NXT
Date: August 15, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re a week away from Heatwave, which is the next TV special to fill in time on the way to the next major show. For now though, we should be in for a nice show, with a #1 contenders match between Dijak and Wes Lee. Other than that, there’s a good chance we hear from Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio so let’s get to it.

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

Tag Team Titles: Tony D’Angelo/Stacks vs. Dyad

The Dyad, with Schism, is challenging. Stacks knocks Reid into the corner to start and we go outside with Schism staring Stacks into stopping. Back in and D’Angelo is sent into a spinwheel kick from Reid but a suplex puts Reid down. Stacks grabs a headlock and everything breaks down, with the champs clotheslining them to the floor. A big flip dive takes Dyad down again and we head back inside. This time Fowler throws Reid at Stacks, knocking him off the apron and into the announcers’ table.

We take a break and come back with Stacks fighting out of a chinlock but not being able to get in. Some Dyad double teaming draws D’Angelo in, meaning the referee doesn’t see Stacks’ small package to Reid. Stacks manages to kick Reid away and the hot tag brings in D’Angelo to clean house. Everything breaks down and here is Ivy Nile, who gets cornered by the 10 or so members of Schism. Two of them jump the Dyad though and D’Angelo belly to back slams Fowler to retain at 13:25.

Rating: C+. Nice match but PLEASE get to the end of the Schism stuff already as the “whoa there are a bunch of them and they’re wearing spooky masks” thing is getting really tiresome. They aren’t winning, but the story isn’t interesting and it’s becoming a chore to watch anything they do. Stacks and D’Angelo on the other hand are turning into a polished team and are developing rather nicely, especially as champions.

Eddy Thorpe talks about his fighting spirit and is ready to fight.

Carmelo Hayes is signing a bunch of stuff when Wes Lee comes in to say Hayes has been too busy for him lately. Lee says he’ll go become #1 contender and Hayes can sign a contract to defend the title against him at Heatwave. Hayes: “Why don’t you go do that?”

Andre Chase and Duke Hudson talk about how to get Thea Hail back on the right track. Chase has gotten her a match with Jacy Jayne to work through some emotions. Hail isn’t happy and accuses Chase of always trying to do what’s best for her. Hudson agrees and Hail tells Chase to try not to throw in the towel this time. With Hail gone, Chase asks Hudson what the **** that was. Hudson is off to talk to her.

Blair Davenport vs. Dana Brooke

Kelani Jordan is here with Brooke, who starts fast and sends Davenport outside. Back in and a stomp to Brooke’s back gives Davenport two but Brooke powerbombs her out of the corner for the same. They’re back on the floor with Brooke being sent into the steps, only to have Brooke knock her down back inside. For some reason Brooke goes to grab the bell, which is quickly take away. Back in and Brooke can’t quite get a rollup, so Davenport knees her in the face twice in a row for the pin at 3:55.

Rating: C-. I get what they’re going for with Brooke but it really isn’t working. She’s not the kind of person for this veteran spot and it’s showing badly every time she gets in the ring. It’s not working, but for some reason that is what we’re getting out of her. At least Davenport won though and that is what matters most.

Dijak comes up to Carmelo Hayes’ signing and tells him to save one for himself for after Heatwave. Hayes tells him to get to Heatwave before he talks that much.

Trick Williams vs. Drew Gulak

Damon Kemp and Charlie Dempsey are here with Williams. Williams shrugs off the grappling attempt and hits a pop up right hand to send Gulak outside. Back in and Gulak takes him down by the leg but Williams knocks him away again. A Rock Bottom plants Gulak before Williams goes after Kemp and Dempsey. Cue Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs to take care of the two of them, leaving Williams to hit a spinning kick to the face for the pin at 3:56.

Rating: C. This was a fine way to make Williams look like someone before he gets destroyed by Ilja Dragunov next week. Williams is a fine hand in the ring and can talk very well, but Dragunov is a big test right out of the gate. As usual, Gulak can make anyone look good, which is why he’ll have a job in WWE in one form or another for as long as he wants it.

Dabba-Kato is coming back. Does he have to?

Here is Baron Corbin for a chat. He can say whatever he wants and not have to worry about the repercussions. Corbin ran Gable Steveson out of NXT and that locker room is full of a bunch of soft b******. Corbin is introducing a new era around here but here is Von Wagner, with Mr. Stone, to interrupt. Stone doesn’t think much of Corbin, who mocks Stone’s wardrobe choices.

We hear about Wagner putting Bron Breakker through a table last week and Wagner doesn’t have much to say. Corbin says Wagner needs to learn to do this or he’ll have a “security” shirt on every time the stars come through town. Wagner says he’s tired of Corbin and tells him to be out here next week with “one of your ten gimmicks” for a fight. A table is promised but Wagner can’t put him through one tonight.

Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio call out Dragon Lee and Lyra Valkyria for next week.

Mustafa Ali addresses a bunch of people of North America, talking about how the recent and current champion do not represent them. Dominik Mysterio is a CONVICTED CRIMINAL and the people deserve better. He is the North American Champion that you need and in Ali you can trust. This sounded like a political rally.

Dijak vs. Wes Lee

For an NXT Title shot next week. Lee strikes away start and goes after the knee, even sending him outside early on. Back in and Dijak works on the arm before sending him into the post (with Vic calling the match to cut off Booker’s latest rambling). The running boot misses Lee in the corner but he manages to post Lee again as we take a break.

Back again with Dijak working on the arm until Lee flips over into a DDT. Lee manages to block a big boot and lift him up for a powerbomb but Dijak goes for the arm again. Feast Your Eyes is loaded up but Dijak’s knee gives out. The knee is fine enough for High Justice to connect for two before Dijak sends him outside and over the barricade. Cue Eddy Thorpe to distract Dijak, allowing Lee to knock Dijak down. The Cardiac Kick and Spiral Tap finish Dijak at 12:08.

Rating: B. This was a good fight and Lee continues to look like he belongs at the higher levels of NXT. To go from a tag guy without much going on to someone who can hang with anyone around here is very impressive and he is the logical next #1 contender after that North American Title reign. Dijak continues to be a heck of a monster, though he could use a win in the near future.

Lyra Valkyria and Dragon Lee are ready for Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio next week. Lee thinks Valkyria is hitting on her, but not so much. They exchange pleasantries in their own languages with hit and miss results.

Tyler Bate is ready for Joe Coffey after an incident at an NXT live event on Friday.

Ilja Dragunov is ready for Trick Williams next week, when Williams’ fantasy will not become reality.

Vic Joseph plugs No Mercy with a dig-diggity-dig-dig-diggity-dog.

Joe Coffey vs. Tyler Bate

Bate takes him down by the head to start and survives a few rollup attempts. Coffey reverses into a quickly broken full nelson before Bate punches him down. A standing shooting star press gives Bate two, followed by the airplane spin for that dizzying effect. Back up and Coffey grabs a bridging German suplex for two of his own but Bate knocks him outside. There’s the big dive to drop Coffey again but Dabba-Kato returns to attack Bate for the DQ at 4:00.

Rating: C. This was just a means to an end with the Kato return, which is hardly the most thrilling idea. Kato is a monster but he’s a monster who was beaten by Axiom and Scrypts. That isn’t the most ringing endorsement, so now I guess it is time to rebuild him again. I get that he’s big, but trying the same thing over and over again without it working in the first place is quite the choice. Bate and Coffey had the match you would have expected but with just four minutes, they couldn’t get very far.

Baron Corbin is ready for Von Wagner next week when Bron Breakker comes in. Breakker isn’t done with Wagner, which Corbin finds interesting after what happened last week. Corbin isn’t scared of him.

Nathan Frazer talks about the Heritage Cup match with Noam Dar next week when Dar hacks his feed and tries to turn it into Supernova Sessions. Dar brags about how great of a champion he is but insists that his cup is real. We see a clip of Dar admitting otherwise so Frazer whips out a FRAUD alarm, which hs presses every time Dar lies. Dar keeps talking and the button is pressed quite a few times.

Jacy Jayne vs. Thea Hail

Chase U is here with Hail, who takes her down without much trouble to start and we take a break less than a minute in. Back with Hail fighting out of a chinlock but a neckbreaker is broken up. Jayne knees her down but has to go to the ropes to avoid a Kimura. A spinebuster gives Jayne two so Andre Chase gets on the apron. Hail avoids going into a buckle and yells at Chase, allowing Jayne to grab a small package for the pin at 8:11.

Rating: C+. This was another example of a storyline match and not much more, as Chase completely screwed that one up for Hail and has no one but himself to blame. Seeing the downfall of Chase U is kind of sad as they never really accomplished anything despite being crazy popular, and not it seems that they’re falling apart. I’d like to see something else happen for them, but that doesn’t seem likely at the moment.

Video on Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza, as narrated by their grandfather, who talks about the importance of family staying together. We see clips of them wrestling together as children and it seems it’s time for a reunion.

Carmelo Hayes finishes his signing and Wes Lee comes in to get him to sign a contract. Hayes says he’ll see him next Tuesday but Lee clears the table and says he’ll see Hayes in the ring, before dragging the table with him.

Tiffany Stratton is back next week.

Heatwave rundown.

Wes Lee is in the ring with the table and tells Carmelo Hayes to get out here. Hayes says Lee is about to turn him into the old version so Lee talks about all of the things Hayes gets to do these days. Hayes brings up Lee’s time as North American Champion but then a little pressure comes up and Lee folds like a chair on the Alabama boardwalk. Lee is tired of being told he can’t do something but here he is after having become a Tag Team and North American Champion. He’s been told he can’t, until he did.

Hayes isn’t convinced and says Lee can’t beat him, which Lee says is all he has heard before. He won’t fail again and signs for next week. Hayes says Lee has earned this but warns him to not go chasing waterfalls, because next week, Melo won’t miss. Hayes signs, so Lee stomps the table in half and says he’ll see him at Heatwave to end the show. This was a fairly week final segment, but there’s only so much they can do to set up this match.

Overall Rating: C+. This show wasn’t the big one, but rather the way to set up the big one. They seem to be getting to some of the bigger stories coming to a conclusion next week and that should let them move on to the start of the road to No Mercy. For now though, it was an acceptable enough show as we get ready for next week’s important one.

Results
Tony D’Angelo/Stacks b. Dyad – Belly to back slam to Fowler
Blair Davenport b. Dana Brooke – Knee to the face
Trick Williams b. Drew Gulak – Spinning kick to the face
Wes Lee b. Dijak – Spiral Tap
Tyler Bate b. Joe Coffey via DQ when Dabba-Kato interfered
Jacy Jayne b. Thea Hail – Small package

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT LVL Up
Date: August 11, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

Last week’s show was a bit better last week and hopefully that continues this time. The show tends to be at its best when it has a mixture of some younger stars and a few established names, though you never can tell which format it is going to take. There have been some more rookies around here though so maybe that is where this is heading. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Dante Chen vs. Damon Kemp

Kemp grabs a headlock to start but Chen takes him down for a quick slap. A springboard headlock takeover puts Kemp down again but he counters another springboard into a backbreaker. As Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak watch in the back, Kemp gets elbowed and punched in the face.

