wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 5.14.24
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! Jeremy Thomas here as per the norm, and tonight’s show will see the Heritage Cup on the line as the No Quarter Catch Club’s Charlie Dempsey defends against Tony D’Angelo. In addition, the NXT North American Championship qualifiers kick off with Sol Ruca vs. Izzi Dame and Ivy Nile vs. Lash Legend while Je’Von Evans takes on Noam Dar and Edris Enofé & Malik Blade battle OTM. We’ll also likely get more in the feud between Dar and Trick leading into what appears to be the NXT Championship match at Battleground. Looks like a decent little show.
I had a productive week at Thomas HQ as I did a ton of movie watching. As has been the case in 2024, it’s a mix of new watches and rewatches; my new watches included the documentary Monster Inside: America’s Most Extreme Haunted House on Hulu which will make you want to take a shower, but didn’t offer a ton of insight beyond shining a light on a loathsome person. I also watched the new spider horror flick Sting, which had some great practical effects and solid performances but was weighed down by a slapdash script to just being “okay.”
For my rewatches, I started off with the badass Ti West slasher X to whet my appetite before Maxxine arrives later this summer, and then went on a bit of a ’90s kick with A Few Good Men, The Mummy, Grosse Pointe Blank, Desperado, The Firm and The Insider, all of which go from good (and at least fun) to absolutely great. I also watched High Fidelity, one of my all-time favorite romcoms; Ocean’s Eleven which holds up incredibly well as a heist film, and The Untouchables which is exactly as good as you remember.
On TV, I’m staying caught up on X-Men ’97 and finished watching Dark Side of the Ring, getting caught up to current. I also got caught up on season four the drag docuseries We’re Here on Max, which is a must-watch; checked out the very meh docuseries The Ashley Madison Affair from 2023, and got caught up to current on season two of The Jinx. Finally, I am finally — FINALLY — getting around to finishing The Good Place after all this time and am in the last season. If you somehow didn’t know: it’s a really, really good show.
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 a video from moments ago of Noam Dar backstage having been apparently attacked. The rest of Meta-Four is there and Lash denies that Trick Williams did it.
* We next get a recap of the NXT Women’s North American Title match announcement and the NXT Women’s Combine from last week and the reveal of who moved on to the qualifiers. Ava says the qualifiers begin tonight, as we know.
* Backstage, Kiana James and Izzi Dame are backstage. Kiana says Izzi is a superstar and she’ll run Raw while Izzi runs NXT, so it’s time to go out and win the qualifier. Meanwhile Sol Ruca says she finished #1 in the combine and will win tonight before moving on to become our first NXT Women’s North American Champion.
NXT Women’s North American Championship Qualifier
Sol Ruca vs. Izzi Dame
Circle and lockup to start, Dame shot into the ropes and runs Sol over. She comes off the ropes but gets run over by Sol, who then locks in a waistlock. Izzy counters into a wristlock, Sol goes to flip out but gets put on the mat. Sol kippups and hits a suplex, she charges in the corner but Izzi dodges. Enzuigiri, kick to the midsection and a flip off the corner to take Dame down. Izzi to the outside and Sol goes to the apron. She kicks Izzi and hits a moonsault onto her! Roll back in and a cover for two.
Izzi pushes Sol into the corner and sends her over the ropes hard to the floor. Izzi out and slams Sol into the commentary table, then talks shit before rolling her back in. One-armed backbreaker by Izzi, cover gets two and she goes right into a torqued-in chinlock.
Sol to her feet and snapmares Izzi over, Izzi slides off Sol’s shoulder and hits a flapjack, then an elbowdrop to the back for two. Izzi right back into the chinlock, Sol back her feet and his whipped into the corner. Sidewalk slam attempt but Izzy flips out of it and runs over Izzi a couple of times, springboard forearm and then a fireman’s carry press slam. Springboard but Izzi moves, she hits a backdrop on Sol and eats a big boot for two.
Izzi hits a shoulder to the gut in the corner, she whips Sol into the other corner and charges in — Sol counters with a Sol Snatcher! That’s it.
Winner: Sol Ruca (5:36)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Very good match between these two without any sloppiness. That finishing sequence was pretty dope to boot.
* Ava tells Tony D and the Family that they can’t just kidnap people. He says he doesn’t know where they are and they’re wherever they wanted to go. Ava says she might take away the title match, but Rizzo and Luca say it would be false advertising. Ava fines Tony $20,000. Tony hands over an envelope and says it’s all there plus some more. He says Ava is tough but fair and promises no funny busines.
