WWE NXT Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights After Vengeance Day

WWE NXT delivered a quality night of action in Clarksville, Tennesse with Vengeance Day 2024. The young talent that delivered there would appear on the February 6 edition of NXT for the aftermath.

Why, Carmelo Hayes, why? NXT's most important friendship has fallen apart after Melo cost Trick Williams the NXT Championship and then beat him down. What would he have to say for himself?

Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker completed their men's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic journey by defeating Melo and Trick in the final. They celebrated their victory and future tag team title opportunity.

Lola Vice screwed Roxanne Perez out of her one-on-one NXT Women's Championship opportunity by cashing in her Breakout contract at Vengeance Day. The two continued their brawl in the ring one-on-one.

Riley Osborne hoped to finally shut up Lexis King, while Malik Blade and Edris Enofé needed a rebound win but had to face the exciting duo of Nathan Frazer and Axiom to get it.

Vengeance Day left many unanswered questions, and Tuesday's NXT began answering them.

Carmelo Hayes Stays Silent; Nathan Frazer and Axiom vs. Malik Blade and Edris Enofé

Carmelo Hayes faced the heat of the entire crowd as he opened the show with steel chair in hand.

He changed his mind about speaking, though, saying "Not yet".

Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin arrived to begin the celebration. They called out The Family but got Nathan Frazer and Axiom instead for their opening match.

After a tough fight, Frazer and Axiom won with the Phoenix Splash into the Golden Ratio.

This was a chaotic opening to the night with one teased promo turning into another that transitioned into a tag team bout. The fast-paced action in the ring only kept that tone.

Frazer and Axiom are two of the best in NXT, and they have not missed yet as a tag team. Edris Enofé and Malik Blade kept up and looked better than they ever have.

All four men were working so hard that they were rolling through the picture-in-picture and pulled out a performance that could have stolen the show at Vengeance Day.

This was a match that could set the foundation for the tag team division going forward. Both teams need to be in the conversation alongside The Wolf Dogs for future title shots. Frazer and Axiom are especially ready for a regular spotlight.

Result

Frazer and Axiom def. Enofé and Blade by pinfall.

Grade

A

Notable Moments

• Byron Saxton joined Vic Joseph on commentary.
  
• After the Melo cold open, NXT showed a vignette recapping Vengeance Day, ending with the brutal beatdown of Trick Williams.
• Breakker convinced Alicia Taylor to celebrate the winners, ending it with an emphatic "Wolf Dogs!" from the announcer much to Corbin's chagrin.
• Corbin made fun of Breakker's face injury due to a rope bump at Vengeance Day. The crowd chanted "he's still handsome."
• The Family arrived after the match and accepted the challenge of The Wolf Dogs for next week.
  

Dijak Calls His Shot Against Ilja Dragunov

Ilja Dragunov headed straight to the ring, calling out Carmelo Hayes. Instead, Dijak arrived.

The Mad Dragon was not interested until Hard Justice took the first shot. Officials broke up the brawl.

It was announced later that Dijak and Dragunov would fight one-on-one in the main event.

The only angle for Dragunov that could rival the drama of Melo and Trick Williams is returning to his rivalry with Dijak. The two had one of NXT's best matches of 2023 and picked up right where they left off.

This could have been a smart way to distract Dragunov from the Melo-Trick drama, but it turned out to be a temporary move.

It will take more work to sell Dijak as a true challenge to Dragunov in the near future. This could have pushed Hard Justice into the main event scene, but he needs more than a single win over Joe Gacy to gain credibility again.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• The Mad Dragon told Trick that he would have been a worthy champion, but Dragunov was not ready to lose his title.
  
• Dijak was not happy with the crowd that booed through his promo.
• Dragunov warned that Dijak would suffer like he has never suffered before in an eventual rematch.
  

Lexis King vs. Riley Osborne (w/ Chase U)

Riley Osborne was rolling until he noticed Thea Hail was not in the crowd, which distracted him long enough for a superkick and the Coronation, giving Lexis King the win.

There was just about nothing to this match. It was built over two months, yet the two got four minutes and never really got out of first gear.

King has not impressed yet in NXT. With more spotlight, he has struggled to make an impact. His offense lacks flash, and he isn't a fluid enough technical performer to make up for it.

Osborne is still struggling to sell himself as a unique star. On the same roster as Nathan Frazer and Axiom, he just looks slow in comparison. His romance with Hail has been cute so far, though.

Result

King def. Osborne by pinfall.

Grade

D

Notable Moments

• Jayne warned Hail to back off from Osborne to still seem "hard to get," This led to her staying in the back for the match.
• Afterward, Osborne questioned Hail about missing his match, but they refocused on their Valentine's date next week. Jayne promised to give Hail the tips she needed.
  

Carmelo Hayes Explains His Actions

Carmelo Hayes finally decided the time was right to talk, and he headed back to the ring with a single spotlight on his back.

He told Trick Williams that he was always the hype man and never the front man, and he believed too much in the fan hype.

The heat of the crowd combined with a strong promo from Melo to create a powerful moment on the back of his unforgettable turn. The presentation showed who The A Champion will be as a heel going forward.

For a few small criticisms: The explanation ran a little long and some of the lines fell into a familiar WWE cliches.

Still, this remains clearly NXT's top angle, and it may be difficult to keep these two from coming to blows before Stand & Deliver.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

• The crowd did not let Melo speak in silence at any point in this promo.
• Melo admitted to attacking Trick in October.

