wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 6.20.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello, everyone and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas once again, and tonight WWE kicks off their two week NXT Gold Rush event. Tonight’s show will see Bron Breakker challenge Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship, while Wes Lee will defend the NXT North American Championship against Tyler Bate with Mustafa Ali as the special guest referee. In addition, Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin will to face-to-face ahead of their NXT Championship match next week and Dana Brooke battles Cora Jade. The NXT Tag Team champions Gallus will get new #1 contenders as Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen, Hank & Tank, and Edris Enofé & Malik Blade face off, and Thea Hail will get a Chase U pep rally before next week’s NXT Women’s Championship match against Tiffany Stratton. That’s a loaded show, and it should be a lot of fun.
Here at Thomas HQ, I’ve continued to be busy with my movie-viewing through my Queer As Fuck Pride Month viewing challenge. Over the past week I watched the influential 1985 lesbian romantic drama Desert Hearts, which is a gorgeously shot and well-acted story that nicely grounds its central relationship in a desensationalized manner. Angelina Jolie’s breakout role in 1998’s Gia was a fantastic performance, though the movie around her isn’t nearly as good. I had never seen The Crying Game and finally watched it; I get why people take issue with it but it deserves its groundbreaking status and Stephen Rea, Jaye Davidson, and Forest Whittaker are all deeply captivating.
In other British queer filmmaking viewings, I watched the delightful 2005 true story-based Kinky Boots which I quite enjoyed. On the flip side, Basic Instinct 2 is as bad as its predecessor is good, with only Sharon Stone seeming to understand what kind of film she’s in. The 1961 drama The Children’s Hour still hits hard today, and 1986’s Parting Glances was a well-made bit of independent filmmaking looking at a day in a group of New York City gay friends amid the AIDS epidemic. Finally, I took a slight break from my viewing challenge to check out this year’s demon shark movie The Black Demon, and it’s a good concept with a solid cast and a very sketchy screenplay that on the whole was just not good. Thus far I’ve seen 157 films this year, 72 of which are from 2023.
In TV, as has been the case in recent weeks I saw the latest episodes of Queen Of the Universe season two and Drag Race All Stars season eight, and finally compelted Drag Me to Dinner.
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.
* Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker arrived earlier today.
* We get a vignette introducing the show and promoting the two-week event, which will see every NXT Championship on the line.
NXT North American Championship Match
Wes Lee vs. Tyler Bate
The two circle and lock up, Lee hits an armbar. Bate ducks a second lock up and hits a waistlock takedown, Lee flips over though and reverses. Bate powers out and reverses it, tripping Lee and going into a reverse anklelock that Lee cartwheels out of. Lee with a shot to the chest and a headlock, shot into the ropes and flips over a monkey flip attempt. He goes between the legs, Bate pushes the headscissors off and locks in a headlock, Ali counts for two that seemed a bit quick. Bate and Lee stare at each other.
Back to their feet, the headlock is still applied. Lee elbows Bate and Bate into the ropes, they go into a sequence of reversals and Bate’s shoulders are down for one. Lee argues with Ali about the slow count and Bate rolls him up for an extremely slow one count. Bate and Lee start arguing and shove each other, lock up and they’re all over the ring — and spill through the ropes to the outside! And they go right back into the lockup on the outside.
Bate with an uppercut, they start trading strikes and Lee gets knocked down. Ali waits forever to start the count and finally begins as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Tyler Bate and Lee hit a double clothesline that leaves both competitors on the mat. Back up and they’re trading blows, Lee decks Bate hard but Bate fires back. Lee catches Bate with a backslide but he rolls through, Lee with a snapmare and dropkick to the back of the head. He charges in on Bate in the corner, Bate with a kneelift and Euro uppercut from the second rope. Belly to belly suplex and he goes for the standing SSP, Lee covers for a nearfall and hits an enzuigiri off immediately after.
Bate in the corner and Lee charges in for a splash. Crescent kick, he goes for the Cardiac Kick but Bate dodges and hits a springboard clothesline for two. Bate up top now, but Lee is up too soon and kicks Bate in the head. Lee up there with Bate, he goes for a suplerplex to the outside! But Bate blocks it and they trade shots at the top, Bate with a shot to the jaw and they both fall, with Lee on the outside.
