffin cut him off.
Lennox came in for a double team and hit an absolutely nasty DDT on Jeff. Griffin begged off and Lennox continued the assault solo. The Dudleys continued to watch, much like us all.
Griffin tagged in and he and Lennox traded shots on Jeff in the corner. But, Jeff scrambled up the ropes and hit a spinning senton from the top turnbuckle on both members of Darkstate. That gave him the chance to get the hot tag to Matt who hit a DDT of his own on Griffin. He then pounded Lennox’ face into the turnbuckle while the crowd chanted Delete.
Matt hit a Plot Twist on Lennox, but Griffin broke up the pin at two. They hit a double slam on Matt, but Jeff broke that up at two. Osiris got Matt up on his shoulders while Lennox climbed the ringpost for a Doomsday Device, but Matt countered and hit a twist of fate on Lennox, then one on Griffin before taggin in Jeff.
Jeff hit a picture perfect Swanton Bomb on Lennox and pinned him 1-2-3 to retain the TNA Tag Titles and win the NXT Tag Titles!
Match Result: The Hardys defeated Dark State
Absolute banger of an opening match! Darkstate is always a powerhouse and the Hardy’s are somehow getting better with age. Loved it!
Women’s Elimination Match: Team NXT (Jacy Jayne, Sol Ruca, Jaida Parker & Lola Vice) vs. Team TNA (Kelani Jordan, Mara Sade and The IInspiration – Jess McKay and Cassie Lee)
Between the NXT Women’s Champion (Jayne) the Women’s North American and Speed Champion (Ruca), the TNA Knockouts Champion (Jordan) and the TNA Women’s Tag Champions (Lee & McKay), there is a literal ton of gold in this match. Also, on a personal note, I could not be more excited to see Lee and McKay back in an NXT ring. I miss that iconic twosome.
Special guesrt referee Jordynne Grace was shown in the ring as Team TNA made their way to the ring. This also prompted the first “Shucky ducky, quack quack” of the evening from Booker T. Vice led the intros for Team NXT and once everyone had arrived the match was set.
Jayne and Jordan kicked things off with Jordan getting the upper hand with a quick pin attempt. Jayne tried one of her own and the two wrestled around until Jordan shoved Jayne who bounced off the ropes and caught a blind tag from Vice.
Jayne reluctantly ceded the ring to Vice who was met by Lee and McKay who took her down and posed, iconically. Mckay stayed legal long enough to tag in Sade who dropkicked Vice. Vice responded with a waistlock, dragging her to the NXT corner for a tag and double team with Parker.
Sade fought back though and she and Parker traded blows in the middle of the ring. Lee made an iconic run in and all 8 women started brawling while Grace tried to regain control. The IInspiraiton ate a dive on the outsdie from Jayne, but Sade followed her out and Jordan went up top for a splash on the outside before Ruca flipped over the top rope and took everyone out.
Grace seemed all right to let the fight move to the outside, but was ready when Parker and Sade went back into the ring, making them legal I suppose. Parker hit a swinging neckbreaker on Sade after getting a yellow and red card from Grace.
Ruca tagged in and hit a superkick on Sade. She got her up in a stalling, stalling, stalling suplex and then flipped into a pin for two. Ruca tagged in Parker and Team NXT took turns taking shots at Sade in their corner.
Sade flipped it though, pulling Ruca back to the TNA corner where McKay and Lee tried to double team her, but she hit a double dropkick instead. Lee stayed legal and Ruca held her back until she got a blind tag crom McKay who joined Lee in double teaming Ruca.
McKay took shots at Ruca while a wave broke out in the crowd. Sade tagged back in and slowed the pace down, nailing Ruca with a knee to the back of the head. McKay and Lee tagged back in and tried a double flapjack, but Ruca reversed it into a double DDT.
Hot tags were made in both corners and Jordan charged Jayne who cleared the ring with a bunch of stiff shots. She hit a cannonball in the corner on Jordan and followed it up with a top rope senton. Jordan hit a cutter on Jayne which brought in Parker who hit a blockbuster on Sade then drove Lee into the corner with her shoulder.
Parker set Lee and McKay up in the corner and drop slammed them both. Sade hit a reverse x-factor on Parker though and went up top for a moonsault that missed Parker by about a foot. Parker hit a falcon arrow and got a pin, but Jordan broke it up and a brawl broke out.
In the confusion, Sade grabbed Parker from behind and pinned her for the first elimination. Ruca followed that with a blockbuster on Sade, eliminating her and evening the odds again. Jayne tagged in for an extended period, taking offense from all three remaining members of Team TNA in succession, but kicking out of any pin attempts.
Grace continued calling the match down the middle as Jayne put a fist into Mckay’s stomach and made a hot tag to Vice. Vice cleared house with kicks, putting McKay in one corner and Jordan in the other to deliver repeated butt-based blows.
Lee tagged in and Vice caught her with a back fist and a pin to eliminate her. Vice then grabbed McKay in a back submission hold and she tapped, leaving Jordan as the only member of Team TNA remaining.
