NXT – Oct 18
NXT opens with the first “Pick Your Poison” match as Cora had picked Rhea Ripley to face Roxanne Perez.
Rhea Ripley (with Judgement Day – Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio and Damian Priest) vs. Roxanne Perez – Pick Your Poison Match
They lock up until Rhea overpowers Roxanne, throwing her to the outside. Roxanne reenters the ring, they’re about to lock up again but Roxanne ducks and goes behind Rhea, holding her by the waist. Rhea attempts to break it up but instead flings Roxanne to break free, she goes after Roxanne, Perez focuses on Rhea’s arm. Perez kicks Rhea’s leg, Ripley picks her up, Roxanne lands on her feet and is able to return her focus to Rhea’s arm.
Roxanne kicks Rhea again, but Rhea pulls her hair and throws her toward the ropes. Roxanne avoids Rhea’s turn by wrapping her legs around her neck for a head scissors. Rhea resists Perez’s pin attempt after Roxanne stops. Ripley picks Roxanne up by her head and chops her twice before headbutting her abdomen. Rhea kicks Roxanne bounces her head off her knee and clotheslines her as she clutches her abdomen.
Ripley pushes Roxanne to a corner for a shoulder tackle, then follows her to another corner. Ripley grabs Roxanne to shoot her back when she fights back. Rhea pins Roxanne and fires again. Rhea re-throws Roxanne. Roxanne fires forearm shots until Rhea kicks her when she tries again. Rhea picks up Roxanne, who sits on her neck and does a scissors, sending her outside.
Perez runs to the ropes to dive but stops when Rhea moves. Roxanne dives while Rhea walks around the ring, but she catches herself before falling outside. Roxanne hits Rhea and stands on the apron to wrap her legs around her head, but Rhea holds her. Rhea throws Roxanne face-first on the apron.
Rhea celebrates, high-fiving Damian. Roxanne’s abdomen holds Rhea’s legs. Ripley resists Roxanne’s pin attempt. Rhea is hitting Roxanne’s back. Rhea was going to kick Roxanne, but she moved in time. Roxanne ducks Rhea’s kick. Rhea runs to Roxanne and Perez sweeps her off her feet and onto the middle rope.
Roxanne kicks Rhea’s leg and dodges her big boot. After several uppercuts from Roxanne, Rhea holds on and pushes Roxanne to the ropes. Roxanne head scissors Rhea, trying a leg sweep. Roxanne defends herself when Rhea throws her on the mat and pulls her hair. Rhea lands on a corner, Roxanne runs with an uppercut, rolls over, and comes with another, but Rhea moves. Rhea runs to Roxanne in the corner, Roxanne moves, and Rhea hits the post shoulder first and falls outside. Roxanne runs and dives onto Rhea outside.
Ripley knocks Roxanne off the top rope. Rhea climbs ropes and chops Roxanne. Rhea hits Roxanne on the middle rope, setting up her next move, but Roxanne fights back. Roxanne slips to the middle rope with Rhea and wiggles out of it. Roxanne climbs the ropes, hits Rhea, and attempts a huracarrana and pin.
Rhea was about to hit Roxanne, but Perez hit her with a few shots. Perez repeats shots. Roxanne blocks Rhea from headbutting her. Roxanne kicks Rhea to a corner, runs with an uppercut, Rhea catches her, throws her on the canvas, and attempts a pin. Rhea picks Roxanne up for the Riptide, but Roxanne moves, kicks Rhea, and sets up Pop Rocks. Rhea moves to avoid it. Dominik distracts Roxanne while Rhea headbutts her and wins the Riptide!
Cora is seen watching the match backstage, nodding happily with the damage Rhea has caused.
Astrid’s Point
This was such a hard-hitting match, I loved that both women were able to show off their strengths. Rhea showed her power, Roxanne showed her quickness and agility and also that she wasn’t afraid to go against someone bigger than her in Rhea. I also loved the element that Rhea was causing damage to Roxanne in favor to Cora, making it look like it’ll benefit Cora in the end.
Sonya Deville (With Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne) vs. Alba Fyre
Sonya pulls Alba’s hair until the referee stops her. Alba shoves Sonya as they approach the center of the ring. Sonya tries to shoot Alba, but Alba dodges it. Fyre kicks Sonya, who dodges by holding her leg. Fyre headbutts Sonya after dodging her kick. Alba chops Sonya, pulls her to another corner, hits her with an uppercut, and pulls her to the ring.
Alba climbs the middle rope and Sonya sweeps her off her feet, hitting the turnbuckle with Alba’s head. Sonya kicks Alba for a pin while recovering. Sonya drags Alba to the turnbuckles. Alba returns the favor by pulling Sonya to a corner, hitting her with a clothesline, and chopping her several times while climbing. Sonya pushes Alba, who grabs her hand and throws her on the mat.
Alba kicks Sonya climbs the top rope, but Gigi appears on the apron, Alba headbutts her then Jacy does too, Alba hits her with a forearm. Sonya goes for a shot, but Alba kicked her. Jacy enters the ring; Alba is setting her up for the Gory Bomb, but Gigi comes for the assist. Alba grabs Gigi by the hair, she notices Sonya is coming towards her and moves so Gigi takes the kick instead, Alba takes the opportunity to pin Sonya for the victory.
Jacy comes in the ring, Alba hits her with a forearm, she turns around and is met with a spear from Sonya. Jacy joins in on the beatdown then Gigi joins.
