5 things WWE NXT got right this week: Injured superstar returns to win big; veteran defeats teammate

Cora Jade betrayed Roxanne Perez on last week’s episode of WWE NXT. Fans were waiting for Jade's explanation for her actions. The future of the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships also hung in the balance after Jade’s actions.

JD McDonagh competed in his first match since being renamed. He took on Cameron Grimes in one of the best matches of the night. Bron Breakker threatened McDonagh that if he rips his shoulder off, he will beat him whenever the two men meet in the ring.

The show also hosted a 20-woman Battle Royal to determine Mandy Rose’s next challenger. Some of the biggest names on the brand competed for a chance to challenge the leader of Toxic Attraction.

A-Kid made his NXT debut as Axiom in a match against Dante Chen. Unfortunately, Axiom was unable to put on a memorable performance under the mask.

Overall, it was a solid episode of the show that built multiple storylines. Let's take a look at the five things WWE NXT got right on this week’s show.

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#5. JD McDonagh put on an impressive performance

Cameron Grimes suffered another setback this week.

Cameron Grimes wasn’t ready to let JD McDonagh jump the line on WWE NXT. The Technical Savage took on the newcomer in a match this week.

Grimes started well and took McDonagh off his feet quickly. He hit a big crossbody and punished his opponent. Joe Gacy showed up on the balcony to observe the match closely.

McDonagh mounted a comeback and hit some good moves of his own. Grimes hit a vicious headbutt after countering a move from JD.

JD dropped Grimes from the apron, and the latter’s feet got stuck on the ropes and Grimes was hanging upside down. McDonagh pushed him with kicks and targeted his keep before hitting him with a Snap back suplex for the win.

This was a good first match for JD, who is ready to take the brand by storm. He has proven himself in NXT UK, and will likely come across as Bron Breakker’s most threatening challenger.

Meanwhile, Gacy seems to have his eyes on Cameron Grimes. It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for The Technical Savage.

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#4. Cora Jade spoke about her actions from last week

Cora Jade shocked the WWE Universe by attacking Roxanne Perez last week. Perez was closing in on an NXT Women’s Championship victory before Jade attacked her to take the opportunity away from her.

Jade came out to address her actions from last week. She claimed that she should have backstabbed Perez sooner and wanted herself to be the face of the NXT women’s division. Cora said she wasn’t ready to give up the spot for her best friend.

She admitted that she was behind the attack on Roxy in the parking lot before her match last week. She ended the segment by tossing the NXT Women’s Tag Team title into a trash can and declared that the new ‘Age of Jade’ was just the beginning.

It was a solid promo from one of the brightest prospects. Cora came out as a babyface, and it will be interesting to see how she handles her heel run. The experience will prepare her for something much bigger in the company.

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#3. Roderick Strong cared more about winning than his teammates on WWE NXT

Roderick Strong is too focused on winning

Roderick Strong wanted to teach Damon Kemp a thing or two about wrestling. The veteran took on Kemp in a one-on-one match on this week’s WWE NXT.

Kemp started well and hit a Bodyslam early before getting a near fall off an elbow drop. Strong hit some big strikes before connecting with a belly-to-belly suplex. Kemp wasn’t ready to stay down as he hit a Spear for another near fall.

As the match ticked on, Tony D’Angelo and his family showed up on the big screen and attacked The Creed Brothers. Damon Kemp tried to leave to help his partner out backstage, but Strong pulled him back into the ring and hit a knee strike for the win.

While the veteran may be heading out of the company, he is doing well at creating a storyline for Diamond Mine. He is currently more interested in winning than helping his partners grow in the ring.

Backstage, The Messiah of the Backbreaker instructed The Creed Brothers to go after D’Angelo and his men.

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#2. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen retained the WWE NXT UK Tag Team Championships

The WWE NXT UK Tag Team Champions were looking to make an impact.

Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen turned heads by winning the WWE NXT UK Tag Team Championships a few weeks ago. They were ready to make their first title reign memorable. The two men put their titles on the line against Pretty Deadly this week's show.

Elton Prince and Kit Wilson started well and went after the champions early. Briggs and Jensen lost their cool, and a brawl broke out between the two teams. Briggs used his strength to wipe out Prince and Wilson and help his team claw back into the match.

Wilson and Jensen took each other down and Pretty Deadly decided to trick the champions. They brought the titles into the ring to cause a distraction and tried to take Jensen out. The champs countered and hit the High-Low for the win.

Briggs and Jensen are still very green as a tag team. However, NXT seems to have faith in the two men, and they will likely hold the titles for some time. It’s a big deal that the creative let them defeat Pretty Deadly.

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#1. Zoey Stark returned and became Mandy Rose’s next challenger

Toxic Attraction was ready to watch the main event of WWE NXT up close. A 20-woman Battle Royal was booked to determine who would challenge Mandy Rose for the title next.

Zoey Stark made her return to the ring as the match got underway. After Ivy Nile, Indi Hartwell, and Alba Fyre eliminated some superstars early, a brawl broke out outside the ring.

Wendy Choo used her pillow to avoid getting eliminated and she got back into the ring. However, Tiffany Stratton managed to knock her off the apron to eliminate her. Kayden Carter and Katana Chance worked together to eliminate Ivy Nile. Nikkita Lyons showcased her strength by eliminating Chance and Cater.

Stratton eliminated Lyons to shock the WWE Universe. She was the only one left in the ring with Zoey Stark, while Cora Jade remained on the outside. Stark eliminated Stratton and thought she had won the match. Jade came up from behind and tried to eliminate her, but Stark countered her and tossed her outside the win.

It was great to see Zoey Stark make a comeback and win the match. She is one of the best few superstars on the roster. Meanwhile, fans will have to wait to see what storyline awaits Cora Jade.