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Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 1.23.24
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas, piloting the ship tonight as per the norm, and tonight Lyra Valkyria and Roxanne Perez will sign the contract for their NXT Women’s Championship match at NXT Vengeance Day. We’ll also see the first match in the Dusty Classic Semifinals as Axiom and Nathan Frazer take on Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin. In addition, Dragon Lee will take on SCRYPTS and Lola Vice will appear on the Supernova Sessions. We’ll probably get more in the Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams story as Trick heads toward his match with Ilja Dragunov at Vengeance Day, and I bet Joe Gacy will do something wacky. Not everything can be a winning segment.
Here at Thomas HQ, I took it a little lighter on my movie watching (although you can check out the first part of my Top 20 Films of 2023 here). I did get some watching done though including Saltburn which was…a lot, but I generally liked it. Similarly, I liked Netflix’s Maestro and loved the performances and direction, though the script didn’t strike a great chord. The same can be said of Rustin, which features fantastic performances but doesn’t quite capture the magic of the true civil rights story it’s telling. Outside of my last bits of 2023 catchup, I finally watched The Autopsy of Jane Doe which was appropriately creepy, as well as doing a rewatch of Urban Legends: Final Cut which is as bad as I remembered.
I did watch a lot more TV this week, including staying caught up on Drag Race season 16 where I’m loving almost all the looks and also loving Amanda Tori Meating’s personality. I also started on True Detective: Night Country which got off to a wonderful start that feels more in quality with season one. And I began watching Hazbin Hotel, a delightful R-rated animated series on Prime Video, and though I’m only one episode in I’m in love. I also did some Dimension 20 side quest watching as I finally finished The Seven from 2021, which I adored and began watching Shriek Week, which is off to a fun start.
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 recap of the women’s battle royal/Fatal Four-Way from last week’s episode which included Lola Vice and Elektra Lopez splitting, Blair Davenport taking out Karmen Petrovic, Thea Hail eliminating Arianna Grace and Wren Sinclair lasting to the top five until being eliminated by Kiana James. And then finally, Roxy winning the match to earn the Vengeance Day title shot.
* We’re LIVE in the Capitol Wrestling Center and starting with the Dusty Rhodes Classic!
Dusty Rhodes Classic Semifinal Match
Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin vs. Axiom & Nathan Frazer
Axiom and Frazer attack Bron and Corbin before the bell and chop down Corbin with kicks, then Axiom takes down both Frazer and Bron before Frazer and Axiom send Bron and Corbin to the outside and dive on them! But Bron nails Axiom and throws him to the ring steps — Axiom goes over, Frazer attacks him from behind and then they double team both Corbin and Bron.
Axiom gets Corbin in the ring and the bell rings. Missile dropkick and a cover for two. Axiom works Corbin’s wrist and tags in Frazer who keeps the lock on and batters Corbin’s shoulder. Axiom in and gets a leaping axehandle, Frazer in to continue working the shoulder.
Corbin backs Frazer into the corner, but Frazer ducks a shot and nails Corbin before applying a shoulderlock. Corbin to his feet and throws Frazer in the corner, he dives but Frazer ducks and lays in punches — but Corbin with a big boot to stop the momentum. Corbin batters Frazer and picks him up for a shot before tagging in Bron.
Frazer ducks a kick by Corbin and Axiom gets him on the outside, Axiom goes for a rana but gets caught and power bombed into the boot. Frazer off the top and Bron catches him in a slam. Beatings commence as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Axiom kicks out of a nearfall. Bron puts him in the corner and tags in Corbin, who lays into Axiom and knocks him down. Axiom back up with a chop but gets knocked back down, Axiom is fighting back but gets planted with a back suplex for two.
Bron tags in, sets Axiom up and hits a back suplex into a cutter! Cover gets two-plus. Axiom whipped into the corner and kicks Corbin, ducks Bron and tags in Frazer who comes off the ropes to run into Bron! Across the ring, up and over, Bron charges and Frazer leapfrogs to send Bron into the ringpost. Corbin comes in but Frazer pulls down the ropes as he charges, Frazer dives off the top on Bron and Corbin!
Axiom and Frazer with top-tope splashes to Bron, cover gets two and Axiom immediately goes into an armbar. Frazer hits Corbin with the sleeper at the same time. But Bron picks Axiom up and slams him on to Frazer to break both holds. Bron tags in and gets kicked, Frazer charges but Corbin with the Deep Six. DVD to Axiom into a brainbuster, cover and AXIOM KICKS OUT! Corbin is pissed.
