Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 4.9.24

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! Jeremy Thomas here as usual, and we’re feeling the fallout from NXT Stand & Deliver this week. WWE’s WrestleMania weekend is in the books and we have a new NXT Women’s Champion, plus more. Tonight’s show will surely deal with the ramifications of Saturday’s show, but we also have a Stand & Deliver rematch as The Wolfdogs defend the NXT Tag Team Championships against Axiom and Nathan Frazer. Plus Je’Von Evans will make his NXT TV debut against SCRYPTS, Jaida Parker will take on Brinley Reece, Izzi Dame & Kiana James face off with Kelani Jordan & Fallon Henley and we’ll have an appearance by Natalya. Looks to be a pretty solid show all in all.

Here at Thomas HQ, I was of course busy with WrestleMania weekend but if that wasn’t enough, I was busy with the remote coverage Overlook Film Festival. I watched and reviewed the enjoyable little vampire romcom with the best name, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, as well as the fantastic dark psychological thriller Red Rooms which examines our obsession with true crime. I also watched the creature feature Infested which arrives on Shudder this month and will be a nightmare for people with arachnophobia.

Outside of the Overlook Festival, I did a second watch and review of the 1980s-set zombie romcom Lisa Frankenstein which is now on Blu-Ray and Digital, and in between all of that did another watch of Dune: Part Two (still amazing) and Sinister 2 (pretty bloody awful).

On TV, I’m staying caught up with Drag Race season 16 and kept up on on X-Men ’97, both of which are wonderful.

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 kick off with a montage of the events at NXT Stand & Deliver including the Meta-Four, Giulia’s appearance, Oba Femi’s North American title retention, the Wolfdogs holding onto the Tag Team Titles, the six-woman tag team match, Roxy’s NXT Women’s Title win over Lyra Valkyria, Ilja Dragunov beating Tony D’Angelo and Trick Williams getting revenge against Carmelo Hayes in the main event.

* We’re LIVE in the Capitol Wrestling Center and after a trip through the building, we’re starting off with the new NXT Women’s Champion! Roxy makes her way to the ring. Roxy asks if we’re even surprised and tells everyone saying “You Deserve It!” to shut up because she doesn’t need it. She says what happened at Stand & Deliver was justice for the woman who went a year without her title. She was forced to take that journey against her will but all is right in the world. She tells Lyra that she knows as well as Roxy that Lyra’s arm wasn’t at 100%, and she used it as a weapon. She mouths off and tells the crowd to shut up and says Lyra calls herself an honorable champion? Lyra says honorable, Roxy says stupid and embarrassing because now Roxy is standing her a two-time NXT Women’s Champion. And no one can take the title from her because it’s on her terms and she dares to have anyone take it from her. And the only time she’ll lose it is when she’s forced to give it up when she getr drafted.

LYRA is here! She says Roxy’s been champion for two days and she’s packing her bags? She’s too good for NXT now? She says to stay on Raw, go to Smackdown, but the NXT Women’s Champion stays here with her, because she wants her rematch tonight.

Roxy says Lyra isn’t medically cleared and her arm is barely hanging on, but she wants to waste her rematch? Tatum comes out of the crowd and says Lyra may not be ready but she is. Lyra is glad Tatum sticks up for her and is sorry for what she said to her after the match, but she’s good now. Tatum says “Are you?” and throws Lyra into the steps, screaming “It’s not yours anymore!!” Officials tend to Lyra and get her out of there as Roxy laughs in the ring. Roxy says we won’t be seeing a championship match tonight —

AND HERE’S NATTIE! Natalya says Roxy isn’t leaving because the people want to see a championship match. And she hasn’t forgotten how rude Roxy’s been to her. She’s forgotten more about wrestling than Roxy will ever know, and Roxy has the only title she’s never won. Roxy says hard pass, it’s her show and her title and Nattie doesn’t get a title match.

Here’s Ava! Ava says that’s not how it works, and we’re in a new era. This being the first show after S&D, it might be Roxy vs. Nattie. But now that she thinks about it, it will ABSOLUTELY be Roxy vs. Nattie.

Roxy tries to cheap shot Natalya, but she’s ready and Roxy has to bail.

* Earlier today, Trick Williams is here as are the Wolfdogs. We get an NXT Anonymous video of Frazer and Axiom talking to Ava which led to the rematch for the NXT Tag Team Championships.

* Nathan and Axiom are speaking and say if they’re unable to win tonight they have to go their separate ways. Frazer says if they don’t do it, it’s been a hell of a ride.

