NXT Results – February 24, 2021

NXT Results – February 24, 2021 – Tonight’s WWE NXT episode opens up on the USA Network with a video package to hype Karrion Kross vs. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar in the non-title No DQ match.

– We’re live from the Capitol Wrestling Center at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida as Vic Joseph welcomes us. He’s joined by Wade Barrett and WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix. We go right to the ring.

Johnny Gargano vs. Dexter Lumis

Dexter Lumis is crawling into the ring as Alicia Taylor does the introduction. We see The Way backstage now – NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano with Austin Theory, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell. They all head to the ring for this non-title match. Lumis stares them down and fans boo them.

Gargano charges at Lumis and Lumis raises his fist and Gargano falls to the mat.  Gargano punches Lumis from the floor and Lumis punches Gargano on the apron.  Gargano returns to the ring and Lumis hides under the ring and Theory is excited that he sees Lumis behind Gargano.  Lumis with punches to Gargano.  Lumis with an Irish whip and boot followed by a Thesz Press and punches.  Lumis with a forearm to Gargano for a near fall.  Lumis sets for a suplex and Gargano tries to escape but Lumis keeps Gargano up for a delayed vertical suplex.  Gargano goes to the floor.

Lumis goes to the floor and Gargano sends Lumis into the apron and then to the ramp.  Gargano with punches and then he returns to the ring.  Gargano breaks the count and returns to the floor but misses a boot.  Lumis sends Gargano into the apron.  Lumis with a punch and he sends Gargano back into the ring.  Theory tries to attack Lumis but he thinks otherwise.  Indi does the same and she backs into the ring post as she backs off.  Candice goes for a rana off the apron and Lumis catches her and she is sent back to the apron.  Gargano with a baseball slide and suicide dive onto Lumis.

Gargano sends Lumis into the apron.  Gargano chops Lumis against the apron.  Gargano with a slingshot spear for a near fall.  Gargano punches Lumis on the turnbuckles and follows with a snap mare and drop kick to the back of the head.  Gargano gets a near fall.  Lumis punches Gargano.  Gargano with forearms in the corner.  Gargano with an elbow to the back of the neck.  Gargano with a side Russian leg sweep for a near fall.  Lumis is put in the ropes by Gargano and then he slams Lumis and gets a near fall.  Gargano with a camel clutch.  Lumis backs Gargano into the turnbuckles but Gargano with a sleeper into an abdominal stretch.  Lumis with a back breaker.  

Lumis punches Gargano and hits a clothesline in the corner.  Lumis with a bulldog and a slingshot suplex.  Lumis iwht a belly-to-back suplex followed by a leg drop for a near fall.  Lumis gets Gargano up but Gargano gets back ot his feet.  Gargano floats over and rolls up Lumis.  Lumis stares at Gargano to prevent the round kick.  Lumis with a rollup to counter GargaNo Escape and he tries for Silence.  Gargano with a crucifix for a near fall.  Gargano with a super kick but Lumis with a spinebuster for a naer fall.  Lumis goes up top and Gargano grabs the leg.  Lumis with punches from the turnbuckles and Gargano is down.  Lumis misses a double stomp and rolls through.  Gargano wit helbows and Lumis with a pop up uppercut.  Gargano with a super kick for a near fall.

Candice gets on the apron and Austin takes his time to get a chair and give it to Johnny but Lumis stands on it.  Lumis with a punch and Gargano with an enzuigiri.  Gargano has the referee check on his knee pad and Theory grabs the chair and he takes his time to use it and Theory decides that he would rather live than hit Dexter with the chair.  Gargano bumps into Theory and Lumis with a sit out side slam and he applies Silence.  Gargano passes out.

Winner:  Dexter Lumis

After the match, Lumis just sits there holding Gargano as his music hits. The Way is stunned.

– NXT General Manager William Regal comes out to the back parking lot and looks around. He tells the camera man to tell Karrion Kross to come see him when he arrives.