Corbin grabs Axiom and lifts him onto Bron’s shoulders for a slam, cover and still a kickout! Bron put on the top but kicks back at Bron, he goes up and over but is turned inside out with a clothesline. Frazer knocked off the apron, Bron goes up top — enzuigiri by Axiom! Frazer tags in, Axiom grabs Bron for a Spanish Fly! And Axiom with the Phoenix Splash! Cover but Baron breaks it up.
Baron goes up and around Corbin but is rocked with End of Days. Frazer flips through an End of Days but gets speared for three.
Winner: Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin (12:04)
Rating: *** 3/4
Thoughts: This was simply a glorious TV match and started the show VERY hot. The match made Axiom and Frazer look great without hurting Bron and Corbin. There were moments I wondered if they might lose and feud immediately, but they’re moving on and I’m fine with that.
* Ilja Dragnov is backstage and Josh Briggs interrupts a conversation. Briggs says he wants to find out who he is and wants to test himself against Ilja. Ilja admires the bravery but asks if that’s what Briggs wants. Briggs suggests Ilja is afraid by double booking Trick, and they get in each other’s face before Trick splits it up and tells Briggs he needs to prove himself another day. They argue and that leads to a Trick vs. Briggs match. Trick tells Ilja that he’s making sure Ilja makes it to Vengeance Day, and Ilja questions if Trick will. He says he’ll be watching tonight.
* Wren is talking herself up in the locker room about her match tonight and Fallon walks in. She asks if Wren is okay and Wren says she’s nervous about her first singles match. She says she’s trying to make friend and not too many enemies. Fallon says to take a breath and it isn’t easy to be the new girl, but she’s already off to a great start by eliminating Lash last week. Wren self high-fives and runs off.
* Ava walks out of a meeting with Shawn Michaels — AND SO DOES WILLIAM REGAL! Regal says Ava is officially the youngest GM in WWE. He tells her to look after NXT for him and says it’s a thankless job with long hours, egos to juggle and hard decisions to make, but she can do it. He says his phone is always on and shakes her hand.
Lash Legend vs. Wren Sinclair
Lash goes after Wren to start and gets her in the corner, Wren escapes and goes for armdrags but Lash blocks it. Wren on Lash’s back for a sleeper, Lash runs into the ropes and hangs Wren on the top. Mounted punches from Legend followed by head slams into the mat.
Lash grabs Wren and bends her back against the middle rope to lay in forearms to the chest. She puts Wren in the corner for shoulders to the gut, then gets Wren on her back for a Torture Rack. Wren wriggles free and goes for a sunset flip, Las teeters but picks Wren up and puts her in the corner. A charge but Wren ducks and Lash goes shoulder-first into the ringpost.
Enzuigiri by Wren to Lash, sunset flip attempt but Jakara holds onto Lash! The ref sees it and Wren gets the roll-up for two. Lash charges at Wren who ducks, she nearly runs into Jakara but stops short. Wren collides the two, roll-up for two. Lash then hits the big bomb for three.
Winner: Lash Legend (2:56)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: Squash match.
Meta-Four approaches Wren post-match but Fallon comes out and makes the save. They put Lash over the top rope.
* Earlier today, Adriana Rizzo was beat up at the D’Anglo restaurant and OTM told the waiter that they make the rules, then leave.
* We get a recap of the Joe Gacy and Dijak altercation from last week, they’re competing this week.
* Elektra Lopez walks into the CWC and asks where Lola is. The crew member she asks doesn’t know and Lopez says to say she’s looking for her.
Dijak vs. Joe Gacy
Gacy attacks Dijak during their entrance and they brawl around the ring. Gacy sends Dijak into the ringpost, but Dijak manages to throw Gacy into the ringsteps. Dijak batters Gacy against the steps and throws him over the guardrail.
Officials are out now, Dijak grabs a chair but is distracted and Gacy leaps onto the barricade onto him. He grabs the chair and nails Djiak with it, then swings but Dijak moves and kicks Gacy through the stage.
Gacy is crawling out of the setup! He attacks Dijak and batters him, but gets caught with a uranage THROUGH the announcer’s table! Officials break it up but Dijak attacks the security. And Gacy is free! He leaps on Dijak for a sleeper hold and officials try to pull him off, eventually doing it. Gacy and Dijak scream at each other as they’re held back.
