WWE NXT live results: Ethan Page vs. Elio LeFleur
WWE NXT on January 20 is set for the Performance Center in Orlando.
Following last week’s announcement from General Manager Ava that the NXT Championship, recently vacated by Oba Femi, will be up for grabs in a six-way ladder match on February 3, two qualifying matches are scheduled for Tuesday’s show: Josh Briggs vs. Shiloh Hill and Eli Knight vs. Sean Legacy.
The NXT North American Championship will also be on the line when Ethan Page defends against Elio LeFleur, who will be making his NXT in-ring debut.
In tag team action, The Vanity Project’s Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes will wrestle Chase U’s Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors.
Also scheduled for Tuesday, a three-way match will determine the top contenders to the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships held by The Elegance Brand. Sol Ruca & Zaria will face Fatal Influence and Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.
*************************
NXT is on the air in front of a live studio audience from a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando. The show starts with a recap of last week, and a preview of this week’s card.
NXT General Manager Ava is in her office with her security team. She wants them on “high alert” as they are on the lookout for Tony D’Angelo, following the cliffhanger from last Tuesday. Meanwhile inside the sound stage, the NXT Championship belt hangs over the ring, awaiting the ladder match in a few weeks.
Opening the show tonight is a title match. One-half of the AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions — and the current NXT North American Champion — Ethan Page defends his singles title against the debuting masked wrestler named Elio LeFleur (formerly Aigle Blanc).
Ethan Page vs. Elio LeFleur for the NXT North American Championship
—
LeFleur gets to shine with his high-flying and fast-paced offense. He looked great from the start. On the floor, LeFleur leaps off the ring steps to catch Page with a flying head scissors. Page cut him off and gave LeFleur a backbreaker on the top turnbuckle. LeFleur was on the floor selling as the show cuts to a commercial break.
During a split-screen as commercials rolled, Page worked over LeFleur. Targeting the back, Page then goes for a piledriver — only for LeFleur to counter with a back drop. LeFleur begins a comeback that led into a two count on Page. They trade near falls after Page boots LeFleur in the face after LeFleur rolled through on an attempted 450.
They square off and LeFleur is fired up. LeFleur goes for another springboard, and Page cuts him off with a dropkick. Nevertheless, LeFleur recovers and counters Page into a DDT. Quebrada to the floor by LeFleur, and a springboard kick for another near fall.
Before they go home, LeFleur goes coast-to-coast on a missile dropkick for the closest near fall of the bout. Page gets his knees up on an attempted Phoenix Splash. Having targeted the back earlier in the match, Page was sure he could deliver a Razor’s Edge. LeFleur counters with a hurricanrana, and Page eats a running kick. LeFleur goes for another running kick, but Page blocks it with a powerbomb. Page then covers LeFleur and hooks the tights for an illegal advantage. Great opener despite the cheap finish. And still…
Match result: NXT North American Champion Ethan Page defeated Elio LeFleur via a pinfall (while holding trunks) to retain his title.
On Page’s way out he encounters Ricky Saints, who is entering the sound stage to join the commentary team. Saints joins Vic Joseph and Booker T at the announce desk as the show goes into a commercial break.
— Back from the break, the television debut of Keanu Carver laying waste the NXT roster in an angle from last Tuesday. Vic Joseph tries to ask Booker T about Carver and him getting into an argument in an angle from LFG between Booker and Carver. Booker is silent at the announce desk, and he offers no comment.
Shiloh Hill vs. Josh Briggs in a NXT Championship ladder match qualifier
—
The match goes through a commercial break in what developed into a hoss fight. A long-haired guy in leather jeans against a biker in leather pants, in what is a battle old as time. They were laying in the leather too, with lariats, strikes and kicks.
The tide really shifts when there is no water in the pool as Briggs crashes and burns on a moonsault press. Hill follows up with a side slam/neckbreaker combo, which is apparently his finisher. Hill then hooks a leg and covers Briggs for a three count.
Match result: Shiloh Hill defeated Josh Briggs via pinfall to qualify for the championship ladder match.
— In a post-match ambush, Tony D’Angelo attacks both Briggs and Hill after the match. D’Angelo lays out both, scooping any heat the two just acquired in their hard-hitting match. D’Angelo then strolls away after glaring at Ricky Saints, who looked like he saw a ghost.
— Zaria & Sol Ruca discuss their angle from TNA Genesis, and Zaria says her shoulder is sore — so of that costs them in their tag match tonight. Then Zaria will not be to blame.
— The Vanity Project trio enter the sound stage ahead of the tag bout that is up next after a commercial break.
Chase U (Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors with Andre Chase) vs. Swipe Right (Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes with Jackson Drake)
—
This was a fun, action-filled tag match. Lots of double team spots and high spots galore. Swipe Right win after a double stomp/slop drop finisher. Chase U got to shine, and Dixon especially shines with a Fosbury Flop. However, he ultimately takes the double team finisher, and Smokes covers Dixon for a pinfall.
Match result: Brad Barlor & Ricky Smokes defeated Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors when Smokes pinned Dixon.
— In a backstage skit, Lola Vice is in Ava’s office lobbying for a title match. In walks Thea Hail, who says she has learned her lesson, and now Hail wants a title shot. Vice disagrees, before Ava informs both they are in triple threat title match against NXT Women’s North American Champion Izzi Dame on February 3.
