WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 30, 2014

Sami Zayn's road to redemption continued this week as NXT hit the WWE Network airwaves!

Challenged by Titus O'Neil to a main event match, the man formerly known as El Generico was faced with a scenario where he either would continue his winning ways or suffer a crippling setback on his road to the NXT title. Was he unable to overcome the man who so physically dominated him just weeks earlier, or was he able to catch the big man off guard and score a monumental victory?

With the Lucha Dragons looking for new No. 1 contenders, a Battle Royal featuring five top teams in NXT kicked off Thursday evening's show. With former champions The Ascension proving to be the favorites, would Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady or The Vaudevillains be able to upset Konnor and Viktor?

Carmella wrestled her second match, squaring off with main-roster Diva Emma. Beating Leva Bates ("Blue Pants") is one thing, but squaring off against an established Diva who has worked with some of the top women in the industry is another.

While the show was largely a placeholder for bigger and better shows to come, it was still another solid hour of wrestling from WWE's most consistent program.

Who walked away victorious and which match scored the highest grade on this week's broadcast?

Find out now!

Tag Team No. 1 Contenders' Battle Royal

The opening match of this week's show featured the teams of Jason Jordan and Tye Dillinger, Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake, Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, The Vaudevillains and The Ascension battling for the right to challenge Sin Cara and Kalisto for the NXT Tag Team Championships.

Action unfolded like any other mediocre Battle Royal, at least early. The teams of Blake and Murphy and Dillinger and Jordan eliminated each other while The Vaudevillains caught a breather at ringside. The Ascension paired off with Amore and Cassady, who were unceremoniously eliminated.

Japanese sensation Hideo Itami appeared, distracting Konnor and Viktor and allowing Simon Gotch and Aiden English of the Vaudevillains to sneak up from behind and dump them, scoring a huge upset victory in the process.

After the match, the Ascension got a measure of revenge on Itami, leaving him lying following the Fall of Man.

Result

The Vaudevillains won to become new No. 1 contenders.

Highlights and Quotes

"How slighted do you think they feel even having to be in this Battle Royal?" - Jason Albert on The Ascension

"Itami is no idiot. He knows exactly what he's doing in NXT." - Renee Young

"We'll send you back to Japan ourselves...in a box." - Konnor to Itami

Grade

B-

Analysis

As a match, the Battle Royal was fairly subpar. It was a whole lot of punching and kicking with little in the way of style or substance. As an angle, however, it worked on several fronts. First, new top contenders to the tag titles were established. Secondly, it continued the feud between Itami and The Ascension.

Simon Gotch and Aiden English have been en route to a tag title shot for weeks now, and Thursday's match only served as their coronation as top contenders.

What The Ascension's assault on Itami did was drive the international star to find assistance. Next week, he and a partner will square off with Konnor and Viktor in the latest chapter of their rivalry.

Emma vs. Carmella

In just her second professional match, Carmella squared off with main-roster WWE Diva Emma.

Determined to prove herself as the hottest new breakout star in NXT, she surprisingly controlled the match against her more experienced opponent, using her legs to wear Emma down. Unfortunately, things did not come as easily as she would have liked, as Emma mounted a comeback and nearly scored a victory.

Thankfully, for Carmella at least, she was able to trap her opponent in a head scissors and scored the submission victory.

Result

Carmella defeated Emma by submission.

Highlights and Quotes

"Badda bing, hottest chick in the ring." - Carmella

"I don't think Carmella is lacking confidence in any realm of having confidence." - Renee Young

"The queen of Staten Island is having quite the performance in NXT." -J ason Albert

Grade

B

Analysis

A very strong performance from Carmella, who neither looked nervous nor inexperienced in her first real match of any length. She was excellent, gelling well with Emma, who was completely unselfish and gave a great deal to make her rookie opponent look as polished as possible.

Carmella is just what the NXT Divas division needs, especially given the stale nature of some of the matches. While she has a ways to go before she resembles the quality of performer that Bayley, Sasha Banks or Charlotte are, working with them will help her get there quicker.

Justin Gabriel vs. Bull Dempsey

Credit: WWE.com

"The Capetown Werewolf" Justin Gabriel made his return to NXT, squaring off against old-school brawler Bull Dempsey.

He turned in a strong performance, giving Dempsey his toughest match to date by countering the big man's power and high-impact offense with speed and agility.

In the end, however, he was run over by Bull and finished off with the diving headbutt.

Result

Bull Dempsey pinned Justin Gabriel.

