Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 5.4.21

Hello there, NXT fans! It’s Tuesday evening, which means it’s time for another episode of NXT. I’m Jeremy, and we’re into week four of NXT on Tuesdays. Tonight we have a pretty big show with the return of Finn Balor, The Way getting another NXT Women’s Tag Team Title match, Leon Ruff and Isaiah “Swerve” Scott in a Falls Count Anywhere match and more. So without further ado, let’s get right into it.

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.

PREVIOUSLY ON: We get a recap of the feud between Leon Ruff and Swerve, as well as Franky Monet (or The Way) playing mind games with the IndiDex ship leading into tonight’s Women’s Tag Team Title street fight.

Street Fight
Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

Ruff wants to get it in right away, but gets held back. Bell rings and Ruff charges RIGHT INTO A KNEE! Swerve mocks Leon and shoves him down, then throws him into the corner for shots. Ruff fires back, on the ropes and plays Spider-Man before getting into a wheelbarrow which he flips out of. He goes for a crucifix but Swerve holds onto the ropes and elbows him off. Ruff thrown at the ropes, jumps up and gets caught, armdrag by Ruff sends Swerve out of the ring. Ruff dives through the ropes but gets caught and THROWN had into the apron! Sweve throws Ruff against the Plexiglas and then picks him up and does it again on the other side of the ramp. Sidewalk slam on the ramp, cover gets two.Swerve presses Ruff into the ramp head-first, then throws him into the ring. Kneedrop to Ruff’s head, then he’s mocking Ruff and kicks him in the head. Ruff put on the top turnbuckle, Swerve climbs up and slaps him, he climbs up but Ruff fights back…SUPERPLEX. Cover gets two. Swerve tells the camera it’s his house and Ruff falls out of the ring to the floor. Swerve goes for a kick, Ruff dodges and Swerve is caught on the ropes! Big leaping kick to Scott’s head. Ruff runs up the steps and leaps but gets swatted down by Scott. Scott heaves Scott and then tries to throw a toolbox at him, which Ruff barely dodges and we’re on PIP break.

Swerve kicks Ruff in the head and opens the toolbox, throwing tools at Ruff on the ground. He slams Ruff into the apron and sets the steps, picking Ruff up but Ruff slips out and crawls away. Swerve cockily stalks Ruff toward the back, goes through the curtain, and catches Ruff climbing up onto production lockers for a slam into the lockers back-first. Cocky cover gets two. He grabs a camera and sets it aside, then pushes the production cart it was on into Ruff. He sits next to Leon and slaps him a bit, then picks him up but Ruff is fighting back! Swerve overpowers him and slams him into the wall, then the lockers again. Ruff is crawling back to the stage, he gets a shot on Swerve and gets onto the stage. Chair thrown to Swerve, who catches it and follows slowly along. He grabs Ruff and holds him as he shit-talks to the camera and then grabs Ruff to pull him back so he can showboat.

Back from PIP break and Swerve eats a stage light, which gives Rush a chance and he hits a somersault dive onto Scott for a two-count. Swerve back in the ring, Ruff tries to springboard in but gets decked. Scott grabs Ruff and goes to suplex him, but Ruff turns it into a crucifix bomb! Cover gets two and a half. Ruff decks Swerve who’s on the apron, they start trading shots and Ruff slips out for a power bomb. Swerve tries to punch, Ruff moves and he hits a REVERSE RANA TO THE FLOOR! Ruff and Scott are both slow to get up, Swerve is laughing and saying Ruff still can’t beat him and is nothing. Ruff runs in, Swerve moves, Ruff goes for a headscissors and Swerve with a JML for a near-fall! Swerve is fursatrated, he goes for a knee at Ruff but hits the steps. Ruff with a toolbox to the knee! Back in, Ruff with a huge top-rope splash for two, and a heel hook submission attempt! Ruff has a wrench in the hold, but Scott manages to backhand Scott. Srpingboard cutter to Scott! And another on the floor! Clothesline over the barricade, Ruff on the barricade but goes through the curtain — he’s going up high! He jumps — and AJ Francis catches him! Francis with a DVD neck-first on the barricade. Ruff rolls Scott in, JML for three.

Winner: Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (15:20)
Rating: *** 3/4
Thoughts: That was a phenomenal TV match that sets a high bar for this show. Both guys did some insane moves and the action was crisp and pretty botch-free throughout. Great work by both men.

