WWE NXT Full Show 04 November 2020 WWE NXT Highlights 4 November 2020

 

NXT Countdown

WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from November 4

Sana Ejaz Khan

Credit: WWE.com

WWE NXT moved into November with a new focus, establishing new rivalries. This show pit several wrestlers against each other for the very first time while others renewed rivalries with fresh perspectives.

Tommaso Ciampa has been through an evolution since he lost the NXT Championship, wanting to remove those who are making NXT worse with their complaining. Velveteen Dream embodies much of what The Blackheart hates, and he was about to face Ciampa's wrath.

Moon returned to the black-and-gold brand with a mission, but Dakota Kai forced her into a detour. The Captain of Team Kick does not want to stand aside while The War Goddess takes her spotlight.

Two other women ready to compete for the NXT Women's Championship clashes in what could be seen as a No. 1 contender match. Toni Storm wanted to show she has changed in her time off, fighting NXT's resident upstart Shotzi Blackheart.

After a terrifying run through The Haunted House of Terror, Cameron Grimes tried to refocus on traditional wrestling, but he found himself face to face with Kushida. The Japanese Superstar has been on a roll and willing to do some damage with his devastating Hoverboard Lock to continue rising up the ranks.

NXT has needed a fresh perspective for a while, and this week felt like a necessary refresh on paper. It was all down to execution.

Ember Moon vs. Dakota Kai

1 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Ember Moon came in confident, maybe even cocky. Dakota Kai took advantage as she slipped out of The War Goddess' grip. The Captain of Team Kick dodged Moon's suicide dive, sending her hard into the barricade to shift the balance.

Kai kicked Moon into the mat again and again, but The War Goddess goaded her into a technical fight where Moon managed to trap her in a LaBell Lock. Moon fought to the top rope where Raquel Gonzalez distracted her, allowing Kai to hit a hanging GTK for the win.

Afterward, The Captain of Team Kick told the camera as well as a hurting Moon that she was not the same woman she was when The War Goddess last met Kai.

          

Result

Kai def. Moon by pinfall.

           

Grade

B

            

Analysis

This was a fun technical match to start the show, once the two women got moving. At first, there was clearly some discomfort as the two got familiar with each other. Once the two were locked in, they flied around the ring and smoothly grappled to the mat.

Kai winning was a surprise but a welcome one. It sets up the rivalry better, given that Moon needs back-up to contend with Gonzalez at ringside. This also keeps The Captain of Team Kick near the top of the women's division despite her loss to Io Shirai.

Cameron Grimes vs. Kushida

2 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Cameron Grimes was interviewed backstage and ran off after he thought he saw a zombie referee.

Kushida went after the arm of The Technical Savage early, who fought back with boots to the Japanese Superstar. Grimes got more into the fight as it progressed, feeding off the physicality from Kushida.

The Technical Savage went all out, giving him a true fight. However, the action got too intense for the referee, who took a bad bump. Zombie referee stepped in to take the spot, just as Kushida caught Grimes in the Hoverboard Lock for a tap out.

          

Result

Kushida def. Grimes by submission.

           

Grade

B+

            

Analysis

This may have been the best performance Grimes has had since he debuted in NXT. He went all out and pushed Kushida to remain physical. The pace was fast while the contest never felt as long as it was. The main issue was the overbooked ending.

Kushida has been on a roll and should have been able to defeat Grimes clean. Instead, Grimes got a false pinfall on him in the contest with the referee down that muddied the result. In the end, the right man still won though.

Drake Maverick and Killian Dain vs. Ever-Rise

3 OF 6

Io Shirai called out Rhea Ripley, telling The Nightmare she did not fear anything.

Ever-Rise capitalized on the opportunity to isolate Drake Maverick as long as possible. Matt Martel taunted Maverick while Chase Parker made sure that he could not tag in Killian Dain.

As the match progressed, Pat McAfee arrived with Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch. The quartet stomped to the ring to lay out everyone, causing a no contest. They celebrated with a camera in the ring, looking over the carnage.

McAfee cut a promo, paying tribute to Undisputed Era as they passed the torch to The Kings of NXT. Dunne explained that he still had not forgiven Roderick Strong for turning against him and joining UE. Lorcan and Burch were done with Undisputed Era getting all the opportunities they deserved.

Dain tried to get some revenge on the group as they walked out, but the men badly injured The Beast of Belfast including Dunne booting the car door into Dain.

          

Result

Maverick and Dain vs. Ever-Rise goes to a no contest.

