WWE NXT Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for February 22

Reviewing Wednesday night’s episode of WWE NXT from Full Sail University.

On Wednesday night, the latest episode of WWE NXT would take place from Full Sail University. This show aired while the taping at UCF took place, which will take us to NXT TakeOver: Orlando on April 1.

The pre-advertised match for this show set up the new No. 1 contender to Asuka’s NXT Women’s Championship. Ember Moon, Liv Morgan, and Peyton Royce battled for the opportunity.

Moon hasn’t been pinned or submitted since debuting in WWE NXT, so she may be the favorite heading into this. Morgan and Royce have taken pinfalls to Asuka before too. Would this end up meaning anything? The winner of this will also face the Empress of Tomorrow in one week.

A second straight show featuring WWE United Kingdom Championship competitors took place. This saw Mark Andrews and Pete Dunne face off. They looked to follow up on Tyler Bate and Trent Seven’s championship match, so would the task be lived up to?

The main event saw Bobby Roode and No Way Jose go head-to-head. This is Roode’s first in-ring action since NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, which saw him win the NXT Championship. Jose had been in the middle of the SAnitY drama during these past few weeks too. What would happen when these two went head-to-head?

Wednesday’s episode of WWE NXT provided some direction for what we’ll see in the coming weeks, so take a look at what happened on the journey to TakeOver: Orlando.

WWE.com

No. 1 Contender’s Match for the NXT Women’s Championship
Ember Moon vs. Liv Morgan vs. Peyton Royce

Result: Peyton Royce defeated Ember Moon and Liv Morgan via pinfall to become the new No. 1 Contender to the NXT Women’s Championship.

Rating: 2.75 out of 5 stars

Peyton Royce had the hot start in what began as a clunky triple threat match. All three women seemed to be all over the place, at least for the time being. Royce would then be all over Morgan for the majority of the middle part of the action. Liv had a decent comeback, though, as Moon mostly stayed out of the ring after being knocked off the apron several times.

At one point, Liv hit a double stomp to Royce’s back that looked like it actually bent it in half. Ouch!

Moon stayed out of the ring for probably out of this match, until she came back in to hit a sunset superplex on both women. Kay even took an Eclipse from the Red-Eyed One. After being dumped from the ring, it allowed Royce to take out Morgan with a pinfall.

Royce getting a title match after being obliterated in basically a two-on-one match at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio is interesting. If she can’t survive with an ally, why should we think there’s any chance Asuka is threatened for the title? It all seems like a waiting game for Nikki Cross too.

As for Moon, she’s going to get a title shot at some point. It may not be against Asuka, but Cross, if she wins the title.

Morgan has some ways to go. She’s still struggling to connect, and hasn’t made a stride in a few weeks. If her comebacks can contain a little more flair, then we may be onto something.

Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews Vignettes

We get videos about the former WWE UK Tournament stars, who will face each other next. They both put on great displays at the January event, so this should be good.

Kassius Ohno Vignette

We get the latest vignette for the return of Kassius Ohno. He actually returned at Wednesday’s TV taping.

WWE.com

Shinsuke Nakamura Return Update

We are shown a photo of Nakamura’s rehab progress. Like Ohno, he’s going to be at the NXT TV taping.

Pete Dunne vs. Mark Andrews

Result: Pete Dunne defeated Mark Andrews via pinfall.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Kind of strange to see Mark Andrews not in TNA, right? We already had the exposure of him at the WWE UK Tournament, but this is weekly NXT programming.

Dunne must have bent Andrews’ arms and hands in five different ways. It didn’t look pretty, to say the least, and like we were back in science class with a dissection of the high-flying star.

Like the UK event, Dunne was the star here as his brutality tore Andrews to pieces. It looks impressive too and not just him trying to throw people around. How about that right forearm near the end of the match? It looked like it hit right on the button too.

An interesting tease here came from Nigel McGuinness on commentary. We haven’t really heard much about the UK Championship being defended, until McGuinness said the winner could get a title shot. Maybe we’re going to get some clarity on the belt’s use soon?

For the second consecutive week, we’ve seen the crowd give the most reaction to the matches with UK competitors. It’s well-deserved too, as Andrews and Dunne put on a fantastic bout. Hopefully, their presences remain on WWE NXT in the coming weeks.

Peyton Royce and Billie Kay Backstage

Royce says she would’ve been the champion if it wasn’t for “Crazy Nikki”. Apparently, her match with Asuka is taking place next week. She says she’s taking the title down under.

Patrick Clark Vignette

We get a vignette for Clark.

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NXT Tag Team Championship Rematch Set

We also find out that the Authors of Pain will face DIY in a title rematch next week. So the first NXT of March looks like it’s throwing everything at the wall to get to Orlando.

Tye Dillinger Interview

Dillinger talks about SAnitY and how he has No Way Jose and Roderick Strong’s backs. He says Eric Young has lost grip on reality.

Bobby Roode vs. No Way Jose

Result: Bobby Roode defeated No Way Jose via pinfall.

Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars

As much popularity as Roode has, he can’t get heat. Is that on him or just the gimmick he was handed with? The fans love his arrogant mannerisms, but also chant “glorious” in his entrance and every time he goes to do it in a match. Either this is just the state of the former TNA star’s persona, or he needs to find a better way of garnering a negative reaction.

Roode controlled most of the match, until Jose made his comeback with a few of his trademark moves. Jose even knocked Roode out cold and out of the ring. Once they went back into the ring, Roode hit the Glorious DDT for the win.

Not too much to this match. It didn’t really pick up and stayed at one pace for the entire 10 minutes or so. Jose never received much of a chance to fight back, and ultimately took a Glorious DDT after being goaded into the ring.

Then this happened:

So maybe WWE is aware of Roode’s lack of heat. He needed to do something like this, whether or not you’re in favor of Jose. It got him boos too… until Kassius Ohno ran down to make the save! Nice to see the reaction Ohno got too for his run-in and promo too, saying he has “unfinished business” and wants the NXT Championship. The post-match angle also set up their NXT Championship match for the UCF taping.

Next: WWE SmackDown Review, February 21

Strange to see Ohno back, but he made a bigger name for himself on the independent scene and has name value. He’s not too shabby of a wrestler either, so we should get something very good with him and Roode on WWE NXT.