Top NXT Stars Set For WWE SmackDown Dark Match TONIGHT

Two of WWE NXT 2.0's biggest stars will be in the house for tonight's episode of SmackDown.

WWE SmackDown
WWE

Two of WWE NXT's biggest and most tenured stars will work a dark match prior to tonight's episode of SmackDown.

POST Wrestling's John Pollock broke the news this afternoon:-

The news has since been corroborated by Fightful.

Gargano and O'Reilly have both been subjected to considerable speculation on their WWE futures lately. As reported in early October, Gargano's contract is due to expire on 3 December. O'Reilly, meanwhile, is contracted to the promotion until an unspecified date in December. There is currently no word on whether or not either of them has entered negotiations over a new deal.

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Multiple NXT wrestlers have been brought to Raw and SmackDown tapings to work dark matches over the past few months. These were framed as potential tryouts, but while the likes of Austin Theory have progressed to consistent main roster roles, the likes of Karrion Kross (who was on Raw for a couple of months), countless others have either remained in NXT or left WWE entirely.

Gargano and O'Reilly have only ever wrestled two singles matches in the past, with neither taking place in WWE. KOR has won both, with the last one going down in PWG in March 2014.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.