Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 4.25.23

Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! I’m still Jeremy Thomas, and tonight we’re taking a sledgehammer to some beds — that’s what they mean by Spring Breakin’, right? Either way, tonight we have a hell of a show as Carmelo Hayes defends the NXT Championship against Grayson Waller. In addition, Indi Hartwell will defend the NXT Women’s Championship against Tiffany Stratton and Roxanne Perez in a triple threat match. Tony D’Angelo & Stacks will battle Pretty Deadly in a Trunk Match (think a Casket Match, but more mobile), Bron Breakker takes on Andre Chase, and Cora Jade faces Lyra Valkyria. Finally, Fallon Henley & Josh Briggs will take on Kiana James & Brooks Jensen in mixed tag team action and Obi Femi makes his in-ring NXT debut. That’s an interesting show with a lot of potential, and hopefully will be a lot of fun.

Here at Casa de Thomas, I managed to get a solid amount of movie-watching phase. I saw The Pope’s Exorcist which was mediocre but not awful. Apple TV+’s Ghosted was aggressively fine, while Evil Dead Rise was a brutal, vicious delight. I closed out with a couple of documentaries in Netflix’s very solid Reggie about baseball great Reggie Jackson, and did a rewatch of Paris Is Burning which is a defining moment in documentary filmmaking and of queer culture.

I also completed my watch project of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and have now moved onto RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars of which I’m five episodes into season three. And yeah, All Stars is absolutely gag-worthy in the best way.

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 picnic from earlier today and the NXT roster is playing around while previewing the card. Ivy Nile wins an arm wrestling contest and Julius Creed wonders who will win the NXT Championship. Meanwhile Javi pisses off Dabba-Kato and the ladies talk about the mixed tag team match until Javi and Dabba-Kato run through. Nathan Frazer teaches Wendy Choo about cornhole and Wendy says maybe Andre Chase has a chance? Their consensus is “Naah.”

Alba and Isla watch and talk about how deluded the women’s division is, including Indi Hartwell. ALba says she senses the title may he slipping away and Isla asks the universe to send a sign — and Javi runs through and falls into the fountain.

Trunk Match
Tony D’Angelo & Stacks vs. Pretty Deadly

Tony and Stacks slide out and attack Pretty Deadly to start the match, but Elton and Kit take over and smash their opponents into the apron. Elton grabs a chain and they roll Stacks in, but Tony grabs the chain and yanks Kit into the ropes. Stacks takes over inside and they both get i8n the ring, trading Kit and Elton off for body shots and knees. Pretty Deadly fire back and get knocked down.

Tony sends Kit to the outside and Stacks charges in for a Euro uppercut, and Tony hip tosses Stacks onto Elton in the corner for good measure. Stacks and Tony grab PD and carry them toward the car, but PD fight back and knock Stacks down. They go back to the ring and grab a couple trash can lids, but Stacks nails Elton and then dropkicks the lid into him. Tony waffles Kit with the other lid, and Tony & Stacks pull a ladder out. They grab PD for bodyslams through the table but Kit and Elton slide out and send Tony and Stacks into the ringboast, then take the table to the back.

Stacks pounces on Kit and Tony shoves the wheelbarrow at ringside into Elton’s knee. It turns back into a brawl, Tony with a spinebuster and stands up, then drops Kit into Elton in a kiddie ball pool. Stacks grabs a boogie board for a senton onto PD as we go to PIP break.

Back from break and Pretty Deadly is on control, and the ringside area is more full of balls than a San Francisco bathhouse. Stacks and Tony take over and roll Pretty Deadly into the ring and nail them in the backs with chairs. Elton falls to the outside and Kit gets another chair to the back. Tony goes to hiptoss a charging Stacks into Kit, but he moves and Stacks slams HARD into a chair set up in the corner!

Elton takes out Tony and Kit is now in the ring with Stacks. He nails Stacks and Elton comes in, they set Stacks on the top turnbuckle and put him in the Tree of Woe for kicks to the chest. Kit with a BIG chair shot to Tony who is back in the ring, and another one to the lower back. Elton sets up a trash can, they double suplex Tony onto it!

