Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 4.18.23

Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! I’m still Jeremy Thomas, and tonight we’re building to NXT Spring Breakin’ as Carmelo Hayes appears on the Grayson Waller Effect ahead of their NXT Championship match at the special show. In addition, Wes Lee defends the NXT North American Championship against Charlie Dempsey while Gallus defends their NXT Tag Team Championships vs. The Creed Brothers and The Dyad. Plus Noam Dar returns to NXT and Roxanne Perez takes on Zoey Stark. Should be a fun show, all in all.

Meanwhile, my movie-watching was a bit subdued at Thomas HQ over the past week. I watched the Apple TV+ movie Tetris, which was an enjoyable film about the wild story behind securing the famous video game’s distribution rights, along with Champions which was a predictable if solid underdog sports comedy. I rewatched Army of Darkness as I prepare for Evil Dead Rise and it is still a fun little slapstick fantasy romp. And Renfield was a lot of fun when Nicolas Cage and Nicholas Hoult are on screen together…and less fun when they’re not.

My RuPaul’s Drag Race watch project is nearing completion as I finished season 13, and watched the season 15 finale on Friday. One more season to go and then I decide whether to watch Drag Race All Stars! (I probably will.)

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 start off with a recap of last week’s #1 Contender’s match and cut right into a big-ass brawl between the NXT Tag Team Title match competitors. Officials try to break it up but it goes into the ring until the Creed Brothers are alone inside and the match begins.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match
Gallus vs. The Creed Brothers vs. The Dyad

Julius, Wolfgang and Fowler are in the ring brawling to star and Creed comes off the top to dropkick both other men. Brutus tags in and they take turns slamming each other into Fowler and Wolfgang, cover for two. Fowler gets Creed into the corner and Reid tags in, they take out Julius and then kick Wolfgang down. Reed lays in fists to a downed Brutus but Wolfgang nails him and tags in Coffey, catapult into a slam and Coffey starts stomping away on both other competitors in the ring.

Elbow to Brutus, he’s sent into the corner and Red follows. Brutus escapes and tags in Julius, who starts belly to belly suplexing Reid and Coffey in succession. Stretch Muffler but Coffey breaks it up and back suplexes Julius. Coffey with Euro uppercuts to Red, he puts him on top of the turnbuckle and climbs up, Red knocks him down and Julius leaps up slams Reid down and moonsaults onto him. He takes down Coffey and ccovers for two.

It’s back into chaos and Fowler gets takedn down with a double axehandle, Reid is superkicked onto Coffey and almost gets a three-count out of it. Julius sent into the corner, Reid monkey flips him but he lands on his feet and dropkicks Reid. He goes up top for mounted punches but Coffey pulls him down and hits a leaping front kick off the ropes as we go to PIP break.

Back from break as Reid, Coffey, and Julius trade punches. Reid with a dropkick to Coffey, and Julius with a dropkick to Reid. All three tags are made and Brutus comes in hot, running over Fowler and Wolfgang. The straps are down! He sets Fowler on top of Wolfgang and Hulk Smashes both of them. Big clothesline in the corner to Wolfgang, another to Reid, he catches Wolfgang in a pin and suplexes Reid for one as well! Two-count but Fowler breaks it up.

The Dyad take it to Coffey on the outside as the Creeds do the same to Wolfgang, and both members of the tag champs go into the steel steps. The Dyad and Creeds enter the ring for a brawlfest, Julius sent to the outside and Brutus hit with an enzuigiri. Double-team Michinoku Bomb but Julius is back in. He tags a knee from Fowler but fires back with a suplex to both men!

Ava on the apron for a distraction and Fowler with a throat shot. Reid tags in and goes up top but Brutus catches him and Fowler is up on Julius’ shoulders — Super Brutus Ball to Fowler! Gallus is in now though and nail Brutus for the pin.

Winner: Gallus (13:09)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: This was fast-paced and chaotic, and while I don’t enjoy triple threat tag teams when three men are in the ring at all time it worked really well here. It didn’t seem like time for a title change, so this result made sense.

* Earlier today, a camera crew found Dijak in the parking lot and asked him about the Draft. He says Raw and Smackdown know where to find him and says he beat Ilja, then knocks down the camera man. Apollo Crews shows up and says the camera guy was just doing his job. Dijak says Crews is trying to make his name before the Draft and suggests a match tonight. Crews is game.

* We get a video package for Naom Dar ahead of his match next.