* Arianna Grace thanks fans for her support and gives some wisdom from her grandmother, apparently practicing a speech. Lopez walks in asking “where is she?” Grace says “right here!” but Lopez is looking for Lola.
* Lexis King is walking backstage and says Trey Bearhill better be grateful for the spotlight he’s going to put on Trey tonight.
Winner: XXXXX (XX:XX)
Rating:
Thoughts: XXXXXXXXXXXXX.
* Over the weekend, Stone brought Von to his old football stomping grounds at UCF. Stone says they’re going to work on speed, stamina and agility and has the best coaches — Stone’s kids! They ask if he’s ready and he says “FUCK YEAH!”
They run Von through his paces and give him a hefty workout. Von throws the football at one point and beans Stone. They put Dar’s face on a tackling dummy and have him tackle it, but it’s not strong enough the first time so they psyche him up and he obliterates it. They deem him ready and he screams “NOAM!”
Lexis King vs. Trey Bearhill
King ducks a clothesline and kicks Trey who shrugs it off, yells and starts to beat on King. King to the apron, Trey grabs him and throws him into the ring. Trey charges in for an avalanche in the corner, then picks King up for a bodyslam. Leaping elbow but King moves.
King attacks Trey with stomps and says Trey doesn’t belong in the ring with him. He showboats and kicks Trey in the chest and again, but Trey shouts and stands up. He catches a kick, King ducks a clothesline but is hit on the rebound. Trey with overhand blows, then a rake to the back and a double overhand smash.
Trey yells at King to get up, grabs him for a choke slam but King escapes and hits a couple superkicks and a big forearm to the back of the head. Coronation and that’s it.
Winner: Lexis King (2:25)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Trey Bearhill.
* Trick walks into the locker room and asks Melo where he’s been, and he says he’s been scouting the LWO. He tells Trick to keep his eyes on the prize and that he shouldn’t be fighting Ilja’s battles. Trick says he wants Ilja at 100% and Melo says Ilja has been acting with his injury and everything else. Trick says he’s been thinking all of that. They understand each other and clasp hands.
* It’s time for Supernova Sessions! Noam is here with Ora and say Lash and Jakara aren’t here because they’re taking care of Wren and Fallon. Ora mock Von for training with Stone’s kids and Noam says Von’s never going to beat him, and he’ll never touch the Heritage Cup.
Noam says Lola Vice was in a match last week that she didn’t need to be in just to screw over her friend, and introduces her. Lola comes down to the ring with her contract. Noam says it’s a pleasure to have her and says Lopez’s reaction when Lola eliminated her was fantastic. She asks if it was planned and Lola says there was an expiration date the moment they teamed up. She says Lopez saw a rising star and latched onto her, she’s a leech and Lola was sick of carrying dead weight.
Noam asks if she has regrets and she says she regrets nothing. She doesn’t regret all the fans watching her every move, the women backstage being jealous of her or anything else.
HERE’S ELEKTRA! Elektra says she doesn’t question why Lola did it; she questions who Lola is. Elektra says Lopez is always crying backstage about her likes and says she sacrificed everything she did to get here. Elektra says she sacrificed everything to be here and La Madrina is real, while Lola got here by shaking her ass on Instagram. One minute she’s auditioning for a Lifetime movie and then she’s a wannabe MMA fighter shaking her ass in lingerie. She calls Lola a phony and says next week they face off one-on-one.
Lola asks Elektra if she knows what she’s getting into. Lopez says she doesn’t want to wait until next week; she’s burning Vice City down now! SHe tackles Lola agross the couches and officials come to break them up.
* Tony D’Angelo appears in a video with Stacks and Rizzo, and says they made a mistake. Bronco, Lucian, SCRYPTS and Jaida are told that things are about to get interesting real soon.
* It’s Chase U time! But not a happy time as the classroom is being repo’d. Riley Osborne apologizes and says that his time here was short but he loved it. Chase says it was his fault. Duke says it’s just material stuff and can be replaced — but someone takes his MVP trophy and he loses it. He says without the trophy and Chase U, he’ll spiral quick.
Chase says everything he worked so hard for is gone. He says he has nothing left and someone tries to take the podium. He yells at the guy but Duke stops him, and the podium is gone. Chase says they had a good run but next week, they officially say goodbye. They look over the empty room and Chase says “Class dismissed” before turning out the lights.
