12/16 WWE NXT Preview: Dunne Vs. O’Reilly, Kross Returns To Aktion

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WWE has shared the following Quick Hits for tonight’s episode of NXT on WWE.com:

• Kyle O’Reilly to battle Pete Dunne for NXT Title opportunity at New Year’s Evil
• Karrion Kross returns to action this week on NXT
• Rhea Ripley and Toni Storm to clash in grudge match
• Leon Ruff teams with Kushida to face Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory

WWE’s full preview can be found HERE; we have included excerpts below:

Kyle O’Reilly to battle Pete Dunne for NXT Title opportunity at New Year’s Evil

An NXT Title Match against Finn Bálor hangs in the balance this Wednesday night when Kyle O’Reilly faces Pete Dunne one-on-one in uninterrupted bell-to-bell action.

General Manager William Regal made the matchup after O’Reilly and Dunne, along with Damian Priest, confronted Bálor last week and made their NXT Title ambitions known. The winner of O’Reilly vs. Dunne will challenge The Prince at NXT New Year’s Evil on Jan. 6.

Two of the hardest hitters in the game, O’Reilly and Dunne are also familiar foes, most recently competing on opposing sides in this year’s Men’s WarGames Match, which was won by The Undisputed ERA.

Can O’Reilly continue The Undisputed ERA’s success and earn a rematch against Bálor, whom he faced in an instant-classic at NXT TakeOver 31? Or will The BruiserWeight smash his way toward title contention?

Karrion Kross returns to action this week on NXT

Former NXT Champion Karrion Kross is set to return to action this week on NXT, competing for the first time since a shoulder injury forced him to relinquish the title last August.

The NXT Universe had seen neither hide nor hair of Kross in the months that followed his devastating setback, but that all changed last week when he and Scarlett made their surprise return to the black-and-gold brand. The night began with Scarlett confronting NXT Champion Finn Bálor, but she was merely a harbinger of the destruction to follow, as Kross ambushed Damian Priest and sent him crashing through a table later that night.

Now that Kross is back, is doomsday just around the corner for the rest of the NXT roster?

Leon Ruff teams with Kushida to face Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory

Leon Ruff was left without a partner thanks to an unexpected attack, but not for long.

Kushida will fill in for Damian Priest and team up with Ruff as they face NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano and his new protégé, Austin Theory.

Ruff and Priest formed a tenuous alliance in opposition to Gargano in recent weeks, but Priest was taken out last week by the returning Karrion Kross.

Meanwhile, Gargano formally coined his alliance with Theory, along with wife Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell as The Way. Gargano pinned Ruff in a Triple Threat Match also involving Priest at NXT TakeOver: WarGames to win the North American Title for a third time, thanks to help from Theory.

Kushida, who has been red hot of late, approached Ruff backstage, offering his allegiance in the fight against The Way. Can NXT’s resident Time Splitter help Ruff knock off Gargano & Theory, or will The Way prevail?

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