Another backbreaker cuts Chen off though and Kemp throws him with a t-bone suplex. The chinlock goes on before Kemp misses an elbow. Chen rams him into the buckle and strikes away, setting up a springboard chop to the head. Back up and Kemp avoids a charge and grabs a Rock Bottom, only to pull Chen into a neckbreaker for the pin at 6:12.

Rating: C. The ending was a nice pick up as that was a fairly slick neckbreaker. Other than that, Kemp looked like his usual good self and I’m glad to see him getting something of a spot on the regular NXT. Then you have Chen, who has been around LVL Up for a long time now and there is nothing to suggest that he is going to be heading anywhere else as he is about the same as he has been for a good while now.

Tavion Heights is ready to bully the bully Joe Coffey and take him to new heights.

Fallon Henley vs. Izzi Dame

They fight over a lockup to start with Henley going after the arm. A running shoulder drops Dame and a drop toehold sends her throat first into the bottom rope. Dame gets in a throat snap across the top of her own and pulls Henley out of the corner for two. The reverse chinlock with a knee in Henley’s back goes on but she’s right back up without much trouble. A quick Shining Wizard finishes Dame at 4:38.

Rating: C. Dame hasn’t exactly had much of a chance to show what she can do and that was the case again here. She seems like a basic villain but there is only so much you can do in a situation like this. At the same time, Henley has done a grand total of pretty much nothing in recent months and unfortunately I don’t quite see that changing. She’s just kind of there as a manager for the most part but she can do well enough in the ring if she is given the chance. I’m not sure I see her getting such a chance though.

Joe Coffey vs. Tavion Heights

Heights seems to win a battle over a lockup to start before twisting Coffey down by the arm. Back up and Coffey runs him over with a shoulder but Heights snaps off a hiptoss. Coffey hits a backbreaker for two and grabs the quickly broken chinlock. Heights tries to fight back and is quickly crossbodied for two. Coffey works on the arm to little avail and Heights grabs a backdrop. A suplex drops Coffey and a belly to belly gives Heights two of his own. Something like a Dominator drops Coffey for another two but he headbutts Heights into the corner. All The Best For The Bells finishes Heights at 6:23.

Rating: C. That would be the bigger name match of the show but that doesn’t mean it was the most thrilling. Heights, as well as Lucien Price, seem to be getting more of a push but losing to Coffey in a singles match isn’t going to help that along. At least it wasn’t a tag loss, so he should be ok going forward.

Overall Rating: C. This one had the format working well enough but it only got so far with the quality. The three matches we got here were all rather skippable and you can only get so much out of a show like that. It’s still the easiest show to watch all week, but it’s nothing you need to see.

Results
Damon Kemp b. Dante Chen – Neckbreaker
Fallon Henley b. Izzi Dame – Shining Wizard
Joe Coffey b. Tavion Heights – All The Best For The Bells

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Great American Bash 2023
Date: July 30, 2023
Location: H-E-B Center At Cedar Park, Cedar Park, Texas
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

NXT is back on the big stage here and that is becoming a bit more common of a situation. In this case, it’s the biggest show of the summer with NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes defending the title against Ilja Dragunov in the main event. Other than that, we have the in-ring debut of Gable Steveson and Thea Hail challenging Tiffany Stratton for the Women’s Title in a submission match. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Meta Four vs. Nathan Frazer/Dragon Lee/Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz

Dar and Frazer fight over wrist control to start until Frazer snaps off a dropkick, meaning Legend comes in. Leon hits a running knee before handing it off to Feroz for a quick moonsault. Jackson faceplants her down for two and it’s Jackson coming in but getting sent into the wrong corner. Leon unloads on Jackson but Mensah tags himself in, meaning Lee can hit a running kick in the corner. A quick distraction lets Mensah take Lee down though and of course Dar is willing to come back in.

The chinlock goes on but Lee is right back up with a basement superkick for a double knockdown. Frazer comes back in to unload on Dar but Legend cuts off the big dive. Everything breaks down and Leon LAUNCHES Feroz over the top for the crash. Lee and Frazer hit dives of their own, followed by Frazer’s springboard reverse DDT.

Vic says these wrestlers embody Dusty Rhodes and….yeah not seeing it. Leon hits a missile dropkick on Lash, setting up a DDT to give Feroz two. Lee and Dar trade strikes to the head until Mensah hits a powerbomb faceplant (Big Show used to call it the Alley Oop) for two. Lee is fine enough to get back to Frazer though and it’s a springboard reverse Spanish Fly to Mensah, setting up Lee’s running Sliced Bread for the pin at 10:51.

Rating: B-. That’s about as perfect of a way as you can have to start a show, as you had eight people doing all whatever they could in the time they had. Frazer and Lee are great high fliers and they did their thing rather well. Dar can hang with just about anyone and I’m sure we’ll see more of this going forward with the double cups. Not a classic match, but a very fun opener.

The opening video focuses on Dusty Rhodes, who invented the Bash and was born here in Austin. Cody Rhodes narrates how important this is (nice touch) and we look at most of the card.

Tag Team Titles: Tony D’Angelo/Stacks vs. Gallus

Gallus, with Joe Coffey, is defending and get a video before the match, where they promise to come out on top. Mark drives Stacks into D’Angelo to start and hammers away early on. Stacks is back up and brings D’Angelo in to stomp away but Joe trips Stacks up. D’Angelo goes after Joe, allowing Wolfgang to get in a hard clothesline to put him down on the floor.

Back in and Mark sends Stacks throat first into the bottom rope so Wolfgang can grab a chinlock. With that broken up, Stacks jumps over Wolfgang and hands it back to D’Angelo to clean house. Everything breaks down and Wolfgang is punched to the floor, leaving Mark to get PowerPlexed (headbutt instead of splash) for two, with Wolfgang making the save.

Back up and Wolfgang throws Mark over the top onto D’Angelo, followed by a moonsault for two on Stacks. Joe gets on the apron and slips Wolfgang a club, which is quickly taken away. Stacks low bridges Wolfgang to the floor and D’Angelo powerbombs Mark into him. D’Angelo hiptosses Stacks onto both of them and Bada Bing finishes Wolfgang for the pin and the titles at 9:15.

Rating: B-. They didn’t have much of another choice here as Gallus was ice cold as champions and there was no reason to keep the titles on them. D’Angelo and Stacks have been chasing the belts for a bit so the win is a pretty nice moment. The match was good enough too, with Gallus’ cheating not working this time around and the titles going to the better team.

We recap Roxanne Perez vs. Blair Davenport in a Weapons Wild match. Davenport was out of action for a long time but came back as the mystery attacker who took out a bunch of the women’s division. Then she targeted Perez, who was sick and tired of being treated as an easy opponent. Perez is fired up for revenge and anything goes.

Blair Davenport vs. Roxanne Perez

Weapons Wild and anything goes, but first we see a clip of the two of them getting into it at a convention yesterday. Perez’s family is in the crowd, but so is a disguised Davenport to get in a cheap shot to start fast. Davenport takes her down on the floor and then heads inside, only to get dropped with a suicide dive. Some chair shots have Perez in trouble and what looks like a cane to the ribs puts her down on the floor.

Davenport makes sure to mock the family before putting a trashcan over Perez and unloading with the cane. Perez manages a quick chair to the ribs but Davenport hits her in the ribs with a belt. Davenport yells at the family again but Perez is back with a bull rope (with cowbell of course). The belt is tied around Davenport’s wrist so Perez can whip her into the barricade a few times.

It’s table time (because of course) but that takes a bit too long, allowing Davenport to take her down again. The chairs are stacked up but Davenport has to counter Pop Rox onto the pile. A suplex through the trashcan gets two on Perez, who is back with a Russian legsweep of all things. They’re back on the floor with Perez hitting a running knee to send her head first into the steps. A top rope splash through the table crushes Davenport, followed by Pop Rox onto the chairs for the pin at 11:50.

Rating: C+. Not a bad brawl here with both women laying it in until Perez won. They could have gone either way here but this is going to take Davenport out of the running to be the big bad of NXT for awhile. That’s not the worst idea, but Perez winning is a good way to go after she has had a rough few weeks. Other than that, it was your run of the mill hardcore match and it went well enough.

Gable Steveson vs. Baron Corbin

This is Steveson’s, an Olympic gold medal winner, debut and we get a quick look at everything he has done in WWE so far. Corbin punches him into the corner to start but Steveson leapfrogs over him and gets the ankle lock (Please no. There are going to be enough Kurt Angle comparisons already.).

Corbin gets the rope and heads outside, where Steveson gets posted. Back in and Corbin posts him shoulder first, followed by a Death Valley Driver for two. Steveson sends him into the corner but gets stomped down for his efforts. Some belly to belly suplexes drop Corbin and Steveson sends him outside. Steveson whips him into the announcers’ table…and they fight to a countout at 6:33?

Rating: C-. While this wasn’t a disaster, it’s going to leave some people saying “that’s it?” Steveson is clearly a great athlete and can do the suplexes and throws well, but this should have been a dominant start, not a match designed to set something else up for the future. Let Steveson show what he can do rather than having him sell for most of the match. Steveson is a special athlete and someone WWE is not going to get very often. This didn’t make me think he was special, but rather that he was a good athlete who wasn’t very high on the WWE totem pole. Not an awful match, but this wasn’t the right direction to take.

Post match the brawl stays on but the fans are really, really not pleased.

We look at Lyra Valkyria coming up short against Rhea Ripley but getting a show of respect after. Ripley told her to take out Jacy Jayne.

Valkyria wants more, but Jayne attacks her and the big brawl is on.

North American Title: Wes Lee vs. Mustafa Ali vs. Dominik Mysterio

Mysterio, with Rhea Ripley, is defending after taking the title from Lee a few weeks back. The other two go after Dominik to start but Rhea gets in Ali’s way, as she is known to do. Dominik tries to run but gets pulled back in by the two of them (great visual) so the double chopping in the corner can ensue.

Lee and Ali slug it out but Dominik is back in for the Three Amigos. That doesn’t work for Ali and Lee, who hit double Three Amigos in a clever spot. With Ali sent outside, Lee grabs a hurricanrana for two, with Ali’s dropkick through the ropes (cool) making the save. Ali kicks Dominik down and hits the rolling neckbreaker, setting up a Boston crab/camel clutch at the same time. That’s broken up so Ali kicks them into the ropes but a 450 only hits apron.

Dominik is knocked to the floor for a dive from Lee but Rhea blocks another. That’s fine with Lee, who dives over her to take Dominik down again (and sticks the landing). Rhea isn’t cool with that and Lee gets Riptided through the announcers’ table to give Dominik a VERY close two (Rhea freaking out on the floor is great). A belt shot gets two more but Ali breaks up the frog splash. The 450 gets two but Ripley pulls Ali out, allowing Dominik to hit the frog splash and retain at 12:05.

