NXT
Date: August 16, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s time for another special as NXT presents Heatwave. There are a few title matches here, including Zoey Star challenging for the NXT Women’s Title and Bron Breakker defending the NXT Title against JD McDonagh. Other than that we have a heck of a grudge match as Roxanne Perez faces Cora Jade. Let’s get to it.

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

Paul Heyman narrates the voiceover, hyping up the big matches in an old ECW style voice. He’s still got it.

North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Giovanni Vinci

Hayes, with Trick Williams, is defending and the fans seem to be behind him. An armdrag takes Vinci down and a chop rocks him in the corner. Back up and Vinci hits some rather loud chops before they hit stereo clotheslines for a double knockdown. We take a break and come back with Vinci pulling Hayes out of the air and hitting a slam, setting up a middle rope moonsault for two.

Hayes is right back with the Fade Away for a breather and a suplex into a cutter gives him two of his own. Vinci backdrops him to the floor and hits a heck of a springboard dive, followed by a double jump moonsault for two back inside, with Williams having to put a foot on the ropes. One heck of a clothesline connects but Vinci has to powerbomb Hayes onto an interfering Williams. The distraction lets Vinci powerbomb Williams but Hayes reverses into a hurricanrana to retain at 11:50.

Rating: B-. Pretty nice opener here as Hayes gets another win under his belt and looks smooth doing it. They’re creating a situation where a win over him is going to be a big deal and that is the point of something like this. Williams is good as the trash talking lackey and they compliment each other well. Vinci has the tools, but still needs to actually beat someone to get to the next level.

Toxic Attraction arrived earlier and ran into Bron Breakker, who seemed to catch their eyes.

Julius Creed watched the Diamond Mine’s eight man tag and there is something that has caught his eye.

Mr. Stone brags about Von Wagner, who promises to end anyone smaller or weaker.

Here is the Diamond Mine for a chat. Julius Creed talks about how much they have done to get this far and become the Tag Team Champions. There is someone trying to take Diamond Mine down though and that is…..RODERICK STRONG! That is immediately denied, with Strong saying that he would put the Creeds up against the Usos, with Julius saying the Usos can bring it. Brutus Creed asks if Julius is sure and then standing behind him.

We see a clip of Strong accidentally kneeing Julius, but Julius points out Tony D’Angelo tapping the mat, which he thinks was a signal to Strong. Again Strong denies everything….and here is Gallus (from NXT UK) to jump the rest of the Diamond Mine. Gallus looks at Strong and then beats them down too. Green lights come on with Gallus posing. Of note: that green light with the Diamond Mine down was what Apollo Crews saw in his vision last week. That’s certainly a way to go, and I like that Gallus didn’t bother siding with Strong in a swerve.

Roxanne Perez is ready to take out Cora Jade for good.

Roxanne Perez vs. Cora Jade

Perez starts fast and the beating is on. Jade gets knocked outside for a suicide dive but a second attempt is knocked away. Instead Jade hits a suplex on the floor and we take a break. Back with Perez fighting out of a double arm crank and hitting some running forearms.

They hit stereo running boots in the corner, setting up a Russian legsweep for two on Jade. A shot to the face drops Perez though and Jade grabs the stick, which is quickly taken away by Jade. Perez thinks about it too long though and a DDT onto the kendo stick finishes for Jade at 11:44.

Rating: C+. That was a bit of a weird ending as a DDT onto a stick doesn’t seem like the biggest knockout move, but at least they had a good enough fight. Jade is being primed to be something bigger around here and while she’s a step above Perez at this point, Perez is more than talented enough to be right there with her. This feud is likely far from over and that’s a good thing.

Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen get into a fight with Gallus and have to be separated.

Long recap of Tony D’Angelo vs. Santos Escobar, setting up one more fight for Legado del Fantasma’s future.

Bron Breakker is warming up when Apollo Crews comes in, looks at the NXT Title, and leaves.

Santos Escobar vs. Tony D’Angelo

Street fight. If Escobar wins, the rest of Legado is free, but if D’Angelo wins, Santos is gone for good. Legado walks in from the street and Escobar is wearing his mask. Before the bell, Escobar chairs D’Angelo down and scores with a hurricanrana through the chair for two. The chair is wedged into the corner and Escobar knocks him down again as Stacks takes out the rest of Legado on the floor.

The suicide dive is cut off with a trashcan lid to Escobar’s head though and we take a break. Back with D’Angelo crushing Escobar’s arm with the steps and then suplexing him on a pile of chairs on the floor. A Falcon Arrow and a trashcan lid shot to the head gets two on Escobar but he’s right back with a headscissors.

Legado drops Stacks on the floor and Escobar grabs a rollup for two on D’Angelo. Escobar tells Elektra Lopez to hand her a crowbar but D’Angelo runs her over and doesn’t think much of it. They get back in and look at each other before going after something. Escobar gets D’Angelo’s whistle but D’Angelo gets the crowbar and knocks Escobar silly for the pin at 12:41.

Rating: C+. Another not so great ending aside, this is the result that makes the most sense. This feud has gone on for what feels like the better part of ever and it is nice to see them FINALLY wrap things up. In theory this sends Escobar up to the main roster, where he should have been for a long time now. Either way, what matters is that the feud is over and they can both move on to ANYTHING else.

Indi Hartwell congratulates Kayden Carter and Katana Chance on their win but misses the good old days. A woman comes up and gives Hartwell a letter…..from Dexter Lumis. She’s rather happy, but NXT UK’s Blair Davenport comes up and takes it away. Davenport says she’s going to be NXT Women’s Champion. That’s a nice debut.

Video on Tiffany Stratton vs. Wendy Choo, which will take place again next week in a lights out match.

Women’s Title: Zoey Stark vs. Mandy Rose

Stark is challenging and the rest of Toxic Attraction is here too. Rose gets knocked outside to start but manages to send Stark’s bad knee into the announcers’ table. We take a break and come back with Toxic Attraction getting caught tripping Stark and ejected. Cue Nikkita Lyons to take them out but Rose grabs a half crab. That’s broken up and Stark strikes away, including a clothesline.

An enziguri gives Stark two and the flipping knee to the face connects, with Stark not being able to follow up. Instead Rose crawls to the floor and ties the bad knee up in the ropes. Back in and Stark grabs a rollup for two but Rose hits her running knee….for two more. With nothing else working, Rose puts Stark’s knee brace on and hits another running knee to retain at 11:40.

Rating: C. I’m not sure I get this one as Rose is running out of challengers to beat. They seemed to be building up to the Stark win here and then Rose just beats her again. That’s certainly one way to go, but I’m starting to wonder who takes the title from Rose. This seemed to be the most logical way to go and yet here we are with the reign continuing.

Quincy Elliott, the Super Diva, is coming and doesn’t mind being different.

Grayson Waller doesn’t like Apollo Crews but invites him on the debut of his talk show next week.

NXT Title: JD McDonagh vs. Bron Breakker

Breakker is defending and uses a sledgehammer to break a table that says JD. Must not be a Scrubs fan. McDonagh spins out of a wristlock to start and forearms him in the face, only to get gator rolled into a delayed vertical suplex. The spear misses though and McDonagh gets in a shot of his own as we take a break.

Back with McDonagh hitting a neckbreaker over the turnbuckle to send Breakker crashing out to the floor. Breakker fights up again but misses another pear and goes shoulder first into the post. Something like a Crossface goes on but Breakker is right next to the rope. Breakker’s arm is fine enough to hit a Frankensteiner for two but McDonagh is back with a Spanish Fly.

A brainbuster connects for two and now it’s McDonagh getting frustrated. Breakker is back with the spear but McDonagh rolls outside. Another spear connects and Breakker takes the straps down but McDonagh pops up and smiles. A third spear into the gorilla press powerslam retains the title at 13:11.

Rating: B-. This was pretty much Breakker 101: he gets hurt, fights through it, and then wins with raw power in the end. That’s not the worst way to go, but at the end of the day it is something they’ve done more than once now. Breakker is still a project, but this feud didn’t do him many favors. He needs something to make him feel like a big deal again and this wasn’t it.

Post match Tyler Bate (with the United Kingdom Title, which is CURRENTLY VACANT ON NXT UK TV and being decided in a tournament WHICH INCLUDES BATE) comes out for the staredown. There’s your upgraded feud.

Overall Rating: C+. I liked the show for the most part, but at the end of the day, nothing really happened during the matches. It was one of those shows where they hyped up a bunch of matches and all of the champions retained, but then they made up for it with everything else. This show more or less said that NXT UK is done after they run out their current shows and honestly, that might be better for everyone. NXT needs the boost and it was certainly an eventful show, so well done on that front.

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NXT
Date: August 2, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s a big title night this week as there are three championships on the line. The mot interesting one might be the Women’s Tag Tam Titles, which are guaranteed to see new champions crowned as the titles are vacant coming in. In addition to all that, there is a Falls Count Anywhere match between Solo Sikoa and Von Wagner. Let’s get to it.

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

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

For the vacant titles under elimination rules. Paxley takes Leon down to start and it’s a rapid string of tags until Leon is gorilla pressed onto the pile at ringside. Feroz hits a big flip dive and it’s Paxley getting suplex/high crossbodied inside for two. Nile isn’t having that and runs Feroz over for the first elimination in short order. Jayne knees Nile in the head for two but Paxley suplexes Chance for the same.

