Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 4.26.22

Hey yo, NXT peeps! It’s Tuesday evening, and we all know what that means: time for another episode of WWE NXT. I’m Jeremy Thomas, ever-present, and tonight we have an…episode of NXT. Yep, that’s pretty much what it is. NXT is building toward Spring Breakin’ next week, though the announced card for tonight is somewhat light on big matches. We’ll see Lash Legend battle Nikkita Lyons while Solo Sikoa takes on Trick Williams. Finally, Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen & Fallon Henley will take on Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde & Elektra Lopez in six-person mixed tag team action. Beyond that, we’re likely to see more to build up Bron Breakker vs. Joe Gacy, Cameron Grimes vs. Solo vs. Carmelo Hayes, and I imagine there will be more with Natalya against Cora Jade and/or the rest of the women’s roster. Here’s hoping for an entertaining show.

Meanwhile, I’ve had a full week of movie-watching here at Thomas Central. The past week kicked off with a rewatch of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which remains a delight almost 35 years after its release. I also knocked off the 2007 New French Extremity horror film Inside off my bucket list at last and man, is that a visceral watch (in a good way). I watched a couple decent documentaries in Netflix’s White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch and Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film) on Disney+, and enjoyed the Amazon romcom I Want You Back starring Charlie Day and Jenny Slate.

On the downside were Shudder’s They Live in The Grey, which doesn’t know the difference between “slow burn horror” and “horror that needs a tighter editor,” and 2011’s Detention which I rewatched to give a second chance and liked even less than the first time I saw it nine years ago. And finally, Naomi Watts’ latest film Infinite Storm was a perfectly acceptable “man vs. nature” survival drama, which is not a genre I adore. Watch that one for Watts’ performance and some great cinematography, but that’s about it.

On the series side, I’ve been keeping up on Moon Knight which I’m very much digging and watched Netflix’s Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes, which was good but didn’t have the same punch as the Ted Bundy one.

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 with Nikkita Lyons WALKING backstage. Her match with Lash Legend appears to be up first.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Lash Legend

They start brawling right at the gate. Lyons ducks a pump kick and lays in some kicks, followed by a roundhouse. She somersaults under Lash and gets kicked down, then they run the ropes awkwardly which turns into a Thesz press and mounted punches by Lyons until Lash gets to the ropes and the ref calls for the break — but Lash grabs Lyons and shoves her through the ropes to the floor head-first!

Lyons goes to get in the ring but is knocked back down to the floor, and Lash follows to talk some trash. Lyons sent fully into the ring steps and Lash rolls partially in, grabs Lyons’ hair but Lyons pulls Lash into the corner. Lash takes Nikkita down and lays in mounted punches, then knees her in the side. The crowd chants “You suck” and Lyons rolls Lash up (Lash audibly says “Oh shit!”) for two. Lash knocks Lyons into the turnbuckle and picks her up for a sloppy sidewalk slam, cover for two.

Lash now wrenching on Lyons’ neck and knees her in the shoulder. Lyons gets to her feet and judo tosses Lash. Legend goes for a kick but Lyons catches it. Lash with a knee but Lyons fights back with shots and then hits a big suplex. German suplex by Nikkita and a shot to the head. Splash in the corner, haymakers follow and Lyons goes up top for more punches but Lash grabs her and Lyons turns it into a rana. Spinning roundhouse to the chest of Lash for a pin.

Winner: Nikkita Lyons (5:08)
Rating: *
Thoughts: That was, in the words of Good ol’ JR, Bowling Show God-Damned Ugly.

After the match, Natalya rushes down and attacks Lyons! Lash holds Nikkita as Natalya beats on her — and Cora Jade comes in with her skateboard! SHe takes out Lash and turns around to see Natalya. She swings with her skateboard, Natalya ducks and goes for a figure four but Lyons with a kick to Nattie for the save.

* Backstage, Tony D’Angelo talks about how he was going to face Xyon Quinn but he has a hangnail or stomachache, whatever. Now he’s facing the Silver Tongued Von Wagner, who will sleep with the fishes.

