NXT
Date: January 3, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

We’re in the New Year and that means we have one more week before New Year’s Evil, because the scheduling around here is a little weird. Tonight we have another face to face deal between Grayson Waller and Bron Breakker, as has been the case before. Other than that, we’ll probably get some more matches announced for next week. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the greatest moments of 2022, which certainly had a lot of changes around here.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Apollo Crews

Trick Williams is here with Hayes, who gets dropkicked down to start. Back up and Hayes hits the springboard spinning clothesline to take over, setting up the fade away springboard legdrop for two. Crews is fine enough to hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two of his own and a string of suplexes have Hayes rocked. An apron moonsault to the floor drops Hayes again and we take a break.

Back with Hayes having banged up Crews’ knee during the break, meaning it’s time for a half crab. Crews fights up and hits an enziguri for a breather but Hayes grabs a suplex into a cutter. Melo Don’t Miss misses though and Crews hits a middle rope flipping DDT. The standing moonsault misses though and Melo Don’t Miss doesn’t miss for the pin at 14:21.

Rating: C+. The more I watch Hayes, the more I wonder why he has been spinning his wheels around here for so long. Let him either get into the title hunt or move up to the main roster and see what he can do. He’s way too smooth to be doing this over and over, but maybe this win is a step up for him.

Post match Axiom is back with a high crossbody to Williams and Hayes, meaning we’ll start his scheduled match with Williams after a break.

Axiom vs. Trick Williams

Joined in progress with Hayes working on the arm until Axiom fights up. A springboard dropkick gives Axiom a breather and a springboard crossbody gives him two. Axiom gets in another shot to the face, setting up the Golden Ratio for the pin at 3:10.

Rating: C. This didn’t have the time to go very far, but the weird thing is seeing Williams lose clean. Maybe it’s seeing him featured more on LVL Up but it is almost odd to see him losing here. That being said, Axiom is a bigger deal in NXT than Williams and he needed the win more so it makes sense.

Post match the beatdown is on but Apollo Crews runs in for the save.

Schism wants a Tag Team Title shot and wonders why New Day is ducking them. That would be due to Schism looking like extras from Texas Chainsaw Massacre. They argue over which team is more of a family and a match between Kofi Kingston and Joe Gacy seems to be set.

Last week, Dijak kidnapped Stacks and beat him up as a threat to Tony D’Angelo. Stacks offers a match but Dijak says this is just the beginning. He leaves the key to the handcuffs and walks off.

Chase U and Drew Gulak and company don’t see eye to eye on some training methods.

Dijak vs. Stacks

Tony D’Angelo is here with Stacks, who has a big bruise on his ribs. Dijak is smart enough to go right after those ribs, with a hard knee getting two. A big boot gets two more on Stacks until Feast Your Eyes finishes Stacks at 3:43.

Rating: C. I love watching a lackey get beaten up as it is exactly why you have them around. Dijak needed a convincing win and he beat up Stacks to get one, even if Stacks had already taken a beating. Nothing match, but it sets up Dijak vs. D’Angelo as part of the three way North American Title feud.

Post match Dijak goes after Stacks again but D’Angelo makes the save and throws out the challenge for next year.

Javier Bernal interrupts Oro Mensah’s interview to plug his Feliz Javidad Christmas album, because he’s awesome enough to release a Christmas album in January. A match is made for tonight instead.

Here is Toxic Attraction for a chat. It’s time to get away from 2022 and apparently speak in ways that no normal human would ever consider. They want the Women’s Title, but here is Indi Hartwell to interrupt. She thinks there should be some fresh blood in this division but Cora Jade interrupts. Jade doesn’t think much of Hartwell, who loses everything. Nikkita Lyons, Zoey Stark and Wendy Choo get in their own interruptions until Thea Hail pops up to declare a GIRL FIGHT.

All of the women come out and the fight is on, with Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre (facing off tonight) fight off. Roxanne Perez pops up on the balcony to announce a 20 woman #1 contenders battle royal for next week. The fight is on and we cut to Fyre and Dawn fighting outside. This was every “I want a title shot/No I WANT A TITLE SHOT/insults abound” segment you’ll ever see, and thankfully everyone was in their designated place with their microphones ready for such a spontaneous moment. Rather horrible segment indeed.

Post break and the brawl is still on between Dawn and Fyre. Referees can’t break it up but Fyre knocks a pipe away from Dawn. They fight onto a platform and Dawn is knocked off onto a pile of 2x4s and chairs, with referees saying it’s over. Fyre puts her in a chair and tries to wheel her to the arena, meaning it’s time to ring the bell!

Alba Fyre vs. Isla Dawn

Extreme Resolution match (anything goes) and Fyre hammers away, setting up the Gory Bomb for an early two. Back with dawn using a wrench on Fyre’s finger until Fyre fights back and they go outside. Fyre sets up a table and Swantons onto Dawn (table doesn’t break), followed by a Gory Bomb through the table (table breaks) for the pin at 9:35.

Rating: C-. I have no idea what to think of this as it was barely a match. They brawled, they did a big spot in the back, they came to the ring, they went to a break, they came back, they did another big spot, the match ended. I do like that Fyre got a win as she was on a bit of a losing streak, but odds are we’ll see more from this feud.

Grayson Waller is very confident about beating Bron Breakker because he can outsmart him.

Long video on Indus Sher vs. the Creed Brothers.

Javier Bernal vs. Oro Mensah

Bernal jumps him from behind to start and grabs a belly to back suplex for two. A clothesline gets Bernal out of trouble and we hit the Tarantula. With that broken up, Mensah hits the running spinwheel kick in the corner for the pin at 3:34.

Rating: C-. This felt like a match where NXT realized they needed to do something with both of them and threw the match out there. Mensah has more or less vanished from the ring as of late and Bernal is hilarious in the back but not much once the bell rings. Mensah might as well have won on a coin flip so it works as well as anything else.

Kiana James interrupts Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen/Fallon Henley to congratulate Henley on the win last week. James tells Jensen to text her later, which doesn’t sit well with his friends.

Someone has filmed Katana Chance and Kayden Carter meeting with the medical staff without their knowledge.

Andre Chase vs. Drew Gulak

The rest of Chase U and Hank Walker are here too. Chase goes technical to start and gives a clean break as Gulak makes the rope. Gulak offers a similar rope break before armbarring Chase down. We cut to the back where Charlie Dempsey takes his arm out of a sling and comes to the ring as Gulak suplexes him for two. Chase is back up with a Russian legsweep into the Spelling Stomps. The Figure Four goes on, sending Gulak to the ropes. Back up and Gulak hits him in the face to crank up the intensity. The Gulock makes Chase tap at 4:29, with Gulak taking his time letting go.

Rating: C+. This was more storyline advancement than anything else and it went well enough. Gulak going heel as the evil shooter could be interesting and if it gives Chase a new foil, or at least something to do, I’m all for it. Chase and company need to be used for something, as they are crazy over and it would be a shame to not let them try a little upgrade for the team.

Wes Lee likes Dijak and Tony D’Angelo fighting each other and might show up for commentary next week.

Kofi Kingston vs. Joe Gacy

Xavier Woods is on commentary and says Big E. is certainly an NXT Tag Team Champion as well. Booker (at least I think this is what was said): “Big E. is finished, just like New Day at the end of this NXT run.” Kofi starts fast with a spinning top rope crossbody but Gacy crotches him on top.

Gacy starts hammering away as Booker wants New Day out of NXT. Some backbreakers have Kingston down and we hit the reverse chinlock. Kofi fights up and makes the comeback, including something like a snap Angle Slam for two. Woods and Schism get in an argument on the floor, leaving Kofi to hit the flip dive. Back in and Gacy’s swinging Rock Bottom is countered, setting up Trouble In Paradise for the pin at 6:02.

Rating: C. Kind of a weird match here as Kofi only felt like he was in a bit of danger to one of the more established NXT heels. That being said, Gacy has cooled off a ton and there is no reason to believe that he is going to beat a former WWE Champion. That’s part of the problem with Kofi and Woods being in NXT though: they’re such bigger stars than almost anyone else here that it is hard to buy anyone giving them a real test. Finally, heel Booker isn’t so much a good villain but rather an annoying guy who sounds out on his own planet. That’s not a good thing and hopefully it gets dropped fast.

Drew Gulak celebrates in the back when Charlie Dempsey comes up. Next week: Dempsey vs. Hank Walker.

Pretty Deadly yells at New Day about how they’re done jumping through hoops to get another title shot. Next week, Pretty Deadly will run a three team gauntlet to get their shot. Works for New Day.

It’s time for the Grayson Waller Effect, with Bron Breakker as the guest. Waller thinks he’s going to outsmart Breakker again next week but here is Breakker to interrupt. Breakker is rather happy to be here and agrees that Waller has outsmarted him a few times. Waller is a bit surprised and it’s made worse as Breakker talks about how Waller is great at getting under everyone’s skin.

Breakker gets up and talks about all the times Waller has gone viral but Waller brings up Breakker’s dad. That’s too much so Waller gets punched to the floor, leaving Breakker to grab Waller’s phone. The big flip dive (with phone) takes Waller out to end the show. I still think the title changes next week, but this even things up a bit.

Overall Rating: C. I wasn’t really feeling this one as it showed one of the bigger problems with NXT these days: nothing comes off as a big story. Waller vs. Breakker is the top story but it isn’t like it is miles ahead of anything else. The show is very well balanced, but that might not be a good thing as it doesn’t make anything feel must see. They might want to fix that, though it isn’t like the show was a disaster. Just kind of there, but next week is the important one anyway.

Results
Carmelo Hayes b. Apollo Crews – Melo Don’t Miss
Axiom b. Trick Williams – Golden Ratio
Dijak b. Stacks – Feast Your Eyes
Alba Fyre b. Isla Dawn – Gory Bomb through a table
Oro Mensah b. Javier Bernal – Running spinwheel kick in the corner
Drew Gulak b. Andre Chase – Gulock
Kofi Kingston b. Joe Gacy – Trouble In Paradise

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: December 27, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

We’re taped again this week to close out the year. With about five weeks to go before Vengeance Day, there is quite a bit of time to fill and some of that will have to be covered tonight. This week’s show will feature a North American Title match, as Wes Lee defends against Tony D’Angelo. Let’s get to it.

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

Julius Creed is ready to prove a point against JD McDonagh, even if Brutus Creed ate all of the green bean casserole.

JD McDonagh is glad that the holidays are over so people don’t have to pretend they like their families anymore.

Julius Creed vs. JD McDonagh

Julius’ brother Brutus is here. Feeling out process to start, though McDonagh claims a pull of the hair. They fight over arm control until Julius bounces off the rope to armdrag him outside. That means a drop onto the announcers’ table but McDonagh is back up with a posting as we take a break.

Back with Julius hitting a backbreaker into a jumping knee to the face. McDonagh grabs the standing Spanish Fly for a double knockdown but Julius catches him on top. That’s broken up but McDonagh misses the moonsault, allowing Julius to hit the basement lariat for the pin at 9:52.

Rating: C+. That’s a heck of a win for Julius a the push seems to be on its way. He has the skill to do something on his own around here and that might be starting up soon. At the same time, McDonagh seems to have fallen quite the long way after being in the NXT Title hunt. I’m not complaining but dang that’s a drop down the card.

Post match here is Indus Sher to issue the challenge to the Creeds for New Year’s Evil in two weeks. The game seems to be on.

Tony D’Angelo isn’t worried about Dijak or Wes Lee. Stacks took care of Dijak last week you see.

Schism talks about how they are different than everyone else but this is their best life. They are one.

Cora Jade vs. Wendy Choo

Choo starts fast and takes the fight to the floor. Back in and Choo misses a charge in the corner, allowing Jade to plant her with a backbreaker. Jade grabs the armbar to put Choo down but the running knee in the corner is countered into a sitout powerbomb for two. Choo hits a suplex and a small package gets two, followed by the full nelson slam for two. The Vader Bomb gives Choo the pin at 5:13.

Rating: C. Speaking of weird results, Jade losing here isn’t exactly something I would have expected. Choo kind of goes up and down the card but Jade feels like someone who should be getting ready to challenge Perez for the title. Kind of a nothing match, but I’m more than a bit surprised by the result.

Ikemen Jiro is ready to stop Scrypts using the power of the jacket.