Back up and Chance springboards over Paxley and hits a headscissors faceplant for two of her own. Jayne comes in and trips Paxley down for the elimination, leaving us with Carter/Chance vs. Toxic Attraction. Dolin elbows Carter down for two and everything breaks down for a four way knockdown. Chance dives on Dolin on the floor, leaving Dolin to get caught with the 4t0/neckbreaker combination for the pin and the titles at 12:06.

Rating: C. Not exactly great stuff here and a lot of that was due to having too many people in there without enough time. There were eight people to start and you can’t get very far with everyone trying to get in there and do their thing. Chance and Carter have been chasing the titles for a long time now so it was time to have them win the things. If nothing else, it is nice to have them in a division where they might have challengers so we could be in a good place going forward.

Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen, with Fallon Henley, are fired up for their next title defense when the Schism interrupts. Joe Gacy talks about Cameron Grimes and gets a match with Jensen for later.

Here are Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams for a chat. It’s Hayes’ birthday so let’s have an open challenge for the North American Title.

North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Giovanni Vinci

Hayes, with Trick Williams, is defending. Hang on though as Hayes said the next person in the ring gets the shot so Nathan Frazer runs by Vinci and gets the shot instead. Frazer appearing in Vinci’s freeze frame was funny.

North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Nathan Frazer

Hayes, with Williams, is defending and Vinci is on commentary. Frazer takes him down to start and slides under the ropes to crotch Hayes against the post. Fans: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Back up and Hayes hits the Fade Away to take over, setting up a springboard spinning clothesline for two. Frazer fights back and forearms away before raining down some right hands.

It’s too early for the Phoenix splash so Frazer is back with a superkick. The low superkick gets two, with Williams almost having to come in for the save. Frazer sends him outside and hits a dive, which knocks over Vinci’s drink. That earns Frazer a shove off the top and Hayes hits Nothing But Net to retain at 5:41.

Rating: C. Hayes is so smooth in the ring that anything he does is worth a look. He makes it look easy out there and that is not something you can find every day. Frazer is someone who should feel like a bigger star but just doesn’t for some reason. It’s still fun to see him though and if he can figure out that missing piece, everything could work in the future.

It’s time for a summit between JD McDonagh and Bron Breakker, with Wade Barrett running things. McDonagh isn’t impressed with Breakker’s physique because it is little more than a road map of things he can hurt. Breakker talks about how he has studied McDonagh’s history and knows how smart McDonagh is. McDonagh is going to challenge his mind, but everyone has a plan until Breakker breaks him in half.

Barrett offers McDonagh the contract but he wants Barrett to sign first because Breakker looks scared. Breakker isn’t buying that and signs, but McDonagh says that this won’t end in violence. It will end in blood though, so he stabs himself in the had and signs with his own blood. Breakker is a bit disturbed but holds up the title anyway. Weird ending, but better than whatever McDonagh was doing last week.

The Creed Brothers are working out when Apollo Crews comes in. Crews is given an open invitations to train anytime but he tells them to have their eyes open against the D’Angelo Family tonight. Everything seems cool and Crews leaves, with Damon Kemp coming in. Roderick Strong is running late this week but he’ll be there for the match.

Toxic Attraction is livid and Mandy Rose can’t believe McKenzie Mitchell wants an interview right now.

Mandy Rose vs. Sarray

Non-title and joined in progress with Rose breaking up the running dropkick in the ropes. Rose slams her head first onto the mat but Sarray is back up with a springboard wristdrag. A fisherman’s suplex (Vic: “That plex is almost perfect!”) gets two on Rose. That isn’t going to work for Rose though, who is back up with a running knee for the pin at 4:14 shown.

Rating: C. I don’t know what it is but something about Sarray just misses most of the time. Other than that running dropkick against the ropes, I can’t think of a single thing she does in the ring that makes her stand out. Rose winning a near squash is a bit weird to see, but it makes sense to put her on television for an easy win for a change.

Post match Rose grabs a chair for some horrible shots to the leg keep Sarray down. Zoey Stark runs in for the save.

Tiffany Stratton does her gymnastics and thinks her hard work is why people are so obsessed with her. She hated losing that battle royal and everything she does is pretty.

Axiom is happy with his time in NXT so far but Duke Hudson comes in to call him short. Hudson beats him up all the way into the arena. Axiom is left laying but gets back up to issue the challenge for right now.

Axiom vs. Duke Hudson

Hudson runs him over to start but Axiom is back up with some kicks to the leg. A Razor’s Edge attempt is countered and Axiom grabs a rollup for the pin at 2:08. Nice enough feel good moment here.

Wes Lee doesn’t like Trick Williams because Williams thinks he’s a boxer. They can fight next week in a rounds match between wrestler and boxer next week.

Tag Team Titles: Creed Brothers vs. D’Angelo Family

The Creeds, with Damon Kemp, are defending. Julius headlocks Stacks to start and hands it off to Brutus for a suplex. Commentary seems to be rhyming as Stacks gets ax handled in the chest. D’Angelo comes in and cuts Brutus off as we take an early break. Back with Stacks working on a half crab but Julius crawls over for the tag to Julius.

House is cleaned and it’s back to Brutus, who gets caught by the arm to put the champs in trouble again. Stacks grabs an armbar but some forearms get Brutus out of trouble. Julius comes back in but a collision with D’Angelo gives us a double knockdown. Everything breaks down and D’Angelo grabs the crowbar. Cue the returning Santos Escobar to knock D’Angelo silly, setting up the basement lariat to retain the titles at 10:41. Roderick Strong never showed up.

Rating: C+. That ending with Escobar’s hand popping up and grabbing the crowbar was great, but it doesn’t hide the fact that the Creed Brothers are really uninteresting. They’ve come a long way and are good enough in the ring, but man alive they can take the interest out of a match in a hurry. That being said, I’ll take a year of them straight over another 15 seconds of this Legado vs. D’Angelo nonsense that has gone on WAY too long.

Roxanne Perez is tired of having to deal with Cora Jade in recent weeks, but then the title being thrown in the trash was even worse. The challenge is on for Heatwave.

Cora Jade knows she’s the talk of the town so she’s not in for Perez’s challenge. Mandy Rose comes in and wants Jade’s help taking out Zoey Stark. If she does, Jade gets the title shot instead. Jade will think about it. This has been your weekly reminder that NO ONE TALKS LIKE THIS, as Rose kept using the official names of the shows and speaking like she reading off a script.

Video on Von Wagner.

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance are really happy with their win.

Brooks Jensen vs. Joe Gacy

All of the associates are here too. Jensen punches him down to start but Gacy is back up with chops in the corner. Gacy knocks him down again and does his headstand in the corner. The Dyad goes after Fallon Henley so Josh Briggs gets between them. Cue Pretty Deadly for a distraction, allowing Gacy to hit the handspring clothesline for the pin at 2:58.

Post match Gacy rants about Cameron Grimes. Fan: “GACY LIKES PINEAPPLE LIKE PIZZA!”

Tony D’Angelo rants about Santos Escobar, who calls to laugh about everything. D’Angelo challenges him for one more match, mano a mano. This is the worst feud going in wrestling today and by going, I mean KEEPS GOING ON AND ON AND ON.

Lash Legend vs. Alba Fyre

Joined in progress with Legend running her over and grabbing the over the shoulder backbreaker. We get a tweet from Roderick Strong congratulating the Creed Brothers on retaining the titles and telling Apollo Creed to stay out of Diamond Mine business. Fyre fights out of the corner so Legend grabs the baseball bat. That earns her a superkick and the Swanton gives Fyre the pin at 3:28.

Rating: C-. And they’re done right? As in there is no reason for these two to every fight again and Fyre can move on to anyone else. Legend continues to be pretty awful at this stuff and while she hasn’t been featured as much lately, she is still one of the worst things going in wrestling today. Fyre did her thing and looked like her usual smooth self, but that is only going to do so much against someone like Legend.

Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes leave and run into some women (perhaps their lady friends) whose car has broken down. Williams: “Y’all got some jumper cables?”

Nikkita Lyons doesn’t think much of Kiana James because everyone tries to put her in a box of what a woman should be. They can fight next week.

Solo Sikoa vs. Von Wagner

Falls Count Anywhere with Mr. Stone in Wagner’s corner. They waste no time in fighting to the floor, where Sikoa hits a quick backsplash for two. Back in and Sikoa hits a running Umaga Attack in the corner to send Wagner right back to the floor. Wagner gets in a few shots of his own and it’s time to throw some weapons inside. Sikoa gets dropped onto a chair so Wagner heads outside and loads up the announcers’ table.

That takes too long so Sikoa reverses into a Samoan drop onto said table. They fight outside, with Sikoa being thrown into the women’s car from before the break. Wagner sends him into a dumpster and goes to leave but Sikoa pops up. Sikoa fights back and they run into Cameron Grimes as he is leaving the arena.

Back inside and Wagner suplexes him through a table for two but Sikoa pops back up. They head into the ring where Sikoa hits a Samoan drop before grabbing the chair. Wagner gets chaired down and Rock Bottomed onto the steps but Stone’s distraction breaks up the Superfly Splash. That means they head outside where a pair of superkicks set up a Superfly Splash through the table to give Sikoa the win at 12:25.