* Malik asks Edris if he’s ready for tonight. Edris seems to be in his head about his bad look and says he’ll be good as he pets a rabbit’s foot. Brinley walks in and says they don’t need the rabbit’s foot, and off they go.
* Kelly asks Lola Vice and Shayna about Shayna’s win last week and Shayna says that she’s been dominant and is sticking around to see who Ava makes Roxy’s opponent at Battleground. Karmen Petrovic blindsides Lola and Natalya attacks Shayna, which leads to a pull-apart brawl.
OTM vs. Malik Blade & Edris Enofe
Malik starts off against Nima and gets backed into the corner, but ducks a clothesline. Nima puts Blade in the corner and hits a back elbow, whip across the ring and Blade goes up and over. Blind tag to Edris, drop-toe hold and am elbow to Nima. Cover for one.
Nima powers Edris into the corner and tags in Price, tandem takedown and stomp for two. Price chucks Edris into the corner but Edris dodges a punch for some strikes. Price puts him back in the corner and decks him, tag to Nima for a double suplex but Blade makes the save. OTM beat on Blade and Enofe in opposite corners, they to a turnaround as they’re whipped at each other and then take out OTM! Double rana sends OTM to the outside and they DIVE on them!
Back in the ring, Edris sent into the ropes and Jaida trips her, allowing Nima to clothesline him down. Brinley attacks Jaida and the guys get involved in holding her back as we go to break.
We’re back as Nima plants Enofe on the mat with an atomic drop slam as Brinley and Jaida go at it again on the outside. They battle toward the back and officials try to separate them as Nima hits Enofe with a kneelift. Price tags in and they both charge in for a running strike to Edris for a nearfall.
Edris fights back but gets a bodyshot. Whip into the ropes, Price with a uranage and he lies in wait as Edris crawls to his feet in the corner — charging lariat. Price applies a wheelbarrow crossface and lifts him fully off the ground — but Enofe elbows his way out! Nima tags in and hits some back elbows as Edris’ boot is starting to come off. Enofe off the ropes and dodges OTM to get the hot tag to Blade! Leaping clothesline to Nima, blockbuster to Price and then up top for a double crossbody!
Edris tagged in but Nima powers Blade over the top. Enofe dropkicks Nima and goes for a dive but he stops to fix his boot and gets planted. Double spinebuster to Enofe for three.
Winner: OTM (10:46)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Solid match, slightly dinged with the need to do the Brinley and Jaida brawl twice along with Edris’ bad luck. One of that would have been fine in any case, but all of it combined was a bit much. Still decent though.
* Noam Dar is in medical with Meta-Four and the doc won’t clear him. Dar thinks it was a Je’Von trick and Jakara questions why Lash doesn’t think it was Trick. She ignores the question because her match is next.
* Axiom and Nathan Frazer see Ridge Holland hanging out and say he’s in a good mood. Ridge says that Chase U are good folks to hang out with, and Axiom says that if they get a Tag Title shot he may need to pick a side.
The O.C. walk in and say that Ridge needs to leave NXT like all the main roster guys, and Ridge says that unlike them he started here. Gallows tells Ridge to find a friend and face them, but Anderson says he has no friends as they walk off.
NXT Women’s North American Championship Qualifier
Ivy Nile vs. Lash Legend
Lash charges in with a back elbow off the bell for a quick cover for one. She knocks Ivy down with shoulder blocks and throws her shoulder-first into the corner. Ivy spills to the outside and Lash follows, grabbing Nile and driving her elbow-first into the apron. Bodyslam onto the ringside mats. Jakara tries to tell Lash to slow down, Lash charges in but Ivy ducks and Lash hits the steps.
Ivy knocks Lash down and rolls her in, high crossbody off the top! She hits a roundhouse kick and comes off the ropes for a rana, then a charging kick in the corner. She charges in again but Lash grabs her and chucks her in the corner, then goes up for mounted punches. Nile slips under Lash and pulls her into the top turnbuckle, then climbs up to lay in punches. Lash grabs Ivy around the neck — she goes for a chokeslam, but Ivy counters into a top-rope bulldog for a nearfall!
Off the ropes, Ivy goes for a rana but Lash catches her. Ivy turns it into a dragon sleeper, she gets close to the ropes and Jakara grabs her foot. Ivy is distracted which allows Lash to get the charging big boot for three.
