Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 1.2.24

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! Jeremy Thomas here with you as ever, and I hope you’ve had a good start to your year as tonight NXT gets evil — New Year’s Evil, that is! Tonight’s show will see Ilja Dragunov defend his NXT Championship against Trick Williams while Blair Davenport challenges Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Championship. Tiffany Stratton and Fallon Henley will face off in a “Ranch Hand/Servant For a Day Match,” and Riley Osborne will take on Oba Femi in the finals of the NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament. We’ll also have the LWO and someone as-yet-unknown battle the No Quarter Catch Crew, Roxanne Perez vs. Arianna Grace, and Ridge Holland addressing the angle where he “injured” Ilja a couple of weeks ago. NXT’s special episodes are always a blast, so this should be fun.

Here at Thomas HQ, the end of the year means always I’m watching a TON of movies, and this year was no exception. I had quite the past seven as I kicked it off with Hulu’s alien invasion flick No One Will Save You, which features a top-notch turn from Kaitlyn Dever. I did my first rewatch of The Exorcist in a long time and it remains pretty much a perfect horror film. Attachment doesn’t hit those levels and loses a little steam as it goes into the third act, but I really enjoyed this little queer Jewish horror gem regardless. And my other horror-esque watches were the Hulu sci-fi thriller Clock, which features a strong performance from Dianna Agron but was otherwise kind of disappointing, and the 1960s crime drama Eileen which manages to be both classy and trashy in very fun ways.

I also did a bit of comedy watching, as I checked out the mediocre comedies The Machine and Your Place Or Mine. Both are competently made but didn’t do a whole lot for me. On the other hand, Jeffrey Wright delivers a career-best performance in American Fiction, which was funny and sharply satirical. Finally I saw a few documentaries: the poignant and inspiring STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie on Apple TV, the fairly engaging Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy, and Netflix’s Bitconned, which you should watch only if you want to be angry at the world.

On TV, it was just the latest episode of Drag Race Canada season four. I’m still Team Denim.

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 a cold open about how the new year is a chance to start again, but also a chance for the darkness to strike back. We get previews of Lyra vs. Blair, Riley Osborne vs. Oba Femi, Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley, and Trick vs. Ilja (with insinuation about Melo doing “sinister deeds”).

* We’re LIVE in the Capital Wrestling Center with the NXT Women’s Title match starting us off.

NXT Women’s Championship Match
Lyra Valkyria vs. Blair Davenport

Lyra and Blair lock up to start and jockey for position before breaking and locking back up. Lyra with a wristlock, whip into the ropes reversed, Lyra rolls and grabs Blair to flip her to the mat. Hiptoss by Lyra and a headlock. Blair tries to fight out of it and eventually escapes, hitting a kick to the gut and sending the champ into the corner. Lyra goes up and over a charging Blair, Blair with a backslide attempt blocked by Lyra who gets a two-count.

Lyra with a front facelock, Blair fights out of it but gets sent up and over to the apron. Blair hangs Lyra on the ropes backward, then goes up top with a double stomp to the back for two. Blair takes over and applies a sleeper, Lyra gets to her feet with Blair on her back and drops into a jawbreaker.

Lyra takes over with strikes to the chest and kicks, she tees off in Blair and hits a couple clotheslines. Lyra sent into the ropes and hits a high crossbody. Spin kick and strikes, an enzuigiri floors Blair. Lyra goes up top and leaps but Blair ducks. Blair goes for a suplex, Lyra counters with a fisherman’s suplex, cover gets two.

Apparently there’s a breaking news after this match about a medical update. Meanwhile, Lyra grabs Blair for a modified German, cover gets two. She goes up to the top but Blair cuts her off and climbs up, they’re beating on each other and Blair drops to the floor but hits an enzuigiri. Blair back up, SUPER FALCON ARROW! Lyra rolls to the outside and Blair follows, throwing her into the guardrail. Blair grabs Lyra and goes for the charging knee but Lyra moves and Blair knees the announcer’s booth!

Lyra rolls back in to break the count, and Davenport is on the apron. She hangs Lyra on the ropes and climbs in, going for another Falcon Arrow but the knee buckles. Blair runs Lyra into the turnbuckle and goes up top, but the knee gives out. Lyra with a kick to the face and she takes Blair out for the win.

Winner: Lyra Valkyria (8:26)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Very solid work here to start the show. The match didn’t get to that next level I was hoping for, but it was well laid out and they executed everything correctly.

Lola Vice is out here to cash in her contract, but Tatum Paxley attacks her. Elektra Lopez goes after Tatum but Lyra attacks Lopez. The four women brawl as officials break it up. Tatum walks to Lyra but she is freaked out.

