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Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, WWE NXT once again emanated from the Performance Center in Orlando, FL in front of no live audience. Last week's episode did not feature any live matches and had only special interviews of the Superstars, however, tonight's show was super-stacked with seven matches.
Although TakeOver: Tampa Bay has been postponed, the six-woman ladder match to determine the No. 1 contender for the NXT Women's Championship will take place on an episode of NXT. Therefore, two more qualifier matches took place tonight and those who have failed to qualify will get a second chance next week in a Gauntlet match that will determine the final and sixth entrant for the ladder match.
Also, Triple H addressed the situation where Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa wreaked havoc inside the Performance Center a few weeks ago and laid out an ultimatum for both Superstars. Now, without further ado, we will get into the details of each match and grade them based on their match quality.
#1 Austin Theory vs Tyler Breeze
After getting into a backstage confrontation a few weeks ago, Breeze and Theory faced off against each other to open the show. The much younger Theory seemed determined to prove to the rather experienced Breeze why he could be the next breakout star in a match that can be deemed one of the best of the night.
Both Superstars laid it out on the line in a tense and psychological match that often saw the 22-year-old Theory mock Breeze's signature pose. Breeze and Theory both got near-falls on each other and this proved that neither one was willing to go down without a fight in a battle that had their prestige on the line.
In the end, it was Prince Pretty who scooped up the win with the Beauty Shot but it takes nothing away from Theory who proved his mettle on the Black and Gold brand once again.
Result: Tyler Breeze defeated Austin Theory
Grade: A
#2 Killian Dain vs Tehuti Miles
Killian Dain took on NXT's newest recruit Tehuti Miles who has a background in football and has also served in the US armed forces. According to Miles, if he could do the military, he could do anything.
Miles who is much shorter than Dain tried to create an advantage in the match due to his smaller stature and speed. However, the Beast of Belfast proved that no matter how agile his opponent is, he could be just that quicker, as he dodged Miles' offenses and slammed him in the middle of the ring followed by a senton and a Vader Bomb to pick up the win.
Result: Killian Dain defeated Tehuti Miles
Grade: B
#3 Cameron Grimes vs Tony Nese
205 Live's standard-bearer Tony Nese was last seen competing inside an NXT ring on last year's Christmas week. The former Cruiserweight Champion took on Cameron Grimes who could be treated as a cruiserweight as much as Nese is.
Even though Nese, who is the bigger man out of the two, tried to mount offense on Grimes with his power-based moves, The Technical Savage always found a way to break free of his holds. It's safe to say that Nese got more than he bargained for.
However, Grimes got frustrated during the middle of the match as Nese was overpowering him and breaking free of his pinning attempts. Nese almost got the pinfall on Grimes after he nailed a picture-perfect springboard moonsault on him.
After a back and forth melee, Grimes nailed The Premier Athlete with the Cave In double stomp to get the pin for the win.
Result: Cameron Grimes defeated Tony Nese
Grade: B
#4 Io Shirai vs Aliyah
In the first No.1 Contender's ladder match qualifier of the night, Aliyah was supposed to face Xia Li. However, Li was seen to be writhing in pain backstage as she told the referees and medical personnel that someone attacked her from behind and damaged her knee.
It was not clear if it was Aliyah who attacked Li but she insisted the referee to announce her as the winner since Li was unable to compete. However, ring announcer Greg Hamilton said that he received a word from NXT GM William Regal who said that Li was not medically cleared to compete but someone else is to which Io Shirai's music hit the arena and she came out to the ring which marked her return from a nasty knee injury.
The Genius of The Sky immediately unloaded on Aliyah with a dropkick and even though Aliuah came back with some kicks of her own, it wasn't enough to keep Shirai down who hit the moonsault on her to pick up an easy victory and earned a spot in the ladder match.
Judging by her performance and the way she moved around the ring, it cane be assumed that her knee is in good condition which she confirmed later on Twitter.
Result: Io Shirai defeated Aliyah
Grade: B+
#5 Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink
The Brit-Am Brawlers, Lorcan & Burch took on two Superstars from Down Under, Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink on tonight's NXT. This marked Vink's second appearance in a week as he also competed this Monday on RAW when he and Thorne took on RAW Tag Team Champions - The Street Profits.
Few teams can much the quick-paced and hard-hitting offense of the Brit-Am Brawlers and Thorne & Vink found it out in painful fashion. However, Vink who was the largest Superstar in the match almost got the win for his team as he proved to be a deciding factor and almost ended things for Lorcan & Burch when he took out Lorcan with a big Uranage.
In the end, it would be the Brit-Am Brawlers who came out as winners as they tapped out both Vink and Thorne to get the submission victory.
Result: Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch defeated Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink
Grades: B+
#6 Candice LeRae vs Kayden Carter
Candice LeRae and Kaden Carter squared off against one another in an opportunity to earn the fifth spot in the women's ladder match that will determine the new No. 1 contender for the NXT Women's title. Both Superstars took a mat-based approach towards the beginning of the match which later progressed into a back-and-forth pinning attempt.
Ultimately, LeRae finished things off with the GargaNo Escape in her second attempt and defeated Carter via submission.
Result: Candice LeRae defeated Kayden Carter
Grade: B
#7 Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong
One half of The BroserWeights and NXT Tag Team Champion, Matt Riddle, took on The Undisputed Era's Roderick Strong in the final match of the night. The two Superstars share a lot of animosity between them and have faced each other in the past also.
Both Superstars lighted each other up with kicks and chops to their chests and counter-attacks. Both men used everything that they had on their arsenal but in the end, it was Riddle who walked out as the winner after he nailed The Messiah of the Backbreaker with the Bro Derek.
However, The Original Bro didn't get much time to celebrate as he was sneak attacked by two new Superstars Rinku Singh and Saurav Gurjar. After laying waste to Riddle, Malcolm Bivens came out to the ring and introduced himself as Singh and Gurjar's manager.
Result: Matt Riddle defeated Roderick Strong
Grade: A