Gigi and Jacy hold on to Alba while Sonya pushes Alba’s bat on her mouth, we hear the Toxic Attraction theme song. Mandy tells Alba, “At Halloween Havoc, I am fighting fire with fire.” Alba fights off Gigi, Jacy and Sonya, taking her bat in hand.
Fyre hits the ladies with the bat, Mandy uses that as a distraction to come inside the ring, ready to hit Alba with the championship. Alba creates a distance with the bat, holding it on to Mandy’s throat until she reaches the ropes, backs away and goes under the ropes to run away. Fyre notices the championship in the ring, shows it to Mandy while Mandy stays outside the ring, she places the championship on the apron for Mandy to take.
Astrid’s Point
Mandy returns to NXT after being away for about two weeks due to her brother’s passing. I loved the inclusion of Sonya here to help Mandy while she was away, I didn’t like how short the match was and how quickly Gigi and Jacy came for the assist. I also enjoyed seeing Alba being able to overpower Sonya, Gigi and Jacy just in time for Mandy’s arrival.
Contract Signing – NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship
Nikkita says, “This is the opportunity we’ve been wanting,” Zoey agrees with her. Zoey says they’re proving Kayden and Katana wrong about being a tag team when they take the championships. “It’s real easy to be a team when you win, let’s see what happens after you lose,” Katana says.
Astrid’s Point
I thought this match was going to take place at Halloween Havoc, but I like how they’re making it a Title Tuesday with both tag team championship on the line. I am still not sold with Nikkita and Zoey as partners, but I am looking forward to seeing how this unfolds.
Shotzi Segment
Shotzi arrives to announce she’s hosting Halloween Havoc as she did in 2020. She is interrupted by Xyon Quinn.
Xyon wants to be Shotzi’s cohost, he is interrupted by Quincy. Eliott says, “You’re a ballsy ass girl who ain’t afraid to step on no toes. Shotzi, as much as I would love to see Xyon Quinn in a Halloween costume, he is not your co-host. You need a bona fide screen queen. At Halloween Havoc, you need to ride down to the ring with the super diva.” Shotzi says they were already facing each other next but they can add a stipulation that whoever wins, gets to be Shotzi’s cohost at Halloween Havoc.
Quincy wins the match and will be Shotzi’s cohost for the show.
Astrid’s Point
It was a nice move to see Shotzi being included in Halloween Havoc in some form and with her love for Halloween, it was a great fit there. I also liked how she added that stipulation to Quincy v Xyon, with the winner being her cohost, it made sense and also having Quincy get the victory too.
Raquel Rodriguez vs. Cora Jade – Pick Your Poison Match
They’re about to lock up but Cora runs away until she reaches a corner, climbs on the top rope until the referee makes Raquel step away.
They’re about to lock up again but Cora backs up, they’re trash talking each other until Cora kicks Raquel, Rodriguez returns the favor. Raquel brings Cora to a corner pulling to another, Cora’s hitting the turnbuckle. Raquel pulls Cora to the previous corner to do it again. Cora is pleading to Raquel, but she picks up Cora, throwing her face first on the turnbuckle. Cora slides outside the ring to recuperate.
Raquel goes after Cora, keeping her in place on top of the commentary table to chop her. Rodrigeuz wanted to try it another time, but Cora ran inside the ring, Raquel is able to grab her, placing her again on the commentary table, when she’s about to chop Cora, she moved, and Raquel’s hand hit the table instead.
Raquel runs inside the ring after Cora but she’s ready to kick Raquel on her way in, taking a few shots to Raquel’s back, Cora is fired up. Cora uses the ropes to bounce with a double stomp to Raquel’s back.
Raquel is resting in a corner; Cora runs towards her but is met halfway with a clothesline from Raquel. Rodriguez steps on Cora until the referee warns her about it. Cora crawls to a corner, Raquel takes her leg to drag her from there, Cora grabs her bat, kicking Raquel to distance herself.
Cora is about to hit Raquel with the bat, Raquel holds on to it, she’s concentrated on Cora and Jade is able to push her away, dropping the bat in the process. Raquel hits Cora in the abdomen with the bat, causing a disqualification. She continues to hit Cora’s back until Cora drops outside the ring.
After @CoraJadeWWE attempts to unload a Kendo stick attack, @RaquelWWE turns the tables.#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/oAv7i78PYO — WWE NXT (@WWENXT) October 20, 2022
Raquel is in the ring, Cora smiles knowing she still won the match and Roxanne didn’t win hers earlier tonight. Perez comes from behind Jade, hitting her with a forearm to the back of her head, they both take a few shots at each other until Roxanne brings Cora inside the ring. Cora is met with Raquel, Perez is behind her, meeting Cora with a kick. Raquel throws Roxanne the bat, she’s about to hit Cora who slides under the ropes and outside, running from the NXT arena. Raquel and Roxanne hug, Raquel picking up Roxanne on her shoulder to celebrate.
Astrid’s Point
I liked how this showed Cora as the heel that would rather run away from her opponent especially with her history with Raquel. Also, I didn’t want Raquel to use the bat for the DQ, but it also seemed smart of Cora to tempt Raquel with it as it would give her the quick victory, saving her for the match on Saturday. I absolutely loved having Roxanne coming from behind her, taking advantage of the situation and Raquel assisting with the bat and having Cora run away in the end too.
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