AEW Dynamite Scores Ratings Win over WWE NXT amid TNT Championship Tournament

After losing the viewership battle each of the past two weeks, AEW Dynamite bounced back Wednesday to top WWE NXT.

According to Showbuzz Daily, NXT on USA Network averaged 665,000 viewers during its two-hour show, while Dynamite on TNT garnered 731,000 viewers.

NXT had previously advertised a main event match between Finn Balor and Velveteen Dream after their run-in last week, but the show began with officials examining Balor's locker room since it appeared he had been attacked and taken.

With Balor out, NXT champion Adam Cole and Undisputed Era took the opportunity to attack Dream, but North American champion Keith Lee made the save. That set the stage for a tag team main event pitting Dream and Lee against Cole and Roderick Strong.

Chaos broke out before the main event when Damian Priest attacked Lee. Dexter Lumis, who had been lurking for much of the night, stepped in as Lee's replacement and won the match along with Velveteen Dream.

Also on NXT, three matches in the tournament to crown an interim cruiserweight champion were held. Jake Atlas beat Drake Maverick in a hard-fought match, Kushida defeated Tony Nese, and the debuting El Hijo del Fantasma got past Jake Gallagher.

Additionally, Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez beat Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart. Mia Yim accepted NXT women's champion Charlotte Flair's challenge for a match next week, and Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae explained their actions against Tommaso Ciampa.

Dynamite was bookended by a pair of first-round matches in the TNT Championship tournament. Darby Allin beat Sammy Guevara in the opener to set up a semifinal match with Cody, while Dustin Rhodes beat Kip Sabian in the main event.

Rhodes put his career on the line, but his livelihood is safe after beating Sabian. He will now go on to face the destructive and dominant Lance Archer in the semis.

Also, Orange Cassidy beat Jimmy Havoc, while Kenny Omega, Wardlow and Brodie Lee were all victorious in enhancement matches.

Next week, Lee with defend the NXT North American title against Priest. Flair will face Yim, while the AEW TNT Championship tournament semifinal matches will take place.

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