wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 8.29.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! Jeremy Thomas as always here providing your coverage and recapping services, and tonight NXT deals with the fallout from last week’s Heatwave. Tonight’s show will see a fatal four-way match as Gigi Dolin, Roxanne Perez, Blair Davenport and Kiana James battle for a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship, while the Heritage Cup Global Invitational will kick off with Nathan Frazer vs. Joe Coffey and Butch vs. Charlie Dempsey. We’ll also see The Creed Brothers battle The Dyad in a steel cage for the chance to return to NXT on the line for the Creeds. Should be a fun show — hopefully no one will use real glass, and we’ll be fine.
Here at Thomas HQ, I had another week filled with movies. I kicked off the last seven days of movie watching with Shudder’s Quicksand, which was a well-acted but shoddily-written story of an estranged couple getting stuck in — well, quicksand in the Colombian rainforest. I finally saw Haunted Mansion which was a perfectly acceptable bit of family-friendly supernatural humor, though nothing to write home about. Meg 2: The Trench was a disappointment that had too few shark attacks and too many evil humans, while a rewatch of Clue brought plenty of laughs as it always does.
On the Clue note, I watched Who Done It: The Clue Documentary on Screambox which had a DIY charm but suffered badly from editing problems. I saw the upcoming lesbian werewolf coming-of-age film My Animal — look for a review of that next week when the embargo lifts — and the Netflix doc Untold: Hall of Shame about the BALCO lab doping scandal which was well done as much of the Untold documentaries are. And finally I watched Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which had its flaws but is better than its reputation and at least ended the franchise on an up note as opposed to where Kingdom of the Crystal Skull left us.
Not much TV watching this week, but I did continue catching up on my X-Men reading and am now at the start of this year in terms of X-Men comic releases, shortly before the Sins of Sinister event started. Really looking forward to where that goes!
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.
* In memory of Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt.
* We get a recap of the events from NXT Heatwave including Bron Breakker spearing Von Wagner, Rhea Ripley and Dirty Dom losing to Lyra and Dragon Lee, Noam Dar winning the Heritage Cup, Ivy Nile beating Ava and Ava getting kidnapped by the Creeds to set up tonight’s match, Ilja defeating Trick Williams after a tough battle, and Carmelo Hayes beating Wes Lee for the NXT Championship.
* We’re starting with the steel cage match!
Steel Cage Match
The Dyad vs. The Creed Brothers
Brutus gets attacked before he can get in the ring and Julius is trapped inside as the match starts and Brutus is beat down and carried off! Julius is now alone with The Dyad, and he goes on the attack! The Dyard take start to beat Julius down, he fights them off and hits a belly to belly on Reid, then one on Fowler!
Julius grabs Reid but Reid grabs him back and Fowler joins in. They go for a double suplex, but Julius reverses it! He knocks Fowler down and grinds Reid’s head against the wall, but the double team takes over again and they put Julius down with a back elbow of the ropes. Reid and Fowler beat on Creed and Fowler grinds his boot into Julius’ head.
The Dyad go to catapult Creed into the cage but Julius grabs hold, flips over and takes over! He locks Fowler in an anklelock, and when Gajjer attacks he picks him up for a one-armed powerbomb! Fowler reacges the cage wall and Reid attacks Creed with a knee from behind. The Dyad go to grind Julius’ head against the cage, Creed blocks it but they whip him into the ropes and launch him into the cage! And we’re on a PIP break.
We’re back as The Dyad are double teaming Julius on the apron. They slam him into the cage and he falls into the ring. The Dyad lie in wait as a couple of Schism members are thrown in from the ramp — BRUTUS IS BACK! He’s fighting his way through Schism members, launching them into the cage. He stares at Gace who has the key and chases him around the ring, taking out Schism members along the way and Hulk tossing a bunch of Schism members out of his way!
Brutus grabs the cage — AND RIPS IT OFF! He carried the cage into the ring and starts tossing The Dyad with suplexes! Brutus grabs the cage door and picks it up, smashing Reid and then Fowler with it. And then again to each of them! Reid comes at him and he nails a double leg takedown, then Hulk smashes him. Fowler picks him up for a suplex and he lands on his fee, then launches Fowler into the cage.
