NXT TakeOver XXX Results
August 22, 2020
Winter Park, Florida (Full Sail University)
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
A video highlights all of the past NXT TakeOver specials. Metallica’s “Moth Into Flame” starts to play, and we see hype for all the matches we will see tonight.
We go into the NXT Arena at Full Sail University and some pyrotechnics go off. Vic Joseph and Corey Graves welcome us to the show. WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix will also be part of the commentary team tonight. It appears Mauro Ranallo will not be calling the action tonight.
Finn Bálor vs. Timothy Thatcher
The bell rings, and Bálor immediately attacks him. Thatcher quickly takes him down and goes for a stretch, but Bálor fights up and strikes away at him. Thatcher gets up, and Bálor hooks the arm for an arm bar. Thatcher twists out and applies a waistlock. Bálor grabs the arm and wrenches it looking for a hammerlock. Thatcher picks the leg and takes him down before twisting at the knee. Bálor takes him down with a trip and applies a front facelock. Thatcher slides out and applies a front facelock to Bálor. Bálor fights up, so Thatcher backs him into the ropes and delivers a stiff forearm to the chest. Thatcher then brings him into the center of the ring and puts the front facelock back on. Thatcher clubs the chest and reapplies the front facelock a third time. Bálor fights up, backs into the ropes, and gives Thatcher a back body dorp over the top rope. Thatcher gets back in the ring, but Bálor stomps his head as he gets back in. Thatcher tries to stop him with a single leg takedown. Bálor fights him, but Thatcher viciously twists the ankle and knee of Bálor. Bálor screams in pain and tries to kick him in the head with his free leg, but Thatcher cinches it in. Bálor gets to the bottom rope to break the hold.
Your pain is Timothy Thatcher's pleasure. #NXTTakeOver @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/l96hXBsxi2
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) August 22, 2020
Thatcher clubs the back and viciously knees him in the ribs. Thatcher applies a bow and arrow stretch, but Bálor counters into a pin for a two count. Thatcher quickly stomps the injured knee to stop the momentum. Thatcher then applies a leg lock. Bálor kicks him in the chest to get out, but Thatcher knees him in the ribs and kicks him in between the shoulder blades. Bálor angrily gets up and viciously forearms him. Bálor kicks him back and goes for a takedown, but Thatcher counters into a kimura lock! Bálor screams in pain but is trapped in the center of the ring. Bálor manages to turn over, so Thatcher grabs the free arm and bends that as well. Thatcher then knees him in the kidneys and applies a chin lock. Bálor tries to fight up, but Thatcher knees him in the ribs and clubs the back. Thatcher applies a stretch and goes to a double chickenwing. Bálor drops him with a back drop and pins him, but Thatcher kicks out and still has the double chickenwing applied. Bálor drops him over and finally gets out.
Bálor and Thatcher exchange stiff forearms to the face. Thatcher uppercuts him, but Bálor stuns him with some big elbows. Thatcher blocks one and absolutely lights him up with a chop. Bálor then takes him down with an overhead kick. Both men are down.
Wait for it…. and then wait for it again…#WWENXT #NXTTakeOver @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/vBYxJEPxiu
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 22, 2020
Bálor sends him to the corner and chops him. Bálor sends him across the ring for another chop. Bálor goes for a Sling Blade, but Thatcher blocks it. Bálor quickly comes back with a leg sweep and a double stomp to the chest. Bálor applies a reverse chin lock and goes for the 1916, but Thatcher lifts him up. Thatcher goes for a German Suplex, but Bálor gets out. Thatcher tries to take him down, but Bálor gets out and hits the Reverse Bloody Sunday for a near fall. Bálor hits a Woo Dropkick in the corner and goes for the Coup de Grâce, but Thatcher moves. Bálor’s knee buckles when he hits the mat. Thatcher notices the opening and applies a single leg crab. Bálor manages to make it to the bottom rope.
You can see the wheels turning in Timothy Thatcher's eyes.
