WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 9, 2014

The fallout from NXT Takeover II continued to be felt across the WWE Universe this week as a determined Sami Zayn, looking to put himself back into NXT Championship contention, squared off with Titus O'Neil in the main event.

The no-nonsense half of Slater Gator was all business, as he, too, attempted to catapult into the title picture. With a huge, clean pinfall win over Zayn, he may very well have done just that.

Speaking of NXT stars marching their way to championship glory, Sasha Banks continued to stake her claim to a future women's title shot with a win over Becky Lynch. The fiery redhead was game, but the combination of the Backstabber and the Bank Statement from the Boss of NXT spelled her demise.

The Vaudevillains also potentially earned a title opportunity by knocking off Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady in tag team action. Tyler Breeze continued to show a meaner, nastier side by defeating Mojo Rawley in short order, and The Ascension made their rivalry with Hideo Itami that much more intensely personal by attacking his mentor and friend, Funaki.

What worked, what didn't and how will it affect NXT going forward?

Find out for yourself with this week's grades, highlights, analysis and results!

Mojo Rawley vs. Tyler Breeze

Credit: WWE.com

Just weeks after a brutal post-match attack of Mojo Rawley, Tyler Breeze stepped inside the squared circle with the most hyped star in NXT for a huge singles showdown. As it turned out, Prince Pretty was too much for the former collegiate football star to handle.

Breeze irritated Rawley seconds into the match, delivering two straight jabs and then posing on the top turnbuckle. Prince Pretty targeted the injured shoulder of his opponent, trapping him in an armbar and forcing the official to call for the bell to prevent further injury.

Result

Tyler Breeze defeated Mojo Rawley via referee's decision.

Highlights and Quotes

"Mojo's been knocked down before, and you don't get to where he is without learning to pick yourself up." - Jason Albert

"It seems like he's a little bit unhinged." - Breeze

Grade

A++++++

Analysis

There is something so rewarding about watching a guy as untalented as Mojo Rawley get absolutely demolished by a pretty boy model type in Breeze, who is not only a superior wrestler but has much more to offer NXT than Rawley does.

Consider the Mojo experiment dead on arrival at this point. And that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Keep an eye on Breeze's demeanor in the weeks to come as Renee Young was very adamant that it felt like Breeze was losing it—like he was becoming unhinged and a bit unstable. 

Hideo Itami vs. Viktor

From the moment he debuted back at NXT Takeover II, Hideo Itami has been the target of The Ascension's fury. Unfortunately for Konnor and Viktor, he has not proved to be as conquerable as the other stars the former tag team champions have competed against.

Last week, Itami was slated to square off with Viktor but found himself on the receiving end of a two-on-one beatdown. This week, he would get a second chance at Viktor in singles competition. With former WWE cruiserweight champion Funaki vowing to watch his back, would Itami be able to right the wrong from last week?

The action started fast and furiously with each Superstar throwing strikes to start.

Viktor controlled the majority of the early action, using his power advantage to wear down his smaller opponent. Itami, though, withstood the onslaught and mounted a comeback. Suddenly, Konnor appeared at the top of the ramp, manhandling Funaki.

A running dropkick won the match for Itami, but he was once again beaten down and punished by the former tag team champions.

Funaki tried to rescue his friend and fellow countryman, but he wound up victimized courtesy of the Fall of Man. 

Result

Hideo Itami defeated Viktor by pinfall.

Highlights and Quotes

"We have to assume he has even more in his back pocket that we'll see in the near future." - Renee Young, alluding to Itami's impressive move set

"He has such fury behind every kick he throws." - Jason Albert on Itami's educated feet

Grade

B+

Analysis

The storytelling was extremely well-done, with Itami overcoming a distraction by Konnor to win the match, only to be brutally beaten and forced to watch as friend Funaki suffered the same fate. It was a great angle that, with a hotter crowd, would have been outstanding.

Unfortunately, the crowd was dead for the entire match, something that can be chalked up to the long TV taping they had sat through by the time this week's broadcast was presented.

A new set of tapings and a hotter crowd will benefit the entire show, not just the Itami vs. Ascension story.

Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. the Vaudevillains

Credit: WWE.com

Two of wrestling's most popular and entertaining tag teams squared off in an attempt to determine top contenders to the NXT Tag Team Championships held by the Lucha Dragons.

