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Here's a place to check results and comment along with the newest episode of WWE NXT, airing live in its regular Wednesday night at 8PM Eastern time slot on USA Network.
Check out our Wednesday morning preview post to get caught up on what's been happening, and what we expect this week.
Advertised for tonight, live from the Capitol Wrestling Center: Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher’s feud finally leads to the FIGHT PIT! Plus, the men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic continues, and the women’s begins! Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory take on Kushida & Leon Ruff, while Toni Storm & Mercedes Martinez take on Kacy Catanzaro & Karden Carter.
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the NXT live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here.
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Enjoy the show!
WWE NXT RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR JAN. 20
Video package on the Dustys, and we see the Fight Pit cage as the show begins. And hey, Beth Phoenix is back in the building, seated with Vic Joseph & Wade Barrett at ringside!
Leon Ruff & Kushida vs. Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory
Rudd convinces his partner to let him start with Theory. He uses his speed to stay away from the bigger man and get a cover off a counter. Kushida in with kicks to set-up an arm/shoulder submission. Gargano in to angrily stomp down Kushida. He takes a little too much time talking trash, but can’t turn the tide. The Way employ quick tags and some tandem offense to stay in control. The Japanese Superstar slides out of a Theory suplex and backs into his corner for a tag. Ruff comes in hot, lighting Theory up with kicks. A distraction from Johnny lets his teammate catch Ruff for a sitout powerbomb that gets two. We go split screen for some ads, and The Way work over the former North American champ during the break.
An enziguri from Ruff gets him free for a tag, but Gargano pulls Kushida off the apron. More offense on Ruff follows, but he won’t stay down for three. He fights off Theory in the corner and hits a cutter from the middle rope. Both men tag, Thesz Press and ground & pound to Gargano from Kushida. Theory in to save his mentor, but Kushida takes them both out. After a dive he rolls Johnny in, but misses a kick. Gargano answers with a superkick, but his follow-up is countered into an armbar. Theory with the save again! Johnny and Kushida trade strikes, and Gargano makes it to his corner. Double team gets two on Kushida. A frustrated Johnny sets up for Meet in the Middle, but Ruff flies in to save his partner. He flies to take out Theory, which lets Kushida bridge out of a suplex and he gets three on Johnny!
Leon Ruff & Kushida def. Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory via pinfall to advance to the second round in the Dusty Classic
Pete Dunne gets a video package. He and Finn Bálor had a similar come-up, but while Finn left, Dunne stayed and built a brand. Finn told him to get in line, but he doesn’t wait. Bálor says he doesn’t watch the business, but Pete knows he watches him. They’ll both be remembered in history, but Dunne will be remembered better.
The announcers tell us Kyle O’Reilly is cleared for action, and we learn Karrion Kross will be in action next!
After a break, we see Malcolm Bivens walking in the hallway. McKenzie Mitchell asks him what he’s doing, and he hypes Tyler Rust as the future. We then see Rust leave General Manager William Regal’s office. He says he got here early and didn’t want to wait, so he went in and got the match. He’s facing Bronson Reed tonight. Bivens says that’s not the direction he would have gone in a whisper to Rust, then switches back into hype man mode and talks up the match.
Karrion Kross vs. Ashante Adonis
Adonis’ Dusty partner Desmond Troy is there, and watches as Ashante lands some strikes. They don’t phase Kross though, who snaps off a Saito Suplex. Adonis sells it through another one, but tells the referee he wants to continue. A big forearm to the neck ends it.
Karrion Kross def. Ashante Adonis via pinfall
As Troy checks on his partner with the ref and a trainer, Kross grabs him puts him in the straightjacket. He leaves both laying.
MSK video package starts with Nash Carter doing a Borat impression to “throw off the other tag teams”. They crack up, before talking up their bond. Ember Moon puts them over as one of the most innovative teams in the world. Over snippets of their fallout video from last week, they vow to win the Cup.
