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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: Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar! Kyle O’Reilly opens the show looking for answers from Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano is looking for Austin Theory, Dusty Classic winners MSK and Raquel González & Dakota Kai celebrate, Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell, and all the fallout from TakeOver: Vengeance Day!
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 FEB. 17
We start with the typically excellent video package recapping Sunday night. Adam Cole’s superkick of Kyle O’Reilly ends it, and we head into the CWC where Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett & Beth Phoenix are ringside talking about the card... but KOR cuts them off. He hits the ring and calls for a mic.
We all saw what happened. He keeps replaying the moment in his head trying to make sense of it, but he can’t. He’s shocked, confused, pissed off and disappointed. Undisputed ERA was supposed to be different, and Adam Cole ruined it. He kicked him in the face, but more importantly he stabbed him in the back. But Cole’s still his brother, and he’s willing to hear him out. At the end, he’ll probably punch him in the face, but he’ll hear him out.
Roderick Strong comes out instead of Cole. He says he knows Adam did it out of emotion and didn’t mean, but Kyle doesn’t want to hear it from him. It’s just pissing him off more. He warns Roddy not to get in the ring, because he doesn’t trust him. He doesn’t know who to trust. O’Reilly demands Adam Cole... but he gets Finn Bálor instead.
KOR says he’s not looking for Finn, and Bálor says that doesn’t matter, because he’s looking for Kyle. And if O’Reilly wants Cole, he needs to get in line behind him. The champ knew he shouldn’t have accept O’Reilly’s hand at TakeOver, but he did and now he wants answers. Roddy gets in Finn’s face, saying Kyle had nothing to do with it... and Pete Dunne attacks! Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch are with him! Strong & O’Reilly get taken out, and the heel trio stomp out Bálor until officials break it up.
The announcers kick it back to General Manager William Regal for an update on the Santos Escobar/Karrion Kross match they announced last week. Escobar sent a video message saying he was going home and will only face Kross on his terms, not Regal’s. The GM says that match will happen next week, or Santos will be suspended indefinitely!
Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
Johnny Gargano heads to commentary and hands out some “missing” fliers with Austin Theory on them.
In the ring, Blackheart starts with LeRae and takes her down with an immediate drop kick. Candice gets knocked to the floor as we go picture-in-picture for the first time. The heels turn the tide on the small screen, but Shotzi gets both LeRae and Hartwell hung up on the ropes as soon as we get back. Moon kicks them in the face from the floor, and Blackheart hits Indi with the question mark. Ember tags in and runs the ropes, right into a boot from Hartwell. Tag to Candice, but as she goes on offense cameras take us out back where a familiar white van pulls up.
The Way stays in charge. Indi gets several nearfall, one of a side slam before dragging Ember to her corner by her foot. LeRae stretches Moon, then slams her down. Cover only gets one. Ember and Indi brawl in The Way’s corner. Candice tags in and springboard splashes Moon on the floor. Johnny heads to check on the van as we got to a full commercial break.
Shotzi with the hot tag as soon as we return. She hits Hartwell with her usual flurry and covers, but only gets two. Bridging submission, which LeRae uses for a step-up senton. Moon back in and everyone is knocked down as we head to the parking lot to see Johnny trying to get into the van. Back inside, it’s Blackheart’s turn to be in peril. Nearfall, but she jawjacks LeRae to get free for a tag. She takes out Indi, modified bulldog from Ember to Candice for two. Moon climbs for the Eclipse, but LeRae knocks her off the ropes. The Way sets Ember up for a springboard combo, but her comes Gargano with Theory. He’s ziptied and in his boxers, but LeRae is so excited to see him she runs up the ramp. While Indi looks on, she gets rolled up by Moon.
Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon def. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell via pinfall
The Way celebrates on the ramp.
Joseph kicks it to Pat McAffee in his private jet. Pat Mac says hello to the internet wrestling community and introduces himself as our favorite wrestler. Basically an “I told you so” similar to his post-TakeOver tweets, then he signs off so he can head to a beach for some mai tais.
After a break, McKenzie Mitchell checks in with Kushida in the trainer’s room. He puts over their match on Sunday, but says he’s not done with Johnny. Bronson Reed comes in to check on him, and say he has his eyes on Gargano, too. But he wants Kushida to heal up, and if they need to figure out who gets next shot at Johnny, they will. Reed offers a fist bump and Kushida hesitantly accepts.
