Kevin’s WWE NXT Review 2.24.21

Dexter Lumis vs. Johnny Gargano

Backstage before the match, The Way do a handshake to the tune of “that’s the way uh-huh uh-huh we like it.” Johnny is immediately in trouble as he is scared and gets loved. His slingshot spear is interrupted when he cant find Dexter, who goes under the ring and sneaks up on him. Lumis attacks and hits a stalling suplex. Johnny gets a short upper hand but takes a shot onto the ring apron and the tide turns. Theory distracts Lumis and Indi goes to hit him but stops in her tracks. She smiles as she seems enthralled by his stare. She backs away. Candice tries a rana but he blocks, though it allows Johnny to baseball slide him. We go to commercial. Returning, Lumis fights out of rest holds as Indi still gawks at him. Dexter comes face to face with Johnny before they start trading submission attempts. Johnny gets two on a crucifix and hits a superkick but runs into an uppercut and spinebuster for two. He misses the double stomp and has the Silence blocked but hits a popup uppercut. Johnny rebounds with a superkick for two. The Way goes for a chair but Lumis stops it only to take a step up enziguri. Johnny feigns a knee injury so Austin Theory can hit Lumis with a chair. He’s dumb and confused though and Dexter catches him as Candice scolds him. Theory seems to say something about understanding. Johnny is knocked into Theory and then trapped in the Silence, where he passes out.

Winner: Dexter Lumis in 13:36 [A fun little match to start things though some of Lumis’ work continues to bore me a bit. **3/4]

Backstage, William Regal wants to be notified when Santos Escobar arrives.

A vignette airs to discuss more about MSK.

MSK was going to be interviewed about their title match next week but Grizzled Young Veterans jump them and Wes Lee seems to have injured his hand during the mugging.

Leon Ruff vs. Tyler Rust

Before the match, Malcolm Bivens cuts a promo about how he likes Leon Ruff for making the most of his opportunities and tonight, he has an opportunity against a diamond in the rust. As Ruff hung on the ropes during his entrance, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott attacks and knocks him down. He drags Ruff to the announce table and says that he will take the opportunities that are handed to Ruff. He then basically hits an Attitude Adjustment that bends Ruff’s back on the apron. Inside, Rust has his hand raised by Bivens.

Yesterday at the PC, Wiliam Regal gave Zoey Stark a non-title match against Io Shirai because of her impressive debut last week. Stark is interviewed backstage and the feed cuts to a frozen shot of Io Shirai. Technical difficulties.

Cameron Grimes hilariously watches Ted DiBiase humiliate kids for money on his iPad. He offers up the famous basketball trick to a random guy backstage. However, Grimes cut the video off before Ted kicks the ball. So, the guy easily dribbles it ten times and wins $1,000. Grimes says he should’ve watched the whole video and storms off with a vengeance towards DiBiase.

Io Shirai vs. Zoey Stark

The two lock up and trade wristlocks. They go through an awkward exchange before Io turns an abdominal stretch into a pin for two. She hits a dropkick. Stark sends Io outside and wants a dive but is stopped by a knee. Io goes up but Stark knocks her to the outside heading into break. Returning, Io rallies before Stark missing a 450 splash. They both attempt cross bodies and collide. Stark gets two on a half and half suplex. It’s Io’s turn for a near fall, getting two on a missile dropkick. Io ads a super rana and and then pounces with a butterfly backbreaker for two. Stark is sent viciously into the corner and Io charges in with double knees. The moonsault ends this.

Winner: Io Shirai in 11:49 [Stark was given a ton of shine. Commentary acted like this was special. I didn’t quite get that but it was a strong showcase that didn’t make Io look bad. ***]

Post-match, Io Shirai shakes Zoey Stark’s hand. Post-match, Toni Storm interrupts to say that Io is willing to face anyone besides her. Io says she’ll face her anywhere and at any time. Toni tells her to let William Regal know if she’s really not scared.

Backstage, The Way are interviewed. Austin Theory says a chair wasn’t needed as Lumis is misunderstood. Candice says he should be in jail since he kidnaps people often. Indi is on Austin’s side, saying Dexter is actually kind of hot.

Cameron Grimes tries the basketball trick again but outside. He offers it to a woman who knows about the Ted DiBiase scheme. She dribbles and he goes to top her but she crosses him over and succeeds. Grimes continues to shout that Ted DiBiase keeps attempting to

Kacy Catanzaro vs. Xia Li

Xia tries to jump Kacy but she evades and uses her athleticism to send her packing with a head scissors. Xia stops her with a snake eyes style attack and takes control. Kacy survives longer than jobbers so Xia wears her down. Kacy fires up with a series of strikes and kicks in the corner, throwing all of her power behind them. She adds an explosive dropkick and corner clothesline. Somersault leg drop gets two. Xia catches a leaping Kacy and slams her into the steel steps. She then places Kacy’s leg in on the step and stomps on it, snapping it in hideous fashion. She drags Kacy inside and the official calls for the bell as Kacy can’t continue.

