WWE NXT: Dexter Lumis advances to ladder match at NXT TakeOver XXX
Dexter Lumis put Timothy Thatcher to sleep in the main event of WWE NXT.
The night started with a women’s tag team match featuring Dakota Kai and Candice LeRae against Tegan Nox and the WWE NXT women’s champion, Io Shirai. LeRae and Nox started off the match, but things heated up with Shirai jumped in to take on Kai. Kai has attacked the champion from behind the last two weeks, and this was an opportunity for them to square up in the ring.
The champion got off to a great start, but the tables turned when LeRae and Kai took advantage of a miscue to single out Nox. LeRae and Kai took turns beating on Nox but were unable to put her away to get the victory. Nox hit a nasty headbutt against LeRae, opening the door for her to get back to the champion to make the tag. Shirai laid out LeRae and took a dive onto Kai on the outside. While she did so, Nox hit the Shiniest Whizzer on LeRae, setting the stage for Shirai to land the moonsault and pin LeRae for the win.
Johnny Gargano and Roderick Strong took to Twitter to antagonize each other last week, which resulted in a match on Wednesday’s edition of the show. Two of the best wrestlers on the roster put their expertise in a back and forth grappling affair. Neither man was able to get the advantage early, both landing counter after counter. There aren’t many matches that would be as evenly matched as these two, but it showed as they continued to batter each other. Strong ate the plexiglass outside, setting up the One Final Beat for Gargano to secure another win.
Mercedes Martinez had her sights set on Shotzi Blackheart in her first match representing the Robert Stone Brand. Blackheart got off to a quick start but that momentum ended quickly. Blackheart refused to go away without a fight, leveling Martinez with kicks and running attacks. The end started when Martinez hit a release German suplex on Blackheart before flattening her to take the pin.
Imperium return to NXT
The NXT tag team champions returned to face off against Ever-Rise in tag team action. Ever-Rise tried to take out the champions quickly, but were overwhelmed. Imperium smashed both men relentlessly before hitting the European Bomb to close out the match.
Isiah “Swerve” Scott was out next to fight Jake Atlas in one-on-one action. The early moments of the match were filled with flair when both men went for visually appealing moves and counters. Atlas controlled much of this match, staying one step ahead of Swerve by using counters to delay his offense. Atlas looked to be on top but when he went for the Cartwheel DDT, Swerve knocked his arms out from under him. One JML driver later and Atlas was unable to kick out of the pin attempt, giving Swerve the win.
The main event of the evening was the second triple threat match to find the participants in the NXT North American title ladder match. Dexter Lumis, Finn Balor and Timothy Thatcher were the three men selected to fight for a shot at the belt at NXT TakeOver XXX.
Balor and Thatcher were at each other’s throats at the start while Lumis stood observing in silence. It was expected that this would be a hard-hitting match and these three men delivered. Every time someone garnered some bit of momentum, one of the other two athletes would be there to cut them off. Thatcher looked like he was heading toward a victory when he locked in a modified toe hold on Balor. Lumis appeared to lock in his head-and-arm triangle to cause Thatcher to pass out, giving himself the victory and advancing into the ladder match for the NXT North American title.
July 29 WWE NXT Results
- Io Shirai and Tegan Nox defeated Candice LaRae and Dakota Kai via pin fall
- Johnny Gargano defeated Roderick Strong via pin fall
- Mercedes Martinez defeated Shotzi Blackheart via pin fall
- Imperium defeated Ever-Rise via pin fall
- Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeated Jake Atlas via pin fall
- Dexter Lumis submitted Timothy Thatcher to advance to the NXT North American title ladder match