Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 10.24.23

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! Jeremy Thomas as per the usual, and tonight is night one of Halloween Havoc! We have a lot to look forward to including Becky Lynch defending the NXT Women’s Championship against Lyra Valkyria, Tony D’Angelo & Stacks putting their NXT Tag Team Titles on the line against Chase U, and a Lights Out match between Blair Davenport and Gigi Dolin. Plus Roxanne Perez faces Kiana James in a Devil’s Playground match, while Lexis King makes his NXT debut. And we’ll have Shotzi and Scarlett as hosts, so that should be fun.

Here at Thomas HQ, I’m nearing the end of my Hooptober viewing challengewatch and I got a lot of watching done over the past week. The 1981 Australia folk horror flick Alison’s Birthday was fine if a little by the numbers, while Night of the Comet is a fun little 1980s mix of post-apocalyptic and Valley Girl sensibilities. I wanted to like the 1970 lesbian vampire flick The Vampire Lovers more than I did; it was fine, but went on about seven and a half minutes to long and nearly ruined itself in the process. And Dark Waters was a nice attempt at a cult film, but it was vastly hurt by attempting to stretch its short film-length story into a feature film length.

Fortunately, the next film was a new favorite of mine in May, which made me intensely uncomfortable well before it started dispatching its characters. Aaron Morehead and Justin Benson’s Something in the Dirt was an interesting bit of sci-fi pseudo-horror that I didn’t emotionally connect with, though I appreciated what it was doing. On the other hand, I very much connected with the pure camp value of Ken Russell’s The Lair of the White Worm. On the non-Hooptober viewing side, I watched Netflix’s documentary The Devil on Trial which failed to do much with the fascinating case of Arne Johnson, and did a rewatch of Ready or Not which remains a delightfully fun flick.

And of course, I am staying caught up on Drag Race UK season five which, as always, I recommend.

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 kick off right into New Year’s Day performing their track “Vampyre” which also includes some montage clips promoting tonight’s matches.

* Shotzi and Scarlett are in the ring, with Shotzi as Pinhead saying that they have such sights to show us. Scarlett as Maria Antoinette says they don’t want to keep us waiting, or we might lose our heads. First up is the Devil’s Playground match.

Devil’s Playground Match
Roxanne Perez vs. Kiana James

Kiana swings with the bag to start the match. She gets Roxy in the corner and runs in, but Roxy with the foot up. She goes to the second rope and dives onto Kiana, then comes off the ropes with a rana. Kiana manages to get Roxy to the apron but Roxy pulls her to the floor, then dives — but Kiana catches her! She goes to a kiddie pool but Roxy slips off and rolls Kiana up for two.

Roxy onto the steps for a sunset flip bomb for two. Kiana goes for a back suplex, Roxy lands on her feet and rolls Kiana up for two. Roxy grabs the plastic swing seat and nails Kiana with it, she goes to suplex James onto the slide but Kiana counters and reverses. She grabs a laptop out of the bag and nails Roxy with it as we go to break.

We’re back as Kiana is using a chain around Roxy’s face and pulls her shoulder first into the ringpost a couple times. She tries again and Roxy blocks it and reverses. Kiana right back through as she nails Roxy with a trash can — and Roxy comes back, using the swingset to dropkick the can into Kiana! Roxy back in the ring, she dives through the ropes onto Kiana and then pulls a peice of fence off the set. Roxy doubles Kiana over and then bracks the fence piece over Kiana’s back. Russian leqsweep into the slide, cover for a nearfall.

Roxy goes after Kiana with a trash can but James dodges twice and then nails Roxy. Roxy battles back and comes off the guardrail for a rana — Kiana catches her and slams her into the guardrail, then power bombs her into the trash can! Cover for almost three.

Kiana grabs the seesaw piece and slams it over Roxy’s back, then chokes her with it against the steps. Roxy gets free and dodges a swing, hits a spinning kick to the gut and goes for Pop Rocks but Kiana escapes. Kiana sends Roxy past the guardrail and double stomps on her, then pulls her up for a superplex off the guardrail — but Roxy blocks it! They trade shots on the guardrail, Roxy goes for a Russian legsweep but Kiana blocks it. Kiana off the guardrail but gets hit with the bag! Pop Rocks onto the bag for three.

