WWE SmackDown Full Show Live Streaming 8 January 2021 WWE SmackDown Highlights 08 january 2021

 

WWE Smackdown Live 1/8/21 January 8th 2021

Video Highlights Removed as new show uploaded

Back to Content Links

WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from January 8

Sana Ejaz Khan

Credit: WWE.com

The January 8 edition of Friday Night SmackDown felt like part two of the blue brand's celebration of the new year. With a couple important title matches and major moments to come in building toward WWE Royal Rumble, this had a chance to be a huge show.

Kevin Owens pushed himself too far in the war with Roman Reigns, and The Head of The Table alongside Jey Uso made sure he was badly injured. This left the door for the announcement of a huge gauntlet match.

Sami Zayn, Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Shinsuke Nakamura and King Corbin would face off to determine the No. 1 contender to the WWE universal champion, facing him at WWE Royal Rumble.

Big E promised to be a fighting champion, and that began with the announcement he would defend his WWE Intercontinental Championship against the man that helped him defeat Sami Zayn and King Corbin last week, Apollo Crews.

The Street Profits also continued their rivalry with Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode by putting their titles on the line once again. The heels had used every trick in the book already and fallen short, but this was the time to pull out their best secret tricks.

SmackDown has started out strong, but the show is only building toward a brighter future. The roster needs to continue relying on young impressive rising stars to thrive in 2021.

Roman Reigns Blames Adam Pearce for What Happened to Kevin Owens

1 OF 4

Roman Reigns gave respect to Kevin Owens for fighting with ambition. He blamed Adam Pearce for KO's injuries due to sanctioned the match between Owens and Jey Uso. The Head of The Table showed Pearce a video package of what led to KO's injuries.

Reigns ran down the authority figure for putting an injured Owens in harm's way. He got in Pearce's face for not showing him the respect he deserved by allowing him to pick his next challenger rather than waiting on a gauntlet match.

Pearce could not defend himself as The Head of The Table approached him, wondering if he was being called stupid. Reigns backed off just barely but left Pearce with a lasting threat.

           

Grade

B+

            

Analysis

While it would have made more sense to involve the members of the gauntlet match in this segment, Reigns carried it all the same. His fierce attitude toward Pearce was difficult to ignore and set up the quiet potential of a one-off match between The Head of The Table and the veteran independent wrestler.

Casual WWE fans likely have no idea who Pearce is, but the five-time NWA world heavyweight champion could certainly sell an underdog rivalry with Reigns. It is all up to if he can be cleared for action this late in his career. The possibility of the story is limitless.

Intercontinental Champion Big E vs. Apollo Crews

2 OF 4

Credit: WWE.com

Apollo Crews came after Big E from the outset and looked to be the better man throughout. He threw around the WWE intercontinental champion with ease. After a massive superplex, the two locked legs for a double pinfall, causing the match to end in a draw.

Crews demanded the title and slapped his friend in the face. This convinced Big E to restart the match. An angry champion went after Crews until he got caught with a knee to the face.

A spinebuster and frog splash nearly took the win, but Big E refused to stay down. E battled back with force, wearing down his challenger with the stretch muffler and planted him with the Big Ending to win.

          

Result

Big E vs. Crews goes to a draw; E def. Crews by pinfall in the restart to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

           

Grade

B

            

Analysis

Odd booking and a lack of time let down an impressive and energetic sprint between two motivated performers. Big E and Crews were all in to make this work, and they gave fans an impressive physical war of strength and speed. A rematch should get at least five more minutes.

Crews teased a heel turn after slapping his friend in the face out of frustration. It would be too early to turn him, but Crews could make a splash if this is finally what sets him up to thrive on SmackDown.

SmackDown Tag Team Champions Street Profits vs. Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode

3 OF 4

Credit: WWE.com

Bianca Belair announced her entrance into the Royal Rumble followed by an interruption by Bayley, who decided to enter the match and eliminate The EST on her way to a new reign. Carmella bragged backstage about defeating Sasha Banks, making clear she is still more talented than The Legit Boss.