Winner: Lash Legend (3:54)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Fine for the time it got. There was a little awkwardness but mostly because they were rushing to get the match in on time.
* Je’Von is asked if he attacked Noam Dar and he says he didn’t, but he’s taking on Ora Mensah so it’s about to get bouncy!
* Carlee Bright walks up to Ava and says she wants Lola Vice tonight. She says she almost made the top 12 in the Combine and Ava says she did great. She deserves her shot and Ava says the match is set for tonight. She gets a phone call and walks away from her office door.
Je’Von Evans vs. Ora Mensah
Ora attacks Evans before the bell and pounds away at him. He knocks Evans to the ground with an overhead shot and Lash has come out now to support Ora. Evans catches Mensah’s foot and pushed it, Ora flips over (that was mistimed) and Mensah takes over, hitting a springboard moonsault for two.
Ora with a suplex but Evans counters out of it, he jumps to the apron and then into the ring dodging Ora before hitting a rana and dropkick. Over gets two. Evans with a sprinboard into a rana but Ora catches him and tosses him to the outside onto the floor, as we go to PIP break.
Back from break with Ora in charge, but Evans fights his way out. Ora knocks him down and comes off the ropes, taking Evans down, and then hits an overhead slam for two. Evans on the apron now, Ora batters him but he fights back and drops Ora with a shot. Evans goes up top, Ora catches him and lays in the strikes. Evans chops Ora but gets battered, they trade shots and Evans escapes to the apron for an enzuigiri!
Evans with a springboard clothesline! They trade shots in the center of the ring, chops back and forth and then Evans with a leaping right cross. He dodges a lariat, Ora hits a back elbow and comes off the ropes but Evans dodges and hits a springboard cutter! Ora to the outside, and so Evans DIVES on top of him!
Back in the ring, Ora stops Evans’ momentum with a clothesline and Jakara distracts the ref. Lash grabs a chair — and here’s Trick! He tells Lash to drop the chair and she does while inside the ring, Ora with a BIG lariat. He goes for a powerbomb, Evans counters and hits a roundhouse. Ora fires back with a punch and Evans with a superkick! Corkscrew splash off the top gets the win!
Winner: Je’Von Evans (10:12)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: This started off a bit sloppy but it REALLY picked up at the end. Very good effort and a big win for Evans.
Post-match, Trick congratulates Evans and raises his hand as Meta-Four are upset on the outside.
* Kelly asks Charlie Dempsey about his strategy tonight. Dempsey says Demon and MYles are on their way, but they’re in rough shape. He says he’s never cried in his life and he’s going to beat Tony D’Angelo to within an inch of his life tonight.
* Wes Lee is WALKING backstage.
* Back from break and Wes Lee is in the house! Wes gets a mic and says the last time he was in this ring with a mic, things were a bit different to say the least. He was in one of the darkest times in his life and didn’t know if he’d make it back here. Everyone knows how much he loves NXT and how much the NA Title means to him. He says when he lost it, it set off a chain reaction of events where he didn’t know if his career was over. But this, all of this, he missed this. The crowd chants “WE MISSED YOU!”
He says he missed this so much that two days after major surgery he was walking again, and he was busting his ass in the gym two weeks later. It was hard and painful but he had one goal: get back here. He was supposed to miss nearly a year but he fought and was back in the ring six months later feeling this energy. He says he honestly doesn’t know what to say and is momentarily speechless.
And HERE COMES OBA FEMI! Femi comes out with his title and a mic, and says he’s not here to cut Wes down. He’s very impressed with Lee and always has been. The heights he took the title to is nothing short of an accomplishment. But he’s taken it as far as he can and now he can sit back and watch Femi take the title to heights he was never capable of. Femi says the trials and tribulations prove he has the heart of a lion and spirit of a warrior. But he is an actual warrior and the mountain Wes can’t climb or conquer. He is guessing Lee wants a title shot and Lee says yes. Femi says he needs to do what he does best and prove he deserves the shot.
