April 22nd Episode of NXT

Note: I did not attended the April 22nd Episode of NXT live, but I do average at least one wrestling show per week. Follow the Minutes to Bell Time Instagram to see photos from my experiences. Read about the live experiences here.

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April 22nd Episode of NXT Results

Results will begin at 10 PM Eastern Time.

Apparently Something Happened in the Back

Finn Balor has been removed from the main event. Velveteen Dream attempted to do a promo on Balor, but Adam Cole came to the ringside area. The Undisputed Era attacked Velveteen Dream (3 on one). Keith Lee made the save.

Announced that Johnny Gargano and Candice LaRae Will Be in Attendance

Kai and Gonzalez defeat Blackheart and Nox

Blackheart got a lot of offense in on Raquel Gonzalez, but Dakota Kai tagged in. Nox and Blackheart tagged in and out maintaining the advantage for the first part of the match. Blackheart dove to the outside to send NXT to commercial. During the commercial, Raquel Gonzalez swept the legs of Shotzi on the apron giving her team the upper hand. Nox hit every strike in the book, but only got Gonzalez down to a knee. When Nox came off the top rope, Raquel caught her and hit a fall way slam.

Raquel ended up hitting a one arm power bomb to secure the pinfall victory.

Pre-Taped Interview with Drake Maverick

They showed his video from social media and added in some other footage.

Pre-Taped Interview with Jake Atlas

He’s ready to show the world what Jake Atlas is all about

Jake Atlas defeats Drake Maverick

Jake Atlas hit the first big move with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. When Atlas attempted to spear Maverick in the corner, Drake moved and Atlas connected shoulder first into the post. Maverick followed up with a suicide dive and an elbow drop from the top rope for a near fall.

Jake Atlas hit a cartwheel DDT off the top rope for the pinfall victory.

Post Match Interview

Atlas is on top of the world. People are about to know his story.

Video Package for Damian Priest

Priest says that Keith Lee kept picking people he knows he can beat.

Pre-Taped Interview with Kushida

He wants to take the title back to Japan.

Video Package for Tony Nese

He doesn’t think Kushida can hang with him and reminds us that he never got pinned to lose the Cruiserweight championship.

Kushida defeats Tony Nese

Tony Nese took the advantage in this match by draping Kushida’s throat down across the top rope and then tossing him into the barricade. Nese maintained focus on the the throat of Kushida, but he missed his springboard moonsault allowing Kushida to hit the handprang back elbow and the cartwheel basement dropkick. When Nese went for the pump handle slam, Kushida locked in the hoverboard lock. Nese escaped with a suplex. Nese followed up with a 450 splash from the top rope, but Kushida kicked out.

With Kushida in the corner, Nese went for the running Nese, but Kushida hit a pair of palm strikes. With both men on the ropes, Kushida locked in the Hoverboard lock and flipped to the mat for the submission victory.

Backstage Interview with BroserWeights

Thatcher says they have a long way to go before they’re fully gelling as a team as they have different styles. Riddle says Thatcher’s blue eyes remind him of Pete. Thatcher has brown eyes. Riddle says just wait until next when we introduce you to the WWE universe.

Video Package for Karrion Kross and Scarlet Bordeaux

Johnny Gargano and Candice LaRae

Gargano says he has a career of fairy tale endings. Candice has new hair, and she’s mad. Nobody came to help her when she needed them. They say they’re taking what they deserve. The cup from the Ciampa match was under a glass case. They want to be the first reigning NXT Women’s and Men’s Champion.

Video Package for Io Shirai

Shirai says she bows to no-one and that she’ll destroy the Queen’s castle.

Backstage Interview with Drake Maverick

Jake Atlas is great. Everyone else is fighting their opponent. He is fighting his opponent and himself. He says maybe everyone was right about him.

Mia Yim defeats Jessi Kammea

Kammea hooked the ropes when Yim went for an O’Conner roll and then hit a spinning heel kick. The advantage didn’t last long as Mia Yim hit protect your neck for the pinfall victory.

Post Match Visit from Charlotte Flair

Mia Yim accepts the match with Charlotte

Jack Gallagher Pre Tape Interview

He remains a gentleman outside the ring, but he wants the Cruiserweight Championship.

Pre Tape Robert Stone and Chelsea Green

Chelsea is the future women’s champion.

El Hijo Del Fantasma defeats Jack Gallagher

Gallagher intimidated Fantasma by grabbing at his mask in the early part of the match. Fantasma used a crucifix over the top rope to send Gallagher to the outside. Before NXT went to commercial Fantasma hit a dive to the floor. During the commercial, Gallagher draped Fantasma’s throat across the top rope to swing the advantage back in his  favor.

After a series of clotheslines and a suicide dive, Fantasma had the advantage again. Fantasma hit a Michinoku-style driver out of a fireman’s carry for the pinfall victory.

Matches for Next Week

• Mia Yim vs. Charlotte Flair – Non Title
• Keith Lee vs. Damian Priest – North American Championship Match

Fantasma in Parking Lot

He evaded abduction by the people that nabbed Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza

Velveteen Dream and Dexter Lumis defeat Adam Cole and Roderick Strong

Something happened to Finn Balor, so the regularly scheduled singles match was canceled. The match was changed to Velveteen Dream and Keith Lee vs. Adam Cole and Roderick Strong.

The referee immediately ejected Bobby Fish. While everyone was preoccupied with Bobby Fish, Damian Priest came to the ringside area and hit Keith Lee in the throat with a night stick (twice). NXT went to commercial.

Back from commercial, Velveteen Dream was wrestling a handicap match. The Undisputed Era had Velveteen Dream isolated and dead to rights. All of a sudden, Dexter Lumis appeared on the apron and Dream tagged him into the match. Apparently the match is now Lumis and Dream vs. Undisputed Era. Lumis destroyed both members of the the Undisputed Era. Velveteen Dream hit the purple rain maker to pin the NXT champion.

April 22nd Episode of NXT Preview

Finn Balor (6-0) vs. Velveteen Dream (2-1)

Both Finn Balor and Velveteen Dream are preparing to challenge for the NXT UK and NXT championships.

Finn has six consecutive singles victories and no losses in 2020. Balor has defeated Fabian Aichner, Trent Seven, Johnny Gargano, Ilja Dragunov, Joaquin Wilde, and Imperium’s Alexander Wolfe.

Velveteen Dream (2-1) with victories over Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish. His loss came to Roderick Strong in a steel cage.

Shotzi Blackheart and Tegan Nox vs. Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai

This marks the first time that any of these competitors have wrestled as a tag team.

Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Continues

The Round Robin Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Begins this week. I devoted an entire post to the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. The below graphic summarizes the individual records in the tournament and their overall singles records.

Jack Gallagher vs. El Hijo del Fantasma

This is the first match in the tournament for both competitors. This will be El Hijo del Fantasma’s first match with WWE. Jack Gallagher has a victory over Tyler Breeze and a no contest finish against Oney Lorcan.

Tony Nese vs. Kushida

Kushida is a two time winner of the New Japan Best of the Super Juniors Tournament. He comes into this tournament with victories over Danny Burch, Joaquin Wilde, and Raul Mendoza. He came up short in a match with the NXT champion Adam Cole.

Tony Nese has racked up a bunch of losses in 2020 including Cameron Grimes, Lio Rush, Jordan Devlin, Tyler Breeze, and Angel Garza.  He does have three victories over Danny Burch, Oney Lorcan, and Lio Rush.

Drake Maverick vs. Jake Atlas

Jake Atlas just had his debut on NXT in a losing effort against Dexter Lumis. Drake Maverick has not wrestled in 2020.