Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, & Beth Phoenix
The Breakout tournament concludes this week on NXT as Jordan Myles takes on Cameron Grimes. Also on the show Breezango reunites for the first time in a long time as they take on The Forgotten Sons in tag team action and we get a series of looks at the action that happened at NXT TakeOver: Toronto II.
CHAMPIONS
- NXT CHAMPION: Adam Cole
- NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION: The Velveteen Dream
- NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPION: Shayna Baszler
- NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
LINEUP
- Breezango vs. The Forgotten Sons (***)
- NXT BREAKOUT TOURNAMENT: Jordan Myles vs. Cameron Grimes (***)
*****
-OPENING VIDEO: Highlights from NXT TakeOver: Toronto II. I’m still buzzing from that Candice LeRae/Io Shirai match.
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Breezango (Fandango & Tyler Breeze) vs. The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake & Steve Cutler) [w/ Jaxson Ryker]
Fandango made his surprise return after 13 months on the shelf to save Breeze from a post-match attack by The Forgotten Sons on I believe last week’s show, setting up this match. Welcome back, Breezango.
Cutler goes for a sunset flip, Fandango maintains his balance via dancing and drops a leg before sending Cutler to the floor. Breeze tags in and backdrops Blake on the floor. Blake tags in, Breeze with a right. Ref gets distracted with Fandango and Ryker attacks him from behind to put The Forgotten Sons in control. The Sons beat on Breeze for a bit, focusing on weakening his back. Breeze fights out of a double STO and leaps for a tag but Ryker pulls him off the apron. The ref ejects Ryker from ringside, Breeze backdrops Cutler to the floor and Fandango gets the tag for real, lighting Blake up with chops and a powerslam. Cutler runs in and eats a powerslam as well. Fandango kicks off Cutler and drills Blake with a tornado DDT. Fandango to the top, kicking Cutler off the apron. Blake hides in the corner and connects with a lariat. Cutler tags in, Blake with a Frankensteiner on Fandango followed by a diving headbutt from Cutler for the 1…2…NO. Fandango sends both Sons to the floor, Breeze gets the tag and Fandango hits both Sons with a tope con hilo (did he used to do that?). Fandango tags back in, catapult into a forearm and Fandango splashes Cutler onto Breeze’s knees for the 1…2…3!
Breezango defeated The Forgotten Sons when Fandango pinned Steve Cutler (5:25)
- Energetic sprint and boy does Fandango look like he hasn’t lost a step. Hell he might have gained a few judging by that perfect tope con hilo. I’m down for a more serious-ish Breezango having bangers on NXT. (***)
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-NXT TAKEOVER TORONTO II RECAP: Velveteen Dream retains the North American Championship over Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne.
–Cathy Kelley interviews Pete Dunne following said match. Dunne says he should be standing there starting his next title run but he didn’t because Velveteen Dream stopping the count. Dunne says he will do whatever it takes to TAKE the title away from The Velveteen Dream. I hope one of the things is SHAVING THAT MUSTACHE.
-TOURNAMENT RECAP: Jordan Myles and Cameron Grimes battle their way to the finals, which happens in the main event tonight. Every member of this tournament gets a “FKA” under their new NXT name so we know who they used to be, which is a nice touch. I still don’t believe Sam F’n Shaw is in NXT, that can’t be right.
–Corey Taylor from Slipknot puts over NXT TakeOver: Toronto II which his band did the theme song for. Middle school me would’ve thought this was the coolest thing ever. Current day me is also fine with this, Slipknot SLAPS.
-NXT TAKEOVER TORONTO II RECAP: Street Profits successfully defend the NXT Tag Team Championship against Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish of The Undisputed Era.
-Cathy Kelley catches up with O’Reilly and Fish after their loss; all they want to do is find William Regal. O’Reilly says they were screwed by pure incompetence as the illegal man was pinned in the match.
-A special music video look at the new evil Io Shirai. Soundtrack is “Scary Mask” by Poppy, the terrifying cult lady who has popped up before on the NXT brand.