* We get a Hard Hitting Home Truths segment with Nathan Frazer. It’s a talk show, lovely. Frazer says he’s more than a guy who can just flip, then talks about how things haven’t gone great since he returned from injury, coming close to winning but something’s missing. It’s easy to get sad or depressed about it, but he came to a realization that this place is cutthroat and full of studs and studettes. This place is quality and all you have to do is look inward. He can’t be sad if he doesn’t throw down, and speed is important in life as it defies gravity — like an airplane! If you’re fast enough, unhappiness can’t catch you. …right.

Noam Dar vs. Myles Borne

Dar and Borne circle and lock up, Dar backed into the corner but he dodges a punch before getting grabbed for a takedown. Dar turns it around and locks in a headlock, he’s shot into the ropes and stops short as Born leapfrogs before kicking his leg out from under him.

Dar with kneelifts but gets backed into the corner for some bodyshots. He goes to whip Dar across the rope but Dar blocks it with a kick and then catches him for overhead elbow strikes. Hangman DDT turns into a drop and a kick to the head. Dar with stiff-looking kicks and then more on his knees, he goes for a front kick but Borne catches it and punches back. Dropkick to Dar, he catches Dar for an overhead suplex throw.

Borne is favoring the knee, he goes for a German suplex but Dar catches the ropes and fights him off, big knee to the head and another. Nova Roller finishes it.

Winner: Noam Dar (2:48)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Myles Borne.

* Roxy gets a video package in which she says Zoey Stark can go in the ring, but it doesn’t give her permission to go at people like she does. She says character wins over talent every time. Roxy wants to win her NXT Women’s Championship back and Tiffany Stratton’s self-inflated opinion believes she’s #1 contender, but she’ll go through her if she has to. Tonight, she shuts Zoey up.

* Earlier today, Josh Briggs walks into Kiana James’ office and asks her to talk to Brooks. She asks why, and he reminds her how he helped her through her rough patch. Kiana says Brooks doesn’t want to talk to them and Briggs is emotional, saying that they have a connection. Kiana tells Briggs to talk to him herself, and a very “stylish” looking Brooks walks in.

Jensen says Josh should go, and Briggs says they need to talk like family. Jensen says they’re not family and he’s tired of being treated like a kid. Kiana treats him like his own man. Briggs says they never treated him like less and he doesn’t recognize the man he sees. Jensen tells him to go.

* Odyssey Jones is out here to compete but as he enters the ring, Bron spears him out of nowhere! Bron says that’s what happens when you get in his way. He says last week he told the fat rednecks that they’ll see a different side of him, and that he had to put a stop to the pathetic Chase U ceremony where everyone gets an award. They’re clowns and that’s fine, but they can do it at the circus.

Bron says Odyssey noticed it, Carmelo Hayes noticed it and Andre Chase did. Duke Hudson appears in the crowd and says to keep Andre Chase’s name out of his damn mouth! He says Bron ruined his MVP ceremony and tore the Chase U flag in half, throwing it down on his mentor. And why? Because he lost the NXT Title? Because he’s said, he’s moping around the place, he doesn’t like anything now? No one puts down Chase U and gets away with it, not even the unstoppable Bron Breakker. Duke says he is challenging Bron to a match at Spring Breakin’.

Bron says last time he saw Duke he grabbed his trophy and ran out. He says Duke can take his time to prepare but at Spring Breakin’–

Duke says he’s not done talking! He tells Bron to look at him, and says next week it’s gonna be a battle of the giants when Bron goes up against the man himself, the legend, the beating heart of Chase University — Andre Chase. Bron tells Chase to enjoy the next seven days of life because next week he’ll spear him in half and it’ll be the end of Chase U.

* McKenzie is backstage with Cora Jade and asks if she regrets her promo last week. Cora says she was being nice last week nad only regret that Lyra Valkyria came in and interrupted her. She says she’s the savior of NXT, but Gigi comes in and says she only proved her anger and displacement. Gigi says her Instagram-famous ass is going to kick Cora’s tonight.

* McKenzie asks Pretty Deadly about their brutal attack against Tony D and Stacks last week and they say that it was justified. Kit gets anxious and says he couldn’t breathe after being put in the trunk of the car, and they say that they are playing by their rules. Elton says next week they’ll be the ones in the trunk and sleeping with the fishes.