When he sees an opponent's weakness, he MUST exploit it. #NXTTakeOver @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/QQp3gtjiVu
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2020
Thatcher tries to attack the arm and keep him down, but Bálor gets out and kicks him in the ribs. Thatcher quickly kicks him and folds him up with a German Suplex. Thatcher goes for a takedown, but Bálor goes for an abdominal stretch. Thatcher fights it, so Bálor rolls him up for a two count. Bálor then applies a grounded abdominal stretch. Thatcher manages to break the grip and bend the fingers. Thatcher then hooks an ankle lock on Bálor. Thatcher goes to slam the knee, but Bálor rolls through and double stomps Thatcher’s chest! Bálor heads to the top rope and hits the Coup de Grâce, but Bálor is too injured to follow up. Bálor then grabs Thatcher and hits the 1916 for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Finn Bálor
Make that 12 #NXTTakeOver victories for @FinnBalor! What a fight. #WWENXT #TimothyThatcher pic.twitter.com/aZ0rJ4dNpP
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2020
I have to say — I really enjoyed the Bálor/Thatcher match. Hard hitting and a technical clinic. It's not what you normally see on regular #WWE TV. I always thought the appeal of #WWENXT is it was like a variety show with different styles. That was on display here. #NXTTakeOver
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2020
NXT Champion Keith Lee is shown arriving to the NXT Arena with Mia Yim.
The Golden Role Models are shown at ringside. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley and Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks, are enjoying themselves.
Video Package: NXT North American Championship Ladder Match
NXT North American Championship – Ladder Match
Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Bronson Reed vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Velveteen Dream
Damian Priest attacks Velveteen Dream as he finishes his entrance. Priest and Bronson Reed clear the ring before going face-to-face. They look at the North American Championship hanging above the ring and start circling the ring. Dream pushes Reed into Priest. Dream hits Gargano with a famouser before hitting a big DDT on Priest. Dream superkicks Reed. Grimes runs in, but Dream throws him out of the ring. Dream looks up at the title and goes under the ring for a weapon. Grimes attacks him from behind and sends him into the ring step.s Grimes goes under the ring and pulls out a miniature ladder. Grimes is flabbergasted. Priest attacks him from behind and pulls a larger ladder out. Priest leans it against the ring. Grimes attacks Priest, but Priest sends him into the ladder. Grimes scales the ladder and gets on the apron. Grimes then knocks Priest back.
Gargano quickly attacks Grimes with a slingshot spear. Priest quickly kicks Gargano in the head before going for a Crucifix Bomb. While holding Gargano, Priest big boots Reed. Reed quickly takes Priest down and suplexes him. Reed grabs the ladder, but Dream holds it. Reed pulls him into the ring with the ladder. Reed is knocked out of the ring and two ladders are set up side-by-side. Grimes knocks Priest and Dream off the ladder and starts climbing the two ladders. Priest and Dream pull the ladders apart, making Grimes do a split. Reed then avalanches Grimes. Dream and Priest sandwich Reed with the ladders. Dream and Priest throw the ladders at each other. Priest is knocked away by Gargano, but Reed comes in and hits a senton splash on a ladder on top of Gargano and Dream.
2020. #NXTTakeOver @CGrimesWWE pic.twitter.com/RqAhVkgdiT
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2020
Grimes attacks Reed, but Reed turns him inside out with a clothesline. Reed sets a ladder up, but Gargano scales it and goes for the title. Reed pulls him down and goes for a powerbomb, but Gargano finds his way to the ladder. Priest grabs Gargano and goes for a Chokeslam, but Gargano finds the ladder again. Reed goes for a powerbomb on Gargano. Grimes hits Priest with a German Suplex, and Dream kicks Reed in the knee. Grimes superkicks Priest. Dream and Grimes try to talk strategy with Gargano. Gargano tries to trick them and go for the title, but the pull him down. Dream and Gargano then start wielding ladders and hitting Priest and Reed. Dream blindsides Grimes with a kick and forearms him. Dream goes to the top rope, but Gargano throws the ladder into his head. Priest then hits Gargano with a ladder and traps him in the corner. Priest avalanches the ladder into Gargano and Dream. Reed knocks Grimes into the ladder/person sandwich and avalanches the bunch.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1297317574254960641?s=20
Reed punches Dream, who is still hung up on the top rope. Reed climbs the ropes and clubs Dream. Priest attacks Reed from behind and climbs the ropes for Dream. Grimes goes for Reed, but Reed picks him up in a powerbomb position. Grimes then grabs Priest and we have a powerbomb/superplex Tower of Doom.
