Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 2.14.23

Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas, with you as always, and tonight’s NXT will feature the return of Bron Breakker after he defended his NXT Championship earlier this month at Vengeance Day! Plus Roxanne Perez and Meiko Satomura will be facing former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Kayden Carter and Katana Chance, while Wes Lee has an open challenge for the NXT North American Championship. And Grayson Waller will come off of his suspension to take on Tyler Bate, Tiffany Stratton will battle Thea Hail, Hank Walker faces Charlie Dempsey, and Axiom locks up with Damon Kemp. All that and Jacy Jayne explaining her attack on Gigi Dolan that ended last week’s show. We have a busy episode, but it sounds like it should be a fun one.

Here at the Thomas house, Ihad my usual busy week of movies. The week started off with Blumhouse’s There’s Something Wrong with the Children, which had some creepy vibes but lost its way in the narrative shortcuts a bit. Alison Brie’s Somebody I Used to Know was a nice little twist on the typical romantic comedy tropes, while the grindhouse-style slasher Candy Land tried to marry the genre with indie drama sensibilities and wasn’t entirely successful. I watched 1950’s A Ticket to Tomahawk to make a bit more progress on my Marilyn Monroe Watch Project (only a few to go), and she was barely in it but it’s a perfectly average western comedy from the era. My final two watches of the week were Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion, which is an admirable follow-up to Joko Anwar’s 2017 remake, and a rewatch of The Ruins which I liked much more now than I did when I first saw it in 2008.

In TV news, I’ve been watching the new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race which has been fun and also went match to start watching from season one. It’s not my aesthetic as much as Dragula is, but I’m enjoying season 15 and the old seasons certainly have their moments.

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 as Grayson Waller makes his way to the ring!

Grayson Waller vs. Tyler Bate

Lockup to start and Waller backs Bate into the corner and smacks him. He takes over with punches and hammer blows to the back, then chokes Bate against the ropes and says HBK chose the wrong horse. Mounted punches against the ropes until the ref backs him off.

Lockup and Bate takes over with punches and uppercuts. Side headlock and a kick to the head, Waller goes into the ropes for a dropkick that gets two. Bate right back into a chinlock, Waller to his feet and hits a back suplex for two.

Knee from Waller to Bate’s back and a stomp to the knee. Waller smashes an elbow into the back of Bate’s neck and traps his head for some kneelifts, he covers again for two. Bate into the corner where Waller delivers some bodyshots, Bate reverses an Irish whip and hits a hiptoss, then a suplex and standing shooting star press for two.

Waller begs off but Bate moves in — and Waller pulls him through the ropes to the floor. Bate tripes Waller and pulls him to the outside. Slam into the apron, Bate takes over on the outside and Waller runs behind commentary with Bate giving chase. Waller into the ring and he kicks Bate into the booth, he comes off the ropes for a sliding lariat on the outside as we go to PIP break.

We’re back and Waller has been in control for much of the break. Waller has Bate in a backbreaker submission in the center of the ring, but Bate knees his way out of it. Bate with strikes but Waller fires right back, Waller goes for his diving into the ring stunner but Bate avoids it and springs off the ropes with a big lariat!

Bate in the corner and he kicks Waller in the head, shoulder block off the middle rope and a suplex and cover for two. Bate gets Waller on his shoulders for an airplane spin! Round and round they go, into a bodyslam and cover for a nearfall.

Bate goes up top and leaps over a dodging Waller — Waller with a big kick to the head! Somersault Impaler and a two-count, Waller quickly transitions into a pin and gets another nearfall. Waller now tuning up the band HBK-style, but Bate catches the superplex! Big punch, another and a superkick for a cover but Waller grabs the ropes!

Bate goes for the Tyler Driver ’97 but Waller rverses into a pin and grabs the tights! Waller with another pin and grabs the ropes but the ref saw it; Bate reverses for three!

Winner: Tyler Bate (12:00)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Great match to start us off with some very good sequences. Waller losing plays into his storyline quite well, and Bate looks strong with the win.

