00:00Last night on Smackdown, in a few minutes,
00:02you'll be defending the NXT Women's North American Championship
00:05against the Cullings' Izzy Dane.
00:07But not only that, Zeruka has a chance
00:10at the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
00:12tomorrow night at Evolution.
00:14How are the two of you feeling?
00:15Sarah, I'm not gonna lie, I am riding high.
00:18Last night, on my Smackdown debut,
00:20everyone got to see me snatch not only one,
00:23but two souls.
00:24But today, it is tunnel vision
00:26on retaining this Women's North American Championship.
00:30Izzy Dane is a master manipulator,
00:32and she's the pulse of the calling,
00:34but she's gonna get her soul snatched regardless.
00:36My best friend is an absolute workhorse.
00:39In three days, you best believe
00:42I'm going to be in her corner
00:43to make sure that nothing goes wrong,
00:46especially with the little Tatum lurking around.
00:52After she retains, tomorrow night,
00:54Zeruka becomes the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.
01:00Dude, me with three titles?
01:02My God, it's gonna be sick.
01:03I'm gonna hold it.
01:03Come on, I guess it's time to go.
01:06Let's go.
01:07Good luck.
01:10Truth will ultimately prevail.
01:12But there is pain bringing it to light.
01:17With a nod of approval
01:39from Sean Spears,
01:42Izzy Dane looks to capture gold here tonight.
01:45And Corey, doesn't it just seem week by week
01:48Izzy is growing in confidence?
01:50I think that the culling
01:52was exactly what Izzy Dane needed in her career,
01:55and time will tell
01:56if the same holds true for Tatum Paxley.
01:59But this is a massive opportunity
02:00with gold on the line,
02:02not only just for Izzy Dane,
02:04but for the culling as an entire unit.
02:0624 hours ago,
02:30Sol Ruka competed in Nashville on SmackDown.
02:34Graves, she can't feel 100%.
02:36You would imagine not,
02:38but when it comes to thriving
02:39in high-pressure situations,
02:41I don't know if anyone is doing it these days
02:43quite like Sol Ruka.
02:45The woman is born to handle pressure.
02:48Tonight could be the latest example.
02:50Let's go up to our ring announcer,
02:52Mike Rowe.
02:53The following contest scheduled for one fall
03:00is for the NXT Women's North American Championship.
03:09Introducing the challenger,
03:15representing the culling,
03:18Izzy Dane.
03:25And her opponent,
03:27she is the NXT Women's North American Champion,
03:34Sol Ruka.
03:40There have been eight NXT Championship matches in Atlanta.
03:45Zero title changes.
03:48Women's North American title on the line in this moment.
03:51And Graves, you kind of just brought it up a second ago,
03:55but you've seen a lot of soul on WWE Speed.
03:58She is the women's champion.
03:59Wait a minute, wait a minute.
04:01Paxley just smacked the taste out of Zarya's mouth.
04:03Well, don't forget what Zarya called Tatum just moments ago.
04:07And Tatum right now might be running for her life.
04:10Our referee Gary Wilson trying his best.
04:12I mean, to be fair, Tatum was absconded with several times.
04:18Wait a minute.
04:19Wait, is he behind, Raph, Raph, do you see it?
04:23I drive, is he screaming for the title?
04:26On the foot, the right foot of Sol Ruka on that bottom rope.
04:35You felt the air leave this sold out center stage.
04:39Corey, check this out one more time.
04:41Amongst the chaos outside, inside the ring, Izzy Dane with that sky high power bump.
04:47You heard the crowd count to five.
04:50That was about a seven and a half count before Sol got her foot on the bottom rope.
04:54I mean, Booker, that was a heads up.
04:56Can I say this, great strategy from Tatum Paxley right off the bat, I love it, man.
05:03Well, no doubt who Paxley is in the corner of.
05:06She has decided to join Izzy, join the coin, instead of siding with Sol Ruka and
05:11Zarya, who were once her friends.
05:14Don't waste any time, Izzy.
05:15As I was getting ready to talk to you.
05:18Let me ask you this, Vic, why do you think Tatum Paxley made such a choice for
05:22her own career?
05:23I honestly don't know how to ask that because we've seen Tatum Pax for
05:26such a long time and she always says that her friends leave her.
05:29For some reason, she trusts Izzy more than most.
05:31But this ain't about friends, Book, what's it about?
05:33Buddies, pals, man, that's what it's all about.
05:37I thought you were gonna say Checks and Championships.
05:39You're feeling okay?
05:40Missile drop kick from Sol.
05:42I thought she was gonna do the wrong.
05:43Sol with a big kick.
05:46Sol getting back into this matchup and Graves to get this back on track.
05:49How has she handled the extra workload with not one?
05:51Two championships.
05:54That might have been the beginning of the end.
05:57Able to roll through was Sol both moving on the outside.
06:00Izzy did her best to plant Sol.
06:02Sol definitely took some impact high on her shoulder.
06:05She's obviously able to recover, but
06:07curious to see if that's gonna factor in as this match progresses.
06:09To counter that point, Sol also did just have enough momentum to get Izzy up and
06:13overcharge it in.
