Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 9.5.23

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage right here on 411! Jeremy Thomas as always, and NXT has a Women’s Championship match on tap tonight as Tiffany Stratton defends against Kiana James. We’ll also see Dragon Lee face Mustafa Ali for a shot at the NXT North American Championship with Dirty Dom as the special guest referee, so plenty of shenanigans likely there. Plus, Von Wagner and Bron Breakker will face off in a No DQ match, the Global Heritage Cup Invitational will continue and more. And hey, maybe we’ll get the shocking return of C–

Yeah, I can’t even finish that.

Anyway, here at Thomas HQ, I got a few movies watched as usual. I’m not a football guy, so Untold: Johnny Football on Netflix was an okay documentary that presented the story of Johnny Manziel who I’ve always vaguely heard about but never known the details of. Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child felt a bit off by comparison; it had some good stuff in there and made a solid case for Paul as a disrupter who has brought attention back to boxing, but it also felt a bit overly aggrandizing of the Paul brothers. I watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem which was really fun and well-done, the HBO documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley which was a fine-enough look at Elizabeth Holmes, and Strays — which I can’t say is good, but I did laugh at.

In terms of TV, I got back on my Canada’s Drag Race kick and an about a third of the way through season two. And my X-Men catch-up project has me fully through the Sins of Sinister event, which was a lot of fun in the Age of Apocalypse way.

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 in the Capitol Wrestling Center and kicking off with the Women’s Title match!

NXT Women’s Championship Match
Tiffany Stratton vs. Kiana James

Circle and lockup to start the match. Tiff with a kneelift and headlock, shot into the ropes and runs Kiana over. She Matrix dodges a clothesline, they go back into the lockup and Kiana reverses a wristlock. Tiff reverses and Kiana kippups to her feet. Kiana with a shoulderlock but Tiffany gets to the ropes. Kiana argues with the ref and gets tripped up, Tiff goes for the pin with her feet on the ropes but the ref sees it. Kiana with a roll-up and a handful of tights, ref sees that.

Tiffany takes over and gets Kiana in the corner, kicks to the gut and then tries to put her in the other corner but Kiana blocks it and hits shoulderblocks, handspring into another shoulderblock and a short-arm clothesline for two. James with knees to the back and a bow-and-arrow submission. Tiffany gets to her feet and powers out, reversing it. Kiana to her feet now, she tries to power out and reverses. Tiff flips over and gets out of the hold, Kiana tries to roll her up but Tiff grabs the ropes so Kiana takes her down.

Tiffany goes into the corner, Kiana charges but the ref stops her. Tiffany takes over and comes off the ropes, Kiana catches her with a roll-up for two. Tiff reverses the pin, Kiana jackknifes out and they got into the ropes, taking each other down.

Tiffany goes Kiana’s bag and swings but Kiana ducks and hits the 401K! Cover gets a nearfall. The ref is distracted clearing the ring, Kiana rakes the eyes and hits the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for three.

Winner: Tiffany Stratton (5:13)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: This was…fine. The crowd wasn’t into the heel vs. heel match, but the women worked well against each other for the short time they got. Tiffany winning was the obvious choice.

After the match, Becky Lynch appears on the Tron! She congratulates Tiff and says everyone is wondering what’s next for her. She says she hasn’t won the NXT Women’s Championship and since Tiffany went to Raw, Becky is coming to NXT. Next week it’s Tiffany vs. Lynch for the NXT Women’s Championship in the main event.

* Carmelo Hayes arrived at NXT earlier today and Wes Lee was also arriving. They glare at each other and Melo walks in.

* Diamond Mine is setting up their area again. Julius says no more drama, no more goofing off. They talk about how it’s been a year since they’ve had the tag team titles and in come Tony D’Angelo and Stacks who say their ears are burning. Julius thanks them for watching out for Ivy a few weeks ago.

Tony D says a lot has changed since they’vce been here. In come Edris and Malik who say the Creeds are demanding a title shot after being here for a week. They say they’re gonna make sure the Creeds don’t climb and they start arguing. Tony D and Stacks say maybe they stick around a bit.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Ora Mensah

Lockup to start, Ilja with a wristlock and a hiptoss. Ora begs off in the corner, then turns it around for shots to the ribs but Ilja with a hiptoss into a headlock on the mat. Back up and Ora backs Ilja into the corner, he gets several strikes but Ilja fires back until he gets kicked in the gut. Ilja reverses a whip into the corner, snapmares Ora and hits a kneedrop off the second rope.