Mercedes Martinez & Toni Storm get a quick promo to say it doesn’t matter that their Dusty Classic opponents tonight are best friends. They’re two tough women who just like hurting people. Enjoy your first round exit.
Imperium vs. Lucha House Party
Marcel Barthel starts with Lince Dorado and quickly grounds him. Joseph reminds us Dorado caught a beating from Hurt Business on Monday. Lince gets to his corner and Gran Metalik comes in on his partner’s shoulder and flies into the German. Fabian Aichner makes the save, and comes in with a legal tag a moment later. The Italian’s power advantage gets a quick cover, but a headscissor allows Metalik to recover and make the tag. Things break down, and Aichner is able to slam Dorado on the floor. Metalik gets ready to fly to avenge his partner, but Barthel crotches him, then Imperium hits him with stereo drop kicks while he’s in the tree of woe. They pose as we go to commercial.
Dorado’s getting worked over when we return. He slips free for a tag as Barthel brings in Aichner and things speed up. Springboard moonsault gets two, but Aichner makes the tag. Tandem DDT on Metalik, but Lince races to break up the cover. After a LHP tag, they snap off a nifty top rope drop kick sunset flip for another nearfall. Things break down and I honestly can’t keep track of everything going on. The end comes after Metalik flies to take out Aichner on the floor and a shooting star press from Dorado on Barthel ends it.
Lucha House Party def. Imperium via pinfall to advance to the second round in the Dusty Classic
Alexander Wolfe shows up on stage afterwards, and Aichner & Barthel snap to attention.
We see the official Fight Pit weigh in from earlier, which predictably breaks down into a shoving match. Regal tells them to save it for tonight.
After a break, Mr. Regal introduces Beth Phoenix. She lists off many of the big name women who’ve come through NXT, and their pictures are highlighted on the CWC screens. The teams are all standing around the trophy on the stage, and the first competitors push through the others for a staredown at the trophy.
Toni Storm & Mercedes Martinez vs. Kacy Catanzaro & Karden Carter
Storm and Carter start off for a speed vs. size exchange. Kayden evades for a bit but catches a big drop kick. Tag and then a side slam from Toni before Mercedes takes over. More evasion as Carter tags Catanzaro. A drop toe hold sends Martinez into the ropes, but after Kacy bounces her off them, a loud chop puts Mercedes in control. Kacy tries to spin out of a suplex, but gets powerslammed down. Carter breaks up the cover as we go to commercial.
Storm with a cover when we return. Martinez in with a throw that sends Kacy flying across the ring, and Toni follows with a running hip attack. Mercedes with a cover that gets two. More chops, then Martinez sets Catanzaro up on the top turnbuckle. She gets Kacy on her shoulders, but the American Ninja Warrior turns herself around for a super-rana! Mercedes is able to tag first, but Kacy slips between Storm’s legs for a tag of her own. Carter is a house afire, stacking her opponents in the corner for a back elbow, then a drop kick that’s also a splash when Toni falls down! Boot across the face from Kayden. Roll though for two, drop kick, but Martinez breaks up the pin. Enziguri from Kacy followed by a corkscrew plancha that takes out Mercedes.
Toni with a slam into a single leg crab as both the partners get to their corners. Martinez is yanked off the apron - it’s Io Shirai! She pays her back by smashing her off the announce desk. Carter puts Storm down, then Kacy flies off the top with a corkscrew 450 swanton thing that’s pretty amazing.
Kacy Catanzaro & Karden Carter def. Toni Storm & Mercedes Martinez via pinfall to advance to the second round in the Dusty Classic
The NXT champ walks into Mr. Regal’s office. He wants Pete Dunne, but he knows the game Pete’s playing, so he wants Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch first. The GM says he understands, but he has to protect Finn from himself. He tells Bálor to get a partner. The champ says he doesn’t have any friends, but I bet he can find a guy who plays air guitar to help out.
We see Isaiah Scott say something to Bronson Reed as he heads to the ring for his match.
After a break, McKenzie tells us Ashante Adonis is injured and won’t be able to compete in his Dusty Classic match on 205 Live Friday. Before she can tell us more though, Carter & Catanzaro run in celebrating and saying they’re gonna win it all!
