WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Highlights and Reaction from January 17

The tag team division of NXT was on full display Wednesday night in two matches that may ultimately determine the direction the talented roster of duos takes in 2018.

The Street Profits and The Authors of Pain battled in a No. 1 Contender's match, with their sights set on dethroning The Undisputed Era's Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly as tag team champions.

Heavy Machinery returned to action, battling the cocky, arrogant duo of Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss.

Lacey Evans was in action, as was Roderick Strong, and Johnny Gargano addressed his NXT Championship opportunity at TakeOver: Philadelphia to round out this week's broadcast.

Heavy Machinery vs. Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss

Credit: WWE.com

Born in a pre-taped vignette in which Otis Dozovic attempted to manually move one of his opponent's vehicles earlier in the day, Heavy Machinery battled Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss in the night's opening contest.

The massive babyfaces' strength was on display early, but Moss and Sabbatelli were able to ground and isolate Dozovic momentarily midway through the bout. This, despite The Caterpillar (worm/elbow drop combo) from the athletic big man.

A hot tag to Tucker Knight gave way to an explosive babyface comeback. He ran over his opponents, but a rollup by Moss, his feet clearly on the top rope, earned the heels a cheap victory.

Result

Riddick Moss and Tino Sabbatelli defeated Heavy Machinery

Grade

C+ 

Analysis

The cheap victory sets up a potential program between the two teams, and that is not a bad thing.

Too often, the attention is paid to the tag team titles alone and other teams are left wallowing in obscurity. Sabbatelli and Moss are no strangers to obscurity. Their growth as a tandem between the ropes, the discovery of their natural heels personas have made for an intriguing act.

Whether they can emerge from this win with any kind of momentum or they are merely run over by Dozovic and Knight is the real question.

Roderick Strong vs. Fabian Aichner

Roderick Strong, somewhat lost in the shuffle on NXT, looked to get back to winning ways as he battled Fabian Aichner in singles competition. 

Grizzled veteran Strong found himself on the receiving end of an increasingly confident Aichner, who utilized his strength advantage to keep The Messiah of the Backbreaker grounded. Commentator Mauro Ranallo reminded fans the Italian has a win over No. 1 contender Johnny Gargano.

Aichner utilized a springboard to soar through the air but ended up in the grasp of Strong, who planted him with a backbreaker and scored the win via submission with the Stronghold.

After the match, Strong called out Lars Sullivan, seemingly setting up a match between the two of them at some point in the near future.

Result

Roderick Strong defeated Fabian Aichner

Grade

B-

Analysis

Strong is a phenomenal pro wrestler, and his work in NXT has been wholly underrated.

His chemistry with Aichner in this brief sprint of a squash only further demonstrated how talented an in-ring worker he is. His post-match call-out of Sullivan should result in the big man's best match to date and give Strong something fairly high profile to do for the time being.

Aichner deserves a look if you are unfamiliar with his work. Strong and compact but with an aerial game one would not expect out of someone his size, he is a star of NXT's future.

Aliyah vs. Lacey Evans

Lacey Evans and Aliyah returned to televised in-ring competition after months Wednesday night in a match that was designed to highlight the former.

Evans demonstrated a more ferocious side of herself, raking the face of her opponent on the top rope and delivering a slingshot elbow drop. She flirted with breaking the rules, then found herself on the receiving end of a fiery comeback by her smaller opponent.

A jawbreaker by Evans and a hard right hand stunned Aliyah long enough to score the victory.

After the match, Evans cut a heel promo, essentially confirming a new role for her as a villainess. She called out Nikki Cross, Ember Moon and Kairi Sane but wasted no time getting out of dodge when Shayna Baszler arrived on the scene.

The former MMA fighter choked Aliyah out until Moon hit the ring and chased the newcomer off. She ended her verbal exchange with Baszler, promising to beat her ass.

Result

Lacey Evans defeated Aliyah

Grade

C

Analysis

A strong segment that introduced the new heel persona of Evans, continued Baszler's destruction and set the stage for a match between Moon and the dangerous newcomer.

It should be interesting to see how Evans' self-righteous heel character works out, but this was clearly about setting up the title match between Moon and Baszler for TakeOver: Philadelphia.

It worked as we saw more personality out of Moon's underdeveloped character than we have to this point.

Johnny Gargano Promo

Credit: WWE.com

Johnny Gargano hit the ring for a brief promo in which he announced he would put his championship opportunity against Andrade "Cien" Almas at TakeOver: Philadelphia up for grabs against The Velveteen Dream on next week's show.

"I am done being doubted around here! I am not a broken man. I am not a loser. This is not a fluke!" he said, promising no one would stop him.

"For the first time in a long time, I know who I am. I am Johnny Gargano. I am Johnny Freaking Wrestling!"

He vowed to be the next NXT champion.

Grade

A

Analysis

Gargano's character arc has been the most engaging and engrossing in all of NXT over the last year.

A broken man rebounding and evolving into the strong, confident No. 1 contender has been a roller-coaster ride the fans of NXT have taken with their beloved favorite. Gargano has been consistently great throughout, and this was no different.

His conviction was pitch-perfect, and the intensity he demonstrated as it went on added excitement not only for the match with Velveteen Dream next week but his title opportunity in The City of Brotherly Love.

The Street Profits vs. The Authors of Pain

The Street Profits wrestled the most significant match of their young careers as Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins battled former tag team champion The Authors of Pain, Akam and Rezar, for the right to face The Undisputed Era's Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish in Philadelphia.

Ford and Dawkins were outclassed and overmatched from the get-go, with their fun-loving and energetic personalities no match for the oppressive and physical former titleholders.

The babyfaces would manage a comeback of sorts late in the match, but the Super Collider and The Last Chapter put The Street Profits away and cashed the former champions' ticket to Philly and a showdown with O'Reilly and Fish.

Result

The Authors of Pain defeated The Street Profits

Grade

C+

Analysis

One has to wonder what the point of heating The Street Profits up as much as NXT management did was when they were essentially squashed by Akam and Rezar.

This was never all that competitive of a match as The Authors of Pain rolled to a win.

If the storyline ultimately becomes The Street Profits' desire to refocus themselves and become just a bit more serious, then this served a purpose. Otherwise, they lost a match that may prove more damaging than helpful to their futures with the brand.