WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from November 18

The weeks and months following her victory over Sasha Banks at TakeOver: Respect should have been the best of Bayley's young career. Instead, she has been tormented by Alexa Bliss, who has made it her mission to make the champion's life a living hell while simultaneously chasing her title.

Wednesday night, Bayley exorcised the demon that is Bliss but quickly came face-to-face with her next nemesis: Eva Marie.

The Divas of NXT took center stage on the November 18 episode. The aforementioned Bayley-Bliss match headlined, while Nia Jax and Emma competed in glorified squash bouts, with the former laying waste to the Princess of Staten Island, Carmella.

Tag team wrestling also stole the spotlight, with Chad Gable and Jason Jordan scoring their biggest victory to date, and new tag team champions The Mechanics were also in action.

As the brand continues to build toward its next TakeOver special live from London, it laid the groundwork for some of the top rivalries that will headline that show.

How did each of Wednesday night's matches and segments grade out, and what were the undeniable highlights from the November 18 WWE Network broadcast?

Take a look.

Carmella vs. Nia Jax

Credit: WWE.com

Carmella was the latest unfortunate soul to encounter Nia Jax, though she fared better than most who have come before her.

She unloaded a few forearms and even managed to trap the rookie in a guillotine submission.

Unfortunately, Jax caught her with a spinebuster and finished with the leg drop for another convincing victory.

Result

Nia Jax squashed Carmella.

Grade

C+

Analysis

This was better than the typical squashes we have seen out of Jax to this point, thanks in large part to the fire shown by Carmella.

Jax has the presence but is still green. Like Eva Marie, she would benefit from working with more experienced Divas. Until then, she will not impress in the ways that impact the audience.

The biggest takeaway from this match is Carmella, who improves every time she takes to the ring yet never seems to benefit in any measurable way.

Jason Jordan and Chad Gable vs. The Ascension

The sudden and monumental push of Chad Gable and Jason Jordan bled into another week as the duo squared off with the most decorated tag team in NXT history, The Ascension.

Konnor and Viktor isolated the red-hot Gable, much to the dismay of the fans in Full Sail University, but the ready and willing Superstar was able to make the hot tag to his partner, who exploded into the match with great energy.

Eventually, the underdog babyfaces scored the victory with Grand Amplitude.

Result

Jason Jordan and Chad Gable defeated The Ascension.

Grade

B

Analysis

Is there a more fun or energetic act in all of WWE right now than Gable and Jordan? They are beloved by the fans and bring tremendous passion and energy to their work. While the matches elsewhere in Vince McMahon's company are typically good to great, they sometimes look alike.

That is not the case with Jordan and Gable, who do little extraordinary but compete with such energy and in-ring charisma that they resonate with the audience.

At this point, a showdown between them and Dash and Dawson appears imminent, and it would be welcomed.

By this writer, at least.

Emma in Action

Credit: WWE.com

Prior to her impending showdown with Asuka, Emma returned to the ring this week, squaring off with Mary Kate. Longtime fans of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling recognize the enhancement talent as the former Rosie Lottalove, though significantly slimmed down.

Emma ran right through her, undoubtedly attempting to show Asuka that she can match her in-ring prowess.

She finished her opponent with the Emma Lock, forcing the tapout. 

Result

Emma defeated Mary Kate.

Grade

C

Analysis

One of the interesting things about NXT is that it brings in recognizable faces from across the indy scene and books them as enhancement talent for the stars, with the potential for said wrestler to earn a spot on the roster.

This was another such case, with Mary Kate making Emma look strong ahead of her upcoming (unannounced) match with Asuka.

Emma is talented and deserves the spotlight. Unfortunately, at this point, she is being set up as little more than the next victim of the dangerous and unstable Japanese competitor. 

WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Mechanics In Action

One week after pulling off the upset win of their careers, Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson wrestled their first match as NXT tag team champions against Corey Hollis and John Skyler.

The beatdown was short and merciless, with the champions isolating Hollis and working over his knee, methodically and systematically picking apart the joint.

They finished with the Shatter Machine to pick up the dominant, one-sided victory.

Result

The Mechanics defeated Corey Hollis and John Skyler.

Grade

C-

Analysis

Corey Graves referred to the champions as "no flips, just fists," and it was the perfect description of Dash and Dawson. They are two old-school, rugged fighters who get great joy out of inflicting pain on their opponents and have made a reputation for themselves by crippling anyone stupid enough to step in the ring against them.

They are fun to watch in the same way it was enjoyable to watch the Andersons and Tully Blanchard destroy the opposition every Saturday night on TBS during Jim Crockett's height of popularity. They are bruisers, grounders and pounders and the perfect complement to the surging team of Gable and Jordan.

NXT Women's Championship Match: Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss

For weeks, Alexa Bliss has made her desire to be women's champion apparent. Wednesday night, she had the opportunity to make her dreams come true as she challenged Bayley for the NXT Women's Championship.

She worked the arm of her opponent, even going as far as to target her previously injured hand.

But Bayley proved resilient, fighting back as she has countless times before.

Bliss unleashed everything she had, but at the end of the night, Bayley was able to capitalize on mounting frustration, grabbing her top contender in the Bayley-to-Belly and scoring the pinfall win.

After the match, Eva Marie appeared and, through the loudest boos any Superstar has garnered all year, managed to challenge Bayley to an NXT title match. 

Result

Bayley defeated Alexa Bliss.

Grade

B+

Analysis

The beauty of this match was the fact that Bliss made up for her lack of big-match experience with sound in-ring psychology. She focused the extent of her attack on Bayley's arm and hand, while the champion did a fantastic job of selling it throughout.

The finish brings the story of the two to a definitive end and allows Bayley to move on.

Which brings us to Eva Marie and heel heat even the most hated men in wrestling would die to have.

Though the audience hates her, she is the perfect opposition for Bayley, if only because working with the champion will only help Eva improve her ring game—and, more importantly, create one of the most amazing atmospheres in WWE history.