* Brooks is nervous backstage as Briggs comes in. Brooks says he’s never… and makes wild gesticulations. Briggs finally gets it and says there’s plenty of 22 year-olds that have never hit the home run. Brooks says he’s never been on base. Briggs flips out but says there’s nothing to be nervous about and describes the 90/10 run (you go 90% of the way, she goes the 10% for a kiss) and Brooks can’t get it. So Briggs goes 90 and tells Brooks to go 10.

Fallon walks in asking what the hell they’re doing and asks why. Briggs confesses Brooks has never kissed a girl, and Brooks flips out. Fallon tries to tell him about Zack again but Brooks cuts her off and says he’s nervous, and Fallon gives him advice that when a woman is playing with her keys post-date, she wants the kiss. Brooks runs off excitedly.

* Jacy is heading to the ring but backstage Waller is screaming at Michaels. Waller is pulled away by Matt Bloom and Shawn says to cut to break.

* We go to Apollo Crews standing under a stret lamp and talking about his loss at NXT Vengeance Day. He throws the book down and addresses Dabba-Kato, saying he felt the hug and saw the smile before everything went dark. He asks Dabba-Kato why and says there was no call, no text and that he won’t say why. He says they shared the road together and shared moments and family time together. He says Dabba-Kato had his reasons and now Crews has his. He’s focused on revenge now.

* Jacy Jayne is here, and she has new theme music! But apparently she got the blurry camera intro in the divorce. Jacy gets the mic and says the Toxic Attraction story ended last week, but the Jacy Jayne story began and now it’s all about her. And the proof is in the boo, because for the last seven days she’s been the talk of NXT — not Roxy, not Bron, not Melo and damn sure not Gigi. She says her name is on the tip of everyone’s tongue.

She says for everyone asking if she regrets stomping Gigi’s skull in, she only regrets not pulling the trigger. She says she’s watched it 1,000 times, but the only thing better is #1,001 so we see it again in a full recap montage charting the Gigi/Jacy breakup. It features multiple shots of the kick to the head, and Jacy is loving seeing it.

Jacy mocks Gigi with an “Oh, boo hoo!” She says if she has to hear one more “Did you really have to kick her that hard?” Yes she did. Because everyone wants to play Gigi as the victim, but anyone with more than two brain cells understands she was a victim because Gigi did half the work and took all the credit. She says everyone will see who Jannetty — err, Gigi — for what she is going forward. And Jacy wants everyone to listen very carefully because it’s the most important thing she ever has to say: “Screw you.” Because for the last two years, she was seen as the one who didn’t belong and the third wheel. She’s the last woman standing of the most dominant female faction in WWE history.

* Thea Hail is backstage and still a bit jumpy after Schism attacked last week. Chase says they can push the match back, but she refuses to do so because then Schism wins. She has to look fear in the face and say “Hi Fear, I’m Thea and you’re getting an Andre Chase-sized ass whupping!”

* We get a vignette for Sol Ruca where she talks about being a free spirit, which her parents instilled in her. They had a deal — as long as she did well in school, she could do what she wanted and tried a lot of things. She says people are afraid of mistakes; when she tried the Sol Snatcher she screwed it up at first but Zoey Stark can attest to its effectiveness now. She’ll fall down, but she’ll get back up.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Thea Hail

Lockup to start and Stratton takes Thea down with a wristlock. Thea back up and hits an armdrag, she takes over and hits a dropkick. Thea celebrates with Andre and Duke but sees Schism members in the Chase U section.

Tiffany tries to take over and Thea counters but Tiffany kicks Thea in the head. Thea with another shot to back Tiffany up and she sees Joe Gacy on the podium. Tiffany knocks Thea out of the ring, then rolls her in for a two-count. She picks Thea up on her shoulders but Hail elbows out and knocks Tiff onto the apron. Tiffany yanks Thea against the ropes and hits a springboard senton (mostly for two.

Thea gets back in control and knocks Tiff to the outside, she dives through the ropes onto Tiffany! Thea is hyped up but turns and sees Ava with the mask. She goes into the ring and rolls Stratton up for two, but Tiffany off the ropes to splash Thea against the ropes. Senton and a top-rope moonsault finishes it.

