WWE NXT Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From November 12

The road to Deadline heated up with the November 12 edition of WWE NXT, including multiple Iron Survivor Challenge qualifiers and a Women's North American Championship match.

Fallon Henley defended her newly won title against former champion Kelani Jordan. Could she defeat Jordan again without Fatal Influence?

Wes Lee vs. Cedric Alexander, Je'Von Evans vs. Lexis King and Cora Jade vs. Sol Ruca were all qualifying contests for the Iron Survivor Challenge. Who would get one step closer to title glory?

Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia looked to shut up Meta-Four's Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson in tag team action.

Trick Williams addressed the future of the NXT Championship, with Ridge Holland looking for a shot.

Ava spoke with the NXT tag team division, and Adrianna Rizzo looked for revenge on Nikkita Lyons.

This was an exciting night with many great matches promised.

Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer survived the best offensive flurry of Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson. They finished the fight with stereo knee strikes to Jackson.

While this didn't quite reach its peak, both women delivered and teased a much bigger contest down the line with greater stakes.

Jackson and Legend have improved tremendously in recent months, and it showed here. They stood toe-to-toe with veteran talent, who let them shine.

The right women won as they prepare for the Iron Survivor Challenge, but NXT should not lose track of Legend and Jackson as one of the top women's tag teams in WWE.

Result

Giulia and Vaquer def. Legend and Jackson by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

• Legend and Jackson delivered a pre-taped warning to Giulia and Vaquer on their way to the ring.
• Legend left Giulia and Vaquer on the ropes and then lifted up Jackson to dive onto both women outside.
• After the finish, interviewer Blake Howard asked Vaquer and Giulia about the Iron Survivor Challenge. Both welcomed the chance to fight one another in that match.

• In a vignette, Jaida Parker later warned that she would be the next Iron Survivor.
  

Cora Jade and Sol Ruca went back-and-forth in this battle to qualify for the women's Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline on December 7.

However, an accidental connection on the turnbuckle with her previously injured knee set up Jade for a Sol Snatcher and a shocking loss.

This match deserved more than three minutes based on the talent and the action. Ruca and Jade had chemistry and were moving smoothly through this before the result.

It was genuinely shocking that Jade lost. She has been set up as a potential NXT women's champion since her return, including an established rivalry with Giulia.

Ruca has the talent to stand out in the Iron Survivor Challenge, but she is not going to win in this field. Hopefully, NXT has a strong idea for the heel side of this match with the most established non-champion heel out.

Result

Ruca def. Jade by pinfall to qualify for the women's Iron Survivor Challenge.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Backstage, Brinley Reece and Dion Lennox encouraged Karmen Petrovic to team with Ashante "Thee" Adonis for a mixed tag match next week.
• Ava advised the tag team division to step up and earn a shot at the NXT Tag Team Championships, naming no one as the next contenders yet.
• Josh Briggs introduced Pro Wrestling Noah's Yoshiki Inamura as his new tag team partner to Ava. The NXT general manager also gave Eddy Thorpe an Iron Survivor Challenge qualifier next week.
• Nathan Frazer told Axiom he had an Iron Survivor qualifier. Axiom was furious. OTM also took offense and almost came to blows with The Family.
  

Wes Lee was shocked by a resilient Cedric Alexander but did not lose steam. He finally sealed the victory with a running meteora.

Lee and Alexander fought hard in this qualifier, though it was clear throughout that Lee was going to win. Even with the surprise kickouts, Alexander was never close to victory.

However, predictability is not a bad thing when the right man wins. Lee needed this, and he is now the clear favorite in the men's Iron Survivor Challenge.

The disappointing element of this match was the finish. This seemed to indicate Lee is moving away from the Kardiac Kick. His running meteora did not look like a strong finisher.

Result

Lee def. Alexander by pinfall to qualify for the men's Iron Survivor Challenge.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Alexander countered a Kardiac Kick with a low dropkick.

• Alexander managed to kick out of the Kardiac Kick and then ducked a dive from Lee before blasting him with a clothesline.
• Shawn Spears found Tony D'Angelo at his restaurant and challenged him to put his North American Championship on the line against Brooks Jensen.
• Zaria delivered a warning to anyone in her way to the women's Iron Survivor Challenge.
  

Andre Chase interrupted Trick Williams to make clear he wants the next shot at Ridge Holland. Trick was ready to offer Chase an NXT Championship match.

This caused Holland to march out. Trick made a No. 1 contender match next week between Chase and the British wrestler. Holland also wanted Chase U to end if he defeated The Professor.

