Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 7.14.23

Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas once again, and tonight’s episode of NXT sees the arrival of The Judgment Day! The group is set to respond to comments made by Carmelo Hayes, who invited them to come down and speak to him and Trick Williams directly after a few hostile interactions between the two sides. In addition, we’ll have a #1 Contender’s match between Bron Breakker and Ilja Dragunov, while Andre Chase and Duke Hudson will take on Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey. Ivy Nile gets a non-title match against Tiffany Stratton, the team of Bronco Nima and Lucien Price make their debut, and Stacks battles Joe Coffey for the fate of Tony D’Angelo. Looks to be an eventful show, and hopefully a fun one to boot.

Here at Thomas HQ I had a productive week of movie-watching as I continued to play some catch-up on films from this year. Flamin’ Hot on Hulu and Disney+ was a light and fluffy little bit of corporate biopic molded into an underdog story, and I wasn’t bothered by the facts being in dispute because that wasn’t the point of the film. I did a rewatch of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull so I remember it when I go to watch Dial of Destiny, and while I didn’t dislike it as much as I remember it is distinctly unmemorable for the most part. The Little Mermaid was a decent enough film that ranks in the upper tier of Disney live-action flicks, though I was disappointed by Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula who seemed more muted than she should have been. And The Flash wasn’t awful, nor was it a classic. It was just decent, putting a “fine” capper on the DCEU.

I also saw BlackBerry to complete the quartet of 2023 corporate biopics and while I thought the story was a big vignette-ish, it was still quite good. Alice Maio Mackay’s microbudget slasher Bad Girl Boogey had great ambition and you can see all the potential there (she was just 17 when she directed it!), even if the script needed work. Netflix’s Wham! documentary did a good job of telling the pop duo’s story, and I started an Insidious rewatch (again, as prep for this year’s entry) and the original film holds up very decently.

On TV, it’s more of the same. I’m staying on top of Drag Race All Stars season eight and Secret Invasion and recommend both. And on a final note, if you’re curious what genre films everyone will be talking about in the coming months, check out my preview of Fantasia International Film Festival 2023 with 20 films to look forward to from the event.

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 kicking off with The Judgement Day as they come to the ring! All four members come out and make their way down. The crowd gives a big “WELCOME HOME!” chant and Finn Balor says Daddy’s home and this is the house he built, so he’s here to lay down some house rules with the Judgment Day. He shouts out his fellow Judgment Day members and Dirty Dom gets all the boos.

Priest says with that being said, NXT Universe: all rise for the Judgment Day. He says that Melo and Trick called them out because they thought they were getting a divided Judgment Day, but they’re getting the Judgment Day that runs WWE and NXT. This is the murderer’s row of WWE.

Dom starts to speak and he barely gets a word out before the boos interrupt. He tries to give props to Mami but Melo and Trick are out here! Trick cuts the music and Rhea says they did not just interrupt Dirty Dom. Melo wonders why they call him Dirty Dom. Maybe all the times he dropped the — Trick says “Easy now!”

Melo and Trick get in the ring and Melo appreciates that they came, but this is about Finn. He says when they mention NXT Mt. Rushmores, he’s at the top and rightfully so but now it has Melo Trick influence all over it. But most importantly, everyone wants an opinion on Funn beating him on Raw. That’s cool, but he’s in Melo’s arena.

Rhea says that’s pure arrogance and it’s not about them. Melo says check the stats, and in this building Melo runs things. Damian Priest says that’s fair, but he doesn’t have The Judgement Day staring back at them and the Archer of Infamy never missed the bullseye.

Trick says Priest’s mouth is writing checks and Melo suggests Trick and Melo vs. Judgement Day. Balor says if he comes at the Prince, he best not miss. Melo says “Let’s do this then.”

* Vic previews tonight’s card.

* Tony D is speaking with McKenzie from prison and says it needs to be quick. McKenzie asks his mindset about tonight’s match and he says he’s at Stack’s mercy. He’s known Stacks since they were kids and he’s never worried, but he doesn’t want to say he doesn’t trust him. But Stacks rarely visits, he’s hearing bad things and he just doesn’t know.

