wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 4.4.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas, and after a doozy of a WrestleMania weekend (good and bad), we’ve back for another episode of NXT. NXT Stand & Deliver saw the crowning of a new NXT Champion in Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller losing to Johnny Gargano, Indi Hartwell capturing the NXT Women’s Championship and much more, and we’re sure to have a lot of fallout from that show. In addition, Nathan Frazer battles Dragon Lee while Tony D’Angelo and Stacks take on Pretty Deadly. And Dijak seeks justice against Odyssey Jones for eliminating him in last week’s battle royal. Should be a fun time, as long as NXT is staying the course in a way that didn’t happen on Raw.
Here at Thomas Central, I was busy because of WrestleMania week but still got some movie-watching in. I followed up last week’s Paranormal Activity rewatch with Paranormal Activity 2, which remains a slightly better film than its predecessor, and watched the pretty great 1952 noir drama Clash By Night to nearly bring my Marilyn Monroe watch project to a close. Creed III was a good time, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves truly warmed my heart as it wiped away the stains of the abysmal 2000 movie. Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham was a fine DC animated effort, if somewhat disappointing for a Batman meets Cthulhu story. And I watched the new Screambox documentary Living With Chucky, which you can check out my review for here!
I slowed down a bit on my RuPaul’s Drag Race watch project, where I am just under halfway through season 11. It’s still a blast.
Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop right in.
As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.
* We’re LIVE in the Capitol Wrestling Center — and everything is black? Um…not sure what’s going on, looks like a technical issue.
Okay, it’s back.
We get a video recap of Stand & Deliver with Gallus retaining their Tag Team Titles, drama costing Fallon Henley and Kiana James, Indi Hartwell winning the NXT Women’s Championship, Wes Lee retaining the NXT North American Title, and Grayson Waller battling Johnny Gargano with Gargano getting the win. And finally, Carmelo Hayes winning the NXT Championship.
* Alicia Taylor welcomes Indi Hartwell to the ring. Indi gets a “You Deserve It!” chant. She soaks it in for a few and then says that we have no idea how long she’s waited to hear that. She says it’s been a few days but she still can’t believe it’s real: she’s the NXT Women’s Champion! She says she gave up a long time ago on what she’s day when she won the title because she didn’t think it was going to happen. She gained momentum, picked up some wins and then it was right back down. She doubted herself; she was tag team champion but could she do it alone? It was a pipe dream, but the fans never doubted her and stood beside her. And the outpouring from S&D makes this that much sweeter.
She thanks the crowd for their chants and doesn’t want to take too much time, but she has a couple things to get to. She has to acknowledge Roxanne Perez because if it wasn’t for her there wouldn’t be a ladder match and she wouldn’t have the title. She should get the first title shot, Indi says. Moving on —
Here comes Zoey Stark, who says she can’t listen to this crap. She gets it, pigs fly, unicorns are real and Indi Hartwell is the new NXT Women’s Champion. She says Indi had quite the upset but is holding a title that has been held by legends and future HOFers. And the most disgusting part is Indi has it now. They’ve worked to build the title up, and Indi is nowhere near that. She’s a little lower, like on the floor. The crowd chants “Zoey Sucks!” She says the most positive thing she got out of S&D is that there’s a very beatable NXT Women’s Champion. Roxanne’s been radio silent since Saturday, so she goes to the back of the line, or in the front as long as she’s behind Zoey. Zoey says it’s the first show since S&D, and how about she hand out a title match to Zoey tonight?
Indi says Zoey’s right, it’s the first NXT since S&D so she’s sure it’ll be approved, and says they should have the title match tonight. Zoey says Indi will make history by being the shortest-reigning NXT Women’s Champion we’ve ever seen. Indi raises the title and Zoey walks away.
We go to yesterday with a social media video of Wes Lee arriving in the airport. Axiom is there with his mask and congratulates Wes, but wonders what it would be like to go one-on-one between them. Wes says he’ll see him tomorrow, and the title match is official for tonight.
