Posted in: Review, Sports, TV, USA Network, WWE | Tagged: Apollo Crews, Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, NXT, NXT 2.0, NXT In Your House, NXT Women's Breakout Tournament, recaps, Solo Sikoa, USA Network, wrestling, wwe, WWE Raw

NXT 2.0 Recap 6/7: A WWE Raw Star Returns To NXT For A Fresh Start

NXT Champion Bron Breakker defeated Joe Gacy again for the title at this past Saturday night's NXT In Your House Premium Live Event on Peacock.  Now with Gacy (hopefully) in his past, the Champ will have to look forward to his next challenger.  Did that man present himself on this week's NXT 2.0 on the USA Network?  Let's take a look.

We kick things off with the new NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes hitting the ring with Trick Williams at his side.  They celebrate his win while insulting the live crowd until they're interrupted by Solo Sikoa, who says he's owed a shot at the title now.  Hayes and Williams disagree and say that while Sikoa made a deal with former Champion Cameron Grimes, that doesn't apply anymore.

Grayson Waller then makes his way out and mocks Sikoa, saying he's not worthy of challenging for the title.  This leads to Sikoa going at it with all three men until refs flood the ring to break it up.

Next, we see a video of Tony D'Angelo, Stacks, and Two Dimes arriving in the parking lot and Legado del Fantasma getting used to working for Tony D.  He then informs Santos Escobar that he's set up a match for him tonight on NXT 2.0.

Josh Briggs vs Von Wagner

A battle of two of NXT's biggest rigs here and it's a slugfest right from the bell.  It's a fun enough brawl kind of match, though too short I think.  The ref is distracted by Fallon Henley when Brooks Jensen pulls the old "Cowboy" Bob Orton and throws his arm cast to Briggs to clobber Wagner with, which he then follows with a Clothesline From Hell for the pinfall.

Winner: Josh Briggs

We then go to the trainer's room, where Solo Sikoa is being iced up.  He's interviewed about what happened earlier and he demands to face Grayson Waller and Carmelo Hayes tonight.

Next, we see Thea Hail receiving a scholarship to Chase University by Andre Chase.  They're interrupted by Pretty Deadly and this results in Chase and Bodhi Hayward challenging them to a match tonight.

Nathan Frazer vs Santos Escobar

A very nice match here with a lot going on.  The in-ring action is fast-paced and exciting, but there's also the storytelling here, with Tony D distracting Escobar from the outside and trying to tell him how to wrestle.  Eventually, they try to throw Escobar a crowbar to use in the ring, but he refuses and this allows Frazer to hit a Corkscrew Moonsault from the top rope for the pinfall.

Winner: Nathan Frazer

We then go to a backstage interview with Xyon Quinn, who is still pissed about his loss to Wes Lee last week and demands a rematch next week.

Bron Breakker heads to the ring now and takes a victory lap for his defeating Joe Gacy this past Saturday.  He then asks who will step up and challenge him next, which brings out WWE Raw star and former NXT star Apollo Crews.  He says he's back in NXT  to make history and congratulates Breakker on his accomplishments before saying he'll make history with him down the road.

Next, we get a video of crazy Joe Gacy talking to his cloaked goons in the dark about some rambling nonsense.  He says they'll compete in the ring next week for the first time next week, so I guess we'll find out who they are then.

Roxanne Perez vs Tiffany Stratton – NXT Women's Breakout Tournament Finals

A solid match here with some good simple stuff throughout.  Stratton does a good job of targeting limbs and really focusing on Perez's arm.  Perez plays the underdog role very well here, really selling how she's outsized and how Stratton has hurt her arm.  Eventually, Stratton misses a top rope moonsault and this allows Perez to hit Pop Rox on her for the pinfall.

Winner & Tournament Champions: Roxanne Perez

After the match, Cora Jade runs in to celebrate with Perez, but Toxic Attraction heads out and Mandy Rose talks trash to Perez.  They hit the ring and a three-on-two brawl breaks out, but Indi Hartwell runs out to even it up and they toss Toxic Attraction from the ring.

We then rush backstage to find Bodhi Hayward beat up at the hands of Pretty Deadly.  Andre Chase says he'll head to the ring and deal with them himself.

Next, we get a backstage interview with Wendy Choo, but it's interrupted by a complaining Tiffany Stratton, who says she was screwed.  Choo then throws her drink in Stratton's face and runs off.  Ok then…

Pretty Deadly vs Andre Chase & Bodhi Hayward

Chase starts this one solo but is eventually joined by Thea Hail and an injured Hayward.  It doesn't matter though, as Pretty Deadly still hits him with Spilled Milk for the pinfall.

Winners: Pretty Deadly

We then see Tony D confront Carmelo Hayes backstage and try to recruit him into his family.  He declines, so Tony D threatens that his title reign might end quickly.

Alba Fyre vs Tatum Paxley

A quick and easy one here for Fyre, who hits a Swanton Bomb on Paxley for the pinfall after a couple of minutes.

Winner: Alba Fyre

After, Fyre is kicked in the face on the ramp by Lash Legend, who seems to be starting a rivalry with her.  So I guess we can pencil in Fyre on the injured list in the near future then.  Please keep Legend far away from any and all talented wrestlers.

We then find The Creed Brothers showing off their new Tag Team gold to Ivy Nile and Damon Kemp when they're confronted by Roderick Strong, who congratulates them on winning the titles.  They're interrupted by Malik Blade and Edris Enofé who want a title shot next week, which the Creeds agree to.  This pisses off Strong, who then criticizes their title win.

Next, we get another hype package for Giovanni Vinci, where we actually see who he is and not surprisingly, it is indeed the new identity of Fabian Aichner.  We learn that he will make his NXT 2.0 debut next week.

Hayes and Waller hit the ring for their Handicap Match against Sikoa, except when Sikoa comes out, he announces that he's found himself a partner, Apollo Crews.

Carmelo Hayes & Grayson Waller vs Solo Sikoa & Apollo Crews

We get a fun, action-packed tag match here in the NXT 2.0 main event.  Something notable is that Hayes and Waller work very well as a tag team.  Their attitudes match and they have great chemistry together in the ring, especially when double-teaming their opponents.  Eventually, Waller tries the diving Stunner on Crews, but Crews catches him and turns it into the Spin Out Powerbomb for the pinfall.

Winners: Apollo Crews & Solo Sikoa

And that's that for a good episode of NXT 2.0.  It was lean, focused, set up new stories, and the matches were good throughout.  See what happens when you focus on wrestling and setting up serious rivalries and not doing comedy nonsense with water balloons and other stupid crap?

Till next time friends.

6/7 NXT 2.0

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Review by Ryan Fassett

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7/10

Quite the solid episode this week as the wrestling was put front and center and everything was taken seriously and actually evolved the stories. Little to no comedy and Wendy Choo nonsense made for an episode that actually felt like it was a legit product worth watching.

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