Monday 18 January 2021

WWE raw Full Show 18 January 2021 WWE Raw Highlights 18 January 2021

 

WWE Raw 1/18/21 January 18th 2021

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WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from January 18

Sana Ejaz Khan

    Credit: WWE.com

    It's not often a WWE show ends with a fireball. Alexa Bliss made a lasting impact when she threw a fireball into the eyes of Randy Orton. Just one week later, The Goddess was set to speak on the January 18 edition of Monday Night Raw, only the beginning of a major night for Bliss.

    She also returned to the ring in a huge non-title clash against Asuka. The Raw women's champion has been absolutely dominant, but she has never faced this new dangerous form of The Goddess.

    The Hurt Business has tormented everyone on Raw. One man constantly on the group's radar has been Riddle. This week, The Original Bro teamed up with Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik to face Bobby Lashly, Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin.

    WWE Royal Rumble is less than two weeks away, and that means it is time for wrestlers to build lasting momentum. Only one man and one woman can get to WrestleMania 37 through the Rumble match.

    This January 18 episode did not promise much before the show, but three hours on the road to Royal Rumble cannot be anything less than memorable.

Randy Orton Addresses His Burn Wounds at the Hands of Alexa Bliss

1 OF 7

    After a video package celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Randy Orton spoke in a dark ring, wearing a mask to protect his burned face. He explained that he was lucky, only taking first-degree burns to his face.

    He warned that his compassion was now gone. He blamed The Fiend for what happened, even though he was burned alive. He told Bray Wyatt that he would not stop him from winning his third men's Royal Rumble match. He promised he would compete even masked.

               

    Grade

    D-

                

    Analysis

    This was all too much, even for WWE. The dramatic music in the darkened ring just did not land. The mask looked too absurd to sell the idea that The Viper was burned in any way. It all came off as WWE taking an already ridiculous story too far.

    There is so much happening right now with Wyatt, Bliss and Orton. The production focus is selling this like a completely different show when the three are involved. If WWE is not careful, this angle will come crashing down into the realm of self-parody.

Charlotte Flair vs. Peyton Royce

2 OF 7

    Backstage, Charly Caruso asked Lacey Evans and Ric Flair about their relationship. The Sassy Southern Belle was not interested in any gossip.

    Evans did not have time to get her front row tickets before Peyton Royce attacked Charlotte Flair from behind. Evans' partner dominated early in this contest, blasting The Queen at every opportunity. Fully distracted, Charlotte struggled to even put together a comeback.

    An elbow smash set up a hanging neckbreaker from The Queen, but Ric and Evans finally arrived. The Sassy Southern Belle came out in a dramatic Flair robe, setting up Royce to blast the former women's champion with a big boot. However, neither women went down easily.

    Royce hurt her left knee, and The Queen knew exactly what she needed to do. She set up her signature finisher with a series of knee drops then locked in the Figure-Eight, forcing a tap out. Afterward, Charlotte refused to relent, holding the submission well past the bell.

              

    Result

    Charlotte def. Royce by submission.

               

    Grade

    B-

                

    Analysis

    This was a major opportunity for Royce, who rarely gets to work solo, let alone in matches this long. While it was not a mess, there was certainly room for improvement due to what seemed to be a lack of strong communication.

    The story was there, but the two did not carry it through. Charlotte was not nearly as aggressive as she sold at the end of the match, and Royce was too focused on kicking Charlotte rather than wearing her down with a focused attack and clever shortcuts.

    She used an impressive varied move set that could pair well with Charlotte in the right type of match. It was a showcase that Royce has the stamina for contests this long but may need a stronger road agent behind her to help frame the work.

Xavier Woods vs. Mace

3 OF 7

    Riddle played nice with Hurt Business until he decided to throw a snide comment toward Bobby Lashley. The All Mighty attacked and injured The Original Bro's foot.

    WWE showed the interview Mustafa Ali recorded earlier in the day where he explained that he wanted to hurt Xavier Woods to break Kofi Kingston's spirit, the man that stole his opportunity two years ago.

    Ali talked trash to Woods before the match and got a fist to the face for it. While Woods kept that fire, the group at ringside was too much of a distraction. Ali took a baseball slide into the table and lost his cool. He demanded Mace finish it, hitting a leg lariat and spin-out fireman's carry slam for the win.

    The leader of Retribution smiled at the fallen Woods and told him that he would soon join Kofi out of action.

