NXT 3/24/2021: NXT Women's Tag Titles Defended; HBK Appears; Cole and O'Reilly Face-to-Face; More!

Here's what's on tap for tonight's NXT:

• William Regal has consequences for Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly

• William Regal will address the NXT Tag Team Championships

• Oney Lorcan vs. Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett

• Io Shirai (NXT Women’s Champion) & Zoey Stark vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

• LA Knight vs. Bronson Reed

• Non-Title Match: Kushida vs. Jordan Devlin (NXT Cruiserweight Champion)

• Non-Title Match: Drake Maverick vs. WALTER (NXT UK Champion)

• NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Aliyah & Mercedes Martinez w/ Robert Stone vs. Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon (champs)

Not long before NXT came on the air, it was announced that Jessi Kamea is injured and unable to compete. Therefore, Mercedes Martinez will now team up with Aliyah to challenge for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships.

We're in the Capitol Wrestling Center and starting the show with highlights of last week's main event. We see Adam Cole arriving to the building with security.

Time for some women's action.

Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez vs. Zoey Stark & Io Shirai (NXT Women's Champion)

Raquel and Zoey start the match. Raquel over powers Zoey to start and takes her to the corner. We get a clean break. Raquel works an arm until Zoey counters. Kicks by Zoey and Raquel sends her into the ropes. Rana by Zoey and she build a little momentum with a series of knee strikes to the jaw. Zoey comes off the ropes and Raquel flattens her. Tag to Dakota. Zoey turns the tide and takes the advantage. To the corner they go and Io tags in. Both ladies trade counters and Io gets the upper hand. Io with kicks in the corner and double knees! Both ladies trade roll ups for near falls. More pinning combinations for near falls. Dakota gets isolated in the corner and Zoey with a big uppercut and a sliding clothesline for a near fall. Dakota takes Zoey down by her hair and tags Raquel. Zoey with a head scissors takes down Raquel. Zoey with a knee but then Raquel catches the leg. Dakota tags in. RAQUEL PRESS SLAMS ZOEY INTO THE GO TO KICK BY DAKOTA FOR A NEAR FALL. We go to a picture in picture break.

During the break, the heels isolated Zoey. We come back to Zoey hitting an enziguri to Raquel. Io and Dakota tag in. Io takes control and flattens Dakota with a flap jack. Blind tag from Raquel. Io remains in control and delivers double knees to both Raquel and Dakota in opposite corners. MISSILE DROP KICK BY IO TO RAQUEL. Zoey tags in and hits a spring board drop kick to Raquel sending her to the outside. Zoey dives out onto Raquel and sends Dakota into the ring post. IO MOONSAULTS TO THE OUTSIDE ONTO RAQUEL!! Back in the ring. Zoey goes to the top and goes for a 450 but Raquel avoids it. RAQUEL PLANTS ZOEY WITH A ONE ARMED POWER BOMB!! Io gets to the apron. RAQUEL PICKS UP ZOEY AGAIN AND RUNS HER INTO IO WHO GOES OFF THE APRON. ANOTHER ONE ARMED POWER BOMB WINS IT FOR THE HEELS!!

W: Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez via pin @ 11:53

Post match, Raquel and Io have a stare down in the middle of the ring. Dakota tries to blindside Io but Io was ready for it. However, the distraction allows Raquel to hit Io with a boot. RAQUEL TAKES IO TO THE OUTSIDE AND ONE ARM POWER BOMBS HER ON THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!

We see security footage from yesterday where Kyle O'Reilly is training in a gym and Adam Cole shows up and they brawl. Kyle O'Reilly arrives with security. McKenzie goes to get a word and RODERICK STRONG IS HERE. Strong tells O'Reilly to kick Cole's ass. O'Reilly tells Strong this doesn't involve him and Strong says they can both go to hell.

LA Knight promo about Bronson Reed. He says Reed made a mistake taking his jacket last week and will find out why this is LA Knight's game. Their match is next!

NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin is backstage and talks about Kushida. He hypes the match. He respects and likes Kushida but Kushida is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Devlin plans to make an example of him.

Bronson Reed vs. LA Knight

They come face to face and talk trash. Reed with chops and a big shoulder tackle. Knight is sent into the ropes and a back body drop by Reed. Reed charges into a boot in the corner. Knight jumps off the second rope but he's caught and slammed by Reed. Chin lock by Reed. Knight fights to his feet and gets free but runs into a back elbow. Head butt by Reed and another elbow. Reed ties up Knight in the ropes for another big chop. Snap mare by Reed and he works a submission. Knight gets free and avoids a suplex. Reed hits an elbow sending Knight to the apron. Knight counters and hits a spring board shoulder tackle. Knight gets aggressive and goes on the attack! Knight with a knee drop to the face. Knight taunts as we go to a commercial.

Back from the break, Knight is in control. During the break, Knight sent Reed into the steps on the outside. Knight with shoulders to the midsection of Reed in the corner. Reed charges and Knight drop kicks his knee and takes him down. Knight chokes Reed across the middle rope and a knee strike to the jaw. Reed tries to battle back but misses a chop in the corner. Knight keeps control and hits an uppercut. Reed goes down to a knee. Knight with more strikes and Reed takes him to the corner. Knight counters and hits a neck breaker for a near fall. Knight charges into a back elbow in the corner. Reed builds momentum and mows down Knight. REED SPLASHES KNIGHT IN THE CORNER. Knight counters a choke slam but the second time is the charm! Reed goes to the top turnbuckle but Knight racks him. Reed shoves Knight off the top twice and REED HITS THE TSUNAMI SPLASH FOR THE WIN!! I'm kind of surprised by the result

W: Bronson Reed via pin @ 12:10

Commentary talks about Regal's announcement to vacate the NXT Tag Team Championships. They say Danny Burch will be out 6 months. They say there will be a triple threat match on night one of Takeover: Stand & Deliver featuring MSK vs. Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Legado del Fantasma.

A vignette hypes WALTER.

Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett vs. Oney Lorcan

Lorcan charges right away. Kross throws him to the corner but Lorcan avoids him. Quick strikes by Lorcan. Kross finally gets a hold of him and tosses him out of the ring. Kross follows and sends Lorcan into the barricade. Back in the ring, Kross kicks Lorcan out to the other side. Lorcan tries a suplex outside but Kross counters and suplexes Lorcan on the floor. Kross throws Lorcan back in. Kross delivers shoulders to the gut of Lorcan in the corner. They trade chops and Kross throws Lorcan outside again. Lorcan sends Kross back first into the apron. Lorcan with a running drop kick in the ring. Lorcan builds momentum only to be taken out by a Kross clothesline for a near fall as we go to a break,

We're back with Kross in control. Kross with boots to Lorcan in a corner. Snap suplex by Kross and he rolls over to cover for a near fall. Kross goes for a submission but Lorcan quickly gets to the ropes. Kross with a suplex out of the corner. Kross talks trash to Lorcan and tells Lorcan to tell Burch he's not sorry and he enjoyed it. Lorcan gets fired up!! Lorcan sends Kross shoulder first into the post. Arm breaker by Lorcan. Chops by Lorcan now. Lorcan slaps Kross!! Lorcan with multiple running uppercuts!! Kross avoids one and hits a big boot. DOOMSDAY SAITO SUPLEX!! KROSS WITH THE FOREARM TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD!! IT'S OVER!! Lorcan did better than I expected but the winner was never in doubt.

