WWE NXT Results: Biggest Winners, Losers and Moments from July 27

There is no accounting for the aura and presence Shinsuke Nakamura brings to the squared circle, and Wednesday night on NXT, those two elements and a championship announcement fueled him to "biggest winner" status from the July 27 episode.

The King of Strong Style defeated Wesley Blake in the night's opening match. Despite some solid offense from the former tag team champion, it was a glorified squash for Nakamura, who registered the victory with the Kinshasa.

Nakamura will now head to TakeOver: Back to Brooklyn to face Samoa Joe for his first NXT Championship bout with the brand. The biggest match the brand still has to present, it should be a battle for the ages if Nakamura's first two TakeOver performances against Sami Zayn and Austin Aries are any indication.

The question, though, is whether management takes the opportunity to crown its lead babyface or if the feud between him and Joe plays out for months, leading to another showdown further down the road.

It is impossible to deny the connection Nakamura has with fans and the credibility he has brought to every show he has appeared on. Wednesday night's broadcast was just another example of the effect he has had on NXT to this point in his career.

Winner: Billie Kay

The Australian competitor, last seen on a recent episode of SmackDown, returned to the NXT ring Wednesday night for a match with independent standout Santana Garrett.

In one three-minute sprint of a match, the commentary team of Tom Phillips and Corey Graves did more to put Kay's new attitude and character over than the months of appearances she had made prior. Suggesting that her SmackDown appearance had led to an inflated ego, they called the action she put Garrett away with a big boot to the face.

Kay is an accomplished wrestler, a skilled performer whose appearances for SHIMMER Women Athletes introduced her to the American audience. With Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Eva Marie and Carmella all getting the call to appear on Raw and SmackDown, her path toward the top of NXT is clearer.

As NXT officials attempt to replace the recent departures, Kay's visibility on the WWE Network should increase significantly—and rightfully so. She is ready for the next big step.

Loser: Santana Garrett

Santana Garrett should be a contracted member of the NXT roster, not a regional enhancement talent. A talented independent star who works all over the country, she is the perfect performer to begin working in the WWE Performance Center and appearing on television as the brand attempts to rebuild its women's division.

WWE trainers have been molding the likes of Liv Morgan, Aliyah and Ember Moon, and Peyton Royce is a few wins away from stardom, but the lack of experienced depth is alarming. Garrett would solve that problem instantly.

Instead, she was quickly defeated Wednesday night despite crowd support early.

Winner: Buddy Murphy

Those familiar with Kota Ibushi's work know how great he is. What was not so obvious as the Japanese sensation took the squared circle was how his opponent would be able to keep up with him. Buddy Murphy is a former tag team champion, but few remembered the brief period of time he spent as a singles competitor early on.

Wednesday night, Murphy showed the entire world just how strong a professional wrestler he is. The Australian competitor was the star of the match, setting the pace of the bout while also bumping around for his opponent. A technically sound wrestler who is a compelling character away from a breakout performance, it should be interesting to see how Murphy adjusts, evolves and grows as a singles worker heading forward.

That is, if officials can resist the urge to throw him back in a tag team with Wesley Blake.