Highlights and Quotes

"I'm going to venture to say Bull Dempsey has knocked out many a man like Justin Gabriel." - Jason Albert

"Wow! That's like running into a '67 Chevy. That's old school." - Albert

Grade

C

Analysis

Bull Dempsey is a guy who just is not clicking with the crowd in NXT, and if he isn't getting over there, the likelihood of him doing anything of note on the main roster is almost nonexistent.

He moves well for a guy of his size, but his character is so basic and so nondescript that the fans simply does not care. And how could they? He is as generic a Superstar as any to come through WWE in quite some time.

Baron Corbin vs. Tony Briggs

Credit: WWE.com

"The Lone Wolf" Baron Corbin rode into NXT and rolled right over enhancement talent Tony Briggs, who never stood a chance against the surging breakout star.

End of Days finished Briggs, much to the delight of the NXT Universe, which appears to be more behind Corbin than any of the other big men the company has tried to push as the future face of the brand.

Result

Baron Corbin pinned Tony Briggs.

Highlights and Quotes

"If you blink, you might miss it." - Jason Albert

"No one's even had a conversation with Baron Corbin." - Renee Young, playing up the elusive nature of the Superstar

The crowd counting off the seconds it took Corbin to demolish his opponent was a nice touch.

Grade

A

Analysis

Corbin could literally run over opponents in mere seconds for the next year and still be as over as he is right now. Do you know why? Because he has personality, because he has a quiet charisma about him that fans gravitate toward. They want to see him beat guys up, much in the same way they wanted to see Goldberg dismantle his opponents.

Corbin is money, if Triple H can protect him from the stupidity that is WWE Creative.

Marcus Louis vs. Sylvester Lefort

Credit: WWE.com

At NXT Takeover, Sylvester Lefort left tag team partner Marcus Louis high and dry, leading to him being covered in the hair cream that rendered him bald from his head to his eye brows. In the weeks that followed, he was repeatedly humiliated and left to be beaten by their opponents.

Thursday night, The Legionnaires exploded as Louis and Lefort squared off in singles competition.

Unfortunately for Lefort, the only one being beaten was him.

"You did this to me!" Louis exclaimed before dropping his opponent and former partner on his back with a uranage suplex. It was all the maniacal Frenchman would need to put the significantly hairier wrestler away.

Result

Marcus Louis pinned Sylvester Lefort.

Highlights and Quotes

"Waving that freak flag!" - Renee Young on Marcus Louis

"He left his best friend out to dry." - Jason Albert on Sylvester Lefort

"Look at that face. It makes me not feel well." - Young

Grade

D

Analysis

Neither Lefort nor Louis is particularly good, so the match was nothing special. At least the team is split and Louis is allowed to go on, grow as a performer and accomplish things on his own without the less-than stellar Lefort holding him back.

Speaking of Lefort, perhaps it is time for him to move back into the role of manager.

Sami Zayn vs. Titus O'Neil

The biggest, both literally and figuratively, of the roadblocks on Sami Zayn's quest for redemption presented itself in the form of Titus O'Neil in this week's main event.

The former Florida Gator football player utilized his considerable size and strength advantage to wear down Zayn, using high-impact blows to drive the wind from Zayn and keep him grounded, where he could work over him in hopes of scoring a second consecutive win over the former Indy darling.

Zayn, proving to be alert at all times, caught a charging O'Neil and delivered a vicious exploder suplex. From there, he delivered the Helluva Kick and scored the huge pinfall victory.

His time to celebrate was cut short, however, as Tyler Breeze appeared. He challenged Zayn to a match next week to prove once and for all who the rightful top contender to the NXT Championship really is.

Result

Sami Zayn pinned Titus O'Neil.

Highlights and Quotes

"I've been Sami Zayn's biggest critic. I've said I don't think he can win the big one, but I've been at the Performance Center and I've seen a different Sami Zayn." - Jason Albert

"Titus O'Neil may be the toughest WWE Superstar he's fought yet." - Albert, apparently forgetting Zayn's matches with Cesaro

"Do you think you get a title shot because you beat a few uggos like Titus and Tyson?" - Tyler Breeze

Grade

B+

Analysis

The match was very one-sided, as O'Neil pummeled Zayn and mocked him at every turn. Zayn, however, showed great resiliency, as he needed only two maneuvers to catch the stunned former Prime Time Player off guard and score the huge pinfall victory.

From a booking standpoint, it showed that Zayn can withstand a beating and still find the wherewithal to score a win when the chips are down.

The match between he and Breeze should be something special if they can get anywhere remotely close to the quality of their Takeover I match.