Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 6.8.21

Hello there, NXT fans! It’s Tuesday evening, which means it’s time for another episode of NXT. I’m Jeremy Thomas, as usual, and I started off my day by watching an infuriating ScreenTime thriller titled Profile so I’m looking for my entertainment fortunes to turn around tonight. We have a lot going on this week as the five men in our NXT Championship match at NXT Takeover: In Your House have a face-to-face, Ted DiBiase makes a “priceless” announcement, Killian Dain battles Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and more. Without any more babbling, let’s get right into it.

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.

Happy Pride Month!

Previously on NXT: Adam Cole attacks Pete Dunne, Finn Balor, and Kyle O’Reilly and demands a title shot against Karrion Kross, leading to a great dueling promo and Kross wanting a match with all four men at Takeover.

Austin Theory vs. Oney Lorcan

We get a clip of the Way vs. Dunne & Lorcan brawl from earlier before the bell rings. Theory takes control with a headlock as the crowd chants for him, but Lorcan turns it around. Theory with a kick to the gut and Irish whip, Lorcan reverses but Theory goes up and over, then hits a dropkick followed by a headlock. Lorcan with a headscissors but Theory powers out into another headlock. Back up to their feet, Lorcan has Theory against the ropes and hits a Euro uppercut, and they trade those until Lorcan takes Austin down for a modified anklelock. Lorcan wrenches on the ankle and then goes for a half-crab, but Theory kicks out of it and stomps Lorcan in the corner, followed by a suplex. Theory trash talks and eats a knife-edge chop for his trouble. Lorcan kicks Theory in the corner, then picks him up into an Irish whip and elbow to the jaw off the ropes. Euro uppercut and Theory is sent over the ropes onto the apron, and a kneelift knocks him to the floor. Lorcan out for a knife-edge chop, Theory gets one of his own and throws Lorcan into the bottom rope. He goes onto the apron but Lorcan slides off and trips Theory to go down hard into the apron and floor. Pete Dunne is out to watch and we’re on PIP break!

Dunne is watching as Lorcan goes to the outside and rolls Theory in. Oney back into the ring, he charges in for a clothesline in the corner and then whips him hard into the corner. Theory comes out into a clothesline, and Lorcan with a Boston crab in the center of the ring. Theory gets his hand on the ropes, and Lorcan breaks it only to stomp on Austin’s back. Backbreaker into a cover by Oney for only 1, and he locks in a seated chinlock. Theory nearly powers out but Lorcan jumps on him to stop it and then locks the camel clutch back in. Rinse, lather, repeat. Lorcan turns it into a camel clutch crossface, and Theory is fighting to get out. He gets to his feet and gets a forearm across the face for his troubles.

Back from PIP break and Gargano is out as well. Lorcan with a big takedown and he charges in for avalanches into the ropes. Third one gets nothing as Austin comes out with a leaping somersault neckbreaker and both men are down! Theory grabs Lorcan for a first, Lorcan with an uppercut, Theory clotheslines him to the outside! Theory takes the time to recover but Lorcan comes in from behind and shoves Lorcan through the ropes. He briefly gets in Gargano’s face and then grabs Theory, but Austin slams Lorcan into the barricade. Both men in, Theory with a short-arm clothesline and clothesline in the corner, fallaway slam! Theory charges at Lorcan but heats a foot, Lorcan up top and Theory grabs him for a leaping Spanish fly! Cover gets only two. Both men out, Theory charges, double clothesline. Gargano and Dunne approach and then come to blows with each other! They fight onto the ramp and officials come out to break it up, dragging them to the back. Theory slams Lorcan headfirst into the apron, but is briefly distracted and gets slammed headfirst into the turnbuckle. Lorcan with a half nelson uranage for the pinfall.

Winner: Oney Lorcan (12:35)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Hot starter that was chaotic without seeming overbooked, all things considered. Both men delivered here, can’t complain at all.

* LA Knight is in his mansion singing the Million Dollar Man’s theme as he showers. He talks about he’s the only guy to fulfill the million dollar legacy and has a couple girls that are hanging on his every word about how he’s going to beat and embarrass Cameron Grimes. He says Ted’s gotten to see everything around the house and will now see his BMW, noting that only he can live up to the legacy.

