NXT Results – Apr. 8, 2020 – Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano

Apr 8, 2020

April 8, 2020
Winter Park, Florida (Full Sail University)
Commentary: Mauro Ranallo
Results by: Doug Lackey of Wrestleview.com

Quick Match Results

#1 Contender Ladder Match: Io Shirai Won, defeating Candice LeRae, Mia Yim, Tegan Nox, Chelsea Green, Dakota Kai
Indus Sher defeated Ever-Rise via top rope elbow drop by Rinku on Parker
Johnny Gargano defeated Tommaso Ciampa via Fairy Tale Ending

#1 Contender Ladder Match
Candice LeRae vs. Mia Yim vs. Io Shirai vs. Tegan Nox vs. Chelsea Green vs. Dakota Kai

With an ‘NXT’ suitcase hanging over the ring, the 6 women make their way to the ring for this ladder match to the determine the Number One contender for the NXT Women’s Championship. Io Shirai, Tegan Nox, Chelsea Green (Introduced and escorted to the ring by Robert Stone), Mia Yim, Dakota Kai (Followed to the ring by Raquel Gonzalez) and Candice LaRae have all entered the ring… the bell rings!

All 6 stare each other down… Yim goes after Green, LeRae on Shirai, and Nox goes right after Kai. All 6 women end up in the corners, kicking down their opponents. Kai goes to the opposite corner and sends Shirai to the outside. She then goes after Yim on the other side. Kai signals for Gonzalez to bring the tallest ladder, resting on the ramp, into the ring. LeRae, with a basement dropkick, sends Gonzalez to the floor with the ladder on top of her. LeRae, Yim & Nox all surround Kai and the beat down is on!

All three trade off punches to Kai and send her into the corner. After a running forearm, LeRae knocks a recuperating Green off the apron. Nox and Yim give Kai cannonballs in the corner and give an assist to LeRae so she can give one of her own. But Io Shirai issues a missile dropkick to Nox & Yim and a flapjack to a charging LeRae. Shirai goes to the outside and grabs a ladder from under the ring while Green and Robert Stone slide out a table from the opposite side. Shirai tries to set up the ladder but LeRae walks up it to try and grab the briefcase. Shirai drops the ladder and tussles with LeRae. Step-up Enziguri by LeRae staggers Shirai but Green charges into the ring and bulldogs both face-first into the ladder!

We’re back from break, the ring is cleared of the ladder and Green has a chair in hand as she slides into the ring. Yim pulls Green’s legs out from under her, causing her to land face-first onto the chair. Yim & Green battle on the outside while Nox & Kai renew their disgust for each other inside. The two continue to brawl around the ring exchanging kicks, forearms & uppercuts until Nox plants Kai with a chokeslam.

Green tries sliding a ladder into the ring from the outside but Nox stops her and pushes her into the barricade. Nox cinches up the ladder and starts to climb but Kai meets her up there. LeRae then pulls Kai off the ladder and starts to stare at a prone Nox. Before the two can ascend, Kai & Green attack both from behind. Kai & Green start to climb the ladder but Yim & Shirai attack them from behind. Now Yim and Shirai start their ascension. LeRae and Nox set up another ladder while Green and Kai cut off Yim and Shirai. Yim is still on the ladder and is fingertips away but LeRae pulls her down. Yim connects with Eat DeFeet on LeRae and makes for the ladder again.

But Green, with chair in hand, smashes it across Yim’s back bringing her off the ladder. Green tosses the chair to Yim, catching it, Green tries to connect with a boot but Yim sidesteps. Green’s leg is caught in a ladder bridged in the corner and Yim smashes Green’s knee with the chair. Shirai charges out of nowhere with a dropkick to Yim’s face and continues the reconstructive surgery with a catapult into the ladder.

Shirai is now making her way up the ladder but Raquel Gonzalez gets into the ring. She tips the ladder over, Shirai steps onto the top rope and leaps off of it sending a plancha to the rest of the women on the outside!

