WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from April 13

NXT fans got the latest taste of Japanese Strong Style as Shinsuke Nakamura made his first appearance on the brand's weekly television show, battling Tye Dillinger in the night's main event.

The match may not have been the five-star affair that Nakamura's match with Sami Zayn was, but the Japanese sensation made a statement that his peers heard loud and clear by his peers.

Speaking of statements made, Bayley tore through Liv Morgan before making her intentions to challenge Asuka for the NXT Women's Championship apparent.

Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano threw their names into tag title contention with a convincing win over The Vaudevillains, while Austin Aries bowled over Angelo Dawkins in the night's opening match.

On a night where NXT looked to follow up its biggest event to date with a glimpse into the future, it succeeded with a quality episode of its weekly WWE Network presentation.

Find out how each match graded out and what it means for the Superstars involved now. 

Austin Aries vs. Angelo Dawkins

Austin Aries returned to the NXT ring Wednesday night, battling the self-proclaimed "Curse of Greatness" Angelo Dawkins.

Tom Phillips and Corey Graves ran down the resume of Dawkins before the match, as if that was supposed to make fans think he had some greater chance of winning.

Dawkins wore Aries down, stomping away at the former Ring of Honor and TNA star and trapping him in a front facelock.

Aries fired back, blasting him with a nasty clothesline and a neckbreaker across the middle rope. A running dropkick and a roaring elbow from Aries put Dawkins down as A-Double scored the pinfall victory.

Result

Austin Aries defeated Angelo Dawkins.

Grade

C-

Analysis

Dawkins has made strides in the ring, but he was completely outmatched and outclassed by Aries, who was working like crazy to get the fans into the bout.

The crowd, for whatever reason, was lethargic and never really reacted for Aries the way one would have hoped. It is the second time that has happened after TakeOver: Dallas. Is that due to the lack of television time for Aries leading into the big show? Is it the lack of character development or the fact that he was left to wallow in TNA for as long as he did?

Whatever the answer is, NXT officials better fix it or risk watching one of the most talented stars in the industry suffer lackluster crowd responses.

Tessa Blanchard vs. Alexa Bliss

Credit: WWE.com

Tessa Blanchard made her debut in NXT, working under the same WWE umbrella that her father Tully did when he teamed with Arn Anderson to capture the tag team titles in 1989.

The second-generation competitor took Bliss down with a shoulder block, big bodyslam and a back elbow before Bliss cut her off and took control of the bout. The former fitness model trapped Blanchard in a cravat and caught her with a knee, only to allow her own hubris to get the best of her.

Blanchard fought back into the match, but the double knees to the midsection finished her off seconds later.

Result

Alexa Bliss defeated Tessa Blanchard.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Blanchard looked really good here, crisp with the execution of her moves and intense in her comeback. She never looked nervous or like the moment was too big for her, which is a great sign for a prospective Superstar.

Bliss continued her streak as the most underrated woman in NXT. Her ring work was fierce, and her use of facial expressions and body language told the story of the match.

Overall, this really solid match surprised this writer with its quality, even if it was relatively short.

Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano vs. The Vaudevillains

Credit: WWE.com

Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano had a monumental test in front of them Wednesday night in the form of former NXT tag team champions and current main roster tandem, The Vaudevillains.

Aiden English and Simon Gotch isolated Gargano right out of the gate, working "Johnny Wrestling" over, before a roll-through kick allowed the indy star to seize control.

After Ciampa entered the match and tossed the opposition around the squared circle, Gargano re-entered the ring and again found himself on the receiving end of a beating by the former champions.

Gargano finally made the hot tag to Ciampa and then flew through the air and wiped English out at ringside. Back inside the squared circle, Ciampa forced a tapout from Gotch, using his bridging armbar.

Result

Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano defeated The Vaudevillains.

Grade

B-

Analysis

This was an action-packed match, longer than the first two on the card, that did a great job of putting Gargano and Ciampa over at the expense of a team that is on to bigger things on Raw and SmackDown.

The presentation of the match was similar to that of an old territory match. English and Gotch are on their way out, so they did the honors of putting over the younger and fresher team, while the announce crew did a superb job of reminding the audience of why the more established team is great.

Then, when the new team wins the match, it instantly means more to the audience.

It is tried and true booking strategy that works as well in 2016 as it did in 1986. 

Tucker Knight vs. Baron Corbin

Credit: WWE.com

Fresh off of a win in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, Baron Corbin returned to NXT to do battle with Tucker Knight.

Corbin smashed Knight in the corner, using knees and elbows to counter the weight advantage of the babyface. It was successful for the majority of the bout before Knight mounted a comeback, complete with a Thesz Press.

It was all for naught moments later when Corbin finished him off with End of Days, securing another impressive pinfall victory.

Result

Baron Corbin pinned Tucker Knight

Grade

D

Analysis

This was all Corbin, all the time.

It was a strict squash match that put Corbin over in what may prove to be one of his final appearances in an NXT ring.

To Knight's credit, he moved very smoothly for a guy of his size and could very well be a major player for the brand if he can continue improving his in-ring game and his look.

Bayley vs. Liv Morgan

After losing the NXT Women's Championship, Bayley returned to the WWE Network, and the fans gave her a hero's welcome for Wednesday's show. Her opponent? Liv Morgan, an up-and-coming star who has competed on the show before.

Chants of "Bayley" rang out throughout the arena.

Morgan controlled Bayley with a delayed headscissors. Undeterred, Bayley grabbed hold of a headlock almost immediately, not allowing her less experienced opponent take control.

Morgan delivered a big bulldog and a monkey flip, but a side suplex attempt was countered by Bayley, who planted her with the Bayley-to-Belly Suplex for the pinfall victory.

Result

Bayley defeated Liv Morgan.

Grade

C-

Analysis

Much like the earlier match between Aries and Dawkins, this was an instance of one superior worker wrestling circles around her opponent. As much as Morgan worked hard, she was no match for Bayley, who never looked to shift out of first gear.

The result was a squash match that fans never bit on, if only because the outcome was never in doubt.

The story revolved around Bayley bouncing back from defeat and getting back to her winning ways. In that regard, it worked.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tye Dillinger

Tye Dillinger was the unfortunate soul to combat Shinsuke Nakamura Wednesday night. "The Perfect 10" was introduced to the Japanese Strong Style by the biggest free-agent signing, perhaps ever, in NXT.

Dillinger took Nakamura down early and celebrated with a cartwheel before mocking his opponent.

Bad idea.

Dillinger weathered an early beating and even controlled for a moment, working a chinlock. Nakamura fought back into the match, unloading with several nasty strikes before delivering Kinshasa for the win.

Result

Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Tye Dillinger.

Grade

B- 

Analysis

As a match, this was nothing. As a spectacle, it was everything. The fans erupted for Nakamura, whose presence is undeniable. His charisma was off the charts and on full display as he ran over Dillinger in a sprint of a squash.

On the heels of an extraordinary, five-star classic with Sami Zayn at TakeOver: Dallas, Nakamura continued to build both goodwill and momentum with the NXT Universe.