NXT Results (October 30th, 2019): Finn Balor explains his actions, first match for WarGames confirmed
The WWE Women's Tag Team Champions returned to NXT tonight to take on their newest challengers. Former NXT Women's Champions Asuka and Kairi Sane have recently found success as a tag team, securing the gold from Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss. Tonight, they'll face Team Kick, Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox.
Last week, Roderick Strong escaped with his North American Championship against Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic. Following that, the Undisputed Era assaulted Lee. The Limitless One found someone willing to join forces tonight, as he'll team up with the Original Bro Matt Riddle to face the NXT Tag Team Champions, Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish.
Speaking of the Undisputed Era's actions last week, they followed up by assaulting Tommaso Ciampa. The former NXT Champion thought he had back-up in the form of Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor, but Balor attacked Johnny Wrestling instead.
Balor spiked Gargano on the ramp to end the night, and later on, stated that the Prince is back on WWE Backstage last week. Tonight, he would finally explain his actions.
We kicked off the night with a special live performance by Poppy, performing her single "I Disagree." Throughout the song we saw highlights from last week's NXT, getting us prepared for the night ahead. Following that was a live performance of "Scary Mask" as Io Shirai made her entrance.
Io Shirai vs Candice LeRae
LeRae knocked Shirai outside and began chasing her former ally around ringside. Shirai managed to shake her after a Tiger Feint Kick off the apron, following up with a suicide dive. She sent LeRae inside, who made it quickly to her feet and responded with a dive of her own. A rope snapping neckbreaker laid out Shirai inside the ring for a senton to the back.
Shirai escaped the pinfall and managed to set LeRae up in the turnbuckle for an elevated Lung Blower. The Genius of the Sky punished LeRae from here, pelting her with boots and kicks. LeRae tried to take her down with a head scissors, but Shirai landed on her feet. She was taken down by an enziguri, however, and found herself on the apron.
LeRae and Shirai both tried to drop each other on the hard ringside area. Shirai's German to the apron was blocked, but she followed LeRae to the top rope for a superplex. Eventually, Shirai took her legs out, forcing LeRae to bounce off the ring post and apron before dropping to the floor.
As LeRae was rolled inside again, Shirai connected with a springboard dropkick. However, as she battered her opponent, she was rolled up for a near fall. Back on their feet, Shirai rocked LeRae with a hard right hand. An Air Raid Crash bouncing off the corner earned her a near fall.
A crossface from Shirai trapped LeRae in the middle of the ring. LeRae broke away and brought down Shirai with a Russian leg sweep, followed up by a modified Rings of Saturn. Shirai kicked her way out of the submission and the two met in the middle of the ring with a pair of cross bodies.
LeRae was the first to her feet, rocking Shirai with a clothesline and a running dropkick. A tornado DDT spiked her, but Shirai kicked out in the nick of time. Up top, Shirai held onto the ropes to avoid the Wild Ride. However, her moonsault was blocked when LeRae lifted her knees up.
A striking trade led to a Shirai trapping LeRae's head between her legs. LeRae made it to the ropes, forcing Shirai to move outside for a chair. Before she could hit her, the referee pulled the chair away.
LeRae planted her with a spin-out double underhook facebuster. However, Shirai was able to roll away from LeRae's patented La Quebrada moonsault, leaving LeRae crashing onto the chair.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Candice LeRae via pinfall.
Shirai, now 2-0 against LeRae, continued the assault after the match. Rhea Ripley made the save, kicking the chair out of Shirai's hands. Shirai backed up the ramp as Ripley stood ready for a fight.