We return to the carnage and Gonzalez sends LeRae out of the ring. She makes her way outside to Dakota Kai and helps her back into the ring. Gonzalez has Kai in a fireman’s carry and is climbing the ladder with Kai on her shoulders. Yim rushes into the ring to attack Gonzalez but Kai is now on the ladder! LeRae sends Kai crashing to the canvas pulling her off the ladder. Yim and Gonzalez fight into the corner and the situation turns with Yim looking to powerbomb Gonzalez off the apron into a table on the outside! Nox climbs to Gonzalez, a chokehold… and sends Gonzalez and Yim off the ring and into the table!

Kai charges after Nox with a boot to the face, sending her off the apron and crashing through a bridged ladder! LeRae is climbing the ladder now and Kai meets her on top of it on the opposite side. Shirai leaps off the turnbuckle, pulling Kai off the ladder after Kai hit LeRae in the face with the dangling briefcase. LeRae and Shirai tussle in the ring, trading German Suplexes. Chelsea Green, still wincing from the attack on her knee, claws her way back into the ring with Stone cheering her on. Green slowly makes her way up, but Stone rushes into the ring and stands on the opposite side of the ladder hoping to stabilize it and help Green up it. Green has her fingertips on it but LeRae and Shirai tip the ladder over, sending Stone crashing down and Green sprawling her damaged knee on the top rope!

It’s LeRae and Shirai at the top of the ladder again, trading slaps back and forth. Shirai rakes LeRae’s eyes and pushes her off, sending her back-first into the bridged table in the corner of the ring! Shirai climbs the ladder and retrieves the briefcase!

WINNER and #1 CONTENDER FOR THE NXT WOMEN’S TITLE: Io Shirai

Highlights air from the match and everyone lies on the outside of the ring nursing their injuries as Shirai holds the briefcase over her head in victory.

Match Replay: Finn Balor vs. Alexander Wolfe From NXT UK

A re-airing of a match between Finn Balor and Alexander Wolfe from an episode of NXT UK last month is queued up. Balor would emerge victorious after Imperium was banished from ringside. Forward to the present, in backlight, Balor says that Walter’s WWE UK Title is on borrowed time.

The apocalyptic video that’s been airing for the past month greets us from commercial break.

⏰⏰⏰

Is it time? #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/EdiiCtak1o

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) April 9, 2020

Indus Sher vs. Ever-Rise

Malcolm Bivens walks to the ramp to his own theme music and gestures Rinku and Saurav out from gorilla position to their own theme music as well. Their opponents (of sorts), Ever-Rise.

To say that Ever-Rise is undersized is an understatement. Martel holds a small advantage on Rinku with a headlock but Rinku sends him into his teams corner and Parker tags in. Parker dodges a clothesline and punches Saurav off the apron, Martel and Parker now try to double-team attack on Rinku but Rinku powers out sending both sprawling.

Parker is dragged to Rinku’s corner, Saurav tagged in…off the ropes, Parker takes a double shoulder block. Parker is having a hell of a time trying to make it to his corner, eating boot after boot from Rinku and then a sideslam. Saurav tagged in, Rinku charges after Martel on the apron as Saurav mauls Parker in the corner. Saurav drapes Parker over his knee, Rinku drops a nasty elbow from the top and that’s all she wrote.

WINNERS: Indus Sher via pinfall

Promo: Adam Cole

A recorded message from Adam Cole plays, talking down Velveteen Dream and how his thoughts of taking his NXT Title are just that… a dream… and that’s undisputed.

Segment: Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley

Another video package greets us from commercial break, helping us relive the NXT Women’s Championship match from WrestleMania last Sunday, where Rhea Ripley lost her title to Charlotte Flair. In an interview afterwards, Flair explains that it is not the title that makes the woman but the woman that makes the title. Rhea Ripley was alright but she did what everyone woman does, they bow down to the Queen. Ripley, in tears, “She was a lot better than I expected.”