* Finn Balor is heading into the CWC as we go to break.

* Johnny Gargano and Autin Theory are walking, pissed they Johnny can’t get a meeting with Regal. They walk into a meeting with Scarlett and bitches about not being able to get a meeting. Gargano says later and Theory looks at Scarlett, saying they’re huge and asking if they’re real. He’s talking about her nails. Gargano grabs him and off they go.

Cameron Grimes vs. Asher Hale

Asher Hale just got his name trademarked, as a note. It’s Anthony Henry. Grimes grabs Hale and throws him to the mat, then showboats. He grabs at Hale’s leg but Hale with a side headlock. Grimes throws him off and reverses it, then blocks Hale to the mat. They come off the ropes, Hale with a dropkick and kicks to the leg. Grimes reverses a whip to the ropes and elbows Hale down, then hits an uppercut and kicks in the corner. Grimes with kicks to the back of Hale’s leg and a big uppercut to knock him down. Whip into the ropes, kick and enzuigiri by Hale, he runs in and catches Grimes’ feet and hits a double leg whip. He goes up top, front missile dropkick, cover gets two. Grimes pushes Hale off, some counter wrestling, knee to the gut from grimes, big plant in the center of the ring, Cave In for three.

Winner: Cameron Grimes (3:05)
Rating: **
Thoughts: Solid squash match, Hale looked decent in his tiny bit of offense. Not much more to say than that.

* Kayden and Kacy are backstage being interviewed, and Kayden says they’re done with Xia. They’re focused on the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles and they want the next shot. In comes Franky Monet, who says they’re her favorite tag team and it’s going to take longer to win the titles than they think, but she believes in them. I love Franky’s passive-aggressive mean girl attitude in NXT.

* Cameron Grimes is celebrating his win backstage with Ever-Rise. He says he likes their show but he only has room for three, all of which is himself so he walks off.

* Before their match, the GYV go off on Ciampa and Thatcher, with Drake asking who thought it was a good idea to have the NXT audience take their shoes off? Gibson says no one needs to see their dirty webbed toes, so everyone should zip it or they’ll leave the country.

Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Tomasso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher

Ciampa and Drake are starting off. They circle and lock up, Ciampa backed into the corner and they break for about half an instant before going back into it, Ciampa off the ropes with a shoulderblock and a one-count. Ciampa locks in a headscissors and gets a shot in, then picks him up for a chop. Cover gets one. Thatcher tagged in, headbutt to the gut he starts to work the shoulder.Drake rolls out, escapes and Gibson tags in. Lockup and a waistlock by Gibson, Thatcher turns it onto an elbowlock, shot into the ropes and runs Gibson over. Pin gets one and he goes after the shoulder again on the ground. Knees to the shoulder but Gibson gets Thatcher down and ties up the legs, going for an anklelock. Thatcher counters and gets into a sleeper! Drake runs in on command and hits a kick to the head, but Ciampa is in and they’re beating the GYV down in tandem! We’re now on break.

Back from break with Thatcher in control of Drake. He throws him over the ropes and Drake gets the tag, but Gibson was in the ring so it’s not legal. Thatcher grabs Drake and pulls him in, but Drake grabs him by the ear and slams him down while the ref’s back is turned. Gibson in now, held dropkick into DDT and the cover gets two. A couple more covers without success. Gibson with a crossface to Thatcher and then he starts wrenching on the man’s head with a cravat. Thatcher to his feet and he snapmares out of it, but they collide head to head and Gibson manages to hold onto the heel and tag drake. Thatcher gets free of Drake and makes the hot tag! Ciampa lays waste to both of the Veterans and throws Draske into the corner, chopping the hell out of him. Thatcher in and gets nailed with fists to the head, quick tag back to Ciampa and they batter him front and back. Running knee, cover but it only gets two. Thatcher gets tagged in, big shot to Drake and he grabs the leg but kicks repeatedly to get free. He crawls for the tag but Thatcher grabs him; Drake with a cheap shot and gets free. Gibson tagged in and runs into a belly to belly, cover but Drake breaks it up. All four men are in and it’s a big brawl, Ciampa and Drake to the outside, Thatcher and Gibson trade Euro uppercuts, Thatcher with a big chop to the head! Double underhook suplex, cover gets two but Thatcher IMMEDIATELY goes for the armbar! Drake manages to kick CIampa into the table and gets free, they double team Thatcher and Drake DIVES through the ropes onto Ciampa! Gibson with the bit planted suplex but Thatcher JUST kicks out before the three.Drake calls for the tag but gets pulled off the apron, Ciampa in and distracts the ref as Thatcher HITS GIBSON WITH BARRETT’S SHOE! And that’s the pinfall.

