Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 10.25.22

Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! I’m still Jeremy Thomas, and we’re coming off Halloween Havoc with a tag team-heavy episode tonight. Both the men’s and women’s NXT Tag Team Championships are on the line as Edris Enofe & Malik Blade challenge Pretty Deadly while Nikkita Lyons and Zoey Stark take on Katana Chance and Kayden Carter. Plus Shotzi is back on NXT for a match with Lash Legend, while the Schism will unveil their fourth member, for the three people who care about that faction. Should be a fun show, all in all.

Here at Thomas HQ, I picked back up on my Hootober watching and am on pace to finish by the end of the mouth. I watched the abysmal Giant Spider Invasion from 1975 that doesn’t manage to entertain or even be unintentionally funny, followed by the very good Satanic witch 1960s movie City of the Dead starring the great Christopher Lee. V/H/S/99 quickly became one of my favorites of that largely-solid franchise, while the animated Train to Busan prequel Seoul Station was an unremarkable but okay effort that plays more like a typical zombie movie than what Busan was. 1958’s Norwegian folk horror flick Lake of the Dead was an enjoyable little bit of psychological & supernatural horror, Night of the Strangler was a middling and sleazy blaxpoitation effort, and The Brotherhood of Satan left me fairly cold all in all.

I also watched the first episode of Dragula Titans, the latest iteration of the Boulet Brothers’ horror/alt-drag competition series on Shudder, and it is as fabulous as the previous seasons have been thus far! I cannot recommend it or the past seasons of Dragula enough. Even for a guy who doesn’t love reality series like me, they’re absolutely great.

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 events of Hallowen Havoc, then go right into the Women’s Tag Title match.

NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
Kayden Carter & Katana Chance vs. Zoey Stark & Nikkita Lyons

Kayden and Lyons star off and Lyons with a waistlock, but Kayden escapes and nails Lyons in the back. Wristlock, Kayden trips Lyons who does the splits. They’re back up and Lyons pushes Kayden into the corner, tagging in Stark who takes Carter down for a one-count.

Headlock by Stark into a wristlock, snapmare but she misses a kick off the ropes and Kayden takes over. Katana tags in, tandem offense, Stark gets triped and a slingshot elbowdrop for two. Chance with a rana but Stark flips through it to her feet! Stark takes over with a kick tothe gut, whip into the ropes but Katana lands on Kayden’s back! She gets taken down by Lyons, who tagged in and she nails Katana for a shot for a one-count. Over the shoulder rack by Lyons slows things down.

Chance escapes and dives past Lyons to take in Carter, but Lyons takes her down and locks in a front anklelock. Kayden pushes her off, she tags in Katana and leapfrogs. Katana leaps on Lyons’ shoulders, rollup for tro. Kayden tags in, double dropkick sends Lyons to the floor and Stark into the ring but gets sent out as well. The champs leap off but get caught by the challengers for slams to the floor as we go to PIP break.

Back from break and the champs are in control. Katana with a crossbody off the ropes but Lyons catches her for a swinging sidewalk slam for two. Lyons picks Chance up but Kayden tags in behind her back. Kayden tries to hit a dropkick on Lyons but Stark gets in the way and takes it. Kayden then dropkicks Lyons. Off the ropes, she rolls through a wheelbarrow suplex attemp. Chance tags in and gets dropped onto Lyons by Carter, Stark comes in and collides with Carter to break up the pin.

Stark tags in and Stark goes on the attack, but gets lifted up into the corner. Half and half suplex by Stark, who goes for the knockout but Chance escapes and rolls her up for two. Stark clotheslines Carter and skins the cat back in, she rolls up Katana for the pin.

Winner: Nikkita Lyons & Zoey Stark (10:34)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Good match for the most part outside of that awkward skin the cat moment. Chance & Carter deserved a longer run…but oh wait.

Alicia Taylor is talked to by the referee and says the match will restart due to an unseen tag.

NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match Part 2
Kayden Carter & Katana Chance vs. Zoey Stark & Nikkita Lyons

The two teams brawl and the champs get Stark up on the top turnbuckle. Lyons gets knocked to the floor and Carter goes after her, Chance hits the Spanish Fly for thr–no, Stark kicks out!

Carter tags in and she gets Stark on her shoulders, but Zoey slides off and hits a German suplex. Stark makes the tag to Lyons, who knocks Chance off the apron and roundhouse kicks Carter. Split-legged legdrop for the pin, Chance breaks it up. Stark and Chance go over the top, Carter slides off Lyon’s shoulder and kicks her in the head a couple times. Chance tags in, finisher ends it.

Winner: Kayden Carter & Katana Chance (2:11)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: Okay, this actually worked really well. It made the challengers look great but allowed Carter and Chance to retain. I’m okay with this.

* We get a recap of the NXT Championship Match at Halloween Havoc and Ilja Dragunov being pissed that JD McDonagh stole his chance. Ilja says no one is safe until McDonagh is removed permanently, which he will do once and for all tonight. That should be fun.

* Wes Lee walks backstage with his title and is on his way to talk after the break.

* We get a vignette with T-Bar talking about how the second coming isn’t about retribution (or RETRIBUTION); it’s about justice.

* Wes Lee is here! He gets a mic and has to wait for the “YOU DESERVE IT” chants to die down a bit. He says they’re going to get him emotional again and says he wanted to come out and thank everyone for Saturday night. Never did he think he would make it to WWE, let alone be champion and damn sure not one on his own. But he was inspired by everyone’s faith and confidence in him, especially when he was alone in the dark. He says winning the title gave him a sense of validation he’s been looking for his entire life: that he belongs, that there’s a place for him and that he’s loved for what he stands for and who he is. He says when he was on the ladder and people chanted he deserved it, it was indescribable. He says they don’t deserve the love the fans have for them and says he will continue to exceed any and every expec–

Here comes Grayson Waller! Waller tells him to stop sucking up because they don’t deserve it. He didn’t have a good Halloween and hates it, it’s a stupid holiday. Wes says Waller can’t come out and complain because he lost. Waller says he won technically and says he’s still technically up 1-0 on Crews.

HERE COMES R-TRUTH! He’s in a Joker outfit and does his rap down to the ring. Truth tells Orlando to make some noise. He says “Welcome to Halloween Havoc!” Oh, Truth. He tries to continue but Waller cuts him off and asks what he’s doing. Truth says that’s cool; he’s coming with that British accent! Jesus, the crowd is chanting “British Accent.” Truth asks in a Cockney accent if he’s excited for HH and Waller says he’s Australian. The crowd chants “No He Isn’t.” Waller says HH was three days ago and he was there.

Truth laughs, but Wes Lee says it did happen, he was there and he won the NA Title. Truth is excited and says “My bad.” He congratulates Lee and then asks Waller how he did. The fans and Lee say Waller lost. Truth says Apollo’s nice and saw Waller was in a casket by himself? He would have been scared. Waller says he wasn’t scared and just got rolled into a casket. Truth: “You rolled one up right in here?” Waller isn’t happy and wants to beat Truth up, but his mind isn’t in it so he’s giving Truth a week. He then goes for the sneak attack but Truth ducks, Lee nails him and Truth takes him out, then tosses him over the ropes.

* Malik tells Edris backstage that he’s nervous. Edris says he’s nervous too, but tonight is their night. He asks of Malik had one shot or one opportunity… yeah, he quoted Enimem. Malik recognizes it but Edris says they’ve had their back and that psyches Malik up.

* Quincy Eliott is here and he introduces Shotzi! Her she comes on her tank.

* McKenzie asks if Grayson Waller is in his rearview and said he is, he’s R-Truth’s problem now. He puts Waller over and says he’s back on target to chase the NXT Championship. He says his vision is clear and his eyes are going to be locked into the TV screen next week because Bron will be there.