Tony D’Angelo & Stacks vs. Pretty Deadly
Elton and Stacks start off and jaw at each other, Stacks shoves Elton and Kit tags in, clotheslining Stacks. He delivers some shots and catches Stacks for an inverted atomic drop. Whip into the ropes, Stacks with a backslide for two and a dropkick. Back into the ropes, springboard clothesline from Stacks.
Tony tags in, they batter Kip off the ropes. Tony with a front facelock with shots to the ribs, but Kit with a jawbreacker and Elton tags in — he takes held rib shots as well, and a suplex. Tony with body shots in the corner, whip across the ring, chagr and Elton gets the foot up. He comes off the second rope but Tony with a fist to the gut and a clothesline. Bodyslam but Elton floats over, he hits a dropkick to the knee and tags in Kit.
Kit comes in but gets tacked down by Tony. He goes to tag Stacks but Kit blocks him, hits a knee and then slaps Tony! Tony slaps him back, dodges a slap and then knocks Kit down. Elton in the ring and gets knocked down, PD with kicks but get sent off the ropes for two back body drops. Stacks tags in now, he leaps on Elton and gets hip tossed onto Kit in the corner. PD is out of the ring now and Tony leaves as Stacks lies in wait. Elton distracts Stacks and Kit attacks him, beating on him and then wrapping his arm in the ropes. Elton tags in and they whip Stacks into the turnbuckle. Elton with a wristlock takedown and cover for two.
Elton works the arm and shoulder, he locks in a submission and twists the wrist. Stacks to his fight and fights out of it, but Elton shoves him into the hostile corner. Kit tatgs in he nails Stacks but Stacks with a roll-up for two and hot tags Tony. Belly to Belly to Kit, release overhead belly to belly to Elton. He grabs elton for a wheelbarrow German suplex and hits a spinebuster off the ropes, cover but Kit breaks it up.
Stacks in now but gets thrown into the corner, Tony takes out Elton and he collides with Elton’s head. Elton switches with Kit and uses the ring apron to hide himself. The distraction allows Elton to send Tony into the exposed turnbuckle and cover for three.
Winner: Pretty Deadly (7:11)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Perfectly fine match with a weird ending, but one that wasn;t offensively bad. I didn’t love it, but it was different at least.
* Jacy Jayne vignette where she mocks Gigi and says she thought she was going to have her Hollywood moment. She thought she was going to be NXT Women’s Champion, but delusion is quite the disease because within one second she was able to push that all away. She says Gigi was never going to win, and she was going to make sure of it. She broke Gigi’s face, her heart, and now she’ll break her will.
Dijak vs. Odyssey Jones
The two men start clubbering right away. Dijak in the corner and Jones charges in, he goes for a second but Dijak with a big boot for two. Dijak lays in the fists and stomps, Jones fights back but takes a knee to the chest. Jones whips Dijak into the ring and he goes up and over to the floor.
Dijak back in and gets run over by Jones a couple of times. Whip into the ropes, standing spinebuster for Jones. Jones comes into the corner, eats a boot. Dijak up to the second rope and leaps off, Jones catches him for a powerslam and a cover for two.
Jones sets Dijak up in the corner and goes to climb to the second rope. But Dijak is up with a superkick! Dijak grabs Jones on his shoulders and hits a DVD for a nearfall. Dijak is pissed, he goes up top -=- moonsault! That finishes it.
Winner: Dijak (2:46)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Odyssey Jones.
* We get a vignette for Dragon Lee, who debuts next.
* Carmelo Hayes has arrived.
* McKenzie is with Gallus, and Joe Coffey is back. They say just imagine what a full-strength Gallus will be. He says he’s going to add some gold to Gallus, but first he’s going to pick a couple of fights so people realize this is their kingdom.
* Before Lee vs. Frazer can start, Noam Dar jumps the rail with his Heritage Cup and grabs a mic. He says he’s finally here in NXT and has his big beautiful gold prize chalice. However, he’s the one who will decide if anyone’s fit enough or even good enough to challenge him. There’s levels, and he’s at the tippy top.
Nathan Frazer vs. Dragon Lee
Frazer and Lee stare off and Lee offers a hand, which is taken. They circle and Lee with a waistlock, they go into counterwrestling and eventually split. Test of strength, Lee bends Frazer back but Frazer fights back and gets Lee on the mat. Lee with a monkey flip and they keep their hands locked.