— Back from a commercial break and Vic Joseph again brings up Keanu Carver. That led to a sit-down where Blake Howard interviews Carver, who starts off by saying the only reason he is here is because they made him. Carver refuses to answer any “dumbass questions” from Howard. Upon Howard bringing up the disciplinary action from the past, Carver storms off set.
— Jaida Parker enters the sound stage for an in-ring promo. She is over greatly with the studio audience. Parker says she has been away for a while, but she has watched closely. She puts over Kendal Grey, with Parker saying she deserves her flowers. Blake Monroe on the other hand, does not deserve her flowers.
Parker goes on to say she did not rush back with excuses, instead letting her work speak for itself. Parker then talks about negative opinions on her. Maybe she should smile more and talk less, but to each their own. Some days she feels like she cannot catch a break, but she still catches attention. When she walks in a room, the room gets tighter and the air harder to breath.
Blake Monroe interrupts Parker after the arena lights go dark. A spotlight shows Monroe on a platform perched overlooking the ring. Monroe says the grand entrance is a way to remind Parker in case she needs a reminder. Monroe warns Parker she missed up by interrupting Monroe last week. Monroe claims Parker does not get to return and stand in the way of Monroe.
Parker says Monroe talks so much because if Monroe quit talking, she might have something to prove. At the end of the day, Monroe has to deal with Ms. Parker. Mic drop.
Sean Legacy vs. Eli Knight in a NXT Championship ladder match qualifier
—
Ricky Saints is back for guest commentary during the match, which was a high-flying spectacle from the start. Knight with an Asai moonsault as the show cuts to a commercial break. Slugfest as the show returns from the break, and they trade strikes and kicks. Knight turned inside out on a lariat from Legacy, and they begin trading near falls with reversals and counters from each.
Knight eats a superkick, and Legacy with a running Spanish Fly. Springboard 450 splash by Legacy, but Knight kicks out at two and half. Knight counters Legacy with an exploder in a corner. In a really cool spot, Knight lands on his feet doing a moonsault when Legacy tried to roll away. Upon landing, Knight then leapt backwards into a standing moonsault press for a two count.
They keep trading near falls and reversals. Sliced bread by Knight to set up an attempted moonsault. Legacy gets his feet up and boots Knight in the face. Legacy capitalizes with a Torture rack into a twisting neckbreaker for a wicked finisher, and Legacy covers Knight for a pinfall.
Match result: Sean Legacy defeated Eli Knight via pinfall to qualify for the championship ladder match.
Great bout, but whatever they did to get over was seemingly all for not after Tony D’Angelo scooped more heat. Much like earlier tonight in the other qualifier, D’Angelo attacked both Legacy and Knight. D’Angelo ambushes them and leaves them laid out. Taking things a step further than before, D’Angelo gives Legacy a chokeslam on the announce desk — as Ricky Saints watches in horror from behind the desk.
Ava eventually enters the scene flanked by armed security, and D’Angelo is surrounded by them. D’Angelo calmly turns around and places his hands behind his back without a word spoken. D’Angelo is then handcuffed and escorted away. Later after a commercial break, D’Angelo is taken on a perp walk where he is led by Ava, who remarks he left her no choice. D’Angelo is stone-faced and stays silent. Blake Howard as the roving reporter tries to get a comment from D’Angelo as he is placed in the back of a SUV. No comment, and D’Angelo is driven away apparently under arrest.
— The Culling is featured in a video package sponsored by an insurance company.
— OTM shoves Blake Howard, and they cut a promo on Darkstate. Last week was a warning, and now OTM is looking for the tag title. OTM challenges Darkstate to a tag title match next Tuesday. That match is made official for next week by the end of this show.
— Joe Hendry in a cameo appearance is the highlight of a backstage skit with The Vanity Project. The heel trios is talking backstage with two unidentified blonde women. Robert Stone walks up to inform Jackson Drake he is booked in a qualifying match next week against Joe Hendry. Say his name and he appears, and Hendry cuts a promo.
— Darkstate cut a promo on Myles Borne in a locker room skit.
Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid with Jacy Jayne) vs. Sol Ruca & Zaria vs. Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair in a triple threat match to determine number one contenders for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship
—
Action-packed tag bout with three teams involved, and three legal wrestlers in the ring at once. They did a parade of dives where Grey & Sinclair shine ahead of a commercial break. After the show returns from the break, the chaos is settled in the ring. Zaria has Grey in a hanging choke, and Henley assists for a Doomsday Device.
They did a flash of false finishes and high spots, which popped the studio audience every time. Grey & Sinclair shined a lot in the final moments. As they go home in the match, the focus shifts to an angle between Ruca and her partner — Zaria — who makes a blind tag much to the chagrin of Ruca. Zaria delivers a double spear, as Ruca claps for her. Zaria then sends Ruca for an attempted assist, but Ruca sails out of the ring and takes a kick from Henley on the floor.
NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne interferes at ringside with a roaring elbow to Grey. Sinclair tries to make a save with a missile dropkick on Jayne, only for Henley to send Sinclair crashing into the barricade. Back in the ring, Zaria faces off against Henley & Reid. Blockbuster by Henley on Zaria for a near fall, where Ruca breaks the count by pulling Henley out of the ring. Ruca leaps into action by hitting a double Sol Snatcher on Reid & Henley. Ruca then sends Henley into the clutches of Zaria, who executes a F5. Zaria then hooks a leg and covers Henley for a three count.
Match result: Sol Ruca & Zaria becomes number one contenders for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship after defeating Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid and Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair in a triple threat match.
