wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 6.4.24
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! Jeremy Thomas here as usual, and NXT is in the final stretch to NXT Battleground with a momentous match on tonight’s show! TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace will compete on tonight’s show ahead of her shocking challenge of Roxanne Perez at Battleground, taking on Stevie Hunter. But that’s not all; Tony D’Angelo will defend the NXT Heritage Cup against Damon Kemp, the competitors in the NXT Women’s North American Championship match at Battleground will have a summit tonight, and Thea Hail will seek revenge against Jazmyn Nyx. We’ll also almost certainly get follow-up on Ethan Page’s debut at the end of last week’s show where he took out Trick Williams and acknowledged to attacking Noam Dar and Ora Mensah. Should be an exciting show!
Here at Thomas HQ, I’ve been busy with the watching of movies. I got a couple of more movies on my MCU rewatch done with Ant-Man, which remains perfectly fine, and Captain America: Civil War which is still an absolute blast of a movie and holds up well. I have put my MCU rewatch on hold though, as it is Pride Month and I’m doing another iteration of my Queer As Fuck movie-watching challenge. This year’s list of 30 films is half from Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince’s 50 Years of Queer Cinema: 500 Of the Best Queer Films Ever Made, while the other half are from my list of films the Horror Queers podcast has covered that I still need to watch.
Thus far in that challenge I’ve watched the delightfully camp Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the brilliant-yet-dated Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Sidney Lumet’s fantastic bank heist drama Dog Day Afternoon. I also saw Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno — still fucking awful years later — and the fun but very mediocre Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, though I like it more now than I did years and years ago. finally, I watched the dark teen comedy Jawbreaker which is a blast and way better than it was given credit for upon its release.
Outside of those, I watched the very fun and violent Boy Kills World, the decent Netflix documentary Power, Max’s MoviePass, MovieCrash which was quite well done, the Gaga Chromatica Ball on Max which is overdirected but still Gaga, and In the Land of Saints and Sinners which was a nice return to form for Liam Neeson.
Meanwhile on TV, finished off We’re Here season four which left me in tears in a good way and have stayed caught up with RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season nine — still Team Gottmik.
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.
* Earlier today, Ava was waiting outside with security and Mr. Stone as Ethan Page drove up. He says he feels special and asks if she’s ready to iron out the deal. She says “let’s go.”
* We get a recap of last week’s NXT with Sexyy Red appearing and cornering Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans before Lash came out for answers — which of course led to Ethan Page’s attack of Williams. We also get a recap of Roxy finding out that she’s defending her title against Jordynne Grace. Still gives me chills.
* We’re LIVE in the Capitol Wrestling Center and here comes Jordynne! Looks like Stevie still has her streamer entrance, which — okay, then. And before the match begins, here comes Roxy to sit on commentary!
Jordynne Grace vs. Stevie Turner
Circle and lockup to start, Grace takes Stevie down. Back up, Stevie slaps Grace and goes for a clothesline to no effect. Grace picks Stevie up, she slides down and chases Grace but gets a slap of her own. Into the ropes, Grace runs Stevie over a couple of times, and then a tilt-a-whirl facebuster!
Grace charges in at Stevie but she dodges and knocks Jordynne down. Kicks to the head against the ropes and a cover for one. Stevie with a neckbreaker, cover gets one again and Stevie locks in a chinlock.
Grace gets Stevie on her shoulders and stands up, Stevie slides off but Jordynne with a snap suplex. Stevie tries to whip Grace across the ring but no luck and Jordynne pounds on Stevie, then hits a couple bodyslams. Discus clothesline in the corner, whip across the ring and then she picks Stevie up for a powerslam. Vader Bomb and a Juggernaut Driver for three.
Winner: Jordynne Grace (3:02)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: As good as a three-minute match could be. Grace looked fantastic and Stevie was also in the ring.
Roxy in the ring after the match and they go face to face. Roxy shoves Jordynne and gets shoved to the mat. Grace picks Roxy up but she escapes and runs to the ramp, clutching her title.
* Lash and Jakara are outside when Trick walks up. He asks if she’s seen Ethan Page and she says he’s probably in there with Ava. They agree that he needs to be handled. Trick says Noam and Ora aren’t his boys but he’s gonna take care of them. Lash says whatever this is between them, it’s done and over. She has a chance to become NXT Women’s NA Champion and has to do this.
