wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 8.8.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! It’s Jeremy Thomas as always, and tonight Dominick Mysterio defends the NXT North American Championship with his father in the corner of challenger Dragon Lee! In addition, Tyler Bate will challenge Noam Dar in a Heritage Cup Rules Match for Dar’s so-called “Heritage Cup” while Von Wagner matches up with Bron Breakker and Axiom takes on Mustafa Ali for the next shot at the North American Championship. We’ll probably get more from Wes Lee vs. Carmelo Hayes as well, along with Ilja Dragunov’s renewed war with Trick Williams and the tension in Chase U. Should be an enjoyable show.
Here at he Thomas household, I’m on the homestretch of my remote coverage for Fantasia International Film Festival. This past week I watched (and posted reviews of) the excellent Satanic documentary Satan Wants You as well as the single location thriller #Manhole, the experimental visual essay Home Invasion and the vampire short film Transylvanie (capsule reviews of the latter three are here. There are a couple more still on the way as well over the next day or so.
Outside of my Fantasia coverage, I finished up season one of Canada’s Drag Race and watched the first episode of Drag Race All Stars season eight runner-up Kandy Muse’s new show Inside the Producer’s Studio. I recommend it all.
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.
* Rhea Ripley is here with Dominick and says that Dom will put Dragon lee in his place, while Dom thinks it’ll be hilarious to beat Lee in front of his deadbeat dad.
* Earlier today, a car pulled up in the parking lot with Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio inside. Lee says Rey doesn’t know how much this means to him and Rey says he has the best seat in the house as the future of lucha libre becomes North American champion. He asks Lee to show Dom some humility.
Axiom vs. Mustafa Ali
They circle and go into a test of strength to start. Lee steps on Axiom’s hand but Axiom flips out before being put in a headlock. Ali shot into the ropes and runs Axiom over, kick o the back. Into the ropes, armdrag takedown by Ali and they trade counters, Ali gets a two count. Axiom trips Ali for his own two count.
Back up and they lock up, Axiom backed into the corner. Knife-edge chops by Ali, Axiom ducks a third and lays in chops and slaps. Ali with a kick to the gut, he puts Axiom in the corner for a Euro uppercut. Irish whip refersed, Axiom charges and is put on the corner. Shot from Ali who goes to the apron and gets kicked in the head — Axiom with a RANA SENDING ALI INTO THE DESK!
Axiom rolls Ali in and goes to go up top but SCRYPTS is at the ramp. Axiom comes in but gets rolled up for two, Ali with a kick to Axiom’s gut. Suplex but Axiom floats over, springboard armdrag and a rollup attempt blocked, but he hits a backdrop and standing moonsault for two. Axiom decks Ali and puts him up top, he climbs up but Ali knocks him down. Flip off the corner and a big clothesline for two.
Bronco NIma and Lucian Price are there now and Axiom rolls up Ali for two. Into the ropes, Ali with a kick to the charging Axiom. Axiom goes to dive but Ali goes over and Axiom hits the floor. Dropkick from Ali once Axiom tries to climb in, cover for two as the trio leaves the ramp. Ali puts Axiom in the corner, Irish whip reversed. Axiom charges but Ali to the apron for a kick, he goes for a neckbreaker but Axiom counters into a sleeper. Ali gets to his feet but Axiom holds on — Ali hits a big suplex to break it!
Both men slow to get up, Ali grabs Axiom for a powerbomb but Axiom escapes and takes Ali out! Ali to the outside and Axiom to the top rope — DIVE onto Ali! But Axiom is holding the knee and limping. He rolls Ali in and goes to follow but eats a knee to the jaw. Ali out of the ring for a neckbreaker on the mats. He rolls Axiom in and climbs up top — 450 but Axiom moves.
Axiom with a spinning DDT, cover but Ali kicks out — and Axiom right into the armbar! Ali escapes and goes for a sharpshooter! Axiom is close to the ropes so Ali transitions to a crossface, Axiom escapes and hits a Tornado DDT! Cover for a nearfall!
