WWE NXT 2.0 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from March 22

The main roster takeover of WWE NXT 2.0 was completed two weeks ago when Dolph Ziggler became the NXT champion. And the March 22 edition was focused on Bron Breakker taking out the titleholder's tag team partner, Robert Roode, in a first-time clash.

The women's Dusty Tag Team Classic has gone in multiple unpredictable directions, and Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray did battle with Dakota Kai and Wendy Choo in the finals on Tuesday night.

In a pair of qualifiers for the NXT North American Championship ladder match at NXT Stand & Deliver on April 2, Grayson Waller faced NXT UK's A-Kid while Roderick Strong fought the dominant Solo Sikoa.

The Creed Brothers are still not sure who cost them their shot at the NXT Tag Team Championships. The Grizzled Young Veterans have denied their involvement but agreed to fight Julius and Brutus on Tuesday night to get closer to the tag titles.

This show promised some big matches building toward Stand & Deliver.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams joined commentary for this match. Santos Escobar also came out to watch the contest more closely as it progressed.

While Roderick Strong held control for a while, he gave Solo Sikoa too much space. Sikoa knocked him off the top rope and hit a diving splash for the win, qualifying for the NXT North American Championship ladder match.

Strong and Sikoa are talented, but this match never felt like it got out of second gear. It did not help that so many people were involved outside the ring.

It was surprising to see The Messiah of the Backbreaker lose clean, but he hasn't quite been protected in NXT 2.0 as he was in the black-and-gold brand. This could even be the set up for Strong to leave NXT before long.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Commentary mentioned Strong's challenge to NXT UK champion Ilja Dragunov, a rare crossover with NXT UK's current stories.
• Melo explained that there is only one L in his name because he's never taking another loss after his defeat to Escobar was brought up.
• Sikoa got a solid near-fall off an Avalanche into a Samoan Drop. Strong never not got close to a win, focusing entirely on technical holds.

Backstage, Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta talked about the TMZ article featuring shots of both women, both still trying to one-up one another. Pirotta and Duke Hudson came out after Hartwell to watch the match closely.

Dexter Lumis controlled the action with terrifying focus until he was lured outside by Tony D'Angelo and sent hard into the steel steps. Hudson saw Lumis finally starting to come back and distracted him so that Tony D could grab his crowbar.

Hartwell and Pirotta tried to keep the crowbar away from D'Angelo, who ripped it out of Pirotta's hands and blasted Lumis in the face. Tony D finished the match with his swinging neckbreaker for the win.

Tommaso Ciampa interrupted Tony D's promo afterward, planting him with a Fairy Tale Ending. He promised to write his own "fairy tale ending" at Stand & Deliver.

A flat and messy ending took away from a solid bout. D'Angelo and Lumis are interesting as a pairing and could do more than they showed her in the ring.

D'Angelo continued to showcase what he can do in the ring with various opponents. Ciampa is the kind of talent who can push him to the next level, and the story is aided by The Blackheart unofficially selling this as his final match in NXT.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

• Lumis made sliding outside look effortless in a smooth transition many could learn from.
• Wade Barrett is very into Hudson's kissing technique and taking off his shirt.
• The referee dodged the crowbar shot, yet he apparently missed that it hit Lumis in the face.

Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen made sure that Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde could not get involved, brawling with them to the back.

While Fallon Henley landed some physical elbow strikes, Elektra Lopez was too dominant and hit a spin-out powerbomb for three.

The positive in this match was that there was a story behind it. Henley remains the underdog trying to take on the established talent. The problem is that Lopez is still very green despite her increased spotlight.

The match did not go long before it had to finish to avoid getting messy. At least Henley continues to do solid work in limited action. It's possible she can impress on her own merit soon.

Grade

D+

Notable Moments

• Briggs and Jensen tried to psych up Henley. Jensen's best advice was that Lopez was beautiful.
• Lopez transitioned a shoulder stretch into a surfboard lock.

Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode talked up The Glorious One's history as NXT champion, confident that he could defeat Bron Breakker.

Ziggler got thrown out of the match after he tried to get involved one too many times. Roode showed his veteran intelligence, dominating his young opponent without wasting energy. However, Breakker caught him in the air to hit the powerslam to take the win.

Afterward, The Showoff superkicked Breakker hard onto the floor.

He may not be the most exciting wrestler, but Roode is one of the smoothest workers in the business. He is an old-school performer who can help a youngster like Breakker look good. He made the former NXT champion look good and gave him valuable experience with a variety of offensive sequences.

Roode was never going to win here, but it was a great reminder of what he can do when given time and spotlight. Breakker picked up a big win that continues to build his legacy before he even arrives on the main roster.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

• It is nice to hear the classic "Glorious" theme played again in NXT.
• Roode was cocky ducking Breakker early until he was caught by an effortless powerslam.
• The Glorious One caught Breakker with a delayed elbow drop followed by a series of push-ups.
• Roode hit a spinebuster then teased the Glorious DDT, but Breakker fought out and hit a Spear for a near-fall.
• Roode out of the military press position and hit a Glorious DDT for a near-fall.