* Earlier today on the Chase U campus, Andre Chase thanks Fallon and Kelani for their help at S&D and presents them with honorary certificates. Thea runs in excited but Jacy and Jaxmyn walk in shortly after. She isn’t here to fight; she has a question for Chase. Is she going to tell Thea the real reason that she had to bail out Chase U? Chase says it’s done, but Jacy reveals that Chase bet big on Thea and that’s what got them in trouble. So Chase cares more about Thea than he does his university. So Thea ended up being the problem.

Thea asks if it’s true and Chase says it is, and when it comes down to the university or Hail, it will always be Thea. She’s upset and leaves.

Kiana James & Izzi Hale vs. Fallon Henley & Kelani Jordan

It turns into a brawl from the start and Jordyn and James end up starting it off. Jordan hits a rana on James, Izzi tags in and runs over Kelani. Suplex but Kelani floats over into a sleeper and Fallon tags in, they work the shoulders and whip her into the ropes but Izzi kicks both babyfaces down. Kiana in, Fallon takes back over and they launch Kiana into Izzu, both heels get tossed outside and they baseball slide dropkick and dive onto them.

Back in, Kelani gets a two-count. Izzi fights back and hangs Kelani on the ropes before yanking her in the ring. Kiana tags in and stomps on Kelani, a backbreaker gets two. She stomps Kelani into the hostile corner and tags in Izzi, who batters her and hits a kneelift. Izzi grabs Kelani and launches her, then hits an elbowdrop for two.

Izzi slams Kelani’s head into the mat a couple of times and tosses her into the hostile corner. Kiana tags in and kicks a held Kelani. Kelani battles back but Kiana catches a kick and flips her over, then puts her in the hostile corner for a running shoulder thrust. Izzi tags in and slams Kelani down for two.

Izzi slows it down with an abdominal stretch and lifts Kelani’s leg for extra pressure. Kelani fights her foot free and escapes, reversing the stretch! But Izzi with a hip toss. Elbowdrop misses, Kelani goes to make the tag but gets caught. She goes for a sunset flip, Izzi pulls her up and tosses her into the corner to tag in Kiana. Kiana with a bodyslam for two.

Kiana tries to flip Kelani again but she lands on her feet and tags in Fallon! Fallon in hot and lays into Kiana, bulldog to Izzi and a splash to Kiana in the corner. Fallon on the top, she grabs Kiana for a leaping DDT. Izzi breaks up the pin but Kelani takes her out. Izzi back up charges at Kelani, Fallon takes the hit for Jordan and Kiana hits the 401K for the win.

Winner: Kiana James & Izzi Dame (6:58)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Very solid match to start us off. There was nothing amazing here and a couple messy moments, but all four of these women are developing nicely and it paid off here.

* Je’Von Evans sits down for a hype video and introduces himself as 19 and ready to grind. He’ll see us tonight.

* OTM is watching the video and SCRYPTS says he’s got this. And out they come to the ring.

* We get another Stand & Deliver montage.

* Charlie Dempsey talks with Damon Kemp and Myles Borne about competing at Bloodsport and says the black eye didn’t stop him from getting the win. Dempsey says the situation with their friends is getting sorted. Luca and Stacks and Adriana walk up and say Tony isn’t here but they’ll get their answer. There’s some mouthing back and forth and apparently we have a match.

SCRYPTS vs. Je’Von Evans

Circle and lockup to start, SCRYPTS with a headlock takedown. They get back up and trade acrobatic counters, Evans with a roll-up on SCRYPTS for one. Springboard off the ropes with a rana and a high-impact dropkick for two.

Evans goes to springboard off the second turnbuckle but SCRYPTS kicks the rope and trips him up, then manhandles him in a corner. Strikes to Evans and SCRYPTS slams his head back into the mat, standing shooting star press gets two.

SCRYPTS works the elbow but Evans back to his feet until SCRYPTS knocks him back down. Evans into the ropes and comes off into a back elbow, cover gets two. SCRYPTS slams Evans head-first into the corner, then hits a bodyshot and stomps him down to the mat. SCRYPTS plays to the crowd, which lets Evans fight back before taking a kick to the gut. SCRYPTS talks trash but gets taken down with a double leg by Evans followed by mounted punches. Evans with some punches and a leaping spinning kick off the ropes and a springboard cutter for a very close nearfall!

Evans charges in the corner, SCRYPTS puts him on the apron. Springboard clothesline, he goes after SCRYPTS but OTM pulls him out of the ring — SO EVANS DIVES ON THEM ALL! Evans back in, SCRYPTS Matrix dodges a clothesline and they trade kicks until SCRYPTS hits a German suplex. BIG moonsault by SCRYPTS but Evans avoids it and then hits a springboard twisting splash for the three.