Winner: Tiffany Stratton (3:26)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Stratton needs a bit more practice on those flying moves, but otherwise she’s pretty good. This was all about the Thea Hail/Schism storyline, and that’s fine.

* Tatum and Ivy are backstage in the Diamond Mine when Javi comes in and asks Tatum to be his Javitine. Tatum says she’s taken, and he tries the same with Ivy, who tells her to save it. He’d love to be her Javitine — and then puts him in a dragon sleeper.

We then hear Isla taunting Ivy and Tatum about dragging each other down. They say they’re not listening and walk off as Javi crawls into frame.

Axiom vs. Damon Kemp

Axiom with a dropkick right to start and he beats on Kemp in the corner, backing up for a high elevation diving dropkick. Axiom kicks Kemp in the chest and goes for another, but Kemp escapes to the outside so Axiom dives onto him! Kemp rolled back in, Axiom goes up top but Kemp dodges the leap. Kemp catches Axiom off the ropes for a wheelbarrow suplex, then a couple of German suplexes and clotheslines Axiom out of the ring. He nails Axiom and then rolls him in for mounted punches, cover for two.

Kemp with a shot to Axiom and then another, but Axiom fires back with chops and whips Kemp into the ropes for a dropkick. Kick in the corner, he goes up top for a crossbody but Kemp rolls through for two. Axiom right back up for a kick but Kemp turns him inside out with a clothesline. Electric chair German suplex, bridge for a two-count.

Kemp goes for a German suplex but Axiom lands on his feet and nails Kemp with a couple kicks. Golden Ratio finishes it.

Winner: Axiom (3:30)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: As good as a three and a half minute can be.
* We get shots of Brooks having his Valentine’s date with Kiana which looks quite romantic. Fallon is looking at the comments and Briggs says look at the pics. Fallon says she has to tell Brooks and walks off. Briggs: “tell him what?”

* Grayson Waller got kicked out of the building. He rants that he’s the biggest star in NXT and Shawn is a hypocrite. He’s not HBK anymore, he’s a stooge.

* Bron Breakker is here! The NXT Champion makes his way to the ring and gets a mic. Bron soaks in the barks for a moment and then says it feels a little different in here tonight, like when one door closes, the next opens. And the next challenge for him is different, it feels different. It feels like the match that everyone wants to see: “Me vs. Him!”

And here comes Jinder Mahal with Indus SHer! Bron says Jinder isn’t the man he expected to see, and Jinder says a great champion must always expect the unexpected. He says he respectfully interrupts because he admires the fact that for almost an entire year, Bron has carried NXT on his back and he is NXT. But Jinder knows the weight that Bron carries on his shoulder and the stress of the next challenger, the stress of retaining the title. And he understands the media, the appearances, the late nights, the early mornings, the lifestyle. As a former WWE Champion to the current NXT Champion, is this the title reign he envisioned? Bron says “You’re damn straight, what the hell are you talking about?”

Jinder says Bron must be deaf if he doesn’t hear that small pocket of fans who loved him but now hate him. He says you either die a hero or become a villain, and Bron says the fans can say what they want. Jinder says the fact that Bron can’t acknowledge the tides are changing, he’s vulnerable and weak is why he’s here. Jinder is challenging Bron to a match next week for the NXT Championship.

Bron says it’s fine by him; he’s a simple guy and Jinder didn’t need to come out with the new Three Man Band. Veer didn’t like that, and Jinder says to relax. He says the people don’t like Bron, and he did the 3MB comment to get people to like him. But they won’t like him even after Jinder takes the title — but the Maharaja will.

* Kayden and Katana come in and approach Roxy and Meiko and say that they apologize and they were just angry about losing their titles. Roxy says apology accepted, but do they not want the match? They want the match still, but they just wanted them to know it’s an honor. They leave and Roxy thanks Meiko, who says she has her reasons.

* McKenzie is backstage with Indi, who says she enjoyed seeing Gigi’s skull get kicked in but she saw Jacy spewing her garbage. She says Jacy is dead wrong and the only place she’s ending up is behind her.