Shotzi vs. Lash Legend

Shotzi goes with the waistlock to start but Lash shoves her off, knees her in the head and throws her across the ring. She sends Shotzi to the apron but Shotzi comes back with shots, enters the ring and goes for a drop-toe hold that doesn’t take Lash down. Lash sends Shotzi into the corner but runs into a boot, Shotzi wraps Lash up for a tarantula. Shotzi goes up top but gets the big boot that knocks her to the floor.

Lash to the outside and gets in Quincy’s face, Quincy shows his ass and the distraction helps Shotzi take over with punches, sending Lash into the ring. Lash picks Shotzi up for a bodyslam and Shotzi goes for the ropes, where Lash locks wraps her knee into the corner and stomps on it before covering for two.

Lash now with the stretch muffler, Shotzi tries to counter and Lash picks her up. SHotzi fights back and gets to the ropes, pulling Lash into them. Shotzi with a kick to the head, a back elbow in the corner and she charges but Lash tackles her into the turnbuckle. Shotzi with a big slap, fisherman’s DDT and cover for three.

Winner: Shotzi (3:42)
Rating: **
Thoughts: All-around awkward match, they didn’t click at all.

* Julius is here with Brutus and says he’s swollen and hurt after Saturday and it hurt on Sunday too, but it’s nothing compared to what would have been hurt if he cost Brutus his career. Brutus says he can’t thank Julius enough for what he did, but he does say thank you and he loves him. But now it’s his turn. Kemp promised him five minutes so get his ass down here.

Kemp appears on the Tron and says are they still angry? He says Julius got lucky and he’s not medically cleared, so he still has five minutes of hell set for Brutus. Brutus says Kemp’s ass whuppin will get worse and worse and worse and worse.

Sanga and Veer attack! Sanga grabs Julius by the throat and looks hesitant so Veer attacks him. Sanga then grabs Brutus and choke slams him. They leave the Creeds laid out and start to leave, only to have Ivy come out and ask Sanga “WHY?” before going to check on her stablemates. Sanga looks conflicted.

* Pretty Deadly talk about how the competitors tonight have beat everyone and are fan favorites. “Should we talk about Edris and Malik now?” They psych up and head out.

* Mandy Rose is on Facetime with Gigi at the pool, and Jacy gets added in from the gym. Gigi teases Jacy for getting attacked by zombies, and Mandy says they all got through it alive. Gigi says that she’s getting together with Jacy and Mandy says she didn’t get invited. Gigi says she had a photoshoot anyway. Mandy says that Toxic Attraction are celebrating Mandy’s year as champion next week.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match
Pretty Deadly vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade

Black with a dropkick to Wilson to start! A pair of top rope elbow drops, Enofe covers but Elton breaks it up. Elton sent to the outside, Enofe and Blade batter Wilson who scampers to the outside. They follow out, beat on him and Blade comes back in but Elton Prince tags in and takes out Blade. Irish whip by Prince, back lebow to Malik. Blade goes for a back suplex but Prince tags in Wilson. Blade takes down Wilson and hits a elbowdrop, Edriks tags in and comes off the top with an axehammer. Rollup by Edris for two.

Wilson fights back and strikes away at Edris, nailing a couple Euro uppercuts. Elton with a distraction and he’s able to tag in, he comes at Edris but gets flipped over. Blade tags in, he gets whipped into the corner though and Elton with a sidewalk slam for two.

Euro upportcut to Blade, Wilson tags in, Blade escapes off Wilson’s shoulder some rapid-fire back and forth until Edris leaps off the top and takes the champs out! The challengers send Pretty Deadly to the outside as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Edris and Elton are trading shots. Elton picks Edris up for a bodyslam and knees him out of the ring. Kip tags in and goes outside but gets suplexed onto the mat by Edris. Elton rolls Kip in and makes the tag, he lays out Edris and then decks Malik on the apron. Elton grabs enfore by the arm and kicks at him, then picks him up — Enofe with a jawbreaker! Wilson tags in though, sending Edris to the outside, Erids with a shot to the gut and flips over for a sunset flip but Elton tags in. Edris escapes them and Malik makes the hot tag! He nails Elton and goes up top, but Elton bails to the touside — so Blade leaps onto them! Malik gets Prince in the ring and nails a top-rope crossbody for a nearfall.