Waistlock by Ilja, but he gets backed into the corner. Ora turns around into a kick to the head. Ilja goes for a German but Ora grabs the ropes and decks Ilja in the head. Springboard moonsault for two and then a BIG kick to Dragunov’s head.

But Ilja wants more! He calls for kicks and stands up through them. They trade blocks, Ilja misses an enzuigiri and goes into the ropes but Ora with a big thrust kick to the jaw! Ora gets Ilja in the corner and stomps him down. He grabs Ilja and hits a belly to belly as we go to PIP break.

We’re back and Mensah is still in control, but Ilja elbows out of a hold and takes him down. Big charging knee to Ora. Ilja with a waistlock, Mensah elbows out and goes for a springboard moonsault but Ilja spins through the ropes and takes Ora down! German suplex sequence and a side slam for a nearfall.

Ilja batting Ora now, he goes for a powerbomb but Ora fights out of it. Ilja to his knees, kick to his temple and a spinning heel kick gets two. Ora is frustrated now, he lies in wait and charges in — right into an enzuigiri! Release powerbomb and Ilja with a Torpedo Moscow for the win.

Winner: Ilja Dragunov (9:49)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Very good match here, with Ora showing some of what he can do despite the result being obvious from the start. Can’t complain about that at all.

Wes Lee comes down after the match and says normally he’d catch him in the back, but he needs to say he has the next match against Melo. Ilja says Wes is voracious and he likes it, but he needs to wait because Carmelo is his. He’s done waiting because of roadblocks, personal issues and more. Wes says he has more heart than anyone and will go through anyone to get the title.

And here comes Melo! The champ says he knows two dudes whose jersey he hung in the rafters aren’t talking about beating him. Melo says he talked with Shawn Michaels last week and got all the advice he needs to hear. Melo tells Ilja that despite anything he thinks, there’s no asterisk next to their match because Ilja took a risk and he took advatage. He says the same happened with Wes Lee, and says there’s no doubt they’re the best two in NXT, but let’s see who the best is. Next week is Wes Lee vs. Ilja Dragunov and the winner faces Melo for the title at No Mercy. He says he hopes they show mercy on each other next week, because on September 30th he won’t.

* Dirty Dom is reading the WWE rule book and tearing pages out that he says he doesn’t need. He has a special black and purple ref shirt.

* McKenzie asks Nathan Frazer if he needs to make adjustments in the Global Heritage Invitational. Nathan says he went viral and people are asking if he needs to slow down. He says never and that tonight is a must-win. He didn’t get to NXT by holding back or slowing down, and he isn’t about to start now. His music starts and he races out of there.

* Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne are hanging out and Thea is excited about Becky Lynch coming. Jacy is less interested but compliments Thea’s new look. Gigi comes in and talks about how Jacy is taking advantage of Thea, while Blair comes in and talks trash about Thea. Thea stands up to Gigi it leads to a match set for tonight.

Global Heritage Invitational Match
Duke Hudson vs. Nathan Frazer

Circle and Frazer with a headlock, Duke shots him into the ropes and runs him over. Headlock, Frazer into the ropes and slides under, into the corner and he goes up and over. Frazer into the ropes for a leaping headlock takedown but Duke catches him for a back suplex for two.

Frazer back into the ropes and hits a dropkick, Dude to the outside and gets knocked off the apron. Frazer up top to leap on Duke! He rolls Hudson in and charges him in the corner, but Duke grabs him for a uranage.

Duke to his knees and asks if Nathan’s okay, which pisses Nathan off. He decks Duke and Duke puts him in the corner, slaps his chest and sends him hard into the other corner. He goes for the Razor’s Edge — Frazer counters with a rana! Thrust kick to the stomach, Phoenix Splash finishes it.

Winner: Nathan Frazer (2:46)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Duke Hudson.

* Back to the Diamond Dojo and Hank and Tank are there, who say they found out to be a good tag team they have to talk to each other. Hank asks if the Creeds talk to each other and they say “Yeah, all the time.” They say fighting each other helps too and ask if the Creeds have (yes). Nima and Price walk in and say they don’t play games but if they did, they’d play to win. They want the same titles the Creeds do and will happily run through them.

SCRYPTS walks up and says Nima and Price are more than just brothers, they’re blood brothers and that gives them the edge.

