Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 7.23.24

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! Jeremy Thomas with you as always, and tonight NXT presents the final show before Great American Bash kicks off next week. Tonight’s show will see Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen do battle in a No DQ match, while Thea Hail will sit down for an interview to talk about her match with Roxanne Perez at the GAB. Ashante Thee Adonis returns to the ring for NXT against Oro Mensah in a match that Ethan Page DEFINITELY won’t get involved in, while Eddy Thorpe will take on Lexis King. And probably a lot more, but that’s what’s announced so far.

Here at Thomas HQ, I am up to my eyeballs in coverage of the 2024 Fantasia International Film Fest. You can see my reviews of the fun holiday horror flick Carnage For Christmas here, Joel Petroykus’ stellar and VERY dark buddy comedy Vulcanizadora here, the touching documentary Adrianne and the Castle here, and the well-acted but muddled new werewolf film The Beast Within here.

Outside of those, I watched the sequel to Japanese action-comedy Baby Assassins titled Baby Assassins 2 Babies, which is just as funny and action-heavy as the first one. I also did a rewatch of Independence Day on a lark and that’s fun.

As for TV, I’m keeping caught up on both RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season nine (Team Gottmik) and finished out The Acolyte, which waa damned good.

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 Trick Williams, who survives arriving in the parking lot and walks. Cedric Alexander stops him but he says he’s not stopping until he gets his title back and he wants Ethan Page. Ashante says he told Cedric.

Trick has arrived in the Capitol Wrestling Center! He comes into the ring and gets a mic. Trick says let’s talk about it. Since losing his championship, he hasn’t been the same and feels like he lost a piece of himself. He spoke to some OGs in the locker room and it led to one thing: Ethan Page will see him again, and he won’t stop until he gets his title back.

Here comes Cedric! He says he didn’t want to do this in front of the world but the advice he’s looking for is coming from a good place. Trick appreciates Cedric but he’s not stopping until he gets his title back. Cedric says he’s trying to stop Trick from being blinded by his passion. Trick says he isn’t blind…

And here comes Ashante, who says he doesn’t know why Cedric is trying. Trick says if Ashante is trying to stir stuff up, go back to Smackdown. Ashante says he’s just trying to pick up the ball Trick dropped, and Trick says he didn’t drop no ball. Cedric tells Ashante to go to the back and Ashante says it isn’t going to click and Trick doesn’t understand that in the ring, he’s in third place.

Trick says he’s never been in third place and Cedric says it sounds like Trick says he’s better than him. He says Trick is mistaking kindness for weakness and the match is on for tonight. Ashante says “Another Trick decision, another Trick mistake” and Trick beats him out of the ring before turning to argue with Cedric.

* Ethan Page walks in the parking lot earlier and Tyson and Tyriek mock him for getting pinned by Oro. Page says it’s wild to him that they think it’s okay for the champ to think they’re not smart. He says they aren’t worth his time and walks off as they laugh.

* Josh Briggs WALKS backstage — and Jensen attacks! They brawl at ringside, and their match is on.

No Disqualification Match
Josh Briggs vs. Brooks Jensen

Jenson charges Briggs but gets sent to the outside. Briggs out and slams Brooks into the guardrail, then throws him over it and lays in punches. He stomps Brooks down in and plays to the crowd, then tosses Brooks onto the ringside mats.

Briggs moves in on Brooks, but Brooks pulls him face-first into the ring bell. He grabs Briggs but gets pushed into the ringpost — and then choke slammed through the table as we go to PIP break.

We’re back as Briggs grabs the booth top and puts it in the ring along the middle ropes in the corner, but he gets clotheslined and his head hits the top on the way down. Catapult by Brooks sends Briggs face-first into the top, and Brooks grabs a kendo stick to nail Briggs across the back once, twice, and three times! And four! Briggs blocks the fifth and fights back but Jensen takes over and goes for a piledriver onto steel steps in the ring — Briggs counters out and back suplexes Brooks ONTO THE STEPS!

Both men slow to get up now. Briggs grabs Jensen but gets head slammed into the steps. They trade blows and get to their feet — THEY’RE CLUBBERING! Briggs with a big boot, Jensen fires off with one of his own and then they hit each other with it. They both get kendo sticks and nail each other in the dome!