* Kelly Kincaid is here at WWE medical, and they say he won’t be cleared. She wants to get Trick’s reaction soon, but the WWE Championship match isn’t taking place.

No Quarter Catch Club vs. LWO

Our NQCC trio is Gulak, Kemp and Borne. Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro are here — WITH CARLITO! There’s our match.

Cruz and Gulak are starting us off. Gulak gets Del Toro in a wristlock, he escapes and Gulak swings but Cruz escapes and comes off the ropes with a rana. He charges at Gulak and gets sent over the top, landing on the second rope and leaping off for a crossbody. WIlde in now, he gets bounced by Cruz off the ropes into a splash on Drew for two.

Wilde with a Euro uppercut, he gets sent into the ropes and dodges Kemp. Kemp in the ring, he avoids him and takes him down but Gulak distracts the official and Borne is in. It becomes a six-man brawl and the NQCC gets sent to the outside. Wilde gets on the middle rope and is CATAPULTED all the way to the ramp to dive onto the NQCC! Hot damn.

Wilde back up top and he leaps off to a front missile dropkick to Gulak in the ring, cover gets two. Wilde tees off on Drew, Irish whip reversed and Myles Borne with a cheap shot. Gulak takes Wilde down and then tags in Borne, who lays into Wilde with punches. Kemp tags in and nails WIlde, Wilde fires back but Kemp with a neckbreaker for a two-count.

Borne tags in as Kemp has an ankle lock, he nails Wilde and then tags in Gulak for a shot to the side. Bodyslam by Drew and a tag to Borne, who also tags Kemp. They sent Wilde into the corner for a German suplex, another off a dropkick by Borne and a cover but Carlito breaks it up. Kemp back to the anklelock and tags in Gulak, Wilde shoves him off but Wilde gets put to the hostile corner. Kemp in and Wilde tries to get to the tag but Kemp with an anklelock.

Wilde escapes a back suplex and gets the hot tag to Carlito! He lays out Kemp and then comes off the ropes for a double clothesline to Kemp and Borne! Backdrop to Gulak, Kemp comes off the ropes into a spinebuster, cover but Gulak breaks it up. They trade big moves for a bit, Kemp with a scoop slam to Wilde and catches Carlito with a uranage backbreaker. All men down now, Kemp covers Carlito for two.

Wilde goes up top — and dives onto Gulak and Borne on the outside! Kemp rolls up Carlito but Cruz got the blind tag, Kemp hit by Cruz an then a Backstabber by Carlito. Wilde up top, Carlito slams Kemp down — Wilde with a 540 for the pin!

Winner: LWO (8:34)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: A fast-paced but very crisp affair as you’d expect from these guys. This was a lot of fun and Carlito popped the crowd big, so mission accomplished on this one.

Gulak isn’t happy and says they’ll head to the den to straighten this out when Dempsey gets back. Carlito comes out of the ring and spits an apple in Gulak’s face.

* Kelly is with Trick and Melo, and Trick says he’s disappointed but he wishes the best for Ilja and when he gets healthy they’ll have the match. Melo doesn’t buy the situation. Grayson Waller walks in and says it’s fortunate for Trick because he wouldn’t have won. Trick says he was the Iron Survivor and Grayson says so was he. He mocks Melo for being the sidekick now, and Melo and Trick says Waller should face him. Melo says Trick will put up his #1 contendership and Waller’s down with it. Trick is shocked.

* Riley Osborne says in a vignette that this is the biggest match of his life and the reason he came to NXT, to follow in the footsteps of Finn Balor, Fit Finlay and more. He has to win the contract and if he wins, he has a real shot of winning a title in 2024. Oba Femi is a beast and he’s the underdog, but he wouldn’t have it any way. Somehow, someway, he has to win and be on a list of the great European superstars.

Arianna Grace vs. Roxanne Perez

Lockup to start, Grace with a wristlock and she works over the shoulder. Grace flips Roxy over her back hard and then offers a handshake. Roxy goes to shake and gets shoved in the face so she slaps Grace and puts her in the corner, then drags around the ring for slams into the turnbuckles. Grace blocks the thired and sends Roxy into the ropes, she comes off with a crossbody. Roxy with a La Magistral cradle, Grace counters and Roxey kicks out.

Grace with a back suplex but Roxy lands on her feet, Grace knocks her down and then catapult hangs her on the bottom rope. Grace sends Roxy into the corner headfirst a few times, then whips her across the ring and hits a charging back elbow. Bodyslam, floatover and a cover for two.

