4/18/18 WWE NXT Coverage

NXT opens with an “In Memory of Bruno Sammartino” still-shot and then the opening credits roll.

Johnny Gargano’s music hits as Mauro Ranallo and Percy Watson welcome us to the show. Gargano makes his way to the ring with his wife, Candice LeRae. Gargano says it is really good to be home and he is proud to say that he has his life back and is back where he belongs. He says Johnny Wrestling is back in NXT and he thanks all of the fans for having his back. He says he would not have been able to do anything without his wife and then he gives her a hug. He says he has one last piece of unfinished business. Candice says she will be handling that when she goes one-on-one with Zelina Vega later tonight. Gargano says if Andrade “Cien” Almas tries to get involved, he will drop him like he did Tommaso Ciampa. Gargano says when they are done with Almas and Vega, there is only one place to go and he officially challenges Aleister Black for the NXT Championship.

We are reminded of tonight’s main event: Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan in a No Disqualification Match, and see that Ricochet will be in action up next.

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Match #1 – Singles Match: Ricochet vs. Fabian Aichner
Aichner sends Ricochet off the ropes, but Ricochet comes back with a head scissors take down and a dropkick. Aichner comes back with a chop and then delivers a gut-buster. Aichner stomps away on Ricochet in the corner, but Ricochet comes back with a few chops. Aichner takes control back and delivers a back-breaker. Aichner goes for the cover, but Ricochet kicks out at two. Aichner delivers a knee into the ribs and goes for a power bomb, but Ricochet gets free. Ricochet defeated an elbow shot, but Aichner comes back with an uppercut. Ricochet comes back with a dropkick to send Aichner to the mat. Ricochet delivers a few forearm shots and then an uppercut in the corner. Ricochet kicks Aichner in the face and delivers a springboard European uppercut. Ricochet connects with a standing Shooting Star Press and goes for the cover, but Aichner kicks out at two. Ricochet goes up top, but Aichner cuts him off. Ricochet fights back and sends Aichner to the mat with a right hand. Ricochet connects with the 630 Splash and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Ricochet.
After the match, Ricochet says it feels great to make his Full Sail debut. He says it is now his turn in NXT and he came here to take things up a notch. He says he is here to prove to the entire NXT Universe why there is one and only Ricochet.

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We take a look back to last week and revisit the War Raiders’ debut and beat down of both Heavy Machinery and the team of Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss. We see that the War Raiders will be in action later on.

We see a video hype package for EC3.

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Match #2 – Tag Team Match: War Raiders (Hanson and Rowe) vs. JC and Chris
Rowe drops one of the guys with a flying knee as soon as the bell rings. The other guy tags in and Rowe tosses him across the ring. Hanson tags in and drives a knee into the guy’s midsection. Hanson delivers another knee. The guy tries to slap Hanson, but Hanson isn’t fazed and drops the guy with a huge clothesline. Hanson and Rowe deliver a pop-up power slam and then Rowe kicks the other guy in the face. Hanson tags back in and goes up top. Rowe and Hanson double team the guy to the mat and Hanson gets the pin fall.
Winners: War Raiders.

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We see footage of Shayna Baszler from earlier this week. She says she is late for a meeting, but she doesn’t follow the rules. She busts into the meeting and addresses the women’s locker room. She rips Ember Moon’s name off of the locker and puts a queen of spades playing card in its place. She tells all of them to get in line or to get out. Dakota Kai gets up and Baszler tells her to leave. Baszler tells them all to get in line or they will get run over.

We are reminded of the match between Candice LeRae and Zelina Vega later tonight. We see that the No Disqualification Match between Lars Sullivan and Killian Dain is up next.

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We see a vignetter for “The Finest” Kona Reeves, who returns in two weeks.

We see Pete Dunne outside. Someone asks for his thoughts on what happened at TakeOver: New Orleans. Dunne says he will be back in two weeks and will get his hands on Roderick Strong.