* Roderick Strong tells Diamond Mine that they have to be realistic: they’ve been struggling and that is not acceptable. He won’t let them fall apart like his own stable. He says the Creeds are acting like they’re on the top of the mountain. Brutus says they weren’t pinned at Stand & Deliver and got screwed in the Gauntlet Match, but he won’t hear any excuses. He says they have a match next week against a team that are no strangers to NXT, and introduces the Viking Raiders who have a match tonight as well.

* We get a quick recap of last week’s closing angle with Barrett saying that Bron won’t discuss his status tonight. Joe Gacy will give an update on their match later tonight.

Von Wagner vs. Tony D’Angelo

Tony and Von circle and lock up, Von gets the first one-up with a shove. Second lockup, Von shoves Tony into the corner. They go to lock up once more and Tony dodges, shoves Wagner, then slaps him in the face. He ducks again and hits a waistlock, which Wagner breaks. Lockup again, Wagner with a waistlock and takedown but he backs off.

D’Angelo goes for the leg and Wagner fights him off, battering him down and then getting him in the corner for shoulderlifts. D’Angelo sent off the ropes into a back elbow. Tony launches into punches but gets stopped with a kneelift and then an axehandle to the back. Irish whip, Tony ducks a clothesline and goes for a suplex, but Von blocks it and gets D’Angelo in the ropes to work the neck over. He grabs Tony and sends him into the ropes, D’Angelo ducks and hits a drop-toe hold into the ropes and sends him to the outside. Wagner is pissed and runs back in but gets clotheslined to the outside again. Wagner pulls Tony out of the ring and picks him up, slamming him on the apron as we go to PIP break.

Wagner still in control as we come back from break and he hits a spinebuster for two. Fireman’s carry, D’Angelo elbows out and hits an overhead belly-to-belly off the ropes. Tony ducks a short-arm clothesline, side belly-to-belly. Both men slow to get up, Wagner with a shot returned by Tony and they’re trading blows. D’Angelo off the ropes with a nice takedown, he trabs the head and gets shots to the midsection before a suplex. D’Angelo off the ropes and gets leveled with a clothesline by Von, fireman’s carry but Tony counters out, shot to the head and Von sends Tony over the ropes– but falls to the floor! Legado distract the ref and Tony’s henchmen stop them, and Santos hits Tony with a crowbar!

D’Angelo gets back into the ring at nine despite Stone telling him not to, Wagner levels him and gets the pin.

Winner: Von Wagner (10:43)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: I mean, Von needed this win and the interference was going to be obvious, so the ending makes sense. Wagner is still sloppy in the ring but this was better than he has been.

* Backstage, Indi and Persia talk up Roxanne Perez when Toxic Attraction come up and say it smells like trash. Jacy says she only won because Wendy distracted her, and Roxanne says a win is a win. She doesn’t mind proving it wasn’t a fluke by challenging Mandy tonight. Mandy says she’s going to teach Perez the difference betwene a champion and someone who dreams of being a champion.

* We get a vignette for Nathan Frazer, who is debuting next.

* We get a promo video for WWE’s campaign with Make-A-Wish for World Wish Day.

* Fallon Henley, Brooks and Jensen are getting hyped up. Fallon says she’s tired of Elektra and Legado and it’s time to take care of business. Jensen gets distracted by the woman who keeps distracting Robert Stone and Von Wagner.

* Natalya & Lash vs. Cora and Nikkita Lyons takes place next week.

Nathan Frazer is about to have his match when Grayon Waller attacks, then gets in the ring and says no one cares about him or his debut. He warns Frazer and his Willy Wonka haircut not to take a step closer, and says he doesn’t need Sanga and does what he wants. He calls out the Chase U section and mocks them, saying their sorority girls are guild like refrigerators. Chase steps up onto the corner of the apron and Frazer hits a missile dropkick on Waller. He sends Frazer out of the ring and Chase steps in with Bodhi. Chase says what Waller has right now is a teachable moment. Okay, then.

* In two weeks, the NXT Women’s Breakout tournament begins. We get a vignette for Bianca Carelli, aka Arianna Grace. She says she’s not afraid to take chances and will throw caution to the wind.

