WWE NXT 2.0 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from April 5

In the wake of a successful NXT Stand & Deliver, the April 5 edition of WWE NXT 2.0 was more of the same, selling the stories that have defined the brand over the past few months.

Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai reunited due to a mutual dislike of Toxic Attraction. They struck the first blow against the group by regaining the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships. Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne hoped to get the titles back in a rematch.

Cameron Grimes was set to speak on his huge win. Completing a promise to his late father, he captured the NXT North American Championship and would now look to prove himself a worthy champion.

Bron Breakker regained the NXT Championship from Dolph Ziggler, bringing the title back to the brand. No one knew how The Showoff would respond or whether someone else would challenge the new champion.

In a battle of tall young stars, Nikkita Lyons would fight Lash Legend, hoping to shut up the loudmouth talk show host.

WWE NXT 2.0 is still developing, but each week is a new opportunity to build fresh stars and champions.

Bron Breakker put over his journey to regaining the NXT Championship, only to be interrupted by Gunther. The Ring General challenged the NXT champion, who gladly accepted for tonight.

The Creed Brothers marched down to the ring to attack Marcel Bartel and Fabian Aichner, setting up a surprise match. During the match, Aichner walked out on Bartel, leaving him to take a torture rack slam and low running clothesline to lose.

Two men attacked Julius and Brutus Creed from behind with steel chairs before revealing themselves to be Pretty Deadly, the former NXT UK tag team champions.

This was a busy opening 30 minutes for NXT. Breakker vs. Gunther was made official. Imperium look ready for a break-up, and Pretty Deadly have arrived in NXT, a team with the talent to truly stand out.

The match was very good, and it is great to see NXT 2.0 bringing out the big moment post-WrestleMania. It is disappointing though to see Imperium falling apart. Aichner and Bartel have consistently been great together, and both may struggle on their own.

This does open up a spot for potential new members in Imperium if WWE wants to reshape the Gunther led stable though. Many could seriously benefit.

Grade

A

Notable Moments

• The crowd started with loud dueling chants of "We want Ziggler!" and "No, we don't!", making it hard for Breakker to speak over them.
• Julius and Aichner fought for a headlock, and when Julius ducked out, he ran right into a rolling fireman's carry slam.
• Julius got the hot tag, catching Bartel with a chop block and a dead-lift package suplex.
• Pretty Deadly announced new individual names: Elton Prince and Kit Wilson. This was the rare improvement in gimmick names by WWE.

Cameron Grimes explained why this meant so much to him. He then promised to be a fighting champion. His first challenge arrived in Solo Sikoa.

For now, Grimes does look right at home as a champion. He is the kind of talent that will likely not last long with the gold, but he should work hard with every single defense.

Sikoa was not the obvious choice to challenge The Technical Savage first, but he is certainly one of many that deserve that chance. This will be one of the biggest matches of his career to date.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

• This crowd continues to be unruly, battling a "You deserve it!" chant with "No, you don't!".
• Sikoa made a very clear Bloodline reference in talking about his lineage.

NXT 2.0 showed a recap of Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta's photo shoot rivalry including Dexter Lumis and Duke Hudson. In the end, InDex won by 89% of the votes.

Pirotta and Hudson made out before this match. The two men battled to the outside where Hartwell and Pirotta tried to help them only to send the two men into the steel post, knocking them out. The two were counted out.

This was really bad, though that has been par for the course with this rivalry. Nothing about this has worked. Hartwell and Pirotta have been turned catty, and Lumis and Hudson have been just boring.

The match was forgettable beyond a terrible result. Two talented wrestlers were reduced to a few moves and repeat distractions from ringside.

Grade

D-

Notable Moments

• Lumis ran right into a uranage from Hudson out of the corner.
• Hudson sent Hudson into the corner to set up a bulldog and spinebuster.
• The ending got a deserved "That was stupid!" chant.

Tiffany Stratton complained in an interview about the travesty inflicted upon her by Sarray last week.

Wendy Choo tried to get involved again in this match, but Mandy Rose took her out. Toxic Attraction targeted the knee of Raquel Gonzalez, particularly a chop block behind the referee's back to set up the Toxic Shock for the win.

