WWE NXT Results, Grades & Opinion: January 20, 2021

WWE NXT Results: January 20, 2021

A.K.A. Fight Pit 2: Electric Boogaloo

Results:

• Leon Ruff & KUSHIDA def. Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory in a first round Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic match
• Karrion Kross def. Ashante Adonis
• Lucha House Party def. Imperium in a first round Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic match
• Kacy Catanzaro & Karden Carter def. Toni Storm & Mercedes Martinez in a first round Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic match
• Bronson Reed def. Bryan Rust
• Timothy Thatcher def. Tommaso Ciampa in a Fight Pit match

The Main Event: Fight Pit!

Who doesn’t love a good Fight Pit? For the second time, NXT busted out the weird cage and installed tap out or knock out rules. Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher put on a brutal affair in the show closer.

Tap out or get knocked out. It's that simple in the #WWENXT #FightPit!@NXTCiampa #TimothyThatcher pic.twitter.com/h9LF6PjUC8

— WWE (@WWE) January 21, 2021

In the end, Thatcher got Ciampa to tap out by focusing on his surgically-repaired knee. Thatcher is now 2-0 in Fight Pit matches. It’s really cool WWE has developed a signature match for Thatcher, and it will make it that much more impressive when someone beats him at his own game.

With a firm grasp on @NXTCiampa's surgically-repaired knee locked in, Timothy Thatcher forces The #Blackheart to tap. #WWENXT #FightPit pic.twitter.com/8ABf6Lr1vz

— WWE (@WWE) January 21, 2021

The Undercard:

Two more matches from the Dusty Rhodes Men’s Tournament took place on the show, and both can be qualified as upsets. Leon Ruff & KUSHIDA managed to put away Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory. Imperium fell to Lucha House Party in the other. The days of LHP being a jobber tag team are apparently over, as they beat one of the best booked teams in NXT.

Io Shirai is back! In the first round Women’s Tag Team Tournament match, Shirai popped up to get revenge on Mercedes Martinez. She tossed Martinez off the apron and over the announce desk, costing Martinez & Storm the win.

.@shirai_io is BACK! 👀 😮#WWENXT #DustyClassic pic.twitter.com/0A7GUqjjMA

— WWE (@WWE) January 21, 2021

Also, Kacy Catanzaro has an insane new finisher.

SHOCK THE WORLD? THEY DID JUST THAT! 🤯 🤯 🤯@KacyCatanzaro & @wwekayden made jaws drop to the floor by defeating early favorite Toni Storm & @RealMMartinez in the first-round of the Women's #DustyClassic! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/gNPU2sKgTu

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021

Still no official bracket for the Women’s tournament, but the division looked amazing being introduced on the stage.

"Tonight, we prepare to make history again." 👏 👏@TheBethPhoenix kicks off the first Women's #DustyClassic on #WWENXT! pic.twitter.com/cKtlJqLwkx

— WWE (@WWE) January 21, 2021

Next week on NXT looks pretty big. Finn Balor wants to run through Adam Cole’s crew, and he’s starting with Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch alongside Kyle O’Reilly. Plus two more Dusty Rhodes Tag Tournament matches, and a Cruiserweight Championship match between Santos Escobar & Curt Stallion.

NEXT WEEK on #WWENXT on @USA_Network! #DustyClassic

⚡@FinnBalor & @KORcombat vs. @ONEYLORCAN & @strongstylebrit!
🏆@WesLee_WWE & @NashCarterWWE vs. @WWEMaverick & Killian Dain!
🏆@JamesDrake_GYT & @ZackGibson01 vs. @LEONRUFF_ & @KUSHIDA_0904! pic.twitter.com/RcVRDFxooz

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 21, 2021

Grade: B-

This show had some moments, but nothing was overly memorable. Fight Pit was a good change of pace and a good close to the Thatcher-Ciampa feud. The tag tournament matches continue to be good, and both Bronson Reed & Karrion Kross had some quality squash matches. Not a bad show by any means, but not much that will be memorable in a few weeks time.