Josh Briggs gives Fallon Henley a pep talk before she faces Kiana James. Brooks Jensen insists he’s on her side, eventually clarifying that he means Henley’s.

Ikemen Jiro vs. Scrypts

Scrypts, in Jiro’s jacket, tries to jump him from behind but gets knocked outside. Back in and Scrypts hits a basement dropkick to take over, setting up the triangle choke. Jiro fights up and makes the comeback, including right hands and a knee to the face. They head up top with Jiro getting shoved down, leaving Scrypts to hit the top rope flipping seated senton for the pin at 4:13.

Rating: C. Is it that clear that they are running out of interesting things to do at this point in a bit of a marathon taping cycle? I’m not sure what NXT sees in the Scrypts deal but it isn’t exactly clicking after a month or so. Yeah it’s clearly Reggie under the mask but what is supposed to be so menacing or even bad about him here? NXT doesn’t often have an idea that just misses but they seem to be at that point with Scrypts.

Oro Mensah loves being in the club and in the ring.

Alba Fyre is ready for Isla Dawn.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Lash Legend

Legend powers her into the corner to start but Valkyria is back up with a jumping shoulder. An armdrag sends Legend outside but she pulls Valkyria out with her for a chop. Back in and Valkyria hits a kick to the head, setting up a top rope splash for the pin at 3:32.

Rating: C-. The string of pretty meh stuff continues here as Valkyria didn’t exactly show off here. She has a great presentation and feels like a star but it wasn’t exactly clicking. At the same time, somewhere along the way, Legend became a heck of a lot closer to competent after months of being a disaster.

Toxic Attraction is ready to rebuild and regroup after their biggest loss.

Bron Breakker wants to hurt Grayson Waller but he isn’t here. Waller sends in a video though and brags about how much smarter he is. Instead, Waller is back in Sydney, Australia and brags about how awesome the city really is. He’s ready to win the NXT Title and they can sign the papers next week. Breakker smashes the TV the video aired on.

Schism vs. Edris Enofe/Odyssey Jones/Malik Blade

Ava Raine is here with Schism. Gacy and Blade start fast with neither being able to get very far. A rollup gives Blade one but Gacy sends him into the corner. Reed comes in and gets caught with a dropkick, allowing the tag off to Enofe. It’s off to Fowler for a suplex to take over and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up and Enofe hits a good looking dropkick, allowing Jones to come in for a rolling splash. Everything breaks down and we take a break.

Back with Raine talking to Booker T. and seemingly freaking him out as Fowler chinlocks Blade. With that broken up, Blade gets over to Jones for the house cleaning, including a double side slam to the Dyad. Enofe drops a top rope elbow as everything breaks down again. Schism sends Jones outside for….six straight suicide dives to FINALLY knock him down. Back in and a double Doomsday Device into the double Codebreaker into the handspring lariat finishes Enofe at 11:15.

Rating: C+. As usual, Schism is a heck of a lot more tolerable when they aren’t talking. As for the match, the finishing sequence was quite good and Enofe looked like he was completely destroyed by the onslaught. Throw in Jones looking like a monster and this was a rather enjoyable match. From Schism. Believe it or not.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are ready for a pair of big matches next week against Apollo Crews and Axiom respectfully.

Kiana James vs. Fallon Henley

The winner gets Henley’s family’s bar. Henley elbows her in the face to start and hits a running shoulder to keep James in trouble. James hides behind the ring skirt and gets in a few shots to take over in the corner. That’s broken up as Henley hits her right back and grabs a facebuster for two. Henley trips James down, setting up the running knee to the face for the pin and the bar at 5:13.

Rating: C. Well, that’s that I guess. Henley wins the match and gets to keep the bar, which was fine one week, then in jeopardy, and now it’s fine again. I’m not sure how much drama there was to the story, but at least Henley gets a win after what felt like a pretty nasty losing streak. Fairly nothing match, but they got the important part right.

Roxanne Perez still isn’t used to being Women’s Champion but she is going to do everything she can to honor the title.

It’s time for the Drew Gulak Invitational, featuring him grappling with three young stars as Hank Walker watches. Gulak takes all of them down with varying levels of ease for the taps. After that ends with no drama, Charlie Dempsey comes out to challenge Walker for next week. Game on.

Here’s what’s coming up next week.

North American Title: Wes Lee vs. Tony D’Angelo

D’Angelo, with Stacks, is challenging. Feeling out process to start with Lee getting in some right hands, only to get snapped over with a release belly to belly. D’Angelo gets two off a German suplex and shrugs off a front facelock. Lee gets whipped hard into the corner but manages to send D’Angelo outside for the big dive.

We take a break and come back with Lee holding a headlock to keep things slow. D’Angelo fights up and decks Lee again before starting in on the leg. They head outside with Lee’s leg being dropped onto the announcers’ table to make it even worse. Back in and Lee gets in a shot of his own before hammering away in the corner. Some right hands are cut off with a toss powerbomb out of the corner for a delayed….non-cover as D’Angelo goes after the leg instead. Cue Dijak to go after Stacks though and Lee’s leg is fine enough for the standing backflip Pele to retain at 14:48.

Rating: C+. Selling issues at the end from Lee aside, this felt like a big enough match for a main event, with D’Angelo looking fairly dominant in defeat. Lee is starting to string together some wins and is going to get to the point where him losing the title is going to mean something. The Dijak showdown is likely coming and that should be a good enough fight, so at least they’re setting things up.

Overall Rating: C. You could definitely tell that they are in need of a fresh taping as this felt like the bottom rung of the ladder. The show was far from bad but not much on here felt important, which made for a pretty weak night. There is a good chance that gets better next time, as it certainly needs to do before New Year’s Evil in two weeks.

Results
Julius Creed b. JD McDonagh – Basement lariat
Wendy Choo b. Cora Jade – Vader Bomb
Scrypts b. Ikemen Jiro – Top rope flipping seated senton
Lyra Valkyria b. Lash Legend – Top rope splash
Schism b. Edris Enofe/Odyssey Jones/Malik Blade – Handspring lariat to Enofe
Fallon Henley b. Kiana James – Running knee
Wes Lee b. Tony D’Angelo – Backflip kick to the head

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: December 20, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

We are almost done with the year and won’t have another live show until January, as this week and next week are taped in advance. The big story coming out of last week is Roxanne Perez winning the Women’s Title from Mandy Rose, who is already gone from the promotion in a surprise. That is going to lead to some fallout so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of Perez winning the Women’s Title over Rose last week.

Opening sequence.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Axiom

Trick Williams is here with Hayes. Feeling out process to start with Axiom’s headlock being countered into a headscissors. Back up and Axiom misses a kick to the head but grabs a northern lights suplex for two. Hayes’ springboard cutter misses hard though and we take a break. We come back with Axiom in control and grabbing a waistlock. That’s reversed into a crossface but Axiom slips away without much trouble.

A springboard crossbody gives Axiom two and we hit the triangle choke. Hayes slips out and kicks him in the head a few times but Axiom manages to get up top. That’s broken up and Hayes grabs his hand, allowing him to climb as well. With their hands still locked up, both are standing on top, where Axiom snaps off a super hurricanrana. Axiom loads up the Golden Ratio but Williams pulls him down from behind. Hayes’ Codebreaker sets up Nothing But Net for the pin at 12:41.

Rating: B-. Hayes continues to look as smooth as you can get around here and I have no idea why he and Williams haven’t been on the main roster for a long time now. They’re that good at what they do and putting both of them on the main roster would clear up some room for someone else in NXT. Good match, as Axiom continues to do his thing, but it isn’t as polished as Hayes’.

Post match, Axiom moonsaults onto Williams and wants more from Hayes.

Grayson Waller wants his title shot tonight, because if Roxanne Perez doesn’t have to wait, he shouldn’t either. The fact that Bron Breakker isn’t here tonight because he is in North Carolina on a media tour is a detail.

Tony D’Angelo is ready for his North American Title match next week and Stacks is rather pleased. Stacks has an assignment though: tell Dijak to stay out of their business and he’ll get the next shot. Grayson Waller shows up and asks if they have seen Bron Breakker. That’s a no, so Waller says if they do, tell Breakker Waller is looking for him.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Zoey Stark

Lyons jumps Stark during her entrance and the fight is on outside. The bell rings and Lyons knocks her outside, where Stark is fine enough to get in a posting. Starks grabs a chinlock back inside but Lyons fights up and hits a German suplex. A superkick rocks Lyons but she is out of the way of a springboard shot to the head. Lyons grabs a Samoan drop for two and another superkick staggers Starks this time around. A rollup has Starks in trouble but she reverses into one of her own and grabs the rope for the pin at 5:31.

Rating: C. You can only get so much out of this kind of a brawl when it only gets so much time. Lyons losing via screwiness likely sets up a rematch, maybe with less in the way of rules. Odds are that is going to mean we see Lyons moving up the ladder, which seems to be the a big goal for NXT in the women’s division.

Cora Jade is mad about losing the Iron Woman Challenge but Wendy Choo comes in for the brawl.

We go to Fallon Henley’s bar, where Henley is worried about not being able to pay the interest to keep the place. Kiana James and her assistant come in and think they could buy the place for some improvements. James knows how much money they owe in taxes and can’t wait to do what she wants with it. Henley calls her a b**** and we’ll have a match next week with the bar on the line. Sure, as we seem to be in Glow.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Tatum Paxley/Ivy Nile vs. Toxic Attraction vs. Katana Chance/Kayden Carter

Chance/Carter are defending. Dolin and Carter start things off with Carter being sent into the corner fast. It’s quickly off to Nile to grapple Jayne down but a right hand drops Nile hard. Carter tags herself in and sends Jayne outside, leaving the champs to hit the big double dive to the floor.

We take a break and come back with Carter hitting a running dropkick to Dolin in the corner but landing on Nile for two. Back up and Nile is caught on top, where Chance snaps off a super hurricanrana. Dolin comes in to go after Paxley’s arm but Carter makes the save. Jayne misses a running Cannonball in the corner but manages to slip out of the Diamond Chain Lock. Chance gets shoved off the top and Carter gets caught in the Diamond Chain Lock, only to flip backwards into a cradle to retain at 10:09.

Rating: C+. The match was very energetic and fast paced, but there is only so much you can do with this much stuff going on at once. Carter and Chance winning again will help boost their reign, but I’m not sure who is going to be their next real challengers. Toxic Attraction can only get so much out of going after the titles and we seem to have officially passed that point. Get some new challengers, whoever that might be.

Oro Mensah thinks music and wrestling go together.

Booker T. has a sitdown interview with Roxanne Perez about winning the Women’s Title. It was a mixture of emotions and she was overwhelmed (as was Booker, as shown in clips). We see some clips of Perez training at Booker’s school, plus some clips of what Perez has accomplished in nine months in NXT. She remembers asking Booker a lot of questions, which he seems to think is a good thing. Booker talked about what titles meant but you had to deal with butterflies. He’s a two time Hall Of Famer and she’s taking her first steps, but she knows she’s ready. The father/daughter stuff here is so sweet.

Here is Apollo Crews for a chat. He thought he would be here as the new NXT Champion. The vision was clear: he would capture the title that he came back here to win but he is never out of championship contention. At New Year’s Evil, Grayson Waller faces Bron Breakker, but three weeks later, it’s Vengeance Day.

Cue Carmelo Hayes to say he’s the next in line for a title shot and he’s fine with beating Crews. That’s not what Crews was expecting from someone as great as Hayes. They point out that neither is NXT Champion but Crews says there is always someone better than you. In Hayes’ case, that’s Crews. Jawing ensues. Anything involving Hayes being moved up in any way is a good thing.

Pretty Deadly brings New Day their Christmas presents but they want a title shot. New Day isn’t convinced and says that just doing the Pledge of Allegiance isn’t enough to get a title shot (inflation you see). Get the rest of their Christmas list (including a Tyler Breeze selfie stick) and we’ll see.

Alba Fyre is on her way to the ring but gets sprayed by Isla Dawn’s red mist.

Odyssey Jones, Malik Blade and Edris Enofe are ready to go out on the town but run into Ava Raine. They invite her out too, but she says the team is just filling in the voids in their lives with temporary feelings. Schism comes in to mock them further before walking off.