Gargano is the last man standing. Gargano sets up the ladder, but Reed stops him. Gargano tries to run around the ladder to escape him. Reed picks Gargano up. Grimes climbs the ladder, but Reed uses Gargano to knock him off. Reed then hits Gargano with a fallaway slam. Priest is the only one in the ring and climbs the ladder, but Dream gets in and attacks him. Dream climbs the ladder, but Priest springboards off the ropes to kicks Dream’s legs out. Dream falls off the ladder. Grimes attacks Priest, but Priest kicks Grimes and Gargano. Priest goes for a springboard summersault senton, but Gargano superkicks him out of mid-air!
Dream knocks Gargano out of the ring. Reed puts the ladder on his head and hits Dream and Grimes. Gargano goes for One Final Beat on Reed, but the ladder keeps Reed up. Gargano takes Reed down. Dream attacks and throws a ladder out of the ring onto Priest. Gargano knocks Dream out of the ring and hits a suicide dive on Reed. Grimes hits Gargano with the Collision Course on the floor! Dream hits Grimes with a dive, and Reed takes everyone out with a suicide dive!
https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1297318610973622274?s=20
Grimes gets a ladder in the ring, but Priest big boots it into his face. The ladder is leaning against the ropes. Priest then runs onto the ladder and hits a summersault senton to the floor on Reed, Gargano, and Dream! Wow!
Stairway to heaven. Elevator straight to hell. @ArcherOfInfamy did THAT. #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/GX1A9RI2AO
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2020
Candice LeRae runs out to check on Gargano. Grimes starts to climb the ladder to the title, but LeRae gets in the ring and pulls him off. LeRae folds up the ladder and attacks Grimes. Grimes lifts LeRae up, so Gargano hits Grimes in the head with the ladder! LeRae then uses Gargano’s help to hit Grimes with a hurricanrana off the apron onto the other competitors! Gargano sets up the ladder, but Reed gets in the ring and starts to climb the opposite side. Reed punches Gargano off, but Gargano grabs his ankle and climbs his side. Reed knocks Gargano down. LeRae climbs the ladder and jumps on Reed’s back. Reed then leaps off the ladder with LeRae on his back and splashes Johnny Gargano! Wow!
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1297320134974083073?s=20
Gargano and LeRae are both licking their wounds at ringside. Reed starts to climb the ladder, and Priest climbs the opposite side. Grimes sets up a bigger ladder near them. Reed and Priest are fighting it out. Priest knocks Reed off the ladder. Reed falls into Grimes’ ladder, but Grimes lands on the other ladder. Grimes knocks Priest off and reaches for the title, but Dream pulls him down. Grimes kicks Dream in the knee, and Dream is caught in the ladder. Grimes goes to hit Dream with a ladder, but he moves. We’ve got a ladder bridge from the ladder to the second rope. Dream attacks Grimes and lays him on the bridge. Dream sets up the really tall ladder and climbs it. Dream sets up for a Purple Rainmaker, but he hits the title. Dream goes for the title, but Priest knocks him down. Reed pulls Priest down, but Priest chokeslams him onto a ladder. Grimes hits Priest with a Cave In!
Grimes starts to climb the ladder, but Gargano gets in the ring and stops him. Gargano goes for a sunset flip powerbomb onto the ladder bridge, and Grimes just grazes it before crashing into the mat! Unreal! That looked really bad.
