Tonight’s Championship lineup included Johnny Gargano defending his North American Championship against the winner of the Eliminator Gauntlet match. That ended up being Bronson Reed, and their match was as good as expected. Early on it was all Reed, but Gargano managed to avoid several of his attacks, though Reed stopped the show when he pulled a Bam Bam Bigelow and avoided Gargano with an amazing cartwheel. Reed got Gargano in the corner and lifted him up but Gargano hit Reed with elbows and a charge to his chest and ribs, and Reed was feeling it.
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Gargano went to capitalize, but he received a huge chop to the chest. Reed was holding his ribs a bit but still managed to get another big chop and send Gargano down to the floor,. Gargano went for the legs and hit the back of Reed’s knee, and then he sent Reed down to the ground. Reed kept grabbing his side, and Gargano kept up the attack, sliding a kick into Reed and then going over the ropes, but Reed caught him.
Gargano got free and sent Reed into the announce table, and it did some big damage, as Reed kept grabbing his ribs. Gargano kept up the offense, landing punches in the corner. Reed got free but messed a slam on Gargano that caused him more pain, and then Gargano hit Reed with a splash from the top rope. Reed kept grabbing his ribs, and Gargano kept punching the ribs.
Reed was then locked into a hold by Gargano, who kept kicking Reed in those same hurt ribs. He drove more knees into them while he held Reed’s arm, but Reed backed Gargano into the corner. Reed slammed Gargano but it hurt his ribs, and he had to go and take a breather.
Gargano got up and Reed sent him into the ropes and used his body as the immovable object to send Gargano down. He then charged at Gargano in the corner and landed with authority, and then slammed Gargano down. to the mat. He picked up Gargano for a supex, but Gargno used his knees to kick out of it. Reed kept him lifted though and hit him with a jagged edge, but Gargano kicked out of the pin
Reed tried to hoist up Gargano on the ropes but Gargano avoided the move and then hit a huge move that landed both knees into Reed’s back. Reed managed to reverse Gargano’s attack and hit him with a suplex, despite the hurt ribs. Reed went for a slam but Gargano avoided it, but Feed picked him up. Gargano managed to twist a move but Reed slammed him, though Gargano followed that up with the Gargano Escape, and he was nowhere near the ropes.
Reed dragged Gargano to the rope and got free, and when Gargano went to jump and punch, Reed caught him with a punch of his own. He then lifted Gargano and threw him into the ring, but when Reed went for a dive from the top turnbuckle, Gargano rolled out of the way. He then hit a big kick and went for the pin, but Reed kicked out.
Gargan went for a superkick, but Reed caught him and hit him with a headbutt. He then hit a clothesline that knocked Gargano out. He then went up to the top rope, but Austin Theory tried to get involved. The referee saw him and got rid of him, but the distraction was enough for Gargano to get the better of the altercation.
Gargano went for a flip off the top ropes, but Reed stayed upright, and when he got down he slammed Gargano. He went for a pin but Theory ran by and stuck his foot on the ropes. Reed then went to deal with Theory, but Gargano intervened, though Reed threw him into Theory.
When things got back in the ring, Reed picked up Gargano but Gargano pushed Reed to the ropes. He then hit two superkicks, but Reed hit one of his own. He went up to the top rope again and went for an awesome moonsault but missed, and Gargano hit Reed with a DDT and got the pin and the win.
You can check out the official description for NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver below.
The NXT Women’s Title will take center stage on Night 1 of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, as Io Shirai defends against Raquel Gonzรกlez in a commercial-free main event. WALTER will also put the NXT United Kingdom Championship on the line against Tommaso Ciampa, MSK, Grizzled Young Veterans and Legado del Fantasma will clash for the vacant NXT Tag Team Titles and more. Catch all the action tonight at 8/7 C on USA Network and simulcast on Peacock in the U.S. and on WWE Network everywhere else!
Here are the full cards and the results so far for Night 1 and 2.
Night 1
Zoey Stark defeated Toni Storm (Pre-show)
NXT Women’s Championship Match: Raquel Gonzalez defeated Io Shirai
NXT United Kingdom Championship Match: Champion Walter defeated Tommaso Ciampa
NXT Tag Team Championship Match: MSK defeated Grizzled Young Veterans and Legado del Fantasma
Pete Dunne Defeated Kushida
Gauntlet Match for North American Championship Opportunity: Bronson Reed defeated Leon Ruff, Isaiah Swerve Scott, Cameron Grimes, Dexter Lumis, and LA Knight
Night 2
NXT Championship Match: Champion Finn Balor vs Karrion Kross
Unsanctioned Match: Adam Cole vs Kyle O’Reilly
NXT North American Championship Match: Champion Johnny Gargano vs TBD
NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Champions Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon vs The Way
NXT Cruiserweight Championship Ladder Match: Champion Santos Escobar vs Champion Jordan Devlin
NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver kicks off tonight on USA Network, while Night 2 will air on Thursday, April 8th exclusively on Peacock.
What have you thought of TakeOver so far? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things NXT with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