Dolph Ziggler survived an early flurry from Montez Ford by going after his injured left leg then Robert Roode did the same. Ford still refused to slow down, hitting a somersault plancha on the heels that clearly did some damage to his leg as he was struggling to stand.

Angelo Dawkins realized he was going to have to fight alone for a while as Ford recovered, and the heels gladly turned the match into a handicap beatdown. Ford got the hot tag and had to get physical rather than explosive, which worked for a while including a discus lariat.

The Showoff planted Ford with a facebuster off the top rope to stop him in his tracks. Dawkins made a crucial save but could not get to the tag as Ziggler knocked the bigger man off the apron. While Ford kicked out a fisherman buster, he was down for the count after a spinebuster/Zig Zag combination.

As Dawkins looked after his injured partner, the newly crowned champions attacked The Street Profits from behind.

          

Result

Ziggler and Roode def. Profits by pinfall to become the new SmackDown tag team champions.

           

Grade

A

            

Analysis

This was the absolute best these teams have looked together. Ford as always was the star of the show but in a very different way. He sold like a champion to make clear that this was never a fair fight. Fans had already seen that The Profits were better, so it was important to make clear how different this was.

Ziggler and Roode needed to win this match. If they lost after everything, the duo might as well have broken up. Hopefully, WWE finally commits to the teams for a while. The Profits held tag team gold for much of the last year, so it will be fun to see them back in hunt mode.

No. 1 Gauntlet: Mysterio vs. Zayn vs. Nakamura vs. Corbin vs. Bryan vs. Pearce

4 OF 4

Backstage, Pearce talked to his new assistant Sonya Deville, who questioned if the authority figure would enter himself into the gauntlet match after Reigns threatened him. Paul Heyman told Pearce that he was in the gauntlet match. Billie Kay talked to The Riott Squad about joining the group.

Sami Zayn brought out a special camera crew to film a documentary that expose the conspiracy against him. He stepped into the ring and immediately took a 619 into a splash to be the first eliminated by Rey Mysterio. Shinsuke Nakamura made Mysterio tap out to an armbar.

King Corbin attacked everyone on his way to the ring, sneak attacking The Artist. The King used that edge to dominate Nakamura, but his opponent refused to quit even after the Deep Six. He caught Corbin returning to the ring with a Kinshasa to eliminate him.

Bryan knew that he had an advantage and ground down Nakamura in his third straight fight of the night. A technical war between these veterans ensued where Bryan seemed to have the fight in the bag until Nakamura caught him running with the Kinshasa for a shocking elimination.

Pearce came out reluctantly with Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Heyman encouraging him. Uso attacked The Artist with The Head of The Table. Reigns then knocked out Pearce and draped him over Nakamura to win.

          

Result

Pearce wins the gauntlet by last elimination Nakamura to become the new No. 1 contender to the WWE Universal Championship.

           

Grade

A

            

Analysis

This match had a few interesting stories along the way. Nakamura felt like the odd man out in this contest, but he stole the show with one of his best performances in WWE. He and Corbin looked great together, and it was fun to see The Planet's Champion and The Artist at it again.

By the end of this performance from Nakamura, The Artist looked as good as he ever has. He was made as a top face on the blue brand. Even if he "lost", it is clear that Nakamura is now set as a future top challenger to the WWE universal champion.

Pearce is a veteran performer getting potentially his one big break. He has worked well as an authority figure, and this may be the reward for his work in that role as well as training in the Performance Center. The story is set to make him the biggest underdog possible for The Head of The Table.