Gargano avoids a kick from Priest. Priest grabs him by the throat. Dream superkicks Priest. Gargano goes for One Final Beat, but Dream counters into a Dream Valley Driver onto Priest, who was laying on a ladder bridge from the apron to the barricade! Dream climbs the ladder in the ring, but Reed knocks it over. Dream flies out of the ring, over the barricade, and onto a crash pad.
Reed starts to climb the ladder and reaches for the title, but Grimes throws the tiny ladder into his head from earlier in the match. Grimes climbs the ladder and has his hands on the North American Championship. Gargano knocks Grimes off and reaches for the title. Priest climbs and grabs Gargano by the throat. Gargano unlocks the belt, but Priest is holding the title. They’re both hanging by the title on the ladder. Gargano is the first to fall, and Priest is left holding the belt. Priest wins the North American Championship!
Winner and new NXT North American Champion: Damian Priest
.@ArcherOfInfamy will #LiveForever as he has etched his name in the history books as NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION! #NXTTakeOver #AndNew pic.twitter.com/bx6zmjYt9t
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2020
Great ladder match. Some impressive spots. I thought they were going to overdo it with the contrived spots and ladder bridges, but they kept it tame. Everyone got to shine in this. Priest wins, which isn't surprising. They're going with him, but he needs polishing. #NXTTakeOver
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2020
A SummerSlam video plays.
Video Package: Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee
Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee
Before the match, McAfee cuts a promo from backstage. McAfee says he’s been in the biggest moments and will take Cole out. McAfee makes his entrance with his posse. They’re wearing shirts that say, “Cole sucks.”
McAfee gets in the ring and says, “This is your nightmare.” They lock up, and Cole shoves McAfee off. McAfee poses for a moment. They lock up again, and Cole applies a side headlock. McAfee tries to whip him off, but Cole cinches it in. McAfee tries to lift him, but Cole cinches the side headlock in again. McAfee pulls the hair and backs him to the corner. Cole sends him to the corner, but McAfee slingshots over him. McAfee gets cocky. Cole sends him to the corner, but stops himself. McAfee goes for another slingshot, but Cole isn’t there. Cole goes for a superkick, but McAfee immediately drops down and looks nervous.
McAfee comes back with a side headlock and cinches it in. Cole whips him off, but McAfee shoulder blocks him. McAfee hits the ropes, but gets out of the ring before Cole can kick him. McAfee takes a moment to recover with his posse. McAfee and his posse mock the Undisputed ERA. The Undisputed ERA runs down, and security runs down to break it up. McAfee then goes to the top rope and hits a summersault senton into the UE, the security, and his posse! Wow!
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1297324531737137152?s=20
McAfee gets Cole in the ring and punches away at him before stomping him down in the corner. McAfee stretches Cole on the ropes. Cole is looking loopy. McAfee holds Cole up by the hair and takes him down with a straight right hand. McAfee hits the ropes and boots Cole in the head. McAfee is really taunting him now. McAfee shouts that he only had two weeks to prepare and is beating Cole. McAfee lifts Cole, does some squats, and hits a scoop slam. Cole tries to fight back, but McAfee takes him down by the hair. McAfee talks some trash to the referee as he admonishes him. McAfee applies a chin lock. Cole fights up, but McAfee knocks him to the corner.
McAfee talks trash and shoves him. Cole slaps him in the face twice before they start trading punches. They get into a hockey fight before Cole takes him down. Cole pulls McAfee’s t-shirt over his head and punches away at him. Cole then drops him with a pump kick! Cole viciously stomps him in the corner and sizes him up. McAfee pulls himself up, and Cole picks him up for an ushigoroshi for a near fall! Cole goes for a PK, but McAfee drops down. Cole quickly follows up with a backstabber for a near fall! Cole cannot believe he kicked out.
Cole goes to the top rope, but McAfee crotches him up there. McAfee climbs the ropes and stands on the top rope. McAfee goes for a superplex, but Cole punches him and pushes him off. McAfee does a backflip and lands on his feet! Cole is stunned! McAfee leaps up to the top rope and hits Cole with a superplex for a near fall! Wow!
