5/30/18 WWE NXT Recap: War Raiders, EC3, Ricochet in Action; Baszler vs. Kai for the Title

NXT opens with a recap of Johnny Gargano’s return to NXT on last week’s show, in which he called out Tommaso Ciampa and led to Ciampa causing him to fall onto Candice LeRae on the entrance ramp. Mauro Ranallo informs us that both Gargano and Ciampa have been barred from NXT tonight, but they will battle in a Chicago Street Fight at NXT TakeOver: Chicago II in two-and-a-half weeks.

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We go into the arena and Aleister Black’s music hits as the NXT Champion makes his way to the ring. Black says winning the title has been life-changing for him. He says there us some dispute over who his challenger will be in Chicago, but he only needs one shot to make his opponents fade to black. Lars Sullivan’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Sullivan says the dispute is over and announces that, per William Regal, he is Black’s first challenger. Sullivan says it takes one shot for Black’s opponents to face to black and every single one of his opponents have faded to black for sixteen years, but Sullivan adds that Black has not faced anyone like him. He says there is no one with his size, strength, and dominance, and Black cannot ignore the reality of what will happen to him in Chicago. Sullivan says he is going to take everything that Black has ever worked for and says he will be the next NXT Champion. Sullivan says Black cannot do anything about it, even if he wants to. Sullivan grabs Black around the neck, but Black shoves him away. Black goes for Black Mass, but Sullivan blocks it and drops Black with the Freak Accident. Sullivan grabs the NXT title and holds it over his head as he stands over Black. Sullivan tosses the belt down onto Black and laughs as we head to a break.

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Back from the break, we see that “Painless” by Fozzy will serve as one of the official theme songs for NXT TakeOver: Chicago II.

The announcers run down the card for TakeOver and then we see a tweet from Candice LeRae, who says she does not support the Chicago Street Fight between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa.

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Match #1 – Tag Team Match: War Raiders (Hanson and Rowe) vs. George Hickson and Cody Vincent
Rowe an Hickson start the match and Rowe delivers a big headbutt and then takes Hickson to the mat. Hanson tags in and plants Hickson to the mat with help from Rowe. Hanson tosses Hickson across the ring and he tags in his partner. Vincent gets dominated by Hanson, who tags in Rowe. Rowe destroys him as well and tags Hanson back in. Hanson and Rowe double team Vincent and smash him in the corner. Rowe tags back in and drops Hickson with a knee strike and tags in Hanson. Hanson and Rowe drop Hickson to the mat and Rowe tags back in. Rowe stalks Vincent as Hanson climbs to the top. Rowe and Hanson deliver a guillotine leg drop and Rowe gets the pin fall.
Winners: War Raiders.

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We see that Shayna Baszler will defend the NXT Women’s Championship against Dakota Kai later tonight. We then see a vignette hyping up the feud and match.

We see footage from earlier today of EC3 arriving to the arena. He will address the NXT Universe tonight.

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Back from the break, Cathy Kelly is with Lacey Evans. Kelly tells Evans she has her rubber match against Kairi Sane on next week’s show. Evans says the result will be the same next week because she will do whatever it takes to win. Evans says she has a Woman’s Right with Kairi’s name on it.

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Match #2 – Singles Match: EC3 vs. Fabian Aichner
They lock up and EC3 delivers a knee to the midsection. EC3 slams Aichner into the corner and delivers a forearm shot. Aichner fights back with right hands and chops and then a back elbow. Aichner slams EC3 to the mat and goes for the cover, but EC3 kicks out quickly. EC3 comes back and elevates Aichner to the midsection and then sends him to the floor. EC3 goes after him, but Johnny Gargano emerges from the crowd and walks to the announce table. He grabs a mic and says he has signed his contract for the Chicago Street Fight. He leaves as EC3 watches on. Aichner takes EC3 down with a diving cross body and goes for the cover, but EC3 kicks out at two. EC3 comes back with a fireman’s carry neck-breaker and gets the pin fall.
Winner: EC3.

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We see that Ricochet will go one-on-one with Chris Dijak later tonight. We then see a video hype package for Bianca Belair.

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Match #3 – Singles Match: Ricochet vs. Chris Dijak
Ricochet delivers a few right hands and backs Dijak into the corner. Ricochet delivers an ax kick and a knee strike that sends Dijak to the floor. Ricochet goes for a suicide dive, but Dijak catches him and slams him onto the apron. Dijak delivers an elbow drop and goes for the cover, but Ricochet kicks out at two. Ricochet comes back and takes Dijak to the mat and then delivers a right hand. Ricochet kicks Dijak in the midsection and delivers another ax kick. Ricochet delivers two suplexes an then hits the 630 splash and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Ricochet.
After the match, Ricochet gets a microphone. He says The Velveteen Dream likes the spotlight and as much as he hates to admit it, he deserves it. Ricochet says Dream is one of the most impressive superstars to walk through NXT. Ricochet says when the spotlight shines on you, it shows how good you are but it also shows your flaws. Ricochet says the spotlight showed how much of a punk Dream was last week. Dream interrupts and comes to the stage. Dream says that’s fair, because tonight is Ricochet’s spotlight. Dream says Ricochet showed everyone how incredible he is, but anything he can do, the Dream can do better. Ricochet says the only thing Dream is doing is showing everyone how much of a coward he is. Ricochet challenges Dream to get into the ring and take the spotlight. Dream says as epic as Ricochet and he would be, he can only think of one spotlight big enough to contain them. Dream says he will see Ricochet in Chicago. Dream says when the spotlight hit Ricochet, he will truly know that anything Ricochet can do, the Dream can do better. Ricochet flies out of the ring and gets in Dream’s face and tells him to show him.

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We see Dakota Kai and Shayna Baszler warming up backstage as we head to a break.

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Back from the break, we see that Danny Burch and Adam Cole will go one-on-one on next week’s show.

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Match #4 – NXT Women’s Championship Match: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Dakota Kai
Baszler backs Kai into the corner and sends her to the mat. Baszler grinds her forearm into Kai’s face and delivers a right hand to the midsection. Baszler stomps away on Kai’s leg and wraps it around the bottom rope to inflict more damage. Baszler kicks Kai’s leg repeatedly and then applies an ankle bar in the middle of the ring. Kai kicks Baszler in the back to get free, but Baszler stomps down onto Kai’s ankle to keep control. Kai slaps Baszler across the face, but Baszler kicks her in the chest. Baszler delivers forearms to Kai and then applies an ankle lock submission, but Kai gets to the ropes. Baszler stomps on Kai’s hand and then goes back to the ankle lock again. Kai counters with an enzuiguri and then delivers right hands. Kai kicks Baszler in the face and then kicks her in the corner a few times. Kai comes off the ropes, but Baszler counters and locks in the Kirifuda Clutch and Kai taps out.
Winner and still NXT Women’s Champion: Shayna Baszler.
After the match, Baszler locks in the Kirifuda Clutch again, but Nikki Cross rushes the ring and pulls Baszler off of Kai. Baszler backs into the corner as Cross goes insane in the ring. Baszler grabs her title and exits the ring as Cross stares her down. Cross chases her down and steals the title from her. Baszler stares at her and tells her to give it back. Cross tells Baszler to get into the ring to get it and lays it down for her. Baszler gets into the ring, but Cross rushes at her and grabs the title again. Cross challenges Baszler to a match for the title tonight and tells Kai she can be the referee. Baszler goes after Kai, but Cross takes her down with the Purg. Cross goes for the cover and Kai counts Baszler down and Cross leaves with the title.