Winner: Xia Li in 4:44 [Another solid little match with a cool ending. **1/2]

Kayden Carter goes to argue with Tian Sha but Boa stops her. Tian makes a signal and Xia knocks out Kacy with a spin kick, saying Kayden is next.

A video package airs to hype the Women’s Tag Team Title match. Shayna says nobody should buy Dakota Kai’s tough girl act. They meet next week.

Outside, Cameron Grimes challenges another random dude to dribble for $1,000. The guy agrees to it and Grimes punches him on the first dribble before screaming “TED DIBIASE CAN KISS MY GRITS” and storms out in celebration.

Drake Maverick and Killian Dain vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Before the match, GYV announces that Wes Lee has a broken hand. They’ve been fined but they did it for NXT so we don’t have to hear them be immature. GYV say they’re destined to be champions, not MSK or Shrek and Donkey in the ring. To start, the faces are able to use Drake’s speed and Dain’s power to send the heels packing. Dain launches Drake over and onto the opponents, taking them out before break. Returning, Dain gets going as commentary announces Toni Storm vs. Io Shirai in two weeks. Maverick fires off offense but misses a blind tag. He takes a double team move but Dain breaks up the pin. Once GYV gets rid of Dain, they beat Maverick with Ticket to Mayhem.

Winners: Grizzled Young Veterans in 8:22 [That was decent though the commercial break seemed to cut a lot out of it. **1/2]

Legado del Fantasma arrive at the arena but Santos doesn’t exit the car.

Backstage, Alexander Wolfe sees Killian Dain helping Drake. He wonders what happened to him as he used to be a monster.

No Disqualifications Match: Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar

I miss how it started but Kross and Escobar fight outside of the arena. Kross takes a rough spot on the back of a truck and fights back but then the numbers game gets to him. All three members of Legado del Fantasma jump him with stomps and by using a trash can as a weapon. They all club on him and throw him into the truck again. Legado drags Kross to the arena as Santos smirks. Kross basically awakens and launches Wilde and Mendoza through the plexiglass. That brings the match to the ring and Kross hits a clothesline. Escobar tries to bail. Kross catches up and beats on him through a commercial break. Returning, the Legado boys are back up and they help Santos hit a baseball slide before wrapping a chair around Kross’s shoulder and driving it into the ring post. Kross fights off Wilde and Mendoza only for Santos to take him out with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Kross gets offense in but takes a shoulder thrust into the steps. He retaliates by pulling Santos into the ring post and steel steps. Mendoza is wiped out and Kross nearly destroys Santos with a chair but Wilde pulls him to safety. Kross powerbomb Mendoza into the plexiglass and goes back after Santos. Kross puts him through a table with a saito suplex. He adds another inside and wins with his forearm.

Winner: Karrion Kross in 15:22 [Probably my favorite Karrion Kross match so far. He got beat up a fair amount, which I like. I appreciated Wilde and Mendoza getting involved as all henchmen should in a No DQ match. ***1/4]

We get a video from his car where LA Knight says his debut will be on his terms.

Adam Cole comes to the ring and watches the footage of what he did to Kyle O’Reilly last week. He says that he was pissed about Kyle getting so many chances and fails but he’s ashamed of himself and how he’s acted in recent weeks. Adam says Kyle should be there but he hates himself for making a stupid mistake and putting him in the hospital. He apologizes to Kyle and says he’ll do everything in his power to fix this. Roderick Strong interrupts, pissed that Adam supposedly feels bad now after not talking to him for 10 days considering what he did to the Undisputed Era. They were built on trust, love, and a brotherhood. Roddy’s not sure he can save Adam from what a healed up Kyle will do to him. Finn Balor walks out with no intention of talking. He shoves Roddy aside and takes down Cole. Roddy considers walking away but takes down Finn and they fall to the outside. Cole has Finn from behind and then superkicks him. Cole goes to check on Roddy, who immediately lays him out with a clothesline, unsure if it was Adam or Finn. Cole looks at him in shock as a frustrated Roddy stands there. Adam says he’s sorry and that he wants things to go back to normal. Adam cries in the middle of the ring and Roddy consoles him, saying he loves him and that they’re brothers. They hug but then Adam Cole low blows him and calls him stupid. Adam says Roddy is dead to him, rips off his dog tags, and superkicks him.

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

As usual, it's yet another really entertaining episode of NXT. No standout matches though the main event was fun. Regardless, there was again nothing bad on the show. Then, you had a strong closing segment and the always entertaining Cameron Grimes and The Way.