Winner: Roxanne Perez (10:48)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: A solid car crash match. Kiana isn’t the best worker in NXT but she did fine work with Roxy here, and they play off each other well. This was a perfectly fine starter for the show

* Last night, Vic Joseph talked with Melo. He asks Melo if he attacked Trick Williams last week. Melo asks if it’s an interrogation or an interview, and says it sounds like it’s assuming he’s guilty. He says the notion is crazy. Vic asks what Melo has to do differently against Ilja now that he’s the challenger. Melo says he has to ask himself how to beat Ilja, noting that it’s an emotional question. It’s about his motivation, and it’s not just about the title, it’s about being “Him.” All the work and achievements just to be second best? Melo says there’s no what if, no Trick, no anything else. Vic asks if he would be #1 contender if Trick had been in the match. Melo takes his glasses off and says absolutely. When the gloves are off, he’ll do what he has to. He says this one’s for Trick, Justice For Trick. He walks off despite Vic saying he has more questions.

* Shotzi and Scarlett are doing a tarot reading for the Meta-Four and predict devastation. Scarlett makes some predictions that Meta-Four don’t like, and when she leaves, Meta-Four freak out.

Lexis King vs. Dante Chen

King with a wristlock to start, he manhandles Chen a bit while keeping the wristlock on. Chen reverses the hold and King backs him into the ropes, hitting a headbutt on the break. Kick to the gut by King, Chen puts King in the corner but gets floored with a punch.

King wrenches on Chen’s face and pulls him up, suplex blocked, Chen goes up and over and they go into the ropes — Chen with a punch combo and a dropkick. But King with a kick to the head from his back and he lies in wait, charging in for a splash and chops. King with a boot choke using the ropes for leverage, he argues with the ref and Chen gets a shot in. Into the ropes, King reverses and hits a kneelift and then a shot to the back of the head off the ropes.

King stomps on Chen’s back and then kicks him to the mat. Chinlock from King, Chen fights to his feet and elbows out. Chen with punches and a whip into the ropes, reversed by King but Chen with a clothesline. Inverted atomic drop, pump kick off the ropes and Chen lies in wait — but King with a superkick! King puts Chen in the apron, Hangman’s Cross Rhodes and that’s it.

Winner: Lexis King (4:12)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly fine debut for King considering the time given. He obviously has potential if handled right.

* Chase U is prepping in the back and they thank Thea and Jacy for being in their corner. Thea throws shade about making sure she won’t throw in the towel. Tony D and Stacks come in and make some insinuations, then leave.

NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament Semifinal Match
Kelani Jordan vs. Arianna Grace

Lockup to start, Grace with a knee to Kelani’s gut. Grace moves in but backs off a punch, she attacks but Kelani with a dropkick that sends Grace to the outside as we go to break.

We’re back as Grace goes for a suplex in the ring but gets blocks, Kelani reverses. Irish whip but Grace comes off with a neckbreaker for two. Grace traps the shoulder chin, Kelani to her feet but gets put do her knees with a knee to the gut. snapmare but Kelani gets a rollup for two. Crossbody for another two.

Kelani out to the apron and leaps into a sunset flip for two, Grace with a jackknife nearfall, Kelani counters for her own two-count. Kelani runs over Grace a couple of times and hits a leaping back elbow, flip legdrop for two.

Kelani goes for front facelock, Grace escapes and pulls Kelani into the ropes, sidewalk slam for two. She puts Jordan on the top rope and climbs, going for a back suplex but Kelani holds on. A couple of back elbows, third knocks her down and the split-legged moonsault finishes it.

Winner: Kelani Jordan (7:35)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Decent enough match. Not incredibly special work here, but it did the job and Grace has very much made progress during her time off.

* Earlier today, Von was working on his rehab when Robert Stone came in. Von asks Stone what he’s doing taking a match with Breakker and asks if he has a death wish. Stone says he knows he’ll get his ass kicked but if he can get a single punch in, it’ll be worth it. Von is touched by Stone calling him his friend and says he wishes he were out there next week but he’s not ready. Stone says he’s got this and next week is for Von. He leaves and Von goes back to rehab work.

* Shotzi and Scarlett are back again, and Shotzi is Edward Scissorhands. They promote their Chamber of Horrors YouTube show that will have Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn. The Creeds and Ivy come out and compliment their costumes, but say they want a shot at Angel & Humberto. Shotzi and Scarlett say the Wheel should decide, and Ivy spins. They get a Tables, Ladders and Scares match. Julius says that’s a message from Angel and Humberto’s father to be afraid, then Tony D and Stacks come out for their match.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match
The Family vs. Chase U

Chase starts against Stacks, lockup and Stacks with an armdrag and then another. Lockup, Chase with an armdrag this time. Headlock by Chase, whip into the ropes and Duke tags in, but Stacks slides off his back and Duke to the outside. Tony tags in and throws Stacks onto both Chase U members as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Chase chops Tony, but Tony gets a blind tag to Stacks and grabs Chase to prevent him from making the tag. Stacks floors Chase and then puts him in a front facelock. Chase is struggling to get to the corner but Stacks stops him and hits a bodyslam, he goes for an elbowdrop but Chase escapes to the outside and decks him. Tony D comes in but Chase manages to make the hot tag to Duke.

