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Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 7.12.22
Image Credit: WWE
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Howdy ho, NXT folks! It’s Tuesday evening, and thus it is time for another episode of WWE NXT. I’m Jeremy Thomas, here as always, hoping you’re all having a solid start to your week. Tonight’s show features the fallout from NXT Great American Bash as Roxanne Perez battles Mandy Rose for the NXT Women’s Championship, trying to claim another title after winning the tag titles with Cora Jade last week. In addition, Apollo Crews takes on Giovanni Vinci and Solo Sikoa battles Von Wagner. It’s lining up to be a potentially solid episode, and here’s hoping it delivers.
Here in Thomas Central, I’ve been mostly playing catchup with some non-entertainment things. I always have time for movies though, and I watched the fairly riveting true crime documentary Girl in the Picture on Netflix before getting some big 2022 films watch. I was disappointed in Thor: Love & Thunder which I thought had too much humor in the first half before it really took off, and while I liked it overall I did not love it by any means. Elvis was exactly what you’d expect from Baz Luhrmann and featured a starmaking performance from Austin Butler, though I was not a fan of Tom Hanks’ bizzare character choices. And while I have never jumped on the Bob’s Burgers train just due to lack of time, I did enjoy the movie fairly well.
Meanwhile, I got caught up on Ms. Marvel (I was an episode behind) and am continuing to love what it’s doing. I’ve also been trying my damnedest to watch Netflix’s Meltdown: Three Mile Island which is good, but I keep falling asleep due to various factors and now I’m going to finish it out of spiteful defiance as much as anything else. I also caught the first episode of HBO’s The Anarchists which premiered on Sunday and it’s off to a great start, even if I’m rolling my eyes almost fully out of my head at the show’s subjects.
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 off with a recap video with highlights of Great American Bash, including the NXT Women’s Tag Team Title change and Roxy saying she’s cashing in next week. We also see Grayson Waller losing in his bid to beat Melo for the North American Title and Bron Breakker defeating Cameron Grimes to retain the NXT Championship and JD McDonagh attacking Bron after.
* We’re LIVE at the Capital Wrestling Center, and outside the arena Roxy has been attacked in that ever-so-dangerous NXT parking lot. Meanwhile, our opening match is Giovanni Vinci vs. Apollo Crews.
Giovanni Vinci vs. Apollo Crews
Vinci and Crews circle and lock up, jockeying for position. Vinci rolls Crews into the ground and locks in a headlock, Crews to his feet and flips Vinci over but Vinci goes back into the headlock. Back to their feet, Vinci shot into the ropes and neither man goes down. Vinci with a kneelift and a chop, bodyslam but Crews slides down, Vinci runs the ropes and knocks Crews down.
Kick to Crews in the corner, Crews answers with a chop and they start trading the chops. Into the ropes with Vinci, Crews with a big dropkick. Chop to Vinci, forearm in the corner and Crews takes over with strikes. Vinci reverses an Irish whip but Crews with a big boot, second-rope leaping neckbreaker and a cover for two.
Crews now with a suplex, Vinci floats over and sends Crews over the ropes to the floor. He follows down and drops Crews into the guardrail, big forearm and he rolls Crews in. Vinci follows as we go to PIP break.
We’re back and Vinci is in control of Crews until he gets lifted up and dropped face-first onto the mat. Crews with shots to Vinci, who fires back with chops. Vinci off the ropes with an attempted springboard crossbody but gets dropkicked for his trouble. Both men back up, Vinci charges at Crews but Crews moves and he hits the corner. Lariats by Crews, a big clothesline and Crews kips up for a Stinger Splash and a couple of German suplexes until Vinci elbows out — but Crews with a third German and cover for two.
Both men slow to get up, Crews with a back suplex countered into a snapmare by Vinci. Vinci catches a kick and hits a hard clothesline to Crews, then gets to his feet in the corner. The ref backs Vinci off to check on Crews, Vinci grabs Crews and throws him but Crews lands on his feet. He goes for a diving neckbreaker but Vinci CATCHES HIM and hits a suplex for a nearfall!