The IInspiration caused a distraction on the outside on their way out, drawing Grace away from the match which caused her to miss Jordan pinning Jayne. Jayne sent Jordan to the outside and kicked her in the face, seemingly injuring her ankle.
Vice tagged in but collided with Jayne. Jordan grabbed Vice in an angle slam and got the pin to eliminate her, leaving Ruca and Jayne as the last members of Team NXT. This was all so chaotic, even the ring announcer was confused.
Jordan and Ruca battled in the ring, with Jordan hitting a facebuster on Ruca for a two count. Jordan went up top, but Ruca followed and the Jordan hit a spanish fly before trying a 450. She missed as Ruca got the knees up. Ruca hit a soulsnatcher on Jordan but Jayne tagged herself in and made the pin to give the victory to team NXT.
Match Result: Team NXT defeated Team TNA
Whew! Normally, I don’t really go for these elimination matches, but this one was a ton of fun. Everyone got a moment to shine and the muddiness that these matches can sometimes have was nowhere to be found. Also, I’ll say it right now for those in the back: Jacy Jayne is destined to be a superstar.
-Backstage, Matt Cardona was talking to NXT GM, Ava. He was looking for a spot on Team TNA and was asking Ava for some reason, but was interrupted by Josh Briggs who demanded a match against Cardona next week to pay him back for interfering in his match last week. Ava said she would work it out with Santino.
NXT North American Champion Ethan Page vs Mustafa Ali
Ali is a fantastic performer who’s run in WWE just never seemed to work out. It’s pretty exciting to see him back in an NXT ring and facing off against Page, the greatest Canadian alive (I’m legally bound to say that).
With the intros out of the way, Page and Ali locked up with Page sending Ali to the corner. Ali, who looks absolutely jacked these days, shoved him out of the corner and the two started trading wristlocks. The two put on a technical clinic for a few moments with Ali coming out on top with a cutter and a standing moonsault.
Ali dragged Page out of the ring and began slamming his hand against the apron. Page got a back elbow on Ali and then yelled at the commentary team. Ali hit a spinning DDT on page on the outside and threw him back into the ring.
Ali started going up top, but Page tripped him and wrapped his leg around the ringpost. Ali fell to the outside, writhing in pain. The ref checked on him and Page pulled him up to knock him down with a forearm shot before tossing Ali back into the ring for a big elbow drop or three.
Page tried to slow things down with a headlock, but Ali powered out of it. Page hit a Confidence Breaker, but only got a two count. He put Ali in a chinlock, working the tweaked neck. Ali fought out of it though and went to answer back but Page turned him over with a lariat.
They ended up on the top turnbuckle and Page tried for a superplex. Ali knocked him off and when Page tried again, he hit a sunset powerbomb from the top rope. He went up top again, but Page hit the ropes, knocking him onto the turnbuckle. Page went for a backbreaker over the turnbuckle, but Ali blocked it, so Page settled for snakeyes on the turnbuckle and superkick for a two count.
Ali collapsed after kicking out of the pin and Page started talking trash. Ali hit a dropkick and dodged a couple of charges from Page. PAge got a knockout blow sending Ali into the corner for another two-count.
Page went for the Ego’s Edge, but Ali wormed out of it and clapped his ears. Ali hit a tornado DDT out of the corner, but Page kicked out at two. Ali dragged Page to the corner and went up top for a 450. Page got out of the way though and delivered a kick to Ali’s head.
Page tried for the Ego’s Edge again, but Ali countered with a hurricanrana. Ali ducked two clotheslines and went springboard, but Page caught him and went for a twisted grin. Ali wormed out though and the tow remained at a stalemate.
Ali sent Page out with a headscissor and then dove through the ropes onto him, knocking Page over the announce table. Ali pulled Page back into the ring and went up top, but his foot was tangled in the mic cord. While he tried to get it off, Page shoved Ali off the top rope all the way to the barricade.
Page tossed Ali back into the ring and hit a twisted grin to get the pin and retain the NXT North American Championship.
Match Result: Ethan Page defeated Mustafa Ali
What an incredible match! That could be a match of the year contender for NXT. Page and Ali put on a back and forth clinic that should be studied. There was no point where I was able to tell who was going to win and it came down to bad luck for Ali. Killer match heading into the main event!
-In the back Hijo del Dr Wagner jr was interviewed about his issues with Ethan Page. They were interrupted by Lexis King who accused him of being Tavion Heights. Wagner left and Heights appeared behind King, shaking his head.
-After a break, the women’s Team NXT was shown celebrating in the back and by celebrating, I mean they looked at each other and went “oh yeah, we all hate each other” and parted ways. Ruca was left and approached by Zariah and Blake Monroe. Monroe said that their friendship wouldn’t last and that she was coming for one of Ruca’s titles.
Men’s Elimination Match: Team NXT (Ricky Saints, Trick Williams, Myles Borne & Je’Von Evans) vs Team TNA (Mike Santana, Frankie Kazarian, Moose & Leon Slater)
The Main Event of the evening looked so good on paper that I was able to stop asking myself “why is the TNA champion on team NXT?” and just enjoy these 8 men at the top of their game beat the hell out of each other. Joe Hendry acted as the special referee for this match and earlier in the evening was shown talking to both teams.
