WWE NXT Results: Biggest Winners, Losers and Moments from April 8

WWE Axxess was the site of this week's NXT as four Superstars competed for the right to appear at WrestleMania in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Any fan who happened to have seen that contest back on March 29 already knew the outcome of the tournament, but the broadcast was essentially a look at the incredible weekend the talent had, not to mention the exposure they received, as an integral part of the WrestleMania week festivities. 

Above all, this week's episode was a roller-coaster ride of emotion for fans as they watched one NXT Superstar win a competitive tournament, then embark on a weekend of unforgettable moments, his family by his side.

On a very special broadcast, the winners and losers were more clear-cut than usual, thanks to the straightforward nature of the show.

Who were they?

Credit: WWE.com

Winner: Hideo Itami

This week's show was devoted to the story of Hideo Itami, an international star who achieved success in his native land of Japan as well as independent promotions such as Ring of Honor. He signed with WWE in 2014 and late in the year made his NXT debut.

Since then, he has found himself lost in the shuffle, neither receiving the push that Finn Balor or Kevin Owens has nor becoming a full-fledged midcarder.

Wednesday night, he took center stage, winning the tournament to earn the right to compete at WrestleMania. The emotion that he expressed in the backstage video packages filmed over the course of his weekend proved just how much the opportunity meant to him and, as a result, made him that much more likable.

For the first time since he took to the squared circle on the night of his debut. Itami was treated like the huge star that he is. After a disappointing loss to Tyler Breeze on last week's broadcast, this show could not have come at a better time.

Speaking of Breeze...

Credit: WWE.com

Loser: Tyler Breeze

One week after defeating Hideo Itami in a huge 2-Out-Of-3 Falls match, Breeze fell to Finn Balor in a match in which he never really had a chance to win. He was an afterthought in the tournament, losing in just over five minutes.

The loss continues very inconsistent booking for Breeze in the last six months. Why someone as talented as Breeze continues to find himself lost in the shuffle, then rescued, only to be lost again, is a mystery. Whatever the answer to that question may be, it threatens the credibility of the character.

And once fans question the credibility of a performer, any hope they have of rising up the ranks is all but erased.

At this point, having wrestled against every major NXT star that he has, debuting Breeze on the main roster may be the best option available.

Credit: WWE.com

Winner: Finn Balor

Balor carries himself with such a presence and has such an awesome entrance that he is going to get over in front of any audience, even if the crowd has never seen his work. That he is such a gifted pro wrestler only helps complete the package.

The Irish-born Superstar is so outstanding that he can afford a loss to Itami, like he suffered Wednesday night, and still be incredibly over next week. Wins and losses do not matter when it comes to Balor because the proverbial bells and whistles involved in the entrance alone will continue to captivate the audience.

That is an incredibly rare occurrence, and it will ensure that Balor succeeds where others may not.

The fans at Axxess proved as much.