Rating: C+. The match was the usual good brawl, but there is something so tiring about people taking one big hit after another and just popping up like nothing happened. Get put through a table backstage? Easy kickout and you’re up a few seconds later. Same with chair shots to the back and a Rock Bottom onto the steps. Those are the kinds of things that feel like they should put someone down for a pin, but in a match like this they barely have any impact. That can get old fast and that was the case again here, though Sikoa continues to look ready for the main roster. Second best splash through a table I’ve seen lately.

Overall Rating: C. There is something odd about having a show with three title matches being headlined by a midcard brawl, but that’s another story for another time. This show was a good example of NXT’s problems, as they do have good stuff, but the uninteresting/bad stuff is among the least interesting in wrestling today. Stuff like Legend, the D’Angelo/Escobar story and Joe Gacy drag this show way down and that makes for a long night most of the time. Not an awful show or anything close, but the best parts were only so good and there isn’t much that got my attention.

Results
Kayden Carter/Katana Chance b. Valentina Feroz/Yulisa Leon, Tatum Paxley/Ivy Nile and Toxic Attraction last elimination Toxic Attraction
Carmelo Hayes b. Nathan Frazer – Nothing But Net
Mandy Rose b. Sarray – Running knee
Creed Brothers b. D’Angelo Family – Basement lariat to D’Angelo
Joe Gacy b. Brooks Jensen – Handspring lariat
Alba Fyre b. Lash Legend – Swanton Bomb
Solo Sikoa b. Von Wagner – Superfly Splash through a table

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: July 26, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s the first show of the new regime and I’m not sure how much of a difference that is going to make. NXT seems a bit more planned out that Raw and Smackdown so it might be a little while before the impact takes hold. Maybe they have a few surprises or at least ideas this week though so let’s get to it.

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

Here is the recently returned Zoey Stark for a chat. She is REALLY happy to be back and talks about being on the shelf since October after tearing her ACL and MCL. The doctors told her it would be over a year before she could return, but she worked in that trainer’s room so hard and beat the expectations by four months. Now she is the #1 contender for the Women’s Title and only has Toxic Attraction standing in her way. Cue Cora Jade on the platform to say she is already sick of Stark.

Jade was ready to be champion but Stark had to take HER MOMENT, just like Roxanne Perez did. They bicker about Jade trashing the Women’s Tag Team Titles but here is Toxic Attraction to interrupt. Mandy Rose is looking forward to becoming the fourth longest reigning Women’s Champion tomorrow when she surpasses Paige. Stark wants her title shot tonight, but instead has to settle for Gigi Dolin. This was just an “I’m back” promo, with Jade being annoying to keep her presence going.

Grayson Waller is ready to take out Wes Lee.

Tony D’Angelo and Family are ready to destroy the Diamond Mine.

Wes Lee vs. Grayson Waller

Waller takes him down to start and gets two off an early rollup. Lee is back with a victory roll for two of his own and there’s a double stomp to Waller’s back to set in the frustration. They run the ropes until Waller kicks him in the chest. That doesn’t do much to Lee, who dropkicks him to the floor and follows with a suplex.

We take a break and come back with Waller hitting a fireman’s carry flipped into a sitout powerbomb for two. Waller starts slapping him in the face, which has Lee fired up and unloading with shots to the face. Lee goes up top but gets shoved off for the big crash down to the floor. Waller yells at the referee and it’s Trick Williams in the crowd (in a hoodie and boxing gloves) with a shot to the back of Lee’s head. Lee dives back in to beat the count but the rolling Stunner gives Waller the pin at 11:00.

Rating: C. Lee continues to be in a weird spot as he is around almost every week but doesn’t ever really do anything important. Granted that is part of the “finding himself” story, but it isn’t exactly making him feel like a big deal. Waller is still a rather good villain, though he doesn’t come off as anything more than a midcard pest most of the time. He could also go with a better finisher than something that requires being outside to start most of the time.

The Schism talks about how Joe Gacy has opened their eyes to a new world. Now they want Cameron Grimes to join them, because Gacy can be the father figure that Grimes needs.

Arianna Grace is bragging about how much people were enjoying watching her in the battle royal last week when Indi Hartwell knocked her out. Hartwell’s gear is atrocious but here she is to say Grace would have done the same thing. Grace talks about how she would never do that as a former beauty queen and can’t stand this negative energy. Grace hasn’t shown me anything on LVL Up and I don’t see an improvement here.

Apollo Crews vs. Xyon Quinn

Crews dropkicks him down to start but Quinn is back up with some shots to the head. Quinn grabs a chinlock before elbowing Crews in the face for another knockdown. Crews fights back up but gets dropped again as he can’t get anything going. An enziguri gets Crews out of trouble though and he grabs a quick spinebuster for the pin at 5:37.

Rating: C-. I like Quinn a good deal but it’s becoming clear that he doesn’t have much to him besides a great look. He is long past the point of feeling like he is going to be something for the time being and while that is sad, it also isn’t surprising. Then you have Crews, who looks like a star and has much stronger of a resume, but the lack of personality is still holding him back. He’s miles ahead of Quinn though and that didn’t leave much doubt here.

Toxic Attraction isn’t worried about Zoey Stark but here is Sarray to say she wants a shot. Mandy Rose is ready for her revenge next week.

We look at Von Wagner beating Solo Sikoa down last week at Smackdown.

Solo Sikoa wants a falls count anywhere match with Wagner next week. Yes more brawling/hardcore stuff, but at least they have the slightest logical reason to go that way.

Gigi Dolin vs. Zoey Stark

The rest of Toxic Attraction is here and their early distraction lets Dolin jump her from behind. Some knees to the ribs and an elbow to the face rock Stark and we hit the bow and arrow hold. Stark fights up and hits a superkick, followed by a fireman’s carry flipped into a knee to the face for the pin at 2:50. Short and to the point here.

Post match Mandy Rose goes after Stark and gets chased to the floor. Cue Cora Jade to kendo stick her down but Roxanne Perez returns to make the save.

JD McDonagh is here….as a fan.

Wendy Choo has nightmares about losing to Tiffany Stratton. She wakes up and promises that this isn’t over with Stratton and next time won’t be so nice. How has anything about this feud been nice???

JD McDonagh is in the crowd and tells a fan to eat his popcorn slowly because people die eating it all the time. Next up he goes to talk to the timekeeper, who has an important job and talks about how you can break a hand with a hammer. Ring announcer Alicia Taylor has a great voice, but then there is Wade Barrett. McDonagh talks about how the calcium deposits from bare knuckle boxing can hurt your joints so watch out for that.

Then we have Vic Joseph, who said some bad things about McDonagh’s family last week. McDonagh thinks he could break Joseph’s collarbone with his bare hands…but he won’t. Instead, McDonagh gets in the ring and calls out Bron Breakker, who is happy to oblige. Breakker is ready to face him in three weeks and knocks McDonagh down, which has McDonagh smiling.

Chase U is ready for Andre Chase to face Giovanni Vinci. Thea Hail wants to do the fighting for him but Chase himself has this. Nathan Frazer comes in and gets to be the Chase U flag bearer.

We look back at Axiom’s debut with a comic book theme.

Roxanne Perez has a lot going on, including being half of the Women’s Tag Team Champions. She has no partner though, and hands the belt over to Alundra Blayze. Next week, it’s a fatal four way elimination match for the vacant titles.

Giovanni Vinci vs. Andre Chase

Chase armdrags him into an armbar to start and grabs a sunset flip for two. Some rollups get two each on Vinci and it’s right back to the armbar. Vinci fights up but gets distracted by the flag waving, allowing Chase to send him into the post. We take a break and come back with Chase being dumped out to the floor.

Back in and Chase hammers away, setting up a belly to back suplex for the double knockdown. The spelling stomps look to set up a double underhook something but Vinci powers out. A backslide doesn’t work for Vinci as Chase grabs a butterfly powerbomb for two more. The Fratliner is broken up though and Vinci clothesline him down. The sitout Last Ride finishes for Vinci at 12:24.

Rating: C+. This is a good example of how you use someone who has been built up into a little something to get a bigger prospect over. Vinci has done well in NXT so far, but he hasn’t won much to make him feel like a big deal. Chase might not be a top star, but the fans love him and the charisma is impossible to ignore. Beating him feels like it matters and that is what made this better than something like the Quinn vs. Crews match.

Post match the beating continues but Nathan Frazer makes the save.

Diamond Mine is ready for the D’Angelo Family.

Yulisa Leon is talking to Valentina Feroz when Sanga comes in. Sanga gives them a pep talk for next week’s Women’s Tag Team Title match.

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance want the titles they have been chasing. Ivy Nile and Tatum Paxley come in to gloat and trash talking ensues. Elektra Lopez comes in to say Diamond Mine will lost to the D’Angelo Family tonight and the brawl breaks out.

Arianna Grace vs. Indi Hartwell

Hartwell takes her down by the arm to start and works on a headlock. That’s reversed into a chinlock with Grace’s knee in her back before Grace plants her down. A rollup with feet on the ropes gets caught, allowing Hartwell to boot her in the face for the pin at 3:59.

Rating: C-. Grace is still pretty new at this, but the former beauty queen deal doesn’t exactly sound inspiring. I haven’t cared for what I’ve seen of her so far and this didn’t help make things better. At least Hartwell has a bit more star power, even if she hasn’t done much lately. Not a very good match, but at least Hartwell got a boost out of the mess she has been in lately.

