WWE NXT Results 7/18 - North American Title Match, Gigi Dolin Vs. Kiana James
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE NXT" on July 18, 2023, coming to you live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida!
One week after his Judgment Day teammates Finn Balor and Damian Priest defeated "NXT" Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams in a huge tag team match, Dominik Mysterio looks to capture some gold of his own as he takes on Wes Lee for the North American Championship. Dominik confronted Lee backstage last week and demanded that (in his own words) "the open challenge guy" give him a title match.
Los Lotharios will be returning to in-ring action as they go head-to-head with "NXT" Heritage Cup Champion Nathan Frazer and Dragon Lee. Although Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo both last competed in a Number One Contenders Battle Royal for the Intercontinental Championship on the May 15 episode of "WWE Raw", their last match as a team came on the January 20 edition of "WWE SmackDown" when they fell short to Hit Row in a First Round Match for the "SmackDown" Tag Team Championship Tournament.
Tony D'Angelo found himself in jail several weeks ago after he was ratted out by a mole, but was freed last week when Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo defeated Joe Coffey. Tonight, "The Don of NXT" will appear before the very eyes of the "NXT" Universe ahead of his and "Stacks" shot at Mark Coffey and Wolfgang's "NXT" Tag Team Championship.
Thea Hail will be competing in her first televised match since coming up short against "NXT" Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton in a title match at Week Two of the "NXT" Gold Rush special as she takes on Elektra Lopez. Elsewhere in the women's division, Gigi Dolin is set to square off with Kiana James in a rematch from Week Two of Gold Rush. The pair have no shortage of animosity between them over the past several weeks, with Dolin ultimately defeating James during their first bout.
Additionally, Lucien Price and Bronco Nima will be making their in-ring "NXT" debuts tonight as they collide with former rivals Axiom and SCRYPTS.
We are live! The show kicks off with a video recapping the events of the Number One Contenders match for the "NXT" Championship between Bron Breakker and Ilja Dragunov last week, as well as the tag team match between Judgment Day, Carmelo Hayes, and Trick Williams.
Vic Joseph and Booker T then greet audiences at home as Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams make their way down to the ring.
Ilja Dragunov Confronts Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams
Williams wastes no time and introduces Hayes to the "NXT" Universe. Hayes then says he wants to do the whole "I Am Him" thing, but admits he missed last week. He says the match between Judgment Day and himself and Williams was four on two rather than two on two, then addresses Ilja Dragunov's "help" in the match.
Dragunov's music hits, and he makes his way down to the ring. He explains that while he didn't mean to interfere in Hayes' business, in the event that Priest were to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase, he wanted to prevent him from taking the "NXT" Championship to the main roster. He says Hayes let him down because he lost control, and Hayes doesn't take too kindly to his statement. He says he had everything under control, and no one is more ready for their title match at "NXT" Great American Bash than he is. Dragunov says no one gives more than he does, and fans feel something when he competes in the ring. He says all he will make Hayes feel at the upcoming Premium Live Event is defeat.
Hayes says he feels the weight of what his championship represents and the criticism he receives from the world. He says him and Dragunov will have a fight, but no one is more qualified to face him than Dragunov is. He says he plans on having a long title reign, and he'll be swimming in wins when all is said and done. He calls himself "Mr. PLE" and says he'll hit different, Dragunov says Hayes will have to hit harder than ever before unless he wants everything he's built to fall apart. He says Hayes won't be able to control him at Great American Bash, but Hayes promises that he will. He says for one of them it will be champagne, but for the other, it will be just pain.
Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo then make their way down to the ring.
Back from the break, we head over to a video of Tony D'Angelo being released from jail and picked up by Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo earlier today.
Back at ringside, Nathan Frazer and Dragon Lee head down.
Nathan Frazer and Dragon Lee vs. Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo
Garza and Carrillo blindside Lee and Frazer on the outside. Carrillo dumps Frazer inside the ring, and the bell sounds. Garza tags in, and Frazer sends him into the ring post shoulder first. He then delivers a Sunset Flip and a single leg dropkick before he tags in Lee. Lee and Frazer deliver a double arm drag, Garza sends him crashing into the mat, then tags in Carrillo. Carrillo attempts to rip off Lee's mask, but is unsuccessful. He then executes a suplex, but Lee responds with a hurricanrana and tags in Frazer. The action spills to the outside, and Frazer goes flying to level Garza and Carrillo. Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon appear at ringside as Frazer looks to do fly for a second time, but Garza and Carrillo catch him and send him crashing into Lee.