Ali starts the ten-count, he gets to seven and picks Lee up, slapping him awake and telling him to get in the ring before coming in and pumping up Bate.Lee with the Cardiac Kick for three.
Winner: Wes Lee (13:00)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: These guys aren’t capable of having a bad match, but the Ali stuff was definitely weird and kept this one from getting out of second gear. I enjoyed this, even if it didn’t hit its potential.
Ali gets the crowd to cheer both men after.
* We get a vignette for Gigi Dolin looking at some street art, which she says she’s always been drawn to as creativity. She’s been rejected by friends, family and life and that sets her apart from everyone else. She has the freedom to create whatever enters her mind.
* McKenzie is with Kiana, who says what Gigi calls art is a waste of real estate. She’s fueled by results, but they’re not as different as Gigi says. She also broke rules as a kid but she grew up. She has ambition, which Gigi can’t even spell. And Gigi is swimming in a pool of mediocrity.
* We get a recap of Finn Balor assaulting Rollins on last night’s Raw. Rollins is cleared to compete against Breakker tonight.
* It’s time for the Chase U pep rally! Duke Hudson is here in the ring with photos of Thea Hail. He says it’s his honor and 6’5″ privilege to invite us to a pep rally for Chase U’s star pupil. He says we’ve seen Thea in the agony of defeat and the thrill of victory, and victory is the name of the game next week when Thea seeks to defeat Tiffany Stratton and become the youngest NXT Women’s Champion in history. He says to stand up for Hail, and she tears through a banner on her way to the ring in a singlet along with the Chase U crew.
Thea says this is the awesomest day of her whole life and her heart is beating so fast right now. She says you look up and down the NXT roster and they have accomplishments from college, while her biggest accomplishment is graduating from high school. But she didn’t want to attend college because her sights were set on what she wanted: becoming a WWE superstar. She doesn’t need all that because she’s going to win next week.
Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey are shocked that Thea just graduated high school and Drew tells them to shut up, calling them Statler and Waldorf. Thea doesn’t know who those are but she gives a shout out to Andre Chase sitting at home and the MVP of Chase U, Duke. She also wants to mention her two favorite pains in the butt in Drew and Charlie. She knows Charlie is happy that she might become NXT Women’s Championship and and she’s going to use all she’s learned to give Tiff a Chase U-sized ass whuppin’!
That of course brings out Tiff, who says this is all so amazingly horrible. She says the setup is tacky and Thea was no one’s pick to win the battle royal including her. But she got, like, really lucky so congrats. The celebration is cute but if Thea thinks she’s winning, she’s the dumbest person in the building. She says Thea has about a 0% chance of winning, and the idea of Thea with the Tiffy Title is cringe.
Duke says it might sound cringe and “not fetch,” but Thea is taking the title next week at the age of 19. She leaves it all in the ring every week, and Tiff will understand that next week. Tiff may not believe in Thea Hail, but he does, as does Chase U and all the fans here and at home. Tiffany says “Don’t make me gag!” She says at NXT Gold Rush, Thea won’t beat her or tap her out — and Thea applies the Kimura! Tiffany taps and runs away, and Thea runs around the ring before posing with the title.
* Last week, Joe Gacy was freaking out about the loss last week and asks if his misfortunes are affecting all of them? Jagger says yes, and Ava says “How dare you?” Joe cuts it off and says Jagger is correct. He’s going to look inside himself and re-evaluate the decisions that brought them here. Ava says their tree will not fall from one chop.
* Ivy Nile and Julius Creedd are looking at a video of the Schism and Brutus comes in. Julius says they’re a serious threat and a legit cancer to NXT. He says if they don’t wanna be here, he’ll send them packing. They start mocking each others’ appearance to rag on each other.
* NXT Anonymous caught Jacy walking in and being confronted by Lyra about her comments last week. Jacy says it was just locker room chatter, and Lyra says she doesn’t play games before walking off. Jacy says she should just kick her in the face and walks in another direction.
NXT Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Match
Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen vs. Hank & Tank
vs. Edris Enofé & Malik Blade
Briggs big boots Hank to start and Blade goes for a sunset flip, but Briggs picks him up. Ne nails Briggs and knocks Jensen off the apron. Enofe tags in and they hit a double dropkick, but Briggs grabs Enofe and sends him into the corner, tags in Jensen and they take down Enofe. Hank is back in and he gets double bodyslammed and double elbowed.
