NXT returns home to the Performance Center in Orlando for the first TV episode after Stand & Deliver this past Saturday. Scheduled for the show are a massive triple threat match, a celebration honoring the new NXT Women’s Champion, plus, a tournament to crown a new men’s Speed Champion begins. Be sure to tune into the action on the CW starting at 8 PM ET.
Tony D’Angelo was the last man standing on Saturday, outlasting Ethan Page, Ricky Saints, and Joe Hendry to become the NXT Men’s Champion. It is an impressive add to Tony’s trophy case, joining the NXT North American Championship, Tag Team Championship, and Heritage Cup on his mantle, making D’Angelo the first Grand Slam Champion in NXT history. It’s the culmination of years of Tony D pursuing the brand’s top prize, and we won’t have to wait to see what the the former mob boss turned vigilante brings to the table at the top of the NXT food chain. Fast forward to Booker T. Appreciation Night in Houston a few weeks back, and naturally it was Carver who interrupted, looking to get himself a piece of the 61 year-old commentator. On that night, it was Booker’s mentee, LFG Season 1 winner Jasper Troy that came to his rescue, putting himself firmly in the crosshairs of NXT’s resident beast. As Robert Stone tried to sign the match, no NXT referees would agree to officiate the showdown, leaving the door open for Josh Briggs to step in and don the zebra shirt last week at The Theater at MSG. Carver would pick up the win over Troy with an impressive running powerslam, after Briggs took Jasper out for protesting a slow count. After raising Keanu’s hand, Briggs stood tall over him too, taking Carver out with a thunderous clothesline.
AND NEW! moments bookended the proceedings on Saturday, as Lola Vice kicked off the show by becoming the new NXT Women’s Champion. Lola survived a hard-hitting triple threat match against Kendal Grey and reigning champion Jacy Jayne to become the first Cuban-American woman in WWE history to win championship gold. Soon after, NXT GM Robert Stone let the new champ know that he was blocking off some time for her tonight to bask in the glory of her title win. Keanu Carver has been running roughshod over the NXT locker room since being promoted from Evolve earlier this year. Shortly after his callup in January, an exclusive video from LFG surfaced of Keanu and 2-time Hall of Famer Booker T. yelling at each other at the Performance Center. Booker was letting the young Carver know that he need to tone some things down and Carver didn’t appreciate it. The beef between the two has percolated into NXT programming over recent months, with Carver taking offense anytime his name ends up in Booker’s mouth, despite that, you know…. being part of his job.