Winfree’s NXT: Stand & Deliver Review 4.01.23

Hey there people, Winfree here for NXT as the tie dye brand tries to get some hype going for WrestleMania with NXT: Stand and Deliver. Our main event is Bron Breakker defending the NXT title against Carmelo Hayes, and if Bron is going to get a call up post Mania then I imagine he’s dropping the title here. Roxanne Perez defends the women’s title in a ladder match also featuring Gigi Dolin, Tiffany Stratton, Zoey Stark, Lyra Valkyrie, and Indi Hartwell. Again, if the plan is to call up Perez pretty soon then she could drop the belt here without losing too much overall momentum, but she could just as easily retain as the women’s side of things on the main roster is kind of a mess at the moment. A lot of multi-man matches tonight as there’s a 5-Way for the North American title and a triple threat tag team match for those belts as well. Oh, and there’s an unsanctioned match between Grayson Waller and Johnny Gargano. Didn’t Gargano already put over Waller on his way out of NXT? Also a match for the control of a University apparently. OK then, hardly the weirdest thing wrestling has ever done. Anyway that’s the preamble, so let’s get to the action.

Match #1 – NXT Women’s Championship Ladder Match: (c) Roxanne Perez vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Indi Hartwell vs. Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark vs. Gigi Dolin

Stratton, Lyra, and Perez are the ones who get entrances. Everyone looks at the belt, then things scramble right away. Perez and Stratton square off as do Dolin and Stark while Lyra and Hartwell trade ladder work on the floor before a double clothesline spot. Stark hits Dolin with a German suplex. Perez with a satellite head scissors to send Stark into Stratton. Uppercuts from Perez then a Thesz Press to Lyra. Perez low bridges Stark then dives onto Hartwell. Stratton with a baseball slide to Perez with a ladder assist. In the ring Dolin gets to run wild for a little bit on Start and Stratton then gets a ladder and plays around with it so Stark can baseball slide into it. Stratton tries a hurricanrana but Stark flips out of it only for Hartwell to clothesline them both down. Hartwell with a ladder shot to Start and Stratton but Lyra flies in with a dropkick to Hartwell and her ladder. Lyra and Perez fight over a ladder in the ring, Lyra overpowers Perez with the ladder in the corner then follows with a Yakuza kick. Kicks to Dolin then she suplexes her onto the ladder that’s propping up Perez in the corner. On the floor Hartwell with ladder shots to Stark while Stratton tries to set up a ladder bridge, she goes to catapult Hartwell into the ladder but Stark flies off the apron with a Blockbuster to Stratton. Lyra starts climbing a ladder in the ring but Stark cuts that off. Stratton shows up as well, she and Lyra both climb the ladder and trade elbows, then Lyra pulls her face first into the top of the ladder before Stark dropkicks Lyra. Hartwell lands some kicks to Stark and sends her out of the ring then climbs but Stratton is still in the ring and starts arguing with her on the ladder. Perez climbs up over Hartwell and fights with Stratton, Hartwell just drops down and shoves the ladder over. Again Hartwell climbs the ladder but Dolin clocks her with a ladder then tosses her into a knocked over ladder. Dolin sets up some ladders in the corner, then does the Terry Funk ladder spot because someone has to and knocks down everyone. Lyra gets back body dropped onto the corner ladder then Dolin sets her on it only for Stark to miss a charge at Dolin and land on Lyra.

