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WWE’s Bron Breakker Defeats the Odds to Retain NXT Title at Halloween Havoc
It was finally time for the main event at WWE NXT Halloween Havoc, which would be a Triple Threat match for the NXT Championship between Champion Bron Breakker and challengers Ilja Dragunov and JD McDonagh. After the KO Show segment during this week’s NXT, it was clear that Breakker and Dragunov had it out for McDonagh, and they frequently looked to combine forces and make him pay. McDonagh would get payback though, as he cost Dragunov the match at one point by catching the referee’s hand before the three count. That led to Breakker hitting the spear on Dragunov and retaining his NXT Championship, and despite the tease of a possible Austin Theory Money in the Bank cash-in, he was nowhere to be found.
Dragunov got the first hit and then Breakker wanted in, but both Breakker and Dragunov just alternated punching McDonagh until they locked horns long enough for McDonagh to ambush them and bring them down with a flurry of offense. McDonagh would continue to cause problems for Dragunov, and even when Breakker got back into the mix, McDonagh kept him at bay and stayed in control.
Breakker made his way back in and clocked McDonagh and Dragunov to gain control for the first time in the match, but Dragunov brought that to a halt rather quickly. Breakker wrestled it back when he caught Dragunov and slammed him down to the mat, and then after building some momentum from the ropes eh knocked Dragunov down to the mat with a shoulder tackle. McDonagh tried to hit Breakker on his blindside but he countered, sending JD out of the ring.
Breakker slammed Dragunov down into a cover but McDonagh got in and broke it up and then rolled right out of the ring, making that the second time he had attacked and then moved out of the way. Breakker lifted Dragunov but he countered into a sleeper and then hammered Breakker with elbow strikes. Dragunov took control for a bit but once again McDonagh was there to try and spoil things, but Dragunov slammed JD into Breakker in the corner and went up top. Then he hit a dropkick from the far side of the ring on both.
Breakker and Dragunov would set their sights on each other for a bit, and after one particular exchange the crowd clapped, and McDonagh also clapped in the ring. Breakker and Dragunov both took exception to McDonagh’s taunting, and they combined again to send him airborne and then sailing over the ropes to the ground below.
Then it was back to one on one, and Dragunov would look to gain an advantage with clotheslines, but Breakker would win that battle, knocking Ilja down and then lifting him up, but a headbutt from McDonagh knocked everyone down. Breakker was up top with JD, and then he hit a Frakensteiner into a Powerbomb, sending McDonagh into Dragunov and knocking them both down.
Dragunov would hit big chops and strikes on both of his opponents, but then Breakker collided with Dragunov, sending both out of the ring. McDonagh followed with a dropkick and then another kick to Dragunov, and he ended the sequence with a jump off the ring apron to knock both opponents down. Dragunov would go for two covers on Breakker but he kicked out of both, and then McDonagh would hit a 450 and go for the cover on Ilja and then one on Breakker, but again, both kicked out.
McDonagh knocked Breakker down and then went for another cover, but Breakker kicked out once again. McDonagh turned his focus to Dragunov and clubbed him with forearm strikes, but Dragunov hit two German suplexes, only for Breakker to pick them up and hit a third. Breakker brought down Dragunov from the top rope and then lifted him and slammed him down, but McDonagh threw Breakker out of the ring and went for the cover instead, and Dragunov kicked out at the very last minute.
Breakker was back up on his feet and he went after McDonagh, sending him soaring out of the ring. He charged up for a spear but Dragunov countered and went up top. He hit a senton and then charged up for his finisher, hitting it and going for the cover, but as the referee was going for the three count, McDonagh caught the referee’s hand. They exchanged strikes and then they collided on the outside, with McDonagh winning that exchange. McDonagh then put Dragunov’s foot on the steel steps and stomped on it before grabbing a chair. Dragunov then left in the air and connected with a headbutt, and then he rolled into the ring.
Dragunov and Breakker exchanged punches in the center of the ring, and both stars went for whatever gas was left in the tank with kicks, suplexes, and strikes. Dragunov went for his finisher but Breakker caught him with a spear and went for the cover, and that was it, with Breakker retaining his NXT Championship.
What did you think of the match? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