Enofe reverses a whip into the ropes, Hank and Tank trip Briggs and pull him out of the ring, then get in and hit avalanches in the corner on Enofe. Tank goes for a suplex but Jensen breaks it up and hits Tank with a dropkick off the ropes. Enofe tags in Blade, Hank & Tank are in, they surround Briggs and Jensen and they fight them off and get Hank & Tank on the bottom rope. They go for baseball slide uppercuts but Blade and Edris dive on them. Then Hank and Tank hit Vader bombs to the outside! Hank gets Blade in and covers but Briggs breaks it up as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Briggs and Jensen lay in the hurt to Enofe in the corner, then hit Hank with a spinning heel kick. Baseball slide uppercut to Hank, then another to Enofe. Malik dives to the outside but gets caught by Briggs and slammed.
Back in the ring, Enofe with a big dropkick but Briggs battles back. He misses a splash in the corner, my feed went wonky but when it’s back Briggs sent Enofe into Hank. Tank is the legal man though and he hits Enofe with a big suplex before Jensen hits a nackbreaker on him. Jensen trips Blade, gutwrench suplexes him onto Tank and Briggs in for a Hart Attack on Tank. He covers, Enofe dives on top to break it up. Blade comes off the top for a splash onto Tank for three.
Winner: Edris Enofe & Malik Blade (9:12)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Better match than I expected from these teams. It was fast-paced and chaotic, and it’s nice to see Malik and Edris get a title shot.
* Gallus watch from the back and prepare to head to the pup, but Garza and Carrillo say they’re lucky they weren’t in the match because they’d have won. Gallus blow them off and leave.
* Eddy Thorpe is at his turntable when Damon Kemp walks in and says he’s decided their match next week: it’s a Raw Underground match. Meanwhile, Roxy has attacked Blair Davenport backstage and gets pulled away by officials. Blair says “Game on.”
* Seth Rollins is backstage and Nathan Frazer walks in with his Heritage Cup. They congratulate each other and Frazer asks how Seth is doing. He says he’s not 100% but he wanted the best Finn Balor and got it. He’s brought of Nathan, who says he learned from the best and walks off.
Carmelo Hayes walks in with Trick and they introduce themselves. Seth is staring off in the distance and then laughs and says he knows who they are. Melo wants to pay his respect champion to champion and Rollins asks if he’s beating Corbin next week. Melo says he is and asks if Rollins is gonna beat Bron. Rollins says he doesn’t miss.
Cora Jade vs. Dana Brooke
Cora and Dana go face to face, Cora shoves Dana and then gets backed into the corner for shoulders to the gut. Cora turns it around, slaps Dana and laughs, Dana chases her across the ring and takes her down. Armdrag off the ropes, cartwheel stomp and cover for one. Bodyslam by Brooke and a handstand splash for one.
Wristlock by Dana but Cora nails her in the gut and knocks her down. She slams Dana head-first into the mat, then sends her head-first into the corner. Stomps in the corner and a boot choke. Cora stomps Dana in the back and slams her head into the mat again, then gets her in the corner for more stomps. She goes for a springboard stomp, Dana moves and nails a headscissor takedown and dropkick that sends Cora out of the ring.
Dana leaps off the apron at Cora but Cora moves, gets in the king and kicks Dana in the side of the head. Cover for two. Cora goes to work on the knee, slamming it into the mat, and goes for the underhook DDT but Dana moves. Danna charges in for a handspring splash but her knee gives out. The ref backs Cora off and checks with Dana, then calls for officials. Cora says she’s faking as we go to PIP break.
Dana got stretchered out during the break. Cora kept mean girl mocking Dana throughout, until Dana lost it and attacked. She gets Cora back in the ring but her knee stops her from following. She comes in and rolls Cora up for two.
Dana goes to bodyslam Cora but Cora floats over and hits a chopblock. She goes after the knee but Dana dodges and takes Cora down with an electric chair for two. Dana goes for a suplex but Cora kicks the knee and sends Dana into the corner. She charges in but Dana gets an elbow up. Dana goes for a Vader bomb but Cora moves and then locks in a single-leg crab in the center of the ring. The crowd is chanting for Dana to tap, Dana almost reaches the ropes but Cora pulls her back and cinches in. Dana won’t tap but the ref calls the match.