              

    Result

    Mace def. Woods by pinfall.

               

    Grade

    B-

                

    Analysis

    Other than a sloppy finish, Mace looked good working with Woods. This was a fast-paced contest built around the overwhelming odds that Woods had to overcome. He fought hard but clearly needs help against Retribution's size and power.

    Ali's explanation for coming after Woods was further proof that he is carrying Retribution through all of this. He sold a midcard angle by putting it in focus with a WWE Championship opportunity he lost because of Kofi. His anger felt real in every word. It will be fun to watch Ali vs. Kofi soon.

Asuka Walks Off of Alexa Bliss' Playground in Fear

4 OF 7

    The video aired on Sunday announcing the location for the next three WrestleManias was replayed. Asuka was asked about what she expected from Alexa Bliss tonight, and The Empress of Tomorrow seemed uncertain and perhaps worried about the dark side of Bliss.

    The Goddess introduced Alexa's Playground and Asuka before making clear she would enter the women's Royal Rumble match. Asuka tried to play nice with Bliss, but she only seemed to get on The Goddess' nerves. After she invoked Bray Wyatt's name, The Goddess scared the Raw women's champion into walking away.

               

    Grade

    B+

                

    Analysis

    This was a much better angle than the first part of the Wyatt/Bliss story for the evening. The Goddess carried this segment with her manic energy.

    From speaking to an empty swing set that Bray Wyatt once sat on with her to almost exploding when Asuka invoked Wyatt's name, the dynamic between these women was well set up. It will be interesting to see if this leads to WrestleMania.

    The Goddess is well established as a rival for Asuka and probably the clearest cut challenger to The Empress of Tomorrow on the current Raw roster.

Shayna Baszler (w/ Nia Jax) vs. Mandy Rose (w/ Dana Brooke)

5 OF 7

    Jeff Jarrett predicted that Goldberg would defeat Drew McIntyre at Royal Rumble. Shayna Baszler explained that she was willing to do anything including going through Nia Jax to win the women's Rumble, which ticked off The Irresistible Force.

    Jax watched on commentary as The Queen of Spades went after the elbow of God's Greatest Creation. A vicious stomp on the left elbow left Rose working with only one good arm to fight back. A fierce comeback was not enough as Baszler manipated the elbow and caught her in the Kirifuda Clutch to win.

    Dana Brooke knocked Jax into the steel post as the heel team argued on ringside. Backstage, Baszler demanded another shot at the WWE women's tag team champions Charlotte Flair and Asuka. The Queen said in an interview that she was now focused on hurtung Lacey Evans.

              

    Result

    Baszler def. Rose by submission.

               

    Grade

    C-

                

    Analysis

    This was a solid short squash where Baszler and Rose worked the style that works best for both of them. However, this contest did not need to happen. This was close to the same match from last week with the same result.

    Rose and Brooke are supposed to be a tag team with some clout while Baszler and Jax continue to fracture. Despite this, the heels have dominated to the point of ending this feud weeks ago. It is time to move on.

    It is not surprising that Jax and Baszler are falling apart. The two were never a well-established team and add little to the women's tag team division. It is a shame that the two have not already broken up so that Baszler could go after the Raw Women's Championship alone.

Royal Rumble Opportunity on the Line: AJ Styles (w/ Omos) vs. Ricochet

6 OF 7

    Adam Pearce explained to Ricochet that he would only earn a spot in the men's Royal Rumble match if he won against AJ Styles. The Phenomenal One mocked The One and Only as a loser not worthy of the Rumble.

    Ricochet came out confident from the outset, faster and more aggressive than Styles. Omos caught The One and Only jumping and dropped him to the floor. This allowed The Phenomenal One to take over with vicious focus, even nearly taking the win with a brainbuster.

    Styles went for a Phenomenal Forearm that The One and Only turned into the Recoil for a nearfall. The two fought on the top rope, and Styles knocked him down. He bounced Ricochet off the top rope right into the Styles Clash to win.

              

    Result

    Styles def. Ricochet by pinfall, confirming The One and Only would miss out on the men's Rumble match.

               

    Grade

    A-

                

    Analysis

    Ricochet came to fight on Raw, putting one of his best performances on Raw to date. He and Styles brought it throughout. This may have been their best match together. It truly showcased why The One and Only deserves so much better than he gets.

