wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 12.10.24
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! It’s Jeremy Thomas as usual here with you, and tonight NXT deals with the fallout of NXT Deadline. Tonight we’ll see Giulia and Oba Femi both address their Iron Survivor Challenge wins, while Je’Von Evans will take on Wes Lee in one-on-one action. In addition, Gigi Dolin and Tatum Paxley will join forces against Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx of Fatal Influence while Hank Walker & Tank Ledger vs. Tyson Dupont & Tyriek Igwe. It reads like a bit of a post-PPV hangover episode on paper but there should be some fun stuff still!
I’m deep in my rush to finish watching 2024 movies, and the last week had a couple bangers and several misses. On the plus side I watched Juror #2, which is an engaging legal drama and one of Clint Eastwood’s better films in recent memory, as well as Speak No Evil which was much better than I expected considering the changes it makes from the 2022 Danish film. I also watched The People’s Joker, which is VERY much not going to be for everyone although I adored it as a punk DIY appropriation of DC’s characters for a powerful and personal coming-of-age trans story. The documentary Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme was an interesting watch but missed a few marks by not digging as deeply as it could, while also feeling a last-minute artifice reveal that left a bad taste in my mouth.
I also watched three 2024 duds; Joker: Folie à Deux tried to do some interesting things but badly missed the mark by being too obsessed with the response to the first Joker. Summer Camp was the least of the “older woman do Sex In the City“-style films I’ve seen to date, and Harold and the Purple Crayon was a simplistic and boring dud that may work better for young kids, but I found myself struggling to pay attention to. For my rewatches, I finished out my Jack Ryan rewatch and enjoyed Clear and Present Danger and The Sum of All Fears, though Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit remains a full misfire. And finally, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is still quite funny and honestly didn’t date as badly as I expected.
On TV, I only have one thing I watched and that’s DC’s Creature Commandos animated series, which is a lot of fun and gets the new DC Universe off to a strong start so far.
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 Orlando at the Capitol Wrestling Center, and kicking off with the recap video for NXT Deadline, featuring Oba Femi’s “surprise” appearance to win the men’s Iron Survivor Challenge and Lola Vice’s NXT Underground victory over Jaida Parker. We also see Fraxiom again retain the NXT Tag Team Titles while Trick Williams defeated Ridge Holland to hold onto the NXT Championship, and Giulia become the 2024 Women’s Iron Survivor.
* And HERE COMES GIULIA! The women’s Iron Survivor is kicking off the show on her way to the ring. She gets a mic and says she’s the Iron Survivor, which means she’s going to do what she came here for. She tells Roxy that at New Year’s Evil, the Beautiful Madness will become the NXT Women’s Champion —
AND HERE’S ROXY! Roxy says Giulia is the luckiest woman in the world to have won because Sol was the MVP and Zaria and Stephanie didn’t lose; they just ran out of time. Roxy says Giulia won but unfortunately isn’t on her level. However, she has to admit the ladies proved that the NXT women’s division is the best, but nothing will change at New Year’s Evil. She says they’ve been here before and it was the same result: her reigning. And at New Year’s Evil it will be new town, same result if Giulia even makes it to LA.
Giulia suggests doing it right here, right now — and here comes CORA! Cora says Giulia isn’t going to make it to NYE and Stephanie can’t and won’t come and save her. We then cut to the back where Stephanie is laid out. So Giulia decks Roxy — but Cora NAILS her with the bat. They beat Giulia down —
AND HERE’S KELANI9! She attacks Cora and grabs the bat, clearing the ring.
* We get a recap of Ethan Page complaining last Saturday that it took him 18 years to get to the top and saying he doesn’t know and can’t do this. Today, Tony D’Angelo walks up to Ethan Page and says he’s killing the room and to get over it. Page says he doesn’t know how to get back into the title picture, so Tony offers him an NA Title match. Page says he carried the brand on his back as champion and the NA Title is a step down for him.
Tony says he was extending an olive branch to him, but will open things up to the room. Page says he’ll take the match and if he can’t beat the NA Champion, his career is pretty much over. He needs this. Tony says “Please” is all he had to say, and “I’ll see you out there, kid.”