* Michael PS Hayes is here to hype up NXT Takeover: In Your House! He makes note of Ember vs. Raquel, Knight vs. Grimes, Martinez vs. Li, and the Fatal Five-Way NXT Championship match.

* The NXT/Progressive Smart Move of the Week is Santos Escobar attacking Carter Nash last week and then Bronson Reed coming to the rescue.

* Legado are in the ring now and Santos calls out Bronson Reed. He says after what Reed did to him and Legado last week, he’s going to make him pay. Reed’s music then plays, and he comes out with his title. Reed says he was going to tell Santos he’s full of it, but that it might have emptied out after he got squashed last week. He replays the splash against the Plexiglas a few times as Legado freaks out in the ring. Santos challenges him to come into the ring now and do it again, and Reed says he’s on. He steps into the ring and HERE COME MSK! We have a three-on-three showdown, but Legado backs off and Escobar says he should have known they’d have come out. He challenges them to a six-man tag match with both the NA Title and Tag Team Titles on the line, winner takes all. Reed and MSK agree, and Wes Lee wants to see the splash some more times so it plays. Sounds like we have another NXT Takeover match.

Out come Hit Row now, and they stare off with Legado del Fantasma before walking past them into the ring. Legado leaves, and Hit Row stare off with Reed and MSK who are on the apron. Some trash talk and the babyfaces leave; we have Swerve vs. Dain next.

Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Killian Dain

Lockup, with Dain powering Swerve into the corner. He’s back off and they go for a lockup but Swerve ducks under into a headlock, countered by Dain who powers Swerve to the mat. Swerve kips up but gets clotheslined to the mat, and Dain still has Swerve by the hand so he gets him back up for a short-arm shoulderblock and a fireman’s takedown. Dain moves in but Swerve with a kick, then Swerve slaps Dain in the head. Swerve ducks to the outside and Dain goes to dive, but Hit Row move and Dain argues with Top Dolla until Swerve attacks from behind. Dain quickly takes back control with a clothesline and ends up on the apron. Dain over the top to the apron and clotheslines Swerve, but B-FAB distracts him and Swerve knocks him off the apron. Dain gets rolled back into the ring, cover gets barely one. Dain chucks Swerve across the ring but he rolls out of it and hits Dain with a forearm to the forehead, cover gets one. Swerve now with a headlock to Dain, Dain to his knees and Swerve kicks him in the head. He comes off the ropes but Dain catches the boot, Swerve slams Dain and gets slapped back HARD. Dain backs Swerve into a corner and batters him, hard whip into the corner and a big forearm. Swerve comes off the ropes and laps over, but runs into a big crossbody for two.

Dain has Swerve in a fireman’s carry, he slips out and goes acrobatic until he hits a bit slam and a kick to the head to get two. Swerve tries for a half-nelson but Dain to his feet and powers out, kick to the gut and he gets Swerve on his shoulders, BIG slam down and senton. Dain goes up but gets paused by Hit Row. Drake dives on Ashante but gets wiped out by Top Dolla, who argues with Dain until Swerve can take control. Knockout Blow gets the pinfall.

Winner: Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (6:37)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: It was proficient and acrobatic for what it was. It didn’t get enough time to get truly going, but for the time it received I was entertained.

* Poppy has arrived in the building, and we go to McKenzie asking Candice LeRae about why she’s mad at Poppy. LeRae talks about how she’s taking all the attention from them, and Indi decides to go find Dexter Lumis because he still cares about her. Candice wonders why that’s even a thing, they were never an item, and walks off.

* We’re back with Cameron Grimes doing a cannonball in his indoor pool. Grimes cuts a promo about how he’s worthy of the Million Dollar Legacy, which includes him lighting a cigar (and coughing) off a bank note. He drinks some booze and coughs badly, then is getting a massage — but then is delivering the massage. He then says he’s going to focus on taking the Million Dollar Legacy to the moon.