Bronson Reed vs. Tyler Rust
Before the bell, we see the scene with Swerve with audio. He told Reed to stay out of his business or else.
Mid-match, we see Toni Storm and Io Shirai being pulled apart in the locker room.
Back and forth open focuses on Reed’s power and Rust’s technical ability. Reed starts tossing him around and Rust has to regroup with Bivens outside. While this goes on, cameras catch Io and Toni fighting backstage and being separated by officials. Rust goes after the arm with kicks and offense but Reed just uses strikes to send him back. A chokeslam gets Reed a near fall. As they fight up top, Rust manages to hit an assisted Samoan Drop-like move for two. Reed blocks his next move, flips him over, and hits a senton. Tsunami ends it.
Bronson Reed def. Bryan Rust via pinfall
Bivens is clearly still perplexed by his client’s matchmaking.
Mitchell tells Finn Mr. Regal booked his match with and a partner with the tag champs for next week. Bálor says there are a few people around here who owe him a favor. He heads off to collect.
Finn hits Undisputed ERA’s locker room. He wants to know if Kyle’s in, or if he’s still sucking his meals through a straw. Roderick Strong takes issue with that, but Adam Cole holds him back. KOR says he’s in.
Cruiserweight champ Santos Escobar is on the stage with a microphone. He brags about how he’s beaten all challengers, and puts over Legado Del Fantasma’s win in the Dusty on 205 Live last Friday. Lucha House Party interrupt since they’re facing off in the second round. Escobar, Joaquin Wilde & Raul Mendoza use their numbers to take control of the brawl that follows, but Curt Stallion runs in to even the odds. The faces stand tall in the ring.
Mitchell asks Killian Dain & Drake Maverick about their win on 205 Live last week, and we learn their match with MSK is next week. Maverick steps in to answer McKenzie’s question, which seems to annoy Dain. Drake obviously thinks they’re tighter than they really are.
Big FIGHT PIT intro as we go to break!
But first, an interview with LHP & Stallion is interrupted by LDF. Escobar says he wants his match with the #1 contender next week! They also confirm the Bálor/O’Reilly vs. Lorcan/Burch match, and two second round matches - Dain & Maverick vs. MSK and Kushida & Ruff vs. Grizzled Young Veterans.
Tommaso Ciampa vs. Timothy Thatcher
Thatcher backtrack as he’s stalked slowly by Ciampa. Thatcher and Ciampa brawl on the upper platform area. Thatcher with a suplex that echoes through the CWC. Ciampa escapes a heel hook, then catches Thatcher with a running boot to the face. Ciampa slingshots his opponent into the railing, then stomps on his fingers so he falls to the mat. The show cut to picture-in-picture with Ciampa in charge.
When we return, Ciampa is tossing Thatcher against the chain link fence. Thatcher beats a ten count. Thatcher reverses a Fairy Tale Ending to toss Thatcher into the corner of the fence. Double wrist hold. Thatcher converted to full mount for some forearms. Thatcher tries to bend Ciampa’s hand in the corner but Ciampa fights out. Thatcher went back to the wrist lock and then went to the hand slam on the mat. Thatcher slams his elbow in to the mat and slams the fingers down while wrenching at them. Ciampa fights back and transitions into a half crab with Thatcher’s ankle twisted at an angle. Thatcher fights out and puts on a choke in the corner but takes a low blow. The referee is knocked onto all fours and Ciampa uses that to setup Willow’s Bell. They begin trading shots, slugging it out. Ciampa drives Thatcher’s head into the steel with a DDT and adds the Fairytale Ending. he then applies a rear naked choke but Thatcher gets to his feet and breaks it by during Ciampa into the cage. Thatcher traps Ciampa in the cage corner by his leg and then twists his other in a cage-assisted Stretch Muffler.
Timothy Thatcher def. Tommaso Ciampa via submission
Afterwards, the two men sat opposite each other without saying anything.