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Match #3 – No Disqualification Match: Lars Sullivan vs. Killian Dain
They headbutt each other immediately and Sullivan backs Dain into the corner. Dain gets free with a forearm and then clotheslines Sullivan to the floor. They exchange forearm shots on the floor and then Dain slams Sullivan into the steps. Dain gets back into the ring and goes for a suicide dive, but Sullivan catches him and backs him into the ring post. Sullivan delivers a suplex to Dain on the floor and then tosses him back into the ring. Sullivan delivers cross-face shots and then delivers a German suplex. Dain rolls out of the ring and Sullivan goes up top. He connects with a diving clothesline to the floor. Sullivan tosses Dain back into the ring and connects with a diving headbutt. Sullivan goes for the cover, but Dain kicks out at two.
Sullivan goes under the ring and grabs a few chairs. Sullivan hits Dain with one of the chairs and Dain is busted open. Sullivan backs into the corner, but Dain catches him with a dropkick. Dain and Sullivan exchange forearm shots and then Dain slams Sullivan to the mat and connects with the Vader Bomb. Dain goes for the cover, but Sullivan kicks out at two. Dain grabs a table from under the ring and puts it into the ring. He hits Sullivan with a chair and then sets the table up in the corner. Dain hits Sullivan with the chair again. Sullivan comes back and slams Dain to the mat. Sullivan puts a chair on Dain and goes up top. Sullivan goes for the diving headbutt, but Dain moves and Sullivan hits the chair. Dain goes for a cross-body, but Sullivan catches him and slams him to the mat. Sullivan goes for the cover, but Dain kicks out at one.
Dain kicks Sullivan in the head and then connects with the Divide through the table. Dain puts a chair on Sullivan in the corner and stomps away on him. Dain puts the chair back onto Sullivan and goes to the opposite corner and goes up top. Sullivan gets to his feet, but Dain slams the chair into Sullivan’s face. Dain comes off the top, but Sullivan catches him with the chair. Sullivan delivers the Freak Accident onto a couple of chairs and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Lars Sullivan.

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We take a look back at the long history between Johnny Gargano/Candice LeRae and Andrade “Cien” Almas/Zelina Vega. The main event between LeRae and Vega is up next.

We see the Undisputed ERA talking about all of the gold they have and then they get their championship photos taken. We then see that the ERA will return to TV on next week’s show. We then see that Adam Cole will defend the NXT North American Championship against Oney Lorcan next week.

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Match #4 – Singles Match: Candice LeRae vs. Zelina Vega
Vega shoves LeRae and LeRae comes right back and shoves Vega to the mat. LeRae delivers a gut-buster and goes up top, but Andrade “Cien” Almas gets on the ring apron. Vega pulls LeRae down to the mat and Johnny Gargano comes to ringside. Vega slams LeRae into the ring apron and then tosses her back into the ring. Vega goes for the cover, but LeRae kicks out at two. Vega applies a modified Dragon Sleeper, but LeRae gets to her feet. LeRae backs Vega into the corner, but Vega comes back with a kick to the face. Vega delivers a Meteora in the corner and goes for the cover, but LeRae kicks out at two. Vega goes for the hammer-lock DDT, but LeRae counters with a roll-up for a two count. LeRae chops Vega into the corner and then delivers a series of right hands. LeRae smashes Vega in the corner and then goes up top. LeRae delivers a missile dropkick and goes for the cover, but Vega kicks out at two.
Vega comes back with a right hand, but LeRae takes her down with a head scissors take down. Almas and Gargano get into the ring and LeRae locks the Gargano Escape on Vega as Gargano does the same to Almas. Vega taps out.
Winner: Candice LeRae.
After the match, Gargano says that was awesome and high-fives LeRae. Gargano says now that they have officially taken care of Almas and Vega, he is challenging Aleister Black for the NXT Championship. Aleister Black’s music hits and the NXT Champion comes to the stage. Black accepts the challenge and says it’s on for next week.