mobanmarketAfter making his return at Roadblock, Johnny Gargano is back on NXT tonight.
We'll hear what Gargano has to say as he addresses his upcoming match against Grayson Waller. The two are facing off at NXT Stand & Deliver in Los Angeles over WrestleMania weekend next month.
Shawn Michaels revealed Gargano as Waller's Stand & Deliver opponent last Tuesday. Waller challenged Michaels to come out of retirement to face him at the event, but Michaels said there was someone who wanted to whip Waller's ass even more. Michaels then introduced Gargano, who ran out and brawled with Waller.
Waller was the person who attacked Gargano in what was Gargano's final appearance for NXT in December 2021.
WWE will follow up on last week's angle where NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez collapsed after facing Meiko Satomura. There will also be a contract signing for Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes' NXT Championship match at Stand & Deliver.
The NXT Tag Team titles will be on the line as Gallus defend against Pretty Deadly tonight. Also announced for the episode is a grudge match between Apollo Crews and Dabba-Kato.
Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show begins with a recap of NXT Roadblock from last week, concluding with the surprise return of Johnny Gargano and the cliffhanger where Roxanne Perez collapsed in a post-match angle.
Opening the show live from the soundstage at the Performance Center in Orlando is a "Johnny Wrestling" monologue. Out comes Johnny Gargano to address the audience. He first asks them to watch his back for a Grayson Waller sneak attack.
Last time he was in the NXT ring he promised to teach his son to be the best man he can be, and to do that you have to finish what you start. Gargano is back in NXT to finish his story. On NXT 15 months ago his story ended on a cliffhanger, after an injury angle where Waller attacked Gargano. That was Gargano's swan song with WWE for the time being, before he recently returned as part of the main roster on Raw.
Gargano notes he won the NXT Championship, whereas Waller failed on two attempts. Gargano says that Waller then began blaming everyone but himself for his losses. Waller disrespected the fans and the roster, and "most importantly" Waller started disrespecting the NXT brand. Gragano takes most exception to that.
"No matter what brand I am on," Gargano says, "NXT is my home."
Gargano says Waller should not "screw with a man's home." A producers rushes over to ringside to tell Gargano that Waller is at Gargano's house. Waller is apparently livestreaming from the Gargano house, so Gargano leaves in a hurry. Gargano is later seen speeding away from the building in a SUV. To be continued…
Earlier today, Axiom shows up to follow around North American Champion Wes Lee. Axiom wants to answer the open challenge later tonight, and he doesn't want anyone to steal away his chance. So, Axiom is following Lee around all day. The match is eight hours away at this time, so they go eat.
NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) defeated Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince) to retain their titles
Coffey pinned Wison to win the match and retain the titles. Good match.
Gallus were the protagonists in the match, in a bruising babyface role. Gallus is rolling before the show cuts to a commercial break. Pretty Deadly is working over Mark as the show returns from the break. That builds to a hot tag where Wolfgang cleans house.
When the fighting spills outside, Wolfgang is thrown over the announce desk by Pretty Deadly. The heel challengers then grap the championship belts. Prince distracts the referee while Wilson hits Coffey with a belt shot for a near fall.
Gallus fights back after the near fall, as Wolfgang low bridges Prince to counter Spilt Milk. Coffey then nails Wilson with a flying uppercut. Tandem combo finisher by Gallus, and Wolfgang covers Wilson for a pinfall.
Fallon Henley and Josh Briggs break into Kiana James' office. There is some comedy, including Briggs dressed in camo. They find out James has dinner plans with someone labeled "Sebastian."
Shawn Michaels tweeted that Roxanne Perex is out of the hospital, but her health is still in question ahead of Stand & Deliver. Michaels has an "obligation to announce we possibly have to crown a new NXT Women's Champion." In case of that, Michaels is booking a series of qualifying matches. The winner advance to a ladder match for the women's title at Stand & Deliver.
A medical doctor says he there is no timetable for Perez's return.
Zoey Stark defeated Sol Ruca to qualify for the ladder match at Stand & Deliver
Stark pinned Ruca. In winning, Ruca quailfies for the championship ladder match over WrestleMania weekend.
Ruca continues to greatly improve with every match. Stark seems beyond ready for the main roster with her ability. Ruca made a comeback during the match, and she does a moonsault to the floor off the middle turnbuckle. She stuck the lady for a big pop.
As they head home, Ruca goes to follow up. She springboards back into the ring where she is caught by Stark. Ruca takes Stark's modified GTS finisher, and Stark pins her to win the match. Stark is the first to qualify for the ladder match at Stand & Deliver.
Scrypts has a cryptic message about wearing masks.
Up next is a triple threat women's tag match, where the winners get a title shot at Stand & Deliver against NXT Tag Team Champion Kiana James & Fallon Henley.
Isla Dawn & Alba Fyre defeated Kayden Carter & Katana Chance and Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley in a triple threat tag team match
Fyre pinned Nile to win the match, after Paxley turned on Nile.
In winning, Fyre & Dawn earn a title shot at Stand & Deliver. Three wrestlers in the ring at once, meaning one member of each team. So, there was a lot happening in the match. Chance & Carter were strong favorites according to Booker T, but they were thwarted by Fyre & Dawn.