Trick says he gets it and is happy for her, and she should do what it takes to get the title. He’s going to take care of Ethan Page; they’re good.
* Shawn Spears is with a bunch of NXT trainees and says that they all have potential. He runs down how much they have to learn and Josh Briggs walks in and says he hopes they aren’t listening to this idiot. He says Spears was talking about him last week and Spears says that he has potential he needs to realize, but he is not the lost soul that Spears was talking about. Spears says Briggs can’t answer who he is and Briggs gets pissy, but Spears makes a snarks at him and walks off.
* Booker T is in the ring with the NXT NA Women’s Championship competitors and the title. He says the question is, which of those talented superstars will climb on Sunday and grab glory? Booker looks at the ring and sees talent, the future of the business. And the question is, who’s going to be the first?
Booker asks Michin what she’s going to do Sunday to get it done? Michin says she knew she had to be a part to be the first champion and knows what it takes. She’s had her face shattered and nose broken in an NXT ladder match and loved it. She loves being her, the HBIC, in NXT and she’s walking out with the title.
Jaida interrupts and says it’s hilarious that Michin is here. It’s not Black and Gold, it’s her time. The first NA Champion will be — Fallon interrupts and says it will be her and she doesn’t have any dead weight partners to carry. She doesn’t care about any of them. The title was made for her.
Kelani says the title doesn’t have Fallon’s name on it. They all can do it, but no one will put their body on the line like Lani. Booker tries to bring it back into focus and points out that Sol topped the Combine. he asks what she’s going to do to get it done. Sol says she was going to let the rest get their insults and jabs in, because they all think they’re going to win but five will be wrong. She’s not going to run anyone down, but five souls will be snatched.
Lash interrupts and says she’s not getting snatched and has had a rough couple weeks, but Sunday is about her going from potential to being champion. Jaida says that she is surprised Lash is thinking about anything but Trick, Booker leaves the ring and it becomes a brawl. Fallon, Lash and Jaida get dumped and Mr. Stone comes out to say that if they don’t want to wait until Battleground, a six-woman tag match is set for tonight.
* Charlie Dempsey is practicing “Are you talking to me?” in the mirror and Myles Borne walks up, asking what’s going on. Dempsey says to get Damon and bring him here — but Kemp is here and was here five minutes ago. He asks if it’s weird that they’re talking to each other through a mirror and Dempsey cuts in, telling Kemp to make them proud and says “Capice?” Damon is reluctant but says “capice.”
* Thea is jazzed for her match but Riley Osborne and Duke say they’re not coming out. Thea says they always go out as Chase U and Riley says they’re not all Chase U, referencing Ridge. Andre, Thea and Ridge head out.
Thea Hail vs. Jazmyn Nyx
Lockup at the bell, they push each other against the ropes and jockey for position. Hail with a roll-up for one, Nyx with a kick to the gut and shove. Thea shoves back, Nyx with a kick and comes off the ropes but gets a modified sunset flip on her for two. Hail hits a standing moonsault for another two.
Hail goes to the arm and works it over with a shoulderlock. Down to the mat for a wristlock, Nyx rolls her back on her shoulders for two. Up, Nyx off the ropes and is hit with a couple armdrags. Hail charges in for a splash, she is sent into the opposite corner and goes to go up and over but is caught and dropped into a kick to the gut. Kick by Nyx, and she slams Hail headfirst into the corner. Nyx works over Hail’s wrist and drops her to the mat with a wristlock yank.
Nyx goes for the wrist, Thea first back but is stomped. Nyx slams Thea’s wrist to the mat, Thea in the corner and kicks Nyx away. Nyx charges in, Thea dodges and slams Nyx down. Hail runs over Nyx as Riley and Duke come out to the ringside seats. Slam by Hail, senton and she notices Duke and Riley there.
Nyx moves in from the distraction, but Hail escapes and locks in a Kimura. Nyx backs Hail into the ref in the corner, he calls for the break and the distraction lets Nyx hit a big kick for three.
Winner: Jazmyn Nyx (4:29)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: This was fine I suppose, though Nyx still needs more in-ring time. Not sure what they’re doing with Chase U but this does seem a little “lather, rinse, repeat” from their usual storylines.