Read More

AEW Dynamite New Years Smash Full Show Live 2021 AEW Dynamite Live New Years Smash Highlights 2021

 

AEW Dynamite Live New Years SMASH Night 1 1/6/21

Video Highlights Removed as New Show Uploaded
Back to Content Links

AEW Dynamite New Year's Smash Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights

Sana Ejaz Khan

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

For AEW world and women's champions Kenny Omega and Hikaru Shida, the dawn of a new year brought with it grueling challenges and the very real possibility they would not make it past the first Dynamite of 2021 with their reigns intact.

Would Omega successfully retain against the high-flying Rey Fenix? Could Shida weather the storm presented by the haunting Abadon?

Find out who emerged from those two blockbuster championship clashes with their titles intact and what else went down Wednesday night with this recap of AEW's New Year's Smash, night one.

Match Card

1 OF 8

Announced for Wednesday's blockbuster episode are:

   

• AEW World Championship Match: Rey Fenix vs. Kenny Omega
• AEW Women's Championship Match: Hikaru Shida vs. Abadon
• Cody rahodes vs. Matt Sydal
• Jake Hager vs. Wardlow
• The Young Bucks and SCU vs. The Acclaimed and The Hybrid 2
• Jon Moxley returns
• Chris Jericho on commentary

   

Coverage begins at 8:00 PM.

The Young Bucks and SCU vs. The Acclaimed and The Hybrid 2

2 OF 8

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Tag team action kicked off the first Dynamite of 2021 as The Young Bucks Matt and Nick Jackson teamed with SCU's Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian to battle The Hybrid 2's Jack Evans and Angelico and The Acclaimed's Anthony Bowens and Max Caster.

Wild, chaotic action defined the opening moments of the match, leading to the heels isolating Daniels from his partners. The Fallen Angel fought from underneath and finally managed to tag Kazarian into the match. Arguably the most underrated wrestler in the company, the former tag team champion exploded into the match and scored a near-fall on Evans.

Matt Jackson entered the match and wiped out Angelico and Caster before joining Nick for Risky Business on Bowens. 

The action continued to cut a frenetic pace until Daniels managed to score the pinfall victory for his team.

After the match, Kazarian revealed that the next match he and his partner lose as a team will be their last as partners. Daniels went on to confirm that they want to challenge the Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championships.

    

Result

The Bucks and SCU defeated The Acclaimed and The Hybrid 2

    

Grade

B

    

Analysis

This was a nonstop, action-packed match that perfectly set the tone for the rest of the show.

The Acclaimed continued to show why they are a bright part of AEW's tag team division while the Bucks starred.

The biggest development was the revelation that SCU could very well be finished by the time 2021 wraps up, not to mention the tease of a match with the Bucks. Given the history between the teams and their influence on AEW from its inception, it would certainly be a suitable conclusion to Daniels and Kazarian's run as a tandem.

Jon Moxley Returns

3 OF 8

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Jon Moxley returned to Dynamite for the first time since losing the AEW World Championship.

Vowing to dig in and stand his ground in the face of adversity, he addressed new champion Kenny Omega. He promised not to interfere in tonight’s main event because that would be robbing Rey Fenix of an opportunity he has worked long and hard to obtain.

But Omega...he’s not safe. He never will be. “I’m in your blind spot, Kenny,” he warned.

Moxley tossed the mic down and stood tall to close out the segment.

    

Grade

A

   

Analysis

Moxley was spectacular here.

You can tell when a performer is feeling it; when he is completely invested and believes in what his character is saying. It’s spoken with conviction. That was the case here as he issued warnings, paid respect to Fenix, and vowed that Omega’s life would continue to be a living hell as long as he was around.

It was great stuff from a guy who has absolutely found himself as a talker in AEW after years spent regurgitating characterless drivel elsewhere.

Wardlow vs. Jake Hager

4 OF 8

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

The Inner Circle settled an internal dispute Wednesday night when the monstrous Jake Hager and Wardlow did battle.

What started innocently enough with a collar-and-elbow tie-up escalated into a brawl between the big men and a double clothesline on the arena floor heading into the break.