Mr. Stone and Von Wagner are ready for Solo Sikoa next week.

Kiana James has a PowerPoint presentation about Nikkita Lyons being terrible in the ring. We see Lyons’ childhood as the daughter of a musician. Lyons doesn’t even have a great vocabulary. James is going to further investigate Lyons, but she already doesn’t care for her.

Video on Alba Fyre vs. Lash Legend.

D’Angelo Family vs. Diamond Mine

Tony D’Angelo drives Roderick Strong into the corner to start but gets armdragged down for his efforts. Everything breaks down and it’s a huge brawl, with Brutus Creed going for an ankle lock on D’Angelo, who gets pulled outside to safety. Julius dives off the apron to take them all down though and we take a break.

Back with Kemp hitting a jumping knee on Wilde and sending him outside. A swinging slam to Del Toro is broken up with a chop block though and Kemp is down. Kemp’s knee gets slammed into the mat and Stacks grabs a quickly broken half crab. Kemp kicks his way to freedom and brings in Julius Creed to clean house. Julius runs the corner to superplex Del Toro and a German suplex drops D’Angelo. Brutus comes back in to run over the Family but Cruz and Del Toro hits their Russian legsweep/big boot combination. Strong knees Brutus by mistake though and D’Angelo fisherman’s suplexes Brutus for the pin at 11:38.

Rating: C+. The Diamond Mine continues to fall apart and it’s hard to imagine that they’re a thing much longer. This wasn’t so much about the D’Angelo Family winning as much as it was about the Diamond Mine losing, so they did have the logic right. I’m curious to see where the split goes, and at least they had a pretty good match to help us get there.

Alundra Blayze doesn’t know who is winning the Women’s Tag Team Titles next week. Toxic Attraction comes up to say they’ll win but Blayze says they have to earn them. This annoys Toxic Attraction to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. While it wasn’t the best show, it was nice to see something a show that felt nice and steady again. This show touched on a variety of feuds and angles while also moving some stuff forward. They need are starting to set up their next big show so they even have a direction. Now just get things set up and pay them off at that show and they’ve gotten somewhere in the right way, just like NXT of old.

Results
Grayson Waller b. Wes Lee – Rolling Stunner
Apollo Crews b. Xyon Quinn – Spinebuster
Zoey Stark b. Gigi Dolin – Fireman’s carry knee to the face
Giovanni Vinci b. Andre Chase – Sitout Last Ride
Indi Hartwell b. Arianna Grace – Big boot
D’Angelo Family b. Diamond Mine – Fisherman’s suplex to Brutus

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NXT
Date: July 12, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

It’s the week after the Great American Bash and we still have a title on the line this week. This time around, we have the Women’s Title on the line as Roxanne Perez is going to be challenging Mandy Rose for the NXT Women’s Title in an attempt to become a double champ. In addition, we have the fallout from JD McDonagh attacking NXT Champion Bron Breakker last week. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the Great American Bash.

Roxanne Perez has been attacked in the parking lot (THE PARKING LOT STRIKES AGAIN), with Cora Jade and medics checking on her.

Giovanni Vinci vs. Apollo Crews

They fight over a lockup to start and neither gets very far. Crews slips out of a slam but gets shouldered down. Some forearms from Crews rattle Vinci though and Crews is up with AJ Styles’ drop down into a dropkick. They head outside with Crews being dropped onto the barricade and we take a break.

Back with Crews making a comeback on Vinci, including a splash in the corner and some rolling German suplexes. Crews goes up but dives into a suplex, with Vinci pulling him out of the air (dang) for two. Hold on though as Vinci grabs a fan’s phone for a distraction, allowing Xyon Quinn to run out of the crowd and deck Crews. Vinci grabs the sitout Last Ride for the pin at 10:14.

Rating: C+. The screwy ending aside, this was a good win for Vinci as he needed to do something to set him apart from the rest of the field. Beating Crews means more than beating a lot of NXT stars and the ending sets up Crews vs. Quinn while Vinci can move on to something else. Nice match here and well put together.

Cora Jade isn’t impressed by Toxic Attraction jumping Roxanne Perez and is ready for some revenge. I’m sure.

Tiffany Stratton is getting her nails done and vents about FINALLY being done with Wendy Choo. Now she wants to know who leaves with the Women’s Title. The nail work isn’t great but she’ll spare them a bad review.

Here is Cameron Grimes for a chat after his loss to Bron Breakker last week. He didn’t get robbed and he even caved in Breakker’s chest but he didn’t win the title. Now he has lost the North American Title and the NXT Title shot but maybe that’s just life. Instead of going to the moon, he crashed into the sun….and here is JD McDonagh to interrupt. McDonagh says that after Grimes lost last week, he became old news. Now it’s all about McDonagh, who wants that meat head Bron Breakker. Grimes wants McDonagh to look at him when he talks, so McDonagh headbutts him. That’s enough for Grimes to chase him off.

The Creeds and Damon Kemp are going over footage from last week’s match and respect is shown. Kemp would love to run it back and the Creeds are in if he is. The Creeds leave but here is Roderick Strong to say that isn’t what you do. Kemp cost them the titles so next week, Strong is teaching him a lesson.

Grayson Waller blames Wes Lee for his loss last week and wants to teach him a lesson.

Roxanne Perez is still getting checked out.

Tatum Paxley vs. Kayden Carter

Katana Chance is here too. Paxley takes her down by the arm to start but Carter is back with a running dropkick to the floor. That brings out Ivy Nile to check out Paxley and send her back inside, where Carter ties up the legs. Paxley grabs the rope so Carter pulls her away….and right into a small package to give Paxley the fast pin at 3:25.

Rating: C. I could go for more of Paxley as she and Nile could be a little something if they’re put together. One of the bigger issues with the NXT women’s division is that they have a bunch of people but a lot of them don’t have much to make them stand out. If Paxley teaming with Nile is her thing, then it gives her a step up on a lot of the rest of the new class.

Joe Gacy is ready for the Dyad to reveal themselves next week.

Sanga is watching the intro from last week’s show where he splashed Duke Hudson in a pool. Hudson comes up and complains, setting up a match.

Fallon Henley, Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen are in the bar celebrating their Tag Team Title win when Pretty Deadly, dressed as cowboys, come in. Pretty Deadly calls the place a dump and a fight is teased, but Henley sets up the match for next week.

Duke Hudson vs. Sanga

Hudson drives him into the corner to start but can’t whip him around. Instead Sanga runs him over with a shoulder out to the floor so Hudson grabs a neck snap across the top. Back in and Hudson rips at the chest hair before hitting a big boot (Wade: “Yes Duke!”). Sanga doesn’t seem to mind and hits a chokeslam (Wade: “No Duke!”) for the pin at 2:58.

Mr. Stone and company don’t think much of Solo Sikoa being from the streets because Von Wagner is a real athlete.

Solo Sikoa is ready to fight.

Toxic Attraction mocks Roxanne Perez for getting hurt, but they didn’t do it.

Solo Sikoa vs. Von Wagner

They fight on the floor to start before getting inside for the opening bell. Since they’re so angry, Wagner grabs a headlock before shouldering him down. Sikoa’s shoulder just annoys Wagner but a slam works a bit better, setting up a running headbutt for two. There’s a backsplash to send Wagner outside and we take a break.

Back with Sikoa fighting out of a chinlock but getting booted in the face. Sikoa hits a belly to back suplex to start the real comeback and starts striking away. There’s the Samoan drop and a running Umaga attack in the corner, sending Wagner outside. Sikoa goes with him and they fight up the aisle for the double countout at 10:34.

Rating: C. The fighting stuff was ok, but there was a bit too much wrestling in there for what they seemed to be trying to do. Sikoa not losing to Wagner is encouraging, though I would like to believe that this isn’t the best Sikoa can do right now. Fighting Wagner is quite the downgrade and it seems like we’ll be seeing it again soon. How great.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams go to the penthouse with some ladies. The hot tub is visited.

Lash Legend dribbles a basketball and shouts about Indi Hartwell. The ball rolls away and is stopped by a red baseball bat.

Chase U has gone to London but Andre Chase isn’t happy with being named as the seventh best school. Chase threatens to beat Glenn up for writing this and throws him out.

Lash Legend vs. Indi Hartwell

Legend jumps her to start and they head outside with Hartwell being driven into the apron. Back in and Hartwell gets draped over the top rope before being bent over Legend’s back for some cranking. Cue Alba Fyre on the platform, with Legend’s basketball, for a distraction, allowing Hartwell to try a springboard….I have no idea as Hartwell comes crashing down to the mat in a horrible slip. Legend rolls her up but gets reversed into another rollup for the pin (or close enough) to give Hartwell the pin at 3:32.

Rating: D-. That ending alone is a downgrade, but Fyre stealing a basketball is pretty lame even for modern wrestling stories. What’s worse is that Fyre, who could have been a star on the main roster a year ago, is now tasked with bringing Legend along. The botch wasn’t on Legend, but it’s not like this was going anywhere before Hartwell fell down. Hartwell continues to be directionless at the moment and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Post match Fyre chases Legend off with the bat.

A bunch of women talk about Roxanne Perez, including her lack of a boyfriend.

Tony D’Angelo wants to know where Legado del Fantasma’s loyalties lie. You mean he can’t tell yet?

Solo Sikoa and Von Wagner are still fighting outside.

