Voting Opens For 2024 NXT Year End Awards

Keep Refreshing For The Latest Results

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! It’s Jeremy Thomas, here as ever, and tonight NXT continues its road to New Year’s Evil. Tonight we’ll see Trick Williams defend the NXT Championship against Eddy Thorpe, while Nathan Frazer and Axiom will put the NXT Tag Team Titles on the line against Gallus. At the same time, Axiom is set to face Oba Femi because Fraxiom can’t communicate and managed to separately get those matches booked. Whoopsie! Plus Wren Sinclair battles Jaida Parker, which should be a fun bout.

My movie-watching remains at a rush to hit as many 2024 entries as I can before the end of the year. I finally checked out Wicked and immediately loved it, while I also quite enjoyed The Best Christmas Pageant Ever for its A Christmas Story-esque vibes. I thought that Red One was perfectly enjoyable if not exactly good, and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim was decent beyond some serious pacing issues in the second act. On the less happy front, Never Let Go was a noble attempt at a psychological horror flick but one that still fell short, while Bagman was remarkably generic. Tyler Perry’s Mea Culpa was a whole mess of “WTF?” in a bad way, and Kraven the Hunter may be one of the worst superhero movies I’ve ever seen.

I also rewatched I Saw The TV Glow, which I love even more on a second go-around as it catapulted toward the top of my rankings for the year. I also rewatched Scream VI and still love it And finally I’ve started working my way through the Hammer Films I haven’t yet seen which meant I saw The Quatermass Xperiment (quite good), Quatermass 2 (average) and Quatermass and the Pit, which is easily the best of those three.

On TV, I didn’t watch much, just checking out the first episode of Prime Video’s Jack Ryan series which I enjoyed, kept up on DC’s Creature Commandos, and saw An Evening with Dua Lipa which I loved as a fan of hers.

As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s kids 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.

A MILLION DOLLARS FROM NOW, I WON’T REMEMBER YOU! (AKA theme song)

* Earlier tonight, Trick Williams arrived for his match with Eddy Thorpe and Eddy arrived too. Plus Ethan Page is here looking depressed and Je’Von Evans runs past him, looking hyped.

* We get a video package highlighting WWE’s history in the venue and saying the stars of NXT have arrived to make history of their own. We look back at the obstacles faced by those in the venue, comparing Shawn Michaels losing his smile with Ethan Page and talking about how much success or failure one can endure as we recap Axiom getting double booked. Tonight is about how careers are defined and live on forever. We’re reminded how Eddy lied his way into a title shot.

* We’re LIVE(ish) in Lowell, Massachusetts! And we kick off with Oba Femi vs. Axiom.

Axiom vs. Oba Femi

Axiom stares off with Oba and then circles with him before hitting a little slap. Oba backs Axiom into a corner, he escapes and goes for a waistlock but is thrown to the mat. Femi backs Axiom into the corner again and manhandles him until the ref calls for the break. Axiom lays in a couple kicks but gets shoved back into the corner again, Femi with the clean break but Axiom with chops to the chest! He goes for a kick to the side but Oba catches it and slaps Axiom to the mat.

Back up, Oba charges and Axiom tries to pull the ropes down but Femi stops and smacks him! Into the ropes and Oba nails Axiom, sending him to the floor as we go to break.

We’re back as Femi knocks Axiom down in the ring and kicks him to the mat. Femi lays in fists, Axiom catches a shot and gets to his knees — but Oba with a hip smash. He charges at Axiom in the corner, catches a raised boot and chops him. But Axiom kicks Femi back and comes off the top with a missile dropkick! Axiom lays in kicks to the leg including one off the ropes — but Oba catches him with a BIG clothesline for two-plus.

Femi picks up Axiom and works over the arm, yanking him to the mat by it. Axiom back up into a knife-edge chop. Wristlock, Axiom nails Oba and goes for am armbar — but Femi picks him up and puts him in the corner, beating him down!

Oba tells Axiom to get up and Axiom hits some strikes before being knocked to the mat. Axiom is getting worked up and gets up, hitting some stikes before being swatted back down. Axiom back up, he hits a dropkick and then another to the knee that knocks Oba down! Axiom with a BIG kick to the head, cover gets ONE. Axiom with more kicks, cover gets two — Oba pulls him up for a powerbomb but Axiom counters with a rana for two-plus! And an enzuigir!

