WWE NXT 2.0 Live Coverage - January 25th, 2022
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New allies look to strike back at Toxic Attraction
Kay Lee Ray and new found allies Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta band together to fight back against Toxic Attraction's reign. Plus, Cameron Grimes and Tony D'Angelo collide for an opportunity at Carmelo Hayes' North American Championship, Solo Sikoa and Boa look to tear each other apart in a No Disqualifications, Falls Count Anywhere Match and the 2022 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic opening round continues in a mammoth episode of NXT 2.0!
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– Tonight’s WWE NXT episode opens up on the USA Network with MSK’s Wes Lee and Nash Carter on the stage with the trophy for the 2022 Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. They get hyped up and mention The Shaman, Riddle. They go on and the crowd gets behind them as they head to the ring. Vic Joseph welcomes us to NXT and he’s joined at ringside by Wade Barrett.
Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Tournament Match: MSK vs. Jacket Time
MSK’s Wes Lee and Nash Carter go right to the ring for tonight’s opener. Out next comes Jacket Time’s Kushida and Ikemen Jiro as Alicia Taylor does the introductions. The winners of this bout will face Edris Enofe and Malik Blade in the next round.
Fans chant for Jacket Time as Carter and Kushida go at it to start. Vic announces the Vengeance Day special for February 15. Lee comes in but Jiro ends up taking control as he tags in. Jiro and Lee trade offense and counters, showing each other up. More back and forth now. Jacket Time runs wild on Lee. Kushida is legal now as fans continue chanting for Jacket Time.
Jiro tags back in for another double team to Lee. MSK double teams Jiro now and Carter hits a Bronco Buster but gets booed. Carter for a close 2 count as Kushida breaks the pin up. MSK ends up taking control and leveling Jiro with a big double team, then posing on the apron together as we go to a picture-in-picture commercial break.
Back from the break and Carter turns it around on Jiro with big power moves, including a bridging German suplex. Carter continues running wild and hits a Shooting Star Press for a close 2 count. Fans chant “this is awesome!” as Jiro mounts offense on Lee. Jiro can’t get the pin and can’t believe Lee kicked out. Fans chant “NXT!” now. Jacket Time runs wild on Lee with a double team until Carter makes the save. They toss Carter to the floor as fans chant “this is awesome!” again. Lee blocks a double team and drops Kushida. Jiro goes back to the top but misses a big Swanton as Lee moves out of the way.
Kushida and Carter tag in at the same time. Carter with a big jumping knee strike. Lee comes in to double team Kushida but he gets his knees up and goes into the Hoverboard Lock. Carter resists but Kushida tightens the hold. Carter rams Kushida into the turnbuckles to break the hold, and in comes Lee for a big double team from the corner for the pin to win and advance.
Winners: MSK
– After the match, MSK stands tall as the music hits. They will now face Edris Enofe and Malik Blade in the semi-finals. Fans chant “that was awesome!” as MSK and Jacket Time show respect to each other.
– Io Shirai and Zoey Stark are backstage. Zoey is disappointed she won’t be cleared in time for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and says Shirai needs to find a new partner. She says Shirai has done everything else in NXT and it would be awesome to put her name on the Dusty Cup. Shirai doesn’t want a new partner. Stark wonders if this means Shirai likes her. Tiffany Stratton walks up and insults Stark’s outfit, saying she found it on the clearance rack. Stratton says Shirai will have plenty of time to find a new partner after she defeats her tonight. Stratton walks off and Shirai rants in Japanese.
