WWE NXT Results 5/11/2021: Championship Implications Abound
By Sam Gladen
After an electric episode of WWE NXT last week the black and gold brand is back on the USA network to show why they are the premier brand under the WWE umbrella. With a pair of massive title defenses scheduled for tonight’s card, the black and gold brand promised to pick up the ball and continue to run with it on their quest to be seen on the same level as RAW and SmackDown.
Austin Theory w/Johnny Gargano vs. Karrion Kross w/Scarlett
This match unsurprisingly was more of a showcase of Karrion’s raw power than anything else. From simply looking through Austin Theory following an attempted dropkick to throwing him across the ring from corner to corner with one hand. This was Karrion Kross’s match from start to finish. Theory was the perfect base for Kross to work off of in this match. He sold everything that happened to him like it was the end of his life. He was rewarded with a modicum of offense throwing Kross around briefly and, frankly, stomping a mudhole in him and seemingly walking it dry before attempting a pinfall. Which was kicked out of at one. After the attempted pinfall Kross seemed to lose his humorous attitude regarding the match and began to lay him out with a pair of huge side suplexes before beating him over the back of his head with some stiff looking forearms and wrapping him in a rear-naked choke forcing the referee to call for a stoppage.
Karrion Kross wins via ref stoppage
Following the match, Finn Balor, who recently returned from a lengthy Mexican vacation came face to face with the NXT champion saying, “I don’t wait in lines, I want my rematch.” The challenge was accepted by Kross as we headed into the commercial.
Following the commercial, we were shown exclusive footage of Leon Ruff confronting General Manager William Regal saying that he had been cleared and should be allowed to compete tonight. Regal held his ground however and remained resolute in his belief that Leon should not compete leading to a temper tantrum of sorts from the young competitor slamming his hands on Regal’s desk and beginning to make a mess before the former 15 time WWE champion (4x European Champion, 2x Intercontinental Champion, 5x Hardcore Champion, 4x Tag Team Champion) came chest to chest with him and reminded us all just how imposing he can be causing Leon to retreat.
MSK vs. Breezango
Both these teams are incredible. Unfortunately, it seems that this match between two top teams in the tag team division served more to get the referee over than either of the four men actually competing. During a sequence that saw Nash Carter and Tyler Breeze attempting to trip each other up the referee became involved leapfrogging over Breeze leaving him open to a dropkick from Carter. MSK pick up the victory following their team finisher “end of transmission” to Tyler Breeze.
MSK defeat Breezango via pinfall
Following the match, MSK tell Legado Del Fantasmo that they aren’t hard to find because MSK is “all night and all-day” perhaps setting up for a Tag Team Championship match next week?
Pete Dunne was then in the center of the ring to reflect on the fact that Karrion Kross has decided to honor Finn Balor’s challenge but not his. He says that it’s because he’s clearly scared of him. He then opens himself up for an open challenge saying that anyone who feels that they can take him should step up. He is then attacked from behind by Leon Ruff. The bell rings and we are treated to…
Pete Dunne vs. Leon Ruff
Leon Ruff probably should have listened to Mr. Regal. Following his surprise attack on Pete Dunne to start the match Ruff found himself firmly on the back foot for the remainder of the match. Falling victim several times to Dunne’s brand of submission wrestling dubbed British Strong Style where he focuses mostly on small joint manipulation he began to pick Ruff apart piece by piece locking him into a submission attempt before bringing his elbow down over Ruff’s head over and over again before having the match ended by the referee.
Pete Dunne defeats Leon Ruff via referee stoppage
Following the match, we are treated to a promo from Legado del Fantasma leader Santos Escobar saying that the only reason Kushida has kept his NXT Cruiserweight title is that he likes him and that after tonight he will be known as Santos Escobar, leader of Legado Del Fantasma and two-time NXT Cruiserweight champion.
Speaking of Champions…
Raquel Gonzalez w/Dakota Kai vs. Mercedes Martinez for NXT Womens Championship
Ah, our first Picture in Picture match of the night. I want to know though. Why are we using our picture in picture on this match? A massive title match that will, seemingly, end a program involving two of the most dominant women on any WWE roster right now? Why not use it for MSK and Breezango? Or better yet the Pete Dunne match? Why give us over a quarter of a title defense in a small letterbox on our screens? I’m not sure what the directors of NXT were thinking honestly. But it killed a lot of the hype associated with this match for me. Which is a shame. Anyway, I guess we should actually get into the match now huh?
I am a fan of hoss matches and this was at the end of the day exactly that. Both these women work a very similar snug style that looks almost as brutal as I’m sure it feels. Both these women look believable when they are throwing their opponent around as well as when being thrown around. You can really see just how much Gonzalez has grown in the year since her debut as well. She really does make a fantastic women’s champion.
Raquel Gonzalez retains over Mercedes Martinez
Following the match, we see that Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory jumped Bronson Reed who is Gargano’s opponent for his NXT North American championship next week. After the attack, we see Isiah “Swerve” Scott in the ring where he officially introduces his faction Hit Row. The members of the faction take a moment to deliver individual promo statements before we move on to a video segment with Cameron Grimes bidding for a new mansion against an unknown competitor. He bids 8 million dollars for the home before he is outbid by 20 million dollars he throws a massive fit after losing out again before declaring that “Dibiase is ruining my life!” Dibiase then reminds him that everyone has their price and that he is no million dollar man. This is true… considering that he was willing to buy a home for 8 million.
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Oney Lorcan
Cool Kyle and Oney Lorcan came face to face earlier today in the parking lot. We got a few quips from O’Reilly before they agreed to fight in the ring so that the world could see Lorcan get his ass kicked. This was a pretty typical NXT match with the occasional highspot and hard hitting moment. The match ended in disqualification however after Pete Dunne got involved in the match beating down Kyle before a returning Bobby Fish was able to even the score. Kyle thanked Bobby before telling him that he’s doing his own thing now and will “see him when he see’s him.”
Kyle O’Reilly defeats Oney Lorcan via Disqualification
Santos Escobar w/ Legado Del Fantasma vs. KUSHIDA 2/3 falls for Cruiserweight Championship
The match starts off quickly with Kushida being forced outside and the two members of Legado Del Fantasma attempting to attack him before being attacked by MSK and subsequently thrown out of the arena. I generally do not like 2/3 falls matches because you take two incredibly talented athletes and at least in WWE one or both of them will eat a pin immediately. This was not the case for this match with both men escalating and becoming more and more brutal and more and more dangerous as the match went on.
The first fall is awarded to Santos Escobar following a Phantom Driver which allowed him to pin Kushida cleanly in the middle of the ring. The second fall followed quickly behind for KUSHIDA as he was able to lock in an arm breaker submission forcing him to tap out bringing the field even to one fall apiece and meaning that the next fall wins.
The third and final fall of the match came when KUSHIDA was able to tie Escobar’s arms behind his back with a hoverboard lock and then pull him up and over his body into a suplex and bridging pinfall for the three count retaining his NXT Cruiserweight Championship.