* Gigi says in a vignette that everyone has a dark side and she puts her side out there. Kiana James tries to keep it all hidden, and Gigi says it hurts Kiana that she is afraid of who she is. Gigi talks about how she redecorated Kiana’s office after Kiana put paint on her and Kiana says the gloves have come off, which is what Gigi wants. She embraces who she is, and Kiana lives a lie.

* Kiana was watching the vignette and is nervous, saying that it’s not even her anymore and tries to delete some emails.

Andre Chase & Duke Hudson vs. Charlie Dempsey & Drew Gulak

We start off with a brawl on the outside before the bell, and it comes in the ring with shots going back and forth. The bell rings with Dempsey and Chase, Charlie comes of the ropes and runs Chase over. Back into the ropes, Chase with a monkey flip. He sends Charlie into the turnbuckle and tags in Duke, they double slam him back into the corner and axehandle him down.

Short arm shoulder from Duke, Dempsey into the ropes and hits a kick when Duke ducks the head. Gulak tags in, they take Duke down and cover gets two. Duke catches a foot off the ropes and comes off with a RANA! Gulak back in and catches Duke in a front facelock, shot to the back and a whip across the ring — but Duke catches him in a uranage for two.

Duke up to the second rope but Gulak with a fist to the head. Duke grabs him and sends him into the corner, then batters him a bit and goes up to the second rope for a bodyslam. Duke tags in Chase who covers for two. Gulak back up quick and nails Chase, he tags in Dempsey who slams Chase down and locks in a cobra clutch. The crowd is doing the wave as Duke tags in but gets nailed in the throat, Gulak in but Duke takes them down with a double clothesline. Chase tags in, double Chase U jabs and elbow to the head! Gulak and Dempsey flee to the outside as we go to break.

We’re back and Dempsey has Duke in an elbow lock. Duke gets to his feet and tries to make the tag, but Charlie blocks it and hits a double underhook bridge suplex for two. A stomp from Dempsey, but Duke with a backdrop and then one to Gulak as Chase tags in! He comes in hot and knocks both men down, dropkick off the ropes and neckbreaker to Gulak. Chase grabs Dempsey and puts him on his shoulders, Charlie escapes and hits a big shot. They start trading blows, Chase takes over and hits a short-arm Russian legsweep! Chase U stomps!

Chase goes up top, high crossbody but Gulak breaks it up. Chase charges but Drew dodges and hits a German suplex, Dempsey with another German and bridge for a nearfall. Thea leads a Chase U chant as Gulak and Dempsey argue with the ref. Thea locks in a leaping Kiumura on Gulak! Fratliner on Dempsey finishes it!

Winner: Chase U (11:21)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Good match on a technical level, but also very fun. It’s nice to see NXT getting behind Chase U, they’re more than over enogh for it and they’re all delivering wonderfully right now.

* Bron is backstage and says Ilja made a big mistake because he wasn’t on Bron’s radar. He says he’s leading the way and Ilja has been behind him the whole way. Ilja’s been a champion and will be one again, but not today because there aren’t enough officials to keep Bron from breaking him on his way to the Bash.

* Robert Stone is with Von Wagner, who says he got carried away last week when Javi talked crap like he used to have happen when he was a kid. His parents tried to stop him but he was targeted at school and on the bus. He was picked on and he said ‘Screw it,’ if everyone thought he was a monster that was what he’d be in order to survive. He says when the people were with him last week he didn’t know what to do, but he felt like himself for the first time. And it’s Stone’s annoying, interfering ass that he has to thank for that.

Cora Jade vs. Kelani Jordan

Lock up to start, Cora puts Kelani on the mat. Kelani with a wristlock, Cora elbows out of it and points and laughs. Headlock takedown, Kelani back to her feet and shoots Cora into the ropes for an armdrag and a spinning 619 armdrag followed by a dropkick. But Cora catches Kelani’s legs and catapults her into the bottom rope, springboard stomp for two.

Cora kicks at Kelani’s head and puts her against the middle rope for a knee choke for three. Off the ropes and a knee to the back, cover for two. Cora gets Kelani up and faceslams her down, she puts Kelani on the apron through the ropes and wraps her up for a chop and a dropkick off the ropes, cover for two.