The QR code is back, this time taking you to a Wordle style puzzle. The word is either _ _ _ OC or O _ _ _ C. Havoc?

Tony D’Angelo/Stacks vs. Edris Enofe/Malik Blade

Legado del Fantasma (minus Santos Escobar) is here too. Enofe and Stacks start things off with Blade coming in for some quick double teaming. Stacks gets over to D’Angelo for a suplex on Enofe and the villains take over. That doesn’t last long either though as the hot tag brings in Blade for a spinebuster on Stacks as D’Angelo sends Enofe into the steps. Blade gets dropped face first onto the top turnbuckle and it’s a swinging fisherman’s suplex to give D’Angelo the pin at 5:20.

Rating: C-. This D’Angelo/Legado stuff has completely stalled and it doesn’t help when they are trying to have D’Angelo as a serious guy. He’s the definition of a gimmick guy and that doesn’t shine at all when he is in the ring. There is something there with him, but they need to move on to something else with him in a hurry.

Nikkita Lyons doesn’t know who attacked Roxanne Perez, though people are accusing her. If she can, she’s ready to take the title shot though.

Axiom likes comic books and wears a mask. He’ll debut next week.

NXT Title: Mandy Rose vs. Roxanne Perez

Perez is challenging, or at least she is in theory as she isn’t here. Toxic Attraction laughs it off but here is Cora Jade to say we’re having a title match. Mandy says not so fast and gives Perez a ten count, but here is Perez, with ribs taped, to answer. Jade tries to talk her out of it but says go do it. Perez comes in swinging and gets a ROXIE TWO BELTS chant. Rose isn’t having that and goes to the injured ribs to take over, with Perez being knocked outside.

We take a break and come back with Rose working on a bodyscissors but Perez fighs up and hits a running uppercut in the corner. Pop Rox is blocked as Rose gets to the floor, where Perez hits a dive. Pop Rox connects on the floor and Perez gets her back inside….but Cora jade hits Perez with the Women’s Tag Team Title. That’s enough for Rose to hit the running knee and retain at 9:18.

Rating: C. They telegraphed that ending pretty hard but that isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes it is easier to just go with the story that makes sense, even if the pieces are laid out in front of you. Jade and Perez splitting up is an interesting way to go since they are still the Tag Team Champions, but I can certainly go with the idea of getting rid of those belts if that happens to be a side effect. As for the match, it was what you would expect with an injured star coming after Mandy Rose, who continues to be completely adequate in the ring.

Post match Jade yells at Perez a lot and tries to hit her with the skateboard….but it breaks beforehand, leaving Jade to use the pieces to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This show wasn’t the best but it was setting things up for the future, which is a good thing to see. The problem is they didn’t have a very good show to get there and that made for a pretty dull night. The good thing is that it came off a rather strong show last week so things going down a bit was understandable. Now just get back to closer to last week next time and we should be ok.

Results
Giovanni Vinci b. Apollo Crews – Lifting sitout powerbomb
Tatum Paxley b. Kayden Carter – Small package
Sanga b. Duke Hudson – Chokeslam
Solo Sikoa vs. Von Wagner went to a double countout
Indi Hartwell b. Lash Legend – Rollup
Tony D’Angelo/Stacks b. Edris Enofe/Malik Blade – Spinning fisherman’s suplex to Blade
Mandy Rose b. Roxanne Perez – Running knee

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: July 5, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s another special night this week, as we have the Great American Bash. That means we have a stacked card, including multiple title matches. The main event is Cameron Grimes challenging Bron Breakker for the NXT Title, which should be a heck of a match. NXT does well enough with these shows so let’s get to it.

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

The opening video is at a cookout, hosted by Fallon Henley, Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs. Most of the roster is there, with Jensen enjoying the women in the pool and wrestlers making various wrestling related threats.

Tag Team Titles: Cora Jade/Roxanne Perez vs. Toxic Attraction

Jade and Perez are challenging and Jade takes Jayne down early on. A running knee against the ropes gets two on Jayne and it’s off to Perez to forearm Dolin. Back with Perez and Jayne trading pump kicks for a double knockdown, setting up a double tag. Jade takes over on Jayne’s arm and a dropkick gets two.

There’s a double superkick for the same but Mandy Rose pulls the referee out at two, earning a well deserved ejection. A running neckbreaker drops Perez for two but Jade comes in to knock Jayne outside. Pop Rox gives Perez the fast pin on Dolin to give us new champions at 10:35.

Rating: C. They made this fast and to the point, though the ending came out of nowhere and didn’t quite work. It was time to get the titles off of Toxic Attraction, though we have been here before and the title change didn’t stick before. Hopefully they move on now though, as their reign has run its course.

Bron Breakker arrived earlier today and said his shoulder was fine.

Tony D’Angelo yells at Legado del Fantasma, saying that only Elektra Lopez has done well. Next week, they have one more chance. There is an implication that Santos Escobar has been taken out.

Pretty Deadly doesn’t think much of Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen.

Trick Williams vs. Wes Lee

Carmelo Hayes is here with Williams, complete with some water as Williams is in a boxing robe. Williams takes him down to start but gets sent into the corner, where Williams wants a time out. Back up and they both miss some kicks until Lee dropkicks him into the corner. Back up and Williams spins Lee into a powerslam for two. Lee knocks him outside though, where Williams sprays some of the water on his hands and then sends it over to commentary. The liquid is rubbed into Lee’s eyes to blind him and it’s the Trick Kick for the pin on Lee at 3:45.

Rating: C-. This was a quick match as Lee’s momentum stops in a hurry. It does help that Williams won via chicanery though and that should keep Lee from getting too destroyed. Williams continues to be more about the hype than anything in the ring but giving him a win here or there isn’t a bad thing. Just have a better match next time.

Post match, commentary says that smells like rubbing alcohol.

Tiffany Stratton is getting her makeup done but Wendy Choo comes in to throw powder into her face. Apparently this is the start of a match, which begins during a break.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Wendy Choo

We’re joined in progress with Stratton raking Choo’s hand over the rope. She even rips off Choo’s nail but Choo fights back in a hurry. Choo has to shake her hand back to live but she is fine enough to knock Stratton down and grabs a sleeper. With that broken up, Choo hits a suplex for two and a high crossbody connects, only to hurt the hand. Stratton is right back and knocks her into the corner for the corkscrew Vader Bomb and the pin at 4:38 shown.

Rating: C+. Choo’s gimmick is a nightmare but she is pretty good once you get to the point. That being said, Stratton is looking more and more like the complete package every single week and this was no exception. If she can get into a more serious story, she could be on her way to a much higher level in a hurry.

Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade are happy and Perez isn’t done: she’s cashing in her title shot next week against Mandy Rose.

Bron Breakker is warming up when Cameron Grimes comes in to say he’ll do whatever it takes to win the title. Breakker insists the shoulder is fine.

Here is Apollo Crews for a chat. He talks about how his kids saw what he was doing on Raw and Smackdown and they didn’t recognize him. Then they just stopped watching, but they have been watching every week since he has been back in NXT. Now he’s back though and it’s true that everything has changed.

He’ll be watching everyone around here and lists off some names, but here is Giovanni Vinci to interrupt. His name wasn’t on the list and that isn’t a surprise because Crews knows what happens if they face off. Vinci knows that he can match him in athleticism and beat him in style, so Crews invites him to come in and prove it. Vinci says we can do this next week. At least WWE seems to have realized that the Nigerian royalty deal was going nowhere.

Ivy Nile is ready to find out which Diamond Mine team is better. Hold on though as Nile has to go break up an argument between a bunch of the women. As a result, Tatum Paxley needs to be in the gym tomorrow morning.

Grayson Waller is ready to win the North American Title.

Carmelo Hayes is ready for Waller.

JD McDonagh is still coming.

North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Grayson Waller

Hayes is defending and has Trick Williams. Feeling out process to start with Hayes grabbing a rollup with tights for two. They hit right hands at the same time before Hayes drops him with a clothesline. The Fade Away connects but Waller is right back with an electric chair belly to back for a knockdown.

Back from a break with Hayes still in trouble and getting pulled into a triangle choke. That’s broken up and a headscissors faceplant gives Hayes two. Waller gets knocked into the corner and it’s time for another slugout. A running dropkick takes out Hayes’ knee and a running flipping Unprettier (almost a reverse Blockbuster) gives Waller two. The rolling Stunner connects but Hayes rolls outside. That means Waller needs to load it up again, only to have Williams cut him off. Cue Wes Lee to take out Williams, leaving Hayes to hit the top rope ax kick to retain the title at 11:43.

Rating: B-. This was one of those matches that got a chance to breathe and let the talented wrestlers do their thing. Waller can have a good enough match when he gets the chance and Hayes is as smooth of a star as NXT has. Lee getting involved ties into the earlier match in a good way so well done all around here.

We see a QR code and are told to SCAN HERE. Apparently it brings up a screen that says “8:10:11”.

Xyon Quinn says he is the future.

Ivy Nile fires up Diamond Mine.

Mandy Rose isn’t worried about Toxic Attraction losing earlier today because they can correct things. Nor is she worried about Cora Jade next week.

We go to Chase University where Bodie Hayward is falling asleep in a history lecture. Thea Hail won’t stop sleeping and is way too happy to be here. A guy named Chad tells Andre Chase that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 2 and Chase goes into a rant (“WHO THE F*** DID JOHN ADAMS EVER BEAT???”). With Chad gone, Hail wants to go to England, which is cool with Chase. There are your next NXT UK guest starts.