Dolin gets another ladder, a large one this time, and she sets it up in the ring. Dolin climbs, but Stratton pulls her down and they botch a transition but Stratton winds up hitting a Finlay Roll onto a ladder then Perez fights with Stratton. Perez climbs quickly but Stratton is able to cut her off and they both fall to the mat. Stratton with a handspring back elbow to Perez against a ladder then she climbs but Hartwell cuts her off and hits a really nasty looking spinebuster onto a ladder. That one had Stratton hit her lower back on the edge of the ladder. Stark super kicks Hartwell then lines up a ladder to ram Hartwell in the abdomen, and it winds up bridged between the big ladder and the middle rope. Enziguri from Stark drops Hartwell onto a ladder then she follows with a twisting hilo. Flipping knee strike from Stark lays out Hartwell then Stark starts climbing. She’s up but Perez is able to stop her from getting the belt. Perez pulls Stark down and they trade strikes but Perez counters then knee strike and hits a Pop Rocks (Code Red). Stratton avoids a Pop Rocks and tries a powerbomb but Perez counters with a rana out of the ring. Perez climbs, but here’s Dolin to pull her down, then Dolin catches Perez and bounces her off the ladder a few times before hitting a Gigi Driver. Lyra and Dolin fight now, and Lyra runs wild for a bit including dropkicking Stark onto Hartwell. Lyra climbs again and Dolin cuts her off with a shot to the leg then pulls her down into a tree of woe through the ladder. Dolin climbs now, but Lyra sits up and trades strikes with Dolin but Dolin is able to headbutt her down. Dolin is clear, but here’s Jacy Jane to push her off the ladder onto the bridged ladder. Jane is escorted away by refs. Stratton jumps in to climb the ladder, Hartwell shoves the ladder over though and Stratton takes a rough bump to the outside onto Lyra, Perez, and Stark where she didn’t quite get caught like you’d want. That does leave an opening for Hartwell, she climbs very slowly though. Here’s Dexter Lumis to give her a thumbs up and boosts her on his shoulders to help her climb and Hartwell gets the belt.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Indi Hartwell won the title

Rating: 4 stars
Thoughts: Like most ladder matches it was a little car crash-esque, but everyone got a chance to shine. Stratton took a couple of nasty looking bumps in particular, but this was a pretty good way to get the belt off of Perez without having her lose too much momentum.

Match #2 – NXT Tag Team Title Triple Threat Match: (c) Gallus (Wolfgang and Mark Coffey) vs. The Creed Brothers (Brutus and Julius) w/ Ivy Nile vs. The D’Angelo Family (Tony D’Angelo and Channing Lorenzo)

Tony, Julius, and Coffey start us off. Lots of quick tags from everyone as eventually Julius slams down Lorenzo. Julius runs wild for a bit, then lifts Lorenzo in a modified Turkish get up and slams him down. Tony is in to attack now, he and Lorenzo run wild for a bit and the Creed brothers hit stereo asai moonsaults on the floor to wipe out the other teams. Wolfgang and Julius fight for a bit but Wolfgang gets sent into Brutus for a spike Angel’s Wings. Back in the ring Brutus runs wild on Tony and Coffey. Brutus goes up top, but his flying nothing just gets a knee from Coffey. Wolfgang tags in and hits a twisting senton. Double Uranage to Brutus then a scoop slam to Tony. Wolfgang with uppercuts to Tony, and Brutus tags in Julius. Julius runs wild with suplexes to everyone, good grief those were impressive. Lorenzo tags in and hits a couple of clotheslines then runs around the ringside area for a few spots before hitting a crossbody to Julius. Julius and Lorenzo fight over an apron suplex, but here’s Coffey to put Lorenzo on his shoulders, and Julius then gets Coffey on his for a giant Tower spot, and Brutus jumps at them, not really landing but everyone bumps anyway. I’m not even mad about that not being great, it could have gone badly if they weren’t super safe.

Julius back in the ring, but Tony catches him with a Fisherman’s buster. Lorenzo goes up top for a splash but Coffey breaks up the pin. Tony with a less than stellar Ore ga Taue to Coffey. Double back suplex to Coffey but here’s Joe Coffey to break up the pin after that. Joe lays out Tony with a discus lariat. Back in the ring Wolfgang and Mark hit their finish to pin and win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Gallus retained the titles

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: Kind of a cluster, only that insane Doomsday spot really sticks out in the mind. Not bad but the rule set kind of made this just a spotty sprint.

