WWE NXT Results - August 17, 2021

WWE once again visited the Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, Florida for the final edition of NXT before TakeOver 36 on Sunday. 

While the August 17 show was built around two title matches, one of those bouts couldn't take place as WWE announced ahead of the episode that Kushida was not cleared to compete and would, therefore, be unable to defend the Cruiserweight Championship against Roderick Strong.

As a result, Diamond Mine held an open challenge to open the show and Strong went one on one with Ilja Dragunov. The Messiah Of The Backbreaker started the match strongly, but Dragunov grew into the encounter and the Russian picked up the win after 12 minutes with a Torpedo Moscow. 

The NXT Tag Team Title match between champions MSK and Imperium's Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner did go ahead on the show and both teams fought back and forth during their 10-minute battle. Imperium were ultimately unable to dethrone the dominant champions, though, and MSK scored the 1-2-3 following their Hart Attack-Blockbuster finisher. 

The action didn't end there, however, as WALTER, who was at ringside, ended up brawling with Ilja Dragunov ahead of their NXT United Kingdom Title match and The Ring General ended the segment standing tall after he took out MSK and Unbesiegbar. 

Karrion Kross and Samoa Joe also continued their simple but effective build to Sunday's NXT Championship match in the main event segment. Fireworks flew after Joe called out the NXT Champion, who duly answered as security piled into the Capitol Wrestling Center. They couldn't hold the two foes apart, though, and Kross and Joe brawled around the arena before they sent each other crashing through a barricade as NXT went off the air. 

In other happenings on the show, Carmelo Hayes defeated Duke Hudson to advance to the NXT Breakout Tournament Final, Cameron Grimes pinned LA Knight's hired help Josh Briggs, Hit Row beat down Legado del Fantasma in the parking lot to reclaim Isaiah "Swerve" Scott's grill, Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai argued ahead of their NXT Women's Title match, and Ridge Holland accepted Timothy Thatcher's challenge. 

Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis' romance also continued to blossom as they defeated Robert Stone and Jessi Kamea in mixed-tag team action. The pair then confirmed their love for each other and Lumis accepted Indi's marriage proposal. Another wrestling wedding is on the way. 

Check out the full results below:

• Ilja Dragunov def. Roderick Strong
• Cameron Grimes def. Josh Briggs
• Indi Hartwell & Dexter Lumis def. Robert Stone & Jessi Kamea
• Carmelo Hayes def. Duke Hudson - NXT Breakout Tournament
• MSK def. Imperium - NXT Tag Team Championship