Frazer breaks it and locks in a headlock, Lee with a kick to reverse the headlock and brings it to the mat. Frazer back to his feet, Lee shot into the ropes and he runs Nathan over. They go into the ropes and Frazer with a rana but Lee lands on his feet! Snapmare and Frazer to his feet, they dodge some kicks and we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Lee and Frazer have been going back and forth. Frazer drops Lee face-first into the second turnbuckle and drops him for two. They end up on the top, Lee gets knocked down and leaps up for a German, but Frazer escapes. Lee with dropkicks to Frazer and he hits a DVD into a neckbreaker, cover for a nearfall.
Lee pulls Frazer toward the corner a bit and climbs up top, but Frazer leaps up and grabs him for a superplex. Lee crotches him and drops him back — double stomp to Frazer! Lee charges in RIGHT INTO A SUPERKICK! Frazer covers for two. He goes up top, spinning moonsault but rolls through as Lee moves. They trade kicks, Frazer with an enzuigiri, Lee counters another move into a powerbomb, cover for 2 and a half!
Lee up in the corner, he lies in wait and runs in for a charging knee strike for three.
Winner: Dragon Lee (10:10)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Fantastic, fast-paced bout as we would expect. They made both men look great here, with Lee getting the expected win in his in-ring weekly NXT TV debut.
* Chase U is in session! Chase says it felt great to kick the shit out of the Schism at Stand & Deliver, and gives a special shout-out to Tyler Bate. Duke says Tyler’s great, but he didn’t get the job done; Duke did. Chase says he was in the process of honoring Duke’s accomplishments, but remembered what Duke said about not wanting things like that.
Duke says it’s not the same, this was historic and this kind of perfomance and his legacy is worth honoring. The class agrees, and so does Chase. Next week is a ceremony to honor Duke’s commitment to this university with an MVP trophy. Duke is into it.
* Zoey Stark WALKS backstage. Indi WALKS as well. The NXT Women’s Title match is next.
* Alba talks about how it was written and is now told. They’ve seized power and sit on their throne. Ilsa says they vowed to burn all opposition to the ground and seized the championship, but they did not burn it to the ground. Alba says it’s never that easy in NXT. Isla looks into the water and says she senses they aren’t done with the troubled fools. Now that the unholy power of Alba and Isla has risen, she curses any team that dares to test the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions. For now though, they celebrate.
* McKenzie congratulates Wes on retaining his title. He says he’s riding on Cloud 9 because they tore the house down. It felt like a human pinball machine and he knew he chose his opponents right because they were on point. JD can do anything, Ilja is a beast, Lee was smoother than butter, but Axiom stood out to him and he feels like he owes Axiom one. They’re both sore, but they’re gonna wake everyone up from their WrestleMania hangover.
NXT Women’s Championship Match
Indi Hartwell vs. Zoey Stark
They lock up and go into the ropes, Indi with a couple of bodyslam and short-arm clotheslines. Zoey with a sprinboard crossbody, superkick, Indi floats over and hits a big boot. She goes for a clothesline but Zoey ducks and kicks Indi in the temple for two.
Zoey with stomps in the corner now, the ref backs her off and she goes right back in with another stomp, cover for two. Indi fights back but gets knocked to her knees. Indi gets Zoey on her shoulders, Zoey drops off but gets armdragged. Indi with stomps in the corner but gets a drop-toe hold into the middle turnbuckle. Short-arm wip into the corner and another, whip across into the opposite corner and then back once more but Indi gets a knee up on a charge. Indi blocks shots by Zoey and hits one of her own, cover for two.
Indi gets Zoey on the apron but Zoey grabs Indi — Indi snaps Zoey against the ropes and she goes to the floor. Zoey trips Indi, Zoey with a senton over the ropes for two. She comes off the ropes and dropkicks Indi out of the ring as we go to PIP break.
