On Tuesday night was another stacked episode of WWE NXT. Two championship matches were clearly the headliners, as KUSHIDA would defend his NXT Cruiserweight Championship in the main event against Santos Escobar in a Best 2-out-of-3 falls matchup while Raquel Gonzalez would make her first defense of her NXT Women’s Championship against Mercedes Martinez. But that was not all for the show, as it was stacked with action from top to bottom. The NXT Champion Karrion Kross would start off the show facing Austin Theory as well. That match carries a lot behind it, as Theory and Johnny Gargano attempted to get their first shots in last week and even left Kross laying. As you could imagine, it would be a rude awakening for the member of The Way.
Add in a return and the official debut of a new stable and you have one eventful night. Here are the official WWE NXT results from Tuesday night.
WWE NXT Results & Ratings (5/11/21)
— Karrion Kross vs. Austin Theory
Winner: Karrion Kross
Rating: 2.25 (**1/4)
— MSK vs. Breezango
Winner: MSK
Rating: 2.75 (**3/4)
— Pete Dunne vs. Leon Ruff
Winner: Pete Dunne
Rating: 2.25 (**1/4)
— NXT Women’s Championship: Raquel Gonzalez (c) vs. Mercedes Martinez
Winner: Raquel Gonzalez
Rating: 3.25 (***1/4)
— Isaiah “Swerve” Scott debuts Hit Row Records stable, including “B-Fab” Brandy, Ashante “Thee” Adonis, and “Top Dolla” Francis.
— Oney Lorcan vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Winner: Kyle O’Reilly
Rating: 2.50 (**1/2)
— NXT Cruiserweight Championship: KUSHIDA (c) vs. Santos Escobar in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls Match
Winner: KUSHIDA (2:1)
Rating: 3.50 (***1/2)
WWE NXT Results: In-Depth Match Analysis
NXT Cruiserweight Championship: KUSHIDA (c) vs. Santos Escobar in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls Match
The match that would decide once and for all who is the true NXT Cruiserweight Champion. KUSHIDA and Santos Escobar had been at each other’s necks for weeks since their first match, leading to William Regal making their final match a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. In retrospect, it was really the only answer. Right from the start, Legado del Fantasma was banned from ringside when MSK came crashing down on them to get both teams removed. This instantly evened it up for KUSHIDA, yet it was Escobar who got the initial fall with the Phantom Driver. It was 1-0, advantage Escobar. But KUSHIDA instantly fought back, locking on the armbar to get it all tied up as Escobar instantly tapped rather than take on unacceptable pain.
The closing sequence of this match was back and forth, trading off roll-up pin after roll-up pin but neither keeping down the other for the three count. The finish came out of nowhere, as KUSHIDA hit a picture-perfect bridging suplex on Escobar to grab the shocking final fall. It was a night where KUSHIDA show that it was his division moving forward.
These two told a story of must-win intentions, always going for pins and submissions to try and break the other. So far in 2021, it has been the year of KUSHIDA. Great match after great match and now that he has the NXT Cruiserweight Championship, expect him to continue making that splash. This match was really what you would expect and was a fantastic television main event.
More from LWOS Pro Wrestling
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. WWE fan? You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content.
Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Head on over to the LWOS Boards to engage in conversation with fellow fans!
