Tonight provides perhaps the biggest night of WWE television all week. On this edition of NXT, we have two huge championship matches.
Patrick Clark vs. Sean Maluta
This is a good chance for two relatively unknown Superstars to gain some recognition on a big episode of NXT. Sean Maluta has been making sporadic appearances since the Cruiserweight Classic last summer, but the member of the Samoan Dynasty has unfortunately wound up on the losing end of his matches. Patrick Clark hasn’t had much more success, but his reinvention since Tough Enough seems to have potential.
Sean Maluta gets a good amount of offense in, but Patrick Clark is able to hit a jumping Famouser to get the pinfall. Winner: Patrick Clark
Promo
The Wyatt Family SAnitY is, well, somewhere, and has a message for Tye Dillinger. Dillinger has denied their demands to join them, so now they are coming after him.
Asuka (c) vs. Peyton Royce (w/Billie Kay) – NXT Women’s Championship
This is the second chance Peyton Royce has to dethrone Asuka and take the Women’s Championship. Royce competed against Billie Kay, Nikki Cross, and Asuka in a Fatal Four Way match at TakeOver: San Antonio, and the numbers game wasn’t enough give the champ her first loss. Now that Billie Kay isn’t a legal participant in this match, Royce is going to have to up her game (or have something up her sleeve) to win her first title. Royce earned this opportunity by defeating Ember Moon and Liv Morgan in a Triple Threat match last week.
Peyton Royce spends too much time worrying about Asuka kicking out at 2, and the Empress of Tomorrow secures the victory by turning an armbar into the Asuka Lock. Winner, and STILL NXT Women’s Champion (via submission): Asuka
Billie Kay immediately attacks Asuka after the match, and works together with Peyton Royce to assault the Women’s Champion. Ember Moon comes out to the aid of Asuka, taking out Kay and Royce with no problem. The champ gains her bearings, and stares down Ember Moon with the title belt raised high. Hopefully this is an indication of things to come.
Announcements
William Regal makes a huge announcement, revealing the first time that Bobby Roode will defend his NXT Championship. On the March 15th episode of NXT, Bobby Roode will be defending the NXT Championship against the recently returned Kassius Ohno.
Another announcement is made later in the show regarding Shinsuke Nakmaura. The King of Strong Style was injured at TakeOver: San Antonio, but after about a month of rehabbing his knee, Nakamura is going to be back in action. Next week, Nakamura will have a match against an unannounced opponent.
Video Package
Like Tyler Bate, Trent Seven, Pete Dunne, and Mark Andrews, we get another video package promoting the WWE television debut of a United Kingdom Championship Tournament competitor: Wolfgang. Wolfgang scored a shocking victory over Trent Seven in the quarterfinals of the tournament, but he would end up losing the next round to the current United Kingdom Champion, Tyler Bate. Wolfgang displays a great combination of size, strength, and agility (like Kevin Owens), and he will definitely be a hit with the WWE Universe.
The Authors of Pain (c) (w/Paul Ellering) vs. #DIY – NXT Tag Team Championships
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are without a doubt the hottest team in NXT. They always put on great matches and create a great energy in the WWE Universe. However, this didn’t stop them from losing their Tag Team Championships to The Authors of Pain at TakeOver: San Antonio. As the beginning of this match goes, Akam and Rezar are still undefeated.
Gargano and Ciampa both have submissions locked in in the middle of the ring, when The Revival come down to the ring and attack both teams. The Authors of Pain send #DIY to the outside, and The Revival stand tall after hitting Akam with a huge Shatter Machine. Result: No Contest