Rating: B. There’s a lot here and that is a good thing. First of all, it was a rather modern triple threat style, with all three working at a fast pace and the challengers trying to get the pin where they could. At the same time though you have Dominik doing his best Honky Tonk Man impression and absolutely nailing it. While he isn’t incompetent in the ring, he’s in over his head and needs Ripley to bail him out every time. That is making him an absolute heat magnet and it’s some amazing work.

Finally you have Ripley, who is more of a star than the women’s division has seen since Becky Lynch. She is the kind of person who leaves you wanting to see what she is going to do next while believing that there is nothing she can’t do. It’s a treat to get to watch her and she and Dominik together are about as perfect as it gets.

Video on Ilja Dragunov.

Trick Williams is ready for Carmelo Hayes to shut Dragunov up.

We recap Tiffany Stratton vs. Thea Hail for the Women’s Title. Stratton beat her once before, albeit after tapping behind the referee’s back. Tonight it’s a submission match, with Stratton promising to debut a new submission.

Women’s Title: Thea Hail vs. Tiffany Stratton

Stratton, with a Barbie theme, is defending in a submission match while Chase U is here with Hail. Feeling out process to start until Stratton knocks her down for an early surfboard. That doesn’t last long as Hail knocks her outside but a suicide dive is blocked. Stratton posts her to start on the back and works away back inside.

Hail avoids a charge in the corner though and grabs a suplex, only to get pulled into a bodyscissors. Back up and Hail gets in a bulldog to send Stratton outside, meaning the dive can connect this time. Stratton pulls her out of the air back inside but Hail tries the Kimura. That’s broken up with a suplex into the corner though and a Regal Roll plants Hail again.

Hail catches her on top with an exploder superplex and the Kimura goes on. Stratton uses the ropes to escape to the floor and drives Hail’s back into the apron. Back in and the Prettiest Moonsault Ever sets up a Boston crab to keep hail in a lot of trouble. Stratton cranks back on it….and Andre Chase throws in the towel at 11:45.

Rating: C+. I’m going to need to hear the explanation on this one, as it is going to be needed to boost the match up. Stratton isn’t really a submission wrestler, so while her hurting the back worked, the Boston crab really didn’t. Hail being mad at Chase over the ending could work, but it didn’t come close to building up the emotion you need from that kind of ending. I didn’t buy Hail being in that much danger and it brought things down a bit. Still good, but not what it could have been.

Dragon Lee is proud of his win earlier when he runs into Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio. Rhea calls him the wannabe Rey Mysterio, with Lee saying he would be proud to be like Rey in any way.

Schism argues about the two masked men who interfered in their match. Next week, it’s an interrogation.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

NXT Title: Ilja Dragunov vs. Carmelo Hayes

Hayes, with Trick Williams, is defending. They fight over the arm to start until Dragunov grabs a headlock. Hayes goes for the arm before hitting a springboard clothesline but Dragunov gets in a shot to the back. A German suplex drops Hayes and Dragunov kicks him in the face for a bonus. They slug it out until Dragunov rolls some German suplexes until Hayes armdrags his way out of trouble. That doesn’t work for Dragunov, who kicks him in the face and snaps off a bridging German suplex for two.

A backsplash stays on the ribs for two more and we hit the chinlock. Hayes tries to fight back and gets hit in the face for another near fall. The Constantine Special gets two and Dragunov needs a breather. Dragunov is up with the heavy forearms to the back into a cobra clutch with a bodyscissors. Hayes slips out and hits a kick to the chest, only to get kicked in the head for two more.

Back up and Hayes knocks him into the corner but Dragunov comes back with the chops. Hayes elbows his way out of trouble and a springboard DDT gets two on Dragunov. Back up and Dragunov catches him on top, setting up the top rope backsplash for two. Dragunov tries the Coast To Coast but dives into a Codebreaker (for a VERY over the top bump). Hayes goes up for Nothing But Net, which is countered into a heck of a powerbomb.

Dragunov’s running forearm to the head gets two but a top rope superplex is countered into a super cutter (that was sweet) to give Hayes two of his own. Williams grabs the title to give Hayes a pep talk and the slugout on the ground begins. The slugout sends Hayes out to the floor as the fans find this awesome. Dragunov’s dive takes out Williams by mistake but his head hits the title. That’s enough for Hayes to hit Nothing But Net to retain at 24:08.

Rating: B. This one took some time to get going, but it hit its stride once it stopped being a Dragunov squash of Hayes. They didn’t have the best chemistry, though it worked out well by the end, especially with Dragunov’s own intensity and willingness to go one more step being his downfall. Hayes didn’t look great here, but he looked good enough to get by and in some cases that’s all you need.

Overall Rating: B-. Much like the main event, this show wasn’t great but it was just good enough. One thing I like about NXT is that it never feels like they are trying to be Wrestlemania and that’s how it should be. NXT isn’t good enough to be that big and it would be foolish to try. Instead you get shows like this, where they have been built up well enough and then make the execution work. They pulled it off here and I had a good enough time with the show, especially considering it was in and out in less than two and a half hours. This is worth a look if you want something different, so consider it if you have the chance.

Results
Dragon Lee/Nathan Frazer/Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz b. Meta Four – Standing Sliced Bread to Mensah
Tony D’Angelo/Stacks b. Gallus – Bada Bing to Wolfgang
Roxanne Perez b. Blair Davenport – Pop Rox onto a pile of chairs
Baron Corbin vs. Gable Steveson went to a double countout
Dominik Mysterio b. Wes Lee and Mustafa Ali – Frog splash to Lee
Tiffany Stratton b. Thea Hail when Andre Chase threw in the towel
Carmelo Hayes b. Ilja Dragunov – Nothing But Net

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NXT
Date: July 11, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s a big night as Judgment Day is here again. This time around that should mean some issues for Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, as there are still issues to deal with from before Money In The Bank. Other than that, we have the fate of Tony D’Angelo as NXT’s idea of how the courts work continues to be out there. Let’s get to it.

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

Here is Judgment Day to get things going. The fans chant for Mami but Finn Balor says DADDY’S HOME. It’s time to do some Judgment Day things, starting with Damian Priest, who doesn’t like Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes. Dominik Mysterio gets booed down, but here are Hayes and Williams to interrupt. Hayes praises Balor but says the two of them run this place. Priest says that’s because Judgment Day isn’t here every week. Williams and Priest get into the argument and a tag match is made for later.

Tony D’Angelo, who needs to get to chow time in jail, says he wants to trust Stacks but he keeps hearing bad things. He’s just not sure anymore.

Gigi Dolin talks about how she puts herself out there, while Kiana James tries to hide her past. We see some shots of a younger James seemingly being quite the different kind of person.

James insists that isn’t her anymore.

Chase U vs. Charlie Dempsey/Drew Gulak

The fight is on before the bell until we settle down to Dempsey hitting Hudson in the face. As Lucien Price and Bronco Nima pop up on the platform to watch, Hudson gets in a running hurricanrana on Gulak, with commentary not believing it. Hudson gets caught on top but manages something like a super Michinoku Driver. Chase comes in and is quickly slammed down, allowing Dempsey to grab the chinlock.

That doesn’t last either, as it’s back to Hudson to clean house. Everything breaks down and Chase U clears the ring as we take a break. Back with Hudson fighting out of trouble and bringing in Chase to clean house. Suplexes abound and there’s the Spelling Stomp to Dempsey. A high crossbody gets two and it’s time to exchange German suplexes. Thea Hail has had it with this and grabs a Kimura on Gulak, leaving the Fratliner to finish Dempsey at 11:22.

Rating: C+. This was all about getting Chase back in the ring and the fans still seem to absolutely love him. That is exactly what NXT had to be hoping for, but now it’s all about actually doing something with him. Chase U was the hottest thing in NXT for a good while but they never really did anything. Change that this time and we could be in for something rather interesting.

Bron Breakker is ready to beat Ilja Dragunov and become #1 contender.

Von Wagner talks about how he was an outcast as a kid and eventually accepted being a monster. He started doing that here, but for the first time, the fans were cheering him. Wagner has Mr. Stone to thank for that, which leaves Stone looking happy.

Kelani Jordan vs. Cora Jade

Dana Brooke is here with Jordan. The gymnastics frustrated Jade to start but she gets in a few stomps to take over. A running dropkick hits Jordan as she is tied up in the ropes, setting up the chinlock. That’s broken up and Jordan gets two off a rollup and the forearms abound. Jordan’s springboard is broken up though and Jade hits the DDT for the pin at 3:58.

Rating: C. They didn’t have much time to do anything here but Jade continues to look strong. That’s all you can ask for from a match this short when Jade is facing someone brand new. There’s a good chance we get Jade vs. Brooke next and then hopefully Jade gets to move on to something a little more difficult.

Post match Jade goes after Jordan again but Dana Brooke makes the save.

Ilja Dragunov is ready to be #1 contender.

We look at Eddy Thorpe winning the NXT Underground match last week.

Gable Steveson isn’t sure what to do now because he loves being here but also wants another Olympic medal.

Dijak is not impressed with Thorpe winning one NXT Underground match.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Bron Breakker

For the NXT Title shot at the Great American Bash. Breakker powers him straight into the corner to start but Dragunov wins a slugout. The 61Line is countered with a heck of a suplex though and Dragunov is right back in trouble. Dragunov chops away but Breakker just unloads on him with forearms and right hands as we take a break.

Back with Dragunov winning another slugout but getting caught with a German suplex. Breakker cuts him off with some raised boots though and the top rope bulldog (which barely makes contact) knocks Dragunov silly. Dragunov is back up with a Death Valley Driver into the corner, setting up a Coast To Coast.

The Torpedo connects for two, and Dragunov is stunned by the kickout. Breakker is right back with a heck of a spear for two before loading up the gorilla press. That’s reversed into a DDT for two but Breakker hits a clothesline. Another spear is cut off by a knee to Breakker’s head and now the Torpedo to the back of the head can finish for Dragunov at 14:22.

Rating: B. This was straight out of the old NXT playbook, as you have the new top challenger facing the previous top challenger to give the new one some credibility. In this case it helps that Dragunov and Breakker worked very well together and had a pretty great fight. Dragunov can sell like no other and Breakker’s power stuff looked awesome against him. Very good match here and it could have been on some kind of special instead of regular TV.

Wes Lee talks about being ready for Mustafa Ali when Dominik Mysterio, with Rhea Ripley, comes in to accept the open challenge. There wasn’t one open, but they can do it next week.

A driving Baron Corbin talks about not knowing who he is anymore because he has changed so many times. He comes to a circle of torches and asks who he is.

Ivy Nile vs. Tiffany Stratton

Non-title. Stratton shoulders her down to start and then does it again. Back up and Nile grabs the arm before getting in a hard shot to the face. Stratton is fine enough to knock her to the apron, setting up a running hip attack to the floor. Back in and the chinlock is broken up without much trouble, allowing Nile to kick her in the head. The Diamond Chain Lock is broken up and it’s a Regal Roll into the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the pin at 4:38.

