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Grayson Waller kicked off the last episode of NXT 2.0 this year and talked about his appearance on RAW last night. Waller said he would have taken out AJ Styles last night if not for Apollo Crews and Azeez.
Waller was set to face Dexter Lumis but the latter wasn't cleared to compete after being hit with a chair last week. Odyssey Jones came out as the replacement and Waller was walking out before the match even started.
Jones taunted him and called Waller a b*tch and Grayson came back to start the match.
Grayson Waller vs. Odyssey Jones on NXT 2.0
Jones started off strong and Waller took a big sidewalk slam early on before he headed for a break on NXT 2.0. Back to the match, Waller got a near fall off an elbow drop but Jones was able to toss him off.
Grayson took a modified powerbomb in the ring before sending Jones into one of the turnbuckles that was missing the padding. Jones was in trouble and Waller hit the stunner before picking up the quick win.
Result: Grayson Waller def. Odyssey Jones
Grade: B-
AJ Styles showed up on the titantron after the match. The Phenomenal One said that he was going to be on NXT for the New Year's Evil special to teach Waller a lesson.
Cora Jade and Raquel Gonzalez were getting ready for their match with Toxic Attraction. Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray showed up and they all wanted a NXT Women's Title shot.
Mandy Rose came on the screen and said that the two teams should face each other tonight. She said the winners will face her at New Year's Evil for the Title.
Grayson Waller was backstage on NXT and accepted AJ's challenge for next week before running into MSK as they were making their way to the ring.
Xyonn Quinn was backstage on NXT 2.0 and told Elektra Lopez to choose between him or Legado del Fantasma.
Riddle sets up big match for NXT New Year's Evil
MSK were back on NXT and they were wearing RK-Bro merch. Riddle showed up on the titantron and said that he couldn't make it to the show but will be watching over them like a 'higher power.'
MSK then called out Imperium. The Tag Team Champs came out to tell Carter and Lee that they were never taking the titles off of them. MSK demanded a Title shot right away and Walter showed up to tell them off from the 'tron.
Riddle came back on the screen and challenged Walter and Imperium to a six-man tag team match at New Year's Evil next week and The Ring General agreed.
Harland and Joe Gacy were out next and Brian Kendrick was set to have a match with the big guy but he was a no show. Andre Chase came out to take advantage of the 'teachable moment' and said that the University doesn't back down from a challenge.
Gacy thanked Chase for volunteering to be the replacement and Harland took him out with a fist before the match was started.
Harland vs. Andre Chase on NXT 2.0
Chase was sent out of the ring early on by Harland on NXT 2.0 and when he came back, Harland slammed Andre's head over and over on the mat. The referee called the match off as Chase was knocked out.
After the match, one of his students were trying to get Chase up on his feet but Harland came back and dragged him out of the ring before he and Gacy carried the poor fellow backstage.
Result: Harland wins due to referee stoppage
Grade: B-
Santos Escobar and the Legado del Fantasma were backstage in a heated argument when Solo Sikoa passed by. Escobar called him back and asked him to apologize for interfering with his family business before Sikoa challenged him to a match.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley on NXT 2.0
Tiffany Stratton was making her big debut after weeks of vignettes.
Stratton got a big arm drag early on and hit a big slam as the match went on. Henley barely managed to get any shots in as Stratton got the flatliner/reverse STO for the win.
Result: Tiffany Stratton def. Fallon Henley
Grade: C
Diamond Mine was out next on NXT 2.0 for the Champion vs. Champion match contract signing between Roderick Strong and Carmelo Hayes. Melo and Trick showed up last and Bivens was working as the mediator between Melo and Roddy.
The two teams bickered with each other before Wade Barret brought them back on topic and resumed the signing. After the signatures were made, both teams were still at each other's throats. Melo and Trick were walking out when the latter got mad at Bivens and walked back in toward him.
Bivens and Trick argued a bit before the Creed Brothers caught him and put Williams through the table that was set up in the ring.
Santos Escobar vs. Solo Sikoa on NXT 2.0
Sikoa no-sold the early offense from Escobar but Santos got him with an arm drag. The two backed off and we went back to collar and elbow submissions before Sikoa powered through and shoved Escobar down to the mat.
Escobar tried for a hold but Sikoa got up and dropped him. Sikoa got a near fall off a big slam and Escobar rolled out of the ring to regroup.
Santos Escobar vs. Solo Sikoa on NXT 2.0 (contd..)
Sikoa starred down the Legado at ringside and they backed off but the distraction let Escobar get back in control as we headed for a break on NXT. Back to the match, Escobar was going for the finisher but Sikoa reversed it into a suplex.
Sikoa got a senton before Escobar got a big top rope move. Xyonn Quinn came in and Escobar hit a dive on him to the outside. Sikoa hit a Superkick on Santos in the ring and hit a Splash for the win.
Result: Solo Sikoa def. Santos Escobar
Grade: B
Gacy and Harland were on the roof of the arena with their captive and it looked like they would throw him off but then walked away, letting him go.
Boa attacked Solo Sikoa backstage. But after his face paint was gone, Boa had no idea what he had done.
Von Wagner vs. Malik Blade on NXT 2.0
Wagner went after Blade right off the bat and sent him into the corner with a spear. Blade came back with some fists but Wagner caught him and hit a side slam. Wagner was dominating and hit some massive slams as Robert Stone watched from backstage.
Von Wagner vs. Malik Blade on NXT (contd...)
Blade managed to take Wagner off his feet and hit a Frog splash as the match continued on NXT 2.0. Blade was being tossed around the ring before Wagner went for the pin and picked up the easy win.
Result: Von Wagner def. Malik Blade
After the match, Wagner was going after Blade but Edris Enofe came in and dragged him out of the ring before retreating.
Grade: B
Cora Jade & Raquel Gonzalez vs. Io Shirai & Kay Lee Ray on NXT 2.0
Shirai and Jade kicked off the match and Jade had Io on the ropes when Raquel came in with a tag. KLR got some kicks on Gonzalez before she was dropped and hit with a double team.
Ray took out Jade in the ring and sent Gonzalez outside before Io hit a big dive on the former Women's champ. Back after a break, Kay Lee had a single-leg crab locked in on Jade before trying for the KLR bomb but Jade got away.
Cora Jade & Raquel Gonzalez vs. Io Shirai & Kay Lee Ray on NXT 2.0 (contd...)
Ray took Gonzalez out from the apron on NXT 2.0 and tagged in Io but Gonzalez ran around the ring and saved her partner by dragging her out of the way of Io's moonsault.
Shirai got a missile dropkick for a near fall on Jade before Cora dodged the knees in the corner.
Ray was tagged in and Jade got the tag to Raquel as well and Gonzalez wiped out KLR and hit the splash in the corner. Raquel was heading for the finisher but Jade forced a tag and they started quarreling and broke up each other's pins after Io was dumped outside.
After a bunch of reversals, Jade got the pin on KLR before she and Raquel argued about it. Mandy showed up on the titantron and congratulated them before the show went off the air.
Result: Cora Jade & Raquel Gonzalez def. Io Shirai & Kay Lee Ray
Grade: B
Episode rating: B-
The last episode of NXT in 2021 saw Grayson Waller further his feud with AJ Styles as we head into New Year's Evil. Xyonn Quinn gave Elektra Lopez an ultimatum while we got some big matches being set up for New Year's Evil next week.