During the break, Hager controlled the action, leaving the lesser-experienced Wardlow to fight his way back into the match. And he did. Hager attempted a Hager Bomb, as well as an ankle lock, but Wardlow escaped and delivered swanton bomb.

Hager countered the pinfall into a triangle choke, but Wardlow forced the break by draping his foot over the bottom rope. 

The battle headed up top, where Hager applied the triangle choke. Wardlow dropped down, hanging the Oklahoman up on the top rope. He followed up with the F-10 for the pinfall victory.

After the match, The Inner Circle hit the ring to check on their teammates and encourage a sign of respect between the competitors. Hager shook his peer’s hand as their differences appeared to be settled. At least for now. 

    

Result

Wardlow defeated Hager

    

Grade

B+

    

Analysis

This was infinitely better than it had any right to be.

This was a good, old-fashioned hoss fight between two big guys who didn’t waste movement or energy. They went a clubbin’ and the result was a physical war that ended with the right guy going over.

Wardlow has a ton of upside and really impressed here, against a former world champion in Hager. To his credit, Hager made his opponent look like a million bucks, especially with the selling of his F-10 finisher.

The sign of respect was a nice touch as Inner Circle appears to be gelling for the first time since MJF and Wardlow came on board. We will see if that continues moving forward or if this was a one-and-done thing.

For now, Wardlow and Hager may very well have had the match of the night on a show that still has Omega vs. Fenix to come.

Darby Allin and Brian Cage Weigh-in

5 OF 8

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Ahead of their TNT Championship Match on night two of New Year’s Smash next week, Darby Allin and Bryan Cage (accompanied by Team Taz) hit the ring for their official weigh-in. Predictably, Cage held a 100-pound advantage over the champion, to which Allin showed little emotion.

Instead, he suggested they skip the pleasantries and get to the fun part. Before a brawl could break out, Sting appeared, again making the save for Allin as their relationship continues to grow and evolve.

The face-painted vigilantes of AEW stared down Team Taz. 

    

Grade

C+

    

Analysis

AEW used the weigh-in gimmick to really sell the difference in size between Allin and Cage, thus highlighting the seemingly insurmountable odds the champion will have to overcome to retain his title. It was a great booking decision and one that helps build intrigue for next week’s show. 

Sting making the save for Allin is still cool but it’s wearing thin as we await The Stinger to do something, anything that explains his interest in the TNT champion.

Hopefully, we get it the next time the legend and his fellow face-painted enigma share the ring.

Cody Rhodes vs. Matt Sydal

6 OF 8

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

In a giant ad for The Go-Big Show, Snoop Dogg accompanied co-judge Cody Rhodes to the ring for The American Nightmare’s match against Matt Sydal.

At one point, Sydal appeared to be injured as the fight headed to the arena floor. A shot by Cody to Serpentico at ringside was followed by a Texas Cloverleaf by the former TNT champion as he worked the knee of his opponent.

Sydal stunned Rhodes for a near-fall but Cody resumed control, delivering a jarring inverted suplex from the top. Sydal recovered and sought the Shooting Star Press but Cody got the knees up. He dropped Sydal with an inverted DDT for two.

Sydal applied a submission but Cody fought out and delivered a clothesline that sent both men to the floor.

Back in the ring, Rhodes delivered a Disaster Kick for two. A last-gasp jumping knee attempt by Sydal missed and Rhodes delivered consecutive Cross Rhodes for the win.

After the match, Serpentico and his Chaos Project teammate Luther hit the ring to attack Cody and Sydal. The babyfaces fought them off and Snoop Dogg delivered a splash from the top rope to Serpentico for the mainstream media spot and game show sell job.

    

Result

Rhodes defeated Sydal

    

Grade

B

    

Analysis

Cody has hit that hot streak of his career where he can have an above-average match against any wrestler that stands across the ring from him. From Sonny Kiss to MJF to Chris Jericho, he meshes almost seamlessly with all of them and this was no different.

