WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from November 8

The November 8 edition of WWE NXT promised a major NXT Women's Tag Team Championships rematch and a confrontation between the NXT champion and his next challenger.

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance managed to overcome Zoey Stark and Nikkita Lyons in their first match on October 25 thanks to a dubious restart. In the rematch, the latter pair hoped to avenge that loss and capture the tag team titles.

Bron Breakker and Von Wagner would join "The Grayson Waller Effect" after the future challenger took out the champion last week. Alba Fyre planned to continue her revenge tour against Toxic Attraction and Mandy Rose by going after Jacy Jayne.

In exciting one-on-one matches, Cameron Grimes would face Joe Gacy one last time, and Axiom would compete with JD McDonagh. Brutus Creed would finally get five minutes with Damon Kemp, while Andre Chase looked for revenge against Charlie Dempsey.

This show promised to be packed as championships were defended and more title matches were set up for the future.

Without friends to help him, Cameron Grimes struggled against Joe Gacy. Ava Raine knocked him off the apron to set up her Schism leader for the handspring clothesline for the win.

This was a perfectly serviceable opener that should put an end to this rivalry. Grimes never had a chance because he refused to ever accept help. This match was driven by that story but had too much interference to be great.

Grimes needs to move on, whether it be to the main roster or in a fresh direction. Meanwhile, Schism look stronger than ever. NXT needs to capitalize on the group's momentum by giving Gacy or The Dyad championship gold.

Result

Gacy def. Grimes by pinfall.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Grimes sent Gacy careening into the other members of Schism and then set up for the Cave-In, but his opponent bailed. Grimes dived into the crowd.
• Carmelo Hayes confidently declared in "The Barbershop" that he would take his NXT North American Championship back because Wes Lee was a paper champion.
• Scrypts interrupted NXT by turning off the lights to announce his coming arrival.
  

Sol Ruca looked good for a moment in this match, but Elektra Lopez dropped her off the top rope and followed up with a powerbomb to win. After the bell, Indi Hartwell attacked her, starting a brawl.

For a match that included two developing women, this was better than expected but still more messy than impactful. Lopez needs to show what she can do in this second NXT run as a singles star if she is going to make the jump to the main roster.

Ruca has potential but has not nearly put it all together. It could take her a year or more before she is a serious in-ring competitor in the women's division.

Result

Lopez def. Ruca by pinfall.

Grade

D+

Notable Moments

• Ruca sent Lopez outside only to get clotheslined onto the floor when she followed.
• Alba Fyre pulled up on Jacy Jayne in a nearby mall and attacked her during a video call with Mandy Rose.
  

Andre Chase looked great against Charlie Dempsey, hitting him with his signature offensive flurry.

However, after Dempsey wrestled Chase to the mat with an arm trap submission, transitioning into a crossface, Duke Hudson threw in the towel for his mentor.

Chase has a fun flurry of offense in the ring that he commits to, but there wasn't much of a match here. Dempsey barely got any offense in, making the finish awkward, as he had not even fully locked in his submission hold.

The angle itself was solid, though. Chase has to continue to question if he can trust Hudson, while Dempsey got a needed victory.

Result

Dempsey def. Chase by ringside submission.

Grade

C

Notable Moments

• In the locker room, Hudson gave Chase a motivational speech before his match.
• Chase opened this match by clotheslining Dempsey to the floor and then slamming him onto the apron.
  

As Tony D'Angelo cheered him on, Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo weathered a late flurry from Hank Walker with a thumb to the eye. He hit a running knee drop to take the victory.

This was a short, fine squash match. Walker is a delightfully simple character. He is an every-man. As long as he keeps learning, he could be a dark horse in NXT down the line.

WWE is trying to build up Stacks, but he hasn't shown a ton of upside yet. Until The Don is ready to get back to wrestling again, The Family will be involved in a short midcard segment most weeks.

Result

Stacks def. Walker by pinfall.

Grade

C-

Notable Moments

• Walker got a second wind as Stacks continued to insult him, throwing around his more seasoned opponent. The crowd went wild.
• Kiana James confronted Fallon Henley in her bar, wanting to buy the building. Henley refused, while Brooks Jensen could not take his eyes off James.
  

