WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from April 27

Samoa Joe may have defeated Finn Balor for the NXT Championship a week ago in Lowell, Massachusetts, but for the Superstars of the critically acclaimed brand, it was business as usual Wednesday night.

Shinsuke Nakamura continued taking NXT by storm, battling Elias Samson in the main event. Would The King of Strong Style score another win as he maneuvers his way into heavyweight championship contention, or would The Drifter get the last laugh at the expense of general manager William Regal, beating Nakamura for his biggest victory to date?

How would another oft-criticized NXT Superstar fare as Eva Marie returned to the squared circle for a match with NXT women's champion Asuka? Did the All Red Everything competitor upset the titleholder, or was she left at the mercy of her opponent?

Both The Revival and The Hype Bros were in action as the tag team division took center stage. Who would step up as the brand sought new top contenders to American Alpha and the NXT Tag Team Championships?

Fans found out the answers to all those questions Wednesday night. Now you can too with this look back at the April 27 episode of NXT.

Asuka vs. Eva Marie

The NXT women's champion kicked things off this week, marking her first appearance since defeating Bayley back at TakeOver: Dallas. The cheers that greeted the titleholder turned to a chorus of boos as her opponent, Eva Marie, made her way to the squared circle.

Asuka frustrated Eva, first by out-wrestling her early, then by mocking her. A running hip attack added injury to insult and drew a raucous reaction from the fans in attendance. Nia Jax appeared at ringside, providing some moral support for her friend as the show headed to break.

Eva controlled the action coming out of the commercial timeout, delivering a running senton to halt the momentum of her opponent.

Asuka fought her way back into the match, delivering a second-rope dropkick as alternating chants of "let's go Eva" and "Eva sucks" broke out.

The champion unloaded on Eva with a series of wicked kicks. A sliding knee netted her a two-count. A standing heel kick, though, finished the crimson-haired competitor for good.

After the match, Asuka and Jax engaged in a tense staredown before the heel accompanied her tag team partner and friend out of the squared circle.

Result

Asuka defeated Eva Marie

Grade

C

Analysis

The match itself featured much-improved work from Eva Marie, who gains more experience and confidence with every passing performance, but was hardly up to the level of other matches featuring the female Superstars of NXT.

What helped boost the segment was the tease of a program between Asuka and Nia Jax, who, if you remember, had a brief moment of tension back prior to the women's title match at TakeOver: London. 

Matt Lee and Jeff Parker vs. The Revival

Credit: WWE.com

Fans of independent wrestling, particularly Chikara, may have recognized Matt Lee and Jeff Parker, known in that promotion as 3.0's Shane Matthews and Scott Parker. To The Revival's Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder, they were the latest obstacle between them and the NXT tag team champions.

The former tag champions tore them apart before picking up an impressive, and one-sided, victory with the Shatter Machine.

After the match, Dawson grabbed a microphone and reiterated his belief that he and partner Wilder are the best team in business. He warned the locker room that they are all targets, that no one is safe and that they will not stop until they regain the titles.

Result

The Revival defeated Jeff Parker and Matt Lee

Grade

C+

Analysis

Dash and Dawson completely demolished their opponents before the latter cut a strong promo that sold the lengths to which they will go in order to regain the tag titles.

It was interesting to see Lee as vocal as he was on the ring apron in that his attempts to get the crowd on his side came at the expense of the heels, who should have been the focus of the match. His playing to the audience could have rendered the entire purpose of the bout meaningless.

The Hype Bros vs. Blake and Murphy

Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder frustrated their opponents early in Wednesday's tag team bout, taking down Blake and leading the crowd in a chant of "he ain't hyped." Unfortunately, former intercontinental champion Ryder found himself isolated from his partner, his left knee worked over as the former tag champions looked to regain momentum at the main roster star's expense.

A hot tag to Rawley turned the fortunes of the villains around, though, and the dynamic duo delivered the Hype Ryder for the pinfall victory.

After the match, The Revival made good on their promise to target anyone, attacking the victors from behind and leaving them lying at ringside.

Result

The Hype Bros defeated Blake and Murphy

Grade

C-

Analysis

This match annoyed the ever-loving hell out of this writer, if only because the heart of it was based on targeting Ryder's knee, only for him to come out of it and hit his end of the Hype Ryder as if nothing had ever happened.

The beatdown after the match was fine but completely negated the effect of the victory. So, what was the point, and why could that angle not have been shot prior to the match? As it stands, the winners were but punching bags for The Revival, while Murphy and Blake endured another loss that they cannot afford.

Carmella vs. Aliyah

Credit: WWE.com

Fans of WWE Network's Breaking Ground were familiar with Aliyah prior to Wednesday's broadcast. Everyone else got a look at the young competitor for the first time as she battled Carmella, who finds herself on her own without Enzo Amore and Big Cass backing her up.

Despite an early flurry by Carmella, Aliyah took over, trapping her opponent in a Full Nelson in hopes of wearing her down.

The resilient Princess of Staten Island fought back momentarily, but her opponent regained control with a middle-rope legdrop that scored her a two-count.

Carmella fought back with a Thesz Press and Bronco Buster. She applied the triangle submission for the tapout victory.

Result

Carmella defeated Aliyah

Grade

C-

Analysis

The match may have been the worst of this week's bunch, but there were some bright spots that should leave fans feeling better about the futures of both women.

Aliyah looked far more comfortable in the ring than someone with her little experience probably should. More importantly, she executed everything crisply. If she can tweak her timing just a bit, she could be another breakout star for the brand.  

Carmella is wildly underrated. Not necessarily the most polished wrestler, she has command of the audience, showing unquestionable in-ring charisma and a flare for showmanship. Her comebacks are perfectly timed, and she has a way of popping the crowd, even during lulls in participation.

She will be a star on the main roster, much in the same way her boys, Enzo and Big Cass, currently are.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Elias Samson

Shinsuke Nakamura brought his brand of charisma to NXT as he battled "The Drifter" Elias Samson in the main event of Wednesday's show. Loud chants of "Nakamura" broke out as the Japanese star made his way to the squared circle. He repaid that fan support by unloading with a flurry on Samson early, including a snap mare and knee drop that had him rolling early.

A nasty clothesline from Samson turned things in his favor, while the fans, previously so vocal in their support of Nakamura, chanted "drift away" in the direction of the aggressor.

Nakamura used knees to get back into the match, then used the inverted exploder suplex to set up the Kinshasa. Three seconds later and the Japanese sensation had another victory for his NXT resume.

Result

Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Elias Samson

Grade

C+

Analysis

Nakamura continues to demonstrate why he is one of wrestling's most charismatic and electrifying Superstars. His entrance alone generates an electricity rarely seen in the industry. His in-ring game supports it, and all of the histrionics make for a package fans are eager to buy into.

His victory over Samson was a glorified squash, one that sets him up in solid position for a future NXT Championship opportunity.

During a pretaped promo earlier in the night, Samson eluded to his song and how he felt as though William Regal misinterpreted its meaning. It should be interesting to see what he meant by that and if there is a bigger plan in store for The Drifter.