Blade gets Elton on his shoulders, but Elton slips off and rolls Blade up for two. Kip tags in, lift into a lungblower and a cover for almost three. Blade and Wilson now trading shots in their knees, they get to their feet and keep at it. Malik takes over, flips through a backslde and tags in Enofe, big slam and a cover for two.

Wilson with a kick to Enofe but Enofe wipes him out and falls back on him. Blade stops Elton from breaking it up but Wilson kicks out at two. Pretty Deadly have the momentum, they go for Spilt Milk but Blade counters into a roll-up for two. Elton takes out Edris and this time Spilt Milk finishes it.

Winner: Pretty Deadly (12:28)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Fast-paced, chaotic, and well-executed. Edris and Malik looked like actual threats here which could do them a lot of good if there’s follow-up.

* JD says he almost didn’t get out of bed on Sunday because he wasn’t NXT Champion, but it wasn’t all bad because neither did Ilja. He says Ilja keeps popping up everywhere he does, and talks about how he enjoyed stopping the referee count the pin. My feed got wacky so I missed the rest, but probably something something tonight’s match.

* McKenzie asks Zoey about the loss tonight. Zoey said they had the titles in her hands and everything was taken from her. She says Kayden and Katana are the luckiest girls ever. Nikkita comes in upset and blames herself, but Zoey says it’s not her fault. She slams the lockers and says they have a rematch.

* Here come Schism to the ring in masks. They raise their hands with a two and Gacy takes the mask off, saying pride and arrogance are commonplace in NXT. He says strengh comes from their unity and that these three (Dyad and mystery guy) are pioneers. He babbles about mission statement — join or be torn down.

Fowler takes off his mask and says NXT is a den of selfishness, greed and being envious of others, stars and fans alike. He says they hear our comments toward them and that it’s just a reflection of our own shortcomings. He talks about roots and such before Reid takes his mask off and talks about how Wrath is a manipulative and ugly state, and how you must control it correctly. But love brings love, and the Schism builds stronger together as a unit.

Gacy says there are people who you would think have everything but are empty and depleted. Rip and Jagger learned that unity comes from showing their true selves. Now the time has come for the newbie to take his next step. He says there’s no going back. The person comes down and reveals themselves as Ava Raine (aka Simone Jackson). Good luck, Ava. She says the love and acceptance the Schism has given her has defied any preconceived notions of who she is supposed to be. She says this family completes her and she is Ava Raine.

* McKenzie is with Sol Ruca who faces Indi tonight. She says she’s nervous and Indi is a tough competitor. Indi comes in and says doing tricks is cool, but that will only take her so far. It’s all about winning, which Sol will learn right now.

* We get a weird audio recording of a call to the WWE PC, and a digitized voice saying to let go of all your pain, listein with your eyes, speaking with your tears and a bunch of other stuff. “Watch as I come and leave my mark, as I plan to rip all of NXT apart. Sincerely, SCRYPTS.” Okay, then.

Indi Hartwell vs. Sol Ruca

Indi takes Ruca down and then bodyslams her to start. Into the ropes, Sol leapfrogs and then backflip ducks a clothesline. Bodyslams by Sol, cover for one. Sol leaps into the corner, Indi escapes. She clotheslines Sol down a couple of times, then picks her up for a short-arm lariat. Shot to the back of the head, cover for three.

Winner: Indi Hartwell (1:19)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Sol Ruca.

Elekta Lopez then comes out and lays out Indi, then hits Ruca with a sit-out powerbomb. She kicks Ruca in the gut and then exits.

