wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 7.4.23
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’s episode of NXT promises to be an eventful one! We’ll see two tag teams battle for the right to stay as The Creed Brothers battle The Dyad in a Loser Leaves NXT match. Plus, Lyra Valkyria will take on Jacy Jayne, NXT UNDERGROUND RULES as Eddy Thorpe battles Damon Kemp, and Roxanne Perez takes aim at Blair Davenport in hopes of revenge. Finally, Mustafa Ali will face Tyler Bate in a match that is sure to be a lot of fun. There’s a lot of good stuff in there (and NXT Underground, too!) so hopefully it should be a solid show.
I’ve been back on my business at Thomas HQ as I got a few more films watched during my Queer As Fuck Pride Month viewing challenge. Those were Maurice, an affecting Merchant/Ivory drama with Hugh Grant, and the absolutely delightful Victor/Victoria starring Julie Andrews and James Garner. Once June was over I turned back to getting caught up on new films and saw The Blackening, which is a very funny comedy-horror slasher, as well as Jennifer Lawrence’s No Hard Feelings which wasn’t amazing but still kept me entertained.
Unseen is a Blumhouse horror flick that had some interesting ideas and great performances but didn’t gel and took narrative shortcuts, Elemental was a perfectly fine film that isn’t an all-time best Pixar but still got me in parts, and Huesera: The Bone Woman was a creepy little Mexican pregnancy horror film with fabulous sound work enhancing the scares. Finally, I saw Suzume which is a wonderful bit of anime film-making with a lot of heart.
In TV, I am keeping up with Drag Race All Stars season eight and Secret Invasion, both of which are delivering, and watched several episodes of Max/ID’s Married to Evil which is a typical ID true crime series. I was diverted but it’s not a strong recommendation.
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’re LIVE (not really) in the Capitol Wrestling Center and kicking off with Blair vs. Roxy!
Blair Davenport vs. Roxanne Perez
Roxy attacks Blair during the latter’s entrance and beats on her through the fog, then rolls her in and the ref separates them. The match starts and Roxy docges a kick, then hits a Thesz Press. Blair bails to the outside and gets dove on. Back in the ring and Blair escapes out the other side, but Roxy dives on her from the apron and beats on her before rolling her back in. Shoulder to the gut by Roxy and she goes for a snapmare, but Blair knocks her down and then goes for a suplex. Roxy floats over and hits a Russian legsweep, cover for two.
Blair catches a kick and hits a clothesline, then comes off the ropes for a diving knee to Roxy for two. Blair whips Roxy into the corner and hits a back elbow and snapmare, Roxy ducks a kick and rolls Blair up for two. Dropkick by Perez, then a charging uppercut in the corner. Blair blocks an Irish whip and hits a Euro uppercut, Roxy fires back but gets nailed and knocked down. Blair sends Roxy headfirst into the turnbuckle, then goes to do it again but Roxy blocks it and kicks Blair down. Roxy goes up top but Blair shoves her off the top to the outside! Double stomp to the back off the apron as we go PIP.
Back as Roxy rolls Blair up off the ropes. Blair grabs Roxy but Roxy fights back until Blair hits a belly to belly suplex and covers for two. Blair sets up a shoulder submission, Roxy gets to her fight and strikes her way to where she can leap up and monkey flip Blair over. Roxy goes for the charging uppercut but Blair dodges and puts Roxy on the top. Kick to the head and she goes up for a back suplex — but Roxy moves for a crossbody!
Both women down, Roxy pulls herself up and and lays in a punch to the head. Blair fires back and we’re now trading elbows. Roxy ducks a shot and lays in chops, Irish whip reversed and Blair with a shot to the jaw for two and a half!
Blair up top but Roxy dodges the splash, Blair rolls through but Roxy goes for Pop Rocks, countered so Roxy with a crossbody for two. Roxy with strikes to the back and gets shoved back, she clotheslines Blair over the top and comes off the ropes — Blair moves and ducks a kick, but Roxy with a clothesline. She charges — and Blair sends her into the steps! Kick to the head against the steps, Blair rolls in and Roxy gets in at nine. Blair drags her to the center of the ring, Falcon Arrow, cover and a nearfall! Blair goes for the V-Trigger, she hits two and covers for three.
Winner: Blair Davenport (12:01)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly fine without ever getting out of first gear. The high spots were solid, but the match didn’t have much story to it until the end. Blair winning is unsurprising.
* McKenzie asks Ivy Nile about the Loser Leaves NXT match. She says she’s nervous but the Creeds are more focused than ever. She asked Julius and Brutus why they did it and they said Schism are a poison.
