WWE NXT

Commentators:  Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, & S. William Regal.  Ring announcer:  Brandi Rhodes.

Emma Tayla vs. Sasha Banks(w/ Charlotte Flair & Summer-On-A-Stick):  Renee Young joins the broadcast team for this matchup.  Charlotte upset Emma a few weeks ago after faking an injury, so we've got this bout.  Charlotte tries for the distraction, but Emma turns the tables and Sasha knocks her partner off the apron by mistake.  The Emma Lock(inverted STF) follows and Sasha is welcomed to Tapout City, Population 1.  Emma escapes the ring before Charlotte can dish out some post-match retribution...

Next week:  Mojo Rawley returns to action.  Current status:  Hyped.

NXT Tag Team Champions The Ascension(Konnor O'Brian & Rick Viktor) vs. Jack Hurley & John Vandal, non-title:  So, any competitive outings in your future, champs?  Viktor pins Vandal after the Fall Of Man(legsweep/flying European uppercut combo).

Tyler Breeze has entered the building.

Xavier Woods vs. Brodus Clay:  CONTINUITY~!  Brodus introduced his new look a few months ago and then just dropped off the map.  Woods' use of Brodus' old theme music won't do much to improve Clay's mood.  Xavier starts off fast with a dropkick and the educated feet, but Brodus stops him with an exploder suplex.  Wow, a heart punch, that's old school.  Brodus dominates for a while...Woods rallies with an enzuigiri and a Shining Wizard on a seated Brodus but can't keep him down.  Xavier pummels him in the corner but gets pushed away, leading to an ankle tweak on the landing...ouch.  Clay has no sympathy...powerbomb, splash off the second rope, and that's it.

Afterwards, Brodus speaks his mind:  He lost his music, his girls, his tag partner, and his pride and dignity.  Now he'll do the taking...and he wants the NXT Title from Adrian Neville.

Backstage:  Devin Taylor interviews NXT Champion Adrian Neville.  If Brodus thinks he'll be able to walk right over him, he's sadly mistaken.

Yoshi Tatsu vs. Tyler Breeze:  Regal gives the usual salient details about the making of Breeze's customized boots.  Tyler turns up the aggression in a hurry...he can't be worrying about his face if he wants to win, as Regal notes.  Breeze cuts off a brief flurry by Yoshi with a big flying forearm, then finishes in short order with the Beauty Shot(spinning heel kick).  Time for more selfies...

Backstage:  Devin Taylor interviews Sami Zayn.  He admits he got his bell rung by Corey Graves a few weeks ago, but he's cleared to wrestle and he's all business tonight...

Elsewhere backstage:  Corey Graves feels like underdogs don't belong in his neck of the woods..."this isn't gonna be pretty".

Elsewhere backstage:  NXT Women's Champion Paige Knight addresses the upcoming challenge of Charlotte Flair.  She feels like Charlotte needs to stop "hiding behind her daddy"...okay.

Sami Zayn vs. Corey Graves:  OLE~!  Graves has no problem with ducking through the ropes to stall...heh.  Zayn finally responds with a slap to the head...so Graves ducks out of the ring completely.  He tries to bait Zayn into following him to the floor, but Zayn beats him to the punch and finally gets him back inside.  Sami controls the action, punctuated by a clothesline that sends Corey back to the floor.  No-hands somersault plancha!  Graves tries to send Zayn back into the ringpost but Sami blocks that move and throws Graves back into the ring.  Graves seeks refuge in the ropes again and gets off a knee to the head...we're reminded of Zayn's recent concussion issues and Corey presses his advantage from there.

Regal says that Graves has a "sterling" reputation for submissions...I see what he did there.  Corey focuses his attack on the head...Sami tries to fight back to no avail as the referee keeps checking him.  A jawbreaker gets some separation for Zayn but doesn't do his head any favors...Graves responds with a running boot to the head and maintains his advantage.  Sami won't give up but Corey keeps grounding him with chinlocks.  The fans chant "We Love Headlocks"...har.  Zayn gets a surprise jackknife cradle for two and finally returns fire with clotheslines...but a huge atomic facebuster stops him in his tracks.  Cover...gets two.  Sami kicks Corey away from an attempt at Lucky 13(Fuller Leglock) but Graves hits the fireman's-carry backbreaker...for two.

Zayn suddenly catches Graves with an exploder suplex into the turnbuckles, but he has trouble getting him out of the ropes and only gets two.  Blue Thunder Bomb...gets 2 1/2.  Zayn lines up the corner boot but Graves blocks it...Zayn escapes another fireman's-carry, but the two knock heads off the ropes and both are down.  Sami seems a bit out of it even as he continues to fight...he goes to the turnbuckles but can't keep his balance and has to climb down.  The referee checks on Zayn...he still wants to fight, but a cheapshot punch by Graves puts him down for Lucky 13.  Zayn doesn't tap out, but the referee decides to stop the match for Sami's own protection.  Graves is content to leave with his victory as the referee and trainer check on Zayn...