* Wes Lee is out for the North American Championship Open Challenge. He’s ready and waiting to find out who’s stepping up — it’s Tony D! But not so much as Dijak attacks him and Stacks considers taking the challenge before helping Tony. And Von Wagner attacks Lee from behind!

NXT North American Championship Match
Wes Lee vs. Von Wagner

Lee starts off with dropkicks to the knee, but gets backed into the corner. Wagner picks Lee up with one hand and slams him in the corner, then flings him across the ring. Shoulders to the gut of Lee, and then kneelifts until Lee gets a boot up. Lee lays into Von with punches and then dives at him, but Von catches him and dumps him over the ropes.

Out of the ring and Von grabs Wes, slamming him into the apron and then the commentary booth. Stone tells Von to get Wes into the ring as Wagner slams Lee into the table repeatedly. He rolls Wes in and jaws with Stone, then comes in. Lee fires off with punches and comes off the ropes but gets clotheslined for a two-count.

Von grabs Lee for a powerbomb, Lee blocks it and escapes. Thrust palms to Von’s gut and Lee lays in the jabs, he ducks a big boot and trips Von. Stomp and a moonsault by Lee, and a diving dropkick. Von in the corner, Wes comes in with a diving uppercut and kick to the head. He leaps off the top and gets caught by Von, who throws him up and plants him. Big kick gets a nearfall.

Wagner manhandles Lee and picks Lee up, gorilla press and he goes to throw Lee over the top into the booth but Lee slides off and hits several superkicks and then a high knee! Wes with a Cardiac Kick for three.

Winner: Wes Lee (4:42)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Good, solid match that plays into Von’s issues with Stone.

* Hank Walker walks up to Drew Gulak with a new singlet, but his boots haven’t come in yet. Drew gives Walker a pair of his own.

Hank Walker vs. Charlie Dempsey

Dempsey goes right into the wristlock to stark, Walker elbows out but gets caught with a headlock. Dempsey shot into the ropes and collides with Walker, Walker takes over with punches until they boot each other.

Walker grabs Dempsey’s arm and goes into am armbar. Walker scrambles for the ropes but Walker pulls him back. They repeat it but Dempsey catches Walker’s boot and goes to stretch Walker — and he taps!

Winner: Charlie Dempsey (1:41)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Hank Walker.

Dempsey locks in the hold again and Gulak goes to enter the ring — but he backs off. Refs get Dempsey to break the hold and Dempsey stares off with Gulak on the apron. They both drop off and walk to the back together as Walker looks pissed.

* Von is throwing things backstage as Robert Stone stares from a seat. He says he has plenty to say, but what’s the point. He lost the match not because he doesn’t have in-ring ability, but because he has no connection to him or anyone. He has to let his walls down. Stone yells “Help me help you!” and says that all Wagner is is a meme. Stone says he’ll get Von get to where he wants to go but he has to help him help.

* Pretty Deadly approach Gallus in the pub and say they can beat them anywhere, so they play some pool but don’t know the rules so knock solids in when they’re stripes. Gallus says don’t worry; they remember their first day in the pub. Gallus suggests two of three and if they win, they get a tag team title match. They keep bringing beers to get Gallus drunk but their plan doesn’t seem to be working.

Kip is sick of playing these games. Gallus thanks them for picking up the tab, which is huge. Gallus says all they had to do is ask for a title shot; they’re not the New Day.

* Ilja is with McKenzie and asks if seeing the injury was hard to watch. Ilja says it was a hard recovery but pain helps you feel alive. McKenzie asks about the detached retina JD suffered, and he says it was just the beginning.

Trick appears on the Tron! He’s in the ring and wants Ilja to come out, so off he goes. Trick says he wants to find out for himself if Ilja is the baddest man in Europe, because he’ll drop Ilja like a mixtape or like JD dropped him months ago. Ilja walks as Trick talks trash.

Here comes Ilja to the ring! He gets in the ring and says Trick is very entertaining with all the phrases and lines, and is the life of the party. But he didn’t come back to NXT to have fun. Trick felt what it’s like to try and keep him away from his mission — and Trick attacks! Ilja fires back and sends Trick to the outside — and here comes JD!

