Cook’s WWE NXT Review 10.13.26

Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the latest edition of WWE NXT on the CW! We’ve got two Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic quarterfinal matches tonight along with Myles Borne & Tony D’Angelo fighting over who will get the next crack at Grayson Waller’s NXT Championship. Wren Sinclair will also be back on the show, and we’ll find out what happens to her status of No. 1 Contender to the NXT Women’s Championship. Should be a good time!

If you already subscribe to the 411MANIA Wrestling Newsletter, earlier today you received some of my thoughts on Max Caster angering the wrong people, Carmelo Hayes joining 946 & Xia Brookside not being privy to NXT booking details. If you don’t already subscribe, do so right now! Yes, before we get to the show because if you’re like me you won’t remember to do this a minute from now.

Cook’s WWE NXT Review 10.13.26

Then. Now. Forever. Together!

We’re in Orlando! We go back to last week when Lady Shani won a battle royal to get a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship at Halloween Havoc. Turns out Lady Shani was actually Wren Sinclair. Whoops!

Wren Sinclair is WALKING! Tony D’Angelo is WALKING! Myles Borne is WALKING! Vic Joseph & Booker T are our hosts.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinal Match: The Vanity Project (Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes (w/Jackson Drake & Myka Lockwood)) vs. Chazz “Starboy” Hall & Mini Vikingo: Booker says “he looks 6 years old”, I’m not sure if he means Vikingo or Starboy. The Vanity Project doesn’t look much older. Hall starts with Smokes, tripe him up, Smokes does the same, Hall flips over him and hits a dropkick. Baylor tags in and gets kicked into the corner. Flying headscissors by Hall. Smokes tags in and hits a forearm with some boots. Baylor smacks Hall in the corner. We see Fraxiom warming up as Hall continues to get punched. Vikingo tags in and hits a corkscrew plancha! Some flips, flying headscissors by Vikingo. Baylor gets kicked down, standing shooting star by Vikingo. Both VP members outside, Vikingo & Hall do some flips in the ring. Hall kicks Baylor to the floor, Vikingo kicks him down. Myka distracts Vikingo so Baylor can take him down. Smokes takes out Hall, and they pose as we go to the Non-Stop NXT.

Hall gets rolled into the ring and Baylor gains the offensive before Hall reverses a rollup and double stomps him. Vikingo with a big boot and some punches. Baylor changes the momentum with a Northern Lariat and he elbows Vikingo on the mat. Baylor hits a vertical suplex into a neckbreaker for two. Smokes tags in and hits a DDT for two. Rear chinlock by Smokes.

Vikingo fights back up, hits some forearms before Baylor tags back in and they try a double team. Doesn’t work, Smokes gets knocked outside. Vikingo finally gets the tag, Hall goes crazy with kicks. He flips over the VP, avoids a double clothesline and kicks both fo them. The straps are down, Sliced Bread and a standing moonsault on Smokes gets two. Sasuke Special by Starboy on both Baylor & Smokes. Vikingo goes up top, springboards into a 450 on Smokes that gets two. Noam Dar & Romeo Moreno are seen hyping each other up as Baylor hits a knee to Vikingo. Hall tries a big move, Baylor reverses it, Vikingo breaks up the count and hits a reverse rana on Smokes. Hall with some chops on Baylor, Baylor goes for a suplex, Hall turns it into a rana for two. Smokes jumps into a superkick. Hall is caught by Baylor on a moonsault, Baylor gets DDTed, Vikingo hits a Phoenix senton for two. Hall tags in, VP clunk heads, some confusion at ringside. Hall goes up top, gets kneed on a shooting tar press. VP hit the reverse DDT/double stomp combo for three.

Winners: The Vanity Project (12:54 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/4
They certainly did a lot of stuff here. I’m guessing we’ll see even more stuff in the second quarterfinal later on. The match was ok, there were some attempts at psychology with people trying to break tags up but it was mostly folks flying around. Hall & Vikingo are trying to impress and that’s what they’re good at, so you can’t really blame them.