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano

Johnny Gargano and Candace LeRae arrive at the location of tonight’s main event. Gargano tells LeRae to leave, but before she drives off she hands Gargano a bag. Inside the empty building, Triple H is seen sitting in a chair in the corner of the ring. Tommaso Ciampa is walking slowly through one door, Gargano does the same.

“Right on time, boys. So this is where it ends, huh? Once you get in this ring, it ends here. I don’t care what you do to each other, but when it’s done. it’s done. Drakes here will officiate, what he says goes. He is only here to decide the winner, nothing more. So you guys have at it, because when I walk through that door,” Triple H tosses the chair in the middle of the ring, “it’s on.”

Triple H walks through the door, Ciampa and Gargano slowly enter the ring and walk to the center of it. Ciampa kicks the chair out of the ring and the two trade punches. The two continue to trade move for move, counter move for counter move…

Back from break, Ciampa has chair in hand but Gargano cuts him off in the ring. Gargano gets up but Ciampa quickly kicks him in the groin. The match has quickly devolved into a brawl. Ciampa rains punches down on Gargano, stomps on his knee and then guillotines Gargano into the bottom turnbuckle.

Gargano gets back up to the apron and tussles with Ciampa only to drop to the floor and take Ciampa’s legs out from under him. He takes Ciampa’s repaired knee and crashes it into the ringpost. The two are now on the floor with the ref watching the carnage unfold. Gargano has Ciampa up trying to suplex him onto the floor but Ciampa blocks, bring Gargano up for one of his own, but instead sends Gargano into the ringpost.

Ciampa then drags a table into camera view, causing Gargano to make for back into the ring. Ciampa follows him only to eat boot after boot after boot from Gargano inside. Off the ropes, Gargano suicide dives into Ciampa on the outside. “That the best you got,” Gargano trash-talks as he mocks Ciampa’s claps and back slaps sitting on the ring apron.

Gargano takes Ciampa and slings him into chairs and recycling boxes strewn around the ring. Gargano smashes a trash can lid on Ciampa’s back, and then the can itself. Ciampa staggers his way back into the ring making for the chair but Gargano cuts him off, beating him down again and again. Gargano, chair in hand, sends the back of the chair down on each body part that Ciampa had surgery on… elbow…. knee… neck…

Gargano sits in the chair in the middle of the ring waiting for the ref to make the call or Ciampa to get back up. Ciampa emerges to his knees but Gargano sends him back down with a chair to the back. Gargano takes the chair and wedges it into the corner. Gargano tries to send Ciampa through it but Ciampa reverses!

Back from break and Gargano sends Ciampa to the outside. Gargano leaps over the top rope but eats a trash can lid to the face. Lid in hand, Ciampa charges after Gargano, kneeing the lid into Gargano’s face. Gargano tries for the chair again but Ciampa stops him. He takes chair, weaves Gargano’s head into it, and slams him into the ringpost. He rains down fists, yelling for Gargano to quit.

Inside a cart, Ciampa finds his crutch. He starts choking Gargano with the handle of the crutch. “A TORN ACL! I REHABBED IT FOR YOU!” The two trade punches as Gargano crawls towards the cart… and opens up a fire extinguisher into Ciampa’s eyes. The two tussle over to an empty table where Ciampa gets the upper-hand and powerbombs Gargano through it!

Ciampa walks around, finds a pair of bolt cutters, and begins to dismantle the ring apron. “We’re ending this in there!” Ciampa takes the curtain off of the ring apron and unravels the twine attaching the canvas to the padding and boards. An incredible amount of wooden boards are revealed inside the ring as Gargano crawls towards the exit doors.

Ciampa follows him, “It ends in here!!” Gargano sends a rolling trunk into Ciampa and hurls him into the side of the production trailer. Gargano finds the rolling trunk and shoots it towards a prone Ciampa, who rolls underneath the trailer just in time. Gargano, searching for Ciampa, finds he has climbed to the top of the trailer and makes his way to him. The two trade punches and kicks back and forth, the ref up there with them.