* McKenzie is backstage with Tiffany Stratton, who says its her time and she wants to complain about Sarray pulling her hair. Grayson walks in and apologizes for taking Tiff’s time but wants to know who the hell Nathan Frazer is. Tiffany complains about his hair, his homeless look and his accent. Waller says he hates everyone with accents and he will be Frazer’s first opponent. Waller and Stratton have potential as a duo.

Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. Valentina Feroz & Yulisa Leon

We start off with some acrobatics from Leon and Carter. Carter with a waistlock takedown and she walks over Leon’s back. Hiptoss flipped through by Leon, dropkick and Feroz tags in to knock Carter out of the ring. They chase around the ring and Carter nails Feroz, then tags in Chance who hits a spinning splash for a two-count.

Feroz goes off the ropes and stops short as Chance drops down, back-and-forth that leads into Chance hitting a springboard splash for two. Carter tags in, tandem kick to the head, cover for two. Carter with a seated abdominal stretch, Feroz elbows her but Carter with a roll-up for two. Ferez fights back and albost gets the tag, but Carter gets her on her shoulders, Chance tags in and hits a slingshot senton for two.

Chance with her own seated abdominal stretch, Feroz fights out and hiptosses Chance. She gets the tag, Leon in with a clothesline to Carter and a big splash. Top rope for a missile dropkick, cover for two. Feroz tags in, bodyslam by Leon, who Gorilla presses Feroz onto Carter for two, broken up by Chance. Leon thrown from the ring, Carter with a roll-up for two. Carter goes for the tag but Chance isn’t on the apron. Leon with a submission into a rana, she goes for a springboard moonsault but Carter moves. Chance is back up and she nails Leon, she tags in, 450 for three.

Winner: Katana Chance & Kayden Carter (6:01)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly acceptable for the time they had. A little chaotic but not in a bad way.

* Jenson was attacked from behind backstage and he can’t compete tonight. Briggs is pissed, he knows who did this and he says they aren’t giving them any choice, stalking off with Fallon.

* We get a new vignette from Kay Lee Ray who wonders if we know who she is? A fighter, a warrior, a champion. She needs to re-ignite her past and talks about how fire lights her way. She is now Alba Fyre.

Legado del Fantasma vs. Fallon Henley & Josh Briggs

Biggs and Henley attack at the outside and clear the ring. Elektra comes in and the match starts as they start brawling, Lopez takes over and tags in one of Legado and this is already developed into chaos. Briggs throws Cruz onto Wilde and then Wilde onto Cruz. Lopez gets knocked into the ropes and Briggs and Henley slide under the ropes for uppercuts. Briggs comes in after Wilde but Del Toro hits a crossbody on him as Wilde goes after the knee.

Wilde tags in Del Toro and apparently according to Robert Stone, Von Wagner attacked Jensen. Okoay. Wilde and Del Toro take turns charging into Briggs in the corner for splashes and kicks. Double back suplex, Wilde lifted up to drop on Briggs for a two-count.

Wilde kicks at Briggs, he tags in Del Toro but Briggs kicks Wilde off and nails Del Toro. He tags in Henley and she comes in to crossbody Lopez. She blocks some shots and hits one of her own, hits a couple clotheslines and a big kick for two.

Lopez with a kick to the head and she tags in Wilde, Briggs takes him down and knocks Del Toro off the apron. He goes for a cover but Lopez breaks it up, Lopez and Henley brawl their way out of the arena. Briggs throws Wilde into the corner but charges into a boot, Del Toro with a shot and they double-team him for the pinfall.

Winner: Legado Del Fantasma (4:46)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: An okay if very short match that went the expected way for a handicap match. Briggs looked pretty solid though.

* McKenzie asks Natalya and Lash about their match with Cora and Lyons next week. Natalya says Cora was too dumb to get the message a couple of weeks, but next week she’s going to break Cora’s legs. Natalya says she noticed Lash in the locker room and Lash talks shit, saying she’ll take that momentum into the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament.

* Cameron Grimes is on his way out! He’s doing commentary for Solo vs. Trick.

* Kiana James is bringing sophistication to the NXT Breakoutu Tournament. She’s a corporate bigwig or something so she uses a lot of accounting terms and buzzwords.