Winner: Cora Jade (10:44)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: This match wasn’t great overall, but that was mostly due to the mid-match stip. Cora was fantastic here and is so on point with her character. Dana provided a good veteran to work with and overall I have no major complaints here.
* Earlier today, Von wanted to talk to Robert Stone in the CWC. He says Stone cared about him when no one else did. Stone asks about the picture of him as a kid and he says he had a condition where his skull fused into place early and he had to undergo a 14-hour surgery. We see photos of Von through the surgery, and Von says they cut him from ear to ear, pulled his face down and fixed his skull, giving him a life.
Stone says he can’t imagine having a traumatic experience so young. Von says he was in intensive care for a week and his dad was working to pay his bills, while his mom refused to leave his side. He says he looked different as a kid because of the scarring and he was called a monster in school. Other parents would stare at him in the playground. Stone says he has kids and he can’t imagine how angry that would make him. Von says that’s enough for today and walks off.
* Eddy Thorpe is watching Raw Underground matches and SCRYPTS talks about how crazy it was. Thorpe says that he has two weeks to put together a fight camp and Gable Steveson offers to train Eddy.
* It’s time for Baron Corbin and Melo’s face-to-face. Melo is out with Trick of course, though he comes into the ring alone. Corbin cuts Melo’s music off early and says he doesn’t have time for Melo to pose and all. Melo says “Let’s get it.” Corbin says those poses won’t keep the title around his waist. He says having the NXT Title doesn’t mean you’ve made it. Melo looks cool and has the swagger, but there’s nothing Melo’s gonna say that he hasn’t seen, or nothing he’ll do next week that he hasn’t seen. Melo says Corbin hasn’t seen an NXT Title reign.
Corbin says they’re not in Melo’s hometown and he doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Melo says okay, but he thinks Corbin believes he’s gonna come in here in Melo’s home, mow him over and take the title and make himself relevant again. It’s possible but not probably. Melo isn’t new at this, main roster guys have come to step to him and they’ve ended upon T-shirts in rafters. And there’s not a damn thing different with Corbin. So if Corbin thinks beating Melo is the big jackpot —
Corbin interrupts and says you know what Happy Corbin did to him? Bought him a $1.8 million house. He says he came back because these kids think their little surface level insults mean something. He says they can compare bank accounts, WretsleMania moments or more, and Melo will take the L regardless. Melo says Corbin used to be that, but what happened? Melo says Corbin had a decade on him and what happened? Talking numbers, he cashed in for a title at 26 while at 26, Corbin was being cut by the Arizona Cardinals.
This whole “Us against Y’all” thing is old and the Black and Gold set the bar high, but he’s not going to try to meet their expectations; he’s going to create new ones of his own. Corbin might say its his house, but check the deed because his name is on it and he added some improvements, including a new roof because he kept blowing it off. Corbin can talk accolades but in the end, he’s still Him.
Corbin says that if Melo has to come out every week that he’s Him, he’s not. He says Melo is a nobody and that’s why barely noticed him setting behind the barricade at Smackdown; he’s insignificant. And this would normally be the moment that he smacks Melo in the teeth, but he’s not going to do that. He’s going to beat Melo next week, take the title to his big-ass home, get a drink from his hot wife and say “Today is a good day.” Melo tries to respond and Corbin says the lesson is over, then leaves.
* Valentina and Yulisa are backstage excited about the match tonight. Dragon Lee walks in and says he’ll be watching. Nathan Frazer walks in and says gracias for last week. They say any time and leave. Dragon Lee congratulates Nathan and Nathan says he wants to give Lee the first title shot, which is set for next week.
* Moments ago, Gallus was leaving when Joe Coffey got a call and was grabbed by Stacks, who threw him in the car and drove off.
Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend vs. Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon
Feroz and Leon attack before the bell. Jackson and Leon and up in the ring and the bell rings. Lash quickly trips Leon and pulls her out to the ring where she sells a knee injury. She gets rolled back in the ring and Lash tags in, Jakara and Lash double team her until Lash hits a splash and covers, but breaks it at one.