Back from break as Indi takes a couple knees to the head and gets snapmared, Zoey with a basement clothesline off the ropes for two. She locks in an inverted sleeper, Indi breaks free and backs Zoey off with a punch but Zoey with a kick o the head. Suplex countered into a clothesline, sidewalk slam by Indi. Zoey goes up and over a charge in the corner, she goes to the apron and hits an enzuigiri. Zoey goes up but Indi grabs her. Zoey fights her off with fists. and springboards for a dropkick but Indie ducks it!
Indi is sent to the apron, Zoey sidesteps a charge and kicks Zoey in the head. Up top for an elbow to the lower back, cover for two. Indi and Zoey trade shots now, Zoey with a roundhouse and she talks shit to Indi beofre coming off the ropes with a springboard — caught with a spinebuster for two!
Indi goes for a big boot but ZOey counters with a half-and-half, she hits her spinning GTS but Indi flies out of the ring. Zoey rolls her in and covers but Indi counters into a roll-up for three!
Winner: Indi Hartwell (10:34)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Really good effort by these two. Indi got the sneak win, but she did it while also holding her own against Zoey so it didn’t undercut her.
Tiffany Stratton poses from the stage and Indi talks shit — only to have Cora Jade attack from behind! SHe lays out Indi, poses with the title and then leaves the ring, talking trash to Tiffany before walking off.
* Brooks is with an angry Kiana and says he should have stepped up. Kiana is pissed, and Fallon and Briggs walked in. Fallon says it’s nonsense to make Jensen cheat when she was cheating on him. Kiana says they weren’t exclusive and that she thought what they had was special, then walks off. Fallon and Briggs try to show how Kiana is making Jensen the bad guy, but Jensen won’t listen and tells them to stay out of his relationships before walking off.
* We get an in memory for Bushwhacker Butch Miller.
* Cora Jade is questioned in the parking lot and she says she’ll speak next week. Lyra Valkyria walks up and says Cora can’t escape fate.
* We are reminded of Tatum turning on Ivy three weeks ago.
Ivy Nile vs. Tatum Paxley
They go right at each other to start and Ivy grabs Tatum, putting her down. Back into a front facelock but Tatum backs her into the corner. Smack to Ivy and she responds by kicking the shit out of Tatum. Waistlock, but Tatum goes into the ropes and sends Ivy through it. She grabs Ivy through the ropes for a suplex and then bodyslams her.
Tatum grabs Ivy and talks shit before manhandling her, Ivy counters into an armbar but doesn’t get it fully in. Tatum nails Ivy with a diving elbow drop and covers for two, then locks in a rear chinlock to grind Ivy down. Ivy fights to get back to her feet but Tatum forces her down again. Ivy eventually gets to her feet and grabs Tatum for a suplex, then throws her into the corner for repeated strikes to the body. She gets backed off and then launches in with knees. Tatum eventually hits a shot and climbs, but Ivy grabs her across a shoulder and chucks her.
Charging takedowns by Ivy, double leg takedown and fists. Tatum gets up in the corner and Ivy charges in to take her down. Tatum escapes to the outside and Ivy follows to kick her before rolling her in. Ivy back in and Tatum begs off, Ivy with a kiick but Tatum catches it — Ivy locks in the dragon sleeper and Tatum taps!
Winner: Ivy Nile (4:28)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: As Benjamin would say, Murder Death Cutie is back. Dominant win that re-established Ivy as a force.
Ivy celebrates with Diamond Mine after.
* McKenzie is backstage with Ilja, who says that he was chosen to be in the NA Open Challenge because he chases monsters and seeks challenges. Wes Lee is a strong competitor and good champion, but he had the match. It was never going to be easy to win, but nothing worth having is easy. And that’s why he is on a —
Von Wagner walks in, yay. He says Ilja’s looking at the biggest monster he’s ever seen. Ilja says he’d rather fight and lose than not be invited to fight at all. Robert Stone comes in and breaks it up, saying he’ll get Ilja match for next week. But if Von doesn’t win, they’re done.
WWE NXT North American Championship Match
Wes Lee vs. Axiom
They circle to start and lock up, snapmare by Axiom but Lee lands on his feet. Lockup again, snapmare by Lee, Axiom counters and rolls Lee up for two. Lockup, Axiom with the snapmare, Lee with a headscissors and Axiom escapes into a brief cattle mutilation but rolls through. Counterwrestling, Axiom with an armdrag and an enzuigiri, cover for two.