* Ethan Page tells Ava that he likes the deal but that when has the power, he has the leverage and says he’ll get all the power. He leaves, Mr. Stone walks up and says he has an idea for the six-woman tag match. Ava says Page is a nightmare and they go over the demands he’s made.
* Earlier today, The O.C. attacked Nathan Frazer and Axiom at the merch booth outside the CWC. Does this count as the parking lot? I’m gonna say so. Gallows big booted Axiom down and Frazer was left lying before officials broke it up.
* Vic Joseph says that Ava has thrown the Good Brothers out tonight due to that attack but still have their NXT Tag Team Championship match.
* Josh Briggs’ match is supposed to happen, but Shawn Spears attacked him backstage with a chair. Je’Von walks up and sees what’s going on, Spears says “don’t do it” and Evans attacks him, beating him toward the ring. We’re in the ring, Spears briefly takes over but Evans fights back and hits a Thesz press. Spears escapes to the outside and Evans dives onto him into the commentary table.
Officials are out to break it up but Spears sends Evans into the steel steps, clears the commentary booth and pulls Je’Von up on it — Evans reverses a powerbomb into a backdrop onto the table! Evans rolls Spears in, SPRINGBOARD CUTTER! Evans sends Spears over the top and officials tend to the Chairman.
* The Family are backstage and Tony is asked about defending the Heritage Cup. Tony says the Heritage Cup rules weren’t his cup, but he’s learned to like the taste. Luca Crusifino has brought him up to speed on the rules.
* Sexyy Red said on Twitter she can’t wait to host Battleground.
NXT Heritage Cup Match
Tony D’Angelo vs. Damon Kemp
Round One (0 – 0)
Kemp goes in for the leg to start and Tony escapes the lunge. Kemp with a waistlock and roll up for one, then a suplex and pin for one-plus, roll-up for two. Kemp talks with his team and turns around into a punch to the jaw. D’Angelo body shots from Tony, Kemp comes back with a back suplex and stomps Tony down. He sends Tony into the ropes, back elbow, cover gets two.
Tony reverses an Irish whip, Kemp catches him but Tony with Fuhgeddaboutit for three!
Round Two (D’Angelo 1 – 0)
Tony grabs Kemp who rolls away as we go into PIP break. During the break, the round ended without a fall.
Round Three (D’Angelo 1 – 0)
Brawling to start, Kemp whipped into the corner. Tony repeats it to the other corner and goes in but gets sent into the top turnbuckle. Kemp off the ropes and stomps him, big splash gets two. Tony with a cradle for two, Kemp hits an uppercut and German suplex with a bridge for two.
Kemp with a bear hug on Tony, who gets to his feet but gets taken back to the mat. Tony back up, he back elbows to escape but his hit with a German suplex, sloppy bridge for two. Tony back to his feet for the third German, bridge gets a nearfall.
Tony backs Kemp into the corner to break the hold, judo throw but Kemp with a big chop. Kemp off the ropes, D’Angelo is psyched up and takes over with a couple of suplexes. D’Angelo puts Kemp on the top and climbs, Kemp shoves him off and hits a rolling Death Valley Driver, covering but the round ends.
Round Four (D’Angelo 1 – 0)
Tony D with a BIG spinebuster to a charging Kemp and gets the pin.
Winner: Tony D’Angelo
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: A perfectly fine Heritage Cup match. Kemp isn’t top-tier yet but he held his own well enough. The outcome was never in doubt, but the match was good enough.
* Kelly asks Ava how the contract talks are going, and she says Page wants to sign it in the center of the ring. He says Page still has things she needs to approve, and Trick comes out and says to give Page everything so he can deal with Page. Ava says Page hasn’t signed the contract yet and Trick says he’ll be there to watch the contract signing.
* Jordynne is walking backstage when Michin walks up. They commiserate and Sol Ruca walks up, they start chatting and Jaida Parker walks in complaining that they’re kissing ass. Grace tells Michin to put a muzzle on Parker and they walk out before Arianna Grace walks up and talks about how they have the same name but aren’t related. Arianna says that Roxy doesn’t like the notion of Jordynne walking out with both titles.