Tiffany walks in and says Ivy shouldn’t be interviewed, she should for defending her title. Ivy says that everyone saw Tiff tap out. Tiff says the ref didn’t and that’s all that matters. Ivy says that if she’s in there, it wouldn’t happen and leaves. Tiff asks if Ivy is going too if the Creeds lose, and the answer is no.
* We get a vignette from Baron Corbin saying that he didn’t win last week and that sucks, he’s embarrassed and he overestimated the nostalgia of the lone wolf. He has the money, the fame, the family but not the reputation. He’s seen as consistent, safe, good. He hates “good,” he wants to be feared and respected. He wants people to wonder who’s next for him, and says he has to kill his past. He burns all his past gimmicks and says he doesn’t need a manager, and hasn’t worked eight years to go back to the beginning. He can’t go back; there’s no going back. No gimmicks, no nonsense, no bullshit.
Mustafa Ali vs. Tyler Bate
Bate and Ali circle each other and lock up, they break and Bate is looking angry. Test of strength, Bate forces Ali onto his back and gets a two-count. Ali rolls through and catches Bate in a straitjacket hold, which Bate reverses. Ali escapes with a snapmare and covers for two, Bate rolls Ali up for two as well.
Back to the test of strength but Ali turns it into a wristlock early. Bate reverses, Ali flips through and locks in a headlock. Bate tries to shoot him off but he blocks it, he manages to do it a second time but Ali runs Bate over. Off the ropes, Ali with a backslide for one. Bate up and sits on Ali for two, we get a sequence of quick pins, headscissor countered and Ali rolls into a crossface. Bate counters into an ankle lock and Ali gets free before they stare at each other.
Back up, Ali backs Bate into the corner and hits a back elbow. Bate first back with a chop and they trade shots in the corner, but slap and then chop for Ali. Irish whip reversed, but Ali flips over Bate before running into a dropkick. Bate with the charting shot in the corner and a diving clothesline off the top, then another one sending Ali out of the ring. Bate follows Ali and hits a big leaping uppercut as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Bate hits a backdrop on Ali and charges at him in the corner, but Ali escapes to the outside and hits a kick to the head. He comes back in and leaps but gets hit with the Bop & Bang for two. Bate goes for the Tyler Driver ’97, Ali counters and nails him before locking in an STF in the center of the ring. Ali tries to get back to his feet but Bate gets him on his shoulders, airplane spin that Ali COUNTERS WITH A DDT! He covers and gets two and a half.
Ali gets up as Bate crawls to the ropes. Ali off the ropes and gets bodydropped over the top to the floor! Bate dives on him, rolls him in and follows but Ali with a BIG kick. He dives onto Bate and rolls him in, they come off the ropes and Bate with the BIG lariat for a nearfall!
Bate picks Ali up for a scoop slam, then another. He goes up top, corkscrew senton but Ali moves! Ali is up in the corner and on the top, he stands up but Bate charges in with a shot to crotch him. Bate on the apron with shots to the head, he climbs up and hits a headbutt; Ali fires back! Bate nearly falls from the top, Ali crotches him! Ali up top, 450! That’s it.
Winner: Mustafa Ali (13:32)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Great match between these two guys, who just clicked together. A lot of great counter sequences and a solid storyline to the match to boot.
Ali says he’s challenging Wes Lee to a NA Title match at NXT Great American Bash.
* McKenzie is backstage with Ava and Joe Gacy, asking Joe why he pushed Dyad into the match tonight. Gacy says he’d never push a member of the Schism into a match they’re not ready for. Ava says The Dyad is a core part of the Schism and they’ll send the Creeds away from NXT. Gacy says that the right team will leave NXT, McKenzie asks what he means and Ava flips. Gacy says it’s okay and says tonight they’ll eliminate a problem from NXT permanently.
Tatum Paxley vs. Kelani Jordan
Dana Brooke is out here with Kelani. Lock up to start, Tatum with a knee lift but Jordan rolls her up for one. Tatum with a wristlock, Kelani escapes and takes Tatum down, then locks in a wristlock that Tatum knees out of. She runs over Jordan, Jordan with a spinning armdrag and dropkick into a wristlock. Tatum escapes and sends Kelani into the ropes, running her over with a back elbow. Irish whip into the corner, right into a backbreaker. Leaping elbowdrop gets two.
Tatum with a rear chinlock, she gets Kelani up and knocks her to her knees, then kicks her to the mat. Irish whip to the corner, Tatum nails Kelani and goes for a suplex but Kelani counters into a Stunner for three.