Dragon Lee vs. SCRYPTS
Circle to start and a lockup, Lee with a wristlock. SCRYPTS flips out but Lee reapples it, SCRYPTS gets to the ropes and they break, Lee with a headlock takedown and Oba Femi is watching from the platform. SCRYPTS dodges sone moves but gets caught with a front dropkick and is knocked to the outside, and Lee with a somersault dive onto him.
Back in the ring and Lee with a slingshot baesment dropkick, he charges into the corner for knee strikes and covers for two. Whip into the ropes, SCRYPTS hangs on and escapes to Lee flips to the outside, batters him and rolls him in. Lee goes to run up to the top but SCRYPTS with a leaping kick and then dives onto Lee! Lee rolled into the ring, SCRYPTS up top, high crossbody gets two.
SCRYPTS batters Lee with overhead forearm strikes to the chest. Lee back up and fights off, into the ropes but he runs into some kicks. Snapmare by SCRYPTS and a dropkick to the back, cover for two.
SCRYPTS mocks Lee and tells him to get up. He slaps Lee who starts firing back. WHip into the ropes reversed, Lee knocks SCRYPTS down twice and hits a Tornado DDT! Lee lies in wait, and Bronco on the ropes for a distraction. SCRYPTS with a kick but Lee fires back, countered powerbombs, Lee with a knee to the jaw and a Spanish Fly off the ropes…
And HERE COMES TONY D AND STACKS! Rizzo in the ring and dives through onto Jaida! They fight to the back, and Lee with a tilt-a-whirl DDT for three.
Winner: Dragon Lee (5:28)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: As good as a match this long can be. It was more about the D’Angelo Family than Lee, but the in-ring action was still good..
Afterward, Oba says he’s made his decision and will see Lee at Vengeance Day!
* Edris and Malik are backstage and Edris says he made the Dusty gear last week for what? They’re dejected but Brinley walks in and shares the positivity. She says you only lose if you don’t learn and dig up the positives in every match. She says she wrote in her wellness journal and worked out tons, and she’s ready for whatever’s next.
Edris says he’s sorry but they’ve been stymied and they don’t need journals or positivity. Brinley says they’re going to write about five things they liked about the match and five they didn’t, chops Edris’ chest and leaves.
* Lyra is watching a video backstage next to her NXT Women’s Championship when Tatum comes in and spooks her, talking about how last week was her career highlight. Lyra says they need to talk and Tatum is…really special, but last week was a one-time thing. She needs to focus on Roxy and can’t respond to the hundreds of texts, DMs and emails. Tatum says she understands, it’s all about Roxy. Lyra says they’re on the same page and leaves, but Tatum’s behavior suggests they aren’t on the same page.
Blair Davenport vs. Karmen Petrovic
Karmen ducks a clothesline and kicks at Blair, then does it again. Lockup, Blair with a kneelift and whip into the ropes, Karmen ducks under Blair and rolls her up for one-plus. Blair kicks Karmen in the corner and hits a double stomp off the second rope, then sends Karmen into the corner twice before hitting a backbreaker for two.
Blair wrenches Karmen backward with a knee to the back, big knee and a whip into the corner. But Karmen goes up and over a back suplex and kicks away at Blair. Forearms to Blair and a shot to the head, she gets up and lies in wait — charging kick to the head. She goes for the leaping kick but Blair moves, they counter wrestle and Karmen gets a spin kick for two.
Karmen charges in but Blair moves and hits a front dropkick to Karmen. Michinoku Driver and the Knockout Blow.
Winner: Blair Davenport (3:12)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: This was rushed and had a couple iffy moments, but Blair is quite good and Karmen displayed potential in the ring. By no means great, but not awful.
* Kelly asks Ridge Holland about Gallus attacking him and he says Joe said he had no friends, then used the numbers game. Kelly asks why Ridge doesn’t ask for help and he said he’s not going to prove Joe right. He left Brawling Brutes to stand on his own and says he’s going to take on Gallus by himself.
Set For Next Week:
– NXT Heritage Cup Match: Noam Dar vs. Von Wagner
– Lola Vice vs. Elektra Lopez
– Dusty Classic Semifinal Match: Melo & Trick vs. LWO
Josh Briggs vs. Trick Williams
Briggs backs Trick up against the ropes, Trick escapes and talks some trash. Trick shot into the ropes, Briggs with a big back elbow and then an elbowdrop for two. Briggs tells Ilja to watch this and drives the elbow into Trick’s head a few times, then whips him across the ring. He charges but Williams gets the foot up, Briggs send into the ropes and Trick with a dropkick and bodyslam. A second bodyslam follows.