– We go back to the arena and MSK is celebrating around the Dusty Classic trophy, but the music hits and out comes Legado del Fantasma – Santos Escobar, Elektra Lopez, Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde. They trade a few looks with MSK and the group heads to the ring as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a pre-recorded video with Cameron Grimes issuing a warning to Tony D’Angelo ahead of tonight’s #1 contender’s match. Grimes says he will be the one to challenge NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes at Vengeance Day. We see Hayes and Trick Williams arriving to the building moments ago. They had singer OllieJayy arriving with them, and she will be performing her NXT theme song tonight. We go back to the ring and Escobar has the mic. He says each and every week, ever since NXT Champion Bron Breakker has shown his face, everyone in the back mocks him, because of his father and his uncle, especially because of his family’s poor math skills, and then when the jokes are done, everyone tells Bron how special he is and how he will be a huge star some day, some even have the nerve to call him a huge star right now. Escobar says he will not do that. He prides himself on being real from the start because that’s a trait passed down to him by his father.
Escobar says he and Bron come from similar upbringings, which is why Bron and his family don’t impress or intimidate Escobar. He says the truth is, he doesn’t like Bron, actually he despises Bron, and how fast he got here, how he’s been giving all these opportunities, but most of all, he despises that Bron won the NXT Title before him. He says Bron has only been here a few months and already makes him sick. The sirens interrupt and out comes the NXT Champion to a big pop and some barking from the crowd.
Bron says let’s get to it. He thinks Santos is a great Superstar but he’s insecure, and needs the others in Legado del Fantasma by his side. Bron admits they did grow up like each other but his family taught him to face business head on and Santos’ family taught him to… Santos yells at Bron to keep his family out of his mouth. Bron hushes him and says the champ is speaking now. Bron tells Santos to issue the challenge and he will accept. Santos says Bron has a big target on his back for someone who is always alone. Santos says he does things on his own time and when he’s ready, Bron will know. Fans boo. Legado del Fantasma exits the ring now. Mendoza and Wilde try to attack Bron but he fights them off and clears the ring to a pop. Escobar talks trash from the entrance-way while Bron yells back at him from the ring, challenging him to come fight.
– We get a video package on tonight’s Falls Count Anywhere match between Boa and Solo Sikoa. Back to commercial.
No DQ, Falls Count Anywhere Match: Boa vs. Solo Sikoa
Back from the break and out comes Solo Sikoa for tonight’s No DQ, Falls Count Anywhere Match. Boa suddenly attacks him from behind with kendo stick shots to start the match.
The bell rings as Boa, wearing his paint, beats Solo into the ring, continuing the attack with kendo stick shots. Fans rally for Solo but Boa keeps him down. Boa brings steel chairs from under the ring, sliding them in now. A trash can is also tossed in. Boa runs in but Solo catches him with a Samoan Drop onto a chair. We see the burn marks on Solo’s face from the recent fireball attack.
Boa and Solo both wedge steel chairs into the turnbuckles. They turn back around and face off, and both leap for the same chair that’s in the middle of the ring. They struggle for the chair and Boa gets it, nailing Solo in the gut and over the back to beat him down. Boa with more chair shots while Solo is down. He tosses the chair and delivers knee strikes tot he gut now. Boa with a big double underhook suplex onto the trash can for a 2 count.
Boa goes to ringside and stands a table up now. Solo follows and decks him with a right hand. They brawl over to the backstage area now as the referee follows. Solo drops Boa and delivers a chair shot over the back. They continue brawling into the backstage area. Boa blocks a shot into a bunch of ladders, then sends Solo into the standing ladders. Boa dominates ome more and tips two ladders over on Solo’s back. Boa with a ladder shot to the gut now. Boa charges with a ladder but Solo moves. Solo beats Boa up against a garage door now, then rams a ladder into him with a tackle.
Solo with a 2 count on the concrete. We hear fans chanting in the arena. Solo charges with a shoulder but he hits the garage door as Boa moves. Boa works Solo against the steel door some more, kicking and punching. Boa screams out. Solo exits the regular door to the outside area but apparently locks it as Boa can’t follow him. Boa starts raising the garage door now. Solo is waiting for him with a fire extinguisher spray to the face.
