WWE NXT live results: A Very Gargano Christmas

It will be “A Very Gargano Christmas” on tonight’s episode of NXT.

Two days before Christmas, The Way (NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, and Austin Theory) will present “A Very Gargano Christmas” on NXT tonight. Last week’s show saw Gargano & Theory defeat Leon Ruff & Kushida, while LeRae and Hartwell also laid out Shotzi Blackheart after Hartwell lost to Blackheart by disqualification. Hartwell got disqualified for hitting Blackheart with the trophy that Gargano gave LeRae after NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

A Tag Team Championship street fight will open tonight’s show as Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch defend their NXT Tag Team titles against Killian Dain & Drake Maverick. Both teams were involved in a four-way brawl last week that also included Adam Cole & Roderick Strong and Breezango.

Rhea Ripley vs. Dakota Kai with Raquel Gonzalez banned from ringside, Jake Atlas vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, and the return of Bronson Reed are also set for tonight’s NXT. Plus, NXT Champion Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly will look back at their title match from NXT TakeOver 31. Balor and O’Reilly are facing off in a rematch for the title at NXT New Year’s Evil on Wednesday, January 6.

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

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The show opened with a tag team title match.

NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch defeated Killian Dain & Drake Maverick in a street fight to retain their titles

Lorcan pinned Maverick after he and Burch used their double team DDT finisher. Lorcan & Burch wore traditional trunks and gear. Maverick & Dain were dressed in street clothes.

Maverick & Dain jumped the champs at ringside before the bell. They brawled on the floor, only for Lorcan & Burch to quickly turn the tide. Chairs became involved and used as weapons. 

The wild brawl gave way to the teams standing on the apron making tags. Tagging in and out makes little sense in a “street fight,” but this is WWE so whatever. They kept using chairs as weapons as the action went back-and-forth, but they adhered to traditional tag rules. 

When the fighting spilled back outside, they all brawled together. Tags just seem to matter in the ring. Texas tornado rules on the floor. Regardless, they were beating the heck out of each other. 

Dain crashed through a table as the show cut to its first commercial break. The use of weapons continued after the break. Dain was down selling, and Maverick was all alone. He was whipped with a belt. Heat on Maverick until Dain rose from the dead to make a hot tag in this here street fight.

Hot tags are rare in street fights, but Dain took advantage by cleaning house on Lorcan & Burch. Two tables were set up side-by-side at ringside. Dain took a Nestea Plunge off the apron, and he bounced off the tables to the floor. The tables barely broke. The announcers on commentary said at NXT their tables are reinforced. 

Maverick made a comeback, and he dished out receipts with the leather belt. He lashed Lorcan & Burch. Maverick was fired up.  

Lorcan with low blow on Maverick to cut him off. Burch hit him with a cricket bat. They then spiked him with a DDT, and Lorcan pinned Maverick for a pinfall.

A Vert Gargano Christmas: Act 1

The Way were at the Gargano house celebrating the holidays. Johnny Gargano was playing a piano as the others decorate.

“Forget elf on a shelf, you’ve got Gargano on a piano,” Johnny Wrestling said.

Candice and the rest of the Way approached Johnny. They were ready to open presents. Cut to camcorder footage of them opening presents. This part reminds me of Cactus Jack in ECW, and his wacky home videos during Christmas.

Theory opened his present. It was The Gargano Way protein powder. He was very excited. 

Up next is a special feature mini-doc about Kyle O’Reilly and NXT Champion Finn Balor. They were looking back on their previous match in October at TakeOver. In two weeks, the return title match headlines New Year’s Evil. The featurette was great. It somewhat had a UFC Countdown feel, but with a sports entertainment flare.

Malcolm Bivens was backstage with Tyler Rust. Bivens cut a promo hyping him up.

Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeated Jake Atlas

Scott pinned Atlas clean to win their return match. 

This is a rematch from last week when Scott lose, and then he refused to shake hands with Atlas.

Scott seemingly cotinues to develop into a heel. He wrestled a rudo style, as he took the fight to Atlas. 

Atlas fought back as the match went through a commercial break. Atlas was in control, but Scott soon cut him off. Scott’s tactics only got more heelish as the match rolled on.