W: Karrion Kross via pin @ 9:17

Post match, Kross grabs a mic. He wants to address the actions of Finn Balor from last week. Kross realizes he was giving respect to a man who doesn't deserve it. Kross says when he felt Balor's neck, it felt like anyone else's neck. Kross says when the fuse is lit, there's not stopping what's coming next. HERE COMES BALOR!! He has a mic. Balor stops at a fallen Lorcan on the ramp. Balor says Kross took his best shot last week and the Prince is still standing. Balor says what Kross really did last week was show Balor his weakness. Balor says when a man in young, he fights with emotion. Balor says it wasn't until he learned to control his emotion that he became untouchable in the ring. Balor says Kross plays with emotion. It's then that Kross is vulnerable. Balor says at Takeover, he'll push Kross to two options: he'll master his emotions or his emotions will master him. If that happens, Balor will drag him into deep water and drowned him!

William Regal is here to announce who face Johnny Gargano will face at NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver. There will be a 12 man Gauntlet Eliminator Battle Royal. The winner is who will face Gargano.

Kushida says he's the best technical wrestler in the world and accepts Devlin's challenge.

Non-Title Match

Drake Maverick vs. WALTER (NXT UK Champion) w/ Imperium

Maverick charges right away but WALTER takes him down. WALTER POWER BOMBS HIM! WALTER LOCKS IN A SINGLE LEG CRAB AND IT'S OVER!! Hahaha squash.

W: WALTER via submission @ 0:24

Post match, HERE COMES TOMMASO CIAMPA! Ciampa has a mic and says he said a couple weeks ago that WALTER intrigued him. Ciampa misspoke. THE NXT UK CHAMPIONSHIP intrigues him! CIAMPA CHALLENGES WALTER FOR A NNXT UK CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH AT NXT TAKEOVER: STAND & DELIVER!! Walter declines and Ciampa slaps him. IMPERIUM BEATS HIM DOWN. WALTER rips off Ciampa's necklace before hitting a monster chop! WALTER ACCEPTS!!

Pete Dunne promo about being the best technician in the world. He vows to dominate next week and go to Takeover and win the NXT North American Championship.

Earlier today, Robert Stone offered to pay Mercedes Martinez money to be Aliyah's partner tonight in the women's tag title match. Mercedes accepts but wants more money after the match.

Backstage, Johnny Gargano charges into Regal's office and he wants an explanation about his match at Takeover. Gargano says it isn't fair and he deserves better. Regal says if he's Johnny Takeover then it shouldn't matter who his opponent is.

NXT Women's Tag Team Championship Match

Aliyah & Mercedes Martinez w/ Robert Stone vs. Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart (champs)

Ember and Mercedes start the match. Mercedes takes her down and stomps her. Ember takes Mercedes down with a head scissors and tags Shotzi. Good combo offense by the champs. Shotzi with a Lou Thesz Press off the top. Robert Stone gets on the apron to distract and Mercedes uses the distraction to take out Shotzi. Mercedes lifts Shotzi and Aliyah tags in. Running neck breaker by Aliyah gets a near fall. Shotzi is taken to the challengers corner where she's isolated. Shotzi elbows free. Aliyah takes out Ember to prevent a tag. Mercedes tags back in. Mercedes slams Shotzi while Aliyah plants her face first. Shotzi creates separation and finally tags Ember. Ember with clotheslines and a step up enziguri to Aliyah. Power bomb by Ember gets a near fall on Aliyah. Mercedes breaks it up. Ember with a tornado DDT to Mercedes. EMBER HITS ALIYAH WITH AN ECLIPSE!! THE CHAMPS RETAIN!!

W: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart via pin @ 4:01

Roderick Strong is in the back when Cameron Grimes comes up to him. Grimes says the Undisputed Era has done lots of the business and it would be a shame to end this way. Grimes offers to buy their brand and make new merchandise that take it TO THE MOON! STRONG DECKS HIM!!

Backstage, Ember and Shotzi celebrate their win when they are approached by Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell. LeRae and Hartwell want another shot at the champs.

Commentary runs down the Takeover card.

Non-Title Match

Jordan Devlin (NXT Cruiserweight Champion) vs. Kushida

Kushida picks a leg early and Devlin escapes for a stand off. They trade counters and Devlin plants Kushida with a uranage. Devlin takes control. Kushida counters a hip toss with one of his own. Kushida cartwheels then hits a drop kick. Kushida focuses on the arm of Devlin. Kicks in the corner by Kushida. Devlin fights back but Kushida sends him to the apron. DEVLIN HITS A MOONSAULT TO THE OUTSIDE as we go to a split screen commercial.

