Generation NXT - NXT recap for April 13, 2021

Karrion Kross and Scarlett head to the ring to start tonight's show. Kross says that time always comes full circle, and that it was only a matter of time before he stood in the ring with the NXT Championship again. He calls Finn Balor one of the greatest to step into the ring, as championships have followed him everywhere he has went, and while he went on a tear as NXT Champion, he thought his emotions were a weakness. Kross then says that anything can be a driving force if you can control it, and that he controls everything. He then says that time has allowed the course to correct itself, and that he is in control of NXT until he says so. He then says the saying that there is no other way to go but down is a complete lie, as nobody is going to beat him even as NXT has the hungriest competitors on the planet, because he is starving and insatiable. He then says that if anyone wants the NXT Championship, all they have to do is step up and roll the dice, because no matter who faces him, he will fold every single one of them until there is nobody left.

We see a video package of NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver.

MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee) retain the NXT Tag Team Championships against Drake Maverick and Killian Dain. After the match, Alexander Wolfe shows up, then Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel attack Killian Dain from behind.

In backstage footage from earlier today, Robert Stone and Aliyah are confronted by Mercedes Martinez, who demands her money. Mercedes then chokes Aliya, but Jessi Kamea stops her and says she wants to step on her, not up to her, when Mercedes asks Kamera if she wants to step up to her. Mercedes laughs and says "Tonight."

We see a video package chronicling the unsanctioned match between Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly and the aftermath.

Mercedes Martinez beats Jessi Kamea. After the match, Mercedes Martinez gets her hands on Robert Stone after chasing him outside of the ring. She then congratulates Raquel Gonzalez on winning the NXT Championship before stating she is coming for her.

Backstage, McKenzie Mitchell interviews The Way (Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell). Johnny Gargano calls tonight's match "cookoo bananas," but says likes the fact that anybody in The Way can be in the ring at any time. Theory says that tonight, he gets his revenge on Dexter Lumis, while Candice says that she will take care of business with Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon. Indi Hartwell hopes she is in the ring with Lumis so he can take care of her business.

We hear from Isaiah "Swerve" Scott in the studio, who says that he is a star and is just different after eliminating Cameron Grimes and Leon Ruff in the Gauntlet Eliminator. He also says he has to face Leon Ruff in the ring again tonight, and admits he is getting sick of him and wants to move on, but cannot do that until he beats him.

Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, Raul Mendoza) head to the ring. Santos Escobar says that one year ago, the Cruiserweight Championship was the title of a forgotten division, but when Legado del Fantasma was born, the sideshow became prime time, and he stole the show at Stand and Deliver. He says that just like his father was and his son will be, Legado del Fantasma are warriors and always fight, and tonight, they will lay out an open challenge. That challenge is accepted immediately by KUSHIDA.

KUSHIDA beats Santos Escobar after a series of pinfall attempt reversals to become the NXT Cruiserweight Champion!

Backstage, Tommaso Ciampa says life has a way of testing people in the most unexpected ways. He says the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and their war with Imperium (Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel) tested them, and while they did not win every match, they passed every test and became a stronger unit. He says that he and Timothy Thatcher are ready for a new NXT, and Timothy Thatcher says that they will finish what they start. Ciampa then tells MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee) that they are coming for them.

Backstage, General Manager William Regal congratulates KUSHIDA in the trainer's room, as does Jordan Devlin, who says that KUSHIDA is a lucky man as he is heading home for a while. He says that when he returns, he will be coming for the Cruiserweight Championship.

Dakota Kai introduces Raquel Gonzalez to the ring. Raquel calls a year-and-a-half the biggest night in history, and while she was supposed to have her big debut that night, she was not ready, and she went home and swore that would not happen again. She pushed herself to become better, and now, she has become NXT Women's Champion, and the one person who recognized her dedication was Dakota Kai. Dakota says that for fourteen months, they dominated the best women's division in the world, and Raquel gives respect to Io Shirai for being a great champion before stating that her own era has begun. Suddenly, the lights go out, and when they come back on , Franky Monet - formerly known as Taya Valkyrie - makes her way to the ring with her dog in her hand. Franky congratulates Raquel before introducing herself, and says the best division on the planet got a whole lot better. She then tells Raquel she will be seeing a whole lot more of her. Raquel tells Franky she should be lucky she is in a good mood, and threatens to shove her dog where the sun doesn't shine if she interrupts her again. Franky tells Raquel she will see her every Tuesday, then leaves. After Franky leaves, Rhea Ripley shows up and has a staredown with Raquel. Both women then tap belts before hugging, then Bianca Belair heads to the ring. A picture of the three of them then appears on the video screen.

We hear from Pete Dunne, who says that he faced KUSHIDA at NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver and proved he is the best in the world. Now, he is focused on championship gold.

We see a video package for Sarray's upcoming debut next week.

Backstage, General Manager William Regal is excited that Sarray will be debuting in NXT, then enters his office where Roderick Strong and Marina Shafir are waiting. Roderick Strong hands Regal a manila envelope and says "I'm done." Regal tells Strong that while things were tough, Strong was the utmost professional, and that he will always have a spot in NXT.

Isaiah "Swerve" Scott beats Leon Ruff.

Backstage, McKenzie Mitchell interviews Zoey Stark, who says that four months ago, she lived in Las Vegas barely making ends meet while training eight hours a day, but now, she has been at an NXT TakeOver against Toni Storm. As Zoey says she has her eyes on the NXT Women's Championship, Mercedes Martinez asks McKenzie why she is wasting her time on a rookie and says she is the next champion and not "some rookie." Zoey says "We'll see about that."

We hear from Walter, who states that Imperium (Walter, Fabian Aichner, Marcel Barthel, Alexander Wolfe) proved that they are the most dominant force in WWE. He says that Tommaso Ciampa proved a challenging opponent, but he is still champion, and says that Imperium's legacy is just beginning and will expand. He says that Imperium is here to stay and that the world will know what it means by "the mat is sacred."

Backstage, Leon Ruff attacks Isaiah "Swerve" Scott as McKenzie Mitchell interviews Swerve. Ruff tells Swerve it is not over until he says it is.

Dexter Lumis, Bronson Reed, Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon beat The Way (Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell) in an eight-person tag match. During the match, Indi Hartwell pretends to be laid out to get a kiss from Lumis, and Lumis eventually picks her up and carries her to the back.

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!