Duke runs wild on Stacks and Tony D with jabs, he grabs Stacks and slams him onto Tony. Sidewalk slam and cover for two. Duke gores for the Razor’s Edge but Stacks slides off the top. Duke with chops to the chest in the corner, whip across the ring. Stacks up and over, they go into the ropes and Duke hits a sidewalk slam for two.

Duke tags in Chase and picks up Stacks, putting him on his back but Stacks slips off and nails both Duke and Chase. Tony in now, he hits a belly to belly to Duke and then slams Chase down. Stacks tagged in, diving uppercut into a German suplex and then another off the top, cover for a nearfall.

Tony in now and sets Chase on the top, but Stacks gets pulled off the top by Duke. Chase counters into a side Russian legsweep on Tony and hits the Chase U stomps. Chase goes up top, but Tony leaps up — Duke blocks a superplex but is DDT’d on the apron by Stacks. Stacks tags in, superplex and big splash! Cover for two — and Duke breaks it up with a German suplex to Tony into the pin!

Both men down, Tony takes out Duke and Stacks with a rollup for two. They go for Bada Bing, Bada Boom but Duke breaks it up, Chase with a cover for two. Chase with a spinning neckbreaker and Jacy tosses him a tire iron! He throws it away, sends Tony into the ropes and knocks Jacy off the apron! Chase with a rollup and he gets it!

Winner: Chase U (11:19)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: This was just a great match. It was fast-paced but not overly sloppy, with lots of big moments. It’s great to see Chase U get a title on them after so long being fan favorites.

* It’s time for Nathan Frazer’s Hard Hitting Hard Truths. Frazer says this is a speed round edition and says Dom doesn’t like him, but he doesn’t like Dom either. Even if Dom wasn’t such an ass to everyone, he just has a slappable face. The hard truth is that Dom wouldn’t be champion without Judgment Day and points out that Rhea had to save him last week.

He says Halloween Havoc wasn’t great for him and left him injured, but he’s back and next week it’s him and Dom for the NA Title — that is if Mami can loan Dom his balls for a week. Last week’s Halloween Havoc was his greatest downfall, but this year will be his biggest triumph.

* We get a montage of Irish fans talking about Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria and who they think will win.

* McKenzie asks Corbin about his loss last week and says he hates triple threats and that he did everything to win that match, but Melo took the credit after he did the work. He says he did everything in his power to win, and McKenzie asks if that means he took out Trick. He says he doesn’t like Trick but would do it to his face. It could have been Dijak, could have been that quitter Wes Lee, could have been his best friend Melo. All he’s concerned about is Ilja Dragunov and says Ilja needs to have his head on a swivel.

Lights Out Match
Gigi Dolin vs. Blair Davenport

Blair bails to the outside to go under the ring, but Gigi with a dropkick to her and a crossbody off the apron. Gigi nails Blair and rolls her in, Blair with a kick to the gut and a shot to the head. Leaping knee knocks Gigi to the floor, and Blair follows.

Blair gets a chair and goes to swing, but Gigi kicks her in the head. Dolin sets up the chair and slams Blair head-first into it. Shot to the head by Gigi and a kick to the side. She slams Blair’s head into the apron, but Blair comes back with several shots to the steel steps. Blair goes to stomp Gigi’s head on the steps but Gigi escapes and hits a kick to the chest. She sets Blair on the chair and lays into her, then goes onto the apron for a Meteora through the chair. We’re on PIP break.

We’re back as Gigi backs Blair into the corner, Blair is seated on top and Gigi with a rana to the mat. Dolin goes outside and gets the table! She slides it into the ring and kicks a seated Blair, then sets the table up. She turns around, right into a drop-toe hold onto a chair. Blair sets the table down and shoves it out of the ring to the crowd’s fury.

Leather strap used as a weapon by Blair and Gigi goes to the outside. Blair out and grabs a trash can, pushing it into the ring. A chair follows. Gigi is in now — they both have straps, and Gigi nails Blair with hers. Short-arm clothesline, cover gets two. Gigi whips Blair and sets up the chair, slamming Blair head-first into it and trapping her inside before giving repeated kicks.

