Here’s Which Matches Will Open NXT and AEW Dynamite Tonight

The biggest day in recent wrestling history has finally arrived. Starting tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern, NXT will make its full transition to the USA Network with its first two-hour live show on the cable channel. At the exact same time, All Elite Wrestling will launch its two-hour weekly live show with AEW Dynamite‘s premiere on the TNT Network. Both shows have already announced numerous matches for their respective cards, but now we now for certain which matches will open their respective shows.

WWE announced via their new YouTube show The Bump on Wednesday morning that NXT will kick off its new era with an NXT Championship match between Adam Cole and Matt Riddle. Riddle earned a shot at Cole by beating Killian Dain in a Street Fight last week, then (in storyline) injured Cole’s wrist by locking in an armbar. Cole’s wrist injury is legitimate as he was seen at the Performance Center on Wednesday morning with his hand in a cast, though it took place prior to his angle with Riddle and kept him out of action throughout September.

Other matches for the Yellow and Black Brand tonight include NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Candice LeRae, NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. The Street Profits and Johnny Gargano vs. Shane Thorne. Velveteen Dream is also booked for the show just two weeks after he lost the NXT North American Championship to Roderick Strong. WWE also announced that the episode will have limited commercial interruptions

Meanwhile, Dynamite will open with a match between Cody Rhodes and Sammy Guevara. Rhodes firmly stated during a media conference call on Tuesday that, if he loses, Guevara will take his place in the AEW World Championship match against Chris Jericho at the Nov. 9 Full Gear pay-per-view. Rhodes has yet to suffer a loss in singles competition since AEW launched.

“I would like to make it clear, that if Sammy Guevara beats me, I’m not going to Full Gear to wrestle Chris Jericho, by no means,” Rhodes said. “Sammy Guevara will be able to take my place if he wins on the first episode of Dynamite. So, the stakes are high.”

Other matches on Dynamite tonight include Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks vs. Chris Jericho, Santana and Ortiz, Hangman Page vs. PAC, MJF vs. Brandon Cutler, SCU vs. Jurassic Express and Riho vs. Nyla Rose for the AEW Women’s World Championship. Jon Moxley is also booked to appear for the first time since he had to be pulled from the All Out event due to a staph infection.