* Chase U time! Everyone is talking in class until Andre Chase tells them to take their seats. Bodhi is missing so Duke Hudson walks up and says he was looking for Bodhi but couldn’t find him. He sucks up and takes Bodhi’s seat, with chase saying that November is a big month. Duke loans Thea a pen and says he’ll remember it all. Chase loses his shit on Hudson and he apologizes. He steals the pen of the person next to him.

* A timer counts down to zero, advertising NXT Deadline.

* We get a vignette with Roxy saying she didn’t like who she became at Halloween Havoc as two best friends did everything they could to destroy each other. But she doesn’t regret what she id. In losing a best friend, she found a whole new level of belief in herself. She has to stay true to who she is and why she’s here.

* Blade and Enofe are sad about their loss. Odyssey Jones shows up with a truck full of ladies and says it’s time to have some fun. Edris is going with them, and Blade eventually jumps in.

Set For Next Week:
– Mandy Rose’s celebration
– Bron Breakker returns
– R-Truth vs. Grayson Waller

Ilja Dragunov vs. JD McDonagh

Ilja attacks before the bell and slams JD down, he grabs JD and shrugs off back elbows for a German suplex with bridge for two. Ilja chops JD in the corner, chops him in another corner, and slams him into a third. He goes for a chop but JD kicks him and then chops Ilja. Ilja sends JD into the fourth corner, hits a charging knee and slams JD down. Forearm to the back of the neck, and Ilka with another shot. Waistlock by Ilja, JD back elbows out and headbutts Ilka in the ribs. Big shot against the ropes, Ilja is whipped across the ring into a knee lift. JD goes for a suplex, Ilja blocks hit and bodyslams JD. Chop in the center of the ring and another waistlock, but JD reverses it and sends Ilja into the ropes. He tries to flip through but his ribs give out.

JD tries to suplex Ilja, who nearly reverses it but JD with a knee to stop it. He comes off the ropes and sends Ilja into the announcer’s booth. JD tries to attack but the ref stops it. JD into the ring and the ref calls for medical officials. JD is in the ring and Ilja says he can go as we go to break.

We’re back and McDonagh is in control of Ilja. He takes Ilja down for a two-count and then drops several knees into the ribs before covering for another two. JD with a waistlock, Ilja to his feet and elbows free but gets nailed in the gut. JD right back to the waistlock, Ilja fights out and takjes a shot to the chest. They start to trade shots, Ilja takes over and batters JD and hits several chops. He goes for a delayed German suplex but can’t hit it, he instead just waffles JD with a kick. Ilja to his feet, he charges in for a big knee and puts JD on the mat. Middle rope kneedrop, and he’s right back up top. Senton, but JD gets the knees up!

JD crawls over and pulls Ilja over, stomp to the chest. JD goes to climb up top, he takes his time and Ilja gets up for a chop. JD batters Ilja, they’re both up top. ILja takes over, top rope — superplex! Ilja is right back to his feet, knockout punch! Ilja back to his feet, he goes to the corner and lies in wait but eventually collapses. JD laughs but Ilja is back up, he charges and gets caught out of the Torpedo shot with a bodyscissors crossface. Ilja fights to get out, Ilja looks to have passed out and he’s bleeding from the mouth. The ref calls for it!

Winner: JD McDonagh (13:31)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Brutal match that was a strong effort all around. Some may question the booking of the injury bit but it played well and it gets JD a much-needed win without hurting Ilja.

JD won’t let it go until the ref forces him to break it. Ilja is eventually put on a stretcher and taken out as JD celebrates and watches with glee.

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

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Pretty good show tonight to build off of NXT Halloween Havoc. We had a couple of really good matches (along with a couple that were somewhat less good) and builds to new feuds and stories. I don't envy Ava Raine trying to help make people care about Schism but you never know. All in all, I enjoyed this week's show and am curious to see where things go from here.