Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 2.6.24

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas with you as always, and tonight NXT deals with the fallout of NXT Vengeance Day. Tonight’s show will see Carmelo Hayes explain his brutal assault on his best friend Trick Williams at the end of the show, while the Wolfdogs will celebrate their Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic win. Plus Roxanne Perez will seek revenge against Lola Vice after Vice inserted herself in the NXT Women’s Championship match and cost Perez the win, Riley Osborne will battle Lexis King for Thea Hail’s honor and Nathan Frazer & Axiom will face their fellow Dusty Classic semifinalists in Malik Blade and Edris Enofé. And Fallon Henley & Wren Sinclair will take on Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson of the Meta-Four. It’s a packed episode as we begin the journey to NXT Stand & Deliver over WrestleMania weekend, so here’s to a fun show.

Thomas HQ has stayed busy as ever, with plenty of movie watching. The last week saw me watch a few documentaries including the well-done Paramount+ docu Milli Vanilli about the infamous pop band, a rewatch of Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story which is a wonderful look at a legendary actress and influential inventor, and Netflix’s The Greatest Night in Pop which tells the surprisingly fascinating story of how “We Are the World” came together. I also watched Shudder’s Dario Argento Panico
, which looks at the Italian horror maestro’s career and does a moderately good job of it.

In addition, I watched a couple of new 2024 films in Argylle, which was incredibly flawed but ended with a final act of pure gold, and I.S.S. which wasn’t bad but never hit levels of greatness for me.

With TV, I’m still staying caught up on Drag Race season 16 (I’m still on both Team Nimphia Wind and Team Plasma) and True Detective: Night Country.

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 Capital Wrestling Center and Byron Saxton is filling in for Booker T.

* And here comes Carmelo Hayes! Melo comes out to a chorus of boos with his trusty Trick-beating chair in hand. He sets up the chair and sits down to soak in the boos, as well as the chants that they’re having to mute out. Finally, he stands but the boos are still too strong. They turn into a chant and Melo pauses and says “Not yet,” setting the chair down and exiting the ring. Right then.

* We then get a montage from NXT Vengeance Day recapping the results as well as Melo’s assault of Trick.

* We’re back and the Wolfdogs are at the desk with their Dusty Classic trophy. Corbin starts the intro but Bron cuts him off and tells Alicia to do this. Alicia introduces them as the winners of the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic — THE WOLFDOGS!

Corbin isn’t happy with the name and asks Alicia how much he paid her to say that. Corbin says that they dominated and their name is on the trophy — and his name is first. He says no one can stop them, but maybe the top rope can stop Bron’s face, pointing out Bron’s injuries. Bron says when you go 23 MPH, stuff’s going to go wrong. Corbin’s never done that, but he congratulates Corbin on his first dive and says he he wouldn’t have helped he wouldn’t have gotten over the rope.

Corbin says that they have a Tag Team Title shot and calls for The Family, before Bron says the Wolfdogs are on the hunt. However, no Family as Axiom and Nathan Frazer come out for their match.

Axiom & Nathan Frazer vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade

Axiom and Edris start off with some counterwrestling, they go into the ropes and Edris with a dropkick to Axiom. Kick caught by Axiom, Edris with a back elbow but gets nailed by Axiom, followed by an armdrag and dropkick, cover gets two. Axiom with a headlock, into the ropes and Frazer with the blind tag. Blade kicks Axiom but Frazer in and takes out Edris, then collides with Blade — and the two dive on their opposing partners on opposite sides of the ring! Back in the ring, Frazer off the top into a clothesline as we go to break.

We’re back as Axiom tags in and he and Frazer batter Edris, a DDT gets two. Kick to the back of Edris’ back and a whip into the ropes, thrust to the gut. Into the ropes again, Edris with a sunset flip but Axiom rolls through and nails Edris for a nearfall.

Sleeper hold by Axiom, Edris to his feet and breaks free but gets thrown into a kick by Frazer. He tags in, lifting front Cross Rhodes for two. Rear chinlock from Frazer, Edris to his feet but gets run over with a forearm for another nearfall.

