Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 2.8.22

Hello NXT viewers! It’s Tuesday, and as such it’s time for another episode of WWE NXT. I’m Jeremy Thomas, here as always, and tonight we have the the NXT Women’s Championship on the line as Mandy Rose battles Kay Lee Ray. We’ll also see LA Knight take on Sanga, with the hopes of getting a match with Grayson Waller out of it, plus Sarray taking on Dakota Kai. And finally, we have a “Championship Summit” announced between Bron Breakker and Santos Escobar ahead of their match at NXT Vengrance Day. That’s a lot of potentially good stuff, and hopefully the Lime Brand can deliver.

Here at the Thomas household, I’ve been taking a minor break from new films after my Best of 2021 lists went up last week. Instead I’ve been revisiting some films including Shudder’s very good documentary Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster and the Oz Perkins slow-burn horror flick The Blackcoat’s Daughter. I also watched Mimic for something you’ll all hopefully be seeing next month, and rewatched Stage Fright which was as not good as I remember.

I did also get some new movie-watching in, catching Hotel Transylvania: Transformania which was simply “fine” and The 355 which was, sadly, less than fine. Finally, I’ve been continuing to watch Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon Prime which remains a delight, and did some catching-up by watching more The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (which I adore) and finally starting The Book of Boba Fett which is a tiny bit rough to start but picks up nicely.

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 get a hype video for Mandy Rose vs. Kay Lee Ray, with Rose saying she bets the world appreciated what Ray did and it took three shampoos to get everything out of her hair, but tonight she ends Ray’s career. She demands respect on her name, because she’s the baddest bitch in the game.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinal
The Creed Brothers vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

The Creeds rush in to attack before the bell, and Brutus throws Drake in to start the match. Big back bodydrop out of the corner, and Drake bails. Zack Gibson calms Drake down on the outside, and Drake eventually gets back in and tags in Gibson.

The two jaw at each other, then go into some counterwrestling. Brutus with a takedown and wristlock, Julius tags in and hhits a judo throw followed by gutwrench suplexing Brutus on him! Gibson fights back with a couple Euro uppercuts but gets decked. Julius sends Zack into the ropes but Drake takes the hit and Gibson takes Julius down. Drake in now, kick to the back and a cover for one.

Drake lays in the punches, but Julius ducks one and takes Drake down — then does it again! He goes for a third but Drake hits a headlock, he goes into the ropes and Gibson tags in. Drake sent to the outside, Gibson takes over but is taken down by Juilius. Brutus tags in and they trade knees to Gibson before Brutus tosses Gibson. Zack to the outside, Creed comes out and rolls him in but he gets caught coming up onto the apron by Drake and Gison with a throat thrust. Brutus tries to get in and GYV use the distraction to leverage Brutus throat-first into the metal framework of the ring!

Drake and Brutus back in now, Drake chokes Brutus on the ropes and tags in Gibson. They sent Brutus to the mat and Gibson works Brutus’ throat over on the mat. Both men up, big shot by Gibson and Drake up top as Gibson holds Brutus for a double axehandle, cover for two.

Drake with a headlock on Brutus, wearing him down. He lays in some punches and tags in Gibson, who goes right for the throat. Stomp to the head and another, he mocks Brutus and kicks him before picking him up. Suplex countered by Brutus! Brutus goes for the tag but Drake tags in and cuts Brutus off, locking in a sleeper. Brutus is fading but he elbow and punches out, he makes the tag! Julius in hot and he tags down Drake, knocks Gibson off the apron and chopblocks Drake! Stretch muffler, but Drake is able to counter into a guillotine — Julius tosses him! Big slam, cover but Gibson breaks it up. Julius decks Gibson and goes for a suplex, but Drake floats over. Drake into the ropes, Gibson tags in and pulls Julius to the outside. Drake dives on Julius and sends him headfirst into the booth!

Gibson tags in Drake now, Julius on the top — Doomsday Device! Cover for only two and a half! Drake stalks Julius now, he charges into the corner but Julius moves and Drake kicks the turnbuckle! Gibson’s in, Brutus is in, they stare off and Gibson with the first shot but they trade blows. Creed takes over, he knocks Gibson down and takes Drake off the apron but eats a throat thrust. Drake tags back in and Gibson holds Brutus while Drake pounds on him. Brutus down on the mat, Drake tags in Gibson, Drake to the top but Brutus slams Gibson into the corner and JULIUS LEAPS IN! SUPLERPLEX! Brutus wipes out Gibson, big clothesline, cover!

