NXT Deadline’s latest edition is in progress, and the night has kicked off with a phenomenal match for the NXT Championship. It was the first time that the top prize was defended during the opening match of any PLE in the brand’s history. The NXT Champion Ricky Saints was challenged for his title by the ex-champion Oba Femi at Deadline, which Ricky embraced.
The contest determined not only the present ruler of the brand but also had an enormous impact on the upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event next week.
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NXT Championship battle reveals Cody Rhodes’ next challenger
According to the announcement made during last night’s SmackDown, undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will take on the current NXT Champion, and the American Nightmare really got a clear picture tonight on who he will be fighting next Saturday. Ricky Saints brought the match to Oba Femi right from the very start, in spite of the clear size disadvantage. Saint’s strategy was to go for Oba’s extremities to gain dominance in the match, and the first pinfall try came when he hit a missile dropkick for a two-count.
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Oba Femi turns the tide against Ricky Saints in intense NXT Title Showdown
Oba Femi was not for long at the back foot since his power was a deciding factor in turning the match in his favor. Over the next time, he was the one who controlled the match against Saints most of the time, but the NXT Champion was working hard to get back in the match whenever he got the chance. He struck Oba with a spear and a modified stunner for a near count and almost got him into a faint with a guillotine choke, as he was looking to hold on to his title. He also got a count-out win very close after executing a suicide dive on Oba, but Oba managed to get into the ring just before the referee finished counting to ten.