Indi Hartwell vs. Elektra Lopez

Lopez hammers her to the floor early on and sends Hartwell shoulder first into the post. Back in and we hit the chinlock, with Lopez cranking away. Hartwell fights up and hits a kick to the head for two. Lopez is sat on top, where she pulls out a well hidden pair of brass knuckles. Hartwell’s belly to back suplex is broken up with a right hand to the face and Lopez gets the pin at 3:34.

Rating: C-. This was quick and to the point, with Lopez getting a win to help her rebuild. Lopez is someone who seems like she could be a force in the division, but that isn’t going to happen if she keeps losing so many matches. At least they have a start here, with a win over Hartwell being a decent first step.

Alba Fyre is cleared for her match.

Wes Lee is ready to face any and all comers, starting with Tony D’Angelo.

Alba Fyre vs. Sol Ruca

Hold on though as Isla Dawn jumps Fyre on the floor before the bell and uses the bat to crush her hand in the steps. No match.

It’s Christmas at Chase U, with the students giving Andre Chase gifts. The fact that Chase is allergic to fruit makes the long list of people with fruit cakes leave (after one heck of a rant from Chase of course). Duke Hudson doesn’t seem to know that it’s Christmas so he tricks a student into leaving and steals his #1 Professor plaque for Chase.

Josh Briggs, Fallon Henley and Brooks Jensen are ready to take New Day’s Tag Team Titles. Kiana James and the assistant come in, with James wishing Jensen luck. Jensen seems flattered. Henley: “Really?”

Drew Gulak is training when Hank Walker comes up to ask for any advice. Gulak likes his moxie and invites Walker to attend (but not participate in) his seminar next week.

Tag Team Titles: Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen vs. New Day

Briggs and Jensen, with Fallon Henley, are challenging. Kofi takes Jensen into the corner to start and we hit the dancing. That doesn’t work for Briggs, who chops him down and cuts off the jumping back elbow. A powerslam gives Jensen two so it’s off to Woods to pick up the pace. Woods knocks Jensen into the corner for the running forearm, allowing Kofi to hit one of his own. Jensen manages to get over for a tag to Briggs though house is cleaned to send us to a break.

Back with Woods enziguring his way out of trouble so Kofi can come back in. A springboard spinning crossbody hits Jensen but the SOS is blocked. Jensen’s powerbomb is countered into a hurricanrana but Briggs comes in to clean house. A moonsault hits Kofi (or mainly his face) to give Briggs two but Kofi is back with a poisonrana to Briggs. Trouble In Paradise drops Briggs again and Kofi dives onto Jensen. The Limit Break gives Woods the retaining pin at 10:08.

Rating: C+. I don’t think anyone was buying New Day losing the titles in their first defense but at least Briggs and Jensen gave them a pretty good match. It helps to give the NXT teams a nice rub from one of the most successful teams of this generation and that is what New Day is here to do. Solid main event here and hopefully the next of many from New Day.

Stacks talks to Dijak…..’s dressing room door before going inside to give him Tony D’Angelo’s message.

Grayson Waller wants Bron Breakker in the ring next.

Diamond Mine isn’t happy with their loss but they made great strides anyway. Indus Sher comes up to ask about their match with the Creed Brothers. Sher wants the Creeds to prove themselves, which Julius will do next week against JD McDonagh.

Here’s what is coming next week.

Grayson Waller, in a rather large zip up jacket, wants Bron Breakker out here right now because no one can do what Waller does. Breakker’s car arrives in the parking lot (that’s some amazing timing) and he comes to the ring for the spear….which knocks himself out. That zip jacket was covering a metal plate, because Waller is a Back to The Future III fan. Waller promises that he’ll outsmart Breakker again at New Year’s Evil to win the title.

Overall Rating: B-. This show had a good series of matches with only one of them not working so well. At the same time it set up stuff for the future, including a battle for the bar next week. The show is starting to find its groove and they did well here, with nothing terribly bad and building up matches for the future. Not a bad use of two hours whatsoever.

Results
Carmelo Hayes b. Axiom – Nothing But Net
Zoey Stark b. Nikkita Lyons – Rollup while grabbing the rope
Katana Chance/Kayden Carter b. Toxic Attraction and Ivy Nile/Tatum Paxley – Rollup to Nile
Elektra Lopez b. Indi Hartwell – Right hand with brass knuckles
New Day b. Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen – Limit Break to Briggs

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
Date: December 13, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T

We’re done with Deadline and that means it is time to start the rather long road to Vengeance Day in February. Deadline saw the crowning of new Tag Team Champions and a pair of new #1 contenders. That should give us some places to go for the next few weeks and we should be in for some fun, though maybe not so soon after Deadline. Let’s get to it.

Here is Deadline if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of Deadline.

Here is Roxanne Perez to get thing going….but Grayson Waller interrupts from the parking lot. Waller has the camera walk us into the arena where he brags about everything he can think of until Perez cuts him off. She says he wasn’t the only Iron Survivor but Waller isn’t impressed. Cue Bron Breakker to say Perez did a great job at Deadline and promises she’ll be the next Women’s Champion. Waller brags about outsmarting Breakker, who he’ll outsmart again for the title at Vengeance Day. Breakker chases Waller through the crowd, leaving Perez to get jumped by Mandy Rose.

JD McDonagh gets checked out and knows the medical report before it is read to him. The Creeds come in, with Julius not being happy about McDonagh going after his knee. Brutus promises to hurt him tonight, which McDonagh finds happy.

We cut back to Roxanne Perez pulling herself up and saying she wants her title shot tonight. Mandy Rose is in.

Stacks jumps Wees Lee in the back, with Tony D’Angelo approving. The fight comes into the arena and we’re having a match.

Wes Lee vs. Stacks

it isn’t specified but there is nothing to suggest Lee’s North American Title is on the line and Tony D’Angelo is in Stacks’ corner. Stacks starts fast but gets dropkicked to the floor for the big running flip dive (with Lee landing HARD). We take a break and come back with Lee in trouble, including a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. The half crab goes on but Lee fights up and starts slugging away. Lee gets the better of things and hits his backflip kick to the head for the pin at 9:42.

Rating: C. They kept this one fast and it was more about D’Angelo vs. Lee being set up for the future. D’Angelo wanting the North American Title is a nice fit for him and having Lee beat his lackey first makes sense. I’m still not feeling Lee as the midcard champion, but at least he has a feud going on.

Post match Dijak comes out to distract Lee, allowing D’Angelo to jump Lee from behind. The triple threat continues to seem likely.

Chase U runs into Duke Hudson shaking hands with Drew Gulak. Andre Chase thinks Duke might enter the transfer portal and even apologizes for last week. Worry not though as Hudson isn’t transferring and is ready for Damon Kemp.

Tatum Paxley/Ivy Nile vs. Toxic Attraction

Kacy Catanzaro and Katana Chance are on commentary. It’s a brawl to start with Toxic Attraction mocking the champs on the floor. We settle down to Jayne faceplanting Nile so Dolin can get two. Nile fights back and they head outside, with one more distraction being enough for the champs to jump Toxic Attraction for the DQ at 2:25. This feels like a way to set up a bigger match down the line.

Post match the brawl stays on and the fans seem impressed.

Fallon Henley’s mom isn’t having a good day but Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen want her to be happy. 2023 will be their year.

Carmelo Hayes says he would have won the Iron Survivor Challenge with five more minutes, but Trick Williams shows him a shot of Axiom’s moonsault.

Odyssey Jones vs. Von Wagner

Malik Blade, Edris Enofe and Mr. Stone are here too. Wagner can’t get anywhere with some running shoulders to start but a big boot puts Jones down. The sleeper keeps Jones in trouble until he makes the clothesline comeback. Jones slams him hard and, after Stone’s distraction accidentally allows Enofe to kick Wagner in the head, a crossbody gives Jones the pin at 2:50.

Javier Bernal doesn’t like McKenzie Mitchell cheering for Ikemen Jiro against him tonight. Bernal tries to name his fan base, eventually settling on Big Body Believers. More good stuff from these two.

Ikemen Jiro vs. Javier Bernal

Jiro slugs away to start but Bernal is back with some right hands. A back elbow sends Jiro outside but he catches Bernal with a kick to the head. Jiro’s super hurricanrana sets up the Ikemen Slash for the pin at 2:59.

Post match Scrypts jumps Jiro and steals the jacket.

Wendy Choo is happy Cora Jade lost the Iron Survivor Challenge because Jade is bad. Choo even talks about the evolution of her drink throwing, which started with a bad experience at a slumber party. Oddly enough, this worked.

Here is New Day for their championship celebration. Xavier Woods brags about Kofi Kingston’s ridiculous list of accomplishments (with Kofi cutting him off before Booker T. gets any more annoyed) before we hear about Woods having the first ever NXT match (Against Big E!). He never won an NXT title though…..and now that has changed! The celebration is on but here is Pretty Deadly to interrupt, saying New Day RUINED CHRISTMAS! Woods insists they would never do that because Santa Claus (a fan in costume) is here!

After a SANTA chant, Woods talks about how it was a bad week for Pretty Deadly when England was knocked out of the World Cup and then they lost the titles. Sure Pretty Deadly can have a rematch, as long as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance. That’s too far but here are Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, with an American Flag, to say they’ll say the Pledge for a title shot. We get the Pledge and, as Pretty Deadly looks near sickness, Kofi says they’ll find out about that title shot for Jensen and Briggs next week. Works for the country boys. Well that was out of nowhere.

The women’s division is in the back, talking about the Iron Survivor Challenge. Elektra Lopez talks a lot until Indi Hartwell jumps her, setting up a huge brawl.

Brutus Creed vs. JD McDonagh

Julius Creed is here too. Brutus starts fast but McDonagh takes it to the floor and goes after the arm. Said arm is rammed into the announcers’ table but Brutus gets in a shot to send McDonagh to the apron. McDonagh kicks Julius down and low bridges a charging Brutus to the floor. Cue Indus Sher to take a chair away from McDonagh, leaving him to hit a pair of Devil Insides (one outside, one inside) to finish Brutus at 4:15.

Rating: C. McDonagh continues to do very little for me in his new persona but at least he seems to be getting further and further away from the NXT Title picture. Beating a tag wrestler to help advance an already established tag feud isn’t a bad thing and McDonagh can still do enough good things. Just don’t let him move much further up the ladder and things will be fine.

Zoey Stark didn’t like a Nikkita Lyons Tik Tok reaction video from Deadline, so they’ll fight about it.

Lyra Valkyria is ready to debut.

Isla Dawn is ready to use some magic to get rid of Alba Fyre.

Amari Miller vs. Lyra Valkyria

Valkyria enziguris her to the floor to start and hits the dropkick through the ropes. Back in and Miller gets kicked in the ribs and face, setting up a northern lights suplex for two. A frog splash finishes Miller at 3:01.

Rating: C-. I’ve always liked Miller as she has one of the bubbliest personalities around, but she was nothing more than cannon fodder for the debuting Valkyria. Debuting her with a squash is the best way to go for her and it isn’t like Miller is going to lose anything by getting pinned. This went as it should have, though Valkyria didn’t quite live up to the incredible hype she had built up in recent weeks.

Axiom isn’t worried about Carmelo Hayes.

Kiana James comes up to Brooks Jensen in the back, with Jensen seeming rather nervous. Jensen is worried about Fallon Henley but here is James’ assistant with a Christmas gift for Jensen: a new dress shirt which actually fits. Ok then.

Toxic Attraction jumps Katana Chance and Kayden Catanzaro.

Duke Hudson vs. Damon Kemp

Chase U is here too. Kemp starts fast and hits a running neckbreaker before hammering Hudson in the face on the mat. Cue Drew Gulak to watch but Andre Chase isn’t having this. Hudson Hulks Up and starts the comeback, setting up the big boot for the pin at 3:46.

Rating: C. Speaking of quick and to the point, we have Hudson winning here despite Gulak trying to get involved. It wasn’t a particularly good or bad match, but it felt like something that is going to be part of a bigger story later. Gulak getting to do something is a good sign, though having him vs. Chase could be rather entertaining.

Women’s Title: Mandy Rose vs. Roxanne Perez

Perez is challenging and we get the Big Match Intros. Rose takes her down by the arm for two to start before Perez snaps off some armdrags. With Rose sent to the floor, Perez takes her down with a suicide dive. A whip into the steps cuts Perez off and bangs up her arm as we take a break.