During the break, Kushida takes control and continues the arm work. Devlin regains control as we come back.

Devlin works a chin lock but Kushida fights back and hits an enziguri. Kushida with a spring board back elbow. Kushida focuses on the arm and hits an arm breaker. Kushida attempts the Hoverboard Lock but Devlin gets to the ropes. Devlin blocks again and stacks up Kushida for a near fall. Devlin avoids Kushida in the corner. DEVLIN WITH A SPRING BOARD CUTTER!! 1...2...NO!! Devlin tries the Devlin Side but can't quite do it do the arm being injured. They go to the top turnbuckle. LEGADO DEL FANTASMA IS ON STAGE NOW. Kushida with a superplex!! Cross arm breaker by Kushida!! Devlin gets to the ropes. LEGADO PULLS DEVLIN OUT OF THE RING. The ref doesn't see it. Back in the ring, Devlin avoids Legado and DEVLIN SENDS KUSHIDA INTO LEGADO. DEVLIN ROLLS UP KUSHIDA WITH A BRIDGE FOR THE WIN!!

W: Jordan Devlin via pin @ 9:27

Post match, Kushida is pissed and takes out Legado del Fantasma. Santos Escobar gets in the ring to confront Jordan Devlin. HERE COMES SHAWN MICHAELS!! MICHAELS GETS A LADDER FROM UNDER THE RING AND TOSSES IT IN THE RING BETWEEN DEVLIN AND ESCOBAR!!

Kyle O'Reilly and Adam Cole make their way to the ring separately. Cole runs into Shawn Michaels and stares him down.

William Regal is on the stage with Kyle O'Reilly and Adam Cole sitting at opposite ends of a table. Security is also there. Regal won't have them embarrassing the brand. Regal has a contract for the second night of Takeover. Regal says they must both sign and NXT won't be reliable for what happens to either of them. Cole with a mic and he wants to tell a story. He says imagine you're born blind but one day you wake up and see everything. Cole had a revelation and realized that he never needed the Undisputed Era. O'Reilly made him realize that. Cole watched O'Reilly fail to beat Balor twice and then try to get Balor to join the UE. Cole says O'Reilly is comfortable being a lap dog. Cole says he's the greatest NXT champ ever. Cole says O'Reilly lost sight of what the UE was. Cole says O'Reilly couldn't have made it without him. Cole takes all the credit for the UE's success. Cole can't wait for their match because he already knows who's going to win. In fact, everyone except O'Reilly knows who's going to win. Cole signs. O'Reilly says they've known each other for a long time. O'Reilly says in the beginning they did anything to get to the top. O'Reilly says he grew up and began taking responsibility for his actions. O'Reilly says they've become better wrestlers and became stars but only one of them became a better human being. O'Reilly says Cole is the same asshole he's always been. O'Reilly says he sold his soul for the UE and now he wants it back but O'Reilly isn't surprised. O'Reilly says not one person will be surprised when O'Reilly beats Cole to a pulp. Then O'Reilly will sleep like a baby for the first time in four years. O'Reilly signs. O

Reilly throws the pen at Cole and Cole flips the table. They get in each other's faces but security holds them back to end the show!

Next week:

• 12 Man Gauntlet Eliminator Battle Royal - Last 6 Men Advance to Takeover Gauntlet Eliminator: Participants are Kushida, Leon Ruff, Austin Theory, LA Knight, Tyler Rust, Jake Atlas, Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, Cameron Grimes, Roderick Strong, Isaiah "Swerve" Scott and Pete Dunne.

• Roderick Strong vs. Cameron Grimes

Thanks for taking the time to read this!! If you enjoy what you've read, don't hesitate to follow our Facebook page and get updates when new content is posted! Also, any comments or feedback is greatly appreciated!