Winner: Je’Von Evans (5:29)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: An absolute spotfest for a five-minute match. This won’t be everyone’s thing but I really enjoyed it and it made for a very strong debut for Evans.

* Karmen hugs Natalya before Nattie WALKS backstage. Meanwhile, Roxy WALKS backstage alone.

* We get a reminder of Ridge Holland attacking Gacy at the S&D countdown show. Kelly Kincaid tried to catch up with Holland and walked up to him, asking how he was doing. He said he’s okay. She asks him about S&D and says he needs to apologize because he blacked out. Gacy pops up from the curtain and says he understands, Ridge went from being on the biggest show before ending up on the pre-show. Ridge walks off and is confronted by Wilde and Cruz, who say they know this is an act. He brushes by them and goes to slam the door, which accidentally slams on Cruz’s hand. Whoops!

NXT Championship Match
Roxanne Perez vs. Natalya

Roxy shoves Nattie right off the bat, and they argue before Nattie gets a roll-up for two. They roll around a bit and trade takedowns before Nattie locks in an elbowlock to slow it down. Roxy to her feet, backs Natalya into the ropes and they ref calls for the break — and Roxy slaps Nattie! Nattie slaps Roxy back and she falls to the floor, with Nattie following and knocking her down.

Natalya rolls Roxy back in and follows, Roxy begs off as we go to PIP break.

We’re back and Roxy was in control during the break, but Nattie hip tosses out of an abdominal stretch. Nattie goes for a surfboard, holding her there for a not insignificant amount of time before Roxy escapes but gets flatted with a lariat for a nearfall.

Roxy to the floor and Natalya follows, rolling her in. Roxy quickly rolls out again, Natalya chases and gets pushed into the steel steps. Suplex on the floor and headslams into the commentary booth by Roxy. Back in the ring, Roxy covers for two.

Roxy with a choke against the ropes and a knee to the back, cover for two again and Roxy goes right into a bodyscissors. Roxy shit talks and turns around into a cover for two, then rolls back into the bodyscissors submission. Natalya turns around and lays in fists, Roxy applies a dragon sleeper but Natalya is able to get to her feet and slams Roxy down.

Natalya with a shot to the gut and another, back elbow to Roxy and a fist to the forehead. Two more and Roxy goes down each time, then a release German suplex and cover for a nearfall. Natalya gets Roxy on her shoulder, Roxy slides off, they trade counters and Natalya with a discus clothesline for two.

Natalya goes for the sharpshooter, Roxy counters with a rollup for two, Nattie with a rollup for two, Sharpshooter countered into a crossface, they roll into quick pin attempts. Pop Rocks countered, Nattie with the Sharpshooter! Roxy is in the center of the ring, she crawls and crawls and gets to the rope.

Roxy rolls out of the ring, Nattie follows and slaps Roxy. She rolls Roxy in but Lola Vice kicks Nattie. Roxy with Pop Rocks for three.

Winner: Roxanne Perez (11:26)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Very good TV match here. The only flaw was Lola’s weird timing on the kick, she looked like she started the kick too late and had to stop short. But that’s the smallest of gripes.

* The Wolfdogs are backstage and Corbin wants Bron to admit that he was right. Bron’s losing streak is over thanks to Corbin. Corbin tells Bron to admit it’s good, and Bron says he won’t because Corbin wants him to. Bron walks off and Corbin says Bron irritates him — and Bron comes in and slaps at Corbin’s chest, which pisses Baron off.

* Lola is asked why she attacked Nattie, and she says she did it because she can. She’s tired of waiting for opportunities. Natalya comes up from behind and attacks her, and officials separate them.

No Quarter Catch Crew vs. Stacks & Luca Crusifino

Damon and Myles are competing for NQCC tonight. Damon and Luca start off, Damon takes control with an elbowlock and fireman’s carry takedown. Borne tags in and goes for a suplex, but Luca reverses it and tags in Stacks. Stacks batters Myles with strikes and sends him into the ropes for a kneelift. Kick to the side and he stomps Borne down, then tags in Luca for more knee strikes and a short arm clothesline.

Stacks tags in, they slam Borne back in the corner and nail a charging Kemp. Borne and Kemp in the corners, Stacks goes for cannonballs on both but misses the second when Dempsey pulls Borne to safety.

Borne beats on Stacks, Kemp tags in and hits an inverted facelock suplex for two. Borne tags in and a German suplex-dropkick gets two again. Borne puts Stacks in the corner but he dodges a charge and Luca gets the hot tag, wiping out Borne and then Kemp. Dempsey goes for the distraction but he dodges, my feed went wonky but when it comes back Dempsey is in the ring. The ref is distracted by that, The Family hits a boosted lungblower for three.