Brutus picks up Julius and they grab Reid, throwing him into the cage once, twice, thrice — frice! The fourth time into Fowler to boot. Reid up on Julius’ shoulders but Reid makes the save and they shove Julius into Brutus on the top, then take him down. Brutus laid out in the ring, Reid with mounted punches to him. Dyad grab the cage door and try to smash it on Brutus, he’s blocking it and Julius is there to help! They get to their feet and press the cage door down on The Dyad!
Julius grabs both Dyad members in the corner and get them on his shoulders. Brutus is on the top — BRUTUS BOWL to both Dyad members!Double diving clothesline, that gets it.
Winner: The Creed Brothers (13:55)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: The result was always obvious; the question was how they were gonna book the match. It went very well in this case with a lot of very fun, memorable spots that made both Julius and Brutus look like absolute stars. Great start to the show, no doubt.
* Roxy gets a vignette where she says a few months ago she would have said she respected Roxy, Kiana, and Blair for their various reasons. But if she did that now, it would be a damn lie. She doesn’t care if she has to walk over three bodies to get back the title. She was called the prodigy for a reason. She’s done hearing about her potential and how long of a career she’ll have. She wants it now, and tonight is her first step in getting back what she didn’t lose in the first place.
* We get a vignette laying out the Global Heritage Invitational and the competitors. It’s a round robin group stage tournament like the G1 Climax, 5STAR Grand Prix, etc. The winners of each group face off in a match on September 26th, and that winner faces Dar at NXT No Mercy.
* Tony and Stacks are backstage with their titles when Melo comes up and they commiserate over being champions. The Street Profits show up and say they love what Melo is doing with the title, but want to know next. Melo says he appreciates the love but he has to remove the asterisk so he’s gonna go. Tony and Stacks say the Profits used to run this place, and Montez teases chasing the titles when they’re here next. Then the NXT women come in brawling.
NXT Heritage Global Invitational – Group A
Charlie Dempsey vs. Butch
My feed had issues to start but when it comes in, Dempsey flips Butch over and goes into a shoulderlock. Butch reverses it and steps on Dempsey’s neck for good measure, then goes for the joints. Dempsey reverses for joint manipulation, and twists Butch’s arm in place for a stomp on the elbow.
Dempsey into the ropes, Butch goes over and then under, then nails Dempsey on the rebound. Butch then starts to work on the joints and stomps Dempsey’s elbow, he starts in with mounted punches for four. Chops to Dempsey, who fires back with a strike and they trade blows until Butch hits an enzuigiri and stomps his hands. Kick ducked by Dempsey, who hits a German for two. Butch turns it into a kimura, Dempsey with a suplex for two.
Dempsey with an inverted STF but Butch blocks it and goes to the fingers, stomp to the hand and then kick to the head. Butch up top, but Dempsey gets up in time and joins him. Full nelson superplex but Butch lands on his feet! He grabs Dempsey’s arm, finger snap, Butter End, that’s three.
Winner: Butch (4:49)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: The best you can get out of just under five minutes. These two were always going to deliver and they did just that.
* Ilja is WALKING backstage.
* McKenzie asks Dragon Lee if he’s back in NXT North American Championship striking range after his win last week and he says yes, putting over Lyra. Mustafa Ali comes in and says that Lee had his shot and lost, while he hasn’t had a shot. Ali is sick of an outsider like Dom walking around with the title. Lee agrees with that, and Ali says Lee stepped up and struck out so he should be next.
* Dragunov is in the ring and says last week he stood in the ring with a man who desperately tried to prove himself. And he has to admit, Trick impressed him. Trick isn’t just a mere entertainer and is definitely not a sidekick. He deserves everyone’s respect. But as he said to Wes Lee last week, now nothing stands in his way to the NXT Championship. He says that he wants to send a message to Melo —
And Noam Dar interrupts saying it’s time for a Supernova Sessions. He says Ilja is begging and pleading for a rematch with Hayes and it’s sad and pathetic, while they already have their first-class tickets booked for No Mercy. Ilja is glad that Dar and his friends can enjoy the finer things. They say “real recognize real” and Ilja says Noam is a lucky man in how he’s gotten help holding onto the Heritage Cup.
