WWE NXT Results - March 17, 2021: NXT Tag Team Title Match, WALTER Returns

The black and gold brand's roster was ravaged by a COVID-19 outbreak late last week, but NXT still managed to supply two hours of in-ring action as the build towards NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver continues. 

Just before the show went on the air, WWE announced Finn Balor will defend the NXT Title against Karrion Kross at Stand & Deliver and the two men picked up where they left off last week. 

Kross and Balor faced off in the ring in the opening segment and after a somewhat forced exchange of words, Scarlett interjected and said she had seen two champions draped in gold in the cards. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan then interrupted and claimed Pete Dunne deserved another NXT Title shot. Their intrusion didn't accomplish anything positive for the pair, though, as Scarlett goaded them into defending the NXT Tag Team Championship against Balor and Kross in the main event. 

Lorcan and Burch then went on to defend the gold in the main event, but the match was largely overshadowed by an injury to The Guvnor. Burch suffered the injury in the opening minutes after Kross hit the champions with a Double Suplex. Burch landed awkwardly on his shoulder and received medical attention as the broadcast went to a commercial break. Reports have noted he suffered a separated shoulder and will be out of action for an undisclosed amount of time. 

The three remaining men did the best they could without Burch and they ultimately went to the finish a few minutes later.

During the final moments, Balor caught Lorcan with a Shotgun Dropkick on the outside and Oney went flying into Scarlett. The Prince immediately checked on the fallen female and an enraged Karrion Kross proceeded to smash the NXT Champion's head into the cage barricade at ringside and toss him back into the ring. 

Lorcan didn't need an invitation to capitalise and he caught Balor with a Running European Uppercut for the 1-2-3.  

Following the bell, Kross took out Lorcan and left Balor lying with a Saito Suplex and Forearm to the back of the head. Scarlett then told Finn he can't escape fate and she and Kross stood over the fallen NXT Champion as the show went off the air. 

Beyond the NXT Championship picture, the rivalry between Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly continued. Cole cut a promo during the first hour and admitted he didn't hate O'Reilly before last week, he just didn't need him anymore. O'Reilly then cost him the NXT Championship, though, and Cole claimed his former friend was jealous of him before he demanded Kyle come to the ring so they can end "it" once and for all. 

The former NXT Champion was greeted by William Regal instead who reminded Cole that O'Reilly wasn't even medically cleared to appear on last week's NXT and had, therefore, been banned from the Capitol Wrestling Center. O'Reilly still managed to find a way into the building, though, as he appeared on the titantron inside a car and told Cole he wouldn't rest until he ends his former friend. 

End his former friend O'Reilly almost did as William Regal was rushed to just outside the CWC later in the broadcast and came upon O'Reilly and Cole both in handcuffs while the police tried to calm them both down. According to Cole, Kyle tried to run him off the road as he was leaving the Capitol Wrestling Center and an enraged William Regal later revealed he will announce the solution to their situation on next week's NXT. 

NXT also featured two returns as NXT UK's Jordan Devlin and WALTER made their presence felt on the black and gold brand.

Devlin was the first of the two to return. The Irish Ace made his entrance following Legado del Fantasma's win over Breezango and he stared down Santos Escobar. The two champions then talked back and forth about who the real NXT Cruiserweight Champion until Escobar challenged Devlin to a match at Stand & Deliver. Devlin didn't give an answer, but he Headbutted Escobar and put him on the mat with a Backdrop to end the segment. 

WALTER then entered the feud between Imperium and Tommaso Ciampa later in the show. 

Neither Alexander Wolfe or Timothy Thatcher were on the show and Marcel Barthel faced The Blackheart in singles action instead. Both men wrestled a short match and Ciampa managed to overcome interference from Fabian Aichner to put Barthel away with Willow's Bell. 

Immediately after the bout, WALTER made his epic entrance and Barthel and Aichner attacked Ciampa from behind. The Ring General then caught the former NXT Champion with a brutal Chop and followed up with a Powerbomb to leave Ciampa down and out. 

The bizarre feud between Dexter Lumis and The Way also continued on this week's show. Austin Theory was the only Way member at the Capitol Wrestling Center and Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae told him he had to take on Lumis alone as the final part of his therapy.

Theory and Lumis wrestled a standard wrestling match for much of the bout but the storyline shenanigans came into play during the finish as The Tortured Artist offered Austin his hand following a Clothesline. Theory immediately accepted and hugged Lumis with glee, only for Dexter to suddenly lock in Silence. A shocked Theory countered and tried to connect with ATL but Lumis fought back with a reversal of his own and locked in Silence again. Theory passed out a few moments later while Lumis stroked his hair. 

LA Knight made his in-ring debut later in the show and he dominated August Grey during their short match. Grey almost picked up the win, though, after Bronson Reed arrived on the ramp with Knight's blue leather jacket and ripped it apart. The 205 Live wrestler took advantage with a roll-up but Knight kicked out and put Grey away with a Headlock DDT a few moments later.

NXT saved the most impressive in-ring action for the middle of the show, though, as Dakota Kai went one on one with Zoey Stark. Both women battled back and forth during their 12-minute match and Stark continued her streak of quality matches going. She picked up another loss, however, as Kai secured the win with the Go To Kick. 

After the match, Io Shirai walked to the ring and pushed the NXT Women's Title match contract onto Raquel Gonzalez. The possible challenger didn't sign on the dotted line but the former NXT Women's Tag Team Champions will take on Shirai and Stark on next week's show. 

Also announced for next week's show is Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon's first defence of the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship. They will take on Aliyah and Jessi Kamea. A vignette hyping up the debut of Sareee, now named Sarrey, aired during the broadcast as well. 

Check out the full results from the March 17 episode of NXT below: 
• Dexter Lumis def. Austin Theory
• Legado del Fantasma def. Breezango
• Dakota Kai def. Zoey Stark
• Tommaso Ciampa def. Marcel Barthel
• LA Knight def. August Grey
• Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch def. Finn Balor & Karrion Kross - NXT Tag Team Championship