Winner: The Family (4:00)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Rushed, but it was fine overall for a squash match.

* We get a replay of Ava announcing the NXT North American Women’s Championship.

* Oba Femi comes down to the ring. He says some things in life are inevitable and he didn’t just believe; he knew he would retain the title. He says no one can deny the talents of Josh Briggs and Dijak and that he’s at the top of a mountain no one can climb. Every crushing blow, every earth-shattering slam, but all he could think of is this moment, standing here still North American Champion. And that’s not going to change for a very, very long time. And that is inevitable.

The lights go out! IVAR is here! Ivar says he can tell by the look on Oba’s face that he didn’t foretell he would be here tonight. He says the whole world is talking about Oba’s match, and when he saw it he loved the chaos. Three big men beating the hell out of each other, desperately trying to win the championship. That is exactly the type of fight he lives for.

Oba says he knows Ivar didn’t come this way just to compliment him, and asks what he wants. Ivar says when he watched Oba’s match he felt a deep jealousy — not just for the title, but because he wanted to be in the fight. Briggs and Dijak threw everything they had at him, but he remained the immovable object. Ivar says as he looks at Oba now, he knows he’s the man who can chop Oba down and take the NA Title.

Oba says they shall see and goes to walk off — but Ivar stops him and says “Yeah, you’re right. We’ll see.” Oba with a headbutt, but Ivar takes over and hits a springboard elbow! He poses with the title!

* The Meta-Four are talking about hosting Stand & Deliver and how the show broke records. Noam asks how they were and Lash and Jakari talk him up, but Ora is morose. Noam asks what’s wrong, and Ora says that he wants to beat Oba Femi for the title.

Dijak walks in and asks who did the skit on him at S&D, it was awesome. Jakari is about to speak and Noam speaks up, saying that he did it. He insults DDijak and tells him to leave. Dijak says everyone gets one warning, that’s theirs.

Jaida Parker vs. Brinley Reece

Lockup to start, they jockey for position and eventually break at a stalemate. Wristlock by Jaida, reversed by Brinley and Jaida punches out of it. She puts Brinley in the corner, slaps her, sets her cross the second turnbuckle and smacks her down as we go to break.

We’re back and Brinley is working the shoulder. Brinley fights to her feet and they trade shots, reversing the shoulderlock in the process. Jaida backs Brinley in the corner, Irish whip across the ring reversed but Jaida with a Blockbuster off the second rope for two. Jaida with a chinlock, Brinley elbows out but gets knocked down. Brinley into the ropes and runs Jaida over, bodyslam and she lies in wait — handspring clothesline gets two.

Brinley and Jaida trade strikes, Jaida takes over, Irish whip reversed, spinebuster from Brinley for two. Jaida on Brinley’s shoulder, she slides off the back and knocks Brinley down. Charging hip check gets three.

Winner: Jaida Parker (7:49)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: XXXXXXXXXXXXX.

* Ariana is talking with Sol about giving Georgina advice to be ready like she was at Stand & Deliver. She tells Sol she was the best-kept secret at WrestleMania weekend and talks about the NXT NA Women’s Title. Sol says its hers and Arianna says she has to take this call, walking off. Lola walks in screaming about Nattie and Sol says she should have known what would happen. Lola says she doesn’t know what beach hole Sol crawled out of but she can go back there, and a lot has changed since she was gone. Lola leaves and Sol says, “Whatever, dude.”

NXT Tag Team Championship Match
Wolfdogs vs. Nathan Frazer and Axiom

Axiom and Bron start off, Bron plants Axiom in the ring and applies a wristlock. Whip into the rope, Axiom with a springboard armdrag and an enzuigiri. Bron shot into the ropes, he builds up speed and runs right through Axiom. Frazer tags in and he gets shot into the ropes, he builds up speed for a dropkick.

Corbin tags in and Frazer with a headlock. Corbin picks him up, he lands on his feet but Corbin catches him and flings him across the ring. Corbin grabs Frazer for a chokeslam but Frazer escapes. Axiom gets the tag, Corbin batters them both but Frazer knocks him out of the ring. Bron in and gets sent through the ropes, Frazer and Axiom dive on them and Axiom goes up for a top-rope moonsault as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Bron hits a suplex on Axiom, then tags in Corbin. Bron catapults Axiom into a powerslam by Corbin for two. Corbin lays in an elbow to Axiom and tags in Bron, Axiom into the ropes and is put on Bron’s shoulder but slips off and gets the tag to Frazer who lays in kicks and leaps — my feed went wonky, dammit Xfinity! Frazer with a springboard 450 for two but Corbin breaks it up.