The match never happens because Xia Li attacks Mercedes on her way to the ring. She assaults Martinez on the outside and then gets her in the ring, where Mercedes fights back and gets a big kick to Li. Martinez follows Li to the outside and throws her around the arena as officials come out to break it up.

Mercedes Martinez vs. ????

Martinez attacks the competitor as the bell rings and hits the Air Raid Crash for three.

Winner: Mercedes Martinez (0:15)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP person who I don’t know.

* McKenzie asks Breezango about WALTER’s orders to Imperium to take them out. They wonder why WALTER is so angry, and argue about what the other Imperium members are named. Breeze says that they have sour grapes over being beaten by Breezango on their way to the tag team titles. They’ll just have to beat them again.

* Here comes Ted DiBiase as we go to break.

* Regal and Triple H welcome Poppy to NXT, and Triple H says he loves the new music and the tracks she’s allowing them to use. He asks when the album “drops,” and she says “Right Now!” She pushes a button on her phone, and I go to save an album on my Spotify. Dexter Lumis gives her a drawing and she hugs him, only to have Indi come up and see it and freak out, running off. Triple H and Regal’s expressions are priceless.

* Knight and Grimes arrive and start arguing, only to be told DiBiase is awaiting them in the ring. Grimes says Knight looks like a waiter because he’s begging for tips, and Knight says Grimes is the richest guy who lives under a bridge. Grimes: “I’m so rich I’ve got two bridges!”

DiBiase calls them down to the ring and they’re still arguing on their way. Knight distracts Grimes by tossing Grimes’ money to the floor and gets the head start, only to have Grimes cut his music and introduce his own. They hit the ring, and DiBiase says Sunday is the ultimate test. He says they’ve both proven themselves worthy, and they must now climb the ladder of success as a GOLDEN FUCKING LADDER is lowered into the ring. Amazing. They’re competing in a Ladder Match. Knight says it’s been clear that he’s head and shoulders above everyone in wrestling, and whether he needs to knock Grimes’ head off or climb the ladder, he’ll do it because he’s the only man who can carry the Million Dollar Legacy. Grimes takes offense to being called a hillbilly, and says he may be that, but he’s worth a million and he’s on top of the hill. He says Ted said it wasn’t about the money or fame, but what happens between the ring. And when Grimes is in the ring, he can’t be beat. He says take the money and fame, because he’s taking the Million Dollar Legacy straight to the moon. He says he doesn’t see what he’s supposed to be reaching for, and Ted has them bring out the Million Dollar Championship in a protected briefcase. It’s on for the shiniest belt in all the land, folks! Knight and Grimes star off and talk trash as DiBiase laughs.

* Backstage, Karrion Kross is being held back from Kyle O’Reilly and Regal tells them both “no more!” as we go to break.

* We’re back with an Ever-Rise paid ad where they announce they’re hosting the pre-Pre-Show for NXT Takeover. They workshop a new catchphrase and we’re back to confirm that the Million Dollar Championship Ladder Match is official.

Grizzled Young Veterans vs. August Grey & Ikemen Jiro

Gibson starts against Grey and puts him in a front facelock. They do some counter wrestling and Grey hits a rana off the ropes, then locks in an armbar before tagging in Jiro. Gibson takes him down by the hair, Jiro shots Gibson into the ropes and they go back and forth until Jiro hits an elbow to the jaw. Jiro on the apron and hits springboard maneuver, but Gibson takes back control before he goes after the jacket and Jiro loses it, striking away. Gibson gets a tag though, and they pick Jiro apart before knocking Grey off the apron. Kick to Jiro’s thigh to knock him to the mat, and Drake twists the knee hard. Drake is working the damaged knee and tags in Gibson. Double bodyslam that sends Jiro’s knee into the ropes, Gibson goes in and Jiro kicks him off but Gibson back in control. Drake comes in and a legwhip, but out come Ciampa and Thatcher with chairs. The GYV are distracted which allows Grey to tag in. He takes it to Gibson and Drake, fists to Drake and jawbreaker to Gibson. Drake eats a big bulldog, and Grey to the top for a twisting crossbody on Drake. Springboard Impaler countered out of and Drake slams Grey down. Gibson tagged in, Ticket to Mayhem to end it.