Tag Team Titles: Damon Kemp/Roderick Strong vs. Creed Brothers

The Brothers are defending in an all Diamond Mine showcase. Brutus runs Strong over to start and it’s quickly off to Julius to grapple with Kemp. That’s fine with Julius, who takes Kemp into the corner and hands him off to Brutus for a fireman’s carry slam into said corner. Kemp tries to get out but Strong sends him back in, allowing Julius to send him outside. Brutus goes up top for a cannonball to the floor and the crash sends us to a break.

Back with Strong kneeing away at Julius but Brutus comes back in to clean house. Strong runs over and slaps Julius on the apron. The distraction lets Strong hit the jumping knees to the face and he hands it off to Kemp for a slingshot spear. Brutus fights out and hands it back to Julius to clean house again. Julius powerslams both of them down and hits the sliding lariat to Kemp to retain the titles at 12:12.

Rating: C. I get the story they’re going for here, but I don’t know if Diamond Mine is interesting enough to pull it off. The Brothers are a good team and Kemp has barely wrestled as part of the team so far. Strong as the delusional leader getting shoved further and further away is only somewhat interesting and this match didn’t help things.

Post match Diamond Mine poses, though Roderick Strong isn’t pleased.

We hear from someone who seems to be a math genius who has used his match skills to learn to fight. His name is Axiom and while we don’t see his face, he sounded a bit like A-Kid from NXT UK.

Video on Cameron Grimes vs. Bron Breakker.

Mr. Stone and company aren’t happy with Von Wagner being off the show but Solo Sikoa comes in to say he doesn’t want to hear it. A match seems likely for next week.

NXT Title: Cameron Grimes vs. Bron Breakker

Breakker is defending and, after the Big Match Intros, grabs a headlock. That’s broken up and Grimes goes for the arm, earning himself a trip into the corner as we take an early break. Back with Breakker hitting a suplex but getting sent to the floor for a dive from Grimes. They get back inside with Grimes hitting a kick to the arm and cranking back on it to make things worse.

Breakker fights up and hits some clotheslines but Grimes nails a superkick. There’s the running flipping crossbody for two but Breakker catches him on top for the Frankensteiner. The spear misses so Grimes pulls him into something close to an Octopus. That doesn’t work so Breakker is sent into the corner, setting up the Cave In for a near fall. Grimes heads up, only to dive into a spear to retain the title at 12:36.

Rating: B. This was a match that was well laid out and they got the story right. Stuff like Breakker’s arm giving out and him not being able to follow up made the match that much better. I’m not sure what is next for Grimes but it might be time to turn him heel for the sake of having nothing else for him to do. Either that or call him up, though I don’t want to imagine him as the distant cousin of Hillbilly Jim, Jesse and Festus.

Post match Grimes goes to celebrate but JD McDonagh shows up to jump him, calling himself the necessary evil.

Overall Rating: B-. This felt like an old school NXT show as they had stories to build towards, brought in new stars, and had some mostly good wrestling throughout. I liked this show more than I’ve enjoyed NXT in a long time, though I have no reason to believe that it is going to last. For now though, good show and a very nice break after some less than awesome shows.

Results
Cora Jade/Roxanne Perez b. Toxic Attraction – Pop Rox to Dolin
Trick Williams b. Wes Lee – Trick Kick
Tiffany Stratton b. Wendy Choo – Twisting Vader Bomb
Carmelo Hayes b. Grayson Waller – Top rope ax kick
Creed Brothers b. Roderick Strong/Damon Kemp – Sliding lariat to Kemp
Bron Breakker b. Cameron Grimes – 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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NXT
Date: June 28, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s the go home show for the Great American Bash and that means it is time for the big push towards the show. Most of the card is already set, including the NXT Title match main event, so we should be in for a good one. Odds are we get a little more from Legado del Fantasma and the D’Angelo Family, even if the Family is now down a member. Let’s get to it.

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

Katana Chance/Kayden Carter vs. Roxanne Perez/Cora Jade

The winners get a Tag Team Title shot next week. Cora and Carter start things off with a lockup until Jade grabs a wristlock. That’s broken up and Jade is sent into the corner, setting off a chop exchange. Chance comes in and rolls Jade down, allowing her to get in a smiling pose. Perez comes in to roll Chance up for two before working on the armbar. It’s off to Carter for some forearms to the chest and two of her own.

Everything breaks down and Perez clears the ring, only to have Carter cut off the dive. Perez gets sent outside and we take a break. Back with Chance getting two on Perez, who fights up and brings Jade back in. Jade runs Carter over for two before handing it back to Perez. Carter kicks her down without much trouble and but Jade breaks up the 450/neckbreaker combination. Pop Rox finishes Chance at 13:47.

Rating: C+. It might not have been a classic but this set up next week’s title match as well as it needed to. Both teams are starting to gel and while the division is still little more than three teams, it is nice to have someone fighting over a chance at the titles. Chance and Carter still don’t get to the belts, and the longer they wait, the less sure I am that they are going to.

Joe Gacy and the Dyad invades Diamond Mine practice and gives them a sales pitch. That isn’t happening, but a six man tag is on for tonight.

Toxic Attraction isn’t sweating Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade next week. Mandy Rose isn’t worried either so here is Nikkita Lyons saying she’s coming for the title.

Giovanni Vinci vs. Ikemen Jiro

Vinci works on the arm to start but Jiro pops up. The jacket punches are shrugged off and Vinci snaps off a German suplex, followed by one heck of a chop. More jacket punches don’t work as Vinci hits a heck of a springboard tornado DDT, prompting some HOLY CENSORED chants. The sitout Last Ride finishes Jiro at 2:59. Vinci’s offense looks good, and if he moves on from the low level opponents soon, he could be just fine.

Post match, Vinci says the Great American Bash isn’t happening without him.

We look at Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen winning the vacant NXT UK Tag Team Titles last week.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are happy with getting the title back. Grayson Waller comes up and gets some stuff signed, which certainly doesn’t seem nefarious.

Here are Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen with Fallon Henley. They’re very happy with the title win but when Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter (the former champions who had to vacate the titles due to Smith’s injury) are ready to go, their shot is waiting on them. Jensen thanks Briggs for believing in him, but now it’s time to drink some beer. Cue Pretty Deadly to cut them off though because they don’t like their British titles being spoiled by Americans. Threats are made and the fight is on, with the champs clearing the ring without much trouble.

Video on Bron Breakker.

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance rant about their loss and don’t like people staring at them.

Indi Hartwell vs. Kiana James

They lock up to start with Hartwell having to fight out of a wristlock. Some armdrags have Hartwell in control and the armbar has James down. That’s broken up and James drives in a shoulder into the ribs in the corner. A bodyscissors doesn’t last long as Hartwell fights up with some shots to the face. Pretty Savage misses though and James grabs a rollup (with quite the stretch to get a foot on the rope) for the pin at 3:53.

Rating: C-. Pretty quite and to the point match here as Hartwell can’t quite get anything going while James gets a win, especially with cheating. Not exactly a great match, but NXT seems to be working on rebuilding the women’s division and James could be part of that. Now just go somewhere with her and build on that potential.

Tony D’Angelo seems to have murdered Two Dimes by having him thrown into a river. Then Santos Escobar calls to laugh at D’Angelo for not winning the North American Title last week, so D’Angelo throws his phone into the river too.

Wes Lee is ready for Trick Williams next week.

Joe Gacy/Dyad vs. Diamond Mine

Gacy headlocks Strong to start but Strong is back with a chinlock. With that broken up, Dy comes in and gets taken into an armbar, allowing the tag off to Brutus. Dy is dropped and Julius comes in to suplex Brutus onto him. That’s enough for Dy to be sent outside for a pep talk from Gacy. Back in and Dy takes Julius down and puts on the chinlock before handing it off to Ad.

The front facelock has Julius in trouble but he powers up into a suplex. Triple suplexes have Diamond Mine in control and we take a break. Back with Gacy getting two on Brutus before handing it back to Ad. Gacy does a handstand in the corner and then hits a release Rock Bottom for two.

A neckbreaker drops Brutus again but he gets out of the chinlock without much trouble. Brutus gets over and brings Julius back in to clean house, or at least until Strong tags himself in. Strong and Julius argue, leaving Brutus to break up Gacy’s handspring elbow. Dy and Ad trade places and it’s the double elevated DDT to finish Strong at 13:58.

Rating: C. It is kind of astounding to see how uninteresting and boring Gacy and company are every time they are on this show. Now we are probably going to have to see more of them too because the Dyad is probably getting a title shot. The Creeds are starting to mesh that much better, but enough of Gacy being all culty.

Post match the rest of Diamond Mine yells at Roderick Strong.

Trick Williams is ready for Wes Lee, but Carmelo Hayes doesn’t know anything about a title defense against Grayson Waller. Remember him signing things earlier tonight? One of them was a contract. Ok that was kind of clever.

Lash legend cuts off a medical update on Alba Fyre and says Fyre is on the shelf permanently.

Sanga and Xyon Quinn get in a fight before their scheduled match.

Roderick Strong yells at Diamond Mine for not listening to him. The result: Strong/Damon Kemp vs. the Creeds next week.