Winner: Tomasso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher (14:24)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Good, crisp, technically-oriented match here that went a good time period and delivered on exactly what was promised.

* Gargano and Theory are backstage, and Theory is about to bust it down. He goes to do so but lightly knocks at the last minute. Regal walks up and Gargano says that the North American Title match isn’t fair. Regal says no dice, and then says that Theory has a match against Karrion Kross next week at Scarlett’s request. That’ll teach him.

* Swerve is backstage with his new posse and is asked what happened. He said he told us he would beat Leon Ruff, and that’s exactly what he did. He heads off.

* We get a promo for the upcoming Sarray vs. Zayda Remier match.

* It’s time for Karrion Kross! Which of course means a nice, long entrance. Kross is looking quite fancy tonight. He takes the mic from Scarlett and says three weeks ago, he made things crystal clear: all you had to do was step up and roll the dice. Instead, he’s been met with people saying they weren’t afraid of him. He’s not afraid of them either. Now that that’s established, he wants to know what they’re waiting for: let’s give the people what they want in a fight. He doesn’t need to go back and prove anyone wrong, they have to come into the ring and prove themselves right. But he’s not going to wait for someone to stab themselves in the back. Next week he’s going to dive bomb Austin Theory on his head, and for everyone else —

It’s Kyle O’Reilly time! Kyle comes out to interrupt in his Cool Kyle gear, walking with some bounce in his step. He gives Scarlett a bow and gets on the mic, saying he gets why everything thinks they should be afraid: sheer dominance. Kross isn’t happy, so Kyle will cut to the chase: he came out to say he’s not afraid of Kross, and he’s NXT Champion so this is the match he wants. Something tells him this is the match Kross wants, so let’s give the NXT Universe —

And here comes Pete Dunne. Dunne stands on the ramp and asks if they’re having a laugh. He doesn’t care who wants that match, or the new O’Reilly. And he definitely doesn’t care that Kross stands there as NXT Champion, because he’s the baddest man in NXT, and if either of them think otherwise, he dares them to prove them wrong —

AND IT’S BALOR TIME. Balor comes out now, telling Dunne that he’s been there, done that. O’Reilly — been there, done that twice. He says that once Kross is done with Theory — and he attacks but gets decked. Dunne then attacks from behind but gets dumped and they’re all going after Kross. Balor with a big dropkick but gets shoves into the corner. Security is trying to break it up but Balor jumps back on the apron and gets decked. A security guy tries to hold Kross back and gets Saito Suplexed for his trouble. Balor is pushed to the back and he stares off with Kross. AND HERE COMES GARGANO AND THEORY to attack Kross! Kross is fighting them off, Saito Suplex to Theory but he eats a supperkick to Gargano. He grabs him by the throat, but Theory with a superkick and then a double superkick! North American Title to the head of Kross! The two Way members stand over a fallen Kross as Scarlett watches from the outside.

Thoughts: That was honestly a bit much with the constant interruptions and I didn’t love it. Everyone was individually fine, but it highlights how there isn’t a clear focus right now in the main event title scene. I’m sure they have a plan, but it’s kind of meandering up top at the moment.

* Gargano and Theory are running away after attacking Kross, making like they’re latting it be Candice and Indi’s night and are getting their victory party ready.

Zayda Remier vs. Sarray

Man, I can’t get over how much I love Sarray’s entrance theme. They shake hands to start off and lockup, Zayda with a side headlock but Sarray with a headscissors counter. They do a bunch of counter wrestling, and Sarray with a kick to the gut and headlock. Sarray shoots her into the ropes and hits a big dropkick. Remier turns it around and hits Sarray in the corner, but Sarray with a shot. Remier leapfrogs into an STF! Sarray is going for the ropes and gets ahold on it for the break. Kicks to Ramier, and Sarray is back up, roll-up gets two. Alabama Slam for Sarray and an inverted STF, but Zayda was close enough to the ropes to break it up. Sarray with a big dropkick, then a fisherman’s suplex gets two. Sarray off the top with a missile dropkick, she lies in wait but Zayda is firing back. They trade punches, Zayda with a whip into the ropes but Sarray with a running dropkick. Sarray goes for another one but Zayda moves and gets a two-count. Shoulder to the but in the corner, charging uppercut, slingblade and it only gets two! Spin kick by Sarray, and a German suplex. Big T-Bone suplex by Sarray and that gets three.