Solo Sikoa vs. Trick Williams

Trick dodges a lockup at first, then Solo gets a wristlock which Trick flips out of. Trick works the shoulder and sends Solo shoulder-first into the corner a few times. He locks in the shoulderlock but Solo breaks out and runs over Trick off the ropes. Big bodyslam and a couple of return yanks on the shoulder. Solo works the shoulder over and then hits a big chop, wristlock back into the shoulderlock.

They go off the ropes, Trick with a kick and a clothesline to take Solo down and he stomps on him. Bodyslam by Trick in the center of the ring, Irish whip into a dropkick by Trick. Williams talks some trash and hits a neckbreaker, cover for two.

Williams goes right back to working over the shoulder, Solo back to his feet and he sends Trick into the ropes. Kick to Solo and Solo no-sells it, grabs Trick for a back suplex. Solo with some big strikes, he runs into the corner for an avalanche on Trick and sends him across the ring for another avalanche. Samoan drop and Solo goes up top, frog splash and cover for three.

Winner: Solo Sikoa (5:08)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: An extended squash just like it should have been, though Trick acquitted himself well in the ring. That’s all it needed to be.

Grimes and Solo jaw at each other in the ring after until Hayes shoves Solo away and talks trash. Solo goes for a superkick but Hayes moves and Solo nails Grimes.

* Edris and Blade are the Viking Raiders’ opponents tonight. Edris isn’t worried but Blade is, so Edris talks him up and says it matters what he believes. He asks Blade what he sees in the mirror; he sees a man with speed, power, heart, and a badass who ain’t afraid of no man. Blade runs out and Edris says “LET’S GOOO!”

* Legado celebrate their win backstage and Santos says last week Tony D’Angelo said he didn’t know anything about those goons, but tonight he proved Tony is a lowlife and a liar. He says no one threatens Legado and he got the message last week, but an eye for an eye. They go to celebrate.

Viking Raiders vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade

Blade charges in and runs into Ivar, falling over. Edris tags in as does Erik. Erik powers Blade into the corner and shouts at him, Blade charges out and gets knocked down. Erik sends Edris into the ropes and he leaps onto Ivar’s back, taking him down. Blade in now and they hit a dropkick and takedown, cover for one.

Enofe tags in and hits an axehandle off the top. He dodges a whip across the ring but then gets run over by Erik. Ivar in now and they just destroy Enofe, with Ivar getting him in the corner for repeated back elbows. Erik in now and Enofe tries to fight their way out but eats a BIG knee, cover for two.

Erik with a shoulderlock, Enofe tries to fight to his feet and goes for the tag, but he gets sent into the hostile corner. Erik dives in but misses, he tags in Ivar and Enofe dodges until he can tag in Blade. Blade in hot, he nails a dropkick and a clothesline against the ropes. Enofe tags in and he hits a big crossbody caught by Ivar, Blade follows and Ivar goes down, cover for two.

Blade whips Enofe to Ivar, he flattens Enofe. Erik tags in, they destroy Blade, cover for three.

Winner: Viking Raiders (4:42)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Just a squash match to warm up the Raiders for their match against the Creed Brothers next week, which is perfectly fine.

Afterward, the Raiders offer Enofe and Blade handshakes. The Creed Brothers are out from the ramp and they jaw at the Raiders.

* Vignette for Wes Lee talking about the long journey to get back to the tag titles and how losing it sucks, but when it’s taken without a loss anger is created. He says he can’t forget his past, but the future holds new challenges and risks and he can only rely on himself. He can bitch and complain or knuckle up and make waves.

* McKenzie asks Tony D’Angelo about his loss and says he doesn’t have time for this. He says he sets the roles and called in members of his crew, Troy “2 Dimes” Donovan & Channing Lorenzo — aka Stacks. Next week he wants a sit-down with Santos at NXT Spring Breakin’ before he takes things into his own hands. Because if he does, Santos won’t like it.

Mandy Rose vs. Roxanne Perez

Perez and Rose circle, lockup and Perez pushed into the ropes. Rose breaks and sets Perez on the top, then yanks her down and pushes her to the mat. The ref backs a pissed Roxanne up. Perez gets a waistlock, Rose reverses and works the shoulder, back into the wristlock but Perez counters out and Rose counters back, forcing Perez to the mat. Perez kips up, they go back and forth until Perez gets on Rose’s shoulder for a sunset flip for two.