Springboaring off the top rope, Atlas went for an avalanche poison rana. Scott landed on his feet in an impressive feat. 

They fought on until Scott rocked Atlas with a headbutt. A draping Michinoku Driver by Scott, and then he covered Atlas for the pinfall.

Scott gloated as he celebrated after the match. Now he wants a handshake. Atlas this time was the one to refuse. 

Cole Challenges Dream

Adam Cole and Roderick Strong in a backstage interview were putting over Kyle O’Reilly when they were interrupted by Velveteen Dream.

Dream said Cole is no longer the leader of Undisputed Era. O’Reilly is now the leader, according to Dream. He continued trying to drive a wedge between Undisputed Era.

Suddenly, Cole slapped Dream in the face. Cole then challenged Dream to a match, and he called Dream a “freaking moron.”

Timothy Thatcher cut a good promo on Tommaso Ciampa. He told Ciampa that he was going to take liberties with Leon Ruff later on. Thatcher dared Ciampa to come out and stop him. Thatcher went on to say to wants to fight Ciampa.

Rhea Ripley defeated Dakota Kai 

Ripley pinned Kai clean, and then Ripley brawled with Raquel Gonzalez after the match.

Gonzalez for the macth was barred from ringside via a tweet by William Regal. She would eventually come out onto the stage, but she would not approach ringside until after the bout.

Ripley was ragdolling Kai early on in the match. She tossed her around the ring, including an airplane spin. 

The fight spilled outside where Kai gave Ripley a shoulde breaker on the apron. Kai then posted her shoulder first. Ripley was down selling as the show cut a picture-in-picture commercial break. 

Kai was working the shoulder when the show came back from the break. Ripley powered out with a deadlift powerbomb, and she started a comeback.

Ripley fired up on Kai, and delivered a few dropkicks. A gutwrench facebuster netted Ripley a two count. 

They traded strikes. Kai caught Ripley with a kick, but Kai missed a follow-up running kick. Ripley planted her with a sit-out facebuster out of an electric chair. Kai still managed to kick out for a near fall.

Kai cut off Ripley and she delivered a face wash. Ripley with a counter was able to catch Kai in her inverted scorpion leglock. Ripley had the hold locked in when Gonzalez entered the scene.

Ripley shouted at Gonzalez as Ripley cranked on the submission hold. With Ripley distracted with Gonzalez, Kai was able to get a rope break. 

Kai with her signature lungblower, and Kai started hitting Ripley with Kawada kicks. Ripley blocked a later kick, and she went for The Rip Tide. Kai countered into a guillotine. Ripley powered out. Ripley then with pump handle executed her finisher, and she covered Kai for the pinfall.

Gonzalez approached the ring after the match as referee poured out behind her. Gonzalez got in the ring the confront Ripley.

They circled each other and then stood face-to-face. A brawl erupted, which lead to a pull-apart. Officials and producers all tried to keep the two apart.

A Very Gargano Christmas: Act 2

This time around it was Indi Hartwell’s turn to open a present. Her gift was a PS5, or so she thought. Instead it was an empty box. Gargano said it was the box from his PS5, and Gargano said he has a better gift for her.

Johnny Wrestling gifted her the family name, christening her as Indi Wrestling. Hartwell exclaimed that was better than a PS5.

“We support you,” Candice LeRae told Hartwell. “We support Indi Wrestling.”

Austin Theory was moved to tears.

Toni Storm looked like a superstar in a promo, ans she had a warning for NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai. 

Xia Li and Boa were still in training, but this was less torture. They were getting stronger. There is still some sort of mysterious figure as their taskmaster. 

Bronson Reed defeated Ashante “Thee” Adonis

Reed ran over Adonis in a squash match. Reed with a flying splash, and he pinned Adonis for a clean pinfall in a short match.

Shirai Attacked

Io Shirai had heard what Toni Storm said earlier. Shirai told some in production to play her music. She stormed to the ring, grabbed a chair, and she sat down in the ring. She called out Storm. Behind Shirai came Mercedes Martinez. She caught Shirai in a choke. She rammed Shirai into the barricade as she pummeled her around ringside.

