WWE NXT 2.0 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from April 26

What just happened? This question lingered after last week's WWE NXT 2.0 through to the April 26 show after Joe Gacy sent Bron Breakker tumbling off the stage before he was surrounded by strange cultists.

Fans would discover the fallout of that ending on Tuesday night, but there was plenty more to look forward to as well. Nikkita Lyons faced Lash Legend once more, and Legado del Fantasma sought an end to their rivalry with Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen and Fallon Henley in a six-man tag team contest.

Tony D'Angelo wanted complete control of NXT, but he would run into a massive hurdle in the shape of Von Wagner. Solo Sikoa was seeking some revenge on Trick Williams, who cost him his first shot at the NXT North American Championship.

NXT 2.0 has built its new direction through a clear focus on young stars, and this show was no different, with some key rivalries reaching their possible conclusion.

Lash Legend dominated the action early, but all it took was one roundhouse kick to the chest for Nikkita Lyons to seal the win.

Natalya then attacked Lyons after the bell along with Legend, but Cora Jade evened the odds and cleared the squared circle.

The first time these two fought, it was a surprisingly solid bout. But, with more time in the rematch, this whole contest fell apart. Legend was asked to lead the action more this time, and she is just too awkward in the ring.

Lyons remains several steps above her first rival in the ring, but she did not get to do much here. Working with Natalya, though, she could surprise a lot of people. She and Jade have been set up as the future of NXT women's division with the right training.

Grade

D

Notable Moments

• The crowd was firmly behind Lyons throughout this match more than many major babyfaces in NXT.
• Legend carried Lyons into the center of the ring but fell to a headscissors takedown.
• The company announced Natalya and Legend vs. Jade and Lyons for NXT Spring Breakin' next Tuesday, and that was followed by an interview in which Legend put over The Queen of Harts.

Ahead of his match, Tony D'Angelo ran down Von Wagner before mocking Santos Escobar. This was back-and-forth until Escobar attacked The Don from behind. Tony D returned to the ring but walked into a big boot to lose.

This match made no sense from the moment it was announced. It was bad enough that NXT retconned Wagner's suspension. Pitting a charismatic developing heel against a monster villain still finding his feet is a recipe for disaster. The crowd had no idea how to react.

It is a shame because these two are talented, but they have no chemistry in their current roles. It was a slog throughout. The only positive was that Wagner got a big win to make him feel more like a threat to whoever he feuds with next.

Grade

D+

Notable Moments

• Tony D caught Wagner with a release German and follow-up sideslam.
• The Don went for his swinging neckbreaker, but Wagner fought out of it and sent him to the floor.
• Later in the night, Tony D introduced Troy "Two Dimes" Donovan and "Stacks" Channing Lorenzo.

Nathan Frazer walked out to the ring, only to watch his opponent Guru Raaj get laid out by Grayson Waller.

Waller took to the ring and mocked Frazer as well as Chase U, but the debutant laid him out and Andre Chase labelled it a teachable moment.

It was a shame to set up Frazer's debut and then not deliver, but he looked good in his furious attack of Waller. As NXT's roster continues to evolve, NXT UK talent should stand out as more proven performers. Frazer has serious upside.

Waller vs. Chase U will at best purely silly, but it can keep both sides relevant and give Waller some needed wins. The end goal has to be the loudmouth facing Bron Breakker, but the time is not quite right yet.

Grade

C

Notable Moments

• Frazer missile dropkicked Waller followed by a suicide dive.
• Backstage, Waller interrupted Tiffany Stratton's interview, challenged Frazer to a match and then walked away with The Buff Barbie Doll.

WWE announced the first-ever Women's Breakout Tournament as well as showing a vignette for the first competitor, Arianna Grace, a former beauty queen with a fighting background.

Katana Chance may have a new name (formerly Kacy Catanzaro), but she and Kayden Carter looked as cohesive as ever. Their tag team synergy was too much for Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon, and they won off a combination neckbreaker/450 splash.

This felt longer than it was, as Feroz and Leon still try a bit too hard in the ring. Their attempts to taunt the crowd just weren't natural, and it was clear Chance and Carter were carrying the action.

Luckily, the action improved considerably down the stretch. In particular, Chance and Carter make a varied move set look completely fluid. It was again proof that they need to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

• Chance and Carter showed off an impressive arsenal of tag team moves that outshined just about every women's tandem in WWE right now.
• Feroz trapped Carter in an Octopus hold and then transitioned into a hurricanrana as her rival nearly escaped.

Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley were focused on Legado del Fantasma, but Brooks Jensen got distracted by Sofia Cromwell. Jensen was found laid out later, and Robert Stone would admit Von Wagner injured him during the match.

