WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 10

Take three of the most talented professional wrestlers on the planet, program half of a television show around them and let them wow the audience. What you have is an extraordinary main event to another strong hour of NXT television.

Pete Dunne and Adam Cole challenged Ricochet for the brand's North American Championship Wednesday night in a match that will be a contender for Free TV Match of the Year come the end of 2018.

Who emerged victorious and what was the unpredictable Nikki Cross up to at the top of the show?

Find out with this recap of the October 10 broadcast.

Tommaso Ciampa Addresses the NXT Universe

NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa kicked off the show and immediately addressed Velveteen Dream, saying he has his attention.

It was only a matter of time before the enigmatic and flamboyant NXT star made his presence felt, saying the NXT Championship deserves an experience, not an angry little bald man.

Dream played on his history, saying he is "tough enough" to take the title from the black heart of NXT.

Nikki Cross interrupted the proceedings and toyed with each man, saying she knew what they had done. She knocked the microphone away from Ciampa, and when he attempted to retrieve it later, she kicked it away.

The segment ended with the unhinged Cross repeating, "I know."

Grade

A

Analysis

Cross as the tortured keeper of secrets is phenomenal. That she was booked to interact with the NXT champion and Velveteen Dream in a high-profile segment that may set the table for the next title program tells the audience how much faith Triple H and management have in her to carry her end of the deal.

Her eventual reveal will likely shape NXT going forward.

The prospect of a Dream-Ciampa title match is an appealing one.

Two of the most compelling characters of the last year, the charisma alone would be enough to suck in the viewer, even if Dream would likely have to play a babyface for a moment or two.

A strong start to an action-packed show.

Keith Lee vs. Kona Reeves

Keith Lee returned to action Wednesday night, squaring off with an inconceivably arrogant Kona Reeves, whose win-loss record of late rivals that of the great Curt Hawkins.

Lee took the fight to Reeves from the bell, unloading on him in the corners with clubbing rights before landing a nasty chop to the chest.

Reeves used the ring apron to provide a distraction, which allowed him to get some offense in on his larger opponent.

Lee fought back, showing great facial expressions as he fired up and finished Reeves with a running shoulder block, followed by a supernova, for the pinfall victory.

Result

Lee defeated Reeves

Grade

A

Analysis

Lee underwhelmed in his first in-ring appearance for NXT, but this was everything one would expect out of him. He was physically dominant, and when the time came, he fed off his anger and obliterated an outmatched, over-powered Reeves for the one-sided win.

The big man is poised to accomplish great things in NXT.

This is just the beginning.

Triple Threat Match for the NXT North American Championship

Weeks after Adam Cole and Undisputed Era interrupted a champion vs. champion match between North American champion Ricochet and United Kingdom champion Pete Dunne, Cole and Dunne challenged for Ricochet's title in a massive Triple Threat match to close out Wednesday's broadcast.

The match was nonstop action, featuring back-and-forth offensive onslaughts and none of the three competitors gaining an early advantage. A triple-submission spot gave way to a slugfest that nobody definitively won.

At one point, Ricochet launched himself off the middle rope with a springboard moonsault, but Dunne and Cole telegraphed it, delivering a nasty double superkick to his face.

Dunne and Cole exchanged headbutts, and moments later at the ringside area, The Bruiserweight slammed the former Ring of Honor world champion's arm into the steel steps. Cole dodged Ricochet and blasted him with a superkick but fell prey to a moonsault from Dunne.

In one of the more impressive spots in the match, Ricochet delivered a double hurricanrana from the top rope that sent his opponents crashing to the mat below.

Cole tried to get tricky, using a schoolboy roll-up while draping his feet on the ropes for added leverage. It netted him a two-count.

Dunne responded with the Bitter End. He followed up by catching a flying Ricochet in a triangle choke before proceeding to sickeningly manipulate each of his fingers and wrist.

Cole blasted Dunne with a Shining Wizard and followed up with a brainbuster neckbreaker for a two-count. Dunne answered with a lariat clothesline. The Bitter End followed, but Ricochet soared through the air with a 630 splash for the win.

Result

Ricochet defeated Dunne and Cole to retain

Grade

A+

Analysis

Would a bit more story have been awesome? Sure. Could there have been a bit more selling to really put over the effect of the moves? Absolutely.

Taking into consideration the landscape of today's wrestling world—where the more jaw-dropping action, the better—this was a fantastic match to close out the show.

Ricochet looks like a tremendously strong champion having overcome Cole and Dunne's challenge, especially having a win over each man now. Cole can still argue that the Triple Threat bout tainted his rematch, leaving open the possibility he faces Ricochet one last time.

Still, as good as this was, it was not quite up to the level of Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly vs. Mustache Mountain or the Dunne vs. Ricochet match that set this one up.