Curtis Dillion on February 10, 2021
It’s Wednesday night once again which means a brand new episode of WWE NXT and Ringside News has you covered with live play-by-play results coverage.
Start time for WWE NXT is at 8:00 PM EST. Match-by-match highlights and results from the show will take place on this very page. Feel free to leave any reactions in the comment section below.
As for tonight’s show, we’re getting the final three semi-final matches of the Dusty Rhodes Classic; Legado del Fantasma Vs. MSK, Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher Vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans, and, on the women’s side, Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart Vs. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell of The Way. These three matches will set-up the two final matches of the Dusty Cup, which will be decided on Sunday night at TakeOver. Which teams do you think will progress to the final? Let us know below!
Of course, with a huge showdown for the NXT Championship on Sunday night, Finn Balor and Pete Dunne will come face-to-face once more. Dunne and his cohorts have gotten the best of Balor week-after-week, so maybe tonight Balor can get one-up on Dunne ahead of their match.
As for the rest of the show, we know Austin Theory will be taking on Kushida. Johnny Gargano was supposed to face Kushida for the North American Championship on Sunday but the Champ is injured, so Theory steps in his place tonight. Xia Li will also be in action, Cameron Grimes returns to the black and gold brand, and Karrion Kross will make an appearance alongside Scarlett.
That’s the rundown for tonight’s NXT. It’s an action-packed run-in to Vengeance Day and we want to know what’s on your mind. So sound off below, and enjoy the show!
NXT
This week’s NXT opens with the young team of MSK making their way to the ring, which means we’re kicking things off with Dusty Cup action!
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
Semi-Final
MSK Vs. Legado del Fantasma
We start this highly-anticipated semi-final bout with Wes Lee and Joaquin Wilde. Lee moves to lock-up but Wilde dodges him and laughs. Wilde asks for a test of strength but takes a wristlock instead and gets Lee down. Lee fights up but gets hit with a takeover and Wilde taunts him. Wilde takes Lee down and wraps him in an STF but Wes counters with an armlock. Joaquin rolls free but gets whipped to the corner. Nash Carter tags in and teams with Lee to hit a dropkick/Bronco Buster for a one-count.
Carter applies a front facelock and Wilde takes his wrist but Carter uses some impressive athletics to break free. Raul Mendoza tags in and takes a headlock on Carter. Both men attempt arm-drags at the same time, then struggle for control with reversals. Lee tags in and doges Mendoza before teaming with Carter for a flurry of kicks. Raul flings Lee into the buckles and tags Wilde so they can hit repeated body splashes in the corner with quick tags.
Fantasma then hit an incredible double-team move and Wilde lands an assisted springboard moonsault. After kicking out of a pin, Lee dodges both men and tags Carter who comes in hot against Mendoza. Carter runs but gets tossed overhead and lands on the apron. Wilde gets a tag and jumps off the back of Mendoza to dropkick Carter off the apron and into the barricade as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
Back live and Carter does a Matrix slide to avoid a flying kick from Raul, and Lee gets the tag. Wes drops Mendoza with axe handles and a dropkick that knocks him out of the ring. Wilde runs in but Lee throws him over the ropes onto Mendoza. Carter gets on the apron and does a backflip for Lee to shove him onto Wilde and Mendoza! Lee then hits the ropes and dives onto Wilde and Mendoza with a tope.
Lee gets Mendoza back inside for a near-fall but Wilde pulls him from the ring. Fantasma throw Carter into the steel girder by the ramp, then Mendoza hits a springboard dropkick to Lee in the ring. Wilde hits an insane reverse-hurricanrana to Lee and Mendoza hits a spinning neckbreaker for a near-fall thanks to Carter. Mendoza lifts Carter onto his shoulders and Wilde springboards off of Carter on Raul’s shoulders and hits a 450 to Lee.
Wes rolls-up Wilde but Mendoza slams Carter onto them to break the pin. Wilde holds Lee and Raul hits the ropes but Carter trips him and drags him out of the ring. Wilde runs to intercept but gets superkicked from Lee. Carter comes back in and MSK hit their spinebuster/blockbuster finisher for the win!
Winners: MSK
We have our first finalists for the 2021 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in the form of MSK. They will face the winners of Grizzled Young Veterans and Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa, later tonight.
*Commercial Break*
We see a video of Mercedes Martinez talking about how long it has taken her to get to this point and why the NXT Women’s Championship means so much to her.