Roxanne Perez vs. Zoey Stark

Lockup to start and Zoey slams Roxy down, then begins to work the wrist. Roxy reverses and slams Zoey down. Back up and Roxy with a waistlock, they go into counterwrestling and Roxy with an armdrag and cover for one. Roxy goes right back into the wristlock and works the arm, transitions to a headlock. Zoey picks Roxy up but she counters into a takedown. Headscissors to escape, Roxy gets out and goes right back into the headlock.

Zoey back to her feet, she nails Roxy and picks her up, Roxy with a sunset flip attempt but ZOey blocks it. Zoey into the ropes and runs Roxy over, she comes off the ropes and gets caught with another headlock. Roxy runs up the turnbuckle for a takedown, they’re back up and she gets shot into the ropes. Wheelbarrow into a sunset flip for two, Roxy goes for a headscissors but Zoey blocks it and kicks her in the gut.

Stark with shots in the corner and a snapmare, stomp to Roxy. She sends Roxy into the ropes, Roxy twirls around Zoey for a rana and then dives through the ropes onto Zoey — who catches her and drops her onto the apron as we go to break!

We’re back as Roxy catches Zoey in a Octopus hgold but Zoey catches her and puts her in the corner, then stomps her. She locks in an inverted sleeper on the mat to wear her down, but Zoey hits a jawbreaker to escape. She’s firing back on Zoey and goes apeshit on her. Zoey gets Roxy on her shoulders but she escapes, Roxy leaps at Zoey but gets caught, she escapes and goes up for a leaping Thesz Press. Front dropkick sends Zoey out of the ring, and Roxy dives right into her!

Back in the ring with Zoey, Roxy goes up and she nails Zoey with crossbody but Stark rolls through for two-plus. Roxy with a kick to the head, Russian legsweep for two. Zoey back up in the corner, Roxy charges in for an uppercut. She goes again but Zoey escapes through the ropes, she jumps him but Roxey catches her. Pop Rocks attempt countered, Zoey with a big slam for two. She goes for the Z360 but Roxy counters for two. Superkick by Zoey, she springboards off the second rope for Pop Rocks and that finishes it!

Winner: Roxanne Perez (11:18)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Very good work by Zoey and Roxy here, who click quite well in the ring. Roxy got the needed win to set her back on a path for the title.

After the match, Roxy has a mic and here comes Indi Hartwell! She congratulates Roxy and says she said it a few weeks ago but wanted to say it to her face: she wouldn’t be NXT Women’s Champion without Roxy and wants to be a fighting champion. She suggests Roxy vs. Indi next week for the Women’s Champion. Roxy says they’re friends in and out of the ring but when it comes to the title it’s every woman for herself. It’s on at Spring Breakin’ —

And here comes Tiffany Stratton who asks if she went blind. Another woman getting a shot before her — shocker! She says Indi’s title reign is pure dumb luck and now beatable women have title shots. Roxy points out she beat Tiffany in the NXT Women’s Championship and Tiff says that’s SO 2020. She calls Indi beatable again, and Indi says it doesn’t matter if you’re a former Women’s Champion or a bimbo: the match is on for next week with all three of them.

* McKenzie is with Waller, who is crowing about his shooie. McKenzie asks about the title shot since he lost to Gargano in an Unsanctioned Match, and Waller says it was Unsanctioned so it didn’t happen. He says he likes Melo but he’s going to beat him next week. And that’s not a prediction, it’s the Grayson Waller Effect.

* Earlier today, Von asks Stone for another chance and he’s not into it. Von finally opens up and says he always wanted to be in the WWE because his dad was a Beverly Brother. Stone is now into Von. Okay.

* Axiom says he doesn’t see a man in the mask when he looks in the mirror: he sees Axiom. He asks why does SCRYPTS hide his voice. SCYRPTS is not his supervillain and he’ll prove that when they meet in the ring, and be done with him forever.

* A TikTok from Dani Palmer sees Tank Ledger congratulated on his match last week. Dani is excited about him and he says it felt amazing, and that when she debuts she’ll crush it and they’ll all be behind her.

Gigi Dolan vs. Cora Jade

Cora ducks a lockup and shoves Gigi. They lock up again, Gigi snapmares Cora over and they start counterwrestling. Gigi with a kick to the arm, she sends Cora into the corner and knocks her down, cover for two. Gigi with another snapmare and kick to the back, Cora stumbles into the corner where Gigi hits a Bronco Buster and a jacknknife pin for two.