Rating: C. Much like the previous women’s match, there wasn’t much time to do anything here, but at least Nile got in a bit more offense. I’m not sure what she is going to be able to do with the Creeds gone, but her in-ring abilities should be enough to carry her pretty far. Stratton is looking for her next challenger, so keeping her warm is a good idea.

Post match Stratton grabs the mic but is told she tapped out so many times that she gives up.

Chase U gives Thea Hail a pep talk and believe she can be Women’s Champion.

Noam Dar is still depressed.

Blair Davenport mocks Roxanne Perez for taking a beating last week and promises to do it even worse next time Perez comes at her.

Stacks vs. Joe Coffey

Galls is here with Coffey. If Stacks wins, the charges against Tony D’Angelo are dropped and he and Stacks get a Tag Team Title shot. Otherwise, it goes to trial. Feeling out process to start until Coffey grabs a headlock takeover to grind away. Back up and All The Best For The Bells gets two on Stacks, with Coffey looking stunned at the kickout. Stacks insists that he isn’t a snitch and we take a break.

Back with D’Angelo calling in to be happy with Stacks as Coffey cranking on the arm. A clothesline cuts Stacks down again and here are Lucien Price and Bronco Nima to glare at Gallus. Price and Nima leave as Stacks fights up and hits him in the face. Stacks runs him over so Wolfgang yells at the referee, allowing Stacks to grab what looks like a pipe. With the referee turning around, Stacks hands the pipe to Wolfgang, getting Gallus ejected. The running knee to the back of the head finishes D’Angelo at 10:45.

Rating: C+. This whole story has been way over the top and more than a bit nuts at times, but Stacks has gotten a lot out of the whole thing. He has gone from little more than a generic heel to an actual character who can back it up in the ring. That’s more than I would have bet on and the D’Angelo Family winning the titles would make a lot of sense.

Schism comes up to Ivy Nile, who accuses Joe Gay at being the masked man last week. They invite Nile to join the team but she doesn’t say anything.

Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz talk about Noam Dar when Humberto and Angel come in to hit on them. With that not being well received, Dragon Lee and Nathan Frazer come in to get rid of the pesky guys.

Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams vs. Judgment Day

Finn Balor/Damian Priest for the team here, with the latter punching Williams in the face to start. Priest cranks on the arm before handing it off to Balor for some choking on the ropes. The chinlock goes on for a bit before Balor drives him into the corner for some chops. Williams manages to get over to the corner for the tag to Hayes though and the ring is quickly cleared.

We take a break and come back with Hayes being sent into the wrong corner, allowing Priest to hit a running corner elbow. The double arm crank is broken up rather quickly and the rolling tag brings Williams back in. A running neckbreaker gives Williams two but Priest gets in a clothesline for the double knockdown. Hayes and Balor come in to pick the pace back up with Hayes hitting a superkick for two. The Sling Blade drops Hayes again but the Coup de Grace misses.

A springboard clothesline gives Hayes two more but it’s Priest coming in with a kick to the head. Williams makes the save as everything breaks down. Priest hits a Razor’s Edge onto the announcers’ table but Hayes grabs a Codebreaker. Cue Dominik Mysterio for a distraction but Hayes faceplants Priest anyway. The briefcase is thrown in but here is Ilja Dragunov to take it away. Hayes is sent into the briefcase though and it’s South of Heaven into the Coup de Grace to pin Hayes at 12:15.

Rating: B-. There was a lot of protection for Hayes, but I’m still not sure why you need to have the champion lose here when you have Williams in the same match. At least it does set up more of the Great American Bash main event, which should be great, but I’m assuming this is it for Judgment Day, at least most of them, in NXT. This id feel like a big time main event though and that is what matters more than almost anything else.

Hayes and Dragunov yell at each other to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Pretty nice show this week with some of the matches feeling rather big for a regular TV show. The women’s matches weren’t exactly treated as important though and that is still a little weird to see. Other than that though, there wasn’t much that brought this down and it did a nice job of setting things up for the Great American Bash later this month.

Results
Chase U b. Charlie Dempsey/Drew Gulak – Fratliner to Dempsey
Cora Jade b. Kelani Jordan – DDT
Ilja Dragunov b. Bron Breakker – Torpedo
Tiffany Stratton b. Ivy Nile – Prettiest Moonsault Ever
Stacks b. Joe Coffey – Running knee to the head
Judgment Day b. Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams – Coup de Grace to Hayes

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NXT
Date: July 4, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re done with Gold Rush and taped for the sake of the holiday. With just over three weeks to go before Great American Bash, it’s time to get the card set up, but there is also the chance for some more guest stars to spice things up a bit. That has worked well enough so far so maybe they’ll do it again. Let’s get to it.

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

Blair Davenport vs. Roxanne Perez

Perez jumps her during the entrance, with ringside still full of smoke. The bell rings and Perez knocks her straight back to the floor. That lasts all of five seconds before Davenport takes her back inside for a faceplant. Davenport gets in a running knee against the ropes for two before heading outside as we take a break.

Back with Perez winning a slugout but Pop Rox into the corner is blocked. Instead Perez gets two off a crossbody but Davenport sends her outside again. This time it’s a running knee to send Perez into the steps but that’s only enough for a nine count. Back in and the Falcon Arrow gets two, followed by a knee to the head to finish Perez at 11:58.

Rating: C+. Davenport has to be established as a monster to be taken down and that is what they are doing here. Perez has been a force in the division and she will be able to come back later on. Davenport might be next in line after whoever takes the title from Tiffany Stratton, but we could be a long way off from that. Until then, just hurting people will have to do.

Ivy Nile is worried about the loser leaves town match tonight with the Creeds and Schism when Tiffany Stratton comes in to make fun of her. A match seems to be made.

Baron Corbin is tired of not having a reputation and burns a bunch of his stuff, including gear from past gimmicks, saying it’s “no more gimmicks, no more nonsense and no more bulls***.” He might as well stick around here and try to figure something else out, because the main roster isn’t happening at the moment.

Mustafa Ali vs. Tyler Bate

They trade rollups for two each to start and then keep at it with a series of near falls that has the referee going a bit nuts trying to keep up. An exchange of takedowns sets up a crossface from Ali. Bate breaks out of that without much trouble and sends him outside for a clothesline as we take a break.

Back with Bate striking away until Ali hits a tornado DDT. A backdrop puts Ali on the floor so Bate can hit a big no hands dive. Back in and the rebound clothesline gives Bate two more. Bate goes up top but misses the Spiral Tap. Ali goes up as well but Bate catches him on top and climbs next to him. Some headbutts and a crotching on the ropes put Bate down though, allowing Ali to hit the 450 for the pin at 13:31.

Rating: B. These two had a chance to tear the house down and they came pretty close, with one big spot after another here. It was a very fun match where they were allowed to just go nuts for awhile. That’s the kind of match that is always going to work and in Ali’s case, it’s the kind of match that he should have been having for a long time now. These NXT excursions can do a lot of good for people, if nothing else just for the sake of reminding fans/WWE of what they can do.

Post match Ali says he wants a North American Title match at the Great American Bash.

Joe Gacy and Ava are ready to get rid of the Creed Brothers.

Kelani Jordan vs. Tatum Paxley

Dana Brooke is here with Jordan, who flips around to start. A backbreaker cuts Jordan off though and a backsplash gives Paxley two. Paxley loads up a suplex but gets reversed into a Stundog Millionaire for the pin at 2:43.

Post match Cora Jade comes out to mock Dana and Jordan, but turns down the latter’s challenge.

Chase U is glad to have Andre Chase back, with Chase thanking Duke Hudson for being great in his absence. Thea Hail is dubbed the uncrowned Women’s Champion and blames Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak for costing her the title. A student asks if they’ll be guest lecturing anymore but Hudson covers the yelling at him. Violence is promised.

Eddy Thorpe vs. Damon Kemp

This is NXT Underground, meaning no ropes and you only win by submission or TKO. Gable Steveson is here with Thorpe, who is easily taken down and pounded with forearms. Kemp rolls him around even more until they fall out to the floor, with Kemp hammering on him even more. Thorpe gets in some choking on the barricade before they head back inside, where Kemp chokes even more.

Thorpe sends him outside but walks into a heck of a fight hand. A knee to the face drops Kemp but he suplexes Thorpe to the floor for a scary sounding crash. Steveson uses the power of the gold medal to inspire Thorpe, who avoids a charge into the post. Kemp’s arm seems to be hurt and Thorpe grabs a triangle choke with some elbows to the head for the stoppage at 7:28.

Rating: B. I’m not sure what to make of something like this as it was more of a wrestling/UFC hybrid than a traditional match. Kemp gets another win and continues his rise up the ranks, but that Steveson involvement is likely what really matters here. Steveson got more physical here than he has in a long time and there is a chance that he is going to do that more often in the future. Or maybe this is his annual “hey I’m still here” moment and we don’t see him again until next year.

Post match Kale Dixon goes after Steveson’s gold medal and gets suplexed. Some more people go after Steveson and get suplexed as well until the rather large….never mind as he gets suplexed too.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams invite Judgment Day to NXT to settle business.

Stacks and Joe Coffey go to see Tony D’Angelo in jail and Tony isn’t happy. However, they have a deal: next week it’s Stacks vs. Coffey and at stake are…..the charges against Tony. That doesn’t work for Tony, who breaks the phone in frustration.

Jacy Jayne vs. Lyra Valkyria

Jayne yells a lot and sends her into the corner, only to miss a charge. Valkyria gets two off a rollup but is sent face first into the apron as we take a break. Back with Jayne holding a Boston crab but getting reversed. Jayne misses a charge and has to avoid a top rope ax kick. Instead Jayne hits a backsplash for two but misses the spinning kick to the face. Valkyria kicks her in the face for the pin at 8:52.

Rating: C. This was more to the point as Valkyria continues to look strong. She got the endorsement from Rhea Ripley last week so this should be more than enough to move her up the ladder. A big time title rematch against Tiffany Stratton isn’t out of the question and she moved past Jayne pretty quickly here. Not a great match, but a good performance from Valkyria.

Post match Jayne beats her up again and destroys the feathers.

Noam Dar is nearly in tears over losing the Heritage Cup so the Meta Four have to console him.

Kiana James goes into her office….which has been trashed and spray painted by Gigi Dolin. James swears revenge.

Back in the arena, Von Wagner, in street clothes, beats up Javier Bernal by sending him through a table. I like that better than them having a match, just for making it seem more real.

Creed Brothers vs. Dyad

Loser leaves NXT and the Dyad jumps them from behind. Back up Brutus hits the Brutus Bomb to clear things out as we take a break. We take a break and come back with Fowler hold Brutus in an armbar. After a good deal of cranking, Brutus fights up and manages to get over to Julius or the tag. Suplexes abound and Julius sends them to the floor for a big dive, followed by an assisted spinebuster fr two on Fowler.