* Lexis King tells Charlie Dempsey that he’s done some soul searching and wants another shot at the Heritage Cup. Charlie says he’ll think about it, then walks up to his NQCC members and says he’s proud of their NXT Deadline performances. OTM walks in and they mock the three, with Jaida and Wren nearly coming to blows.
Je’Von Evans vs. Wes Lee
They go straight into brawling to start, with Evans beating on Lee against the ropes. The ref stops Evans so Lee grabs him and throws him into the ropes for his own strikes. Evans sends Lee through the ropes and then DIVES onto him, laying in mounted punches. Lee escapes and rolls in, he catches Je’Von climbing in with a shot but Evans knocks him back. Springboard dive but Lee with a dropkick for one.
Lee lays in punches in the corner and follows him to the next corner for shoulders into the gut. They trade elbows and Evans grabs Lee, throwing him through the ropes to the outside. He tries to Springboard but Lee catches him, pulls him to the floor and chucks him into the guardrail a couple times.
Lee rolls Evans in and follows to the apron, but Evans decks him to the floor and jumps onto him. He chucks Lee into the barricade, then throws him in and follows. Springboard rana and a high dropkick sends Lee back out of the ring, Evans goes off the ropes but Lee slides in and hits a dropkick to the knee, sending Evans to the outside and diving onto him as we go to break.
We’re back as Evans is able to stop Lee’s momentum with a BIG superkick. He lays in a big punch and several bodyshots, Lee off the ropes into a clothesline. Evans into the ropes for a Pele Kick! He springboards into a high impact lariat, cover gets two.
Evans grabs Lee in a double underhook and goes to pick him up but Lee blocks it. Backdrop, Lee turns it into a sunset flip but Lee grabs the ref to block it, then nails Lee. Lee tees off on Evans, but Evans comes back with a spinning punch. Striking sequence from Lee, Evans hits a big kick and goes for the double underhook bomb but Lee counters with a rana. Lee goes to dive onto Evans, but Evans in with a Spanish Fly! Double underhook bomb gets a nearfall.
Evans goes to springboard off the ropes but Lee catches him with a shot and goes to pin him using the ropes for leverage — the ref sees it! Evans off the top but my feed went slightly wonky. Lee hits the Cardiac Kick! One, two, thre–NO! Evans kicks out!
Lee is pissed, he charges in but eats a superkick. Evans prepares to leap up, Lee grabs his leg but gets kicked back. Superkick by Evans, Middle of the Road gets the win!
Winner: Je’Von Evans (12:23)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Really great TV match between these two that put Evans over strong, giving him two straight wins over Lee. Hot opening bout.
* Fraxiom are backstage and Axiom says Frazer was so close. Frazer says they still have the Tag Titles though! Axiom says he wants to apologize, he was worried about Frazer working double duty but he did great. Frazer says Axiom carried them in the tag match. Axiom bemoans Oba coming into Iron Survivor and says he’s angry. Frazer says he’s going to make this right.
* Tony D’Angelo vs. Ethan Page is official for tonight, as is Cora & Roxy vs. Giulia vs. Kelani as the main event.
* Tonight’s NXT Showcase focuses on Josh Briggs talking about competing in Pro Wrestling NOAH over the summer and how Yoshiki Inamura impressed him. Inamura says Briggs has the fighting spirit and has a crazy side when he gets in the ring, which he likes. Briggs says Inamura is a grown man and he doesn’t have to deal with the immaturity. There is a language barrier. Inamura says he jumped at the opportunity to come to NXT and Briggs says he didn’t want to be part of a tag team but he saw Inamura’s fighting spirit. Inamura says he and Briggs are going to create chaos in NXT.
* Sarah Schreiber is at medical looking for updates on Vaquer. Kelani and Giulia walk out, Giulia is pissed and shouts in Japanese. Kelani says what goes around comes around and Stephanie is banged up but will be okay. She’s tired of Roxy and Cora running around like they run NXT. She says she would eat the younger version of herself alive and is ready for tonight.