Winner: Grizzled Young Veterans (4:59)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Short and to the point, and it gave GYV a win that they needed.

Gibson yells at Ciampa and Thatcher and say they’re done with them but they’re lingering lie a bad smell. They want to go over MSK but Ciampa and Thatcher are two hooligans. Ciampa says they don’t get it; they aren’t getting a tag title shot without going through them. Ciampa and Thatcher throw their chairs in the ring, and Gibson says that if they want a scrap, they’ll get it. Next week, Tornado Tag Team match. Ciampa says there’s three things they should know: they love tornadoes, don’t need tags, and don’t need to wait until next week. They charge the ring and GYV run out. Thatcher says again that he’s going to enjoy breaking their limbs.

* Back from break and we see Lorcan’s attack on Bobby Fish from a couple of weeks ago. Fish is working out against a punching bag and then looks at the camera. He says Lorcan shouldn’t think for one second he’s forgotten about him.

* Candice LeRae is coming out now and steps in the ring. She says she’s so sick of hearing about Poppy — which of course causes a Poppy chant. She says Poppy hijacked her interview last week, and stole Indi’s man. And now because of Poppy, Indi has left the CWC in tears. She says they can do this the easy way — Poppy comes out and faces her now, or they do it the hard way and Candice gives her a proper introduction to the NXT parking lot.

Here comes Poppy! She stops on the ramp and says she doesn’t wrestle, but she knows someone who does. IT’S IO! IO SHIRAI IS BACK! OHHH MY! Io runs into the ring and takes Candice down, then hits a flapjack. 619 against the ropes and a springboard front dropkick! LeRae is out of the ring, and Io celebrates with Poppy in the ring and LeRae loses it going up the ramp.

* We get an NXT Takeover: In Your House Slam Jam update from Dok Hendrix, who brings us up to speed on the card:
– Six-Man Tag Team Winners Take All Match: Bronson Reed & MSK vs. Legado del Fantasma
– Xia Li vs. Mercedes Martinez
– Million Dollar Championship Ladder Match: Cameron Grimes vs. LA Knight
– NXT Women’s Championship Match: Ember Moon vs. Raquel Gonzalez
– NXT Championship Fatal Five-Way Match: Karron Kross vs. Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Pete Dunne vs. Johnny Gargano

* During the break, Io and Poppy ran into Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai backstage and stared off.

Dakota Kai vs. Ember Moon

Moon attacks at the bell but Kai dodges, they both go for a punch and their forarms collide. They lock in and maneuver each other around the ring, Moon slams Kai repeatedly into the turnbuckle but Kai manages to yank Moon face-first into said turnbuckle, hit a knee and then cover for two. Kai with forearms to the back, and she slams Moon face-first into the turnbuckle before applying a boot choke for four. Hard Irish whip into the corner and a big kick off the ropes, cover gets two. Kai with kicks and stomps to Moon. Moon gets a kick to Kai and Kai fights her but Moon battles back, comes off the ropes and takes Kai down before hitting a big dropkick. Moon sweeps Kay’s legs as Kai charges in, Downward Spiral gets two. Moon with a forearm to the back of Kai’s neck and then a snapmare and kick to the back. Moon grinds her foot into Kai’s head and then decks her into the corner, Irish whip across the ring and following close with a clothesline. It reaps and Kai ends up on the apron, Moon with a front facelock and forearm to Kai’s back but Kai slips off the apron and spins Moon face-first into the ringpost as we’re on PIP break.

Moon slowly gets up and in the ring where Kai is lying in wait and lays in stomps, then mounts her back and grinds Moon’s face into the mat. Cover gets two. Kai slams Moon face-first into the mat again and picks her up but Moon counters into a roll-up for two, Moon up right into a bicycle kick that gets two. Kai with a bodyscissors to wear Moon down, Moon leans back and Kai kicks out at one and then rotates to keep the bodyscissors applied. Moon struggles to get out of it and leans back, Kai kicks out at one and breaks the hold to clothesline a rising Moon. Kai wrenches Moon’s neck, but Moon is back to her feet. Kai gets knocked down and Kai applies a sleeper hold. Moon gets quickly to her feet and Kai jumps on her back, but Moon manages to break the hold and hits a snapmare and clothesline.

