WWE NXT Results (August 12th, 2020): Winners, Grades, and Video Highlights
Tonight featured the final NXT North American Championship triple threat match, with a mystery opponent taking on Kushida and Cameron Grimes. Whoever wasn't pinned would be added to one of the other two "second chance" qualifiers next week along with Finn Balor, Ridge Holland, and Johnny Gargano.
Last week, after nearly twenty minutes of antagonizing comments, Adam Cole nearly jumped the announce table wanting to get his hands on Pat McAfee. This distraction allowed Imperium to take out the Undisputed Era and retain their NXT Tag Team Titles. McAfee would also lay out Cole with a nasty punt to the chin. What will the Undisputed Era have to say about that tonight?
We kicked off the night with, as Mauro Ranallo dubbed them, the First Couple of Carnage. Karrion Kross sent a message to Keith Lee last week, choking out One-Two and others backstage. Tonight, NXT's Guvnor Danny Burch looked for redemption.
Karrion Kross w/Scarlett vs Danny Burch on NXT
Karrion Kross was caught off guard by a running dropkick from Danny Burch. The British Brawler took the fight to the big man, sending him to the floor with a series of rights and headbutts. However, Kross quickly recovered and dragged Burch to the outside, dropping him on the floor with a choke toss.
Back inside the ring, an exploder suplex sent Burch across the ring. In the corner, Burch stunned Kross with a step-up enziguri and took him down with a diving dropkick and German suplex. Stil, Kross easily shook it off, standing right back up.
Burch was rocked with an elbow but responded with another German suplex. Kross stood up again, but a big clothesline finally laid Kross out....at least momentarily. Though he was locked in the crossface, Kross stared down Burch before standing up with Burch in his arms, turning it into the Doomsday Saito.
A second one dumped Burch on his head, and the Executioner of NXT probably could've ended it there. Burch had a hard time standing up, but managed to catch Kross with one final punch. Still, that was all he had left, and Kross quickly put him down with the Kross Jacket.
Results: Karrion Kross defeated Danny Burch via submission on NXT.
Grade: B+
Keith Lee's music hit immediately after, contract in hand. Kross and Scarlet left the ring as soon as Lee entered, which Lee knew he'd do. Lee called him a little b****, before revealing that he'd begged and pleaded to get this match done with NXT GM William Regal.
Lee's contract stated that he would not touch Kross until NXT TakeOver: XXX. Scarlett grabbed it and handed it to Kross, who signed it without breaking eye contact with the NXT Champion. Scarlett sealed up the contract and slid it back to Lee, but when Lee opened it he was met with a fireball.
Several officials came down to try to assist Lee, who was seemingly blinded by the attack.
As we started the next match on NXT, Keith Lee was still getting checked on by officials in a split-screen.
Drake Maverick vs Killian Dain on NXT
Drake Maverick tried his best to chop the big man down, going for the legs whenever he could. The size differential was just too much to overcome, though. The Beast of Belfast slammed Maverick onto the ground, and took time tearing him apart.
Mia Yim came into screen and accompanied Keith Lee into an ambulance as his eyes were covered with gauze. Back in the ring, Maverick avoided a running senton and caught Dain in the legs with a dropkick. A series of rights and lefts pelted the big man, but he shook off each blow, working to get his hands around Maverick.
Maverick caught Dain with a step-up enziguri. On the floor, Maverick dropped onto Dain with a big dive from the top rope. We also got a shot of the Undisputed Era pulling up to the parking lot, with all four members walking into Full Sail with a vengeance.
As Maverick hit another elbow drop, the Era ran in and took out both Maverick and Dain.
Results: No Contest.
Grade: D
After taking care of Dain and Maverick, Adam Cole grabbed a microphone to send a message to Pat McAfee. At NXT TakeOver: XXX, it's Cole vs McAfee one-on-one. He got a lucky shot on Cole last week on NXT while his hands were behind his back, but at TakeOver, he'll shut the NFL legend up for good.
Tyler Breeze vs Santos Escobar on NXT
Santos Escobar started off the fight strong on NXT, taking Tyler Breeze out with a standing dropkick. As Breeze struggled to stand, Escobar got in his face while laying in some nasty kicks to the chest.
Breeze caught Escobar with a leaping enziguri, but on the floor was met with a low leg tackle. A military press onto the apron and a clothesline rocked Breeze.
Escobar picked Breeze up for the Phantom Driver, but Breeze escaped, shoving the NXT Cruiserweight Champion away. Breeze followed up with flying forearms, rocking Escobar. A Supermodel Kick laid out Escobar, but thanks to Legado Del Fantasma running out, Escobar was able to plant him with the Phantom Driver for the win.
Results: Santos Escobar def. Tyler Breeze via pinfall
Grade: C
After the match, Fandango, one-armed, ran down with a broken broom stick. Though he saved Breeze from a beat down, Legado Del Fantasma looked to continue that attack that started for Fandango last week on NXT.
Breezango was saved by Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, the only man to have defeated Santos Escobar in NXT.
We got a preview for the NXT Women's Championship match, with Dakota Kai claiming she's got what it takes to defeat Io Shirai.
Does she have what it takes? According to Kai, she won't be using any friends or insurance policies.
Mia Yim was back in time for her match on NXT and said she didn't yet have a medical update for Keith Lee. Unfortunately for her opponent tonight, she's got a lot of aggression to let out.
Indi Hartwell vs Mia Yim on NXT
Hartwell took Yim down with a shoulder tackle, but Yim responded with a low leg takedown and a basement dropkick. A big boot in the corner set up for the cannonball senton.