Back up and Fowler rolls Julius up for two until Reid grabs a crucifix bomb for the same. A chop block cuts Julius off though and we take a break. Back with Fowler working on the same leg but Julius gets over for the tag to Brutus. A springboard 450 gets two on Fowler so Brutus grabs the ankle lock. That’s broken up as well and Fowler hits a middle rope Codebreaker for two.

Julius tells his brother to fight for him because he loves him, which is enough or Brutus to fight back. The Doomsday Device is broken up and it’s a Doomsday suicide dive to take Brutus out. Somehow it’s back to Julius to clean house as the pace picks up. A double suplex sends the Dyad flying and a top rope moonsault takes them both down again. Ava comes in and gets dropped by Ivy Nile….but a masked man runs in to hit Julius. The double Codebreaker finishes Julius at 17:42.

Rating: B. This was another rather good match on a show full of them. The best thing here was a twist ending, as it would seem that the Creeds are ready to go up to the main roster, where they should be. They’ve had their long NXT Tag Team Title reign so send them up and let Julius become the breakout star that he could be. I’d be shocked if the masked man wasn’t revealed to be Gacy, but at least they waited for the right time to do the screwy ending. As usual, the Dyad has never been Schism’s problem so it was nice to see them getting this kind of time.

Finn Balor will be here next week to deal with Carmelo Hayes.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Here is Bron Breakker to talk about how he was in the most watched NXT match in two years last week when he challenged Seth Rollins. No one thought he had a chance against Rolling until he hit a spear. He’s had just over seventy matches and all of them have happened right in front of these people.

Breakker is 25 years old and can hang with the best in the business. He has a lot more titles to win and wants to know who is next. Cue Ilja Dragunov to say he’s next (and Breakker looks a bit worried). Dragunov says there is one person between himself and the NXT Title, so he’s here to eliminate Breakker. The fight is on, with wrestlers and referees barely being able to hold them apart to end the show.

This feels like the old school second match from the top for a Takeover, as you have the former champion against the up and comer who needs the win to move into title contention. It’s a strategy that has worked before and it should here, as these two can beat the daylights out of each other, likely at the Great American Bash.

Overall Rating: B+. When the worst match on the show is a completely watchable Jayne vs. Valkyria match, you’re having a pretty good night. This show featured three rather quality matches, plus some stuff either officially or all but officially being set up for Great American Bash. I had a really good time with this show and it was one of the better NXT’s I’ve seen in a long time. With some guest stars and matches set for next week, it’s nice to be excited for what NXT is doing again, so very good job this week.

Results
Blair Davenport b. Roxanne Perez – Running knee
Mustafa Ali b. Tyler Bate – 450
Eddy Thorpe b. Damon Kemp via referee stoppage
Lyra Valkyria b. Jacy Jayne – Kick to the head
Dyad b. Creed Brothers – Double Codebreaker to Julius

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NXT LVL Up
Date: June 30, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Blake Howard

For once, this show might actually be a bit different for a change, as next week’s regular NXT will be taped in advance due to the 4th of July. As a result, NXT might switch things up somewhat, for the sake of not having to tape too many matches before the show. That could be a nice way to go so let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Blair Davenport vs. Kelani Jordan

Jordan takes her down with an armbar to start before a sunset flip gets two. An armdrag out of the corner into a rollup gets two more but Davenport hits her in the face to take over. The cravate has Jordan in more trouble but she fights up with some shots to the face. A springboard spinning crossbody gets two on Davenport but a backbreaker into the Falcon Arrow finishes Jordan at 5:25.

Rating: C. Jordan got a chance to shine here and that is nice to see as she is still brand new. Let her do her thing for a bit, assuming she already knows what that thing is. That being said, Davenport seems to be a candidate for next big bad in NXT and if that is the case, she is not about to be losing to a newcomer like Jordan, especially on LVL Up.

Myles Borne wants a challenge in Joe Coffey.

Joe Coffey vs. Myles Borne

Coffey grabs a cravate to start but Borne is right back up with a dropkick. An armbar puts Borne down and Coffey cranks on the arm a bit more. Coffey’s headlock doesn’t last long as Borne is back up with a dropkick. Borne gets his own armbar and Coffey is sent to the apron, where a Stunner can connect to stagger Borne again. A powerslam gets Borne out of trouble but Coffey knocks him into the corner, setting up All The Best For The Bells and the pin on Borne at 5:40.

Rating: C+. Coffey as the name of the week around here is a weird way to go as he has had enough success to not belong on this show. That make it all the more interesting and Borne even got in some offense here. Decent enough match, even if it was there for the sake of having Coffey around.

Overall Rating: C+. As nice as the thirty minute version of the show may be, the twenty minute version actually suits it even better. It’s more or less the Main Event of NXT and I got a little something out of it, just by having some not quite squash matches. This was a nice change of pace and we’ll probably get the same next week, so well done for a bit.

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NXT
Date: June 27, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s the second half of the Gold Rush tournament and that means we have a title match main event. Baron Corbin will finally get his shot against Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Title, plus the Tag Team and Women’s Titles are on the line. That is a heck of a card so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of last week.

Women’s Title: Thea Hail vs. Tiffany Stratton

Hail, with Duke Hudson, is challenging. Some rollups give Hail two but the Kimura sends Stratton straight to the rope. Cue Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak as Stratton gets in a shot to take over, setting up a double stomp for two. Stratton starts working on the arm and we take a break.

Back with Hail firing away in the corner and grabbing a t-bone suplex. The spelling stomps set up an armbar but Hudson is arguing with Dempsey. Hail gets the Kimura again and Stratton taps but the referee is yelling at Gulak. Hail makes the eternal mistake of letting the hold go and getting the referee, allowing Stratton to get the rollup pin at 8:28.

Rating: C. Hail continues to be such an entertaining ball of energy out there and it is hard to take your eyes off of her. At the same time, Stratton feels like an absolute star and someone who is going to keep the title for a long time to come. Hail’s title win might happen someday, but it’s Stratton’s time and NXT seems to know it.

Post match Dempsey and Gulak beat down Hudson but Andre Chase returns for the save. The people seem to still like him.

Video on Ilja Dragunov, who loves fighting.

Gallus still hasn’t heard from Joe Coffey.

Last week, Dana Brooke was getting her knee looked at when Kelani Jordan came in. Jordan praised her and there seems to be some respect.

Tag Team Titles: Edris Enofe/Malik Blade vs. Gallus

Gallus is defending. Blade rolls away from Joe to start and slips out of a double teaming in the corner. Enofe comes in to start working on Wolfgang’s arm before it’s right back to Blade to headlock Mark. A dropkick gets two as we see Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo watching from the platform.

We take a break and come back with Blade in trouble as Wolfgang cranks on the neck. Coffey shoulders him down and grabs a front facelock, only to go after Enofe. The distraction lets Blade duck underneath and bring in Enofe to clean house. Enofe tries to use Coffey as a launchpad but slips, only to come back with a spinebuster for two instead. A frog splash gets two on Coffey with Wolfgang making the save. Cue Stacks to go after Coffey but he knocks Enofe into the steps by mistake (though he doesn’t seem too upset by it). The flapjack/dropkick finishes Enofe to retain at 13:13.

Rating: C+. I still think Enofe and Blade could and should be champions someday and moving the belts here wouldn’t have been the worst idea. Gallus isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire as champions and it would be nice to see some fresh blood around the belts. At least there seems to be something going on with the Stacks deal, but Gallus still aren’t all that interesting.

The Meta Four don’t want to talk about losing the Heritage Cup but Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend want the Women’s Tag Team Titles.

It’s time for a Schism family meeting. Joe Gacy tells them to speak freely, with Dyad talking about how their lives were supposed to be made better. The problem is that Gacy’s life is the only one getting better. Gacy accuses Fowler of not letting Reid have a voice, with Fowler saying Gacy bosses them around.

That doesn’t work for Gacy, who says they were never fully dedicated but they’re in a better form now. Cue the Diamond Mine to say they’re sick of this and declare Schism a cancer that wants to take over NXT. Gacy wants the Creeds vs. the Dyad next week, loser leaves NXT. The Creeds are in, though Julius looks a bit nervous. Schism’s schism continues and it couldn’t happen to a more annoying group.

Lucien Price and Bronco Nima talk about growing up together and using football to let out their aggression. Now they’re back on the same time and they’re here to dominate.

Axiom/Scrypts and Hank Walker/Tank Ledger are impressed by Price and Nima. Nathan Frazer walks up and gets some congratulations from Axiom on winning the Heritage Cup. Axiom says he’s drawn to the cup.

Trick Williams gives Carmelo Hayes a pep talk….and Rhea Ripley shows up (BIG pop for that). She warns them to stay out of Judgment Day business and leaves.

Heritage Cup: Dragon Lee vs. Nathan Frazer

Lee is challenging. Round One begins with neither being able to get anywhere on the mat. Neither can get anywhere off a wristlock so we have a standoff. Cue Axiom to watch as Frazer works away on a headlock. Scrypts is here too as they trade rollups for near falls each. They fight over a lockup and get nowhere as the round ends.

Round Two begins with Frazer snapping off a flying mare and hitting a running dropkick. Lee tries a hurricanrana out of the corner but gets pulled into a sunset flip to give Frazer the first fall at 1:10 of the round and 5:05 overall. Round Three begins with Lee cartwheeling his way out of a hurricanrana. Lee knocks him outside and hits the big flip dive as we take a break.

Back with Round Three over, the score still 1-0 Frazer, and about a minute of Round Four done. Frazer hits a dive to the floor but Lee hits a quick powerbomb for the pin at 1:45 of the round and 10:33 overall. Round Five starts with Lee tying him in the Tree of Woe for the top rope double stomp. They both go up top and come crashing down, with Lee hitting another powerbomb or two. They’re both down for a bit before slugging it out from their knees. A fight over a rollup goes to Frazer, who gets the pin at 2:59 of the round and 13:02 overall to retain.

Rating: B-. These rounds matches can be tricky as while they’re entertaining, they make me want to see these wrestlers have a regular match without the gimmicky setup. Lee and Frazer could have a heck of a match out there no matter what, so why chop it up with the round stuff? Either way, good match and the best on the show so far.

Raw Underground is back next week.

We see Gable Steveson training Eddy Thorpe for his Raw Underground match with Damon Kemp. Steveson will be in Thorpe’s corner.

Mustafa Ali comes in to see Wes Lee and apologizes for getting a little too involved as referee last week. Tyler Bate comes in to question how things went last week. Ali wants a title shot and Bate offers to referee. Bate and Ali bicker as Lee walks off.

Mr. Stone can’t find Von Wagner. Then he finds Von Wagner, who is upset over the photo of him as a baby and everything his family had to go through. Wagner says he can’t do this right now and leaves.

