Kevin’s NXT New Year’s Evil 1.6.21 Review

We start with Dexter Lumis walking around until he gets to the control panel. He messes with buttons and turns on the lights in the arena.

Damien Priest vs. Karrion Kross

This match is commercial-free. The two trade strikes right off the bat and look evenly matched. Kross catches a kick and powerbomb him down with it. That puts Kross in the driver’s seat and he starts throwing Priest around. As they fight outside, Priest manages to avoid a shot with steel steps but still can’t get control. Priest finally manages to get in a shot that sends Kross reeling. However, Priest’s wrist is damaged and it gives out when he tries a suplex. He still manages a big clothesline and Broken Arrow for two. Kross gets trapped in a submission but fights out and delivers elbows to Priest’s ribs. Priest fights back and hits a springboard somersault for two. Kross responds with a  clothesline near fall. Priest gets hung up in the tree of Joey Lawrence where Kross adds more shots. He goes up for the Saito Suplex but Priest elbows free and hits a Razor’s Edge. He’s too hurt to cover. Kross blocks a chokeslam but eats a kick sending him outside. Priest follows with a springboard somersault. Priest hits a sitout chokeslam inside for two. Kross starts firing off suplexes and a sick powerbomb that only gets two. Outside, Priest hits a spin kick but has another caught and driven into the structure at ringside. Kross powerslams him on the steel steps. Inside, Priest is smiling and calls him a bitch. That pisses off Kross. He hits a kick and the Saito suplex. A forearm to the back of the head ends it.

Winner: Karrion Kross in 15:29 [It was worked at a pace that fits Kross better but their timing was off and it hurt this match a bit. Still solid but nothing more. **3/4]

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic begins next week.

Adam Cole and Roderick Strong are interviewed as they face Breezango next week. Cole says they get things done in big matches like they did with the golden prophecy.

NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Santos Escobar [c] vs. Gran Metalik

Commentary notes that these guys are former teammates. Quick start and Metalik poses after sending Escobar to the outside. Escobar sends him outside next but Metalik avoids a baseball slide and takes him out with an Asai moonsault. More athleticism inside that sees Metalik hit an enziguri and walk the ropes for a rana to the outside. However, they flub and kind of fall onto the apron. Escobar covers well, turning it into a powerbomb of sorts into the guardrail heading into break. Returning, Escobar remains in control and works a surfboard stretch. Metalik gets two n a sloppy rollup during his rally. He adds a superkick and reverse Slingblade. He walks the ropes for a dropkick that sends Santos outside nad follows with a springboard hilo. Inside, his next dive is cut off with a pump knee. Escobar adds a tope suicida. Escobar goes after the mask inside. Legado del Fantasma tries to interfere but Lince Dorado cuts them off. Metalik with a top rope rana for two. He goes back up but gets crotched. Esobar hits a weak looking Legado and wins with the Phantom Driver.

Winner: Santos Escobar in 12:28 [Escobar tried his best but Metalik was sloppy and brought this one way down. **1/4]

Mercedes Martinez gets a vignette saying that she doesn’t want the title of Superstar of the Year or NXT’s top badass. She wants the NXT Women’s Title. She’s waiting, Io.

Kartina Cortez vs. Xia Li

Fancy new entrance with lots of karate and daggers. Boa is there too as is some creepy looking dude by the stage. Xia brings aggression, striking with anger and hitting a pump knee. A fantastic looking spinning kick knocks out Cortez.

Winner: Xia Li in 1:25 [Squash and Xia looked good. NR]

William Regal informs us that Timothy Thatcher is hurt and cannot face Tommaso Ciampa in the Fight Pit.

We get a “WWE Network exclusive” interview with Bronson Reed. I mean, this isn’t the Network so it’s not exclusive. Reed says he’s putting NXT on notice for 2021. It’ll be a colossal year for him. He also picks Rhea Ripley to win next.

Last Woman Standing: Raquel Gonzalez vs. Rhea Ripley

Rhea explodes with a dropkick at the bell, getting this off to a quick start. They trade blows until Raquel wrecks her with a clothesline. The fight moves outside where things start to get violent. Raquel hits a leaping Rhea with a chair and tosses her into the plexiglass. Kendo stick shots come next and Raquel looks to handcuff Rhea but she fights her off.  Rhea cuffs her to the ringside gate and chops her a bunch. Raquel breaks her way free, ripping the cuff off of the fence and using the part she broke as a weapon. By the announce table, Rhea takes a back body drop right onto the edge of the table. It looked BRUTAL. Rhea is buried under various weapons but gets up as we go to commercial. Returning, Rhea is sent off the stage. As they move backstage, Rhea sends Raquel through a glass door, shattering it everywhere. Both women beat the count. Soon after, Rhea sets Raquel up on a table and climbs atop a structure, hitting a somersault that puts Raquel through it. As the ladies tart to get up, Dakota Kai arrives and wails on Rhea with a kendo stick a bunch of times. She talks with Raquel but sticks around enough to get leveled by Rhea, who then throws her around and slams a locker door into her head multiple times. She traps her in the small locker before leaving to follow Raquel back to the stage, where she’s met with a chair shot. Rhea fights back and puts on the inverted cloverleaf before adding a steel chair wrapped around Raquel for more pain. Raquel gets out but charges at Rhea nad is driven into the LED board with a fireman’s carry of sorts. Raquel slams her face first into the steel steps when both get up. She then stands on the steel steps and delivers a massive one-handed powerbomb off of them and THROUGH THE STAGE! Raquel barely beats the count to her feet, winning.