Cora takes Gigi down and springs off the ropes for a double stomp to the back, cover but Gigi grabs the ropes. Cora slams Gigi headfirst into the mat and locks in a straight jacket submission. Gigi twists out of it and hits a Backstabber. Gigi with forearms and a kick off the ropes, another kick and a roundhouse. Off the ropes, Cora dodges a shot and nails Gigi. She leaps at Gigi who catches her, Cora with a sunset flip and Jacy distracts her for a two-count. Gigi pulls Jacy into the ring and back out the other side, Jacy sent into the ringsteps and over the booth!

Gigi rolls into the ring and gets nailed by a knee from Cora, DDT and that’s it.

Winner: Cora Jade (3:38)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: More about the angle than the match, which was…fine for a three and a half minute match.

Cora has the mic after and starts to talk about another victory before Lyra Valkyria appears on the stage. She says the time for talking is over and next week Cora’s claim to be the savior of the division will be tested when they engage in battle at Spring Breakin’.

* McKenzie asks Eddy Thorpe what’s next for him. He says he’s till soaking it in and traveled everywhere, focusing on enhancing his skillset so he can be prepared when the chance came. He says people have stereotypical views of Native Americans but he’s here–

Here comes Damon Kemp, who says he was seeing what the new guy was all about. He says “Keep up the good work, kid. You might have something.”

* Fallon meets with Briggs at the bar and he says he can’t make sense of this. Fallon says Kiana has Jensen wrapped around her finger and will cool off. Jensen walks in with Kiana and turns down a drink. Briggs says that he knows Jensen didn’t mean anything by it, but Jensen says that he meant all of it. Jensen says that he’s the bets man of their team and Fallon is just jealous because they have a good relationship.

Jensen challenges Briggs and Fallon to face them next week, and it’s on. Fallon tells them to get the hell out of her bar, and they leave.

Dijak vs. Apollo Crews

Lockup to start, they break without either man getting the advantage. Waistlock takedown by Crews, Dijak turns it around but gets shot into the ropes and run over. Headlock takedown by Crews. Dijak gets to his feet and nearly powers out of the headlock, but Crews cinches it in.

Drews shot into the corner, he goes up and over Dijak and they go to the ropes. Crews leaps over Dijak and hits a crisp dropkick. Waistlock on Dijak, who grabs the ropes for the break and nails Crews with a back elbow. He charges but Crews hits a German suplex, a second, and a third. Cover for two.

Crews grabs Dijak but is pulled to the outside. He gets on the apron and gets nailed, Dijak goes for a suplex into the ring but Crews blocks it. Dijak snaps Crews throat into the ropes and knocks Crews off the apron into the booth as we go to break.

We’re back as Dijak beats on Crews who’s on the apron, and Crews hands Dijak on the ropes. He goes up top and leaps off for an axehandle, then runs Dijak over. Leaping clothesline to Dijak off the ropes, Crews with a splash in the corner and a blockbuster for a nearfall.

Crews goes back up top, frog splash but Dijak moves and he rolls through. Fist to Dijak, German suplex but Dijak lands on his feet. Dijak with a discus big boot for two! Dijak up and lies in wait, he goozles Crews and goes for the chokeslam but Crews with a knee to the jaw. Crews with a standing moonsault but Dijak moves and grabs Crews for Hard Justice! Cover but Crews kicks out at the last instant.

Crews catches a charging Dijak with a back elbow, he leaps over Dijak but gets caught on his back. GTS finishes it.

Winner: Dijak (9:51)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Damn good stuff here. These two work great together and we had a hard-hitting match that made them both look strong.

Dijak attacks Crews after but Ilja Dragunov comes out and makes the save, attacking Dijak and sending him out of the ring. Officials break it up.

* Jacy exits the PC and is asked why she keeps inserting herself in Gigi’s matches. She says she’s not done and says Gigi neglected to mention that she abandoned her little brother at 17. She says Gigi is no noble soul and would rather wrestle on the indies than help her brother. She gets in her car, but stops and says when she’s done with Gigi she’ll be run from NXt like she did her little brother and mother.

NXT North American Championship Match
Wes Lee vs. Charlie Dempsey

Gulak attacks Wes before the bell and rolls him in. Dempsey attacks from the bell and takes Wes down, cover for one. Dempsey begins to work over Lee and sends him into the ropes, Wes holds on and leapfrgs over Demspsey, then leaps over for a sunset flip and a kick to the head. He knocks Dempsey out of the ring and Lee’s lip is busted open. He goes up and over onto Dempsey as we go to PIP break.

