WWE NXT Coverage & Discussion - July 18th, 2018

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Who will be next to battle Baszler for the NXT Women’s Title?

The NXT Women’s division will take center stage when Candice LeRae, Kairi Sane and Nikki Cross square off in a Triple Threat Match where the winner will earn the right to challenge NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler.



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Tonight features Candice LeRae vs. Nikki Cross vs. Kairi Sane in a number one contender match, Dakota Kai takes on Lacey Evans, and Kassius Ohno returns to action. Bianca Belair was scheduled to be in the number one contender match, but wasn't medically cleared for it.

Dakota Kai vs. Lacey Evans

Evans mocks Kai's kicks, pie-faces her, Kai immediately takes her down, single-leg dropkick. Kai dodges Evans twice, roll-up, two-count. Kick to her back and chest, cover, two. Evans stuck in the corner, Kai tries for her running kick, nobody home. Evans puts her in a tree of woe, actually ties up Kai's laces to the turnbuckle. Swinging bronco buster on Kai. "Get up" Evans says to Kai.

Evans with some more taunting, sends Kai to the mat, drops down on her, cover, one-count. Evans with a knee to the back. Evans drops Kai, punch to the midsection, elbow drop to the back. Evans stretches Kai out as the crowd tries to cheer her on, but Kai won't give up. Evans with a knee, sweeps the feet out from under Kai. Evan on the apron, stands on her stomach, slingshot elbow drop, cover, two.

Evans tries for a second rope moonsault, Kai rolls out of the way. Kai with rapid fire kicks to the head, Evans ends up in the corner, Kai with two running kicks to the face. More kicks to the face, one more to a grounded Evans, cover, two-count. Kai tries for an enziguri, misses, women's right by Evans and that will do it.

Winner: Lacey Evans

- Post-match, Evans yells at Kai, "You weren't ready for me!"

- Backstage, Cathy Kelley talks with Ricochet about the Undisputed Era and the history he has with the group. Ricochet talk about Adam Cole barely defending his NXT North American Championship. Ricochet continues that Cole has been hiding behind that title (and his stablemates) and he won't stop until he become the next champion.

- Next week: NXT Champion Aleister Black defends against Tommaso Ciampa.

- Street Profits on the basketball court, they talk about being on a cold streak, but they have to keep going to get on the winning side of things. The two talk about The Mighty and getting back a win.

- Backstage, EC3 is asked about his run-in with Velveteen Dream. A fan asks for a selfie and EC3 shows off his latest shirt. EC3 runs into Kona Reeves who says his custom suit and "sick watch" is nice, but not that finest. EC3 doesn't appreciate Reeves' banter and says how about Reeves just fight him (saying it over and over). EC3 says that Reeves woudl get the top one-percent beating of a lifetime. Reeves says he'll fight, but it's too bad because they could have been the finest of friends.

- Look back at the rivalry so far between Tommaso Ciampa and Aleister Black. We see last week when Ciampa sneak attacked Black and gave him a DDT to the concrete floor. Black says Ciampa thinks he knows about devils, but he has no idea. The two will meet for the title next week.

Kassius Ohno vs. Rick Ramirez

Ohno immediately drops him, discus lariat hits, his opponent drops to the mat, cover, and we're already done here.

Winner: Kassius Ohno

- Backstage, The Undisputed gloat about all of their championships and awards they've won. Cole says, "Hey, want to hear a joke?....Ricochet." The group laughs, Cole gets serious and says he's a fighting champion and cautions Ricochet if he wants a match.

- Vignette for The War Raiders, Hanson and Rowe talk about their past and how when they first met up it was actually in the ring against each other. They ended up destroying each other and decided maybe it would be a better idea to team up together and bring that destruction towards other wrestlers. We see a bunch of clips from their indie days, traveling all over the world to win multiple championships. We see photos of them in Japan, Europe, and Mexico as they became modern day vikings. Rowe says there's no one on Earth who can stop them, but Rowe got in a motorcycle wreck in 2014 that should have ended his life. Since then he's had no fear since even that wasn't able to take him out. Hanson says they look one way, but they fight like another. Rowe is the smaller of the two, but fights like a big guy while Hanson is the one who can fly.

- Backstage, Velveteen Dream sets the mood as he talks about how the people are still buzzing about what the next "experience" will be. He runs through his TakeOver performances including TakeOver: Chicago, which he calls another match for the Dream. He says in Brooklyn, the spotlight will shine the brightest for the Dream.

Nikki Cross vs. Kairi Sane vs. Candice LeRae (Number One Contender Match)

Crowd with a "Nikki Cross!" chant before things get started. NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler also heads out before the match. Nikki smiles and waves to her as Baszler heads over to commentary. All three women going after each other to get things started, Sane ends up bumping LeRae off the apron to the floor. Sane with a bunch of chops to Cross. Baszler says on commentary they're all just bodies and the end results will be the same. LeRae back in the ring and hits a suicide dive on Cross. LeRae tries for another one, Cross cuts her off though and ties her up in the apron, she swings away on LeRae's back, then giver her kind of a hug.

LeRae gets tied up in a tree of woe, Cross with a bunch of kicks. Sane with a spear on cross, hits a double stomp on LeRae, cover, two-count. Sane able to get the anchor locked in on LeRae, but Cross breaks it up before LeRae can tap out. Cross jumps on Sane's back, LeRae with a dropkick. She swings wildly on Cross in the corner, running elbow, cannonball off the apron on Sane and tosses her back in the ring. Cross chases down LeRae, bring her out to the ramp and hits an inverted DDT to put out LeRae.

Sane hits a flying elbow off the apron to drop Cross. Crowd with a "This is awesome!" chant. Back in the ring, all three come crashing down to the mat, they all swing wildly at each other. LeRae with a step-up enziguri, spinning backfist by Sane on LeRae. LeRae with a DDT/Flatliner combo, springboard moonsault on the back of Sane, cover, and Cross beaks it up. Cross hits a swinging neckbreaker on LeRae to the floor! Belly-to-back suplex on Sane, Cross hits another one, a third time! Cross sits her up on the top turnbuckle, LeRae claws at Cross' feet, but gets stomped on, LeRae with a small package, two.

LeRae with a vertebreaker, hits a springboard moonsault on Cross, goes for the cover, but Sane hits her insane elbow to clear out LeRae. Sane covers Cross, 1-2-3! Sane will meet Baszler at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn.

Winner: Kairi Sane

After a replay, we go to credits.