WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from December 13

NXT Deadline was a big night for WWE NXT on Saturday, when new champions were crowned and the first Iron Survivors were determined. The December 13 edition of NXT would feature those winners and some grudge matches.

The New Day pulled off an impressive victory over Pretty Deadly to capture the NXT Tag Team Championships at the pay-per-view. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were on the show this week, ready for all challengers.

Grayson Waller and Roxanne Perez won the men's and women's Iron Survivor Challenges, respectively, to become the No. 1 contenders to the NXT Championship and NXT Women's Championship. They were certain to put Bron Breakker and Mandy Rose on notice this week.

Toxic Attraction looked to earn a shot at the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships by first putting down their competition, Ivy Nile and Tatum Paxley. And Odyssey Jones hoped to shut up Von Wagner in a match.

Lyra Valkyria would make her NXT debut, while Damon Kemp would also be in action as Drew Gulak watched closely.

Tuesday's show needed to reset the brand as it looks forward to 2023.

Grayson Waller interrupted Roxanne Perez, who wanted to open the show.

Bron Breakker arrived to run off Waller before Mandy Rose struck her challenger with the NXT Women's Championship belt. Perez then challenged the holder to put her title on the line on the night.

This was an action-packed opening segment, riding the high from NXT Deadline. Both Perez vs. Rose and Breakker vs. Waller got a jump-start, and it looked like this would lead into a mixed tag team match.

Instead, it led to a shocking title match announcement that completely changed the complexion of this show. The women's championship match gave a limited card an exciting hook.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

• Waller arrived in a yellow Hummer with an annoying horn and ignored Perez.

This match started early as Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo attacked Wes Lee backstage.

Lee fought back from the early disadvantage to win with a handspring kick.

Dijak stood on the apron as Tony D'Angelo planted the NXT North American champion with a clothesline to the back of the head.

This was a solid match helped by the hot start. Stacks looked strong until Lee made his comeback. Lorenzo did a good job of carrying the first half of this match.

Lee was always going to win, but his two future challengers continue to trouble him. After missing NXT Deadline, the NXT North American champion needs a larger spotlight for New Year's Evil on January 10.

Result

Lee def. Stacks by pinfall.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Stacks trapped Lee in a single-leg Boston crab for over a minute. When Lee escaped, Lorenzo caught him with a backbreaker for a near-fall.
• D'Angelo was a loud and angry coach at ringside.

Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne went after Ivy Nile and Tatum Paxley with side-by-side superkicks to open the contest.

The brawl moved outside where Katana Chance and Kayden Carter got involved, attacking Toxic Attraction. This caused a disqualification, but the fighting continued.

This bout started strong and quickly descended into chaos. Hopefully, these teams get a real match down the line, but this makes sense to set up a likely Triple Threat title contest in the near future.

NXT needs to use the women's tag team division more. The champions are good, and they have two solid challengers coming up.

If the brand can build more teams, the division as a whole can thrive.

Result

Toxic Attraction def. Nile and Paxley by disqualification.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Dolin and Jayne looked like a tag team more than ever, matching their gear well.
• Trick Williams questioned why Carmelo Hayes was letting Axiom make fun of him, pushing him toward challenging The Superhero. Axiom gladly accepted the match.
  

After Edris Enofé and Mr. Stone got into it at ringside, Malik Blade caught Von Wagner with a dropkick from behind the referee. Odyssey Jones took advantage and hit a running crossbody to win.

Wagner got squashed. While there was interference, it should not have been enough for a recent NXT Championship contender to lose in under three minutes. It is likely his run is coming to an end, so he is going out putting over other talent.

If so, Jones got a solid boost with a dominant win. Once he is back to his best physically, he could be an interesting title contender in NXT.

On the main roster, WWE will need to do a much better job developing Wagner. He is a decent performer but needs booking that makes him more interesting.

Result

Jones def. Wagner by pinfall.

Grade

D

Notable Moments

• Jones and Wagner started out managing strength for strength, but the former's speed was too much, allowing him to hit a running shoulder to the knee to take down his rival.
  

Javier Bernal tried to be the smarter competitor against Ikemen Jiro, but he still got caught with a Frankensteiner into a running kick that sealed the victory.

Afterward, Scrypts attacked Jiro and laid him out with a 360 diving senton.

For a sprint the length of a squash match, this was fun work from both men. Bernal and Jiro have chemistry, and it was clear that The Jacket Man was working hard to make the most of his TV time.

Scrypts vs. Jiro is not all that interesting on paper, but both should work hard to put on an exciting performance.

Hopefully, this match will be better at establishing Scrypts in NXT.

Result

Jiro def. Bernal by pinfall.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Before his match, Bernal tried to figure out the name of his fanbase with McKenzie Mitchell, who was not interested.
• Bernal teased throwing Jiro over the announce table but instead hurled him into the ring. As he gloated, his opponent caught him with a somersault heel kick to the floor.
• Highlights were shown from Nikkita Lyons' TikTok celebrating Roxanne Perez's win. Zoey Stark challenged Lyons to meet her in the ring.
  