This was oddly scripted despite Trick completely selling the audience on the match to come.

In particular, it made little sense after months of turmoil and growth for Chase to offer up Chase U like it was nothing.

Still, the end result is a great sell for next week. The Professor's entire legacy is on the line to get the biggest title opportunity of his career.

This contest should be significantly better than the Ambulance match at Halloween Havoc, just by stakes alone.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

• Trick highlighted Chase's work of putting over new talent in NXT.
• Chase offered the rights to Chase University, but Holland only wanted a title shot. Later, the Brit clarified that he would end the university if he won.
• Holland caught Chase with a cheap shot. Trick responded with a Book End and hit the Chase U stomps with The Professor.
• Duke Hudson, Riley Osborne and Thea Hail questioned Chase's decision backstage, but he promised he would win big.
  

While Adrianna Rizzo tried to bring the fight to Nikkita Lyons, she still fell to the Lyon's Roar.

Afterward, Rizzo blasted Lyons with a crowbar to the back.

Lyons and Rizzo had no chemistry, leading to an ugly match that should not happen again. Perhaps a stipulation match would go better, but nothing worked here.

A small silver lining is that Rizzo did look better in stretches than she has before. She just couldn't get on the same page with Lyons, who has struggled since returning.

Lyons still needed the win here as Rizzo has yet to show she is ready for a serious push.

Result

Lyons def. Rizzo by pinfall.

Grade

D

Notable Moments

• Lyons used a full nelson to dominate Rizzo for the early stretch of this match. Rizzo fought out with a headscissors set up her comeback.
  

Lexis King got frustrated late in this match after giving Je'Von Evans too much leeway. The Young OG took advantage with a superkick and corner springboard corkscrew.

This wasn't the most involved match, but King has rarely looked better. He guided the action along, highlighted by his strong focus on doing things the right way.

Much like the earlier qualifier, the right winner was also the obvious winner, so this wasn't the most dramatic contest. Evans was never going to lose with his current rival already qualified.

The best signs of positive progression came from King, who might have turned a corner in NXT. This face run may be what pushes him to relevancy.

Result

Evans def. King by pinfall to qualify for the Iron Survivor Challenge.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• King accidentally caught Evans with a headbutt to the groin off a springboard. When he saw his opponent was hurt, he called the referee rather than take the pin.
• The Young OG connected on the frog splash for a near-fall.
• Evans showed respect to King afterward.
  

• Dante Chen, Hank Walker and Tank Ledger gave King kudos for doing things right, but Gallus mocked him for failing.
  

Kelani Jordan and Fallon Henley went to war in a more competitive rematch from Halloween Havoc.

However, the interference of Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx saved the day and set up a Famouser for the win by Henley.

This was significantly better than the Halloween Havoc contest, which was more about the moment than the pure action.

The first match proved the chemistry between Jordan and Henley. Tuesday is where they kicked it up a notch. Hopefully, the second bout is not the last.

Henley could not lose here, but NXT has shown a clear trust in Jordan as a performer. She sold why she could regain her gold while also making Henley look much more like a dangerous threat as champion.

The promise of Fatal Influence is finally playing out as all three women have leveled up with the championship involved.

Result

Henley def. Jordan by pinfall to retain the Women's North American Championship.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

• Earlier in the night, Jayne and Nyx told Jordan that she had no chance to beat Henley.
• Henley blocked a dive outside from Jordan and sent her head-first into the announce table. Jordan responded with a moonsault off the table.
• Jordan almost got the win off a top rope Spanish Fly.
  

• Jordan hit Henley with a split-legged moonsault, but Jayne got Henley's foot on the bottom rope to save the pin.
• A brawl between the NXT tag teams ended the show in chaos.

This was a show of consequence, and it elevated the action throughout the night.

The Iron Survivor Challenge qualifiers especially elevated solid action thanks to the real consequences of the results.

The value of Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer continues to shine through as the two women elevated Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson in a strong opener.

Fallon Henley and Kelani Jordan stepped up for the rematch and delivered a quality main event for the Women's North American Championship.

Even with an odd script for the NXT Championship segment, Andre Chase and Ridge Holland sold why a rematch between them is must-see television next week.

The weakest aspect of the night was the tag team division chaos, but the NXT tandems at least got a spotlight for the first time in months.

This was the kind of show NXT can pull off each week and should aim for to keep momentum on the CW Network.

Overall Grade: B+