Tommy Sports-Entertainment cometh

After a successful night at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II, NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa returns with more bragging rights than ever. As he prepares to have the NXT Universe “follow his lead,” what does Mr. Sports-Entertainment have planned?




We are in Winter Park, Florida and your announcers are Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson.

Matt Riddle vs. Punishment Martinez

This is Martinez's debut match in NXT. Both men lock up and try to get control of each other. Martinez gets taunted in, goes for a kick, misses, Riddle with a rear naked choke. Martinez drops him down on the mat, Riddle tries for it again. Bot on their feet, Riddle with some strikes in the corner, Martinez with a cyclone kick to the face, cover, two-count. Martinez continues to work over Riddle in the corner, Riddle with a chop to the chest.

Martinez returns fire with a massive lariat. Riddle with some shots to the midsection, Martinez looks for a chokeslam, Riddle fights back with punches and kicks. Riddle with a flurry of back elbows to Martinez, bromission attempt, Martinez fights it off. Riddle with some more chops to the chest, and locks in the bromission, Martinez taps out.

Winner: Matt Riddle

- Post-match, Riddle heads up the ramp, Kassius Ohno with a spinning forearm that sends Riddle down and off the ramp. Ohno stares down at Riddle for a few minutes before heading to the back.

- Vignette for Ricochet, we see clips from some of his recent matches, including WarGames and Ricochet winning the NXT North American Championship.

- Earlier today, Ricochet talks with the media and is asked how it feels to be the highlight reel of NXT. He says it feels great, but he's also come to NXT to win. He notes he hasn't been pinned at any TakeOvers yet. Ricochet says next week he plans on defending his title against whoever NXT GM William Regal has lined up for him.

- WWE Performance Center, Heavy Machinery hit the weights. They talk about their last year and how they've grown as a team (steaks and weights!). Tucker says they need a shot at the NXT Tag Champions Undisputed Era as they've been running through teams and they're ready for a shot.

- Last weekend, Bianca Belair defeated Deonna Purrazzo to become the first in the women's championship fatal four way to determine who will be the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship. The number one contender match will take place in three weeks.

Humberto Carrillo and Raul Mendoza vs. Forgotten Sons

Cutler and Mendoza gets things started with Mendoza getting immediately planted face first to the match. Belly-to-back, but Mendoza lands on his feet and hits an enziguri. Carrillo gets tagged, double team moves on Cutler, but he's able to shove Carrillo back to his corner and Blake tags in. Big chops to Carrillo's chest, Carrillo dodges Blake, shows off his athleticism. Cutler runs in, but Mendoza with a hurricanrana that sends him out of the ring. Mendoza looks to jump on Blake, but he's caught and thrown on Carrillo.

Cutler tagged in, double backbreaker. Cutler stomps away on his opponent, slingshot into a another backbreaker, cover, two. Carrillo tagged in, big diving crossbody on Blake, handspring back elbow lands, big springboard armdrag, heads to the top rope and hits a high altitude missile dropkick, back roll moonsault, cover, two. Mendoza tries for a suicide dive out to the floor, but gets clipped in the face. Blake gets a hold of Carrillo, plants him to the mat, second rope stomp/scorpion deathdrop combo, cover, 1-2-3.

Winners: Forgotten Sons

- Backstage, Cathy Kelley talks with Velveteen Dream about his TakeOver loss to NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa. Dream stops her as he looks at the background in disgust, he snaps his fingers, the purple lights come on and his music hits. Dream asks what's next? All he knows is everybody is talking about Dream and even asking Triple H about him, so that's a win in his book. He continues, "What's next? Leaving you." Dream snaps his fingers (the purple lights go out and his music stops) and he heads off.

- In the back of a moving truck, Undisputed Era makes sure they won't get attacked during their promo. Bobby Fish says he and his friends have bit EC3 before and they will do it, if need be. Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly talk trash about how weak the current tag division is after they've beaten everyone. O'Reilly notes Heavy Machinery has been on a winning streak, but they haven't faced anyone like them.

- Injury update on Hanson of War Raiders, who is recovering from broken ribs, a rupture spleen, and torn ligaments from WarGames.

NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler (with Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke) vs. Dakota Kai (Non-Title Match)

Baszler initially gets off to a quick start, Kai lands a big kick though that sends Baszler out to the floor. Kai goes out to the apron, looks for a kick and Kai gets yanked into the ring post. Baszler gets back in the ring as Kai is slow to get back in. Baszler works over Kai's arm and shoulder. She plants Kai's hand on the mat, goes for the stomp, Kai moves and goes for a roll-up. Barely two, Baszler grabs Kai's arm again and snaps it back.

Baszler weakly kicks away at Kai's head. More kicks to Kai, Baszler moves in and Kai hits a front kick, then a bunch of short kicks to Baszler's face. Running kick to Baszler in the corner, then another high kick to the champ's face. Kai tries for another one, nobody home, knee to the face, twice, cover, two-count. Kai gets back up and lands another kick, hits a double stomp from the top rope, cover, two-count. Kai gets put on the second turnbuckle, she hits a headbutt to send Baszler back, Baszler gets up and hits a kick.

Baszler with a rough looking gutwrench superplex from the second rope. Kai recover and kicks away at Baszler's head over and over. Kai charges for a kicks, Baszler trips her up and locks in the rear naked choke for the submission win.

Winner: Shayna Baszler

- Post-match, Duke and Shafir get in on the attack. Io Shirai runs out and clears the ring of Duke and Shafir. Baszler comes in and Shirai fights her off too. Kai looks for the running kick in the corner, but Baszler is yanked out of the ring at the last second. Baszler, Duke, and Shafir head up the ramp as Kai and Shirai look on.

- NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa heads out to the ring. Ciampa says another TakeOver is in the books and Ciampa remains the MVP. He gloats about defeating Gargano, Black, and Dream over the last couple months and yet the people still refuse to accept him as the NXT Champion and believe in him. He points out fans in the crowd that don't believe in him. He even calls out Mauro Ranallo for not believing in him, but "Mama Mia! Here I stand!" Ciampa says he is 2018's Sports Entertainer of the Year and goes to continue, but Aleister Black's music hits.

Black heads out and says at TakeOver he stood toe-to-toe with Gargano and absolved his sins that Ciampa created. Black says Ciampa isn't really a champion, he sees original sin, and he will absolve Ciampa of those sins. Black says he wants his title rematch against Ciampa at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. Gargano's music hits and he heads out to tell Black they aren't done yet. Ciampa sneaks out of the ring as Gargano/Black go face-to-face. Ciampa is on the apron and says he likes when "Johnny Wrestling" is left in the back and only "Johnny Badass" comes out. Ciampa stirs the pot a bit as he says Gargano looks to be fixated on Black.

Ciampa says clearly there is some unfinished business between the two of them and maybe they should have been in that steel structure at WarGames. So, if it were him, he would want to finish things in a steel cage. Ciampa hypes up a match between the two of them, trying his best to get out of a match with Black. Gargano gets on the mic and says if that's what the fans want, how about a steel cage match! Black says he'll fight Gargano anywhere, even that parking lot. Gargano yells how did that go for you last time?! Black goes for black mass, Gargano slides out of the ring. Ciampa is still on the apron laughing at what's going on and he ends up getting a black mass to the mug. Crowd with a "you deserve it!" chant. Black's music hits as Gargano seems to be thrilled with potentially having another match with Black.