Briggs tried his best to fight both Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro, and Henley went after Elektra Lopez until she left Briggs alone. He took the combination Russian leg sweep/running side kick for the loss.

This was a fun sprint, which focused on Briggs. He looked great while trying to fight against the two smaller men and selling the impact of their shared offense on him. It was a real star-level performance in a short contest.

Henley and Lopez mostly just hit a few basic moves. They got only a minute of focus in this contest before disappearing into the crowd to keep brawling.

It is hard to figure out what WWE is doing with Legado del Fantasma, who played the faces recently but were full heels here. Their progression has been messy.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Briggs started with fire, throwing Wilde and Cruz at one another.
• Henley used Briggs as a springboard to hit Lopez with a clothesline.
• Backstage, Legado del Fantasma made clear the focus of the group was turning to Tony D'Angelo.

Kay Lee Ray revealed her new name as Alba Fyre, an expression of her past. Another competitor was highlighted for the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament, a businesswoman named Kiana James who promised to succeed.

Cameron Grimes joined commentary for the next match in which Trick Williams got too cocky and paid for it. He got planted with a Samoan drop and diving splash to lose.

Trick did what he could here, but it was never believable that he had a chance. The moment Solo Sikoa got going, it was clear this was more of a squash than a full bout. Still, the action was solid enough.

Both Melo and Sikoa have the momentum of true contenders for Grimes. He will likely overcome both, but it is far from a guarantee. NXT could well choose to return to The A Champion or highlight the immensely talented Samoan.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Sikoa no-sold a kick from Trick and pulled him in for a back suplex followed by a corner avalanche.
• After the match, Melo got in the face of Sikoa and Grimes. Sikoa tried superkicking The A Champion but instead caught the NXT North American titleholder.

Roderick Strong gave The Creed Brothers a pep talk about turning around their fortunes before revealing he had booked them for a match next week against The Viking Raiders.

Meanwhile, Edris Enofe talked up Malik Blade, convincing him to believe in himself ahead of their match with the Raiders.

The SmackDown pair dominated with strikes and power moves, finishing the bout with a double powerbomb. Erik and Ivar extended hands to their opponents afterward as a show of respect, and The Creed Brothers came out to stare them down.

This was a solid squash to reheat The Viking Raiders, who have been badly cooled off lately. It will take more than one win, though, and Erik and Ivar could use a second run in NXT.

Regardless of how long it lasts, Raiders vs. Creeds is a match that should get everyone talking. It will be power against power in a way Julius and Brutus have yet to face. It will be interesting to see how they get on.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Erik laid out Enofe with a right forearm, and the Raiders pummeled him with forearms on the ropes.
• Blade barely kicked out after a snap knee strike to the skull that knocked him out.

Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta put over Roxanne Perez for her win last week until Toxic Attraction arrived to mock her, setting up a match.

Mandy Rose found herself seriously challenged by Perez, but she connected on a bicycle kick to take the win. Wendy Choo sent Toxic Attraction running with the water guns and then dropped a net on them. Choo and Perez sprayed them with silly string.

This was much better than it looked on paper, given Perez was not seriously established yet. However, she was a serious challenger throughout the match. Given her history outside of WWE, it isn't surprising, and it is clear the company has a star on its hands.

Perez and Choo make for a more natural combination than Dakota Kai did with the sleepy prankster. This could be the next natural step for Perez on this developing women's roster. She may also be the front-runner in the Women's Breakout Tournament if she enters.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

• Rose kept putting her finger in Perez's face until the rookie bit her nail off. She then slammed her digits onto the steel steps outside.
• The NXT women's champion slingshot her challenger into the rope and right down onto her knees.
• Perez went for a sunset flip bomb, but Rose blocked it. Perez ducked the bicycle knee and hit a running crossbody for a near-fall.

The final woman presented for the Women's Breakout Tournament this week was Sloane Jacobs, who explained she had been fighting her whole life even though she was only 19.

Joe Gacy then promised to change the world. He walked out alone, but hooded men came out to surround the ring afterward. He told everyone Bron Breakker was too injured to defend his title, but Rick Steiner arrived to debunk that.

The NXT champion stormed the ring, but Gacy used the distraction of the hooded men to hit a handspring springboard clothesline. The men formed a line and brought the NXT Championship to Gacy.

This was a fine segment to end the show, but it still feels like WWE has no idea how to sell this angle. Breakker was seemingly attacked by the hooded men last week but was fine this week. And Steiner did nothing for this angle in the end.

All in all, there is an air of intrigue about what Gacy is doing and who is behind it. Certainly, some men will be revealed under those hoods at the right moment. It just feels wrong still to put him on the NXT champion's level.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Gacy told everyone they would need to commit to his vision or be forced to do so.