Aiden English and Simon Gotch isolated Enzo Amore early and wore the much smaller opponent down. A hot tag to Colin Cassady should have been just what the babyfaces needed to pick up a win, but a tag into Amore, followed by English's dumping of Big Cass off the apron, ended the night on a sour note for the incredibly over babyfaces.

English delivered That's A Wrap for the win.

Result

The Vaudevillains defeated Enzo Amore via pinfall.

Highlights and Quotes

"You know what I love about the Vaudevillains? They're gentlemen. There are not enough gentlemen in the world today." - Renee Young

"My name is Enzo Amore, a.k.a. Smacktalker Skywalker, and I got a microphone lightsaber for a hater." - Amore

"Flexing like you're Arnold. More like Hey Arnold! because you two should have never stepped off the stoop!" - Big Cass, winning life with the classic Nicktoon reference

"You know what I like about Enzo? He comes to the ring in Jordans. I respect that." - Young

Grade

C+

Analysis

The match was OK, at best, but it is kind of hard to surpass that level of quality with the short amount of time given to the competitors.

Both teams are insanely over, though, and delivered the hottest match of the evening. The Vaudevillains are clearly being built to be the first challengers to Sin Cara and Kalisto's tag titles, while it remains uncertain what management has in store for Amore and Cassady. 

The duo is above a feud with Sylvester Lefort and Marcus Louis and should be mixing it up with the gold on the line. Unfortunately, they seem to lose to anyone not named the Legionnaires. That they remain as over as they do despite sloppy booking is a testament to the entertainment value of both Amore and Big Cass.

Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks has been on a quest to prove herself the baddest woman in NXT, not to mention earn a shot at the Women's Championship. This week, she squared off with Becky Lynch. 

Lynch overwhelmed Banks early, but a mistake created an opening for Banks to exploit. She wore down her opponent, targeting the back of Lynch in an attempt to take away her core. She dug her knee in the spine of the relative newcomer.

The fiery redhead fought back, firing away with hard rights and a dropkick before her comeback was cut off with a stiff clothesline.

Banks continued her winning ways, delivering the backstabber/crossface that she refers to as the Bank Statement.

Result

Sasha Banks defeated Becky Lynch via submission.

Highlights and Quotes

"Here's the thing; I want to be a professional out here and everything, but Becky Lynch looks hot!" - Renee Young

"That was ratchet!" - The NXT Universe in response to Bank's open-hand, slap-based offense

Grade

B

Analysis

Sasha Banks has been positioned as the lead villainess on the NXT roster ever since she attacked Bayley after the women's title match back at Takeover II. Since then, she has been building momentum and appears poised to enter the title fray in the very near future. A win over Becky Lynch reminded fans of her considerable skill, including a vicious and dangerous finisher now known as the Bank Statement. 

Sami Zayn vs. Titus O'Neil

On last week's show, Titus O'Neil sat ringside for the NXT Championship match between Adrian Neville and Tyson Kidd. His cheap-shot clothesline easily could have cost Neville his title, but an explosive Helluvah Kick from out of nowhere took O'Neil out of the equation and, at the same time, infuriated the former Florida Gator. This week on NXT, he had his opportunity to gain a measure of revenge against the former El Generico.

O'Neil utilized his power advantage to wear down Zayn, much to dismay of the NXT Universe. Zayn fired back, mounting a comeback that saw him deliver the Helluvah Kick but fall to a vicious clothesline. Moments later, the popular babyface was crotched on the top rope, and O'Neil delivered a version of D'Lo Brown's old Sky High finisher for the win.

Result

Titus O'Neil pinned Sami Zayn.

Highlights and Quotes

"Some of the best matches in NXT history come from Sami Zayn." - Renee Young

"It's not very hard to outsmart Titus. Gotta be honest." - Jason Albert

Grade

B

Analysis

The match between Sami Zayn and Titus O'Neil was somewhat disappointing. Fans of O'Neil have seen great promise in the big man in some of his higher-profile work on Raw and SmackDown, including a series of matches against Sheamus, but they watched as he and Zayn never really got on the same page. As a result, the contest was underwhelming, especially when one takes into account the Canadian ginger's resume of outstanding NXT matches, as Renee Young alluded to on commentary.

O'Neil's victory keeps him in the thick of the title picture, while Zayn features another setback on his journey to gold. As long as WWE has a plan with Zayn and ultimately pays off his story with a title victory, all will be fine. Failure to do so would result in irreparable damage.