In the back Pretty Deadly do the Greek Chorus thing outside of Bron Breakker’s locker room. They want to talk with Bron but neither have the nerve to knock on the door so they decide not to bother him.

A video package for our next match follows.

Match #3 – NXT North American Title Fatal 5-Way Match: (c) Wes Lee vs. Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh vs. Axiom vs. Ilja Dargunov

Stare down to start, Wes moves out of the line of sight between Dragunov and JD, but Dragon interrupts this to clock JD with a right hand. Dragon and Axiom can’t corral Wes and we get some acrobatics from Axiom and Wes. Dragunov and JD are in the ring now and Dragunov unloads on Axiom with the Kobashi chops in the corner. JD and Dragunov are alone in the ring again, but here’s Dragon to stop them tearing each other apart. Dragon with a boot to JD then a hurricanrana. Dragon and Dragunov square off now and trade kicks, Dragon getting the better of things and he takes down JD and Dragunov with basement dropkicks, then Dragon avoids Axiom’s flying nothing. Axiom and Dragon hit the ropes and Dragon intercepts his crossbody with a dropkick, then Dragon dives onto Axiom and Wes on the outside. Back in the ring Dragon boots Wes but Wes no sells and we get a moment between them. Wes lands a kick from the apron then a flurry if strikes and a dropkick after a snapmare. Dragunov is here but Wes flips out of a German suplex then sends Dargunov into the corner. Running knee from Wes connects and Dragunov powders so Wes can dive at JD but JD moves, though Wes lands on his feet and super kicks JD. Axiom heads up top but Wes wipes him out with a Shoryuken. JD takes down Wes with a clothesline, then Dragon drops him with a shoulder block. Dragon into the ropes but JD catches him with a back elbow. Axiom sends JD to the apron and elbows him, but JD flips the rope into his face to stop his momentum. Wes launches JD into the corner, JD rolls to the apron and punts Dragunov, then avoids Axiom and hits an Asai moonsault to Dragunov and Axiom. Back in the ring JD hits Dragon with a Spanish Fly then a Devil Inside to Wes but Dragunov stops the ref from counting 3. Dragunov will not allow JD to win, they go face to face and Dragunov backs off allowing Dragon and Axiom to set up so all three of them can hit him with kicks then Dragunov crushes JD with a German suplex. Dragunov is bleeding, not badly but there’s blood on his forehead as he fires up and lays out everyone with strikes then a series of German suplexes and a Constantine Special to Axiom. Now Dragunov runs wild with knees, then a knee drop to Dragon. Chop to Wes from Dragunov, then he Death Valley Driver’s Wes onto Dragon in the corner. Dragunov up top, senton to Wes then he heads up top again and JD shoves him to the apron. JD eats a kick from Axiom and falls to the floor as well. Axiom with a top rope moonsault to the outside and wipes out JD and Dragunov. Dragon heads up top now, but Wes kicks him and climbs up there with him. Axiom joins Wes and Dragon on the ropes, he’s tossed down though. Dragon knocks Wes into an apron oriented Tree of Woe and crushes him with a double stomp and frou men are on the floor now. Dragon’s left knee hit the apron on his way down, that didn’t look great.

