[WWE] NXT - 24-01-2018 (Video)

Here's a place to check results and comment along with the latest airing of WWE NXT in its regular Wednesday night at 8PM Eastern time slot on WWE Network.

We'll post match results here, and we will also have our regular reactions post later. In the meantime, and most importantly, this gives you a dedicated place to rave and/or bitch about whatever happens on WWE’s third brand - during its initial broadcast!

Enjoy the show!

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- Velveteen Dream video opens the show. Dream directs the scene, calling for ambiance, atmosphere and illumination. When he has the set just the way he likes it, VD says everyone dreams of becoming NXT champion, but they all walk different paths. Johnny Gargano dreams of being champ, and Dream doesn’t doubt he will be one day. But that day is not now, not when he’s around. Gargano’s path was full of doubt, while Velveteen’s experience was pure. Either way, one dream ends tonight.

- Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness and Percy Watson welcome us, with Nigel cracking jokes about the returning star in our opener...

- No Way Jose def. Cezar Bononi via pinfall following the Pop-Up Punch; they trade shoulder tackles before Jose grounds things. Bononi tries to counter with something after a whip, but can’t get it and goes with a dropkick and strikes before lifting No Way into a pump-handle slam and working rest holds of his own. Jose turns the tide with a swinging neckbreaker en route to the finish.

- Ranallo reminds us of Philly’s “extreme” history to intro a video package on Aleister Black and Adam Cole’s rivalry and Extreme Rules match at TakeOver.

- Bianca Belair def. LaToya Allsop via pinfall following a reverse powerbomb; impressive squash for The EST including an impressive head scissor counter into a backbreaker and a front slam after lifting Allsop with both arms chickenwinged. LaToya’s lone offense ended when she jumped into getting whipped across the mid-section with Belair’s hair right before the end.

- Watson interviews Shayna Baszler and Ember Moon. Percy asks the champ why she called out Baszler, and Moon runs down Shayna’s attacks and calls her a bully. She asks if Baszler is trying to compensate for something, if she’s afraid of the women’s roster. The Queen of Spades says that to catch the big fish you have to stir up the water, and Ember is the big fish around here. Moon says there’s responsible to being the champ here, and standards of sportsmanship and honor. She knew what Shayna was doing, and while she might get to the top someday, it won’t be Saturday. Baszler gives the champ props for getting there herself, but says the difference between her and Moon is that she doesn’t care whether anyone knows the path she took. They both stand for the staredown, and Watson asks Shayna if there’s anything she wants the NXT Universe to know about. She again says she doesn’t care what we think, we’re just gonna have to deal with it.

- A look at TM61, Pt. 2 starts with Shane Thorne making fun of fans who only know their name as “a Pokemon thing” (it’s also a missle). He then recounts the spot where he hurt his knee wrestling Roderick Strong in San Jose during the Dusty Rhodes Classic. He went on work the finals at TakeOver (“to be tough you’ve got to be dumb, and I’m real tough”), but when they faced The Revival after that he couldn’t go any more. They show him pre and post knee surgery. Nick Miller says that up until now in WWE, they’ve been trying to be something they’re not. He’d hate for fans to only know them as they’ve been here. They both talk about their old name/catch phrase (The Mighty Don’t Kneel) enough that you think they might be going back to the name, but it’s not to be. In the end, we get clips of Harley Race putting them over as they vow to win the tag titles someday, and Nigel tells us they’ll be in the ring next week (they’re wrestling in the dark match/taping on Saturday in Philly).

- Authors of Pain vs. These Guys never starts because AoP destroy their opponents, cut promos warning Undisputed ERA this will be happening to them on Saturday and then pick the local talents back up for a Super Collider. Paul Ellering points at the carnage.

- Nikki Cross and Lacey Evans will also face off next week/before TakeOver in a match set-up by Evans promo on the last episode

- Johnny Gargano def. Velveteen Dream via submission with Garga-No Escape to retain his TakeOver: Philadelphia NXT title shot; Dream enters wearing a Johnny Wrestling half-shirt to a crowd split 50/50 for each man. A long ground-based exchange ends in a stalemate, but when VD uses that as an opening to talk trash, Gargano slaps on Garga-No Escape. Velveteen makes the ropes as we go to commercial. More of the same when we get back, with Dream hanging with Johnny but getting caught showboating about it. Gargano follows up dropkicking his opponent off the apron into the announce desk with a rolling senton. VD catches him with a swinging neckbreaker on their way back in, though, and starts working off Johnny while talking trash about Gargano not deserving Dream’s spot. After sending Johnny to the floor, he teases something off the top rope to anger the crowd then heads to the floor where they get into a striking exchange. Velveteen ends up getting the better of that before rolling Johnny back in before another commercial. Gargano is back in charge when we return, with an enzigure and a flatliner getting a two count. They trade pinning predicaments, and a superkick from Dream is answered by a BIG clothesline from Gargano. Johnny drapes his arm over VD for another nearfall. They swing on each other, then Dream tries for his rolling DVD but Johnny slips out. He fails to lock in his submission, the Velveteen hits a slick DDT for two. Dream climbs to try for Purple Rainmaker, but Johnny knocks him down and connects with a suicide dive. Both men struggle to get to their feet in the ring, and Dream returns the favor by crotching Gargano as he climbed in the corner. They fight there, but Velveteen hits a DVD from the second rope! Johnny kicks out at 2.99! VD goes for his elbow drop, but selling a leg arm injury, he tries with the right and meets the knees. Superkick from JG and that’s finally the beginning of the end.

- Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega hit the stage. Almas points to his title and they both laugh off the threat of Gargano. They make their way to the ring to show Johnny the prize... Andrade hands Zelina the belt and tries to cheap shot the challenger, but Gargano fights him off! But not for long. Cien beats him down and throws him to the floor as the crowd boos. But Johnny climbs back into the ring while El Idolo is posing with the belt. When the champ goes to put him back down, Gargano catches him and nails the slingshot DDT while Vega freaks out. Johnny Wrestling picks up the belt for a look and holds it above his head while standing over Almas.

- On to Philadelphia

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