Date: 08/10	7:00 PM
Views: 449

Nickolye's WWE NXT recap for August 10, 2021 at 8 PM ET. After Dakota Kai turned on Raquel Gonzalez, the NXT Women's Champion will be here to address her former friend's actions. Kyle O'Reilly and Adam Cole are scheduled to have a face-to-face segment. Samoa Joe is still looking for NXT Champion Karrion Kross. Also, Ilja Dragunov makes his NXT debut in the CWC! NXT is back in the Capitol Wrestling Center, now with a full crowd! Hit F5 or refresh as often as you like for the latest updates!

A couple of notes beforehand: Beth Phoenix is not in attendance on commentary as she is on vacation. Also, Ember Moon is not medically cleared to compete tonight against Sarray, so Dakota Kai will take her place, and that match is up first. But first, Kai has something to say. "Raquel Gonzalez! I hope you're watching mami, because I'm about to defeat the undefeated Sarray and prove that I'm no one's sidewalk. Because you're looking at the next NXT Women's Champion!"

* Dakota Kai vs. Sarray

Dakota slaps away a handshake, so we know how this is gonna go. Sarray outwrestles her at the start until Dakota slams her on her face, but she comes back with stomps in a corner, does a springboard armdrag, kips up, and drops her with delayed body slam. Sarray traps her in in the deathlock, but Dakota counters by pulling her hair and stomps on her back. The strikes go back and forth, with Dakota getting most of the offense in, delivers a suplex and floats to the cover for 2, Sarray slips out twice, rolls her up for 2, then puts her in a single leg crab while bending back. Kai reaches the rope to break the hold, double stomp to the back, 2-count, suplex, bridges for 2, and we take our first commercial break.

We get picture-in-picture here and Sarray hits a missile dropkick from the top rope, 2-count, Dakota hits a pump kick to the head, 2-count, slams her face into the mat, and another 2-count. Dakota puts her in a chinlock, Sarray counters, dropkicks her, and both women are down.

Back love now and Sarray is fighting back, German suplex, rolls her up for 2, stomp, Kai elbows her, Sarray with a German suplex bridging for a near-fall, Kai sends her to a corner and hits the running facewash for a close near-fall. Both women trade forearms back and forth, Dakota hits the scorpion kikc, Sarray dropkicks her, hits her basement dropkick in the ropes, misses a second one, Kai with a pump kick, and both women are down. Raquel Gonzalez is arriving to the CWC right now! Sarray rolls Kai up for 2, jackknife cover for 2, roundhouse kicks, Kai hits the round-the-world boot to the face, and covers for 3 giving Sarray her first loss in NXT! WINNER: DAKOTA KAI!

Kai measures up Sarray, goes for the running boot, but Raquel Gonzalez is here! "Dakota Kai! You will never beat Raquel Gonzalez, and you will never have this. If you wanted a chance, all you had to do was ask. Well chiquita, at NXT TakeOver you'll get your opportunity. But at TakeOver, I am going to tear you apart." Gonzalez and Kai will meet at NXT TakeOver 36 in less than two weeks!

We go back to last week where Johnny Gargano defeated Dexter Lumis in a "Love Her or Lose Her" match, but Indi Hartwell did not care as she jumped in the ring and onto Lumis to make out with him. Right now we get a video of Indi and Dexter on their first date. Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae are not happy about this, but they have to make this work. Dexter shows up with a bouquet of flowers, and Gargano reluctantly lets him in. They sit in the living room and have a staredown. Meanwhile, Candice and Indi are trying to have a talk, but nothing is getting through to either. Johnny and Candice plan to tail them on their date. We get a video package for Ilja Dragunov before a commercial break.

Hit Row are standing in a trailer with a trash can on fire and they talk about Legado Del Fantasma disrespecting them. Swerve mentions that Escobar took his grill from his mouth, so now he has Escobar's luchador mask and tosses it in the fire.

Ilja Dragunov is here in the CWC building! Dragunov simply says he is not a man of words because they don't mean anything. Pain and struggle mean something more, so he puts all of his strength not into his mouth, but in his fists. "So with these fists, and everything else I am, I will make the unthinkable. On August 22nd at TakeOver 36, you will witness chaos. You will witness rage. History will be made. An unbeatable kingdom will fall when I will end Walter's reign and become the NXT UK Champion. At TakeOver, it will very--" Pete Dunne comes out interrupting Dragunov's speech. Dunne tells him that he owes him a "thank you" because without him in NXT UK on his back, Ilja wouldn't be able to compete against Walter at TakeOver. Dragunov tells him he's not here because of Dunne, but for the fact that he wants to prove that he can make it to the top. "I will make the impossible possible and beat Walter. That's something you can't change, and especially something you never did. But that's in two weeks. How about you showing me that your words are as strong as your will to fight TONIGHT?!" Dunne promises him that he won't make it to TakeOver after tonight.