Gigi Dolin vs. Kiana James

They fight over a lockup until Dolin starts in on the armbar. Dolin dropkicks her up against the ropes and gets two off a rollup before they crash out to the floor. We take a break and come back with James going outside again, but this time she manages to send Dolin into the steps. We hit the chinlock back inside but Dolin fights up again. With nothing else working, James goes for her loaded bag, only to get caught with a crucifix bomb to give Dolin the pin at 9:09.

Rating: C. Dolin is in a weird place as NXT seems interested in pushing her but it doesn’t ever really seem to go anywhere. She feels unique enough that she can do something interesting but it hasn’t exactly gone to that next level. James isn’t much higher up at the moment, though she seems to have found more of a niche than Dolin.

Post match James hits her with the bag and pours cans of paint onto Dolin.

We go to the prison, where Joe Coffey visits Tony D’Angelo. Tony looks confused but Joe says things have changed since Tony was locked up. Tony promises that Stacks will handle things, but Joe says Stacks already has things handled. Stacks has ambition, with Joe saying Stacks sold Tony out. Joe plays some audio from his phone, with Stacks talking about how he’s the new Don and wanting Gallus to lay low for a week.

We look at Blair Davenport jumping Roxanne Perez during a fan Q&A show.

Jacy Jayne isn’t happy with Lyra Valkyria, who pops up to hit her in the face. Rhea Ripley pops up to say Jayne deserved that and Valkyria is a bada**.

The Dyad freaks out over next week’s Loser Leaves NXT match but Ava calms them down.

NXT Title: Baron Corbin vs. Carmelo Hayes

Hayes, with Trick Williams, is defending. They start fast with Hayes sending him outside and nailing a dive as we take an early break. Back with the fight heading outside again and Hayes being sent over the barricade. A big boot knocks Hayes silly but he gets out of a chinlock. The springboard clothesline takes Corbin down but he grabs a backbreaker for a breather.

Corbin rips the shirt off and drops Hayes with an elbow before taking him up top. Hayes knocks him off for a frog splash and the Fade Away his Corbin as well. The springboard DDT gets two more and a cradle gets two. Corbin is right back with an AA into the chokebreaker for two of his own and frustration sets in.

They fight out to the floor with Corbin sending him face first into the announcers’ table. Some elbows to the head drive said head into the table for two back inside. Deep Six is broken up but the second attempt plants Hayes for two more. Hayes manages to send him to the apron for a slingshot DDT. Back in and Nothing But Net finishes Corbin to retain the title at 16:28.

Rating: B-. The length hurt this one a good bit as it stopped being interesting early on, got a bit better near the end and then just kept going. Cut out about five minutes of this and it’s a lot better, though they did have me wondering if they were actually going to change the title here. Hayes is starting to feel like a champion and if he can avoid unnecessary losses like this week on Raw, he’ll be good for the time being.

We get a preview of next week’s show, including Mustafa Ali one on one with Tyler Bate.

Bron Breakker leaves Shawn Michaels’ office, shouting about how he has beaten everyone and Shawn can’t control him. Breakker says you’ll see what he means next week.

Overall Rating: C+. This wasn’t exactly a classic or even must see show, as a lot of it felt like a bunch of stuff you might see on a month of normal shows stacked up onto one. The action was good enough and things were set up for next week, but it was missing that spark that really made it feel special. For now though, good enough show, even if it wasn’t as solid of a showing as last week.

Results
Tiffany Stratton b. Thea Hail – Rollup
Gallus b. Malik Blade/Edris Enofe – Flapjack/dropkick combination to Enofe
Nathan Frazer b. Dragon Lee 2-1
Gigi Dolin b. Kiana James – Crucifix bomb
Carmelo Hayes b. Baron Corbin – Nothing But Net

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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NXT
Date: May 30, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re done with Battleground and that means it is time for NXT to head back home. There is a lot of fallout to deal with here, but we also have a weaponized steel cage match. That would be for those of you who just don’t get enough out of putting two wrestlers inside a big steel box. Let’s get to it.

Here is Battleground if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Gigi Dolin vs. Jacy Jayne, as the two of them were part of that famed two woman team known as Toxic Attraction. They were friends and now they’re not, so let’s put them in a cage full of weapons.

Gigi Dolin vs. Jacy Jayne

In a weaponized cage, but Jayne jumps Dolin from behind during their entrances. Dolin is sent into the steps and the cage wall before Jayne throws her inside for the opening bell. Jayne whips her with a belt, only to be sent into the cage. Dolin gets in some not great belt shots of her own before putting a trashcan over Dolin’s head.

Some kicks rock Jayne and a running dropkick against the trashcan gets two. Dolin chokes with the belt some more and we take a break. Back with Dolin firing off knees and hitting an STO for two. Jayne plants her on some chairs for two and it’s time to load up a table. That’s a bit too long though and Dolin fights back on top, setting up a kind of chokeslam through the table for the pin at 12:31.

Rating: C+. It was a violent enough match (in the WWE sense that is) but I’m getting rather tired of having to put weapons in a cage. If that’s the option, why bother with the cage at all? Just do a street fight and have the weapons that way instead. Other than that, this still didn’t exactly feel like some big blood feud, but at least this should wrap it up for good.

Long recap of Battleground.

Wes Lee is happy with his win on Sunday but he’s a bit sore. The Dyad comes in to yell at him but Tyler Bate evens things up. A tag match seems likely.

Tony D’Angelo had his mugshot taken.

Gallus is happy with their win at Battleground when Stacks comes in. Stacks accuses them of turning D’Angelo in and gets beaten down as a result.

Here are Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams to brag about retaining at Battleground. Before they can get too far, here are Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson to interrupt. Dar brags about retaining his title but Williams points out the cheating that it took to keep the Heritage Cup. Hayes says the Heritage Cup is on a level, but the title is on a bigger level. They argue about whether Hayes could beat Dar once, let alone in two falls, with Hayes being accused of practicing load management (meaning he doesn’t wrestle often). Hayes gives Dar a title shot tonight.

Cora Jade brags about how unfair she was treated in the tournament but Ivy Nile comes in to tell her to shut up. They get catty with each other and a match seems likely.

Reggie comes up to Axiom in the back and thanks Axiom for opening his eyes. That’s why he helped Axiom against Dabba-Kato last week. Reggie leaves and Axiom doesn’t seem to know what to make of that.

Dyad vs. Wes Lee/Tyler Bate

Bate takes Fowler down to start and gets two off a sunset flip. Lee comes in and kicks Fowler in the head, setting up a spinning crossbody for two more. The good guys clear the ring with dropkicks but the Dyad is back in for the staredown….and Mustafa Ali is here. We take a break and come back with Ali on commentary as Bate is in trouble.

Bate knees his way out of a double suplex attempt as Ali talks about being a free agent, meaning he can show up anywhere. The tag brings in Lee to clean house, including a kick to Reid’s back in the corner. A double Cardiac Kick drops the Dyad and stereo Spiral Taps knock them silly. The Tyler Driver 97 finish Reid at 9:27.

Rating: C+. The match was good enough, but the Ali stuff is what matters here. Ali is someone who definitely needs to come up with something new and going down to NXT, where he can do more of his own style without getting crushed, might be just the ticket. For now though, I’ll setting for Bate rising up the ranks a little bit more.

Post match Ivy Nile runs out to jump Ava, drawing in Joe Gacy to go after Lee. Mustafa Ali comes in to help clear the ring and poses with Lee and Bate.

We look back at Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey mocking Thea Hail at Chase U during Battleground.

Earlier today, Gulak was running a grappling class and Hail made sure to get involved. Hail gets in with Dempsey and we cut away before we see how it goes.

Here is Tiffany Stratton for her big celebration, complete with various pictures of her in the ring. She lists off various stars who have won the title before and talks about what it means to be a champion. Tiffany calls out all of the women in the locker room, who must feel star struck. She brags about how she might just retire for life and thinks that everyone should have a chance at the Tiffy Title. Next week, it’s a battle royal to crown the new #1 contender, but it doesn’t matter who wins. Balloons and confetti go off but a bunch of women get in the ring to knock her to the floor.

Noam Dar’s goons come up to Trick Williams and they bicker a bit.

Dani Palmer is in the ring to demand that the attacker show her face. We see some clips of the attacker’s attacks and here is the attacker to attack again. And it’s Blair Davenport.

Last week, Eddy Thorpe was consoled over his loss when Damon Kemp came in to mock him. They’ll fight next week (as in a week from this show airing, not a week from them arguing).

Joe Coffey vs. Stacks

The rest of Gallus is banned from the building. Stacks starts fast with a headlock but gets sent into the corner for his efforts. A knee and elbow to the ribs give Coffey two but Stacks is able to knock him outside. We take a break and come back with Coffey hitting a release suplex for two as Stacks stays in trouble. Stacks gets in an elbow but they take it outside where Stacks is sent into the steps. The running headbutt to the chest and All The Best For The Bells finishes Stacks at 10:00.

Rating: C. Well that was a bit long, which might have something to do with the roster still being a bit thin. Joe hasn’t been in the ring much lately but he can still wrestle a competent power match. Stacks seems to be up to something with the whole D’Angelo deal and I’m curious to see where that goes. Then again there is every chance that Stacks turned on D’Angelo, and I’m not sure how interesting that feud would be. For now though, they had a decent enough match here.

Mr. Stone isn’t happy with Von Wagner being mad and says it’s time he sees a therapist. Stone will even pay for it! Wagner promises to think about the offer.

We get a kind of mini documentary on Ilja Dragunov getting ready for his Last Man Standing Match, followed by a look at the match itself. This, and the match, were rather good.

Cora Jade vs. Ivy Nile

Nile starts fast but gets pulled down by the hair to cut her off for two. Jade ties her in the ropes for a chop, which hits Nile HARD in the face. A running dropkick gets two but Nile fights up. Cue Ava for a distraction though, allowing Jade to hit Jaded for the pin at 4:14.

Rating: C-. This didn’t have much time to go anywhere and they had an angle in the middle to take away even more of what they had. I can see why Jade is getting the win as she is in a better place at the moment, but I still think there is something to be done with Nile. She’s a unique kind of star and if she can get better in the talking department, she has a bright future.

Tank Ledger and Hank Walker love chicken parm, honey badgers and buffalo sauce. Malik Blade and Edris Enofe come in to discuss sauces and everyone seems cool.

The Diamond Mine and Schism get in an argument backstage.

NXT Title: Noam Dar vs. Carmelo Hayes

Only Hayes is defending, this isn’t under Heritage Cup rules. Trick Williams, Jakara Jackson, Oro Mensah and Lash Legend are all here too. Dar takes over to start but Hayes picks up the pace to get a breather. A springboard spinning crossbody takes Dar to the floor and we take a break. Back with Hayes hitting the Fade Away for two and striking away as Dar can’t get much going.