    That was the main part of this segment that hurt. Ricochet should be able to declare himself for the Royal Rumble. He is a former United States champion and made an impact in last year's Rumble. It makes no sense to keep him out of the match.

    WWE's insistence that certain stars must earn a spot in the Rumble establishes a bad message to the roster. It shows fans that there is an unspoken hierarchy where certain stars earn their opportunities while others are given those spots. Either anyone should be able to declare, or everyone should have to earn it.

The Miz and John Morrison Host Gillberg and "Drew McIntyre" on The Dirt Sheet

7 OF 7

    The Miz and John Morrison introduced the biggest star to ever appear on The Dirt Sheet, Goldberg. However, it turned out Miz and Morrison had actually brought Gillberg. Drew McIntyre's music hit, but it was another impersonator.

    The A-Lister and The Shaman of Sexy quickly lost interest their terrible McIntyre impersonator from New Jersey. Miz took over and explained that McIntyre and Goldberg would lose come the Royal Rumble because Miz would cash in and take the WWE Championship.

               

    Grade

    D-

                

    Analysis

    The only thing keeping this above a completely failing grade was seeing Gillberg again. The Goldberg impersonator suffered a heart attack in November. Getting this chance to return to his role in January is a testament to his strength.

    Beyond that, this was a trainwreck. The McIntyre impersonator was bad intentionally, but Miz and Morrison added nothing to any of this by ultimately announcing Miz might cash in soon. It was just a way to keep people talking about McIntyre vs. Goldberg with neither available.

Friday 15 January 2021

WWE SmackDown Full Show 15 January 2021 WWE SmackDown Highlights 15 January 2021

 

WWE Smackdown Live 1/15/21 January 15th 2021

Watch WWE Smackdown Live 1/15/21 January 15th 2021 Online Full Show Free

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WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from January 15

Sana Ejaz Khan

    Credit: WWE.com

    Vengeance, thy name is Roman Reigns.

    It is a reality that faced Adam Pearce again Friday as the WWE official signed the contract for his Universal Championship match against The Tribal Chief at Royal Rumble on January 31.

    The tense in-ring promo segment headlined a SmackDown that continued the march to the annual extravaganza, with both men and women announcing their entries into the namesake matches.

    What fate awaited Pearce and who cashed their ticket to the Rumble pay-per-view?

    Find out with this recap of the January 15 episode.

Match Card

1 OF 9

    Announced for Friday's show are:

    • Contract signing for the Universal Championship Match at Royal Rumble
    • Shinsuke Nakamura vs. "Main Event" Jey Uso
    • Rey Mysterio vs. King Corbin

        

    Coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. 

Shinsuke Nakamura Silences Jey Uso

2 OF 9

    Credit: WWE.com

    Moments after Paul Heyman vowed to fix the contract for a dissatisfied Roman Reigns’ Universal Championship defense against Adam Pearce at Royal Rumble, Jey Uso hit the ring to kick off the evening’s broadcast.

    “We run this show!” Uso said of him and Reigns. He warned Pearce about what awaits him at Royal Rumble and suggested WWE officials thank The Tribal Chief for their success. He declared his entry into the Men’s Royal Rumble Match and vowed to go to Raw, where he would win the WWE Championship from Drew McIntyre. 

    Uso said Shinsuke Nakamura should be thanking him and his family for letting him survive last week. This brought The Artist out, to his old theme music, for the first match of the night. Nakamura fanned the flames, calling Uso the puppy to Reigns’ Big Dog. He caught him with a kick ahead of the commercial break.

        

    Grade

    B

        

    Analysis

    Uso was strong here, coming across as natural rather than scripted. He was passionate and put over the current nature of his relationship with Reigns, talking up The Tribal Chief and putting his family over as the most badass entity in the sport.

    Yet, the moment Nakamura appeared and confronted him, he ate a big boot to the face that silenced him.

    As it should any yapping heel. It worked well and set the stage for the opening match on the night.

    The return of Nakamura’s old theme would suggest a babyface turn is either in the making or is already completed.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jey Uso; Cesaro Joins the Commentary Team

3 OF 9

    Credit: WWE.com

    Nakamura and Uso went back-and-forth early until Cesaro’s music played and The Swiss Cyborg made his way to the ringside area, apparently in support of his longtime tag team partner. Fueled by his partner’s presence at ringside, Nakamura launched Uso into the ring post heading into the commercial break.