JD and Axiom in the ring now, as is Dragunov and we get Axiom taking them both down then a double Northern Lights spot. Dragunov tries to roll up Axiom, but Axiom counters into an Ankle Lock only for JD to kick him down. JD with Kawada kicks to Dragunov, but Axiom super kicks JD. Axiom goes for his submission hold on Dragunov, Dragunov grabs a Bulldog choke on JD, Axiom then grabs a Fujiwara armbar on JD. JD and Dragunov headbutt each other and break things apart. Dragon is here with a choke on JD, but Dragunov powerbombs Axiom onto both Dragon and JD, then he falls on top for a cover but Wes flies in with a Spiral Tap to break up the pile. Wes looks to hit a handspring but Axiom intercepts him mid flight with a super kick. Everyone gets their stuff in now, Dragunov standing tall at the end with a slam but Wes breaks up the pin. Standing moonsault double stomp from Wes to Dragunov but only a 2 count. Dragon catches Wes with a sit out Last Ride for a near fall. JD’s turn for a near fall as he takes down Dragon and Axiom but only 2 on the pin attempt. Axiom and JD are left alone in the ring, Axiom with a flipping DDT off the ropes but only a near fall. JD and Axiom head to the apron, but Dragon has entered the frame, he rana’s JD onto Wes on the floor. Dragunov boots Axiom, he hits a deadlift superplex, rolls through and hits a falling Superman Punch then gets on top but Wes and Dragon dive in to break up the pin. Our second “Fight forever” chant breaks out. Dragon and Wes lay into Dragunov, but Dragunov fires up with chops only to be cut down with kicks, but Dragunov wont go down until Dragon lands a knee, but Dragon runs into a lariat from Dragunov. Dragunov wants the Torpedo Moscow, he hits Dragon with it but at the same time Wes intercepts him with the Cardiac Kick to get the pin on Dragunov.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Wes Lee retained the title

Rating: 4.5 stars
Thoughts: In the cruiserweight style it doesn’t get much better than this, all five men brought it and while parts were a touch sloppy or disjointed it’s kind of part of the buy in for this style. The finish was incredibly well time after the full match, kudos to them for that, and Dragunov came across like the breakout star here. Really great stuff all around.

Pretty Deadly have changed outfits, they debate talking with Carmelo Hayes just like they did with Bron and again debate the merits of knocking on the door. Hayes’s hype man comes out and mocks their outfits though he’s wearing the same kind of jacket. OK, that was certainly a way to kill time I guess.

Match #4 – Unsanctioned Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Grayson Waller

Gargano superkicks Waller, Waller had a chair but he’s sent out of the ring. Outside the ring Gargano tosses Waller over the announce desk and Booker T takes a bump. Waller hits a low blow to stop a powerbomb though a table. Gargano dives back at Waller over the desk as Booker gets his headset back on. Back in the ring Waller grabs the chair he used to have as Gargano gets weapons and tosses them into the ring. Slingshot Spear from Gargano then he gets a trash can and wallops Waller with it before setting it in the corner. Waller eats a punch then gets clotheslined out of the ring. Gargano sets for a dive but flies into a trashcan lid shot from Waller. Waller goes under the ring for a pile of chairs and sets them up in a 3×2 row. Gargano and Waller are on the apron, Gargano avoids a move and lays in punches as Waller nearly falls into the chairs but Waller eventually catches Gargano in the ring and hits a buckle bomb into the trashcan corner. Waller goes to powerbomb Gargano over the ropes but Gargano escapes and kicks Waller from the apron. Gargano goes for a suplex from the apron to the chair bed, and that connects. Ouch, Waller didn’t get quite over far enough but doesn’t seem hurt. Gargano sends Waller into the ring but Gargano goes under the ring again and finds a table which pops the crowd. Gargano sets up the table on the outside, which gets a “Johnny Tables” chant. Now Gargano goes to repeat the suplex spot but Waller fights this one off and counters a slingshot spear with a knee lift. Waller tunes up the band for Sweet Chin Music, but Gargano counters and they trade kicks for a bit then Waller lands a rolling elbow. Gargano out of the ring, Waller charges but runs into a chair shot and Gargano hits a slightly awkward head scissors move. Gargano sets Waller on the table and climbs to the top rope but Waller rolls off the table, then when Gargano follows Waller catches him with a rolling Stunner then powerbombs Gargano through the table. Back in the ring Waller gets a 2 count.

