WWE NXT Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights From Aug. 18

Zilla Fatu's electric arrival to WWE NXT last week ushered in a new era for the brand's burgeoning main event scene, and the latest episode of the weekly show will feature the fallout.

Cruz Montana recently forced his way into the NXT Championship picture and was set to call out the Samoan newcomer. Fatu crashed last week's No. 1 contender's bout between Montana and Grayson Waller, setting the stage for an update on the NXT title match at Heatwave on Aug. 30.

Scores will be settled when Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair battle Kali Armstrong and Kelani Jordan in tag team action while Nattie battles Thea Hail after Hail cost her a recent win against Jaida Parker.

Plus, Rey Fenix's next challenger to the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship will be determined in a Fatal 4-Way with La Parka, Romeo Moreno, Tristan Angels and EK Prosper.

Here are the complete results, grades and reaction for the Aug. 18 edition of WWE NXT as it airs live on The CW.

Cruz Montana Calls Out Zilla Fatu

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After being attacked by the debuting Zilla Fatu in last week's main event and costing him an opportunity at the NXT Championship at Heatwave, Cruz Montana started the show immediately putting the newcomer on notice.

Montana was fired up while demanding a fight with Fatu before being told by a stagehand that he hadn't arrived at the building yet. He ended up getting the AAA world cruiserweight champion Rey Fenix instead, who told Montana he was there to find out his next challenger and that he has his back in his war with Fatu.

Montana acknowledged their history in other promotions (specifically naming TNA and AAA but obviously excluded AEW) and said that he was proud of Fenix for proudly representing their culture. Montana said he'd see Fatu in the parking lot.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments and Observations

• Montana has such a star presence about him. It's no surprise that he's already involved in the main event mix on NXT and chasing the NXT Championship. He came off like a total natural kicking off the show with his passionate promo.
• WWE rarely acknowledges the existence of AEW and this segment was no exception, but The Lucha Bros' battles with Montana and Ortiz over there deserve to be remembered, too. Those teams were holding down the fort with their matches in AEW's tag team division for a while.
• Fatu doesn't have any allies (as of now), so it's interesting that an alliance between Montana and Fenix is being established. This could end up being nothing, but perhaps we'll get Fenix vs. Fatu at some point.

AAA World Cruiserweight Championship No. 1 Contender's Fatal 4-Way Match

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Last Time in Action: EK Prosper and Lizzy Rain def. The Culling (NXT, Aug. 11); Tristan Angels lost to Shiloh Hill (NXT, July 28); Romeo Moreno, Noam Dar and Saquon Shugars lost to DarkState (NXT, July 21); La Parka beat Psycho Clown (AAA, Aug. 15).

The combatants included EK Prosper, Tristan Angels, Romeo Moreno and La Parka.

As has been the case with most of the Fatal 4-Ways we've had on NXT this summer, this was all action from start to finish with all four guys getting some time to shine.

Parka's high-flying arsenal was a particular highlight. Before the commercial break, Moreno leapt to the outside in impressive fashion before being one-upped by Parka's moonsault.

Angels connected with an emphatic enziguri to Moreno coming back from break. A Spanish Fly from Parka on the top rope was followed by a frog splash from Prosper.

Prosper ultimately won with a backflip moonsault to Moreno, earning him a shot at Rey Fenix's Cruiserweight title on next Tuesday's episode.

Result

EK Prosper pinned Romeo Moreno to become number one contender to the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

• Prosper is coming off some big wins over Keanu Carver, so it's smart to keep his momentum rolling by having him challenge for the Cruiserweight title. He shouldn't be expected to win, but he should have a standout showing, nonetheless.
• Thankfully, Angels didn't suffer another unnecessary loss. Granted, he didn't win, but it was better to protect him by ensuring he didn't eat the pin.
• Whatever happens in Fenix vs. Prosper should set something up for the AAA event that is preceding Heatwave on Aug. 30, whether it be a rematch or them teaming up against common enemies.

Nattie vs. Thea Hail

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Last Time in Action: Hail and Jaida Parker beat Nikkita Lyons and Karmen Petrovic (NXT, Aug. 4); Nattie lost to Parker (NXT, July 21).