Winner: The Creed Brothers (11:59)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Great match that got this show started off hot. It’s the Creed Brothers’ best match to date and the nearfalls actually worked, I wasn’t sure who was winning this. Just really good stuff on every level.

* We get a recap of Cora Jade and Raquel Gonzalez’s match last week, where Cora earned Raquel’s respect with a loss and got her to agree to team up for the women’s Dusty Classic. McKenzie is backstage with Cora and says she finally has Raquel’s trust and respect which means a lot to her. Valentina and Yulisa come up and say they have a lot to prove, and Cora and Raquel have a lot of competition. Raquel comes in and it turns to a back and forth in Spanish before Valentina and Yulisa leave. Raquel says to Cora, “Only I can call you that.”

* We then get a recap of Tiffany Stratton trying to pay Amari Miller to beat Wendy Choo and losing her credit card to Wendy. We then see Amari and Choo walk in with a shopping spree, and they were able to shop until it was cancelled.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Wendy Choo

Oh lord save us. Stratton talks trash asking for her card back, and Wendy doesn’t have it. Wendy grabs a pointed finger and hits a wristlock, which Tiffany springboards out of into an armdrag. Choo takes her down and puts her in a headlock, Stratton reverses it but it turns into a waistlock. Stratton blocks a roll-up but Choo is okay with it. She takes over again, hits a shot in the corner and an elbowdrop for two.

Choo with another headlock (hands in a sleepy position) but gets snapmared. Tiffany talks trash, Irish whip reversed and Choo with a release German suplex. Handstand splash turns into a shot from Tiffany, who is angry she broke a nail. She beats Wendy, sends her into the corner and hits her own handspring splash followed by a couple of dropkicks in the corner. Stratton with a spinning Vader bomb for three.

Winner: Tiffany Stratton (3:06)
Rating: **
Thoughts: Stratton has potential, but this had some sloppiness to it. I hate Choo’s gimmick but it didn’t play in much, so I didn’t mind it here.

* We get a video from last week of Draco Anthony talking about being disappointed with last week. Joe Gacy walks in and says he doesn’t need to be disappointed, to keep his head up and he doesn’t have to do this by himself. Joe says he’s here to listen, not just to his actions but also his words. He leaves and Harland stares at Anthony.

* McKenzie asks Pete Dunne about Tony D’Angelo, and Dunne says he talks way too much but since he lost to Cameron Grimes, he hasn’t said or posted anything. Next week, they finish this in a steel cage. Draco Anthony walks up and says he respects him and will see him in the ring tonight. DUnne says whatever, he’s still going to snap his fingers.

Pete Dunne vs. Draco Anthony

This match started in PIP because why not, I guess? It started with some counterwrestling between the two, until Dunne got Anthony on the ground and began working the joints. Anthony got it turned around and has a headlock on Dunne as we come back. Joe Gacy and Harland are watching from on high as Dunne gets to his feet and headlocks Anthony, who sends him into the ropes. Shoulder block by Draco, followed by a suplex that Dunne nearly counters into a guillotine before Anthony hits the suplex.

Anthony goes to stomp on Dunne’s fingers, but Dunne moves and stomps on Anthony’s. He plants his foot on Draco’s head and twists his fingers, then stomps the head. Wristlock into an elbow twist, and Dunne stomps the elbow. Wristlock that Anthony punches out of, but Dunne levels him with his own shot. More working of the arm and he goes for the ear for good measure! Dunne hits a chop and another, but Draco is looking pissed. He pulls Dunne into a short-arm clothesline, and then hits a series of splashes in the corner. He picks Dunne up and plants him face-first, cover for two!

Draco sees Gacy and Harland and is distracted for a moment, he charges in t Dunne but Dunne moves and takes over. Dunne sent into the ropes and gets hit with a big belly to belly siplex! Dunne goes to the outside, Anthony takes a moment and gets kicked in the head. AND HERE COMES TONY! He goes for a shot with a crowbar, Dunne moves and shoves Tony face-first into the corner. He comes back in, Bitter End, cover for three.

Winner: Pete Dunne (6:35)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Good match, which really let Draco shine but gave the win to the right man. Seems like he’ll be feuding with or joining Joe Gacy which I don’t love, but as long as it gets someone over.

