WWE NXT Live Results: BIG RETURN! Former United States Champion appears! Major injury?

Follow along with Sportkeeda for live coverage of WWE NXT at 8 pm EST. Ricky Saints runs the Vanity Project Gauntlet to get a shot at Ethan Page and the North American title! Hank Walker and Tank Ledger defend the NXT Tag Team titles against the Culling. Joe Hendry teams with Mike Santana against Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe. Tavion Heights looks to leave the NQCC if he can beat Charlie Dempsey. Ava announces the NXT participants in the Evolution battle royal. All this and more!

We then pivot to a segment with the Culling and Tatum Paxley joining. They all claim they'll win gold in their upcoming matches, starting with the Culling taking on Hank and Tank for the NXT Tag titles.

Tatum seems to officially be a member now.

The commentators are talking until Jasper Troy gets in the ring to declare he's done with Je'Von Evans. He wants Ava to make the NXT Title match a triple threat. Evans then comes out with his ribs taped a la Sami Zayn and Jey Uso.

Stacks thinks it's a setup to get one over on him. No one trusts the other, and they all say they need to go their separate ways.

The D'Angelo Family has a "sit down" to address its issues. Adriana Rizzo is back from "hiding" for a few weeks. She says they forgot what they initially tried to do while she was away from them. Rizzo says that everyone has changed, and once trust is broken, doubt creeps in, and things will never be the same. She says she got a triple threat between all three for next week's show.

Beware the rabid chipmunk in the background!!

As Jordan celebrates, Thea Hail rushes into the ring and attacks Reid. They fight to the back. Back in the trainer's room, Jasper Troy attacks Je'Von Evans yet again.

Jordan goes for a variation of her split-legged moonsault, but it appears as if she botched it a bit.
RESULT: KELANI JORDAN defeats Lainey Reid by pin.

GRADE: C+.
The match wasn't overly memorable. Jordan sold her leg well, but it kills the sell job when stars feel the need to hit kickers all the time despite the injury. Her finisher looked shaky despite hitting it to end the match.

Kelani counters a move with a pin attempt. Lainey responds with a Spinebuster and a deep Boston Crab. Jordan breaks it by sending Reid into the middle buckle face-first. Former US Champion Zelina Vega is shown arriving at the building. Kelani takes over with a handstand back elbow. Jordan attempts a move, but is still hindered by her leg. She goes to the top for a move, but Lainey stops her.

Lainey Reid and Kelani Jordan square off after a verbal exchange in the locker room earlier in the day. Reid rushes Kelani before the bell. She bashes Jordan's legs on the ring apron.

They have a spa day, complete with massages, makeup, and pedicures. Grace comes around in the end.

Briggs continues to say that Inamura may be an honorable man, but he is not. He then decks him, and they brawl. Inamura bodyslams Femi after the champ sends Briggs out of the ring. Heel turn teased?!

We then go to Monroe and Grace's "training session." Monroe calls Grace "muscle muffin."

Inamura and Oba Femi have one final face-to-face ahead of their clash at the Great American Bash. Inamura says he has a lot of people supporting him, and he's ready after beating Jasper Troy and Trick Williams. Oba says he'll win at the Bash. Jos Briggs then takes the mic and hypes up his friend. The crowd boos him for some reason.

DarkState cuts another pre-taped message instead of appearing live. They showed up on last week's TNA show, attacking Matt Cardona.

They also seemingly took credit for the mystery attack on Hank & Tank.

TNA World Title contract signing takes over the Great American Bash!

We get a video package of several Japanese wrestlers rooting for Inamura against Oba Femi at the Great American Bash, including Marufuji, Iyo Sky, and the Great Muta.

Trick and High Ryze attack Santana and Hendry after the match.

Santana hits a Tope Con Giro on Dupont. Hendry battles Igwe until he falls to the outside. Hendry hits a Fosbury Flop to the outside on Igwe. Snatana hits Dupont with a Uranage variant. As he goes to the top, Trick Williams emerges as Wes Lee distracts the ref. Trick sends Hendry into the steel steps, but Santana knocks Lee off the apron. Santana hits his finisher for the win.

