The NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose now knows who her next opponent will be and that is the returning Zoey Stark. She won a 20-woman Battle Royal in the main event of the July 19 episode of NXT 2.0.
Stark had been out of action due to injury since November. Her last match was at Halloween Havoc where she and Io Shirai lost the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles to Toxic Attraction. She was also the returning Superstar that was being teased by the QR Codes that were showing up in the past several weeks.
Stark entered the Battle Royal last as a replacement for Sarray who was removed from the match. The final four of the match were technically – Nikkita Lyons, Tiffany Stratton, Cora Jade, and Stark.
However, Jade left the match at the beginning when she was targeted by all of the women. She left through the middle of the ropes and left ringside. She would return after Stark eliminated Stratton to think she won the match. Jade would appear and promptly be tossed over the top rope. Without Jade returning to the match, Kiana James rounded out the final four that were in the ring.
The breakdown of the match is as follows –
- Zoey Stark returned and would replace Sarray who was originally scheduled.
- Cora Jade was targeted at the start and left the ring through the middle ropes. Ivy Nile would leave the ring through the middle ropes and toss Jade back in but Jade would exit once again and run to the back. Would not return until the end of the match to be eliminated by Stark.
- Amari Miller would be the first eliminated. Arianna Grace was second.
- Lash Legend and Alba Fyre would eliminate each other at the same time. The two would continue to brawl on the outside.
- Wendy Choo would be knocked over the top rope by Tiffany Stratton but landed on her pillow and her feet never hit the floor.
- Stark would eliminate Yulisa Leon first and then Valentina Feroz. She would throw Feroz onto Leon first to avoid elimination but Stark would make sure that the elimination would take place with a kick to the head.
- Kiana James athleticism is top tier and eliminates Fallon Henley
- Stratton would eliminate Choo after she nailed her with her cup on the ring apron
- Sloane Jacobs and Elektra Lopez were eliminated during the picture in picture break
- Kayden Carter and Katana Chance fight to stay in but are eliminated back to back after eliminating Nile.
- Tatum Paxley eliminates herself to help out Nile who was being tag teamed by the KC’s.
- Stratton continues to dominate and eliminates Indi Hartwell
- The four women left in the ring are in each corner catching their breath before slugging it out – Stark, James, Lyons, and Stratton.
- James eliminated by Lyons
- Lyons eliminated by Stratton
- Down to Stark and Stratton…Stark tries multiple times to get Stratton to hit the ground and once hits with one foot but not the second.
- Stark almost gets eliminated but saves herself.
- Stratton gets caught after her backflips and Stark eliminates her up and over the top rope.
- Stark celebrates but the bell doesn’t ring. Jade returns and Stark immediately eliminates her.
- Stark wins Battle Royal and becomes number one contender.
Stark stares up at Mandy Rose and all three members of Toxic Attraction up in the Toxic Lounge. It was Toxic Attraction that took out Stark for her injury.
Earlier in the night, Jade explained why she turned on Roxanne Perez last week. She would then toss her NXT Women’s Championship belt in the trash at ringside. Perez would not appear on this week’s show. For more on this, you can click here.
Check back in with Diva Dirt for more news and results from the women of NXT 2.0.