Shirai tried to fight back, but Martinez threw Shirai threw the bottom of the announce desk. 

A Very Gargano Christmas: Act 3

Gargano had a present for his wife. LeRae opened her gift to find a mangled wheel from Shotzi Blackheart’s tank. LeRae seemed to think it was a thougtful gift. She adored it.

The Way all got together to say “Merry Christmas” for a postcard send-off.

Leon Ruff defeated Timothy Thatcher

Ruff pinned Thatcher in a huge upset. This was Razor Ramon vs. The Kid (Sean Waltman) in 1993 all over again. 

Thatcher manhandled Ruff, and Thatcher roughed him up. Ruff fought back, but Thatcher only punished him more.

Thatcher went to get a chair, and Ruff caught him slipping with an inside cradle for two. Ruff was making a comeback when Thatcher cut him down in mid-air with an uppercut. 

The torture cotinued as Thatcher suplexed and stomped him. Thatcher was toying with Ruff whem Ruff countered him. Ruff caught him in a small package, and he scored a pinfall out of nowhere on Thatcher.

Thatcher attacked Ruff after the macth. Ciampa ran down to make a save, and Ciampa drilled Thatcher with a draping DDT. Ciampa then said he would see Thatcher in the “fight pit,” and Ciampa kissed Thatcher on the forehead.

Damian Priest cut a promo on Karrion Kross. 

Dexter Lumis was drawing more pictures. He is the host of New Year’s Evil, and his new picture depicted Rhea Ripley facing off with Raquel Gonzalez. This served as a cool way to announce Ripley vs. Gonzalez in a “Last Woman Standing” match at New Year’s Evil in two weeks.

Tyler Rust (with Malcolm Bivens) defeated Ariya Daivari

Rust submitted Daivari in a showcase match.

Rust took most of the match, but Daivari got some offense during the match. 

Daivari was talking trash when Rust caught him in a traingle choke. Rust hit Davari with a series of kicks. Rust with headlock neckbreaker, and then he applied a unique submission hold. Rust with a modified Rings of Saturn, and Daivari tapped out. 

Leon Ruff in a backstage interview announced he is getting a rematch for the NXT North American Championship against Johnny Gargano. That title match is set for next week.

A vignette featured Karrion Kross cutting a promo on Damian Priest. They meet in a match at New Year’s Evil.

NXT year-end awards to be announced next week, and voting is now open online.

Adam Cole (with Roderick Strong) defeated Velveteen Dream 

Cole pinned Dream after The Last Shot.

Cole in control until Dream cut him off. Cole came back with a neckbreaker to regain the advantage. Cole with a pump kick knocked Dream off the apron. 

They collided and bonked heads. Both down selling as Pete Dunne ran in. Dunne attacked Roderick Strong at ringside. Dunne gave him the Bitter End on the apron.

Dream with heat on Cole as the show cut its final commercial break. A rally by Cole as the show returned from the break. Dream missed a flying elbow drop as he crashed and burned.

They traded strikes. Dream bumped and fed into Cole. An ushigoroshi led to a near fall for Cole. Another two count for Cole after a German suplex on Dream. 

Dream fought back, only to get superkicked in the knee. Cole went for a figure-four, but Dream with a counter.,

Cole with a superkick in mid-air on Dream to counter a flying ax handle. Dream crawled back into the ring as Cole waited on him. 

Dream ate a superkick, and Cole locked in a figure-four leglock. Dream sold big, but he got a rope break. 

The referee was almost a target, but Cole stopped short when he realized what was happening. Dream then cut off Cole, and Dream delivered a DDT. Dream off the top rope with a flying elbow drop for a near fall.

They took turns taking a superkick in mid-air off the middle rope. Cole got in the last one, and then he hit Dream with The Last Shot. Cole then covered Dream for a pinfall.

Announced for next week is Pete Dunne vs. Roderick Strong, which stems from the attack in the main event on this show.

In two weeks at New Year’s Evil, a pit fight was annouced that is pitting Tommaso Ciampa against Timothy Thatcher.