Xia Li W/Boa Vs. Cora Jade
As the bell rings, Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter appear at ringside and apparently they’re concerned about Xia. Cora attacks Xia from behind but immediately turns around and drops her. Li slams Jade into the ropes, then lifts her and hits the wicked spin kick to the chest for the win.
Winner: Xia Li
Kayden and Kacy get on the apron and try to talk to Xia but she ignores them. Boa tries to get Kacy off the apron as Kayden walks up the ramp and berates Tian Sha, asking who she is and what she has done to Xia. Li grabs Kayden from behind and throws her off the stage, then Li begs for forgiveness from Tian. Boa tries to play mediator but Tian grabs him by the throat while Xia attacks Kacy. Xia and Boa pose beside Tian.
William Regal is stopped outside his office but he says he doesn’t have time for an interview. He opens the door and Scarlett is sitting on Regal’s desk. He asks what she wants and she says she’s there because if “he” shows up it won’t be good. Time is up for Santos Escobar, next week. Regal likes the idea and grants the match.
*Commercial Break*
The Way come to the ring with Gargano in a wheelchair. Austin Theory has to carry Gargano into the ring. Johnny says his injuries are a results of Kushida last week. He was just minding his own business, trying not to get an interviewer fired, when Kushida broke his arm. We see a replay of the attack and Gargano says he has four fractures as a result. And he’s a lefty who powerwalks, so it’s as bad as it gets – while he’s saying this Johnny is gesturing with the “broken” arm. He says the worst part is that he can’t defend his North American Championship against Kushida on Sunday.
William Regal appears on the stage after prompts from Gargano to suspend Kushida. Regal says Gargano is wasting time and he knows the WWE medical team cleared Johnny to wrestle. Gargano is offended and says he has his own doctors, who have provided an x-ray of the broken arm. Regal asks for the name of the bone that’s broke but Johnny can’t answer it, he says he’s Johnny Wrestling, not Johnny doctor. Regal says he’s not stupid, that’s a right arm x-ray and someone else’s name is on it!
Gargano argues his innocence but Regal says there are two options; Theory can take his place and the match tonight can be for the North American Championship; or Johnny can forfeit the title right now. Gargano says no way, he can rehab for a few months and come back. Kushida appears in the ring behind The Way and listens to Regal, who asks him what he thinks of the idea. Kushida punches Theory and tries to take the title from Gargano, who jumps up and holds onto it, so Kushida points at the arm and Johnny feigns injury, so Kushida punches him into the wheelchair.
*Commercial Break*
Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
Semi-Final
Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon Vs. The Way
We’re back live and the match is underway with Ember Moon and Candace LeRae. Shotzi tags in and teams with Ember to hit a sliding trip and a senton. Shotzi and Moon continue to make use of quick tags to isolate Candace, but Indi does get the tag and hits Blackheart with a slam onto the buckles and a sidewalk slam for a two-count. Indi stomps Shotzi down in the corner and scores a one-count.
Candace tags back in and pulls the hair of Shotzi before slamming her down with it. LeRae applies a wristlock. Shotzi fights up but Candace hits a snapmare and goes back to the wristlock. Hartwell tags in and catches Shotzi with a back elbow and maintains the slow pace. Candace is legal again and she goes to the wristlock again. Blackheart rallies and lands some forearms but gets dropped by LeRae for a two-count.
Moon gets the tag and clotheslines Candace before hitting a step-up enziguiri and dropkick. Indi tags in and gets dropped with a right hand. Blackheart tags in and hits a neckbreaker, followed by a top-rope Codebreaker from Moon and a slam from Shotzi for a near-fall. Shotzi hangs over the ropes backwards, choking Indi with her legs, then Ember rolls her up for two. Candace and Shotzi fight on the floor but Indi drop toe-holds Moon. LeRae hits a springboard hurricanrana to Moon on the apron, sending her into Shotzi!
*Commercial Break*
Back live and Moon dumps Indi over the ropes to the floor. Moon crawls to Shotzi and makes the tag as LeRae tags in on the other side. Moon takes Candace down and punches her, then hits a facebuster and a running senton to LeRae on the middle rope. Moon tags back in and teams with Blackheart but Indi breaks the pin and tosses Shotzi out of the ring. Hartwell gets the tag and hangs Moon on the middle rope so Candace can hit a springboard moonsault.
