Featured: Sami Zayn vs. Tye Dillinger.

Payback was on the minds of NXT Women’s Champion Bayley & Carmella as they got ready for this week’s main event. The best friends were itching to get their hands on Eva Marie & Nia Jax, who put a damper on their hard-fought title match two weeks ago. Would their desire for retribution be enough to bring them victory?

With just nine days left before TakeOver: Dallas, the stakes have never been higher in NXT. Finn Bálor set out to prove that he’s ready to weather Samoa Joe’s worst in the Lone Star State, while the submission specialist sent a message to the NXT Champion in brutal fashion. Meanwhile, Asuka looked to continue along the path of destruction that led her to a showdown with NXT Women’s Champion Bayley in Dallas, taking on Emma in the main event.

The road to TakeOver: Dallas made its final stop at Full Sail University, just two days before the hottest brand in sports-entertainment invades the Lone Star State. Many of the competitors set for action during Friday’s extravaganza took to the ring Wednesday night to make final adjustments before the biggest night of their careers. Who came out looking strong heading into the historic WWE Network broadcast?

Just days removed from the epic TakeOver: Dallas special, this week’s edition of NXT took a special look back at the incredible night, including American Alpha’s and Asuka’s big championship victories, Shinsuke Nakamura’s unforgettable debut and the all-out war between NXT Champion Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe.

Plus, in the main event, “The Drifter” Elias Samson sought to silence Apollo Crews once and for all, while Crews looked to capitalize on the momentum from his huge Raw debut and send Samson drifting away.

As some of NXT’s most popular stars make an impact on Raw and SmackDown, there’s never been a better time for the rest of the roster to try to make their mark between the yellow ropes, or for some new faces to introduce themselves to the NXT Universe. This week featured some of both, as new NXT Tag Team Champions American Alpha accepted the challenge of Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady, and Apollo Crews found himself in the crosshairs of Samoa Joe. Plus, the fun-loving No Way Jose made his NXT debut!

The NXT Universe was still reeling from last Thursday’s shocking news that Samoa Joe had captured the NXT Championship from Finn Bálor. The Demon’s record-breaking 292-day reign as champion has ended, and a furious submission specialist now stands atop NXT. What will Samoa Joe’s huge victory mean for the future of NXT?

Finn Bálor made his long-awaited return to NXT this week, his first appearance since Samoa Joe ended his 292-day reign as NXT Champion. The Demon didn’t mince words, saying that all of his matches with the submission specialist could have gone either way. But before he could elaborate, his opponent in the main event, Elias Samson, interrupted Bálor with a song mocking the former champion. Bálor put an end to the impromptu concert, silencing The Drifter with a Pele Kick ahead of their battle.

Tensions were running high in NXT, with TakeOver: The End… just one week away. Everyone was on edge, including NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival. Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder declared that they were going to take back their titles from American Alpha. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa disagreed, saying that not only can’t The Revival beat Jason Jordan & Chad Gable, Dash & Dawson couldn’t beat them. The trash-talking led to a scuffle between the two teams, with Gargano & Ciampa sending the No. 1 contenders scrambling up the ramp, setting the stage for a showdown between the duos later in the evening.