After a war of words and some punches thrown, it was finally time for the match between NXT Champion Karrion Kross and Johnny Gargano in tonight’s main event, and both stars were more than ready. With special referee Samoa Joe in the middle of the action, things got off to a hot start before the bell even rang, as Gargano charged at Kross with a flurry of punches. It seemed to be working but Kross picked him up and charged him towards the corner, and then hit him with a duplex to ground him. Kross kicked him the stomach and then the leg, and then tried to wear him down in the corner.
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A painful-looking suplex followed, and Kross was taunting Gargano at this point. Gargano escaped his grasp and dropkicked him out of the ring, and then followed it up with another dropkick and then a superkick. He then flipped and wiped out Kross, sending him hard. to the ground. Kross didn’t stay down for long, following Gargano and knocking him to the ground with a hard knee.
Joe then told Kross to get it back in the ring, and but Gargano got away. Kross tried to charge him but ran into the steel steps after Gargano evaded him. Gargano kept up the attack, and Kross picked up Gargano and slammed him down on the announce table.
Joe then threatened Kross, telling him to get it back in the ring. Gargano was down for a minute, so much so that the referee checked on him, and Kross got back in the ring waiting for the count-out.
Gargano did get back in the ring eventually, and Kross kept up his attack. Kross worked on Gargano’s arm and midsection, and then kicked him down. He tried to lock him up but Gargano grabbed onto the ropes, and Joe separated Kross from him. Kross kept up the offense, but Gargano fought back, though it ended up with Gargano being sent into the post shoulder first. Kross looked confident and then locked Gargano into a chin lock. Gargano got free but again was halted by Kross. He did get a kick on Kross and then an elbow, and then he evaded a charge from Kross that sent Kross into the post shoulder first.
Gargano then hit Kross with two big clotheslines, but neither knocked him down. Gargano evaded another move and hit an enziguri, and then hit a slingshot spear on Kross through the ropes, but Kross kicked out of the pin. Gargano went through the ropes again, diving and sending Kross into the barricade. Gargano went for another move but Kross flipped him over into a suplex and then another one. He went for the pin but Gargano kicked out.
Kross got Gargano up on the top rope and signaled it was over, but Gargano countered and sent both to the ground. He then hit a huge kick on Kross’ head and then another. Then he geared up for another one but got caught with a lariat. Kross lifted Gargano and threw him into the corner, but Gargano countered with a DDT. Gargano went for a pin but Kross kicked out.
They traded more kicks and punches, and Gargano looked like he had it, but Kross locked in a hold. Gargano got out of it once more and locked in his own submission, and Kross was in pain in the middle of the ring. Kross picked him up though and spun him around, turning into a straightjacket in the center of the ring. He was fading but reaching for the ropes, and he got ahold of it. Joe separated them with a hard push to Kross, and then the two met face to face. Kross was livid but kept moving towards Gargano.
Kross then slammed Gargano into the wall 3 times, and he sank to his knees. Kross picked up the steel steps but Joe pulled them down from his hands and got in his face again. He told him all you gotta do is jump, and then Gargano came flying in with a DDT. He rolled Kross in and went for another move and almost had him pinned, but Kross kicked out right before the 3 count. Gargano went for another superkick but evaded and rocked him, and then hit him with multiple Power Bombs. He then hit the Doomsday Sayido and waited to pounce as Gargano tried to get to this feet.
Kross then hit Gargano with a big forearm to the back of the head, and that was it for Gargano. Joe and Kross got in each other’s faces again, but then Joe was attacked by Kross, who choked him out to close the episode, and all the while was teasing “when provoked. It seems Kross vs Joe is coming sooner rather than later.
What did you think of the match? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things NXT with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
