The NXT Women’s Championship Tournament kicked off tonight’s episode of NXT, and the first match-up was between Gigi Dolin and Tiffany Stratton. Stratton came in with a game plan and executed it rather flawlessly, as she took away Dolin’s power by targeting her arm and shoulder. Dolin would continue to fight back and would gain some offensive momentum, but when it came time to secure the win Dolin’s arm would hold her back, and that opening allowed Stratton to secure the win and move on in the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament. Next up was Lyra Valkyrie vs Kiana James, and James focused on wearing down Valkyria and attacking her ribs. James looked in control for big stretches of the match, but Valkyria would not stay down, even after several brutal attacks on her ribs. Valkyria survived the onslaught and knew exactly when to seize her moment, and she would get the pin and the win, moving on to the next round.
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Stratton and Dolin locked up and Stratton got pushed into the corner, and then Dolin clubbed her with punches. Stratton’s athleticism allowed her to avoid more offense, but then Dolin knocked her down with a punch to the face and then kept her down in the corner. Stratton came back quickly and hit a big double stomp to the head before going at Dolin’s leg and arm with kicks. Stratton kept focusing on the arm and shoulder and went for the cover, but Dolin kicked out.
Stratton then went right back at the left arm and shoulder with another leg drop, and then she slammed the arm against the mat and stomped on the arm after bouncing off the bottom rope. Dolin bought herself some time and got Stratton into a cover attempt, but Stratton kicked out. Stratton slammed Dolin down on the side of that left arm and went for the cover, but Dolin kicked out. Stratton kept wrenching the arm but she missed on a move, which allowed Dolin to get some kicks and knee strikes in.
Stratton brought down the arm again and then slammed into Dolin in the corner and went for stomps, but Dollin evaded it. Dolin hit a roundhouse kick and clotheslined Stratton, and then she went forher signature only to find that she couldn’t lock it in due to the damage to her arm. Stratton took advantage and hit the moonsault on Dolin, and that led to her going for the cover and getting the win.
Lyra Valkyria vs Kiana James was up next, and James was the aggressor early. James knocked down Valkyria and then the two exchanged covers and roll-ups for a bit. James then sent Valkyria into the corner hard, knocking Valkyria to the ring apron. James then bent Valkyria’s back around the post and then got Valkyria into a hold in the center of the ring, pushing back on Valkyrie’s few hits of offense. Valkyria got the better of the next exchange though, going for a cover on James, but James kicked out and then went right at Valkyria with a spear in the corner.
James went to cover Valkyria but she kicked out, and James then applied another hold to wear her down. Valkyria threw James to the other side of the ring but got hit in the stomach and then brought down with a knee strike into a cover, but Valkyria kicked out again. James kept attacking the ribs of Valkyria but Lyra hit a dropkick and knocked James to the mat, buying herself some recovery time. Valkyria hit a forearm and a big kick to the chest before hitting a combo of offense on James. James bounced back but then got knocked over the top rope and to the floor, and Valkirua then connected with a dropkick between the ropes.
Valkyria went up top after rolling James into the ring but missed her attack, though she came back with a kick to the head. Valkyria hit a suplex and locked in a bridge into a pin, but James kicked out. Valkyria went up top again but got caught with knees from James, and then James hit a powerbomb into a pin but Valkyria kicked out. James kept attacking the ribs with knee strikes. Valkyria bounced back and hit her finisher to get the pin and the win, moving her to the semi-finals.
What did you think of the first wave of NXT Women’s Championship Tournament matches and who do you think will win? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
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