He had worked with Sydal before in WWE and they came together to create a really solid, competitive match that gave Rhodes a win but also provided the underutilized Sydal a showcase for himself. There were a few rough spots, sure, but they worked through them and delivered a strong finished product.

The Snoop spot after the match was a great bit of business, too, in that it should earn AEW some mainstream attention while simultaneously hyping The Go-Big Show ahead of Thursday’s debut.

AEW Women's Championship Match: Hikaru Shida vs. Abadon

7 OF 8

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Abadon wasted little time in trying to attack Hikaru Shida Wednesday night as she challenged for the AEW Women’s Championship. Shida, ready for her undead opponent, cracked her with a kendo stick. Abandon no-sold it, sitting up and stalking after her opponent.

She would bite the thigh of Shida before dragging her under the ring and emerging with blood all over her mouth, the insinuation being that she again bit the neck of the champion.

Abandon dominated throughout the picture-in-picture commercial break but Shida fought back and delivered her Tamashii finisher for the successful title defense.

    

Result

Shida defeated Abadon

   

Grade

C

   

Analysis

Abadon deserved so much more than that in her first championship opportunity.

After being presented as this terrifying threat to Shida’s title, leading up to it and during it, she was put down with a knee strike shortly after a commercial break in the middle of a major championship match.

Yes, other matches are interrupted by and subject to the picture-in-picture gimmick, but few are so shortchanged as the women’s matches on Dynamite. They typically wrap-up shortly after the show returns, the majority of the match subjected to the commercial break.

That this was never really allowed to get into any real flow, or tell much of story, only hurt its overall quality.

A major disappointment given the build and the momentum Abadon had established in recent weeks. 

AEW World Championship Match: Rey Fenix vs. Kenny Omega

8 OF 8

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

AEW world champion Kenny Omega weathered the early storm of challenger Rey Fenix in the main event of Wednesday’s broadcast, delivering a snapdragon suplex on the arena floor and dropping him spine-first across the guardrail as he sought to successfully retain his title.

Fenix answered moments later, delivering a double springboard dropkick and following with the damndest tope con hilo on the arena floor. Back inside, Fenix delivered a springboard into a German suplex that folded Omega up but only earned a two-count.

During the break, Omega unleashed a series of open-hand strikes across the chest and back of the challenger but Fenix answered with hard right hands to the torso. Omega dropped him with consecutive powerbombs but Fenix kicked out. The challenger reversed the One-Winged Angel into a reverse rana, followed moments later with an inside-out cutter and looked for a frog splash.

Omega got the knees up, answered with an impressive Tiger Driver and scored the win with the One-Winged Angel. Omega stood tall, his title in-hand, while Don Callis grabbed a microphone. He threw to the back, where Eddie Kingston, Butcher and Blade beatdown Pac and Penta El Zero M.

Callis encouraged Omega to finish Fenix and put an end to his career. Instead, Jon Moxley hit the ring with the barbed wire baseball bat and drove it into the midsection of his rival. As Moxley threatened further damage, Impact Wrestling tag team champions Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson hit the ring and beat down the former world titleholder. 

They delivered The Magic Killer to Moxley stood alongside Omega and Callis. The AEW world champion added repeated shots to the back with the baseball bat before Brian Pillman and Griff Garrison hit the ring to try and make the save. No one proved effective, though, as they were all stymied amid the dominance of the heels. 

The Young Bucks finally hit the ring to try and talk reason with their longtime friends and former Bullet Club cohorts. “Where do they stand?!” the commentary team asked. Matt and Nick added their signature “too sweet” hand gesture to Omega and The Good Brothers, seemingly reuniting with their friends as the show went off the air.

     

Result

Omega defeated Fenix

    

Grade

A

    

Analysis

There is so much to unpack about this main event and its aftermath.

Omega and Fenix did exactly what everyone expected them to, tearing the house down in a pay-per-view quality main event that had the commentary team exclaiming they had never seen some of the moves or sequences before.