LeRae hits a sloppy suicide dive as Indi covers Ember for a near-fall. Hartwell tags LeRae and whips her at Moon but Ember dodges them. Moon gets to Shotzi for the tag, and Blacjheart hits Indi with an enziguiri but LeRae kicks her in the gut and tags Hartwell. Candace hits the Wicked Stepsister and Indi hits a double stomp for a near-fall thanks to Moon. Shotzi hits a shining wizard in the corner and goes right to a DDT. Shotzi kicks LeRae back and Ember catches her with the Eclipse, then Hartwell lays on Candace as Shotzi hits both with a senton from the top rope. Shotzi pins Indi for the win!
Winners: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart
Blackheart and Moon have progressed to the final of the Dusty Tag Team Classic, where they will face Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez.
Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa are sitting backstage. Thatcher says last week they went to war with The Undisputed Era; it was rough and brutal, they way they like it. Ciampa says tonight they face the Grizzled Young Veterans and they’re gonna work them over, then move on to Sunday and win the whole damn thing.
*Commercial Break*
Santos Escobar is backstage for an interview and he says he isn’t worried about Karrion Kross. He was foolish enough to give him the gift of time. Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza walk in and start apologising but Escobar tells them not to, never apologise. Escobar tells them to instead prove themselves by paying someone a visit and making sure he doesn’t make it to next week.
We see a video hyping the upcoming match between Finn Balor and Pete Dunne.
Kushida Vs. Austin Theory
The bell rings on this one and we didn’t get entrances for either men. Kushida storms Theory and backs him into the corner. Kushida beats on Theory but suddenly Johnny Gargano appears on the apron and distracts Kushida, allowing Austin to shove him off and hit a picture-perfect dropkick. Theory beats on Kushida and whips him to the corner but runs into a boot.
Theory counters a hip toss and talks trash but Kushida hits a Judo toss and a rolling dropkick. Kushida targets the arm of Theory and slams it. Kushida pulls Theory’s arms back and stomps on his shoulder blades. Theory starts to fight back but Kushida catches him with a kitchen sink knee and ties Austin up like a pretzel. Theory powers him to the ropes but Kushida kicks him in the arm a few times, then wrenches it. Theory throws Kushida to the apron, then knocks him off with a forearm.
*Commercial Break*
Back live and Theory is holding Kushida down with a submission. Kushida fights up but gets hit with a sidewalk slam. Theory lands a suplex for a two-count and he’s beginning to get arrogant. Theory mounts Kushid and lands some big right hands. Theory continues the assault and batters Kushida but gets rolled-up for two. Kushida hits an inverted atomic drop, then catches Austin with a springboard back elbow.
Kushida with an STO into the buckles, then a German suplex and a kick to the face for two. Kushida rips his shirt off and gets fired-up. He stands on the back of Austin and pulls the sore arm before snapping it over his own shoulder three times. Theory rolls out to regroup with Gargano and Kushida tries to kick him from the apron but Theory drops him. Theory lifts Kushida into a powerbomb position but Kushida turns it into an armbar on the apron…only for Gargano to superkick Kushida!
Winner Via Disqualification: Kushida
Theory and Gargano, having miraculously recovered, beat on Kushida at ringside. Theory tells Gargano he should use a chair to break Kushida’s arm and Johnny loves it. Theory is suddenly dragged under the ring and Gargano tries to pull him out, but it’s actually Dexter Lumis he pulled out! Gargano screams and high-tails it up the ramp as Lumis watches on.
Theory crawls out and runs into the ring to get away from Lumis but Kushida gets him in the Hoverboard Lock. Gargano runs down and pulls Kushida off but he gets put in the Hoverboard Lock. Lumis comes in and gets Theory in the Anaconda Vice at the same time! Kushida holds the North American Championship while Lumis holds Theory’s head.
We see a video of Toni Storm talking about her year and that she’s been biding her time, waiting to win the NXT Women’s Championship. She beat Io Shirai before and nobody talks about that, but they will after Sunday. On Sunday it’s Toni time.
*Commercial Break*
We’re back live and Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza are lying down backstage, one under a ladder and the other on a production crate. Karrion Kross appears and says Escobar is beyond saving, next week he gets ended. Tick tock.