Brooks has a chair now, he gets to his feet and prepares to swing — but Briggs with a hard hook to the jaw! Briggs has the chair and Brooks begs off. Spears is here telling Briggs to hit him and Briggs goes after him. Spears tells Brooks to do it and Brooks nails Briggs! Repeated chair shots to the back, then a stomp to the chest. He sets Briggs up — DDT on to the chair for three.

Winner: Brooks Jensen (10:11)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: This was a by the numbers no DQ street fight-style match, notable because Spears got involved and Brooks won. They went out their and gave all they had, but I don’t think it stood out. It was fine all in all though.

* Axiom and Frazer are backstage when The Rascalz show up. They commiserate and Trey pushes the notion of a match — and the champs are in on it. Frazer asks who is sitting out, and Wentz says to get a third guy. They leave, and Axiom says he’s in the next WWE Speed tournament. Frazer is mad about the hypocrisy that Axiom criticized him for it, but Axiom says it worked out fine. They keep arguing.

( Karmen, Lola and Sol are watching Stephanie Vaquer videos and they talk her coming in, as well as whether Alba and Ilsa are defending the titles any time soon, but Lash and Jakara come in and say when the titles get defended, it will be against them. Karmen asks when they last won a match and Jakara says Lash and her will put Karmen and Sol in their place tonight.

Lexis King vs. Eddy Thorpe

Eddye charges in at the bell and batters Lexis, who fights back and hits a short-arm clothesline. King covers for one and then lays in mounted punches. Back suplex backbreaker from Lexis and he grinds his boot into Eddy’s head. Whip into the corner, Eddy out for a clothesline and then hits chops on Lexis around the ring. King pushes Eddy off but gets taken down with a snapmare and kick to the back for two.

Front facelock by Eddy but he gets pushed into the corner. King with the Coronation, Thorpe counters and shoves King back across the ring to the corner, he takes King down and hits a big kick off the ropes. DDT attempt countered, King with a superkick and then a Drive-By. Coronation — countered by King into the Impaler DDT for three!

Winner: Eddy Thorpe (2:31)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Lexis King. Good enough to get Thorpe a win.

King attacks after the bell with a Drive-By to send Eddy to the outside. He beats on Eddy, slams him into the steps and puts Eddy’s wrist into the steps — scepter into the hand! Lexis laughs as Eddy rolls in pain.

* Trick is backstage and Kelly asks him about facing Cedric. He says he’ll face anyone to get back to his title and isn’t waiting for Page to give him a rematch. He’s taking it and nothing is stopping him from getting his title back.

Pete Dunne says “Oh really?” in the background and Trick asks if he has something to say. Pete says, “Figure it out” and walks off.

Oro Mensah vs. Ashante Thee Adonis

Oro dives on Ashante as he talks to Jakara and tosses him in the ring, we have a bell. Oro beats on Ashante and tosses him to the mat, knee to Ashante. He pulls Ashante’s jacket off, Ashante fires back but Oro takes over, throws him into the ropes and hits a half and half suplex. He approaches but Ashante puts him on the apron, springboard by Oro but Ashante dropkicks him to the floor!

Ashante gets Oro back in the ring and beats on him, then hits a knee off the ropes. Oro fights back but Ashante shoves him into the corner and knocks him down, boot choke for four and a showboat before a dropkick to the downed Oro for two. Charging knee to the side, bodyslam by Ashante and elbowdrops, but he preens a but and Oro rolls him up for two.

They’re up now and trading blows, Oro gets his foot caught but flips into a kick. He charges at Ora but gets laid out, clothesline to the back of the neck but only gets two. Ashante up top, looks at Jakara and Oro crotches him on the ropes. Springboard kick off the top by Oro, axe kick, springboard moonsault and a kick but Ashante ducks it and hits a snake eyes, spinebuster gets a nearfall.

Ashante tries to Irish whip Oro but gets kicked in the hear, clothesline and Oro charges in for a spin kick in the corner for three.

Winner: Oro Mensah (4:36)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: This was a fine little match that moved really fast to make up for the fact that they didn’t have enough time. But they were still crisp and Mensah gets a needed win to give him some momentum toward the assumed Ethan Page match, which is exactly what he needed.

Oro gets on the mic and calls out Ethan Page and reminds him what it sounded like when he pinned him last week.

* Charlie Dempsey has a ransom letter from Wren that says she saw what he did. Charlie says he needs the situation dealt with and Tony D’Angelo says give her what she wants. The NQCC say they can’t and Wren says she has a match tonight and she better not lose, because who knows what she’ll do or say. The NCQQ are worried; the D’Angelo Family is amused.