JD says Dragtunov should be in jail and should have listened when he told him on the stretcher to go home and stay home. He’s going to beat Ilja so badly he won’t be able to hold his son — and Trick attacks from behind! He talks trash to Ilja and slides out of the ring, walking by JD to the back. JD steps into the ring but Ilja stand and JD backs off.

* Melo is backstage as Trick comes in hyped after his attack of Ilja. Melo says Ilja is different, and Trick says he’s different. Melo says Trick woke the dragon, but Trick isn’t worried.

* We get the end of Brooks and Kiana’s date. Kiana says she had a really great time. Brooks struggles awkwardly with words and Kiana looks expectantly as she plays with her keys. Brooks goes in for a kiss and Fallon walks up and says Kiana is cheating on her. Kiana says it isn’t true and mentions her phone call with Zack — who Kiana says is her brother. Zack appears at the door and says he was gonna feed the dogs but he’ll leave. Kiana asks when Fallon will start trusting her, and heads inside. Fallon apologizes to Brooks, who walks off with Briggs.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Title: Bron Breakker vs. Jinder Mahal
– Jacy Jayne vs. Indi Hartwell
– Trick Williams vs. Ilja Dragunov

Kayden Carter & Katana Chance vs. Roxanne Perez & Meiko Satomura

Kayden and Roxy start off, Kayden with a headlock and gets shot into the ropes where she runs Roxy over. Stomp to the gut, Katana tags in, tandem offense and a slingshot senton to cover for two. Katana with a shoulderlock, but she gets shot into the ropes and goes for a rana but Roxy ends up on her feet. Drop-toe hold by Katana, Kaydenm tags in and rolls Roxy up for two.

Wristlock by Kayden, Roxy flips out and reverses. Meiko tags in and Kayden and Meiko test kicks — Kayden with a slap to the chest, and Meiko with kicks. Katana comes in as does Roxy, and Roxy and Meiko hit stereo charging uppercuts in the corners before sending Kayden and Katana to the outside. Roxy dives onto Katana and Meiko off the apron to take out Kayden as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Katna has Roxy in an abdonimal stretch. Roxy armdrags out but eats a dropkick for two. Kayden tries for the hold again but Roxy rolls her up for two and hits a jawbreaker. Meiko tags in and takes Kayden out with a trip, double kneedrop to the gut. Meiko with repeated kicks to Kayden, waistlock and Kayden elbows her, but Meiko with a kick to the head for two.

Meiko bodyslams Kayden and tags in Roxy, who hits a handstand senton for a cover which Katana breaks up. Roxy and Kayden trade shots, Roxy with a tilt-a-whirl but Kayden catches her and hits a short-arm cradle clothesline. Kayden to her feet and she charges for a boot to Roxy’s jaw, Katana with a drop off the top ropes and cover for two.

Roxy in a front facelock but she manages to escape for a Russian legsweep. Meiko tags in, Katana hits her with a lungblower. Meiko battles back and gets on the top, Katana climbs up with and they brawl. Kayden tags in, Roxy goes for the save but Katana takes her out. Assisted top rope rana! Katana covers for two. They go for their finisher but Meiko escapes and kicks Katana in the midsection, she takes out Kana but Kayden decks her. Pele kick by Meiko! Roxy tags in — Pop Rocks!

Winner: Roxanne Perez & Meiko Satomura (10:26)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Great, fast-paced match here with both teams doing very fine work.

Afterward, Roxy is in the ring as Meiko gets a mic. She says she did something for Roxy, so now she wants Roxy to do something for her. She points at the title. Roxy says it would be her honor. Seems like it’s set for Roadblock.

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

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Very strong show tonight from the developmental brand. They kept the number of matches down which allowed each one to have time, and all the segments were effectively done in order to build feuds and storylines. Frankly, I have no complaints this week; even if some stuff didn't quite hit and the show wasn't perfect, it flowed very well and felt like it had a strong focus. We have a winner this week.