Chinlock from Cora, Kelani gets to her knees but gets slammed down. Kick to the chest, Cora off the ropes but Kelani dodges and rolls Cora up for two. Kelani blocks a punch and fires back, Kelano off the ropes and hits leaping clotheslines and a handspring elbow. She goes for a Rocker Dropper, Cora fights back and Kelani springboard into the ropes but gets kicked. DDT finishes it.

Winner: Cora Jade (3:56)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: This was a fine enough match, an extended squash that gave Kelani enough to show she has potential. She needs to tighten some things up a bit but she was okay out there.

Cora attacks with the kendo stick but Dana for the rescue and takes Cora down. She grabs the kendo stick and nails Cora with it before Cora bails.

* Ilja says tonight he finishes what Bron started. He’s felt Bron’s power and rage, but tonight Bron feels his fury and wrath. His intensity can’t be matched and it will move him past Bron to the Great American Bash and the NXT Championship.

* WWE Fastlane is in Indianapolis in October.

* We get a recap of Eddy Thorpe (with Gable Steveson) beating Damon Kemp in NXT Underground. A video from last night has Eddy and Gable leaving and Gable is asked what’s next. He says a National Title, the Olympics? So much to think about but he loves being here too.

* The NXT trainees think that the Underground match was sick. Dijak walks up and says “Gimme a break,” taking issue with them thinking Eddy Thorpe is the toughest guy here after winning one match.

NXT Championship #1 Contenders Match
Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov

Ilja goes in hard off the bat and gets knocked back. Bron gets Ilja in the corner for shoulder thrusts to the gut. He lays in a fist and Ilja first back, Bron with another shot and knee lift to the gut. Ilja fired back with elbows, Bron decks Ilja who leaps for an elbow gut gets short speared for one.

Bron goes for a belly to belly but Ilja elbows out. He goes for a German but Bron powers out, Ilja into the ropes and spins through but is caught in the belly to belly. Bron with a shot to the head and then grinds Ilja’s face against the ropes. he sets Ilja in the corner and nails him, Ilja battles back and buts Bron in the opposite corner for a shot. Leaping knee in the corner and a kneedrop off the second rope.

Ilja with a Euro uppercut, he goes for a suplex but Bron blocks it and nails Ilja in the side. Ilja takes back over for a moment but Bron with a double leg takedown and hard blows. Bron grabs Ilja and suplexes him over the top — but Ilja holds on and they spill to the outside as we go to PIP break.

We’re back and Gron nails Ilja, who fires back with a chop. Bron takes over and knocks Ilja down, who comes right back up and fires off at Bron! Bron off the ropes right into a big elbow. Ilja nails the German, he goes for a second and hits it! Third attempt gets blocked by back elbows, Bron turns around and hits his own German but Ilja right back with his third German!

Ilja hypes up in the corner, he goes for the knockout but Bron gets his feet up. Bron goes up top and comes off the top with a bulldog. The straps are down, Bron goozles Ilja but Ilja fights back and gets Bron on his shoulders — DVD INTO THE CORNER!

Ilja goes up top and hits the Van Terminator! He charges in for the Torpedo Moscow and covers — BRON KICKS OUT! Ilja is beside himself. He goes up top and leaps — right into a SPEAR! Bron covers and Ilja kicks out at the last instant. Bron is livid and gets to his feet, he slams Ilja’s head repeatedly into the mat. He says it’s over and grabs Ilja for the gorilla press — Ilka counters into a DDT! Ilja sets Bron up for a powerbomb — he hits it! Cover for two, but Bron kicks out. Kick to Bron’s head, leaping shot to the head and a nearfall!

Both men up, Ilja is battering Bron but Bron comes back with a BIG clothesline. He charges for the spear but Ilja with a knee to the head. Shot to the back of the head and that gets it!

Winner: Ilja Dragunov (14:21)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Bron is doing a lot of putting guys over on what I assume is his way out, and this delivered. It built up effectively and had a fantastic final act where it looked like either could win. Ilja is the right choice here for a new challenger to Hayes, and I can’t imagine Bron’s time in NXT is too much longer.

* McKenzie is backstage with Wes Lee and is asked about his title match with Mustafa Ali at GAB. He is hyped for it and says there’s something different about it. He can’t get a read on Ali. Dom and Rhea Ripley walk in and Dominik says he accepts Wes Lee’s open challenge for the NA Title. Wes says he hasn’t done one in so long, and Dom says he’s scared of him. Wes said he stopped doing them because things got crazy. But he’s game. Dom says how about next week and walks off, leaving McKenzie and Wes confused.

