Undisputed ERA once again stand atop the NXT Tag Team division.

In a perilous battle that pushed Moustache Mountain to their physical and emotional brink, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly defeated Tyler Bate & Trent Seven to regain the NXT Tag Team Titles, becoming only the second team to win the championship twice.

Perhaps just as telling as Undisputed ERA’s historic reign was the way it began: with Bate throwing in the towel to save Seven from a potentially career-threatening injury.

Bate’s drastic measure came after more than 18 minutes of fiercely hard-hitting action, the overwhelming majority of which saw Strong & O’Reilly maliciously work over Seven’s knee. Seven was hurt in the early goings after having his knee slammed onto the steel steps. Undisputed ERA continued the attack from there, using quick tags and a bevvy of limb-twisting submission holds to weaken The Don.

WWE NXT photos for July 11, 2018, featuring action-packed images of Moustache Mountain and Undisputed ERA dueling for the NXT Tag Team Titles, Kairi Sane vs. Vanessa Borne and more.

Seven fought courageously and even managed to tag Bate into the action at one point, allowing Textbook Tyler to rock Strong & O’Reilly with thunderous slams and throws.

Once Bate was pushed back into his corner, however, Seven tagged himself back into the match. Though the mustachioed mauler had enough energy to stun Strong with the Seven Stars Lariat, his knee gave out moments later as he attempted a Torture Rack. That gave Undisputed ERA the opening they needed to again target his knee. 

O’Reilly locked in an airtight double kneebar, and despite Seven’s desperate attempts to reach the ropes or tag out, there was no budging. Meanwhile, Bate stood on the apron, visibly distraught over watching his teammate, friend and mentor in agony. After much contemplation, and against the wishes of his partner, Bate reluctantly threw in the towel, signaling to the referee his desire to end the match.

As Adam Cole & Bobby Fish joined Strong & O’Reilly in crowing about Undisputed ERA’s monumental win, Bate rushed to Seven’s side, showing that above all else, their friendship comes first.