-NXT TAKEOVER TORONTO II RECAP: Shayna Bazler taps Mia Yim with a triangle leg choke to retain the NXT Women’s Championship. Not a great match but Baszler switching her game to compensate for her injured arm was great.
-Cathy Kelley accosts Baszler immediately following her TakeOver win. Kelley asks if anyone has pushed her as much as Mia Yim had; Baszler merely says “and STILL”. Damn right Shayna.
-NXT TAKEOVER TORONTO II RECAP: Adam Cole defeats Johnny Gargano to retain the NXT Championship, 2 Falls to 1, after they both go crashing off a steel cage and through a table. Third fall rocked but it took like 35 minutes to get there so the match as a whole didn’t do it for me.
-NXT TAKEOVER TORONTO II RECAP: The Matt Riddle/Killian Dain brawl. They are signed to do battle next week but will the match actually happen or will another pier-six brawl break out?
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NXT BREAKOUT TOURNAMENT: FINALS
Jordan Myles vs. Cameron Grimes
The winner of this tournament gets a title match of their choosing. I can’t imagine someone wanting a title shot at anyone other than the top champion, but you never know. I think it’s been done before in NXT.
Myles and Grimes jockey for position, Grimes settles into a waistlock. Myles slides out and counters into a top wristlock. Grimes back to the waistlock, ripping at Myles’ face before transitioning into a chinlock. Myles dropkicks Grimes’ knee and focuses on weakening it, including a Dragon Screw Legwhip for a two-count. Grimes’ finisher is a diving double stomp so it’s a smart move. Action moves to the floor, Grimes drops Myles with a leaping forearm. Grimes rolls Myles in, Myles grabs a leg but Grimes sends him crashing head-first into the middle buckle. OUCH. Grimes pulls Myles in the center of the ring for the 1…2…Myles kicks out so Grimes belts him with a series of right hands and an armbar. Myles escapes, Grimes makes him pay with a lariat for the 1…2…Myles kicks out once again and we’re back to the armbar. Myles whips Grimes off and connects with another Dragon Screw Legwhip. Somebody’s been watching late-era Muta matches. Myles cartwheels out of the way of a clothesline and connects with a basement dropkick. Grimes bails to the floor, Myles almost kicks his head with a PK. Back in the ring Myles heads to the top and connects with a flying crossbody for the 1…2…Grimes barely kicks out.
Myles climbs the buckles and avoids Grimes, Grimes with a backslide but Myles rolls through right into an Orange Crush from Grimes for the 1…2…kickout. Grimes blocks a roll-up with a back elbow, Myles responds with a backbreaker into a bridging German suplex for the 1…2…Grimes kicks out again! Grimes uses the rope to whack Myles in the face, Myles with a series of kicks and Grimes connects with a spinning powerslam/Spanish Fly thing for the 1…2…Myles kicks out! Grimes rains jabs down on Myles as a sorta energetic “THIS IS AWESOME” chant erupts from the Toronto crowd. Grimes misses a leaping double stomp, tweaking his knee, but doesn’t miss a superkick. Grimes whips Myles into the corner, Myles slides in and wags his finger at Grimes. Myles connects with a Brainbuster followed by the 450 Splash for the 1…2…3!
Jordan Myles defeated Cameron Grimes via pinfall with the 450 Splash to win the NXT BREAKOUT TOURNAMENT (9:41)
- Good match, cool to see Myles get the nod and the tournament win. Grimes looked good in defeat as well, I’m interested to see how he ends up fitting into NXT. There’s a lot of talent on this brand but not a lot for them to do. (***)
GM William Regal hands Myles a contract for a title match of his choosing. Honestly I hope he does pick The Velveteen Dream, those would be good segments heading into the match.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS: The two matches presented mattered, Breezango making their return and Myles winning the multi-week Breakout tournament, but the rest of the show was full of NXT TakeOver: Toronto II recaps. They were well-done and caught up folks who missed the event, but having seen it already it more felt like padding and skippable content. I’m sure next week they’ll get back on track and I really do hope that Riddle/Dain match happens so I can see some crazy sh*t.