• Hayes pulled the classic heel trick of playing Trick's music before telling everyone he was in the hospital with Booker T.
• Kelani Jordan talked about her rise to success. Kiana James and Izzi Dame made fun of her and bullied Kelani's friend, Brinley Reece, in the locker room.

Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice

Lola Vice took over the action and battered Roxanne Perez, nearly taking the win off a spinning back fist.

However, Tatum Paxley distracted Vice by trying to cash in the women's Breakout tournament to join the match, allowing The Prodigy to hit Pop Rox to win.

This was the biggest test to date for Vice, and she made an impression. While she didn't showcase much new in her arsenal, she guided the action while never losing her conditioning in a longer bout.

The next step for her is focusing on what she does best. She should lean into the striking game rather than using generic headlocks to slow the action. If she can find that balance, she should be back in title contention soon.

Perez needed this rebound victory that should lead her back to challenging Lyra Valkyria. She remains one of NXT's best performers and has figured out her character work as well.

Paxley's involvement was confusing but likely makes complete sense in her continued efforts to support "her champion."

Result

Perez def. Vice by pinfall.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• The crowd was relatively split in this match, clearly enjoying Vice despite also supporting Perez.
• Vice countered the Downward Spiral and knocked out The Prodigy with a hip attack. This allowed her to take over a long stretch of this match.
  

Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson vs. Fallon Henley and Wren Sinclair

Meta-Four targeted newcomer Wren Sinclair throughout this match.

While Fallon Henley looked dominant when she got her opportunities, Sinclair still fell to Lash Legend's powerbomb.

This bout fell into a familiar formula as the underdog Sinclair was isolated for most of it. Neither team has clear team chemistry yet, especially Legend and Jakara Jackson, whose offense is too plain.

However, Legend does seem to be starting to put it together. Her offense is getting tighter, and she looks confident in action in a way she did not last year.

As she gains confidence and Jackson finds her footing, they need to expand their tag team offense if they plan to work together for the long term. They could be a major asset to the women's tag team division.

Sinclair comes into with WWE with immediate in-ring experience from her time before WWE. However, her character is not clicking yet. Henley deserves more than this after nearly breaking out in late 2023.

Result

Legend and Jackson def. Sinclair and Henley by pinfall.

Grade

C

Notable Moments

• Mr. Stone's kids convinced their dad to team up with Von Wagner.
• Noam Dar and Oro Mensah accepted the match. No Quarter Catch Crew challenged the Scot to put his Heritage Cup on the line, but he was not interested.
• Legend and Henley had a tug of war over Jackson that led to Henley going throat-first into the second rope.
• In the locker room, Josh Briggs gave Brooks Jensen a reality check, telling him to stop whining and start fighting for his spot.

• Jaida Parker convinced NXT general manager Ava to give her a shot at Adrianna RIzzo next week. Ridge Holland also got his shot at Gallus.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak

Dijak picked up where he left off earlier in the night, battering Ilja Dragunov with punches and kicks to the face.

However, Joe Gacy ruined it for Hard Justice, hitting him with a boxing glove to set up the H-Bomb for the victory.

Afterward, Carmelo Hayes caught Dragunov with a chop block and stood over the NXT champion with his gold.

While NXT could have afforded to wait and hype this one, it was unsurprisingly fantastic. These two went all-out to sell a match that felt like it was for the NXT title.

Few men on the gold brand have more chemistry than Dijak and Dragunov. They are also two of the best wrestlers on the roster, so this was an absolute knockout, especially as a TV match without serious build.

It seems like NXT is building to a Triple Threat at Stand & Deliver, which may be the safest approach to keep the NXT Championship picture at the center of the company. But it does delay the inevitable Melo vs. Trick battle that we all need to see.

The A Champion was the star of the night, opening and closing the show. With two months before Stand & Deliver on April 6, NXT needs to be careful to not do too much with him too quickly.

Result

Dragunov def. Dijak by pinfall.

Grade

A

Notable Moments

• After the hard fist in the earlier promo, Dragunov sold his nose as if it was broken for much of the match.
• Dragunov caught the knee of Dijak on a Feast Your Eyes attempt. They began trading strikes that ended with a brutal big boot to The Mad Dragon.
• "Thank you, Ava" chants started near the end of this brutal battle.
• Dijak hit an impressive springboard elbow drop but could not get the pin due to the elbow injury he suffered at Vengeance Day.
  

Overall Show

NXT kept the momentum going from Vengeance Day with an exciting night that opened and closed with battles that would have made an impact even on a premium live event.

Nathan Frazer and Axiom vs. Malik Blade and Edris Enofé was one of the best tag team matches produced on the gold brand in months.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak went right back to what makes them special together. It was hard-hitting, brutally physical and constantly enthralling.

However, no single man made a bigger impact than Carmelo Hayes. His promo on Trick will be replayed countless times in coming weeks, and he set his sights right back on the NXT Championship.

NXT has not had an angle this hot in years, perhaps even before NXT 2.0 began. That makes shows like this feel special.

Unfortunately, the rest of the night was just so-so action. Roxanne Perez brought out Lola Vice's best while also showing she has more to learn.

Fallon Henley is stuck in star-building mode when she should be after the NXT Women's Championship, and Lexis King and Riley Osborne did not live up to the hype around both men.

Still, the central focus of the episode was on point, making this one of the best shows NXT has produced in a while.

Overall Grade: B+