Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 11.12.24

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! Jeremy Thomas here with you as always, and tonight we’re back on Tuesday after a one-week excursion to Wednesday night for ECWNXT. Tonight’s show will see Fallon Henley make her first defense of the NXT Women’s North American Championship in a rematch against Kelani Jordon. In addition, Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer will take on Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson from Meta-Four, while Sol Ruca and Cora Jade do battle and Je’Von Evans and Lexis King compete in Iron Survivor Challenges. Adriana Rizzo will seek revenge against Nikkta Lyons, and Trick Williams will look to the future after being pinned by Ridge Holland on last week’s show. Sounds like a fun show all in all.

Last week kinda of sucked for me personally and I didn’t get as much movie-viewing in as usual, but I still got a few watches in. I got some 2024 catch-up done with Kevin Smith’s perfectly fine semi-autobiographical coming of age comedy The 4:30 Movie, Netflix’s acceptable survival thriller Don’t Move, Dave Batista’s not-good-but-fun The Killer’s Game, and the highlight in the funny and touching elderly person adventure dramedy Thelma with the remarkable June Squibb. I also watched (or rewatched) a few older films: Josie and the Pussycats is a very fun and misunderstood great of its time, One Missed Call is a familiar J-horror film elevated by Takashi Miike, and High Fidelity remains one of my go-to comfort rewatches.

On TV, I am keeping up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula season 6 which had a great Dungeons & Drag Queens episode this week, and watched the quite-good Netflix docuseries This Is the Zodiac Speaking which lays out a fairly compelling case with new information about Arthur Leigh Allen.

On a side note, I don’t promote my social media in these as a rule but this one time I will; I have essentially put an end to my Twitter account (I’m keeping it just so someone else can’t take it) and am now primarily on Bluesky, where you can find me here if you so desire. I mostly talk about what you would expect me to talk about: movies, horror, some comics stuff and wrestling.

Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop right in.

As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s kids 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.

A MILLION DOLLARS FROM NOW, I WON’T REMEMBER YOU! (AKA theme song)

* We’re LIVE in the Capital Wrestling Center as Vic Joseph and Booker T introduce a recap video of last week’s ECWNXT show looking at Trick uniting with the Dudley Boys, Jaida beating Lola with a brick, Tony D’Angelo defeating Nunzio, and Team Badass beating Team Mean Girl.

* We’re kicking off with the women’s tag team match!

Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson vs. Giulia & Stephanie Vaquer

Giulia and Lash start off jawing with each other and Lash wants a test of strength, but gets punched in the gut. Headlock by Giulia, Lash shoves her off and comes off the ropes with a pump kick. Jakara tags in, into the ropes for a drop-toe hold and elbow drop combo, a basement dropkick from Jakara for two. Jakara rolls Giulia up for a sunset flip for two, they trade two-counts and come back up.

Jakara sent into the corner but Giulia runs into a boot, Jakara hits a missile dropkick and covers for two. Giulia on Jakara’s shoulders, but she locks in an Octopus-style submission and tags in Vaquer. Jakara sent into the ropes and Vaquer with a 619, basement dropkick by Giulia, double elbow gets a two-count from Stephanie.

Jakara sent into the roeps and goes for a sunset flip but no luck. Legdrop off the ropes by Vaquer, then she locks in the headscissors to slam Jakara’s head into the mat a few times. Jakara stops her momentum with a jawbreaker and tags in Lash, who nails some big right hans. Giulia in with a crucifix but Lash holds on, she takes a superkick and grabs Vaquer so she can smash them both against the ropes. Babyfaces to the outside, Jakara tags in and goes onto Lash’s shoulder — diving onto Giulia and Vaquer! We’re on break.

We’re back and Lash has Vaquer in a delayed vertical suplex, and sends her down to the mat. Jackson tags in and locks in a straight jacket hold, Vaquer fights to her feet and tries to reverse it but Jakara turns it around. Vaquer gets free and knocks Lash off the apron, nails Jakara and rolls through to get the hot tag to Giulia!

Giulia goes HAM on Jackson, Lash comes in and Giulia hits a tilt-a-whirl sunset flip bomb1 Snap suplex to Jackson for two. She sets Jackson in the corner and tags in Vaquer, charging in for a kick to Jackson. They double team Jackson and hit a belly-to-back, Vaquer covers but Lash breaks it up. Giulia jumps on Lash’s back, Vaquer with a superkick and knocks Lash out of the ring. Jakara gets a roll-up for two but the babyfaces take over. Missile dropkick to Jakara, double underhook backbreaker from Vaquer. Stereo knees finishes it!

Winner: Giulia & Stephanie Vaquer (10:53)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Quite a good opening match. Lash continues to get better and better, and of course Giulia and Vaquer were great. Expected win but a good one regardless.

