WWE NXT results, Feb. 17, 2021: Adam Cole severs brotherhood with Kyle O’Reilly, sets sights on NXT Championship

Kyle O'Reilly demanded answers from Adam Cole to no avail

NXT Champion Finn Bálor confronts Kyle O’Reilly, while Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch look to exploit the fissure in The Undisputed ERA. Watch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

An understandably furious Kyle O'Reilly kicked off this week's edition of NXT dead-set on a face-to-face meeting with seemingly ex-best friend Adam Cole, but the former NXT Champion was a no-show. Instead, fellow Undisputed ERA member Roderick Strong tried to calm O'Reilly down and patch things up, but the martial-arts expert was having none of it.

A heated Finn Bálor also arrived wanting an explanation from O'Reilly after being superkicked by Cole at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, saying he was holding O'Reilly responsible.

Meanwhile, Pete Dunne and NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch exploited the squabble, ambushing all three men and leaving them lying before NXT General Manager William Regal declared that the Superstars would face off in a Six-Man Tag Team Match tonight. 

Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon def. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

With The Way distracted by Austin Theory’s whereabouts, can Shotzi & Ember take advantage? Watch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

The Way was visibly distracted from the moment they entered the Capitol Wrestling Center, still worried over the whereabouts of Austin Theory. NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano joined the commentary team but soon left the desk after a familiar white van was shown arriving outside. With Gargano heading outside to check it out, chaotic action unfolded in the ring. 

Moments later, Gargano reemerged inside the Capitol Wrestling Center with a hooded figure with their hands tied, pulling it off to reveal Austin Theory in some... interesting attire. Gargano was overjoyed, and Candice LeRae soon joined in the celebration, leaving Indi Hartwell alone to succumb to a successful roll-up pin by Ember Moon. While The Way lost, reuniting with Theory seemed to be their bigger focus. 

Leon Ruff def. Isaiah "Swerve" Scott

Isaiah “Swerve” Scott takes out his frustrations in brutal fashion after a loss to Leon Ruff. Watch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

Isaiah "Swerve" Scott continued to display the more cocky demeanor we've seen from him of late, going as far as to flat-out disrespect Leon Ruff repeatedly throughout this matchup. But the former North American Champion seemed to give Scott more than he bargained for as the match progressed, and Scott proved to be yet another foe who underestimated Ruff. 

Ruff once again used a crucifix pin to pull off another stunning win. Scott blew a gasket afterward, stomping the feisty up-and-comer and viciously launching him into the turnbuckle.

Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter def. Aliyah & Jessi Kamea w/Robert Stone

Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter pick up an impressive victory but appear to have bigger problems on their hands with Xia Li. Watch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

The high-energy team of Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter looked to pick up right where they left off in the Dusty Classic, and they continued to flash considerable promise as a duo. Once again using innovative offense, they dropped Aliyah with a creative neckbreaker-splash combination to put her away.

But their celebration was short-lived, with Xia Li arriving to confront Catanzaro, marking her hand in cryptic fashion before promising to "purge" her next week. 

WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler confronted Raquel González & Dakota Kai

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions interrupt the victory celebrations for the winners of the Men’s and Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Watch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

Both MSK and Raquel González & Dakota Kai were on hand to celebrate their Dusty Classic victories, but González & Kai found themselves interrupted by the surprise arrival of Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler. Set to defend the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles in two weeks, the two former NXT stalwarts seemed sure they'd intimidate González & Kai, particularly given Baszler's history of bullying Kai years ago on the black-and-gold brand. But González insisted things had changed in NXT since they left, and Kai promised she'd "kick Baszler's head off." 

Kushida def. Tyler Rust via Malcolm Bivens' forfeit

Tyler Rust looks to capitalize with Kushida still hurting from his grueling match against Johnny Gargano at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day. Watch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

With Kushida still feeling the effects of his grueling battle against Johnny Gargano this past Sunday, Tyler Rust looked to capitalize for what would have been a signature victory to elevate his star. Rust repeatedly targeting the already-weakened neck of NXT's resident Time Splitter, but Kushida eventually trapped Rust in the Hoverboard Lock. Deciding discretion was the better part of valor, Malcolm Bivens forfeited on Rust's behalf, choosing to take the loss for his client than to have him suffer further damage. 

Zoey Stark def. Valentina Feroz

New signee Zoey Stark looks to make her mark in her first NXT one-on-one match. Watch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

Zoey Stark turned in as impressive of a debut as we've seen in some time in NXT, decimating Valentina Feroz with ultra-physical offense. Softening up Feroz with snake eyes on the turnbuckle and a lighting-quick back-thrust kick, Stark followed with a release half-nelson suplex to flatten her foe. Stark's intensity only escalated from there, and she finished off Feroz with a tilt-a-whirl knee strike to the face for the win.

Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch def. Finn Bálor, Kyle O'Reilly & Roderick Strong in a Six-Man Tag Team Match

Kyle O'Reilly was finally able to unleash 72 hours' worth of pent-up fury, dominating all three opponents upon being tagged in with a storm of strikes. But O'Reilly missed a dive off the apron meant for Danny Burch, taking a huge blow to the face from Dunne instead.

Adam Cole makes his presence felt as tensions run high in a star-studded Six-Man Tag Team Match. Watch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

The BruiserWeight worked over O'Reilly until he finally tagged in Finn Bálor, and The Prince immediately took over the ring. With Burch seemingly set on using his NXT Tag Team Title as a weapon, the referee stopped him, but Bálor inadvertently sent Dunne crashing into the official. Bálor set up for the Coup de Grace, only for Adam Cole to finally make his presence felt in a big way. Cole shoved Bálor off the top rope and came face to face with O'Reilly on the outside, dropping him with a huge pump kick before leaving him motionless with a vicious suplex on the steel steps.

Inside the ring, Bálor recovered only to accidentally catch Roderick Strong with a Pelé kick. With Finn immediately recognizing his mistake, Dunne took advantage and hit him with the Bitter End before pinning the NXT Champion.

The night only got worse for Bálor, who felt the wrath of Cole's superkick for the second time in four nights. That left Cole to lock eyes on the NXT Title with a familiar smirk before holding it high in the air.