Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 12.6.22

Keep Refreshing For The Latest Results

Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas, here as ever, and we’re on the final push to NXT Deadline this weekend. Tonight will see the final competitors determined for the Iron Survivor Challenges. Axiom will battle Von Wagner and Andre Chase for the final men’s spot, while Indi Hartwell will take on Wendy Choo and Fallon Henley with the women’s spot on the line. Plus we’ll have Tony D’Angelo returning to the ring pretty Deadly presenting “A Real Christmas Story,” and Grayson Waller hosting the men’s Iron Survivor competitors in an episode of the Grayson Waller Effect. Sounds like a mostly fun show as WWE makes the big push for the PPV.

Here at Thomas HQ, it’s been a busy holiday season starting up but I’ve managed to get plenty of movie-watching in. I caught The Replacements last week after NXT and was reminded how fun of a movie that is. I also caught the stellar documentary about the history of Black cinema, Is That Black Enough for You?!? which is on Netflix and which I heartily recommend. Violent Night was an absolute blast and will be a regular part of my holiday viewing going forward. On the downside, I watched Amsterdam which was a nonsensical mess which further exposes David O. Russell’s screenwriting limitations. And Netflix’s Blonde dove into my worst of list as an infuriating piece of cinematic trash. And last night I dove into Terrifier 2 after seeing the first one last week. It was an improvement over the first and has an absolute star in Lauren LaVera.

And, of course, I continued to keep up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, which as I recommend as always, and did some more progress on Dropout.TV’s Game Changer

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’re LIVE in the Capitol Wrestling Center and starting off with the men’s qualifier.

* Andre Chase gets a pep talk from Duke Hudson before the match, and he says he’s going to give those two motherfuckers an Andre Chase-sized ass-whupping.

Iron Survivor Wild Card Qualifier
Von Wagner vs. Axiom vs. Andre Chase

Chase with a kick to Wagner and unloads on him to start, but Wagner fires back and knocks both men down, then runs over Chase off the ropes. He grabs both men and locks in a double headlock. Chase and Axiom manage to shoot Von into the ropes but he runs them over, then grabs Chase and puts him on his shoulders. Chase slips off and goes into the ropes, he runs into Chase and then he and Axiom both hit a shoulder block to take Wagner down followed by a double suplex. Chase suggests that Axiom dive onto Wagner but then rolls him up for two as a teachable moment.

Axiom briefly in control but Wagner batters him down. Axiom with slaps to the chest and springboards off the ropes to take down both Von and Chase. Flipping Northern lights suplex and a standing moonsault gets two. Wagner back up now and runs through the two, then picks Axiom into a gorilla press and chucks him over the ropes onto Chase as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Wagner climbs up to the rope with Axiom but Chase climbs up and flips over for a sunset flip powerbomb on Von. Uppercut to Axiom, Chase is up — superplex, which supposedly hits Wagner (it very blatantly didn’t). Wagner and Chase now trading shots as they get to their feet, Wagner with a headbutt and an Irish whip. Chase goes low and takes out the knee, then hits a Russian legsweep before laying in the Chase U stomps. Chase ducks a Wagner clothesline and sends him to the floor, Axiom dives onto Wagner and then kicks Chase in the head. Springboard but Chase kicks him, double underhook sitout powerbomb for two.

Chase goes for a clothesline but Axiom counters it into an armbar, Wagner knocks them over. Wagner gets Axiom on his shoulders but Axiom counters into a bodyscissors and then a triangle choke. Wagner is fading but picks Axiom up and drops him onto Chase. Big slam to Chase and cover for a nearfall.

Wagtner picks up Axiom and gets him on his shoulders, Chase kicks Wagner and grabs both for a DDT and inverted DDT combo. Chase up top, crossbody on Wagner and Chase rolls out of the ring with his momentum. Axiom takes out Wagner and gets the pinfall.

Winner: Axiom (11:51)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Not who I expected to win, to be honest. The match was solid for the most part, though Wagner continues to struggle pretty significantly. Everyone else made up for it.

