WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 12

The October 12 episode of NXT may have focused heavily on The Dusty Rhodes Classic, but it was the championship feud between Shinsuke Nakamura and Samoa Joe that took center stage.

The King of Strong Style returned after weeks away, attacking the man who sidelined him. He left Joe lying there, reestablishing himself as the top dog on the brand. The feud, sure to climax at TakeOver: Toronto, was intensified and enhanced by the wild and crazy brawl that closed the show.

Sanity finally debuted, taking NXT by storm as it tore through Tye Dillinger en route to a berth in the second round of the Dusty Classic.

TM-61 advanced as well, defeating the makeshift duo of Riddick Moss and Tino Sabbatelli.

How did each of the night's matches grade out, and what effect did they have on NXT as a whole as the next TakeOver event nears?

Take a look for yourself with this look back at Wednesday's broadcast.

Dusty Rhodes Classic: Glorious 10 vs. Sanity

Credit: WWE.com

Bobby Roode and Tye Dillinger made separate entrances to tremendous fanfare to kick off Wednesday's show. Their opponents in the first round of The Dusty Rhodes Classic? The debuting Sanity, which made its way to the ring among great mystery.

Alexander Wolfe and Sawyer Fulton revealed themselves, then proceeded to squash Dillinger in impressive fashion. Roode, wanting no part of the new group, refused to come to his partner's aid.

After the match, the beating commenced on Dillinger until Nikki Cross and Eric Young revealed themselves as the other two members of the group.

Result

Sanity defeated Glorious 10.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Sanity's debut was met with a curious reaction from a NXT audience not quite sure what to make of the group. The revelation of Young drew a huge pop, but overall, it may take a few weeks for the act to click with fans.

The segment grades as high as it does because it not only debuted a group destined to have a huge impact on NXT in the coming months, but it also set up a feud between Roode and Dillinger if WWE Creative opts to go in that direction.

Liv Morgan vs. Billie Kay

Credit: WWE.com

Billie Kay was accompanied by Peyton Royce as she made her way to the ring for a match with Liv Morgan, whom the Aussies openly mocked after her embarrassing loss to Asuka.

Kay dominated the action, fighting out of a headlock early, taking her over with a fireman's carry and controlling the pace.

A modified STO looked to turn the tide in Morgan's favor, as did a dropkick. Royce's brief distraction allowed Kay to recover and deliver a big boot to the face for the win.

Result

Billie Kay defeated Liv Morgan.

Grade

D

Analysis

This...was not good.

The match was entirely basic, probably to placate Morgan and her limited experience, and bordered on disjointed more than once.

In fact, all this really accomplished was establishing the partnership between Kay and Royce, something that had been touched on just prior to the bout in a backstage promo.

Dusty Rhodes Classic: TM-61 vs. Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss

Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss, described rather generically by Tom Phillips as two superior athletes, made their debuts Wednesday night as they battled TM-61 in The Dusty Rhodes Classic.

Shane Thorne and Nick Miller dominated the action early before Moss took over control for the heels. The crowd was split down the middle for Sabbatelli as he took over beating Thorne. He worked over his smaller opponent, cutting off numerous attempts at a comeback, until Thorne was able to make the tag to his partner.

He made the hot tag to Miller, who unloaded on his opponents. Moments later, the babyfaces delivered Thunder Valley to advance in the tournament.

Result

TM-61 defeated Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss.

Grade

C

Analysis

This was a much more generic match than you would expect, probably to Sabbatelli's benefit. He may look like a million dollars, but he was still easily the most inexperienced guy in the ring Wednesday night, and it showed.

Rather than the energetic match fans have come to expect from the babyfaces, this was dumbed down significantly, and as a result, they never really kicked out of first gear. For a match that lasted eight minutes, that is not a good thing.

The right team went over and Moss looked good in the first extended action he has seen on TV, but this probably should have been much better than it was.

Buddy Murphy vs. Wesley Blake and Samoa Joe Attacks

Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake may be former tag team champions, but that meant little as they prepared to do battle in singles competition Wednesday night. Before they could start, though, Samoa Joe hit the ring and beat them both down.

Murphy had just exploded over the top rope with a tope con hilo when Joe pummeled both, leaving them lying at ringside.

Back from the break, Joe screamed that nothing would happen until he got his answer from William Regal regarding the NXT Championship.

Shinsuke Nakamura's music played and the champion made his return to the brand. The rivals brawled, taking guards and security with them in the process.

Eventually, Nakamura blasted Joe with Kinshasa and left to no pomp nor circumstance to close out the show.

Result

No-contest

Grade

A

Analysis

The brawl between Joe and Nakamura was wild, intense and everything fans would hope for out of two such heated rivals. The champion looked like a complete badass as he avenged the assault that left him sidelined—a demon awakened in him by The Samoan Submission Machine.

Nakamura standing tall was the perfect way to close out the show as it allows him the same opportunity to look dominant that Joe had weeks ago after the initial attack.

Sometimes, the gigantic brawls are overly long or ridiculous in nature. This looked like a legitimate fight between two guys who legitimately dislike each other, and it did wonders in adding heat to the championship feud.