NXT – January 7, 2025 (New Year’s Evil): What’s So Evil About That?

NXT
Date: January 7, 2025
Location: Shrine Expo Hall, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Vic Joseph Booker T., Corey Graves

It’s the first show of the year, it’s New Year’s Evil, and the Rock is going to be here. The last part was added last night and that should be enough to make for an extra special evening. I have no idea what he is going to do this week but there is a good chance it will have something to do with Ava. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Corey Graves is back on commentary. They had to do something with him and I guess he’s the odd man out with Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore on Smackdown.

Women’s Title: Giulia vs. Roxanne Perez

Perez is defending and starts with a slap to the face but Giulia takes her into the corner for a forearm to the face. A dropkick connects but Perez is back with a crank on the arm as we take an early break. Back with an exchange of forearms but Perez goes after the arm to take over again.

Booker and Graves get into it as Giulia wins a strike off, only to get sent outside. Back in and Giulia grabs a butterfly superplex into a spinning over the shoulder piledriver for two. Perez’s crossface is broken up and Pop Rox is blocked. They fight to the floor where Perez gets caught in a northern lights bomb, only for Cora Jade to run in and toss Perez back inside. Pop Rox connects for two but Giulia knees her in the face and hits the northern lights bomb for the title at 11:13.

Rating: B-. This was a good bit shorter than I was expecting as it was treated like some epic showdown but only got a little over eleven minutes. Jade interfering like last time was a fine call back, but there was pretty much no chance Giulia was losing twice in a row. Giulia needed to win the title as there is a good chance she isn’t going to be in NXT long term, so get something out of her while you can.

Eddy Thorpe has been attacked but Ava isn’t convinced.

We look at Ethan Page attacking Je’Von Evans and injuring his jaw.

Evans can barely speak and is out of action.

Stephanie Vaquer vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Lola Vice vs. Cora Jade

For a future women’s North American Title match. They trade rollups to start until Jordan breaks up Vice’s choke and throws some dropkicks. Jordan’s dive to the floor takes Vice out but Jade drops her as well as we take a break. Back with Vaquer hitting some running knees in the corner to Jade but Vice is back up to kick Jordan into the corner. Vaquer hits a big dive to the floor but Jordan dives onto all three of them. Back in and Jordan misses a splash, allowing Vaquer to hit the STP for the pin on Jordan at 9:18.

Rating: C+. This was fast paced and they kept it interesting, which is the best thing that you can do in a match like this one. Vaquer moving into the title picture should mean that Fallon Henley’s days as champion are numbered but stranger things have happened. For now though, it’s a nice win for Vaquer, who continues her strong start around here.

Ava puts the Unholy Union into a #1 contenders match for the Women’s Tag Team Titles match next week. Oba Femi comes in and isn’t worried about Eddy Thorpe, who is still in the title match.

HHH and Nick Khan are here.

Video on OTM, who are ready for the Tag Team Titles.

Fatal Influence vs. Shotzi/Gigi Dolin/Tatum Paxley

Fatal Influence jumps them during the entrances to start fast and it’s Paxley getting beaten down as we settle down. Jayne gets sent into the ropes for some running hip attacks to the back before Henley gets take down as well. Everything breaks down and Shotzi misses a dive at Henley.

We take a break and come back with Jayne dropping a backsplash for two on Paxley, setting up a chinlock. Dolin comes in to hammer away on Jayne, who manages a needed superkick. A belly to back suplex/neckbreaker combination drops Henley, leaving Dolin and Paxley to hit dives. Welcome To The Ball Pit finishes Henley at 10:15.

Rating: C. This was the usual six woman tag with everyone moving around and no one really getting to showcase themselves. Shotzi possibly sets her up for a title shot though that won’t work so well with Stephanie Vaquer already earning a title shot. Other than that, Fatal Influence losing again isn’t a great sign for their future, which already wasn’t looking bright.