* Cora Jade is walking down a bridge in a vignette and talks about how she’s proven she’ll do what it takes to become the #1 woman in NXT by breaking friendships and cheating. She plans to become the first female Iron Survivor and will sink to any depths.

* Julius Creed is being checked out by the trainer and is cleared to compete. Ivy asks him to check his ribs, and Julius tries to play it off. Brutus asks what she’s doing as the doctor checks Julius’ ribs and says he can’t clear him. The Creeds look pissed and Ivy says she’s protecting Julius.

* Bron Breakker is going out on his boat when Apollo Crews comes and invites himself along. They joke a little about their match at Deadline and Bron teaches Crews how to fish. Crews says he’s a natural in the ring and here. Bron gives him props for his standing moonsault and says he tried it once and fell on his face. Crews says he’s going to have to learn to counter his own moves. Crews asks if this really helps relieve the stress, and runs down Bron’s list of defenses. Bron says that if you lose a match as champion you lose everything you worked for. Crews suggests that Bron give up the title and Bron says good try. Crews catches a fish and they celebrate together. Crews throws the fish back and Bron congratulates him, saying Deadline will be a banger. Crews says he’ll show Bron his gameplan if Bron reciprocates and they talk about their plans. Bron says “May the best man win” and they shake. Crews says today wasn’t his day and Deadline won’t be either.

* A match is about to start but Sanga and Veer lay out the guy in the ring. Javi comes out for the match, sees Indus Sher and suddenly has a hamstring injury so he exits. Veer says that they won’t face the Creeds until they’re 100% and they’re not yet. Sanga says destroying them before then doesn’t interest them. Veer says they respectfully decline until the Creeds are ready — but Sanga says don’t keep them waiting long.

Julius and Brutus come out and want to compete but officials and Ivy are holding them back.

* Duke Hudson is commiserating about the loss when Thea Hail comes in and says she has a match with Isla Dawn. Thea says she’s super ready and Duke says she isn’t ready, but Chase says he approves. Thea runs off and Duke tries to talk sense into Chase but Chase says he’s made his decision and leaves.

* In a video from TikTok, Sol Ruca was doing a dance when Edris Enofe and Malik Blade were arguing with Brooks Jensen & Josh Briggs.

Xyon Quinn vs. Tony D’Angelo

Lockup to start, Tony gets shot into the ropes and runs Quinn over. Quinn right back up and drives Tony into the corner, whips him across the ring and picks him up but Tony slides off and runs Quinn over. Trapped uppercuts to the body by Tony and then punches in the corner, Xyon fights his way out and knocks Tony down. Irish whip, Tony holds onto the ropes and hits a back elbow but Quinn gets him on his shoulders to slam him down with a Samoan drop. Tony slips out of the ring to catch his breath, nails Quinn and then comes in and drops him with his finisher for three.

Winner: Tony D’Angelo (X:XX)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Xyon Quinn.

Afterward, Tony gets on the mic and says he’s back. He and Stacks talk about how he doesn’t have ring rust and is a shiny new hubcap which is why they call him the Don of NXT. He says he gained some new revenues during his therapy and got some new connections. But for them, it always came down to Wes Lee and the NA Title. He says Lee took a cheap shot and took his knee out.

That brings out Lee who welcomes Tony back. Tony says he appreciates Lee coming out and paying tribute, but Lee says not quite. He says he’s had his eye on Tony as much as Tony’s been on him, plus someone else. Stacks tries to talk shit but Lee tells Tony to switch Stacks to decaf. He says Tony needs to wait until Lee handles Dijak, but Tony says that business needs to wait for some other time.

Dijak appears on the Tron and says Tony’s a scumbag from the streets but as long as he stays out of his way that’s fine. He says his advice to Lee is to keep his name out of his mouth. Dijak says neither of them can and will do anything to keep him from delivering justice.

Stacks tells Lee there’s nowhere to run and goes for a cheap shot, but Lee escapes and says Dijak is first, then Tony.

* We go back to last week when Hank Walker confronted Charlie Dempsey about his shot at Hank last week. He says he wishes he could have followed his father’s footsteps but he wants the same opportunity and respect as everyone else. He says he wants a match with Dempsey, who says he’ll make sure Walker doesn’t belong.

