ORLANDO, Florida — As the NXT Universe was still reeling from the major announcement that Samoa Joe and Finn Bálor’s huge NXT Championship Match at TakeOver would be contested inside a steel cage, they were surprised for a second time this week, as two of NXT’s newest stars joined forces for a big tag team encounter!
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Austin Aries & Shinsuke Nakamura def. Blake & Murphy
After Blake & Murphy rudely interrupted him in William Regal’s office, the NXT General Manager granted Austin Aries a tag team match against Alexa Bliss’ charges, with a partner of his choice. “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived” made, perhaps, the best pick possible in the form of Shinsuke Nakamura.
The dissension brewing between Blake & Murphy spilled over into the beginning of the match, as Murphy tagged himself into the bout at the bell. Despite Blake offering to tag in, Murphy waved him off, which ended up being their undoing. Aries and The King of Strong Style picked Murphy apart.
The new partnership of Aries & Nakamura was not without a rough patch, though. Aries, who thinks he’s been flying under the radar in NXT since Nakamura’s arrival, stuck out his hand for a tag with Murphy on the ropes. However, the red-hot Nakamura ignored the offer, instead walloping Murphy with the Kinshasa to pick up the victory. Any potential discord between Aries and Nakamura seemed to be wiped away after the victory, as the two were all smiles in celebrating their victory.
However, that was not the case for Blake, Murphy and Alexa Bliss. Fed up with the former NXT Tag Team Champions’ recent shortcomings, Alexa threw up her hands and walked out on them. And, frustrated with his partner’s behavior, Blake turned his back on Murphy and left him at ringside.