Fenix looked every bit Omega’s equal and came within seconds of winning the AEW title. His passion and intensity matched his ability to do things between the ropes few could only ever dream of. He looked the part of a main event competitor and very easily could headline a pay-per-view for this company if they so chose to book him in one.

He’s that good and he has proven it at every turn.

The post-match angle with Anderson and Gallows, and the confusion surrounding Matt and Nick Jackson’s place in all of it, was exactly the type of red-hot cliffhanger you would see back in the days of the Monday Night Wars. It was unpredictable, energetic, and fun.

It wasn’t overbooked, overproduced or cringeworthy. It worked because fans knew of the relationship between the Young Bucks, Gallows, Anderson and Omega and genuinely cared about the possibility that they would reunite.

While it appears they did, it will be interesting to see if that is the case or just perception. 

Regardless of the answer, the audience now wants to tune in next week to see what is going on, the definition of an effective angle.

Read More

WWE NXT New Years Evil Full Show Live WWE NXT New Years Evil Highlights 2021

 

Video Highlights Removed as New Show Uploaded

Back to Content Links

WWE NXT New Year's Evil Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights

Sana Ejaz Khan

Credit: WWE.com

NXT was not afraid to start off the new year with a bang. NXT New Year's Evil had all the makings of an NXT TakeOver including multiple intense grudge matches and several important title matches along the way.

Presented without commercial interruption, Finn Balor would fight Kyle O'Reilly one more time for the NXT Championship. The last time these two fought, The Prince was put on the shelf for months with a broken jaw but still won. This time, O'Reilly might need to do even more to capture the gold.

Two men who could be considered the No. 1 contenders to the NXT Championship after New Year's Evil, Damian Priest had put himself in the cross-hairs of Karrion Kross. Doomsday has returned to WWE, but The Archer of Infamy planned to stop him before he could do any more damage.

Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez were once friends. Now, they have become bitter rivals. In a Last Woman Standing match, these two fought to prove who was truly the biggest giant of the women's division.

Santos Escobar has ruined the chances of so many young stars as NXT cruiserweight champion, but Gran Metalik was not afraid of him or Legado del Fantasma. The Monday Night Raw star was happy for this opportunity to finally add gold to his legacy in WWE.

Finally, Xia Li and Boa were set to return to the ring, molded by an absolutely barbaric training regimen from a mysterious teacher and the even-more mysterious woman behind him. No one knew what to expect of this returning group of changed performers.

Hosted by Dexter Lumis, New Year's Evil promised to be a special night. Top talent stepped into the ring for the first time or the last time, heralding a new year with some early potential match of the year contenders.

Damian Priest vs. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)

1 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Damian Priest smiled in the face of the early destruction of Karrion Kross. He rocked The Doomsday Deviant with a series of right hands and kicks. However, the ribs of The Archer of Infamy slowed him too much to keep control in this fight.

Kross trapped Priest in the tree of woe and targeted the rips with stomps and an unpadded knee strike. He tried to turn this into a Saito superplex, but The Archer of Infamy escaped and planted The Doomsday Deviant with the Razor's Edge.

Suffering through each move, Priest still managed to hit a running springboard somersault plancha into a spinning heel kick and the South of Heaven for a nearfall. Kross responded with a release German suplex and powerbomb for a nearfall.

Outside, the two fought through the pain where Kross finally took the unstoppable edge. He slammed The Archer of Infamy's ribs into the steel stage then his back onto the steel steps. A Saito suplex and a running forearm to the back of the neck ended it.

          

Result

Kross def. Priest by pinfall.

           

Grade

B-

            

Analysis

A match will never suffer for lacking commercial breaks, but this contest did not quite earn that honor over the better contests to come. After time away, The Doomsday Deviant was off his game. He and Priest struggled to find consistent chemistry in a hard-hitting fight.