Carlee Bright vs. Wren Sinclair

The Family is watching from the podium. Wren and Carlee lock up, Wren into the ropes and runs Carlee over. She runs the ropes and puts Carlee on the mat, Carlee kips up and flips out of a wristlock, putting Wren on the mat. Counterwrestling between the two, Wren with an ankle lock but Carlee counters out and gets a headlock, Wren shot into the ropes, she catches Carlee leaping and trips her, then locks in a crossface and pulls her back.

Carlee counters out, they grapple, Carlee into the ropes and hits a crossbody but Wren rolls through into two. Wren sends Carlee into the ropes and runs her over, leaping facebuster, cover gets two. Carlee into the corner, she gets a back elbow on a charging Wren and hit a second-rope dropkick. Cover but Charlie puts Wren’s foot on the ropes.

Kendall Grey is in the NCQQ’s face, Kendall takes down Bourne! Carlee rolls Wren up for a two-count and another, but she escapes. Roll-up by Wren, Charlie holds Carlee down for three.

Winner: Wren Sinclair (3:27)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: A little sloppier than it needed to be, but not bad for the time it got. The story was the important part here.

* Hank and Tank are backstage talking about the GAB and they talk about being part of the show. Hank has ideas. Meanwhile, Frazer is annoyed that Axiom is on Speed still but Axiom says they won so it’s fine. Je’Von walks up and volunteers to be their third for tonight and they can agree on that.

* Andre Chase and Riley are talking up Duke and say they made Chase U proud as much as Thea is going to tonight with her interview. Ridge walks in with new Chase U shirts (available everywhere!) and it’s interview time.

* Kelly is sitting with Thea and talks about how last year at GAB she fought for the title, what’s different this week? She says a year ago, she would have been thrown a pep rally for confidence and she doesn’t need that. She says Chase U trusts her to make decisions and that’s cool.

Kelly asks Thea about Ridge being part of Chase U, and Thea says he’s human and makes mistakes, but he let them in and is part of them now. Kelly says Thea has grown up and is very calm now, and asks what winning the title would mean to her. She says it would mean a lot to girls like her. And she’s young, and Roxy will be a big hurdle, but she’s focused on winning the title.

Trick Williams vs. Cedris Alexander

Circle and lockup to start, Cedric put in the corner. They break and shove each other, Trick talks trash and Cedric ducks a lunch, waistlock takedown into a front facelock. Cedric wears Trick down a but but Trick up with a wristlock, Cedric flips through and reverses. He puts Trick on the mat and slaps him in the head, but Trick up with a bodyslam. Cedric kicks Trick back, he runs Trick over and comes off the ropes — Trick with a big back elbow!

trick with a chop in the corner now, Cedric hits his own but Trick turns it around with three major chops! Sent across the ring ands Trick charges in, Cedric up and over, he covers Trick for one but then eats a dropkick. Irish whip, Cedric handsprings against the ropes for a kick. Trick to the apron, Cedric out and drops Trick onto the apron! We’re off to break.

We’re back as Trick is trading blows now with Cedric. Cedric rocks Trick but he comes back, they nail each other with twin clotheslines, back elbows and finally dropkicks! Both men slow to get up, Williams nails a shot but Cedric responds. Cedric takes over, off the ropes but gets pushed up into an uppercut!

Cedric fights back and hits a kick but comes off the ropes into an Electric Chair. Trick off the ropes with a discus kick for a nearfall. He grabs Cedric and pulls him up for the uranage, but Cedric counters with a roll-up for two. Waistlock, Trick elbows out but Cedric with a Michinoku Driver for two-plus!

Cedric goes for a suplex but Trick escapes and hits a couple of side kicks. Off the ropes with a lariat, Trick’s up now and charges in the corner. Cedric ducks to the outside and comes in — uranage for a near-fall! THE HAIR IS LOOSE! Trick goes for the Trick Shot but Cedric counters and hits a kick to the face, suplex cutter gets two and Cedric right into an armbar. Trick pushes Cedric’s shoulders to the mat for two. Cedric up, Trick charges — TRICK SHOT! That’s it.

Winner: Trick Williams (10:50)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Cedric was rusty at first but he worked to get back into it and they were killing it by the end. Nice match all in all.

