WWE NXT recap and reactions: Bron Breakker's new feud, Carmelo Hayes gets a challenger and more

The latest episode of WWE NXT featured an escalation of Bron Breakker's and Santos Escobar's feud, as well as other eventful happenings.

Bron Breakker (R) and Santos Escobar square off on this week's episode of WWE NXT. [Image: WWE]
By Shayne Dias | Jan 26, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

This week’s episode of WWE NXT aired from the WWE Performance Center and it was an eventful episode, to say the least.

The main focus of the show, of course, was on newly-crowned NXT champion Bron Breakker. And his first feud after winning the belt is set to be with Legado del Fantasma leader Santos Escobar.

The reason for their feud? Pretty simple, really. Escobar, cutting a promo in the ring, said he doesn’t like the fact that Breakker, despite being in NXT for less time, is already champion.

Meanwhile, the Mexican luchador is yet to receive a shot at the gold. It’s a simple but effective story, the kind WWE TV in general can do with more often. But that’s a digression.

Of course, Breakker came out to reply and said that if he wanted a shot all he had to do was issue a challenge. Escobar said these things are done on his time. And then left Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde to take a beating.

Later in a backstage interview, Mendoza and Wilde say they’re fired up to beat up Breakker. They challenge him to a match and say if he can’t find a partner, a handicap match will do.

In the end of the show, after the main event, Breakker reveals his partner – Tomasso Ciampa, the man he beat for the NXT title. This match is of course set for next week.

Of course, there’s something of a caveat here. Will Ciampa stay true to Breakker? Will he try and get a shot at the title for himself? This should be intruiging.

WWE NXT – best of the rest

  • The main event of the night saw Cameron Grimes beat Tony D’Angelo for a shot at Carmelo Hayes’ North American championship. Grimes got the W after a returning Pete Dunne slammed D’Angelo’s hand with a cricket bat, proving their feud isn’t over either.
  • MSK beat the team of Jacket Time (Ikemen Jiro & KUSHIDA) in a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinal. This was a frantic opener and worth a rewatch.
  • Solo Sikoa beat Boa in a street fight that started slow but picked up steam as it went on.
  • Duke Hudson vs. Guru Raaj ended in a hurry when the former hit a powerbomb to finish things.
  • Indi Hartwell, Kay Lee Ray, & Persia Pirotta won a trios match against Toxic Attraction when Pirotta pinned Gigi Dolin.
  • Chase U (Andre Chase & Bodhi Hayward) lost to the Grizzled Young Veterans in a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinal.
  • Io Shirai beat Tiffany Stratton in a decent match.
  • The man formerly known as WALTER justified his name change to GUNTHER, saying it was time to leave the past behind. Okay. Malcolm Bivens spoke for everyone when he said GUNTHER is a dumb name and challenged Imperium to a tag match next week.

Grade: B