    The Artist controlled the match coming out of the timeout as Cesaro joined Michael Cole and Corey Graves on commentary, excusing his absence from last week’s show by claiming Tropicana Field was too big for him to get to the ring and help his partner as he was beaten down by Uso and Reigns. 

    Uso turned the tide in his favor, working over his opponent in the corner with a barrage of boots. Nakamura recovered and delivered a sliding German suplex but Uso answered with a belly-to-back suplex for two.

    Nakamura set up for the Kinshasa but Uso caught him with a superkick. The top-rope splash by the former tag team champion was met with knees to the midsection. Still, Uso recovered and scored a rollup using the ropes. Charles Robinson counted to three but waived it off. The ensuing argument allowed Nakamura to deliver the Kinshasa for the pinfall victory.

        

    Result

    Nakamura defeated Uso

        

    Grade

    C+

         

    Analysis

    The match was hurt by the poorly-placed commercial break. It hurt the flow and the viewers’ ability to really invest in it.

    The effort was there and there was definitely chemistry about it that makes one wonder what the performers would have accomplished had the contest not been plagued by the break so early on.

    Nakamura winning was the right move, though it would have been more effective clean. We have seen Jey lose in that manner in the past and recover quickly due to his spot on the card. It would have benefited The Artist more than the screwy nature of the finish.

    Keep an eye on Cesaro, whose convoluted excuse for not saving Nakamura suggests there is a riff or even jealousy on his part that will spell the end of their team.

Liv Morgan vs. Natalya

4 OF 9

    Credit: WWE.com

    Despite Heyman getting Pearce to sign a contract for a No Disqualification Match against Reigns at Royal Rumble, an unsatisfied Tribal Chief expressed his desire for a Last Man Standing Match and said he would sign that contract in the ring.

    Interestingly enough, Apollo Crews sat in on the exchange moments after having knowledge imparted on him by the universal champion.

    Back from the break, Natalya hit the ring for singles competition, Tamina in her corner. Her opponent? The Riott Squad’s Liv Morgan, accompanied by Ruby Riott and Billie Kay.

    Early chain wrestling gave way to the self-proclaimed B.O.A.T. (Best of All Time) dominating the action with her strength and experience advantages. Morgan fought back but a distraction from an overzealous Kay allowed Natalya to score the win off a schoolgirl rollup.

        

    Result

    Natalya defeated Morgan

        

    Grade

    C-

        

    Analysis

    This was not good, nor was the execution.

    Kay was the focal point, and given the emphasis on her character in recent weeks, that is fine. What was not was how convoluted the booking of the finish was.

    Kay didn’t have to get in the ring, tripping and stumbling around. She could have accomplished the distraction from the floor and Natalya still could have won.

    It is disappointing in some respects to The Riott Squad’s Morgan and Riott, who were building momentum for themselves as a team but are now in danger of being overshadowed in their own faction by Kay. That is through no fault of the Aussie, though, who is absolutely nailing everything she is being asked to do.

    Except for the finish of this week’s match.

Rey Mysterio vs. King Corbin

5 OF 9

    Credit: WWE.com

    A week after King Corbin sent him into the steel steps during the gauntlet match, Dominik Mysterio watched as his father Rey battled the heel in singles competition.

    The bigger, stronger, more ferocious Corbin dominated the action, pummeling Mysterio for the majority of the match. Commentators Michael Cole and Corey Graves even asked Dominik how he could sit by and watch. The third-generation star cited his father’s wishes to stay out of the match.

    Mysterio created separation and set up for the 619 but Corbin caught him with the Deep Six.

    The action spilled to the floor, where Corbin blasted Dominik. Back in the ring, the young star attempted to defend himself but Corbin sent Rey into his son and finished him off with End of Days for the win.

         

    Result

    Corbin defeated Mysterio

        

    Grade

    C

        

    Analysis

    Do the Mysterios ever win anymore?

    The perpetual losers suffered a familiar fate this week as Corbin continued to build heat for himself. The eventual moment in which Dominik stands up for himself, his own man, and fights back will ultimately make him an even more viable young star.

    Until then, he needs some wins to build up his resume because right now, he looks like a perpetual loser.

    The match was perfectly fine for what it was, which was an extended squash that saw Corbin steamroll Rey until he needed a distraction to score the win. 

Ding Dong Hello! with Bianca Belair

6 OF 9

    Credit: WWE.com

    Michael Cole threw to the ring for the debut episode of “Ding Dong Hello!” with Bayley.

