WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from September 7

In the final edition of WWE NXT before a dramatic change, the black-and-gold promised to go out with a bang, presenting a pair of huge tag team title matches.

Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch never lost the NXT Tag Team Championships but were forced to vacate them following the injury of Burch. MSK granted them the rematch they demanded, setting up a huge tag team clash.

Io Shirai and Zoey Stark have been struggling to find chemistry as a team despite falling into a run as NXT women's tag team champions. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter are a well-defined team that felt ready to dethrone them.

Kay Lee Ray called out the entire women's division. Ember Moon was the first to answer. The former NXT women's champion wanted to humble the former NXT UK women's champion.

Carmelo Hayes was crowned as the 2021 NXT breakout star, earning a shot at any championship of his choice. Santos Escobar took offense to Hayes only considering to go after the NXT North American Championship, which he has claimed as his own.

The mysterious Mei Ying has never competed in a ring until this show. The spooky leader of Tian Sha promised to make a statement with a victory.

This show established pure wrestling as the focus, which is common for NXT. The hope was to see this era of NXT end with a great night.

Kay Lee Ray and Ember Moon both leaned toward technical offense early. While The War Goddess countered the former NXT UK women's champion cleanly, Ray leaned in to the damage she inflicted, leaving Moon on the mat early and often.

The War Goddess finally responded, sticking her opponent in a tree of woe and then hitting a spinning side kick. She then sent her opponent hard to the floor, followed by a suicide dive. This set up the Eclipse, but Ray recovered enough to catch her on the top rope.

She sent Moon to the floor with a high snapmare and then a senton bomb for a near-fall. The War Goddess got back to her feet only to get planted with the K-L-R Bomb for the loss.

Moon explained in a backstage interview that she knew what she needed to do to answer this loss.

Result

Ray def. Moon by pinfall.

Grade

A-

Analysis

KLR is one of the best women's wrestlers in the world today. Moon is not all that far behind as she continues to find her stride after returning from a career-threatening injury. This match was everything it needed to be and more.

The War Goddess pushed Ray to be her best. The NXT UK women's champion overwhelmed a former champion and recent challenger without resorting to any underhanded tactics. It was a great way to introduce KLR to a new audience.

When the time is right, Raquel Gonzalez may be facing the woman who can truly dethrone her. This is a match that will be absolutely must-see.

Legado del Fantasma backed up Santos Escobar, leaving Carmelo Hayes massively outnumbered. Luckily, Escobar was overconfident enough to ask that his help stay out of it early. When the NXT Breakout Star of 2021 sent The Emperor of Lucha Libre reeling, he responded with intense aggression.

The former NXT cruiserweight champion continued to take his eye off his opponent. Hayes hit a reverse springboard leg drop into a lifting cutter for an impressive near-fall. Escobar tried to rally with the Phantom Driver, but Hayes reversed it into a double-knee facebreaker.

Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza distracted the referee so that Elektra Lopez could hit Hayes with a bodyslam on the ramp. This allowed Escobar to recover and land the Phantom Driver for the victory.

In a pretaped interview, Hit Row promised to make Legado del Fantasma pay for pulling one last trick on it.

Result

Escobar def. Hayes by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Analysis

The NXT Breakout Star of 2021 continues to impress. While he may not have ideal WWE size, he has dazzled in every other way. He comes off as a star and could have easily beaten Escobar here without anyone being truly shocked.

In the end, The Emperor of Lucha Libre remains the priority. He is just waiting for his NXT North American Championship match against Isaiah "Swerve" Scott. This was a showcase of the title scene around Swerve. It looks very good.

Candice LeRae found whoever she could for Indi Hartwell's bachelorette party, a hodgepodge of NXT women at a local restaurant who barely seemed invested in the moment. LeRae and Hartwell spied on the bachelor party where Dexter Lumis bonded with Johnny Gargano.

Thanks to some extra pushing from Cameron Grimes, Drake Maverick, Odyssey Jones and the zombie referee, the family came together, and Johnny Wrestling turned around on the wedding.

The Creed Brothers destroyed their local competition with ease. Brutus Creed set the stage, followed by Julius Creed, dominating the duo in front of him. Julius ended it with a rolling piledriver into a low running lariat for the win.