* D’Angelo goes for a sleeper post-match but Dunne snaps the fingers! Dunne starts throwing weapons from under the ring in as D’Angelo says from the ramp that Pete is Looney Tunes. Dunne opens a toolbox and spills it into the ring, then grabs a cricket bat. He calls out Tony and says he’ll need more than a crowbar at Vengeance Day. So how about we attach everything to the cage and have a Weaponized Steel Cage Match? Tony says “You got it!”

* Zoey Stark wants to talk to Io about the Dusty Classic and runs through everyone competing. Io wants to know why she’s saying this, and Zoey says she knows Io: she wants to win those titles back. They need to find a hard-hitting person who will sacrifice themselves and is just as crazy as her. Io says okay, she’s in. She knows who to ask. Zoey asks who and Io won’t say.

* Backstage, Wendy Choo is gingerly walking when she comes up to Dakota Kai with her stuff. She says Choo may have a new wardrobe but it won’t buy her victories in the ring. Right then.

LA Knight vs. Sanga

Knight trash talks and ducks a shot fron Sanga, going right into fists. He goes for an Irish whip, gets sent intot he corner and ducks again fdor more shots. LA hits a dropkick but Sanga talks over and starts battering Knight as Grayson Waller talks trash on the outside.

Sanga sends Knight to the outside and follows, he picks Knight up and charges at the ropes but Knight slides off and Sanga hits it! Knight in firts and he lays in some fists, he goes for his finisher but gets tossed. Sanga with an elbowdrop and cover for two.

Sanga tosses Knight in the corner and charges in but eats a boot. Knight off the ropes repeatedly with clotheslines, he staggers Sanga and then takes him down with a sprinboard dropkick! Cover from Knight for two!

Waller pulls the bad off the turnbuckle, which draw the ref’s attention. Knight with aq shot to the eye and goes after Waller. Sanga charges, hits the unprotected corner, Knight gets the pin!

Winner: LA Knight (3:10)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: All angle, but nothing was bad here.

* Knight attacks Waller after the match and bails before Sanga can take him out.

* McKenzie is with Duke Hudson, who wonders where Dante Chen is. He says Chen isn’t here for a reason and that’s your scoop. He almost leaves and then stops and wishes Indi Hartwell luck in her Tag Title Match next week.

* We get a promo featuring Toxic Attraction for next week’s Vengeance Day where they say hearts won’t be the only things getting broken.

* It’s time for the NXT Championship Summit, and Legado del Fantasma is already in the ring. Wade Barrett is mediating, and he introduces Bron Breakker.

Barrett asks Bron what makes him so sure that he’ll still be champion after Vengeance Day. Breakker says he will keep this short and sweet: he respects Escobar, but next week he’s going to beat him and there’s nothing he can do about it. He stands up and says we know how these tend to go, so let’s flip the table and fight!

Escobar laughs and says he would expect nothing less from someone so young and naive. When he does things on his own time, he’s the one pulling the strings. While Paul Heyman is calling Bron the future of NXT, he’s the one planning how to end Bron’s career. Bron wants to fight, but DOLPH ZIGGLER is here!

Dolph comes out looking snazzy in a black suit, and comes down to the ring. Santos doesn’t look too pleased. When the fuck did Dolph turn into Lorenzo Lamas? Dolph says “What a night!” The champion and challenger ready to throw down right here, what a moment — until he showed up. He calls Breakker kid and says congratulations on using Twitter: chase that clout. He said Bron wanted to know if he works Tuesdays, and apparently he does now. With a bonus of course (“Thanks Ace.”) He has one thing to say to Bron — who the hell are you?

Bron says he’s the NXT Champion and the reason Dolph is down here. He says he’ll handle Dolph when he’s done handling Santos. Dolph says looking past your opponent is a rookie move. He runs down his accolades in WWE and says he’s aware that every 100 matches or so, 99 don’t go his way, but we all know what he can do any day of the week. The crowd chants “Steal the Show!” Dolph says all those accolades, and yet there’s one title he doesn’t have in the NXT Championship. The crowd calls for a Triple Threat, but Dolph doesn’t care what they’re yelling about. He doesn’t have to be better then him or smarter — which he is. All he needs is to be in his head —

AND HERE COMES CIAMPA! Tommaso Ciampa comes out and says Dolph Ziggler in an NXT ring; ain’t that something? What a moment! He’ll be honest though: Dolph as NXT Champion is a hard pass. Ciampa sits next to Dolph and calls him kid, says he loves his spirit but if he’s going to walk into HIS home —