    The former SmackDown women’s champion introduced her first “G-U-EST,” Bianca Belair.

    Belair made herself at home, stealing Bayley’s chair from her. The hostess threw to the video screen for what was supposed to be a preview of Belair’s upcoming edition of WWE Chronicle but was actually a recap of her own win over The EST a few weeks back.

    Bayley insisted she is the best for having beat Belair. The back-and-forth argument between the two gave way to Bayley laying down the challenge for an obstacle course on next week’s show.

    Belair eagerly accepted as the two continued their argument to close out the segment.

         

    Grade

    C

        

    Analysis

    This was ok, but hardly the sort of debut talk show that was memorable in any way.

    There was more bickering than actual dialogue and the result was a messy segment that accomplished what it set out to by setting up next week’s obstacle course.

    Bayley’s over-the-top heel persona was never fully allowed to shine, no was Belair’s natural charisma.

    It simply did not, but that is not to say it cannot. Bayley is too good on the mic under this current character to not make it successful. 



Daniel Bryan vs. Cesaro

7 OF 9

    Credit: WWE.com

    Daniel Bryan and Cesaro took to the squared circle for singles competition and wasted little time taking to the mat for some chain wrestling. Cesaro took a nasty bump that left him nursing the back of his head. Bryan took advantage, sailing off the top rope with a splash.

    An errant kick by Bryan saw him crash into the ring post heading into the break.

    Back from the commercial, Bryan and Cesaro teed off on each other with hard-hitting strikes. Bryan punted the left arm and applied the Yes Lock. Cesaro countered and applied the Sharpshooter. Bryan countered and reapplied the Yes Lock.

    Cesaro narrowly forced the break, draping his foot over the bottom rope. The fight headed to the ropes, where Cesaro delivered a vertical suplex for a near-fall. The action continued, encompassing reversals and counters until Bryan set up for the running knee.

    Cesaro caught him mid-run with an uppercut and finished Bryan off with the Neutralizer for the win.

        

    Result

    Cesaro defeated Bryan

        

    Grade

    A

        

    Analysis

    Give us all of this.

    Bryan and Cesaro are master craftsmen between the ropes and here, they turned in a beautiful match.

    Counter-heavy and full of punishing strikes, it ultimately came down to Cesaro capitalizing on an opening created by a Bryan misstep and scoring a much-needed victory.

    It was a defining win for The Swiss Cyborg and, hopefully, the start of things to come for the most underrated wrestler in the world.

    In consecutive weeks, former world champion Bryan has been selfless, putting over both Nakamura and Cesaro in an attempt to strengthen the overall quality of the SmackDown roster. Others within the company would be wise to learn from this.



Apollo Crews vs. Sami Zayn

8 OF 9

    Credit: WWE.com

    On the same night he joined Roman Reigns in his locker room, learning under The Big Dog, Apollo Crews battled Sami Zayn in singles competition while intercontinental champion Big E watched from a sofa at ringside. 

    Crews overwhelmed and dominated Zayn early and often, overpowering him and proving himself worthy of another IC title opportunity.

    Late, Zayn delivered an exploder suplex into the corner. Crews recovered, rolling him up and holding the tights for the win. Big E questioned the means of victory on commentary. Crews grabbed hold of the IC title and stared at it, then tossed it back to Big E before engaging in trash talk.

        

    Result

    Crews defeated Zayn

        

    Grade

    B

        

    Analysis

    Sami Zayn’s conspiracy gimmick is one of the best in WWE so it is no surprise he stood out here, protesting the means by which he lost to Crews in a manner that suggests he will be making a much bigger deal about it in the weeks to come.

    Speaking of Crews, he was great here as the arrogant heel, cheating to beat Zayn, then sparking a verbal confrontation with Big E as their rivalry continues to escalate.

    Theirs is a feud that can elevate the IC title and one that will ultimately make a star our of Crews.

    Especially if he is aligned with Reigns.

    Big E defends against Crews next week in a match with significant implications on the entire title picture.

Contract Signing for Royal Rumble

9 OF 9

    Credit: WWE.com

    Roman Reigns bullied and intimidated Adam Pearce into signing the contract for their Last Man Standing Match at Royal Rumble before taking his place at the head of the table. Reigns put pen to paper, apparently pleased with his actions and the way things unfolded.

    “I’ve waited all night for you to do that,” Pearce said before he exited the ring and made his way up the ramp. 