Grace into a modified camel clutch but Roxy pushes Grace into the ropes and rolls her up for two. Grace with a punch, followed by headslams into the mat as she talks about wanting to help Roxy. She manhandles Roxy and goes for a slap but Roxy blocks it. She catches a kick and tees off on Grace, front dropkick and then a charging Euro uppercut in the corner. Roxy climbs up for three punches, Grace rakes the yes and yanks her to the floor. Roxy counters a grab and hits Pop Rocks for three.

Winner: Roxanne Perez (5:09)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Limited by how much time they had, but this was a solid match. Grace is developing well in the ring and Roxy is enjoying this new edge to her character..

Grace yells at Roxy after the match, saying she has issues. Roxy counters by knocking Grace down and wailing on her, then locking in a crossface. Officials break it up and hold her back. The official calls Alicia Taylor over and due to Roxy’s actions, the decision is reversed and Grace is the winner. Roxy is pissed.

* Ava walks out of HBK’s office and Kelly walks up to her. She says it was a tough decision to make with Ilja but his health had to be looked after. Kelly asks why Ava has been helping Shawn, and she says Heyman advised her that NXT needs some help and she’s there to give it. The Men’s Dusty Classic kicks off next week.

* We get Tiff’s vignette promoting her match with Fallon where she says she’s already sick of her. We get a montage of their feud. Tiff said it once and will say it again: Fallon will never be her. Tiff says Fallon will become her servant just the way it’s supposed to be.

* Nikkita walks up being Blair Davenport and smacks a cabinet, saying she could have taken Blair out just then. Blair says that she doesn’t have the killer instinct, and Nikkita says she won’t sneak attack her. It devolves into the two yelling at each other and officials coming between them.

Ranch Hand/Servant For a Day Match
Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley

Fallon throws the towel in Tiff’s face and attacks at the bell. Irish whip reversed but Fallon runs Tiff over and sends her to the outside. Tiff pulls Fallon out but gets slammed into the apron. Fallon counters a shove into the ring steps and batters her with chops, then rolls her in and covers for two.

Tiffany with a shot to turn it around but Fallon with a drop toe-hold counter and a kick to the head. Fallon slides out of the ring for an uppercut but Tiff grabs her and slams her into the ringpost. We’re on PIP break.

We’re back as Tiffany comes off the ropes with a hip attack to Fallon. They both end up going into the ropes and come off with a double clothesline. Fallon and Tiff start trading blows as they get to their feet, Tiff with a knee to the gut and comes off the ropes into a spin kick. Fallon takes over and kicks Tiff down in the corner, Tiff escapes to the outside and Fallon follows to send her into the guardrail. Back in the ring, Fallon up top and she hits a high crossbody for two.

Tiffany counters an Irish whip with a knee to the gut, she gets Fallon on her shoulders but Fallon counters into a crucifix powerbomb for a nearfall! Fallon goes for a suplex but it’s blocked, they go into the corner and Tiffany with a spinebuster for two. Tiffany plants Fallon and goes for the moonsault, Fallon avoids it and rocks Tiff. Tiff shoves Fallon over the ropes but gets pulled along for the ride.

They’re trading shots on the outside, Tiff picks Falllon up but she grabs the ropes so Tiff drops her face-first on the apron. She rolls Fallon in and grabs a chair, going to swing — Fallon kicks her in the gut. She and the ref fight for the chair — Fallon charges in with a knee! That gets the pin!

Winner: Fallon Henley (9:04)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Very good match here, both of these two can go and they do click in the ring. There was some really good stuff going on in this match, and Fallon getting the win puts her in a good spot by beating a former champion.

* Corbin walks up to Bron backstage who asks what he wants. Corbin asks if Bron heard what Ava said last week, the Dusty Classic is next week and Corbin believes they’d be a good team. Bron laughs and says Corbin must be desperate. Corbin says if his brain was a quarter size of his ego and notes that no one else wants to team with him because he’s a smug, arrogant asshole. Bron asks why Corbin wants to tag with him then, and Corbin says they’re both assholes. Corbin says they’d destroy everyone and Bron starts to visualize — him leading the team with baldy behind him. Corbin says Bron won’t lead anything, he’ll be putting on his tenth coat of tanner. Bron says this’ll be fun.

* We get Oba Femi’s vignette hyping the NXT Breakout Tournament finals.

* Ridge Holland is sitting down to talk, it’s next.