Winner: Kelani Jordan (2:47)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Tatum Paxley.
After the match, Cora Jade interrupts Kelani and Dana’s celebration and congratulates Kelani. She says Kelani must be doing something right if Dana’s in her corner. She says gymnasts sticking together is cute but that a friend of Dana’s is an enemy of hers. She doesn’t need friends, mentors, or any of the NXT fans.
Kelani cuts Cora off and says she has another match left in her so let’s settle this here and now. Dana asks what Cora says, and Cora says don’t tell her what to do, ever before walking off.
* It’s time for Chase U! The student body chants “Welcome back” and Chase thanks them for the texts and voicenails. Thea is hyped and excited that Thea is back, and Chase wants to recognize some people including Duke Hudson who stood up, graded papers and let Chase U thrive as his MVP. Chase tells Duke to take a seat and he says “My pleasure!” before kicking Nick out of his seat.
Chase then calls Thea the uncrowned Women’s Champion and would be champion if not for Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey. He says he couldn’t handle it when they attacked Duke. Nick asks if they won’t be guest lecturers and Chase loses his shit, but Duke says he has it and goes off on Nick, saying they’ll give Drew and Charlie an Andre Chase-style ass whuppin. Chase says it feels good to be back.
* The rung is being taken apart for NXT Underground and whoa, boy this is a CHOICE. That match is next.
NXT Underground Match
Damon Kemp vs. Eddy Thorpe
Kemp and Thorpe start to feel each other out, with Gable Steveson in the corner watching. Kemp grabs a kick attempt for a takedown and starts in with the ground-and-pound. Eddy kicks Kemp off but Kemp right back with the takedown and mounted firsts. He picks Eddy up and tosses him, then locks in a rear naked chock. Eddy escapes, Kemp with a knee to the side and then mounted punches.
Kemp gets Eddy in the rear naked choke but Eddie turns it around, he goes for a punch but Kemp turns it around. They roll for position, Eddy sends Kemp off the ring to the floor and follows. Kemp lays in punches, Eddy fires back and Kemp throws a woman at ringside at him. He leaps over the woman and decks him, then lays in big punches to the head before tossing him into the guardrail.
Damon talks shit to Gable, then throws Eddy over the guardrail. He showboats a moment and goes back in but Eddy locks in a legscissors! Kemp pulls him up and slams him on the apron. Kemp back on the mat and pulls Eddy up into a German suplex. Damon goes in but Eddy with a shot to the midsection. Kemp slams Eddy down and goes for the rear naked choke, Eddy to his feet and throws Kemp off!
Big kicks by Eddy, then a German suplex. Both men get to their feet, Eddy with a waistlock and a back suplex! He’s up now and gets caught by a shot to the head from Kemp. Gable coaches Thorpe, he’s up and catches Kemp with a knee to the jaw. Eddy grabs Kemp and goes for a headbutt, but Kemp grabs him and belly to belly suplexes him straight to the floor!
Kemp down on the mat now, Gable pep talks Eddy who is trying to get up. Damon kncoks over Gable and charges Eddy, who ducks and Kemp hits the ringpost. German suplex to the floor by Thorpe, he goes for another but Kemp with a back elbow. Kemp kicks Eddy in the head to escape in the ring, Thorpe in with the triangle choke, he lays in elbows to the head and it’s done.
Winner: Eddy Thorpe by ref decision (7:28)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: That was way better than it had any right to be, which is a credit to both men involved.
After the match, Steveson celebrates with Thrope. Some rando wants to celebrate with Gable and touches the gold medal. Gable takes it off and ducks a shot — German suplex from Gable! He delivers to another guy who comes in, and then a third. Congrats, Gable Steveson can German suplex. A fourth guy is in and he’s big, Gable hits a belly to belly on him and gets hyped.
* Trick says everyone’s talking about Trick Melo and now Judgment Day looks like he has a problem. Melo says they appreciate them sending Mami down here and he’s being careful because Priest has that MITB briefcase, but he invites all of Judgement Day to come down and see him. Because he’s judge, jury and executioner.
* Stacks is visiting Tony, who yells what happened last week? He asks about the tape and Stacks doesn’t know what he’s talking about, saying he cut a great deal with both of them. Tony asks who, and it’s Joe Coffey. Tony can’t believe it and asks what happened to him. Stacks says Joe came to an arrangement — they’re facing and if Stacks wins, they get a title match. If Joe wins, Tony is in prison until his trial date — and conviction is guaranteed.