Santos says what’s going on? First they were frenemies, now Dolph is here when he doesn’t go here? Why, because of some mean tweet? He says once he becomes the new NXT Champion, he’s going to handle Dolph and Ciampa. Ciampa says if Santos interrupts him again, he won’t make it to Vengeance Day. Ciampa says he’s next in line unless Dolph has a problem with that. Dolph says this is Ciampa’s home? The same few hundred Florida people come out and clap like seals week in and week out, year after year, no matter what he does and he thinks this is his home. When does it end? When does the helment and elbow pads come off? When do the training wheels —

That’s enough for Ciampa and he attacks Dolph, beating him down the aisle as Legado attack Breakker. Santos has his back turned talking trash as Breakker takes out Wilde and Mendoza. He turns around and it’s just him and Bron (end Lopez in the corner). Bron goes to hit Santos with a powerbomb but Legado come back in, take him out, then powerbomb him through the table. Santos says it’s like he said: everything happens on his time. See you next week, young champion.

* Kay Lee Ray cuts a promo saying Mandy could have saved a lot of trouble by giving her her match, but now she’ll make Rose suffer. She destroys some glasses and says she’ll see Mandy in a bit.

* Grayson Waller is leaving with Sanga and says Knight is a real loser because he broke his restraining order. Next week Knight gets what he deserves because he’ll be arrested next week and go to jail.

Do the police schedule arrests? That’s odd.

Sarraylor Moon vs. Dakota Kai

Sarray is in control of Dakota, which started in PIP, but Dakota gets out of a single-leg Boston crab by getting to the ropes. Sarray goes for a Sunray Dropkick but Dakota moves, she lays into Sarray and gets her into the corner for repeated charge kicks followed by a cover for two.

Dakota pulls Sarray up for a kick to the head, Sarray back up and gets kicked again. She’s back up and she lays into Dakota (who invited it), she comes off the ropes for a leaping roll-up but turns it into a double stomp. Sarray up top for a missile dropkick, cover for two.

Sarray gets Dakota up but Dakota with a Scorpio kick followed by a DDT for two. Dakota is talking to the voices in her head again and gets to her feet, she grabs Sarray and sends her into the corner but Sarray springboards into a roll-up for two. They trade pins until Kai gets up and pump kicks Sarray into the corner. Kai goes for the charging kick but Sarray moves, she kicks Kai into the ropes and hits the Sunray Dropkick followed by a suplex for three.

Winner: Sarray (4:12)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Decent match, I hate that they’re starting these things in PIP but it doesn’t take away from the match quality. Sarray needed to get the win and she did.

* Melo and Trick at the barber, and Trick says Melo has a date with Olliejayy. He says it’s a third date. Trick says people think Cameron Grimes has a chance against Melo, and one of the guys in the shop does. They check Grimes’ Wikipedia because it’s always accurate and ask what he’s done in NXT in two years? Melo has already done a ton in a short amount of time, and Grimes has never been in a match like this. Melo says he’s talented, but he’s talented over there and Melo’s a top talent. This match will make Grimes relevant because Melo does numbers. It’s time for the haircut.

* Indi is on the phone with Dexter and says when she gets home it’s bubble bath. Persia shows up and asks if that was Duke, and she says no. Gigi and Jacy say they’re not getting along already. Persia says they can console Mandy when she loses the title this week, and Mandy can do the same next week. Jacy and Gigi pull out a photo of Indi and Duke from the past and it turns into a brawl.

* We get a new promo for Nikita Lyons who says she can sing but also kick ass. Life on the road made her grow up quick and she had to defend herself from van breakins and creepy concert-goers. She picked the fights because she knew she could finish them. She says if you come at her with weak-ass s**t about she’s just a girl, she’ll take them out.

* Josh Briggs tells Brooks Jensen to get some guts and ask Kayden Carter out. Jensen walks up and asks Kayden wants to do something for Valentine’s Day, and Kayden and Kacy assume it’s a group thing and say yeah. They leave, and Brooks tells Briggs to take Kacy to the movies and he’ll get alone time with Kayden. He gives Briggs $8 and Briggs says that’s not enough.

Dusty Rhodes Classic Semifinal
MSK vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade

Lee and Blade start off, and go into a lockup. Blade backs Lee into the corner, Lee gets on the second rope and they break. Lee leaps over Malik, then ducks under him for a waistlock, reversed and reversed again. They do some laping over each other, Blade goes into the corner and Carter tags in, kick to Blade’s head and then a Bronco Buster for one.