Vanity Project will take on the winners of the second quarterfinal in the semifinals.

Saquon Shugars tells Blake Howard he doesn’t want to be here, he wants to be fighting for titles but he’s stuck fighting Tristian Angels instead. Grayson Waller tells Shugars he’s really talented but he doesn’t have what it takes. He should be worrying about who he’s facing tonight. Saquon tells Grayson to watch him and calls him a dumbass kangaroo while walking off.

Earlier today, Kali Armstrong complained to Robert Stone about the battle royal. Stone says that since she eliminated La Catalina she’ll get an AAA Reina de Reinas Championship match tonight! Kali is happy and tells Robert to let that musty muffin know she better get ready.

Saquon Shugars vs. Tristian Angels: Angels tosses his sash at Shugars and gets hip tossed and arm drug. Angels with a shot in the corner, Shugars with another arm drag into a hammerlock. Angels takes him down and does some gyrating before Shugars goes off the ropes and takes him down. Some gyrations by Shugars, then a faceplant. Atomic drop by Shugars, a elbow to the back of Angels’ head. Slingshot legdrop gets two. Another arm drag by Shugars. Shugars with a short arm scissor, Angels gets out. Kicks in the corner by Shugars, Angels gets back dropped and clotheslined over the top rope. Shugars kicks him from the ring, and Angels gets mad and tosses some chairs into the ring. Not much order from where I sit. We go to commercial!

When we return, Shugars fights out of a suplex and jumps into a big boot for two. We see a replay of Shugars getting sent into the steps. Shugars blocks a neckbreaker by holding the ropes, but then Angels hits a backstabber and a second rope elbow to the back for two. Shugars fights out of a straitjacket hold, but then Angels locks in a sleeper. Shugars rams him into the corner to break that. Angels is sent to the floor and pulls Shugars’s hair. Shugars kicks Angels into the steps. Angels back in the ring, Shugars with some punches. Shugars with an elbow, a knee to Angels. Clothesline in the corner, then a backbreaker and a faceplant by Shugars gets two. Shugars loses his balance on the top turnbuckle, then they both fly over the top rope. Shugars tries a DDT and gets sent to the floor. Back in the ring. Angels plants Shugars’ face into the mat with his knee for a three count.

Winner: Tristian Angels (7:26 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **
I liked Shugars using basic wrestling moves more than I’ve seen him do them, but things really fell off here at the end. The finishing sequence could have been good if they didn’t blow through the whole thing in about thirty seconds. I’m pretty sure Angels’ finisher was a botch but I’m also not sure what it was supposed to be.

Tony D’Angelo talks to Myles Borne about how he thinks his new attitude will get him to the top. Where Myles wants to go is where he lives, and he won’t get the job done. Tony got there by results, taking down every challenge. Myles hit him with a roll of quarters last week, Tony would have used a crowbar! Tony decides who walks and who takes a swim. He’s the Master of Fate, Myles’ fate is in his hands tonight and he’ll decide Grayson’s at Halloween Havoc.

Wren Sinclair is WALKING! We’ll hear from her next.

Izzi Dame tells Niko Vance that she wonders how much effort it takes for Zaria to hold it all together. She loves broken things but everyone wants to fix them. Zaria being broken makes her interesting. Zaria is hiding something, and has forgotten what it’s like to look in the mirror. Izzi wants to know what’s underneath. It’s about more than the North American Championship. Her mask will grow heavy, her act will get exhausting. She wants to know who Zaria is and she’ll find out. It iz what it iz! Niko, for his part, seems confused by all this obsessing.