Xyon Quinn vs. Sanga

It’s a brawl to start with Quinn hitting a boot to the face. Sanga runs him over with a shoulder and a clothesline sends Quinn outside. Back in and Sanga drops him onto the turnbuckle and then does it again for a bonus. Quinn fights back and knocks him into a sleeper, which is broken up with a ram into the corner. Sanga hits a clothesline, setting up a chokeslam for the pin at 5:09.

Rating: C. Sanga wasn’t anything as Grayson Waller’s bodyguard but he has become something a bit more interesting during this singles run. He is a big guy with a unique look who can do a basic enough power match. Build him up and let someone take him out down the line, then have him do whatever. That’s a fine enough idea, even if it meant Quinn had to lose here again. I’ve given up on him, but that doesn’t make it easier.

Video on Cameron Grimes getting his NXT Title shot against Bron Breakker next week.

We see another Wendy Choo dream, this time looking at her tormenting Tiffany Stratton over the last few weeks. Then she wakes up and goes to brush her teeth, where we hear her thoughts telling herself that she is NOT stupid. Then she looks at the camera and says she’ll beat Stratton next week.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Mandy Rose

Non-title and the rest of Toxic Attraction is here too. Lyons powers her around to start and hits a running splash in the corner. Rose gets sent outside in a heap and we take an early break. Back with Rose hammering away and working on the recently injured knee. Lyons gets in some shots of her own but a choke is broken up. A running clothesline drops Rose though and a release German suplex gives Lyons two. Rose comes back with a shot to the face and a missile dropkick, only to miss the running knee. That’s enough for Toxic Attraction to come in for the DQ at 8:58.

Rating: C-. This was another good example of Lyons not working so well in a longer match. She punches a lot but doesn’t seem to have much in the way of in-depth offense. I get why WWE wants to push her, but there is a pretty firm limit on how far she seems likely to go at the moment. Odds are she’ll get the title sooner than later though and that shouldn’t be a surprise.

Post match the beatdown is on until Cora jade and Roxanne Perez make the save.

Solo Sikoa rants to Apollo Crews about his loss to Grayson Waller last week. Xyon Quinn comes in and has a chat with Crews about potential. Crews doesn’t see much for Quinn’s future.

JD McDonagh is coming.

Great American Bash rundown.

Wade Barrett brings out Cameron Grimes and Bron Breakker for a chat. Breakker tells Barrett that they have this so the two of them can talk about how Grimes has nothing to lose. Grimes says that it’s another title defense for Breakker and if he loses, he’s off to Raw and Smackdown. If he loses, he’s probably on Summerslam. Grimes is betting everything he has on beating Breakker and that’s what makes them different.

That’s because Grimes doesn’t have a backup plan, which is similar to Breakker, because THIS is his backup plan. Breakker wanted to be in the NFL but since that didn’t work, he called his famous daddy and got into WWE. That doesn’t work for Breakker, who promises to send grimes to the moon and then spear him in half. Grimes isn’t impressed and promises to keep getting up.

Breakker promises to keep spearing him down so Grimes can need Ted DiBiase to tell him what to do again. Grimes mentions Rick Steiner again and the fight is on, with Breakker missing a hard charge into the corner. Grimes sends him into it again and the turnbuckle breaks. Breakker’s arm is hurt, with Grimes looking concerned, only to switch to being happy to end the show. Grimes going borderline evil without going over the line is good, though it’s still hard to believe that he has any kind of a chance against Breakker next week.

Overall Rating: C. This wasn’t exactly a thrilling show but it did enough of a good job of pushing towards the Bash that it worked out. There are still some very bad parts of the show, including anything Gacy related, but they do seem to be trying to push some different people. The Bash looks good on paper and certainly has some big matches, but NXT might need a bigger change of pace in the next few weeks and I don’t know if that is going to be coming.

Results
Roxanne Perez/Cora Jade b. Kayden Carter/Katana Chance – Pop Rox to Chance
Giovanni Vinci b. Ikemen Jiro – Sitout Last Ride
Kiana James b. Indi Hartwell – Rollup with foot on the rope
Joe Gacy/Dyad b. Diamond Mine – Double elevated DDT to Strong
Sanga b. Xyon Quinn – Chokeslam
Nikkita Lyons b. Mandy Rose via DQ when Toxic Attraction interfered

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NXT
Date: June 21, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

it’s another title week this time around as we have Carmelo Hayes defending the North American Title against Tony D’Angelo in the main event. Other than that we continue the build towards the Great American Bash, where Bron Breakker will defend against Cameron Grimes. Other than that, we get more Lash Legend and Joe Gacy because we’re that lucky. Let’s get to it.

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

Solo Sikoa vs. Grayson Waller

Before the match, Sikoa talks about how he’s tired of Sikoa whining and is ready to uncensor himself. That’s enough for Sikoa to charge at him and the fight is on fast. They head inside with Sikoa hammering away and hitting a belly to back suplex. Back up and Sikoa head fakes him to set up a clothesline as Waller can’t get anything going here. Waller gets smart by kicking at the leg and dropping Sikoa for a change. Sikoa gets sent outside but comes back with an elbow to the face as we take a break.

Back with Waller hammering away and grabbing a cravate. The trash talk takes a bit too much time though and Sikoa knocks him to the floor. The turnbuckle pad is taken off somewhere in there, meaning Sikoa misses a charge into the exposed buckle. That means the rolling Stunner can finish for Waller at 12:14.

Rating: C+. The Waller push gets a bit of a recharge as he beats Sikoa, who was on a pretty nice roll coming into this week. I’m not sure where all of this is leading for the North American Title, but odds are it will involve having a bunch of people in a match at once. At least it might not involve a ladder this time around.

Tony D’Angelo is ready for a big night and promises to take things over tonight. Santos Escobar shakes his hand and calls him the Don, though D’Angelo makes threats if he doesn’t win the North American Title tonight.

JD McDonough is coming. He says never bet against an ace, he looks like Jordan Devlin and he sounds like Jordan Devlin, but this is JD McDonough.

Katana Chance/Kayden Carter vs. Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz

Carter dropkicks the dancing Leon down to start and the rapid fire double teaming begins. Leon is sent into the corner for a running dropkick to give Chance two. Chance sweeps the leg for two but it’s quickly off to Feroz to take over. That doesn’t last long as Carter is right back in to double team Feroz down. A superkick into the neckbreaker/450 splash combination (with the 450 being more knees to the chest) gives Chance the pin at 5:14.

Rating: D+. This was a bit rough, with that ending being a hard landing for everyone. Chance and Carter continue to be one of the better women’s teams in the company, but hopefully the main roster doesn’t figure that out and think that they should be involved in the Tag Team Title picture. Leon and Feroz are fine as jobbers of the division but that’s about it so far.

Here is an upset looking Wes Lee for a chat. He thanks the fans for everything but he has gone from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Lee was a two time Tag Team Champion but then he had his world explode under his feet. All he has been doing is trying to prove himself from Xyon Quin all the way to Sanga, but here is Trick Williams to interrupt.

Williams says no one wants to hear this and suggests that Lee’s partner (not named) left because Lee was dragging him down. Lee accuses Williams of playing second fiddle to Carmelo Hayes and the challenge seems to be thrown out. Williams calls him Afro Thunder and says he’ll leave like Lee’s partners do. Somebody better call the doctor after that line (Ready 2 Rumble reference if that didn’t make sense.).

Tiffany Stratton rants about how annoying Wendy Choo is, especially with all of those onesies. Stratton swears revenge for Choo costing her a match though.

Legado del Fantasma vs. Diamond Mine

Joaquin Wilde/Cruz del Toro vs. Damon Kemp/Roderick Strong here. Strong takes del Toro down by the arm to start and cranks away. Kemp comes in for a shot of his own, followed by dragging del Toro into the corner so Strong can kick away. That doesn’t last long as it’s off to Wilde to clean house.

Kemp is right there to cut him off though and the chinlock goes on. That’s broken up as well and it’s del Toro coming in to take over on Strong. Everything breaks down and it’s del Toro hitting a slingshot dive to the floor. Two Dimes yells at Del Toro though, leaving Wilde to get caught with a jumping knee to the face to give Strong the pin at 4:54.

Rating: C. This stuff with Legado/the D’Angelo Family is wearing thin in a hurry and I don’t exactly see myself keeping up much interest on the whole thing. The teams don’t like each other and now they’re screwing each other over. It wasn’t a great story before it got to the point and now it is continuing. Kemp is still worth a look most of the time though and you can see the development week to week, which is a great thing.

Giovanni Vinci brags about his win last week but Ikemen Jiro comes in to brag about his own style. A match seems likely.

Apollo Crews fantasizes about beating someone up in a stairwell. Then he snaps back to reality and goes to do it for real.

Here is Toxic Attraction for a chat. Mandy Rose doesn’t think much of Roxanne Perez, who is going to learn what it means to fail. Cue Perez, with Cora Jade, who knows what it means to live your dreams, especially with Cora Jade by her side. Perez would rather win the Tag Team Titles with Jade, but here are Katana Chance/Kayden Carter to interrupt. The line starts behind them so the brawl is on.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are ready to win, including Hayes defending his North American Title against Tony D’Angelo.

Indi Hartwell is ready to move on but Kiana James interrupts to mock her. Hartwell says no one cares about James’ opinion and a match is set for next week.