Axiom goes to climb up but Ali with an enzuigiri. Axiom fires back and Ali to the apron. Axiom is up top, they start trading shots. Ali grabs at Axiom and yanks on the mask, then a surprised Ali shoves Axiom to the floor. He rolls Axiom in, 450 and that finishes it.
Winner: Mustafa Ali (10:13)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Great match to kick off the show, as if we expected any different. Ali is making this sketchy (yet not full heel) thing interesting thus far and I’m excited to see him fight for the title.
Ali says after the match that he will face whoever wins tonight for the title and is campaigning to become next champion.
* A bunch of people have been laid out backstage by Schism. Joe Gacy grabs the camera and says they will find the Creeds even if they have to turn NXT upside down. They continue the assault as we cut away.
Kelani Jordan vs. Blair Davenport
Lock upo to start, Kelani backed into the ropes. Blair kicks Kelani through to the floor, she runs right back in but gets put on the mat. Kelani back to her feet, Blair with a wristlock, Kelani reverses and wrenches on Blair’s shoulder. Headlock by Jordan, she springboards intot he ropes for a rana and then hits a crossbody for two.
Blair kicks Kelani in the gut but misses a second kick, Jordan covers for two and then comes off the ropes, she sloppily flips over for a backslide pin for two. Blair escapes to the outside, Kelani follows and they head right back in where Blair takes over with a headslam into the corner. Snapmare takedown and cover for two.
Blair with a chinlock to slow it down, Kelani tries to fight out of it and gets to her feet. Elbows and fists to the gut, she clotheslines Blair a few times and hits a handspring back elbow for two. Kelani goes for a Rocker Dropper type move, Blair escapes and Jordan escapes a charge. Jordan on the ropes but Blair kicks her in the gut to double her over the middle rope then goes up top for a leaping stomp to the head. Big held knee finishes it.
Winner: Blair Davenport (3:35)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Way too rushed; they tried to pack five minutes into three and a half and Kelani isn’t ready for that yet. She has a lot of potential though, and the win here was something Blair needed after GAB.
Dana Brooks chases Blair with a belt and Kelani tries to pull her off, then almost gets hit with the belt.
* McKenzie asks Von Wagner about Bron’s promo from last week. Stone steps in and says sticks and stones, but Von says it’s cool. He says people have talked bad about him all his life. But tonight it’s Badass Bron who needs to be put in his place. He tells Bron he can run his ass all night, but tonight he’s getting table.
“Heritage Cup” Match
Noam Dar vs. Tyler Bate
Round One
They circle to start, Dar with some feeling out strikes before hitting a waistlock takedown. They jockey for position, Bate gets a headscissors. Dar manages to escape and slaps Bate, then applied a spinning toe hold. He picks Bate up and snaps the arm over his shoulder a couple times. Bate flips through and hits a dropkick, Dar in the corner and the ref waves Bate off.
Back into it and Bate with a wristlock takedown. He works the shoulder, Dar escapes and tackles Bate, then wraps up the leg. He picks Bate up in a front facelock, takedown for two.
Back to their feet, Bate picks Dar up and drops him. Headlock, they trade counters, dodge some strikes and drop each other to the mat. Lockup and the round ends.
Round Two (0 – 0)
Bate with a waistlock top open the round, Dar reverses it but Bate sends him through the ropes. Bate bounces off the ropes and nails Dar off the apron and then dives onto him. He rolls Dar in and goes for the Tyler Driver ’97 for the pin as we go to PIP break.
Round Three (Bate Up 1 – 0)
We’re back from PIP break with 0:27 left as this round has been pretty back and forth. Bate is in control and goes up top, but Dar nails him and climbs up. Bate knocks him down and leaps, the knee buckles. They both end up on the mat and deck each other, Bate nearly gets the final fall.