Vinci now picks Crews up, he goes for a powerbomb but Crews with a backdrop, countered with a rollup for two. Crews grabs Vinci and hits a standing powerbomb for two but falls and can’t capitalize. Vinci goes out of the ring and grabs a camera from a fan, that causes a distraction and Xyon Quinn nails Crews, rolling him in so Vinci can finish him.
Winner: Giovanni Vinci (12:08)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Both these guys are very good and they delivered here for the most part. The ending was overbooked with the “fan” and Quinn’s involvement, but nice to see Vinci get the win and both Crews and Quin get entered into a feud.
* McKenzie is backstage with Cora, who says she has no update on Roxy and wishes she did. She says she knew they should have come to the arena together tonight but didn’t. She says this has Toxic Attraction’s name all over it because they’re scared and Mandy had to have taken Roxy out. She says she hopes Roxy can get cleared but if not, “those three bitches have hell to pay.”
* Next: Cameron Grimes speaks.
* Earlier today, Tiffany Stratton is getting her nails done after she was attacked by Wendy Choo before their match last week. She is disgusted by the whole thing but says she prevailed over the odds and Choo, saying Choo is obsessed with her but she needs to leave Choo behind and pay attention to the NXT Women’s Championship match. She leaves and trashes the employee.
* Cameron Grimes comes out to the ring looking pensive. He is quiet as the crowd chants “TO THE MOON!” He says finally that he wishes he could come out and give an excuse as to why he didn’t get the title last week, but he can’t. He says he didn’t get robbed; he came in in the best shape of his live, had a game plan and caved in Bron, but the three didn’t come. He says Bron is at home in a sling but still has the NXT Championship. He says he learned last week you can do everything the right way and still not be good enough. But that’s life. He lost the NA Title last week, but that’s just life. He lost to Breakker, but that’s just life. He thought he was gonna go to the moon, but he crashed into the sun.
And JD McDonagh’s music plans! McDonagh says he hates to come out and kick a guy when he’s down, but let’s kick a guy when he’s down. He says Grimes showed a ton of heart last week and no one can take that away from him, but he should wrap up his pity party and do his crying in the back. He says he became old news about 60 seconds after Bron beat him when the Irish Ace walked through the door and changed the game. He says everyone thought he was debuting this week, but he fooled them as well as Bron.
Grimes says he needs to be looking at him. He says JD attacked Bron last week, so why doesn’t he jump him now? He says we all look at him and see an Irish asshole. JD headbutts him but gets whipped into the ropes and bails. Grimes goes apeshit at JD as the latter backs off.
* The Creeds are doing tape study with Damon Kemp. They go to head out and Kemp says he appreciates it. After they’re gone, Strong comes in and berates Kemp for saying he wanted to run it back, saying he cost Strong the titles. Strong says he’s not big on excuses and plans to embarasss Kemp next week.
* Grayson Waller is backstage with McKenzie and talks about how he was close last week against Melo, and says he knows she wants to talk about Wes Lee costing him the match. He says just because Wes’ life sucks, it doesn’t mean he has to ruin his.
* Still no word on Roxy’s status for her match against Mandy Rose, but Cora is in the medical area with her and the docs.
Kayden Carter vs. Tatum Paxley
Lockup between the two, Kayden with a shot to Tatum. They go back and forth a bit and Tatum takes Kayden down, covering her for one. Back up, Kayden Irish whips Tatum, reversed and Kayden runs the ropes, stomping Tatum. She hits a dropkick and covers for two.
Big stomp from Kayden to Tatum, she comes off the ropes and dropkicks Tatum through the ropes to the outside. Ivy Nile comes out and checks on Tatum, giving her some advice. Kayden lays in shots to Paxley once she gets in the ring and sends her into the corner, Kayden charges in but Tatum dodges. Neckbreaker by Tatum, standing moonsault and cover for two.
Tatum catches Karden in the corner and “hits” some headbutts. Kayden catches Tatum’s foot and trips her up, she locks in a modified leglock and Tatum crawls toward the ropes as Ivy shouts encouragement — she gets the ropes. Carter goes to pull Kayden away from the ropes and gets caught in a small package for three.
Winner: Tatum Paxley (3:31)
Rating: **
Thoughts: Not great by any stretch and Paxley has a ways to go, though there’s certainly potential there.
