WWE NXT results, live blog (Feb. 22, 2022): Vengeance Day fallout

Here's a place to check results and comment along with the newest episode of WWE NXT, airing live on Tuesday night at 8PM Eastern time slot on USA Network.

Check out our Tuesday morning preview post to get caught up on what's been happening, and what we expect this week.

Advertised for tonight from the WWE Performance Center: All the fallout from last week’s action-packed Vengeance Day show, including Bron Breakker’s next challenger being determined by Dolph Ziggle & Tommaso Ciampa’s #1 contenders match, LA Knight getting his hands on Grayson Waller, two first round matches in the women’s Dusty Classic, Nikita Lyons making her debut... and more!

Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the NXT live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. A running record of everything that happens will be below this line here.

Enjoy the show!

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WWE NXT RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR FEB. 22

No lyrics, and significantly less style and panache, this Tuesday. Your usual hostess will be back next week.

“Then. Now. Forever. Together.” and a Vengeance Day recap package take us to the champ.

Bron Breakker gets a mic. He puts over Santos Escobar and the challenge he put down last week, and says he’ll deal with his next challenger WrestleMania weekend. He announces Stand & Deliver will be Sat., April 2 in Dallas. Bron gets to the topic of tonight’s #1 contender match, and that brings out Dolph Ziggler.

The Zig man talks up Bron, but questions whether or not Breakker will make it ‘Mania weekend as champ. They banter about Ziggler superkicking him at Vengeance Day, and the champ tells him to shut up and get in the ring. To which Dolph tells Breakker he’s the man in Orlando, but not anywhere else. He was the biggest star the minute he walked in the PC, and he’s giving Bron the night off. Ziggler tells him to sit in the back and not even think about getting involved in his match with Tommaso Ciampa.

We get a reminder about the restraining order situation between the men in our first match...

Grayson Waller vs. LA Knight

Knight is itching to get his hands on Waller, and after the Aussie runs away for a bit he gets some big shots in. LA misses a charge and hits the ringpost, but Grayson doesn’t get a chance to do much with it before he gets crotched on the top rope. Knight bounces him to the floor as we go picture-in-picture.

It’s mostly LA in charge on the small screen, but Waller catches him with a clothesline during one of the last commercials, so he’s working a neck crank when we return. Knight gets free and chases Grayson outside, but takes a second to stand up to Sanga. That costs him, and he gets sent into the steps. Back inside for a suplex and an elbow drop off the middle rope. That gets two. Whip into a back elbow for another cover, but Knight won’t stay down.

Waller goes outside to run down the ramp. He somersaults into the ring for the Stunner, but gets caught by Knight into a back suplex. Cutter in the corner and he sizes him up for the BFT, but Sanga holds onto his boss. That allows Waller to steal the win.

Grayson Waller def. LA Knight via pinfall with a small package

A pissed off Knight hits both Sanga and Waller with the BFTs. He says he’s the last man standing, so look for that stipulation in the future.

Backstage, Dakota Kai is looking for her Dusty Cup partner, and finds Wendy Choo napping. Choo wakes up and tells Kai she told her friend about their team-up. This turns out to be an imaginary person based on the way Kai talks to herself. Dakota brushes that off then tells Wendy she doesn’t have good luck with partners. Choo says she’s never partnered with her. Kai talks to herself about that and seems to decide to go with it.

Wade Barrett & Vic Joseph talk about the tournament, and we see Toxic Attraction walking in (sexily) to watch the first round matches (also sexily, probably) from the “Toxic Lounge”.

Vignette of Cora Jade and Raquel González’s training. Jade is sore from doing González’s workouts, so this week she’s taking Raquel to an outdoor ropes course deal. Big Mami Cool is afraid of heights, though. She conquers that on the zip line, and they’re ready to go win the Dusty and take the Tag belts from Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne.

McKenzie Mitchell heads into the Toxic Attraction’s sexy hangout, and listens to Mandy Rose and her girls dis Jade & González and Io Shirai & Kay Lee Ray. That latter duo is next.

Io Shirai & Kay Lee Ray vs. Lash Legend & Amari Miller

Legend & Miller don’t even get an entrance. Lash starts with Io and uses her strength & size for an early advantage. Shirai gets free for a drop kick off the top that sends Legend to the corner looking for a tag. Amari is fired up, but gets planted by Io. Tag to Ray for some coordinating offense that gets two.

Strikes from Ray, but Miller cradles Kay Lee for two. Tag, and Legend hits a big boot. She talks a little too much trash though gets a superkick. KLR Bomb, Io tagged in, Ray gets most of a standing moonsault, then Shirai ends it with one off the top.