Landed. On. His. Feet.
HOW IS HE DOING THIS? #NXTTakeOver #ColevsMcAfee @PatMcAfeeShow @AdamColePro pic.twitter.com/N9Oaq2nXVN
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) August 23, 2020
McAfee gets out of the ring and sees Cole hanging off the apron. McAfee goes for a Punt Kick, but Cole moves causing McAfee to kick the steel steps! McAfee grabs his foot in pain. Cole gets McAfee in the ring. McAfee is limping and begging Cole off. Cole fakes a superkick and kicks the leg instead. Cole goes for a Figure Four Leglock. McAfee fights it, but Cole eventually applies the hold. Cole cinches it in, and McAfee lays down in pain. McAfee sits up before the pin is counted. McAfee tries to turn it over, but Cole quickly turns him back. McAfee then grabs the bottom rope to break the hold.
McAfee gets up in the corner and talks trash. Cole is infuriated and punches away at him. The referee pulls Cole back, so McAfee low blows him behind the referee’s back! McAfee turns Cole inside out with a clothesline and hits the Punt Kick… but Cole kicks out! McAfee cannot believe it! McAfee goes to the top rope and removes his shirt. McAfee shouts, “McAfee Bay-Bay!” McAfee leaps off the top rope, but Cole superkicks him out of mid-air! Cole coldly crawls toward McAfee. Cole tells McAfee to get up so he can watch him take him out. Cole says he’ll shut his stupid mouth. Cole goes to pull his knee pad down, but he thinks better of it. Cole then goes to the second rope and tells McAfee to get up. Cole connects with the Panama Sunrise on McAfee for the decisive victory!
Winner by Pinfall: Adam Cole
https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1297328020320137222?s=20
That's not to say that there weren't some moments where McAfee could use a little polishing, but compared to the guy that just won the North American Title, they may be on the same level. Just really great stuff from both guys. Hat's off to Adam Cole for keeping it together.
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 23, 2020
Samoa Joe does a commercial for WWE Super Card.
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre joins the commentary team to talk about his match against Randy Orton at SummerSlam tomorrow.
Karrion Kross is shown warming up backstage.
Video Package: NXT Women’s Championship
NXT Women’s Championship
Dakota Kai w/ Raquel Gonzalez vs. Io Shirai (c)
The bell rings, and Shirai immediately takes Kai down before punching away at her. Kai gets away, turns Shirai around, and punches her down in the corner. Shirai blocks a kick and attacks the knee. Shirai goes for a handspring, but lands on her face. Shirai takes a moment to make sure she’s ok. Shirai then attacks Kai and chokes her in the corner. Kai gets out of the ring and stands behind Gonzalez. Kai comes up from behind Shirai and sends her into the ring post. Kai gets Shirai in the ring and picks up a two count.
Kai attacks the arm that was injured from the ring post shot and stretches it on the ropes. Shirai gets away and drops Kai into the ropes. Shirai goes for a tiger feint kick, but Kai moves. Kai then kicks her in the face. Kai then applies an arm bar over the second rope. Kai lets go before being disqualified. Kai kicks her in the face for a near fall. Kai knees on Shirai’s injured arm and stretches it before pinning her for a two count. Kai chokes her in the corner before applying an arm bar. Kai takes Shirai down and picks up a near fall. Kai applies a head and arm stretch, but Shirai rolls her up for a two count. Kai quickly clotheslines her for a near fall. Kai applies a scissor hold, but Shirai gets out and hits a palm strike.
