For the first time since arriving to NXT in 2019, KUSHIDA won a WWE title on the 4/13 episode of NXT. He accepted an open challenge that was issued by the now-former Undisputed Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar.
Escobar instructed Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza to not interfere in the match as he could take KUSHIDA himself. Escobar is coming off of winning a ladder match at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver to take Jordan Devlin’s Cruiserweight Title and become Undisputed Champion.
The final sequence of the match between KUSHIDA and Escobar saw the two talents exchanging roll ups and different variations of pins until KUSHIDA hooked in a deep cover and won the title.
IS THIS REAL LIFE?! 😱 😱 😱@KUSHIDA_0904 has defeated @EscobarWWE to become the NEW #Cruiserweight Champion in an #OpenChallenge. #AndNew #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/TMTfol8WtQ
— WWE (@WWE) April 14, 2021
While in the trainer’s room after his title win, KUSHIDA was congratulated by NXT GM William Regal and then approached by former Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin who proclaimed that he is the best Cruiserweight.
