Generation NXT - NXT recap for July 20, 2021

Samoa Joe heads to the ring to start tonight's show. He tells Karrion Kross that he has come to smack his clock, then NXT General Manager William Regal shows up and tells Joe that this is not what he had in mind, and tells him he cannot call out Superstars. Joe reminds Regal of the "unless provoked" agreement, but Regal tells Joe that he was in a referee capacity, not a management one. Joe tells him that semantics do not matter and that Kross needs to be put under control. Regal tells Joe that Kross is on his way and that all hell will not break loose, as Joe will handle this peacefully. Joe tells Regal it will be the end of this, but he will not guarantee it will be peaceful and that tonight, someone will be going to sleep.

We hear from Xia Li, who says she has been waiting for this moment, as it is the most important of her career and she will be NXT Women's Champion. She plans to do to Raquel Gonzalez what she did to Mercedes Martinez, and leave tonight as the first Chinese NXT Women's Champion.

Bobby Fish and KUSHIDA beat Diamond Mine (Roderick Strong and Tyler Rust) with a Hoverboard Lock from KUSHIDA to Tyler Rust.

In footage from earlier today, Cameron Grimes gets LA Knight's bags. Drake Maverick offers to help, and when LA Knight offers to help, Knight confronts Maverick and proposes they have a match later tonight while Grimes fumbles with the bags.

NXT TakeOver 36 is live on WWE Network and Peacock on August 22nd!

We see a vignette for Odyssey Jones.

Franky Monet beats Jacy Jayne. (Jacy Jayne is formerly known as Avery Taylor.) Mandy Rose sits on the commentary table during the match.

In backstage footage from earlier today, Mackenzie Mitchell interviews Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory. Gargano says he has been better, but he is doing okay. Meanwhile, Kyle O'Reilly shows up and confronts Austin Theory for his comments about him. Kyle O'Reilly then challenges Austin Theory to a match, and Theory accepts. Gargano then tells Theory he is on his own tonight, telling him he got himself into this and that he will have to get himself out of it.

For the next two weeks, NXT will be moving to Tuesday nights on SyFy at 8 PM Eastern/7 PM Central.

In footage from earlier today, Wade Barrett interviews Bronson Reed. Reed calls winning the NXT North American Championship a big moment in his life, but suddenly, he was no longer champion. He says he has to push forward and fight harder than ever. Regarding his match with Adam Cole next week, everyone considers Cole the best, and he wants to face the best. He says he shut Cole down for running his mouth, and next week, he will finish the job.

Kyle O'Reilly beats Austin Theory after O'Reilly snaps, unloads a flurry of offense on Theory and puts him in the heel hook. After the match, the referee has to break the hold.

Backstage, Mackenzie Mitchell interviews Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez. Raquel says that Xia Li will not fulfill her destiny, and Dakota says that Raquel will destroy Xia Li for taking the spotlight from them last week. Raquel says that Tian Sha (Xia Li, Boa, Mei Ying) does not scare her, and that when she is done, there will be no one left.

Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, Raul Mendoza) is in the ring for a mariachi celebration, but Santos Escobar says that he will not need the mariachi band tonight. He then says that he was going to give the fans a taste of his musical heritage, but he changed his mind. Escobar says he will not lower himself to entertain the fans, for they are not worth it, and says he will not do "the Hit Row thing" to embarrass himself in a battle of styles, as his style is being the true and real champion. He then says he will take the NXT North American Championship and hold it with respect, then Hit Row (Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Ashante "Thee" Adonis, Top Dolla, B-Fab) shows up. Ashante "Thee" Adonis says Escobar is "talkin' spicy," then B-Fab calls mariachi music "trash." Top Dolla says he is like Pablo Escobar, and says that he smells cats when he sees Legado del Fantasma. Top Dolla then makes fun of Legado del Fantasma's height before Swerve calls winning the North American Championship payback for Swerve keeping him from winning the Cruiserweight Championship, then makes fun of how Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza joined Legado del Fantasma and says he will make Escobar his bitch. Escobar tells Swerve he can make "nursery rhymes" all night, as he is taking the North American Championship to Mexico. Hit Row enters the ring, and both groups brawl. Escobar grabs a guitar, but B-Fab takes it away and hands it to Swerve. Escobar ducks the guitar and runs away, but Swerve catches Joaquin Wilde getting in the ring. Wilde is quickly surrounded and outnumbered, and he ends up the victim of a guitar shot to the back.

Backstage, The Way (Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell) agree that things have been going awfully before them. As Gargano, Hartwell and Candace argue, Theory leaves, saying that The Way is falling apart.

Backstage, General Manager William Regal tells a pacing Samoa Joe to calm down, and Joe tells him he will be the first person to greet Karrion Kross when he gets here. Regal tells him to end things with Kross peacefully.

Odyssey Jones beats Andre Chase to advance in the NXT Breakout Tournament.

Backstage, Mackenzie Mitchell interviews MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee). Nash Carter says that they are looking for the next challengers, as they will take on any and all challengers. As MSK address what "MSK" means, they are interrupted by Imperium (Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel). Marcel Barthel says the mat is sacred to them, and Fabian Aichner calls the rest of the tag team division an embarrassment. After Barthel says that they will protect the sanctity of pro wrestling by any means necessary, the fans miss out on the meaning of "MSK."

We hear from Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan. Pete Dunne says he dared anyone who thinks they are badder or a better technician to step up, and Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher did. He and Oney then challenge them to a match. Oney Lorcan says he is down for a scrap, and that next week, he and Dunne will see how tough Thatcher and Ciampa really are.

Drake Maverick beats LA Knight after Maverick shoves Knight's head into the Million Dollar Championship as Knight demands that Cameron Grimes hold it up in the air at ringside at all times. Drake Maverick takes advantage of this and shoves Knight's head into the championship to get the win. After the match, Knight attacks Maverick, then blames Grimes for the loss. An angry Grimes then pulls Knight off Maverick and tells him the match is over, but Knight tells Grimes to attack Maverick. Grimes walks away, but Knight throws Grimes back into the ring and tells him to uphold their deal. A reluctant Grimes then punches Maverick in the face, then Knight celebrates.

Outside of the arena, Samoa Joe runs towards a black sports car and pulls the driver out. The driver tells him that Karrion Kross is already here and is out front.

Next week: Carmelo Hayes vs. Josh Briggs in the NXT Breakout Tournament!

Raquel Gonzalez retains the NXT Women's Championship against Xia Li. During the match, Xia Li is hurt, and medical staff have to check on her. Xia Li is soon released back into the match by medical staff, but this allows Raquel Gonzalez to hit Xia Li with a choke slam and retain. After the match, Samoa Joe gets in the ring and calls out Karrion Kross, who tells him that there will be a reckoning and that he will stomp him all over the arena. Karrion Kross appears on the TitanTron and says this is not the same world he walked out of, that this is his NXT and that this is his future, and that the NXT Championship allows him to do whatever he wants, including hurting General Manager William Regal, who is knocked out. As Joe runs to the back, Kross asks Joe if he thinks he is still in control, then drives off. An angry Joe barely misses Kross on his way out.

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