– We go to ringside to Vic and Beth. They say hello to Barrett, who is a remote correspondent tonight. Vic leads us to a video package on Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners MSK. Vic says we will hear from MSK tonight. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and McKenzie Mitchell is with MSK in the backstage area. She brings up their title shot with NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch happening next week, but they’re suddenly attacked out of nowhere by The Grizzled Young Veterans. The Grizzled Young Vets beat them down and leave them laying, talking some trash on the way out.

Tyler Rust vs. Leon Ruff

We go back to the ring and comes Tyler Rust with Malcolm Bivens. We see footage of Leon Ruff being cleared in the trainer’s room earlier today, cleared from last week’s attack by Isaiah “Swerve” Scott. Bivens appeared and proposed tonight’s match with Rust. Ruff accepted and Bivens walked off. Bivens takes the mic now and talks about Ruff’s recent success, but then calls him the son he never wanted, which is why Ruff holds a special place in his heart and is getting this once in a lifetime opportunity tonight. He goes on and says tonight Rust will prove why he’s a diamond in the… rough. The music hits and out comes Ruff.

Ruff is doing his entrance, hanging off the apron, when Swerve attacks him out of nowhere. Swerve unloads on Ruff as fans boo. Swerve takes Ruff to the announce table, puts him face-down on the table and says he’s going to start getting some opportunities and handouts now, not Ruff. Swerve launches Ruff into the edge of the apron and walks off as fans keep booing. Bivens is in the ring with Rust now, raising his arm in victory. Bivens applauds Rust as his music plays.

– We see video released on Tuesday, showing NXT General Manager William Regal telling newcomer Zoey Stark she gets to face NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai in a non-title match tonight. McKenzie is backstage with Stark now. She has so many emotions right now but she’s just ready to be out there… There are some technical difficulties as the camera freezes and cuts to Shirai backstage, freezing on her entrance as well.

— Vic acknowledges these technical issues but the show goes on. Out first comes Zoey Stark for the next match. We see NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai walking backstage now for this non-title match. We go back to commercial before Shirai comes out.

— We take a look back earlier today of Cameron Grimes watching Million Dollar Man clips on the WWE Network.  He says with money you can humiliate anyone and he has a lot of money. He sees someone and he offers $1,000 for him to dribble the ball ten times.  Grimes sees him dribble the ball and then he pays the guy the money.  The guy tells Grimes that DiBiase kicked the ball away and Grimes says he should have watched the end of the video.

Io Shirai vs. Zoey Stark

They lock up and Io kicks Stark away.  They lock up and Io with a take down and she holds on to the collar and elbow.  Stark with a take down as well.  Stark with a waist lock and Io with a wrist lock.  Stark with a wrist lock into a hammer lock.  Io with elbows and a side head lock.  Io with a take down and Stark with a back body drop.  Io with an octopus.  Stark with a rollup for a near fall and Io with a drop kick and another kick to Stark.  Stark with a kick and Io with chops.  Io chokes Stark in the corner.  Io is caught in the ropes and Stark with a pump kick.  Io with a kick through the ropes from the apron.

Io goes up top and Stark knocks Io off the turnbuckles to the floor as we go to commercial.

We ar back and Stark wit kicks but Io with a take down into a half nelson but Stark escapes.  Io misses a kick and Stark with a single leg trip and a sliding knee for a near fall.  Stark goes up top and misses a 450 splas and rolls through.  Both women with cross body presses at the same time and both are down.  Stark with a half and half suplex for a near fall.  Stark with a sleeper and she tries for a kick to the back but Io blocks the kick.  Io with a forearm and clotheslines.  Io with a flapjack and she hits a Tiger Feint Kick.  Io with a missile drop kick for a near fall.

Stark with a back body drop and she goes to the turnbuckles but Io with a forearm to stop her.  Io with a Frankensteiner and a butterfly back breaker for a near fall.  Stark with a German suplex for a near fall.  Io blocks a German suplex and Io sends Stark head first into the turnbuckles and hits a running double knee strike.  Io goes up top and hits a moonsault for the three count.