Post-match, Vaquer and Giulia are asked about the Iron Survivor and what happens if they both make it to NXT Deadline? Giulia says she knew this day would come, and Vaquer says “See you at Deadline!”

* We get a vignette for NXT Deadline outlining how the Iron Survivor Challenge works.

Iron Survivor Qualifier
Sol Ruca vs. Cora Jade

Cora starts off sitting on the top rope talking shit with Sol. She finally comes down and Sol puts her on the mat, flips over her and goes for a kick but Cora backs off. Sol mocks Cora by sitting on the top and Cora demands she get down. So she does, grabs Cora and plants her in a facebuster, then surfs on her. Cora sends Sol into the ropes, Sol holds on but gets hit with a knee and then a double stomp for two.

Cora sends Sol into the corner head-first and kicks away at her, boot choke for two. She puts Sol against the middle rope for a knee choke, comes off the ropes and hits a big knee to the back for two.

Cora grabs Sol by the hair and talks trash, Sol with a jawbreaker. She tries to Roll Cora up off the ropes but Cora holds on and they trade shots. Clothesline from Sol and shoulderblocks off the ropes. She charges at Cora in the corner and gets put on the apron, Sol tries to springboard in but gets tripped. Cora goes for the DDT but Sol moves. SOL SNATCHER! That’s it.

Winner: Sol Ruca (3:33)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: As good as a three and a half minute match can be. I hate how short of a shrift the Iron Survivor Qualifiers get, but it is what it is.

* Je’Von Evans and Cedric Alexander talk about their qualifiers backstage and walk by Karmen Petrovic and Dion Lennox. They’re talking about their favorite color and Karmen complains about being distracted by Ashante’s yellow beanie last week. Brinley walks up and says Karmen isn’t talking about… Karmen says no and Ashante walks up complaining about Karmen talking with his “best friend.” It turns into a proposal for Ashante & Karmen vs. Dion and Brinley next week.

* Ava is hosting the State of the NXT Tag Team Dvision and says that she needs to find the next team to step up. She points out Gallus, Hank & Tank, the NCC, OTM, Tyson & Tyriek, and The Family. Hank and Tank are ready to get after it while OTM say they’ll make Ava think twice about putting the titles on singles guys. They all argue, and Ava says this is the energy she wants, but they have to show her as well as tell her.

Iron Survivor Qualifier
Wes Lee vs. Cedric Alexander

Circle and lockup, Cedric puts Wes on the mat. Back up and a lockup, Wes pushed back and goes into the corner for a break. Wes ducks the next lockup and hits a headlock, he holds on when Cedric tries to shoot him off the ropes but Cedric reverses into a headlock takedown. They get back to their feet, lee backs Cedric into the ropes and goes for a chop but Cedric ducks and goes right back to the headlock takedown.

Lee manages to get to his feet and flip free, he locks in a wristlock but Cedric flips out and shoves Lee down. Cedric off the ropes, Wes off the other side, rana by Lee and he charges into the corner but gets put on the apron. Cedric with a big shot, he kicks Lee repeatedly through the ropes but Lee blocks on so Cedric chops him big-time and then goes to dive — and it goes wrong. We go to break from there.

We’re back and Cedric is fighting back from a deficit that happened during the break. Lee knocks Cedric down and goes for the Cardiac kick — but Cedric counters with a dropkick! Both men up, Cedric with chops and then a whip into the ropes for a kneelift. Basement dropkick to the head for Cedric, Lee stumbles to the apron. Alexander there and he grabs Lee for a URANAGE ONTO THE APRON! Back in, springboard Flatliner gets a near-fall.

Cedric up now and goes for a front facelock, but Lee counters and ducks a punch — superkick! Kick to the knee — CARDIAC KICK! Cover gets thre-NO! Alexander kicks out at the last instant!

Lee goes up top for a 450 but Cedric moves and hits a BIG lariat. He grabs Lee for the Lumbar Check but pulls the turnbuckkle off. MICHINOKU DRIVER! But the ref was putting the pad on and that slows the count enough for Lee to kick out. Alexander charges in but Lee kicks him in the knee and Cedric goes into the exposed turnbuckle. Double knee finishes it.

Winner: Wes Lee (11:49)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Great match here between these two, even with a bit of an odd finish that made the ref look dumb. Lee winning is something I’m fine with, obviously.

* Tony D is eating at his restaurant when Shawn Spears and Brooks Jensen walk in. Tony doesn’t like Spears stalking him and Spears says call it persistence. He says he’s let Tony slide twice and there won’t be a third time. Tony says Spears wants the NA Title and Spears says that Tony has built his family, and Spears wants it for him. But he was Brooks to challenge Tony. Tony tells Brooks to think for himself and Spears stops Brooks from attacking. He says intelligence will only get Tony so far, and that he is starving to do more and become more. The only thing that will satisfy his appetite is the title. Spears and Brooks walk off.

