WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reactions and Highlights from September 9

NXT champion Finn Balor was in action Wednesday night as the Dusty Rhodes Classic entered Week 2.

The Demon teamed with Samoa Joe to battle former NXT tag team champions The Lucha Dragons in a match pitting babyfaces against fellow babyfaces. The result was an energetic, fast-paced bout that set the bar for every one of the tournament matches to follow.

It was hardly the only match with tournament implications, though, as the odd couple team of Tyler Breeze and Bull Dempsey met newcomers Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano.

The NXT Divas took center stage as Carmella looked to improve her recent win-loss record against Peyton Royce, and Dana Brooke continued to build momentum for herself against Billie Kay.

Who emerged from Wednesday's broadcast one step closer to winning the Dusty Rhodes Classic, and which Divas picked up crucial victories en route to a shot at Bayley and the women's title?

Find out now with this look back at this week's WWE Network presentation.

Carmella vs. Peyton Royce

Credit: WWE.com

In her first appearance since a loss to Eva Marie in Brooklyn, Carmella squared off with Peyton Royce, looking to improve her otherwise disappointing and lackluster win-loss record of late.

She did just that, withstanding a very game newcomer in Royce to pick up the submission win with the triangle choke.

Result

Carmella defeated Peyton Royce.

Grade

C-

Analysis

This was what it was intended to be: a showcase for Carmella. And it succeeded.

The Staten Island Princess needed a win to get back on track and gain some momentum as challengers begin emerging for a shot at Bayley's NXT Women's Championship. She looked strong, though she probably should not have sold as much for Royce, who is still a relative unknown in the NXT Universe.

Tyler Breeze and Bull Dempsey vs. Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa

Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano may not have WWE contracts, but that did not stop them from rolling into the NXT Arena and believing they would knock off Bull Dempsey and Tyler Breeze.

Dempsey fired off a late rally but wound up knocking partner Breeze off the apron, giving the two independent stars the opening they needed to score a rollup for the shocking upset victory.

After the match, a frustrated Breeze pummeled Dempsey, enraged that the Bull Fit competitor cost him an opportunity to advance in the tournament.

Result

Ciampa and Gargano defeated Dempsey and Breeze.

Grade

B-

Analysis

While not necessarily the best match of the tournament, this one put Gargano and Ciampa over as the unlikely victors while also laying the foundation for a feud between Breeze and the decidedly not-so-gorgeous Dempsey.

The aggressive beatdown by Breeze was great, and the expressions of shock on the victors' faces were brilliant and really added to the unexpected outcome.

Breeze vs. Dempsey may not be an ideal program for the Gorgeous One, who feels like he is on a booking treadmill of sorts, but it will do wonders for the babyface character of the latter, which is still developing and evolving every week.

Billie Kay vs. Dana Brooke

It has been clear from day one that Triple H and NXT Creative have huge plans for Dana Brooke. Now, with Becky Lynch, Paige and Sasha Banks gone, she has a clear path to Bayley and the NXT Women's Championship.

Her opponent Wednesday night was a very energetic Billie Kay, who was determined to make like Gargano and Ciampa did earlier and score a major upset.

Unfortunately for her, it did not work out quite as well, as she fell victim to Dana's whiplash finisher, cutting short her attempt at a shocker.

Result

Dana Brooke defeated Billie Kay.

Grade

C

Analysis

This was a great example of the plucky underdog attempting to slay the more powerful opposition, only to fall short because not every story has a happy ending.

Brooke looked impressive here, better than she had previously but still not quite to the level that would suggest she would make a suitable women's champion given the quality of the matches fans are used to out of NXT's Divas division.

Billie Kay was really impressive in what opportunities she was given to shine. When she finally has the support of management, she could make for a tremendously fun addition to the championship hunt.

Finn Balor and Samoa Joe vs. the Lucha Dragons

For the first time in NXT, Samoa Joe teamed with champion Finn Balor to face The Lucha Dragons in a Dusty Rhodes Classic match.

Balor and Joe dominated the majority of the contest, but a spirited comeback late in the match, first by Sin Cara, then Kalisto, brought the main event to a crescendo.

A blind charge by Kalisto, though, ended with him caught in the Uranage suplex.

From there, Joe planted him with the Muscle Buster, and Balor finished with the Coup de Grace for the pinfall win. 

Result

Balor and Joe defeated The Lucha Dragons.

Grade

B-

Analysis

This started slow but really picked up as it progressed, with the two teams finding chemistry late in the bout.

Joe and Balor demonstrated some strong teamwork while keeping their opposition grounded, but Lucha Dragons never felt like a huge threat to them anyway.

The finish was cool, with the two main event stars hitting their finish, and one now has to wonder which team (if any) will get the rub from eliminating them.

The main event was a quality way to end a show that was not always the most exciting but effectively put the focus on the tag tournament.