Image: WWE
The Diamond Mine arrived in the show-closing angle of last night’s NXT.
The returning Roderick Strong was revealed as part of Diamond Mine as he attacked NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida at the end of last night’s show. Strong, Tyler Rust, and the debuting Hideki Suzuki appeared together and were wearing Diamond Mine tracksuits. They’re being managed by Malcolm Bivens.
Kushida lost a non-title match to Kyle O’Reilly in the main event of last night’s NXT. A brawl between O’Reilly and Adam Cole then broke out when Cole tried to attack O’Reilly after the match. With Kushida left alone in the ring, he was attacked by Strong. Bivens threw Kushida’s Cruiserweight title belt on top of him after the attack. Bivens declared that this is Diamond Mine.
Weeks of teaser videos had aired leading into the debut of Diamond Mine. They showed unidentified athletes working out at an MMA gym.
Before returning last night, Strong had resigned from NXT in an angle this April. His resignation came after the breakup of Undisputed Era.
Rust hadn’t appeared on NXT since March prior to last night.
Suzuki joined the WWE Performance Center in a coaching role earlier this year. WWE wrote about Suzuki when he signed with the company: “Hideki Suzuki joins the WWE PC’s coaching staff. The Hokkaido, Japan, native trained in catch-as-catch can wrestling at Japan’s Snake Pit under the legendary Billy Robinson before stepping into the ring for Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Wrestle-1 and Zero1, among others. In 2017, Suzuki was named the MVP of Japanese independent wrestling by Samurai TV.”
More coverage from last night —
Speak Now: The Diamond Mine debuts 6/22
Number one contender’s tag match set for next week’s WWE NXT
WWE NXT’s Toni Storm comes out as bisexual
Tag Team title match announced for NXT Great American Bash
Roderick Strong returns to WWE NXT as part of Diamond Mine
WWE Raw viewership down slightly, 18-49 demo rating steady
WWE NXT live results: Kyle O’Reilly vs. Kushida
WWE NXT video highlights —
Adam Cole vs. Carmelo Hayes
Robert Stone gets scared by Franky Monet’s dog Presley
LA Knight is the Million Dollar Megastar
Pete Dunne & Oney Lorcan interrupt Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory
Io Shirai & Zoey Stark vs. Aliyah & Jessi Kamea
Shirai & Stark, Gonzalez & Kai, and Blackheart & Moon brawl
Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory vs. Pete Dunne & Oney Lorcan
Karrion Kross goes face-to-face with Samoa Joe
Franky Monet vs. Elektra Lopez
Ever-Rise try to get payback on Hit Row before the show
Hit Row vs. Ever-Rise
Jake Atlas comes to Mercedes Martinez’s defense against Xia Li & Boa
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Kushida
Diamond Mine debuts
NXT fallout: Samoa Joe is taking chaos and making it order
NXT fallout: Io Shirai & Zoey Stark are livid after three-team brawl
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NXT fallout: Carmelo Hayes is going to make the most of his loss to Adam Cole