Stacks is by himself and fights back but gets knocked down and chucked to the floor. Spilled Milk on the ringside floor and they pick Stacks up, carrying him to the car and chucking him in to shut the lid. They then go after Tony and grab him, bringing him to the car — and Stacks had a fire extinguisher in there! He blinds Elton, Kit gets thrown in the trunk bu Tony. Back suplex through a table and they toss him in, slamming the lid shut.

Winner: Tony D’Angelo & Stacks (12:32)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: This was fine. It was kind of just a street fight for most of it, the trunk barely factored in until the end. I didn’t hate it, I just didn’t love it.

Afterward, Tony and Stacks drive off with PD still in the trunk.

* Speaking of cars, Tiffany arrives and takes shots at Roxy and Indi, saying Indi’s underdog story is boring. Tiff says she has IT, and tonight it’s Tiffy Time.

* Andre Chase looks troubled as Duke walks into the Chase U room. Chase is thinking and Duke says it’s time for action. Duke says he sent Chase U home and it’s just them. Bron is a dominant former NXT Champion, but Chase has all the students including himself who believe in him. Duke motivates Chase, who promises to give Bron an Chase U-sized ass whuppin’.

Andre Chase vs. Bron Breakker

Chase attacks Bron to start and beats on him in the corner! He’s kicking away at Bronand gets backed off, Bron grabs him for a press slam but Chase slips out. Bron nails Chase and backs him into the corner, then whips him across the ring for a shoulder tackle. Bron repeats the process back for good measure.

Chase is fighting back but gets bodyslammed down. Bron whips Chase into the corner and charges, but Chase dodges and Bron hits the ringpost. Dropkick by Chase, he goes out onto the apron and hangs Bron on the ropes. Bron knocked down and Chase goes for the Chase U kicks — but Bron catches him on H and knocks him down, then powerslams him! Steiner Recliner and that’s it.

Winner: Bron Breakker (2:18)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Andre Chase.

* Carmelo Hayes vignette in which he talks about how there’s greatness, and then there’s him. We see his title win at Stand & Deliver and voiceover about how there’s only one HIM. We get a montage of his segment with Waller last week.

* McKenzie is backstage where Tony D and Stacks drove away. Ilja walks in and Dijak attacks him. Ilja fights back but Dijak slams him repeatedly into ladders, yelling about Ilka sticking his nose in Dijak’s business. He goes to slam a rolling door on Ilja, who fights it but gets the door slammed down on him. Officials come in finally and get Dijak out of there while they try to free Ilja.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Cora Jade

The ladies circle, Lyra to the attack and batters Cora. Kicks in the corner, Cora reverses an Irish whip across the ring but Lyra gets a boot up on a charging Cora. Springboard crossbody for two as we go to PIP break.

Back from break and Cora has Lyra in a bow and arrow hold. Lyra gets to her feet and nearly escapes, Cora reapplies it so Lyra flips out. She charges at Cora in the corner but Cora with a dodge and knee for two. Cora grabs Lyra and talks shit, which gives Lyra the opportunity to fire back. Northern Lights suplex and she bridges through, hits another one and goes for a third, but Cora escapes and hits a high knee. Cora charges in off the ropes but Lyra catches a knee strike and dumps Cora.

Lyra with a dropkick through the ropes, and she goes outside to roll Cora in. Lyra to the top for a missile dropkick. Big kick to the head, fisherman’s suplex and cover for two. Cora with a rollup for two.

Cora grabs Lyra’s foot on a kick and flips her over, but Lyra recovers when she gets picked up and takes Cora down off the ropes. She goes for a roundhouse but Cora escapes to the outside and when Lyra chases she snaps Lyra’s neck on the middle rope. Cora grabs her lead pip and comes into the ring, my feed went out and when it comes back Lyra is planted with a DDT for three.

Winner: Cora Jade (8:27)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Perfectly solid match between these two, with some heelish shenanigans by Cora to get the win. I have no complaints.

* Stacks and Tony are driving in the car and celebrating their win. Tony says Stacks was unstoppable, and we hear PD banging from the trunk. Tony stops and tells Stacks to check it out. He walks around to the back, opens the trunk and beats PD up. Tony asks what it was, and Stacks says “nothing.”