Back with Perez fighting up but getting taken down by the arm again. Rose runs her over and grabs the Crossface but Perez makes the rope. Kiss From The Rose connects….for two, and Rose is stunned. The fans are split as Perez grabs a small package for two. Pop Rox connects and Perez is champion at 9:35.

Rating: C+. I was expecting a Cora Jade run-in to cut off the title change so well done on the surprise. Perez winning the title out of nowhere was a nice twist as you don’t want every major title change to take place at a big event, just for the sake of some variety. This worked well and felt like a big moment, as Perez gets the title to establish herself as the next big prospect around here. Rose can move back up to the main roster, even if she might not have the easiest time becoming a star there again.

Perez celebrates in tears and Booker T. can’t help but laugh in joy to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The wrestling here was up and down, but the best thing was that the show felt like it was put together differently. They were doing things in a hurry and it never got boring. I don’t need them to do that every week, but once in awhile it’s nice to switch things up, especially coming off a show when I wasn’t expecting anything to happen. This show worked, and I’ll take that when I came in without many expectations.

Results
Wes Lee b. Stacks – Backflip kick to the head
Toxic Attraction b. Tatum Paxley/Ivy Nile via DQ when Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter interfered
Odyssey Jones b. Von Wagner – Crossbody
Ikemen Jiro b. Javier Bernal – Ikemen Slash
JD McDonagh b. Brutus Creed – Devil Inside
Lyra Valkyria b. Amari Miller – Frog splash
Duke Hudson b. Damon Kemp – Big boot
Roxanne Perez b. Mandy Rose – Pop Rox

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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Deadline
Date: December 10, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

What we have here is something of a concept show, as two of the five announced matches are Iron Survivor Challenges. Those are going to take up the better part of an hour between the two of them, even though they’re just #1 contenders matches. We also have a pair of title matches and a grudge match to give it that NXT feel though, so let’s get to it.

The opening video is about the value of time, including in the Iron Survivor Challenges.

Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge

So we have five entrants and a twenty five minute time limit. Two people start things off and another enters every five minutes. You get a point for a fall (nothing to suggest you can lose points) and whomever you beat goes to a penalty box for a minute and a half. The most points in twenty five minutes wins and is the new #1 contender.

Roxanne Perez is in at #1 and Zoey Stark is in at #2 and we have a nifty scoreboard at the bottom of the screen. They take their time to start until Perez grabs a bridging rollup for two but has to fight out of an attempted backslide. Stark takes her into the corner with the power but can’t get very far as they seem to be taking their time to start. Perez working on the arm doesn’t get her very far and a rollup only gets two as Kiana James is in at #3.

James kicks Stark down for two with Perez making the save. With James knocked down, Perez drops Stark with a shot to the face in the corner but gets caught with an enziguri. James is left alone in the ring but Stark trips her down, only to get sent hard into the post. Back inside and James cranks on both of Perez’s arms but Stark makes the save. Perez is back up, only to get caught with Starks’ spinning knee to the face to give Stark the first fall at 9:33.

Stark – 1
Hartwell – 0
Jade – 0
James – 0
Perez – 0

With Perez in the penalty box, James and Stark clothesline each other down and Cora Jade (in red for a change) comes in at #4 to steal some near falls. Perez is out and hammers on James, setting up a rollup for two. A suplex gives Perez two on Stark but Jade breaks up Pop Rox and steals the pin on James at 12:39.

Jade – 1
Stark – 1
Hartwell – 0
James – 0
Perez – 0

Perez nearly gets her showdown with Jade but Stark breaks it up and beats on both of them. James is back in and drives some shoulders into Starks’ ribs in the corner before suplexing Jade. Perez and Stark break it up as Indi Hartwell completes the field. Hartwell, with the fans behind her, goes after Stark and kicks Perez down for a fall at 16:00.

Hartwell – 1
Jade – 1
Stark – 1
James – 0
Perez – 0

Stark, Jade and Hartwell slug it out until James and Stark fight to the floor. James moonsaults off the barricade onto Stark as Perez is out of the box. A high crossbody gives Perez two on Hartwell with Jade making the save. Jade misses a running elbow against the ropes but Starks is back in to deck Perez. That’s fine with Perez, who rolls Stark up for the pin at 18:39.

Hartwell – 1
Jade – 1
Perez – 1
Stark – 1
James – 0

Things slow down a bit as Hartwell and Perez slug it out, only to have Stark run back in to break it up. Everyone gets knocked down as the referee keeps talking to Perez. A dive takes Hartwell down but Stark and the brawling continues. Back in and Perez hits Pop Rox to pin Jade at 23:02.

Perez – 2
Hartwell – 1
Jade – 1
Stark – 1
James – 0

Everyone starts going for falls but no one can get anything thanks to all of the saves. James takes Stark up top for a super Spanish Fly but Jade is back in to steal the near fall. With that not working, Jade DDTs Perez and covers, only to have time expire at 25:00 with Perez winning with two points.

Rating: B-. Well it was certainly an energized match and there can be some nice storytelling involved with everyone trying to steal a fall here and there. I think I like the concept, but at the same time it makes it more a case of running out the clock at the end. Perez winning is the right call and it’s a good introduction to the concept, but I’m not sure I’d call it a classic.

Booker T., Perez’s mentor, is very emotional about the win and it’s kind of great.

Post a few videos, Booker is actually in tears and has to look away from the camera. Well that’s awesome.

Ivy Nile, with Tatum Paxley, knows the Creed Brothers aren’t happy with her over the way she revealed Julius’ injured ribs but she wants the best for them. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter interrupt and a title match seems imminent.

Video on Alba Fyre vs. Isla Dawn. Fyre had the Women’s Title won but the debuting Dawn cost her the match. Now it’s time for revenge.

Alba Fyre vs. Isla Dawn

Fyre starts fast and hammers Dawn out to the floor to start with stomping ensuing. Back inside and Dawn gets in a few shots of her own to take over, allowing the removal of a turnbuckle pad. A running knee gives Dawn two and she cranks on the armbar for a bit. Dawn hits a top rope Meteora for two but Fyre sends her outside for a dive.

Fyre fights up again and hits the Gory Bomb on the floor but Dawn stares at her back inside. That earns Dawn a hard planting and a Swanton…as the referee is convulsing and spitting up black good. Fyre drops dawn again for two from another referee but Dawn sends Fyre into the buckle. Dawn’s reverse DDT finishes at 9:52.

Rating: C. That was about as deflating of a twist as I could have imagined, as this supernatural stuff is one of the most annoying tropes that WWE will just not drop. At this point, I’m hoping Fyre gets to go up to the main roster, as she isn’t looking likely to get a serious push around here. I get the idea of having Dawn win her first big match, but they had to go that way?

New Day is impressed by Pretty Deadly coming over here and dominating, but it’s time for New Day to become Triple Crown champions. Now hit the theme music.

Tag Team Titles: New Day vs. Pretty Deadly

Pretty Deadly is defending and the fans are WAY into New Day here. Woods and Prince start things off as the fans want new side plates on the title belts. Woods hit a heck of a chop in the corner before trying some leapfrogs. A legsweep drops Prince and a backsplash gets two on Prince so it’s off to Kofi vs. Wilson. Kofi sticks the landing on a monkey flip and it’s time for a reverse hip thrusting dance off, with Kofi seemingly winning the fan vote.

It’s back to Prince, who gets dropkicked out of the air by Woods as this is one sided so far. New Day take turns hitting shots in the corner, setting up the Honor Roll for two. The dives on the floor have the champs down again but a cheap shot gives them a breather back inside. A running elbow sends Kofi to the floor where a posting ensues. Kofi can’t get over for the tag but a double knockdown is enough for the dive off to Woods as Wilson comes in to get beaten up.

Everything breaks down and Woods hits a running crotch attack to Wilson, with a dropkick to Prince at the same time. Back in and Woods and Wilson slug it out as everything breaks down again. We get a title brought in and….all four try the Eddie Guerrero throw the belt to someone else for the knockdown treatment (that was great), leaving the referee not buying any of this. A real belt shot gets two on Woods and the champs are frustrated. Trouble In Paradise drops Wilson on the floor though and it’s the Midnight Hour to give New Day the pin and the titles at 14:04.

Rating: B. This was a BLAST as they didn’t even bother trying to do anything seriously whatsoever. Instead they had New Day go out there and have a good match against the young team. Pretty Deadly has already established themselves as something special and it’s not like losing to New Day is some devastating loss. This was all kinds of fun and I had a great time with everything they were doing here, including the title change.

Coming January 10: Countdown To The New Year.

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance run into Malik Blade/Edris Enofe/Odyssey Jones. They seem to get alone but once the guys leave, Toxic Attraction come in to mock the champs for offering Ivy Nile and Tatum Paxley. Cue Paxley and Nile for the brawl, with the guys coming back in to break it up.

Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge

Same rules as the women’s version with JD McDonagh in at #1 and Axiom is in at #2. McDonagh goes after Axiom’s recently injured leg to start but Axiom is right back to send him to the floor for the big dive. Back in and Axiom blasts him with a clothesline to the back of the head for two. A running basement dropkick in the corner rocks McDonagh again but he’s back with a discus lariat. McDonagh hits a sitout powerbomb for two and it’s Carmelo Hayes in at #3 to go after McDonagh before kicking Axiom in the head. Hayes is right back up and suplex cutters McDonagh onto Axiom for the pin on Axiom at 7:12.

Hayes – 1
Axiom – 0
Gacy – 0
McDonagh – 0
Waller – 0

McDonagh and Hayes slug it out with neither being able to get very far. A double knockdown gives us a breather as Axiom is back in. Axiom hits a double high crossbody and kicks away at both of them. The other two get back up though and they’re all knocked down until Grayson Waller is in at #4. Waller hits the rolling Stunner on Axiom and McDonagh for the pin on Axiom at 10:13.

Hayes – 1
Waller – 1
Axiom – 0
Gacy – 0
McDonagh – 0

Then Waller pins McDonagh at 10:16.

Waller – 2
Hayes – 1
Axiom – 0
Gacy – 0
McDonagh – 0

Hayes and Waller slug it out with neither being able to take over. Another double knockdown gives us a breather until Axiom is out….but he goes back into the penalty box to beat up McDonagh. One heck of a beating ensues, with Axiom slamming the door on McDonagh to leave him in the box (where he’s down but free to go). Hayes superkicks Waller and rolls Axiom up for two but Waller is back in to drop both of them. Waller goes outside to yell at Booker but Axiom rolls him up for the pin at 14:16.

Waller – 2
Hayes – 1
Axiom – 1
Gacy – 0
McDonagh – 0

Axiom hits the Golden Ratio to pin McDonagh at 14:22.

Axiom – 2
Waller – 2
Hayes – 1
Gacy – 0
McDonagh – 0

Joe Gacy is in at #5 to complete the field and stops to mock Waller in the penalty box. That means a Rings of Saturn to Axiom for the fall at 16:15.

Axiom – 2
Waller – 2
Gacy – 1
Hayes – 1
McDonagh – 0

Gacy hits the Upside Down to pin Gacy at 17:13.

Axiom – 2
Gacy – 2
Waller – 2
Hayes – 1
McDonagh – 0

Gacy drops McDonagh and Waller at the same time, setting up the running flip dive to the floor. Axiom is out of the box so he goes on top of it for a moonsault onto everyone not named Hayes. Now it’s Hayes back in for a Crossface on Waller, who has to tap at 19:25.

Axiom – 2
Gacy – 2
Hayes – 2
Waller – 2
McDonagh – 0

Back in and Axiom rolls Gacy into a triangle choke but Hayes makes the save with an ax kick. Hayes points to Booker off the kick but McDonagh cuts him off. The Devlin Side drops Axiom on the floor but McDonagh headbutts Hayes out of the air. Another Devlin Side hits Hayes and there’s a third to Gacy.

McDonagh can’t cover anyone but can Devlin Side the returning Waller, with everyone else making the save to leave all five down. McDonagh is in the middle of the ring so everyone kicks him in the face. Gacy takes Waller outside and Rock Bottoms him onto the steps. Back in and Gacy hits a Bubba Bomb onto Hayes, setting up the Rings of Saturn.

That’s broken up by McDonagh so Gacy gets the Rings on Axiom again as we hear that it’s sudden death on a tie. Hayes hits a Codebreaker on Gacy but McDonagh sends Hayes into the corner with 1:00 left. Axiom’s springboard flipping DDT hits McDonagh and Hayes adds the top rope ax kick, with Waller making the save. Waller steals the pin on Axiom at 24:33.

