Tommaso Ciampa put his NXT Championship on the line against Aleister Black, and the match was just as good as expected.
#TommySportsEntertainment STRIKES!@ProjectCiampa #NXTChampionship #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/3pTZBbuyjM
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 27, 2019
Both men showed plenty of technique early and Ciampa intelligently worked on damaging Black’s legs. The entire gameplan was built around making sure that the challenger couldn’t use what he was best known for, his devastating kicks.
✅ Spanish Announce Table physicality
✅ Hydration Breaks
✅ Self-Congratulating@ProjectCiampa vs. @WWEAleister has EVERYTHING! #NXTTakeOver #NXTChampionship pic.twitter.com/ScAh8t4GeW— WWE (@WWE) January 27, 2019
The back-and-forth match was filled with brutal action and Ciampa would eventually use the same strategy that his former DIY partner Johnny Gargano employed earlier in the night as he exposed the floor. However, Black would use that to his own advantage and dived onto Ciampa right after he finished preparing the hard surface. The two then had a series of near-falls that led to Black kicking out of Ciampa’s “Fairytale Ending.”
However, Ciampa would go on to hit his finisher a second time and third time to retain his belt.
RELATED: Johnny Gargano Embraces His Dark Side, Becomes NXT North American Champion