Shirai hits some clotheslines and a flapjack. Shirai connects with a tiger feint kick (619) with one arm. Shirai follows up with a springboard dropkick for a near fall! Shirai lifts Kai up, but Kai fights it. Shirai rolls through and double stomps Kai. Kai gets on the apron and tries to German Suplex Shirai to the floor. Shirai holds on and double stomps Kai again. Shirai gets her in the ring for a two count. Kai quickly transitions into an arm bar, but she lets go and kicks her in the face a few times. Kai peppers her with kicks to the face, but Shirai gets pumped up and forearms her back. Shirai hits the ropes, but Kai hits a scorpion kick! Kai goes for a running big boot in the corner, but Shirai gets away. Kai hits a rolling bomb into the turnbuckles and goes for a running big boot, but Shirai moves again. Shirai knocks her down and hits a pair of running double knees! Shirai starts to climb the ropes, but Kai knocks her down on the top turnbuckle. Kai goes for a superplex, but Shirai punches her into the tree of woe. Kai pulls herself up, but Shirai double stomps her down to the canvas for a near fall!
https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1297332333595578368?s=20
Kai goes for a powerbomb, but Shirai fights it. Kai takes her down for a near fall. Kai quickly goes for a cross arm bar, but Shirai fights it. Kai applies the cross arm bar eventually. Shirai screams in pain, but eventually makes it to the bottom rope. Shirai gets up on the apron and forearms Kai back. Shirai goes for a springboard, but Kai kicks her in the face. Shirai quickly comes back by bouncing her off the turnbuckle. Shirai goes to the top rope, but Kai pulls her down and hits the Go To Kick. Shirai gets a foot on the bottom rope.
Kai goes for a big boot in the corner, but accidentally hits the referee. Shirai takes Kai down and hits her trademark Moonsault, but the referee is still down. Raquel Gonzalez attacks Shirai from behind and hits a one-armed powerbomb. Gonzalez puts Kai on top of Shirai and wakes the referee up. The referee counts, but Shirai kicks out at two and a half. Kai and Gonzalez are stunned. Shirai takes Kai down with a crossface. Kai fights it and rolls to her knees. Shirai pulls her in hard for a knee to the face. Kai gets out of the ring and goes to Gonzalez. Shirai goes to the top rope and hits a moonsault to Gonzalez and Kai on the floor. Shirai’s shins hit Gonzalez right in the forehead. That looked rough. Shirai gets Kai in the ring and hits an Over the Moonsault for the win.
Winner by Pinfall and still NXT Women’s Champion: Io Shirai
Gonzalez angrily attacks Shirai from behind, but Rhea Ripley comes out to make the save. Ripley walks down to the ring, gets inside, and has a staredown with Gonzalez. Ripley smirks at her as they go face-to-face. Kai then pulls Gonzalez back, and they leave the ring.
Pick on someone your own size, @RaquelWWE. #NXTTakeOver @RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/C9b6xMAjaj
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) August 23, 2020
As Shirai poses with the championship in the ring, Rhea Ripley is shown in the background staring at her.
That NXT Women's Title match never clicked. I think it was a mistake to put it here in the card. I'm not sure that would've made it any better, but @WWE really needs to get away from the idea of a "cool down" match. It was a hole in the card after two good matches. #NXTTakeOver
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 23, 2020
NXT UK will returning to action on September 17.
Tommaso Ciampa returns to WWE NXT this Wednesday.
McKenzie Mitchell catches up with new NXT North American Champion Damian Priest. Priest gets into a hot tub with some women while still in his ring gear. They drink champagne.
Video Package: NXT Championship
NXT Championship
Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett vs. Keith Lee (c)
The bell rings, and Lee immediately shoulder blocks Kross down. Kross looks surprised. Kross charges Lee, but Lee clubs him back. Lee forearms him in the chest and punches him in the corner. Kross fights back, but Lee blocks a kick and punches him back. Lee hits some body shots. Kross quickly grabs him and forearms him in the face. Lee reverses a whip, ducks a clothesline, and hits Kross with a running cross-body block. Kross quickly rolls out of the ring to recover.