Axiom goes to the top, Oba is up to his feet — MISSILE DROPKICK! Axiom kips up and takes aim — GOLDEN RATIO GETS CAUGHT! Axiom is flung across the ring, and Oba with the Fall From Grace for three.

Winner: Oba Femi (10:22)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: We knew Oba would win this as it puts the pressure on Axiom for next week (plus, you know, it’s Oba). But they made a solid match out of it, with Axiom playing the underdog well. No complaints.

Frazer tries to get in Oba’s face post-match and then checks on Axiom.

* Sarah asks Eddy Thorpe about his antics last week. He says he’s brilliant and fooled everyone. He says Sarah is giving her a look like “How could you do it?” He tells her she’d be praising anyone else.

Ava walks up and says the contract is signed and she can’t do anything about it but this is a shortcut. Eddy says he’s always told to work smarter and he probably would have been screwed in the Iron Survivor anyway. She can call him what she wants, but by the end of the night she’ll call him NXT Champion.

* Over the weekend, Karmen walked up to Dion Lennox and said she doesn’t know what to do. Dion says Ashante Thee Adonis was trying to help her in her tag matcn and she says she’ll apologize.

They hug, but Ashante witnessed it and takes it the wrong way. “Y’all hugging? I guess I should go hug all the other girls!” He says he’s going to go text Nikkita. He walks off, Karmen walks off and Dion says he’s going back to reading books and minding his own business.

Sol Ruca & Zaria vs. Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson

Jakara with a dropkick to Sol to start, and she beats Sol down. Short-arm punch, she sends Sol into the corner and leaps in but Sol catches her, spins and plants her before riding the wave. Crossbody and cover gets one. My feed went funky but Lash tagged in and covered for two.

Sol shoves Lash into the ropes and tries to roll her up, Lash holds on but Sol hits a shot. She leaps at Lash but gets grabbed and tossed. Sol tags in Zaria, she circles with Lash and gets shoved before they lock up. Lash into the ropes and they collide, Zaria into the ropes for the same. They goozle each other, Zaria counters a chokeslam and goes for a suplex but Lash counters and hits a bodyslam. Off the ropes for a splash but Zaria moves and tags in SOl, who hits a rana on Lash.

Lash to the floor, Jakara comes in and is put on Zaria’s shoulders — Sol on Jakara’s back to DIVE onto Lash! And Zaria then press slams Jakara onto Lash before we go to break.

We’re back and Lash has Sol lifted, but she ends up on her feet and goes for a sunset flip but Lash barely stays on her feet. Sol put in the corner but she comes out with a roll-up for two, Lash decks her. Jakara comes in and Lash holds Sol for Jakara to tee off on her, Sol thrown into a double underhook by Jakara for a suplex. Cartwheel elbow gets two.

Jakara with a straitjacket hold, Sol back to her feet but is put to the knees. Jakara bends Sol back, she flips over for two. Jakara nails Sol and whips her into the corner, she knocks Lash off the apron. Sol going for the tag, she fights Jakara off but Jakara ducks the enzuigiri. Sol gets a kick to the head — hot tag to Zaria!

Zaria knocks Jakara down, kicks her in the face and comes off the ropes with a SPEAR! Cover for two but Lash in to break it up. Zaria argues with Lash and Jakara with a chop block from behind. Lash goes for a suplex, Zaira counters for her own, they go back and forth and Zaria finally nails it. Sol tags in, springboard splah, cover but Jakara breaks it up and hits a dropkick on Zaria.

X-Factor by Sol, Zaria charges and nearly hits Sol. Pump kick by Lash takes out Sol, Zaria knocked to the floor and Jakara dives on her. Lash with a bully drop for three.

Winner: Meta-Four (12:12)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Had a couple moments of sketchiness in there but was solid on the whole. Lash and Jakara needed a win at some point, though not sure two of NXT’s hotter babyfaces is the way.

* We’re reminded about Tyson and Tyriek’s loss last week to Hank and Tank and the two are in the locker room with Wes in the background. Tyson tells Tyriek he needs to be a better sport, and Wes says that maybe Tyson needs to change. He tells Tyriek to keep the same energy.

Jaida Parker vs. Wren Sinclair

Jaida backs Wren into the ropes and knocks her down, then sends her into the corner. She charges but Wren with a back elbow. She locks in a waistlock but Jaida shoves her off, puts her on the middle rope and beats her down before hitting the Tear Drop. Falcon Arrow gets two.

