Welcome to the "Emerald City", Seattle, Washington, where this bustling and beautiful metropolis plays host to NXT's latest Takeover event. Tonight, Matt Riddle looks to unseat Tommaso Ciampa from his throne atop the black and yellow brand, but with Keith Lee watching on from ringside, can the "King of Bros" keep his composure? The cruiserweights will take center stage, as Roderick Strong pays for his outlandish actions in a Street Fight against Cedric Alexander, and should Strong lose, he will be fired from NXT. Plus, Rhea Ripley looks for redemption as she challenges the undefeated Io Shirai, Heavy Machinery challenge for the tag titles and Candice LeRae faces Sonya Deville!
Universe Mode
NXT Takeover
August 11th, 2019
Location: Seattle, WA
Candice LeRae vs Sonya Deville
This was a fantastic showing from Sonya Deville tonight, who dominated the veteran LeRae with her kicks and submission expertise. Any time Candice attempted to mount a comeback, Mandy Rose would step in from ringside, providing a distraction to get her friend back in control. Sonya seemed to have the match won after locking in her rolling triangle armbar, but Candice was able to fight free with right hands. Having had enough of the meddling blonde, LeRae climbed to the top rope and took out Rose with a diving hurricanrana! LeRae spiked Deville on the back of her neck with a vicious German suplex, then lifted Deville up top and took her for a ride, hitting the swinging neckbreaker off the top rope and hooking both legs for the victory.
Winner: Candice LeRae
Moustache Mountain(c) vs Heavy Machinery- NXT Tag Team Championship Match
It was obvious that the champions weren't taking this title defense one hundred percent seriously, and they paid for it. Trent Seven started the match off, and for the proceeding ten minutes would be taken apart by Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic. Knight and Dozovic showcased a wide array of impressive tag team moves, tossing Seven around the ring with power and using their own bodies as weapons to inflict more damage. In the end, Seven's only hope was a desperation eye rake, unnoticed by the ref, which allowed him to make the hot tag. Tyler Bate went to work, dumping Knight to the floor with a back body drop and sending Dozovic flying with an exploder suplex, before kipping up! Dozovic was able to floor Bate with a big right hand, but made a crucial mistake, going for the theatrical Caterpillar Elbow Drop. The move took so long that Bate was able to roll out of the way, and hit the Tyler Driver '97 for the three count.
Winners and still NXT Tag Team Champions: Moustache Mountain
Cedric Alexander(c) vs Roderick Strong- Street Fight for the Cruiserweight Championship
With no rules and everything legal, we saw a side of Cedric Alexander that most had never seen before. Alexander was ruthless from the opening bell, battering Strong with a kendo stick that raised welts all over the challenger's body. Strong was able to get a momentary breather after sending Alexander into the barricade, but Cedric quickly fired back, smashing Roddy in the skull with a garbage can. We now got some actual wrestling, as Alexander took flight with a springboard lariat and then planted Strong with a brainbuster! But as the champion made the cover, the challenger kicked out at two! Stunned, Cedric was a little too slow to keep up the offense, and Roddy capitalized, hitting a low blow! Sick Kick! 1.........................2.....................but now Cedric Alexander kicked out! Strong was quick to stay on the offense, kicking Alexander in the back to make sure he stayed down. He went to the outside, and began to clear off the announce table. Strong was looking to put Alexander away for good, but Cedric still had life, and took Strong down with a suicide dive! As Seattle cheered Cedric on, Triple H made his way to the stage. Alexander saw his boss watching, and knew he needed to ensure Strong would not walk out with his title. Cedric laid out Roddy on the announce table, and climbed to the top rope! With Triple H eagerly watching on, Cedric took flight-
and came crashing through the table, back-first! Roddy had rolled out of the way, and now took advantage. He brutalized Cedric's back with a steel chair, hitting the champion with eight stiff shots, all on the back. Strong made the cover among the wreckage of the table, and with falls counting anywhere, got the three count and the title!
Winner and the NEW Cruiserweight Champion: Roderick Strong
Post-Match
As Roderick Strong held his new title aloft, he eyed up Triple H, and made his way to the top of stage where the NXT General Manager still stood. The atmosphere was incredibly tense as the two men stared each other down, hatred in their eyes. But then Triple H said something, inaudible to the cameras, and Strong looked confused. And then..........................Triple H held out his hand! Still processing what he had heard, Strong took a few seconds to comprehend what was happening............and then shook the boss' hand! What the hell just happened?
Io Shirai(c) vs Rhea Ripley- NXT Women's Championship Match
Io Shirai was confident of her chances to retain here tonight, and early on, it looked like she had nothing to worry about. The power of Rhea Ripley was completely neutralized, as Shirai easily out-wrestled her challenger, staying one step ahead and also embarrassing Ripley by adding on a few humiliating slaps. But the decision to antagonize Ripley was a mistake, as the challenger fought back, knocking Shirai senseless with a right hand before hitting an impressive delayed vertical suplex. Rhea went for the Riptide Powerbomb, but Shirai countered with a well-placed kick to the leg before shutting Ripley down with a straight jacket German suplex. Up top, Shirai took a few seconds to gloat before delivering her incredible moonsaut. 1.......................2...................but with all the power she had left, Rhea Ripley kicked out! Shirai was shocked, but just climbed back up top, looking to hit another moonsault. Ripley was back up to her feet though, and Shirai was now stuck in no man's land. "The Genius of the Sky" was comfortable in this dimension though, and jumped anyway, looking for a hurricanrana! But Ripley caught Shirai in mid-air, and delivered a hellacious powerbomb that brought Seattle to its feet! Riptide! 1..........................2...........................3!
Winner and the NEW NXT Women's Champion: Rhea Ripley
Tommaso Ciampa(c) vs Matt Riddle- NXT Championship Match
Matt Riddle wasted absolutely no time going right after Tommaso Ciampa, showing none of his usual care free attitude. Riddle was all over Ciampa, hitting him with one big strike after another as Seattle cheered the challenger on. But as the "King of Bros" lined up a running knee, Keith Lee got involved, tripping up his former friend and allowing Ciampa to take control. Ciampa was methodical and brutal in his attack, and after Riddle's head was slammed into an exposed turnbuckle, the challenger was busted open. That proved to be an awakening for Riddle, as the sight of his own blood provided a boost of adrenaline. Riddle wiped out Ciampa with the running knee, before lifting the champion to the top rope to deliver an avalanche belly-to-belly suplex! BroDerek Piledriver! Matt Riddle was closing in on the NXT title, but again, Keith Lee got involved. He distracted the ref as Riddle hit the Bro to Sleep, robbing Riddle of what surely would've been a three count. As Riddle stared at Lee, his fury and frustration boiled over. Riddle wiped out Lee with a barrel roll tope! Riddle unleashed on Lee on the outside, battering his former friend with right hands. Not finished yet, Matt Riddle applied the Bromission on Keith Lee, who was soon screaming in pain! But Riddle's loss of composure nearly cost him, as he had to release the hold to scramble back into the ring as the official's count had reached 9. Ciampa quickly capitalized, drilling Riddle with a knee trembler. Ciampa backed up, got a big run-up and hit the recovering Riddle with a sliding knee strike! 1.......................2...................but Matt Riddle kicked out! Ciampa couldn't end it yet! As Riddle fought back up to a standing position, he began to throw stiff palm strikes, catching Ciampa flush in the jaw. Riddle lined up another Bro to Sleep, but Ciampa fought his way free with elbow shots to the temple. The NXT Champion fell into perfect position to hit Project Ciampa! 1......................2...........................3.
Winner and still NXT Champion: Tommaso Ciampa
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