Io Shirai & Kay Lee Ray def. Lash Legend & Amari Miller to advance to the second round of the Dusty Classic

Dante Chen reminds us of his issues with Duke Hudson. He finally gets a match with Hudson tonight, and says it will be hard for Duke to sweep Persia Pirotta off her feet when he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

After a break, Josh Briggs decides to get Brooks Jensen out of the friendzone by putting him on Tinder. Hilarity ensues.

Dante Chen vs. Duke Hudson

Chen attacks Hudson from behind during his entrance. In the ring, he drops Duke knee first on the apron, then slams it into the ringpost. Hudson pulls Dante face first into the post to get back into it, but Chen’s speed keeps him in control. A DDT gets a nearfall. Mounted punches in the corner, but Duke with a shove to get some space. He meets a charge with a boot. That quick turnaround spells the end.

Duke Hudson def. Dante Chen via pinfall after Razor’s Edge

The A champ will address us next, but first a look at some good work WWE’s doing in Dallas, and more commercials.

Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams are here, and the North American champion is first on the mic. When he shoots, he don’t freaking miss. Tonight, he’s here for a Melo-bration. But first, he’s got to talk the talk. He did everything he said he was going to do at Vengeance Day, including steal the show. When the show was over, everyone was talking about him. Not Bron Breakker, not Pete Dunne. He’ll smoke people in the ring, on the mic, or on the bird app.

That brings out Dunne, who says the A champ shouldn’t sit out WrestleMania season. He challenges Hayes to face him next week. Trick tries to shut that down, but Melo accepts. Before he can finish though, Cameron Grimes jumps him. Williams and Hayes spill to the outside as we go to commercial. When we get back, this has turned into a match. Trick did say that if you want to get to the A Champ, you have to go through him.

Cameron Grimes vs. Trick Williams

This is all Grimes at the start, and Barrett correctly points out that Trick wasn’t ready (“he’s wearing church shoes”). When the North Carolinian takes a moment to stare down Hayes, Trick gets back into it. He gets two off a dropkick, then transitions to restholds and strikes.

Back-and-forth, Trick puts Grimes down with a pump kick, then takes a swinging neckbreaker that gets two. Williams evades a top rope move and nails a kick, but Grimes dodges the follow-up. Urange and he sets up for the Cave-In, but Trick heads outside where he gets distracted by Melo and takes superkick. Back in for a knee off the top, and that signals the end.

Cameron Grimes def. Trick Williams via pinfall after a Cave-In

More Briggs & Jensen yuks filming for dating apps, then Breakker walks in on Ciampa getting his pump on. He tells Tommaso he’s banned from ringside tonight, and the Blackheart says he needs a rubber match to know who the better man is. Bron says he’s looking forward to it. A quick teaser for Nikita Lyons’ debut takes us to a break.

We visit Chase U, where Professor Andre has some issues with Von Wagner’s lack of balls.

Nikita Lyons vs. Kayla Inlay

This is mostly a squash, although does get in some offense. Lyons shows off an impressive array of power moves, then reverse a waist lock into a German, kips up to nail a spin kick and ends it with a leg drop split that doubles as a cover.

Nikita Lyons def. Kayla Inlay via pinfall

Persia Pirotta goes to congratulate Duke Hudson on his win, and he grabs her for a long kiss. Indi Hartwell walks up behind them and says “gross.” Pirotta runs off, and Duke says that Indi used to enjoy it. She says that was a long time ago, and the camera pans back to show us Dexter Lumis is there. He hangs his head and walks off, and Hartwell chases after her.

Robert Stone and Von Wagner respond to Chase. Then Alicia Taylor introduces the men’s Dusty Classic winners.

The Creeds stand behind Diamond Mine’s Malcolm Bivens, who seamlessly works a Jay-Z lyric from Blueprint 2 (“Is it Oochie Wally or is it One Mic?”) into his promo on Imperium. He also calls GUNTHER “Gunna”, which makes me laugh every time. The former WALTER is out with the Tag champs, and their vow to not drop the belts to Brutus & Julius leads to fisticuffs. GUNTHER backs Bivens up, but Solo Sikoa arrives to lay out the big Austrian.

More Briggs & Jensen time, but thankfully Fallon Henley walks in and tells Brooks he can just take a picture. She takes one and will set up his profile for him. Jensen asks why Josh made him do that, and he says Brooks’ disastrous love life is his favorite form of entertainment.