Edris back to his feet and punches his way free, he goes for the tag but Frazer sends him to the ropes and trips him. Standing Shooting Star, cover for two-plus. Axiom tags in and picks Edris up, he runs into the ropes and crotches Frazer, then hits a knee to Axiom and tags in Malik!

Malik in hot and runs over Axiom, Frazer with a high crossbody but Malik ROLLS through for a Fallaway Slam! He runs over Axiom, powerbomb and cover for a two-count. ANOTHER powerbomb, this one sitting for a nearfall. Malik tags in Edris, who goes up top — BIG elbow drop, cover gets two but Frazer breaks it up.

Blade goes after Frazer but Frazer with a Downward Spiral into the bottom turnbuckle. Edris takes him out and goes up top but Axiom crotches him. SPANISH FLY from Axiom, Frazer with the Phoenix Splash, cover but Blade breaks it up! We’re on PIP break.

We’re back and Edris makes the tag to Malik, then gets Frazer on his shoulders. Blade up but Frazer slips off and hits a BIG superplex and brainbuster! Cover gets a nearfall. Axiom tagged in, Frazer up top — frog splash but Blade with the knees up! Axiom off the top into Axiom’s feet. Malik tags in Enofe, they hit a double Michinoku Driver and cover but Frazer breaks it up.

Blade and Enofe up top for a double top rope move but Frazer shoves Blade to the floor. Phoenix Splash, Golden Ratio, that’s it!

Winner: Axiom & Nathan Frazer (16:40)
Rating: *** 3/4
Thoughts: Good lord, that was an incredible match by TV standards. Both of these teams absolutely killed it and came out of it looking better than they did before. Couldn’t ask for more.

Bron and Corbin attack Axiom and Frazer after the match and toss them out of the ring. And HERE COMES THE FAMILY! Baron calls for the match to take place next week and Stacks says they’ve got it.

* Ilja is asked by Kelly in the parking lot about Vengeance Day but he says now isn’t the time, he’s going to go get answers from Melo. He survives the parking lot and heads inside.

* Ilja is on his way to the ring! The NXT Champion gets on the mic and calls Trick Williams’ name. He says on Sunday night, they went to war. He says that he doesn’t just respect Trick; he likes him. But that doesn’t matter because he couldn’t let Trick slay the Mad Dragon. He says Trick gave him everything and would have been a worthy champion. But now, it’s his duty as NXT Champion to call out one person: CARMELO HAYES!

He says Melo has been attacking him with false allegations for the past couple months, and that there was never any manipulation from him. He says that Melo couldn’t see his friend reaching new heights in NXT, and demands Melo come out to face the music. He says the people gave it to Melo verbally, but he’s going to break the traitorous son of a bitch. No Melo, and Ilja says Melo will attack people from behind and he’ll go find Melo himself.

HERE COMES DIJAK! He tells Ilja to stay there and asks why he’s so obsessed with Trick and Melo. Big “YOU SUCK” chants. Dijak says he saw what Ilja did at Vengeance Day and bets Ilja saw what he did to Joe Gacy. They’re a couple of winners.

Ilja says now is not the night, and he’s not the main Dijak is looking for. Dijak tells the fans to shut up when he’s talking and then tells Ilja that he like to call himself Unbreakable, but he’s standing there with a broken nose and feeling regular Breakable. There’s nothing Ilja can do; Dijak learned what it takes to beat Gacy and break a man who thinks he’s Unbreakable. “SHUT UP T-BAR!” chants ensue.

Ilja tells Dijak to step away because he has Melo to deal with. And that when they meet again, Dijak will suffer like never before and learn why he is Unbreak–

Dijak nails Ilja in the nose! They start fighting and officials come in to break them up.

* Thea and Jacy are backstage with their calendar and Jacy says it sold out on WWE Shop in less than 30 minutes. Thea goes on an excited babble and says Riley has a match next, so she should be out there. Jacy says not to be too available and to play hard to get. Thea isn’t sure, but Jacy asks when she’s been wrong. Thea says “literally never” and agrees to Jacy’s suggestion.