Bodhi Hayward presented his essay on fortitude, and he and Andre Chase ran down a student while hyping up Hayward vs. Von Wagner next week.

Grayson Waller talked himself up before his match Tuesday night, clearly impressed with A-Kid but too cocky to believe he could lose.

Solo Sikoa came out to watch this match closely. While A-Kid impressively managed to counter multiple big moves from Grayson Waller, he still fell to a springboard leg sweep into the return rolling cutter for three.

Afterward, Carmelo Hayes gave Kid, Cameron Grimes and Roderick Strong a second chance in a Triple Threat qualifier for the ladder match. Trick Williams taunted Kid and got an enzuigiri for his trouble.

Kid is really good, and it was showcased here in the way he challenged Waller throughout this match. He made Waller look smoother than he ever has in the ring, leading to a great sprint.

It is just a shame this could not get more time. These two have chemistry left to explore. Waller had to win, but Kid got some surprise build with Melo before his second chance next week. He or Grimes have to get that final spot.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Waller confidently tried to transition into a headscissors only to have Kid move into a leg lock.
• Kid managed to reverse the first attempt at a rolling cutter into an impressive leg trap sleeper.

Robert Stone explained how angry he was with Ikemen Jiro, and Von Wagner promised to make him pay after he took out Bodhi. Sofia Cromwell then came up to Stone, asking to finish their business from last week.

The Grizzled Young Veterans refused to admit to attacking The Creed Brothers, telling them they would attack them face-to-face. After Julius Creed ducked a Doomsday Device from Zack Gibson and James Drake, Brutus Creed planted Drake to set up a low running clothesline to win.

Afterward, a mysterious duo showed up on the titantron, destroying Diamond Mine's personal training room.

Creed Brothers and Grizzled Young Veterans are always good together. This was probably their weakest match together and still showcased their chemistry. It was a good warm-up for Julius and Brutus before Stand & Deliver.

The mysterious team going after Diamond Mine is an interesting angle. It is rare NXT 2.0 has surprised so far, but this story could be a big shock before it's over.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Drake ran right into Brutus who hit a pair of gutwrench suplexes.
• Gibson complained at Julius that GYV should have won the Dusty Classic, but it's unclear what he was protesting as the team lost clean.

Backstage, Persia Pirotta claimed Duke Hudson could beat anyone, and Dexter Lumis drew Gunther, questioning if Lumis was up for that challenge.

Hudson held his own for a moment against Gunther, but The Ring General chopped down his opponent. After a series of chops and a boot in the corner, Gunther won with a powerbomb.

The Ring General disparaged LA Knight until The Million Dollar Mega Star came out to challenge him. Imperium attacked Knight. MSK made the save, standing tall with Knight.

It's hard to look strong next to Gunther, but Hudson held his own. He made this feel like a battle of big men when it could have easily felt like a complete squash.

Knight vs. Gunther is an interesting pairing. It feels like The Million Dollar Mega Star's last hurrah in NXT 2.0, and this can be the best match he ever has in NXT. He will need to bring his wrestling shoes.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Gunther locked in a sleeper hold, and Hudson powered out of the grip and to the ropes.
• Hudson floated over Gunther and hit a German suplex.
• Gunther nearly bloodied the chest of Hudson with his vicious chops.

Cameron Grimes promised to do anything next week to earn a shot at the NXT North American Championship. Dakota Kai had to calm Wendy Choo when talking about the main event and their chance to establish themselves with the Dusty Cup.

Toxic Attraction had a new Toxic Lounge closer to the ring for the final of the Dusty Tag Team Classic. This match went back and forth, repeatedly defined by near-falls. Kay Lee Ray finally put it away with a KLR Bomb on Choo followed by Io Shirai's Over-the-Moonsault to win.

Mandy Rose taunted the winners as confetti fell. Shirai and Kai surprised the Toxic Attraction leader by announcing they were cashing in their title opportunity by making the NXT Women's Championship match a Fatal 4-Way. Cora Jade joined the two and sent Toxic Attraction running.

This was easily the best match from Kai and Choo as a team. They looked as cohesive as they ever have. It helps to work with Shirai and KLR, two of the best in the business. This was a great main event and one of the best recent NXT 2.0 matches.

Shirai and KLR aren't the best tag team, but they are great individual wrestlers who deserved a big accolade like this. The Genius of the Sky especially needed this last accolade on her NXT legacy.

It is a shame that the Dusty Cup win was wasted in a similar fashion to the men's. KLR and Shirai went through a whole tournament to get a shot that Jade got by asking for it. The Creed Brothers got a title shot after beating MSK only for MSK to get the same shot as well.

Grade

A

Notable Moments

• Choo saved Kai from a Tiger Feint Kick with a pillow.
• Shirai sent Kai hard into the announce table with a running crossbody to the outside.
• Kai hit a big running kick on KLR followed by a superplex from Choo for a near-fall.
• Kai hit a backstabber into a diving double foot stomp followed by the top rope Vader Bomb from Choo, but Shirai sent Kai into Choo with a missile dropkick to break it up.