After the match, Kai rampaged backstage alone, throwing around everything in her path. She warned Rose that she was not safe.

The in-ring action was solid, especially down the stretch, but the result is a complete waste. Gonzalez and Kai never should have won the gold if the plan was unnecessary title hot potato.

Toxic Attraction remain unstoppable in NXT with little hope of defeating them. It would be nice to hope that there is a larger plan in place for someone to stop the stable. It just feels like everyone has already failed with no one gaining momentum.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Dolin went for a diving crossbody but ran right into a spin-out falling slam.
• Gonzalez got caught in the tree of woe after a distraction, allowing Jayne to hit a cannonball.
• Kai laid out Dolin with a kaio kick for a nearfall then a diving foot stomp to set up a rotating diving elbow drop from Gonzalez.
• Jayne connected on a double-knee facebuster followed by a Dolin clothesline to Kai.

In an interview, MSK welcomed all challengers from The Creed Brothers to Pretty Deadly. Grayson Waller interrupted to challenge the champions with Sanga once Waller was healthy.

AJ Galante hosted the ceremony for Tony D'Angelo to become The New Don of NXT. Galante handed D'Angelo a special ring and drank wine with The Don.

In the parking lot, Santos Escobar and Legado del Fantasma congratulated The Don but also warned him to stay out of Legado's business.

Galante struggled a lot through this promo. He was not ready for this loud and negative crowd, but he also just flubbed his lines. It would have been a good idea to let D'Angelo speak for himself given he has more experience with these crowds.

This felt more like a means to an end than a good segment on its own. The Don has been crowned, and he should benefit from the extra legitimacy that comes from defeating Tommaso Ciampa.

Grade

D

Notable Moments

• The crowd chanted "This is boring!" throughout.
• This whole promo was scripted right out of a mobster movie, complete with warnings to D'Angelo that he could never betray the family.

In a pre-taped promo, Kushida called out Von Wagner for what he did to Ikemen Jiro, planning to make him pay next week.

Lash Legend and Nikkita Lyons challenged each other early, looking evenly matched with side-by-side kip-ups. However, when push came to shove, Lyons was just better. She caught Legend with the split-leg drop for the victory.

Honestly, this was better than it looked on paper. Lyons has been steadily solid in the ring, and she was able to carry Legend through. It was cleanest Legend has looked in the ring, helped by working with someone around her size.

Legend may not be truly ready yet, but this showed Lyons is much closer. She has that intangible quality. She will still have to face more serious competition. Fighting talent at the level of Kay Lee Ray or Io Shirai will be the final test.

Grade

C

Notable Moments

• Legend ducked Lyons in the corner then planted her with a bicycle kick and a running elbow drop.
• Lyons planted Legend with a superplex for only two.

With Harland glaring in the background, Joe Gacy warned that success only comes with family behind him. Draco Anthony was watching closely and got angry at Xyon Quinn for telling him not to listen. The two almost came to blows. Gacy cut a second promo later about family.

Bron Breakker was the first man to dominate Gunther early, but his lingering injuries from the past weekend made it hard for him to sustain offense. Surviving an onslaught, the NXT champion lifted up The Ring General for a military press powerslam to win.

Afterward, Rick Steiner appeared on the titantron, tied up by Gacy and in a cage.

Gunther and Breakker were as good together as expected. The NXT champion is the rare man that can truly challenge The Ring General in terms of size and strength. Breakker sold well for Gunther's onslaught while putting over his own resilience.

In the end though, this did not feel like it should have happened tonight. Gunther should not be a transitional challenger to set up Gacy. The idea of Gacy as the next man up after this really good match is frustrating.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

• Breakker caught Gunther mid-jump for a spinning powerslam.
• Breakker hit Gunther with a spear then went for the military press slam, but he could not give him up and took a slap from Gunther for his trouble.
• Gunther chopped Breakker repeatedly followed by a suplex, and Breakker responded back with a suplex and running forearm.
• Gunther dropkicked a running Breakker then hit a powerbomb for a nearfall then a diving splash for another nearfall.
• Breakker speared a diving Ring General then got into a chop fest with the challenger that ended with Gunther locking in a sleeper hold.