In the back, LA Knight claims that Cameron Grimes is the one who left him hanging, not the other way around. It's mentioned that Ted DiBiase tried to console Grimes last week, but Knight brushes it off as if it doesn't bother him. Knight orders Grimes to put the title over his shoulder before they walk off. Breaktime.

* LA Knight {Million Dollar Champion} vs. Andre Chase

Knight hits a shoulder block, Chase gives him a hiptoss and armdrag, Knight hits the headlock driver, and gets the 3-count. WINNER: LA KNIGHT!

Knight orders Grimes in the ring and orders him around, but Ted DiBiase heads to the ring! DiBiase says this has gone on too far, knows that Grimes is a man of his word, and tells him that he's got a lot more growth in him because he believes in him. Knight talks trash to DiBiase again, DiBiase tells him to shut his mouth, tells Grimes that he could be whatever he wants to be. "You wanna be a champion, and I think you could be a champion. I think if LA Knight would put his championship on the line, then--" Knight cuts him off and tells him that he's beat him twice already. He then says they can have a match at TakeOver 36, and if Knight wins then DiBiase will be his butler instead! DiBiase says he's a gambling man so his money is on Grimes. "So you are on." We get a video package for Gigi Dolin before the break.

* Gigi Dolin vs. Amari Miller

Jacy Jayne accompanies Dolin to the ring and is at ringside for this match. Dolin is the woman on offense for this match, Miller hits a neckbreaker, but Dolin is right back in control. Dolin hits two big forearms, hits an abdominal stretch bomb, and gets the 3-count. WINNER: GIGI DOLIN.

After the break, we see In-Dex at the restaurant, Indi finds Candice spying on them, and the jig is up.

William Regal is in the ring with several security around him, and he calls the upcoming match between Cole vs. O'Reilly at TakeOver the undisputed finale. Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly then head to the ring, with Regal staring them both down. "Gentlemen, your match at TakeOver will be contested 2 out of 3 Falls. You will both get to pick a stipulation for the first two falls in the kind of match you would like. If the match goes to a deciding third fall, I will pick a stipulation. Kyle, you go first." O'Reilly says he has respect for Regal so he won't try to rip Cole's head off. He says his loss at Great Amercian Bash doesn't sit well with him, so the first fall will be a straight-up pinfall or submission match. Cole calls him predictable because he's delusonal for thinking he's a better competitor than him. Cole reminds him that the only win that O'Reilly has over him is from the unsanctioned match so it doesn't count. Cole announces that the second fall will be comtested in a street fight. "Don't you worry what Mr. Regal's third fall will be because pal, we ain't going to a third fall. I'm gonna beat you two falls to zero because I'm gonna be the guy who ends the Adam Cole/Kyle O'Reilly saga!" O'Reilly tells him that he smashed his head on the steps because O'Reilly showed him how, in a sense. O'Reilly says he's willing to do anything to put him down because now he doesn't care, but Cole calls him a moron because he's taught him for 13 years. Cole starts yelling that he's soft and won't do anything about it. "LOOK AT ME! YOU MEAN NOTHING TO ME!" Cole shoves him, and the fight is on! They quickly get separated, and Regal announces that if there is a third fall needed, it will be contested IN A STEEL CAGE!!

We get words from Tommaso Ciampa talking for Timothy Thatcher about Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan bringing in Ridge Holland to try to take them out. Ciampa starts to challenge Ridge Holland, but Thatcher cuts him off and wants the first shot at him. "Class is in session." Cue Ciampa throwing his chair.

After a commercial for SummerSlam, Imperium start to do their promo, but they're interrupted by MSK. They're willing to fight Imperium if they challenge them. We run down a few new matches added for NXT TakeOver.

* NXT Breakout Tournament Semi-Finals: Odyssey Jones vs. Trey Baxter

Jones is just too powerful to be taken down in the early going. Baxter uses his spped to outdo him, but Jones tosses him HIGH UP in the air, then throws him off the top ropes. Baxter gets in some kicks to the knees, a short DDT, and a spin kick to the jaw. Jones plants him with a spinning sidewalk slam, and gets the 3. WINNER and Advancing to the Finals: ODYSSEY JONES!