06:14Big shot, big shot.
06:15Covered title on the line and a near fall.
06:18Sol could have three championships after tomorrow night.
06:22Of course, teams with Zarya for the women's tag team titles.
06:25And a four-way tag team match of an evolution.
06:28Booker, how difficult is it to stay focused on one title, let alone three?
06:32It's so hard to try to go out there and defend a championship like that,
06:35a three championship in this business.
06:37You're on the road so much, this is not like football with Bo Jackson or
06:41Deion Sanders or anything like that, too much of in-ring time.
06:45Hoist it up, Izzy, again, showcasing that power.
06:49This is a rubber match between these two in singles competition.
06:53But it is important to remember, Izzy did pin the champion recently in a tag team
06:58match, and Izzy right now in control.
07:01Total control, man.
07:03Certainly has to give a mental advantage to Izzy Dane, who seems to be settling
07:07into cruise control in this matchup.
07:09Making sure she doesn't make any errors, doesn't leave any openings for
07:13the champion to get back in this fight.
07:15Tatum Paxley around the outside playing cheerleader.
07:20We're all being honest with each other, Tatum has more issues than TV Guide.
07:24But we can save that for another day as Sol Uka trying to fight back into this matchup.
07:28This is when did you become a mental health professional, Joseph?
07:30Hey, look, I have to sit between you two every single week.
07:33I've earned a few stripes as now looking for a title is Izzy Dane.
07:37And in the near fall, Izzy looking for her first championship here in NXT.
07:42And imagine tomorrow, Corey, Izzy has another massive opportunity at Evolution.
07:47Women's Battle Royal winner would have a championship match at Clash in Paris.
07:52It could be Izzy Dane we're talking about in a matter of months holding multiple championships
07:57as Sol Uka does right now.
07:59Think about the other side of the coin for Uka.
08:01She potentially could leave Evolution with three titles or one.
08:05Just a speed championship.
08:06That's very true.
08:08As Izzy Dane right now has been in the driver's seat since beginning.
08:13Sol from behind using her quickness.
08:15And almost able to keep Izzy's shoulders down for three.
08:18Right back up though and right back down into the cover.
08:21Hook of the leg and another kick out.
08:24Izzy's one step ahead right now, guys.
08:27I agree with you, Brooke.
08:28It's like Izzy has utilized the fact she had a singular focus coming into this matchup.
08:32One opponent to worry about, that being Sol Uka, whereas Uka, as we talked about before,
08:36has been burning the candle at both ends.
08:39Sean Spears believes in Izzy Dane.
08:41He has said he suffered so that she could shine along with Nico Vance and Tatum Patsley.
08:48Booker, how important has Sean Spears been to the growth of the challenger here tonight?
08:53You're talking about the GPS, Sean.
08:55She hasn't done a hell of a job with Izzy Dane because Izzy was kind of floundering after
09:01Kiana James took a hiatus.
09:03But right now, she's looking for her best.
09:06Big shot.
09:07We got the champion.
09:08We got the champion.
09:09My God.
09:10A half second away.
09:12And this is where, Corey, I come back to yesterday.
09:15Wow.
09:1624 hours ago.
09:17Let's take another look at this before we get there, Vic.
09:19Bam!
09:20Sol Uka, you can pick up your bicuspids over on Peachtree Street.
09:24Incredible boot by the challenger.
09:26Corey, she's coming in out at 100%, competing last night,
09:29taking on the likes of Roxanne Perez.
09:32Listen, a lot of champions believe that iron sharpens iron.
09:36Sol Uka certainly upped that mentality.
09:39But right now, Izzy Dane proving why it's a questionable thought process.
09:42Not only that, we never come into the ring 100%.
09:45And it's always said, you can work her all day, man.
09:49You just can't work injury.
09:51That's the deal, dawg.
09:52All right, now Sol, trying to get back.
09:55Big flying clothesline, looking to the outside.
09:58You see her tag team partner, Zarya, trying to fire her up,
10:02as is this sold out crowd here in Atlanta.
10:05Watch your positioning, Izzy.
10:07You gotta stay out of those corners, man.
10:10Izzy, again, just able somehow to slither away, able to-
10:13Whoa!
10:14Rolling up now the champion for the title.
10:16Another near fall.
10:18And that power on display, counter though by Sol.
10:21Unique backstabber of sorts.
10:24I believe that was two feet to the spine.
10:26Unique offense from the women's North American champion Sol Ruka now with a few
10:31valuable moments to re-strategize.
10:34What the hell?
10:35Whoa, baby!
10:36What the hell?
10:37She didn't get all of that.
10:39She took a nasty spill in Sol.
10:42Yeah.
10:43It's tough to tell which woman got the worst of that exchange.
10:47And Tatum Paxley almost having a panic attack of sorts overseeing her friend suffer.
10:53Look at this, Ruka.
10:54Ruka's right foot, perhaps her knee connected with the forehead or face of the challenger.
10:59Guys.
11:00Sol took a nasty spill in the process.
11:02Izzy took all of that, guys.
11:04Sol now springboard into the ring.
11:07And she's getting a little crazy right now.