* We see a SCRYPTS with someone talking about people needing to mean what they say and how he must target the chosen ones. There was a lot more but the audio distortion effect made it hard for me to make out.

Hank Walker vs. Charlie Dempsey

Lockup to start, Walker backs Dempsey in the corner but eats a knee to the gut. Dempsey with a big shot to the face which pissed off Hank, he lays into Charlie and flings him in the center of the ring. Dempsey takes over with a shot to the knee and a side headlock, but Walker powers out until Dempsey nails a throat thrust. Walker charges but gets nailed, Dempsey with a standing kimura lock. Walker powers out and slams Dempsey, but Dempsey takes back over by sending Walker into the corner and slams him down for two.

Walker now with an elbow lock submission as Drew Gulak comes out to watch. Walker is able to get to his feet but Dempsey keeps the elbow lock on. Walker is able to fight out at last and sends Dempsey into the ropes, Thesz press and mounted punches. He avalanches Dempsey in the corner, sends him to the opposte corner for another one and then slams him to the mat. Big first, he goes for a big boot but Dempsey catches the leg and slams Walker down. He goes for a kneelock but Walker kicks out of it, Dempsey hyperextends the knee and then locks in the single-leg crab. He hooks Walker’s head and presses them together for the tapout.

Winner: Charlie Dempsey (4:06)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly fine match with the right winner.

* Zoey Stark vignette where she talks about how timing is everything in wrestling and this is the perfect time for the Iron Survivor because it’s her kind of match. We hear the WWE HOFers’ comments praising her and she says the other four women can’t tough her. She has no extra baggage or dead weight; it’s all about her on Saturday. 25 minutes separates her from history.

* McKenzie asks Grayson Waller what to expect tonight, and Waller says McKenzie has missed him. He says he’s the odds-on favorite to be the Iron Survivor and that he wants to get the measure of everyone tonight, though they’re already nervous because they’re feeling the Grayson Waller Effect.

* Pretty Deadly are out here. They say December is finally here and it’s time for a Real Christmas Story. Elton sits on Kip’s knee and Kip says they wrote this themselves. They start reading an innuendo-laden story about bulging sacs full of presents from fans and how they won the gold by putting everyone on their backs. Elton complains about US fans calling football “soccer” before Kip calms him down. They talk about how no one has been able to match them blow-for-blow and wrote a letter to Santa asking for someone who can challenge them, but Saint Nick knows no one’s better. They say they’ll never ever ever ever ever ever lose. Santa can’t save us and there’s no Christmas cheer; 2023 will be the same as 2022: Pretty Deadly’s year. They embrace and —

IT’S A NEW DAY, YES IT IS!

Kofi and Woods come out to get a huge crowd pop. Kofi praises PD’s story as an amazing one before a New Day Rocks chant breaks out. Woods says the story they want to hear talks about who they’ll defend the titles against at Deadline. Kofi says they’ve beaten everyone, but Xavier says they haven’t beat the New Day. They enter the ring and Kofi suggests they put the titles on the line on Saturday so they can become your new WWE NXT World Tag Team Champions. PRetty Deadly attack and it turns into a brawl, with New Elton being thrown into the tree and Kip getting a present to the face. The champs get ejected and presents slammed onto their heads: superkick sends them to the floor.

* Isla Dawn laughs as she talks about her very first match in NXT is tonight and she hopes Alba Fyre is watching.

* Javi walks backstage when McKenzie walks up to him and spooks him. McKenzie asks if he’s looking over his shoulder for Indus Sher, and Javi says that’s insensitive because he has an uncontrollable twitch. He fears no one and says Indus Sher didn’t want none of him. Javi says McKenzie is biased against him, so she grabs nearby Ikemen Jiro and asks what he thinks of Javi. Ikemen says he’s a big body chicken, and Javi stalks off angrily.