Back from the break, Garza prevents Frazer from tagging Lee. Frazer escapes his grasp and manages to tag in Lee. Lee delivers a Tornado DDT to Garza, then rocks him with a knee to his jaw before ascending to the top. Garza trips him and tags in Carrillo. Garza and Carrillo deliver a double Gorilla Press Slam off the top before Carrillo follows it up with a moonsault. Carrillo sits Lee on the top rope, but Lee delivers a double stomp. Garza rocks Lee with a kick, but Frazer levels him. Carrillo then takes out Frazer before Lee hits him with a powerbomb and goes for a pin. Carrillo kicks out and delivers a vicious clothesline, then tags GArza back in. Garza and Carrillo mock Lee, allowing Frazer to send them crashing out of the ring and deliver a crossbody off the top. He tosses Garza back in the ring, and Lee plants him for the win.
Winners: Nathan Frazer and Dragon Lee
After the match, Garza chews out Carrillo. An angered Carrillo then shoves him down to the floor and leaves through the crowd as Garza chases him.
Gigi Dolin then makes her way down to the ring. Kiana James follows.
Gigi Dolin vs. Kiana James
The bell rings and the two waste no time. They go back and forth with forearms before James sends Dolin into the top turnbuckle face first. She rolls up Dolin, but Dolin kicks out and delivers a hurricanrana. She follows it up with a dropkick that sends James crashing to the outside, then delivers a knee to her face off the apron.
The pair get back in the ring, and James delivers a bodyslam to Dolin. Dolin delivers a pair of right hands to James' midsection, then follows it up with a few kicks and knees. She then delivers a Pump Kick and looks for another kick, but James delivers a hair whip and reaches for her purse. Dolin wrestles it away from her and looks to hit James with it, but the referee prevents her from doing so. Dolin looks to grab it back, opening the door for James to deliver 401K for the win.
Winner: Kiana James
Back from the break, we see Ivy Nile ripping down the Diamond Mine flag in the dojo.
We then head over to McKenzie Mitchell and Eddy Thorpe. Mitchell asks Thorpe if he feels like his victory in the "NXT" Underground match, and Thorpe says it does. Meta-Four walks in and apologizes for Noam Dar having to cancel Supernova Sessions and his guest spot again. They hand him a picture of Dar as an apology gift, and Thorpe rips it up, leading to a verbal confrontation.
Back at ringside, Axiom and SCRYPTS head down. Bronco Nima and Lucien Price follow.
Lucien Price and Bronco Nima vs. Axiom and SCRYPTS
Axiom and Nima begin the action. The bell rings and Nima looks for a knee. Axiom ducks out of the way and lands a series of chops, but Nima whips him into the corner. Axiom plants him and delivers a single leg dropkick, then tags SCRYPTS in. SCRYPTS wears down Nima and tags out to Axiom. He looks to double team with Axiom, but Axiom stops him from doing so. SCRYPTS then clocks Axiom from behind, allowing Nima to fire off right hands. Price tags in and does the same before Nima whips him in the corner. Nima plants him with a running stomp, and Price pins him for the win.
Winners: Lucien Price and Bronco Nima
After the match, SCRYPTS heads to the back with Nima and Price.
Back from the break, Tony D'Angelo's family and friends is waiting in the ring with Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo.
Tony D'Angelo Returns Home To NXT
Stacks says everything changed on May 25, 2023 for the D'Angelo family because Tony D'Angelo was locked up. He says the police came up with some meaningless charges, then introduces Tony.
D'Angelo then makes his way down to the ring and hugs his loved ones. D'Angelo shares his excitement with being back and shouts out Stacks. He says he wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for him and credits him for coming up with his genius plan. He says while Gallus thought Stacks was the rat, things aren't always as they seem and throws it to a video of Stacks explaining his plan to D'Angelo.
In the video, Stacks tells D'Angelo the only way to get their title match is to convince them that Stacks betrayed D'Angelo. He says phase one included making sure he hears the audio clip.
Gallus's music hits and Joe Coffey tells D'Angelo he'll wish he'll be back in his cell. He tells him that he's more safe there on the outside, and Stacks promises that Gallus will lose their "NXT" Tag Team Championship at Great American Bash, and take what's rightfully theirs. Mark Coffey asks if they can really pull off another scam, and Wolfgang says they won't even make it to Great American Bash.