Ciampa and Gargano have made their way from atop the trailer and are staggering back into the building. Gargano leaps from the top of the retracted bleachers as Ciampa enters. Gargano sends Ciampa into the destroyed ring along with a chair. On top of the exposed wood, Gargano punches and kicks down Ciampa to the corner. Gargano then brings Ciampa back up, seating him on the top turnbuckle. Gargano climbs up to him but Ciampa fights him off. Elbow after elbow, Ciampa gets Gargano up for an Air Raid Crash…. to the outside onto the floor!

Gargano and Ciampa lie nearly motionless on the floor, the ref asking if needs to call the match. The two say no… and slowly stand. Ciampa rolls Gargano back into the ring and pins him… 1… 2… Gargano kicks out.

Ciampa is outside the ring, looking for his crutch. He finds it and rolls into the ring with it. He rears back for a swing but Gargano smashes a trash can lid into his knee. Gargano, crutch in hand, weaves Ciampa’s wrist into it and wrenches back. The ref asks if Ciampa wants to quit, Gargano tells him to tap, but Ciampa slams the lid against Gargano’s face.

Gargano gets up, takes the lid and slams it into Ciampa again and again. Using the crutch to get up, Gargano kicks Ciampa in the face. Another one. “You’re a failure! As a man…. as a husband… as a father!” Gargano brings the crutch back behind a kneeling Ciampa… and whiffs a swing. Ciampa is up, grabs the crutch and rains it down on Gargano, breaking it in half.

In the ring, Ciampa misses with an attack on Gargano with half of the crutch. Ciampa takes the crutch, pulls it across Gargano’s mouth and wrenches back like a Camel Clutch. The ref, asking if Gargano wants to tap, is gouged in his eyes by a desperate Gargano. The ref rolls around in pain as Ciampa releases the hold. The ref, crawling on the apron, is victim to an errant running knee from Ciampa, sending him to the floor. From behind, Gargano smacks the half-crutch on Ciampa’s back!

Gargano makes to the outside to bring Ciampa back to into the ring after he rolled out. Ciampa in… Gargano gets up the apron… Ciampa was playing opossum! Ciampa with Gargano… DDT onto the boards! Ciampa finds the half-crutch and gets to his feet, Gargano trying to use the ropes to do likewise. Ciampa charges in, Gargano with a superkick. Gargano finds the other half of the crutch, Ciampa with a superkick. The two swing and hit with their halves of the crutch.

A bewildered Candace LeRae walks through the doors, seeing the debris around the ring and the two former friends lying in the ring. She makes into the ring and cries as the two claw towards each other. “Stop! What are you two doing! Just stop!”

Gargano pulls himself up with the ringropes… “Who are you, Johnny?! Who are you?!”, screams LeRae. Ciampa is to his feet.

“Are you happy?! I hate my husband! There I said it, are you happy now?!” She gestures to Ciampa. “Go ahead! Finish it!” Ciampa stands motionless. “Fine, I’ll finish it.” LeRae kicks Gargano square in the jewels, doubling him over. LeRae walks out of the ring in complete disgust.

Ciampa sits on the bottom ring rope as Gargano writhes… and sobs. Ciampa tries to actually console him, but Gargano brushes him aside. Ciampa on his knees, his hand on Gargano’s shoulder, gently murmurs to him as Gargano tries to sit up. “I’m sorry,” Ciampa whispers as he stands looking down at Gargano.

“I’m sorry too,” Gargano replies… as LeRae kicks Ciampa in the jewels from behind his back! Gargano digs into his front, and pulls out what LeRae had handed to him… a protective cup for his genitals. “You lose…”

Gargano brings Ciampa up… Fairytale Ending onto the exposed boards! The ref makes his way into the ring… 1… 2… 3.

WINNER: Johnny Gargano via pinfall.

Winner: Johnny Gargano

LeRae welcomes and embraces Gargano on the outside of the ring, laughing at their victory. “We win…. we win.” The two make their way outside of the building to Gargano’s car while Ciampa writhes in pain inside the ring. They pass by a man and woman sitting in another car looking at them, who appeared to be Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux. Johnny and Candice then drive off…