Thea Hail vs. Isla Dawn

They circle to start, lockup and Thea gets backed into the ropes. Ref calls for the break and Isla snapmares Thea, then picks her up for strikes followed by a double knee strike to the chest. Isla with knees to the back and a modified sleeper to wear Hail down.

Thea gets to9 her feet and ducks a clothesline, firing off with punches. Forearm strikes to run Dawn over, then a splash in the ropes and a suplex. Springboard senton for two.

Dawn gets kicked in the gut but counters turns a wheelbarrow suplex, slamming Hail down. Two finishers from Dawn and it’s over.

Winner: Isla Dawn (2:51)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Thea Hail.

After the match, smoke appears and Alba Fyre pops into the ring! She attacks Dawn and officials come out to separate them as Booker asks “What’s going on?” as if he somehow wouldn’t know. Dawn spits poison and Fyre dodges, with an official being hit as Isla flees the ring.

* Kiana James says there are four lambs in the ring with her at NXT Deadline, and lambs get slaughtered. James says it’s all about strategy and she has the advantage there. She says she’ll send them to the penalty box one by one and asks her assistant about her celebration party. James says she can turn dirt into diamonds and sand into gold, and she’ll turn an Iron Survivor win into the NXT Women’s Title.

* We get another vignette from Lyra Valkyria where she says she descends to NXT next week.

Brooks Jensen & Josh Briggs vs. Edris Enofe and Malik Blade

Edris tackles Brooks to start and lays in with aggressive strikes, then tags in Blade. Into the ropes and some tandem offense from Blad and Edris. Jenson into the corner and gets dropkicked by Blade, cover for two. Blade goes right into a wristlock, he sends Brooks into the ropes but Brooks with a bulldog and Briggs comes in as well. They slide out of the ropes for their uppercuts, then Briggs tags Jensen back in.

Wristlock from Brooks, who sees Kiana James slipping an envelop into his gear and is distracted by it. Blade tags in Edris, who comes in hot and lays into Brooks. Briggs in but Edris pulls down the ropes on a charge and he goes to the outside. Blade dives on Biggs, Edris with a big elbowdropa and a near-fall.

Edris is ready for some offense but is distracted by Von Wagner attacking Odyssey Jones on the outside. Briggs and Jensen take over, BIG lariat from Briggs for the pinfall.

Winner: Briggs & Jensen (3:23)
Rating: **
Thoughts: This was sloppy, rushed, and overbooked with two separate distractions in three minutes. All here for the angles.

The two teams give a show of respect after the match.

* It’s time for Roxy’s NXT Deadline vignette. She says as long as she can remember, this has been her dream but she’s done dreaming. The reality is she wants another shot at Mandy Rose. To get back there she needs to beat the best in the Iron Survivor Challenge. She says she’s nervous for a match that has no history and if she goes in unsure, she should just stay in the penalty box. She has to stop talking about it and just go win it. The only person who can stop her is in the mirror.

* Briggs and Jensen celebrate their win with Fallon Henley when Jensen opens his envelope, which is VIP tickets to Deadline from Kiana James. Henley is pissed and walks off for her match.

Iron Survivor Wild Card Qualifier
Indi Hartwell vs. Wendy Choo vs. Fallon Henley

Indi kicks Wendy to start and then bodyslams both women in succession, but Fallon takes her down for a one-count. Wendy with a headlock takedwon on Fallon, Indy tries to make a cover and gets one. Toxic Attraction watch in the back as Indi takes both women down and pins them both for one.

Indi with splashes to both women in the corners, but Wendy knocks her down and Fallon with a bulldog for two. Fallon and Wendy trade shots back and forth, Fallon with a kneelift and then a waistlock that Choo breaks. She runs Fallon into the ropes to knock Indi off the apron and rolls back into a pin, Fallon kicks Wendy off and Indi knocked down again.

Indi back in know and she and Wendy pick Fallon up, but Fallon takes them both down and slides out of the ring for an uppercut to Wendy in the ropes. Indi with a big boot to Fallon on the outside as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Wendy goes up top for a moonsault, but Indi crotches her on the turnbuckle and puts her in the Tree of Woe. Wendy gets free and kicks Indi into a rollup by Henley for two. Henley lays into both opponents, splashes them in the corner and hits a bulldog off the ropes on Indi to cover, Wendy breaks it up.

