Date: 01/04	7:00 PM
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Nickolye's WWE NXT recap for January 4, 2022 at 8 PM ET! It's New Year's Evil! Tommaso Ciampa defends his NXT Championship against Bron Breakker. Mandy Rose will defend her NXT Women's Championship against Raquel González and Cora Jade in a triple threat match. Carmelo Hayes and Roderick Strong battle in a champion vs. champion match to unify the Cruiserweight and North American Titles. Also, AJ Styles will be here to confront Grayson Waller! NXT has a makeover in 2.0 fashion. Hit F5 or refresh as often as you like for the latest updates!

* Championship Unification Match:
   Carmelo Hayes {North American Champion} vs. Roderick Strong {Cruiserweight Champion}

Trick Williams comes down with the NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes who's wearing a Roderick Strong t-shirt then walks all over it. Diamond Mine come out with the NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong, but only Malcolm Bivens and Hachiman head down to ringside with him as The Creed Brothers and Ivy Nile head to the back. The winner of this match will win both titles but will be recognized as the NXT North American Champion.

The bell dings, they lock up collar-and-elbow and have a clean break in the ropes, they lock up again, the crowd starts a dualing chant, Hayes does an armdrag and hits a dropkick. After some back-and-forth Hayes hit a kip-up kick and gloats with Trick Williams cheering him on. Hayes puts him in a side headlock, Strong chops him hard on the chest, Hayes ducks out the ring, but Strong goes after him with more chops. Hayes gets him back in, Strong pummels him, Hayes rolls off his back, side-seps him, and hits a springboard legdrop. Strong blocks a springboard, Hayes counters, Strong counters, hiptosses countered, and Hayes hits a slingshot DDT on the apron. Strong turns him around with a running clothesline, covers for a near-fall, and we take our first commercial break.

We get picture-in-picture here, Strong is in control chopping him in a conrer, presses him against the ropes, delivers a snap suplex, and floats into the cover for 2. Hayes counters a chinlock with the jawbreaker, hits the springboard clothesline, and gets 2.5 with Williams being very animated at ringside.

Back to full screen and now this time Strong has to counter the chinlock, he clotheslines him, and hits the pendulum backbreaker three times. Hayes does a tilt-a-whirl facebuster, locks in the Crossface, Strong counters, Hayes blocks the catapult and locks in the Boston crab for his hometown, but then Strong throws him off and locks his version called the Stronghold! Hayes kicks him to break, Strong hits the urinage backbreaker, covers for 2, and Malcolm Bivens claims it was three. Both men trade swinging punches, Strong adds elbows to the mix, running elbow smashes back-and-forth, delivers the Olympic Slam, and covers for 2.5! "This is awesome! This is awesome!" Hayes fights him off, delivers a suplex cutter, covers for a near-fall, Strong with an inside cradle for 2, hard forearm, Hayes lands on his feet from the End of Heartache attempt, superkicks Strong, goes up top, and Strong cuts him off with a kick to the head! STRONG DELIVERS THE X PLEX FROM THE TOP ROPE!! Hayes gets his hand across for 2, goes to the top rope, hits the diving axe kick, and covers for 1-2-3!! WINNER and NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION: CARMELO HAYES!!

Carmelo Hayes has won the NXT Cruiserweight Championship while retaining the NXT North American Championship, unifying the titles, although the latter will only be recognnized going forward. Trick Williams celebrates with Hayes on his big victory.

Earlier today, AJ Styles showed up in Tommaso Ciampa's locker room making the champion blurt "Isn't this Phenomenal?" They complimented each other and AJ is dressed for a fight. Breaktime.

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is back for the men and the women of NXT. The women start in February, but the men begin their tournement in two weeks.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles heads to the ring dressed to compete, but first he has a microphone and waits for the crowd to chant his name. AJ Styles: "I've done a lot in my career, and that never gets old. I will always enjoy that, so thank you for that. Thank you for being amazing fans. But I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't have regrets. When I first started in WWE, I wasn't down in NXT. My debut was at the Royal Rumble. I was on Raw, I was on SmackDown, within months I was on WrestleMania. But there's something special about NXT. It's that, it's passion! It's the passion that you guys have here for the superstars. It's the passion that the superstars have for you fans. I don't care if it's 1.0 or 2.0, it's passion that makes NXT go round. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna let someone take that passion away from you guys. And if you haven't figured it out, I'm talking about Grayson Waller. There's always one person that thinks they're bigger and better than the place they should respect the most, and that is Grayson Waller." Grayson Waller loves hearing his name so he comes out, although he's NOT dressed to compete. Waller mocks AJ for getting the crowd emotional calling it a phenomenal deflection. Waller reminds everyone that he lost to Omos last night, and he doesn't buy the act AJ is talking about. Waller even mocks the fans while mocking AJ, and says the reason why he lost to Omos last night was because he was thinking about Waller. AJ admits that he's hurt and not 100% and dares Waller to take advantage of it. "I've never had a one-on-one match here in NXT. I've got my gear on and everything, so all we need is a ref and we can do it right here tonight." Waller declines, the crowd wants it, AJ tells him to man up and do something. Waller steps into the ring acting like he's going to fight, but instead he wants him next week in the main event. AJ says it will be the biggest embarrassment of Waller's career, ducks a cheap shot, and punches him. Waller jumps him as he rolls into the ring, hits a straight punch, AJ ducks a swing and hits the Pele Kick. Waller avoids the pending Phenomenal Forearm and backs away.

