WWE NXT Coverage – 12/13/17 – Almas and AOP in Action; Black vs. Cole Main Event

NXT opens with a recap of Andrade “Cien” Almas’ victory over Drew McIntyre at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. We then see McIntyre confirming his arm injury, and then see a recap of Killian Dain defeating Trent Seven and Johnny Gargano defeating Kassius Ohno to advance in the Number One Contender’s Tournament. We see the NXT opening video and then go into the arena where Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGunniess, and Percy Watson welcome us to the first-ever edition of NXT on the USA Network. We are informed that tonight’s main event will be Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole in a Number One Contender’s Qualifying Match.

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Match #1: Singles Match – Andrade “Cien” Almas (w/Zelina Vega) vs. Fabian Aichner
Almas drops Aichner with a dropkick right at the bell, but Aichner comes right back with a tilt-a-whirl back-breaker. Almas rolls to the floor, but Aichner takes him down with a springboard cross-body. Aichner tosses Almas back into the ring and drops him with a tornado DDT. Aichner goes for the cover, but Almas kicks out at two. Almas comes back with a slap across the chest, but Aichner comes back with a power bomb. Aichner goes for the cover, but Almas kicks out at two. Aichner goes up top, but Vega gets on the apron and distracts him. Almas knocks Aichner down to the floor and then slams him into the steel steps. Almas tosses Aichner back into the ring and drops him with the hammer-lock DDT and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Andrade “Cien” Almas.

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We are reminded of tonight’s main event between Aleister Black and Adam Cole, and then we see a promo video for Black as we head to a commercial break.

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Back from the break, we take a special look at the NXT Women’s Champion, Ember Moon, and then we go to another commercial break…

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Match #2: Tag Team Match – Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan vs. The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) (w/Paul Ellering)
Burch and Akam start the match and Burch delivers a few European uppercuts and then tags Lorcan in. Lorcan delivers slaps as Burch and Rezar get into the ring. Lorcan and Burch get the upperhand with slaps and uppercuts, but AOP turn it around and destroy Burch and Lorcan with the Super Collider. AOP drop Lorcan with the Last Chapter and get the pin fall.
Winners: The Authors of Pain.

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Back from the break, we see that two title matches will highlight next week’s NXT: Pete Dunne vs. Tyler Bate for the WWE United Kingdom Championship and SAnitY vs. The Undisputed ERA for the NXT Tag Team Championship. We see a promo with SAnitY. Eric Young says WarGame was as magnificent as they thought even if it didn’t go their way. He says they will finish what they started in Houston. We then see a video hype package for Adam Cole. We see that the main event between Cole and Aleister Black is up next after the commercial break.

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Back from the break, we see another brief video hype package for Shayne Baszler.

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Match #3: #1 Contender’s (NXT Championship) Qualifying Match – Adam Cole vs. Aleister Black
They lock up and Black applies a wrist-lock. Cole gets free and applies a side-headlock take-down, but Black turns it into a leg-lock body-scissors. Cole gets free and drops Black with a snapmare and then taunts Black. Cole applies a headlock, but Black shoves him away Black connects with knee strikes and then connects with a knee to the head that sends Cole to the floor as we head to a commercial break.
Back from the break, Cole is in control of Black in the ring and has a cross-face locked in. Black gets to the ropes to break the hold, but Cole keeps control and stomps Black down on the mat. Cole lets Black get to his feet and Black takes control with a series of kicks. Black kicks Cole down to the mat and goes for the cover, but Cole kicks out at two. Cole comes back and takes control again and knees Black in the head. Cole goes for the cover, but Black kicks out at two. Black comes back and rolls up Cole, but Cole kicks out at two. Cole grabs Black and delivers a neck-breaker over his knee and goes for the cover, but Black kicks out at two.
Cole backs away into the corner and then goes for a superkick, but Black catches his leg and delivers a knee strike to the face. Black sets up for the Black Mass and connects with it and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Aleister Black.