WHip into the corner by Jaida, who drives the shoulder into the gut. She charges but Wren dodges and locks in a full nelson! Jaida counters and reverses into her own full nelson, which she turns into a suplex for two.

Jaida with a shot to the back of Wren and she pulls her into a bow and arrow submission, then shits on Wren’s shoulders to increase pressure. Wren escapes but gets slammed and yanked around. Wren fires off with a shot and Jaida fires back with a chop and a shot to the jaw. Jaida talks shit and gets hit with chops as a result! Clotheslines to Jaida and then a bulldog to the seated Jaida, double underhook suplex and Jaida to the outside.

OTM and NQCC come to face off, they start brawling as Wren shoves Jaida into the apron and then rolls her in. She follows, Jaida charges and gets rolled up for two. Wrap leaps and locks in a front facelock but Jaida throws her off and hits the Drive By for three.

Winner: Jaida Parker (4:31)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Short and to the point, it did what it needed.

* Shotzi is with Tatum and Gigi with their dolls. Shotzi says she sees so much of herself in them and Tatum says they saved her and are the two friends she didn’t know she needed. Now she doesn’t have to play by herself! Gigi says they need to take care of Fatal Influence, she knows Jacy and knows she’s strongest with someone by her side which is Fallon and Jazmyn. Tatum says she’ll rip their heads off like her dolls. Shotzi says “Dolls out, balls out!”

* Fatal Influence is watching and says the trio don’t have what they have. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn are here! My witches mock Fatal Influence and say they lack unity. Alba says Shotzi, Gigi and Tatum project harmony, while Fatal Influence are giving turmoil.

* This week’s NXT Spotlight runs down the history of the NXT Women’s Division and looks at the Horsewomen, Asuka, Shayna Baszler, Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Raquel, Toxic Attraction (hey it’s a Mandy appearance!), Tiffany Stratton and now Roxanne Perez. It all leads into hype for Giulia vs. Roxy.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match
Fraxiom vs. Gallus

Axiom is woozy on his feet coming to the ring, so this is gonna go well for them. For some weird reason Axiom is starting and he doesn’t get it either. Frazer tags in and is backed into the corner by Mark Coffey. Frazer escapes and charges in for a roll-up for one, then an armdrag. Frazer snaps the arm on his shoulder and goes for the tag but Axiom doesn’t wanna tag in.

Wolfgang tags in and Gallus wipes out Frazer with a backslide and a knee to the masked face. Stacks and Luca watch from the back as Frazer escapes the two and tags in Axiom, they double team Mark and Frazer dives onto Mark while Axiom dives on Joe. Frazer dives on Mark again, Axiom hits the ropes and collapses. Wolfgang spears Axiom and Coffey drops Frazer onto the mat as we go to break.

We’re back as Axiom is fighting back against Mark and goes to springboard off the ropes but gets kicked down. Wolfgang tags in and Mark slams him down, then Wolfgang catapults him into a backdrop by Mark, Wolfgang covers for two. Wolfgang bends back the wrist and pulls Axiom up to put him in the hostile corner. Mark tags in, but Axiom leaps over them both and tags in Frazer1 Frazer in hot and runs the ropes, he tekes down Mark and hits the springboard inverted DDT. Standing moonsault gets two-plus.

Frazer to the apron, he goes for a springboard stomp and Mark moves but a Sling Blade hits followed by a frog splash Cover but Wolfgang breaks it up. Mark nails Frazer and tags in Wolfgang, who flattens Nathan for two. Axiom is nowhere to be seen, Wolfgang tags in and hity a swonton for two — but Axiom dives into the ring and nails Mark! Frazer is in, Axiom with a Golden Ratio for two.

Frazer leaps on Wolfgang’s back, Axiom goes for a kick and accidentally nails Frazer! Axiom with a Destroyer to Mark, Wolfgang takes him out and Frazer with a Poisonrana! Frazer ducks some swings and hits an enzuigiri, he charges in and gets dropped on the turnbuckle. Lariat by Wolfgang, who goes up top — Frazer is shoved off, Axiom gets tagged in, he goes up — SPANISH FLY! Frazer tags, Axiom takes out Gallus on the outside! Pheonix Splash! That’s it!