Pete Dunne has words for Tony D'Angelo for breaking his hand, but he's still not done with him. "This is just the beginning. Are you sure you wanna play this game with me?" Dunne vows to shut his mouth and challenges D'Angelo to a match next week, and even invites him to bring the crowbar.

After a commercial break, Amari Miller is talking with Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter in the gym as they work out. They want to be the NXT Women's Tag Team Champions, but Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta have something to say about that. As it appears it would be a 3-on-2 challenge, they instead ask Tiffany Stratton but she declines, calls her daddy and walks off. The sleeping woman is there in a corner, and the 3 women suggest her as Indi and Persia's partner. Indi asks her who she is, and her name is Wendy Choo, and she goes back to sleep.

* Imperium {NXT Tag Team Champions} vs. MSK & Riddle {Raw Tag Team Champion}

Marcel Barthel and Nash Carter start the match for their respective teams. Barthel does a headstand into a hammerlock, Carter backflips out, trips and dropkicks him. Fabian Aichner tags in, does an armdrag, beats him down in a corner, Carter fights back, Aichner blocks a crucifix but Carter does a hurricanrana. Wes Lee tags in, does a handstand headscissors, Aichner catches him off the moonsault, Lee slips off, hits a back kick, and Aichner blasts him with a clothesline. Lee breaks free from his grasp, and since the crowd wants Riddle that who he tags out to.

Riddle and Walter are the legal men, Riddle strikes with lefts and rights, Walter blocks a kick and CHOPS him down! Aichner tags back in, body slam, elbow drop, 2-count, and puts him in a chinlock. Riddle battles out, lands on his feet from a suplex attempt, Wes Lee tags back in, Nash Carter tags right after him, they hit double team kicks, Carter stomps on his back, Barthel jumps in but he's dumped out the ring. Walter tags in, takes down all men, catches Lee in mid-air, smacks him on the chest, then holds him in place for the double-dropkick by Barthel and Aichner. All of Imperium stand tall in the ring as we go to commercials.

We go back to picture-in-picture for this match as well. Walter puts Carter in the surfboard stretch with a foot in the back. Aichner tags in to put him in the STF, then Barthel tags in to hit European uppercuts, hits the diving back elbow, covers for 2, then puts him in the chinlock.

When we come back, Nash Carter dropkicks Barthel to break his grasp. Walter gets the tag, taunts Riddle, Carter rolls away, but Wes Lee and Riddle are both pulled off the apron by the Tag Team Champions, so Walter strikes with a big boot and senton for 2. Carter counters a powerbomb with the hurricanrana and makes the hot tag! Riddle strikes Walter, hits the overhead kick, kips up, hits forearm smashes, exploder suplex to Walter, misses the P.K. and standing moonsault but hits the senton. Walter grabs Riddle from behind with the sleeper hold, Riddle lands on his feet from a German suplex attempt, hits a running knee, MSK superkick the Tag Team Champs, and Riddle hits the penalty kick to Walter. Riddle and MSK all wipe out Imperium with suicide dives and a springboard cannonball! Back in the ring, Riddle hits a German suplex to Walter and bridges the pin for 2!

Riddle calls for the RKO, outside the ring MSK get wiped out by Aichner and Barthel, Walter hits a shotgun dropkick to Riddle and delivers the powerbomb for 2! Walter shouts at his team after disbelief that Riddle kicked out then tags out to Barthel. Aichner tags in, Barthel kicks Riddle in the head then tosses him into the stalling brainbuster by Aichner, and Carter dives in to break the count! Barthel throws Carter out the ring, Walter is giving the orders to his team for the finish, Riddle counters Aichner with a back body drop, hits Barthel with a jumping knee, and delivers another German suplex to Walter! Carter tags in, Lee tags in, Riddle tags in, MSK hit their elevated springboard blockbuster finisher onto Aichner, Riddle follows up with the Floating Bro then hits the RKO to Barthel for the win!! WINNERS: RIDDLE & MSK!