• Wendy Choo talked about why she still had a problem with Cora Jade.
  

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods celebrated a history-making night at NXT Deadline, but Pretty Deadly demanded a rematch.

The New Day said they would give a title shot to the British team if they recited the Pledge of Allegiance. But Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen ran out with the U.S. flag and said the verse to earn a title shot instead.

This was a solid segment carried by the charisma of the wrestlers. Elton Prince and Kit Wilson have an inexplicable chemistry with The New Day that makes every interaction sing.

NXT would be smart to delay their rematch for a major stage, so it is smart to have other tag teams jump them for the moment.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Backstage, Briggs and Jensen tried to convince Fallon Henley that things would turn around after she said her father was struggling with paying for the bar.
  
• Booker T was upset on commentary when Woods announced that Kingston broke his record for the most tag team title reigns in WWE history.
• Pretty Deadly walked out wearing tassels and sparkly pants.
• Later in the night, Kiana James gave Jensen a dress shirt that fit while paying close attention to him explaining Henley's family financial woes.
  

Brutus Creed started strong against JD McDonagh, but The Necessary Evil found his opening to wear down his opponent.

After Indus Sher stopped him from using a steel chair on Brutus, McDonagh won in the ring with The Devil Inside,.

This was another classic victim of NXT's average match length. Brutus and McDonagh could have done more together, but there was only so much time the brand was willing to give them.

This did help solidify McDonagh as a threat, given the way he put away Brutus, but there is a story between these two that was left tantalizingly unfinished.

Result

McDonagh def. Brutus by pinfall.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• In the trainer's room, McDonagh got cleared and then made fun of The Creed Brothers.
• Brutus accidentally slammed his left hand on the announce table, giving The Necessary Evil a clear target for a technical attack on the forearm.
  

Amari Miller challenged Lyra Valkyria early on, but she could not keep up the pace of The Norse Angel.

Valkyria put her opponent away with a diving senton.

After weeks of buildup, this was a fine but forgettable debut. Valkyria could have looked more dominant, and it would have been nice to see more of what makes her a unique performer in the ring.

Instead, it was a simple introduction. The rest will have to come with time. She will need opponents to challenge her before her upside as a performer is clear.

Result

Valkyria def. Miller by pinfall.

Grade

C-

Notable Moments

• Valkyria has an interesting entrance, but NXT must drop the CGI rain filter.
• Elektra Lopez mocked Indi Hartwell backstage, leading to them brawling.
• Isla Dawn warned Alba Fyre that she would bring something special for Winter Solstice next week.

Damon Kemp took advantage of Duke Hudson's hesitance early in the match.

However, once Hudson felt the Chase U crowd behind him, he rallied and ended the contest with a running big boot.

It's a shame to see Kemp already getting squashed after he built solid heat off his feud with The Creed Brothers. He has been treated an afterthought since then, but it could be NXT stalling for a story with Drew Gulak.

Hudson's tale has reached an interesting turning point. He feels like he has truly become a part of Chase U. Andre Chase seems poised to make him a teacher.

This could be the moment when Hudson pulls off a grand scheme or becomes a full-on top babyface.

Result

Hudson def. Kemp by pinfall.

Grade

C

Notable Moments

• Chase caught Gulak recruiting Hudson, but Hudson made clear to Chase and Thea Hail that he was still Chase U after The Professor apologized to him.
• Gulak was sent to the back by Chase when he tried to watch this closely.

Mandy Rose had complete control through much of this action, but Roxanne Perez stayed in the fight.

Finally, she planted the NXT women's champion with Pop Rox to take the win and the title.

This was a long time coming, and Perez has earned it. It is a shame that it felt a little rushed, but it's likely Rose and Perez will have a bigger match at New Year's Evil. This was all about the big win and showcasing the new champion's heart.

The right woman dethroned Rose, establishing her as the future of the business. She is the best person to carry the division going into the new year, and she has plenty of interesting challengers, from Cora Jade and Zoey Stark to Meiko Satomura and Isla Dawn.

Rose's reign may have gone too long, but she did bring a level of consistency to the brand during a rough period. NXT is ready to move on from her, and she is ready to head back to the main roster.

Result

Perez def. Rose by pinfall to become the new NXT women's champion.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Perez sent Rose shoulder-first into the post and then wiped her out with a suicide dive.
• The crowd throughout the night was chanting Rok-C, her pre-WWE name.
• Rose flipped Perez into a LaBell Lock for a near tapout. When Perez fought out, the champion hit the Kissed by a Rose for a near-fall.
  
• Rose's reign ended at 413 days, just three days short of Shayna Baszler's NXT record.