NXT 2.0: Go-home show heading into New Year’s Evil

The last episode of NXT 2.0 in 2021 is here. Happy holidays everyone!

The show opens up with none other than Grayson Waller. As you could imagine, he’s greeted with boos from the NXT Universe.

Waller isn’t there to fight, but instead to talk… as he usually does. Waller takes this time to put the bad mouth on AJ Styles and Dexter Lumis. He was originally scheduled to have a match with Lumis tonight. However, Lumis is unable to compete.

Odyssey Jones makes his way to the ring. He’ll be filling in for Dexter tonight.

Initially, Waller takes his ball and makes his way back up the ramp… as he usually does.

Jones calls Waller something a bit too explicit for this article. Waller gets back in the ring. Ding, ding. The match begins.

After a valiant effort from Jones, Waller picks up the win. That’s pretty cool. Waller gets to keep his heat and Jones still looks impressive in defeat. Nice!

But wait! AJ Styles appears on the titantron and says he’ll see Waller at New Year Evil.

After several vignettes with Riddle, MSK is up next, as they confront the current NXT Tag Team Champions Imperium.

We get appearances from Riddle and Walter via titantron, as well. Long story short, It’s going to be Walter and Imperium vs Riddle and MSK at New Year’s Evil.

Next up, It’s the return of Brian Kendrick. He’ll be taking on Harland after being attacked… well, really. NOT really.

It is so good to hear Brian Kendrick’s theme song again, but sadly, it was only played for all of 20 seconds. Kendrick doesn’t come out… and instead, we get Andre Chase. And he’s still rocking that mustache straight out of the year 1970. And this doesn’t look good for the Chase Man.

It appears Andre Chase will be serving as Kendricks’ replacement for the evening. Harland wins quite easily.

Next up it’s Tiffany Stratton’s debut. You know the lady you’ve been seeing in the vignettes who’s all like “daddy said I can have anything I want”, “just a price tag”? Yeah, her.

Anyway, Stratton picks up the victory in her debut on NXT. Yeah, She did quite well for her debut. Impressive.

Now is time for the champion vs champion contract signing.

Trick Williams says that he and Hayes talked it over. They’re going to start calling Strong the “B” champ because Hayes is “A” champ. Bars!

The crowd starts chanting “whoop that trick” at Williams. All I can say is “get ’em”.

Malcolm Bivens and Trick Williams get ratchet for a minute. It’s jokes.

Then, things get serious when the two champions trade words. After their verbal exchange, they both sign and it appears the segment is over.

But you know how contract signings work in WWE, don’t you?

Hayes leaves the ring. But just a Williams is about to do the same, Bivens runs his mouth again. Williams gets in Bivens’ face.

Williams is soon put through a table.

Santos Escobar vs Solo Sikoa is up next and I’m not going lie; this feels random as all hell. Should be a good match, though. Plus, with all the changes having to happen, this evening, it’s probably not the night for harsh criticism.

This match is a tale of two stories, really. Sikoa remains undefeated because Escobar got distracted by Xyon.

Von Wagner vs Malik Blade is next. The camera pans to Robert Stone. You know? The guy that looks like that one creepy college instructor who you never caught doing anything questionable, but you just had a funny feeling about when you were attending University? Yeah, buddy boy, you get it. That guy.

Anyway, Wagner picks up the W and I must say, the crowd seems to genuinely dislike Wagner. A lot of heat here. By that, I don’t mean “Hollywood Rock in 03 heat”, I’m mean “Baron Corbin in 2018” type heat.

Earlier in the night, during McKenzie Mitchell’s backstage interview with Cora Jade and Raquel Gonzalez, it was announced that yet another scheduled match would be altered tonight.

Instead of Gigi and Jacy vs Cora and Raquel; its now Cora and Raquel vs Io and Kay Lee.

And just for a little added motivation, this match will determine Mandy Rose’s title challengers at New Year’s Evil.

The team of Cora and Raquel win, but Ms. Gonzalez wanted the pin. It didn’t happen. Instead, it’s Cora Jade who earns her team the win. Tensions seem to be running high between the two competitors.

Then Rose appears via titantron. She explains her reason for wanting the three-way stip at NYE. The show ends with Mandy looking like a crafty heel and team Cora/Raquel looking pissed.