WWE NxT Live 2/3/21 January 3rd 2021
WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from February 3
- Sana Ejaz Khan
- Credit: WWE.com
After winning the men's Royal Rumble on Sunday and besting Randy Orton the following night on Raw, Edge continued his victory tour Wednesday by stopping by NXT.
This week's show was heavy on tag team action as both the men's and women's divisions continued to advance in the Dusty Cup tournaments.
Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro battled Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez for a spot in the finals, while Legado del Fantasma faced Lucha House Party in a quarterfinal match.
We also saw Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher team up to take on Adam Cole and Roderick Strong in another quarterfinal bout.
Let's take a look at everything that happened on Wednesday's episode of NXT.
Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez vs. Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro
1 OF 7The show got right to the action with Kai and Gonzalez taking on Catanzaro and Carter for a spot in the finals of the Dusty Cup tournament.
Captain Kota tried to overpower Catanzaro, but the former American Ninja Warrior used her speed and agility to avoid her and make the tag to Carter for a double-team and a two-count.
All four women had a standoff that turned into a brawl. Once things settled down, Kai grounded Catanzaro in a headlock. Carter tagged in and managed to build some momentum as she took on both opponents.
Carter was sent flying into the announce table as the show went to commercial. When we returned, she was still taking a lot of punishment at the hands of Kai and Gonzalez. She made the hot tag, and Catanzaro unleashed a series of high-flying moves. She even dove off part of the set onto her opponents.
They kept the pace quick as both duos hit a series of double-team spots. Catanzaro almost won with an impressive corkscrew senton, but Gonzalez ended up getting the pin to advance her team in the tournament.
Grade: B-
Analysis
Gonzalez and Kai are destined for great things as individuals, but as a team, they still have plenty they can bring to the division.
The biggest complaint about this match comes down to one moment. Catanzaro hit Gonzalez with her finisher, and Kai was going to be late breaking it up, so Catanzaro appeared to roll away before she was hit.
Other than that, this was a fun, high-energy match that allowed all four women to stand out for different reasons. Even though they lost, Carter and Catanzaro looked slightly more cohesive as a unit.
Austin Theory vs. Leon Ruff
2 OF 7Leon Ruff may have lost the North American Championship to Johnny Gargano, but he had to go through Gargano's protege this week, Austin Theory.
Ruff used his speed to counter Theory's initial salvo before the former bodybuilder took control and slowed down the pace to his liking.
Eventually, the high-flyer turned the tables and hit a flurry of offensive maneuvers. Gargano tried to interfere but was met with a kick to the face for his efforts.
Ruff ended up getting Gargano sent back to the locker room by pretending he was attacked. He got back into the ring and almost got the pin before Theory put his foot on the bottom rope. He hit Ruff with his ATL finisher for the win. After it was over, he hit the ATL again just for good measure.
Dexter Lumis showed up to prevent Theory from using the ring bell as a weapon at the end.
Grade: B-
Analysis
The feud between Ruff and Gargano has slowed down quite a bit, but you wouldn't know it from this match. Both guys looked like they were giving it everything they had.
Ruff might need to slow down occasionally so his moves look a little crisper, but he is still one of the smoothest high-flyers in NXT today. He just makes everything look so easy. Theory has a lot of skill, but he needs a better character. Being Gargano's buddy isn't helping him anymore.
Gargano's involvement was almost an afterthought in this match. He needs a new rival who can make the NA title picture interesting again.
Lucha House Party vs. Legado del Fantasma
3 OF 7Gran Metalik and Raul Mendoza started for their teams with a quick exchange before Lince Dorado tagged in. He kept the pace up, but Legado del Fantasma took over when Joaquin Wilde got involved.
Metalik came back in with a springboard, but Mendoza sent him to the floor with a nice kick. We returned from a break to see Metalik counter a superplex with a sunset powerbomb in the corner.
Dorado and Wilde tagged in at the same time, and The Golden Lynx went on a rampage. He hit several aerial maneuvers before a jawbreaker stopped him in his tracks.
The King of the Ropes hit a splash off the shoulders of Dorado. Wilde set up both men for what ended up being a double springboard DDT for a two-count.
Mendoza and Wilde were able to hit a nice double-team finisher on Metalik to get the victory and advance to the semifinals of the Dusty Cup.
Grade: B+
Analysis
The spot when Wilde tried to hit both opponents with a DDT looked too planned and did not end up working, but that was the only major error made in a match full of risky spots.
When you put two teams in the ring together that focus on high-flying offense, you are going to get a fun show. That is why so many people love the lucha libre style of wrestling.
Wilde and Mendoza may have had their best showing to date in this match, and some of the credit for this performance goes to Dorado and Metalik for making them look so good.
It would be nice for Metalik and Dorado to get a push as a tag team, but putting over Legado del Fantasma was the right call.