           

Grade

C+

            

Analysis

McAfee is a good promo and ridiculously over the top in a good way, and this explanation was great. The Kings of NXT had clear reasons to turn against Undisputed Era. The amplified and piped-in boos were too much though, taking away from the moment as it was hard to hear what was being said.

This was what it needed to be in the end. The Kings of Wrestling have immediate rivals in Maverick and Dain while Undisputed Era remain out of action. McAfee and his crew established their understandable grudge against the entire group. The WarGames match to come should be phenomenal.

Shotzi Blackheart vs. Toni Storm

4 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Shotzi Blackheart said she wanted to face Toni Storm over anyone in NXT, and the former NXT UK women's champion was honored. Johnny Gargano played a board game with the man in the Scream mask as he put himself over as a history maker.

Blackheart was angry as she charged to the ring without her tank, blaming Storm for stealing her tank. It clearly got in her head as Storm took the early lead in the contest. This was a fast-moving contest where Storm was never quite able to move out of Blackheart's style.

The tank-driving Superstar blasted Storm every moment she got a chance, even hitting a dangerous springboard DDT to the apron. Candice LeRae appeared on the titantron to tell Blackheart that she stole her tank. The distraction allowed Storm to stack her up for a three count.

Afterward, LeRae ran over Blackheart's tank with a truck, and Blackheart was inconsolable.

          

Result

Storm def. Blackheart by pinfall.

           

Grade

A-

            

Analysis

While Blackheart got a little too reckless in this match, Storm kept the contest moving throughout. The disappearance of the tank framed the story well as the underdog went after Storm throughout. It was interesting that Storm leaned into the heel role despite not taking the tank.

This continued the rivalry between Blackheart and LeRae, but Storm also got some interesting development. She intentionally took advantage of a vulnerable performer who showed her respect by asking for this match. It will be exciting to see whether she embraces a darker persona soon.

LeRae has fully embraced her heel role, and it is brilliant. A silly prop was destroyed, but both LeRae and Blackheart sold it beautifully. This was the next level The Poison Pixie needed to get to.

Jake Atlas Goes After Legado Del Fantasma; Thatch-as-Thatch-Can Continues

5 OF 6

Jake Atlas attacked Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza with a steel pipe in front of Santos Escobar, who had been explaining that he defeated Atlas fair and square.

Timothy Thatcher continued to torture members of the Performance Center in live sessions of Thatch-as-Thatch-Can. He injured a man's elbow then nearly pop his ankle before Anthony Greene attacked Thatcher and sent him running.

Xia Li was asked about the letters she received from Boa. She said she was receiving them from her family. She got another from William Regal and demanded a match against Raquel Gonzalez, who had dishonored her.

Rhea Ripley gladly accepted Io Shirai's challenge. The Nightmare promised to leave 2020 the same way she did in 2019 as NXT women's champion.

           

Grade

C+

            

Analysis

Atlas lost quickly to Escobar last week, so it's hard to get excited about a rematch to come. This is the same issue as with Isaiah "Swerve" Scott. It does not feel like he has a chance.

Thatcher is wonderfully irreverent as a heel, and it is fun to watch his torment people as though he's trying to teach them. It is hard to get excited about him facing Greene again, who is several steps below him in the ring. However, it might give the newcomer to NXT a chance to show his mettle.

Ripley vs. Shirai is an exciting match that should bring even more eyes to NXT women's division, the brand's best. Li's story also continues to develop, but it's hard to truly believe she will go anywhere at the end of it all.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Velveteen Dream

6 OF 6

Tommaso Ciampa went after the cast on Velveteen Dream's arm from the start, breaking it. He continued to target the left arm repeatedly with his attacks, and Dream was barely able to defend himself from the onslaught, even after giving Ciampa a black eye.

Dream finally stopped The Blackheart cold with a spinebuster. This made the fight feel more even as the two struggled to the finish. Dream got angry and went for a steel chair, but the referee caught him. In the ensuing action, Ciampa caught him with a high knee, Willow's Bell and the Fairy Tale Ending for the three.

          

Result

Ciampa def. Dream by pinfall.

           

Grade

B-

            

Analysis

This was an interesting match that did not nearly hit the highs of their NXT TakeOver clash. The story is harder to get interested in, given the awkwardness with Dream's current situation. He and Dream seem to be heels, so it is difficult to know who to root for.

If Ciampa was the face, he should not have been going after the injured arm of Dream with such malice. If Dream was the face, he did not do a great job playing vulnerable. The athleticism was high throughout, but the storytelling was underwhelming.

This match especially was hurt by the amplified chants, which did not feel genuine at all. Big matches like this need to be great to earn the fake WWE reactions

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