NXT Championship Match
Carmelo Hayes vs. Grayson Waller

They go right into counterwrestling to start, Melo with a dropkick and he goes for the left foot. Melo rolls over Waller and clotheslines him, Waller up and Melo off the ropes for a springboard clothesline for two. Suplex from the champ, he charges Waller who gets his foot up in the corner but Hayes blocks a shot, puts him in the ropes and goes for a Fadeaway but Waller moves. Waller throws a chair in the ring — which Hayes caught! The ref is distracted and Waller cracks Trick with the chair. Hayes angrily slides out and gets nailed by Waller as we go to PIP break.

We’re back with Waller in control, single leg crab locked in. Hayes escapes and kicks Waller off of him, but he gets tripped. Waller gets Hayes on his shoulders but he slides off, sets Waller in the ropes and nails the Fadeaway this time. Hayes battering Waller, he gets nailed and comes off the ropes with a kick, double clothesline and they drop. Waller is covering and it’s a two count.

Waller grabs Melo but Melo grabs the leg to trip him. Kicks and chops, he trips Waller hard and hits a pump kick followed by a springboard leaping DDT! Cover for a nearfall!

Melo goes up top now but Waller rolls out of reach. Hayes back down and nails Waller in the head, suplex attempt but Waller hangs him in the ropes and nails him in the head. He goes for his Stunner through the ropes, it’s countered and Waller with a BIG kick and a sitdown powerbomb for two!

Melo and Waller trading shots how, Melo off the ropes and Waller hits his Stunner! But Melo rolls out of the ring. Waller is out now and clears the announce table, he sets Melo on it and goes up top ELBOW DROP through the table and the champion! Waller rolls Melo in and covers for almost three, but Melo kicks out!

Waller gets Melo on his shoulders, but Melo counters into a lungblower! Waller to the outside, Melo goes after him and gets hung on the ropes. Waller goes for his rolling Stunner but his leg gives out, Melo with the top rope Rocker Dropper for three.

Winner: Carmelo Hayes (12:02)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Great work by both of these guys as expected. Waller looked competitive against Melo and the champion of course delivered as well. I expected nothing less.

Carmelo has a mic and says he is talking to Bron Breakker. He calls him out for NXT Battleground and says he doesn’t care if Bron doesn’t want it, because he does. He tells Bron to come to the ring and Bron’s music plays. Bron charges from the side and spears Trick, then takes out Melo and puts Trick in the Steiner Recliner.

Bron releases the hold and takes aim on the outside — he spears Melo through the stage! Officials and a stretcher are out here to help Melo.

* A vignette from Roxy talks about how she never wanted to be like the girls who pretended to be Disney Princesses. She saw the women of WWE and said that’s what she wanted to do. She says her bows in her hair are for the girls who see her now and look the same way. Tonight she has the chance to win back the NXT Women’s Championship and she’s not just doing it for her; she’s doing it for the girls who need to be seen.

* We get a recap of the setup for the mixed tag match from last week, and all the rest of the leadup.

* Joe Coffey is on the phone telling Mark to pour him a tall one. He hangs up and Joey Gacy walks up with Ava. They want a fair Tag Team Championship rematch for the Dyad. He says he wants to face Joe next week and if he wins, Dyad gets their rematch. Otherwise, Dyad don’t get another shot at the tag titles. Joe agrees and leaves; Ava says “Don’t forget to get yours.” Joe smiles and says, “In time.”

* We get a recap of Bron’s attack on Hayes and Hayes being stretchered out.

Josh Briggs & Fallon Henley vs. Kiana James & Brooks Jensen

Jensen and Briggs start off and lockup, Brooks backs Briggs into the corner for shots to the head until he’s backed off. Lock back up, Jensen repeats the process, then locks in a headlock. Shot into the ropes, he comes off and both men hold their ground. Briggs off the ropes, he catches Brooks with a knee to the face but Brooks sends Briggs into the corner and clotheslines him. Brooks charges in and gets sent over the ropes to the outside.

Kiana tags in and Fallon comes in. They jockey for position and counter-wrestle some, Kiana gets Fallon in the corner for shoulder thrusts. Kiana with a back handspring and gets clotheslined down. Fallon slides out for the uppercut in the bottom rope, Jensen blocks her so Briggs dropokicks him and Fallon hits it.