Ava yells at Ethan Page for injuring Je’Von Evans….and the Rock is here. Rock says payback will be trouble, and while he’s the Final Boss, around here, Ava is the boss. With Page gone, Rock asks Ava for advice on what to say out there. She’s sure he’ll figure it out. How does Ava feel so unnatural talking to her own father?

Heritage Cup: Lexis King vs. Charlie Dempsey

Dempsey is defending and this is under sudden death rules, with no rounds or clock, meaning the Heritage Cup part is basically non-existent. They run the ropes to start and Dempsey pulls him down to work on the arm early on. Back up and King fights away and cranks on the arm as well. A dropkick sends Dempsey out to the floor and a dive drops him again as we take a break.

Back with King getting two off a northern lights suplex but Dempsey goes right back after the arm. An armbar goes on but King powerbombs his way to freedom for two. They ram heads out of the corner before Dempsey tries a leapfrog, only for King to accidentally headbutt him low. The Coronation gives King the title at 11:05.

Rating: C+. When I saw them setting this up, I never was better on seeing a finish lifted from 1996 (where Konnan did the same thing to beat Eddie Guerrero, minus the Coronation). It’s fair enough as we’re coming up on thirty years since that was used and it’s close enough to make you wonder if King did it on purpose. Good enough here, and King can move on to something else for the time being.

Shotzi says she just pinned Fallon Henley so she deserves a title shot. Stephanie Vaquer is already #1 contender, but Ava makes Vaquer vs. Shotzi for the title shot next week.

NXT Title: Trick Williams vs. Oba Femi vs. Eddy Thorpe

Williams is defending. Well at least he’s half defending as Thorpe isn’t here to start. Femi powers him around to start but gets caught in a quick Samoan Driver for two as we take an early break. Back with Femi missing a charge into the post and getting caught with a super Rock Bottom for two.

A neckbreaker and flapjack put Femi down but he gets in a quick chop. The Fall From Grace is broken up so Femi settles for the sitout powerbomb for two with Thorpe showing up to pull the referee. Back up and a Trick Shot gives Williams two on Femi but another hits a chair held up by Thorpe. That’s enough to knock Thorpe outside and leaves Williams to get caught in the Fall From Grace to give Femi the title at 10:45.

Rating: B-. The ending was weird and showed how little Thorpe needed to be involved. Thorpe was little more than a means to an end, which wasn’t the best way to go. Femi winning the title is the right way to go, as there is nothing else for him to do in NXT. It’s either this or he goes to the main roster, and this makes more sense.

Post match Giulia comes out to pose with Femi as the new generation.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Here is the Rock to wrap things up. Rock does his Samoan yell and seems a bit nervous. After hitting some catchphrases, Rock brings up his history with Cody Rhodes, but they were nice together last night. At the end of the day, they should know their roles because he is the Final Boss so enjoy the ride. Rock shrugs off the clock counting him down, swears a bit, and talks about how he was going to come here and wing it.

Last night at the Intuit Dome was the sexy ticket but this place for NXT is the place you want to go to. In three years, the people in the back could be headlining Wrestlemania or be out of the business. What matters is how you react to them and he says he loves the fans to wrap us up. This did feel like he was wining it, which was partially proven because he said pretty much nothing in almost ten minutes. This was “he’s here” and nothing more, which granted is a huge get for NXT, but it would be nice if he actually did, you know, something.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a show which could have been so much better if it was able to fix a few of the issues. By that I mean the Rock, who did not work well here in the slightest. It wasn’t a bad segment, but it was pretty much pointless, which is annoying on a show when you have so much else going on. There was all kinds of stuff taking place this week and most of it was good, but there was just nothing great as a match. Not a bad show, but it was rather uneven throughout.

Results
Giulia b. Roxanne Perez – Northern lights bomb
Stephanie Vaquer b. Kelani Jordan, Lola Vice and Cora Jade – STP to Jordan
Shotzi/Gigi Dolin/Tatum Paxley b. Fatal Influence – Welcome To The Ball Pit to Henley
Lexis King b. Charlie Dempsey – Coronation
Oba Femi b. Trick Williams and Eddy Thorpe – Fall From Grace to Williams

 

 

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