Slimmer’s NXT Halloween Havoc 2022 Review

Welcome to 411’s NXT Halloween Havoc 2022 Report. The Kickoff Show hosts for tonight are McKenzie Mitchell, Sam Roberts, and Dave LaGreca. They run down the entire card before heading to a video package for Apollo Crews vs. Grayson Waller. Backstage, Grayson Waller spins the wheel and finds out that he’ll be facing Apollo Crews in a Casket Match. Next up is a video package for Julius Creed vs. Damon Kemp, and then the Kickoff Show finishes up with a video package for Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov vs. JD McDonagh.

Ladder Match for the NXT North American Championship
Carmelo Hayes (w/ Trick Williams) vs. Oro Mensah vs. Wes Lee vs. Nathan Frazer vs. Von Wagner (w/ Mr. Stone)

The bell rings, and Lee immediately tosses Hayes to the outside. Wagner works over Frazer and Mensah in the ring, but they fight back with stereo super kicks that sends Wagner to the outside as well. Frazer levels Mensah, heads up top, and dives onto Wagner on the outside. Frazer retrieves a ladder from under the ring and slides it into the ring. Frazer and Mensah level Hayes with the ladder and then do the same to Lee. Hayes slams Frazer into the ladder, but then Frazer props up the ladder in the corner and throws Hayes face-first into it. Frazer sets up the ladder in the middle of the ring and begins to climb, but Mensah pulls him back down to the mat. Mensah climbs the ladder, but Lee pulls him back down to the mat. Hayes folds the ladder and tries to drop it on Lee, but Lee rolls out of the way. Mensah back body drops Hayes onto a ladder as Lee uses a ladder to trap Wagner in the corner. Lee lands a volley of ladder-assisted mounted punches on Wagner, but Wagner fights back and down near decapitates Lee. Wagner power bombs Frazer onto a ladder and then sets up a ladder in the middle of the ring. Hayes levels Wagner, and then Mensah drives Lee’s face into a ladder. Hayes connects with a super kick to Mensah and then hits a leg drop onto Mensah and a ladder. Hayes goes for a Lionsault onto Frazer on a ladder, but Frazer springs up and delivers a modified springboard Spanish Fly to Hayes onto a ladder. Mensah sets up a ladder in the middle of the ring and begins to climb, but Trick Williams tips the ladder and sends Mensah all the way to the outside. Mensah looks to have jumped off the ladder a bit too early and barely cleared the ring apron on the way down. Mensah heads back into the ring and once again begins to climb, but this time Wagner pulls him back down to the mat. Wanger uses a ladder to knock Mensah off the apron and then tosses it onto Frazer and Lee on the outside. Wagner retrieves a massive ladder from under the ring and damn near accidentally hits a fan in the face. Wagner uses the massive ladder to bridge the ring apron and the barricade, but Frazer flies off the top and hits a frog splash through Wanger and the bridging ladder. Mensah levels Lee on the outside, but then Hayes takes out Mensah, but then Lee flattens Hayes. Lee pulls another massive ladder out from under the ring and props it up against the top rope. Wagner sets up a ladder in the middle of the ring, but Lee charges in to stop him. Wagner guerilla presses Lee and launches him out of the ring and through the announce table. Wagner begins to climb, but Frazer stops him. Wagner tosses Frazer into the barricade, but then Frazer and Mensah double team Wagner. Mensah and Frazer charge into the ring and climbs opposite sides of the ladder. Mensah and Frazer brawl at the top of the ladder, but Mensah shoves Frazer back down to the mat. Hayes uses a second ladder to bridge the ladder and the ropes, and then he pulls Mensah face-first onto the bridging ladder. Hayes begins to climb, but Lee runs up the ladder that is propped up against the top rope on the outside and launches himself into Hayes. Hayes and Lee brawl on top of the bridging ladder in the ring, but then Lee hits Hayes with a Meteora onto the bridging ladder. Lee climbs and finally grabs the championship to win the match.

Match Result: Wes Lee retrieves the championship to win the match.
Match Length: 19:23
Slimmer’s Rating: ****½

Toxic Attraction arrives at the Haunted House where Alba Fyre challenged Mandy Rose to meet her. They approach the house while getting scared by ghosts and ghouls along the way. The door to the house opens, and Fyre calls out to Rose. Toxic Attraction explores the house, and Rose suggests that they split up to look for Fyre. Jaci Jayne gets attacked by Fyre as Gigi Dolin meets Chucky. Fyre attacks Dolin and traps her in a freezer. Fyre finally finds Rose and goes after her with a baseball bat. Fyre chokes out Rose with the bat and then loads her into the back of a car. Fyre takes out Jayne and Dolin one more time before beginning to drive Rose back to the Performance Center.