Tatum Paxley walks in and fixates on Grace’s belt, saying she loves it. Jordynne says it’s the most important thing in the world to her. Arianna says not as much as her crown, and Jordynne says “no.” They walk off and Tatum says the title is important to her too.
* We get a video hyping NXT Underground that puts over Lola’s damage dealing. She says she brought Shayna back to NXT and didn’t think Shayna would be jealous of her, but she gets it.
Shayna says somewhere along the way, people forgot how dominant she is. The montage puts over her NXT run, and she says if it weren’t for her Lola would not be in NXT as she set the template for MMA stars coming to WWE. We get a number of UFC stars and trainers talking about who’s going to win.
Izzi Dame vs. Natalya
Apparently this is because Karmen was injured at a live event, so Natalya is taking her spot in the match.
Circle and lockup, Izzi with a headlock, shot into the ropes but she runs Nattie over. Natalya back up, Izzi with a kick to the gut, Nattie into the ropes and goes for a crucifix but Izzy holds on and slams Nattie back into the corner. She goes for a kick, Nattie ducks and trips Izzi a couple times. Charging kick to the back of the head and basement dropkick, Izzi to the outside.
Nattie follows but gets sent into the ringsteps. Izzi rolls her in and gutwrench pulls Nattie into an over-the-shoulder rack. Nattie slides off but Izzi with a big boot for two. Dame locks in an abdominal stretch and pulls the leg up for extra pressure, but Nattie elbows out. Izzi with a kick to the gut, powerbomb but Nattie ranas to counter. Clothesline, cover gets a nearfall.
Izzi with a rollup, they trade two-counts and Izzi with a one-armed pick up to slam Nattie’s head into the corner. Izzi climbs the ropes for a ten-count of punches, she gets four before Nattie pulls her out for a powerbomb, cover gets two. SHe goes for the sharpshooter but Izzi blocks it, they trade pins and Nattie gets one.
Winner: Natalya (4:09)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: That was a four-minute match, alright.
* Frazer and Axiom are asked if they’ll be able to defend the titles and Axiom says The O.C. isn’t tough for attacking them. Frazer says tough is being attacked, going into Battleground hurt, defending their titles and kicking The O.C’s ass. Axiom says they’ll see them Sunday.
Tyriek Igwe & Tyson DuPont vs.
During the break, Gallus assaulted Igwe and DuPoint. No Match.
Joe says “wrong place, wrong time, sorry guys.” Mark and Wolfgang complain about Wolfgang being banned from last week’s main event, while Sexyy Red was allowed to be there. That was a problem, but not all of the problem. They say maybe if they hung out with Ava, shook their asses, played another sport or the like the NXT Universe would respect them.
Mark says they aren’t here for online clout or to be social media influencers; they’re here to be professional wrestlers. Wolfgang says the next generation of so-called superstars is ruining everything they’ve built and are wee boys. Joe says at NXT Battleground is the triple threat for the NA Title and it’s no DQ, so they’ll do anything they can to make sure he leaves with the title.
HERE’S OBA FEMI! Femi says it would be stupid of him to view Gallus as anything less than a threat. He says Mark and Wolfgang can try to aid Brother Joe, but the outcome will be the same —
WES LEE is in the crowd! He says he’s going to have to go through three angry Scotsman and the most intimidating star in the game. Gallus attacks Oba, Wes Lee comes down to help and Gallus takes over through the numbers advantage. Oba is hit with a discus clothesline, and Lee gets blasted with a knee off the shoulders. Gallus stands tall in the ramp as Femi glares from the mat.
* The “mystery” napper gets up, goes into the bathroom and uses the sink. We see her and her
* Sarah asks Lexis about his two losses to Dante Chen, and Lexis points out that he laid out Chen on the concrete after. And that’s what will happen to anyone —
Chen attacks! They brawl throughout the back and eventually get broken up. King says they’ll finish this once and for all.
Kelani Jordan, Lash Legend & Fallon Henley
vs. Michin, Sol Ruca & Jaida Parker
Sol and Kelani start off and Kelani with a headlock takedown. Back up, Sol gets her own headlock takedown and they go into the ropes. My feed goes wonky but when it comes back, Lash puts Kelani on the apron and Jaida nails Lash. Jaida into the ropes and runs into Lash to no effect. Jaida goes for it again but gets grabbed, slammed to the mat. Standing splash, Jaida dodges and covers for two.