Outside, Spears tells Brooksie that it’s how you deal with the boss. He gets in the car and says “Isn’t that right…Nico?”

* Trick Williams WALKS backstage.

* Byron Saxton asks Kelani about her rematch tonight. She says she’s been waiting since Halloween Havoc and it doesn’t matter who is there. Jacy and Jazmyn walk up and say Kelani isn’t winning and if Fallon can’t get it done, they’ll make sure she does. Kelani says it’s on sight.

* Trick Williams is here! He has a mic and says as everyone knows, Philly went crazy last week. But Deadline is around the corner and last year he had the Iron Survivor match. He says last week he and Bubba put Ethan through a table, but he’s not here to talk about that. He’s here to talk about Ridge Holland, who pinned him last week. He says he’s not going out last week and tells Ridge to get his punk ass —

CHASE U TIME? Andre is in the crowd and says he doesn’t have a problem with Trick, but he’s not done with Ridge. Trick gets it, and says Chase U always bounces back. He says he hasn’t seen Mr. Chase face to face, but everyone needs to recognize what Chase has done in NXT. He says Mr. Chase is a stable in NXT and has done everything — well, not everything. He hasn’t had a chance at the title. So how about for one moment —

RIDGE IS HERE. He says this needs to stop right now. Andre Chase getting an NXT Title shot? And Trick calls himself a champion, ducking Ridge for a guy he put in an ambulance two weeks ago? Ridge tells Chase he needs to learn that he’s moved on. He says he made the ECW Arena go silent by pinning him, and is the biggest threat to the NXT Title.

Andre says he wants one more match with Ridge. Ridge says “No!” Chase says he’ll put the University on the line, and Ridge doesn’t care about it. The only thing he cares about is the NXT Title.

Trick gets it. Ridge wants an NXT Title match; Chase wants a chance to whip Ridge’s ass. Trick says to set it up for next week. Ridge vs. Chase, winner gets a match against him at NXT Deadline. He says he’s pulling for Chase for everything he’s overcome. NXT loves Chase U, and Chase U loves NXT. That’s a relationship he has with the people, Duke, Riley and Thea.

Ridge says he’ll take that, what Trick said. If he wins, Chase’s relationship with Riley, Duke, Thea is done! Chase U will be done, and he’ll walk into Deadline to challenge for the title while Chase has nothing. He says it’s quite a gamble for a man who has never won the big one. What’ll he do? Chase says he’s on! Next week he gives Ridge an Chase University-sized ass whupping.

Ridge nails Chase — and Trick slams Ridge down! Double Chase U stomps!

* Jaida congratulates Sol on qualifying but says that’s the closest she’ll get. She’ll get the win like she did last week. She will leave Deadline as the Iron Survivor.

* Josh Briggs is with Ava and Yoshiki Inamura from NOAH is there with Briggs talking him up. But Eddy Thorpe walks in and says that he’s tired of being blown off. Ava says he’s in an Iron Survivor Qualifier, and that mollifies Ava.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Adriana Rizzo

They go right at each other at the bell, Rizzo with a chop to no effect and gets put on the apron. She goes for the sunset flip but can’t get Lyons down. Rizzo with lots of punches, she dropkicks Lyons in the corner. Lyons puts Rizzo on the apron and nails her, but Rizzo knocks Lyons back and goes up top — she leaps but Lyons grabs Rizzo! Full nelson, she slams Rizzo into the ropes and then hits a full-nelson slam. Lyons tosses Rizzo and covers for two.

Rizzo gets Lyons in the corner but runs into Lyons’ butt to no luck. Lyons on the apron, hip checks to the head and comes back in to cover for two. Sitting full nelson from Nikkita, Rizzo tries to fight to her feet but is getting worn down. She puts her weight into it but Rizzo gets to her feet — hip toss to break it!

Rizzo charges in with a knee and then forearms, she tries to pick Lyons up to no avail so she springboards into a forearm and kips up! Tackle by Rizzo, cover for two.

Lyons gets Rizzo in the corner but charges into a boot. Rizzo off the top for a Thesz Press but Lyons holds on and slams her. Vader Bomb finishes it.

Winner: Nikkita Lyons (4:32)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Not the best of matches. Lyons seems to have regressed a little during her time off from injury, though the size difference helped them work well here.

Rizzo nails Lyons with a crowbar after the match.

* Chase is backstage when Chase U walks up asking what the hell? He says he values their opinion but Chase U was built on taking risks, just like with all of them. He says they’ve been through it all together and he won’t let anything break it up. He gets the chance at an NXT Title match next week and Chase U will take the highest of highs next week. He walks off, and the others aren’t as sure.

* We get a vigentte from Zaria who says she’s no mystery, she’s a force who has come to rip and tear. She talks about the Iron Survivor and says it’s her kind of fun. She enjoys inciting chaos and destruction and says at Deadline there will be no more mystery as to who she is.

