NXT came to us on Tuesday night from the Capitol Wrestling Center. We are just over a week removed from NXT Takeover 36 and NXT looked to carry that momentum with another stacked show. After a confrontation last week, Johnny Gargano was set to face off against LA Knight. Issues between Ridge Holland and Tomasso Ciampa were also set to come to a head as the two would face off against one another. Both the NXT and NXT UK champions were also set to appear on this stacked show. Let's take a look at the night's action.

Sarray vs. Mandy Rose w/ Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne

Mandy Rose arrived in NXT a few weeks ago and has quickly made her presence felt. She has taken the young team of Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne under her wing. To begin the match Mandy was able to use her strength advantage early on against Sarray. She tossed her opponent around with ease. Mandy also attempted to wear down Sarray with multiple holds on the mat.

Sarray could not be held down for long, however, as she battled back into the match. She fired up with a flurry of offense and sent Mandy hard into the ropes. She followed up with a big dropkick that sent Mandy crashing to the floor. Dolin and Jayne checked on their mentor and called an end to the match. They covered Mandy's face with a towel as the three left the arena.

Kyle O'Reilly vs. Duke Hudson

Last week on NXT, O'Reilly got into a confrontation with NXT newcomer Duke Hudson. As a result of this incident, a match between the two competitors was made for this week. This match was not too much of a contest. Hudson was able to get a brief advantage early on by utilizing his size advantage. This did not last long, however, as O'Reilly battled back and targeted the left leg of Hudson. In the end, O'Reilly locked Hudson's leg in the heel hook for the submission win.

Ilja Dragunov Addresses the NXT Fans

Coming off his huge title-winning performance at NXT Takeover, Dragunov was finally able to address the fans. The champion limped down the entrance ramp was still showcasing the wounds of war. He wanted to assure the fans that after his war with Walter, he was still alive. Not only alive but more alive than he has ever been in his life. Dragunov also stated that he has no fear and is ready for anyone that wants to step up and challenge him for the NXT UK championship.

Johnny Gargano w/ InDex vs. LA Knight

Last week on NXT, Johnny Gargano and LA Knight got into a heated confrontation in the general manager's office. William Regal made a match between the two superstars to settle their differences. Gargano was accompanied to the ring by InDex, Indi Hartwell, and her love interest Dexter Lumis. Gargano is still not sold on the idea of having Lumis in his family and made that very clear here. He was distracted by this early on and Knight was able to take advantage. Johnny tried to battle back, but Knight shut down the comeback with his strength advantage.

Knight seemed to be in full control of the matchup, but Gargano found his opening. LA Knight attempted a slingshot spear but was unable to hit it. Moments later, Gargano landed one of his own and scored a near fall. Johnny attempted the One Final Beat but was countered with a big uppercut. The shot knocked Gargano off the apron and into the arms of Lumis. The distraction of being caught by Lumis proved to be Gargano's undoing as he was hit with the BFT for the pinfall loss. As the wedding between Dexter and Indi draws near, it will be interesting to see what happens with The Way.

Raquel Gonzalez vs. Jessi Kamea w/ Franky Monet & Robert Stone

Next up during the night was a match between NXT Women's Champion Raquel Gonzalez and Jessi Kamea. This was just another showcase for the dominance of Gonzalez. Kamea did land some offense early on in the contest and attacked the champion's left leg. This was brief, however, as the champion battled back and dropped Kamea with a big boot. She followed up with a big powerbomb for the win. The biggest takeaway from this match was the interaction between Gonzalez and Franky Monet. It seems like Monet may be the next challenger for the NXT Women's Championship.

Samoa Joe Makes His Intentions Known

The new NXT Champion Samoa Joe sat down with Wade Barrett to discuss his future as NXT Champion. Joe made it very clear that his intentions were not to just win the NXT title. Now that he is champion, he wants to defend his title against the absolute best. He also promised to pave a path for the future stars of NXT to challenge him for the championship. This was an interesting segment given the rumor of the impending NXT rebrand.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Ridge Holland w/ Dunne, Lorcan & Burch

The main event of Tuesday's show was a match between Tommaso Ciampa and Ridge Holland. The tension has been building between the two men's teams as of late, so this promised to be a hard-hitting match. Ciampa started this one off very quickly and went after the larger man with a combination of strikes. The presence of Lorcan and Burch paid dividends for Holland as they distracted Ciampa and allowed him to gain control. Holland used his size and strength advantage to punish Ciampa during the matchup.

Ciampa would battle back and look for his openings. The former NXT Champion attempted a Fairytale Ending to put Holland away but was countered into an Alabama Slam. The two men began to exchange big strikes in the center of the ring. Ciampa gained the advantage and landed an Air Raid Crash for the near fall. Holland stopped Ciampa's momentum and sent him crashing into the barricade. Ciampa was able to battle back once again and landed the Willow's Bell for the pinfall victory.

Moving Forward

The black and gold brand is headed for a major rebrand. There have been rumors and teaser videos discussed for the past few weeks. While it is still uncertain what the rebrand will entail, one thing is for sure, NXT is still bringing some of the best action in Pro Wrestling. Each week they have been working to build new stars while also showcasing NXT veterans. I am hopeful that despite the brand going through some changes, the core message will remain the same. We Are NXT.