Round Four (Bate Up 1 – 0)
Dar comes out kicking away to start the round. He gets Bate in the corner but Bate with a big knee, he comes off the top and takes Dar down. Dar up on the shoulders for a spinning slam, cover for two.
Bate goes for the standing moonsault but Dar gets the knees up and gets a two-count. Dar gets another two-count and then locks in a knee submission. Bate escapes but Dar quickly locks it back in in the center of the ring. Bate tries to get to the ropes to no avail, he’s holding on but taps finally with 40 seconds left.
Dar holds onto the hold well after the bell.
Round Five (1 – 1 Tie)
Dar goes in hard but Bate dodges — Dar with a kick to the back of the knee. He kicks Bate against the ropes and then lays in with strikes to the head. The official backs Dar up at five and Dar argues with the ref. Bate with a flip kick to Dar!
Bate leaps over a kick and then starts battering the shit out of Dar. The ref backs him up, Dar attacks but Bate hits a belly to back suplex. Backhand from Bate, he goes into the ropes for a springboard and Dar grabs the knee! Bate escapes, Ora Mensah on the apron and gets knocked down. Dar decks Bate but Bate with a small package. Bate off the ropes and a big clothesline, Dar counters Tiger Driver ’97. Dar goes for a small package, reversed by Bate for three!
Winner: Tyler Bate (Round Five, 2 – 1)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Very good match that saw the expected win, so Dar has to deal with losing the “title” again. It means we don’t have to go into a Dar vs. Frazer “unification” which would have been fun, but this is a different route so I’m for it.
* Tank is fired up backstage and tells Hank he has a great tag team name: Smashmouth! Hank doesn’t think they can use it. Dyad walk up with Schism and demand to know where the Creeds are. They don’t know and get beat down as Joe Gacy says to keep looking.
* McKenzie is with Ilja and asks if he’s cooled down. Ilja says he’s going to the ring and expects Trick to meet him there. He makes no predictions what’s next, all he can promise for Trick is pain.
* Carmelo is watching the monitors waiting for what’s about to happen when Dijak walks in and says he needs to pay attention to him because he has one more mettle to test against. Wes Lee walks in and says he needs to talk to Melo, but Dijak says Lee isn’t in any title picture. Lee says that he doesn’t mind reminding Dijak who he is, and Dijak walks off. Lee turns around and Melo isn’t there, but Dijak attacks and throws him into the lockers before walking off.
* Ilja Dragunov is in the ring with a mic and a suit! He says it’s time for Trick to take responsibility for his actions, and don’t dare keep him waiting! Trick comes out toward the ring with a mic, stopping on the ramp. He says there won’t be hand-holding or Kumbaya-singing tonight.
He says Ilja means business and so does he. He gets in the ring and Ilja asks if he’s serious because after GAB he has no right making demands. He warns Trick not to take a further step. He reminds Trick what happened last time they were in the ring. Trick says he let his anger get the best of him and Ilja showed why he’s the Dragon, but he has a proposal for Ilja.
Ilja says he wants retribution because Trick cost him the title. Trick says he’s not the reason Ilja doesn’t have Melo’s title, and he didn’t even hit Ilja with the title; Ilja ran into the title. He says Ilja wants to beat him, so let’s do it in a match. One that proves Trick isn’t a sidekick, and one that proves he can beat one of the top names in NXT.
Ilja says that Trick doesn’t know what he’s asking for and he is full of wrath. Every time he gets close to the title, something happens and this time Trick happened. Ilja tells Trick to think what he’s asking for, because he will break Trick.
Trick tells Ilja to bring his A-game. He knows Ilja is the guy who beat Gunther, Bron and everyone but Melo. He wants Ilja to bring his game at Heat Wave, because Trick will too. Ilja grants the unusual request and says he’ll see Trick at Heat Wave where his career will die.