Lee goes outside to get him, but Kross punches him back. Kross forearms him in the face and goes for a punch, but Lee avoids it. Lee has a staredown and sends Kross into the plexiglass. Kross avoids a punch. Lee charges, but he hits the ring post when Kross moves. Lee leans against the barricade, and Kross kicks the barricade into Lee’s arm to sandwich it into the plexiglass. Kross gets him in the ring and applies an overhead wristlock. Lee fights up, but Kross cuts him off. Kross then takes him down by the arm. Kross gets a crazy look in his eyes after Lee kicks out. Kross stomps away at him and applies a wristlock. Lee fights up and lifts Kross up, but Kross slides off. Kross sends him shoulder-first into the turnbuckle and kicks the injured limb. Kross sends him into the corner shoulder-first again before sending him into the ring post shoulder-first. Kross covers for a two count.
Kross quickly goes back to the wristlock. Kross applies a hammerlock and does some joint manipulation to the hand. Lee fights up, but Kross hits an arm breaker. Kross turns him over and applies a hammerlock. Kross has the hold applied for a while before Lee eventually fights up. Kross quickly hits a takedown and goes for a cross arm bar. Lee fights the hold and holds his hand to stop it from being applied. Lee turns Kross onto his shoulders, but Kross gets a shoulder up. Lee eventually gets to his feet and deadlifts him with one arm for a sit-out slam.
Lee rocks Kross with a forearm and hits his own arm in the process. Lee hits a pair of running forearms before connecting with a scoop powerslam for a near fall. Kross fights back and goes for a Doomsday Saito, but Lee fights it. Kross drops him with a DDT for a near fall. Lee slowly gets to his feet and stuns Kross with a head-butt to the jaw. Lee then hits a big textbook suplex for a near fall. Lee and Kross trade punches. Kross quickly stuns him with a strike, hits the ropes twice, and clotheslines Lee down for a near fall. Kross looks stunned.
Lee punches Kross back, but Kross responds with punches of his own. Kross forearms him down to a knee and hits the ropes, but Lee hits the ropes as well for a big clothesline. Kross big boots him, but that just fires Lee up. Kross hits a Doomsday Saito on Lee, but Lee kicks out. Kross applies the Kross Jacket. Lee seems to fade away, but he gets a second wind. Kross cinches it in, but Lee rolls over and barely gets a hand on the bottom rope.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1297342901622579202?s=20
Lee looks like he’s out on his feet, but he manages to club Kross down. Lee hits a Spirit Bomb for a near fall. Lee pulls Kross near the corner and climbs the ropes. Kross cuts Lee off, and they start punching it out on the ropes. Kross then hits a Doomsday Saito off the second rope for the win!
Winner and new NXT Champion: Karrion Kross
Karrion Kross holds up the NXT Championship and poses with Scarlett as pyro goes off around them.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1297344631991078913?s=20
Largely boring main event. I really like Keith Lee, but there are definite holes in his game. Long matches just aren't conducive to his style. He does some flashy things, but not enough to carry a match. With the stupid staredowns, it hurts. #NXTTakeOver
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 23, 2020
I think Karrion Kross had to win this one with the push he's received. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with the title. Feels like the character has a shelf life, but we'll see. #NXTTakeOver XXX
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 23, 2020
Overall this show started off super hot, but the last two matches just dragged. Usually #NXTTakeOver shows peak at the end. I think putting the Women's Title match as a slow match right before the main event (also slow) was a booking mistake. It hurt the show.
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 23, 2020
What did you think of #NXTTakeOver XXX?
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 23, 2020
Quick Match Results
— Finn Bálor def. Timothy Thatcher
— Damian Priest def. Johnny Gargano, Bronson Reed, Cameron Grimes, and Velveteen Dream in a Ladder Match to win the NXT North American Championship
— Adam Cole def. Pat McAfee
— Io Shirai def. Dakota Kai to retain the NXT Women’s Championship
— Karrion Kross def. Keith Lee to win the NXT Championship
E-Mail – mike@wrestleview.com
Twitter – @MikeTedescoWV
Thanks for reading!
Wrestleview.com will have full coverage of NXT TakeOver XXX tonight starting at 7:00 p.m Eastern (6:00 CT) with live thoughts on Twitter via @wrestleview.
Doug Lackey will also be doing a Wrestleview Watch Along for NXT TakeOver XXX so you can read the recap and watch along with him.