WWE NXT Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Feb. 20

Kevin BergeFebruary 21, 2024WWE NXT Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Feb. 200 of 9

Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin captured the NXT Tag Team Championships last week. Credit: WWE.com.

February 20 was a Championship Tuesday on WWE NXT, with two belts on the line and a celebration by the new NXT tag team titleholders.

Lyra Valkyria put her NXT Women’s Championship on the line against Shotzi, while Oba Femi defended the North American Championship against Lexis King.

Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin celebrated their tag title victory. Who would step up first to the champions?

Roxanne Perez fought Wren Sinclair, still hoping to earn the next opportunity against Valkyria. Carmelo Hayes addressed both Ilja Dragunov and Trick Williams.

This show had the makings of a special night for the gold brand.

North American Championship: Oba Femi (c) vs. Lexis King1 of 9

Lexis King got distracted by Mr. Stone coming out during this match, and that caused him to lose what little advantage he had in this battle.

Oba Femi planted him with a pop-up powerbomb to win.

WWE @WWE.@LexisKingWWE wanted NOTHING to do with @MrStoneWWE 😬#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/14Tz7hSNPb

This was fine. For a match that had a few weeks of story behind it, it came off too superfluous, but the right man won in dominant fashion.

Femi has made a strong impression and needs big defenses like this to build his aura. He should come off as unstoppable for a while until the right star is ready to challenge him.

Another week, another unimpressive performance from King, who may need a complete character reset soon.

Result

Femi def. King by pinfall to retain the North American Championship.

Grade

D+

Notable Moments

Von Wagner told Stone not to bother with King, but he marched toward the ring anyway.Chase U and Nathan Frazer and Axiom Interrupt The Wolf Dogs2 of 9

Andre Chase and Duke Hudson interrupted Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin followed by Nathan Frazer and Axiom.

It took an intervention by NXT general manager Ava to settle the argument, setting up a No. 1 Contender’s match for later.

The Wolf Dogs have found a solid chemistry not just in the ring but also on the mic. Hopefully, as Breakker begins working SmackDown as well, this team is not lost too quickly.

In fact, Corbin and Breakker should work together on the blue brand as well long-term. They complement each other well and cover up each other’s weaknesses.

It’s good to see Chase U back with confidence, too. But Frazer and Axiom are the most exciting tag team in NXT right now, so they were not forgotten in the conversation for future title opportunities.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

Vic Joseph reminded fans that Breakker had signed with SmackDown, though that was not a part of this segment.Chase looked clean cut for the first time in months and threw out some of his signature catchphrases again.
WWE NXT @WWENXTWell deserved, @BaronCorbinWWE 👏 👏 👏 #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/zCN3E9bVLF

Roxanne Perez vs. Wren Sinclair3 of 9

Roxanne Perez made quick work of Wren Sinclair, planting her with Pop Rox and then locking in a crossface to force a submission.

As far as squashes go, this was about as clean as it gets. The Prodigy ran through her opponent and got to show her increased aggression by making her tap out.

Sinclair showed her experience, moving smoothly throughout this quick match, but this was never about her. It was a good idea to keep offense against The Prodigy limited, especially as Perez leans more heel.

Hopefully after this show, NXT will do a better job establishing why Lyra Valkyria seems to be ducking the obvious challenge of Perez.

Result

Perez def. Sinclair by pinfall.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

In a pre-match interview, The Prodigy warned everyone that she was done playing by the rules until she got her title back.
Byron Saxton did a poor job on commentary trying to explain why Perez is the heel for wanting a fair title shot.Another mystery video package was shown with the following message: “Men deny their truth. I will be a mirror to it.”
WWE @WWE😳😳😳#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/yURRRcpwsn

Josh Briggs vs. Brooks Jensen4 of 9

Josh Briggs kept pushing Brooks Jensen to show him he’s “a man.” After a pair of running clotheslines, Briggs picked up the pinfall and then hugged his friend.

This felt like a more appropriate end for Briggs and Jensen as a tag team. The former emphatically placed himself ahead of his partner, not with anger but rather hope that Jensen could catch up.

This was the first strong match of the night, and the crowd was into it. It was physical and intense, even if Briggs was especially leaning a little too hard into his one repetitive line for why he was fighting Jensen.

The two have chemistry together and as opponents, but it’s time for Jensen to start building himself as a solo act while Briggs goes after gold.

Result

Briggs def. Jensen by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

Jensen came out to new music that lacked much personality.Jensen took a while to get going, but he got more aggressive with time, including stomping Briggs behind the barricade.
WWE @WWE.@BrooksJensenWWE means business tonight 😤#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/1XwyehDot9

Jensen impressed Briggs when he kicked out after a big boot and chokeslam.
Arianna Grace vs. Jacy Jayne (w/ Thea Hail and Jazmyn Nyx)5 of 9

Jacy Jayne tried to coach Thea Hail and Jazmyn Nyx to help her in her match, but it was Nyx who listened best. Her attack outside on Arianna Grace set up the discus big boot for the win.

It was odd to put Grace in this role as she was almost the babyface in this situation after only playing the heel in NXT. However, that is mainly because Jayne is suddenly leaning heavily toward her villainous side.

She and Hail had built up strong rapport in recent months and would have been an interesting tag team, but it looks like NXT is leaning toward Jayne going heel again, which feels rushed.

The action here was fairly bland. Too much focus was put on the single spot on the outside, and neither Grace or Jayne have flashy enough offense to stand out in a rushed three minutes.

Result

Jayne def. Grace by pinfall.