Lola Vince and Elektra Lopez are out to watch as Jakara tags in, lifted Cutter for Jackson for two. Jackson with a chinlock that transitions into a sitting abdominal stretch. Leon back to her feet and armdrags Jakara, tag to Feroz who comes in hot. She takes out Lash who tagged in and hits a double knee in the corner. Up top for a leaping rana, double knee stomp and she leaps over a trip attempt by Mensah, leaping onto him. Feroz leaps onto Mensah, Leon in the ring and gets taken out by Lash for three.
Winner: Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend (3:21)
Rating: * 1/2
Thoughts: Yeeeeah, that wasn’t good. Sloppy and rushed all in all.
Set For Next Week:
– NXT Championship: Carmelo Hayes vs. Baron Corbin
– NXT Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton vs. Thea Hail
– Gigi Dolin vs. Kiana James
– NXT Tag Team Championships: Gallus vs. Blade & Enofe
– NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Nathan Frazer vs. Dragon Lee
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match
Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker
Rollins leapfrogs a charge to start, kicks Bron and goes for the Pedigree but Bron escapes. Bron charges but gets sent to the outside, Rollins to the apron for a leaping kick to the face and we’re on PIP break.
Bron took over during the break by focusing on the ribs. Rollins is fighting back as we come back from break and hits a chop, but Bron reverses an Irish whip and hits a rana off the ropes for two. Bron with a back body drop and then a second toss, cover for one. Bron picks Rollins up but Rollins fights back with a few big chops. Irish whip reversed, Rollins grabs Bron and decks him. He goes for a splash in the corner but Bron moves and hits a belly-to-belly, pulling him to the center of the ring for two.
Bron takes aim in the corner, he charges for the spear but Seth dodges and Bron hits the ringpost! Rollins back to his feet and clotheslines Bron, who doesn’t go down. Another clothesline and a kick to the gut, one to the chets and the clothesline takes Bron down. Bron up in the corner, Rollins backs up and charges in for a leaping forearm. Suplex blocked, Bron goes for a suplex but Seth stops it with a knee to the head and sends Bron to the outside. Rollins leaps through the ropes on Bron, then goes back to do it again. Third time!
Rollins rolls Bron in and follows, he lies in wait in the corner and goes for the stomp but Bron has it scouted and escapes to the outside. Rollins comes after and runs Bron over. Rollins looks at the commentary booth and rips the top off, clearing the table. He turns arond — Bron goozles him and goes for a gorilla press, but Rollins escapes and hits a crescent kick. Rollins up top — SPLASH off the top as we go to PIP break again.
We’re back and Rollins just hit a buckle bomb for a nearfall in the ring. Rollins nails a discus punch and reverses a rollup for two. Second rollup for two and then a kick to the head. Rollins goes up top and leaps off — Bron moves! Rollins hits the mat hard and Bron is up — AND THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! Bron goes for the Steiner Recliner and locks it in. Rollins manages to get to the ropes though.
Rollins gets a foot up on a charge in the corner, but Bron comes in for a Frankensteiner and a powerslam! Cover gets a nearfall. Bron is up now and lies in wait in the corner, he charges but Rollins gets the knee up. Pedigree, Rollins covers but Bron kicks out at two! Rollins with a shot and then a shot to the back of the head — Bron off the ropes with a spear! Cover for a nearfall!
Bron is up now and goes to the top rope. He leaps — into a superkick! Stomp by Rollins! Rollins is up now and turns around — a second stomp finishes it.
Winner: Seth Rollins (17:06)
Rating: *** 3/4
Thoughts: Absolute star showing by Bron here, he made his case that he’s ready for the main roster when it comes. The ending never felt like it was in doubt, but Bron looked great and they worked fantastically against each other. Great match and one of the more memorable NXT main events in a long time.
Rollins poses with the title to end the show — and Finn Balor attacks! Balor beats Rollins down and stomps away at him until officials pull him off. Balor beats up the officials and goes back at Balor, rolls him in and grabs a chair. Balor nails Rollins with the chair and tears his hoodie off. He goes up top — and Melo and Trick are out for the save. Balor backs off and Melo and Trick hold Rollins back. Rollins and Balor stare each other down.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