Solo beats Boa back to the ringside area, then rolls him into the ring as fans cheer them on. Solo wedges a steel chair into the corner. He sends Boa face-first into the wedged chair, then into another wedged chair, and then into the third wedged chair. Solo drops Boa and goes to the top now as fans rally. Boa leaps and hits the top rope, knocking Solo to the floor. Boa slams Solo face-first into the announce table. Boa with kicks against the table now. Boa charges but Solo slams him into the announce table with a Samoan Drop.
Solo stands a table next to the announce table now. He knocks Boa on top of the regular table. Solo goes back to the top turnbuckle in the ring, then leaps out to the floor and puts Boa through a regular table with a big Uso Splash. The referee counts and Solo gets the pin to win.
Winner: Solo Sikoa
– After the match, Solo and Boa are both still down as the music hits and the referee checks on them. We go to replays. Solo stands tall now as fans cheer him on.
– We see Duke Hudson backstage. He heads to the ring and we go back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a video package on Imperium. Gunther is named after the grandfather who introduced him to the sport, and he’s leaving the past behind to move forward with his own identity. NXT Tag Team Champions Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner are honored to be led by this man. The former WALTER officially introduces his new name to end the segment.
Duke Hudson vs. Guru Raaj
We go back to the ring and out comes Duke Hudson. Guru Raaj is already waiting in the ring.
The bell rings and Hudson immediately levels Raaj with a big boot. Hudson mounts Raaj with lefts and rights. Hudson takes it to the corner and unloads with more offense as fans chant “Duke-y sucks!” at him. Hudson keeps control and drops Raaj with a big sidewalk slam in the middle of the ring. Hudson goes on and nails a big Razor’s Edge powerbomb for the pin to get the easy win.
Winner: Duke Hudson
– After the match, Hudson stands tall as the music hits. Dante Chen comes out with a mic and says he will give Hudson the respect Hudson didn’t give him last week, by letting him know… here I come. Chen rushes the ring and they start brawling. Referees hit the ring to break it up but Hudson takes Chen’s leg out. Hudson exits the ring as officials tend to Chen.
– Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta are backstage with McKenzie Mitchell. It appears there may be some tension at first but they’re one step closer to winning the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles. Kay Lee Ray walks up with her bat and looks forward to tonight’s match with Toxic Attraction and taking their titles.
Toxic Attraction (NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose, NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne) vs. Indi Hartwell, Persia Pirotta and Kay Lee Ray
We go back to the ring and out comes Toxic Attraction – NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. They head to the ring as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Legado del Fantasma is backstage with McKenzie. She asks why Santos Escobar didn’t accept NXT Champion Bron Breakker’s challenge to come back and fight. Raul Mendoza rants in Spanish. Santos says Bron needs to find out what happens when you disrespect Legado del Fantasma, and he will get what he has coming to him. Santos says Bron has to fight Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde one way or the other, and he likely won’t be able to find a partner since he’s the champ and no one likes him. They taunt Bron some more and say they are staying a little longer tonight. They walk off and we go back to the ring to Kay Lee Ray wrapping her entrance, baseball bat in hand. Persia Pirotta and Indi Hartwell are also out in the ring.
Persia and Rose start things off. KLR wants Rose but Rose wants Persia to stay in. KLR tags in but Rose tags put, bringing Jayne in. KLR and Jayne look to go at it but in comes Indi to start. Indi drops Jayne for a quick pin attempt. Jayne fights Indi off and nails a running knee. Jayne works Indi over in the corner and Dolin tags in to take over. Hartwell counters and rolls Dolin up for 2. Dolin keeps control in the corner now, tagging in Rose. Rose with a big suplex to Indi and some showing off.
Rose with a cheap shot to KLR on the apron. Indi takes advantage and rolls Rose up for a 2 count. Indi tags in Persia for a big double team on Rose. Rose kicks out at 2. KLR begs to be tagged in but Rose runs away from her. KLR ends up getting some offense in on Rose and sending her to the floor. Toxic Attraction argues with Pirotta and Hartwell at ringside now. KLR leaps from the top and takes out Toxic Attraction at ringside for a big pop. KLR and Jayne go at it in the ring now. Pirotta tags back in and stomps away on Jayne in the corner. Indi tags in and takes over. Jayne turns it around but runs into a big boot. Toxic Attraction with cheap shots to Indi while the referee is distracted. Jayne follows up with more offense, then a senton for a 2 count. Dolin tags back in and keeps the offense going on Hartwell. Dolin kicks Hartwell in the face several times. They make more quick tags to keep Indi in their corner. Rose works Indi over now, dropping her in the middle of the ring.
