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The Way (professional wrestling)

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The Way
Stable
MembersJohnny Gargano (co-leader)
Candice LeRae (co-leader)
Austin Theory
Indi Hartwell
Name(s)The Way
DebutDecember 9, 2020
Years active2020–present

The Way is a villainous professional wrestling stable currently performing in WWE on the NXT brand. The group is led by Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae, and is also composed of Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell. LeRae and Hartwell are currently in their first reign as NXT Women's Tag Team Champions.

History

Background

On February 16, 2020 at NXT TakeOver: Portland, Gargano turned heel by costing Tommaso Ciampa, his longtime partner and rival, his match against Adam Cole for the NXT Championship, with Gargano justifying his actions by exclaiming that Ciampa had put him through hell for nearly two years and was simply getting his long-overdue revenge.[1] On the April 8 episode of NXT, Gargano and Ciampa faced off in an Empty Arena match, during which, LeRae, who for several weeks prior attempted to play peacemaker between the two, also turned heel by assisting Gargano in defeating Ciampa, therefore ending the longtime feud between them.[2]

Following this, Gargano and LeRae began portraying themselves as a power couple, and feuded with another one of NXT's power couples, Keith Lee and Mia Yim.[3] At TakeOver: In Your House, Gargano faced Lee for the NXT North American Championship, but despite LeRae's interference, Gargano was defeated, thanks to Yim fending off LeRae.

Formation

On October 28 at NXT: Halloween Havoc, Gargano defeated Damian Priest in a Devil’s Playground match to become a two-time NXT North American Champion, and later that same night, LeRae faced Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship, during which she was assisted by a masked figure wearing the Ghostface costume, but the figure was fended off by Shotzi Blackheart, ultimately costing LeRae the match.[4] On the November 11 episode of NXT, the masked figure was revealed to be Indi Hartwell, who aligned herself with LeRae. On that same night, Gargano dropped the NXT North American Championship to Leon Ruff thanks to Priest's interference, leading to a three-way feud between them.[5] On December 6 at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, another masked figure dressed as Ghostface interfered in Gargano's Triple Threat match against Ruff and Priest, and assisted Gargano into winning, therefore allowing Gargano to become the first-ever three time NXT North American Champion. After the match, the masked figure revealed himself as Austin Theory.[6]

On the December 9 episode of NXT, Gargano, LeRae, Theory, and Hartwell all appeared together and formally named their alliance as "The Way".[7] Going into 2021, Gargano and Theory teamed up during the 2021 Men's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, while LeRae and Hartwell paired up during the Women's counterpart. On the January 20 episode of NXT, Gargano and Theory were eliminated in the first round by Kushida and Ruff, although LeRae and Hartwell advanced towards the semi-finals on the February 10 episode of NXT, where they were eliminated by Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart.[8]

Gargano's elimination led to a feud between him and Kushida over the championship, and after trading attacks, it was announced that Gargano would defend his championship against Kushida at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day on February 14, where Gargano successfully retained his title. Prior to the match, Theory was abducted by Dexter Lumis, whom Theory had been feuding with at the time due to Theory interfering in Lumis' matches against Gargano.[9] On the following episode of NXT, Theory was "found" by Gargano, and Theory seemed relatively okay, albeit extremely positive and cheerful, much to his teammates's confusion and worry. On the February 24 episode of NXT, Gargano faced Lumis in a non-title match, and during the match, LeRae urged Theory attack Lumis with a steel chair, but Theory hesitated, leading to Gargano being ultimately defeated. Also during the match, Hartwell seemed to have gained a level of attraction towards Lumis, and remarked in a post-match backstage segment that Lumis was "hot", shocking Gargano and LeRae.[10]

On the May 4, 2021 episode of NXT, LeRae and Hartwell would defeat Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart in a Street Fight to capture the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship, thus marking each woman's first title win in WWE.[11][12]

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ^ Moore, John (February 16, 2020). "2/16 NXT Takeover: Portland results – Moore's live review of Adam Cole vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship, Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair for the NXT Women's Championship, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly vs. Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne for the NXT Tag Titles, Finn Balor vs. Johnny Gargano". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  2. ^ Moore, John (April 8, 2020). "4/8 NXT TV results: Moore's review of the final Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano match, Io Shirai vs. Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae vs. Tegan Nox vs. Chelsea Green vs. Dakota Kai in a ladder match to determine the No. 1 contender to the NXT Women's Championship". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  3. ^ "WWE NXT Results for 6/3/20 El Hijo Del Fantasma Becomes the Interim Cruiserweight Champion". Fightful.
  4. ^ "NXT Halloween Havoc results, Oct. 28, 2020". WWE. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  5. ^ "WWE NXT results, Nov. 11, 2020". WWE. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  6. ^ Moore, John (December 6, 2020). "NXT Takeover WarGames results: Moore's live review of Undisputed Era vs. Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch, and Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, Rhea Ripley, and Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae, Toni Storm, Dakota Kai, and Raquel Gonzalez in WarGames matches". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  7. ^ Dunnells, Adam. "WWE NXT Results – December 9th, 2020". Ringside News. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  8. ^ Moore, John (January 20, 2021). "1/20 NXT TV results: Moore's review of Tommaso Ciampa vs. Timothy Thatcher in the NXT Fight Pit, Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter vs. Mercedes Martinez and Toni Storm, Kushida and Leon Ruff vs. The Way, and LHP vs. Imperium in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic matches". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day - NXT North American Championship Match: Johnny Gargano vs. KUSHIDA Result | Fightful Wrestling". www.fightful.com.
  10. ^ https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/wwe-nxt-results-live-coverage-22421-santos-escobar-vs-karrion-kross
  11. ^ Moore, John (4 May 2021). "5/4 NXT TV results: Moore's review of Finn Balor's return, Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart vs. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae for the NXT Women's Tag Titles, Isaiah Scott vs. Leon Ruff in a Falls Count Anywhere match". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  12. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (4 May 2021). "NXT Women's Tag Team Titles Change Hands On NXT". Fightful. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Internet Wrestling Database - Indi Hartwell: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Ratings". www.profightdb.com.
  14. ^ "NXT North American Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  15. ^ "NXT Women's Tag Team Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  16. ^ WWE.com Staff (December 30, 2020). "2020 NXT Year-End Awards Winners". WWE. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
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