The camera cuts backstage and a white Lamborghini drives up. Out steps Cameron Grimes in a brown suit and starts handing out money to everyone he passes on his way to the ring. Grimes says he is back baby and it’s been two months since Timothy Thatcher laid him out. So he went home and planned out his revenge on Thatcher. In his downtime he found video games and they’re pretty cool. He wondered why he wrestled when he could just play games. But he ran out of games, so he went to GameStop and he should put his money int a fine establishment like that. And it turns out he was in the right place at the right time because the GameStop stock went to the moon.
Grimes has so much money he doesn’t know what to do with it. Well he loves dogs, and he found this currency called Dogecoin and he invested in some of that, and it exploded so much that he’s richer than Elon Musk. Grimes loses his mind and rips his jacket off. He’s so rich that no-one, William Regal included, can tell him what to do. Regal can kiss his grits if he thinks he’s gonna wrestle Dexter Lumis, zombies, or anyone else. Money is power and he has so much it’s hilarious. Grimes throws a bunch of money and rolls around in it.
Mackenzie interviews Gargano backstage and he calls her stupid. He says this Sunday he faces Kushida and he sees it as an opportunity to remind the world that he is Johnny Freakin’ Takeover. Kushida better bring his absolute best if he wants to take that title. Sunday, Kushida enters his world.
Grizzled Young Veterans make their way to the ring for the main event and the last semi-final of the Dusty Cup!
*Commercial Break*
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
Semi-Final
Grizzled Young Veterans Vs. Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher
Before the Grizzled Young Veterans can even get to the ring, Thatcher and Ciampa attack them on the ramp as they’re cutting a promo! Drake and Gibson are beat down by the barricade, then Drake is thrown over it. Ciampa gets on the apron as Thatcher gets Gibson inside and the referee starts the match. Gibson tries to fight back but Thatcher smothers him with offense. Ciampa tags in and beats Gibson down and tags Thatcher for a knee to the ribs and a wristlock. Drake is back on the apron and trying to rally his partner.
Thatcher whips Gibson into the corner but Drake jumps across the buckles to save his partner. Drake then tags in and punches Thatcher and lands a short-arm clothesline. Drake backs Thatcher into his corner and tags Gibson, but Thatcher drops both men with European uppercuts. Thatcher looks to tag Ciampa but Drake pulls Tommaso off the apron and slams him into the steel steps. Thatcher gets back into the corner and the Veterans hit a flurry of double-team moves. The leave the ring and double-team powerbomb Ciampa on the apron!
*Commercial Break*
Back from the final break of the night and Drake and Thatcher are trading right hands, but Timothy catches him with a belly-to-belly and both are down. Thatcher wants a tag but Ciampa is still down on the floor. Gibson tags in and hits a back suplex for a two-count, then transitions to a wristlock. Thatcher gets isolated in the corner of the veterans but he counters a double-team move by catching Drake with a European uppercut.
Ciampa appears on the apron and gets the tag. The Psycho Killer comes in fast and furious with clotheslines to both Drake and Gibson, then a flying clothesline to both. Ciampa with a German suplex to both men and he scores a near-fall on James Drake. Ciampa chops Drake and looks for the Fairytale Ending but Drake blocks it. Gibson tags himself in and batters Ciampa in the corner, then both men hockey fight in the middle of the ring. Gibson hits a chop to the throat, followed by a twisting neckbreaker.
Tag made to Drake and he jumps off the back of Ciampa to dropkick Thatcher off the apron. Gibson gets Ciampa on his shoulders and Drake hits a flying clothesline for a near-fall, not quite Doomsday. Thatcher runs in but Gibson throws him right back out and goes after him. Thatcher slaps Gibson hard but Drake wipes him out with a suicide dive. Ciampa attempts Willow’s Bell to Drake but Gibson prevents it. The Veterans hit Ticket to Mayhem for the win!
Winners: Grizzled Young Veterans
The Liverpool tandem have progressed to the final of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic for the second year in a row. They will face MSK this Sunday to crown the Champions.
Wade Barrett, Beth Phoenix, and Vic Joseph run down the card for Vengeance Day and that’s it for this week’s WWE NXT! Let us know what you thought of the show and if you’re excited for Vengeance Day on Sunday. We’ll have live coverage of that right here on Ringside News but until then go check out our results for AEW Dynamite, and join us for SmackDown results on Friday. Until next time, stay safe!
February 10, 2021 7:00 pm
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