WWE held the third TV taping for the NXT brand of the new year on Wednesday night in Winter Park, FL at Full Sail University. This is where WWE announced that the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic would be returning as they taped the first-round and semi-final matches for the tournament.
Here are the spoilers, courtesy of Jacob Cohen:
Tag Team Match
War Raiders defeat Vandal Ortagun & Chico Adams
Johnny Gargano out without the NXT North American Title where he said it has been an interesting few weeks. Not only has he showed the WWE Universe what NXT is all about as a member of the Raw & Smackdown Roster. Last week he had one of his most difficult matches, and when he had his first challenge as a champion, he failed. Tommaso Ciampa out, he says that Johnny Gargano is at his best when he’s with Ciampa, together they win on Raw & Smackdown, but last week when Gargano was on his own and refused Ciampa’s help, and that’s why he lost. Ciampa offers Gargano to join him in the Dusty Rhodes Classic. That is where it all started for them, and the winner of the Dusty Rhodes Classic get a Tag Title shot at Takeover New York, this could be their moment. Gargano shakes Ciampa’s hand, they will be a tag team in the Dusty Rhodes Classic.
Tag Team Match
Vanessa Bourne & Aliyah defeat Xia Li & Taynara Conti
Singles Match
Dominik Djokovic vs Keith Lee ends in double count out. Post-match, they brawl until separated.
Singles Match
Shayna Baszler defeats Mia Yim
First-Round Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Match
Aleister Black & Ricochet defeat Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel
First-Round Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Match
Forgotten Sons defeat Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch
Velveteen Dream Out, he’s out to remind everyone that he is the NXT North American Champion, he has another reminder…Then Matt Riddle comes out. Matt Riddle wanted to congratulate Velveteen Dream, but real talk, he wants to challenge Velveteen Dream to a title match. Velveteen Dream is not Matt Riddle’s Bro and the spotlight is only on Velveteen Dream. The lights go out and there is a spotlight on Velveteen Dream. When the lights go on Matt Riddle is gone
First-Round Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Match
Mustache Mountain defeat Street Profits
First-Round Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Match
Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa defeated Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish. Post-match, War Raiders out to stare down DIY from the stage.
Singles Match
Luke Menzies defeats Eric Bugenhagen
Sasha Banks and Bayley walk out to the ring. Sasha says it’s good to be home, you never forget where you came from, their journey started in NXT. Bayley says the last time Sasha was in the NXT ring was the first ever Women’s Iron Women Match at NXT Takeover: Respect. They want to share the belts with NXT. They say the belts will be defended on Raw, Smackdown, or NXT, so the ladies backstage need to step up
Singles Match
Adam Cole defeats Punishment Martinez. Post-match, Cole says he is the first NXT North American Champion and yet he has not got a one on one rematch for the title. Cole calls Velveteen Dream the biggest moron of them all. He’s the champion, but not for long, 2019 is the year of the The Undisputed Era. Velveteen Dream comes out and slaps Cole. They brawl briefly, then Punishment attacks Cole and Dream gives Cole a top rope elbow drop
Semi-Finals Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Match
Forgotten Sons defeat Mustache Mountain
#1 Contender’s Match
Io Shirai vs Bianca Belair ends in a double DQ when Shayna Baszler attacks both of them. Kairi Sane runs in but also gets choked out. Io is eventually able to make a comeback but also gets choked out.
Semi-Finals Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Match
Ricochet & Aleister Black defeat Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano. Post-match, Ciampa and Candice help Gargano up the stage, Ciampa tries to throw Gargano into the tron But Gargano was playing possum, he throws Ciampa into the tron, beats the crap out of him, implies he’s going for the belt, and poses with Candice.