Lee of the ropes, they dodge each other, Lee with a rana and a shot to the gut. Axiom sent into the ropes, dropkick and cover for two. They trade counters, Axiom sends Lee to the outside and dives on him. He rolls Lee back in and goes up top but Lee decks him and he falls to the outside as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Axiom has locked in an ankle lock. Lee rolls through and kicks Axiom off of him. Axiom and Lee trade punches and strikes, Lee is staggered but fires back and takes over. Snapmare and dropkick to the back, he charges in for a Euro uppercut and an enzigiri, release German suplex. Cardiac Kick but Axiom goes for the Golden Ratio and it turns into a stomp. Michinoku driver for two.
Lee is up and he goes for the Cardiac Kick but Axiom counters with a bodyscissors and sleeper. Lee on his stomach now, Axiom is on his back and Lee gets to his feet. Half and half supelx from Axiom, he goes for a kick but Lee dodges and hit a kick to Axiom. Axiomn with an inside cradle for two-plus.
Lee into the ropes and shoves Axiom off, superkick! Lee goes up top, Corkscrew senton but Axiom gets the knees up. Knee from Axiom, who is now lying in wait — Lee up and ducks the Golden Ratio. Cardiac Kick and that’s it.
Winner: Wes Lee (10:43)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Damned good match that went back and forth with these two until the expected retention. They delivered nicely here in a fast-paced and crips match; I can’t ask for too much more.
Show of respect between the two post-match. Axiom is left alone in the ring when SCRYPTS talks from the sound system and says he knows him. SCRYPTS dives in but Axiom superkicks him. He says he’s going to… expose him.
* McKenzie asks Frazer about his loss to Dragon Lee and he says he didn’t start the “year” off on a good note but believes he can turn it around. McKenzie says he’s wise beyond his years, and he says when you have a moment of enlightment, your perspective changes. And then your reality changes, which is what happened to him.
* Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams WALK.
* We get a look at Dani Palmer, Tank Palmer, and Oba Femi, coming soon.
* Next Week:
– NXT Women’s Tag Team Title Match: Alba & Isla vs. Kiana & Fallon
– Cora Jade explains her attack
– Ilja Dragunov vs. Von Wagner
– Duke Hodson’s MVP Trophy Presentation
* Carmelo and Trick make their way to the ring. Trick cuts the music and says the champ is here. The crowd is chanting for Melo. Melo says okay, okay, okay. He says it was the biggest S&D of all time in Los Angeles, the City of Stars, the House that Kofi Built. Trick says Melo did Stand and did Deliver. Melo says the wait was worth it because there’s no question that he is the NXT Champion and he is HIM.
Trick says that this is the Him Era, and Melo says he started attracting championships from day one. He says they’re having fun and it’s a Melo-bration, but every great champion has a great opponent, so he wants to give Bron his flowers. He says Bron is one of his toughest opponents, and he had to give Bron his respect. He meant it too, so he says if Bron is back there and listening, he wants to call Bron out.
Bron’s music hits, and here comes the former champion. Melo thanks Bron for coming out and says they brought it to each other and it was cool for Bron to present Melo with the title. He says he doesn’t know what the future holds for Bron, but for everyone in NXT, thank you.
Bron gets a “Thank You Breakker” chant and says he appreciates that. The title holds great legacy, and there comes a time when the champion gets defeated, its his job to hand it over respectfully. Ciampa taught him that, and that’s why he did it for Melo. He doesn’t know what’s next for him, but he’ll leave Melo with this. XNT is about the Superstars as much as it is the NXT Universe. He says they listen to them, and asks them to give it up for Melo. Melo holds his title up and Bron goes to leave, but Melo offers him a handshake. They shake hands and hug, the hands get raised — and Bron clotheslines Melo! He bodyslams Bron! Spear to the champ! So we’ve got the heel turn, okay. Bron takes the shirt off and leaves the ring, saying, “I’ll be seeing you!”
And with that, we’re done for the night!
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