Waller – 3
Axiom – 2
Gacy – 2
Hayes – 2
McDonagh – 0

The chase is on and Waller escapes at 25:00. Vic Joseph: “We are never going to hear the end of this.”

Rating: B. This was the energized race against the clock that I was hoping for and a very different presentation than the first match (which was also good). Waller stealing the pin in the end and running away was a great visual and made sense as everyone else was either ineligible to be pinned or running around. I had a lot of fun with this and they cranked it up about five notches, so well done on making this a very entertaining and at times dramatic match.

Drew Gulak is here to live up to his potential and if he sees someone who catches his eye, there is something to strength in numbers. Damon Kemp comes up to talk about facing Duke Hudson on Tuesday. Gulak doesn’t seem impressed and politely excuses himself.

We recap Apollo Crews challenging Bron Breakker for the NXT Title. Crews has wanted to win the title to prove himself, while Breakker sees the similarities between the two. They seem to respect each other but both want the title.

NXT Title: Apollo Crews vs. Bron Breakker

Breakker is defending. Feeling out process to start with not much happening in the first minute. They fight over a test of strength and that’s good for a standoff as neither seems to know what to do here. They go to the mat with both of them headscissoring their way out of a headlock takeover, meaning another standoff. A fight over a standing switch turns into a fight over a hiptoss which sends them both into the ropes.

Crews shoves him to take this up a notch, followed by the AJ Styles drop down into a dropkick. The standing moonsault gives Crews two and a slingshot hilo is good for the same. Breakker is back up with a suplex into a standing moonsault for two of his own. Crews is knocked outside and that means a big no hands flip dive because Breakker can do that. Back in and Crews hits a jumping knee to knock Breakker out of the air, leaving Crews looking mad.

Crews’ eyes bug out (with a closeup) and he hammers away, setting up the rolling German suplexes. Multiple powerbombs give Crews two more and a frog splash gets the same. Breakker fights back up to drop Crews, setting up the Steiner Bulldog for two of his own. The straps come down but Crews slips out of the gorilla press powerslam and hits his own for another near fall. They slug it out with Crews getting the better of things and firing off some kicks. Breakker slips out of a slam though and hits the spear for the retaining pin at 14:21.

Rating: B-. They had an idea here with the mirroring each other, but then that just stopped cold and they went to the finish. It was good while it lasted and Breakker is coming along, but this really didn’t feel like a big victory for him. Crews is a good choice for a challenger, though that flat of a finish wasn’t going to help anyone.

The posing is on but Grayson Waller rolls in with the Stunner.

Overall Rating: B+. It’s definitely not a Takeover, but for the new generation of NXT, this worked out very well. There wasn’t a bad match on the show (the ending to Dawn vs. Fyre was bad but that’s a one off moment) and the rest of the show was good to very good. I liked almost everything on here and they got the new concept match right. Awesome night here and being out in two and a half hours made it better still. Not a classic, but it’s an easy watch with good stuff throughout and that’s a nice way to go.

Results
Roxanne Perez won the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge
Isla Dawn b. Alba Fyre – Reversed DDT
New Day b. Pretty Deadly – Midnight Hour to Prince
Grayson Waller won the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge
Bron Breakker b. Apollo Crews – Spear

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

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

It isn’t often that NXT tries something entirely new but that seems to be what we are getting here. The show has five matches and two of them are the first ever Iron Survivor Challenges (one each for the men and the women). That means the show is going to be built around those two matches and if they work, NXT should be doing just fine. Otherwise, it could be a long night. Let’s get to it.

Alba Fyre vs. Isla Dawn

So this is fire vs. magic? I’m sure there’s some gaming joke in there that I’m not smart enough to make but at least we’re getting some fresh blood featured here. Fyre is someone who feels like she should have been a bigger star a long time ago while Dawn is brand new and has already made something of an impact. This should be a good fight, though I’m not sure how it is going to go.

I’ll take Dawn here, as she is brand new without a big win yet and Fyre seems to have the unfortunate label of being bulletproof. Fyre has all of the star power you could need but she needs to win a big match in NXT at some point. This wouldn’t quite qualify, but then again I don’t think she wins here either. I’m not sure what kind of a future Dawn has here, though I think she gets the win this time.

Tag Team Titles: Pretty Deadly(c) vs. New Day

Then we have this one and I’m not sure what to make of it. On one hand, New Day is one of the most successful tag teams in WWE history and should take out Pretty Deadly in short order. At the same time, that is the kind of match that Pretty Deadly wins almost every time, often surviving by the skin of their perfectly shiny teeth. I’m not sure I can see either of them losing, even if one of them probably has to.

As much as I can imagine New Day winning, I’ll go with some kind of screwy finish that lets Pretty Deadly retain the titles. Pretty Deadly continues to be a team that exceeds what their limits should be in a great way and beating the unhurtable New Day would be another great step for them. I’m not entirely sure it’s going to happen, but it makes more sense for the young team to keep the titles.

Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge

Much like Money in the Bank or Elimination Chamber, this is going to be about eliminating those names who aren’t going to win and working from there. I think we can pretty safely write off Kiana James and Indi Hartwell, as neither is exactly on fire at the moment. That leaves us with three possible winners and when you look at them, there is only one name that really stands out.

I’ll go with Roxanne Perez, which is pretty much the only viable option. Cora Jade isn’t going to win for a heel vs. heel showdown and Zoey Stark is more of a villain to be beaten than a winner in something like this. That leaves Perez, who is young, popular and seems ready to win here. I could easily see her taking the Women’s Title from Mandy Rose, so there is no reason for anyone but Perez to win.

Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge

So we’ll do the same thing as we did with the women, meaning Joe Gacy and Axiom can be written off. Axiom isn’t ready and we’ve done Gacy in the main event scene already. Just like in the other match, we’re down to three possible winners and in this case, we have a little more drama. I’m not sure who we’re getting here, and that is what a match like this needs to be.

There are three viable options here but I’ll take Carmelo Hayes, who is long overdue to move up to the main event scene. That being said, it wouldn’t shock me whatsoever to see NXT go with JD McDonagh for whatever they see in him. Grayson Waller is also right there as someone who could steal the win, but I’ll go with the best option and pick Hayes, who could have a near classic with Bron Breakker if they are given the chance.

NXT Title: Bron Breakker(c) vs. Apollo Crews

This is one of those matches that should have no drama whatsoever but NXT has managed to turn it into something far better than it has any right to be. The solution has been the obvious fishing angle, as the two have talked multiple times and opened Breakker up even the slightest bit. I’m liking the story they are telling with this one, but now they need to actually execute.

As much as I have a bit of a hunch that Crews takes the title here in a surprise, the right answer is to give Breakker another win over a credible challenger before he gets his match against the new major threat. The match has the potential to be interesting as they are both physical marvels who can do some insane things, but Breakker should win here and then stare down his next challenger to end the show.

Overall Thoughts

I’m getting curious about how the Iron Survivor Challenges should go, but it is always a little hard to get invested in the idea of a #1 contenders match. The rest of the card should be good enough to carry things, though nothing on here is feeling like it is a must see show. That being said, you need some kind of a special event like this every now and then, just to give the fans and wrestlers something to get excited about on a bigger scale.

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
Date: December 6, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

It’s the go home show for Deadline and I’m not exactly expecting much tonight as a result. The card is mostly set, though we do need to determine the final entrants in each Iron Survivor Challenge. That means a pair of triple threat matches and they at least have some stakes going in. Let’s get to it.

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

Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match: Axiom vs. Von Wagner vs. Andre Chase

The rest of Chase U is here with Chase. A running boot rocks Wagner at the bell but he’s fine enough to headlock both of them at once. That’s broken up and a double shoulder puts Wagner on the floor. Axiom loads up a dive but gets rolled up for two by Chase. That’s enough for Wagner to get back up and send them both outside as we take a break. Back with Chase hitting a top rope superplex on Axiom near Wagner, who was either out of position to get knocked down or was trying to help with the crash.

Either way, Axiom heads to the floor and it’s a slugout between Chase and Wagner. A Russian legsweep drops Wagner to set up the spelling stomps, followed by a tiger driver to give Chase two on Axiom. Wagner comes back in but gets triangle choked by Axiom. That’s broken up and Wagner plants Chase for two. Chase DDTs both of them at once but Axiom shoves Chase to the floor and superkicks Wagner for the pin at 11:58.

Rating: C+. It was fast paced and that’s one of the best things that can be said about something like this. On top of that, at least Chase didn’t take the fall, even if it would be nice for him to actually win something for a change. The fans are into him and for some reason that seems to be enough for NXT for whatever reason. Also it was someone other than Wagner, which is a positive.

Julius Creed’s knee is cleared for him to compete but Ivy Nile asks the trainer to check his ribs. Those are banged up, and he won’t be able to compete because of them. Brutus Creed isn’t happy, but Nile says she’s protecting Julius.

Cora Jade is ready to do whatever it takes to become #1 contender.

Bron Breakker is about to go fishing when Apollo Crews shows up at the doc to join him. Crews compliments the boat and Breakker shows him how to cast. They praise each others’ athleticism, with Breakker admitting he copied the standing moonsault from him. Crews asks if this really calms you down, with Breakker talking about the pressure that comes from being champion.

Crews catches a fish, earning some praise from Breakker, before throwing it back. They agree that Deadline should be a good one and shake hands. Crews says today wasn’t Breakker’s day with fishing and Saturday won’t be his day at Deadline either. These vignettes have been different enough to make the feud interesting and that’s a nice change of pace.

Bryson Montana is in the ring for a match but Indus Sher takes him out. Cue Montana’s opponent.

Javier Bernal vs. Bryson Montana

Actually hang on as Bernal has a sudden hamstring injury so he’s out. Indus Sher says they won’t fight the Creed Brothers unless they’re 100%, so the challenge is turned down for now. Cue the Creed Brothers but Ivy Nile and some referees hold them back. No match.

Duke Hudson is trying to console Andre Chase when a very excited Thea Hail runs in to say she’s facing Isla Dawn tonight. Hudson doesn’t think it’s a good idea because Dawn is scary, but Chase says go do it. Chase isn’t happy when Hudson questions his decision.

Sol Ruca danced on Tik Tok at a live event but Brooks Jensen/Josh Briggs and Malik Blade/Edris Enofe got in an argument behind them. A tag match was set.

Tony D’Angelo vs. Xyon Quinn

Stacks is here with D’Angelo, who is getting quite the positive reaction here. Quinn drives him into the corner to start but D’Angelo slugs away at the ribs. A suplex drops Quinn again Quinn’s Samoan drop sends D’Angelo outside, only to run him over back inside. D’Angelo hits something close to John Cena’s ProtoBomb for the pin at 1:49.

Post match D’Angelo says he’s back and he wants Wes Lee and the North American Title. Cue Lee to say the Don is back and the champ is ready for him. Dijak took Lee out recently though so if D’Angelo wants the title, he’ll have to wait until Lee takes care of some business. That doesn’t work for D’Angelo, who says his business comes first. Dijak pops up on screen to say he’s going to decimate NXT and take the title. Then Stacks jumps Lee, who shoves Stacks down and bails from the numbers advantage.

Last week, Hank Walker talked to Charlie Dempsey and says he wishes he could have followed in his father’s footsteps. Walker wants respect and they can do this if they need to. Dempsey says he’ll show Walker that he doesn’t belong.

Scrypts looks at his debut match and talks about how he needs to change things up, starting with the chosen ones. He writes his name down while surrounded by crinkled papers.

Hank Walker vs. Charlie Dempsey

Dempsey slaps him in the face to start so Walker takes him into the corner. There’s a big hiptoss to send Dempsey flying and a slam makes it worse. Dempsey grabs a gutwrench suplex but here is Drew Gulak of all people for a distraction. The Kimura keeps Walker in trouble abut he fights out and hits a Thesz press. That’s fine with Dempsey, who dragon screw legwhips him down but a half crab attempt is broken up. Dempsey cranks on the knee instead and ties up the face at the same time to make Walker tap at 4:02.

Rating: C. This was quick and to the point, as there is no reason to believe that Walker, who is little more than a brawler, could hang with a technical monster like Dempsey. I’m glad to see Dempsey taking someone apart, and having him do that to Gulak in a technical off could be very entertaining. Or Gulak mentors him, which might not be the best idea as Gulak last won anything….when?