Wes says it’s clear Oba checks the boxes of everything a champion should be. He has the size, the speed and the strength. He may not check those boxes himself, but when he had the title —
IVAR is here. He says everyone is excited to have Wes back including him. He knows what it’s like to come back from a career-ending surgery. They even had the same spinal surgeon. But when he came back, he had to fight for everything he had. And he knows Lee isn’t afraid to do the same. They both want a fight against Oba, and —
Yep, he’s Josh Briggs. He says they’re in a bit of a pickle. They’re all so emotional, with Wes’ comeback story of the year and Ivar showing the world who he really is. But this is a man’s game, so let him throw some facts out to them. Stand & Deliver, the biggest event in NXT history, and he and Oba tore the house down, stealing the show. And they both know how close Briggs was to taking the title with broken ribs. His ribs are healed and they need to run that back. And once he’s champion, he’ll throw Ivar and Wes a bone.
Oba says they all have compelling arguments, and Wes suggests a Fatal Four-Way. Oba says that’s why he’s the champion and they aren’t. Oba leaves the ring and tells them to fight amongst themselves; the winner gets a shot at him.
* Ridge is backstage and is asked if he’s planning to take on The OC two-on-one. Chase U comes up and Chase says he won’t face them alone. Chase says he should give Riley a shot, and Ridge is for it. Thea says it’s a teachable moment, and Riley says he’ll see Ridge out there.
* We get a vignette of someone sleeping with a black screen. An alarm rings.
* Lexis King is backstage and says he’s been on fire lately and talks about his wins, including over Corbin at Spring Breakin’. He suggests taking everyone out this weekend and Jazmyn Nyx walks up asking people to sign a Get Well Soon card for Jacy. They blow her off except Lexis, who says not to worry about the losers and Jamie wouldn’t care either. Jazmyn says “Jacy” and he says “Her either.” He signs the card and walks off, but he signed it “Get well soon, Jackie.” Jaxmyn calls him an idiot.
The O.C. vs. Ridge Holland and Riley Osborne
Ridge and Gallows start off and lock up, Ridge with a headlock but gets shot into the ropes. Collision, neither man goes down and they repeat. Third try, Gallows with an uppercut. He gets Ridge on his shoulders but Ridge slides off, Ridge gets Gallows on his shoulders but he counters. Ridge takes Gallows down and tags in Riley, who comes off the top with a stomp to the arm.
Gallows immediately locks in a wristlock and tags in Karl, who continues working on the arm with a wristlock. Riley counters but gets sent into the corner, Riley goes up and over Anderson and hits a dropkick, then a springboard dropkick to Gallows and a standing SSP for two on Gallows.
Riley with a front facelock, but Karl counters out into a spinebuster for two. Karl lays in mounted punches and tags in Gallows, who kicks Riley in the gut and beats him down in the corner. Bodyslam by Gallows and then overhead elbows to the shoulder, followed by a rear chnlock. Riley to his feet but gets yanked to the mat, and Anderson tags in. Whip into the corner and Riley hits the mat. Anderson with another for good measure. he puts Riley in the hostile corner and tags in Gallows for an uppercut, Karl tagged back in for a double whip into the corner, Riley goes up and over with a Dynamite Drop onto The O.C.!
Ridge comes in hot and runs over Karl a couple of times. Overhead belly to belly, a powerslam and cover for two. Riley in and gets sent to the apron, he leaps and gets decked by Gallows. Ridge runs over both men, he goes for the Alabama Slam but Osborne off the top for a dropkick that Gallows dodges, hitting Ridge! Rollup for Anderson and that’s three.
Winner: The O.C. (5:14)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly decent match for the time it got. It wasn’t a surprise that Ridge and Riley lost — when don’t they? — but they had a solid outing with Gallows and Anderson here. The finish was a bit off though.
* We get a vignette for Carlee Bright.
Carlee Bright vs. Lola Vice
Circle and Lola knocks Carlee down with a kick to start. Bright taken down again but she counters an ankle lock attempt with a roll-up for two. Carlee counters again and hits a crossbody for two, then knocks Vice down with a shoulderblock.
Bright charges at Vice and gets put on the apron, Lola with a big kick to the head and she hits an axe kick to the downed Carlee. Vice lays in some uppercuts but Bright counters a punch with a backslide for two. Vice with a strike right up from that and lays in some knee strikes. Vice showboats and gets rolled up for two, she ducks a kick and hits a series of clothesline and a dropkick. She hits a handspring kick and a moonsault for a nearfall.
Bright to the second rope and leaps right into a kick, backfist and that’s it.
Winner: Lola Vice (3:10)
Rating: **
Thoughts: A squash match, and an okay enough one. Carlee still needs to work on her timing but she has the athleticism down.
