WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Highlights and Reaction from August 1

One week after a stunning conclusion that saw Tommaso Ciampa defeat Aleister Black to win the NXT Championship after interference from Johnny Gargano backfired, the Blackheart addressed the wrestling world on another explosive episode of NXT TV.

The action in the ring was as hot as it was on the mic, as Candice LeRae battled NXT women's champion Shayna Baszler, Heavy Machinery wrote the latest chapter in its rivalry with The Mighty, and EC3 squared off with Kona Reeves to round out a star-studded card.

Who won, how did each match grade out and what does it mean for the brand going forward?

Find out now with this recap of the August 1 broadcast.

Heavy Machinery vs. The Mighty

Heavy Machinery hit the ring to kick off this week's broadcast, squaring off with recent rivals The Mighty in a grudge match.

The Mighty seized the early advantage, isolating Otis Dozovic and beating him down while taunting Tucker Knight from across the ring. They worked the athletic big man's left arm, hoping to take away some of his power advantage.

Knight tagged in but found himself on the receiving end of an attack similar to that of Dozovic when The Street Profits' music played and the popular tag team appeared in the crowd.

Distracted, The Mighty fell prey to the Compactor, which netted Heavy Machinery the win.

Result

Heavy Machinery defeated The Mighty

Grade

B

Analysis

This wrapped up one feud and moved The Mighty on to another with The Street Profits.

The match itself was solid, if unspectacular, and the result was probably the right one.

The question is whether this leads to Heavy Machinery climbing into tag team title contention. With The Undisputed Era, Mustache Mountain and The War Raiders jam-packing that picture, it is difficult to see where it fits in.

Mustache Mountain vs. State Line

Two weeks after a disappointing, controversial conclusion ended with Mustache Mountain dropping the NXT Tag Team Championship to Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong, the team returned to action against the enhancement opposition of Matt Knox and Brandon Taylor.

Trent Seven and Tyler Bate toyed with the outclassed opposition.

Bate delivered a running uppercut in the corner, a corner dropkick and a Northern Lights suplex. A standing Shooting Star Press followed, and a double-team maneuver to Knox earned Mustache Mountain the win.

After the match, the former champions issued a challenge for the titles at TakeOver: Brooklyn IV.

Result

Mustache Mountain defeated State Line

Grade

B

Analysis

This was an excellent showcase for Bate and Seven and helped them rebound after their disappointing defeat two weeks ago.

They looked fast, crisp and effective as they rolled over the competition. The post-match promo was strong and sets up what may be the best match on the TakeOver card when all is said and done.

EC3 vs. Kona Reeves

After a few backstage encounters in recent weeks, EC3 finally squared off with Kona Reeves in singles competition. Reeves, doing his best impersonation of The Rock and John Morrison's love child, entered to a chorus of boos.

Chants of "NX3" spilled from the stands in favor of EC3 as the bell rang.

The former TNA world champion survived a Cobra Clutch attempt by Reeves, but the appearance of Velveteen Dream on the ramp distracted him momentarily.

Dream cut a promo, claiming EC3 cannot get over being left to fend for himself at the Royal Albert Hall.

Reeves recovered and delivered a series of maneuvers, including his patented Hawaiian Drop. EC3 kicked out, though, and finished him off with the One Percent for the win.

Result

EC3 defeated Reeves

Grade

B

Analysis

The match was secondary and not particularly good, thanks to the wealth of offense given to the unspectacular (at least to this point) Reeves.

EC3 vs. Velveteen Dream is an interesting match, if only because both men had been portrayed as heels as late as the last TakeOver in Chicago.

EC3 as the babyface makes sense given his popularity among fans, while Dream gets to continue being the enigmatic villain whose mind games affect even the strongest-minded competitors.

Candice LeRae vs. Shayna Baszler

Shayna Baszler squared off with Candice LeRae in a non-title match ahead of her upcoming championship defense against Kairi Sane at TakeOver.

Baszler targeted the left arm of LeRae, working it over in hopes of scoring a submission win later in the match. Ever the resilient babyface, Candice Wrestling delivered a facebuster off the ropes. A near-fall had LeRae rolling until Baszler trapped her in her patented chokeout.

LeRae used the ropes to escape, but she fell prey to the hold again, having no choice but to tap out.

After the match, The Queen of Spades reapplied the hold until Sane made the save.

Result

Baszler defeated LeRae

Grade

C+

Analysis

Given the talent involved, this was rather disappointing.

LeRae was given very little, treated on par with Kona Reeves from the match prior.

With that said, it was nice to see Sane bring the intensity as she rushed the squared circle to make the save. That intensity and a little ruthless aggression will go a long way in making her a far more credible opponent for the bulldozer Baszler.

Tommaso Ciampa Addresses the NXT Universe

Tommaso Ciampa entered to a chorus of boos Wednesday night wearing the NXT Championship over his shoulder like a prize. "This is my NXT now!"

Ciampa basked in the jeers of the audience, dropping down to the ringside area, he taunted an elderly fan and called NXT the "A-show" now that he is champion.

Johnny Gargano interrupted, brushing past Aleister Black as he made his entrance, and vowed it would never be Ciampa's NXT as long as he was breathing.

Black ended the entire ordeal with Black Mass to Gargano, repaying him for the interference that cost him his title. Sitting down beside him, he reaffirmed Gargano's claim from earlier, saying Ciampa is only champion because of Johnny Wrestling.

Grade

A

Analysis

Ciampa has done his best Lex Luthor thus far in this program, playing Black and Gargano again each other to the point that the Triple Threat match at TakeOver: Brooklyn IV may devolve into a regular ol' Batman vs. Superman smackdown before all is said and done, allowing him to sneak out the winner.

It is layered storytelling here, something fans can really sink their teeth into and choose sides over. That makes for the best programming.