Tony asks Stacks if he agreed to it, and Joe says it was his idea. Tony says it’s a three-on-one situation and Stacks says since he’s been locked up, things are good. Tony says Stacks is going to sell him out after all he did. Stacks says Tony’s in here and this was Stacks’ decision; he’s going to have to live with it. Stacks walks off, Joe picks up the phone and says “Goodbye, Don” before laughing and walking off. Tony destroys the phone and walks off.
Jacy Jayne vs. Lyra Valkyria
Lockup to start, Jacy takes over and kicks Lyra in the head, then puts her in the corner and beats on her for four. She charges in, Lyra jumps over and then hits a sunset flip for one. Arm drag by Lyra into a shoulderlock. Jacy grabs the hair and sends Lyra into the ropes, she gets run over. Lyra takes Jacy down and goes back to the shoulder, lifting Jacy to hyperextend it before putting her on the mat and hitting a kneedrop.
Jacy escapes via a headscissors and lays in some slaps. She squeezes the neck but Lyra escapes with a kip up. Lyra rolls Jacy up for one and dropicks her, Jacy rolls to the outside and Lyra goes for a dropkick through the ropes but Jacy catches her! She wheelbarrow drops Lyra to the floor as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Jacy has Lyra in a Boston crab. Lyra flips through and rolls Jacy up for one, she goes into a crucifix for a roll-up for two but Jacy with a kick to the face. Jacy screams and charges in, Lyra dodges the cannonball and looks pissed. Clothesline, another and a kick series. Off the ropes for a scissor kick to the back of the head.
Jacy up in the corner, Lyra charges in and is set to the apron, she nails Jacy and slingshots in for a legdrop, cover but Jacy has the leg on the ropes. Dropkick through the ropes to Jacy, Lyra rolls her in and goes up top. She leaps but Jacy has it scouted, senton for two-plus.
Jacy lies in wait and goes for the kick, Lyra dodges and kicks Jacy down. Roundhouse kick, cover for three.
Winner: Lyra Valkyria (8:52)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: It had the time, but these two didn’t really click. I wouldn’t call it actively bad but it wasn’t good.
Jacy cheap shots and attacks after the bell, then goes for the wings and tears them to pieces.
* Noam Dar is in a suit talking about how good something looks and he misses it. He felt solid without belief and now he just dreams about it every single night and talks to it in his sleep. He’s going crazy and he needs it back in his life. It completes him. And of course it’s a pic of the Heritage Cup. Meta-Four comes in and Dar says he can’t do Supernova Sessions next week. They say they need to fix him and drag him off.
* Kiana James is walking into her office on the phone, laughing about how she painted up Gigi last week. Her door has a wet paint sign on it and she walks inside. The place is wrecked, and a note says she can never outrun her past. Kiana says the gloves are off.
* We’re joined in progress with Von Wagner beating the shit out of Big Body Javi who apparently ran his mouth about Von. Stone4 is trying to talk sense into Von and talks him into not powerbombing him through a table — so Von picks Javi up to throw him over the guardrail. Stone stops that too, and the crowd chants for tables. Von’s shirt comes off as does the table top. Javi takes the powerbomb through the table. Von celebrates, Stone isn'[t happy. But the fans are (kind of) cheering for Von, which makes him happy.
* We get another vignette for Lucien Price and Bronco Nima talking about how their brotherhood started in fromt of a story and NXT isn’t ready for them. They say they’re running through the NXT tag division and are brothers by heart, not blood. They have a new place to unleash their anger. Lucien says they hear them coming, but they ain’t listening. They debut next week.
Loser Leaves NXT
The Dyad vs. The Creed Brothers
The Dyad attack the Creeds to start and Brutus gets Rip in the corner, where Julius leaps into his back and suplexes Jagger to the floor! Brutus takes Rip out of the ring, the match begins and Creed hits a Shooting Star Press off the top for two. Gacy makes the save — and he gets ejected from ringside as we go to PIP.
We’re back as Fowler hits a dropkick on Brutus for a two-count as Jagger leaves the ring. Fowler with a shoulderlock, Brutus gets to his feet and nails Rip, then goes for the tag but Rip nails him. Flower gets in front of Brutus but Brutus is slowly powering toward Julius, so Rip with a single arm DDT and a cover for two.
Rip beats on Brutus and kicks him in the head. Brutus picked up for a short-arm clothesline, cover for two. Fowler goes right into a cobra clutch, but Brutus gets up and fights mostly free. Rip nails him to stop the tag, but Brutus with a big vertical suplex. Brutus gets the hot tag and he takes out Jagger who tagged in, then Rip with a suplex. Jagger nails Julius but Julius fires back and sends The Dyad out of the ring, Sean Ross sappthen follows after and beats on them.