Result

Creed Brothers def. local competitors by pinfall.

Grade

C+

Analysis

This was exactly what it needed to be as an opening act for The Creed Brothers. Julius especially impressed with his aggression and fire throughout. The two can bring a very old-school wrestling style to the ring.

The early result was positive, and this should be a special team to watch as long as it is in NXT. The worry is when WWE pulls the trigger to move them to Raw or SmackDown, much like other dominant teams such as The Authors of Pain and Viking Raiders before them.

Io Shirai refused to tag out to Zoey Stark, telling her partner that she did not need her. It worked out for a time as The Genius of the Sky outpaced Kayden Carter, but Kacy Catanzaro combined with Carter took Shirai off her feet.

Stark had to cold tag in just to give Shirai a chance to recover, but Stark then accidentally ran straight into The Genius of the Sky, spearing her out of the corner to the floor. Carter and Catanzaro hit Stark with an elevated top-rope splash, and Shirai had to dive in to save the pin.

Stark responded with a rotation knee strike before tagging in The Genius of the Sky for the Over the Moonsault for the win. After the match, Gigi Dolin, Jacy Jayne and a masked Mandy Rose beat down Carter and Catanzaro.

Result

Shirai and Stark def. Catanzaro and Carter by pinfall to retain the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships.

Grade

B-

Analysis

This was a solid title match that should have been better given the talent. The story told of Shirai refusing to work with Stark slowed the action, but it did not lead to much by the close. This was more of a sequence of fun moves than a genuine great match.

Still, it is difficult for Shirai and Stark to have anything less than a good match. Carter and Catanzaro fought hard, though they looked awkwardly outmatched despite their momentum coming in.

Dolin and Jayne seem to have entered the title scene with Rose giving them a spotlight. God's Greatest Creation is sporting the nose mask for a while but remains a known star who can aid credibility to this fresh pairing.

General manager William Regal announced a Fatal 4-Way to crown the No. 1 contender to the NXT Championship between Kyle O'Reilly, LA Knight, Tommaso Ciampa and Pete Dunne. KOR, Knight and Ciampa all talked about their focus on Samoa Joe.

Robert Stone told Franky Monet he had set up an NXT women's title match for La Wera Loca next week against Raquel Gonzalez.

Mei Ying stepped into the ring and never left her feet. Virginia Ferry caught her with a jawbreaker that barely affected the leader of Tian Sha. Ying ended the match with a Mandible Claw.

Result

Ying def. Ferry by pinfall.

Grade

C

Analysis

Ying wrestled as expected given her established booking. She was completely dominant, working like other top monsters such as The Undertaker or recently Omos. It will take a while for NXT to set up anyone who can challenge her.

Tian Sha hit a snag with the recent injury of Xia Li. The group has felt less effective since that time. Ying is the only one who can truly turn the booking around, selling the group once more as dominant.

While Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch wanted their NXT Tag Team Championships back, Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland reminded them to also deal damage, ending MSK.

Nash Carter sent both heels reeling early, followed by the quick striking of Wes Lee. Lorcan and Burch answered back by grinding down their opponents, battering them into the mat. Lorcan isolated Carter with a chop block, locking in an ankle lock. Burch locked his own crossface on Lee.

Lee sent Lorcan into Burch to help the champions escape. This set up an impressive MSK comeback that ended in a springboard blockbuster/spinebuster combination for the win.

After MSK headed to the back, Dunne ordered Holland to lay out Lorcan and Burch, and the two made their mark on their former allies with devastating efficiency.

Result

MSK def. Lorcan and Burch by pinfall to retain the NXT Tag Team Championships.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Lorcan and Burch have been missed in a wrestling ring. They looked great against MSK, pushing the champions more than most of their competitors have. However, it never felt like the heels could truly get the win.

Earlier in the night, Dunne and Holland clearly separated themselves from Lorcan and Burch, so the turn was telegraphed. It will be interesting to watch what comes of it. Hopefully, the hard-hitting tag team is not forgotten because of their age.

Dunne and Holland can be a dominant duo on their own. This pairing fits better as direct rivals to Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher while adding a unique tag team to a division that could use a few more challengers.