Thea Hail controlled the offense early on. When she went for her finisher down the stretch, Nattie avoided it and nearly stole the win with a crucifix pin.

After an exchange of strikes, Hail locked in a Kimura on Nattie. Once Nattie escaped, she secured the Sharpshooter and forced Hail to tap out.

Post-match, Nattie put Hail back in the Sharpshooter while Hail's friend Jaida Parker was forced to watch while being held back by Nikkita Lyons and Karmen Petrovic.

Result

Nattie defeated Thea Hail.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments and Observations

• This was a well-worked match from Nattie and Hail, serving its purpose of furthering the feud between Nattie and Parker and creating the need for a rubber matchup. Hail was responsible for Nattie's loss to Parker, so this gave her a measure of revenge.
• Hail has made the most of being back on NXT TV in a regular role. She didn't need to win here, but it's important that she was made to look credible in defeat.
• As noted, Parker vs. Nattie III is imminent, but hopefully they can get it out of the way on the sooner side because the rivalry has run its course. Perhaps the payoff will be at Heatwave.

WWE Speed Championship: Lexis King vs. Lucien Price

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Last Time in Action: Lucien Price beat Lexis King (NXT, Aug. 11).

This was a rematch from last week's show, where Price knocked off King in non-title action.

Due to the WWE Speed Championship being on the line, this match had a five-minute time limit. King spent the early goings attempting to avoid Price by ducking out of the ring and running down the clock.

Price eventually stopped him in his tracks with a thunderous chop to the chest. King leveled him with a DDT, and after enduring a series of slams from Price, King received an assist from Uriah Connors and Charlie Dempsey on the outside to hit his finisher and retain his title with seconds to spare.

Post-match, Birth Right went after Price before Bronco Nima made the save.

Result

Lexis King defeated Lucien Price to retain the WWE Speed Championship.

Grade

C-

Notable Moments and Observations

• These Speed matches are way too short and basic to be anything out of the ordinary. This specific one told a simple enough story, but it wasn't all that interesting.
• Price held his own here, but OTM are definitely better as a unit. Expect this to lead to a tag team match soon between Birth Right and OTM.
• Both of the Speed titles should be retired. Sure, it gives some of the undercard talent an additional championship to challenge for, but how much does that mean when the titles are practically pointless?

Grayson Waller, Tony D'Angelo and Cruz Montana Interrupt Each Other

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Similar to Cruz Montana earlier, Grayson Waller wasn't happy with his NXT Championship No. 1 Contender's match being interrupted by Zilla Fatu last week.

The Australian wasted no time in targeting Fatu in his promo and taking shots at his Samoan family.

Although Waller laid claim to being the uncrowned number one contender, Tony D'Angelo emerged to tell him he didn't earn his opportunity, before Cruz Montana showed up (straight from the parking lot) to say the same and tell Waller that they had unfinished business.

NXT general manager Robert Stone made it clear that Fatu is not yet officially signed to a contract, and that D'Angelo will defend the NXT Championship against Waller and Montana in a Triple Threat at Heatwave.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments and Observations

• This was a simple solution to the issue of what the NXT Championship match would be at Heatwave. Fatu should be kept out of the picture until he's further established, not to mention we already had a Fatal 4-Way for the title not too long ago.
• This was a solid segment, but none of them had enough time to talk and say anything of note. Giving Waller a few more minutes would have been nice since he's been excelling on the mic since returning to NXT.
• The real issue feels like it's between Waller and Montana, so hopefully D'Angelo can do something in the coming weeks to come across less like an afterthought.

Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair vs. Kali Armstrong and Kelani Jordan

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Last Time in Action: Kendal Grey beat Lola Vice (NXT, Aug. 4); Wren Sinclair lost to Zaria (NXT, Aug. 11); Kali Armstrong and Kelani Jordan lost to Vice in a Triple Threat (NXT, July 14).

Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair were on the same page from the get-go with their matching ring gear and seamless double-team maneuvers.

Grey and Armstrong in particular brought the best out of each other here as they did during their unforgettable battle over the Evolve Women's Championship last year.

