NXT opens with William Regal in his office. He said he was going to have Bayley challenge Asuka for the NXT Women’s Championship at the upcoming TakeOver special on June 8th, but she is injured and cannot compete. He announces Carmella vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax in a number one contender’s match tonight, and the winner will challenge Asuka at TakeOver: Revenge. We go live into Full Sail University where Tom Phillips and Corey Graves welcome us to the show.
Match #1: Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa vs. TM-61 (Shane Thorne and Nick Miller)
Ciampa and Miller start the match for their teams. Miller takes Ciampa down to the mat, but Ciampa gets to his feet and takes Miller down. They exchange holds down on the mat and then Miller drops Ciampa with a shoulder tackle. Thorne tags in, as does Gargano. They tie up and exchange arm wrenches. Thorne takes Gargano down to the mat and then connects with a dropkick. Miller tags in and TM-61 double-team Gargano for a bit. Miller drops Gargano and Thorne tags in and connects with an uppercut. Thorne goes for the cover, but Gargano kicks out quickly. Thorne picks Gargano up and slams him down and Miller tags back in. Gargano gets free and tags in Ciampa. Ciampa delivers some chops, as does Miller. Thorne tags in and they drop Ciampa and deliver standing moonsaults. Ciampa rolls to the outside and TM-61 send Gargano to the outside as we head to a break.
Back from the break, Thorne has Ciampa in a headlock on the mat. Ciampa gets to his feet and fights out with elbows and tags in Gargano. Gargano dives into the ring and takes out Thorne. Gargano kicks Thorne in the back of the head and goes for the cover, but Thorne kicks out. Gargano takes Thorne down with a side-Russian leg sweep and then locks in a submission on the mat. Thorne gets to the ropes to break the hold. Gargano backs Thorne into the corner and delivers chops and tags in Ciampa. Thorne counters Ciampa with a jaw-breaker and delivers some rights. Ciampa comes back with a big boot and sends Thorne to the corner, but Thorne counters with a kick of his own. Thorne takes Ciampa down with a dropkick and tags in Miller. Miller clotheslines Ciampa and then smashes him in the corner. Miller tags down both Ciampa and Gargano with clotheslines and then charges at Ciampa, but Ciampa counters with a shoulder to the mid-section. Thorne tags in an he and Miller double-dropkick Ciampa. Thorne goes for the cover, but Gargano breaks it up. Gargano takes Miller down on the outside and then Ciampa and Gargano double-team Thorne and hit their superkick/running knee combo finisher and get the pin fall.
Winners: Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa.
Phillips and Graves talk about the triple threat main event tonight and then bring up the Steel Cage Match between Finn Balor and Samoa Joe at TakeOver: Revenge. We then see a video hype package for the NXT Champion, Samoa Joe.
We see Bayley backstage and she is asked about not being cleared to compete. Bayley says it sucks, but Regal made the right decision because she isn’t 100% and couldn’t compete against someone like Asuka. Nia Jax walks up and says Bayley needs to tell the truth: that Niz broke her in their match last week. Carmella walks up to have Bayley’s back, and then Alexa Bliss walks up. Nia says they aren’t worth it and walks away, and then Carmella and Alexa have words.
We see that Baby Metal’s song “Karate” is one of the official theme songs for TakeOver: Revenge and then we see a vignette for Andrade “Cien” Almas, who will debut soon.
Back in the arena, Austin Aries makes his way to the ring. Aries says “the best” is one of the most overused phrases in all of professional sports. He says you’re only the best until someone better comes along, which is why he has simply been known as great. Aries lists some of his career accomplishments and says that timing is everything. He says when he walked in the door at NXT, other people were grabbing the attention and the crowd chants “Nakamura.” He says all of that is stopping and all of that will change. He says after Joe and Balor settle it in the cage, it is only a matter of time before he is the NXT Champion. The lights go out and Shinsuke Nakamura’s theme hits. Nakamura grabs a mic and asks Aries if he understands Japanese, but speaks in English anyway. Namakura says he is great and the King of Strong Style, and then William Regal’s music hits. Regal comes to the stage and congratulates both men on the impact they have made on NXT. Regal says he was intrigued to see them as a tag team last week, but now he sees something more. The crowd chants “TakeOver” and Regal says he agrees. He says on June 8th, Austin Aries and Shinsuke Nakamura will go one-on-one. Nakamura and Aries shake hands and Nakamura bows before he exits the ring.