Winner:  Io Shirai

After the match, Io offers her hand to Stark and they hug. Toni Storm’s music plays and she cannot let Io have fun. Toni says you are willing to fight anyone in this division besides me.  I am not Zoey Stark.  I am Toni Storm and last week I kicked your head off and you didn’t do a damn thing about it.  There is a reason why you pinned Mercedes at Takeover and not be.  It is because you can’t beat me. Io says she will fight Toni any time, anyplace, anywhere. Toni says if you thought you could beat me one on one you would have gone to Mr. Regal.  You are scared.  Toni tells Io to prove her wrong and go find William Regal to make the match. Io says that Toni is on.

— McKenzie tries to tal to the Way but Johnny says they want to leave before that psycho shows up.  Johnny says that all Austin had to do was hit Lumis with the chair. Theory says that is unnecessary.  He is just misunderstood. Johnny reminds Austin of what he did to him.  Candice says that Dexter should be in jail. Indi says that Dexter is kind of hot. Johnny says he won’t let Indi’s whatever is going on or Austin’s Stockholm Syndrome take control.  They are both going to therapy.

— We are back and Cameron Grimes has his basketball and he says he watched the whole video so he is ready to go. Cameron says he is doing a challenge and he is looking for some people.  He says he will give her $1,000 if she can dribble the ball 10 times.  She asks if it is like the Million Dollar Man.  Cameron offers to give the chance to someone else but she takes it and he realizes she is a lot taller than she was sitting down. When Grimes tries to kick the ball away, she does a cross over and wins the money.  Cameron says that Ted DiBiase isn’t smarter than Cameron Grimes.  He says this isn’t over.

Kacy Catanzaro vs. Xia Li

Li misses a kick and Kacy with kicks of her own.  Kacy with a handstand head scissors and a front face lock. Li with an Irish whip and Kacy tries to float over but Li catches Kacy and drops her on the top turnbuckle.  Li sends Kacy into teh turnbuckles and Li with kicks in the corner.  Li goes for a power bomb and Kacy with a sunset flip to counter for a near fall.  Li with a kick to the midsection for a near fall.  Li runs into a boot in the corner and Kacy with a drop toe hold into the turnbuckles.  Kacy with punches but Li pushes Kacy away.

Li pushes Kacy away again and Kacy with a drop kick and a running clothesline into the corner.  Kacy with a senton leg drop for a near fall.  Kacy comes off the apron with a cross body and Li catches Kacy.  Kacy gets to her feet and Li sends Kacy into the fencing.  Li kicks Kacy in the knee and the referee checks on Kacy.  Li grabs Kacy and pulls her up the steps and into the ring.  The referee stops the match.

Winner:  Xia Li (referee stoppage)

After the match, Carter checks on Kacy and then she tries to go after Mei Ying, but Boa gets between Carter and Mei.  Li attacks Kacy again and she tells Carter that she is next.

— We return to the parking lot and WIlliam Regal is still looking for Santos Escobar.

— We take a look at Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai.  Shayna Baszler says the women’s division is the scraps left over when she left.  Nia says Raquel is a joke.  Raquel tells Nia to wake up.  Dakota says the tag titles are coming to NXT.  Shayna says that Dakota is tough because she has Raquel and Raquel can carry her to the hospital.  Back to commercial.

— We are back and it is time for the third time being the charm for Cameron Grimes.  He tells someone to dribble the ball ten times for $1,000.  The guy asks if it is like the Ted DiBiase thing and Grimes yells at him and says that is what it is. He starts to dribble and Grimes punches him and he says he got one over DiBiase but he drops the money on the ground and walks away.

The Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Killian Dain and Drake Maverick

Killian Dain pulls the Killian Dain shirt off Drake Maverick as he makes his way to the ring.

Zack Gibson wants to break up the dance party and he says Wes Lee has unfortunately broken his hand and James says they have been given a hefty fine.  They were doing it for the WWE Universe.  A few weeks without MSK.  Gibson says the better team lost in the finals of the Dusty Classic.  The team that will have the success is not MSK and it is not Shrek and Donkey.  It is the Grizzled Young Veterans.