Waller with some chair shots to the abdomen then lays in mounted punches. Gargano tries to fire up with punches but Waller side slams him onto a set up chair to get another 2 count. Waller has a kendo stick now and whacks Gargano with it a few times. Candice LeRae and her son are ringside, Waller trash talks them for a bit then pounds on Gargano in front of his family. Waller sets Gargano on the ring steps and goes to crush him with a chair but Gargano moves and starts laying into Waller with the kendo stick. Candice hops the barricade and lays into Waller with the stick now, breaking it across his back. Waller catches a shot but Gargano comes from behind with more kendo stick shots, Waller’s back is a mess. Back in the ring Gargano hits One Final Beat but only a near fall. Gargano Escape is locked in, but Waller rakes the eyes to break the hold. Waller dropkicks the knee then hits a flipping Unprettier and both men are down. Waller gets another trashcan and tosses it into the ring. Back in the ring Waller puts the can on Gargano’s head and goes for a Van Terminator which connects but only a near fall. They head out of the ring again and Waller dismantles the announce desk. Gargano is set on the table, Waller drapes the busted chair on him and climbs to the top rope. Waller takes too long climbing though and Gargano recovers enough to toss the chair into his face. Gargano then powerbombs Waller through the announce table.

Low blow from Waller, perfectly legal, then Waller follows up with his diving Stunner in the ring but again only a near fall. Waller gets another chair as we get dueling chants, and Waller lays into Gargano with the chair. Some trash talk from Waller, and Gargano returns the low blow to shut him up. Now Gargano starts laying in chair shots then goes to get more chairs. More chair shots from Gargano then he sets one around the head of Waller and hits it with the other chair. Gargano Escape locked in and Waller taps.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Johnny Gargano won

Rating: 4 stars
Thoughts: A violent hate fueled brawl, this didn’t give into some of Gargano’s excesses though my big gripe would be some of the bigger spots earlier not leading to much in terms of payoff or psychology. But they sold the emotion well and this was one of the few matches like this that felt like a contest rather than being filled with cooperative spots.

Post match The Way reunite on the entrance stage for a feel good moment.

In the back Lorenzo and Tony talk, not sure where Joe Coffey came from. Pretty Deadly show up, again in new outfits. Tony and Lorenzo wont make excuses, they’re not quitters though and will be back. Lorenzo again thinks he let everyone down, Tony tries to motivate him and Pretty Deadly put themselves over and we get a shoving match between the teams.

Match #5 – NXT Women’s Tag Team Title Match: (c) Fallon Henley and Kiana James vs. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn

Fyre dives onto James right away and things break down. Dawn and Henley start us off, Henley hitting a wheelbarrow bulldog quickly. Blind tag from Fyre and she trips up Henley and lays into her. Henley is being isolated as Dawn gets a cover for a 2 count. Fyre tags back in and hits an assisted sunset flip for 2. Kicks from Fyre then a corner spear. James tries to fire up Henley, and Fyre runs into a boot then Henley lands a right hand and both women are down. Henley is able to make the tag, to piped in noise, but James gets to run wild for a bit. Both Dawn and Fyre wind up outside and James hits a moonsault onto them. Back in the ring James heads up top but has to avoid a Fyre move and James hits a back suplex for a 2 count. Spinebuster from James gets a 2 count. Henley tags in and lands some punches. Fyre distracts the ref so Dawn can cut off Henley. Dawn tags in but Henley avoids a double team move, Fyre takes a nasty looking spill to the floor as Henley hits a Blockbuster for 2. Fyre stalls the motion of Henley and Dawn cheap shots James then tags in Fyre. Gory Bomb plus a Flatliner double team from Fyre and Dawn but James breaks up the pin. Dawn takes out James then Fyre sets Henley on the top rope. Everyone heads up, but James pulls Dawn out of the ring and tags in leading to a dropkick assisted powerbomb on Fyre but Dawn breaks up the pin. Fyre hits a gordbuster then tags in Dawn who hits a Meteora then a double superkick to James but Henley is able to tackle Fyre onto the pin and break it up. James calls for the purse from one of her valets, but there’s argument about it and he doesn’t. Fyre tags in, takes out Henley then she and Dawn hit a Backstabber into a Swanton Bomb across the knees and get the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn won the titles

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: Solid enough match but this was more about the drama within the former champions camp than anything else.

