Our WWE NXT results for tonight include Fraxiom defending the NXT Tag Team Championships against OTM, Stephanie Vaquer battling Shotzi for a shot at the Women’s North American Championship, Former NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez addressing her future in NXT, new NXT Champion Oba Femi speaks and more. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
WWE NXT Card:
- NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Nathan Frazer & Axiom (Fraxiom) (c) vs OTM (Lucien Price & Bronco Nima)
- NXT Champion Oba Femi addresses the NXT Universe
- Former NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez addresses her future
- NXT Women’s North American Championship Number One Contender’s Match: Stephanie Vaquer vs. Shotzi
WWE NXT Results:
After a video package airs recapping NXT New Year’s Evil, the new NXT Champion Oba Femi makes his way to the ring.
The Ruler and Champion of NXT
Femi says destiny always arrives, like he has arrived. Femi jokes in an American accent that people always come out here and says, “they never believed they could do it.” He walked through the door and told everyone he was backed by destiny. Femi has been backed by destiny since day one. All of this belongs to Femi and he will rule as he sees fit. Femi puts over Trick Williams as the former champion.
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Williams, like everyone else in the back, has a ceiling. Femi has no ceiling. Femi dumps on Eddy Thorpe, and calls him a snake. NXT North American Champion Tony D’Angelo inturupts and reminds Femi that he’s the one man to defeat him. When D’Angelo decides to go for the NXT Championship they both know he will leave as the double title don.
Femi jokes that lat week D’Angelo got dropped by Santa Claus last week. Femi says D’Angelo should focus on the North American Championship. Ridge Holland walks out on the stage. Holland says he has a gift for D’Angelo. It’s a photo of Holland attacking D’Angelo dressed as Santa Claus. D’Angleo attacks Holland. Thorpe hops the barricade and attacks Femi from behind.
Grade: B
They got a lot accomplished here. D’angelo sets himself up as a potential contender, Holland is clearly next up for a North American Championship shot, and Thorpe has separated himself as the top contender for the NXT Championship… for reasons this writer is still not clear on. Either way, this was a solid piece of business to set up the next area of NXT.
NXT Women’s North American Championship Number One Contender’s Match: Stephanie Vaquer vs. Shotzi
Vaquer and Shotzi trade take down and pin attempts. Neither woman can get the advantage, leading to a stare down. Vaquer rolls Shotzi into a submission. Shotzi counters into a deathlock/bow and arrow counter. Vaquer escapes. Shotzi blasts Vaquer with a headkick. Rope hanging choke by Shotzi. Shotzi lands a crossbody off the top for a near fall. Shotzi tries a boot in the corner. Vaquer catches Shotzi’s foot and lands a nasty dragon screw leg whip. Vaquer slams Shotzi’s head into the mat repeatedly.
After the break, Shotzi sends Vaquer flying with a rana off the top. Running knee strike by Shotzi. Vaquer kicks out. Vaquer surprises Shotzi with eat d’feat. Vaquer is sent into the corner. Cannonball by Shotzi. Shotzi gets a near fall a crucifix pin. Vaquer trips Shotzi into the corner. Face wash by Vaquer. Vaquer lands a running double knee strike. Shotzi kicks out! Jacy Jayne runs down to ringside and hops up on the apron. Shotzi and Vaquer toss Jayne. In the confusion. NXT Women’s North Ameican Champion Fallon Henley clocks Vaquer with the championship. Shotzi doesn’t see it, but she rolls up Vaquer for the win.
Winner- Shotzi
Grade: B
Good match. Shotzi managed not to kill herself so that’s a plus. It’s interesting as the implication here is that Henley would rather face Shotzi than Vaquer. Is there an upset on the way?
Ethan Page vs. Dante Chen
Page attacks Chen before the bell rings. After the bell rings, Chen is all over Page, unloading with rights and lefts. Page goes down after a big boot. Page trips Chen into the bottom rope. Chen stumbles out of the corner. Page hits a Twist of Fate for the win.
Winner- Ethan Page
After the match, Page slams the ring steps into Chen’s leg. Je’Von Evans tries to make the save, but Page punches him in his broken jaw. Evans is is left bleeding from the mouth.
