Generation NXT - NXT recap for May 16, 2018

Tommaso Ciampa shows up to start tonight's show. Ciampa says Johnny Gargano may have won the battle, but he will always win the war, and that is why he is here while Gargano is sitting at home in a neck brace he put him in. He goes on to say he has broken him piece by piece - his heart, his mind, his spirit and now his body - and now Gargano is gone and he wins. As the crowd chants "You tapped out!," Candice LeRae shows up and confronts Ciampa. Candice takes the microphone and asks who Ciampa is, saying she thought she knew him but now does not recognize what he has become. She does not know why he is bent on ruining her and Gargano's lives, and says the only thing broken is Ciampa. She then says she is tired shedding tears for his cruelty, as he is a monster he will never forgive, and while Gargano's future may be uncertain, Gargano was always better than Ciampa. Candice tosses the microphone away, then Ciampa picks it up, and says that maybe Gargano was better than him, but Gargano is only half the man he is since Candice is here in the ring for him. Ciampa then says that he lived with them for two years and that Candice was always more of a man that Gargano was, and that during the wedding, all he thought about was how Candice could be marrying Gargano. This earns him a slap in the face. Ciampa smiles, then waves goodbye to Candice before stepping out of the ring. Candice then leaves as Ciampa says "I win."

Lacey Evans beats Brandi Lauren with a new move called The Women's Right. After the match, Kairi Sane attacks Lacey Evans, but Lacey runs out of the ring before Kairi Sane can hit the Insane Elbow.

We see footage from earlier tonight where Aleister Black says he has learned a few things since becoming NXT Champion: that you have a bigger target on your chest, and that when Ricochet and Velveteen Dream step in the ring with him, they become the target.

We see footage from Dakota Kai, who wishes she had an idea what Nikki Cross was up to after what happened last week. As she talks about how her focus on strength and condition, Nikki Cross shows up and asks when she will face "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler, and then says that with fear comes opportunity. She tells her to face her fear and fight, then laughs and leaves.

Velveteen Dream vs. Ricochet ends in a no-contest when Lars Sullivan runs in and decimates both men.

Kona Reeves beats Raul Mendoza.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Ricochet near General Manager William Regal's office when Velveteen Dream shows up. After Ricochet says he's going after Lars Sullivan, Dream says they have something in common before walking into the office.

We see footage from earlier today where Heavy Machinery meet with TM61, whom they confront for cheating last week. TM61 says victory is all that matters, and that Heavy Machinery haven't tasted it in a while. Heavy Machinery tells TM61 that when they get in the ring with them, they'll be sore the next morning, and challenge them to a match next week.

Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch beat The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Roderick Strong) in a hectic match.

Next week: Velveteen Dream and Ricochet vs. Lars Sullivan in a 2-on-1 handicap match!