Sinclair and Kelani Jordan soon tagged into the match and traded blows. Some questionable officiating led to Booker T calling the referee the "Herb Dean of NXT" in a funny moment.

A powerslam from Armstrong to Sinclair following her Kali Connection running shoulder block secured her the victory.

Result

Kali Armstrong and Kelani Jordan defeated Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

• This was a very good, well-paced matchup with commendable work from all four ladies. They're consistently outshining the men and always have the crowd invested in the action.
• Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair complement each other so exceptionally well as partners. May they never split up because both of them equally benefit from the friendship on-screen.
• Grey was already confirmed to defend the NXT Women's Championship against Kelani Jordan at Heatwave, so this served as a solid preview of that. As such, it made sense for Sinclair to be the one to get beat here.

NXT North American Championship No. 1 Contender's Match: Shiloh Hill vs. Jackson Drake

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Last Time in Action: Shiloh Hill beat Tristian Angels (NXT, July 28); Jackson Drake beat Tavion Heights (NXT, July 14).

Shiloh Hill dominated Jackson Drake in the first few minutes, though an assist from Vanity Project gave Drake the advantage going into the commercial break.

It was much more competitive in the second half with both guys showing a strong sense of urgency. Myka Lockwood distracting the referee on the apron allowed Vanity Project to take advantage, only for the referee to realize what was going on and eject them to the back.

Just as Hill was ascending the top rope to put Drake away, Naraku emerged from underneath the ring to spray red mist in Hill's face. Drake subsequently connected with a 450 Splash and pinned Hill for the three count.

Result

Jackson Drake defeated Shiloh Hill to become the number one contender to the NXT North American Championship.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

• This was Shiloh Hill's best bout in recent memory. His series of matches with Tristan Angels were fine, but this gave him a chance to truly showcase his skills for a change.
• Drake is the perfect foil for any babyface and especially Myles Borne. That should be a good match come Heatwave and the NXT North American Championship feels like it's legitimately in jeopardy of changing hands.
• Hill mentioned Naraku in his last two vignettes, so a feud between them seemed inevitable. Naraku being as experienced as he is makes him a logical foe for Hill right now.

Zilla Fatu Signs His NXT Contract

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Robert Stone introduced Zilla Fatu and he was super over with this crowd right out of the gate. Fatu entered to some great new music and the crowd chanted his name as he made his way to the ring.

With only a few minutes left in the show, he didn't talk for too long, but he did leave a lasting impression with his charisma. He put pen to paper, leading to Stone making the announcement that Fatu has been added to the NXT Championship match at Heatwave.

Tony D'Angelo, Grayson Waller and Cruz Montana attempted to enter the ring but were held back by security. The stage has been set for the Fatal 4-Way at Heatwave, and Fatu is suddenly the odds-on favorite to take home the gold in his in-ring debut.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments and Observations

• Well, so much for a Triple Threat at Heatwave. Easing Fatu into the title picture would have been the better option as opposed to rushing him into a spot he isn't ready for, but this will no doubt be a big showcase for him.
• For anyone who isn't familiar with Fatu from the independent scene, this was the second straight week of him being established as a force to be reckoned with. He also clearly won't need a manager since he cut a pretty good promo on his own.
• It was smart to save this segment for last to build anticipation for Fatu's first official appearance. More of this sort of stuff from the men's division will send the message that the NXT Championship scene should be taken seriously going forward.

Overall Show

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It's been a long time since there was this much interest surrounding the NXT Championship. This edition of NXT was extremely effective in heating up the title picture, and shockingly, the defending champion is the least compelling part of the picture.

This show was also crucial in building toward Heatwave, which is coming up next Sunday and is shaping up to be a great card. There's one episode left to confirm more matches and leave viewers looking forward to what's on tap.

This was a rock-solid effort from the NXT brand with a better balance of wrestling to talking than usual. Some of the segments were slightly rushed, but everything served a purpose and planted the seeds for future matchups.

It always helps to have matches and segments with stakes and that also played a pivotal role in the success of this show.

Final Grade

B

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.