Grade: C+
Quick match. Page is on a tear right now, dominating Chen is just the latest in a sting bodies Page has left in his wake.
Fyre and Jackon trade shots. Jackson sends Fyre flying with a rope walk hip toss. Legend and Jackson work over Dawn. Dawn and Fyre take control after Fyre cheapshots Legend behind the referee’s back. Legend fires up and clears the ring. Legend and Jackson set up a dive. Dawn breaks it up and takes Jackson out with a meteroa. After the break, Legend and Jackson hit their finish on Fyre for the win.
Winners- Meta-Four
Grade: B
This was a fun match. Fyre and Dawn are underutilized talents who always shine the people they are in the ring with. It was surprising that Meta-Four win out here, but it was the right call.
Kelani Jordan vs. Cora Jade
Jade gets in Jordan‘s face. Jordan dropkicks Jade. Jordan lands a few strikes. Jade runs away. Jordan follows and lands a back elbow. Low crossbody by Jordan. Jade kicks out. Jordan goes up top. Jade cut Jordan off and tosses her off top. Jade works over Jordan. Jordan fires up and stomps Jade’s face in with wrist clutch stomps. Jade hides in the corner. Jordan stomps Jade to the point the referee pulls her back. Jordan goes after Jade again, with a flurry of punches. As the referee pulls Jordan back, Jade rakes Jordan’s eyes. Jade drops Jordan with a double arm DDT for the win.
Winner- Cora Jade
Grade: C+
This was Jade best match since returning from injury. Jordan’s mean steak is a nice added dimension to her character, which was essentially nonexistent to this point. Jade is gearing up for a push and that staredown with TNA Knockout’s Champion Masha Slamovich has to mean something.
NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Nathan Frazer & Axiom (Fraxiom) (c) vs OTM (Lucien Price & Bronco Nima)
Nima and Price take control early. WWE Tag Team Champions #DIY are watching the match from the bird’s nest. After the break, Frazer and Axiom fire up. Frazer gets a near fall after a standing shooting star. Frazer misses a splash off the top. Nima lands a side slasm. Axiom lands a top rope Spanish fly followed by the Golden Ratio for the win.
Winner- Fraxiom
Grade: B-
Fun match. OTM looked good here, better than they had have in previous outings. Axiom and Frazer continue to defy the odds and retain the gold. At this point, they should just bring the titles with them to the main roster.
Backstage, Roxanne Perez is making her way to the ring. In the parking lot, someone arrives in a truck and walks into the arena.
The Prodigy
Perez notes that when she won the NXT Women’s Championship the second time no one expected her to have it for over 200 days. Perez put her heart and soul into NXT. This is the best women’s division in the world. Perez says without her this women’s division will be lost. NXT doesn’t deserve her, and the people don’t deserve her. The last generation needed the Four Horsewomen, this generation only needed her.
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Bayley’s music hits. Bayley joins Perez in the ring and tries to give Perez advice, but Perez cuts her off and says she doesn’t need her advice. Bayley tells Perez the division will be fine without her. Perez says Bayley is just like everyone she used to look up to. The show cuts off and we don’t get to see the end, but on social media WWE released the full segment. Perez slaps Bayley and a brawl breaks out.
Grade: C+
This was one of Perez’s better promo outings, though she seemingly went long, causing the end of the show to get cut off. Bayley was a surprise, but if this is how they bring Perez to the main roster, its a smart play. They need to find more creative ways to move superstars between shows other than just the draft. Even money says Perez is going to cost Bayley her title shot against Tiffany Stratton on SmackDown, leading to Perez having a match against Bayley, most likely at the Royal Rumble. What do you all think? Let us know in the comment!
WWE NXT Review
This episode of NXT delivered solid action and strong character development, particularly in the women’s division and Oba Femi’s rise as NXT Champion. However, the show struggled with pacing issues and a lack of creativity in some finishes. The tag team and women’s divisions continue to shine as focal points, while Ethan Page’s dominance builds him up as a credible threat. The night succeeded in setting up compelling storylines for the weeks ahead, but tighter pacing and less predictable booking would elevate future shows.
Rating: B
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