WWE NXT Recap: Zayn Vs. Kruger - 2 Out Of 3 Falls, Sing Off Between English And Cassady, More

The first episode of NXT of 2014 opens up with Tom Phillips, William Regal, and Alex Riley and on commentary.

Lana comes out on the ramp and announces Alexander Rusev.

Alexander Rusev vs. Kofi Kingston

They lock up. Rusev knees Kofi in the corner. Kofi stumbles to another corner, and Rusev kicks him in the stomach. Rusev picks Kofi up and knees his midsection against the ropes. He hits Kofi with a Samoan drop. Kofi battles back with strikes and kicks. Rusev hits a running body block for a two count. Rusev goes for a splash, but Kofi moves. He hits Rusev with a back elbow. Rusev charges, but Kofi puts his boots up. Kofi hits several chops, a dropkick, and a leaping clothesline.

Kofi hits the Boom Drop. He signals for Trouble in Paradise, but Rusev shoves him across the ring. Kofi leaps up top and hits a springboard crossbody. Rusev drives his shoulder into Kofi's stomach in the corner. He charges, but Kofi hits a kick to the head. Kofi goes up top, and Lana distracts him. Rusev grabs Kofi and tosses him off. He locks Kofi in the Camel clutch and Kofi taps.

Winner: Alexander Rusev

Then, Devin Taylor is backstage with Sylvester LeFort. She asks LeFort if it's true that he's holding auditions for new talent. LeFort mentions Scott Dawson having a broken leg and then says yes, it's true he's looking for new people. A wrestler walks up, LeFort asks who he is, and he responds Bull Dempsey. LeFort says he is too fat to work for him and says bye. Mason Ryan walks up and stands behind LeFort. LeFort asks if he is here for the audition. Ryan says what audition, and LeFort says he is looking for a new client. He pulls out a dollar bill and tells Ryan he can make him lots of money. Ryan shoves it in LeFort's mouth, calls him an idiot, and walks off. LeFort mutters angrily in French.

Back from commercial and Natalya comes down to the ring.

Number One Contender's Match For The NXT Women's Championship
Natalya vs. Emma

The two lock up, and Natalya locks in a side headlock. She takes Emma to the mat. Emma reverses into a head scissors. Natalya gets out, and they exchange wristlocks. Natalya hits a fireman's carry and locks in Emma's arm. Emma gets to her feet, but Natalya locks her arm back in. Emma reverses out, but Natalya slams Emma to the mat. Emma comes back with a pin attempt for a two count. Natalya rams her into the corner and hits knees to the gut. Natalya charges, and Emma bails to the apron. She rams her shoulder into Natalya's stomach, slides back in, and gets another pin attempts. Emma locks in the tarantula.

Emma goes for her running corner crossbody, but Natalya moves. Natalya hits a discus clothesline. She locks Emma in an abdominal stretch. Emma fights out with elbows, but Natalya slams her to the mat. Natalya locks in another submission. Emma gets out, and Natalya kicks her in the stomach. She hits Emma with a bodyslam. Natalya goes for a standing leg drop, but Emma moves. Natalya tries to lock in the Sharpshooter, but Emma reverses into a pin attempt. She locks Natalya in the Emma Lock, and Natalya taps.

Winner and number one contender: Emma

Natalya raises Emma's arm after the match, and Emma gets Natalya to do her dance for a second.

Back from commercial, and Renee Young is in the commercial for the first ever NXT Sing Off. Aiden English comes out and says he is saving his vocal talents for the main stage. Then, Renee Young welcomes Colin Cassady. He walks down to the ring wearing a suit.

Renee Young says the rules, and allows English to sing first. He says he will be singing opera Italiano, and then sings. Young says his song was from the heart, and then says it's Cassady's turn. He clears his throat twice, and English laughs at him. Cassidy then sings for real about English being sawft, and he surprisingly isn't terrible. Young asks the crowd who won, and they cheer louder for Cassady. English says that the people are wrong, and demands another opportunity.

Young says that there will be a round two. English sings about the crowd being wrong for picking Cassady, and then Cassady sings about everyone thinking English sucks. English attacks Cassady from behind, and stomps him on the mat. English yells that it's his show and that the crowd doesn't deserve him, and he leaves.

Back from commercial and Tyler Breeze comes down to the ring.

Tyler Breeze vs. Mason Ryan

Sylvester LeFort walks down to the ring. Ryan tries telling the ref to send him away from ringside, and Breeze attacks off the distraction. He kicks and strikes Ryan in the chest and head. Ryan fights back with a strike to the mid section, but Breeze hits another chest kick. He elbows Ryan in the back of the neck. Ryan picks Breeze up and tosses him onto the ropes. He then exits the ring and clotheslines LeFort. Ryan gets back in the ring, and Breeze hits a spinning heel kick for the win.

Winner: Tyler Breeze

Back from commercial and Leo Kruger comes down to the ring.

2 Out Of 3 Falls Match
Sami Zayn vs. Leo Kruger

Kruger hits a clothesline. He tosses Zayn outside. Kruger follows and clubs Zayn in the back several times. He slams Zayn's head onto the apron and gets a one count. Kruger tosses Zayn back outside. He follows and they exchange strikes. Kruger slams Zayn's head into the apron and rams his back into it. Kruger rolls Zayn back inside and gets a two count. He hits Zayn with an uppercut, and Zayn rolls outside. Kruger follows and chops Zayn. He bodyslams Zayn on the floor and then sends him back inside. Kruger gets another two count. He hits Zayn with another pair of uppercuts. He charges Zayn in the corner. Zayn catches him and exploder suplexes him into the turnbuckles. Zayn hits his running corner boot for the first fall.

First Fall: Sami Zayn

Back from commercial and Kruger is seated up top. Zayn is hitting strikes. He headbutts Kruger and goes for a superplex, but Kruger shoves him to the outside. Zayn makes it back in at the nine count. Kruger hits a DDT for a near pin fall. Kruger stomps Zayn in the back and kicks his side. He chokes Zayn with his boot using the ropes for leverage. They exchange strikes briefly. Kruger hits a kick to the midsection. He hits Zayn with an uppercut. Kruger whips Zayn. Zayn kicks Kruger and hits a pair of clotheslines. Zayn lands a heel kick. He hits Kruger with a spin out powerbomb for a near pin fall.

Zayn goes to the apron. He starts to go up top and stops when Kruger gets to his feet. Zayn hits Kruger in the head and goes for a springboard something, but Kruger stops him with a head strike. Kruger drapes Zayn across the top rope and hits what looks like a spinning vertical Suplex for a near pin fall. Kruger tries to lock in an inverted keylock, but Zayn gets to the ropes. Zayn goes to the apron. Zayn drives his shoulder into Kruger's stomach. He goes up top and Kruger hits an elbow to the head. Kruger climbs up and they exchange strikes. Kruger goes for a superplex, but Zayn blocks him. He shoves Kruger off and leaps off for a crossbody, but Kruger moves. Kruger locks in an inverted keylock, and Zayn crawls to the ropes.

Kruger strikes Zayn against the ropes. He strikes Zayn in the head several times. Zayn battles back with multiple head punches, but Kruger hits a spine buster. Kruger goes for a clothesline, but Zayn ducks and locks in a submission. Kruger taps for the second fall and final fall.

Second Fall: Sami Zayn

Winner: Sami Zayn