Carter with strikes to Blade, enzuigiri ducked, Blade gets Carter in the corner and tags in Edris who hits a back suplex for one. Enofe with a headlock, elbowed out of and Carter sends Edris to the apron, but Enofe back in for a rana but Carter lands on his feet! Enofe taken down with a kick and another, Blade tags in as does Lee, MSK take out Blade and then take out Enore, both of whom go to the outside as we go to PIP break.

We come back with Carter fighting out of a headlock by Enofe, and he takes him down before tagging in Lee. Lee takes control, double charging knee to Enofe and he tags in Carter. Leap off the top with a double-team maneuver, cover but Blade breaks it up. Things got chaotic there but Blade dove to the outside and Enofe nailed Carter, double team move and then a frog splash by Enofe for two and 9/10! MSK take back over, they hit a double-team blockbuster for the cover and win.

Winner: MSK (9:27)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Great match as expected, Edris and Malik got way more offense than I expected but the right team wins.

* MSK and The Creeds go face to face to hype the finals next week.

* Cameron Grimes gets a promo talking about everything he’s been through in NXT, saying no one’s grown more than him and he came out the other side a self-made man.

* Dakota Kai is upset backstage as she walks and Wendy says “Not as easy as it looks, is it?”

Set For Next Week:
– Dusty Rhodes Classic: MSK vs. Creed Brothers
– NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles: Toxic Attraction vs. Indi & Persia
– NXT North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Cameron Grimes
– Weaponized Steel Cage Match: Pete Dunne vs. Tony D’Angelo
– NXT Championship Match: Bron Breakker vs. Santos Escobar
– LA Knight gets arrested?

* Indi and Persia attack Gigi and Jacy before the match! Mandy must defend her title alone!

NXT Women’s Championship Match
Kay Lee Ray vs. Mandy Rose

Mandy attacks at the bell but Ray dodges and starts to beat on Mandy! Strikes and chops followed by an attempted early KLR Bomb, but Mandy counters and slaps Ray. Rose with a Thesz press and punches, she keeps on the offensive but KLR fights back. Forearms to Mandy’s jaw and a Tornado DDT, cover for two.

KLR takes Mandy down and goes up top, but Mandy slides out of the ring. Ray then dives through the ropes and takes Mandy out next to the booth. She tolls Rose in and covers for two.

Ray with a whip into the corner and a shot to the jaw, another whip into the corner but Rose dodges the elbow and sends Ray slamming back into the second turnbuckle headfirst. Rose with shots to Ray but KLR reverse an Irish whip, Rose turns it into a spinebuster for two!

Rose with a bodyscissors as we learn during from McKenzie that TA and their challengers are out of the building. Ray gets Rose’s shoulders down for two, they trade pin attempts, Rose with a backslide for two. Rose grabs Ray and flips her around into a slam for two.

Rose is looking pissed, she talks shit and slams Ray face-first into the mat. Ray with a shot but Rose answers it and locks in an abdominal stretch, then drives elbows into KLR’s side. Ray eventually hiptosses out of it, ducks a swing and dropkicks Mandy to the mat. Ray kicks Rose in the corner and goes up to the second rope for a moonsault, Rose kicks out and Ray right into a leg submission. Rose manages to turn it into a pin for two. Ray goes for the KLR bomb but Rose counters into a sunset flip for two.

Rose goes for a Pedigree, KLR blocks and hits a front suplex.KLR goes for a kick, Rose counters into a roll-up for two, KLR with a superkick for two! Ray goes up top, and a Jacy is there for the distraction! Gigi knocks Ray off the apron and Rose with the running knee for three.

Winner: Mandy Rose (7:57)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: This was just a very good match, and we need to stop acting like Mandy is terrible. Yes, this was with Kay Lee Ray but she also held her own in that match perfectly well. Good stuff by both people, even if the end wasn’t in doubt.

Jacy has the bat after and she hands it to Rose. They prepare to beat on KLR with it, and Io comes down! She charges in and takes out Jacy, hits an uppercut on Rose, Electric Chair to Gigi! She makes Jacy kick Gigi, hits a 619 on Gigi and then a springboard missile dropkick on both. Rose comes in but eats a KLR bomb! I think we know Io’s Dusty Classic partner…

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

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

This was a very tightly-focused episode of WWE NXT, which is always when the non-special shows tend to excel. They were building to Vengeance Day and just about everything delivered. Yes, there's still some stupid stuff but most of the matches were very good for weekly TV and the worst gimmicks were kept to a relative minimum. I'll give this show props when it earns them, and it did this week.