Show of respect after. Trick backs out of the ring — and Pete Dunne attacks Trick from behind! Into the ring, Dunne with a diving dropkick and then stomps repeatedly on Trick’s head! He grabs Trick and says ‘Still haven’t figured it out, huh?’ before giving another kick.

* Ethan Page walks up to Ava’s office and Robert and Stevie are arguing. He wants to get rid of Oro, and Stevie says not to worry about him. Robert says NXT is trending #1 in the world and Ethan should be lucky to be so. Ethan watches as Stevie and Stong keep tripping over their words and then leaves.

* Kelani is backstage and Tatum posted a video of playing with a Kelani doll. Kelani walks off and Ashante walks up acting hurt. The girls go to escort him to medical and he winks to the camera.

Karmen Petrovic & Sol Ruca vs. Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson

Jakara starts with Karmen and locks in a headlock, my feed goes wonky but when it comes back Sol hits a moonsault for one. She locks in a Million Dollar Dream, they get to their feet and Jakara sent into the ropes and takes Sol down for two. Kneelift by Jakara, she puts Sol in the hostile corner and Lash tags in.

Lash grabs Sol in a waistlock, Sol reverses, sent into the ropes and Lash goes for a power bomb but Sol turns it into a rana for two. Lash takes back over but gets kicked by Sol from the apron, springboard X-Factor and Karmen takes in, she gets lifted into a kick for two.

Sol tags back in but gets shoved off, she goes into the ropes for a crossbody but Lash kicks her in the gut. Jakara tags in, Sol thrown into a drop-toe hold in the corner. Jakara with a leaping hip smash and she knocks Sol down. Lash tags in, wheelbarrow but Sol counters for a two-count. She kicks Lash, Karmen tags in, double superkick, cover for two as Jakara drops Sol off the apron. Karmen is taking it to both Meta-Four members, she hits a kick to Jakara and a DDT to Lash, cover but Lash breaks it up. Sol puts Jakara on the apron, she catches her with a rana and Karmen kicks Jakara to the floor. But Lash wipes out Karmen and and hits a backbreaker drop for the pin.

Winner: Meta-Four (4:39)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: This was rushed but not bad all things considered.

Lash gets on the mic and says that Alba and Isla didn’t mind defending their titles anywhere, right? So how about they defend them next week at the GAB? Mic drop.

* Roxy walks up to Shawn and is pissed that Thea got a sit-down interview and she didn’t. She’s tired of Thea’s story and of not getting what she deserves.

* We get a recap of Joe Hendry’s appearance on NXT last week to join commentary. He says that with every passing week, more people around the world start believing. But becoming a social media sensation doesn’t just happen overnight. We see video of reactions online to Hendry from the usuals. Hendry says that he’s been wrestling 11 years waiting his time to shine and always knew he had the skills to succeed, but in 2024 you need something to get your name out there. He says you’re going to upset people, but he’s put thousands of hours in the ring, on the mic and on social media.

We get some sweeping shots of his video and he talks about how the song became a UK smash hit. They manage to mention how he beat Taylor Swift and more, and he says it’s been his life’s work to become 252 pounds of pure motivation and next week he’s doing a live in-ring concert on NXT.

* Gallus is outside and says they didn’t like Hendry then and don’t like them now. Joe wants to face Hendry next week at the GAB. Mark shows the flyer of the Hendry concert and the flyers are all over the car. Joe loses it.

* Ethan walks up to Ava’s office and almost knocks, but a ref walks by and he gets the ref to say last week’s pin didn’t count. He says the ref is coming with him.

* Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre have accepted. FUCK YES, MY WITCHES ARE BACK NEXT WEEK!

* Ethan Page walks into the ring with the ref and says they’re addressing the 1-2-3 business for good. Page says what Oro did last week doesn’t count and wasn’t official, it’s null and void. He wants to make it clear: none of this bothers him. He asks the ref as a licensed WWE official that when Oro attacked him last week, was a ref in the ring? The ref says it wasn’t a legit match and the count wasn’t official.

Ethan crows over it and says it doesn’t count and didn’t happen. He says the refs usually suck but he did something great with his life. ORO IS HERE! He rolls Ethan up and the ref counts three!

* The Family walks up to the NCQQ and says that with the Olympics coming up, they’ll give Tavion — their Olympian — a shot at the cup. And they mock Borne for getting his ass kicked by a girl.