Corbin catches Frazer with an inverted Dragon sleeper, Axiom leaps off the top into a spinebuster, then hits a gorilla press slam — Axiom kicks out at two! Bron says he’s going up and tags in Corbin, who puts Axiom on his shoulder — Axiom with a rana and Corbin collides with Breaker. Frazer tags in and hits the dropkick on Breakker. Corbin plants Axiom with a Deep Six and Frazer is caught with the Steiner Special — Frazer breaks up the pin with a kick to the head!

Frazer gets grabbed by Corbin and pulled off the ropes but lands on his feet and kicks Corbin. He gets thrown outside, Frazer dives on him but Corbin catches him and throws him into the steps. Back in the ring, Corbin nearly gets End of Days on Axiom but he escapes and counters a Bron spear with the Golden Ratio. Corbin catches Axiom with a clothesline, Frazer in and gets taken down. Bron goes for the spear, Frazer leapfrogs and he almost hits Bron. Bron is knocked from the ring, Golden Ratio! Phoenix Splash! They did it!

Winner: Nathan Frazer & Axiom (11:33)
Rating: *** 3/4
Thoughts: This was goddamn fantastic. All four men killed it in there for a fantastic tag team match with the big surprise title win. I assume this is the end of Bron and Corbin as a team in NXT, Bron will go to Smackdown now. Just bad-ass work all around.

FINAL TESTAMENT IS HERE! AOP attack Frazer and Axiom, then hit double powerbombs.AOP pose with the titles over the new champions.

* Trick Williams is WALKING backstage.

* We get a final Stand & Deliver montage, this time of photos.

* Josh Briggs had two cracked ribs at Stand & Deliver. And two weeks from tonight is a two-week NXT Spring Breakin’ special event.

Set For Next Week:
– Ridge Holland vs. Joaquin Wilde
– Noam Dar vs. Dijak
– Sol Ruca vs. Lola Vice

* WHOOP THAT TRICK! Here comes the winner of NXT Stand & Deliver’s main event. Williams comes to the ring and gets a mic. He says he loves it (the chants) and says they went to Philly, they stood, they delivered, they went to war. He says NXT is hotter than its ever been and that’s thanks to the fans. But don’t get it twisted, NXT is breaking records. He says they’re marching into a new era and what are they gonna do? “WHOOP THAT TRICK,” says the fans.

Trick says they don’t see him in the ring or in this position without one person: Carmelo Hayes. He may not agree with Hayes and how he did what he did, but he says Hayes is Him. And that’s why he had to show him and the world who Trick is. He says everyone saw Bayley get her title, Cody Rhodes finish his story. That leaves him, and he thinks about what’s next for him. And as he hopped on the plane back to Orlando he couldn’t help but smile. He knows what’s next for Trick. If he wants to get to the next level, he needs to slay the Mad Dragon. He knows Ilja is in the back, so come out and let’s talk about it.

Ilja is here! He comes down to the ring in a snazzy off-white suit with his NXT Championship. Ilja calls Trick the main event of S&D and says he’s so proud of the superstar Trick has become. He has something no one else in WWE has, that Trick Willy charisma. He’s exactly what this brand needs.

Trick says what this brand needs is Trick vs. Ilja for the title one more time. Ilja says Trick is feeling it and is full of himself as he should be; he just got his revenge and is on top of the world, the leader of a hungry locker room and he sees it in Trick’s eyes. He wants another shot at the title. And his answer is…no!

Ilja says Trick had his chance and failed, and its time for another star to get the opportunity. Trick says who does he have to beat to get his title shot and there’s no one that will stop him. Ilja says persistence is a great attribute and Trick is a risk taker who bets on himself. But here’s the biggest risk he’ll ever take. Trick has his title shot in two weeks at Spring Breakin’ but if he loses, he leaves NXT. Trick says if he can’t beat Ilja for the title, he doesn’t belong in NXT so he accepts. They shake on it.

Ilja goes to leave AND MELO ATTACKS TRICK FROM BEHIND! He knocks them both down and stomps the shit out of Trick, then grabs the title and says Trick isn’t making it to Spring Breakin’ because he’s beating Trick’s ass in a steel cage next week. Melo poses with the title.

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

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

NXT followed up a great Stand & Deliver PPV with an also-great episode of NXT. We had some damn fine wrestling on the show as a whole, a number of surprise appearances including the apparent return of the Final Testament, a big Tag Team Title change and matches already being set up for Spring Breakin' in two weeks. Very little on this show was lackluster, and all in all this was an episode it was easy to have a blast with.