McKenzie Mitchell speaks to Joe Gacy who is standing with Harland. Gacy says Harland is making progress showing restraint especially after last week, then hints that they would be a tag team and compete in the Dusty Tag Team Classic tournament. They don't want handouts, so they'd be happy to prove they are a viable tag team. Gacy thanks her for her time and they walk off.

A helicopter flies overhead with Mandy Rose inside getting the special champion treatment arriving in style. That match is next! After the break, Elektra Lopez is asked about her deal with Xyon Quinn, but she doesn't give a straight answer. Elektra says family comes first, but sometimes "when someone catches your eye it makes you see things a little differently." She makes no apologies for her actions, then says next week Xyon Quinn vs. Santos Escobar takes place with the winner leaving with her.

* NXT Women's Championship: Cora Jade vs. Raquel González vs. Mandy Rose {C}

Raquel big boots Cora at the bell then goes after the champ with Irish whips to the turnbuckles, and also drops Cora on the ropes. Mandy attacks Raquel from behind and knocks her out the ring, Cora does a headscissors to Mandy, Raquel is back in, blocks the headscissors, Cora schoolgirl rollup for 2 and dumps González out the ring. Mandy trips up Jade and shoves her back into the edge of the ring, Raquel comes around to knock Rose down, and Cora hits González with a cannonball from the apron. Mandy yanks Jade into the steel steps, gloats to the crowd, throws her back into the ring, covers, Raquel pulls Cora out the ring to break the count, Mandy kicks her down, throws Jade back in and covers again, but again Raquel pulls Cora out the ring to break. Mandy shoves González into the steps, Cora rolls her up, Raquel breaks the count, shoves Mandy into Cora, hoists the BOTH onto her shoulders and hits a double Samoan drop! Both women roll out the ring as we go to a commercial break.

We get picture-in-picture again here as Mandy checks under the ring and hits González with a kendo stick. The champion parades around the ring attacking her opponents with the kendo stick, but Raquel takes the stick out of her hands and makes her pay. Cora rolls González up for 1, takes the kendo stick, they have words, and Mandy attacks Jade with a pump kick and shoves González out the ring. Mandy covers Jade for 2, continues to stand her ground with the stick jamming it in Jade's throat, covers for 2 again, then puts her in the body scissors.

When we come back Cora counters into a cover for 2, Raquel is back in, Mandy chopblocks her, Cora with a sunset flip pin for 2 on Rose, but Mandy blasts her with a clothesline and covers for 2. Raquel sends Jade into the turnbuckles, body slams Rose, Cora gives González the headscissors takedown, then a springboard hurricanrana to Rose. Cora hits the high knee to González, but Raquel delivers a backbreaker, and press slams her to the ground in front of a surprised Rose. Raquel invites the champ into the ring to finish their business, but Mandy instead runs away! Raquel chases her down, throws her back into the ring, Mandy is backing up and begging off, but Raquel pulls her off the ropes to clothesline her, clubs her on the chest, and Rose rolls out the ring, but Raquel brings her back in, Mandy hits the lungblower, and covers for a near-fall. Raquel avoids the pump knee, sends her to the ropes, picks her up, plants her with the Chingona Bomb, makes the cover, but Cora breaks the count with a diving senton! Raquel gets in her face, sets her up on the top, but Cora blocks the superplex and shoves her out the ring. Cora wants to roll her up but Mandy reverses and covers for 3! WINNER and STILL NXT WOMEN'S CHAMPION: MANDY ROSE!

We get a vignette for Boa saying the powers are uncontrollable, and wants to face Solo Sikoa as himself and not the powers he has deep inside. Outside in the parking lot, Riddle is proud of MSK and instructs them to go win those NXT Tag Team Championships, then rides off on his scooter. The Creed Brothers walk up to mock them, and they say the only way MSK get close to the titles again is if they win the Dusty Cup again, but the brothers Creed are in it so it's unlikely.

Andre Chase comes to the ring and points out his section for Chase U. He calls last week a teachable moment and notes that one of his students came to the ring to protect him and says that's the bond that his students and faculty have. "I'm so grateful that Harland didn't follow through and throw him off the roof of the building, because that would've been terrible for enrollment. So for his heroics, I wanna recognize this student. A man that I'm so proud of. A man that I've watched grow up irght before my very eyes as the recipient of the first-ever Andre Chase University full scholarship! You deserve it! Come on down!" Von Wagner heads out instead and the first thing he says is "Enough with the bullshit! Now let the real star of NXT say something." Wagner acknowledges the boos and negative comments he receives, but claims that we all want to see him. He adds that none of the people matter and even says that he is everything that Andre Chase is not. Chase takes exception to this, and Wagner clotheslines him then hits the Olympic Slam. Wagner continues his beatdown until Chase's #1 student steps up to him, but Wagner just pulls him over the glass barricade, then he grabs another guy in the front row and yanks him over while security comes out to stop him, and even decks another guy in front. Wade Barrett: "He's gone as crazy as Antonio Brown!" Security finally push Wagner to the back.