Rip is rolled in, Julius follows bit Jagger grabs his foot. RIp with a roll-up for two. Julius gets the tag to Brutus, Rip is on Brutus’ shoulders and gets knocked into a spinebuster for two.
My feed gets wonky here but when we come back Jagger is in control of Julius and yelling this is what he wanted. Julius grabs Jagger for a powerbomb, he folds him up for the cover but Rip breaks it up with a chop block. Julius goes after Rip and Jagger attacks, they get Julius to the outside and send him knee-first into the steps as we go to PIP break again.
The Dyad have been working over Julius’ leg pretty hard in the break, and when we come back Rip knocks Brutus off the apron and gets Julius up for a shot to the jaw. Rip with a taut single leg crab on Julius! He’s close to tapping, but he refuses to and drags his way free before kicking Rip in the head. Julius crawls and makes the hot tag, Brutus in hot and knocks Reid off the apron before Hulk Smashing Rip. Avalanche to rip in the corner, he gets Rip on his shoulders in a torture rack and drops him. Onto the apron with Brutus for a SPRINGBOARD SOMERSAULT SPLASH! Cover for a nearfall.
The straps are down on Brutus, who flips RIp over into an ankle lock. Rip struggles to reach the ropes and is about to tap, but he rolls over and kicks Brutus off. Up to the second rope for a Codebreaker, cover for two.
Jagger in now and he nails Brutus in the head, then does it again and tells Brutus to get up. Julius tells Brutus to fight for it, Reid nails Brutus but he Hulks up. BIG lariat flips Reid over. Julius tags in and gets Reid on his shoulder, RUp grabs Brutus as he’s trying to climb up. Reid gets free, Rip has Brutus on his shoulder — Reid dives INTO A DOOMSDAY DEVICE on the floor!
Julius is in alone and he fights off both of the Dyad — double suplex! Julius up top to moonsault both of them! Ava is in — and Ivy Nile chagres rtaight at her. A guy in a Schism mask and a red hoodie headbutts Julius. The Dyad hit Julius with a double team finisher to end it.
Winner: The Dyad (17:57)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: This built quite nicely and it sold the drama of it well. The Creeds look great in their loss and they’ll do great if given a chance on the main roster. Hell of a main event here.
Ava celebrates with The Dyad, and The Creeds and Ivy are desolate in the ring.
* Finn Balor says Trick and Melo aren’t sweating Judgment Day or him? Melo was sweating all over his ring on Raw. But he gets it. He says there will be no happy endings, and he’ll see him next Tuesday.
Set For Next Week:
– Freedom or Trial: Stacks vs. Joe COffey
– Tiffany Stratton vs. Ivy Nile
– The Judgment Day arrive
– Andre Chase & Duke Hudson vs. Drew Gulak & Charlie Dempsey
* Vic and Booker show a recap of the Creed Brothers saying goodbye to NXT moments ago.
* Bron Breakker is making his way to the ring. Bron gets on the mic and says in case some of us live under a rock, he competed in the biggest match in NXT history on the most-watched NXT show in over two years because he called out Seth Rollins. He says they battled, it was a war, but the kicker is not one of the people in the arena or at home believed he had a shot until he speared Rollins in the center of the ring and he heard the energy in the arena drop.
He says Seth would prove how good he is, but he can’t stress enough how close he was to winning the World Heavyweight Championship. A fraction of a second away from winning after just 78 matches. And he didn’t have the luxury of working in high schools before he signed. EVerything he’s done has been in this building for the world to see, and he beat one of the hottest stars in the business his first night here in LA Knight. He says he’s 25 years old, and he proved he can hang with the best in this business and is that damn good.
He says get used to seeing his face for decades to come, because he has a lot more people to beat and championships to get. He says a lot of people want to know what’s next for him —
AND HERE COMES ILJA! Ilja says Bron wants to know what’s next in line? Next in line is him. He wants to confront him like a man, not attack him backstage or in the middle of a match, but face to face. He says between him and the NXT Title, there’s only Bron and he’s here to eliminate him. He says Bron talks about danger, but he’s standing with the most dangerous man in NXT.
Ilja with a big kick to Bron! They brawl and officials try to separate them, along with the locker room. It’s to no avail, and Ilja knocks Bron off the apron. People try to break them up and Ilja lays everyone out to try to get to Bron. Bron is dragged away promising to kick Ilja’s ass.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