* Joe Gacy interrupts Vic talking about the Women’s Title match to annoucne that there’s been a breakthrough in the Schism and the Dyad will reveal who they are next week when there is a cleansing and people understand there’s plenty of room in the shade under the Schism’s tree.
* Earlier today, Sanga was watching his cannonball from the GAB opening video with others when Duke Hudson comes in and says he had to spend a whole week getting water out of his ear. Sanga says they can take care of business tonight, and that match is next.
* Earlier today, Briggs and Jensen are celebrating with Fallon in a bar when Pretty Deadly come in looking like 80s parodies of cowboys. They say they can’t believe Briggs and Jensen would bring the gorgeous NXT UK Tag Team Championships into this dump. Briggs say they’re going to have to fight their way out and things get chaotic, but Fallon breaks it up and says they’ll see PD next week.
Duke Hudson vs. Sanga
Duke shoves Sanga to start and gets shoved down, but Duke keeps it up and strikes away, then lays in shoulder tackles in the corner. He tries to whip Sanga across the ring but Sanga counters, slams Duke in the corner and picks him up for a Snake Eyes, then runs him over. Duke falls to the outside and tells the ref to back Sanga up, but he grabs Sanga and gets a cheap shot. He gets in the ring and takes Sanga down, cover for one.
Hudson goes for some overhead shots and Sanga blocks him, but Hudson rips at the chest hair. Rake to the face and launches into strikes and kicks, but Sanga sends him in the corner and avalanches him. Sidewalk slam, big elbow drop and he lies in wait: he gets Hudson up on his shoulders but he slips out. Sanga grabs him with a chokeslam, cover for three.
Winner: Sanga (3:00)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Duke Hudson.
* Robert Stone is backstage with Sofia and Von and says Solo is savage, but Von is something bigger. Sofia and Stone talk about Wagner’s sports background and Von tells them to shut up because this is about fighting. He says we’re about to find out how tough Solo is.
* Solo says that Von can try all his usual tricks on him next.
* McKenzie is backstage with Toxic Attraction and implies they took out Roxy. Jacy says that’s quite an accusation to make. Roxy got hurt and oh well, sucks for her! Gigi says that fortunes can change quickly in NXT, and Mandy says when you’re champion, everything falls into place.
Solo Sikoa vs. Von Wagner
They start by brawling on the outside, and send each other into the apron before getting in the ring. Bell rings and they…lockup. Neither guy gains ground and they break it, then lockup again before breaking it. They shove each other and go into another lockup, jocking for position. Sikoa with a waistlock, Wagner elbows out of it and cinches in a headlock. Solo sends him into the ropes, Von runs Solo over.
Back into a lockup, Solo turns it into a wristlock and then a headlock, Von tries to shoot him into the ropes but Solo slips only slightly off and closed it back in. Solo into the ropes finally and they collide to no effect, but Solo runs Von over a few times and then hits a jumping headbutt for two. Solo with a kick and then a senton, but Wagner quickly escapes to the outside as we go to break.
Back from break with Solo in a headlock on the ground from Von. Solo fights to his feet and elbows out of the headlock, gets sent into the ropes and eats a big boot for two. Wagner with punches to the downed Sikoa and then chokes him against the ropes while Robert Stone talks shit on the outside. Break before five and Von with forearm shots to the back of Solo, a big clothesline in the corner and an Irish whip across the ring for another clothesline.
He does it again but Solo moves, back suplex by Solo. Solo clocks a shot and takes control with right hands and an uppercut. Off the ropes, Von kicks Solo but Solo no sells it and hits a Samoan Drop. Splash in the corner by Solo, he backs up and hits a charging hip check. Wagner rolls to the outside, Solo gives chase but Wagner takes over and slams Solo into the booth — and Solo no-sells it! They batter each other up the ramp and that’s a double countout.
Winner: Double Countout (10:23)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: I always roll my eyes when two people who supposedly REALLY hate each other go into a lockup, but this was particularly weird after they began brawling on the outside and then stepped into the ring to act like the outside stuff hadn’t even happened. This wasn’t a great match and the finish was anti-climactic at best.