RESULT: MIKE SANTANA and JOE HENDRY defeat Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont by pin.

GRADE: C+.
Too much happened during the break. Much felt like getting to spots.

Santana fights off both opponents. Dupont tries to blindside him, but Hendry gets in the ring and hits him with a Fallaway Slam.

Was Wren looking out for Tavion or working on Dempsey's orders?

Up next is Joe Hendry teaming with Mike Santana against Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont. Will Trick Williams blindside both men at some point?

Hank and Tank hype themselves up ahead of their title defense. Je'Von Evans cheers them on but gets blindsided by Jasper Troy. Is Je'Von hurt? Lexis King is in the background, randomly looking like he's lost.

Dempsey transitions to a kneebar. Wren gets on the apron and tosses in the towel to end Heights' suffering.
Result: CHARLIE DEMPSEY defeats Tavion Heights by referee stoppage.

GRADE: B.
Some got hard strikes back-and-forth, and a good wrinkle with Wren throwing in the towel.

Dempsey locks in a Chicken Wing submission, but Tavion bounces Dempsey off the ropes to break it. He hits an overhead throw before both men fall out of the ring to the outside in front of Wren. Tavion climbs the steps to try and re-enter the ring, but Dempsey trips him, and he gets his leg trapped between the steps and the ring. Charlie stomps on the steps as Tavion is trapped. He then locks in a deep single-leg Boston Crab back in the ring.

Charlie rips off Heights' protective face mask. He slaps him, but it only fires Tavion up. They do battle in front of the announce table, but bump heads before going to commercial.

Dempsey sends Heights from the ring. They get back into the ring only for Heights to send Dempsey out of it again with a dropkick.

Up next is the showdown between Charlie Dempsey and Tavion Heights. If Heights wins, he can leave the No Quarter Catch Crew like Myles Borne. Wren Sinclair is ring side.

We cut to footage of Jordynne Grace from earlier today, and surprise - she's working out! She then gets a call from Blake Monroe, who playfully mocks that fact. She says instead of just a normal workout, they're going to have a glamour workout (mostly manicures and massages). Blake's driver picks her up, and Grace is not very happy when they arrive at the venue for the Glamover.

Tension already?!

Saints picks a Falls Count Anywhere match for the Great American Bash.

We go backstage in the women's locker room. Sol and Zaria are pumped for their weekend. Lainey Reid walks in and bashes everyone, including Kelani Jordan and Lola Vice, who are sitting nearby.

Ricky battles back with an F5 variant for a near fall. Drake whiffs on a sliding knee, but lands a Superkick after baiting Saints. Drake goes for a Swanton, but Ricky gets his knees up. He hits a Lariat followed by Rochambeau for the win.
RESULT: RICKY SAINTS defeats Brad Baylor, Ricky Smokes, and Jackson Drake by pin in a gauntlet match.

GRADE: B-.
Some quick exchanges were good, and it was evident to see who the officials are highest on with the placement of each Vanity Project star in the match. Drake obviously looked the best with the first two quick segments being normal.

Drake lands a few moves, but Saints lands a chop in the corner. Drake brushes it off and kicks Saints in the back. Jackson locks in a Bow and Arrow submission, but Saints busts out of it quickly. Jackson lands another kick and a gutbuster on Saints for two.

Smokes hits Ricky with a neckbreaker on his knee. Saints battles back with a pancake and an over-the-shoulder toss. He gets only two off a move. Ricky hits an Atomic Drop, followed by a roll-up to get by Smokes. Evolve Champion Jackson Drake is last.

Brad Baylor is first. Saints lands some chops to the chest. Baylor hits a neckbreaker. He hits another swinging suplex for a near fall. Saints hit a Tornado DDT to get by Baylor. Up next is Ricky Smokes. Smokes hits a suplex for two.

Kicking things off on NXT is Ricky Saints, going through the Vanity Project gauntlet match in order to earn a shot at North American Champion Ethan Page. Page accompanies the near-teenage trio to the ring.

Prior to this, Ava was seen walking outside and waved to Stephanie Vaquer. Is the RAW star back on NXT?!