* Baron Corbin says he’s burned his past and has no compass. What’s his future now? His house and life are built on his last eight years and he has nothing in common with what he once portrayed. He doesn’t know who he is. He walks into a circle of circle of tiki torches and asks if he’s found himself.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Ivy Nile

The two circle and lock up, Ivy with a waistlock that gets reversed into a headlock. Tiff shot into the ropes and runs Ivy over. Lock up, Tiff with a headlock and comes off the ropes to run over Ivy again, she goes into the ropes and Ivy slams her down for two. Ivy into the ropes and hits a rana, then a takedown for two.

Ivy picks Tiffany up, shot into the ropes but Tiffany with a kick to the head and snapmare. She comes off the ropes, misses a leap splash and Ivy with an STF but Tiffany gets out of the ropes. They go into the ropes, Ivy with a springboard punch. She goes to the apron but gets tripped by Stratton, who comes off the ropes and knocks Ivy to the floor.

Down to the floor and Tiffany slams Ivy into the apron, then rolls her in. Double stop and a cover for two. Stratton off the ropes with a hip cbeck against the ropes, cover and kick out at two. Tiff with a chinlock, Ivy gets up but gets kneed in the cut. Handspring splash but Ivy dodges and kicks Tiff in the head. She runs over Stratton and charges in for a leaping kick. She picks Stratton up for a Creed somersault slam, Tiffany goes to the apron. Ivy grabs her but gets shot off, Tiffany gets caught in the dragon sleeper but gets planted in the corner. Prettiest Moonsault Ever gets the pin.

Winner: Tiffany Stratton (4:37)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: As good as the match length would allow.

Tiff gets on the mic and says the fans are so annoying as they chant “YOU TAPPPED OUT!” She says she didn’t tap out and throws a fit over it.

* Thea is hyped and says she can tap out anyone now. Duke says they just booed Tiffany out of the building and Chase says Thea isn’t done with Tiffany. She tapped Tiff once, she can do so again. They begin chanting “Rematch!”

* We’re back and Noam Dar is too depressed and cancelled the Supernova Sessions.

* McKenzie asks Blair Davenport about brutalizing Roxy last week. She talks about how she jacked Roxy’s jaw and drove her knee into Roxy’s body again and again. Roxey was a champion before she arrived and NXT is for grown-ass women, not girls with ribbons in her hair. Girls like Roxy don’t beat people like her, and when she comes at Blair again, she’ll leave her on the shelf for good the way she did Nikkita, Wendy and Sol.

Battle For Tony D’Angelos’ Freedom
Stacks vs. Joe Coffey

Stacks and Coffey circle and lock up, Stacks backed into the corner and gets a clean break. Lock up, Stacks with a headlock, Joe with a wristlock counter. Stacks turns it around but Joe rolls through and throws Stacks off. Another lockup but they break as a “Free Tony” chant starts.

Lock up again, headlock by Joe, Stacks shoots him into the ropes and goes under before getting locked into a headlock takedown. Stacks to his feet, he shoots Coffey into the ropes but Joe cinches in the headlock. Joe finally into the ropes, Stacks gets run over by Joe. Joe asks him if he wants to be the Don? He says it’s time and Joe with a spinning clothesline for two — and Stacks kicks out!

Joe and Gallus are beside themselves. Joe says they had a deal and a handshake, its a business opportunity. But Stacks says he ain’t no snitch as we go to break.

We’re back and Joe has Stacks in a raised chickenwing. Tony calls in over the loudspeaker and says that the plan is working. He tells Stacks to lay it in and Stacks fires off with bodyshots. Wolfgang and Mark distract Stacks and Joe hits him from behind, then lays in several hard shots. Bronco and Lima come out to jaw with Gallus as Stacks is in a chickenwing, but Stacks backdrops him and lays in a fist to the head

Joe back up and says they had a deal, decking him. Stacks blocks a shot and says that it’s time! Stacks with a flurry of shots, Joe off the ropes into a back elbow. Stacks off the ropes with a front dropkick, Joe whipped into the corner and comes out into a back bodydrop. Stacks slides out and takes out Wolfgang, he pulls Mark into the ring and slams him down. As the ref deals with Mark, Stacks grabs the crowbad and nails Joe with it, then Eddies it by throwing it to Wolfgang. Gallus gets ejected! Stacks with a leaping knee to the back of the head for three!