Team TNA entered first with Kazarian and Moose getting big cheers as they came through the crowd. After a break, Team NXT arrived with Evans and Borne coming out first, followed by Williams and finally Saints.
Evans and Slater kicked things off with a battle of the bouncy. However, before they could do anything, Kazarian and Williams blind tagged in and started brawling. Borne tagged in and hit an atomic drop and neckbreaker on Kazarian. Kazarian then pushed Borne into hit team’s corner where they started wailing on him. That brought in Team NXT and a full brawl commenced.
When the dust settled, Kazarian and Borne continued in the ring, with Moose trying to cause a distraction and missing. Kazarian hit a modified fame-ass-er and then a cutter to pin Borne and get the early elimination.
Both teams retreated to their corners as a disbeliving Borne headed to the back. Saints stared daggers at Santana and they started fighting with Santana hitting a headscissor, but missing with a charge to the corner. Saints put him down and tagged in Evans who went with strikes to soften up Santana.
Santana reversed it into a backdrop though followed by spinning Evans around with a backhanded chop. He set up Evans in the TNA corner and chopped him again before Moose tagged in. Moose jersey’d Evans (Canadians will get it) and hit a big dropkick before dragging him to the TNA corner and a waiting Kazarian.
Kazarian sent Evans into the opposite corner and slammed him. He followed that with a springboard leg drop, but Evans kicked out at two. Evans tried to battle back, but Kazarian went for a pin using the ropes. Hendry saw it though and called off the pin.
Williams tagged in and went to chokeslam Slater who got out of it and delivered a high kick. Williams caught Slater on the charge and slammed him, followed by a big kick. Williams slowed the pace and set up Slater in the corner for some chops. Slater ducked the third one and hit a Lethal Injection-style cutter.
Santana tagged in to face Saints and dropped him with a cutter. Williams stood up and he and Santana had a staredown ahead of their upcoming match at Bound For Glory. Williams tagged in Evans and Evans cleared the ring and began bouncing around with X-Division Champion Slater.
Evans started diving over the ropes onto each member of Team TNA. Unfortunately, when he got to Moose, Moose caught Evans in midair. Evans got out of it though and headed back into the ring where Slater was waiting and rolled him up for a three count. With Evans eliminated, Team NXT was down to two;. Williams and Saints.
Slater and Kazarian double teamed Williams with Kazarian making the pin attempt. Williams kicked out and Kazarian bounced Williams’ head off of Moose’s foot. Moose tagged Slater in and Team TNA started working William’s ankle. Slater hit a crossbody and delivered some punches before tagging in Kazarian.
Willams began fighting back, but Kazarian put him back down with a high kick. He began stomping Williams and hanging him up on the ropes. Moose tagged in and charged, but Williams dodged it. He want for a tag to Saints, but Kazarian pulled him off the ring apron. Moose took advantage, but Williams hit a back cutter. Saints got back up on the ring and tagged himself in to face Slater.
Saints hit a Falcon Arrow, but Slater kicked out at two. Saints went off the ropes, but Kazarian hit him in the back, giving Slater a chance to hit his Utopia slam. Saints went to tag in Williams, but but Williams hopped off the apron, refusing the tag. Williams wandered away from the ring as Kazarian took out Saints.
Williams walked to the back, leaving Saints to fend for himself against all four members of Team TNA. Kazarian put on a rear naked choke and tried to transition to a crossface, but Saints rolled it over and pinned him to get the first elimination for Team NXT.
Slater dove in to try and finish Saints off, but Saints kicked out. Slater set him up in the corner and charged, knocking him down. He went up top for a swanton, but Saints got his knees up, and turned Slater over for a pin and second elimination.
Moose took his turn next, sending Saints to the outside. Santana threw him back into for a slam and a senton from the TNA veteran. Saints kicked out at two, much to Moose’s surprise. Moose went for a powerbomb, but Saints reversed it into a DDT. He went for the pin, but Santana broke it up.
Santana started throwing hands at Saints, sending him staggering to the corner. He chopped Saints then hit a big slam, but Saints kicked out again. Santana went for a powerbomb but Saints flipped out of it a delivered a superkick.
Moose went for a spear, but Saints dodged it and hit Santana. Santana shoved Saints into Moose who hit a powerbomb and then Santana follwed up with a big slam to get the pin and eliminate the NXT Champion.
Match Result: Team TNA defeated Team NXT
-After the match, Santino and Ava were seen talking in the back. The GM’s congratulated each other and Ava asked Santino to bring the Knockouts division to NXT next week for a Battle Royal to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women’s Title.
Man, that was a good night of wrestling. The Men’s Elimination match was a little bit slower than the Women’s, but PPV quality stuff from all four matches on the card. TNA and NXT are a great fit and there’s some great stuff teased for next week!
Jeff Moss is a writer, creator and developer in animation, comics and pretty much anything else he can get his mitts on. Pro Wrestling has always been his passion for reasons even he doesn't understand.