Gigi sets Blair on the chair for chops and comes off the ropes — Blair throws the chair into Gigi’s head! The chair went out of the ring and it stunned Booker a bit, Gigi gets covered for two. Blair out and sets up a table on the outside — with some effort — and then goes onto the apron where she is waffled by the garbage can. Gigi traps Blair in the ropes and hits a dropkick, Blair back in the ring where she’s dropkicked again and bombed through the trash can for a nearfall.

Back to the outside, Gigi gets pulled into the steps. Blair pulls the top off the announcer’s booth and clears it, she puts Gigi on top and sets her up — but Gigi fights back! She goes for a half and half onto the table but Blair counters and hits the Falcon Arrow through the table! Blair rolls Gigi in, she hits the Knockout Blow for three.

Winner: Blair Davenport (12:31)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Neither of these two are good at setting up tables and I don’t like the Lights Out gimmick, but otherwise this was solid stuff.

* Vic talks with Ilja last night about his match next week. He asks what it’s been like being the champion, and Ilja says he talked about how it was his destiny and those weren’t hollow words. Since he was a child, life was a struggle. His family moved from Russia to Germany and he had nothing. He struggled and achieved his destiny. He says he was home and his son had his title and that was a big pride moment for him.

Vic asks Ilja his mindset going into next week and Ilja says his attack hasn’t changed and might even intensify. He recognizes this will be another classic and he’ll bend but won’t break. Melo will break the same way he did at No Mercy. He says he doesn’t adjust to his opponents, they adjust to him. He says Melo is desperate and the intangibles will be the deciding factor. The title represents 30 years of sacrifice and he is unbreakable. Vic says it’s been an honor to call his career since the beginning.

* Melo is watching the interview and Shotzi and Scarlett show up as the Grady Twins. They say they’ve seen in the cards that all signs point to him — as the person who attacked Trick. He doesn’t believe in all that, and he leaves as Shotzi and Scarlett giggle.

* Sarah Schrieber asks Tiffany Stratton about who is going to win the tournament and Tiff says that it doesn’t matter because she’s paying attention to Becky vs. Lyra. Fallon Henley comes in dressed as Tiff and mocks her, eventually saying she can go. Tiffany attacks Fallon and it becomes a brawl.

NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament Semifinal Match
Lola Vice vs. Karmen Petrovic

Lola kicks down Karmen to start, back to her feet and Karmen hits a kick of her own. Waistlock on Loa, she rolls Karmen into a pin for two. Karmen kicks Lola in the chest and them trips her up, spinning kick to the downed Lola for two.

Karmen goes at Lola in the corner but is put in the apron, Lola knocks her to the floor and mocks her. Back in, Karmen gets put on the mat by Lola who lays in some forearms. Hip smash to the head by Lola, an axe kick and cover for two.

Lola kicks Karmen a couple of times and covers for two once more. She goes right into an armlock, Karmen gets to her feet and kicks Lola away. Lola yanks Karmen around but ears a crescent kick, Karmen with a clothesline and then a somersault into a kick. Another head kick gets two. Lola to the outside and Karmen dives onto her!

Petrovic rolls Lola back in and follows, Lola ducks a kick and Lola hits her own, then gets the pin.

Winner: Lola Vice (3:36)
Rating: **
Thoughts: Not great here, a ton of kicks and absolutely zero chemistry in the ring. Lola was the obvious win based on the booking.

* Chase U is celebrating backstage and Duke says it means they have to start travelling with these things which will put him over his carry-on weight. Also, they’re going to be leaders. Thea congratulates Duke and Jacy says they finally know what it’s like to be a winner.

Chelsea Green and Piper Niven are here as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Jacy says they don’t even go here, and Chelsea says she’s lodging a complaint. Jacy says they’ll show them to HBK’s office and ask for a WWE Women’s Tag Team Title match as they do.

* The Meta-Four are pissed at security and Lash finds a pic of Akira Tozawa with the Heritage Cup. Tozawa says if they want the cup, then come and get it. It’s at a creepy house.

* Melo looks over at Bron and says “What?” Bron says he’s the man with the trick up his sleeve. Melo says that everyone wants to make jokes and says they’re trying to take his focus off his match next week. Bron says a couple weeks ago they were the talk of NXT. Bron says he’s proven he’ll do anything to stay there and Melo did so by taking out his best friend. Melo says he didn’t do it, and Bron says whatever. He brings that same energy next week he’ll get his title back and they’ll keep doing this.