* Gigi Dolin is talking about how she doesn’t do New Year’s Resolution when Cora Jade walks in and asks what’s wrong here? Gigi’s in her locker, and Gigi says she must have gotten so confused, can she forgive her? When Cora won’t respect other lockers, she won’t respect Cora’s. Cora says Gigi doesn’t want to go there, and Gigi says she does.

* Ridge is asked about his return and redemption, and he said he’s no stranger to ring mishaps. Ridge says Sarah is spot-on and hit the nail on the head. He says he’s no stranger to mishaps and accidents, and just as he was starting to climb, he remembered that they were building to WarGames and he blew both his legs out, suffered a host of gnarly injuries and at that moment, he thought it was all over. He laid on the ramp looking at the lights and wondered how he could go home and tell his pregnant wife that he had pulled her away from home but it’s done, they need to go back. It’s how he fed his family and paid his bills.

Sarah notes that he rebuilt himself and joined the Brawling Brutes, and he said it’s bittersweet because he gets flashbacks to when his nose was broken at Day 1. He had to have reconstructive surgery. He had to pick himself up because he had people relying on him.

Sarah mentions when he came back and fought Ilja, and it had an abrupt ending. She asks who the Ridge Holland is that he wants people to know? He says he respects Ilja and meant everything he said. When the bell rung that night, what happened happened and there was no malicious intent. He’s not a monster who aimlessly tries to hurt people and take away careers, because he knows what that’s like. He doesn’t have it in him to do that to someone else. But the point stands that he’s NXT for a reason: prove to everyone who he is, and he’ll go through the roster man by man to prove himself and find redemption, and show the NXT Universe who Ridge Holland really is.

* Riley is walking for his match and Jacy pushes Thea toward him. She says she’s rooting for him and he high-fives her and walks off. Thea freaks out over it and says she’s never washing her hand again. Amazing.

NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament Finals
Oba Femi vs. Riley Osborne

Femi grabs RIley at the bell and puts him on the top, but they break. Riley with kicks and dodges to Femi, he hits an enzuigiri and comes off the ropes but Oba swats him aside. Riley with a front facelock, Femi stands up and throws Riley off. He picks Riley up but RIley floats over, he chops the leg and comes off the ropes into a chokehold, with Femi pushing Osborne over the top to the floor.

Femi out and rolls Riley in, he charges but Riley pulls the ropes down and Femi to the outside. Riley with a kick from the apron but Femi leaps up and clotheslines Riley to the apron. We’re on PIP break.

We’re back and Riley is in a bear hug. He elbows his way out but catches a kneelift. Femi throws Riley into the corner and then reapplies the bear hug. Riley punches his way free but is hit with a uranage backbreaker. Femi stomps on Riley’s back and says he should stay down, then picks him up to reapply the bear hug. The crowd chants for Riley and he punches free, Femi goes for a German but Riley escapes it before being knocked down.

Femi works Riley over in the corner and whips him across the ring. He charges in, Osborne moves and Femi hits the ringpost. Osborne whipped into the ropes, he goes up and over and tries for the sunset flip to no avail. Osborne takes over through and hits a standing corkscrew moonsault for a nearfall.

Osborne charges at Femi for a Euro uppercut, but Femi takes over and puts Riley on the apron. Osborne kicks Oba in the head and goes up top — Femi is up and he rolls through the SSP. Big leg lariat by Osborne, he goes up top — 450 but Femi gets the knees up! Femi with the Snake Eyes and then flings Riley across the ring! Femi lies in wait — POWER BOMB! That’s it.

Winner: Oba Femi (9:42)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Obvious result was obvious, but they gave Osborne a good underdog run here and put just enough doubt that maybe he could win. Very solid match between these two, but the right guy won.

* OTM vignette when they say that XXX has had a good run, but once they’re done with the two they’ll have a new nickname. They may be champs now, but they don’t have the hunger anymore. Tney’ve been starving and are hunger. They have gold everywhere but their waist and next week, they’ll make Tony and Stacks know what it feels like to be hungry. SCRYPTS says they beat the streets and system, they’ll pull the punk card and become new NXT Tag Team Champions.

* Kelly asks Kiana and Izzi how their partnership came about. Izzi asked if she saw the social media comments asking who she was, and she says she made the right decision. Kiana says Izzi has potential and will step on who she needs to in order to get ahead. She sees dollar signs with Izzi and they are friends, so it’s time to make money. In 2023 we learned Kiana was a threat, now Izzi will be the same.

* Trick asks Melo how he could put Trick’s title shot up against Waller. Melo says Trick has got this and was gonna beat Ilja anyway. Melo says he’ll be at Trick’s side, but Trick says he’s doing this by himself. Melo says when they were hooping, it was by himself? Trick says he has to run this himself.