* Sol Ruca tells Zaria that Iron Survivor was the most fun she’s had in a long time. Zaria says she felt alive in the heat of battle and Sol felt the opposite when she was in the penalty box.
Lash and Jakara watch up and say they know Sol and Zaria wouldn’t win and they would have. Lash says Zaria can’t hang with her. Sol says Lash can’t bully Zaria and Jakara asks why she’s stepping up for someone who wanted to rip her head off 24 hours ago? It’s giving delusional.
Hank & Tank vs. Tyson DuPont and Tyriek Igwe
Tank and DuPont start off and Tank into the ropes, running into Tyson to no effect. One more time and Tyson knocks Tank down, but Tyson hits an atomic drop followed by a leaping back elbow and a cover for one.
Tyriek tags in and he and Tyson knock Tank down. Kneedrop to Tank’s dome, Tank sent into the ropes but he throws Tyriek into the ropes. Dropkick by Tyriek. Tank ends up in the ropes and gives a charging Tyriek a big boot, Hank tags in and they take out Tyriek. Big bulldog from Tank and then a pancake in the middle of the ring.
Tank back in but gets stopped by Tyriek, who slams him into the ropes and hits a big back suplex. Tyson tags in, big leaping splash off the ropes for two. Tank is fighting back as he gets picked up but gets nailed, Tank sent into the corner and comes out into an uppercut. Tyriek tags back in and gets nailed by Tank, he goes for the tag bit gets picked up and planted in the hostile corner. Splash and a cover gets two.
Tyriek whips Tank into the corner and splashes him, whip across the ring but Hank makes the save and Tank comes out with a lariat! Hank gets the hot tag, he knocks down an incoming Tyson a few times and tosses him into the corner. He charges but Tyson slips, he hits the turnbuckle but recovers and hits a splash on the other side. Tank takes down Tyriek on the outside, comes back in and comes off the top. Tyson ducks but gets laid out, Tank tags in and they blast Tyson to cover for three.
Winner: Hank & Tank (5:20)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Pretty good for a five-minute match, Hank & Tank are developing well as are Tyson and Tyriek.
Hank and Tank offer the handshake and Tyson accepts, but Tyriek is angry and walks off. Tyson follows him.
* Oba Femi WALKS backstage.
* We’re back from break and here comes Oba, looking pretty snazzy. He gets the mic and says “Surprise, surprise!” The Ruler is back, and at Deadline he stormed into the building, kicked down the opposition, destroyed everybody and is now the Iron Survivor. So in four weeks in Los Angeles at New Year’s Evil, he reclaims his position on the throne as the rules of NXT.
That brings him to Trick. He says they’ve never officially crossed paths but have been dominant in their divisions. It’s time to find out who the more dominant is —
AND HERE COMES TRICK! The NXT Champion comes to the ring and gets a mic. He circles Oba —
AND HERE COMES EDDY THORPE? Eddy says this ain’t happening and says he won’t let Oba ignore what he did to him. He says Oba attacked him last week and took him out, then took his place in the Iron Survivor. He can do what he wants because he’s a badass?
Oba tells him to shut his mouth and is making bold accusations. He asks if he saw Oba attack him. He says no, he was attacked from behind but was hit with so much power it can only be Oba. Oba says he appreciates the compliment but is done with him, then turns to Trick.
Trick says people have been waiting to see them go to head. Los Angeles, City of Angels, city of stars. The two biggest stars in NXT will collide for New Year’s Evil. He says they’ve never talked and is glad he’s here because the legacy isn’t how long you hold the title, but who you defeat while you carry it.
Oba says Trick is talking noise about being champion but the truth is the only reason he’s #1 guy around here is that Oba let him. And the only reason there was a “Whoop That Trick” era is that he allowed it. The truth is, whenever he was ready he knew he would take the title easily. And at New Year’s Evil, they have a date with destiny. Oba vs. Trick and Oba promises him the begining of 2025 will be the end of his era.