Rose knocks KLR off the apron with another cheap shot. Indi takes advantage and catches Rose with a sidewalk slam. Jayne runs in and stops Indi from tagging. Persia looks to tag but Rose yanks her off the apron. Dolin tags in and unloads with more kicks to Indi for another close 2 count as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Rose is working Indi over some more. Jayne tags in and keeps control. Jayne with a neckbreaker for another close 2 count. Jayne shows frustration now, yelling at Indi. Indi goes at it with Jayne and finally drops her. Dolin and Persia tag in and Persia runs wild with offense. Persia launches Dolin into the turnbuckle, then hits a big German suplex for a 2 count as Jayne makes the save. Indi with a Spinebuster to Jayne.
Rose runs in with a big knee to Indi. KLR comes in and decks Rose. KLR grabs her bat and stalks Rose in the ring with it now, backing her against the ropes. Rose scrambles to the floor but KLR follows. She swings the bat and hits the ring post as Rose dodges it. KLR stalks Rose around the ring and misses another bat shot.
KLR and Rose disappear into the backstage area now. Pirotta rocks Dolin and goes fore a big suplex but Dolin counters with a roll-up for 2. Persia comes right back with a big boot to Dolin. Persia scoops Dolin to her shoulders and plants her face-first in the middle of the ring for the pin to win.
Winners: Persia Pirotta, Indi Hartwell and Kay Lee Ray
– After the match, Pirotta and Hartwell stand tall as the music hits.
– We get a pre-recorded video package on Edris Enofe and Malik Blade. Enofe wants Blade to ask out Mandy Rose when they win the Dusty Classic, but Blade says he’d have no chance. Enofe goes on about how everyone said they had no chance to get where they are. They go on about winning the tournament and then winning the NXT Tag Team Titles, and Enofe says Blade can ask out Rose, while he asks out both Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne.
Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Tournament Match: The Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Andre Chase and Bodhi Hayward
We go back to the ring for the final first round match in the Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Out first comes The Grizzled Young Veterans – Zack Gibson and James Drake. They head to the ring and we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and we see Cora Jade and Raquel Gonzalez training at the WWE Performance Center. Gonzalez still is not interested in teaming with Jade for the Dusty Classic. Jade wants to prove herself but Gonzalez says she needs someone she can trust. Jade insists she is the one, and asks Gonzalez to let her prove it. Things almost get physical between the two as coaches come over to get in between them. Gonzalez warns Jade not to push her. Gonzalez walks off. We go back to the ring and out comes Andre Chase and Bodhi Hayward of Andre Chase University. The winners of this match will face The Creed Brothers in the Dusty Classic semi-finals. Chase and Gibson lock up and go at it to start.
Gibson gets the upperhand first and talks some trash. Chase turns it around and taunts Drake, who throws a fit. Drake charges and Chase nails a Russian leg sweep. Chase plays to the crowd while stomping away on Drake, getting the crowd to spell out Chase U. Bodhi tags in for some double teaming on Drake. Fans chant “Bodhi!” now as he works on Drake’s arm.
Bodhi with a close roll-up on Drake for 2. Bodhi holds Drake as Chase leaps off the top with an axe handle. Chase with right hands to Drake now, then a Bionic Elbow in tribute to WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes for a pop. Gibson tags in and they take over. Gibson catches Chase on the floor and Drake leaps from the ring to hit the assisted piledriver on the floor. GYV talk trash to Chase while he’s down on the floor now. Gibson brings Chase back into the ring and talks trash in his face, punching him back to the mat.