Ora Mensah says Ilja is — something in German. Ilja says to give him one reason why he shouldn’t join them up there. Lash and Jakara say Noam isn’t scared of anyone, Ora asks where Ilja’s title is and Noam says he has lots of excuses. Ija sees where this is going and takes his jacket off, but they stop him and Noam says let’s make this official for next week. An all out war. In one corner, the Mad Dragon — Ora says him in the other corner. He says Ilja doesn’t deserve to be in the same ring with Dar and steps in the ring. Ilja says he’ll break Ora, and they start brawling which leads to Mensah getting an enzuigir and Ora escaping the ring.
* Von Wagner cuts a promo saying Bron is pissed he got tabled, and he’s pissed he got taken out. He says next week it’s Bron vs. Von, No DQ.
Elektra Lopez & Lola Vice vs. Dana Brooke & Kelani Jordan
Kelani and Elekta start off and Kelani ranas Elektra, which leads to Lola tagging in. She takes Kelani down and tags in Elektra, they knock her down and double hip check her, Lopez with a one-count.
Lopez picks Kelani up, Kelani goes over for a sunset flip for one. Kelani sent into the corner, Lopez with a spin kick for two. Lola tags in, Kelani whipped into a spinning back fist for two. Short-arm knee-lift, but a second one gets Kelani a roll-up for two. Kelani with a spinning heel kick, she makes the hot tag to Dana who comes in and batters Lopez in the corner. Back elbows to Lopez and a short-arm clothesline, then a second and third. Whip into the corner, Lola in and whipped into Lopez. Handspring splash, into the ropes for a wheelbarrow bulldog for two.
Kelani tags in and is flipped into a moonsault on Lopez, cover but Lola breaks it up. Dana tackles Lola and they go out of the ring, Dana thrown into the steps. Kelani is distracted and taken out, Lopez picks her up and Lola with a spin kick for three.
Winner: Elektra Lopez & Lola Vice (4:00)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Sloppy at times and mostly not very inspired. They tried to rush with the time they had and it hurt as a result.
* We get a vignette for Gigi Dolin talking about how the road to the Women’s Title is the choice between the devil you know and the one you don’t. The devil she knows is chaos and a four-way match is chaos. She says the stupidest Tiffany did was allow her in this match and says she’ll see her next week.
* Trick is backstage when Melo walks in. Trick says he spoke with the Street Profits, and Melo says he can’t have people thinking that the only reason he beat Ilja is Trick. Trick says that’s crazy talk and Melo agrees — unless it is true. He asks Trick if he thinks he can beat Ilja and Trick says as far as he thinks. Melo doesn’t seem convinced. Trick starts to say “I don’t think — ” and Melo cuts him off and leaves. Trick says he doesn’t think Melo can; he knows Melo can.
Dijak vs. Eddy Thorpe
Eddy attacks Dijak on his way out and hits a front dropkick to send Dijak into the steps, then rolls him in and nails him in the corner as the bell rings for a two-count. Brainbuster by Thorpe, cover for two.
Thorpe comes off the ropes for a diving elbow but Dijak grabs him by the throat and slams him down for two. Both men slow to get up, Dijak goozles Eddy but Eddy counters and rolls up Dijak for two. Dijak with a thrust kick, he charges right into a kick by Thorpe. They trade strikes, and both men are down now.
Dijak takes his belt off and wraps it around his hand, he goes for the shot and Thorpe ducks. He nails Dijak and grabs the belt, but Dijak blocks it. They fight for the belt, Thorpe with a kick to the gut and Dijak with one of his own. Dijak goes to send Thorpe into the ringpost but Eddy reverses.
Dijak falls to the floor, Eddy dives onto him! He goes to roll Dijak in but Djiak shoves him into the commentator booth. He grabs Eddy and flings him into the commentator seats, then rolls him in the ring and grabs a chair to slide in with. He prepares to swing, Eddy ducks. Kick to the head of Dijak who slips out of the ring, the ref takes the chair out as Eddy dives — right into a loaded fist! Spin kick from Dijak finishes it.
Winner: Dijak (4:20)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: This was perfectly fine, it was basically move after move without much story behind the slow escalation but that’s acceptable here.
* Kiana says you think of success when you think of her. She says Roxy’s been through so much, Gigi rides her mommy issues, and Blair has an identity crises. She doesn’t make excuses like them; she makes things happen no matter the cost and she’ll do what it takes tonight to win.