Malcolm Bivens is in the back of the room, and approached Kushida. He checks to make sure Kushida is cleared, and says he has just the opponent for him tonight. Bivens heads off to talk to Regal.
Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott
Ruff gets a high flying takedown after some early Scott offense, but the early going is mostly Swerve beating the former North American champ down. Scott lays him out him with a backbreaker, then follows with a pump knee. A boot on the apron has Leon on the ropes, literally. Ruff rallies and hits a rebound clothesline following by his leaping twisting cutter. Cover, but Swerve gets a foot on the ropes. Scott back in control but is over confident. He gets caught by Ruff’s flash crucifix pin.
Leon Ruff def. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott via pinfall
Swerve laughs afterwards, and accepts a high five and a hug afterwards... but that’s a set-up for a punch in the mouth. This beatdown is worse than anything from before, including throwing grabbing Ruff by the mouth and throwing him into the corner! Swerve says he’s tired of Ruff getting handed everything while he waits for his.
Before the match we get a reminder of Kacy & Kayden’s run-in with Tian Sha last week. They get an in-set promo saying they know Xia Li is just brainwashed by that mythological figure Mei Ying. But tonight’s about winning their match.
Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro vs. Aliyah & Jessi Kamea
Catanzaro with her impressive offense on Kamea. Carter in for a moment, then Kacy’s back in for a handstand on the ropes into a head scissor takedown. Boa shows up on the stage, distracting Kayden. Jessi attacks from behind and the heels(?) hey Carter into their corner. That doesn’t last long though, and Kacy comes in hot to light up Aliyah. Tandem neckbreaker/splash ends it.
Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro def. Aliyah & Jessi Kamea via pinfall
Xia Li is out with Boa now. Kayden steps to her, but Kacy says let me handle it. Li marks her hand with two black marks, and says next week she will “purge” her.
In the locker room, Bivens tells us Regal’s approved his match. He knows Kushida isn’t 100%, but he’s clearer. He’s gonna learn Tyler isn’t a rookie, he’s a diamond in the rust.
We MSK and Raquel González & Dakota Kai making their way to the ring. After a break, Beth is in the ring with a Dusty Cup trophy. She puts over all the teams in both tournaments, then introduces a video on the winners.
She brings out MSK, and Wes Lee and Nash Carter ask for a moment so they can work off some energy. They mark out on the ramp, then get in the ring and give the Hall of Famer some hugs. They get hyped for seeing their name on the cup, and throw out a challenge to the Tag champs for Mar. 3. Beth asks them to help her introduce some women who made history. Carter points out their names are right across from theirs on the side of the trophy.
Kai & González are out to a “you deserve it” chant. Raquel is all smiles as Kai says nothing makes them happier then crushing their opponents. Before they can get much further, the WWE Women’s Tag champs are here. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler head to the ring, and Shayna introduces Nia to the Dusty winners. Carter holds the ropes for them, then head to the corner and literally pull out popcorn to watch the staredown. They’re nice boys, they share with Beth.
The Dusty winners and the tag champs trade taunts. Dakota introduces Shayna as the woman who ran off after Rhea Ripley beat her. Raquel asks if that’s the same Rhea she beat in a last woman standing match. Baszler calls back to how she bullied and broke Kai’s arm in her NXT run, and Dakota says she’s a new woman and looks forward to kicking her head off. Nia asks them to calm down. She’s her to honor Dusty, a man who told her she was the biggest badass he ever met. Raquel says that’s because he never met her. On Mar. 3 when they have their title match, she’s gonna stick her boot up Nia’s #Hole.
We see Roddy and Kyle arguing in the parking lot as we go to commercial.
We come back to the amazing Cameron Grimes theme that debuted on TakeOver. This version ends with a car crash, and we see he’s wrecked his Lambo. He’ll just have to get a new one.
Earlier today, Women’s champ Io Shirai was doing a photo shoot when Toni Storm jumped her. Storm left Shirai being checked on by officials. The announcers mention that she’s upset because she wasn’t pinned in Sunday’s Triple Threat.