We’re on the outside now and Brooks sends Briggs into the ring steps. Brooks catches Kiana off the apron and spins her around into a kick on Fallon. The babyfaces hit shoulders off the apron and we’re on PIP break.

We’re back from break and Kiana sends Fallon to the floor. Jensen nails Briggs for a two-count and thew locks in a wristlock. Books with a nerve hold Briggs punches out and Brooks with a knee lift for two. They trade forearms and they end up both down, making th tag. Fallon comes in with chops and kicks toi Kiana, enzuigiri and then a missed elbow. Kiana takes over with a forearm but Fallon comes back with a facebuster. Kiana gets a jawbreaker to stop Fallon short, and then hits a Snake eyes. Kiana tells Jensen to hit Fallon but Josh breaks it up.

Brooks with a spinning heel kick, with both down. Jensen and Brooks back up and now trading big shots. Briggs takes over and kicks Jensen in the head, he picks Brooks up who takes back over and comes off the ropes with a lariat to the back of the head and another to the front. Brainbuster for two.

Outside the ring, Kiana knocks Fallon down and throws Jensen the purse He goes to swing the purse but it gets thrown and Kiana falls off the apron! Kiana yells at Jensen and he turns around into a lariat for three.

Winner: Josh Briggs & Fallon Henley (11:40)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: None of this was bad, it was all just so predictable. At least the storyline is over…ish.

After the match, Jensen tells Kiana at last they’re still together and Kiana goes to slap him. Jensen says he thought she loved him, and she says she never did. She walks off and Briggs is there to put a hand on his shoulder. They hug it out, kind of.

* McKenzie asks Dragon Lee about Noam Dar’s match last week and he says he watched it and it was great, but he’s more interested in Dar’s Heritage cup. He’ll make an offer for a match soon.

* We get a video from SCRYPTS and it’s about Axiom. He says next week everyone will learn which of them believes in themselves more.

* Indi promo in which she talks about how she fought to get the title at Stand & Deliver and wasn’t just luck — it was years of dedication and the belief that one day she would hold the title. It could all come undone in just three seconds. But not tonight.

* We see the footage from earlier today of someone grabbing Sol Ruca and beating her up in the PC. No idea who it was because they were obscured the whole time.

Oba Femi vs. Oro Mensah

Ora with a wristlock, but Femi puts him on the mat. Mensah kicks and gets to his feet but is knocked down. Mensah kips up and is knocked down again. Mensah up in the corner, he hits some chops and goes into the corner but Femi blocks him and chucks him across the ring.

Femi with a charging avalanche in the corner. Short arm shoulder tackle and another, he picks Ora up with one arm but Ora fights out. It’s a short recovery before Femi flattens him. Whip into the corner, Ora gets a boot up but Femi shoves him over the ropes to the floor.

Femi grabs Ora by the hair and pulls him into the ring. He grabs Ora, Ora blocks a pick up and hits some chops. Ora dodges some swings, he comes off the ropes for a forearm and another. Pimp kick, Femi grabs it and Ora with a spin kick. Ora off the top with a kick to the downed Femi, he covers for two.

Punt kick to the back by Mensah, Femi is up and angry now. Discus punch off the ropes and he picks him up: pop up powerbomb for three.

Winner: Oba Femi (3:34)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Perfectly fine squash match to introduce Oba.

* Gigi Dolin has grabbed Vic’s headset and cuts a promo about how Jacy talked trash last week about her family. She’s gonna make Jacy’s life a living hell next week and her little brother will be there to see her cave Jacy’s face in.

* McKenzie asks Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak about their attack on Lee after the loss. Dempsey says no one remebers the firts match, just the war. Drew says Lee has an inferiority complex as sh9own by how frequently he defends the title. And he’s going to break Lee and win the NXT North American Title.

* Tyler Bate walks up to Wes Lee and is concerned about Wes wearing himself out. Lee says he’s good but Bate suggests at least being in his corner. Lee is down with that.

NXT Women’s Championship Match
Indi Hartwell vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Tiffany Stratton

Tiffany talks trash to both the others and swings at Indi, but Indi and Roxy take turns nailing her and we get a series of quick roll-ups as we go right to PIP break.

