Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 11.1.22

Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas, here as always, and Samhain (or Halloween if you prefer) is over, but there’s still plenty to scare fans in NXT! The prospect of a Lash Legend match, for example, or more Schism stuff. We do have some of the latter on tap for sure this week, as the group will do a sit-down interview to discuss Ava Raine’s reveal as a member of the group from last week. We’ll also have Mandy Rose’s celebration of a year as champion, and there’s no way that can go poorly for Toxic Attraction! Plus Bron Breakker is back and R-Truth takes on Grayson Waller in a match that should be pretty fun. Finally, Odyssey Jones makes his return to the ring and Thea Hail takes on Kiana James.

Here at Thomas HQ, I finished off this year’s Hooptober with a flurry of movie-watching. I saw a couple good folk horror films in Ben Wheatley’s A Field in England and Avery Crounse’s Eyes of Fire, both of which I enjoyed but not everyone will. The iconic 1925 Phantom of the Opera was finally crossed off my list (it’s as good as its reputation suggests), as was this year’s surrealist Mad God which I loved. Hooptober finished off for me with the Spanish clown mish-mash of genres that was The Last Circus and the forgettable but watchable ’80s slasher Silent Madness. And I did my yearly Halloween-night watch of Trick ‘r Treat, which is always a blast.

Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop right in.

As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.

* We’re LIVE in the Capitol Wrestling Center, and here comes Bron Breakker! The NXT champion comes out to the ring and gets a mic. He calls Halloween Havoc a monumental night for NXT and the locker room, putting over Wes Lee’s North American Championship win and Julius Creed’s victory. But that’s all the further he gets before Pretty Deadly come out. Kip and Elton mock Bron for doing what he always does after winning a title defense, imitating him as they head down to the ring. Elton says Bron is the absolute worst and they’re sick of it.

Bron does a bad British accent and asks what the wankers want. Kip says it was bad enough seeing Wes Lee speak last week, and Elton says they should have opened the show after they defended their titles last week. Kip says its their turn to bask in the sun, not Bron and not Lee.

AND HERE COMES WES! The North American champion says he can’t listen to this anymore and for the sake of everyone, Pretty Deadly, shut up! Wes says he appreciates the words from Bron, and Kip says he doesn’t appreciate Wes. Elton says this is about them, and Bron says if they weren’t combing their hair in the back for three hours they might have opened the show. Wes does acknowledge that they have great hair and they check out PD’s hair. Bron says Wes is right, he does take it too far sometimes so he’s going to take a step back and let PD have the spotlight. Wes says he’ll give PD an introduction: “Please welcome to the ring, two of the tasiest snaks of NXT, your NXT Tag Team Champions — Pretty Deadly!”

PD pose and no-sell the boos, and PD do a sideplate check before Bron interrupts and says if they’re going to start the show, someone is bound to come out and interrupt them. Wes says there’s a pattern to this whole thing, with Bron saying it’s usually for the titles. Elton asks who’s coming for the titles, and Lee says it’s them. Lee says he misses the Tag Titles and Bron-Bron has never held them. Bron challenges them to a match tonight, and Elton says “I knew I never liked you!” Kip says they’ll have the last laugh and Bron says that they’ll be smiling when they’re holding up their NEW Tag Team Titles. Elton says opening the show sucks and it can’t get worse —

WHICH BRINGS OUT R-TRUTH. His match with Waller is next.

R-Truth vs. Grayson Waller

Waller talks trash to start, demanding respect and Truth slaps him. Waller goes on the attack with strikes and sends Truth into the ropes, Truth holds on and hits a back elbow before knocking Waller down. Waller with a jab to Truth and he antagonizes the crowd, then turns into a couple of inverted atomic drops and a headlock takedown. Waller back to his feet and footstomps his way out, locking in his own side headlock.

Whip into the ropes, Waller runs over Truth and does “You Can’t See Me,” but Truth turns it around and runs over Waller. Off the ropes, Truth with a rana and then a big hiptoss. He goes in but Waller grabs him and hits a uranage trip. Waller out of the ring and back in, but gets decked and Truth does the splits, then BADLY misses a dive out of the ring as we go to PIP break.

During the break, medical staff was checking on Truth while Waller played to the crowd and was held off by the referee. Truth is being helped out of the arena, and the match is stopped.

Winner: Grayson Waller (7:19)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Nothing that can be done here, the injury was highly unfortunate, best thoughts to R-Truth and I hope he’s gonna be okay.

Waller gets on the mic after and says he’s not surprised and it doesn’t matter what brand; he’s the most dominant person in this company and is tired of people sleeping on him. He beat a 20-year vet on his own. He says NXT is his house and ain’t nobody gonna change that.

* It’s time for the Schism interview with Vic Joseph. Vic says Ava’s been the talk of social media and he’s known her for a long time. So why Schism and why now? Ava says no one knew it was her, and she showed them she knows nothing. She says she’s been around WWE her entire life and no one took the time to get to know her until she met Joe, Rip and Jagger. She says when she was injured at the PC, the only guy who checked on her was Gacy.

Vic says he didn’t mean it like that and Ava says he’s making assumptions like everyone else. Vic asks Joe about the renewed focus on Schism since Ava joined. Joe says it’s not what they gan get from her, but what she can get from them. Rip says they’ve been compared to other groups, but no one can match their unity. He wants to offer Vic a Schism pin. Jagger says they’re not responsible for unfavorable reactions. Vic references a tweet from Cameron Grimes saying Schism has brainwashed Ava. Ava says no one has brainwashed her and she saw what Grimes couldn’t in Schism. She says Grimes didn’t beat them; he paid two guys to help win. Apparently Grimes vs. Gacy is taking place again next week for a final time.

* Javi is talking to Edris and Malik about their loss, saying they’re great athletes but not championship material. He tells them not to waste a meeting with HBK, instead watch his match. He says Shawn said to meet him in his office. Odyssey Jones comes out and reveals he’s Javi’s opponent.

* Earlier today, Zoey Stark walks into the women’s locker room with Nikkita Lyons and Indi asked what Zoey’s problem was. She said to get over it and said some of them aren’t so lucky to get title matches. Zoey says Indi didn’t deserve one and they’re actually earned. It goes aggressive and the ladies break it up.

* Andre Chase gets Thea pumped up and she’s looking hyped — until she says something just doesn’t feel right. She looks at the empty flag and says who’s going to carry it? Duke charges in and says he will. Okay then.

Kiana James vs. Thea Hail

They circle and Kiana delivers a knee to Hail’s gut, then goes on the attack with strikes and a slam to the mat. Hail fights back but eats a knee, James with an armbreaker and a stomp for two.

James stretches Hail out with an abdominal stretch and elbowlock, Hail nearly escapes but gets slammed back down. Kneedrop to the arm and a few headslams into the mat. James goes back to the submission but Hail escapes and armdrags James. Short-arm clothesline and a few forarm takedowns. Hail with some charges intot he corner, dropkick to the knee and somersault neckbreaker. She goes up to the second rope, crossbody but James rolls through. Hail with an inside cradle for two.

James takes Hail down and covers, Hudson puts Hail’s foot on the bottom rope but gets caught. Chase says they don’t cheat here and sends Duke to the back as James chokes Hail against the middle rope. Another finisher and James gets the pin.

Winner: Kiana James (4:20)
Rating: **
Thoughts: This was sloppy in parts; Hail has a ways to go still but the potential is there, and James is okay but can’t lead an inexperienced worker like this. It was all about the angle, really.

After the match, Charlie Dempsey attacks Chase and puts him in a sleeper. Duke Hudson runs out to make the save and Dempsey bails. Duke holds out a hand to Hail and she stares, then takes it.

* McKenzie is with Briggs, Jensen and Henley and asks about the main event. They say they’re rooting for the babyfaces but if they don’t do it, they’re waiting in the wings. Kiana James’ assistant hands over some paperwork and they read it without revealing what it is.

* Backstage, Wes Lee and Bron Breakker are commiserating in preparation for their match when Robert Stone walks in and chastises Bron for not defending his title. He wants a title match for Von Wagner, and Bron says next time Von should come himself.

Odyssey Jones vs. Javier Bernal

Javi ducks a lockup and tries for a waistlock but gets knocked down. Jones with a wristlock and he smacks Javi down, then bodyslams him. Javi with a chop, but Jones just tosses him in the corner and chops him down. Short arm take down, rolling sentons from Jones. Jones with a big boot attempt in the corner but Javi moves and then goes on the attack. He climbs up but Jones grabs him; Javi slides off and hits a basement dropkick before going right after the knee with elbowdrops. He tries for a sharpshooter but gets pushed off, he goes right back in and locks in a sleeper.

Jones stands up and flattens Javi in the corner, Javi jumps back on top and gets slammed back again. Headlock by Javi but Jones turns it into a back suplex and goes on the attack, shoulder blocking Javi to the mat. Elbow in the corner, spinning sidewalk slam for three.

Winner: Odyssey Jones (3:17)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Obvious result is obvious. This was fine for a three-minute match.

* Toxic Attraction walks to the ring, they’re next.

* The ring is set up as the Toxic Attraction lounge, and here they come! Jacy says to bow in the presence of greatness and talks about how it’s been a year or proving everyone wrong and 365 days of being the baddest bitch in the game. 365 days of being the most dominant champion in NXT history. Gigi says Mandy is untouchable but everyone mocked her. She has proven that she’s superior to everyone in the locker room, man or woman. Jacy says Mandy fought legends, underdogs, unified the NXT Championships and helped make TA the most dominant women’s faction in NXT history.

They’ve put together a video package that plays for Mandy that showcases her exit from WWE and arrival in NXT, where she’s proven herself and become champion. Mandy thanks Gigi and Jacy and says “Not bad for a piece of eye candy, huh?” She says that’s what she was for the fans for five years. That’s why two years ago, she realized she needed to bet herself and made the choice to come to NXT, the greatest decision she’s ever made. And with the help of Jacy and Gigi, TA has risen to the top. Numbers, ratings, and merchandise doesn’t lie. The fans didn’t think she could hold the title because it represents the greatest women wrestlers in the world. She doesn’t just say “Put some respect on my name” because it’s a catchphrase; it’s the truth. She gave everyone in the locker room a shot at the title and beat them all the way to the top. She guarantees that no one will be kicking her out of it, and if they have a problem with what she said, they can find her.

The ring fills with Smoke and Alba Fyre is there. She attacks Gigi and Jacy as Mandy bails. She nails the security guard and Fyre Bombs Gigi through the table. Alba gets the mic and tells Mandy that this week she took out Gigi, next week it’s Jacy. And in two weeks she’s taking the title.

* McKenzie is backstage with Apollo Crews and he says Pretty Deadly got their moment in the sun with Bron Breakker but the NXT Universe wants a match between them. So does he, but he doesn’t believe Bron does because he’s a matchup problem for anyone in NXT including Bron. He says Bron hasn’t said anything since they stared off. He says that Bron has been running from him. Von walks in and says not to waste his time looking at Bron because he’s the future of the title.

* We get a new recorded call from SCRYPTS where they say WWE can screen his calls but not his fury. He says coming to NXT almost feels like home and he will leave his mark.

Indi Hartwell vs. Zoey Stark

Lockup to start, they jockey for position, Indi into the ropes and runs Zoey over. Zoey into the ropes and gets run over again, Indi with an armbreaker and then shoulder slams. Zoey gets a back elbow on Indie and drives the shoulder into the gut in the corner, big slaps to the chest by Zoey. Zoey sent into the corner but goes up and over, crossbody off the ropes for less than one.

Zoey with a chinlock, Indi up and gets slammed into the turnbuckle several times. Armbreaker by Stark and a snapmare, Zoey goes for a diving clothesline but Indi moves and bodyslams Zoey down a couple times before sending her over the top with a clothesline as we go to break.

We’re back and Stark has Indi in a chinlock as Indi fights to get to her feet. Indi manages to fight free and they trade strikes, with Indi taking Zoey down. Big knee to the head through the ropes and Indi covers for two.

Suplex attempt by Indi but Zoey blocks it, spins free and clotheslines Indi down. Off the ropes for a diving knee, cover for two. Zoey is looking frustrated and she charges in for a splash, then goes again but is lifted over to the apron. Indi gets kicked down, flip senton for two.

Zoey with stomps in the corner and a boot choke, she continues stomping on Indi as Nikkita tries to cool Zoey off. Zoey with aspinning G2S but Indi blocks it and hits a few short-arm clotheslines. Zoey dodges a big boot and hits a superkick before throwing Indi to the outside and following. Headslams into the commentary booth, Nikkita tries to talk sense and Zoey rips the top off the commentary table. Nikkita talks sense to Zoey, who rolls Indi in. She talks to Lyons a but and rolls in — she gets taken down by Indi! Big boot clothesline to the back of the head, and it’s done!

Winner: Indi Hartwell (9:48)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Decent match between these two that focused on the story of Zoey’s heel turn starting. It was pretty basic storytelling but that’s all you need sometimes.

* T-BAR talks about how his lies are no longer shielded and something about a new order of high justice in NXT. It isn’t about anger or frustration; it’s about authority. His authority.

* Valentina asks Sanga what’s going on and to be in her corner tonight. Veer walks up and Sanga says he can’t. Valentina leaves and Veer says kindness is weakness. They leave.

* Nikkita asks Zoey what’s going on with her. Zoey says she’s frustrated by the loss but promises she’ll be on her game next week. Katana and Kayden walk up and say they have no momentum and will lose next week, and Zoey almost goes after them.

Cora Jade vs. Valentina Feroz

Cora talks trash to Feroz and shoves her a couple times, and Feroz locks up and pushes her against the ropes until the ref breaks it up. Feroz takes over and nails a double knees off the ropes; Cora bails but Feroz follows and sends Cora face-first into the apron. Cora is rolled in and she quickly dropkicks Ferez as she tries to get in.

Trahs-talking the whole time, Jade beats on Feroz on the outside and the rolls her in for two. She slams Feroz head-first into the mat and hits a shot to the lower back. Big shots to the jaw, Irish whip hangs Feroz in the ropes and Jade comes off with a splash for two.

Boot choke against the ropes for Jade for four. She picks Ferez up, Irish whip but Feroz moves and locks in an inside cradle for two. Jade with an immediate lariat and then a whip across the ring, Jade charges into a boot. Feroz up the turnbuckle for a crossbody, but Jade moves. Senton by Jade, DDT and a cover for three.

Winner: Cora Jade (3:37)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Nice little squash match for Cora to get her back on the winning side.

Post-match, Jade goes after Feroz but Wendy comes to make the save. She nails Jade and grabs the kendo stick, and Jade bails.

* Tony D asks Stacks if he took care of “that thing,” which was pushing Tony’s merch with the vendor. Tony says Stacks is facing Hank Walker next week. Elektra Lopez walks up and says it feels good being her own boss and if she was dangerous before, watch how dangerous she is now.

Set For Next Week:
– Cameron Grimes vs. Joe Gacy
– Five Minute Challenge: Brutus Creed vs. Damon Kemp
– NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Kayden & Katana vs. Nikkita & Zoey

NXT Tag Team Championship Match
Pretty Deadly vs. Bron Breakker & Wes Lee

Wes and Kip start with a lockup, Kip takes control with a wristloick. Counter-wrestling follows, Lee gets Kip to his knees with a wristlock, and it turns into a side healock. KIp sends Lee into the ropes, sunset flip for two. Another roll up for two, Lee flips away from a kick and Kip is pissed. Elton tags in and charges into an armdrag.

Lee controls Elton with an elbowlock, Bron takes in and splashes Elton. Elton slaps Bron, who doesn’t seem pleased. Elton off the ropes and gets backdropped, then runs Elton over. Lee tags in now and goes into the ropes, Elton pushes him up in the sky to land on the mat. Kip tags in now, double suplex but Bron comes in and pulls Lee down. We have a four-man brawl, double ranas to the champs! Pretty Deadly to the outside as we go to PIP break.

We’re back and Lee has Elton in a headlock. He’s sent into the corner but goes onto the apron, rana and then a big push-off dropkick to Lee. Prince rolls him up for two, he escapes and Kip with the surreptitious tag. Lee with a sliding dropkick to Prince on the outside and Kip attacks! He rolls Lee in for a two-count.

Euro uppercuts from Kip, a flying uppercut off the ropes to Lee. Kip picks Lee up and hits another Euro uppercut, neckbreaker and cover for two. Kip picks Lee up, Lee fights back and they start trading blows. Lee gets backed into the hostile corner, Elton tags in and splashes Lee before knocking him down and stomping away. Lee ducks a measured shot but gets picked up for a scoop slam, elbow drops and Lee slips to the outside. He dodges an attack from Kip and manages to leap in and across the ring! Bron in with the hot tag and he lays waste to the champs. Second rope bulldog to Elton, Bron grabs the champs — double suplex! Bron tags in Lee and throws him off the top onto PD! Superkick to Kip! Bron tags in and throws Elton into the ring, Lee goes up top — Hayes is out and shoves Lee off the top. Wilson with a pinfall win.

Winner: Pretty Deadly (11:58)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Great match, albeit one kind of hurt by a bad cut to a camera that made the interference obvious by focusing on the entrance for no reason. The interference was expected, though I thought it would be Von. Either way, this was a very good match that ended the show more or less on a high note..

Lee dives over the top onto Hayes right after and beats him to the back. And Bron is attacked by Von Wagner in the ring. Yay, a Von/Bron feud. Apollo Crews watches from the back and JD walks up, threatening Crews randomly

And with that, we’re done for the night!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

This was a bit of a step down of an NXT episode. We had a good main event match and some obvious squash match results, plus the Schism interview which was a vague improvement on usual Schism stuff but also the Zoey Stark heel turn progress which I am having trouble caring about. It wasn't a bad episode per se, it was just distinctly unmemorable.