The bell rings and Dain with a drop kick and punches to James.  Maverick tags in and he kicks James and Dain with a back senton.  Dain slams Maverick for a near fall.  Maverick with a hammer lock.  Gibson tags in and he clotheslines Maverick.  Gibson gets Maverick on his shoudlers and Dain pulls Maverick off Gibson.  Dain sends James and Gibson over the top rope to the floor.  Dain biels Maverick onto James and Gibson on the floor.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Gibson with a wrist lock and he sends Maverick into the corner.  James tags in and he jumps into knees from Maverick.  Dain tags in and he clotheslines Gibson and James.  Dain with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex to James and then he sends Gibson into James and hits a short arm clothesline on Gibson.  Dain gets James on his shoudlers and he picks up Gibson and hits a Fallaway Slam and Samoan drop combination.  Dain with an accordion slam to James followed by a back senton for a near fall.  Dain with a double suplex.  Maverick tags in and hits a cross body and then he punches James.  Maverick with a drop kick to the knees and temple.  Maverick with a forearm and Gibson tags in and they hit a flatliner and missile drop kick combination for a near fall.

Dain punches James and Gibson sends Dain to the floor but Dain pulls Gibson to the floor.  James with a suicide dive to Dain.  Maverick with a forearm and bulldog to Gbison.  Gibson with an arm wringer to Maverick and James tags in and they hit Ticket to Mayhem for the three count.

Winners:  James Drake and Zack Gibson

During the match, we were told that Io Shirai will face Toni Storm for the NXT Women’s Title in two weeks.

— A vehicle arrives at the Performance Center and Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza emerge and they stand by the vehicle as we go to commercial.

— We are back and Dain is carrying Maverick as Imperium enter in the background. Alexander Wolfe wants to know what this is.  He says Dain used to be a monster.  Dain says they need a doctor for Drake.

Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar (with Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza) in a No Disqualification Match

We see Scarlett making her way to the ring but the action is outside where Kross attacks Escobar and he takes care of Wilde and Mendoza.  Kross punches Escobar against a truke.  Kross with forearms and he tosses Escobar into the back of a truck.  The door on the semi falls onto Kross.  Escobar with a punch.  Escobar is sent into the truck.  Kross hits the truck with a forearm when Escobar moves.  Escobar gets into the cab of the truck but Kross pulls the side mirror off.  Kross gets a pick axe and punctures the door.  Wilde is tossed onto the hood of teh truck and Mendoza is sent into the grill.  Escobar hits Kross with a trash can.

Mendoza and Wilde join Escobar in attacking Kross.  Escobar pushes Kross into the truck.  Escobar does it again.  Escobar tells Wilde and Mendoza to drag Kross into the building.  

Wilde and Mendoza with forearms to Kross. Kross kicks WIlde and then he grabs Wilde and Mendoza and sends them into the plexiglass and fencing and it falls down.  Kross with a thrust to the throat.  Kross with a boot to the head and he gets a near fall.  Escobar tries to escape and Kross follows after him.  Kross sends Mendoza into the fencing.  Escobar hits Kross in the arm with a chair a few times.  Escobar sends Kross’ arm into the ring post and then sends Kross into the ring steps.

Wilde and Mendoza hit Kross with the ring steps while Escobar distracts the referee (why is it necessary in a No DQ match?).  Escobar rolls Kross backl into the ring and he gets a near fall.  Escobar pulls Kross along the top rope and then Wilde drops the arm on the top rope.  Escobar continues to work on the arm.  Escobar with a face buster followed by forearms.  Escobar wtih a drop kick into the corner followed by a baseball slide.  Escobar hits Kross in the arm with the chair.   Escobar puts the arm in the chair and sends the chair into the ring post.  

Escobar kicks Kross and hits a DDT onto the chair.  Escobar gets a near fall.  Escobar sends Kross to the floor and Escobar follows.  Kross with a punch and Mendoza and Wilde attack Kross.  Kross pushes Mendoza away and pushes Wilde into the fencing.  Escobar with a suicide dive onto Kross.  Escobar kicks Kross in the injured arm.  Escobar with an arm bar.  They return to the ring and Escobar with a near fall.  Escobar with an elbow drop to the arm.  Escobar with a running double knee strike in the corner.  Escobar with a suplex and he holds on and rolls through but Kross blocks the suplex.  Kross with an exploder and a forearm to Wilde.  Kross with another exploder to Escobar.  