Kushida vs. Tyler Rust
The Japanese Superstar starts fast. Rust manages to slow things down and grab a wristlock. Kushida snaps Rust’s arm in the ropes and stacks him up for two. He looks to follow up from the top, but Rust pulls out his feet and he lands on his back. Rust stretches him, but Kushida makes the ropes for a break as we go to commercial. Kushida’s in control when we return. Takedown, fastball punch, then a bulldog with an armbar. Rust gets free by targeting Kushida’s neck, injured in the Gargano match. Axe kick to the back of the head gets two. More kicks lead to another cover, but Kushida won’t stay down. They trade holds, and when Kushida tries to bridge back into a cover, Rust grabs a sleeper. He grabs a leg for a modified bow and arrow, but a roll-up forces the break. Kushida delivers a kick to the arm, Rust tries to get him up but Kushida slips free and grabs an arm. Hoverboard Lock, it’s in deep, Bivens on the apron... he saves his fighter by throwing in the towel!
Kushida def. Tyler Rust via stoppage
Rust tells his manager he could have had that one.
Video package on Zoey Stark. Marina Shafir’s Dusty Cup partner is in action next.
First, we see LA Knight’s arrival on Sunday. Earlier today, someone knocked on the former Eli Drake’s door. He goes to shoo off the interviewer, but then says let me talk to you. Everyone’s been talking about how he’s the hottest free agent, and that’s what everybody says when they come in. But if anyone doubts him, they can try to stop him. That’s a fact of life. It’s LA Knight’s game.
Zoey Stark vs. Valentina Feroz
After early power moves from Stark, Feronz gets one off a kick and judo throw midway through the match, but it only angers Stark. Big kick in the corner, bridging half-and-half suplex and then a loud sliding knee. A GTS variant ends it.
Zoey Stark def. Valentina Feroz via pinfall
Scarlett and Karrion Kross black-and-white promo. Scarlett says Santos Escobar doesn’t have the power to stop this. There’s no pause button on this nightmare. Kross says Mr. Santos has two options. Show up and get his fist put through his face, or stay home, get stripped of his title, then Kross destroys him eventually anyway. Tick tock.
Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs. Finn Bálor, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong
Roddy entered with the usual TUE fanfare, but Kyle isn’t with it. After a break, Kyle starts with Oney. He refuses to tag Strong, only bringing the champ in as they work over Lorcan. Finn gets stuck in the wrong corner, Burch in. Bálor backs into his corner and Roddy is able to tag himself in. He ends up in the heel corner and Dunne comes in and works the fingers. They trade strikes and the Bruiserweight sends Strong to the floor. Dunne jaws with Finn and Kyle while Lorcan & Burch look to attack Roddy with the steps. He evades, fights off Dunne with a backbreaker, and then gets to O’Reilly for the tag. He takes out Burch, then dragon screw legwhips Dunne and Lorcan through the ropes, but he jumps into a forearm to the jaw by Pete as we go PiP one last time.
Kyle in peril on the small screen. The heels use quick tags and cut the ring in half. Legal man Pete Dunne knocks Roddy off the apron. Kyle kicks out of an ankle lock, but Dunne ducks the rebound lariat. Tag to Finn, who lights up the former UK champ. Takedown of Lorcan, and a double stomp. Dunne gets two on an inside cradle. Bálor pin is broken up. Strong sends Oney into Danny and then takes Oney out with a Wrecking Ball dropkick before Burch lays him out.
Inside, Finn and Pete block each other’s finishers. Slingblade connects, but the dropkick follow-up takes out the referee, who was dealing with Burch doing something with a belt. Finn still goes up for Coup de Grace but here’s Adam Cole to knock him off the top. Cole then stalks Kyle and pump kicks him. Brainbuster onto the steel steps!
Stong lays out Burch, who again had the NXT title. He takes the title to Finn, who hits him with the Pele without looking. That lets Dunne sneak in and hit the champ with Bitter End.
Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch def. Finn Bálor, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong via pinfall
The heels head up the ramp, leaving Finn alone in the ring. He picks up his title and turns into a superkick from Cole! The ref calls for help for O’Reilly, and Cole grabs Bálors title and holds it up as the CWC boos.