Tyler Bate vs. Dabba-Kato

Bate attacks before the bell and gets shoved off before the bell rings. Sleeper hold for a few moments, he slides off and hits a kick. Bate tries to pick Dabba-Kato up to no effect, he comes off the ropes and gets booted down.

Dabba-Kato manhandles Bate and picks him up into a swinging backbreaker. He presses down on Bate, stretching him over the knee. Bate kicks and knees his way out but gets shoved intot he corner. Bate dodges a kick, decks Kato and goes for Pop and Bang but it’s blocked. He bounces off the ropes a few times for shots, Dabba-Kato catches him for a chokeslam but Bate decks him!

Bate gets Dabba-Kato up on his shoulders! Big Strong Boy spin into a slam! Kato is dazed, Bate up top and hits the twisting senton for three!

Winner: Tyler Bate (2:53)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Dabba-Kato.

* Dirty Dom walks backstage and tells Melo it’s hard being champ, isn’t it? He says Melo finds out his No Mercy opponent next week while Dom is about to pick — er, find out — his.

* Lyra and Roxy talk about the #1 contender’s match and how Becky is coming next week when Kiana comes in having a fit. Lyra says challening for the title and winning it are two different things. Roxy says she should be happy she got a title shot, and Kiana says she took the title shot from Roxy and will do it again and again. Roxy takes a shot and it becomes a brawl.

* McKenzie asks Baron Corbin about his prediction for Bron vs. Von, and he says both guys have something to prove — to him. Bron thinks he’s the NXT Alpha, but he has to end Von to do so. And Von needs to get the win to prove he belongs amoung the big dogs of NXT. Corbin doesn’t care who’s going to win; he’s just going to enjoy watching them destroy each other from the booth.

* Tiffany is asked about the Women’s Title match and says “Absolutely not, get out of my face, nope nope!” as she walks off.

NXT North American Championship #1 Contender’s Match
Mustafa Ali vs. Dragon Lee

ALi and Lee lock up but break apart, Lee with a waistlock that Ali reverses into a takedown. They both kip up to their feet and go into a test of strength. Lee plants Ali on the mat and Dominik counts two. Ali up onto the ropes and springboards into a takedown. Lee put in the corner for some chops, Lee reverses a whip and goes to the apron for a kick to the head, cover for two.

Ali with some back elbows but gets put in the corner, enzuigiri from Ali. He goes up top but Lee comes up, they fight and Ali headbutts Lee down, then hits a clothesline for two. Suplex, but Lee goes over to his feet and sends Ali to the outside — Lee DIVES on Ali across the commentator’s booth!

Lee rolls in and Dom to starts the 10-count, Lee comes out of the ring but Ali FLIPS over the booth with a clothesline. Lee rolled in, he hits Lee with a Tornado DDT for two. Ali charges in but gets sent up, Lee with a kick to the head and cover for two. Powerbomb countered by Ali, who puts Lee in the corner and then springboards Lee off the top rope for a jackhammer and nearfall.

Ali goes up top, he goes for the 450 but Lee moves. Lee goes up and around, sitdown powerbomb for his own nearfall! Lee isn’t happy with Dom’s count potentially being slow, Ali rolls Dom up and it’s a lightning fast count for three.

Winner: Mustafa Ali (5:18)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Very good match for a five minute bout. Both of these guys are obviously great, and of course Lee doesn’t lose anything from this loss. Would have liked to see them get more time but for what they were going for, it worked.

After the match, Dom raises Ali’s hand — and Ali decks Dom! He exits the ring and Lee talks shit to Dom before leaving too.

* Trick is backstage on the phone when Ilja comes in, saying he just wants to talk. He says he meant every word last week about Trick but says he lied to Melo when he said Melo could beat Ilja. Trick says Melo can and will, if Ilja beats Wes next week. Ilja says Trick has one week to think about that, because after Ilja wins next week Trick can keep lying to his best friend, or to himself.

* Charlie Dempsey is grappling with Demon Kemp when Myles Borne walks in. Gulak asks what he’s doing and he says doing his job. Gulak asks if he’d rather be hanging with his cowboy buddies and Borne says he just wanted to compete on NXT. Gulak says he’s not ready and next week might be his only chance.

* Eddy Thorpe is pissed about his loss last week and says he doesn’t know when or how he’ll settle this but he isn’t done with Dijak.