Set For Next Week:
– Bron Breakker vs. Robert Stone
– TLS Match: The Creed Brothers vs. Angel & Humberto
– NXT North American Championship Match: Dominik Mysterio vs. Nathan Frazer
– WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Chelsea Green & Piper Niven vs. Jacy Jayne & Thea Hail

* Jade Cargill is here to watch the NXT Women’s Title match from her own section.

NXT Women’s Championship Match
Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria

Circle and lockup to start, Becky goes for a goozle but Lyra escapes — and we’re already off to PIP break.

We’re back as Becky covers Lyra for a two-count. Becky grabs Lyra and sends her head-first into the turnbuckle, then goes to the next corner to do it again. Lyra blocks the third one and reverses, then stomps Becky. Into the ropes, Lyra with a two-count. Becky turns it around and hits a crossbody for two. They go into the ropes and collide with a double crossbody in the center of the ring.

Lyra blocks a shot and fires back, they’re trading blows now. Lynch takes over and hits a kick to the gut, into the ropes but Lyra with a kick and striking combo. She goes for the Northern Lights, Becky blocks it and its back to the striking back and forth.

Lyra takes over, goes into the ropes but gets cut off. She similarly cuts Becky off, Northern Lights gets a two-count. Lynch with a jawbreaker and a belly to belly. Lyra’s on the apron and gets battered by Becky, who goes up to the second rope for a legdrop — Lyra moves. Becky knocks her to the floor and goes to dive, but Lyra escapes into the ring and hits a kick to the floor off the ropes.

Becky manages to shove Lyra face-first into the ringpost and then rolls her in. Becky on the apron and Lyra catches her, battering her before going t6o the top. BIG legdrop, cover gets two.

Both women slow to get up, Lyra gets becky on her shoulders but Becky counters into an inverted facelock. Lyra counters, she manages to flip over Becky and hits a kick. She charges in and is put on the apron, kick to Becky and up top for a missile dropkick for a nearfall.

Becky goes for the Dis-Arm-Her but Lyra rolls her up for two. Lyra charges into a boot, Becky goes up onto the top and hits a somersault Stunner! That gets a nearfall. She goes for the Manhandle Slam but Lyra counters into a two-count. Becky slams Lyra down and goes for the armbar, Lyra manages to get a cover but Becky pulls her into the armbar. Lyra escapes and rolls Becky up for two, then traps her arms in a legscissors. Becky pushes Lyra’s shoulders back for two, Lyra up and hits a fisherman’s suplex for a two-count.

Lyra up top for the frog splash, Becky dodges and locks in the Dis-Arm-Her. Lyra manages to get her foot on the ropes! Lynch is up now and charges in for a forearm to Lyra in the corner, she climbs but Lyra catches her and hits a sitout powerbomb for two!

Lyra is up now and goes up top, but Lynch cuts her off. They go up top, Lynch batters Lyra and hita a BIG superplex, rolling right into a DDT! Cover gets — NO, nearfall! Lynch is shocked and just goes into vicious punches. She goes up top, but Lyra is there and cuts her off. Lyra up there with her, Lynch slides down and goes for a powerbomb but Lyra blocks it. Spinning kick, cover for two-plus.

Lyra is frustrated now and gets to her feet, she grabs Lynch and puts her on her shoulders — Becky slips off. Lynch flips Lyra over, Manhandle Slam, cover for — NO! Becky is shocked again! Becky grabs Lyra, but Lyra with kicks to the head. Lynch ducks a kick, Lyra counters a Manhandle Slam — and covers for the pin!!

Winner: Lyra Valkyria (16:06)
Rating: ****
Thoughts: This was just spectacular. Lyra and Becky threw everything they had at each other and it was a PPV-quality match. Lyra getting the win here is a real passing of the torch and just turned Valkyria into a made woman.

Becky grabs the title and stares at it, then hands it over to Lyra and hugs her. Becky leaves and Lyra holds the title high. Great moment to end the show.

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

9.0

The final score: review Amazing

The 411

This was another example of WWE throwing out all the stops for their special branded NXT shows, and it delivered in a big way. We got a couple of feel-good title win, both in very good to fantastic matches, and a couple of decent gimmick matches. Even the match I didn't love served its purpose to set up the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament finals. This was a thoroughly enjoyable episode of NXT from top to bottom; night two of Halloween Havoc has a lot to live up to.