Jaida tags in Michin who isn’t happy, but she comes in and comes off the ropes to run into Lash to no effect. Back into the ropes, Michin with a rana and then a charging kick in the corner. Michin into the ropes, Fallon with a knee to the back and Lash takes her down. Fallon in as we go to PIP break.
Back from break, Lash has Michin who is trying to make the tag. She ducks under Lash and tags in Jaida, Kelani also tags in. Kelani with an Angle Slam and goes up top, flying crossbody but Jaia catches her and puts her on the middle rope for a slam and a springboard hip attack. Cover gets two.
Michin tags in and sends Kelani into the ropes, pouncing her. Cover gets two. Michin wraps Kelani into a surfboard submission, Kelani reverses into a cover for two. Jaida tags back in and locks in an abdominal stretch as…Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx come out to watch. Kelani counters a suplex into a stunner!
Sol in now, as is Fallon. Sol in charge until Fallon hits an uppercut. Splash in the corner and then a bulldog off the ropes. My feed gets bad again (come on, Xfinity!) and when it comes back they’re both down.
Jaida tries to get the tag and Michin smacks her, they start brawling and it devolves into chaos. Sol hits Lash with the Soul Snatcher for three.
Winner: Michin, Sol Ruca & Jaida Parker (9:37)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Chaotic and overbooked. It was a little wild, but the match worked overall.
* Ava is walking backstage and Stevie walks up, saying putting her against Jordynne wasn’t fair and she wants another shot next week. Ava blows her off.
* Ethan Page WALKS backstage.
* Eddy Thorpe says his thoughts go to memories when he looks at the sacred fire and references the history of Indigenous talent. He’s fighting for representation. He says his mind and body is cleansed and he returns to NXT with a mission to execute with his eyes wide open.
* Vic runs down the NXT Battleground card.
* Ava is out in the ring and says All Ego wanted to do this publicly, so here we are. She introduces Ethan Page and he comes out after a brief pause. The crowd isn’t happy with him. Ava says this isn’t how he likes to handle business, but he’s making an exception.
Page tells someone in the audience to shut up and wants to thank Ava, because she — the audience chants ‘WE WANT TRICK’ and says that they get him. He says Ava will have to get used to him calling the shots because if — IF — he signs the deal, he’s going to get a lot of perks and the guys in the back and Ava won’t like it. But he doesn’t care. He’s tired of waiting on opportunities and is frustrated about it. Ava is about to sign the wrestler with the biggest upside in wrestling.
Ava says those are bold demands but he isn’t signing a contract for anyone under these terms. Page says she is because everyone saw the Draft and NXT lost like eight of its top stars. It needs him to take NXT to new heights. He knows there’s a lot of money in it and could have sat at home and collected a check but he doesn’t want that; he wants opportunity. She knows Page is a superstar — he tells the audience to shut up and says he has earned and deserved his ego. Because so far in the ring, he hasn’t said anything that’s an opinion; he’s just spitting facts.
HERE COMES TRICK! Page throws the table out of the ring and tells Trick that he’s been around the block a couple times and sees how these go. No one is getting putting through a table, and he’s just here to handle business. Trick says that let’s handle business and asks Ava to give Page whatever he wants so he can whoop his ass. He says he’s Trick Williams, this is his house and he’s been here for a little minute. He has a few friends in the back with him this whole time, and the crowd has been with him through the ups and downs. His issue with Page is, he thinks he can come here, jump the line and jump him? He’s going to make an example to Page for anyone in any company who thinks they can jump the line. Trick says man to man — and Page says he needs to chill.
Page gets it because last time they crossed paths, he knocked Trick into Lash, took him out and held the title up. Page says that they have a lot more in common than they think. He saw Trick take the spotlight from Melo and he respects him for doing so. He’s the NXT Champion, but with that title comes with the responsibility of the giant-ass target and the spotlight that he wants. It wasn’t personal; it was him making an opportunity for him.
Page signs the contract. Trick asks Ava to sign the contract. She says she can’t and Page says she can’t because if she does, his first match is for the title and because it’s signing onto the end of the Whoop That Trick Era. Trick says at Battleground, they’ll hear — and the crowd chants “WHOOP THAT TRICK!” Ava signs the deal and they stare off, talking trash.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
