Generation NXT - NXT recap for January 24, 2018

The show starts with the Velveteen Dream experience. Velveteen Dream says everyone dreams of being NXT Champion one day, and that everyone experiences different paths. He says that Johnny Gargano dreams one day of becoming NXT Champion. He does not doubt that he is the Superstar to do it, but with a choice between him and Gargano, that will not happen yet. While Gargano's experience has been full of doubt, his has been pure, and Gargano's experience will one day soon be over.

No Way Jose - in his first match in months - beats Cezar Bononi.

We see a video package documenting what has led to Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole in an Extreme Rules Match at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.

Bianca Belair beats LaToya Allsop.

We see Percy Watson's sit-down interview with Ember Moon and "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler. When asked why she called Baszler out, Ember Moon says Baszler is nothing more than a bully who has no scruples and will hurt anybody to get to the top. Baszler says it has never been about hurting any one woman, and says you have to stir up water to catch fish. Baszler says Ember Moon is the big fish in the little pond, and Ember Moon says she is that because she has never taken shortcuts and has responsibilities towards the Women's Division. She says if Baszler ever becomes champ, she will get a taste of that, but it won't happen. Baszler congratulates Ember Moon on becoming champion, but says nobody cares about the path she herself has taken, as she has worked as hard as Ember Moon. After NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia, Ember Moon will know she is walking away with her dreams. Baszler doesn't care about what the fans think of who she is or how she got here, and that they will just have to get used to it.

We see part two of "Who Is TM61?" This part mentions TM61's (Nick Miller and Shane Thorne) arrival in NXT. Thorne talks about his injury in his solo match against Roderick Strong, as well as TM61's match against The Authors of Pain in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and Shane Thorne's recovery from injury. TM61 will return to in-ring action next week.

The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) destroy Chase Brown and Damian Smith before their match can even begin. Rezar then gets on the microphone and tells The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly) that what happened to Brown and Smith will happen to them. Akam says at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia, it will be The Undisputed Era's turn. After this, Brown and Smith fall victim to the Super Collider.

Next week: Nikki Cross vs. Lacey Evans!

Johnny Gargano beats Velveteen Dream to become #1 contender for the NXT Championship and face Andrade "Cien" Almas for the title at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia. After the match, Zelina Vega and Andrade "Cien" Almas show up. Almas lifts the title up in front of Gargano, then hands it to Zelina Vega before trying to get a cheap shot on Gargano. They both brawl, but Almas gets the upper hand. Gargano gets back up after being sent out of the ring, and hits an enziguri and a slingshot DDT before Almas can hit him with the NXT Championship. Gargano then picks the NXT Championship up off the mat and looks at it, then lifts it up above a downed Almas to end the show.