Hartwell caught Yim with a sidewalk slam and kept the HBIC of NXT down with a sleeper. Yim managed to break it up, dropping Hartwell with a backpack stunner, and fought out of another hold, tossing Hartwell to the side. A boot, running neckbreaker, and German suplex set up for a modified rolling armbar.
Results: Mia Yim defeated Indi Hartwell via submission on NXT.
Grade: B-
A Finn Balor vignette appeared, with the Prince talking about the second chance NXT North American Championship Qualifier. The question was, who would he face?
Damian Priest vs Bronson Reed on NXT
Damian Priest had the upper hand early on, almost manhandling AUSZilla. Bronson Reed shook off Priest's headlock and sent NXT's Archer of Infamy to the mat with shoulder tackles. Priest pelted Reed with kicks and a leaping elbow, taking Reed off his feet.
Reed wasn't on his back long but stood up into an enziguri. They traded suplex attempts, but Reed was able to plant Priest with a DDT. A big running senton flattened Priest. However, Priest caught Reed with a leaping flatliner and rocked the big man with a nasty striking combination.
Priest hit a springboard somersault senton to take out Reed. On their way to the NXT North American Championship, both men were pulling out the big guns. Priest managed to drop Reed with a massive Broken Arrow, but couldn't get the win.
Reed countered another Broken Arrow, turning Priest over with a suplex. He was unable to hit the Tsunami, though, as Priest just barely rolled out of the way. Still, he picked up a big win, countering the Reconing with a jackknife pin.
Results: Bronson Reed defeated Damian Priest via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A
Prior to the match, Robert Stone attempted to bring Kacy Catanzaro to his side, claiming Kayden Carter was a loser. Catanzaro stomped on Stone's ankle just as the bell rang to start the match on NXT.
Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter vs Aliyah & Mercedes Martinez w/Robert Stone on NXT
Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter sent Mercedes Martinez to the floor and lit Aliyah up with a series of tandem kicks and dives. However, Aliyah made it to her corner, tagging in Martinez for a wheelbarrow/cutter combination. Catanzaro broke up the pinfall as we cut to commercial break.
As we returned, the Robert Stone Brand was dominating Kayden Carter. Aliyah, though, after several minutes, lost her grip on Carter. Both Martinez and Catanzaro tagged in, with the Ninja Warrior star taking the fight to the newest powerhouse of NXT. A sommersault capo kick rocked Martinez, but the pin was broken up by Aliyah.
Carter hit Aliyah with a superkick only for Martinez to send her outside for her trouble. Martinez then caught Catanzaro mid hurricanrana for the Air Raid Crash.
Results: The Robert Stone Brand defeated Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B-
Immediately after the match, Rhea Ripley's music hit. The former NXT Women's Champion stormed the ring, rocking Martinez with a big boot. Aliyah made the save, but the numbers were evened up with Shotzi Blackheart.
The Robert Stone Brand has some serious problems now,as The Metal Head and Punk Rocker of NXT seem to have formed an alliance.
We were treated to another Gargano Family segment, with Johnny Gargano revealing that he would be facing Ridge Holland next week to qualify for the NXT North American Championship Ladder match.
Gargano was, as usual, incredibly confident. After all, no NXT TakeOver without Johnny TakeOver? That's just not natural.
Timothy Thatcher held another Thatch-as-Thatch Can class, with Thatcher working over one of his trainees' ankles. He said that in order to attain victory, one must learn to adapt. After failing to qualify for the NXT North American Championship match, Thatcher has already refocused.
Kushida and Cameron Grimes were both competing to appear at their first TakeOver event tonight. Their opponent? Velveteen Dream!
NXT North American Ladder Match Qualifier: Kushida vs Cameron Grimes vs Velveteen Dream
Velveteen Dream came in on fire, hanging up Cameron Grimes on the ropes. Kushida planted him, leaving him almost sticking up out of the mat. Kushida sent Dream to the floor, leaving both Kushida and Grimes in the ring.
Kushida hit a backflip kick on Grimes, climbing up the ropes before turning around for a flying tornado DDT. Back inside, though, Grimes cut Kushida's feet out from under him. During the break, Grimes managed to keep control, taking the fight to both Kushida and the former NXT North American Champion.
Kushida did catch Grimes with a running right, putting a pause on Grime Time. An enziguri rocked Grimes, and Kushida set his focus on Dream for a kicking combination. Kushida avoided a German from Grimes and the Dream Valley Driver from the Vainglorious One, leading to a three-way knockout spot.
Dream dumped Grimes to the floor and followed up with a flying elbow drop. Back inside, a springboard elbow hit Grimes, as Kushida and Dream momentarily worked together. Dream planted Kushida with the DVD, but Grimes prevented the pin, taking Dream to the floor again.
Kushida, looking to challenge for his first ever title, hit a big dive off the top, laying out ream. Kushida and Grimes moved to the top, where Kushida turned Grimes over in mid-air for the cross armbreaker. Grimes had nowhere to go, but Kushida broke the hold to catch Dream going for the Purple Rainmaker.
The Hoverboard Lock was broken, but Kushida trapped Dream back in it after blocking another DVD. As Dream stood with Kushida on his arm, Cameron Grimes caught Kushida with the Cave In.
Results: Cameron Grimes defeated Kushida via pinfall on NXT.
Results: A-
Cameron Grimes has moved onto the NXT North American Championship Ladder Match alongside Bronson Reed and Damian Priest. While Kushida is out of contention, Velveteen Dream will take on Finn Balor next week for another chance to qualify and move onto NXT TakeOver: XXX.
Dream, furious, attacked Kushida after the match, turning heel in the process. As he turned around, Finn Balor appeared behind him, putting the targets on the former NXT North American Champion.
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