Winner: Stacks (10:46)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: This played out better than I expected by a long shot. The match was always gonna be fine but the storyline worked more than it should.

* Ivy is backstage when the Schism walks up and mocks her. Ivy accuses Gacy of using a loaded mask last week and he says he was ejected from the arena. Jagger says the Schism tree is blossoming, and Ava says there’s always room for one more.

* McKenzie asks Yulisa and Valentina about Noam Dar cancelling Supernova Sessions and they go off before Humberto and Angel walk in and hit on them. Yulisa and Valentino aren’t fans of it and Dragon Lee & Nathan Fazrer walk them off.

Set For Next Week:
– Tony D’Angelo’s homecoming
– NXT NA Title Match: Wes Lee vs. Dominik Mysterio

Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams vs. Finn Balor & Damian Priest

Priest and Trick start off and lockup, they push each other around the ring and Trick with a headlock. Trick shot into the ropes, they collide and neither go down, so Priest decks Trick and puts him in the corner for stomps to the mat. Whip across the ring, Trick hits hard and falls to the mat. Priest with a kick to the chest and Finn tags in for a shot to the gut. Elbow to the back of the head and a choke against the ropes. Trick put in the corner and stomped down, Priest tags in and hits a Broken Arrow and a cover, Trick kicks out at one.

Priest with a chinlock, Trick to his feet but gets knocked into the corner and Balor tags in for shoulders to the gut. Knife-edge chop, then Trick goes to another corner and eats another. Trick tries to fight back but Finn shots him down and hits another chop. Irish whip across the ring — and Trick comes out with a clothesline!

Melo tags in, double whip into the ropes and Trick with a clothesline, Melo thrown onto Finn who bails to the outside as we go to PIP break.

We’re back with Balor in control of Melo, sending him into the hostile corner and tagging in Priest, who hits a splash and then tags in Balor. Balor with a backbreaker, Priest with a guillotine legdrop for two. Priest with a bow and arrow submission, Melo gets to his feet and eats a knee to the gut, but Melo with a jawbreaker and Trick is tagged in hot for shots to Priest!

Trick ducks a clothesline and hits a dropkick, knee to the jaw and a neckbreaker for two. Trick goes for a shot but is countered, but he fires back and they hit a double clothesline. Both men down in the ring, they go for their tags. Melo goes right at Finn, he hits an inverted atomic drop and sends Finn into the corner, splash and snapmare followed by a crescent kick for two. Springboard by Melo, Balor ducks and hits a Sling Blade. Front dropkick drops Melo, Balor with Coup de Grace but Melo dodges! He comes off the ropes with a springboard crossbody.

Melo goes for the tag, Priest blocks it but Melo rolls him up for two. Priest grabs Priest but gets caught with a Stunner, Priest right back with a shot and gets two, but Trick breaks it up. Finn in and gets kicked to the head, Priest pulls Trick out and powerbombs him INTO the table! The table didn’t break! Priest in the ring and he takes Priest down, he goes up top but Dom distracts him. Melo nails Dom, Priest hits Melo with a forearm but Hayes nails him!

Dom gets a chair and brings it to the ring to distract the ref, Priest gets the briefcase but Ilja is out to stop him. Melo attacks but Priest dodges and Melo hits Ilja! South of Heaven! Priest tags in FInn, Coup de Grace and that’s it.

Winner: The Judgment Day (12:15)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: The match was as good as we might expect, with Melo and Trick looking strong even as they were the underdogs. Ilja’s good intentions set up the hostility between him and Melo for GAB and give them a loss without making them lose clean to Finn and Priest.

Judgement Day celebrate as Ilja and Hayes argue.

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

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Really good episode for the most part here, as NXT continues to effectively utilize main roster crossover appearances. Ilja makes a good opponent for Melo and worked well against Bron, we're setting up plenty of other matches for the Great American Bash as well. Sure, there are a few things I don't much care about but all in all I dug this week's episode.