Wren Sinclair makes her way to the ring! I forgot she had entrance music. Wren tells us she’s #1 contender for the NXT Women’s Championship. She would have laughed if you told her it would have happened a few months ago. She overthinks and talks herself out of a lot of things. Last week, she did something the old Wren could never do. She took a risk and put herself out there. She proved to herself that even though she was scared, she doesn’t have to back down anymore. She’s the last one anyone expected to be standing here, but that’s why she’s here. She lost her title and watched her best friend get hurt and lose her title. She can’t just stand here and wait for things to change. Kendal has always believed in her and she needs to step up for Kendal and herself. Technically she was suspended, but regardless…

Kelani Jordan comes out and talks about people getting comfortable breaking the rules around here. She was suspended, so it doesn’t count. She doesn’t accept the idea of Wren as #1 contender. Wren manipulated the situation and committed identity theft. She’s the standout, not the handout, and she refuses to face Wren at Halloween Havoc. She’ll face Kali, or any of the TNA people, or Lady Shani, but not Wren. Wren didn’t have the balls to step into that battle royal as herself, and she couldn’t get the people to love her for who she was.

Robert Stone comes out and tells us that Wren’s suspension is lifted. Kelani makes some good points, but its hard to ignore the fact that Wren did win the battle royal. He leaves it up to the NXT Universe, and they chant Wren’s name. Stone says that Wren will face Kelani for the championship at Halloween Havoc. Kelani goes for the attack, but Wren knocks her down and threatens her with the title belt before tossing it down to her and talking some stuff.

Up Next: La Catalina vs. Kali Armstrong!

Cruz Montana tells Lizzy Rain that she impressed a lot of people last week and she should use it as fuel. Cruz’s phone rings and he talks about how he’s facing Dion Lennox next week and he knew when he started talking about his past someone would use it against him. Dion attacks him from behind and grabs his phone and pushes the last caller button. Dion tells Cruz’s mom that he’ll need her after next week when he sends Cruz back to that dark place. I feel like Cruz’s mom should know better than to call her son while he’s at work, but maybe that’s just me.

AAA Reina de Reinas Championship Match: La Catalina (c) vs. Kali Armstrong: Headlock by Kali, then a shoulderblock. Hammerlock by Kali, elbow, Catalina sends Kali over. Some back & forth, rollup by Catalina gets two. Catalina misses in the corner, Kali with some shoudlerblocks, then a running one. Whip into the corner by Kali, Catalina up and over, flying headscissors by Catalina, then she boots Kali outside. A hip attack sends Kali flying. Kali catches Catalina on a crossbody, then slams her on the floor! Kali starts removing the floor padding! Catalina avoids the slam and sends Kali into the steps. Catalina jumps off the steps with a running senton.

Catalina celebrates as we go Non-Stop NXT. Back in the ring, Catalina with some running forearms in the corner. Snap mare, Catalina goes up top, Kali crotches her and gets her in a Tree of Woe. Running shoulderblock sends Catalina to the mat. Kali stretches Catalina in the ropes. Catalina fires back, but Kali punches her down. Kali puts Catalina in a camel clutch and tries to humble her.

We go back full screen and Kali sends Catalina in to the corner, Catalina with a sunset flip out of the corner for two. Arm drag by Catalina, Kali catches her in the corner, dumps her to the apron. Catalina goes up top, hits a missile dropkick. Catalina blocks some strikes, then dropkicks Kali. Clotheslines by Catalina, a hip attack in the corner! Gory face plant gets a two count. Kali blocks the suplex, they trade punches. Reversals, Kali hits a spinning slam for two. Catalina rolls Kali up out of a slam attempt, then hits another hip attack. Kali answers with a powerslam. Catalina avoids the Kali Konnection and sends Kali over the top rope onto that concrete! Kali gets back in the ring to get hit by a Busiaku knee for the three count!

Winner: La Catalina (10:33 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/4
Good match here, I continue to be impressed with Kali’s work since her arrival to NXT. I also liked her promo segment with Robert Stone earlier, so things are really looking good for her future. I’m buying the stock now. The only downside here was the outcome was never really in question because Catalina shouldn’t be losing her championship anytime soon. It’s a small problem though.

Myles Borne tells Wren Sinclair that it must feel good to stand up for herself just like he did. Wren says that what he did was selfish and totally different from what she did. Myles says he’ll be a #1 contender too after tonight, then Kendal Grey shows up to congratulate Wren and let her know she’s medically cleared. They’ll bring the NXT Women’s Championship back to the WrenQCC!