Casket Match
Apollo Crews vs. Grayson Waller

Crew and Waller begin brawling as soon as the bell rings. Crews traps Waller in the corner and chops his chest. Waller fights back and goes to work with mounted punches in the middle of the ring. Waller hits a diving elbow drop from the second rope, but Crews regains control with a moonsault off the apron. Crews and Waller brawl toward the stage, and Crews hits a belly-to-belly suplex at ringside. The action returns to the ring, but Crews once again launches Waller to the outside. Crews drops kicks Waller onto the announce table, but Waller cheap shots Crews with a pen from the announce table. Waller shoves Crews face-first into the ring post and then brawls with Crews on the apron. Crews takes Waller up top, but Waller puts a thumb in Crews’ eye. Waller shoves Crews off the top, and Crews falls through the lid of the casket. Waller claims that means he won the match, but the referee isn’t so sure. The lights go out, and when they come back on, Crews is standing on the stage. Druids bring another casket to the ring as Crews and Waller brawl at ringside. Crews hits a Samoan Drop on the outside followed by a moonsault off the ring steps. Waller flees into the ring as Crews chases him. Crews clotheslines Waller in the corner and then stomps a mudhole in him. Crews hits a gutbuster and rolls Waller into the casket, but Waller blocks him from closing the lid. Waller slams the lid onto Crews’ back and tosses Crews into the casket, but Crews blocks Waller from closing the lid. Crews and Waller brawl in the casket, but Crews launches Waller to the outside. Crews hits a frog splash off the casket onto Waller on the outside. Crews and Waller climb onto the apron, but Crews eats a stunner from Waller. Waller goes for a Tombstone, but Crews counters into another gutbuster. Crews rolls Waller into the casket, but Waller just manages to blocks the lid from closing. Crews choke slams Waller off the apron and into the casket, and this time Crews is finally able to close the lid to win the match.

Match Result: Apollo Crews wins the match.
Match Length: 12:56
Slimmer’s Rating: **¾

Weapons Wild Match
Roxanne Perez vs. Cora Jade

Jade flees to the outside as soon as the bell rings, but Perez beats her back into the ring. Perez slams Jade’s face into a skateboard and then slides Jade out of the ring on the skateboard. Perez dives onto Jade on the outside and the props up a table against the barricade. Perez pulls Jade out from under the ring, but Jade sprays something in Perez’ eyes. Jade swings Perez into the barricade and rolls her back into the ring. Jade tosses several chairs and a garbage can into the ring. Perez grabs a chair, but Jade stands on the chair and slams the garbage can onto Perez’ back. Jade puts Perez inside the garbage can, stomps on it, and kicks it out of the ring. Jade whips Perez with a bull rope on the outside and then uses the rope to wrench on Perez’ neck. Jade grabs a chain and takes a swing at Perez, but Perez ducks and connects with a bull rope shot of her own. Perez goes to work with the ground and pound offense on the outside before rolling Jade back into the ring. Perez grabs a kendo stick and hits a stick-assisted side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Perez goes for Pop Rocks, but Jade blocks. Jade connects with a running knee shot in the corner and gets a two count of her own. Jade heads up top, but Perez follows her to the top and hits a hurricanrana from the top for a two count. Jade flees from the ring and climbs up to the high rent district above the crowd. Jade scoop slams Perez onto the elevated stage and the removes the guard rail. Perez has the chance to punch Jade off the stage, but she can’t bring herself to do it. Jade seizes the opportunity and hits a side Russian leg sweep off the elevated stage and through a table. Jade and Perez brawl back into the ring, and Perez finally hits Pop Rocks onto a pile of steel chairs to get the three count.

Match Result: Roxanne Perez defeats Cora Jade with Pop Rocks onto a pile of steel chairs.
Match Length: 12:13
Slimmer’s Rating: **¾

Ambulance Match
Julius Creed vs. Damon Kemp

Kemp brings a steel chair into the ring with him, but Creed charges down to the ring and drop kicks the chair into Kemp’s face before the bell even rings. The match officially begins, and Creed beats Kemp back toward the ambulance. Creed tosses Kemp into the ambulance and tries to shut the door, but Kemp uses a crutch to block. Creed and Kemp duel with crutches, but Kemp takes control when he drives a fire extinguisher into Creed’s gut. Creed grabs the fire extinguisher and blasts it into Kemp’s eyes. Kemp fights back with a back suplex and then slams Creed’s face into the ring apron. Kemp picks up Creed and starts to carry him toward the ambulance, but Creed fights back. Kemp slams the ambulance door on Creed’s shoulder and shoves Creed into the ambulance, but Creed kicks the ambulance door back into Kemp’s face. Creed beats Kemp back to ringside and shoves him back-first into the ring post. Creed slides the bottom section of the ring steps into the ring, but Kemp side slams Creed onto the steps. Kemp slide the steps to the apron and slams Creed’s face into the steps. Creed uses a wheelchair to slam Kemp into the barricade. Creed traps Kemp in the wheelchair and rolls him face-first into the steps on the apron. Creed goes for a double stomp off the apron, but Kemp blasts Creed with a fire extinguisher in mid-air. Creed goes after Kemp with a stretcher, but Kemp uses the stretches to slam Creed into the ring post. Creed beats Kemp back toward the ambulance, but Kemp tosses Creed into a storage bin. Kemp rolls the storage bin into the ambulance and then tosses Creed into the ambulance. Kemp slams the ambulance door, but Creed puts his fingers between the doors to block them from fully closing. Creed beats Kemp back to ringside and destroys him with a vicious volley of chair shots. Creed slams Kemp through a stretcher and then carries Kemp back to the ambulance. Creed throws Kemp into the ambulance and finally manages to close the doors to win the match.

Match Result: Julius Creed defeats Damon Kemp.
Match Length: 14:11
Slimmer’s Rating: ***½

NXT Women’s Championship Match
Mandy Rose (Champion) vs. Alba Fyre

Fyre arrives at the Performance Center with Rose in the back of the car and drags her to the ring. The bell rings to officially start the match, and Fyre hits a tornado DDT for a two count. Rose dumps Fyre to the outside and slams her head into the announce table. Rose rolls Fyre back into the ring and hits a fallaway slam for a two count of her own. Rose kicks Fyre’s back and slams her to the mat. Rose works over Fyre in the corner and then chokes her across the bottom rope. Fyre fights back with a clothesline and dumps Rose face-first to the mat. Rose catches Fyre with a spinebuster and gets a two count. Rose goes for the Bed of Roses, but Fyre blocks. Fyre heads up top and hits a senton bomb but only get a two count. Dolin and Jayne finally make it to ringside and cheap shot Fyre. Dolin and Jayne roll Fyre back into the ring, and Rose hits Kiss the Rose for the three count.

Match Result: Mandy Rose defeats Alba Fyre with Kiss the Rose.
Match Length: 7:02
Slimmer’s Rating: **

Triple Threat Match for the NXT Championship
Bron Breakker (Champion) vs. Ilja Dragunov vs. JD McDonagh

Dragunov take the fight to McDonagh to start, but Breakker shoves Dragunov out of the way and goes after McDonagh himself. McDonagh whips Dragunov out of the ring and works over Breakker in the corner. Dragunov drives his elbow in to the back of McDonagh’s neck and then chops his chest in the corner. McDonagh delivers a side slam and then whips Dragunov hard to the corner. McDonagh chops the chest and lands a kick to the back of the neck. Breakker charges at McDonagh, but McDonagh low bridges the top rope and sends Breakker tumbling to the outside. McDonagh goes for the Devil Inside, but Breakker charges into the ring and catches McDonagh with a belly-to-belly suplex. Breakker wrenches on Dragunov’s neck, but McDonagh rolls up Breakker from behind for a two count. Dragunov gets on Breakker’s back and drives his elbow into the back of Breakker’s next before turning his attention back to McDonagh. Dragunov heads up to the second rope and hits a diving knee drop to Breakker. McDonagh goes for the Devil Inside on Dragunov, but Dragunov blocks. Dragunov positions both Breakker and McDonagh in the corner, heads up top in the adjacent corner, and connects with Coast to Coast to both Breakker and McDonagh. Breakker and Dragunov slug it out before turning their attention to McDonagh and double teaming him. Breakker and Dragunov toss McDonagh out of the ring and once again slug it out in the middle of the ring. Dragunov connects with a clothesline, but Breakker goes for the military press power slam, but McDonagh breaks it up with a headbutt to Breakker. Breakker heads up top with McDonagh and hits a Frankensteiner, but Dragunov catches McDonagh in mid-air and uses his momentum to hit a powerbomb. Dragunov drops both Breakker and McDonagh, but Breakker gets back to his feet and spears Dragunov to the outside. McDonagh hits an Asai Moonsault onto both Breakker and Dragunov on the outside. McDonagh and Breakker head back into the ring, and McDonagh delivers a brainbuster for a long two count. McDonagh peppers Dragunov with kicks to the jaw, but Dragunov fights back with a belly-to-back suplex. Breakker belly-to-back suplexes both Dragunov and McDonagh and tosses McDonagh to the outside. Breakker tries to spear Dragunov, but Dragunov counters with a running knee shot. Dragunov hits a diving senton from he top and follows up with Torpedo Moscow, but McDonagh breaks up the three count. McDonagh catches Dragunov with a Spanish Fly on the outside and tries to break Dragunov’s ankle with a chair shot on the steps, but Dragunov miraculously manages to get out of the way. Dragunov and Breakker trade shots in the middle of the ring and Dragunov goes for Torpedo Moscow, but Breakker counters with a spear for the three count.

Match Result: Bron Breakker defeats Ilja Dragunov with the spear.
Match Length: 23:44
Slimmer’s Rating: ****½

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Halloween Havoc 2022 can’t compete with the unparalleled heights of some of the legendary NXT PPVs, but it was a decent show with two great matches. The North American Championship match was an excellent opener that absolutely elevated Wes Lee to the next stage of his career, and the NXT Championship match was a spectacular triple threat that further demonstrated Breakker’s versatility and dominance. The middle of the card was fairly forgettable, but Julius Creed continues to look like a future main eventer in the making. Between Breakker, Creed, and the influx of talent from NXT UK, the black and gold brand is positioned to regain some of its former glory heading into 2023.