Zoey Stark talks about timing and knowing how none of the people in the Iron Survivor Challenge can touch her.

Grayson Waller is ready to win the Iron Survivor Challenge because everyone is scared of him going in.

And now, Pretty Deadly as Santa and an elf in a Christmas set in the ring, for the real meaning of Christmas. They both sit in the throne (yeah there’s a throne) and read the book, which talks about their bulging sacks overflowing. They’ll never lose the titles and never be bruised so they have a Merry Christmas hug….and here is New Day to interrupt.

Kofi Kingston talks about how Pretty Deadly has beaten everyone, so let’s have a title match at Deadline. The fight is on and New Day clears the ring without much effort, including having presents put on Pretty Deadly’s heads. That’s a big surprise and Pretty Deadly will benefit from the win.

Isla Dawn is ready to hurt Thea Hail.

Javier Bernal is going to leave and suddenly remembers he’s in pain when McKenzie Mitchell shows up. No, he is NOT scared of Indus Sher, who don’t want any of him. He accuses Mitchell of being biased and wants someone more fair. Cue Ikemen Jiro, who Bernal trusts. Jiro calls him a chicken and Bernal isn’t pleased.

Thea Hail vs. Isla Dawn

Chase U is here too. Dawn shoves her down to start and hits a running shot to the back. Hail fights up and slugs away, including a running shot in the corner. There’s a t-bone suplex to Dawn, who is right back with a sitout reverse DDT. A second one finishes Hail at 2:50.

Post match Alba Fyre pops up to go after Dawn but gets held back by referees. Fyre charges anyway and a referee gets misted by mistake.

Kiana James is ready to be smart and win the Iron Survivor Challenge.

Lyra Valkyria is here next week.

Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen vs. Malik Blade/Edris Enofe

Odyssey Jones is here with Blade and Enofe. Jensen gets knocked into the corner to start and Blade hits a heck of a dropkick for two. That’s broken up and it’s Jensen working on the arm as Kiana James’ assistant shows up with a letter for Jensen. Blade hits a big moonsault on the floor onto Briggs (and almost misses), leaving Enofe to hit an old Dean Ambrose standing top rope elbow for two on Jensen. Von Wagner shows up to brawl with Jones and it’s the high/low to give Briggs the pin at 3:25.

Rating: C. It might not be the best idea to have multiple people getting involved or interfering in a match that doesn’t even last three minutes. I like both teams but it would be nice to have Blade and Enofe win something for once. The tools are there, but eventually they just feel like losers and that is a hard stigma to overcome.

Respect is shown post match.

Roxanne Perez is ready to prove herself because she keeps getting screwed over. But how do you prepare for a match that has never taken place before? She looks in a mirror to talk herself up and seems to buy it.

Shawn Michaels runs down the concept of the Iron Survivor Challenge.

Iron Survivor Qualifying Match: Indi Hartwell vs. Wendy Choo vs. Fallon Henley

In the back, Brooks Jensen opens the envelope from the assists, which contains VIP tickets to Deadline from Kiana James. Hartwell starts fast but Choo headlock takeovers Henley. A double rollup gives Hartwell two as Toxic Attraction is watching. Back up and Henley flips both of them down at once, with Hartwell being sent outside. Hartwell kicks Henley down on the floor though and we take a break.

We come back with Choo in the Tree of Woe with Hartwell kicking away, only to get rolled up by Henley. With Choo free, Hartwell is sent outside and Henley is suplexed, with Hartwell having to make the save. The Tower of Doom leaves everyone down and Choo splashes Henley. Then Hartwell sends Choo outside, decks Henley, and steals the pin at 10:15.

Rating: C+. Hartwell was the focal point of the match and is the most established star so her going forward makes sense. I still like Henley a lot but she might be better suited as the manager/friend of the team rather than a featured star. You know what you’re getting with Choo, though to be fair she has toned down A LOT of the silliness and it’s a big improvement. Hartwell was the right call here though.

Toxic Attraction says of course they’ll be at Deadline but Indi Hartwell comes in to say Saturday is her night.

Deadline rundown.

Here is Grayson Waller for the Grayson Waller Effect, with the rest of the Iron Survivor entrants (JD McDonagh, Carmelo Hayes, Axiom and Joe Gacy) as his guests. Waller insults all of them but Hayes says he’s ready to show that he is the A Champion again. McDonagh asks about Hayes losing the North American Title twice, but Hayes says that doesn’t matter right now. McDonagh is sure he can go 25 minutes, which Waller would never understand.

Waller shrugs that off and asks Gacy about this group. Gacy says individuals are selfish and will step over each other to get what they want. Axiom talks about how you have to evolve to win and that is where he excels. Hayes: “NERD!” We get a question from a fan: which spot would you want to enter the match?

Axiom says first or second so he can maximize his falls, but that doesn’t appeal to anyone else. Gacy promises that he’ll win but Hayes says he won’t miss. Waller says you never know when someone is going to strike first, earning himself a headbutt from Gacy. The fight is on and everyone but Waller heads to the floor, leaving Waller (with camera) to flip dive onto everyone else. The big brawl ends the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This could have been worse, as they did make the Iron Survivor Challenge feel like a big deal. That is kind of hard to do when it’s nothing but a heavily gimmicked #1 contenders match, but they pulled it off here. There wasn’t much else of interest on the show and Deadline is looking like a pretty unimportant card, but they made the featured matches feel bigger and that’s the important thing.

Results
Axiom b. Von Wagner and Andre Chase – Golden Ratio to Wagner
Tony D’Angelo b. Xyon Quinn – Belly to back slam
Charlie Dempsey b. Hank Walker – Leg trap crossface
Isla Dawn b. Thea Hail – Sitout reverse DDT
Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen b. Malik Blade/Edris Enofe – High/low to Enofe
Indi Hartwell b. Fallon Henley and Wendy Choo – Running forearm to the back of Henley’s head

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: November 29, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

This week is about the past and the future, as a group of Hall of Famers, led by Shawn Michaels, will announce the participants in the Iron Survivor Challenge. That would be quite the segment and it will determine most of the Deadline card. The main event is a rather big six woman tag so let’s get to it.

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

Indi Hartwell vs. Roxanne Perez

Hartwell powers her around to start but Perez dropkicks her down. The chinlock goes on to slow Hartwell up but she fights up and sends Perez crashing out to the floor. Back in and a boot to the face drops Perez and a hard clothesline gives Hartwell two. A sideslam sets up the chinlock but Perez is up rather quickly.

Perez forearms away and sends Hartwell face first into the middle buckle as the comeback is on. A running basement dropkick sends Hartwell into the corner, where she comes out with a belly to back suplex to cut Perez off. Perez is fine enough to send her outside, setting up the high crossbody back inside. Hartwell is back up with a big boot but Perez kicks her in the ribs and grabs Pop Rox for the pin at 9:05.

Rating: C+. Perez continues to become a bigger and better star every week. She’s young, she’s good, and she continues to string together solid matches. What matters is Perez is being treated as something important and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her move up the ladder rather quickly. Perez even taking the Women’s Title is a possibility and that’s pretty impressive for someone who hasn’t been around that long.

Thea Hail and Duke Hudson interrupt Andre Chase, with Hudson apologizing for messing up last week (Chase: “I know, I was there!”). Hudson has gotten a petition together to get Chase into the Iron Survival Challenge but Grayson Waller comes up to suggest Hudson isn’t on the up and up. Hail has to be held back but Hudson has this.

Dijak vs. Dante Chen

This is Dijak’s return after a pretty long NXT absence. Dijak grabs him by the throat to start and sends Chen into the apron. A sitout chokeslam (Hard Justice) plants Chen and some hard forearms to the back knock him even sillier. Dijak elbows away in the corner but Chen comes back with some right hands. The double chop and a pump kick rock Dijak, who shrugs them off and hits Feast Your Eyes for the pin at 3:49.

Rating: C. This was mostly a squash and Dijak already looked better than he ever did on the main roster. Dijak ran through Chen, shrugged off whatever was thrown at him, and finished with his hard knee to the face. That’s what this needed to be, as Dijak isn’t someone who needs to be complicated. Just let him do his impressive looking stuff and he’ll be fine.

Post match Dijak says this is his place to dominate and he promises to run through everyone.

JD McDonagh came to the Diamond Dojo earlier today and the Creeds weren’t impressed. They’re ready for Indus Sher and argue with McDonagh about how sure they can do it. McDonagh continues to be a pest.

We go to the Hall Of Fame panel, with Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg, X-Pac, Alundra Blayze and Molly Holly picking the five entrants for both Iron Survival Challenges. They all praise the roster and discuss some possible entrants in the men’s match, but the announcement will be made later.

Grayson Waller vs. Duke Hudson

The rest of Chase U is here with Hudson. Waller grabs a headlock to start but Hudson powers him into the corner. A side slam connects as we see the Hall of Fame panel…paying absolutely no attention to the match whatsoever. Hudson gets whipped into the corner and the cravate goes on.

That doesn’t last long as Hudson makes the powered up comeback, including an overhead belly to belly. They head outside where Hudson almost boots Hail, only to say that he can stop it whenever he needs. Chase, who Hudson booted last week: “YOU CAN STOP IT WHENEVER YOU NEED???? Back in and the rolling Stunner finishes for Waller at 5:21.

Rating: C. This was about the storyline development with Hudson letting the big boot reveal slip. Chase is smart enough to figure that out and now the question becomes where things go from here. Waller should be beating Hudson on his way to something bigger, though I’m not sure if he’s going to make it to the Iron Survivor Challenge.

Javier Bernal has a special announcement: BIG BODY TUESDAY, complete with his own merchandise! You can get his Big Body Baseball Bat, which was requested by Adam Judge! Mitchell: “You mean Aaron Judge?” Bernal: “Adam is his middle name!” There is also the Big Body Pillow (McKenzie: “Already trademarked.”) Bernal: “Men want to be me and women want to be with me.” McKenzie: “Absolutely not.” Therefore we have a cologne, which she says smells like rotten eggs. Axiom comes in and a match is set. Bernal and Mitchell have some great chemistry together.

Kiana James vs. Fallon Henley

Henley kicks her down to start and we take a break less than a minute in. Back with James working on the arm, including ramming it into the top rope. The Codebreaker on the arm gets two and the arm cranking continues. Henley fights up and manages a one armed takedown, followed by a head of a shot to the face. The chase is on around the ring but James manages to grab the bag for a distraction, with Henley being sent into the post. The 401K finishes for James at 9:39.

Rating: C+. The arm stuff was nicely worked in here and even played into the finish to make it better. Henley losing again is a bit much, but it is nice to see James getting elevated for a change. Both of them have the talent and now the question is which one gets to move up to the next level first.

Malik Blade is crushed at Von Wagner ripping up his sweater but Edris Enofe and Odyssey Jones (in a Godfather shirt) tell him to use it to fire himself up. Blade can go with that but he wants to do this himself.

The Hall of Famers talk about the women and are rather pleased with some of their options.

Nikkita Lyons/Katana Chance/Kayden Carter vs. Toxic Attraction

Hold on though as Zoey Stark jumps Lyons from behind and takes out her leg. Toxic Attraction looks on and smiles. No match.

Lyra Valkyria (the former Aoife Valkyrie from NXT UK) is coming and runs through the woods while losing her feathers.

Elektra Lopez is ready to make her own empire. If you bet against her, you’ll go broke.

Javier Bernal vs. Axiom

Axiom takes him down by the arm to start and hits a dropkick to send Bernal outside. We take a break and come back with Axiom wrapping the leg around the post. Some dropkicks to the knee keep Axiom in trouble and a hart slam jars the knee even more. Axiom manages a sunset flip and pulls Bernal into a choke, which is countered into a sitout powerbomb for two. The Figure Four stays on the leg until Axiom turns it over to send Bernal to the rope. Back up and Axiom hits the Golden Ratio superkick for the pin at 9:01.

Rating: C+. Axiom is someone who can make things look good in the ring, but there is something a little less than interesting about calling your finishing move the Golden Ratio. Bernal talking so much trash and then losing suits him well, and if they keep it as goofy as they have so far, it can go well. Just don’t try to make him into something he isn’t.

Nikkita Lyons is cleared for the six woman.

Pretty Deadly is excited because next week is…..CHRISTMAS!

