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WWE’s Wes Lee Defeats Tony D’Angelo to Retain NXT North American Title
Since his return to WWE NXT after suffering an injury, The Don Tony D’Angelo has had his sights set on the NXT North American Championship, and to become the Champion he has to beat the Champion, which is currently Wes Lee. Lee is not about to let that Title go without a fight of course, and tonight he proved that, as despite taking an absurd amount of damage to his leg and knee, he was able to keep Tony D’Angelo at bay, though he did have a little help from another recent NXT return. That would be Dijak, who decided to take D’Angelo’s ally Stacks during the match, giving Lee the room he needed to get the win.
D’Angelo looked to make a statement early and threw Lee towards the other side of the ring twice in a row, and while Lee got a few hits in, D’Angelo hit right back and then slammed Lee with a German Suplex. D’Angelo went for another Suplex but he landed on his feet, and then Lee hit a dropkick and sent D’Angelo into the ropes. Lee went right at The Don in the corner, hitting big strikes to the chest and stomach, and D’Angelo took a minute to walk around the ring and regroup.
Where did Dijak take @Channing_WWE?!#WWENXT @WesLee_WWE @TonyDangeloWWE pic.twitter.com/P24CLCX17U
— WWE (@WWE) December 28, 2022
D’Angelo then went for Lee’s leg twice in a row but missed both times, and Lee then got D’Angelo down to a knee with a hold. D’Angelo then lifted Lee and broke the hold, hitting Lee’s body with big strikes and charging into him with his shoulder to damage his ribs. D’Angelo then went for a kick but Lee dodged it and hit the Don’s leg and hit a Shooting Star but D’Angelo rolled out of the ring before he could cover. Lee then dove to the outside and knocked D’Angelo to the floor.
Lee would get D’Angelo back in the ring and keep the momentum, but eventually The Don capitalized on his opportunity and found a weak point in Lee’s leg. D’Angelo continually attacked the leg of Lee and locked it in a hold that put big pressure on Lee’s knee. D’Angelo put as much force on the knee as he could, and though Lee was able to finally break the hold, D’Angelo picked him up and brought him down twice on the hurt leg and knee, causing him to roll to the outside.
D’Angelo then lifted Lee and slammed him down knee first onto the announce table, and Lee was visibly hurting. He rolled the Champ in the ring and went for the pin, but Lee kicked out. Lee was then able to counter D’Angelo and hit a DDT, buying him some time to recover. Lee went for D’Angelo’s leg with kicks and then looked to hit his body with strikes, and then shoulder tackles got the challenger on the mat.
Lee got him down to a knee and then into the corner and kept the punches flying, and Lee then went up top only to get slammed down with a powerbomb by D’Angelo. D’Angelo then went up top but Dijak then grabbed Stacks and pulled him backstage, and this distracted The Don enough to allow Lee to kick D’Angelo in the head and hit another kick to the side of the face and get the pin and the win.