Oba walks off and Eddy stops Trick, saying he’s supposed to be a leader but didn’t press Oba about what he did to him. He thought maybe Trick would give him a title match but he was wrong about that, and about Trick. Everyone sees him as a man of the people, but when people look under the hood there’s just a sports entertainer. He says Trick wouldn’t last two weeks in the Japanese dojos he was in. He keeps going but Trick tells him to shut up because he is tired of the doubters. He asks Eddy if he thinks he can take the title? Good, believe that because he has no problem whipping every ass in the back. He tells Eddy he’s getting his match next week and says “Ava, set it up!” before decking Eddy.
* Fatal Influence are backstage and Jacy says Gigi is obsessed with her. Fallon says she’s obsessed with her title, and Jazmyn says it doesn’t matter, they just need to send her away.
* Gigi and Tatum are backstage walking and Izzi walks up, saying they aren’t done. Spears and company walk up and let Gigi and Tatum walk off. Spears tries to sweet talk Izzi but she isn’t interested and walks off.
Jacy Jayne & Jazmyn Nyx vs. Gigi Dolin & Tatum Paxley
Jacy and Tatum start, Jacy with a kneelift and shoves Tatum into the corner and tags in Nyx. But Tatum gets the advantage, tags in Gigi and they kick Nyx before Gigi covers for two. Gigi gets kicked but comes off the ropes and hits a dropkick to Jazmyn’s head knocking her to the outside.
Out of the ring, Nyx gets a shot in on Gigi and rolls her in, tagging in Jacy who lays in mounted punches. She stands and kicks Gigi in the chest, then drives a shoulder into the gut in the corner. Quick tags between Jacy and Jazmyn, they tag Gigi down. Nyx with a kick to the chest, Jacy with one to the back but she misses a senton. Jacy talks shit to Tatum, Gigi dodges a shot and tags in Tatum who lays waste to Jacy and Jazmyn! Double horizontal splash in the corner and she plants Jacy with a Samoan Drop. But Fallon distracts the ref, Jacy hits her finisher for the pin.
Winner: Fatal Influence (3:07)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Gigi and Jacy still have absolutely no chemistry as opponents, but outside of that this was pretty decent for the little time it got.
Fatal Influence triple team Tatum and Gigi comes in for the save. The numbers advantage is too much — BUT SHOTZI IS HERE! Shotzi comes in and lays out all three members of Fatal Influence! Enzuigiris from the babyfaces to FI sending them to the floor and Shotzi dives on them all!
* Axiom walks up to Frazer and says he went to Ava and got himself a one-on-one match with Oba. Frazer is skeptical and Axiom gets the concern, but Frazer is his tag team partner. Frazer says he felt bad about Axiom carrying them so he went to Ava and got a Tag Team Title match for next week. Axiom has two matches next week and is worried.
NXT North American Championship Match
Tony D’Angelo vs. Ethan Page
Lockup to start, Tony with a headlock takedown that Page reverses into a legscissors. They repeat the process twice, and then Page with a big punch. He sends Tony hard into the corner, Tony comes out with a running punch. Bodyslam to Page, Page sent into the corner and Tony into the headlock again. Tony shot into the ropes, he turns around and clotheslines Page to the outside as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Page sends Tony into the ropes but drops the head and Tony hits a knee. He charges but Page dodges and he hits the corner shoulder first, Page with an elbow off the ropes for two. Bodyslam gets another two count.
Page swings but Tony ducks and hits a belly-to-back suplex. Both men slow to get up and trade shots in the center of the ring, Tony takes over and sends Page into the ropes for a lariat and another, belly to belly and another! Tony is feeling himself and sends Page into the ropes for the spinebuster — but Page counters with a shot and hits a big kick! Tony into the ropes — SPEAR! That gets two.
Tony goes for the Fugeddabout it but Page counters with a small package for two. Kick to the head for another two, Page goes for the Ego’s Edge but Tony counters. Page send into the corner and Tony hits a clothesline against the turnbuckles. He sets Page on top and climbs but bodyshots send him back to the mat. Enzuigiri and a Twist of Fate gets a nearfall!
Page goes for Ego’s Edge — Tony counters into the spinebuster for three!