* McKenzie asks Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey who were going to face Hank and Tank before the Schism beatdown. Drew says the boys are soft and Dempsey says everyone wants to talk tough unless they’re injured. Damon Kemp walks in and says that he wants to prove he’s tough, but Drew and Charlie don’t take shortcuts against one guy. Briggs and Jensen come in and say they want Drew & Dempsey, they agree.
* Bron is walking and is asked about Von saying he’d put him through a table. He responds, “gimme a break.”
* Rey Mysterio tells Roxy he was impressed with what he saw from her at Great American Bash. He sees Thea off to the side and walks up to her, she gets nervous. Rey says he knows what it feels like to be the ultimate underdog and he sees the heart she shows every week. He knows she’ll be a champion.
Thea says she knows Rey isn’t getting along with Dom but still loves him, right? He says he doesn’t agree with Dom and doesn’t like his friends, but he loves him and hopes he returns to the family. Rey leaves and Andre and Duke walk up. Thea says that unlike Chase, Rey wouldn’t throw in the towel.
Bron Breakker vs. Von Wagner
Lock up to start, Bron kicks Von and gets him in the shoulder for shoulderblocks. Von turns it around and hits some of his own. He sends Bron into the opposite corner, Bron comes out and runs Von over. Von gets a frew shoulder blocks of his own though and slams Bron down, Bron rolls to the outside. The NXT crowd calls for the table and Von goes out, grabbing Bron but Bron pushed Von into the apron.
Back in the ring, Von batters Bron and sends him into the ropes. Bron ducks a clothesline and comes off the ropes a few times, clotheslining Von down. He manhandles Von and the grinds his knee into Von in the corner. Bron backs up for a charging knee, cover for two.
Bron grabs Von and pulls him up but Von fires off. Charging big boot, Bron moves and Von gets his foot on the rope. Kick to Von’s leg and a suplex. Standing moonsault from Von for two. Bron with some pushups in the ring and talks trash to Von, Von fires off with punches but eats a knee to the gut. Bron goes for a suplex, Von counters out and they come off the ropes for a double clothesline.
Bron is up first but Von fires off first with punches. Short-arm clothesline, an “elbow” to the heard that misses. Von catches both Bron’s arms and hits a few headbutts, then knocks Bron down. Off the ropes for a big boot, the crowd calls for tables. Von lies in wait, Von gets him on his shoulders, Bron grabs the ropes and escapes, big spear finishes it.
Winner: Bron Breakker (5:13)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: This was a perfectly fine match with some sloppy moments. Didn’t love it by any stretch but for a five-minute match it wasn’t offensively bad.
Bron grabs Stone and pulls him in the ring for a gorilla press but Von makes the save and knees Bron to the floor. He grabs Bron — POWERBOMB through the table!
* Eddy Thorpe talks about his heritage and says that when he wants to feel grounded, he heads to nature. He is furious because Dijak dropped him twice with a boot and left him in the ring with an injured arm. he isn’t blaming anyone else and has to re-adjust. He thinks about his ancestors and living without fear. That’s what he has to do to overcome Dijak.
* Rhea and Dom are backstage and Rhea says Rey being here proves he’s making the Mysterio name relevant. Lyra walks in and asks if she’s interrupting, and then says that she did what Rhea said by beating Rhea. She gets what Rhea does; she manipulates people. Rhea says Dom is already the greatest NXT North American Champion. Lyra tells Rhea to practice what she preaches — or does Mami need to help Dom again? She walks off and Dom says that only he calls Rhea Mami.
* The Tag Champs are doing their photo shoot when Schism walk in. The Dyad demand to know where the Creeds are, and they say they know nothing. Rip Fowler says they just said they knew something, and they talk about how Tiffany Stratton will star in the next Barbie and Wes Lee doesn’t know where he is because he’s always —
Ava interrupts and the Dyad threaten to beat Tony and Stacks down. They bust out their crowbars and Dyad say they have something they want in the titles. Gacy tells them to stay focused and Schism leaves.
Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen vs. Drew Gulak & Charlie Dempsey
Jensen and Gulak start off, they lock up and Gulak gets pushed into the corner but turns it around and hits some chops. Jensen puts Gulak in the corner and batters him, he hits a bodyslam and an elbow drop. But Gulak turns it around with a back elbow and tags in Gulak, who hits a headlock takedown.
As Dempsey is working Jensen over, Gulak asks Myles Borne for water and he doesn’t have any so he gets sent to the back. Jensen hits some armdrags in the ring, Briggs tags in and chops Charlie, then bodyslams him. ELbowdrop and cover for two. Jensen tags back in, double pick up for a bodyslam but Dempsey escapes and tags in Gulak, who rushes into a bodyslam.
Briggs & Jensen work Gulak over, Gulak manages to kick Briggs off the ropes but Briggs picks him up and slams him down. Dempsey is yelling at the ref and Briggs & Jensen hit the double uppercut. Dempsey tags in and takes over on Briggs, he tags in Gulak and holds Briggs for a knee to the head. Gulak takes Briggs down and works over the arm, going for the armbar. Briggs turns it into a pin for two, he grabs Gulak and picks him up with one arm to slam him down.
Jensen tags in and takes out both heels in the hot tag moment. Bodyslam to Gulak, he sends Dempsey into the ropes for a powerslam, cover but Gulak breaks it up. All four men brawling now, it spills top the outside. Briggs throws Gulak in and follows, Jensen rolls Dempsey in but Damon Kemp attacks Jensen. Jensen rolled in and Dempsey with the full suplex pin.
Winner: Drew Gulak & Charlie Dempsey (5:46)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Again, this was fine for a five-plus minute match but not exactly great. It accomplished its goal but I don’t care too much about anyone involved in this match, and this didn’t help.
* Dana Brooke confronts Kelani and asks what that was tonight. She was hesitant and Dana says people are joking about her and making fun of her. She’s experienced it too and she doesn’t want that for Kelani. Kelani says she gets it but this is her third match and she doesn’t know what her killer instinct is. Dana says she’ll show her next week against Blair Davenport.
Ivy Nile vs. Kiana James
James attacks before the bell and goes in hard after Ivy, throwing her shoulder-first into the ringpost. Ivy manages to turn it around and get Kiana on the apron, Kiana drops down and pulls Ivy to the outside. Kiana throws Ivy into the ringpost again and hits a suplex onto the mats. She slams Ivy’s arm on the floor and rolls her in, cover for two.
James with a bodyslam, Ivy floats over for the dragon sleeper but Kiana escapes and goes to the outside. Ivy goes after her but gets her shoulder snapped against the ropes. Kiana in, cover for two. We’re off to PIP break.
We’re back and Nile fights off James as Schism are out on the stage watching. James gets a kick to Nile as the Schism approaches and stands around the ring. James covers for two and goes into an overhead elbowlock.
Schism starts beating on the mat as Nile gets James on her shoulders. James escapes it but Nile takes over, taking James down several times and hitting a rana. Leaping thrust kick in the corner, but James hits a spinebuster and transitions into a Fujiwara armbar. Nile manages to reverse into a roll-up for two, she hits a powerslam for another two.
Nile locks in the Drgaon sleeper but Ava distracts her. She lets go and says something to Ava, but James takes advantage and finishes it.
Winner: Kiana James (7:42)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Very solid match, other than the attention being completely taken away by the Schism stuff.
After the match, James flees and Schism enters the ring to attack Ivy and ask where the Creeds are. Tony D’Angelo and Stacks come down with crowbars to clear the ring! Schism aren’t happy.
* Angel is in his apartment and Humberto is in his, texting each other. They’re connecting over their grandfather. Humbert says they’re embarrassing him. Angel says they should be honoring him.