Mitchell interviews Joe Gacy & Harland, and we see footage of them approaching Draco Anthony in the gym yesterday. Anthony shoves Gacy when he approaches, and Harland gets in his face. This sets up a chance for Harland and Draco to “settle their conflict in the ring” next week.

Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter vs. Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley

Roderick Strong is ringside for Diamond Mine. Carter starts off with Paxley and gets taken down after a lockup, but she’s right back up and returns the favor. Kayden off the ropes with a springboard dropkick, tag to Kacy for a quick cover.

Catanzaro with a rana but gets caught. Nile tags in and Paxley tosses Kacy into a punch. Quick tags from Diamond Mine lead to a second rope elbow drop from Ivy for a nearfall. Kacy tries to get the tag but gets caught, she slides off Nile’s back and gets caught again but kicks her off and gets the tag. Carter comes in hot, takes out Tatum and then kicks Nile in the head for a two-count.

Nile back up and nails Carter with a spinkick. She tags in Paxley, they hit a double-team for a cover, but Kacy makes the save. Nile sent over the top, Catanzaro tags in and they hit their double team 450-DDT finisher for three.

Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter def. Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley to advance to the second round of the Dusty Classic

Toxic Attraction doesn’t seem thrilled with the Catanzaro/Carter vs. Shirai/Ray semi-final

Nile chokes out Paxley, but Roddy calls her off. She eventually leaves with him after dragging her ex-partner to the floor.

Solo Sikoa is talking to McKenzie. He said he would go after the biggest and the baddest. Tonight he dropped GUNTHER, and next week he’ll beat him. Bivens enters the frame to thank him and offer a high five, but Solo says he didn’t do it for him and leaves him hanging.

Ziggler enters for the main, but first commercials, and a promo from LA Knight. He rails against Waller & Sanga and boasts about how he stood tall after the match. We get confirmation that next week will feature Sikoa vs. GUNTHER and a North American championship match between Pete Dunne and Carmelo Hayes. Then Ciampa enters and it’s time for the main event (h/t Mark Henry).

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Dolph Ziggler

Crowd is firmly on Ciampa’s side. Lock-up ends in a stalemate, the Dolph goes for an early rollup that gets two. Ziggler in control, but Tommaso fights back with a stiff chop and a few lariats. He followed that with a discus lariat, but then Ziggler avoided a knee. Ciampa dodges a Zig Zag, then knocks Ziggler off the apron with a running knee to take us to PiP.

The Show Off in control during the break, and he has Ciampa in a chinlock when we return, but Ciampa fights his way out of it. They trade shots, the Blackheart catches a Ziggler dropkick and thrown him into the corner. Charging clothesline by Ciampa, cover for two.

After another striking exchange, Ciampa stomps Ziggler down in the corner. Dolph catches a charge with a dropkick counter. Tommaso returns fire, but Ziggler comes off the ropes to hit a Rocker Dropper that gets two. They’re both slow to get up, but Ziggler is up first and looks for a superkick, but Ciampa gets him first. Powerbomb into a double kneedrop for two. A knee gets another nearfall, but Dolph gets his foot on the ropes.

Ciampa drops a knee on Ziggler’s leg against the ropes, then Dolph goes out to the outside. Ciampa follows and gets shoved into the ring post for his trouble. Zig-Zag on the floor and both men are hurtin. The referee counts, Dolph gets Ciampa in at eight and rolls in at nine as commentary points out he could have won by countout.

They also point out that Tommaso’s left arm is limp. He goes for a Fairy Tale Ending but can’t hook both arms. Ziggler locks in a sleeperhold, and Ciampa fades. He struggles to break the hold, then gets to his knees and stands up with Dolph on his back. He drops Ziggler onto his back, and covers for two.

Ciampa and Ziggler try to get to their feet, Ciampa goes to the outside and Dolph follows. They battle on the apron. Ciampa wins that with a big kick, then hits Air Raid Crash on the hardest part of the ring. He rolls Ziggler back through the ropes, but struggles to follow himself. That gives a masked cameraman a chance to blast him with his camera. Ziggler with a superkick to Ciampa, and that’s all she wrote.

Dolph Ziggler def. Tommaso Ciampa via pinfall to become #1 contender for the NXT championship

The cameraman was, of course, Ziggler’s partner (and former NXT champ) Robert Roode. They put the boots to Ciampa, and Breakker runs in for the save. Bron challenges the Dirty Dawgs to meet him & the Blackheart for a tag match next week. Or find their balls and fight right now. Roode & Ziggler head for the back then charge the ring. They’re brawling as the overrun ends.