Perez with some acrobatic counters and a rana for two, another rollup and then a crucifix for nearfalls. Rose grabs her by the jaw and pokes her finger in her face; Perez bites her finger four a four-count! She rolls a shocked Rose up for two, but Rose quickly sends Roxanne to the outside. She follows along and Perez grabs Rose’s hand, slamming her finger into the ring steps as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Rose takes Perez down and gets a two-count on her. Rose picks Roxanne back up and hits a backbreaker, pressing down into a submission and then eventually slapping her. Perez knees her way out and gets free, Rose moves in and grabs Roxanne’s legs to yank her out of the corner. Rose with a catapult off the ropes into a back submission against the knees, she drops Perez down for a two count.

Rose stomps Roxanne’s back and then boot chokes her against the bottom rope. She grabs Perez who fights back but gets knocked down. Bodyslam by Mandy and some showboating. She goes in on Perez who hits a back elbow and kicks Rose down. Perez with a Thesz Press off the second rope and she charges in, splashing Rose in the corner and hitting a side Russian legsweep followed by a standing moonsault for two.

Perez goes for the Code Red but Rose counters, Perez with a rollup and then a crossbody, both for two. Rose with a big knee right after that gets three.

Winner: Mandy Rose (9:59)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: They put tried to Perez over strongly with the loss, but it was all underdog moves like rollups and the like. I thought these two worked okay against each other and would love to see how they work more as equals.

After the match, Wendy appears on the apron and makes Toxic Attraction back away onto the ramp. Wendy hits a portable button and a net falls on them, so Wendy and Perez spray them with shit and off they run.

* Next week is Spring Breakin’. We get a vignette for Sloan Jacobs who is only 19 which she says makes her an underdog, but she learned to fight against her two sisters and she plans to be the youngest NXT Women’s Champion ever.

* Joe Gacy appears and says “let’s go change the world.” He speaks next.

Set For Spring Breakin’:
– NXT North American Championship Match: Cameron Grimes vs. Solo Sikoa vs. Carmelo Hayes
– Natalya & Lash vs. Cora Jade and Nikita Lyons
– Nathan Frazer vs. Grayson Waller
– Creed Brothers vs. Viking Raiders
– Sit-Down Meeting: Tony D’Angelo & Santos Escobar

* Gacy comes out to the ring. He says that on our journey to change the world, we’ve come so far and had so many triumphs. He says NXT is the clay he’s been molding; clay of acceptance of anyone and everyone. We’ve made great strides, but the mission isn’t quite accomplished. The hooded figures surround the ring, as Gacy says he doesn’t think everyone buys into that way of life.

Gacy says it’s time to commit to the future and his vision. Do it willingly, because at NXT Spring Breakin’, afterward there will be no choice. He says Bron hasn’t said anything about his injury and that’s because Joe knows Breakker isn’t cleared. As a result of Bron’s fall from grace, Gacy will be crowned new NXT Champion and the mold and clay of NXT will be hardned into the vision of how he sees the world.

Rick Steiner is here! The WWE Hall of Famer comes out and walks into the ring, getting a mic. He says Gacy has it all wrong. Bron is cleared and will defend the title at Spring Breakin’. Gacy says Steiner picked a great time to come back — or did he pick the worst possible time? The hooded figures get up on the apron, and BRON’s MUSIC HITS! Bron is here and he starts taking out creepers. Breakker clears the ring while a couple creepers hold back Rick, and Gacy sacrifices an acolyte so he can take Breakker out.

The creepers form a line and hand the title one by one over to Gacy, who poses with it to close the show.

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

4.5

The final score: review Poor

The 411

The back half of this week's WWE NXT redeemed things a bit, because MAN was the first part rough. The Lyons vs. Legend match was just awful, Von Wagner still isn't ready, the women's tag match was just okay and the handicap match was too short. Things picked up from there but it was still a wrestling-poor match, and the main event segment felt like it was going through the cult leader motions. As low as I'm rating this week, it might be generous because I was pretty relieved the show's upward trajectory. All in all, not a good show at all.