The two did manage to tell a strong story throughout. Priest was clearly coming in injured, and Kross was glad to take advantage. The Archer of Infamy sold his injuries well and smiled in the face of his own doom. If the two were fighting at their best, this could have been special.

Kross was the only man that could win here. He is still completely undefeated in NXT, and the man that beats him needs to do so on a major stage. These two could have a rematch down the line, but Priest is not the right one to stop The Doomsday Deviant.

NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar vs. Gran Metalik

2 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Gran Metalik made Santos Escobar pay for his early arrogance, flying around the ring with ease. The NXT cruiserweight champion caught him on a headscissors takedown, turning the move into a powerbomb on the barricade. Escobar wore his opponent down with a surfboard until Metalik turned it into a pin attempt.

Metalik got moving again and planted the champion with a springboard running plancha. Escobar answer with a vicious suicide dive. With no respect for lucha libre, Escobar almost ripped off Metalik's mask. Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde almost got involved, but Lince Dorado made the save.

The champion took advantage of the chaos, surviving a Frankensteiner and planting his challenger with Legado followed by the Phantom Driver for the three count.

          

Result

Escobar def. Metalik by pinfall to retain the NXT Cruiserweight Championship.

           

Grade

C+

            

Analysis

The fast build to this match may have let down the action as it was hard to get truly invested. It was obvious that Metalik had no chance no matter how good he looked, and there was little drama throughout to sell that potential ending.

However, this was never meant to be about drama. It was a solidly fun action-heavy lucha libre battle. Metalik got to show what he can do at his best. Escobar proved he's a talent that can translate to any roster. It was a good win for the champion.

Xia Li (w/ Boa) vs. Katrina Cortez

3 OF 6

As the mysterious woman watched from her throne on the stage, Xia Li dominated Katrina Cortez. She seemed unaffected by any pain, more interested in showing respect to the woman watching. Li sealed the victory after a series of kicks thanks to a leaping spin kick.

William Regal announced earlier in the day that Timothy Thatcher was injured and would not be able to compete at New Year's Evil against Tommaso Ciampa. In an interview, Bronson Reed made a declaration that he would fight anyone and everyone in NXT in 2021.

          

Result

Li def. Cortez by pinfall.

           

Grade

B+

            

Analysis

What a reintroduction for Li and Boa. These two wrestlers barely made an impression before they were taken out of the ring for their intense training montage. Now, Li especially feels like a star, who could challenge just about anyone.

The presentation of the entrance coupled with the dangerous presence at the top of the ramp make this instantly one of the most intriguing acts in NXT. While this was just a squash match to start, Li looked as in tune as she ever has.

Last Woman Standing: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez

4 OF 6

Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez headed straight to the outside to fight. The Nightmare handcuffed her opponent to the chain-link fence only for Gonzalez to break off the chain. Gonzalez blasted Ripley with the ring bell then attempted to bury her under the announce table and chairs.

The brutality from Gonzalez continued. She booted Ripley down the steps into the backstage area. The Nightmare responded by shattering a glass door with her opponent's back. Ripley followed up with a senton bomb off a locker through a table on her rival.

Dakota Kai ran in to save her friend only to get brutalized in a locker by The Nightmare before Ripley trapped her. The Nightmare trapped Gonzalez in the Prism Trap, adding in a steel chair. When Gonzalez worked her way out of it, she and Ripley ran hard into the LED board on the stage.

Neither woman looked ready to stop until Gonzalez grabbed Ripley and single-arm powerbombed The Nightmare through the stage. The heel was the only one to be able to stand back up.

          

Result

Gonzalez def. Ripley by ten count.

           

Grade

A+

            

Analysis

The bar for great matches in 2021 was set early by this insane and physical Last Woman Standing match. Ripley and Gonzalez had already proved their chemistry in the ring, but this match only extenuated what they do so well together.

Brutal destruction was the name of the game, finding new innovative ways to hurt each other. The pacing never falters in spite of the match type inherently setting up wrestlers to slow down. These two knew what they needed to do and delivered.