* Melo and Trick are out celebrating and talking about their wins at GAB as the ladies they’re with say the party isn’t over, so they go to the penthouse. Trick says he and Melo will take the ladies places. Melo talks about how far they’ve come; they’re like Kofi and Shag or Pac and Snoop. They then party with the ladies in the pool and Trick plays it up. Melo makes a toast to them.
* Lash Legend is backstage with a basketball and says Indi Hartwell is athletic, but not Lash Legend athletic. She says Indi has as much chance of finding love at a dating app as beating her. She walks off and the ball rolls until it’s stopped by Alba Fyre’s bat.
* Chase University is in London and they tour around seeing historical things. They split up and Bodhi and Thea learn about the class system, the arts, and history. Chase says he’s going to be knighted and become Sir Andre Chase. Chase starts to read a statement but it says they’re seventh best and he goes off on the guy who wrote it up, firing him.
Indi Hartwell vs. Lash Legend
Lockup to start, Lash sends Indi into the corner and knocks her down. She throws Indi into another corner but Indi fights back, going for a suplex. Lash blocks it and goes for her own, Indi floats over and sends Lash into the ropes, then knocks her out of the ring. She follows and gets shoved into the apron. Lash rolls her in and nails her, then talks trash. Front suplex lays Indi out on the ropes and she yanks Indi back in the ring, cover for just one.
Lash knees Indi in the back and then picks her up for an over the shoulderblades rack. She bounces Indi in the ropes but Indi slips off, going for a roll-up. Lash blocks it but Indi with a shot, she takes over and beats on Lash before picking her up for a sidewalk slam for two.
Lash grabs Indi and throws her into the bottom turnbuckle, then sets her on the top and climbs. She goes for something but ALba distracts Lash from the raised platform and Indi spinebusters her. Indi goes for a move but Lash takes her out, she covers but Indi rolls her up for three.
Winner: Indi Hartwell (3:44)
Rating: * 1/2
Thoughts: Yep, this was not good. Indi and Lash don’t click at all in the ring and this just didn’t play well for either woman.
Fyre gets in the ring and swings the bat but Lash ducks and bails to the outside. Alba chases and nearly hits her again, but Lash runs away.
* The ladies backstage talk about who attacked Roxy and someone says it’s always the husband or boyfriend. Arianna Grace says she doesn’t think Roxy has either, and it’s interrupted as Von and Solo fight their way into the makeup room with officials unable to separate them. They continue brawling.
* McKenzie is backstage with Tony’s family and asks Elektra if she did it. Tony says he didn’t give the order so it wasn’t them. He says Elektra has proven herself to be a loyal soldier, and it’s time to find out how loyal Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro are.
* We’re back and Solo and Von are still fighting, now being in the parking lot (because of course it is). The staff finally stop it with help from Sofia Cromwell. Robert Stone gets in Solo’s face and says this isn’t over. Solo grabs Stone and throws him in a dumpster, then walks off.
* We get a new QR Code that reveals the following, with some highlighted letters Wordle-style:
Tony D’Angelo & Stacks vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade
Stacks starts off with Edris and manhandles him, Edris sends him into the corner and hits a wastlock. Stacks comes off the ropes and gets hit with a dropkick, then an armdrag. Blade tags in, they batter Stacks and Blade with a cover for two. Blade and Stacks trade some shots, Edris tags in for a double axehandle off the top.
Stacks sends Edris into the corner, Edris tries to go up and over but gets knocked down. Tony tags in and takes over, beating on Edris before tagging in Stacks to beat Edris down. Tony back in and he lays in some kicks, Stacks in now for more of the same. Tony back in, he nails Edris in the gut and then traps his head. Shots to the stomach and then a suplex. Stacks tags back in, kick to Edris’ stomach and a snapmare, kick to the chest. Edris fights back and dives to make the tag but Stacks catches him, Edries with a sunset flip for two but Stacks nails him hard for his own two-count.
Stacks catches Edris and locks in a seated abdominal stretch. Enofe back to his feet and fights off a back suplex, Stacks gets it but Edris lands on his feet and tags in Blade, who comes in hot and hits a leaping forearm on Stacks. Big legdrop, Tony comes in but gets dropkicked to the outside. Spinebuster by Blade, cover for two.