Back from PIP break and Moon is in control. She comes in for a snapmare on Kai and comes off the ropes with a second-rope Codebreaker for two. Back kicks by Moon and she comes off the ropes but gets nailed by Kai, who takes back over and kicks Moon in the back. Kai off the ropes, Moon bends back and kips up for a kick. SOMERSAULT STUNNER by Moon gets two! Moon locks in a dragon sleeper on a seated Kai, who gets to her knees and then feet. Kai turns it around, Crossroads gets two! Kai in control, she charges in for a BIG KICK and gets two! Fireman’s carry by Kai, Moon slides off and picks up Kai in an electric chair into a powerbomb for a near-fall! Raquel goes to help Kai who ends up on the outside, she gets into the ring and Moon gets a big kick on Raquel! Moon back in and she dives onto both Kai and Gonzalez, rolls Kai in, big kick and Ember is going up top! But Raquel runs in with the blatant cheap shot for the DQ.

Winner: Ember Moon by DQ (12:31)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Good match for the most part, though I expected a little better. Nothing in her was bad, but it did lose steam in the middle and there was no reason to protect Kai here.

Afterward Raquel is checking on Kai and Moon attacks! Kai grabs Moon and gets knocked down, but Raquel slams Moon down and goes for the one-armed chokeslam only to be hit with a modified Eclipse! Moon gets sent to the outside, she hangs Raquel on the ropes, ECLIPSE! Moon grabs the title and holds it over a fallen Raquel, draping it on her and walking out.

* Kross says his four opponents all have the opportunity to face him tonight, but they don’t have to wait until Sunday to get flatlined. He tells them not to be late.

* The tornado tag team match is official for next week.

* William Regal tells Kross that he’s the GM and Kross does not run NXT. He’s seen enough, and this isn’t happening now. Kross tells him he doesn’t run anything, and NXT has been out of control for a long time so they’re in his world. Kross says he isn’t leaving this ring until the four of them come out to get their asses kicked.

O’Reilly comes out and says Cole clearly got under his skin. He says Kross has thin skin and he can tell, Kross is insecure because it’s a matter of time until someone comes down and takes the title. Gargano comes and and says to call a doctor because those are sick burns. He gets on the booth and asks of Kross is gonna let a guy in a jean jacket talk to him like that? Kross isn’t Johnny Wrestling or Johny Takeover, but he should go choke Kyle out. Kross tries to talk back and Dunne comes out and tells him to shut up. He’s tired of talking and waiting, and will show them why he’s the toughest man in NXT.

Cole then appears on the Tron and says he’s not coming down. He says Kross is the biggest moron of them all and while people call him unbeatable, Cole beat him last week when he trash talked him and Kross did nothing. He can see right through him and facing Adam Cole one-on-one scares him. He says maybe he’ll beat Gargano again, or Dunne again, or O’Reilly. Or maybe he’ll beat Kross and show the world that his NXT Title reign is one big disappointment. He cuts out and O’Reilly says Cole is too much of a bitch to kick this off. O’Reilly slaps Kross and it becomes a brawl with security failing to break it up. Kross levels Gargano, suplexes Dunne and O’Reilly — and security. O’Reilly gets some shots in but gets taken down and Security — uh, holds Kross there for him to eat two superkicks? Great security there…anyway. more brawling but Kross stands tall in the end. He grabs his title and holds it high — only to eat superkicks from Cole! Big knee off the ropes to the back of the head, and Cole stands tall. He grabs the title and poses with it to end the show.

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

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

On the whole, NXT did exactly what it needed to this week. The matches weren't up to the usual caliber of matches, but nothing was bad and we got the needed developments to head into NXT Takeover: In Your House this weekend. The return of Io Shirai was a nice surprise and while the show may not have been up to recent weeks, it was a perfectly good couple of hours of wrestling.