If WarGames had not been enough, Gonzalez has been made. This win has to put her at the top of the heap in terms of challengers to Io Shirai. She is the first woman in months to feel like she is ready to dethrone The Genius of the Sky.

Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae vs. Kushida and Shotzi Blackheart

5 OF 6

Earlier in the night, Adam Cole and Roderick Strong talked about the Dusty Rhodes Classic, facing Breezango in the first round. Cole made clear Undisputed Era would win all the gold again starting with Kyle O'Reilly.

William Regal would announce 2021 would see the first-ever women's Dusty Rhodes Classic for later in the year.

Johnny Gargano made an impressive entrance with The Way, celebrating the end of The Curse. Candice LeRae gave her husband a plaque for ending The Curse. Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell presented a special picture for The Way. Gargano then announced he and Theory would compete in the Dusty Rhodes Classic.

Shotzi Blackheart ruined the celebration, joined by Kushida, and Dexter Lumis rang the bell for an impromptu mixed tag team match.

Kushida rolled through on the NXT North American champion and nearly made him tap out to a cross armbreaker. LeRae tried to make the save, and Kushida and Blackheart proved they had tag team chemistry by knocking the married couple out of the ring.

Hartwell took out Blackheart, and Theory attacked Kushida. Both young members of The Way could not do enough though to save Gargano from a surprise roll-up by the Japanese Superstar for three.

          

Result

Kushida and Blackheart def. Gargano and LeRae by pinfall.

           

Grade

B+

            

Analysis

The Way's segments can be hit and miss, but this week worked especially well. It was funny and continued to develop key rivalries. Blackheart got a measure of revenge on The Poison Pixie. Kushida continues to put himself in position for a future title opportunity against Gargano.

Now that The Curse is broken, The Rebel Heart could lose at any time. While he deserves a sizable reign as champion, Kushida is well built as the man to dethrone the NXT North American champion. He has the momentum and needs one big win to put him over.

NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. Kyle O'Reilly

6 OF 6

Kyle O'Reilly went right after the jaw of Finn Balor that he broke in their last fight. The Prince responded by trapping KOR in an abdominal stretch, forcing O'Reilly to break the hold with his teeth on the ropes. This allowed Balor to smash KOR's jaw into the hard ropes, causing serious damage to O'Reilly's jaw.

This revealed The Prince's true game plan as he looked to break his challenger's jaw. He trapped KOR in a crossface that the challenger barely escaped. O'Reilly fought back desperately with kicks. The NXT champion fired back with a pele kick that sent his opponent to the floor.

O'Reilly transitioned through a series of submissions broken by The Prince punching his rival in the jaw. Balor landed the 1916 and went right into a crossface rather than the pinfall. KOR barely broke it up by hitting the right hand of The Prince that had been worn out through the match.

The NXT champion fired back with a Slingblade, standing double stomp and corner dropkick, but O'Reilly stood back up to stop the Coup de Grace. KOR hit a superplex into a brainbuster that he transitioned into an armbar.

Despite the pain he had faced though, Balor was in much better shape than KOR. He fought through and locked O'Reilly in an abdominal stretch where he yanked at the jaw until the challenger was forced to tap out.

          

Result

Balor def. O'Reilly by submission to retain the NXT Championship.

           

Grade

A+

            

Analysis

This match needed to be shown without a single commercial break, and it benefited immensely. The two tried to outshine their first battle, and they nearly did just that. This was brutal, bloody and all-out violence. The two men were technically excellent throughout in their focused attacks.

The jaw injury played so well to their history together where Balor was able to make a statement by forcing O'Reilly to tap out due to an injured jaw. The two men have incredible chemistry and told another excellent story together.

Balor needed to win as he has only truly begun his reign. He had a pair of great matches with KOR, and it is time for him to move onto more great opponents. Pete Dunne was watching at ringside, which would be the perfect next challenger to The Prince.

Read More