The host of "The Grayson Waller Effect" enjoyed antagonizing Bron Breakker, but the NXT champion was far more focused on Von Wagner.

The two big man stood face to face, and Breakker knocked out Mr. Stone for trying to get involved.

This was better than expected. In particular, Wagner showed improvement on the mic. He was the loudest talker in the segment and made a decent impression. He sold his lack of fear.

Breakker vs. Wagner is not an exciting match, but since it will be just a TV bout next week, it should be a solid part of the program. Hopefully, Breakker will get a more interesting rival for NXT Deadline on December 10.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Waller continued to tease his interest in challenging for the NXT Championship.
• In an interview, Wes Lee promised that he would make Carmelo Hayes miss.
• In a Twitter video, Apollo Crews called out Breakker when he returns to the U.S.
  

JD McDonagh twisted the left knee of Axiom until it sounded like it popped. Despite Axiom's refusal to quit, the referee stopped the match.

Afterward, The Necessary Evil warned everyone on the roster to get on his level, including Apollo Crews.

McDonagh and Axiom are fantastic together. The back-and-forth reversals were fantastic. The way Axiom sold his pain made clear that The Necessary Evil was slowly winning this battle.

The finish continues to build up McDonagh as a dangerous man in a way he wasn't before his two NXT Championship matches. The injury did not look truly legitimate, more story-focused, but it was just real enough to sell The Necessary Evil as dangerous.

It is rare that heels can sell the idea that one match with them is career-threatening. If NXT keeps selling this, McDonagh might genuinely make the third time the charm against Bron Breakker and have earned it.

Result

McDonagh def. Axiom by referee stoppage.

Grade

A

Notable Moments

• Backstage, McDonagh made fun of an injured Nathan Frazer in front of Axiom.
• McDonagh sent the steel steps into the left knee of Axiom. After a moonsault outside, Axiom hurt his right knee, too, giving McDonagh targets for his technical attack.
• McDonagh went for a moonsault, but Axiom transitioned him midair into a triangle submission. McDonagh went for his finisher, and Axiom reversed again.
  
• Cora Jade called Wendy Choo friendless in a pre-taped promo.
  

Brutus Creed attacked Damon Kemp as he walked out, getting 30 seconds of extra shots at his rival.

Brutus got his hands on a steel chair and smacked Kemp with it, causing him to be disqualified.

This was exactly what it needed to be. It's rare that babyfaces get to make a heel pay at this level. This was never about a match or a result; it was about Brutus getting his pound of flesh after all that Kemp did to him.

The Creed Brothers can now move on, as can Kemp. Hopefully, WWE has a spot for the heel, who has impressed so far even in losses.

Result

Kemp def. Brutus by disqualification.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

• Brutus knocked Kemp off the apron into the barricade then threw him into the steel steps. Ivy Nile was especially animated while enjoying the carnage.
• After the match was over, Brutus got in an extra shot on Kemp with the chair.
• Sanga and Veer Mahaan appeared on the stage to stare down The Creed Brothers.
• In a vignette, the former T-Bar promised to deal out justice to everyone in NXT.
  

Katana Chance and Kayden Carter had an answer at every stage in this match. After the champions took out Nikkita Lyons, they hit the neckbreaker/450 splash to win.

Afterward, Zoey Stark attacked Lyons, laying her out with a running knee.

This was a fun sprint where the talent delivered as promised. It wasn't perfect, but it was consistently engaging with the right result.

Chance and Carter went for a lot of shots in this match and did not hit them all, but their tenacity made the contest exciting. They continue to innovate and see what will work in the mix and what doesn't.

Stark's heel turn was telegraphed, but that does not stop it from being a good story. She and Lyons have a ready-made feud for the rest of the year and beyond that can help solidify the NXT newcomer by pitting her against a veteran.

Result

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

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

• Throughout the night, Lyons and Stark were shown preparing, selling their confidence and the importance of this main event.
• Lyons caught Chance diving and planted her. Stark hit a half-and-half suplex into a running stomp for a near-fall.
• Lyons and Stark nearly ran into each other and the former took a double superkick for her partner. The champions planted Stark with a DDT to set up the finish.
  
• Backstage, Roxanne Perez questioned why Indi Hartwell was changing. Indi Wrestling told her only bad people get ahead in this business.