We see that America Alpha will defend the NXT Tag Team Championship against The Revival at TakeOver: Revenge and then we see Chad Gable and Jason Jordan backstage. Jordan says The Revival are the toughest team they have faced to date, but they know what they have to do. Gable says they are the best wrestlers in NXT and he challenged The Revival to bring everything they have because they will be ready, willing, and Gable.
It is announced that “Paranoia” by A Day to Remember will be another theme song for TakeOver: Revenge.
Match #2: No Way Jose vs. Jonathan Mortegan
Jose applies a headlock, but Mortegan sends him off the ropes. Jose takes Mortegan down with a shoulder tackle and dances a bit. Mortegan goes behind Jose, but Jose dances and Mortegan lets go. Jose sends Mortegan off the ropes and then takes him down with a hip toss. Jose takes Mortegan down again and then lifts him up for the airplane spin. He stops and goes the other way and then takes him down with a rolling senton. Jose drops the leg and dances, but then Mortegan sends him face-first into the turnbuckle. Jose snaps and then levels Mortegan with right hands. Jose delivers an atomic drop and then a face-buster. Jose delivers a big right hand and then drops Mortegan down to the mat and gets the pin fall.
Winner: No Way Jose.
After the match, Jose dances his way up the stage and then dances with Phillips and Graves at the announcer’s table.
We take a look back at Samoa Joe winning the NXT Championship from Finn Balor last month, and then a video hype package for Finn Balor.
We see Asuka backstage. She said it doesn’t matter who wins tonight, because she will beat them. We head to a break.
We see that Corey Graves will hold an exclusive interview with Samoa Joe and Finn Balor next week on NXT. We also see that Austin Aries will face Elias Sampson next week. We see Carmella walking with Bayley backstage.
Match #3: Number One Contender’s (NXT Women’s Championship) Triple Threat Match: Carmella vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax
Alexa rolls out of the ring and lets Carmella and Nia duke it out. Nia grabs Carmella and puts her on the top rope. Carmella kicks Nia away and jumps off, but Nia catches her. Nia tosses Carmella across the ring, but Carmella comes back with an arm wrench. Nia powers out and slams Carmella down to the ring. Alexa gets on the top rope, but Nia turns around and stares at her and Alexa drops to the floor. Nia powers Carmella back down to the ring as we hit a break.
Back from the break, Nia is still in control of the match. Carmella gains advantage and sends Nia into the ring post. Alexa pulls Nia to the floor and gets into the ring. Alexa rolls up Carmella, but Carmella kicks out at two. Alexa stomps on Carmella and slams her head into the mat. Alexa goes for the cover, but Carmella kicks out at two. Alexa kicks Nia down to the floor and Carmella rolls up Alexa. Alexa kicks out a two and goes back on the offensive. Alexa splashed down on Carmella and goes for the cover, but Carmella kicks out at two. Alexa slams Carmella down again and drops her knees. Carmella kicks out at two as Nia drops an elbow on Carmella. Alexa delivers the knee shots to Nia and goes up top. She hits the Sparkle Splash on Nia, but Carmella breaks up the pin. Carmella slams Alexa into the turnbuckle and then Nia runs into the turnbuckle win Carmella and Alexa move. Nia comes back and double-suplexes Carmella and Alexa. Alexa and Carmella come back and send Nia to the outside. Carmella tries to dive out onto Nia, but Nia catches her. Alexa kicks Nia in the face and Carmella rolls back into the ring. Carmella sends Alexa to the floor. Carmella dives to the outside and takes out Nia.
Back in the ring, Carmella and Alexa battle again. Carmella takes Alexa down in the corner and connects with the Bronco Buster. Carmella locks in the triangle submission on Alexa, but Nia pulls Alexa to the outside. Nia heatbutts Carmella, but Carmella jumps on her back and locks in a sleeper hold. Nia breaks the hold in the corner, but Carmella goes up top. She dives off and takes Nia down with a Thesz Press and goes for the cover, but Nia kicks out at two. Carmella goes for the Bronco Buster, but Nia catches her and slams her to the mat. Nia drops the leg and gets the pin fall.
Winner and number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship: Nia Jax.
After the match, Asuka’s music hits and she comes to the stage.
Asuka holds the NXT Women’s Championship in the air and she and Nia Jax stare each other down. Asuka smirks and makes her way to the ring. Asuka and Nia get face-to-face and stare down again as NXT comes to a close.