Edge Steps into an NXT Ring for the 1st Time
4 OF 7Pete Dunne gave a promo calling out Finn Balor, and the NXT champion didn't make him wait long for a response. After Balor accepted Dunne's challenge for TakeOver, Edge made his way to the ring.
The Rated-R Superstar looked excited to be in an NXT ring and said he has been a fan of the brand because he always sees passion in the Superstars' eyes. He said NXT helped him find his passion for wrestling again.
Edge teased using his guaranteed title shot at WrestleMania to challenge Balor before he complimented both guys for everything they have accomplished. He said he would be keeping his eyes on both men as he considers who he will challenge at 'Mania.
Grade: B
Analysis
Edge is so good at putting people over on the mic that Dunne and Balor didn't have to say a single word once he was in the ring.
It's unlikely Edge will challenge for the NXT title at WrestleMania, but the tease was a fun way to explain his presence at the show.
This was a good segment, but it did end up feeling slightly awkward toward the end. Balor and Dunne don't need the rub from Edge, but he also didn't hurt anything by showing up. It was one of those segments that was entertaining but also unnecessary.
Jessi Kamea vs. Toni Storm
5 OF 7Toni Storm and Jessi Kamea locked up, and the former NXT UK women's champion immediately took control and scored a two-count.
Kamea was able to turn things around with a few well-placed kicks. Mercedes Martinez showed up and caused a disqualification by attacking Storm.
Io Shirai walked down and watched them fight while she sat on the top turnbuckle. She waited until the right time to hit both women with a moonsault at the same time.
Grade: C
Analysis
Kamea and Storm were working well together. It was a little sad to see this bout end so quickly in favor of highlighting Martinez and Storm, but it's not surprising.
This segment accomplished the goal of reminding us there is a feud for the women's title, but that was all it did. Storm, Martinez and Kamea didn't gain or lose anything.
However, there is never a wrong time to watch Shirai perform a moonsault.
Santos Escobar vs. Curt Stallion (Cruiserweight Championship)
6 OF 7Curt Stallion got his chance at the NXT Cruiserweight Championship this week in a match with Santos Escobar. Wilde and Mendoza were there to support the champion after winning their own match earlier in the show.
Escobar got the upper hand right away and did not let up as he stomped Stallion into the mat. Scarlett was shown watching from an elevated platform as Escobar drilled Stallion with a dropkick for a two-count.
The champ glanced up at her for a moment, and Stallion took advantage with a roll-up for a near-fall. We returned from a break to see Escobar dominating his opponent with a single-leg crab that he turned into a crossface.
The challenger broke free and started building up a head of steam with a German suplex and a suicide dive. Escobar reversed a suplex and sent Stallion into the corner upside down for a two-count. Escobar was able to hit his finisher to retain his title.
Karrion Kross came out and beat up Mendoza and Wilde before he gave Escobar a warning and told him to run along.
Grade: B
Analysis
Stallion is a relatively new talent, so he can afford to take a beating like this without suffering too much. This match was all about making Escobar look like a strong champion, and it did just that.
Stallion looked good when he got in a little offense and sold well for his opponent. His job was to make Escobar look good, and he did his duty like a pro.
The post-match moment with Kross and Escobar was interesting, but it's hard to look at either of them as a babyface in this feud. The next couple of weeks will be important to making this storyline make sense.
Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa vs. Adam Cole and Roderick Strong
7 OF 7The Undisputed Era looked to advance in the Dusty Cup in this week's main event, but Ciampa and Thatcher wanted to spoil their fun and win the trophy for themselves at the same time.
Cole and Ciampa started for their teams. The two former NXT champions locked up, and Ciampa backed Cole to the corner for a clean break. They kept things clean as they locked up again and traded takedowns. They came to a stalemate and decided to tag their partners so they could have a go.
The submission specialist and The Master of the Backbreaker showed off their technical ability with a great back-and-forth before Cole tagged in. Thatcher was able to bring Strong back to his corner so he could bring in Ciampa.
We returned from a commercial to see Thatcher stretching Strong in a submission. Ciampa tagged in and knocked his lights out with a forearm for a two-count.
They went past the end of the hour as they built up to the finish. Both teams came close to winning several times before Ciampa was able to spike Strong with a DDT to get the win.
Grade: A
Analysis
Cole, Strong, Ciampa and Thatcher represent some of the best workers in all of WWE, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that they stole the show with this bout.
This wasn't a very long match, but it felt like they packed a lot into the time they had and left us wanting more. That is one of the ways you know this was a great performance.
The combination of Ciampa and Thatcher works so well that WWE might want to consider keeping them together for a little while to elevate the tag team division.
Since neither team was heel, the few dozen fans in attendance were popping for all four men at different times. It helped make this a fun main event and one of the best matches we will see all week.
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