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NXT New Year's Evil kicked off with a recap of last year's biggest feuds. We saw Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams walk out to the ring followed by Diamond Mine and Roderick Strong, for the Championship unification match.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Roderick Strong - Champion vs. Champion match on NXT New Year's Evil
The match started off slow with Melo going for a submission move early on but Roddy managed to counter it before taking the North American Champ down to the mat.
Roderick transitioned to a Boston Crab hold before getting a near fall on Melo off an Olympic Slam. On the apron, Carmelo hit a big DDT before heading back to the ring. Melo got a kick to the face but Roderick took him to the top rope for an X-Plex.
Melo nearly got the pin off the risky move from Roddy but the Cruiserweight champ kicked out. Melo got a top rope leg drop before picking up the win at New Year's Evil!
Result: Carmelo Hayes def. Roderick Strong
Grade: B+
Ciampa and AJ Styles were catching up backstage as NXT New Year's Evil continued.
AJ Styles was out next on NXT New Year's Evil and got on the mic and thanked the fans for supporting him for so long. He said that he had some regrets and one of them was the fact that he never joined NXT before going to the main roster.
Styles said that he admired the passion that the NXT fans had for the brand and that he wasn't going to let guys like Grayson Waller take that away.
Waller walked out and mocked AJ for losing last night on RAW and took credit for the loss, saying that AJ was too busy worrying about Waller to win last night.
AJ challenged Waller to a match right then and there but Grayson said that he was going to do this on his time. Waller wanted it to be the main event next week and AJ agreed, vowing to embarrass the newcomer.
AJ Styles and Grayson Waller ended up having a brawl at New Year's Evil and Waller came out on top. But AJ got a Pele kick and took him down. Waller dodged the Phenomenal Forearm before rolling out of the ring and retreating.
Backstage at NXT New Year's Evil, Kacy and Kayden teamed up with Amari Miller and challenged Persia Pirotta and Indi Hartwell to a match. Persia and Indi asked Tiffany Stratton to join them in the match but she shot them down before we saw Wendy Choo taking a nap and the Australian duo accepted her as their third teammate.
Imperium vs. MSK & Riddle on NXT New Year's Evil
Riddle and MSK brought a DJ to remix The Original Bro's entrance music as they walked out to face Imperium. Marcel and Carter kicked off the match and Nick was in control early on but was isolated as Aichner tagged in.
Carter got some big chops before MSK isolated Aichner and sent him back to the apron. Walter came in and wiped out both Carter and Lee before all of Imperium stepped in the ring and sent Riddle and MSK outside.
Imperium vs. MSK & Riddle on NXT New Year's Evil (contd...)
Back after a break on NXT New Year's Evil, Carter was taking a beating from Walter in the ring and almost made the tag. But Imperium went around the ring and wiped out both his partners from the apron before he could make the tag.
Riddle came back in after the tag was finally made and hit a barrage of kicks before trying for the double draping DDT on Aichner and Barthel. Walter stopped the move but took a kick off the apron before MSK wiped everyone out with dives.
Imperium hit their combined finisher on Riddle for a near fall before the trio cornered Riddle in the ring. The RAW Superstar broke free and made the tag before MSK hit their finisher on Barthel and Riddle got the Floating Bro for the win on New Year's Evil.
Result: MSK & Riddle def. Imperium
Grade: B+
Joe Gacy and Harland expressed their interest in joining the upcoming Dusty Cup and said that they were ready to prove themselves worthy of the opportunity.
Mandy Rose came to NXT New Year's Evil in a helicopter for some reason, while still in her ring gear, before heading into the arena.
Elektra Lopez was backstage on NXT New Year's Evil and said that she would pick whoever wins the match next week between Santos Escobar and Xyon Quinn.
Mandy Rose (c) vs. Raquel Gonzalez vs. Cora Jade - NXT Women's Championship match on New Year's Evil
Jade was instantly wiped out with a boot from Raquel before the Champ sent Gonzalez out of the ring and Jade came back with a top rope Rana.
Raquel came back and nearly got rolled up by Jade before Mandy kicked her into the steel steps on the outside.
Gonzalez broke up pins from Mandy first and then Jade before lifting both ladies and hitting a double Samoan drop. My back hurt just from watching it.
A kendo stick came into play during the commercials and after Raquel beat Mandy with the weapon, Jade was threatening Gonzalez with it but Mandy came in and wiped them out.
Mandy Rose (c) vs. Raquel Gonzalez vs. Cora Jade - NXT Women's Championship match on New Year's Evil (contd...)
Back from the break on NXT New Year's Evil, Mandy got a near fall on Jade off a clothesline. Raquel lifted Jade and threw her out of the ring, with the young superstar taking a bad fall. Rose tried to escape but Raquel dragged her back to the ring before getting a near fall off a lung blower on the ropes.
Rose took a stalling Chingona Bomb but Jade broke the pin with a dive. Raquel was mad and took Jade to the top rope but Cora slipped out and dropped Gonzalez to the outside. Jade tried to roll Rose up for the pin but Mandy got an awkward roll-up and got the win.
Result: Mandy Rose def. Raquel Gonzalez & Cora Jade to retain the NXT Women's Championship
Grade: B+
The Creed Brothers had an encounter with MSK in the parking lot after Riddle left.
Andre Chase was out next on NXT New Year's Evil and wanted to honor the student who saved him and nearly got tossed off the roof. He offered the guy a full scholarship before he was interrupted by Von Wagner.
Wagner cut the tried and tested "I'm everything that you're not" heel promo as NXT New Year's Evil went on. Wagner then attacked Andre Chase and wiped him out with a big slam in the ring before going after his prize pupil. He then attacked a random fan for some reason before he was dragged away.
Wagner was sent out of the arena after the break and he stared down Roderick Strong and Diamond Mine on his way out.
WWE announced a Crowbar on a pole match next week on NXT.
Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Bron Breakker - NXT Championship match on New Year's Evil
Breakker had the early advantage and Ciampa retreated from the ring to regroup before coming back and taking a vertical suplex. The Champ took control of the match and unloaded with strikes in the corner before hitting a big dropkick.
Bron went outside with a knee strike off the apron on NXT New Year's Evil and took a springboard corkscrew plancha before things returned to the ring. Ciampa locked in a headlock and then got on Breakker's back but was dropped by the bigger guy.
Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Bron Breakker - NXT Championship match on New Year's Evil (contd...)
Ciampa and Breakker traded fists as the NXT title match continued on New Year's Evil before Breakker got a Spear in the corner. Breakker hit a big spinebuster and a standing moonsault before Ciampa dropped him from the top rope.
Breakker took a knee strike on the outside before taking another inside the ring. Ciampa took a spear and the Frankenstiener for a near fall. Ciampa hit the Willow's Bell for a near fall before locking in the Single Leg Boston Crab.
The hold was broken before Ciampa ripped the mat off the concrete floor and tried to hit a move on it but Breakker reversed it and sent the Champ through the announcer's desk.
Ciampa got the Fairytale Ending in the ring for another near fall before Breakker locked in the Steiner Recliner on Ciampa for the winner. Young Steiner is our new NXT Champion!
Result: Bron Breakker def. Tommaso Ciampa to become the new NXT Champion
Grade: A
Episode rating: A-
We got some great moments on the very first episode of NXT in the new year. MSK had a great return match while Mandy continued her title reign. Waller and AJ set up a match for next week, Von Wagner made some questionable moves tonight on NXT New Year's Evil, and Breakker picked up the NXT title in the main event.
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