Lola goes after Carlee but Karmen and Natalya come out and clear the ring of the heels. Natalya asks where Lola’s going, she thought Lola was the most dangerous woman in NXT and Shayna was the baddest in WWE. Karmen wants a tag match for next week.
* Riley walks up to Ridge and apologizes. He says it was an accident and it happens. He say6s he hopes Chase U have realized they can trust him. Thea says she knew she could. He walks off and Thea says they have to trust him and even Riley agrees.
* We get a recap of Noam Dar having been attacked at the start of the show. Vic and Booker speculate on who and why.
Set For Next Week:
– NXT Women’s North American Championship Qualifier: Fallon Henley vs. Thea Hail
– NXT Women’s North American Championship Qualifier: Brinley Reece vs. Jaida Parker
– NXT North American Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Ivar vs. Wes Lee vs. Josh Briggs
– Karmen Petrovic & Natalya vs. Lola Vice & Shayna Baszler
NXT Heritage Cup Match
Charlie Dempsey vs. Tony D’Angelo
Round One (0 – 0)
Circle and lockup to start, Tony puts Dempsey on the mat and grapples but Dempsey escapes. Circle again and lockup, Dempsey with a waistlock, Tony escapes and puts Dempsey on the mat, going after the ankle. They jockey for position and Tony with a roll-up for two.
Circle and Tony shoots for the leg, he puts Dempsey on the mat and grapples with him. Dempsey eventually gets his foot on the rope for the break. Tony with a headlock, Dempsey snapmares him over for a two-count and keeps the front chancery in, another takedown by Dempsey and a third. Back up, Tony shoots Dempsey into the ropes, hiptoss and cover gets one.
Dempsey into the ropes and collides with Tony, into the ropes again and runs Tony over, backslide contered into a roll-up for three! And we’re on PIP break.
Round Two (D’Angelo up 1 – 0)
Back from break with 1:00 left and Dempsey on the mat after being whipped into the corner. Tony with another whip into the corner, Tony moves in but Dempsey strikes him. They trade shots in the center of the ring with 28 seconds left, Dempsey off the ropes with a strike, Tony off the ropes with a knee. Dempsey locks in a double underhook and hits a suplex into am armbar but Tony holds on and the round ends.
Round Three (D’Angelo up 1 – 0)
Dempsey on the attack, but Tony puts him in a fireman’s carry. Dempsey escapes and throws him shoulder-first into the corner. Dempsey targets the left shoulder, Tony takes Dempsey down but Dempsey goes for the armbar. Tony blocks it and picks Dempsey up — but Dempsey comes down into the armbar!
Tony manages to roll Dempsey back for two but Dempsey right up and they trade roll-ups. Dempsey with a backslide with a bridge for two, Tony reverses for two. Back up and Tony puts Dempsey in the corner, he charges and Dempsey moves! Dempsey with a German suplex for the three.
Round Four (1 – 1)
Dempsey with a charging back elbow and he goes on the attack with strikes, twisting the shoulder to drive Tony to the mat for two. Dempsey lays in elbows to the shoulder and stomps the elbow, then picks him up for a Euro uppercut. Dempsey stomps Tony down, Tony fires back with strikes but Dempsey with a takedown and wraps up the shoulder in a leg chickenwing. Tony tries to escape and Dempsey counters again.
Tony manages to roll Dempsey up for two but Dempsey goes right back into the shoulder. Dempsey with a triangle choke but Tony picks him up for a powerbomb! Tony back up now and gets a slap to the chest, he hits a clothesline on Dempsey and strikes away. Belly to belly, and a second! Tony grabs Dempsey and puts him into the ropes, spinebuster, cover but he’s saved by the bell.
Round Five (1 – 1)
Tony charges in with an forearm in the corner and covers for two. German suplex, he can’t bridge — here are Kemp and Borne to attack The Family! Tony out to attack the two and he chases Borne into the ring. Tony nails Dempsey and dumps Borne, but Dempsey with a roll-up and bridge for two. Fugeddaboutit! Tony wins!
Winner: Tony D’Angelo
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Say what you want about Tony’s gimmick, but he can deliver in the ring and he had a great match here against Dempsey. The match was laid out well in a way that the finish didn’t seem obvious; we knew Kemp and Borne would get involved but it’s a nice subversion to have them not save Dempsey from the loss. Happy to see Tony get a title reign and in a fine match to boot.
Backstage, Wes Lee and Brigs have both been assaulted as has Ivar. Gallus is back and ask if they missed them because this is just the start.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