We get a video package to highlight the ongoing feud between Bron Breakker and Tommaso Ciampa over the latter's NXT Championship. At NXT Halloween Havoc, Breakker made one mistake and that cost him the match. Tonight at New Year's Evil, he's more focused then ever. Breakker and Ciampa are ready to go as they head to the ring, and this match is airing commercial-free next!

When we come back, Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett discuss what just happened with Von Wagner going on a rampage and they apologize for his actions. We cut to Wagner backstage being escorted out of the building by security, and they walk past Roderick Strong being checked on by the doctor with Malcolm Bivens by his side and Ivy Nile standing guard at his feet. Wagner talks a little trash before being ushered out.

We get a video package for Cameron Grimes recollecting about the highs and lows he had in 2021. "Maybe I should stop chasing so much green. Maybe in 2022, I start chasing gold. Twenty-twenty-TWO THE MOON!" Next week, AJ Styles takes on Grayson Waller! Also, Xyon Quinn battles Santos Escobar. Not only that, but we'll also get a "Crowbar on a Pole Match" between Pete Dunne and Tony D'Angelo!

* NXT Championship: Bron Breakker vs. Tommaso Ciampa {C}

Tempers are on the rise before Alicia Taylor can do the proper title match ring introductions. Ciampa hands off the title, Breakker is ready to go, both men don't take their eyes off of one another, the bell dings, and the main event is underway!

They lock up, Breakker backs him to the ropes, clean break, lock up again, Ciampa backs him in a corner, clean break, chops him and Breakker laughs it off, so Ciampa clotheslines him. Ciampa clotheslines him in a corner, Breakker leapfrogs over him, gator roll into a standing stalling suplex, kips up, and Ciampa rolls out the ring for a moment. Ciampa grabs his leg, Breakker drags him back in, delivers another stalling suplex, forearms to the kidneys, Ciampa hits a back elbow, chops, rakes his face on the ropes, 10-punch in the corner, Breakker hits an inverted atomic drop, clothesline, floats over in a corner, and Ciampa dropkicks him. Ciampa ducks a flying shoulder tackle, hits the knee to the face to knock him off the apron, lands a corkscrew plancha, and pats himself on the back.

Back in the ring, Ciampa hits a couple knees to the face, puts him in the rear chinlock, Breakker backs him into the turnbuckles, Ciampa jumps on his back for a sleeper hold, and Breakker counters by dropping on his back. Both men trade punches, Breakker clotheslines him twice, hits the avalanche/splash in the corner, ducks a back-swing, and catches him for a spinning powerbomb. Breakker hits the charging shoulder thrust to the midsection, sets him up top, Ciampa crotches him, drops him in the tree of woe and stomps on him, then hits the low dropkick. Ciampa blocks the Fairytale Ending, Breakker plants him with the spinebuster, lands a standing moonsault, and covers for 2.5! Breakker gets on the middle ropes, has second thoughts remembering what happened last time, Ciampa chops him on the chest, and shoves him out the ring. Ciampa hits the running kneelift outside the ring, throws him back in, hits the running knee again, but Breakker tackles him with a quick spear! "This is awesome! This is awesome!"

Both men trade punches again, Ciampa with left jabs, lefts and rights, beats him down in a corner and he's bleeding above the right eye. Breakker catches him with a standing frankensteiner, covers for 2, picks him up in the military press, Ciampa counters and the fall in the ropes, so Ciampa hits Willow's Belle and covers for 1-2-KICKOUT! Ciampa kicks him in the back before applying a single leg crab, Breakker grabs the ropes to break, Ciampa exits the ring to pull back the floor mat, breaks the ref's count, pulls the challenger out, but Breakker gives him the ALABAMA SLAM ONTO THE ANNOUNCE TABLE! Breakker brings the champ back into the ring, hits the military pess powerslam, makes the cover, and gets the 1-2-NO as Ciampa grabs the bottom rope! Ciampa has a grip on the ropes now, Breakker tries to pry him away, Ciampa crotches him on the middle rope, hits the running knee three times in the ropes, plants him with the FAIRYTALE ENDING, and pins him for - BREAKKER KICKS OUT AT 2.9!! Ciampa sets him up on the top rope, Breakker blocks him, shoves him down, hits the diving bulldog, takes the straps down, puts him in the STEINER RECLINER, and CIAMPA TAPS!!! WE HAVE A NEW NXT CHAMPION!!!! WINNER and NEWWWWW NXT CHAMPION: BRON BREAKKER!!

Ciampa looks up Breakker nodding his approval. We end the show with Bron Breakker raising up the title as the brand new NXT Champion.