Chase fights off both opponents from their corner but Gibson comes back. Chase back-slides him for a 2 count. More back and forth between the two. Bodhi tags in and unloads on Gibson, then knocks Drake off the apron. Bodhi catches Gibson in mid-air and slams him in the middle of the ring for a big pop. Bodhi gets the crowd behind him and drops three quick splashes on Gibson in the middle of the ring. Drake distracts from the floor, allowing Gibson to drop Bodhi with a shot to the throat. Drake tags in and they take out Chase, then hit the double team on Bodhi for the pin to win and advance.
Winners: The Grizzled Young Veterans
– After the match, Drake and Gibson stand tall as the music hits. The semi-finals are now set – GYV vs. The Creed Brothers and MSK vs. Edris Enofe and Malik Blade. GYV celebrates with the Dusty Classic trophy on the stage now. Von Wagner suddenly rushes the ring out of nowhere and destroys Chase and Bodhi. Robert Stone has accompanied Wagner to the ring. Wagner stands tall now as Stone enters the ring and gives him a suit jacket to put on. Fans chant “you suck!” now. Stone looks into the camera and says Wagner has been reinstated and is under new management. Wagner stands tall with Stone as fans boo.
– We get a pre-recorded promo from Grayson Waller backstage, who has his new muscle standing behind him, Saurav Gurjar. Waller reveals a new name for the big man – Sanga. He says Sanga is one of the biggest stars in Bollywood, but is now here to protect Waller. Waller has words for LA Knight and tells him to read the fine print on the restraining order so he doesn’t end up in jail. Waller goes on with words for Knight and says he will deal with him soon, but Sanga will want to meet Knight first.
Io Shirai vs. Tiffany Stratton
We go back to the ring and out first comes Io Shirai to a pop. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and we see a shot of Odyssey Jones down in the trainer’s room after last week’s attack by Harland. The announcers say he is recovering from a patellar tendon injury, and will be back soon. We go back to the ring and Tiffany Stratton is wrapping her entrance up. The bell rings as Shirai and Stratton size each other up. They trade holds and work on each other’s arms as fans rally for Shirai.
Stratton takes Shirai down and rocks her from the corner. Stratton holds her own until Shirai plants her face-first into the mat for a big pop. Shirai taunts Stratton as fans chant her name. Shirai runs the ring and nails a basement dropkick for a 2 count. Stratton avoids a Crossface submission and makes it to the bottom rope.
Stratton capitalizes off a distraction and levels Shirai, then talks some trash to boos. Stratton grounds Shirai and yells at the crowd. Stratton keeps the hold locked in, rag-dolling Shirai on the mat a bit. They get back up and Stratton keeps control, but shows some frustration.
Shirai finally rocks her with a big open-hand strike to get an opening. Shirai with the running double knees in the corner now. Shirai slams Stratton and goes to the top for the big moonsault. She nails it and covers for the pin to win.
Winner: Io Shirai
– After the match, Shirai stands tall as the music hits and fans cheer her on.
– We go backstage to a pre-recorded promo from The Diamond Mine. Malcolm Bivens says Gunther is a horrible name and his parents should’ve named him “DUMBASS” in all caps. Bivens goes on and says this is the end for Imperium because The Creed Brothers will win the Dusty Classic, win the NXT Tag Team Titles from Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner, then Roderick Strong will chop Gunther down like the big dumb tree that he is, and then Ivy Nile will stretch him out from here to his mother’s house. Bivens challenges Imperium to a six-man match on next week’s show. The Creed Brothers have words for Barthel and Aichner, and call them pretty boy Europeans. Strong has words for Gunther, and tells him to enjoy last week’s win because it will never happen again.
– We go to the stage and out comes Trick Williams and NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes. They give a grand introduction for their girl, singer OllieJayy. OllieJayy is in the ring. She thanks Trick and Hayes, then declares that she is NXT 2.0. She then starts performing her “Make Em Fall” song, which is one of the NXT themes. The performance includes a video package for tonight’s main event.