EK Prosper puts over Vikingo & Hall for their performance and tells them the same thing he always hears: it’s not losing, it’s learning. The Vanity Project come in and tell them to leave the locker rooms to the winners. EK says they talk too damn much. Hall suggests they do a three on three match next week. Smokes tries to talk their way out of it, but Baylor thinks it’ll be easy.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinal Match: Noam Dar & Romeo Moreno vs. Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer & Axiom): I fully expect to botch this entire write-up. Dar & Frazer start. Dar rolls through, they miss various moves, Dar with an ankle lock and Frazer finds the ropes. Crossface by Frazer, Dar gets the ropes. Dar avoids the handshake and tags in Moreno. Axiom tags in too. Moreno with a cartwheel, Axiom tries an arm drag, Moreno flips out of it. Axiom yanks Moreno down on a leapfrog, some flips & rolls and cheers. Axiom slaps Moreno and knocks him into the corner. Basement dropkick in the corner by Axiom gets two. Moreno kicks Axiom, Frazer tags in and is taken into the corner. Dar with a basement dropkick. Moreno back in and they make a wish with Frazer’s legs. Moreno sends Frazer outside, Axiom gets knocked down there too. Fraxiom block the kicks and Moreno accidentally kicks Dar! Moreno gets taken down and tossed into the barricade.

We go Non-Stop NXT and Dar knees Axiom in the ring and headlocks gim. Tag to Frazer, Axiom with a kick to Moreno, kip up by Frazer into a kick on Moreno and everybody’s down. Frazer with the Mr. Perfect neck snap on Dar for two. A vertical suplex on Dar gets two. Dar avoids a crossbody and tags in Moreno. Axiom gets clotheslined out of his boots. Morneo Northern Lights suplexes Frazer. Tope con hilo by Moreno onto Fraxiom! Axiom sent back into the ring, tag to Dar, a double suplex gets two on Axiom. Axiom placed up top, Dar goes for the Tower of London, Axiom slips out.

Dar gets an ankle lock on Axiom, but Axiom finds the ropes. Dar with some kicks to Axiom, Axiom responds with a dropkick. Moreno & Frazer tag in, Frazer with some clotheslines. Sling blade by Frazer, Dar sent into the corner. Frazer with a reverse Spanish Fly on Moreno for two. Frazer charges Moreno and ends up outside, so does Axiom. Romeo dives outside and crashes and burns! Frazer goes for a 450 on Dar, Dar raises the knees and gets a two count. Axiom sent outside again. Fraxiom with some quick offense culminating in a DDT by Frazer for two. Dar with an armbar on Axiom, Frazer is legal and dives into a triangle by Dar! Axiom kicks Dar out of the move. Frazer with a frog splash for two on Dar. A high low move by Fraxiom gets two thanks to Moreno breaking up the cover. Moreno Germans Frazer. Axiom with a kick, Romeo sent outside. Dar gets a quick rollup for two on Axiom, then a German suplex. Moreno with a kick in the corner on Axiom, he goes up top but Axiom follows him up. Spanish Fly by Axiom, a Phoenix Splash by Frazer gets two! Dar with an ankle lock on Frazer. Dar is sent outside by Axiom. Axiom dives onto Dar outside. Moreno goes up top, Frazer superplexes him. A brainbuster/kick combo gets two on Moreno! Frazer sent into Axiom, Moreno DVDs Axiom off the turnbuckle for two. Dar tags in, he elbows a diving Frazer. Axiom gets legswept and elbowed for the three count!

Winner: Noam Dar & Romeo Moreno (14:23 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/2
This was exactly what I expected, but everything looked good and was well executed. Dar has some history with Fraxiom and Moreno fits right in with everybody, so the chemistry was very good. I like seeing Dar & Moreno go far in this tournament, they’ve been a solid team since getting together and should only get better.

Dar & Moreno will take on Vanity Project in the semifinals.

