The only way to win is KNOCKOUT or TAPOUT.@SuperKingofBros & Timothy Thatcher will meet in the #WWENXT FIGHT PIT, NEXT! @RealKurtAngle pic.twitter.com/TapvxmXKeY— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) May 28, 2020
May 28 (UPI) -- Former tag team partners Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher had the first-ever Fight Pit match on WWE NXT.
The Fight Pit, on Wednesday, consisted of a lowered steel cage that was similar to cages found in MMA. The structure also featured a small walkway at the top.
WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle served as the special guest referee. Riddle and Thatcher had a highly competitive and physically brutal match that could only be won by submission or knockout.
The Original Bro and Thatcher, after trading blows inside the ring, made their way to the top part of the cage. Riddle sent Thatcher back down with a Ripcord Knee and then crash landed below onto his rival with the Floating Bro.
Thatcher would recover, however, and locked in the Rear-Naked Choke submission hold onto Riddle. Thatcher never let go of the hold despite Riddle bumping Thatcher into the cage multiple times.
Riddle eventually passed out, giving Thatcher the victory.
Also on WWE NXT, Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai teamed up to take on NXT Women's Champion Charlotte Flair and Chelsea Green. Flair will be defending her title against both Ripley and Shirai in a Triple Threat match at NXT TakeOver: In Your House on June 7.
Green was a team player and pushed Flair out of harm's way as Shirai delivered a Springboard Missile Dropkick. Flair then dodged a second attack from Shirai, causing The Genius of the Sky to accidentally hit Ripley.
Flair took advantage of the situation and quickly pinned Shirai for the victory. The Queen illegally used the ropes for leverage during the pin but the referee did not see it.
NXT Champion Adam Cole had a virtual meeting with general manager William Regal regarding who will be Cole's next opponent.
Regal announced that Cole will be defending his title a second time against The Velveteen Dream at NXT TakeOver: In Your House.
Cole agreed to the rematch on the condition that Dream will never be able to challenge him for the NXT Championship again. Regal also stated that he will find a special location for the bout to take place.
Other moments from WWE NXT included Johnny Gargano defeating Adrian Alanis during the first-ever Johnny Gargano Invitational; Keith Lee and Mia Yim calling out Gargano and his wife Candice LeRae; Raquel Gonzalez defeating Shotzi Blackheart; Tommaso Ciampa defeating Leon Ruff before he received a warning message from Karrion Kross; and Drake Maverick defeating Kushida and Jake Atlas to reach the finals of the Interim Cruiserweight Championship tournament.
Maverick won the match by pinning Kushida while he was busy placing Atlas into the Armband submission hold. Maverick will now get to face El Hijo del Fantasma for the Interim Cruiserweight Championship.