A pump kick drops Dar again and Hayes plants him down for two. The seconds get in a fight on the floor, which is enough for Williams to be ejected. The distraction lets Dar elbow Hayes down for two and slap on the kneebar. With that broken up, Dar puts Hayes on top but here are Dragon Lee and Nathan Frazer to cut off Mensah’s interference. Hayes hits a dive onto the villains on the floor, setting up Nothing But Net to retain the title at 11:12.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure how much drama there was to this one but Dar isn’t going to be hurt by losing to the NXT Champion. Lee and Frazer still being mad over Battleground makes sense and I liked having them run in here. Hayes can put on a good match with anyone and having him rack up another win is a smart move. He just needs a next big challenger to come after him.

Post match Baron Corbin of all people runs out and jumps Hayes. Corbin holds up the NXT Title to end the show. I’ve heard far worse ideas.

Overall Rating: C+. It wasn’t a great show, but there was enough good action and stuff moving forward to come off of the pretty great Battleground. I like having the main roster guys come down, as they feel like a big deal and very well could pick up a title here or there. For now, we’re probably getting ready for the big TV special before setting up Great American Bash and that isn’t a bad way to go after one of the bigger (and best) shows of the year.

Results
Gigi Dolin b. Jacy Jayne – Chokeslam through a table
Wes Lee/Tyler Bate b. Dyad – Tyler Driver 97 to Reid
Joe Coffey b. Stacks – All The Best For The Bells
Cora Jade b. Ivy Nile – Jaded
Carmelo Hayes b. Noam Dar – Nothing But Net

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

NXT
Date: May 2, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

We are in for the final night before everything changes up next week. The NXT roster was gutted by the WWE Draft and now we get to see everyone have one last night around here. This is going to include multiple champions, so we could be in for some last minute title changes, which could be quite the shakeup. Or WWE will just do something stupid. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the NXT Draft picks.

North American Title: Wes Lee vs. Drew Gulak

Lee, with Tyler Bate (as evened out by Charlie Dempsey), is defending. An early dropkick puts Gulak on the floor but he’s back in with a sunset flip for two. Back up and Lee takes him to the top, only to get knocked to the mat for a top rope clothesline. Gulak cranks on both arms at once but Lee slips out and wins a slugout. A German suplex out of the corner is blocked and Gulak heads outside, where he is taken down by a dive. Dempsey’s interference is cut off by Bate and the Cardiac Kick retains the title at 5:23.

Rating: B-. They didn’t have a lot of time here but they crammed in what they could for a nice opener. Lee is a great choice to open the show as he can excite the fans rather easily no matter who he is in there against. Gulak is going to be around as long as he wants to as he can always be a trainer, plus actively wrestling on the side. Nice opener here and I could have gone for a longer version.

We look at Carmelo Hayes retaining the NXT Title last week against Carmelo Hayes. After the match, the challenge was thrown out to Bron Breakker, who then wrecked Hayes and Trick Williams.

Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn are ready to retain the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles before they leave NXT for good after tonight. They’re leaving the place in darkness.

Here is Trick Williams for an angry chat. He has known Carmelo Hayes since high school and they have been friends for years. Last week he took a spear for Hayes and he would do it again in a heartbeat because it’s his instinct. Cue Bron Breakker to say Williams must be tougher than Hayes because he’s actually here. The match is on for Battleground, but Williams wants to face Breakker as well. Breakker does it on his time so they can fight next week.

JD McDonagh is ready to move up to Raw but Noam Dar comes in to tell him to take out Dragon Lee tonight. McDonagh says stay away from him or he’ll take the Heritage Cup with him to Raw.

Gigi Dolin vs. Jacy Jayne

Jayne knees her in the ribs to start and trips Dolin face first onto the apron. Back in and Dolin’s half nelson attempt is blocked and it’s a superkick to stagger her again. Dolin is back with a kick to the head though and an STO gets two on Jayne. They head outside again (where Dolin’s brother is watching in the crowd) and some Kawada kicks send Jayne’s head into the steps. They get back inside where Dolin is sent into the turnbuckle bar, allowing Jayne to hit a spinning kick to the face for the pin at 3:22.

Rating: C. Again they didn’t have much time here but this was about giving Jayne a pin over Dolin to even things up a bit. It was a quick beating and Dolin didn’t get in a ton of offense, but at least there were some shenanigans setting up the finish. There will probably be a rubber match at Battleground, but this feud has gone ice cold since Jayne got injured.

Post match Jayne keeps up the beating and even mocks Dolin’s brother for a bonus.

Axiom vs. Scrypts

Scrypts (no entrance) jumps Axiom to start but gets armdragged down. A northern lights suplex drops Scrypts again but he sends Axiom outside. The big dive drops Axiom and a top rope moonsault press gives Scrypts two back inside. Scrypts dropkicks him out of the air but Axiom knees him in the face for two. Axiom gets dropped again but he manages to superkick Scrypts out of the air as well. The Golden Ratio finishes Scrypts at 4:17.

Rating: C+. Now just move on to something else for Axiom already. He’s a talented guy who has been stuck in this weird/not interesting feud with Scrypts for a good while now. They did some nice things here with the flips and dives, but I’m still not sure what the point of Scrypts is supposed to be and I don’t know if NXT knows it either.

Post match Scrypts goes after Axiom and gets exposed as….well the fans chant Reggie but no name is given. This is up there with Doom’s reveal for non-surprises.

Earlier today, Brooks Jensen joined Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley at the bar and thanked them for dealing with him. They say he doesn’t need to apologize, but he did learn enough from Kiana James to help the bar make more money. Some women come up to hit on Jensen but he politely declines because he’s with his friends.

Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh

Lee works on the arm to start but gets driven into the corner. That doesn’t work for Lee, who hits some rapid fire dropkicks in the corner. Cue Noam Dar for a distraction though, allowing McDonagh to tie Lee up in the Tree of Woe. A charge misses Lee and sends McDonagh crotching himself into the post as we take a break.

Back with McDonagh holding a bodyscissors to keep Lee in trouble. Lee isn’t having that though and goes up top for a high crossbody, setting up the big flip dive to the floor. The top rope double stomp gives Lee two and they head to the apron, where McDonagh gets struck in the chest a lot.

They both crash down to the floor and beat the count, with Lee snapping off a fast German suplex. The poisonrana plants McDonagh again but he’s back with a hard clothesline as Noam Dar is here. Lee heads up but gets cut off by a super Spanish Fly. The brainbuster gives McDonagh two, only to have Lee Canadian Destroy him to the floor. Back in and the Devlin Side finishes Lee out of nowhere at 15:03.

Rating: B. These two got a lot more time and had a much better match, which shouldn’t be surprising given the talent involved. McDonagh gets a nice showcase on the way on the way out of NXT and onto Raw with some momentum. At the same time, Lee needs to win something around here and I’m not sure why he keeps losing so often. The talent is there, but those losses pile up.

Post match Lee and Dar brawl to the back.

Katana Chance and Kayden Carter are ready to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles because they’re a better team.

Joe Gacy is ready to sacrifice his body to Joe Coffey to get the Dyad a Tag Team Title match.

We look at various women being attacked in recent months.

Joe Gacy vs. Joe Coffey.

If Gacy wins, the Dyad gets a Tag Team Title shot against Gallus and the rest of Schism is here. Coffey knees him into the corner to start and stomps away but Gacy hits a knee to the face. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Coffey fights up and hits an elbow for two. Gacy’s belly to back gets the same but gets caught with All The Best For The Bells. The Dyad puts a foot on the rope though and Gacy hits the Upside Down for the pin at 3:21.

Rating: C-. Well Gacy wasn’t going to lose here, even if he should have. Putting the focus on the Dyad is a better idea than focusing on Gacy, though it wouldn’t surprise me to see that coming sooner rather than later. At the end of the day, Schism is still the same level of bad that they have been since they came in and I don’t see it getting any better anytime soon.

Sol Ruca (via phone), Tank Ledger and Hank Walker give Dani Palmer a pep talk. Oba Femi comes in to scare the guys.

Eddy Thorpe was training earlier when Damon Kemp came in to tell him to take out the trash. Kemp called him a young boy too, making a match seem imminent.

Dani Palmer vs. Tatum Paxley

Palmer flips around to start, including flipping out of a wristlock and into a rollup for two on Paxley. Back up and Paxley knocks her into the corner to take over, setting up a chinlock with a knee in the spine. Palmer slips out of an abdominal stretch attempt and avoids a splash, followed by something like a standing Sliced Bread to drop Paxley again. A frog splash gives Palmer the pin at 3:59.

Rating: C+. This was a showcase for Palmer and that’s what it needed to be. She has the athleticism and some charisma to go with it so there is certainly potential there. Paxley is far from a top star but she is someone who has been around long enough to have a bit of a reputation. That makes her perfect to put Palmer over to start and that is all it needed to be here.

Andre Chase is too banged up from facing Bron Breakker, meaning he can’t teach this week. Instead, Duke Hudson takes over the teaching and says we have no more pop quizzes. Hudson: “Duke University?”

Von Wagner and Mr. Stone are going through a photo album but Wagner doesn’t want to talk about one of the photos. Wagner leaves, and Stone sees a baby dealing with a lot of medical issues (presumably Wagner himself).

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Alba Fyre/Isla Dawn vs. Kayden Carter/Katana Chance

Carter/Chance are challenging and both teams are main roster bound. The champs jump them to start fast and the fight is on the floor before the bell. Chance dives onto both of them and we get the bell, allowing Chance to sunset flip Fyre for two. Carter clears the ring and hits a few kicks from the apron as we take a break.

Back with Chance snapping off a hurricanrana to Fyre, followed by a flipping legdrop to the back of the head for two. A springboard moonsault/legdrop combination gets two on Fyre but she kicks Chance into the corner. The Backstabber/Swanton combination gets two, with Carter having to make the save.

Everything breaks down and the 450/neckbreaker combination hits Dawn for two more and it’s time for the big double slugout. Dawn gets sent outside and a super Spanish Fly gets two on Fyre. A high crossbody hits Dawn but Fyre is back in with a Gory Bomb/Downward Spiral combination (that looked sweet) to retain at 9:14.

Rating: B-. Another fun match here, but they didn’t do it any favors with the break in the middle. It still gets very old having that cut out such a big chunk of the match but what we did get to see worked well. Now I’m curious to see what happens to the titles, though I could go with seeing them unified with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles.

Dijak blames Ilja Dragunov for the beating he received last week.

Apollo Crews runs into Trick Williams in the parking low and gives him a pep talk.

Here is Women’s Champion Indi Hartwell, with the fans telling her that SHE DESERVES IT (likely meaning the promotion to the main roster, not the walking boot and crutches). She talks about her path here and what it meant for her to become champion. Then she got hurt in a title defense, but the title reign wasn’t ending on the medical table. Now she is on the way to Raw, but the most important thing right now is NXT.