Back from break and Dempsey is working over Lee’s leg. He grabs Lee and picks him up, arm twist slam and he goes into a hard wristlock submission. Lee manages to get to his feet but is sent face-first into the second turnbuckle, Dempsey with a gutwrench suplex and cover for a nearfall.

Dempsey goes right back to the arm and drives his elbow into the shoulder. Lee ro9lls through and gets to his feet, he fights out with shots to the gut but gets hit across the back. Big cross from Dempsey, Lee fires back and they’re trading shots. Lee with a back kick to Dempsey and he lays in the body shots. Snapmare, dropkick to the back and Lee is fired up. He charges in but Dempsey moves and nails a dragon screw leg whip. Double underhook suplex, German suplex and a bridge for two. Dempsey goes for another German and bridges for another two-plus count.

Dempsey frustrated now, he sends Lee into the corner and batters him. German suplex blocked, he snaps it in but Lee lands on his feet. Dempsey charges into a superkick, enzuigiri. Gulak gets kicked off the apron and the Cardiac Kick finishes it!

Winner: Wes Lee (8:43)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Very technically-oriented match, but they got a little sloppy a couple of times. It was quite good for the time it got but slowing down just a tiny bit would have helped here.

Gulak attacks after the bell and Dempsey joins in as they stomp Lee down. Powerbomb by Gulak, full nelson suplex by Dempsey. Gulak talks shit.

* Tony D and Stacks are looking dejected at the restaurant at how PD ripped their jacket and tore their hat. Stacks wants to take them to the docks, but Tony has a different idea — what they did to Pauly Montgomery. Tony says if Pretty Deadly wants to play rough, they’ll do it. Next week, the first-ever Trunk Match. They toast to business.

* We see furnitre, barrels and more get tossed in a field. Obi Femi arrives next wek.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Women’s Championship Match: Indi Hartwell vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Roxanne Perez
– Bron Breakker vs. Andre Chase
– Fallon Henley & Josh Briggs vs. Kiana James & Brooks Jensen
– Cora Jade vs. Lyra Valkyria
– Trunk Match: Tony D’Angelo & Stacks vs. Pretty Deadly
– NXT Championship Match: Carmelo Hayes vs. Grayson Waller

* Grayson Waller welcomes us to the Grayson Waller and we’re talking Spring Breakin’ where we have a lot of matches, but the main event sees him challenge the NXT Champion: Carmelo Hayes! Hayes and Trick come down to the ring.

Waller welcomes them to the show and says there’s some big energy but the vibe is off. He normally hates his guests but everyone likes Melo. Waller says he knows Melo wishes it was Bron sitting here, and Melo says Waller always manages to find himself in the #1 contender’s spot. He says life is good and he stays living; he’s cool.

Waller says Melo says the same thing every week about all the titles he’s won, but Waller has become as big a star as Melo is with all his titles which means that Waller is what the title needs. Melo tries to talk but Waller cuts him off and goes to question, asking what “I Am Him” means. Melo says every time he walks in the building they’re saying his name and if that’s not “Him,” he doesn’t know what is.

Waller says Melo is actually “Them” and wouldn’t be holding any banner without Trick. Melo calms Trick down and says they know Waller’s tricks. Melo says Waller’s stolen every opportunity he’s ever had and there’s greatness, there’s Waller just above it, and then there’s Carmelo Hayes. Melo says Waller just might not be that guy. He suggests putting up banners for Waller — and none appear because he doesn’t have any.

Waller says how about we talk about S&D? Waller says Melo was made and won the title, but Grayson Waller stole the show and the main event happened before the final match. Melo says 6/10, but that’s three more than any woman she’s ever been. They start talking about their futures, Melo says Logan Paul may be looking for someone for the Prime Costume, and Waller says even in that he’d be more than either of them. He says the viral moment will happen next week and he’ll do a shooie over Melo. Melo asks how that will happen when he puts Waller’s shoe in the power lines. Melo raises his title; Waller raises his show and they talk trash to each other.

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

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

This episode of NXT had a lot going on, arguably a bit too much as everything seemed very rushed. And yet, they still managed to put together a strong show heading into Spring Breakin' next week. The chaos got to be a little overboard by the second hour but the matches were generally very good and the main event segment was great as well. NXT generally does turn it out for their go-home shows and this was no exception.