Odyssey Jones gets interviewed post-match about how he's feeling. Jones is so excited he shouts out the NXT Universe and his mama. Breaktime.

Backstage, Kushida walks out of Regal's office, followed by Malcolm Bivens thanking the GM for his decision. Regals steps out and makes note that next week is a huge week. MSK will defend the Tag Titles against Imperium, and Kushida will defend the Cruiserweight Title against Roderick Strong. Via Twitter, Mandy Rose congratulated Gigi Dolin on her victory.

* Boa vs. Drake Maverick

Boa kicks him down right at the start, Maverick ducks a big boot, Boa hits a throat thrust, Maverick does a chopblock, and Boa hits a palm strike to the chest. After that it's all Boa with kicks to the chest and back, while Mei Ying is standing at ringside. Maverick does a hurricanrana, dropkicks him in the knee, basement dropkick to the side of the head, and a diving cannonball from the top rope to the floor! Maverick slams Boa's leg on the apron, but then Mei Ying spits mist in his face, and Boa hits a roundhouse kick to the back of the neck for the 3-count. WINNER: BOA!

We cut back to the Italian restaurant, and Indi is still doing all the talking. Gargano shows up in disguise as a waiter bringing them cake, they argue about it, and Johnny ends up smashing the cake in Dexter's face. Gargano as the "Oh shit" look and runs off, but Indi and Dexter still go in for the kiss.

We get a video package to highlight the upcoming match between Karrion Kross vs. Samoa Joe. This is a Prime Target video that shows all of the events that occurred leading up to this match. Samoa Joe is asked why he wants to come back after having an injury, but this industry is a part of his life. "This is not about a championship. I'm here to f**k him up." Kross is determined to make him sleep and regret coming back to NXT.

* Pete Dunne vs. Ilja Dragunov

The main event is underway, the wrestle around, holds and counters, Dunne shoots the half for 1, more wrestling, Dragunov with a Judo throw into a side headlock, Dunne hits a flying knee to the jaw and comes in with heavy punches and kicks. Dragunov comes back with a big clothesline, Dunne lands on his feet from a German suplex, Dragunov ducks Matrix-strike then hits a jumping kick to the head followed by a double-arm suplex and diving kneedrop for 2. Dunne cuts him off on the top rope, Dragunov shoves him down, and Dunne hits a forearm in mid-air on his way down before the last commercial break!

During picture-in-picture, Dunne works the fingers stomping them on the stairs and a kick to the face. Dragunov gets back in the ring, Dunne puts him in a leglock, kneedrop to the left shoulder, and grinds his knee into the joint while pulling back his right arm.

When we come back full-screen, Dunne is still working over the left arm with vigor. Dragunov challenges more kicks to the face, he strikes with a standing clothesline, Dunne with a forearm, Dragunov with a clothesline, Dunne catches him for a triangle kicking his shoulder, Dragunov clotheslines again and hits the Constantine Special spinning lariat! Dunne blocks a suplex with joint manipulation, Dragunov hits an exploder suplex, and gets a 2-count. Dunne kicks him in the face, Dragunov hits a back chop, jumping senton, armbar blocked, Dragunov hits elbows to the ribs, Dunne goes for the armbar, Dragunov rolls through, Dunne goes for the triangle, but Dragunov powers him up and powerbombs him for a near-fall, falling forearm, and another 2-count!

Dunne blocks a suplex, blocks the back chop, stomps the fingers, roundhouse kick, Dragunov can't swing around the ropes with hurt fingers, Dunne hits a big forearm, Dragunov counters The Bitter End and picks him up, but Dunne counters into the cross armbar. Dragunov floats over and delivers a waistlock back suplex for 2.9! Dragunov goes up top, hits the diving senton, calls for it... but WALTER's music plays and here comes the NXT UK Champion! WALTER stands at ringside, Dragunov counters The Bitter End, jumping kick to the face, Dunne hits a forearm to block the running torpedo headbutt, hits The Bitter End, and covers for 1-2-3! WINNER: PETE DUNNE!

Walter steps into the ring, glares at Dunne, rolls up his sleeves, Dragunov counters with an armdrag and hits the Torpedo running headbutt! Dragunov picks up the championship and holds it showing it off to the champ as a message.