* Baron Corbin is telling at a PA backstage when Bron comes up asking for a thank you for saving him last week. Corbin asks if it looked like he needed to be saved? He says Bron’s ego is too much but if he loses next week, he can fall back on his T-Shirt making. Bron says he’s going to end Von’s dream and if Baron gets involved? Corbin says he doesn’t care about Bron or Von. Bron says good because if he does, it’ll be the End of Days. Co0rbin laughs and walks off.
* We get Angel Garza waking up in bed and bleeding. He washes his hands and there’s a knock at the door. He opens it and it’s Humberto, who says he had a dream about grandpa. Angel did too. They share their dreams and Angel says he woke up with claw marks on his pec. Humberto reveals he did too. Angel says they did everything side by side but it all got ripped away. Angel says their grandpa is looking down on them and they have to start anew. They’re going to take what he gave them further than they ever thought possible. They’ll grab glory for themselves, but also him. They return next week.
* We get a vignette paying homage to Bray Wyatt. It’s the same one (I believe) that they aired on Smackdown. As always, shout-out to the WWE production team who can make video packages like none other, in or out of wrestling. We come back to the CWC full of Fireflies — including from Vic and Booker — and “Thank You Bray!” as Wyatt’s chair is on the ramp.
* We get a vignette for Blair who says the other three are former champions and she’s not a champion yet, but she has a history of destroying people all over the globe. Winning tonight is a foregone conclusion and she’s smiling because she gets to inflict pain.
* Rhea and Dom appear in a Twitter video and joke about Dragon Lee and Mustafa Ali wanting title shots. Rhea says what matters is Dom is going to stay champion. Dom says he’s champion for life, and suggests Ali and Lee fight it out and he’ll face the winner at No Mercey. Rhea whispers to Dom and he agrees, saying there has to be a winner so he’ll be special guest referee. Rhea thinks he’ll look good in the striped shirt.
Global Heritage Invitational – Group B
Joe Coffey vs. Nathan Frazer
They circle and lock up, Joe tosses Nathan. Nathan with a waistlock but gets thrown off. Joe with a waistlock and puts him on the mat, but Nathan dodges an elbow drop. Joey with a wristlock, Frazer flips out of it and reverses. Coffey tries to fight out and gets Frazer on the ropes, shot to the gut, whip into the ropes, Nathan up and over but he gets caught by Gallus from the outside. Coffey slams him down.
Into the ropes, Nathan ducks a clothesline and hits a dropkick. Headlock takedown, back to their feet and Joe throws him off. Front suplex hangs Frazer against the ropes, back suplex and a cover for two.
Frazer shoves into the corner, he charges put is put up and over to the apron. Frazer off the ropes and knocks Coffey off the apron to the booth as we go to break.
We’re back as Frazer gets a springboard inverted DDT on Coffey to turn the tide. Both men up and they6 trade strikes in the center of the ring. Frazer into the ropes and takes Coffey down, spinning suplex for two!
Coffey turns it around and lifts Frazer for a Euro uppercut. Glasgow Sendoff, German suplex with a bridge for a nearfall. Coffey is up now and charges, but Frazer dodges and sends Coffey to the outside, he dives (mostly) onto Coffey! Frazer gets Coffey in, frog splash but Coffey kicks out at just before three.
Frazer up top but Coffey cuts him off, Coffey goes for a super German suplex but gets elbowed off. He goes back up, Frazer lands on his feet and takes Coffey out! Phoenix Splash but Coffey moves, he wipes out Frazer for the pin.
Winner: Joe Coffey (10:10)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Very good effort by both men, just a tiny bit of sloppiness but they had a really fun match all in all.
* It’s Chase U time! But Thea is absent. Chase asks where she is and Duke says “Late obviously.” Andre asks if she skipped and Duke says no. Chase then talks about Duke being in the Global Heritage Invitational and Duke asks in his accent, “What gave it away?” Chase says he thought he was from New Zealand. Chase runs down the points and says he knows Duke will bring another trophy to Chase U.
Chase dismisses class and Duke and Chase talk as Thea walks in. Chase isn’t happy Thea missed class and Duke says it’s fine if she missed one. Duke plays peacekeeper and says they’re heading to study hall, but Thea has plans to go out — with Jacy Jayne. Off they go.