Winner: Tony D’Angelo (8:39)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Everything about Page’s storyline suggested he wasn’t winning here, so this was not a surprising result. Good match between these two, they had very good timing and delivered a fun match.
Page is despondent after the match.
* Lexis King is with Ryan Leaf and talks about what an inspiration he is. Leaf says King is the inspiration and doesn’t decide how the story starts, but he can make a hell of an ending. Charlie walks up and says he will give King the match in two weeks — but first he has to make it through a workout with him. King says “Done!”
* Page is walking out of the building and is stopped by a cameraman. He says he’s lost his way and says he’s All Ego but the reaity is, he doesn’t think he is. He doesn’t think he’s good enough how to get the NA Title, has no clue how to get to the NXT Title. He’s just lost and ashamed. He walks off.
Set For Next Week:
– NXT Championship Match: Trick Williams vs. Eddy Thorpe
– NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Fraxiom vs. Gallus
– Oba Femi vs. Axiom
– Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson vs. Sol Ruca & Zaria
Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade vs. Giulia & Kelani Jordan
Roxy and Cora attack Giulia during her entrance and Kelani comes out to help. Into the ring, the heels send Giulia and Kelani toward each other and they acrobatic past each other and take out Cora and Roxy! The heels are sent to the outside. We end up with Kelani and Roxy as the match begins.
Kelani with a wristlock, she tags in Giulia and Roxy is sent into the ropes — she hits the mat and goes for a rana but Giulia blocks it. Giulia takes a swing at a distracting Cora and ROxy attacks her from behind. Cora tags in and goes for a knee into the ropes but Giulia moves and tags in Kelani. Giulia with a kick, Kelani covers for two.
Cora backs Kelani into the ropes, Kelani reverses an Irish whip and takes Cora down with an armdrag. Roxy tags in and gets taken down, dropkick by Kelani. Roxy send hard into the corner and Giulia tags in, Kelani with a handspring splash and Giulia charges in but Cora pulls Roxy to safety as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Kelani Jordan fights off Roxy but is sent into the ropes, Roxy with an elbow that sends her to the outside — and Roxy dives on Kelani! She rolls Kelani in and tags in Cora, holding Kelani for Cora to run into her. Roxy with a moonsault, Cora covers for two.
Kelani is fighting back but gets kicked hard by Cora. Roxy tags in and Kelani sent into the corner. Roxy charges but eats a double boot! Cora charges but is sent over the top to the floor! Hot tag to Giulia, who comes in and lays out Roxy. Boot choke by the Iron Survivor, who goes into the ropes and charges in with a kick to the face. Hammerlock suplex gets two.
Perez counters an airplane spin, Giulia counters Pop Rocks and they trade strikes in the center of the ring. Giulia with a belly to back suplex, gets Roxy on her shoulder and tags in Kelani — she slams Roxy and Kelani with a frog splash! Cover but Cora breaks it up.
Cora sends Giulia to the outside and backs off, Roxy counters a suplex with an inside cradle for two. Cora tags in, they manhandle Kelani and Roxy off the ropes — Giulia trips her! Cora with a knee to Giulia, Kelani with a stepover heel kick. She gives onto Cora on the outside and rolls her in — Roxy nails Kelani and hits Pop Rocks on the floor! She rolls Kelani in, Giulia with a dropkick to Roxy an they fight to the back. Cora with the DDT for the win.
Winner: Cora Jade & Roxanne Perez (10:52)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Good match and Cora needed a win here, she legit had not won a match on TV since her return. I like the way this played out, it continued the two big feuds in a fine way.
STEPHANIE VAQUER IS HERE! Vaquer’s music plays and Cora has her bat — Vaquer comes up from behind and nails her! She hits a big headbutt and Cora escapes to the outside. Vaquer SNAPS the bat and gives chase, but Cora flees into the crowd.
* Eddy Thorpe is signing his contract backstage and AGAIN we get cut off mid-final segment. Hilarious. According to Twitter, he revealed that he staged his own attack last week and wanted to sneak his way into an NXT Championship match. Sure.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