Match #6 – NXT Title Match: (c) Bron Breakker vs. Carmelo Hayes w/ Trick Williams

We get a long stare down between them, then they tie up but Bron is stronger and Hayes has to disengage quickly. Another tie up, Hayes can’t control Bron though and has to separate again. Bron gets an elevated mat return and Hayes loses his cool then gets backed into a corner and hops onto the ropes to force Bron to back up. Hayes back in the ring and they hit the ropes with Hayes eventually landing a dropkick. Now it’s Bron who’s lost a bit of his cool and they hit the ropes again but this time Bron shoulder blocks Hayes down. Hayes slips trying a springboard move, they recover to try the spot again and Hayes just bounces off of Bron. Rana from Bron then a gator roll into a suplex and a standing moonsault, nice sequence from Bron there. More front headlock work from Bron now, Hayes is kind of stuck here as Bron wont let go of the hold. Front headlock throw from Bron and Hayes is down again. Hayes fights back with a drop toe hold into the corner and Hayes lands stomps. Some kicks from Hayes, then hits hits a springboard clothesline for a 2 count. Hayes grabs at a Fujiwara armbar but Bron is able to roll through after a bit. Running chop from Hayes and he keeps looking to work the arm of Bron. They trade chops then Bron stalls a whip and lands a hip toss. Bron builds some momentum including a slightly awkward back suplex backbreaker. Bron goes after the lower back of Hayes with strikes. Back suplex from Bron gets a 2 count. Torture Rack from Bron but Williams jumps up to pull him free. The ref ejects Williams for that to a mixed crowd reaction. Hayes and Williams confer on the floor and Bron just dives onto both of them. Back in the ring Bron heads up top, hits a diving Bulldog and that gets a near fall.

Bron goes for a suplex, but Hayes fights free then hits a facebuster and twisting Cutter for a 2 count. Hayes heads up top but misses a flying nothing, then follows up with a pump kick that sends Bron to the apron. Now Hayes hits a rope assisted suplex back into the ring and that gets another 2 count. Again Hayes heads up top, but Bron jumps up there with him and hits a top rope Frankensteiner and both men are down. They talk to each other from across the ring and both pull themselves up for another stare down. They trade strikes for a bit in the middle of the ring then Hayes lands a head kick but Bron catches him with a takedown then tries the Steiner Recliner but Hayes counters only to eat a side slam. Crippler Crossface from Hayes, but Bron rolls him up for a 2 count then hits the ropes and Spears Hayes into the ref. Nothing like a ref bump. Bron locks in the Steiner Recliner and Hayes taps but there’s no ref. In comes Williams with the title belt, he cracks Bron in the back of the head and pulls Hayes on top of Bron. The ref slowly recovers, but only a near fall. Bron laughs at Hayes, saying he knew he couldn’t do it fair and square. Bron catches Hayes, but Hayes counters a gorilla press into a Codebreaker. Hayes up top, Nothing but Net and that gets 3.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Carmelo Hayes won the title

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: Fine enough I suppose, but this felt really slow and a little disjointed. Bron’s probably due to move on from NXT and he got to look strong in defeat. Though we’re in another spot here where the crowd is with the heel and it kind of detracts from the whole presentation.

Post match Bron hands the belt to Hayes and Hayes celebrates to end the show.

7.8

The final score: review Good

The 411

This one nearly warranted a Very Good on the strength of the first half or so of the event. The ladder match was quite good, and the North American title was the kind of cruiserweight showcase you'd expect given the participants making it probably the highlight of the event. Gargano vs. Waller was a solid hardcore style match with appropriate heat, acting, and some nasty looking spots in the right way. There are a few downsides though, both tag team title matches just kind of existed and the main event was just the right side of Average to warrant the third star. The emotional peak of the show was The Way reuniting briefly on the stage, and there were still two matches left. Unfortunately the last couple of matches didn't quite deliver to the standard set earlier in the event and that pulls it down from Very Good into upper tier Good.