Candice LeRae sought out to achieve a full underdog story as she challenged Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Title on the two-hour debut of NXT. LeRae looked good right out of the gate taking offense on the champ with the action spilling on the outside after a step-up enziguri.
LeRae would continue on offense with a neckbreaker as she goes for a pin. She would get a couple of two-counts before Baszler would get control of the match. They would go to the outside again and Baszler would dominate as she throws LeRae into the steel steps. The champ would focus on the left arm of the challenger as she would use the steel steps to her advantage by catching her arm in them.
Baszler would focus on her submission moves by isolating the left arm. The two would then end up on the ring apron as LeRae went for what appeared to be a suplex, but Baszler would hold on to the ropes. LeRae would get back on offense with a face plant to the champ on the ring apron. She continued her momentum with not one, not two, but three suicide dives!!
After a massive move from the corner, both women found themselves laid out. Some back and forth action would ensue and LeRae shockingly gets Baszler in the Kirifuda Clutch. The Submission Magician would end up getting out of her own submission and the two found themselves in the corner once again.
The champ applies a hanging Kirifuda Clutch, but LeRae is able to get out of it and executes a swinging neckbreaker getting the closest three count of the match!
From then on the rest of the match was LeRae trying to avoid a submission ending. LeRae would miss with a La Quebrada getting put right into the Kirifuda Clutch. She would try her hardest to get out of it by almost getting to her feet, but the power of Baszler was too much and she would collapse. Baszler wins as always with the submission victory.
This was honestly one of Baszler’s better matches. Who will be next to face Baszler?
Perhaps Io Shirai will get another shot as she put away Mia Yim earlier in the night? Maybe this will be Dakota Kai‘s time to step up to Baszler for her story to become full circle?
Discuss your thoughts on this match and the results in the comment section.
