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MAIN EVENT TIME, SUBMISSION MATCH, MAMI MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE, STEVESON DEBUTS BUT GETS A TEXAS THUMBS DOWN, WEAPONS WILD LIVES UP TO THE HYPE: MIKE'S WWE NXT GREAT AMERICAN BASH BLOG

Next up is the Triple Threat match for the WWE NXT North American Championship.  Nice pop for Wes Lee.  Mixed reaction, at best, for Mustafa Ali.   Mysterio received a villain's welcome when he and Rhea Ripley made their way to the ring.  He tried to avoid his challengers but they caught him and stomped away at him in the most entertaining way possible.  Some nice near falls with Ali and Lee battling back and forth.  Lee is just great athetically. Dom nailed Ali and Lee as they battled on top, sending them crashing into the barricade below.

The challengers came back to nail a series of double team maneuvers as Rhea fretted on the floor.   Ali took out Dom and Lee and they were laying through the ropes. hanging off the apron.  Ali went for a 450 splash off the top but missed.  Mysterio tried to steal the pin on Lee, which kicked away at him and nailed a dive to the floor.   Rhea attacked him and nailed a pump handle slam through a table on him, which blew the crowd away.  Dom covered Lee, who kicked out at the last second.   Ali returned to the fray and nailed a 450 splash off the top but Ripley pulled him off Lee.  Dom nailed a frog splash on Lee and scored the pin.

Entertaining all the way through.  Three great talents doing their thing.  Mysterio and Ripley were a tremendous act as they aways are.

They aired a video package on GiGi Dolan, then one on The Schism.

Next up was Tiffany Stratton defending the NXT Women's Championship against Thea Hail.  Stratton was dressed like Barbie.  The live crowd was super into Chase University. Stratton comes off like a star already and Hail isn't far off.  Lots of submission attempts early on.  Stratton nailed a handspring elbow into the corner.  Stratton came down scarily during a suplex but seemed to be OK.  She came back and began using a leg scissor to try to and force a submission.  Hail came back with a dive to the outside and looked really good in her comeback, showing some nice fire.  Stratton cut her off and suplexed her into the buckles.  Stratton went for the Prettiest Moonsault Ever but was caught by Hail and hit with a superplex.    Hail went for a submission but Stratton made it to the ropes. They battled on the floor with Hail getting the advantage.  She locked in a Boston Crab.  Hail had some nice facial expressions as she fought for the ropes.    Stratton held onto the move but Hail refused to give up.  Andre Chase finally tossed in the towel.  Stratton retains.  Good but shorter than you'd expect but certainly a well done match.  The finish was done logically to protect Hail.

They aired a video feature on Roxanne Perez.

Dragon Lee ran into  Dom and Rhea backstage.  There's your tease for the future.

They announced the No Mercy Pre-sale will be this Wednesday.

Main Event time!

Ilja Dragonuv challenging Carmelo Hayes for the WWE NXT Championship.  Some nice intensity right out of the gate.  The story  was Dragonuv was bringing some big shots and strikes while Hayes was trying to curtail that momentum by taking him to the mat and locking him up in moves.  Hayes hit a nice springboard clothesline that sent Ilja to the floor.    Dragonuv came back to nail a big kick, which put Hayes on the defensive.  Ilja began beating and breaking down Carmelo for a long time.  Hayes' reaction to getting chopped hard in the chest  was hilarious in all the right ways.

Hayes fought back but wasn't able to retain any true momentum.   Dragonuv cinched in a submission.  Hayes fought to his feet but was taken back down.  He rolled through and nailed a big knee.  Unfortunately, Dragonuv was a wrestling machine.   Hayes finally fired back with a series of boots to the face but was caught with a dropkick but still managed to nail a big DDT.  They kept firing back and forth.    Dragonuv nailed a BIG back senton splash off the top.  He went to go coast to coast but was caught with a Codebreaker mid-stream.  Hayes went for a missile dropkick but was RUDELY powerbombed in the most evil way you can imagine.  Dragonuv dove with a big strike but Hayes got his shoulder up at the last second.

They battled to the top where Carmelo turned a superplex into a Ace Crusher for a close two count.    They kept firing back and forth.  They kicked each other at the same time with KO kicks.  Trick was trying to rally Carmelo but ended up taking a Torpedo Moscow for his troubles.  Hayes tossed Ilja back in and went to the top, nailed a scissor kick and scored the pin.  The champs retains in a really hard hitting encounter.

Overall, a really solid show. 

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