Iron Survivor Qualifier
Je’Von Evans vs. Lexis King

Lockup to start, King with a roll-up for one and Evans with a sunset flip for one. Wristlock from King, Evans flippy-flops through to his own. King flips into a kick to the head, Evans into the ropes, leapfrog by King, he ducks a leap but Evans with a roll-up for two. King catches Evans with a pin for two, they trade pin attempts for one again.

Lockup, headlock by Je’Von. Shot into the ropes, runs over King, springboard rana and a dropkick and King rolls out of the ring. Evans dives through the ropes onto King! He rolls Lexis back in, springboard leap but King ducks. King into the ropes, up and over Evans but there’s a collision and Evans got hit in the groin. King doesn’t want the pin as we go to break.

We’re back and King has a single-leg crab on Evans. Evans manages to get to his back and kicks King off. Chop from Je’Von and another, Evans into the ropes and runs King over with a clothesline and then an elbow. He Matrix-dodges a clothesline, hits a stunner and a suplex, springboard crossbody gets two-plus.

Evans goes up top, moonsault but King moves and hits a superkick for two-plus! King says this is his shot and chops Evans, who fires back. They trade shots, Evans off the ropes with a knee and goes up top — FROG SPLASH! Cover gets a nearfall.

King with a Backstabber, fisherman’s Michinoku Driver and a cover gets a nearfall of his own. He charges at Evans in the corner but eats a superkick — spinning senton gets the pin.

Winner: Je’Von Evans (9:34)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Great work by both men here, King has been developing nicely at last but this had to be the Evans win.

Show of respect after the match as they hug and King holds Evans’ hand up.

* Fraxiom talk about the tag team division summit. Frazer says he got himself an Iron Survivor Challenge qualifier and Axiom isn’t happy. Frazer says Axiom has been in the match before and wanted to ask him for tips. He walks off and OTM walk up and says that he has issue with the singles guys holding titles. The Family walk in and argue.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifiers continue
– NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Andre Chase vs. Ridge Holland

* Kelani WALKS backstage. So does Fatal Influence.

* Ashante and Dion have made up and walk off as Lexis King walks into the locker room, frustrated. Hank, Tank and Dante Chen congratulate him on being honorable as Gallus walk in and mock them for celebrating losses.

WWE NXT Women’s North American Championship Match
Fallon Henley vs. Kelani Jordan

Aggressive lockup to start, they jockey for position against the ropes. Kelani takes Fallon down but they keep the collar and elbow on, Fallon takes Kelani down and then they’re back up in the ropes. Ref calls for the break and they do, then lock back up and it ends with a chop from Fallon. They jaw at each other, Fallon into the ropes, Fallon with an armdrag and a dropkick but Fallon dodges the latter and puts Kelani in the corner.

Out of the corner, Kelani with a rana and a shot that sends Fallon to the outside. Fallon goes for a springboard but Fallon pulls her down. Fist to the face by Kelani and a moonsault off the booth as we go to break.

We’re back and Kelani is elbowing out of a headlock. Armdrag, they go into the ropes and hit each other with the same. Challenger and champion are slow to get up and trade shots in the ring as tag teams brawl backstage. Kelani sends Fallon into the ropes and runs her over, cartwheel back elbow to Fallon. Rolling Thunder into an SSP, cover gets a nearfall.

Kelani pulls Fallon to the corner for the split-legged but Fallon up and takes Kelani down. She levels Jordan for a nearfall and pulls her up, but Kelani shoves her into the corner. Up top, Kelani batters Fallon but gets shoved back. She hits a kick to the head and climbs — SPANISH FLY for a nearfall!

Kelani back up, 450 but Fallon escapes and rolls the challenger up for two-plus. Back suplex by Kelani, she goes for the split-legged and covers — but Jacy puts Fallon’s foot on the ropes! Kelani nails Jacy and then throws Jazmyn into the ring — back kick! She rolls Fallon up for two and gets launghed into a shot by Jacy. Famouser finishes it.

Winner: Fallon Henley (9:24)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Very good main event. It had a few awkward moments but for the most part they delivered, and Fallon gets her first successful title defense. Unless they were going to have Jacy and Jazmyn turn on Fallon, that was the way to go..

Fatal Inflence pose with the title — and OTM takes the mic to say they’re easy to find. The Family attack them! It’s a brawl around the ringside area, with Gallus and Hank & Tank joining in! Gang Warfare on the outside of the ring and officials try to separate them.

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

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Obviously, this week's NXT wasn't going to compete with last week's special show. But the action was still decent enough as they build toward NXT Deadline, with a few very good TV matches and a bit of storyline development. It's not their most memorable episode in recent weeks, but was an easy watch that rarely found itself particularly lacking.