Blake Howard is with the Wagner Brothers! They say there’s a lot of pressure, but they’re honored to be part of the tournament. BirthRight comes in so Uriah Connors can say he’s a fourth generation wrestler. Arianna Grace says they’re not taking applications for the group right now. Lexis King wants a translation of the Wagner response, instead Charlie Dempsey says that even the best AAA has to offer can’t stop BirthRight.

Next Week: Cruz vs. Dion! Creeds vs. Hank & Tank! Wagners vs. BirthRight!

NXT Championship No. 1 Contenders’ Match: Myles Borne vs. Tony D’Angelo: Tony hits some strikes, then chases Myles around the ring. Myles misses a kneedrop, Tony with a running forearm for two. Myles drops Tony with an elbow for two. Powerslam by Borne gets two. Myles hits Tony in the corner, Tony catches Myles in the opposite corner and suplexes him. Outside the ring, Myles sends Tony into the barricade, then the apron, then the ringpost, then the steps. DVD neckbreaker by Myles gets two. Myles goes up top, Tony knocks him to the floor. Tony sends Myles into the barricade, then bounces his head off the LED board. Tony starts taking things off the announce table, but Myles rolls inside the ring. Spinebuster by Tony gets two. Back outside, Tony back suplexes Myles onto the steps!

We go Non-Stop NXT and Tony punches Myles back down. Tony suplexes Myles on the floor, then rolls him into the ring. Cover gets two. Myles kicks Tony off the ropes, Tony with a couple of shots to Myles. Myles is sent into the corner. Tony misses a charge and gets rolled up for two. Tony goes for a suplex, Myles blocks and hits one of his own. Myles suplexes Tony again for a two count. Rear chinlock by Myles.

Tony fights out, misses a clothesline and gets dropkicked by Myles. Myles stomps away and covers him for two. A suplex gets two for Myles. Myles knees Tony in the back, then whips him hard into the corner a couple of times. Myles with some punches, Tony yells for some more, then goozles Myles. German suplex by Tony, another one. Clothesline in the corner and a bulldog. Powerslam by Tony for a two count. Grayson Waller is watching backstage. Myles blocks a powerbomb but get sent into the corner. Myles placed up top, he knees Tony and jumps into a spear by Tony for two. Punches are exchanged. Tony blocks the Zig Zag and hits a sitout powerbomb for two. Myles hotshots Tony in the corner and hits an Angle Slam. Myles looks at the cameraman, then Tony hits the Dead to Rights for the three count. (Well, Myles’ shoulder was up, kinda awkward but the ref counted three.)

Winner: Tony D’Angelo (12:34 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
Much like the Shugars/Angels match earlier, things were going decently until it was time to end the match, then it fell off a cliff. We’ll find out why Myles randomly paused and looked at the cameraman here in a second, but the fact he kicked out of Tony’s finish and they still counted three wasn’t great. Myles is getting better but there’s still work to be done. Maybe it’s just me, but it feels like with some of these matches they lose track of time or do more stuff than can be fit in their time, and then they rush through the finish, which is the most important part of the match and needs to be the best part.

The cameraman takes his hood off, and it’s Tavion Heights! Tavion punches Myles and belly to belly suplexes him! Tavion powerbombs Myles through the table! Tavion talks some stuff.

Robert Stone walks into his office and sees a hand-written note. It says “Make me the host of Halloween Havoc or you are cursed!”. Some lighting and sound effects happen as our event comes to an end. So long for now!

If you’d like to chime in with your own thoughts on tonight’s show, feel free to join your fellow 411 Maniacs down in the comment section! As the legendary Larry Csonka always said: Have fun and don’t be a dick. When I’m not here you can catch me on social media from time to time. To be honest, e-mail is a better option and you can reach me at [email protected]. I’ll be more likely to respond there.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The tag team matches & Catalina vs. Kali made this a decent show. I wasn't really looking forward to the tag team tournament when it was announced but most of the matches have delivered and there's at least a couple more that should be really good. Halloween Havoc is shaping up to be fun, and Danhausen hosting a Halloween show is pretty much the best way you can use him at this point.