Gallus gets in the ring, and begins brawling with D'Angelo and Stacks. D'Angelo and Stacks hit Gallus with crowbars, then send Mark crashing through the table.
Thea Hail and Duke Hudson then make their way down to the ring. Elektra Lopez and Lola Vice follow.
Thea Hail (w/ Duke Hudson) vs. Elektra Lopez (w/ Lola Vice)
The bell rings and the two lock up. Lopez whips Hail to the mat, then follows it up with a pair of bodyslam and a series of shoulders to her midsection. Hail fires back with a suplex and cinches in the Kimura Lock for the win.
Winner: Thea Hail
After the match, a fired up Hail demands a rematch against Tiffany Stratton for the "NXT" Women's Champoinship at Great American Bash and calls her out to the ring.
Stratton appears and says Hail doesn't get to call out the champion because it's rude. She then accepts her challenge before Hail demands that their rematch be a Submission Match. Stratton refuses to grant her wish, and Hail responds by locking her in a Kimura Lock.
Back from the break, Meta-Four heads down to the ring. Eddy Thorpe is already waiting inside.
Eddy Thorpe vs. Oro Mensah (w/ Meta-Four)
The bell rings and the two lock up. Thorpe delivers a crossbody before Mensah fires off right hand and a lariat before landing a suplex. Thorpe delivers a series of chops and a kick to Mensah's midsection, then follows it up with an enziguri and a German suplex. The action spills to the outside, and Mensah executes a tope sucida. Lash Legend dumps Noam Dar into the ring, and the referee pushes him back out to her and Jakara Jackson. Thorpe dumps Mensah back in the ring before Dijak blindsides him, allowing Mensah to deliver a spinning kick to Thorpe when he gets back inside the ring for the win.
Winner: Oro Mensah
Back from the break, we head over to a video of Dana Brooke training with Kelani Jordan as an irate Cora Jade watches on a TV from backstage.
Roxanne Perez and Blair Davenport Confront One Another via Satellite Interview
Booker T and Vic Joseph then join Roxanne Perez and Blair Davenport. Perez says she saw a video posted to the "NXT" Anonymous Twitter page of Booker T giving her a pep talk ahead of their rematch at Great American Bash. Davenport says she will defeat Perez once again, but this time in front of her friends and family. She say the women's division is for grown-ups and not little girls like Perez, then says she doesn't belong.
Joseph asks Perez what it'll take for her to defeat Davenport, and Perez says she's tired of everyone thinking she's an easy target. She says a rage has been building in her since she lost the "NXT" Women's Championship, and she'll have to show a side of her never before seen in order to beat her. Davenport asks Perez how she fits such big dreams in a small body, and says she doesn't believe her. She says Perez doesn't believe what she said herself, and Perez begins to protest. She tells Perez to go home when she's finished with her because she doesn't belong in "NXT", and Perez storms off.
Back at ringside, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley head down. Wes Lee follows.
Wes Lee (c) vs. Dominik Mysterio (w/ Rhea Ripley) for the North American Championship
The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with submission holds before Lee delivers a dropkick. Dominik slides out of the ring and Lee looks to go flying to level him, but Ripley inserts herself between Lee and Dominik to prevent him from doing so.
Back from the break, Dominik delivers The Three Amigos to Lee (although Lee blocks the third suplex). He follows it up with a dropkick and lands the 619, then delivers a Michinoku Driver before ascending to the top and looking for the Frog Splash. Lee rolls out of the way and the two go back and forth with forearms. Dominik then whips Lee into the corner and charges at him, but Lee gets up his boot. He follows it up with a series of kicks and a double stomp to Dominik's spine, then delivers a boot to his face and follows it up with a Tornado DDT off the middle rope.
Dominik rolls to the outside to catch his breath, and Lee looks to go flying to level him. Dominik rolls out of the way and grabs the North American Championship. He looks to leave with it, but Lee goes flying to level him and ascends to the top. He lands a corkscrew before Finn Balor appears and distracts the referee. Damian Priest looks to blindside Lee from behind, but Lee catches him with a Kardiak Kick. Ripley then hits Lee with her Women's Championship, and Dominik pins him for the win.
Winner (and new North American Champion): Dominik Mysterio