WWE NXT Results (October 23rd, 2019): Former NXT Champion turns heel, North American Title on the line
NXT's two big matches were set up last week, with a North American Championship and a battle between Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair. However, just before the show started, General Manager William Regal made a huge announcement.
Tonight, the Kabuki Warriors would be given new No.1 contenders for their WWE Women's Tag Team Titles. Team Kick, Dakota Kai, and Tegan Nox, would face off against Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke for a chance at glory.
Our main event featured Roderick Strong defending his North American Championship against both Keith Lee and Dominic Dijakovic. Strong interrupted their last match last week, hoping to weasel out of a title match. However, that forced Regal's hand, putting Roderick Strong in a seemingly unwinnable situation.
We started off the night with Rhea Ripley vs Bianca Belair. Ripley has her eyes on Shayna Baszler's NXT Women's Championship, but that road goes through the Est. of NXT, Bianca Belair, who's latest win streak has nearly pushed her back into title contention.
Rhea Ripley vs Bianca Belair
Ripley and Belair lock up, with both powerhouses looking for an advantage early on. Belair was the first to bring it to blows, catching Ripley with a boot to the gut and driving her into the corner for a series of shoulder thrusts.
Belair was sent flying across the ring after taunting the former NXT UK Women's Champion, with Ripley connecting with a pair of boots to the chest. Ripley broke out of a waist lock and caught Belair with a superkick. The Est. of NXT responded by sending her into the turnbuckle, but as she attempted a suplex, Ripley countered with one of her own.
As Ripley ascended the turnbuckle, she was sent crashing to the mat by Belair. A delayed vertical suplex earned her a one-count. Ripley was then trapped in an abdominal stretch, but powered out of it and dumped Belair onto her back with a hip toss. Both competitors met in the middle of the ring with a double facebuster.
Belair walked Ripley around the ring, bouncing her off all four corners. Ripley trapped Belair's foot for a moment when she was taking some hip attacks to the back. However, another boot to Ripley's jaw forced her to let go. In the corner, Belair was ripped off of Ripley by the referee following a hammering assault. As she turned around, Ripley kicked her in the chest and made her way out to the middle of the ring.
Belair bounced off the ropes but was met with a massive boot to the sternum. Ripley snapped her overhead and conected with a seated clothesline. A few short-arm lariats followed up by a ripcord clothesline left Belair struggling.
Ripley locked in her modified cloverleaf, but Belair escaped to the ropes. A cannonball off the apron sent Belair crashing to the floor. As Ripley sent her inside the ring, Io Shirai ran down the ring, rocking Ripley with a apron sliding 619.
Inside the ring, Belair took advantage with a spear. Ripley broke out, shocking both Shirai and Belair. Candice LeRae rushed her former ally and took her off the apron, allowing Ripley to catch Belair in the Riptide.
Results: Rhea Ripley defeated Bianca Belair via pinfall.
Tyler Bate was seen walking the area with Pete Dunne by Cathy Kelly prior to the show. Kelly asked what Dunne thought about his match with Damian Priest and how Killian Dain may begin to target him next. The Bruiserweight made no excuses for himself as far as the Archer of Infamy goes. As far Dain, he doesn't care about him.