Winner: Sarray (4:37)
Rating: **
Thoughts: This showed off both women’s skills nicely, but was too short to get going to anything approaching a next level. It was fine.

* WALTER is talking to Imperium in German and giving direction. My German is very rusty so I have no idea what he’s saying.

* We get another promo vignette for the Diamond Mine. Still no idea what it is.

* Back from break, Sarray and Zayda are commiserating after their match when Toni Storm walks up but Zoey Stark cuts her off and backs her up. She then goes to hang with Sarray and Zayda.

* LA Knight comes out for his match with Jake Atlas and makes some joke about incels in the crowd, then makes a joke about Atlas’ name.

Jake Atlas vs. LA Knight

Atlas attacks right away and the bell is rung. Atlas with an armdrag off the ropes and a shoulderlock, but Knight gets out and slams Atlas into the ropes. Kicks to the gut and a whip into the ropes, Atlas leapfrogs, kick to Knight’s head and another. LA rolls out of the ring, Jake goes for a dive but gets kicked by Knight. Kick on the apron and a springboard shoulderblock. Knight with a snapmare and a kneedrop, but Atlas moves. Punches by Jake, he ducks a punch and hits a high knee. German suplex, pin gets two. He goes at Knight but gets pulled head-first into the turnbuckle. Knight nails Atlas and puts him on the top turnbuckle for a big shot, then climbs up but gets knocked off. Knight charges in, but Atlas moves! Kicks by Atlas, but cutter by Knight for the win.

Winner: LA Knight (3:04)
Rating: * 1/2
Thoughts: It was a very basic squash match.

* Candice is hyping Indie up for tonight, and Indi goes to get her jacket. We see Dexter Lumis in the corner, and Candice sees him but rolls down the blinds so Indi doesn’t. They head off.

* Toni Storm cuts a promo backstage, saying Zoey is pissing her off. She’s flavor of the month and losing that flavor really quick. She says Zoey doesn’t deserve to breath the same oxygen as her because she’s a former and future women’s champion and everyone will forget Zoey soon enough. SHe brought Zoey into this business, and she’ll take her out of it.

* Legado del Fantasma are in the ring. Escobar talks about the measure of a man, and says we’ve seen him become NXT Cruiserweight Champion and the undisputed emperor of Lucha Libre. And last week we all saw part two of a moment, an iconic moment. A vision — no, a premonition. He will recover what’s rightfully his in the Cruiserweight Championship. WIlde gets the mic and says they haven’t forgotten about MSK. MSK hasn’t beat them, but they did beat MSK last week. They embarrassed MSK, so a title shot needs to happen next. Escobar says the measure of a man is not what he can do for himself, but what he does for his brothers.

Kushida then interrupts on the screen and says Escobar crossed a line, which was a mistake. Next week, he faces Escobar with his title on the line. Escobar says he’s on.

* Beth Phoenix hosts a virtual face-to-face with Raquel and Mercedes. Raquel says she’s run through a lot of people and respects Mercedes, but Mercedes cuts her off saying she should respect her. She says she’s hungry and has something to improve. She’s not scared of Raquel, who says “Not yet.” Mercedes says she never stars down, and the reason she’s champion is because of someone like her. She paved the way for someone like Gonzalez and says she’s not gritty — she’s cookie cutter. Mercedes says Raquel was molded after the blueprint she created. Raquel says Mercedes set the bar, but set it low and Raquel has placed it so high that no one can reach it. She says she’s surpassed all of Mercedes accomplishments in just a year. Mercedes says in one night, she’ll end Raquel’s reign. Raquel says she’s the first challenger, but won’t be the last.

* Ember and Shotzi are pissed about The Way’s attack last week, and they come across Franky’s dog in her tank. Shotzi thinks she’s cute and sends her running along, but the dog crapped in the tank. They aren’t taking the tank tonight.

* Grimes is out celebrating and walks up to the club, wanting in the VIP Room but the bouncer says the entire venue’s been rented out. The VIP’s limo has arrived and, of course, it’s the Million Dollar Man. Ted says “don’t just rent a room when you can buy the place!” He lauches and walks in as Grimes rants about him.