Escobar runs Kross into the ring steps.  Kross pulls Escobar into the ring post and then into the ring steps.  Kross kicks Mendoza and then Wilde pulls Escobar from the step area to save Escobar.  Kross hits Escobar and sends him into the ring.  Kross with an exploder to Mendoza after catching him off the steps and he power bombs Mendoza into the fencing.  Escobar with a splash in the corner and they fight to the floor and Kross with a Doomsday Saito through the table.  

Kross with another Doomsday Saito and a forearm to the back of the head for the three count.

Winner: Karrion Kross

After the match, Scarlett immediately slides into the ring as Kross recovers and the music hits. Kross stares Escobar down as he clutches his hurt shoulder. We go to replays. Kross and Scarlett pose together as the lights go low.

– We see Adam Cole walking backstage now as the boos start up. Back to commercial.

— We are back with LA Knight.  He says everyone is asking when will he debut.  He says it is his game.  That means when he debuts, it will be on his time and his terms.  It could be next week, the week after, or in three months.  Every one of your favorite stars have a golden ticket to be stomped out by LA Knight.  That is a fact of life.

We are reminded that the Women’s Tag Title Match will be next week.  The NXT Women’s TItle will be defended in two weeks.

Adam Cole makes his way to the ring.

Cole says he had every intention of explaining why I did what I did to Kyle, but after watching that footage, I feel sick to my stomach.  The NXT Championship is very important to me, especially the guys in the Undisputed Era.  He says he does not like the guy he has become.  He was pissed off that Kyle got opportunity after opportunity and continued to fail.  That does not excuse his actions.  After watching that footage, I am ashamed of myself.

Adam tells Kyle,he knows Kyle is at home watching and he wishes they could be having this conversation face to face and man to man, but we can’t.  We can’t because of me.  You know me better than anybody in the world and  you know I hate to admit when I am wrong.  You should be in this ring, but instead I made a stupid, stupid mistake and I feel sorry for it.  

Adam tells Kyle he is so, so sorry and I will do everything in my power to fix it.  If I can’t, I will try.  

Roderick Strong comes out and he asks Adam if he feels bad now.  You didn’t feel bad for the last ten days without telling me what you were going to do.  For what you did to Kyle and what you did to us.  The Undisputed Era was built on trust, love, and brotherhood.  We would do whatever it took to have each other’s back but you shattered that trust.  I need you to look at me and I need you to understand this.  Kyle is going to heal.  When Kyle heals, I don’t know if I can save you from what Kyle is going to do to you.

The music hits to interrupt and out comes NXT Champion Finn Balor. Strong meets him at ringside, apparently to talk, but Balor just shoves him to the side. Balor rushes the ring and brawls with Cole. Strong comes back in and Balor tumbles with him to the floor. Balor unloads on Strong at ringside. Cole runs out and attacks Balor, then lays him out at ringside with a big superkick. Balor is down and out on the floor.

Strong is in the ring now recovering. Cole comes in, it sounds like to possibly apologize, but Strong levels him with a big right hand. Fans chant “Roddy!” now. Cole is down on the mat but he’s apologizing to Strong, saying he doesn’t want this anymore, he wants to go back to how it was, this is all his fault. Strong yells out and asks what is happening. Cole is on his knees now, crying in his hands. Strong kneels down and consoles him, saying he loves Cole and they are brothers. They look at each other in the eyes and hug in the middle of the ring now.

Strong goes to help Cole up but Cole drops him with a low blow. The boos get louder now. Cole tells Strong how stupid he is to his face. Cole snatches Strong’s chain off and says he’s dead to him now. Cole then superkicks Strong while he’s on his knees, laying him out in the middle of the ring. Cole stands over a fallen Strong as NXT goes off the air.