Briggs knocks Trick down with a big punch and then hits the boot off the ropes. Chokeslam gets two. Trick rolls out of the ring and Ilja tells Trick to get up as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Trick elbows his way out of danger and comes off the ropes, but gets hit with a sidewalk slam. Briggs grabs Trick and hits a dropkick to the back. Trick back up and fights back, laying in fists to Briggs. Irish whip reversed, Trick leaps and hits a lariat. Side kicks by Trick and he’s lying in wait: he goes for the spin kick but Briggs blocks it, puts Trick down and hits an elbow for a two-count.
Briggs whips Trick into the corner and charges in but they collide heads and spill to separate parts of the outside. Ilja talks to Trick and Briggs goes for a big boot but nails Ilja! Trick with a kick to Brigs, Ilja tris to get in the ring and Melo comes from under the ring to take him out! In the ring, Trick rolls Briggs up for three.
Winner: Trick Williams (7:38)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Briggs is developing well as a singles guy, but this was all about the storyline. The in-ring stuff was good enough; it didn’t take things to the next level but both men delivered what was needed.
Briggs lays out Trick after the match and walks off. Ilja is pissed and has to be held back while Trick and Melo argue in the ring. Ilja says he’s done with Melo.
* Thea is upset and says Chase U was her life but it’s all gone. Jacy says she’s workshopping and it’s not done. Lexis comes in and creeps on Thea, who says she’s fine. Riley comes in and tells him to buzz off, King says they’re going from zero to hero and Thea says Riley’s the hero. Riley asks if they can talk alone later and Thea says yes. He walks off, Thea freaks out and Jacy says to chill because she’s a grown-ass woman.
* We get another No Quarter Catch Crew vignette where they talk about how it’s not about friendships and are about four men united against entertainment. Our breaking point is their starting line. Every match they invoke the Catch Point where they determine which of them will compete. No catch, no quarter.
* Backstage, Trick is angry at Melo who says Ilja was coming for him. Trick doesn’t buy it and Melo says he’s doing to Trick what he did to Corbin and he needs to wake up.
* Vic runs down the NXT Vengeance Day card.
* Ava is here as GM to oversee the contract signing. She says with the Rumble on Saturday and Vengeance Day the week after, all eyes on NXT. She introduces Roxy and then Lyra.
Ava says there are big expectations for the match. Roxy says to get the respect out of the way because they both know they respect each other, and that this is an NXT Stand & Deliver match nine weeks early. Lyra agrees and says that this is a match everyone wants to see and they’ve been on parallel path for the last year, noting that she debuted when Roxy won the NXT Women’s Championship.
Roxy says Lyra’s had a great year and is the champion of the best women’s division in WWE, but it feels familiar because Roxy is where Lyra was last year. Everyone has witnessed Lyra’s rise while she had to pick herself up and fight to a title match for a title she didn’t lose in the first place. There’s no triple threats, battle royals, stipulations or anything, and she’ll be able to get the title and make it all worth it.
Lyra says she’s kept her eye on Roxy from a girl that’s just happy to be here to a confident woman who is able to snap when the situation needs it. She isn’t trying to push Roxy’s buttons but she’s replaced Roxy on top. And she knows Roxy is bringing the edgy her and she wants it, because Roxy is the last person she has to beat to prove she belongs where she is.
Roxy says Lyra’s so confident and she’s been there: it’s just another PLE, another title defense. But she tells Lyra what will happen: she’ll lose and then question herself, asking what’s next. She says some days the fans won’t be there and will boo her. Can she handle that? When she becomes champion — and she will — will Lyra be able to rebuild herself the way she did, or will she crumble.
Lyra says she’s always been more mentally tough and she won’t crumble like Roxy. When she wins, Roxy will be behind her permanently.
Ava gets between them and tells them they’re saving that for Vengeance Day and to sign the contract. They do, and then stare off. Lyra offers a hand, Roxy takes it and we get6 the title held up and stareoff.
Lyra leaves and Tatum comes from under the table to attack Roxy, putting her through a table. Lyra shoves Tatum and says to stay away from her. No one is happy here.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