* We get a recap of Jensen beating Briggs with Shawn Spears’ help earlier in the night.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Women’s Title Match: Roxanne Perez vs. Thea Hail
– NXT Heritage Cup Match: Tony D’Angelo vs. Tavion Heights
– WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match: Unholy Union vs. Meta-Four
– Joe Hendry Live In Concert

The Rascalz vs. Je’Von Evans, Nathan Frazer & Axiom

Axiom starts against Trey and they lock up. Axiom puts Trey on the mat but back up, Trey with a headlock that gets reversed. Axiom with a straightjacket hold, Trey to his feet and throws Axiom off of him. Torso-level rana by Trey, Axiom up and hits a big dropkick! Frazer tags in, Axiom wraps Trey in an Octopus and Frazer builds up speed for a dropkick!

Frazer with a chop in the corner, Trey comes back with a kick to the head for one. Into the ropes, Wentz with the blind tag and Lee tags in as well, double dropkick to the head of a held Frazer!

Evans tags in and they go into the ropes and flip over each other, Evans with a springboard kick ducked, they go into the ropes and Evans hits a BIG dropkick. Irish whip blocked by Lee, who hits a big chop. They start trading blows, Evans off the ropes for a leaping right cross — Lee with a roundhouse! Evans in the hostile corner, Lee holds Evans and tags in Wentz who goes in for a Bronco Buster! Lee fights with Axiom and Frazer but Trey is in to help, he kicks Frazer and Axiom, Evans with an inside cradle for two. Evans dives over Wentz onto everyone, Wentz to the apron and hits a moonsault on them all as we go to PIP break!

We’re back and Wentz has Evans in a rear chinlock on the mat. Evans gets free but Wentz off the rope for a high crossbody — Evans holds on and picks him up for a slam! He tags in Frazer, who hits a standing SSP for two-plus.

Axiom tags in and wraps Wentz into a Million Dollar Dream, but Wentz gets free. He is sent into the hostile corner but back elbows Frazer. Axiom catches Wentz into a sleeper. Wentz breaks the hold but gets nailed with a half-and-half — TRIPLE SUPERKICK, cover but Wentz kicks out at two-plus.

Evans with a straitjacket submission, Wentz gets to his feet and almost powers out but gets put on the mat. He kicks Evans off but Axiom tags in and goes for the ankle lock. Wentz sends Axiom into the corner, Frazer tags in and leaps off — RIGHT INTO A KNEE TO THE JAW! Lee gets the hot tag, Evan s is in but gets cleaned out. Lee batters him, Snapmare, dropkick to the shoulders. Kicks to Evans in the hostile corner, Trey tags in and he and Lee double team a charging Axiom.

Trey drops Evans, Frazer tags in and Trey flips over him and hits a dropkick to the back of the head. Double tag, the Rascalz are in, flippy triple team dropkick, cover for a nearfall. Lee grabs Frazer and pulls him up, Frazer with a leaping kick! Evans tags in and he goes to down on the Rascalz!

Trey and Evans counter each other — Evans with a cutter off the top! He hits a dropkick on Trey who’s on the top, double tag to Nathan and Axiom. Spanish fly by Axiom, Phoenix Splash, cover but the Rascalz run through Evans and Axiom to break it up! Everyone’s down!

Superkick to Trey, Cardiac Kick to Frazer, eveyone clears out and Axiom nails Trey with a forearm. Trey fires back and hits a drop-toehold on Axiom — catapult into a superkick! Dboule stop! Hot Fire Flame! Lee dives onto Evans and Frazer, and Wents pins Axiom!

Winner: The Rascalz (15:23)
Rating: ****
Thoughts: If this isn’t your thing, sure. I get that. But if you have at least an appreciation for flippy shit, this was pretty much pitch perfect. Great stuff from all six men, it sets up a Tag Team Title match, Rascalz get a big win — what’s to complain?

* Ava is backstage with the ref when Ethan Page walks in and says he wants a match with Oro. Ava asks what changed his mind, Page says he’s had it up to here and someone like him shouldn’t have to deal with this. He’ll even put the title up. The contract signing is next week.

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

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

This was a "fine" episode of NXT until the main event. Nothing bad, everything was decent enough, but it did feel rushed and trying to put in too much into too little time. Then the main event happened and it pushed this show into great. They are doing a nice job building to the Great American Bash and with the NXT/TNA crossover continuing strongly, I'm excited to see what comes out of the next two weeks.