Generation NXT - NXT recap for April 18, 2018

In memory of Bruno Sammartino, 1935 - 2018.

Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae show up to start tonight's show. The crowd chants "Welcome back," then Gargano says he has waited for the moment that he came back to NXT, and says it is great to be back home. He says that for the longest time, he was defined by Tommaso Ciampa, who broke his heart, cost him the NXT Championship and stole his career. He could not say his name as Ciampa haunted him, but after an intense, grueling 37-minute match, he has his life back. Gargano says he is back where he belongs, and the crowd cheers "Johnny Wrestling" before Gargano announces he is back in NXT. He says the last few months have been the toughest of his career, and he thanks the fans for their intense support. He also thanks Candice LeRae, whom the crowd also chants for, and Gargano says the last few months have been hard on the both of them. He then says he would not have been able to do it without her. They both hug. Gargano then says "enough of the mushy crap," and says he is back and that he and Candice have unfinished business. Candice says that tonight, she will handle that business by going one-on-one with Zelina Vega. Gargano says that if Andrade "Cien" Almas gets involved, he will drop him like his name was "Tommaso Ciampa," and after everything is said and done, he has one more place to go: becoming NXT Champion.

Ricochet beats Fabian Aichner in his NXT television debut. After the match, Kayla Braxton interviews Ricochet. Ricochet says he had a great television debut tonight, and that he has watched some WWE Superstars make a name for themselves in NXT. He then says it is his turn to take it up a notch and make a name for himself, and to prove why there is one and only Ricochet.

We see a vignette for Ethan Carter III, aka EC3.

We hear from Lars Sullivan, who says he has Killian Dain in a no-disqualification match, and that he can do whatever he wants to Killian and anything that comes to mind will happen. Tonight, everyone will see why he is a real-life freak of nature.

War Raiders (Hanson and Raymond Rowe) beat JC and Chris.

We see footage from earlier this week in the WWE Performance Center. "The Queen of Spades" Shayne Baszler says she is late, but she doesn't play by the rules and won't start now. Baszler then enters the locker room, interrupts a meeting, removes a piece of tape with Ember Moon's name on it and tells everyone to get in line behind her or get run over. Dakota Kai tries to leave, and Baszler harasses her as she does.

We see a vignette for Kona Reeves, who comes back in two weeks with longer, colored hair as he calls himself "The Finest."

In footage outside the WWE Performance Center from earlier this week, Pete Dunne tells an interviewer that he will see what he thinks of Roderick Strong when he comes back in a few weeks and rips Strong's head off.

Lars Sullivan beat Killian in a no-disqualification match.

We see a video package of Candice LeRae's time in NXT so far.

Next week: The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly, Roderick Strong) return to NXT television! Oney Lorcan vs. Adam Cole for the NXT North American Championship!

Candice LeRae beats Zelina Vega with the Gargano Escape after Johnny Gargano stops Andrade "Cien" Almas from interfering in the match and putting him in the same hold. After the match, Johnny Gargano says the match was awesome and that they have one last piece of unfinished business. Now that Almas and Zelina are taken care of, Gargano challenges Aleister Black for the NXT Championship. Aleister Black shows up almost immediately, and stands at the stage as he tells Gargano that if he wants a match for the title, then next week, he shall have it.