Carmelo Hayes looked to defend his NXT Championship for the first time since defeating Born Breaker at Stand & Deliver, and it would be against Grayson Waller. Waller is a big talker and hasn’t stopped talking since he won the first shot at Hayes’ Title, and Hayes looked to put a stop to the talking and get his Title reign off to the right start. Waller focused on Hayes’ leg and that significantly hurt him throughout the match, as some of his marquee offense was just as damaging to him as it was to Waller. These two put on a thrilling match, but it was Hayes who would walk away the victor, and he would also reveal his next opponent for NXT Battleground. That will be Bron Breakker, and Breakker accepted the challenge, but not before inflicting some pain.
Videos by ComicBook.com
They locked up immediately and then evaded each other until Hayes hit a dropkick. Hayes went for a cover but Waller kicked out only to get wrapped up in a submission but Waller got to the ropes. Hayes hit a huge springboard clothesline and then kicked Waller in the back but Waller avoided another move off the ropes. Hayes got up top but was knocked down by Waller, though Waller got knocked down again and went for a chair at ringside.
Waller threw the chair into the ring but Hayes caught it, though when the referee was turned around Waller smashed Trick Williams at ringside with a chair. Hayes came out to check on him but got clotheslined by Waller. Back in the ring, Waller hit a nasty chop and then tied Hayes up in the ropes and connected with kicks to the chest before a stomp. Waller then locked in a leg hold but Haye was able to break it up.
Hayes came back with punches and chops before getting flipped over and having his leg slammed against the ring apron twice. This seemed to do some serious damage, but Hayes managed to roll up Waller for a cover attempt. Waller kicked out and kicked the shin and leg of Hayes before attacking him in the corner and following it up with a slam into a cover, but Hayes kicked out. Waller locked in a Single Leg Crab but Hayes was able to break it up with kicks to the head.
Waller lifted Hayes up but got thrown into the turnbuckle and then hit with Hayes’ trademark leg drop, but he was having a hard time standing after all the damage Waller did to his leg. Waller was back on his feet and looked to keep Hayes down, but Hayes came back and they both collided in the middle of the ring. It looked as if Waller spit out something (maybe a tooth?) but then Hayes was back on the offensive, kicking the back of Waller’s leg and then hitting chops to the chest.
Hayes went after the leg again, kicking the back of Waller’s leg and knee and then he hit a springboard DDT that was simply stunning. Hayes went up top but Waller rolled out of the way, causing Hayes to follow and but he got knocked to the mat by Waller. Waller caught Hayes and then slammed him down with a powerbomb into a cover but Hayes kicked out.
Back on their feet, Hayes went for another move but Waller caught him and hit a Stunner, though Hayes rolled out of the ring and kept Waller from capitalizing. Waller then went up top and hit a huge elbow drop and crashed Hayes through the table, but Hayes kicked out of the ensuing cover.ย Hayes then brought Waller down hard on the mat, but he was able to bring Hayes down onto the bottom rope. Hayes hit a big super kick and then went up top again, but he hit the finisher and got the cover, and Hayes retains his NXT Championship.
After winning the match Hayes took the microphone and called out his next opponent. “Bron Breakker, NXT Battleground, Let’s do this. My neck of the woods. Let’s talk about it,” Hayes said. Breaker came out and went to spear Hayes, but Williams got in the way. Then Breakker went after Hayes and speared him through the panel at ringside.
What did you think of the match? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