* NXT Anonymous captures Fallon talking with Myles Borne and has a proposition. She says Briggs & Jensen are looking for a third to face Gulak, Dempsey and Kemp. He’s game, and she says she’ll let them know.
* We get an Instagram video from Wes Lee thanking everyone for the positive comments, and says he’s taking time to clear his mind because Heatwave didn’t go as planned. He says he and Melo are done because Melo didn’t beat him; he beat himself. He’s not gonna stop fighting for the next shot.
* McKenzie asks Tyler Bate how he stacks up against Group A in the Invitational and he says it’s not easy for him. He praises Dempsey and Axiom, and says he and Butch have known each other for some time and he’s a great friend and perhaps his biggest rival. Maybe they can settle it. But before that, he has to deal with Dabba-Kato. He says he’ll be in the ring next week and implores Dabba-Kato to show up, saying he’ll be the David to his Goliath.
– Dragon Lee vs. Mustaga Ali (Dirty Dom is guest referee)
– No DQ Match: Bron Breakker vs. Von Wagner
– NXT Women’s Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. TBA
NXT Women’s #1 Contender’s Match
Roxanne Perez vs. Blair Davenport vs. Gigi Dolin vs. Kiana James
We pair off with Blair & Gigi, and Roxy & Kiana. Gigi and Kiana are dumped from the ring and start fighting as Roxy dives onto Blair, beats on her and then goes to knock Gigi off the apron. Blair grabs Roxy and knocks her head into the ropes, she picks Roxy up but Roxy slides off. Roll-up by Blair fails and we get a series of quick pin attempts by all four.
Kiana with a headlock on Roxy, it turns into roll-ups by Gigi and Roxy at the same time for two-counts. THey brawl again, it ends with Roxy and Gigi in the ring though they go to the apron and trade shots. Gigi drops Roxy on the apron and goes to the floor where Kiana grabs her. Blair takes out Gigi with a dive, Kiana moonsaults off the barricade onto Blair and then Roxy dives on Kiana as we go to PIP break.
We’re back in a chain of submissions until Blair breaks hers and attacks Roxy. She tosses Roxy into the corner and charges, Roxy moves and goes up top but gets kicked in the head. Blair up top, she goes for a superplex but Roxy blocks it. Kiana joins them up top, Gigi grabs them all for a mass suplex/powerbomb!
Gigi up and kicks Blair, kicks Kiana a few times, ducks a clothesline and nails Blair with an elbow and then a hip check against the ropes and diving dropkick! Cover gets two. SHe goes for a double underhook suplex, Blair counter and slams Gigi into the bottom rope.
Kiana with an enzuigiri to Blair, then knocks GIgi into the ringpost to the floor. Kiana and Blair jockey for position, Roxy with a crossbody! The ladies catch her but she ranas Blair and then Kiana! Charging Euro uppercut to Blair, to Kiana, then to both! She is up on the second rope for a five-count of fists to Kiana and then hits ROxy with a high crossbody. Russian legsweep but Blaire counters. She goes for a DDT on Kiana but Gigi takes Blair out, Roxy takes out Gigi and goes for Pop Rocks on Kiana — but Blair takes her out! Kiana sent to the outside, Blair slams Roxy down and covers but Gigi breaks it up.
Blair counters a Gigi Driver and hits a German suplex. She bridges but Roxy breaks it up. Roxy tosses Gigi and goes to the apron for a rana to the floor. Kick to the gut, Pop Rocks but Blair kicks her in the head during the maneuver! She rolls Roxy in and goes up top for a double stomp. She grabs Roxy and goes for a suplex, Roxy floats over and kicks Blair — Pop Rocks but Blair to the outside!
Gigi in and nails ROxy with a knee, Gigi Driver but Roxy escapes. Kick to the head, but Kiana comes in with a DDT! Kiana takes out Gigi and gets the pin!
Winner: Kiana James (11:38)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Damned fine main event here. I question Kiana vs. Tiffany Stratton as a match, heel vs. heel rarely works well. Kiana will be an acceptable enough one-night opponent for Tiff, but still she is the strangest choice.
* Melo walks up to Shawn Michael’s door and steps inside, saying “We need to talk.”
And with that, we’re done for the night!
