WWE NXT live results: Ilja Dragunov & Carmelo Hayes face-to-face

After presenting a taped episode last week, WWE NXT is back live tonight.

A face-to-face segment with Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes headlines tonight’s episode. Following his betrayal of Trick Williams at Vengeance Day, Hayes has set his sights on the NXT Championship.

Dragunov has agreed to defend his title against Hayes at NXT Roadblock next Tuesday. That match should be made official during tonight’s face-to-face.

The Heritage Cup will be on the line tonight as Noam Dar defends against a member of the No Quarter Catch Crew. It will be Dar vs. either Drew Gulak, Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp, or Myles Borne.

Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson, who put NXT on notice last week, are set for action against Malik Blade & Edris Enofe.

Roxanne Perez vs. Jakara Jackson, Kelani Jordan vs. Kiana James, Von Wagner vs. Lexis King, Dijak vs. Luca Crusifino, and Gigi Dolin vs. Jaida Parker have also been announced. Plus, we’ll hear from Ridge Holland.

Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

Starts with a cold open, meaning no introductory video aside from the quick “Together” that opens every WWE broadcast. Wide shot of the sound stage at the Performance Center.

Booker T returns to commentary to join fellow regular Vic Joseph. 

In front of a studio audience, out comes NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov for tonight’s advertised confrontation. Dragunov calls out Carmelo Hayes, and Hayes saunters out. Hayes appears rather confident, especially with a line of personal security guards between “Him” and Dragunov. 

Hayes calls Dragunov “spiteful,” and the champ says Hayes is “damn right about me!” Because of that, Hayes says he will not get in the ring with Dragunov until their title match is signed and official. Hayes says he will give Dragunov until the end of the night. Until then, or what? That was a hollow threat from Hayes.

Dragunov decks and elbows a few of the security guards, as the rest of security surrounds Hayes with a human shield. To be continued later in the show.

Gigi Dolan is backstage earlier today, and she wants to speak with General Manager Ava. They go to meet in Ava’s office, but Jaida Parker is already there. Much like Dolan, Parker wants to talk about her future. Dolan tells Parker to get in line. This skit sets up a match for later.

Kiana James (with Izzi Dame) defeated Kelani Jordan

James pinned Jordan after interference by Dame. The match goes through a commercial break. Jordan gets to shine before the show cuts to break. Jordan is cut off during the break, and James works her over. Jordan gets some hope spots, like a small package out of nowhere for a two count.

Jordan is trying to rally when she is flipped over the ropes, out to the apron. Jordan goes for a springboard, but Dame interferes by grabbing Jordan’s leg. Jordan takes a bump on the apron, and down to the floor. When Jordan is rolled back into the ring, James executes her “Deal Breaker” finish. A three count later, and the referee raises James hand in victory. 

The OC (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) defeated Edris Enofe & Malik Blade

Gallows pinned Enofe, after a Magic Killer. The babyface duo did well early on, but they lose yet again. They have been a team for a while now, but have got nothing more than a mild push as a team. They seem to lose to those on their way up. Or they lose to teams on their way in, such as here with The Good Brothers in NXT.

Heat on Blade in the body of the match, leading to a hot tag. Enofe cleans house. Meanwhile, Gallows goozles Blade, and Blade is sent crashing into the ring steps. Enofe is cut off, and he takes a spinebuster from Anderson. Both Anderson and Gallows get into the ring for their tandem finisher. Gallows then covers Enofe for a pinfall.

In another backstage skit in Ava’s office, North American Champion Oba Femi and NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov meet face to face. They have a brief staredown. Dragunov is actually there to talk with Ava, presumably about booking the title match with Hayes. 

Roxanne Perez defeated Jakara Jackson (with Lash Legend)

Perez submitted Jackson with a crossface. Legend interfered during the match, and the referee ejected her from ringside.

This match was set up with a skit from last week, where Roxanne was upset about missing the open challenge last Tuesday. Jackson approaches Perez to brag about Lash Legend. Perez was already upset, and that was all she needed to ignite. That sparks a pull-apart brawl, which set up this bout.

Perez has words with Legend at ringside, which costs Perez for a moment. Legend interferes, and the ref ejects Legend from ringside. Jackson stills gets some offense, until Perez fired up for a comeback. Perez then applies a crossface, and Jackson tapped out. 

Thea Hail is left alone and sad, after Kiana James wants to talk to Jacy Jayne about the calendar sales. This was a community theater skit.

Wolf Dogs meet The Good Brothers in another backstage skit. This teases a tag team title with the new NXT Tag Team Champions, Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin, defending against Gallows & Anderson.

Dijak defeated Luca Crusifino

An encounter in a skit from last week set up this match. It also involved a crazed Joe Gacy in a straitjacket, but that did not factor into this bout. Gacy would run in after the match to attack Dijak.

Crusifino in his new role re-debuts in the ring on NXT, and he drops the fall clean as a sheet. Not really the best way to debut, but it continued a theme on this episode of up-and-comers getting beaten by established acts. There was at least some character development with Crusifino. He plants a crowbar in a hiding spot after the match, catching the eye of The Family.

Dijak cuts off a rally, leading to “Feast Your Eyes” and a pinfall. Gacy runs in after the match. He is still in the straitjacket, but he has broken out of it. One are is completely out, and Gacy flails his arm around.   

Crusifino has a crowbar, and he hides it in the ring steps in front of the world. Tony D’Angelo, Stacks, and Rizzo are watching on a monitor backstage. “The Don” is impressed, teasing Crusifino may get an offer he cannot refuse.

NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria heads to the ring for a monologue. Valkyria wishes Shotzi a speedy recovery from injury, and Valkyria also puts over Legend for doing well.

Valkyria then mentions Tatum Paxley following direction last week. Valkyria asks Paxley to come out to thank her. Paxley joins Valkyria in the ring, and Paxley says it was hard not interfere. Paxley begins to mark out for Valkyria, and Valkyria has to settle her down.

As a reward, Valkyria announces that Paxley will team with Valkyria to challenge WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors. That is set for NXT Roadblock.

Ridge Holland interrupts them, and he congratulates the new challengers. Holland asks them to leave the ring, because Holland has something to say. Holland wants to defend his actions, saying he was defending himself.

The lights in the sound stage suddenly go dark. A message appears on the video screens. “Truth will prevail, but there is pain bringing it to light.” The sound stage then goes dark. A lone spotlight breaks through the darkness, revealing a hooded figure holding a folding chair.

The hooded figure hits Holland with a chair shot. The mysterious figure takes off his hood to reveal himself as Shawn Spears. He has returned to NXT, with a takeoff on his chair gimmick from AEW. Although Spears has a previous run in NXT under the “Tye Dillinger” moniker, the commentators referred to him by his shoot name. 

Von Wagner (with Mr. Stone) defeated Lexis King

Wagner pinned King after interference by Stone. To get his heat back, King lays out Stone after the match.

King works a leg during the match. Comeback by Wagner, and the fighting spills outside. Mr. Stone is inadvertently knocked down, which worries Wagner. Back in the ring, King is looking for a finisher. Stone jumps on the apron to distract King, allowing Wagner to schoolboy roll up King. 

Wagner scores a three count, but King attacks Wager after the match. Stone jumps in to make a save. Instead, King pummels Stone. King executes his “Coronation” finisher on Stone. Flopping like a fish out of water, Stone sells big.

Ava is arguing with Dijak about the brawl earlier with Joe Gacy. The brawling erupts again when Gacy attacks Dijak. A screaming Ava yells they cannot keep doing this. She later books an “Asylum Match” with Gacy against Dijak. That was confirmed for NXT Roadblock.

Jaida Parker pinned Gigi Dolan

“Miss NXT” Arianna Grace comes down to ringside during the match, which ends up costing Dolan the match. Her appearance was foreshadowed with a skit before this match. Grace gets on the apron, wanting to speak to Dolan. In the middle of a match, that is quite silly.

Dolan slaps Grace, and Grace takes a bump off the apron. A distracted Dolan is then blindsided by Parker. Dolan takes the fall, and Parkers pinned her.  

An overhead shot of beach reveals a cryptic message. “See you soon.”

Charlie Dempsey (with No Quarter Catch Crew) defeated Heritage Cup Champion Noam Dar (with Oro Mensah) to win the trophy

Dempsey pinned Dar for the deciding fall in the fifth round. Besides the Heritage Cup rules, the other gimmick for this bout was Dar being unaware which member of the Crew he would face in this title match.

All four members of the Crew entered the sound stage, and they all walk to the ring. Dempsey is revealed as the one from the Crew set to wrestle for the Cup. 

In the first round, Dempsey scores a pinfall with a cradle. Much of round two happens during a split-screen commercial break. No falls in the second round. Some nifty grappling in the third round. 

They are trading strikes as round three winds downs. Dar is dumped on his head with a German suplex, but he manages a counter. Dempsey eats a back elbow, and time expires on the third round. 

Not long into the fourth round, Dar evens the score. Dar rushed to attack Dempsey. “Nova Roller” finishing move, and Dar pins Dempsey. The score is tied with one fall apiece.

Seconds into round five, and Myles Borne jumps on the apron trying to cause a distraction. Oro Mensah clashes with Borne at ringside, and Mensah is posted by Borne. A moment later, Drew Gulak and Damon Kemp jump on the apron. Dar thwarts them, but the distraction allow Dempsey time to recover. Dempsey then catches Car with a Dragon suplex. Dempsey bridges, and Dar’s shoulder are on the mat for a three count. 

Shawn Spears is leaving the building when he is met with a TMZ-style interview. Spears reveals he will be at “Roadblock” next week.

Face-to-Face

Ava moderates a sit-down face-to-face segment where they are seated at a table. The face-to-face segment is interrupted by the arrival of Tony D’Angelo. 

Tony D wants to be included in any conversation about “big business.” Hayes threatens “The Don” by saying he will sic the security on him. The Don tells Hayes that you do not have to be “Him,” nor a champion, to get things done around here. 

Tony D snaps his fingers like The Fonz. With the snap of his fingers, the security guards all leave. Ava also vacates seat at the table, and The Don sits down.

Tony D’Angelo wants a title shot, instead of Hayes getting the match. D’Angelo talks about Hayes demanding a title match, but Tony D proclaims he wants to earn a title shot at Stand & Deliver.

D’Angelo announces a match next for Roadblock, with himself against Hayes. The winner gets a NXT title match at Stand & Deliver. Dragunov accepts the proposal, and he shakes hands with D’Angelo. 

Hayes gets up from the table to threaten D’Angelo. Pushing and shoving, and Tony D inadvertently elbows Dragunov. Hayes then puts D’Angelo through a table. Hayes signs a contract, and he drops the contract on a prone D’Angelo. Next week is a number one contender’s match to decide who faces Dragunov at Stand & Deliver.