Grade

D

Notable Moments

Backstage, Jayne would not take any blame for Hail’s date with Riley Osborne going wrong. Grace tried to give Hail advice but was shut down.This was the first time Nyx came out with Jayne and Hail, and Jayne seemed to favor Nyx over Hail throughout.Dijak trapped Joe Gacy in a glass room. Luca Crusifino warned him about the legality of his actions, but Hard Justice only believed in his law.
Carmelo Hayes headed back to The Barbershop, explaining that he got Trick Williams before Trick got him. He then told Ilja Dragunov to put his NXT Championship on the line if he wanted to talk again.
WWE @WWE”I knew that sooner or later, unfortunately, I’d have to get you before you got me”@Carmelo_WWE is getting back to business after taking out @_trickwilliams…#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/GqdwpWkqWo

Dragunov responded later by warning Melo that he would make him pay.
No. 1 Contender: Nathan Frazer and Axiom vs. Chase U (w/ Riley Osborne)6 of 9

Duke Hudson was the dominant man in this fight, but it was Andre Chase who had to step up.

After Nathan Frazer isolated Chase, The Professor shocked him with a roll-up for the victory.

Afterward, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson attacked all four men, standing tall over the top teams in NXT.

“The Big LG” Doc Gallows AKA Sex Ferguson @The_BigLGHello #NXT #GoodBrothers https://t.co/qEMnxzfaCA

Once again, Frazer and Axiom stole the show. This tag team needs to be kept in the running and maybe pushed to the main roster together. They have made every opponent look better.

This was weaker than their recent battles with The Wolf Dogs and Malik Blade and Edris Enofé, but it was still the best in-ring action of the night.

It’s hard to say if the right team won as both should get a title shot soon, but the wrong pair stood tall at the end. The OC could use an NXT reset, but they should not be in the title picture right away.

Result

Chase U def. Frazer and Axiom by pinfall to become the No. 1 contenders to the NXT Tag Team Championships.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

Thea Hail looked conflicted as Chase U headed to the ring for their match, but she headed to the back with Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx.Frazer and Axiom wiped out their opponents with a pair of topes each to their opponents, standing tall together in the ring.On their way out, Gallows and Anderson warned that they were in NXT as long as they wanted to be and would do what they wanted to do.
Hail and Fallon Henley bonded in the locker room over their recent troubles with men and friends. They would make for an interesting tag team.Ridge Holland explained in a pre-taped interview that he did not deserve to be judged for what he did to Gallus. He promised to apologize next week live.Kelani Jordan vs. Lash Legend7 of 9

Kelani Jordan fought as hard as she could, but working alone cost her the match. She was distracted by Jakara Jackson and walked into a chokeslam for the loss.

Kiana James and Izzi Dame tried to pick up the scraps afterward, but Jordan fought them off and headed up the ramp.

WWE @WWE😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨@kianajames_wwe and @izzi_wwe had a plan of attack, but @kelani_wwe was one step ahead of them! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/AzJy4fci4H

Legend looked solid here, working with a woman who matches well with her in the ring. The speed and athleticism of Jordan made the larger competitor look all the more lethal. It was too short, but that is usual for NXT.

It has been hard to figure out how far Legend can go in NXT as she is inconsistent in the ring. She can shine with the right opponent, though.

Jordan was protected in her loss, but NXT needs to do more with her. She has high upside and comes off as a future champion as long as the brand builds her legitimacy in this feud with James and Dame.

Result

Legend def. Jordan by pinfall.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

Noam Dar tried to focus on Legend’s match later, but No Quarter Catch Crew arrived again to challenge The Scottish Supernova next week.NXT Women’s Championship: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Shotzi/Valkyria vs. Lash Legend8 of 9

Lyra Valkyria and Shotzi barely got going before Shotzi landed badly on an apron DDT. She was unable to keep weight on her left knee. The match was called off.

WWE @WWEAfter an unfortunate injury to @ShotziWWE, @avawwe_ has announced an Open Challenge answered by…@lashlegendwwe! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/BqFCrdcPR3

Ava announced that the fans would get an NXT Championship match, courtesy of an open challenge. Lash Legend answered.

She dominated The Valkyrie until the champion dropped her off the second rope and hit a diving splash for the win.

This was an unfortunate situation. Best wishes to Shotzi on a full recovery from her ACL tear. Hopefully, she can come back better than ever and get more opportunities like this to show her ability.

To their credit, Valkyria and Legend did what they could afterward to give the fans a title match. It wasn’t a clean fight, but Legend showed off more of her growing in-ring arsenal while Valkyria worked from underneath well.

The finish felt rushed, but it was all called on the fly. It’s miraculous that the two were able to string together anything with their shared experience and the need to immediately improvise.

The Valkrie would likely have retained her title no matter what as the money is still on a Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez battle at Stand & Deliver on April 6.

Result

Valkyria def. Legend by pinfall to retain the NXT Women’s Championship.

Grade

No rating due to the circumstances.

Notable Moments

Early in the night, The Valkyrie asked Tatum Paxley to stay in the back no matter what.Roxanne Perez destroyed a TV after she realized Legend had skipped her in line for a title match.
Overall Show9 of 9

This was a flat night of action, especially deflated by the circumstances in the main event, but the rest of the show was also up and down.

There is an argument to be made that WWE should not have aired the original title match after the injury, though that should be Shotzi’s decision either way.

Lash Legend did her best to make the most of the spotlight, but she does not have the experience yet to work two matches back-to-back, let alone one called as an audible. It was an awkward situation all around.

Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs had a good contest, but it probably should have opened over the rough North American Championship squash. Chase U had a decent bout with Nathan Frazer and Axiom, though it was overshadowed by the arrival of The OC.

The rest of the action was uninspiring, though that was hardly surprising. Each bout was between three and five minutes and largely one-sided.

The best promos of the night were the pre-taped answers from Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov, who should make NXT more exciting next week when they face off.

Overall Grade: D+