* Von Wagner and Robert Stone are with Stone’s kids, and my feed went wonky but Von and the kids talk Stone into having a tag team match. One of the kids suggests a sneak attack.

Lexis King vs. Riley Osborne

Lockup to start, King backed into the ropes but hits a headbutt. They go to the ground, back up and King takes over with a headlock and shot to the head. Chop ion the corner, they go into another corner and Riley up and over to hit some chops and a dropkick that sends King to the outside. Riley off the ropes and DIVES onto King!

King rolled back in and Riley in after, King to the to apron on the other side and RIley joins him. Kick to King’s head but King shoves Riley off the apron into the announce table. King throws Riley into the ring, springboard double stomp to the gut and a knee to the back of the head, cover gets one.

Seated elbows to Riley’s shoulders, and an abdominal stretch, Riley gets free but gets a shot to the gut. He fires back, off the ropes for a clothesline and then a leaping back elbow. Riley with a rollup for two and a bodyslam. He takes aim and hits a leaping knee to the head, cover gets two.

Riley up top, he notices Thea isn’t there and is distracted. That lets King hit a superkick and a Coronation off the top for three.

Winner: Lexis King (4:06)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Got off to an okay start, but didn’t have enough time to go far.

* Melo WALKS in the parking lot, he’s next.

* We get a vignette for Kelani Jordan with highlights of her matches. She says she’s faced adversity and gained confidence, praising the NXT Women’s Division but saying she isn’t afraid. She won’t settle for less and what’s meant for her is hers.

* Izzi Dame and Kiana Jordan tell some NXT women to move in the locker room and sit down. Kiana says the number of people who are happy to be here doesn’t cut it and Brinley walks in, talking positivity. Izzi tells Brinley to give Kiana her drink and says she wasn’t asking. Kiana takes the coffee and then says she doesn’t like coffee, so she dumps it in the trash and they walk off laughing.

* Melo is in the ring on his chair with a spotlight, listening to the crowd’s boos. Big “YOU’RE NOT HIM!” chant. Melo says the villain is always the villain when the hero is telling the story. But why is it no one wants to hear his side? He says he’s not jealous of Trick’s success; he allowed Trick to succeed and wanted him to achieve the highest of highs. He wanted Trick to make his parents proud. And just when he got close enough, he had to take it away to remind Trick of his place and what happens when you cross him; when you bite the hand that feeds him. He says the truth is, Trick crossed him first. Trick was going to go after the NA Title and he would go after the NXT Title. But Trick started to believe the hype and believed they were on the same level. No way.

Melo says Trick went after something that belonged to him, and in that moment he knew he had to do what he had to do. And the million dollar question: did he attack Trick Williams? You’re damn right he did, and he’d do it again if he crossed him–

TRICK’S MUSIC PLAYS! But he doesn’t come out and Melo laughs, saying “Wow.” Can’t get nothing past us. He says Trick is in a hospital bed next to Booker T singing that stupid song. He doesn’t know what everyone is surprised; he’s always been this way. He says Trick got so caught up in the headlines, but nothing happens on this brand without getting passed by him. He says Trick started acting like Melo but at the end of the day he’s just a Trick. “SCREW YOU MELO, SCREW YOU!” chants. Melo says it was never a collaboration and Trick was always just his hype man. That’s all it is and all it will ever be.

* We get the “Man Has Three Faces” vignette again from NXT Vengeance Day with footsteps of someone coming.

* We get a vignette for Oba Femi.

* Riley is upset about his loss and Thea and Jacy come up, asking how it went. Riley says he didn’t see them and Thea says she had a lot to do. Riley asks if they’re still on for Valentine’s Day and she excitedly says yes. Riley leaves, Thea freaks out and Jacy says this needs to stop and to relax, she’ll give Thea advice for next week.

Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice

Roxy leaps on Lola and lays into her, Lola rolls to the outside but gets leaped on. Roxy blocks a toss into the steps and rolls Lola in, she goes up top for a high crossbody for two. Roxy with mounted punches until she gets shoved of, Roxy goes for a Downward Spiral but Lola blocks it and lays in repeated kicks to Roxy to put her down in the corner. Lola taunts Roxy and hits a hip smash, cover gets two.

Lola with a boot choke to Roxy against the bottom rope, Roxy battles back with knees and a Euro uppercut off the ropes. Splash in the corner, then mounted punches but Lola grabs her — Roxy rolls down for a sunset flip for two. Roxy with a kick to the head and goes up the corner, Lola kicks her over the top to the floor as we go to break.

We’re back with Lola in control of Roxy, who gets to her feet and fights out of a headlock. Lola fires back and whips Roxy into the ropes for a short-arm kneelift, then another. Third attempt gets turned into a rollup from Roxy for two. Roxy takes over with fists to Lola and comes off the ropes to run Lola over. Front dropkick and a kippup, charging Euro uppercut in the corner and a Russian legsweep. Springboard moonsault, cover gets a nearfall. Perez right into the crossface, Lola rolls into a pin for two and Roxy plants her for two.

Roxy charges at Lola in the corner but gets caught in a sleeper. Roxy tries to roll through but Lola wraps her legs around Roxy. Roxy gets to her feet and slams Lola into the corner! Lola approaches and is rolled up for two, she goes for Pop Rocks but Lola counters and hits a spin kick for two.

Tatum Paxley runs down to the ring and says she wants to cash in “her” Women’s Breakout Tournament contract, which distracts Lola. Roxy catches Lola for Pop Rocks for the win.

Winner: Roxanne Perez (9:35)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Very decent match between these two. Tatum was weird, but it is kinda working for me, and Roxy needed the win more so I have no complaints.

* Kelly asks Jakara and Lash about Wren and Fallon ahead of their match. Lash says no one is worried about Wren, Jakara says that Lash will end Wren’s career. Kelly asks Noam about Von and Stone’s challenge to them and Noam says they’re the Dream Team and will put things to an end.

The NQCC come in and are not happy that they’re accepting Von and Stone’s challenge instead of giving a match to someone who deserves a shot. Lash screams to stop the arguing and they leave.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Tag Team Titles: Tony D and Stacks vs. The Wolfdogs

Fallon Henley & Wren Sinclair vs. Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson

Fallon and Lash start off and shove each other, Lash with a big slap and Fallon jumps on her back. Lash backs into the corner, Wren tags in and Lash gets smacked by Fallon, Wren with a crossbody and Fallon dropkicks them down for two.

Wren locks in a front facelock but Lash gets her in the hostile corner. Jakara tags in and they tee off on Wren. Jakara slams Wren down and takes a cheap shot at Fallon, Wren rolls her up for two. Lash tags in and nails Wren with a forearm, Jakara leapfrogs over Lash onto Wren’s back. Lash slams Wren down and hits a splash for two.

Lash tags in Jakara and then batters Wren through the ropes, Jakara with a kick to the head and cover for two. Wren shoved into the corner, Lash tags in and throws Wren back for several kicks. Jakara tags in for her own kicks, cover gets two.

Jakara with a bow and arrow hold but Wren gets to her feet before getting kneed down, cover gets two. Bodyslam but Wren floats through, rollup for two and Wren gets the hot tag! Fallon runs over Wren and slaps her hard, big right hand and then she takes out both Lash and Jakara. Leaping bulldog off the ropes to Jakara, cover gets two.

Fallon tries to grab Jakara, Lash has her and pulls her to safety. Jakara with a dropkick to Fallon, Wren and Lash tag in, Lash power bombs Wren down for three.

Winner: Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson (5:03)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: It was fine. Lash is getting better in the ring, to her credit.