* Set for Next Week:
– NXT Cruiserweight Championship 2 of 3 Falls Match: Kushida vs. Santos Escobar
– NXT Women’s Championship Match: Raquel Gonzalez vs. Mercedes Martinez
– Karrion Kross vs. Austin Theory

NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Street Fight
The Way vs. Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon

Ember and Shotzi are rocking Freddy and Jason cosplay and I love it. The bell rings and they’re right into it! They pair up, Shotzi vs. Indi and Ember vs. Candice. Indi knocks Shotzi down and gets attacked by Ember but takes her down and Candice drags Ember away as Indi goes for a table. Candice pulls chairs from under the ring while Shotzi has taken control of Indi, but Indi fires back. Ember throws a garbage can into the ring and decks Candice, while Shotzi rolls Indi into the ring and goes to help Ember take out Candice. The champs double team Indi now in the ring, whip ito the ropes and a drop toe hold/dropkick combo. Ember puts the trash can on Indi and they hit a double dropkick! Ember with the pin but Candice breaks it up. Ember sent outside and Candice kicks Shotzi, who goes out. She comes off the ropes and baseball slides — right into a conchairto of garbage can lids! Shotzi and Ember pull out a chair and slide it into the ring now, but Indi comes and nails Ember, then sends her into the Plexiglas. Shotzi attacks but gets taken down, Indi lays out Ember on the barricade and hits a charging kick to the head! She sets up four chairs on the outside, Shotzi attacks and almost gets suplexed into the chairs but Ember makes the save. Slam into the chair seat, they set up another chair on top of the four and put Indi on it. Shotzi goes to dive through the ropes but gets fire extinguished by Candice and we’re on PIP break.

With the champs moth down in the ring from the extinguisher, Indi and Candice set up a ladder across the apron and barricade. The Candice rolls Ember into the ring as Indi takes out Shotzi on the outside. LeRae is setting up a table inside the ring in the corner, Ember is fighting back against both Way members but gets taken down. Candice walks over her acouple of times and sets the chair in the corner, and we’re back from PIP break.

Ember takes Candice down with a dropkick and Shotzi is back in with a dropkick. They’re brawling, and Candice gets thrown into the ringpost. Indie whipped into the corner where Shotzi is lying in wait, she hangs Indi in the ropes and Indi gets a chair thrown in her face. Double team slam, and Candice breaks it up. Ember kicks Candice who’s on the apron, they take down Indi and get fired up. Shotzi climbs on to the top rope and SENTON to Candice through the ladder!! Ember with an Alabama Slam HARD into the table, she’s going for the pinfall and only gets two. Indi throws a short ladder into Ember and Candice is back in somehow. Indi punches SHotz into the short ladder and Indi holds it up, springboard moonsault onto the ladder! Candice covers but Shotzi breaks it up. Ember fighting off both Candice and Indi but gets a spinebuster onto the ladder! Hartwell with a cover, Shotzi breaks it up. Indi rolls SHotzi out of the ring and throws her into the Plexiglas, she clears off the commentary booth and grabs SHotzi, but Shotzi breaks Barrett’s coffee mug on her head! Shotzi is going up the ring structure, BIG SPLASH through Indi and the table! Ember and Candice are slowly getting up on the ring; Candice with a jackknife pin for two, Ember with a big powerbomb also gets two! Ember is going up top, but Candice decks her and climbs up. SHotzi is in the ring! She pulls Candice down but Candice throws Shotzi into Ember. LeRae back in, she eats a superkick and Indi with a springboard splash onto Ember through a table on the outside! Wicked Stepsister gets the pinfall! New champs!

Winner: Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell (15:33)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: All in all I liked this a lot. It was overly chaotic and some of the spots didn’t carry off the way they should have, but it was an appropriately hard-hitting match with big spots and an important title change.

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

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

If we were just looking at the first, middle, and last match, this was an absolutely phenomenal NXT. Both street fights delivered in really big ways, a with the Ruff vs. Swerve match being one of my favorite TV matches of the year so far. And Ciampa & Thatcher vs. GYV was exactly what you'd expect in a good way. That said, the middle of this show sagged a little. I didn't love the big main event stars talky segment, which didn't really advance anything, and the squash matches were fine but not great. All in all, the quality of the must-see matches easily outweigh the lackluster moments though, and this was still an overall strong show.