* Bate is backstage with his “Heritage Cup” when Meta-Four walk up and say they need Dar’s property back. He says he won fair and square. They say he needs it back as his emotional support. Bate says he’s not giving up his title and Frazer walks in with his Cup. They say it’s like seeing double. Dar wants the Cup back and Frazer says Bate will give it up if he admits it’s fake.
Dar refuses to and says if he gives it up, he’ll give him a title shot at Heat Wave. Dar equivocates in the extreme and he gets the “cup” back. The match is on, and Frazer tells Bate he knows; he owes him one.
* McKenzie is with Tiffany Stratton and asks what’s next for her. She says it’s a good question and she has a lot going on. She went on a shopping spree and for her live event appearance this weekend and saw a pink one-piece that was so Barbie. But then she saw a blue dress and she thought she looked hot in it, which was a dilemma. She says whatever she looks like, she’ll be great. McKenzie says that’s not what she meant and she says McKenzie’s right; pink is the way to go.
* Trick is leaving when Wes Lee drives up to say tell Melo he’s coming for him. He says he’s not his message boy and then Gulak, Dempsey and Kemp walks up to talk shit. Melo tells them to show up next week and he has something special for them. He walks up, Myles Borne walks up and Drew says he’s late.
Set For Next Week:
– NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Family vs. The Dyad
– Blair Davenport vs. Dana Brooke
* Rey Mysterio comes down and gets a mic. The NXT audience chants “Rey!” for him and he hypes them up and introduces the future North American Champion, Dragon Lee!
NXT North American Championship Match
“Dirty” Dominick Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee
Lock up to start, they go to the corner and Dragon Lee gives a clean break. Back into the lockup, they go back into the corner and Dom with a big slap before he runs away. Dragon comes in but gets kicked. Intothe ropes, they dodge each other until Lee hits a rana. He kicks Dom in the face, goes to the apron and springboards into a kick to the face. Dom goes to the outside, he and Rhea end up confronting Rey and Lee with a dropkick to Dom through the ropes as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Dominik has Lee in a headlock on the mat. Lee gets to his feet and elbows to escape, Dom with a shot to the back. Irish whip puts Dom in the corner, he slips to the outside to avoid a charge and takes Lee down, Eddie Shimmy and a senton for two. Dom throws something at Rey and hits a dropkick on Lee, cover for two.
Rear naked chinlock, Lee escapes but Dom hits the Three Amigos and pins for two. Dom batters Lee and then goes into mounted punches, then grabs Lee to try and take the mask off. Lee gets to his feet and starts firing punches, Dom into the ropes and gets knocked down. Lee into the corner, Dom runs in and gets lifted into a back kick. Dragons crew leg whip and he clotheslines Dom over the top, then dives on top of him onto the desk! Lee rolls Dom in and hits a BIG knee, cover for a nearfall.
Lee picks Dom up and goes to put him on his shoulders, Dom elbows out. Dom into the corner, he sends Lee to the apron but Lee with a kick to the head. Lee up top, Dom trips him and then climbs. Lee crotches Dom on the ropes and hangs him up — double stomp and cover for two and a half!
Lee grabs Dom and goes for the powerbomb, but Dom counters and hits a neckbreaker for a nearfall. Dom hits Lee with forearms, he charges but Lee ducks and hits a suplex. Dom trips Lee into the ropes, 619! Frog splash but Lee gets the feet up! Powerbomb, cover and Dom gets the shoulder up at 2.9!
Rhea slides the title into the ring, Dom grabs it and Rey grabs the title from him! Rhea nails Lee in the back with her title, Michinoku driver from Dom finishes it.
Winner: “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio (11:40)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Fantastic match here and I know people will give most of the credit to Lee. And he deserves it, but it takes two to dance and Dom largely held his own. Great match, would have liked to see Lee win but I’m okay with Dom holding the title.
After the match, Rey yells at Dom and Rhea Ripley gets in her face. And here’s Lyra Valkyria! She roundhouses Rhea and Rey sends Dom over the top. She and Dom leave while Lyra, Rey and Lee stand in the ring.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