Paxley turned on Nile at ringside, blindsiding her with a kick and a sneak attack. Paxley then rolled Nile into the ring, where Nile takes a tandem finisher. Dawn gives her a backstabber as Fyre leaps off the top rope with a swanton bomb. Fyre then covers Nile for a pinfall.
NXT Champion Bron Breakker is in a comedy skit with Tony D'Angelo and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo. This would lead to D'Angelo saying he and Stacks plan to win the tag team titles.
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Ilja Dragunov is in the ring for a monologue. He wants to rid himself of JD McDonagh. Out comes McDonagh for a confrontation. They argue with each other as they have a bitter feud. A bit of melodrama here as they face off in the ring.
Despite McDonagh insisting their feud will never in, Dragunov warns it will end next week when they make it official. A brawl erupts and a slugfest ensues. They brawl their way out of the soundstage.
Pretty Deadly in a backstage interview with McKenzie Mitchell decide they should be the ones to host Stand & Deliver. Off they go to meet with a special person to get the okay.
McDonagh and Dragunov are still brawling backstage. Referees and producers break them up. North American Chamion Wes Lee is headed to the ring when he has to pass through the pull-apart. He has words with McDonagh and they come to blows. They trade punches and are seperated. Personally, I popped for a Norman Smiley cameo during the skit.
Grayson Waller is at Johnny Gargano's house according to a video posted on Twitter.
A huge brawl is happening backstage as wrestlers are fighting their way to the ring looking to answer the open challenge. Axiom fights his way into the ring, but his is blindsided by Scrypts in a sneak attack.
As a bunch of wrestler brawl at ringside, McDonagh rushed into the ring to hit Lee with a lariat. Dragunov follows McDonagh into the ring and they are brawling once again. It is a huge melee. An angry Lee does a running flip dive over the ropes on a pile of bodies on the floor.
Dragon Lee is interviewd by McKenzie Mitchell, and Lee says he is going to love it here in NXT. He aims to prove he is a special talent.
In another backsatge interview, Jacy Jayne is wearing a sling on her right arm. Jayne says she eperated her shoulder early in her match last week against Gigi Dolan. Jayne warns Dolan that she will break her heart and face when Jayne returns from the injury.
Dabba-Kato defeated Apollo Crews
The match goes through a commercial break, so it was rather long. Heat on Crews as Dabba-Kato work him over until a Crews comeback. They tease a countout when Crews takes a tree slam on the ring steps. Crews barely breaks the ten count as he jumps into the ring after nine.
Crews is able to break the count, but that was the beginning of the end. Dabba-Kato with a sit-out tree slam, and Crews is pinned by Dabba-Kato.
In a skit with Shawn Michaels and Wes Lee, a fatal five way for the NXT North American Championship at Stand & Deliver. Lee at first wanted to defend agaisnt ten wrestlers, but Michaels offers a compromise where they book four against the champ in fatal five way. Michaels will allows Lee to pick the challengers.
Gigi Dolan defeated Kiana James to qualify for the ladder match at Stand & Deliver
Dolan pinned James after a cobra twist into a crucifix bomb. Dolan advances to the championship ladder matcha at Stand & Deliver. James being in a qualifer is kind of silly, and it telegraphed the finish, since James was already booked in a tag title match at Stand & Deliver.
Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn jump James after the match, and Brooks Jensen runs out to make a save.
Johnny Gargano finally returns home, where Grayson Waller is waiting for him in an angle similar to other home invasions on WWE television over the years. Steve Austin and Brian Pillman had an infamous home invasion angle on Raw in 1996. Others followed throughout the years, including a great angle with Edge and Randy Orton. Tonight's angle was not the best, but the angle tonight includes the WWE TV debut of an infant that some on Twitter are already dubbing "Baby Wrestling."
Waller attacks Gargano when Gargano arrives home. They brawl in the yard, and the fight on the steps of the front door. Candice LeRae is heard hollering at Gargano. She walks onto the porch holding her and Gargano's infant child. Waller is breaking a rake over Gargano's back as LeRae pleads with Waller to stop.
LeRae continues to pleas with Waller as the child is in tears. Gargano takes a curb stomp, and Waller taunts LeRae. Waller leaves Gargano laid out face down in the yard, and Waller leaves the property. LeRae, still holding the child, rushes to Gargano.
Brooks Jensen is consoling Kiana James in the locker room when Fallon Henley and Josh Briggs enter the scene. Henley and James bicker with each other.
NXT Champion Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes are face-to-face in the ring for a contract signing. They sit behind a table, and they are about to sign a contract for a title match at Stand & Deliver when Pretty Deadly interrupts.
Pretty Deadly just wants to host the contract signing, as they are also looking to be the hosts of Stand & Deliver.
Hayes and Breakker compliment each other while also throwing shade at the same time. Trick Williams flanks Hayes. Breakker and Hayes both vow to win the title in a rambling segment. Hayes does a good job on the microphone, and Breakker holds his own.
The champion and challenger go nose-to-nose, but they shake hands. The ending seems anti-climatic, so Pretty Deadly chimes in. They want to see some drama and action. Breakker and Hayes tear their shirts off, and Pretty Deadly gets giddy at the thought of some drama. The joke is on them, as Breakker and Hayes put Pretty Deadly through the table set up in the ring.
Breakker and Hayes then have a staredown as the show goes off air.