We’re back with Roxy in a wristlock from Tiffany. She reverses it and gets Tiff on her knees, she rolls through and reverses it back. Roxy with a shot to the stomach and she flips through, bridging for a two-count but she breaks it to knock Indi off the apron. Tiffany locks in a headlock and Roxy tries to fight her way out. She shoots Tiff into the ropes and comes off for as rana, but Tiffany lands on her feet. Wheelbarrow by Tiffany but Indi runs over both women.

Body slam from Indi to Roxy, then one to Tiffany. She picks Roxy up but Roxy ends up on her shoulders and rolls into a two-count. Indi and Roxy trade shots, Roxy with a chop and a kick to Tiffany as she charges in. She leaps into the ropes and springboards off for a messy double armdrag. She charges at Tiffany who lifts her up and over onto Indi, Roxy sends Tiffany outside the ring and dives onto Indi — then dives onto Tiffany right into the announce table! One more dive to Indi!

Roxy rolls Indi into the ring and goes up top. Crossbody, cover for two. Roxy knocks Tiffany off the apron and locks in a bodyscissor dragon sleeper on Indi. Indi pulls her off but Roxy with an inside cradle for two.

Russian legsweep from Roxy countered, Indi knocks Roxy down. Short arm clothesline and another to the former champion, one more but Roxy ducks and nails a sunset flip for two, but Tiff breaks it up and covers for two. Roxy kicked to the outside, Indi rolls Tiff up for two. Front dropkick sends Indi to the outside, she leaps off the top for a senton onto both Indi and Roxy. (She almost hit her head on that.)

Indi is being tended to by officials, and Tiffany rolls Roxy into the ring. She kicks at Roxy and whips her across the ring. Clothesline to Roxy in the corner, whip across the ring and a clothesline. Roxy is down now and we see the replay, Indi’s ankle was folded underneath herself and it didn’t look good.

Tiffany grabs Roxy but Roxy with a snapmare. Shot to the body by Roxy and another, Tiffanmy with a whip into the corner. Roxy gets the boot up and she catches a charging Inti to beat her in the corner. She charges in and Tiff sends her up and over, Roxy goes up top for a crossbody but Tiffany rolls through. She gets Roxy on her shoulders, but Roxy rolls through for an inside cradle for two.

Roxy sets Tiff on the top and climbs up. Super-rana! Roxy covers for two but Tiffany kicks out. Roxy grabs Tiffany and nails her with a forearm, and anotjer. Tiffany fires back and hits a knee. She goes for a suplex but Roxy counters into a roll-up for two. Roxy with a kick to the gut, she grabs Tiffany for a side Russian legsweep, cover for two.

Indi is coming back out as Roxy covers again, she breaks it up! She covers Tiffany for two. Covers Roxy for two. Indi tosses Tiff to the apron, she sets Roxy on the apron and kicks her in the head. She kicks Tiffany in the head too. Spinebuster, cover and Roxy breaks it up.

Indi rolls to the outside, Tiffany bodyslams Roxy and goes up for the moonsault — she nails it! Cover for two but Indi pulls her to the outside. Indi off the ropes, lariat to the back of the head and she covers for three.

Winner: Indi Hartwell (15:12)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Kudos on Indi for toughing it out, she looked legit hurt with that ankle off the dive but was able to come out and retain. That spot killed the crowd and clearly they had to improvise, so I’m not gonna be too harsh on this.

Indi celebrates her win as Roxy and Tiffany look dejected and upset, respectively.

* Tony D and Stacks are at a river, and apparently they threw Pretty Deadly into the ocean. They’re history now and Tony says next is tag team gold. If Gallus isn’t ready, they’ll end up like Pretty Deadly. Tony says they did some business for the fmaily tonight and it’s time to celebrate all night long. They drive off and…I guess PD are dead?

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

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

NXT Spring Breakin' was not one of the better special themed episode of NXT. You had some good matches in here, but too much of it was "fine" and the main event was hurt by the...well, Indi being hurt. It wasn't a bad show by any stretch, just a step down from what we've grown to expect from these kinds of shows.