    Feigning a knee injury, he revealed that the card is subject to change. With that, he introduced Kevin Owens, who signed the contract for the Rumble title shot.

         

    Grade

    A

        

    Analysis

    After months of Reigns manipulating things in his favor, his overconfidence proved costly as Pearce one-upped him and put The Tribal Chief’s universal title reign in jeopardy.

    Owens vs. Reigns in a Last Man Standing Match should be fantastic based on the strength of their recent encounters. 

    Even better will be Reigns’ response to this development on next week’s show.

Wednesday 13 January 2021

WWE NXT Full Show Live Streaming WWE NXT Highlights

 

WWE NxT Live 1/13/21 January 13th 2021



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WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from January 13

Sana Ejaz Khan

    Credit: WWE.com

    While AEW continued to celebrate the new year this week, NXT kicked off the 2021 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic on Wednesday's show.

    The tournament will feature new and existing teams competing in matches over the next several weeks before the final two teams fight for the coveted trophy.

    Adam Cole and Roderick Strong of The Undisputed Era took on Breezango, while The Grizzled Young Veterans battled Ever-Rise.

    We also saw NXT's top couple in action when Candice LeRae faced Shotzi Blackheart and Johnny Gargano battled Dexter Lumis.

    Let's take a look at everything that happened on this week's show.

Shotzi Blackheart vs. Candice LeRae

1 OF 6

    NXT wasted no time getting to the action. As soon as the opening video was over, LeRae and Blackheart came out for the opening match.

    They immediately began using a quick pace and seemed evenly matched until Blackheart took LeRae down into a short-arm scissor submission.

    Indi Hartwell cheered on LeRae from ringside as she began to fight back. They took the fight out of the ring, and Blackheart hit a jumping knee from the steel steps. A distraction from Hartwell allowed The Poison Pixie to take control.

    They traded the upper hand several times, but neither competitor could put the other away until LeRae hit a swinging neckbreaker from the middle turnbuckle for the pin. Hartwell provided another distraction to give her the win.

                              

    Grade: B

                               

    Analysis

    Blackheart and LeRae are both known as risk-takers, so it was no surprise when they started flying around the ring to take each other out.

    Even with a tiny crowd in attendance, you could tell the fans loved Blackheart. LeRae played a good heel, but it was the girl with the green hair who stood out for most of the match.

    Hartwell did a good job as LeRae's enforcer at ringside, but it would be nice to get a few more segments that let us get to know her character better.

    Overall, this was a good way to kick off the action for the night. Blackheart will easily recover from this loss.

The Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Ever-Rise

2 OF 6

    The first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic began with Ever-Rise taking on The Grizzled Young Veterans.

    Zack Gibson took control right away and brought in James Drake to keep the pressure on. Chase Parker yanked Drake down by his hair to turn the tables. Gibson had to calm Drake down so he wouldn't get the team disqualified.

    Gibson came in and hit Matt Martel on the apron before turning his attention back to Parker. The GYV spent the next few minutes putting Parker through the wringer.

    Martel finally got the hot tag and went after both opponents with a flurry of strikes. Both teams participated in a sequence of double-team moves that led to Gibson and Drake hitting their finisher for the win.

         

    Grade: B-

                           

    Analysis

    This was a fast-paced match with some solid tag team wrestling, but the last couple of minutes had a little too much going on at once.

    A few tag team spots in a row is fine, but once the referee steps aside and just lets everyone be in the ring as much as they want, it becomes too chaotic.

    Other than that, this was a fun bout. The Grizzled Young Veterans continue to impress with every outing, but Ever-Rise could use a little fine-tuning.

Johnny Gargano vs. Dexter Lumis

3 OF 6

    After a quick promo from Blackheart and Ember Moon hyping their upcoming appearance in the Dusty Rhodes Cup, Lumis and Gargano came out for their match.

    Gargano's North American Championship was not on the line, but he still had Austin Theory at ringside to provide him with some backup. Gargano tore up one of Lumis' drawings, and the Tortured Artist took him down with ease.

    He creepily chased Gargano out of the ring, but Johnny Wrestling was still able to hit a kick to the face. They fought on the top rope until Lumis knocked him down. Gargano avoided a senton bomb as the show went to a break.

    Lumis began to make a comeback and uncorked a couple of stiff right hands. It looked like he had the match well in hand, but a distraction from Theory led to Gargano rolling Lumis up for the win.

