WWE NXT results, Oct. 17, 2018: Aleister Black returns in search for answers from Nikki Cross

The returning Bobby Fish swings things in favor of Undisputed ERA during their NXT Tag Team Title Match against The War Raiders. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Undisputed ERA’s Tag Team Championship reign lives on, thanks to a few shocks to the system. After evading The War Raiders’ crosshair for weeks, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong had nowhere to run when it came time to defend their NXT Tag Team Titles. Of course, Hanson & Rowe had no problem relishing the moment. Over the course of 20 minutes, this contentious battle saw The War Raiders overpower their opponents with tandem attacks – including one instance where they flung Strong into O’Reilly via a ring-shaking back body drop. Yet, the matchup was far from one-sided as O’Reilly and Strong used their razor sharp in-ring IQ to challenge to Hanson & Rowe’s brute strength.

Midway through, the despicable pair zeroed in on Rowe’s left knee, exposing a weakness that was then tenderized with a series of punishing strikes and calculated submission holds. Still, the technical maneuvers weren’t enough to prevent the modern-day Vikings from steamrolling the rhythm of Strong & O’Reilly. Hanson nearly decapitated Strong with a clothesline, which prompted Adam Cole to appear, only to get tossed to the outside by Hanson.

Just The War Raiders seemed to be closing in on the titles after downing O’Reilly with the Fallout, a steel chair-wielding Bobby Fish arrived for the save, blasting Hanson & Rowe to drive the match into a disqualification. And just like that, Undisputed ERA are back at full force, much to the detriment of Hanson & Rowe.

WWE NXT photos for Oct. 17, 2018, featuring two jaw-dropping main events, as well as Aleister Black’s shocking return.

Britt Baker had the unfortunate task of confronting the wrath of Shayna Baszler this week. To make matters worse, Baszler has spent the past month hellbent on sending a message to NXT Women’s Champion Kairi Sane.

Finding opportunity in her bout with Baker, The Queen of Spades unleashed a stern warning that was teemed with hard hits and limb-twisting holds. Things soon took a turn for the worse when Baszler crushed Baker’s left elbow into the mat with a devastating stomp. As her opponent let out a piercing shriek of pain, Baszler watched with glee while the referee ruled out Baker and declared the former NXT Women’s Champion the victor. Before stepping out of the ring, she rushed into Baker with a brutal knee to the face for one last burst of force. If that doesn’t send a message to The Pirate Princess as she prepares to defend her title at WWE Evolution, the entire locker room has assuredly been warned.

The united front of Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch faces Chinese Superstars Tian Bing & Rocky. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

With their eyes on the top prize in NXT’s Tag Team division, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch put up a fight to match their championship desire. Going against the talented combination of Chinese Superstars Tian Bing & Rocky, the hard-nosed brawlers cracked open their brand of rough-and-tumble offense and took their opponents to task from bell to bell.

Bing & Rocky did their best to neutralize the duo and succeeded in the early parts of the match, cooling down the jets of the Brit-Am tandem with a series of impressive submission holds. But once Lorcan broke out from a wrenching full nelson by Rocky and countered with a sweeping clothesline, the end was near. Before long, Lorcan & Burch set up a double-team DDT on Rocky to pick up another win. 

Appearing for the first time since being ambushed in August, The Dutch Destroyer returns to NXT in search of answers from Nikki Cross. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Before going any further: Bianca Belair remains un-de-feat-ed, and Nikki Cross is still un-pre-dict-able. That said, all limits were shredded and thrown to the wind once these two stepped into the squared circle. Picking up from the chaos left after their last brawl, Cross bolted into Belair with a crossbody, and from there, they pummeled each other with strikes and tussled until they fell out of the ring. When they decided to step back inside, it was one hard-hitting maneuver after another.

The tenacious Belair clocked Cross right in the face with an elbow and later executed a vicious Belair Bomb, but that only fueled the ever-resilient Cross. Belair picked up Cross for a deadlift gorilla press, but the attempt was thwarted by a reverse DDT. After failing to land a pinfall, Cross battered Belair with a top-rope superplex. Yet, just when it appeared the end was in sight, the entire arena went pitch black. When the lights finally came back on, there sat Aleister Black in his signature cross-legged pose, The Dutch Destroyer’s first appearance since being attacked months ago.

As the entire Full Sail Live erupted in shock, Black pointed at Cross. NXT’s Twisted Sister, who claims to know the identity of Black’s assailant(s), crawled to him and whispered in his ear a message that left The Dutch Destroyer visibly enraged. Now that Black is back in NXT, how long will it take for the truth to be uncovered in his infamous parking lot attack?