Apollo Crews is at a diner when Bron Breakker interrupts. Breakker looks at the menu but doesn’t see Crews being ready to win the title. Breakker puts his own pressure on himself but Crews says he’ll have the speed and strength advantage. They’re both ready and things never quite get personal. Very minor note that no one else will care about: Crews’ pen was from a Chase bank. That is the kind of realistic thing that made the segment feel more normal, as I’m surprised WWE didn’t have the pen branded with their own logo. It’s nice to see something feel spontaneous rather than totally staged.

Julius Creed vs. JD McDonagh

Brutus Creed is here with his brother. McDonagh grabs a headlock to start and Julius can’t even suplex his way to freedom. Julius can power his way out of it though and the toss has McDonagh in trouble. The chase around the ring results in Julius being dropkicked off the apron as we take a break.

Back with McDonagh holding a bodyscissors as Indus Sher is out to watch. Julius fights up and knocks him outside for a heck of a clothesline but can’t German suplex him off the apron. Instead McDonagh hits an apron moonsault before going after Julius’ knee. Said knee is cranked around and taken to the floor, where McDonagh grabs a chair. The big swing is loaded up but Veer Mahaan takes it instead, which is a DQ…I think on McDonagh, giving Julius the win at 10:33.

Rating: B-. The ending was a little weird but McDonagh not beating someone else is rather nice to see. Indus Sher vs. the Creeds is being treated as a big deal and while it’s not the most interesting, they are putting the work in to make it better. Julius continues to feel like a top star ready to break out and giving him singles matches like this will make that more likely.

Video on Isla Dawn’s debut.

Dijak is leaving when the D’Angelo Family interrupts. Tony has a business proposal and Dijak seems interested.

Von Wagner vs. Malik Blade

Blade strikes away to start and rains down some right hands in the corner. Wagner powers out but seems to be favoring his knee as Blade sends him outside. Some rams into the announcers’ table have Wagner in more trouble but he avoids a frog splash. The fireman’s carry neckbreaker finishes Blade at 2:41 as Wagner’s monster push continues.

Post match Wagner stays on him but Edris Enofe and Odyssey Jones make the save.

Here are the Iron Survivor Challenge participants:

Men
Carmelo Hayes
JD McDonagh
Grayson Waller
Joe Gacy

Women
Zoey Stark
Cora Jade
Roxanne Perez
Kiana James

The final spots will be determined in triple threat wild card matches next week.

Toxic Attraction vs. Kayden Carter/Katana Chance/Nikkita Lyons

Jayne and Carter start things off but everything breaks down in a hurry. Triple superkicks send Toxic Attraction to the floor and Carter/Chance hit back to back dives. We settle down to Carter rolling Rose up for two but Jayne offers a distraction. Rose gets in some running knees to Carter and the villains take over in the corner. A spinebuster gives Rose two and we hit the bodyscissors.

Carter kicks her away and brings in Chance to fire away at Dolin but gets suplexed down. Lyons makes the save and everything breaks down again. We settle back down to Chance getting suplexed but grabbing a rollup for two on Rose anyway. Everyone else comes back in and Dolin sends Carter into the steps. Lyons suplexes Jayne but Rose gets in a cheap shot and the bad knee gives out. A not so great looking high/low finishes Lyons at 9:04.

Rating: C+. This felt like a house show main event with the thrown together group taking on the established villains. That worked out well enough as Toxic Attraction feels like such a team that should be difficult to stop. Lyons coming back and going after the title one day seems all but inevitable, but for now she needs to focus on Zoey Stark, which is likely coming at Deadline.

A pleased Zoey Stark looks down from the platform to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. When I think about this show, it felt like two hours of checking things off a list. It felt like several matches, angles and feuds were advanced in the span of one night and that is nice to see. In other words, it came off like something that was planned in advance and then everything came together. That kind of attention is nice to see and makes it feel like an old school edition of NXT. Good stuff here, and Deadline is mostly together, even without being officially announced yet.

Results
Roxanne Perez b. Indi Hartwell – Pop Rox
Dijak b. Dante Chen – Feast Your Eyes
Grayson Waller b. Duke Hudson – Rolling Stunner
Kiana James b. Fallon Henley – 401K
Axiom b. Javier Bernal – Golden Ratio
Julius Creed b. JD McDonagh via DQ when McDonagh used a chair
Von Wagner b. Malik Blade – Fireman’s carry neckbreaker
Toxic Attraction b. Kayden Carter/Katana Chance/Nikkita Lyons – High/lot to Lyons

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: November 22, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re on the way to Deadline and that means we need to add some people to the card. There are five spots each for the Iron Survivor matches and all of them need to be filled. Other than that, we could use some matches of any kind and that is where we probably start tonight. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Here is Toxic Attraction for a chat. Mandy Rose brags about keeping the Women’s Title last week, saying another one bit the dust. Now NXT has to set up this Iron Survivor Challenge to find a new contender for her title and she’ll be watching closely. Rose brags about their success but here are Kayden Carter and Katana Chance to interrupt. Carter mocks the idea of Rose doing everything herself and suggests that Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin will bail as soon as Rose loses the title. That’s enough for the fight to be on with Toxic Attraction dominating due to the numbers advantage.

Earlier today, Wes Lee arrived when Tony D’Angelo pulled up in his car. D’Angelo suggests revenge over Lee hurting him but Lee says D’Angelo knows where to find him.

Grayson Waller comes up to Duke Hudson and says Hudson isn’t the flag waving rah rah guy. Hudson says he is, because he’s a dedicated student.

Cora Jade vs. Wendy Choo

Choo takes her down by the arm to start and Jade has to beg off into the ropes. Jade sends her throat first into the ropes and hits a running elbow to the back to take over. Back up and Choo hits a running boot in the corner, only to miss the sleeping elbow. Choo avoids a springboard stomp and sends Jade outside as we take a break.

Back with Choo hitting a flipping forearm in the corner for two so Jade grade the stick. Choo takes it away so the referee takes it from her, allowing Jade to throw Choo’s drink into her eyes. A double arm DDT finishes Choo at 9:04. The referee being confused by the liquid on the mat while counting away seems a bit shenanigansy but he didn’t see anything.

Rating: C. Choo has been toned down a bit in recent months and that is a bit better. I’m not sure what is next for her but getting rid of a lot of the over the top stuff has made her a lot easier to watch. The push of Jade continues and she is starting to thrive in this role. You can tell she’s someone WWE sees something in and it is starting to work rather well.

Choo cries post match.

Apollo Crews is ready for Bron Breakker and the NXT Title at Deadline. He has had all kinds of title matches but this is the one that he wakes up thinking about. This time, his vision is holding the NXT Title.

Kiana James is ready for revenge on Ivy Nile.

Javier Bernal has a 1,347 name list of people he wants to challenge, starting with Axiom, who is still hurt. #14 is Elon Musk because Bernal isn’t paying $8 for a check mark. McKenzie Mitchell: “How many followers do you have?” Bernal: “Two thousand. Million.” Drake (the rapper, not Maverick) is on the list, plus some unnamed wrestler who is retired. If Mitchell doesn’t lighten up, she’ll be the one he fights. This is the different kind of promo that made things feel a little different, which is quite welcome.

Chase U, now with several new students, are interrupted by Pretty Deadly, They wonder when Duke Hudson is going to be his usual self and a fight breaks out. Hudson holds his own against both of them until referees break it up.

Ivy Nile vs. Kiana James

Tatum Paxley is here with Nile. James grabs a headlock to start before muscling her up for an over the shoulder backbreaker. A drop to the knees makes it even worse for Nile and a belly to back suplex gives James two. Back up and Nile cranks on the arm before firing off some kicks. A running hurricanrana drops James to the floor, where Fallon Henley pops up to prevent an escape attempt. Back in and the Diamond Chain Lock finishes James at 4:39.

Rating: C-. Not the best match here but Nile getting away from LVL Up is a good thing. She is more than good enough to hang in there with the main NXT stars and I’m not sure why she hasn’t gotten the chance. James continues to be a decent character who needs some more ring time, but she did ok enough here.

Post match the Creed Brothers come in to brag about Nile’s win before saying Indus Sher isn’t making their name off the two of them. They’re ready to fight anytime.

Isla Dawn brags about what she did to Alba Fyre last week and reveals she has been behind some of the recent tech glitches (nice little loose thread being tied up). She and Fyre will have so much fun together.

A banged up Duke Hudson comes in to see Andre Chase and says he got in a fight with Pretty Deadly. Chase: “Who?” Hudson says they were talking trash about the university and the repercussion is……a Tag Team Title match tonight (the fans are REALLY happy with that one)! The student Chase was talking to is very happy so Chase asks him what the **** is he still doing here. It’s time to prepare!

Scrypts vs. Guru Raaj

Scrypts walks around the barricade on the way to the ring and given his size and flipping ability, I would bet pretty heavily on that being Reggie/Reginald. The REGGIE chants would seem to back that up. Scrypts flips away from a charge and hammers away, setting up a Molly Go Round for the pin at 1:21. Nice job on the surprise and if Reggie has trained himself up a bit more, good for him to use that crazy athleticism again. That being said, the mask is awful and looked more goofy than anything else.

Post match Scrypts leaves a card with his name on it on Raaj’s chest.

Here is Schism for a chat, with all of them sitting in chair, albeit with the one in the middle missing. Joe Gacy says it is their duty to reinforce the idea of having something to be thankful for. Ava Raine talks about how families are torn apart by Thanksgiving. Blood relatives cannot be counted on, but Schism certainly can be.

Raine goes outside to look at the crowd as we hear about how Thanksgiving has lost its intent. Raine gets a fan out of the crowd and lets him sit in the empty chair. Gacy talks about how their table is bare so new traditions can be forged. Then they sacrifice him with a release Rock Bottom through the table. Schism continues to be a thing that exists for reasons I don’t understand.

Trick Williams says Carmelo Hayes is ready, so Wes Lee comes in to say that means Williams doesn’t need to be out there for tonight’s title match. Williams eventually agrees, even if he doesn’t seem to do it on purpose. Nice little mind game here.

Video on Bron Breakker going on a boat for some fishing, which is his happy place. He’s ready for Apollo Crews but needs to get away at times. These little personal pieces can go a long way for anyone, including Breakker.

Sol Ruca vs. Zoey Stark

Ruca flips around to start so Stark superkicks her down for two. Stark sends her to the floor but Ruca gets tied up in the ring skirt, setting up the chinlock back inside. That’s broken up and Ruca hits a dropkick into a backdrop for two. A sunset flip gets the same and a flipping splash in the corner hits Starks as well. Ruca hits a powerslam but misses a dropkick, setting up the running knee to give Stark the pin at 4:20.

Rating: C. Not much to see here again, as we have a bit of a running theme this week. Ruca has the same criticisms she has had so far: she’s athletic, she’s in great shape and that’s the extent of anything that stands out about her. Stark is still just kind of there, likely setting up a showdown with Nikkita Lyons at Deadline.

Post match, Nikkita Lyons runs in to clear out Stark.

Edris Enofe and Malik Blade get beaten up by Von Wagner in the parking lot.

Charlie Dempsey trains old school like Billy Robinson and Karl Gotch. Some clips of the legends are nice to see.

Tag Team Titles: Pretty Deadly vs. Chase U

Chase U, with Thea Hail, is challenging. Wilson runs Chase over to start but Chase is back up with a crawl through the legs into a cartwheel. Chase takes both champs down on his own before Hudson comes in to help him do the same. Back with Wilson keeping Chase in trouble in the corner and Hudson being lured to the floor.

Hudson accidentally runs Hail over but gets the hot tag a few seconds later. Everything breaks down and Hudson loads up the Fratliner. That doesn’t work though and it’s Hudson accidentally Kicking Chase in the face. With Hudson on the floor, Spilled Milk to Chase is enough to retain the titles at 11:49.

Rating: B-. Chase U continues to be one of the most over things in all of NXT but they still haven’t gotten that big win to give them some kind of an accomplishment. I get not wanting to give them the titles here, but Chase losing again is a bit hard to take. We’re probably heading to Hudson vs. Chase at some point in the future, but Chase winning something of note would be nice to see.

At a live event, Indi Hartwell and Roxanne Perez got in an argument as Elektra Lopez filmed everything.

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance recruit Nikkita Lyons (who has changed clothes since chasing off Stark) to go after Toxic Attraction.