    Gargano and Theory tried to attack Lumis after the match, but Kushida ran down to make the save. Kushida made it clear he is coming for the North American Championship.

                          

    Grade: B-

                          

    Analysis

    Lumis is one of the most unique talents in all of NXT, but management might not know how it wants to use him yet. It's clear WWE wants to push him, but it's not rushing into it so he can establish his character.

    Both of these Superstars have incredible talent, but it felt like they were holding back a bit in this match. We have seen many wrestlers save their best ideas for PPV matches, but it was a lot more obvious than usual in this bout.

    This match was fine, but it never felt like it reached the level these two are capable of getting to. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what was missing. It just fell a tad short. This should have been the match of the night but won't stand out in the end.

Jake Atlas and Isaiah Scott vs. MSK

4 OF 6

    The new tag team on the block made its debut this week when MSK took on Jake Atlas and Isaiah Scott in another first-round match in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

    Atlas started off against Nash Carter. They had a nice exchange of takedowns and counters that led to Atlas getting a two-count.

    Swerve tagged in and Carter brought in Wes Lee. After a moment, Scott and Atlas cornered the newcomer for a double-team combo. Scott and Atlas employed some dirty tactics, and it led to a huge brawl at ringside with all four men.

    We returned from a break to see Carter holding Scott in a bodyscissor. They both made the tag and Lee went on a rampage. Both teams came close, but it was MSK that ended up scoring the win to advance in the tournament.

                            

    Grade: C+

                             

    Analysis

    This was another match that had a quick pace with a lot of energy, but being the debut of MSK, formerly known as The Rascalz, made this a little more interesting.

    WWE didn't spend a ton of time hyping the group's arrival, but it did tease it with some graphics recently. Debuting as part of this tournament was an interesting decision because if MSK doesn't win, it means it's going to lose one of its first matches in NXT.

    Atlas and Scott worked well together, but they were never going to become a permanent team, so being eliminated early is for the best. They made MSK look good.

    The only major complaint with this match was a lack of pacing. It felt like they just moved from one spot to the next without taking the proper time to sell anything. That may have had more to do with them wanting to pack as much into the match as possible, but sometimes, less is more.

Xia Li vs. Jobber

5 OF 6

    After returning last week with a decisive victory, Xia Li was back this week to battle another jobber. She hit one right hand and a spinning kick to get the win. She dished out a little more punishment after the match was over.

                               

    Grade: B

                             

    Analysis

    As a match, this wasn't much. As a way to make Li look unstoppable, it was awesome. Grading two strikes and a post-match attack is almost impossible, so this grade is based on how well this segment worked.

    Li has a presence about her that makes her stand out from everybody else on the roster. If WWE continues to book her this way, it won't be long before she has a title shot.

    The entrance, music, look and change in attitude all suit her well. It will be interesting to see if Boa finds the same success when he starts wrestling more often.

The Undisputed Era vs. Breezango

6 OF 6

    The main event featured Tyler Breeze and Fandango taking on Cole and Strong of The Undisputed Era in the third Dusty Classic bout of the night. Kyle O'Reilly accompanied his teammates to the ring despite not being cleared by medics.

    Breeze and Cole came to a stalemate after their first exchange and shook hands as a show of respect before locking up again. They both tagged their partners so Strong and Fandango could square up.

    We returned from a break to see Breezango dominating Cole with some standard tag team tactics. The leader of the UE brought in The Master of the Backbreaker to do what he does best.

    Strong unleashed a barrage of offense against both men. Once Cole had recovered, Strong tagged him for a double-team move to get a near-fall. Breeze turned the tables and tagged Fandango to kick-start a sequence that involved all four men taking each other out in various ways.

    Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch attacked KOR at ringside until Finn Balor tried to make the save. Pat McAfee's friends took them out, but Cole overcame the distraction to hit a superkick to Breeze for the win.

                           

    Grade: A-

                          

    Analysis

    As expected, this was the best match of the night. The chemistry between all four men in the ring was off the charts and they used it to put on a memorable performance.

    The high jinks at ringside marked the third time a match ended with interference this week, but out of the three, this one made the most sense from a storyline perspective. WWE addressed three different feuds at the same time with efficiency.

    This bout was a prime example of how good Breeze and Fandango are. They make everything look easy and always elevate their opponents. This was the best possible way to end this week's show.

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