Winner: Fraxiom (12:02)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: God dammit, this storyline needs to die but I can’t deny that the matches are great. Gallus is basically dead in the water considering they couldn’t beat one and a half men, but this was a hell of a match.

* Je’Von Evans talks up Hank and Tank backstage, and Je’Von throws out “2025, Hank and Tank, NXT Tag Team Champions!” He then talks about his own success in 2024. Ethan Page shoves through them and walks toward the ring.

* Lexis King walks up to Charlie Dempsey to train and earn his Heritage Cup match. They’re doing a cards workout which is apparently a thing, and they run through the deck with various exercises in a montage.

Dempsey says he’s impressed and Lexis has his match next week.

* Ethan Page is out here apologizing and saying he needs to get this off his chest. He says everyone has the right to boo him, he is getting the same energy at home. He doesn’t think anyone understands the sacrifices he’s made and the promises he made to his family. He promised his daughter he would win the big one and he did. He did it in NXT and became champion in record time, faster than Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Sami Zayn. He says he went through 18 years of hell to keep his promise to his daughter. He did it for her, his son, and his wife.

He says people can boo if they want, they can cheer, whatever. He wants to talk to his wife and says without her, there is no him. He wouldn’t be in the ring, the lights would not be on him, the cameras, the people would not be having the time of their life without her. He got to live his dream because of her and it rips him apart because every time he loses, his family loses. When he comes home, his daughter goes through his bag looking for the title but comes up empty-handed. When he’s on the road, his wife sends him videos of his son crying because he can’t win. And the part that eats him alive is the disappointment he gets from his wife. He doesn’t know if he can do this anymore and says he’s lost his smile. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

He says we can mock him for being an emotional guy, but —

Here comes Je’Von! He says he wants to apologize for what he said out there. It doesn’t feel good hearing people’s accomplishments. But that’s all they’ve heard about him. Page walked in cocky and with an ego, but that’s not really him. He says he knows the real Ethan Page and has seen him. He saw him at Heat Wave after the match. Page won the title and looked at his kids and wife and said “I love you.” Evans says he’ll be dead-ass with Page: not everyone can do that. The way he looked when he saw his kids and wife, the smile was a proud dad and proud husband smile. It was the smile of someone who’s been busting their ass for 18 years.

Je’Von says Page deserves to be here, and the fans know that. He tells Page to drop the All Ego, they want to see the real Page. And he’s proud of Page as is NXT. He means that from the bottom of his heart.

Page says thank you to Je’Von and says everything he said made things clear to him. He shouldn’t worry about losing his smile; he should worry about taking his. Page attacks Evans and beats him down! He goes under the ring for a chair and slides in, wrapping it around Je’Von’s head and says “This is the real me!” before stomping on it! Evans is spitting up blood as officials tend to him.

* We come back to a recap of Ethan Page destroying Evans and then see Evans being helped to the back during the break.

* Sarah says Trick seems worked up and he wishes Je’Von well before talking about Eddy. He says Eddy gets what he wants? So does Trick Williams. He’s going to show he is the man to carry this brand. Oba walks up and wishes him good luck and hopes he wins so that in three weeks at New Year’s Evil, he can take the title from Trick. Trick is looking forward to it.

* Stephanie Vaquer says Cora thinks she can get rid of her but it’s not that easy. She worked tirelessly to get here but Cora arrived first as she went into the world to face challenges that made her stronger. Now she’s here, and she’ll be everything Cora wants to be. Next week, she takes Cora to meet hell.

Set For Next Week:
– Stephanie Vaquer vs. Cora Jade
– #1 Contenders Match: OTM vs. Hank & Tank vs. Family vs. NQCC
– Santa appears

NXT Championship Match
Trick Williams vs. Eddy Thorpe

Circle and Trick with a headlock takedown to start. Eddy back up, Trick shot into the ropes, he sends Eddy into the ropes and bodyblocks him down twice. Thorpe to the outside and baits Trick in, trying to trip him but Trick kicks him into the booth. BIG chop on the outside against the guardrail and another before he rolls Eddy in. Trick into the ropes but is caught with a crossbody and then a kneelift.

Eddy with a kick to to the head, he goes into the ropes and is pushed up into an uppercut, heel kick and cover for tow. Dropkick by Trick, Trick for a heel kick but Eddy ducks and Trick is crotched on the ropes. Eddy knocks him to the floor as we go to break.