– We get a backstage promo from Tony D’Angelo to hype tonight’s main event. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and Tiffany Stratton is walking backstage, on the phone with her dad complaining about how unfair the referee was. Wendy Choo appears and tells her not to feel bad because everyone loses to Io Shirai. Stratton slaps Choo’s drink away and walks off. Choo complains about her free refill.
#1 Contender’s Match: Cameron Grimes vs. Tony D’Angelo
We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event as Cameron Grimes makes his way out. The winner of this match will challenge NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes at Vengeance Day on February 15. Tony D’Angelo is already waiting int he ring. The bell hits and they go at it. Grimes takes Tony to the corner but he quickly comes back out and takes Grimes to the mat, working on his arm.
Grimes fights back and launches Tony D with an arm drag, surprising him. D’Angelo charges but Grimes sends him to the floor, then nails a penalty kick to the jaw from the apron. We see NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams watching from the platform above the crowd. Grimes unloads with kicks into the corner now, then sends D’Angelo face-first into the turnbuckles.
Tony D turns it around and launches Grimes with a big suplex. Fans chant for D’Angelo as Hayes and Williams look on. D’Angelo with more offense in the corner now. D’Angelo launches Grimes into the corner and he ends up going over the top rope to the floor. D’Angelo follows and keeps control as fans cheer him on. D’Angelo brings it right back into the ring, catches Grimes with a backbreaker. Grimes kicks out at 2 and we go back to a picture-in-picture commercial.
Back from the break and Tony D nails a belly-to-belly suplex for a close 2 count. D’Angelo kicks Grimes around but Grimes looks to make a comeback now. D’Angelo cuts him off and lands another big suplex. Tony D grounds Grimes in the middle of the ring now. Grimes gets up but Tony D nails a stiff takedown for a 2 count.
Trick and Hayes look on as Tony D mounts Grimes with more punches. Tony D grounds Grimes again as Grimes reaches for the ropes. Grimes fights D’Angelo off with back elbows, then takes him down. Grimes with a big hurricanrana for a pop. Grimes mounts offense with forearms now. Grimes misses the running dropkick int he corner as Tony D side-steps, then nails a big German suplex. Grimes kicks out just in time.
Grimes blocks a suplex and rolls D’Angelo up for 2. They trade big strikes on their feet now. They collide in mid-air with Grimes nailing the signature crossbody for a close 2 count. Fans chant “this is awesome!” now as Grimes takes it to the corner with kicks. Grimes with a running kick to the face in the corner. D’Angelo with a forearm to the back and a big overhead suplex into the turnbuckles. Grimes kicks out just in time and no one can believe it.
Tony D shows some frustration now but keeps fighting. Grimes hits a second rope moonsault from the corner. Grimes with a running dropkick into the corner. Grimes goes to the top and hits the high crossbody for another close 2 count. Grimes can’t believe the kick out. Fans chant “to the moon!” and Grimes looks to finish the match but D’Angelo rolls to the floor for a breather.
Pete Dunne runs out with a cricket bat and smashes D’Angelo’s arm while he’s draped over the announce table. D’Angelo returns to the ring as Dunne stares him down. Grimes immediately takes advantage and hits the Cave-In on D’Angelo for the pin to win.
Winner and New #1 Contender to NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes: Cameron Grimes
– After the match, Grimes stands tall as the music hits. He poses in the corner and taunts Hayes and Williams, who are looking on from the platform. Grimes vs. Hayes is confirmed for Vengeance Day.
– We go to the back parking lot as NXT Champion Bron Breakker is leaving. A camera man asks him about his tag team partner for next week’s match against Legado del Fantasma. A SUV speeds up and out comes Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde. Bron gets ready to fight and tells them to bring it. Tommaso Ciampa suddenly shows up and stands next to Breakker. Legado del Fantasma gets back in the SUV and retreats. Bron tells them 2-on-3 sounds good for next week. Ciampa and Breakker shake hands as NXT goes off the air.