Global Heritage Inviational
Butch vs. Axiom

Butch ignores the handshake and chops Axiom. They trade some reversals and Axiom goes for a leg submission, Butch gets to the ropes. Back up and they circle, test of strength and Butch turns it into a shoulderlock. He grabs the fingers and bends them back, Axiom coutners out and locks in a front facelock into a pin for one. Butch goes for a submission that turns into a pin for one.

Back to their feet, they lock hands and Butch puts Axiom on the mat. He wraps up the legs and puts Axiom’s arm behind his back, stomp to the elbow. Axiom manages to reverse a wristlock, they go into the ropes but Butch with a knee to the gut. Butch shrugs and snapmares Axiom who rolls through, suplex but Butch reverses with an X-plex. Diving dropkick to the ribs of the downed Axiom, and he wraps Axiom’s arms in the ropes before snapping his arms back to work the fingers until a four-count. And we go to break.

We’re back as Butch beats down Axiom with mounted punches. He gets up and delivers a big slam to the face of Axiom, and another. Axiom is powering up, he takes another slap and fires back! Axiom with a series of punches and a dropkick to Butch coming off the ropes. Charging knee in the corner, fisherman’s suplex for two.

Axiom grabs Butch and they go into the ropes. Butch holds on but Axiom with a belly to belly. Axiom with a springboard moonsault — caught in a submission! But get gets to the ropes. Butch with a big shot and another to a downed Axiom, then he grabs him for held stomps to the chest.

Axiom back up now and strikes away, he rolls Butch into a pin attempt but Butch reverses. Axiom pushed into the ropes for a snap German, double stomp to the hands. Axiom ducks a shot and hits some big kicks, two minutes left in the match. Axiom on the top rope for an armdrag and leaps off but gets kicked! Butch with a sitout powerbomb for two.

Both men slow to get up, but Butch is up first and goes up top — moonsault but Axiom moves and hits a kick. Golden Ratio! Cover but Butch’s hand is under the ropes. Big stomp by Axiom and he goes for a submission, 20 seconds left! Butch grabs a finger and snaps it back. Bitter End by Butch, cover for two.

Winner: Time Limit Draw (12:00)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Great work by both men. We had to have at least one draw in this tournament and this was certainly a good one to do it with. Both men delivered and there’s nothing to complain about here.

Show of respect after the match. And out comes Tyler Bate! Bate waves at both men with a smile.

* Earlier today, Von was apologizing about tonight and said it’s gonna hurt him, way more than it hurts the guy he’s talking to. He says things have gotten better for him since they came into his life. He says the last thing he wants to do is hurt them and make then feel bad about his life. He’s talking to the table. Okay, I’m not proud of it but I laughed.

* Stacks and Tony say there are a lot of potential dangers here at the tag team summit. Angel and Humberto walk up and say one from one family to another, they wanted to say hi. Tony pays respect to their grandfather and says they don’t want to mess with them. Angel says that they’ll take the titles and it turns into a big brawl in the Diamond Dojo between all the teams.

Gigi Dolin vs. Thea Hail

Lockup to start, Thea takes over with a wristlock and works the shoulder. She drops herself onto the arm and continues to tear at the shoulder, cover for one followed by a wristlock. Gigi reverses and locks in a headlock, shot into the ropes and runs Thea over. Into the ropes, Gigi blocks a hiptoss into a backslide. Thea into the ropes and hits a rana but gets put against the ropes, Gigi goes for a dropkick but Thea dodges.

Thea sends Gigi into the corner and charges in but Gigi moves. Thea knocks Gigi down, they go into the corner and Gigi takes over. Kick to the head and a cover for a two-count. Gigi with an abdominal stretch attempt, Thea escapes and then locks in a Kimura! Gigi struggles to get to the rope and fights — she gets to it finally!

Gigi escapes to the outside and Hail goes for the shoulder — but gets sent into the ringpost! Gigi knocks Thea down and then rolls her into the ring — Jacy distracts the ref and Blair attacks Gigi on the outside! She rolls Gigi in, Thea with the Kimura and Gigi taps.

Winner: Thea Hail (3:35)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: As a match it was obviously limited by the little time it got, but they both looked fine in there against each other. This was all about the angle, and that worked well. I like Jacy and Thea as a team, they’ll bring out different sides of each other and Blair is a fine feud for Gigi.

* The creeds are alone on their asses in the destroyed Diamond Dojo as Ivy comes in and asks if they’re okay. They laugh and say “Never better. It’s good to be back!”