Tony takes out Edris on the outside, and Stacks rolls up a distracted Blade for two. He catches Blade and drops him into the top turnbuckle, Tony with a fisherman’s suplex for three.
Winner: Tony D’Angelo & Stacks (5:20)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: A perfectly fine match for the time it got.
Afterward, Tony tells Wilde and Del Toro to take out Blade and they do.
* McKenzie is with Nikkita who says she was DM’d about who attacked Roxy and says she’s not the type of woman to attack someone behind. She says if Mandy still needs an opponent she’ll take the title though.
* We hear Axiom talking about how he grew up loving comics and how he wondered if he could emulate his idols and become his own superhero, inspiring others. He remains anonymous because it’s not about him — its about everyone else. He debuts next week.
Set For Next Week:
– JD McDonagh vs. Cameron Grimes
– NXT UK Tag Team Championship Match: Briggs & Jenson vs. Pretty Deadly
* Toxic Attraction comes out for Mandy’s title defense against whoever it’s gonna be against. Mandy gets the mic and says that it’s enough out of the peasants. She thinks it’s been long enough, and Roxanne isn’t woman enough to suck it up and challenge her. What a shocker, but she doesn’t blame her because Roxanne couldn’t beat her anyway and no one can. The crowd gives dueling “SHUT THE HELL UP” and “LET HER TALK” chants. Mandy says she runs NXT and nothing will change.
But here’s Cora’s music! Cora says Mandy can shut the hell up because her night isn’t over yet. They were promised an NXT Women’s Championship match and that’s what they’re going to get. Mandy says of Roxanne can’t go, she’ll step in. Mandy says it might be the funniest thing she’s heard all night. Mandy says she’s gonna give Roxanne Perez the count of —
It’s Roxy! Cora asks if Roxy is sure and she’s sure.
NXT Women’s Championship Match
Mandy Rose vs. Roxanne Perez
The matych is on! Roxy pounces on Mandy, but Mandy gets a shot to the gut. She goes for a bodyslam but Roxy rolls her up for two. Mandy grabs Roxy and hits a fallaway slam. Knee to the side of Roxy, followed by shoulders to the gut. Roxy comes back with a back elbow and a dropkick to Rose, followed by an attempted Irish whip but Mandy holds on and lays Roxy out on the top rope.
Perez falls to the outside and Mandy follows, grabbing Roxy and slamming her into the apron. She does it once more and rolls into the ring as we go to PIP break.
It’s been all Mandy during the break, and as we come back she’s laying in elbows as she locks in an abdominal stretch. Big spinebuster by Mandy, covers but Roxy kicks out at two. Mandy with a knee to the side and she pulls Roxy into a bodyscissors, then locks in a chinlock. Roxy fights out and leans back to pin Mandy for two.
Mandy grabs Roxy and slams her into the corner, hitting shoulder lifts and then picks Roxy up, but she flips over for two. Irish whip my Mandy into the corner, she charges into a big boot and Roxy goes up top for a crossbody. Both women slow to get up, Roxy blocks a punch and hits onwe of her own. Roxy off the ropes for a clothesline and another, she hits charging uppercuts in the corner and then hits a side Russian legsweep for two.
Roxy looking frustrated, Mandy is dazed. They’re both to their feet, Roxy goes for Pop Rocks but Mandy pushes her off. Mandy charges, Roxy dodges and Mandy hits the ringpbost shoulder first. Mandy to the outside, Roxy leaps at her and then takes out Toxic Attraction! Pop Rocks to the outside! Roxy rolls in Mandy and is slow to get in, Jacy distracts the ref and Cora nails Roxy with the title belt. Knee to the jaw, that’s it.
Winner: Mandy Rose (9:25)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Very solid match that didn’t quite hit the top level it could have because of how they booked around Roxy’s “injury.” The heel turn was so telegraphed as to be blatantly obvious, I don’t love it but we’ll see what they do with Cora.
After the match, Cora says she brought Roxy here and this is what she did? She’s selfish. She tries to hit Roxy with the skateboard but it breaks early so she does what she can with it and loses her shit.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