Winner: Raquel Gonzalez in 17:26 [That’s what this show needed. An absolute war between two of the best women going right now. It was non-stop action, made good use of the stipulation and had a great finish. ****1/4]

The Way are on…the way with a full police escort. Once they hit the ring, Johnny talks about various curses like the one he broke last week. Like his Browns making the playoffs, he reversed the curse. Candice did something nice for him, getting him a plaque for it. Austin Theory calls him a real life superhero who gives but never gets things in return. That’s not THE WAY they do it here. Indi and Austin reveal a painting of them all as superheroes. Johnny announces that he and Austin are entering the Dusty Classic. Shotzi Blackheart interrupts with her tank. Austin goes to scold her so she shoots him with a projectile in the groin. Johnny checks on him as Shotzi hits the ring. Indi is sent packing and she brawls with Candice who is kicked to the outside. Johnny wants to go after her and here’s KUSHIDA to knock him off the apron. He holds the ring down with Shotzi. A bell randomly rings and it’s Dexter Lumis holding it. He points to the tron, which has a drawing of a mixed tag.

Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano vs. KUSHIDA and Shotzi Blackheart

The Garganos aren’t happy and are quickly sent packing after the match officially starts. They go to break quickly and return to Candice wearing down Shotzi. Shotzi delivers a backpack stunner of sorts but with an armbreaker. That sets up a tag. KUSHIDA comes in hot, hitting a cartwheel dropkick. Johnny misses the rolling kick, KUSHIDA missing a kick of his own and then hits the hip toss into the armbar. Johnny slips out fo the Gargano Escape. KUSHIDA counters that into the Hoverboard Lock but Johnny reaches the ropes. KUSHIDA lays into him with strikes and kicks. Candice gets in the way to save her husband from more offense. She puts her hair up to fight KUSHIDA. He ducks a shot from Johnny who almost hits Candice. He stops short and KUSHIDa lays him out. Shotzi gets a Sliced Bread assist from KUSHIDA on Candice. They hit stereo armbreakers and kicks to the arm. The Garganos are sent outside and KUSHIDA holds the ropes open for a Candice tope suicida before taking out Johnny on his own. Austin gets involved but is handled by KUSHIDA. He drop toe holds Johnny into Austin’s groin and rolls Johnny up to win.

WInners: KUSHIDA and Shotzi Blackheart in 9:48 [Lots of fun given the frantic action and wacky character stuff. ***]

TakeOver is announced for Valentine’s Day.

William Regal is interviewed backstage. He announces that next week the Dusty Classic begins. However, looking at the strength and depth of the roster means he can announce the first Women’s Dusty Tag Team Classic!

The Brand are watching in the front row, minus Pat McAfee.

NXT Championship: Finn Bálor [c] vs. Kyle O’Reilly

No commercials for this one. The first shoulder tackle from Kyle sees Finn check on his jaw. They go to the mat and exchange stuff with Kyle having a slight advantage. Finn applies an abdominal stretch to stop his momentum. When Kyle can’t use his hands to break it, he bites on the ropes to do so and Finn knees him in the back of the head. Vengeance for the jaw as a medic checks on Kyle. Even as Kyle gets going on offense, he still stops to check on his jaw. Finn is extra vicious with almost everything he does. He grinds his forearm across Kyle’s jaw in the corner for example and targets it with things like a back elbow. Kyle sells the hell out of it. He finally gets an opening with a kitchen sink. Kyle fires off knees and gets a near fall, taking the kickout and grabbing the arm for a submission. Finn knees him in the jaw to escape. They start trading strikes and kicks. Kyle uses the Nigel to roll into a leg lock but Finn boots his way free. Kyle hits a running kick with such power that the torque sends him flying through the ropes and outside. He barely beats the count back in. He wrenches at Finn’s arm through the pain of getting hit in the face. Kyle gets on a guillotine but Finn blocks only to get trapped in a triangle choke that turns into a leg lock. Finn breaks it with another shot to the jaw. Finn drives more forearms but has no use of his left arm. 1916 hits and he transitions over into a crossface. Kyle manages to fight free by hitting the injured wrist. They slug it out until Finn hits the Slingblade. John Woo dropkick connects. A superplex follows and they nearly pin each other. Kyle rolls into a brainbuster for two and then goes to an arm submission that Finn breaks by going to the ropes. Finn is busted open. Finn boots him in the liver to stop him from charging in. Kyle still goes for the leg but is put back in the abdominal stretch. Finn drops down into a different submission applying pressure on the jaw and gets the win.

Winner: Finn Balor in 17:24 [While not quite on the level of the TakeOver match it wasn’t far off. A brutal encounter that felt like a fight. I loved the psychology of the jaw being Finn’s target. Both men sold incredibly well and they didn’t rely on close calls and finisher kickouts. ****1/2]

Medics and the Undisputed Era check on Kyle as he holds his jaw. Finn stands up and stares him down as Kyle looks dejected.

9.0

The final score: review Amazing

The 411

The show started a bit slow with an okay opener and a disappointing Cruiserweight Title match. Xia got to shine and everything after was tremendous. Two stellar matches and a fun tag. I hear Dynamite ruled too, so Wednesdays are great. Let's enjoy it!