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Pantoja’s NXT Battleground 2023 Review

May 29, 2023 | Posted by Kevin Pantoja
Tiffany Stratton NXT Battleground Image Credit: WWE
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Pantoja’s NXT Battleground 2023 Review  

NXT Battleground

May 28th, 2023 | Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts

Finally, I’ve come to the fifth of five major shows that aired this weekend. I am beat but let’s hope this delivers. I also appreciate whenever NXT goes on the road these days.

The opening video package focused on moments in Lowell in WWE history including Samoa Joe beating Finn Bálor for the NXT Title at a house show there.

NXT North American Championship: Wes Lee [c] vs. Joe Gacy vs. Tyler Bate

Man, Tyler Bate was on the cusp of greatness in 2017 but they really haven’t done much of note with him in recent years and his outfit choice here was…a decision. Joe Gacy is someone who hasn’t clicked for me. The idea early on was that Gacy tried to play mind games and make Lee go at it with Bate. They avoided that but still did collide soon after. When they had exchanges, the match was at its best and then Gacy would come in to do…stuff. Thy kind of kept that up throughout with Lee and Bate being very impressive. We got a close call on a Tyler Driver ’97 late but Lee broke it up with Meteora. Gacy broke up a pin after that made no sense since he should’ve been out from the finisher he took. Soon after, Lee survived a uranage and beat Gacy with the Cardiac Kick in 11:59. That was good but likely would’ve been better as just a Lee/Bate singles match. Do that as a headliner on NXT TV and give them like 20 minutes. [***¼]

Heritage Cup: Noam Dar [c] vs. Dragon Lee

For those unaware, the Heritage Cup has rules that include six three-minute rounds and 2/3 Falls. Round #1 was very much a feeling out process that kept things slow but Lee hit a big dropkick just as time expired. That’s where the rules come into play as his momentum stopped because of it. Early on in round #2, Dar got the first fall with a pinning combination. That put Lee on his heels and again, as his momentum got going near the end of round #3, he didn’t pay full attention. Then Dar threw an elbow after the bell for a cheap shot. Lee tied it in round #4 as things were getting more tense. Round #5 saw one of the wildest spots ever as Lee’s apron rana was countered into a powerbomb straight to the floor. It looked sick. Lee survived but then Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend ran in for a distraction and to hit Lee with one of the buckets used between rounds. Dar retained with the Nova Roller in 14:22. That was good but again, nothing great. [***]

Last Man Standing Match: Dijak vs. Ilja Dragunov

During his entrance, Dijak told his family in the crowd that he didn’t want them to see this. That’s a good touch. We were like a minute in and this was already hard hitting and violent, with Dijak booting Dragunov in the face and suplexing him onto steel steps. The steps were used a lot, including on a wild DDT inside and Coast to Coast dropkick. Again, this was just within the first few minutes. I didn’t even type much during this because I was hooked on the fact that they were beating the fuck out of each other. From the beating in the corner with the kendo sticks to the straight up vicious strikes, this was a war. Dijak got a chair in the end while he was on the mat but Dragunov jumped off the steps and hit a forearm to the back of the head, sending Dijak’s face into the chair. That was enough to end this in 15:56. Easy pick for match of the night right now and that was everything I could’ve wanted from these two. Go watch it because words do not it justice. An absolute war. [****¼]

NXT Tag Team Championship: Gallus [c] vs. The Creed Brothers

The Creeds are THEM. Gallus exists. I don’t have much to say about this match as it basically followed tag formula. Brutus was isolated before Julius came in and absolutely cooked, showing why he’s such a highly touted prospect. Joe Coffey got involved in the ring so Ivy Nile tripped him up but then Ava Raine appeared and attacked her. That was enough of a distraction for Gallus to win with a running knee/flapjack combo in 9:33. I didn’t write much and I still covered the main points of what happened. Gallus continues to be overpushed. [**½]

NXT Women’s Title Tournament Finals: Lyra Valkyria vs. Tiffany Stratton

I fully expected Cora Jade to win this tournament and maybe even a Jade/Perez finals. This is different in a good way, much like the Best of the Super Juniors this year. Coming into this, Lyra had a bad leg that had been attacked. Their first exchange was even until Lyra fell awkwardly on the leg. I loved the touch of her immediately rolling away to the corner to get out of dodge. That leg caused her problems as Tiffany caught a dropkick to the outside and started targeting it, including ramming it into the ring post. Her Muta Lock looked especially good. Lyra did the expected rally and came close a few times before Tiffany hit a sweet looking dropkick for two. Lyra avoided the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and hit a big spinning kick but Tiffany got her foot on the bottom rope. The crowd was very pro-Tiffany here though they weren’t anti-Lyra if that makes sense. Tiffany pounced, hitting the fireman’s carry and Prettiest Moonsault Ever to claim the title in 15:59. That was way better than expected and showed that there’s still talent in this division. A big performance by both ladies. [***¾]

NXT Championship: Carmelo Hayes [c] vs. Bron Breakker

Their first match was very good (***¾) but now we’ve got heel Bron. Hayes nearly landed badly on a dive outside in the opening minutes but thankfully he was okay. He used his quickness to do his thing until Bron caught him and tossed him to the side, mocking the crowd for chanting for Melo. Bron’s heat segment wasn’t that great but he’d do things like busting out a Frankensteiner and remind you that he’s a special athlete. Both of these guys are actually. Hayes did the babyface rally in front of his hometown crowd and the closing stretch here was very strong. It felt like this match was progressively getting better. Bron hit a vicious Spear for two before Hayes countered the press slam into an inside cradle for a near fall. He followed up with a springboard DDT and retained by hitting Nothing but Net at the 14:15 mark. The rare of me thinking a match would be better with another couple of minutes as they were really hitting their stride. Still, what we got was very good. [***¾]

7.0
The final score: review Good
The 411
Obviously not as many high points as some other shows but a consistently good night of wrestling here that barely lasted more than two hours. You love to see it.
legend

article topics :

NXT Battleground, Kevin Pantoja