Next week: Shawn Michaels reveals everyone in both Iron Survival Challenges.

North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Wes Lee

Lee is defending (and has to jump over a rock during his entrance) and there is no Trick Williams here. They lock up to start with Hayes getting the better of things. That earns him a tackle and some right hands to the face, with Lee hammering him out to the floor. Back in and Lee misses a basement dropkick but dodges a springboard dive. Stereo kicks to the face put them both down and we take a break.

We come back with Lee fighting out of a chinlock but getting caught with a springboard spinning clothesline. Lee fights back and sends him into the corner for a running forearm, only to have Hayes come back with something close to La Mistica for two. Nothing But Net misses for Hayes and a running Meteora gives Lee two. Cue Williams for a distraction so Lee hits him with a running flip dive. Back in and Lee hits a backflip kick to the head Hayes again, setting up a Michinoku Driver for the pin to retain at 12:56.

Rating: B. That’s a good win for Lee, as Hayes has been around the North American Title for a long time now and beating him is something Lee had to do to be taken seriously as a champion. Lee still feels like he is in a bit over his head but he can work his way out of that with a few wins. Solid match too and having Lee take out Williams and Hayes at once makes him look that much better.

Post match Dijak (yes Dijak) is back and hits Feast Your Eyes to knock Lee silly to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a show that picked up near the end but the first half was only so good. They had something with the Chase U stuff throughout most of the show and the Scrypts/Dijak returns were nice surprises. The wrestling didn’t work so well in the first half but the last two matches made up for it well enough. It seems like we’re getting the start of the Deadline build next week, even if you can see a lot of the card from here. Pretty good show, which could have been a lot better if the first hour hadn’t dragged it down.

Results
Cora Jade b. Wendy Choo – Double arm DDT
Ivy Nile b. Kiana James – Diamond Chain Lock
Scrypts b. Guru Raaj – Molly Go Round
Zoey Stark b. Sol Ruca – Running knee
Pretty Deadly b. Chase U – Spilled Milk to Chase
Wes Lee b. Carmelo Hayes – Michinoku Driver

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: November 15, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

Deadline is in less than a month but we have a big night to get through first. This week will see two title matches, as the NXT Title and NXT Women’s Titles will both be defended. Those are going to make for some major matches and there is going to be some other big stuff included as well. Let’s get to it.

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

NXT Title: Von Wagner vs. Bron Breakker

Wagner, with Mr. Stone, is challenging. Stone offers an early distraction so Wagner can jump Breakker to start. Breakker’s arm is snapped over the top rope and some shoulders to the arm make it even worse. Back up and Breakker snaps off a suplex as we take an early break. We come back with Wagner fighting out of a chinlock and taking Breakker to the floor for a spinebuster onto the steps.

Breakker manages a top rope clothesline though and the comeback is on, including the powerslam. The Steiner Bulldog plants Wagner again but Wagner grabs a Fireman’s carry flipped into a neckbreaker. Breakker tries the gorilla press but his back gives out, leaving him to escape another fireman’s carry. The spear retains the title at 12:42.

Rating: C+. There was no reason to believe that the title was changing hands here but this got Breakker in the ring and let him get a win under his belt. Wagner is still a pretty generic monster but now that he is out of the way, Breakker can move on to something more important/interesting. For a one off title match, it went just fine.

Video on Alba Fyre vs. Mandy Rose.

Bron Breakker gets to the back where JD McDonagh congratulates him.

Here is Zoey Stark to say her back feels better now that she isn’t carrying Nikkita Lyons anymore. Stark came back from a nine month layoff and gets told that she’s going to be teaming with Lyons in the tournament for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Then Stark got hurt, but Lyons said that she wasn’t mad at her.

Stark didn’t get hurt doing something stupid, but rather while she was in the ring. Then they lost the Tag Team Title match and was tired of the apologies. We see Stark turning on Lyons last week and Starks is very happy with her new attitude. She blames the people and says it is now about her because she is UNDENIABLE. She is the hunter and everyone back there is the prey. As was the case last week: this would have more impact if they had five matches together as a team.

Duke Hudson comes up to see Andre Chase, who wants to know why Hudson threw in the towel last week. Hudson says it was because he values Chase’s health and if Charlie Dempsey had hurt him last week, the entire University would have been on the shelf. If people accuse him of loving the university too much, then he is guilty as charged. Thea Hail comes in and Hudson leaves rather abruptly. Hail says Hudson is growing on her.

Apollo Crews comes up to Bron Breakker and suggests he’s coming for the title.

Indus Sher vs. George Cannon/Ariel Dominguez

Sanga slams Cannon face first into the mat to start and drops him throat first across the top. Veer comes in to run Cannon over and some big slams drop the tiny Dominguez. A running big boot and corner splash rock Dominguez again, setting up a side slam/middle rope elbow to give Mahaan the pin at 3:26.

Rating: D+. Just a squash here but Sher didn’t exactly do anything to make themselves more interesting. They did a fine imitation of the Authors of Pain or the Viking Raiders as the latest power monsters and that’s about it. I’m sure they’ll be fine as they look the part, but this is far from original or any kind of a novel take on the concept of big monsters.

Post match Indus Sher says they’re ready to crush the Creed Brothers.

Diamond Mine is ready to fight but Ivy Nile tells them to cool it.

Wendy Choo calls Cora Jade a salty and petulant child who will never change. At the same time though, she said some things that Choo hasn’t heard since high school. Next week, she’ll give Jade two black eyes.

JD McDonagh vs. Apollo Crews

They stare at each other to start until Crews armdrags him into an armbar. Back up and McDonagh does the same thing back to Crews, only to get reversed into a headscissors. Crews grabs a backdrop and shoulders him out to the floor in a heap. That’s fine with Crews, who goes after him for a drop onto the announcers’ table as we take a break.

Back with Crews dropping backwards onto McDonagh off the middle rope, only to get caught in a sleeper. A belly to back suplex puts Crews down but he sends McDonagh outside, setting up the apron moonsault. They get back inside with a sitout powerbomb giving Crews two, meaning it’s time to go up top. McDonagh pulls him back down in a crash but Crews gets in a hard whip into the corner.

Crews misses a charge and cashes out to the floor, where McDonagh hits a good looking Asai moonsault. Back in and Crews catches him on top, this time with a super Angle Slam for a double knockdown. They trade small packages for two each until an exchange of shots to the face staggers them both. McDonagh gets two off a sunset flip and goes up top, only to miss a moonsault. A high angle spinebuster gives Crews the pin at 13:55.

Rating: B. That’s quite the surprise ending as I would have bet on McDonagh winning again to set up another title match down the line. The interesting thing here is that Crews finally gets a win that feels like it matters after a few months of just kind of being there. He’ll probably lose to someone in his next big match, but he has to win something to maintain some credibility.

Mandy Rose is ready to beat Alba Fyre because she is a superstar.

Javier Bernal is ready to face Axiom, ignoring that he is injured. With Axiom out of action, what about Ilja Dragunov? Eh he’s out too, so maybe anyone from Gallus? Oh yeah they’re all suspended. Well find him someone then! This was actually somewhat funny so I’ll go with shocked at Bernal being moderately entertaining for a change.

Here is Booker T. to moderate the contract signing between Wes Lee and Carmelo Hayes, with Trick Williams. Hayes is proud to be in Booker’s Fave Five, but Booker isn’t sure about that. Lee says Hayes isn’t the A Champion anymore but Hayes says the fifteen minutes of fame end next week. Lee is ready for his first title defense because he is ready to prove himself again. They both sign and Williams talks some trash with Lee but Booker isn’t going to let violence ensue.

T-Bar is still ready to come back.

Odyssey Jones hypes up Malik Blade and Edris Enofe, but he isn’t wild on Blade’s sweater. Blade talks about how it is a tribute to his father, who wanted him to look nice.

Brooks Jensen/Josh Briggs vs. Dyad

Fallon Henley and the rest of Schism is here too. Fowler slugs away on Jensen to start but gets taken down with a running faceplant. Briggs comes in for a flying shoulder and it’s quickly back to Jensen. Everything breaks down and Jensen gets knocked off the apron, leaving Reed to suicide dive him into the announcers’ table in a nasty crash. Briggs is right back up to clean house, including throwing Reid into the ropes on the floor, with Briggs clotheslining him out of the air. Cue Kiana James to go after Henley, earning herself a slap. Back inside and a double Codebreaker finishes Briggs at 4:10.

Rating: C. Well at least Schism didn’t talk. Pushing the Dyad as a team is a fine enough idea, though it isn’t going to matter until they actually win the titles. Kiana James as a thorn in the country boys’/Henley’s side is interesting, but she’ll need a team of her own to fight them at some point. For now though, costing them a win works well enough.

Shawn Michaels joins us for an announcement of a new match: the Iron Survivor Challenge. There will be a men’s and women’s match at Deadline with five entrants each. Two wrestlers will start and every five minutes, a new one will be added until all five are in. You win with the most falls in 25 minutes, with falls coming via pinfall, submission or DQ. If you win a fall, you get a point, but the person who loses the fall is put in a penalty match for 90 seconds. The winner is the new #1 contender, with entrants being announced in the coming weeks. So it’s a gauntlet Iron Man Penalty Box match? That’s quite a few things combined.

Indi Hartwell vs. Tatum Paxley

Ivy Nile is in Paxley’s corner. Paxley sends her into the corner to start but Hartwell does the same. A hiptoss is broken up so Hartwell knocks her down with a shot to the face. The chinlock doesn’t keep Paxley down very long as she makes the comeback, only to have Hartwell rip her mask off. Hartwell kicks her down and, after throwing the mask to Nile, hits a running forearm to the back of the had for the pin at 4:00.

Rating: C. Reheating Hartwell is a good idea and I’m curious to see just how far they’ll take her. She hit rock bottom for a good while and was even a regular on LVL Up so there isn’t much further she can fall. She didn’t need to cheat to beat Paxley here so it could have been a lot worse. Paxley continues to be just kind of there, but at least she’s getting on TV.

Scrypts was here but is already gone because he is too smart and fast to be caught. You’ll see how smart he is next week so do you want to play a game? So he’s Jigsaw?

Roxanne Perez congratulates Indi Hartwell on her win but wasn’t it too far to rip off Tatum Paxley’s mask? Hartwell doesn’t care because she wants in the Iron Survivor Challenge. The heel turn continues to work.

Women’s Title: Mandy Rose vs. Alba Fyre

Mandy is defending in a Last Woman Standing match. Fyre starts fast and knocks her outside to start. Some rams into the barricade knock Rose sillier and Fyre grabs some weapons from underneath the ring. The delay lets Fyre grab a slam on the floor but she’s right back with a half crab back inside.

We take a break and come back with Fyre hitting a dive off the top to take Rose out on the floor. Rose is back up with some ladder shots against the barricade to put Fyre in trouble but she’s back with a trashcan shot. Rose barely beats the count and they fight into the crowd, with Rose knocking her off the barricade.

Fyre fights up and knocks a diving Rose out of the air. A Gory Bomb onto the apron lets Fyre put her on the announcers’ table. Fyre goes up a ladder….and Isla Dawn pops up on the other side to send Fyre through the table. Rose beats the count at 11:56 to retain the title again.

Rating: B-. They had a good fight here, even with the screwy finish. What matters is keeping the title on Rose, which I wouldn’t have bet on coming in. NXT needs someone who can take the title off of her and I’m not sure who that is at the moment. At least it wasn’t Jayne or Dolin interfering in the end here, even if Fyre has to lose in another big match.

Overall Rating: B-. The main event felt big and Crews vs. McDonagh was a good match, which is enough to carry this week. The rest of the show was pretty in the middle at best, but I’ll take two rather good matches out of six on a weekly show. Other than that, they set up things for the future, though I’m not sure how well the Iron Survivor deal will go. For now though, nice week of TV as we are on the wa to a bigger show next month.

Results
Bron Breakker b. Von Wagner – Spear
Indus Sher b. George Cannon/Ariel Dominguez – Side slam/Middle rope elbow combination to Dominguez
Apollo Crews b. JD McDonagh – Spinebuster
Dyad b. Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen – Double Codebreaker to Briggs
Indi Hartwell b. Tatum Paxley – Running forearm to the back of the head
Mandy Rose b. Alba Fyre when Fyre didn’t answer the ten count

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.