Fallon and Wendy trade shots on their knees, they get up and Indi joins the fray. Indi sends Fallon to the apron and kicks her through the ropes. Wendy runs Indi over then sends Fallon into the ropes, release belly-to-belly. Handspring elbow drop in the corner to Indi, but Indi hits a spinebuster. Cover for two, Fallon breaks it up.

Indi gets Fallon up and sends her into the corner, she charges in but Fallon with a back elbow. Indi with shots to Fallon and climbs up with her, she goes for a superplex but Fallon blocks it. Choo leaps up and hits a super German suplex to send both women to the mat! Wendy covers Fallon, but only gets two.

Wendy frustrated now and she gets to her feet, she grabs Fallon but Indi boots her down. Fallon with a crucifix pin to Indi for two. Indi tries for a big boot but is sent to the outside, brain buster by Choo on Henley for two. Wendy goes up top, leaping Vader bomb but Indi throws her from the ring — clothesline to the back of Fallon’s head for three.

Winner: Indi Hartwell (10:12)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: This had a couple sloppy moments but was good overall. Indi was the obvious choice to win.

* The men prepare to walk to the ring for the Grayson Waller Effect.

* Toxic Attraction talk about the Iron Survivor Challenge and Gigi asks if they’re going. Mandy says of course they’re going. Indi walks in and says that Saturday is her day and people have been wondering for months who will take the title, and it’s going to be her.

* The card gets run down for NXT Deadline. Alba Fyre vs. Isla Dawn is official for the show.

* Waller is in the ring with all four of his opponents. Waller says NXT Deadline will be a history-making event and runs down the rules. He says you don’t often get a chance to be in a first match for something, and then says the five of them will be linked together forever, and it will be an honor to be in the ring with them.

Waller introduces Axiom as a brave man for wearing a turtleneck in 2022, can’t pronounce Schism when introducing Gacy, calls JD McDonagh an Irish garden gnome, and says Melo should be called A-Loser.

Waller calls for a question. The first question asks what advantage they have, and he says he is the only one who knows how to be a Survivor. Melo says it’s not about Waller running around naked on a reality show, it’s about who wins on Saturday. And they’re all talking about him. JD asks what Melo is talking about, saying Melo lost the NA title twice in five-man matches. Melo says it ain’t about that; it’s about them. The match is his and no matter where he comes in he’ll have the same juice.

JD says Melo has been protected from day one in WWE and he’s going to wake up at Deadline. He won’t be the same guy throughout the match, and JD says he is the only one who can last. Waller says he doesn’t need 25 minutes to win and Melo says the match is 25 minutes, but Waller doesn’t know how to go 25 minutes. Waller says he’ll forgive that because Melo is in Waller cosplay.

Waller asks Gacy about what being the leader of a group benefits him, and Joe spouts some babble. Axiom says they’ll all act differently. He says the Iron Survivor Challenge is just that — a challenge. His ability to adapt will serve him well and the match will bring out the best of them. Melo calls him a nerd.

Waller goes to a question about where he wants to enter, and he says he wants to be first and JD second so he can get revenge on JD. JD says Axiom should be thanking him that it was weeks and not months he was out. Gacy says JD set a good example and asks him to put Axiom in the hospital again. Gacy wants to be at #4 as it will give him the advantage. He says he will be the Iron Survivor and the Schism’s tree will grow taller. Melo says Gacy and JD both shot their shot and missed. Waller and Axiom are delusional. He says he’s the guy to win. Waller says it ain’t Melo’s show; it’s his. He says his head is on a swivel and JD headbutts him. It turns into a brawl and a series of dives onto each other. Waller walks off as the other four brawl to end the show.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Tonight's WWE NXT was fully focused on NXT Deadline and that was a good thing. Not all the matches were great and we didn't have a true standout, must-watch bout, but very little was actively bad and it did a good job of hard selling the PPV. That's all I ask for on a go-home show.