Starting next week, there will be a tournament to crown a new Women’s Champion, with the new champion being crowned at Battleground. Hartwell leaves the title in the ring….and Dexter Lumis pops out from underneath said ring. Dexter takes her away and Tiffany Stratton comes in to pick up the title. A bunch more women come in and the big brawl ends the show. Makes sense, as Hartwell doesn’t seem able to lose the title right now and you don’t want her getting beaten on the way to the main roster. It also gives a bunch of people something to do so this is the right way to go.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a very different kind of show, as NXT is finishing up a bunch of stars and there isn’t much that can be done with them as a result. Instead, you had some farewells and some things being set up for once everyone is gone. That doesn’t leave you with many options, but at least they got through the show with some good action and an important development in the end. The new NXT starts next week, but for now their latest finale went well.

Results
Wes Lee b. Drew Gulak – Cardiac Kick
Jacy Jayne b. Gigi Dolin – Spinning kick to the face
Axiom b. Scrypts – Golden Ratio
JD McDonagh b. Dragon Lee – Devlin Side
Dani Palmer b. Tatum Paxley – Frog splash

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

NXT
Date: April 25, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s time for another special show with Spring Breakin, which features a pair of title matches. This time around we’ll see Indi Hartwell defend the Women’s Title against Roxanne Perez and Tiffany Stratton, plus Carmelo Hayes’ first NXT Title defense against Grayson Waller. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a look at the Spring Breakin picnic and yes, everyone is talking about tonight’s card instead of anything else. A good chunk of the roster is here doing picnicky things, including Javier Bernal acting like quite the moron.

Tony D’Angelo/Stacks vs. Pretty Deadly

Trunk match, meaning a casket match but with a car trunk, hence the name you see. The brawl starts on the floor with Pretty Deadly going for the weapons, as they probably should. They get inside where some knees to the face have Pretty Deadly in trouble, even going right back to the floor. The weapons don’t suit Pretty Deadly, who take the table to the back to get rid of it. The breather lets Stacks send them into a ball pit (because there’s a ball pit) as we take a break.

Back with the balls from said pit all over the floor and a football being kicked between Stacks’ legs. They get back inside with a roll of coins dropping Stacks and a chair hits D’Angelo in the back. Stacks gets dropped with Spilled Milk on the floor and taken to the back. With Stacks in the trunk, the other two go after D’Angelo, allowing Stacks to find a fire extinguisher for the big saving spray. A double slam through a table is enough for D’Angelo and Stacks to get the win at 12:40.

Rating: C+. Nice enough weapons match here and thankfully Pretty Deadly didn’t take another pin. That being said, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was it for them in NXT as they have nothing left to accomplish and the main roster could use a new team. Oh and the match had a ball pit, making it even better.

Tiffany Stratton is ready to win the Women’s Title.

Duke Hudson fires up Andre Chase to face Bron Breakker.

Andre Chase vs. Bron Breakker

Duke Hudson is here with Chase, who has to slip out of the gorilla press to start. That’s fine with Breakker, who sends him into the corner for the shoulders to the ribs. Breakker misses a charge into the post though and Chase gets in a few spelling stomps. The clothesline cuts Chase off rather quickly and the Recliner makes him tap at 2:18. Less of a squash than I was expecting but it did what it needed to do.

Video on Carmelo Hayes.

Dijak beats up Ilja Dragunov in the back, including crushing his ribs with a garage door.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Cora Jade

Valkyria takes her into the corner to start and we take a break less than a minute in. Back with Jade cranking on both arms but Valkyria fights up with some kicks to the face. A suplex drops Jade and Valkyria kicks her out to the floor. Jade snaps her throat across the top and grabs the stick. The referee takes that away, only to have Jade get in a cheap shot. The DDT finishes Valkyria at 8:20.

Rating: C. This was the weekly “a lot of the match was in the break” match and it’s still very annoying. They had about four and a half minutes and a screwy finish, meaning their backs were quite against the wall to start. The action was good enough and Jade feels like she could be one of the next big things in the division, but she needs a better showcase than this.

Tony D’Angelo and Stacks drive Pretty Deadly….somewhere.

NXT Title: Grayson Waller vs. Carmelo Hayes

Hayes, with Trick Williams, is defending. They trade rollups to start, with Hayes’ Crossface attempt sending Waller over to the rope. An early Fade Away attempt misses so Hayes tries another crossface, sending Waller to the ropes again. Waller gets in a chair shot to Williams on the floor though, with the distraction allowing him to drop Hayes.

We take a break and come back with Williams gone and Hayes having to escape a half crab. With that broken up, Hayes is able to hit the Fade Away but Waller knocks him down again. A double knockdown gives Waller two but Hayes is right back on Waller’s knee for a change. The springboard DDT gives Hayes two, though Waller bails to the corner to avoid Nothing But Net.

Back up and Waller blocks the Codebreaker, setting up a fireman’s carry sitout powerbomb for two. Waller Stuns him out of the air but Hayes rolls away before the cover. Instead, Waller takes him outside and puts him on the announcers’ table for a big drop through it and a near fall back inside. Back in and Hayes manages a quick Codebreaker, with Waller favoring his knee. A low superkick and Nothing But Net retains the title at 11:53.

Rating: B-. This was about what should have been expected, as Waller gave Hayes some trouble but Hayes picks up his first successful title defense. Waller is someone who has long since established himself as being able to bounce back from a loss without much trouble so he’ll be fine. Hayes has to be getting ready for the Breakker rematch though and this will boost him up for another match against the new big bad.

Post match Hayes grabs the mic and issues the challenge for the rematch with Bron Breakker at Battleground. Cue Breakker from behind to spear Hayes down. The returning Williams gets Reclined for a bonus. Another spear sends Hayes through part of the set, meaning a stretcher is needed.

Roxanne Perez has wanted to be a wrestler since she was a child so tonight, she wants the Women’s Title back. She’s doing this for every little girl who wants to feel safe.

We recap Brooks Jensen/Kiana James vs. Fallon Henley/Josh Briggs in the soap opera feud. This got a lot of time and was the majority of the feud.

Schism comes up to Joe Coffey to get the Dyad a Tag Team Title match. Joe Gacy will fight Coffey next week, with the title shot on the line.

Josh Briggs/Fallon Henley vs. Brooks Jensen/Kiana James,

Jensen doesn’t like Briggs powering him around to start and gets sent to the apron for his efforts. The fans want Fallon and that is who they get as James tags herself in. Henley hits a running clothesline but has to take out an interfering Jensen. James has to be saved by Jensen, who gets dropped by Briggs as we take a break.

Back with the guys forearming it out as Booker talks about pheromones. The women come back in with James running Henley over. It’s right back to Jensen, who can’t hit Henley, allowing Briggs to make a save. Briggs beats up Jensen until a spinwheel kick gets him out of trouble. A hard lariat to the back of Briggs’ head sets up a brainbuster for two so it’s time for the loaded bag. Jensen doesn’t want to use it and accidentally knocks James down, allowing Briggs to hit a lariat for the pin at 11:41.

Rating: C. I really could go for this being the end of the story as it doesn’t seem likely to have some big game changing ending. At the same time, the idea of Briggs vs. Jensen isn’t exactly thrilling so hopefully they just make up already. Henley falling for one of them wouldn’t be the biggest shock either, but for now they need to get on to something else.

Post match James walks out on Jensen, who puts his head on Briggs’ chest for quite the development.

Dragon Lee wants Noam Dar’s Heritage Cup.

Scrypts is ready to go after Axiom next week.

Oba Femi can throw things.

Video on Indi Hartwell, who is ready to show that she isn’t just a fluke.

Sol Ruca has been attacked by an unidentified assailant.

Oba Femi vs. Oro Mensah

Femi powers him into the corner to start and then throws him right back out. A right hand knocks Mensah off the top but he strikes away back inside. The springboard kick to the chest drops Femi for two and he blasts Mensah with a clothesline. A pop up powerbomb finishes Mensah at 3:37.

Rating: C. Rather effective debut here from Femi, who is going to be all about the power and it was on display. Femi is a big monster who can throw people around with relative each so putting him in there with a smaller guy like Mensah was the right way to go. I had fun with this and Femi could be treated as a force rather quickly if that’s what they want to try.

Gigi Dolin pops in on commentary and demands a match with Jacy Jayne. They can start it up again next week.

Drew Gulak is impressed with Wes Lee but is ready to take the North American Title from him next week.

Post break Tyler Bate offers to be in Wes Lee’s corner next week. Meditation is promised.

Women’s Title: Tiffany Stratton vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Indi Hartwell

Hartwell is defending. Stratton gets forearmed back and forth to start and we take a break about thirty seconds in (and yes, it’s still annoying). Back with Perez working on Stratton’s arm but having to kick Hartwell outside. Stratton escapes a headscissors without much trouble but gets slammed by Hartwell. Perez tries a springboard double wristdrag and….oh it goes badly, as Hartwell seems to forget to fall and Stratton kind of rolls over (it was like the other two forgot what they were doing, which should have just been a simple tumble).

They’re sent outside with Perez taking them down again, setting up a high crossbody for two on Hartwell back inside. Hartwell clotheslines Perez a few times but Stratton comes back in for the near fall. Stratton knocks them both outside for a Swanton onto the pair. We pause for Hartwell’s ankle to get checked so Stratton sends Perez into the corner. Stratton rolls through Perez’s high crossbody for two but Perez grabs a super hurricanrana for two of her own.

They slug it out until Perez grabs a Russian legsweep, only to have Hartwell come back in to drop both of them for two each. A spinebuster hits Stratton with Perez having to make the save. Stratton sends Hartwell outside and moonsaults Perez for two, with Hartwell making the save. Hartwell goes back in to hit the sliding forearm for the pin to retain at 15:18.

Rating: C. They were trying here but this was rough in spots, with Stratton and Perez having to work out something with Hartwell down and some not so smooth spots. Hartwell needed the win if she is going to be a longer term champion and pinning Perez is something that she had to do. Stratton and Perez will likely get the title back (assuming they don’t go to the main roster first) so boosting Hartwell now is fine enough.

Tony D’Angelo and Stacks…seem to murder Pretty Deadly by throwing them in a river. They want the Tag Team Titles to end the show. Well that’s depressing. The murder, not the title desires.

Overall Rating: C+. This was pretty all over the place but you can see a pretty firm divide between the levels of talent. People like Hayes, Breakker and Pretty Deadly (maybe one or two others) just felt more polished than the rest of the wrestlers here and there isn’t much of a way around that. The title match was good and the trunk match worked well enough, though the rest of the card was a bit weak. Nice enough show, but nothing you need to see.

Results
Tony D’Angelo/Stacks b. Pretty Deadly – Pretty Deadly was thrown into the car trunk
Bron Breakker b. Andre Chase – Recliner
Carmelo Hayes b. Grayson Waller – Nothing But Net
Josh Briggs/Fallon Henley b. Brooks Jensen/Kiana James – Lariat to Jensen
Oba Femi b. Oro Mensah – Pop up powerbomb
Indi Hartwell b. Tiffany Stratton and Roxanne Perez – Sliding forearm to Perez

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