Tommaso Ciampa Beats Aleister Black, Retains WWE NXT Title at TakeOver: Phoenix

Tommaso Ciampa beat Aleister Black at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix on Saturday to retain the NXT Championship.

Black seemed poised to hit Ciampa with Black Mass for the win after kicking out of the Fairy Tale Ending on multiple occasions, but his leg buckled, and Ciampa took advantage by hitting another Fairy Tale Ending for the victory.

Ciampa had the perfect game plan Saturday, as he worked over Black's leg throughout and took away perhaps his greatest weapon:

At the conclusion of the pay-per-view, Johnny Gargano made his way to the stage to celebrate with Ciampa, as he beat Ricochet for the North American Championship earlier in the night.

Saturday's match was several months in the making, dating back to Ciampa defeating Black for the title in July.

Black originally won the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans the night before WrestleMania 34, but he dropped it to Ciampa 102 days later due in large part to Gargano getting involved and accidentally costing him the match.

While Black was set to get his rematch for the title in a Triple Threat against Ciampa and Gargano at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4, a legitimate injury forced the NXT writers to shoot an angle in which Black was attacked outside the arena.

That resulted in Ciampa facing Gargano in a singles match instead, but Black returned with a vengeance in October with an eye toward capturing the NXT Championship.

It was eventually revealed that Gargano was Black's attacker, and a loose affiliation between Ciampa and Gargano formed against Black.

Ciampa did everything he could to avoid a rematch against The Dutch Destroyer, but after Black defeated Gargano in a grudge match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, NXT general manager William Regal decreed that Black would receive his title shot.

Black is among the most intense and dangerous Superstars NXT has to offer, making him the perfect person to chase Ciampa for the title.

Ever since he beat Black for the NXT Championship, Ciampa has been obsessed with hanging on to "Goldie" and proving that he is the greatest sports entertainer of all time.

That desperation was apparent during Saturday's match, but it was also clear that Black was out for revenge.

With Ciampa retaining, he remains atop the mountain in NXT and will continue to be under fire from the rest of the roster.

As for Black, there is likely to be speculation regarding a call-up to the main roster, perhaps as early as Sunday's Royal Rumble.

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