WWE NXT reactions: Samoa Joe, Karrion Kross set for showdown soon?

The latest episode of WWE NXT emenated from the Capitol Wrestling Centre (CWC) at Orlando, Florida on Wednesday (July 21). The episode featured a number of storylines being packed in to the two-hour broadcast. The three-way feud featuring William Regal and Samoa Joe on one side with NXT champion Karrion Kross on the other went up several notches. The NXT Breakout Tournament also carried on, while NXT women’s champion Raquel Gonzalez took on Xia Li in a title match. The Diamond Mine were set to clash with Cruiserweight champion Kushida and Bobby Fish, while Hit Row upped the stakes in their feud with Legado del Fantasma.

Let’s get right to the results.

Joe and Kross match inevitable

Ever since Samoa Joe returned to the WWE in his capacity as NXT enforcer, a number of matches have been teased. Yet perhaps none moreso than a clash with Karrion Kross.

It makes sense too – Kross is one of the biggest loose cannons on the roster, exactly the kind of character Joe needs to keep in check. Which is what he tried to do last week as special referee in the match against Johnny Gargano.

Yet that match ended with Kross choking out Joe, which meant Joe was in a nasty mood. Regal implored him not to attack Kross, but Joe was intent on doing just that.

As the show was going off air, Joe called out Kross. But Kross showed up on the TitanTron, where he made it clear he took out Regal. Joe stormed back but by the time Kross was gone.

There will be hell to pay for this. #WWENXT @WWEKarrionKross @SamoaJoe @RealKingRegal pic.twitter.com/zku5tCnuyX

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) July 21, 2021

This was good! Next week will likely see Regal rescind his demand of no violence, while Joe is going to be even more incensed. Sign us all up.

WWE NXT – best of the rest

• Kushida and Bobby Fish defeated Tyler Rust and Roderick Strong when Kushida submitted Rust. This was a result that made little sense, given the Diamond Mine need wins to be credible. Nevertheless, they will most likely follow up on this next week.
• Franky Monet beat Jacy Jane in another squash match. Monet’s roll-out has been decent thus far but she needs to move onto bigger matches – and soon.
• Kyle O’Reilly defeated Austin Theory by submission. The bigger story from this is that Gargano and The Way are likely to be imploding. This should make for some fun TV.
• Legado del Fantasma and Hit Row confronted each other and it ended worse for Legado, with Joaquin Wilde taking a guitar to the back. ‘Swerve’ and Santos Escobar have history and chemistry for days, but which side are faces here? Both teams acted heelishly. It will be interesting to see how this is booked going forward.
• Odyssey Jones beat Andre Chase by pinfall in the Breakout Tournament.
• LA Knight beat Drake Maverick after the two got into an exchange as Maverick tried to aid Cameron Grimes. Grimes, it must be remembered, is now Knight’s butler. He was forced by Knight to punch Maverick after the match.
• Gonzales defeated Li to retain the women’s title. Li suffered what seemed like an injury scare but it’s likelier to be storyline. In the end, the right woman won.

Grade: B+