* Briggs is backstage and is interested in Dragon Lee. Brooks walks in and says he’s never been better and asks about Fallon’s match. Briggs says she’s doing well, and he goes to leave before Brooks says he needs them. He’s struggling without them. Briggs says Brooks isn’t a kid anymore and the world doesn’t revolve around him. He shoves Brooks and says that there’s a whole PC of kids ready to take his spot and to grow some damn balls.

* Ava is backstage with Jaida Parker who wants a one-on-one match with Adriana Rizzo. Ava says that OTM can’t be at ringside and Jadia says okay. She leaves and Ridge walks in and says that Gallus tried to break their leg. He wants Gallus, and Ava says she won’t book the three-on-one match, but she will give him each of them individually. He he loses to any of them, it’s over.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Tag Team Titles: Tony D and Stacks vs. The Wolfdogs
– Noam Dar & Ora Mensah vs. Von Wagner & Mr. Stone
– Kiana James vs. Brinley Reece

* We get a recap of Melo’s promo.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak

Brawl right to start, Dijak batters Ilja into the corner but Ilja chops his way out until he gets knocked down. Ilja back up, ducks a swing and hits a German suplex, a second, he goes for the third but Dijak elbows out of it and hits a shot to Ilja’s forehead.

Dijak kicks Ilja and then batters him in the corner. He hits an overhand slap to the chest and then slams him into another turnbuckle, then grinds his face into it. He goes for a headslam but Ilja blocks it and hits BIG chops to send Dijak across the ring into the corner. Charging knee, Dijak to the mat, knee off the second rope.

Ilja goes up top and leaps off over Dijak, hitting a kick and slamming Dijak to the mat. Back up top, but Djiak crotches him on the top. BIG kick to the jaw and Ilja falls to the floor. Dijak to the outside and grabs Ilja, forearm to the back and a knee to the cut. Dijak looks under the ring, a bit paranoid as something looked to be coming out.

Back in the ring, Ilja decks Dijak but Dijak fires back right to the nose as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Dijak works over Ilja, who gets to his feet and breaks a chinlock. Ilja fires off with punches, Dijak swings and Ilja with an enzuigiri that Dijak ducks. Dijak gets Ilja on his shoulders for Feast Your Eyes, Ilja counters and they trade BIG kicks back and forth! Dijak is still standing as Ilja bounces off the bottom ropes, he goes in but Ilja with an enzuigiri. Ilja gets Dijak on his shoulders, but Dijak goes for the nose — ILJA WITH THE DVD IN THE CORNER! Ilja goes up top — SENTON! He covers but only gets two-plus!

Ilja kicks at Dijak’s back and grinds his boot into his face in the corner. Ilja off the ropes and hits a huge kick to the head. Ilja up and hits the rapid fire chops, but Dijak comes back and hits a knee to the nose — Hard Justice gets a nearfall!

Dijak taunts Ilja and beats on him, Ilja grabs the throat but Dijak grabs back and picks him up. Ilja with headbutts and chops to the chest and back! Constantine Special but Dijak counters with a clothesline and goes to the apron. He hits a springboard elbowdrop! But it’s the hurt elbow, and Ilja goes in for a big shot to the head.

Dijak is crawling to the outside — and Joe Gacy comes out from the ring with a glove on a stick that he nails Dijak with. Ilja with the H-Bomb finishes it.

Winner: Ilja Dragunov (12:56)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: It’s exactly what you expect. Both of these guys give hard hitting offense and they delivered that while still selling their Vengeance Day injuries. The Gacy thing is what it is; not much more to say about that.

After the match, Melo chop blocks Ilja and then lays in the fists. He grabs the NXT Championship and nails Ilja with it. Melo laughs and holds the title up as the crowd chants “MELO, TRICK COMING FOR YOU!”

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

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

NXT delivered well in its first episode following a strong PPV showing in Vengeance Day. We had a fantastic opener and very good main event; none of the matches were outright bad and unless you're down on the Gacy stuff (which I get), nothing on this show suffered. Melo is positioned as a mega-heel and looks to be launching right into a feud with Ilja until Trick returns, which is a smart move. All in all, a damned good episode of NXT.