* Thea and Jacy are talking about how close Riley was, and Thea says she should text him but thinks better of it. Maybe a gift card? Jacy says let him calm down. Andre Chase and Duke Hudson walk up and talk about the Dusty Cup, and Jacy says she’s taking over and Chase can’t focus on two things at once. Jacy says it’ll be Duke and Riley in the Dusty Cup. Jacy says Chase U hangs in the balance and he doesn’t have to say he’s not handling it well because it’s all over his face. She’s going to get the money with Thea’s help. She’s going to dig down and help get the University up.

They leave and Tatum runs up to Lyra, saying she’s still champion and thus all is right in the world. She runs of and Lyra says “…thank you?”

* Axiom talks to Nathan about the Dusty Cup and asks if he’s in? Brooks Jensen had been in the back and walked off dejectedly. Nathan says now he’s talking. They’re going to make a lot of noise and all the established tag teams have failed miserably. Edris and Malik have walked in and witnessed it all. It goes about as well as you might think.

* Stacks and Tony walk out into the parking lot and complain about how Chase caused them to have their title match. Adrianna says they’ll take care of business and to introduce her. Tony says she’s Adrianna Rizzo. They go to open the trunk of their car and Joe Gacy is in there, he says he’s been in there a few hours. Tony asks what happened to the guy in there, and he says he thought they were taking him to the bridge so…you know. No Joe, we don’t.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Tag Team Title Match: Tony & Stacks vs. OTM
– Dusty Classic begins
– Gigi Dolin vs. Cora Jade

#1 Contendership On The Line
Grayson Waller vs. Trick Williams

The two men jaw a bit to start and the crowd chants for Trick. So Waller with a cheap shot jab, and he batters Trick in the corner before being backed off. Waller with a suplex and cover for one. Waller with an Irish whip, Trick with a sunset flip. Into the ropes and Trick with a dropkick and scoop slams. Waller floats over on the third slam but gets dropkicked, Trick hits the third slam and covers for two.

Knee from Trick and a spinning neckbreaker, he goes for a spin kick but Waller escapes to the outside. Waller trips Trick and pulls him out but Trick batters Waller around the ring and hits a big openhanded chop against the guardrail. Waller takes back over but Trick reverses a toss and sends Waller over the booth. Back in the ring and Waller kicks Trick to the floor, he slides out for a clothesline as we go to PIP break.

We’re back and Waller is in control, but Trick blocks a couple suplex attempts and reverses it. Trick batters Waller into the corner and beats him down, then grabs him for a whip across the ring. But Waller goes up and drops into a stomp onto Trick’s neck for a two-count.

Trick on the apron and Waller chucks him into the ringpost, then wraps him in the turnbuckles. Back in and Waller locks in a single-leg crab, Trick is trying to survive and Waller cinches in. Trick crawls across the ring and gets to the ropes, Waller gets go at three.

Waller mocks Trick and leaps back from a swing, then says Trick isn’t on his or Melo’s level. Trick decks him in response! Both men slow to get up, Trick ducks a swing and tees off on Waller. Irish whip reversed, Trick with a clothesline and a flapjack! He charges at Waller who hangs him on the top rope, he goes for the stunner through the ropes but Trick pops him up for an uppercut and nearfall.

Trick stomps on Waller and lays in the fists to the head. He goes for a neckbreaker but Waller counters and hits a kneelift. Trick up on the top, Waller climbs but Trick fights him off and hits a uranage off the second rope! Cover gets a nearfall but Waller’s foot is on the ropes.

Waller escapes to the outside and hangs up Trick’s arm on the rope. He leaps into the ring for a Flatliner for two-plus! Waller now goes to the second rope and goes out, he goes for the elbow but Trick moves! Neckbreaker!

Trick is lying in wait but Melo runs out and Trick argues with him. Waller is lying in wait — KEVIN OWENS is here! Owens decks Waller and rolls him in right into the knee for three.

Winner: Trick Williams (13:06)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Fantastic work here by both men. This match had a lot going against it as a bait and switch, but they deliverred here and the Owens appearance was a nice touch. Melo needs to turn soon though, it’s been dragged out long enough.

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

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Another special episode of NXT, another absolute hit. This week's show dug itself in a hole early on by bait and switching the NXT Championship match, but it paid off in the end with a lot of decent-to-great matches, a bit of storyline development and a strong go-home finish. While there are concerning things -- the trigger needs to have been pulled on Melo and Trick a few weeks ago -- on the whole this was a great episode.