3/1/17 NXT Recap: Patrick Clark in Action, Two Title Matches

NXT opens with a preview of tonight’s two title matches: Asuka vs. Peyton Royce for the NXT Women’s Championship and The Authors of Pain vs. #DIY for the NXT Tag Team Championship. We see the NXT opening video and then go into the NXT Arena on the campus of the Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, where Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson welcome us to the show.

Match #1 – Patrick Clark vs. Sean Maluta
Clark controls the early part of the match, but Maluta tries to fight back with a few chops. Clark takes control right back and drops Maluta with the Fame-asser and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Patrick Clark.

We see #DIY warming up for their match backstage, and see that Asuka will defend the NXT Women’s Championship against Peyton Royce up next.

We see SAnitY standing around a barrel fire. Eric Young says we already know Tye Dillinger’s fate, but that he is bringing his friends down with him now. Young says Dillinger is a disease that needs to be eradicated and he wants to be the one to do it. Nikki Cross says otherwise, they will burn the entire world.

Match #2 – NXT Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Peyton Royce (w/Billie Kay)
They tie up and Peyton applies a head-scissors hold down on the mat. Asuka gets free and shoves Peyton away. Asuka goes or the shining wizard, but Peyton dodges it and we see a stalemate. Asuka comes back and takes Peyton down with the hip attack that sends Peyton to the floor. Asuka goes out after Peyton, but Peyton shoves her into the ring post. Peyton shoves Asuka back into the ring and goes or the cover, but Asuka kicks out at two.
We’re back and Peyton has Asuka in a rear-chin-lock down on the mat, but Asuka fights to her feet. Peyton slams Asuka down to the mat and drops a knee. Peyton works over Asuka’s arm and slams her down again. Peyton goes for another cover, but Asuka kicks out quickly. Peyton pounds away on Asuka down on the mat and then applies a standing arm-bar submission. Peyton takes Asuka down to the mat again and smacks her around a few times. Asuka comes back with a kick to the midsection and takes Peyton down with a suplex. Asuka delivers some right forearms and then takes Peyton down with a dropkick. Asuka connects with spinning back fists and then the shining wizard. Asuka goes for the cover, but Peyton kicks out at two. Peyton comes back with a jaw-breaker and then goes for a kick to the face, but Asuka counters with a roll-up. Peyton kicks out and takes Asuka down to the mat and drops an elbow to the back of the neck. Peyton goes for the cover, but Asuka kicks out at two. Peyton takes Asuka down to the mat with a spinning heel kick and goes for the cover again, but Asuka kicks out at two again. Asuka comes back with a kick to the face and then locks in the Asuka Lock and Peyton taps out.
Winner and still NXT Women’s Champion: Asuka.
After the match, Billie and Peyton attack Asuka before Ember Moon rushes the ring and makes the save. Ember takes Billie down with a right hand and connects with a cross-body on Peyton. Ember kicks Billie into the corner and then clotheslines her and takes Peyton down with a forearm shot. Billie and Peyton roll out of the ring and Ember and Asuka stare each other down in the ring. Asuka holds the title in Ember’s face and they get face-to-face before Asuka leaves the ring.

We take a look back to last month at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio when Shinsuke Nakamura was injured at the hands of Bobby Roode and when he was checked on backstage by Kassius Ohno. We then take a look back at last week when Kassius Ohno confronted Bobby Roode after Roode’s match with No Way Jose.

We see William Regal in his office. He announces that Bobby Roode will defend the NXT Championship against Kassius Ohno in two weeks on NXT. We see Paul Ellering getting The Authors of Pain hyped up backstage. They will defend the NXT Tag Team Championship against #DIY next.

We see a video hype package for Wolfgang, one of the participants in the WWE United Kingdom Tournament in January.

We see that Shinsuke Nakamura will return to action on next week’s NXT.

Match #3 – NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) (c) (w/Paul Ellering) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa)
Rezar and Ciampa start the match and Rezar backs Ciampa into the corner. Rezar drives his knee into Ciampa’s midsection and then goes for a suplex, but Ciampa fights free. Gargano tags in and Ciampa kicks Rezar in the face. #DIY double-spear Rezar through the ropes and Akam gets into the ring, but #DIY sends him to the outside with a double clothesline. Ciampa tags back in and he knees Akam in the face and then dives onto him from the apron. Akam catches him and slams him into the ring post. Rezar tosses Ciampa back into the ring and goes for the cover, but Ciampa kicks out at two. Akam tags in and The Authors double elbow drop Ciampa. Akam shoves Ciampa around and then stomps down on his back. Akam backs Ciampa into the corner and delivers a big right hand. Akam backs away and charges, but Ciampa moves. Ciampa elbow Rezar and charges at Akam, but Akam catches him and takes him down with a sidewalk slam. Akam goes for the cover, but Ciampa kicks out at two. Rezar tags in and stomps down on Ciampa in the middle of the ring. Rezar chokes Ciampa down on the mat, but Ciampa gets free and goes to the corner. Rezar drives his knee into Ciampa in the corner and then slams him down on the mat. Ciampa comes back with slaps across Rezar’s face, but Rezar picks Ciampa up and tags in Akam and they slam Ciampa down to the mat. Akam goes for the cover, but Ciampa kicks out at two as we head to a break.
We’re back and Rezar is back in and is in control of Ciampa. Ciampa fights back with a jaw-breaker. Rezar sends Ciampa to the corner and charges, but Ciampa moves. Gargano tags in and sends Rezar and Akam both to the floor. Gargano launches through the ropes and takes down Akam. Rezar goes for a clothesline on Gargano, but Gargano takes him down on the entrance ramp. Gargano gets Akam in the ring and takes him down with a slingshot DDT. Gargano goes for the cover, but Akam kicks out at two. Ciampa tags in and he and Gargano take Akam down with a double clothesline. Ciampa applies an arm-bar, but Rezar breaks it up. Gargano is sent to the outside and Rezar tags in. Rezar puts Ciampa on the top rope and goes for a suplex, but Ciampa counters as Gargano kicks Akam in the face. Gargano and Ciampa power bomb Rezar and Ciampa goes for the cover, but Rezar kicks out at two. Gargano tags in and they set up for the double knee, but Akam takes out Ciampa and slams him into the steel steps. Rezar takes out Gargano in the ring and Akam tosses Ciampa back into the ring. The Authors go to slam #DIY into each other, but #DIY counter and we see a double submission in the ring, but The Revival rush the ring and attack #DIY and the referee calls for the bell.
Winners via disqualification: #DIY. Still NXT Tag Team Champions: The Authors of Pain.
After the match, The Authors go after The Revival, but Wilder and Dawson are able to take Rezar down with a Shatter Machine. The Revival leave the ring and look on from the entrance ramp as #DIY and The Authors are laid out at ringside as NXT comes to a close.