Cody Rhodes appeared on WWE NXT to make a major announcement.
WWE NXT airs its most important broadcast of the year as it goes head-to-head with AEW Dynamite’s Title Tuesday. WWE NXT is bound and determined to win tonight’s war after last year’s Tuesday Dynamite defeated WWE NXT. Night’s like tonight are what makes wrestling wars fun, as both companies load up their shows in the spirit of competition. This is a good thing.
WWE NXT and AEW have gone back-and-forth with gamesmanship all week. NXT added an overrun, so did AEW. WWE NXT announced it would be commercial-free, and so did AEW. AEW President/Nepobaby Tony Khan, who has gone into troll mode ahead of the Tuesday Night War, even announced AEW Dynamite will air a Buy In show featuring Eddie Kingston vs. Minoru Suzuki. In a response to a report that Shawn Michaels and Triple H are sending Tony Khan a message, Khan posted a photo of the term “Bald A—hole” from Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Last week’s broadcast of WWE NXT was up coming off No Mercy with 857,000 viewers.
Cody Rhodes opening WWE NXT went head-to-head with a cold-open Christian promo from a control room. None of the TVs had WWE NXT on. Following the cold open, AEW went right into entrances for Bryan Danielson and Swerve Strickland.
Cody said he had multiple announcements. At the conclusion of the women’s tournament, the men will have a breakout tournament. Rhodes teased a “certain tag team tournament,” to loud chants of “Dusty.” Rhodes confirmed the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Rhodes noted he was the special guest GM of NXT, meaning he was going to be on AEW’s ass for two hours.
Ilja Dragunov (who shares a birthday with Tony Khan) and Dominik Mysterio (with Rhea Ripley) joined the opening segment. Dragunov, also in a suit, noted his father used to work in a prison. Dragunov closed by telling Rhea “I’m going to smash your boy!”
Cody Rhodes made an NXT Championship match official, yet as a babyface GM, he didn’t make it title for title. He did, however, announce a special guest referee: LA Knight.
WWE NXT Vs. AEW Dynamite Head-to-Head:
Vic Joseph pointed out that Asuka has never lost in an NXT ring. I feel like that should have been hammered home leading up to this match.
Shotzi made a surprise appearance to appear on commentary. Shotzi announced she’ll be hosting Halloween Havoc in two weeks.
It was so nice to hear the “Asuka’s gonna kill you” chants.
The first 20 minutes was a stark contrast of WWE NXT existing as a variety show, mixing talking segments with wrestling segments, while AEW had one long match between Swerve and Bryan Danielson. It’ll be interesting to see which strategy wins out.
Asuka picked up the win with a combination of strikes in a competitive back-and-forth match. By the time Shotzi cleared the ring to save Perez from Kiana James, Danielson vs. Swerve had finally ended.
Paul Heyman pulled up to NXT with gray heir. I guess they didn’t bring the hair and makeup to the Performance Center.
WWE NXT Vs. AEW Dynamite Head-to-Head:
This Pub Rules Match started early because Gallus Boys jumped the babyfaces from behind. On a packed show like this, they won’t have time for everybody’s entrances.
For those keeping tabs, this match went to break at 5:29, at least one minute before Jericho vs. Hobbs went to break.
The Brawling Brutes won this match with a triple power bomb through a table. Meanwhile, Powerhouse Hobbs squashed Chris Jericho.
WWE NXT Vs. AEW Dynamite Head-to-Head:
AEW creatively threw to picture-in-picture around 45 minutes into the show, displaying a Toni Storm silent film.
Fans sang along to John Cena’s theme song. Cena cut a “we are NXT” promo, almost as good as Triple H. This brought out Bron Breakker, whom fans showered with chants of “Bron Breakker sucks!” to the tune of Cena’s theme.
Fans chanted “bulls—t” during Breakker’s promo, so much of what he had to say was censored by USA Network.
Breakker told Cena “these people didn’t come here to see you,” and Cena responded with “they can’t...”
Breakker escaped an Attitude Adjustment that I’m assuming they’re saving for the main event.
WWE NXT Vs. AEW Dynamite Head-to-Head:
Backstage, Cody Rhodes agreed to a Bada Bing Bada Boom Battle Royal to determine a No. 1 Contender for Tony D’Angelo and Stacks
LA Knight was actually a dedicated referee, playing it straight for much of this match.
Dominik Mysterio chopped Dragunov, eliciting chants of “you f—ked up!”
Fans clapped and chanted “yeah” during the most heated parts of this match.
John Cena appeared During a commercial break for AEW Dynamite. A modern-day Rick Rude of the Tuesday Night War.
Judgment Day hit the ring and were run off by LA Knight. Fans exploded when Knight hit a BFT on JD McDonagh. Fans came even more unglued when Trick Williams neutralized Rhea Ripley, chanting “thank you Trick!”
After the match, Dijak attacked Dragunov, telling Baron Corbin “I beat you to it! He’s mine!”
Backstage, Cena tried to ease tensions between Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes. After Hayes left, Trick asked Cena “when did you know it was your time?”
WWE NXT Vs. AEW Dynamite Head-to-Head:
Backstage, Jade Cargill appeared and was greeted by Shawn Michaels. Whether or not she’d appear before the NXT crowd is another story, but she received a massive reaction.
Interestingly enough, the NXT anonymous account showed Paul Heyman chatting it up with Ava Raine—of Bloodline descent.
Fans slightly favored Lola Vice with chants of “Lola’s gonna kill you.”
This was actually a very ambitious match with a lot of creative gymnastics. It ended out of nowhere with a kick to the side of the face by Lola Vice.
During the Andre Chase segment, Jacy Jayne and Thea Hail disrupted the lass by chatting, and later revealed Andre Chase and Duke Hudson were in the Bada Bing Bada Boom Battle Royal.
WWE NXT Vs. AEW Dynamite Head-to-Head:
Paul Heyman saying “Bron Breakker!” really rolled off the tongue. But when Heyman said “call Roman Reigns,” it got no reaction because he’s been doing this for weeks and Reigns never shows up.
There was a Brian Pillman Jr. vignette, and he’s playing a heel who does not have fond memories of Brian Pillman. He then revealed he will not be known as Brian Pillman Jr., but as Lexis King.
Bron Breakker was flying around the ring, even Carmelo Hayes had to slow up to hit a flying back elbow.
Fans were all over Bron Breakker during this match and he basked in it.
Of note, instead of a robe, AEW Edge wore a vest to the ring.
Bron Breakker attempted a five knuckle shuffle and was met with a super kick. Cena took way too much pleasure playing cheerleader ringside.
Breakker hit a scary-looking facebuster from the top rope and Vic Joseph covered by calling it “innovative offense.”
Solo Sikoa hit the ring and ran off John Cena. Heyman scurried off as well.
After his loss, Breakker hit a spear on Hayes. Breakker then said there’s only one badass in all of WWE. Cue the American Badass The Undertaker to a humungous pop. Taker entered on a motorcycle to Kid Rock’s American Badass. Of course, this also led to another round of “holy s—t” chants that had to be bleeped out. Fans also chanted “you f—ked up!” when Breakker called him an old-timer.
Undertaker sent fans home happy with a chokeslam.
WWE NXT Vs. AEW Dynamite Head-to-Head: