Jeremy’s NXT New Year’s Evil Report 1.10.23

Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas, with you as always, and folks, FUCK TODAY. 2023 has taken the bar that the past few years set in terms of WTF-ery and said “Hold my cheapass glass of wine that came out of a box.”

But anyway, enough about today. Tonight is NXT New Year’s Evil, and we have a heck of a card for you. Tonight’s show sees Bron Breakker defend the NXT Championship against Grayson Waller, a 20-Woman Battle Royal determine Roxanne Perez’s challenger for the NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day, Tony D’Angelo vs. Dijak, Pretty Deadly in a Gauntlet Match and more. Should be a fun show, as NXT always delivers with their themed shows. Let’s hope that stays tonight.

Here at Thomas HQ, I’ve been still busy playing catchup on films for my end of year lists while also getting some early 2023 watching in. I watched TAR and Puss In Boots: The Last Witch, both of which were great (Last Wish surprisingly so), as well as the absolute blast that is the Tollywood action drama RRR. The David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream delivered big time, especially as someone who liked director Brett Morgan’s Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck. On the downside, Babylon was a big old bloated mess of a film and the Big-esque comedy Mack & Rita was dull as dishwater. I caught two 2023 films in M3GAN (an absolute blast) and The Pale Blue Eye (an absolute snoozer).

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 start off with Chase U, and Andre Chase says everyone gets a fresh start. He tells the class that their lesson is to watch New Year’s Evil and runs through the card, including Dijak vs. Tony D’Angelo, Pretty Deadly running the gauntlet, Indus Sher vs. The Creed Brothers and the NXT Championship match. Duke says his money is on Bron Breakker because he hates Australians. Marcus says isn’t he Australian, but Duke says he’s American. Chase then tells Marcus to hit the bricks, and Thea Hail says she’s really nervous about the battle royal. Chase says she has heart and everyone believes she can do it. She gets hyped up and screams “LET’S FUCKING GO!” because she is delightful.

Tony D’Angelo vs. Dijak

Tony and Dijak brawl to start, with Dijak clotheslined over the top. Tony follows out and beats on Dijak, but Dijak fires back and shoves Tony against the steps. He goes for the big boot but Tony moves, Dijak kicks the steps, and Tony lays into him. The Don slips into the ring but Dijak pulls him out and slams him into the apron.

Back in the ring and Tony takes back control, locking in a headlock, but Dijak turns it around. Tony slams Dijak into the corner and clotheslines him down for two. Tony with a shot to the jaw and another, Dijak shoves him back and grabs him, picking him up to hang him on the ropes before a two-count. He lays in a few punches and covers for two again.

Dijak batters Tony against the corner, but Tony ducks a shot and comes off the ropes, clotheslining Dijak over the top as they spill to the outside. D’Angelo up first and strikes at Dijak, Dijak throws Tony into the guardrail and Stacks but Tony comes right back and clotheslines him as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Dijak has Tony in a controlling hold. Tony fights free and runs over Dijak a few times, then hits a belly-to-belly suplex. Knee into the ropes and a spinebuster, Tony covers for two. Fisherman’s suplex attempt but Dijak blocks it, he hits a back kick and swings but Tony ducks, Dijak catches a boot and hits a kick, chokeslam gets a cover — but only two!

Both men crawl to the corners, Stacks gets in the ring and asks Tony to let him finish it. Tony shoves Stacks out of the way and Dijak gets the big kick, cover for three.

Winner: Dijak (10:03)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: It was a solid but unexciting match with an ending that, while it was good in concept, didn’t execute incredibly well.

Wes Lee at commentary stares off with Dijak.

* McKenzie is with Jacy and Gigi and asks about the battle royal. Jacy says there’s no chance; it’s a certainty that one of them win. NXT Vengeance Day will be vengeance for Roxy. Gigi says she’s taking out her frustrations on the women tonight. McKenzie asks what happens if the battle royal comes down to them, and they say they’ll both win.

The Creed Brothers vs. Indus Sher

Sanga is out alone and says Veer isn’t here so he’ll honor the match — and Jinder Mahal shows up to attack the Creeds from behind! Jinder and Sanga wipe out the Creeds, and Sanga chokeslams Brutus onto the ring steps! Back in the ring, Sanga throws Julius to Mahal, who takes him out. Jinger and Sanga pose together, and Jinder takes the mic to say Sanga and Veer fight for respect — but he doesn’t.

Winner: No Match
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: Welp.

* Pretty Deadly are getting ready for their match by putting their hair in rollers. New Day come up and say they’re next, and PD freak and run toward the ring saying “De-roll! De-roll!”

* Sanga and Jinder are talking as they walk, and Valentina Feroz walks up. Jinder walks off and Valentina asks if this is who he is. Sanga says it’s about him and his brothers. Elektra walks up to Valentina and says it’s all about Sanga, and Valentina needs to make things all about her going forward.

Pretty Deadly come out for their match and say that they picked three of the toughest teams in NXT to run the gauntlet and prove they’re the best tag team and the time for messing about is over.

Gauntlet Match
Pretty Deadly vs. ‘The Rockers’

Kip kicks one of the Rockers in the head, KIp gets tagged in for a toss into a Codebreaker. Elton tags in, Spilt Milk for the pin.

Winner: Pretty Deadly (0:29)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: I mean, what do you want me to say here?

New Day come out and say they knew PD would do something like this, but won’t let them slide that easily. If they want a match for the titles, they need to beat two actual top tag teams. Next up is Edris and Malik.

Gauntlet Match
Pretty Deadly vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade

We start with a brawl, and Enofe and Blade run the ropes before taking down Kip and Elton, who escape to the outside. Blade and Enofe dive on top of Pretty Deadly as we go to PIP break.

We’re back and Pretty Deadly have largely been in control during the break. Blade tries to crawl to a tag but Elton stops him until he kicks free and makes the hot tag. Kip tags in but Enofe is on fire and hits a spinebuster on Wilson, then Prince. Big knee by Enofe to Wilson, cover for two.

Enofe gets Wilson on his shoulder, but Kip slides off and tags in Elton. Enofe onto Elton’s shoulder for a tossed Codebreaker, cover for two. Prince looks frustrated but he lays into Enofe in the corner and puts him on the top. Elton with a shot to the head anc climbs up, Edris is fighting back! Blade manages to make the tag, Prince with a sup0erplex! But Blade with a frog splash and cover for two!

Blade frustrated now, and he goes to tag in Enofe. Wilson knocked off the top, neckbreaker off Enofe’s back, cover for two. Blade sends Wilson out of the ring, Enofe with a roll-up but Wilson manages to push Prince on top for the three.

Winner: Pretty Deadly (7:54)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly fine, not much we can complain about there except the PIP break a minute in..

Up next, the New Day say, are Briggs and Jensen! Hut they’ve been attacked by someone backstage — AND HERE COME GALLUS!

Gauntlet Match
Pretty Deadly vs. Gallus

Gallsu sent PD to the outside and then brawl with them to start. WOlfgang takes out POrince and Mark Coffey drops Wilson onto the apron. Prince thrown into the ring, Mark Coffey with a half-nelson slam. Prince battles back and tags in Wilson, but Coffey takes them both out and tags in Wolfgang. Elevated kick and that finishes it.

Winner: Gallus (1:10)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: Big return obviously and that’s what’s important. There wasn’t enough of a match for this portion to matter.

Gallis talk trash with the New Day in the entrance ramp as Pretty Deadly look crushed in the ring.

* Julius walks with Ivy and says he’s sick of getting jumped all the time, so he’s going to take Jinder out. Ivy says that Brutus is down and they need to move on, but Julius says there is no moving on. They go in separate directions as Ivy preps for her match and Julius looks to get a match with Jinder.

* Earlier today, Carmelo Hayes is in a diner. He says that Apollo Crews thought he had sniped vision when it comes to the title, but he is the guy. We see a vision of Trick talking about his visions, and then we see Trick wearing Axiom’s mask. Hayes says that Crews can write in his diary and look out the window, but the title has his name on it and not Crews’.

* There’s a ball on the Tron and it counts down to — well, Tiffany Stratton, who comes out with a new entrance and look. It’s more paparazzi-esque and less “Daddy’s rich girl,” at least in look and entrance style, complete with camera flashes. Stratton gets in the ring and gets a mic. She asks the fans how badly they missed her and says she knows they totally probably missed her, it’s not even funny. She says every woman in the locker room is sweating like a disgusting pic because NXT’s biggest superstar is back.

She doesn’t blame them for being nervous because she’s the best and she’s seen everyone fail miserably at trying to replace her while she was gone. No one has her style and 2023 can officially begin because the center of the universe is back. Stratton was improving nicely when she went out of action, so here’s hoping that continues.

* We get a vignette hyping Grayson Waller vs. Bron Breakker for tonight’s show.

* Kayden Carter and Katana Chance are interviewed walking into the building about their reign as champions. Tiffany Stratton passes them by and isn’t taking interview questions.

NXT Championship Match
Bron Breakker vs. Grayson Waller

Waller and Bron stare off and then lock up, Bron shoves Waller back. Lockup again, Waller backed to the ropes but ducks under and slaps Bron. Bron chases and Waller goes to the outside, slides in and goes for an elbow drop but Bron stops short. He ducks a shot and floors Waller, then picks him up for a delayed vertical suplex. Kippup by Bron, standing moonsault and he taunts Waller before hitting a shot to the head. Bron charges in but Waller gets his foot up and hits a tilt-a-whirl DDT. Cover for two.

My feed goes wonky for a sec but Waller has Bron in a bodyscissors choke. Bron picks Waller up and pulls him off, Waller with a back suplex for two and then does some pushups. He decks Bron, who slowly gets to his feet. A swing but Bron grabs him for a belly-to-belly and then tosses him again. Whip into the corner, Waller out into a tilt-a-whirl slam. Whip out of the corner, reversed by Waller and Bron hits the corner hard. Waller slams into Bron and the middle ropes break! We’re onto PIP break.

The ropes got fixed during the break and we’re back with both men back in the ring, and Waller has Bron in a single-leg crab. Bron makes Waller break the hold and turns it into an armbar, but Waller gets his foot on the ropes. Waller decks Bron, who fires back. They’re trading haymakers now, and Bron wants more! Elbows by Waller, Bron with elbows and Waller ducks one to hit a clothesline to the back of the head.

Waller grabs Bron and PUTS HIM IN THE STEINER RECLINER! But Bron just stands right the hell up! He chucks Waller and then starts to run him over off the ropes. He catches Waller in a leap and powerslams him down, then goes up to the top rope. Bulldog! The straps are down! Breakker lies in wait, Waller up — and he escapes to the apron, then snaps Bron’s head against the ropes. Waller dives through the ropes and runs Bron over, cover for two!

Waller is looking real frustrated now. He stands up and backs into the corner, going to the middle rope — and it breaks again, with Waller falling on his head to the outside. The ref starts the count and waller falls backward for the loss.

Winner: Bron Breakker (12:22)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: That was an odd ending, and I’m not sure if that was an audible based on the ring ropes or if all that was planned. It was a good match outside of the rope issues, but the ending was anticlimactic one way or the other.

Officials are checking on Waller as officials try to fix the ring again.

* McKenzie is backstage with Roxy and asks her about the battle royal. Roxy says she’s rooting for Cora Jade — no, she’s just kidding. Anyone but Cora, she’d be okay with winning. The opportunity is huge for the first PLE outside the building in three years. She names Indi, Zoey, and Alba as potential winners. She says Gigi and Jacy are potential threats. Twenty women, only one can win. She can’t wait to watch.

* We get a recap of the Drew Gulak & Hank Walker mentorship, which led into Charlie vs. Hank for tonight. That match is next.

* Apollo Crews is walking Melo’s promo from earlier when Axiom walks in to thank him for the save last week. Crews says Melo and Trick run their mouth and he can’t let things go with them. Axiom says he gets it and he’s also frustrated; you can see it all over his face. Crews wants a tag match with them facing Melo and Trick, and Axiom is in.

Charlie Dempsey vs. Hank Walker

Dempsey and Walker circle and then lock up, Walker pushes Dempsey against the ropes but Dempsey turns it around and decks Walker. Whip into the corner, he charges but Hank gets a boot up. Walker with a big shoulderbreaker and cover for one.

Walker on the attack but Dempsey with a kick to9 the gut. He gets Walker in the ropes and snaps his throat into the ropes. Walker and Demspey go into the ropes on the other side and tumble out, Walker gets the advantage and nails Dempsey, rolling Walker in. Walker tripped by Dempsey coming into the ring, and he knocks him to the outside.

Walker back in and gets stomped on by Dempsey. Walker with a big boot and he tries for another, but Dempsey catches it and hits a dragon screw. Dempsey bends Walker in half backward but Walker gets to the ropes and shoves Dempsey off. Dempsey takes over on Walker and knocks him down, he slams Walker’s head into the top rope but Walker snaps Dempsey over nad locks in an armbar! Dempsey struggles and goes for the ropes, but Walker pulls him back and locks it in!

Dempsey flips BACKWARD to break the hold and grabs Walker, bending him backward in the modified STF. Walker struggles to the ropes but Dempsey rolls him back and locks it in. Walker taps.

Winner: Charlie Dempsey (4:35)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly fine match, albeit with some awkward moments. Walker is definitely showing improvement here, so that’s a good sign.

* Sol Ruca is stretching for the match when Alba Fyre walks up and says that she owes Sol a match. Sol says it’s fine, but Alba asks if she wants it or not. Sol says she’ll take her up on it and Alba says she’ll see her tonight and then next week to.

* We get a vignette for Tyler Bate’s return, which is next week.

* The announcers then say that NXT Anonymous has struck again, with Ora Mensah getting a note and recorded video in the locker room. Okay.

Jinder Mahal vs. Julius Creed

Julius charges in and attacks to start before the ref backs him off. Jinder with a kick but Julius blocks it and puts Jinder in the corner, pounding om him. Jinder sent into the ropes and gets leveled with a spinebuster. Jinder sent into the ringpost shoulder-first and then the opposite ringpost before he gets clotheslined over the top and we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Jinder shoves Julius off the top, but Julius leaps right back up for a superplex and cover for two. Julius charges and splashes Jinder in the corner, Jinder sent into the ropes but he catches Julius and picks him up to drop him onto the ropes chest first for two.

Julius is bleeding from the mouth as Jinder boot chokes him against the ropes for four. Repeated leaping knee drops to Julius, and Jinder grabs Julius, looming over him to hit a shot upside the head. Julius comes back and fires off, Jinder counters an Irish whip, Julius with a shot but he comes off the ropes and gets knocked down for two.

Jinder now laying into Julius and locks in an overhead elbowlock. Julius gets to his feet and gets a knee to the gut. Julius put in the corner, Jinder comes in but Julius catches him for an Exploder suplex. Julius ducks a shot and hits a forearm, suplex from Creed and a cover for two.

Juilius goes for a fireman’s carrt but Jinder blocks him and layes in the elbows. Julius picks Jinder up, plants him with a cartwheel and goes up top! Snaga is on the apron for the distraction, Julius goes up top but Jinder ducks the SSP and then hits a crescent kick. He finishes Julius for the three-count.

Winner: Jinder Mahal (9:54)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: I’m not a huge Jinder fan, but he worked well with Julius here. The match was very solid and Julius looked pretty good in defeat here, so I won’t complain too much.

* Briggs and Jensen are backstage with Kiana and Fallon talking about Gallus. They have their battle royal to get to, and Briggs is pissed. Fallon says she has a battle royal to win, and Kiana goes too.

* We get a vignette for Stevie Turner, who is streaming and doing a watchback of her highlights. She says she’s our resident data collector and has been carried as a digital wave across the ocean. Okay then, that will certainly not be a botched gimmick at all.

Set For Next Week:
– Hayes & Trick vs. Axiom & Crews
– Briggs & Jensen vs., Gallus

NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Battle Royale

The battle royal stars and Cora Jade was tossed right off the bat! Cora is shocked as the women fight on the inside. Tatum Paxley gets tossed by Kiana James and Fallon Henley is almost eliminated before Kiana saves her.

Indi and Lash are fighting in the center of the ring, and Miller hits a BIG slap before Lash just chucks her over the top. Sol Ruca is sent over the top and TA push her to the floor, but she avoids it with a Kofi-like handstand and manages to get back in the ring. Feroz is tossed by Thea Hail, while Lash picks up someone for a poowerbomb but Indi knocks her over the top and kicks her to the floor! Lash is gone!

Zoey Stark gets an elimination on Dani Palmer, but is quickly on the verge of being eliminated. Cora runs back in and tries to eliminate Lyra but they duck and she goes over the top again as we go to PIP break.

Elektra Lopez tragically eliminated Thea Hail during the break. Indi is pushed out by Jacy as she tried to eliminate Gigi. Zoey gets Wendy out onto the apron, Lyons gets Elektra on the apron and she maneges to kick Lopez off the top. Wendy Choo gets knocked off but lands on her pillow — until Lopez pulls it out from under her.

Lyons tries to kick Zoey over the top but Stark ducks and sends Lyons out — and Sol tosses Zoey over the top! Sol with a dropkick to Jacy, a clothesline to Gigi. She goes for a handspring splash to Alba but gets kicked and Alba throws Sol over the top.

We’re down to Alba, Toxic Attraction, and Lyra Valkyria. They brawl and Alba gets tossed but holds on and gets back in. Lyra lays into Jacy and then hits a step-up enzuigiri to Gigi. SHe catches ALba and they to to the apron, Alba tries to pull Lyra off with a suplex but Lyra holds on. TA move in but get decked, Lyra eliminates Lyra. Cora goes to attack and Lyra leaps but TA eliminate her — and Lyra brawls with Cora on the outside.

Gigi and Jacy celebrate in the ring. Jacy then looks at Gigi, and Gigi looks back. Gigi is trying to talk some sense and Jacy plays nice, promising to eliminate herself — until she kicks Gigi, sending her over onto the apron. Gigi starts fighting back and puts Jacy on the apron with the ringpost between then. Jacy kicks Gigi in the head, climbs up and they struggle for position. They’re trading shots — Gigi is firing off! Jacy grabs Gigi — and they knock each other to the floor! No one agrees on who won.

Winner: Toxic Attraction (13:29)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: As a battle royal, this was hectic and too short because of the time limitations. We had a wacky finish but it’s a nice way to set up the Toxic Attraction split, and perhaps a triple threat match? No major complaints here, though the match could have been better given more time.

Both of the two are declared the winner! And here comes Roxy to stare off with her two challengers for Vengeance Day.

* Shawn Michaels is backstage with Bron and Grayson and says he wants a decisive winner between the two. Waller says he had Bron beat and they go at each other until Shawn shuts them up. He says that they’ll rematch it at Vengeance Day in a steel cage.

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

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

As a special episode of WWE NXT, this was not the best by a long, LONG shot. There were some decent matches in there, hurt by the execution -- most notably the Breakker vs. Waller match, which chose an anti-climatic way to get to the rematch and the D'Angelo vs. Dijak match which just didn't play out as well as it probably looked on paper. The battle royal was a perfectly fine battle royal with a solid ending, which allowed the show to end on a higher note. I might be a little generous with my rating here because I liked the battle royale, but overall this was an average show at best.