11:09Laying it on the line.
11:10Here we go.
11:11The title.
11:12Man.
11:13Challenger able to kick out.
11:14You can see Tatum Paxley.
11:15You can see now the eyes of the champion.
11:17You see Zarya on the outside.
11:19A lot of layers between these four women.
11:22But the one thing that matters the most right now here at the Great American Bash is the Women's North American Championship.
11:30And Sol Ruka, not afraid to take risks, Corey.
11:34But I don't know about this.
11:36I ripped this for guys.
11:39Whoa!
11:40Izzy Dame did her homework.
11:42Certainly did.
11:43She might have just broken the code into the cover for the title.
11:48And another near fall.
11:50Kudos to the champion for surviving, but Izzy Dame brought her A game tonight.
11:57First shrugging Sol off, followed immediately by a code breaker from the middle rope.
12:04We almost had a new champion.
12:06Graves, Izzy has a cold hearted edge over most.
12:10I mean, she's manipulative and she's conniving, but will that carry her to a victory?
12:14Because right now, Sol almost seems possessed in a way.
12:18Well listen, manipulative, conniving, those are words that people use when they talk about someone that they don't like.
12:23I haven't been close enough to Izzy to understand where her head truly is.
12:26Sol Ruka, wildly popular.
12:28Izzy Dame, perhaps not so much.
12:30That could all shift here at the Bash.
12:32And a combination from the champion.
12:34Challenger answering right back.
12:36And you heard Ruka and Zarya call Izzy the pulse of the culling, Booker.
12:41That is certainly something that's hard to argue.
12:43Dapo kicked by Ruka.
12:44I agree.
12:45I agree.
12:46I mean, right now Izzy Dame is doing a hell of a job for the culling.
12:49And we talk about Sol Ruka having to compete on multiple occasions.
12:53Could he be catching up with her, guys?
12:55That's the question.
12:56And now again, looking for a little high risk.
12:59To my point.
13:00To my point.
13:01You're right, Book.
13:02You're absolutely right.
13:03Luckily, Sol able to recover.
13:06X Factor from the top.
13:08Pivotal point right now in this matchup.
13:13And truthfully, I don't know who's taking more punishment here tonight.
13:18Great point, Vic.
13:20What a hard hitting matchup.
13:23This is awesome.
13:24This is awesome.
13:25This is awesome.
13:27This is awesome.
13:28This is awesome.
13:31Simply fueled by the WWE Universe, Sol Ruka back to her feet first.
13:35Loicen up the challenger at this point too, Book.
13:38Dropkick to the back.
13:39You kinda have to throw sort of strategy out the window.
13:44Definitely right now with those deep, those deep, deep waters right now.
13:48We're gonna see who's gonna drown.
13:50That's the question.
13:51Who's gonna drown here?
13:52Baby.
13:53Baby.
13:54Yes.
13:55Massive chokeslam from the challenger.
13:59Izzy, right back in center of the ring.
14:02High impact offense.
14:04Wow.
14:05For the championship.
14:06One, two.
14:07And the champion just kicking out.
14:12And now.
14:13Now is not the time, Izzy.
14:14You can't let yourself fall apart.
14:16So Graves' point, Izzy Dame has to stay focused, Booker.
14:21No, definitely got to stay focused.
14:23But this, God, this is what the Great American Bash is all about.
14:27Leaving everything in the middle of that square circle.
14:30Izzy's feeling it.
14:32Can she deliver the coup d'etat?
14:34And both also wanna carry momentum into tomorrow's evolution.
14:38And a super kick under the jaw.
14:40Champion has life.
14:42And looking for that soul snatcher, countered for a moment by the challenger.
14:46Baby.
14:47Geez.
14:49I thought Izzy was gonna walk right into it right there.
14:52Izzy, as Corey said earlier, has certainly done her homework, both women.
14:58Unbelievable athleticism from Soluka.
15:02Target set.
15:06Big spear.
15:07Much like Zarya entering into the zone of destruction.
15:10One, two.
15:11And Tatum, our official didn't see Tatum Paxley help out her new BFF.
15:25Fire from Zarya.
15:27Tatum Paxley's wiped out.
15:30A big right hand though from the challenger.
15:33Izzy Dane back in.
15:34Ducks the clothesline.
15:35And there it is.
15:36Ruka snatches Izzy's soul.
15:40One, two, three.
15:42Sol Ruka retains the title.
15:45Here is your winner, and still, the NXT Women's North American Champion, Sol Ruka.
16:02What a match.
16:05Graves, let's go back to the closing moments.
16:08Here we see an epic spear by the champion.
16:11One, two.
16:12It wasn't quite enough to get the job done thanks to the assist from Tatum Paxley on the outside,
16:17who was met and nearly sawed in half by Zarya for her troubles.
16:24But Izzy got a bit overzealous, and Sol Ruka with the soul snatcher,
16:30a move that no one has been able to solve just yet.
16:34And still Women's North American Champion.
16:39And is more gold in the future of Sol Ruka and Zarya?
16:47We'll find out tomorrow at WWE Evolution.
16:51We'll find out tomorrow at WWE Evolution.
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