* Kelani is venting to Lyra about her loss last week. Lyra says she knows how it is but it’s only her fourth match and she can’t get down on her. Dana walks in and says what is Lyra doing here? Kelani says that she was just talking about feeling bad about her loss. Dana says don’t even worry about it and she doesn’t want Lyra filling Kelani’s head with anything. It leads into a match set up for next week.

* Tiffany says Becky Lynch is the biggest match of her career, but her career is only two years old and Becky came after her. Two years into her carer Becky was a flight attendant or something. She calls Becky a bitch and walks off.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT Women’s Title Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Becky Lynch
– Global Heritage Invitational Match: Tyler Bate vs. Axiom
– Global Heritage Invitational Match: Akira Tozawa vs. Nathan Frazer
– #1 Contender’s Match: Wes Lee vs. Ilja Drgunov

No Disqualification Match
Von Wagner vs. Bron Breakker

Von attacks at the bell and batters Bron, who gets Von in the corner for some shoulderblocks. They go into the ropes and Bron clotheslines Von over the top, going with. Von puts Bron into the apron and then slams him into the commentator’s booth, then throws Bron over the table. He lies in wait as Baron Corbin looks on, and pulls the top off the table.

Bron tries to escape into the ring and manages to do so. Back in the ring, Bron with a diving shoulder tackle off the ropes and then clotheslines Bron over the ropes again on the other side. He showboats and goes to Bron, but Bron nails him with a chair to the gut. Von grabs the chair and swings, but Bron ducks and hits a big belly-to-belly suplex as we go to break.

We’re back as Bron has a kendo stick that he cracks across Von’s shoulders. Another kendo stick shot, and a third. Von to his knees, and he takes a shot across the chest, then another to the back. Bron grabs another stick and swings — but Von catches it! Headbutts to Bron to take him down, then a short-arm clothesline. he goes for another, Bron ducks and hits a BIG lariat for two.

Bron with measured shots to the side, then he gets the stick again for a shot to the back. Von is defiant but he gets nailed again. Bron grabs another shot and covers for two. Waistlock by Bron but Von backs him into the corner for back elbows. Von into the ropes for a big boot and then another. Bron catches a third attempt into a sitdown powerbomb for two.

Von takes over and picks Bron up, but his ribs give out and he goes down. Bron beats on him, and then drops a chair in front of Von. He goes up top — bulldog onto the chair! The straps are down! Bron grabs the stick and locks Von in the Recliner with the kendo stick in Von’s mouth — but Von is fighting free! He powers out and grabs the stick, reversing it. But Bron backs Von into the corner and flips him over.

Bron and Von trade shots, Bron picks Von up for a gutbuster! Bron is pissed now, he charges and Von ducks — Bron goes shoulder-first into a chair in the corner! Von has the kendo stick and stars at Bron — who gets up and spits on him. Von goes apeshit with the kendo stick, shattering it on Bron. He hits Bron with a chair to the gut, then right across the back. He grabs Bron — chokeslam! Cover gets a nearfall.

Bron tumbles to the outside and Von follows. He throws Bron THROUGH part the setup underneath the raised stage! Von grabs Bron and pulls him over next to the table, clearing it off. He grabs Bron — but Bron fires back with a shot. They trade strikes, Bron leaps at Von — POWERBOMB THROUGH THE TABLE! Von rolls Bron in and follows, picking him up — Bron escapes and hits a low blow! He spears Von, cover, that’s it.

Winner: Bron Breakker (13:26)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: That was about what I expect from a match like this. They threw in plenty of weapons and car crash moments, and that did help a bit but it’s also nowhere on the level of what Bron has done in the past. Wagner is a fine talent who has found a gimmick that worked for him. That doesn’t mean I want him main eventing. This was fine, but as an NXT main event match it paled in comparison to what we expect.

Bron nails Von with a chair to the back afterward and then throws him into the ring steps. Bron grabs the steps and puts Von’s head on it, raising the steps — he slams them down and it goes black! Everything’s dark as we cut out.

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

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

This was a perfectly passable episode of NXT, though one that was honestly kind of skippable. I don't mind that on the whole because this show was more about setting up next week more than anything. We did have a couple of really solid matches in Axiom vs. Butch and Ilja vs. Ora, and even if the main event was a letdown it gives Von a new direction which, while his table thing was improvement from what he had before, I'm okay with. I can't say this was a particularly great episode on its own, but there was enough set-up that it did what it needed to.