Cameron Grimes vs. Edris Enofe

Grimes spins out of a wristlock to start but the pace picks up until Enofe dropkicks him down for two. Enofe gets sent outside though and Grimes hits a running kick in the apron. A high crossbody gives Grimes two and he tries some YES Kicks, which have Enofe begging for more. They trade shots to the face for a double knockdown until Enofe sends him into the ropes for a knee to the head. The big running flip dive drops Grimes again but the 450 misses back inside. Grimes hits a swinging Side Effect and the Cave In finishes for Grimes at 5:37.

Rating: C. Completely fine match with Grimes getting some build before he gets to the title match. Sometimes that’s all you need and it worked well here. Enofe is just good enough to make Grimes break a bit of a sweat and that is all he needs to do with something like this. Good enough match here with Grimes getting the boost that he needed.

Thea Hail arrives at Chase U and finds out that she’s rooming with Bodie Hayward. Hail unpacks (with wacky sound effects) and is VERY excited to be here. She’s off to get food, though Hayward takes a shot to the ribs to slow him down.

Nikkita Lyons is on her way back next week.

Brooks Jensen vs. Von Wagner

Jensen gets sent into the corner to start but Wagner goes after the hand (not the one that was hurt), including tying it up in the turnbuckle. The armbar is broken up and Jensen starts fighting back, only to get taken down by the arm. The fireman’s carry neckbreaker finishes Jensen at 4:46.

Rating: D+. Yes, more Wagner, as we continue the push of the generic power guy who has nothing going for him and does absolutely nothing of note in the ring. I don’t see much in Jensen either, but Wagner is reaching the point where I spend more time trying to figure out what WWE could possibly see in him. Not much more than a squash here, and even that was boring.

Bron Breakker comes in to see Cameron Grimes and says that’s the Grimes he wants to see at the Great American Bash. Grimes says if this version shows up, he’s winning the NXT Title.

Joe Gacy gives the Dyad a pep talk about winning the Tag Team Titles again. Can we just say they’re the Grizzled Young Veterans and move on?

Alba Fyre vs. Lash Legend

Legend kicks her down to start but has to fight out of a Gory Bomb attempt. A butterfly suplex drops Fyre and legend gets to keep up her awkward looking stomps. Fyre is back up with a Gory Bomb but misses her Swanton, allowing Legend to get in a baseball bat shot for the DQ at 3:27.

Rating: D. Lash Legend is not good and I’m running out of ways to say it. I know WWE wants the NIL people to succeed and that Legend has the size and sports background that they love but my goodness. Who looks at her and thinks she is ready for TV when she can bring down someone as talented as Fyre?

North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Tony D’Angelo

Hayes is defending and a bunch of people are here. Hayes flips around to start but everyone gets on the apron. The referee looks at them and….does nothing, as they drop to the floor so D’Angelo can punch Hayes. They head outside with Hayes being sent into the steps as we take a break.

Back with D’Angelo grabbing a seated abdominal stretch but Hayes fights up and hits a springboard spinning clothesline for two. D’Angelo grabs a suplex for two as Trick Williams is looking worried. A Codebreaker gives Hayes two but Stacks offers a distraction, allowing Escobar to slip…..Hayes some brass knuckles. D’Angelo yells at Escobar and it’s a right hand from Hayes for the knockout to retain at 10:35.

Rating: C+. I liked this a bit more just because it seems like we might be on the way to some big finale of this Escobar/D’Angelo stuff. Hayes can get out of this and move on to the other challengers, as thankfully this felt like a side quest. Good enough match too, with the ending being there to advance the storyline more than anything else.

D’Angelo is mad to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. I wasn’t feeling this one of the most part, though most of the wrestling was adequate. The problem here was that NXT seemed to be focusing on the least interesting stuff, which isn’t the best way to spend two plus hours. The show felt long and there was nothing on here worth seeing, making this a rather long show. Granted there is a very good chance that has to do with it being another taped show, so maybe the live versions can pick it up a little. For now though, not a good week for NXT.

Results
Grayson Waller b. Solo Sikoa – Rolling Stunner
Katana Chance/Kayden Carter b. Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz – Neckbreaker/450 combination to Leon
Diamond Mine b. Legado del Fantasma – Jumping knee to Wilde
Cameron Grimes b. Edris Enofe – Cave In
Von Wagner b. Brooks Jensen – Fireman’s carry neckbreaker
Alba Fyre b. Lash Legend via DQ when Legend used a baseball bat
Carmelo Hayes b. Tony D’Angelo – Right hand with brass knuckles

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NXT
Date: June 14, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

We’re taped this week and rapidly on the way to the Great American Bash in three weeks. That means it is time to start getting the show ready and odds are some of those things are going to be done this week. One of the bigger matches this week will see the Creed Brothers defending the Tag Team Titles so let’s get to it.

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

Tag Team Titles: Edris Enofe/Malik Blade vs. Creed Brothers

The Creeds are defending. Brutus takes Blade into the corner to start and then shoulders him into it again, only to have Blade come back with a headlock on Julius. It’s off to Enofe for the 619 in the corner, followed by a weird slow motion sunset flip for two. Enofe ties up the arms and pulls on Julius’ neck but some power gets Julius out of trouble. Brutus gets slammed onto Enofe for two and we hit the front facelock.

A northern lights suplex is enough for the escape and it’s back to Blade to pick up the pace. Enofe comes right back in for a dropkick but gets backdropped to the floor. There’s a double backdrop to Blade though and we take a break. Back with Brutus getting kicked in the face, setting up Enofe’s top rope elbow for two. The tag brings Julius back in though and everything breaks down, allowing Blade to get suplexed into the basement lariat for the pin at 13:53.

Rating: B-. This is about as classic of a tag team story as you are going to get, with the power of the Creeds vs. the speed of Blade/Enofe. That’s a formula that is going to work almost every time and these guys had a perfectly watchable wrestling match with the teams looking good. Nice opener.

Respect is shown post match.

Indi Hartwell is sad about her love life but tells Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade to work hard. Cora calls her out for being an old grizzled veteran at 25, but what matters is that they’re ready for Toxic Attraction tonight.

Apollo Crews is sitting in a diner and writing about his WWE career in a journal. He has had great results in WWE, but he still hears the echoes of those three letters. Now he is going back to NXT….but we pause for him to fantasize about beating up a rude customer in a diner. Instead he goes over to said customer and asks if there is a problem, only to be told to get out of his face.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley

Wendy Choo is seen bouncing through Stratton’s entrance on a big ball. Stratton backs into the corner to start but Henley unloads on her with right hands. Henley gets caught in the ring skirt though and Stratton takes over on her, including a toss towards the ropes for a big crash down.

A slingshot Swanton gives Stratton two and we hit….a rather weird hold on Henley (picture the start of a Code Red, but Stratton bridges back to force a sitting Henley down to the mat). The comeback is on and Henley kicks her into the corner, only to get caught in a fall away slam. Cue Choo to throw confetti at Stratton, allowing Henley to grab a small package for the pin at 3:10.

Rating: C. Ah yes, the continuing saga of that girl on a ball with the confetti. Henley winning isn’t the biggest upset ever but I could go for Stratton not losing so often. Hopefully she doesn’t lose to Choo as well, no matter how much NXT seems to think that she is the funniest and least annoying person ever.

Cameron Grimes is depressed but Bron Breakker tells him it’ll be ok. Grimes leaves and here is Duke Hudson to needle Breakker. The match seems set for some point in the future.

Video on Lash Legend vs. Alba Fyre, featuring Legend giving her career bio, because LASH LEGEND IS A THING AND YOU WILL CARE ABOUT HER.

Wes Lee vs. Xyon Quinn

Lee tries an early rollup but Quinn picks him up for a drop onto the top rope. A running shoulder to the ribs into a backdrop has Lee down again as the dominance is on. Back up and Lee hits a backflip kick to the head, setting up the Spiral Tap for the pin at 2:48. Lee getting some wins is a good thing.

Joe Gacy is ready for the Dyad to win.

Video on Nathan Frazer, who is from Jersey (not New) and loved diving off of things on the beach. He was also really good soccer player and could have played in the EPL, but wound up following his dream of wrestling. To be continued.

Dyad vs. Javier Bernal/Dante Chen

Joe Cacy is here with the Dyad. We’ll say Dy takes Chen down to start before it’s off to Ad for a forearm to Chen. Dy, who is left handed, throws some shots to the head to put Chen down but Chen gets in a boot to the face. It’s back to Chen to start picking up the ace but a clothesline cuts him off. Everything breaks down and an elevated DDT (ala Danny Burch/Oney Lorcan) finishes Chen at 3:53.

Rating: C. The new team did well enough together but all that matters is the fact that we have to hear more and more from Gacy, who is one of the top heels on the show. Dyad was ok and I’m curious to see who is under the hoods, but listening to Gacy talking about acceptance and all that jazz every week isn’t quite appealing.

Post match Gacy says don’t judge these two for wanting to belong. Threats and evil smiling ensue.

Sanga is in the back with Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz when Xyon Quinn comes in. Words are exchanged, but Sanga standing up scares Quinn off.

Nikkita Lyons is coming back.

Here is Tony D’Angelo’s Family, complete with Legado del Fantasma. D’Angelo is pleased with Stacks and Two Dimes and gives them some cash. As for Legado, they need to understand the idea of the code of silence, which results in a rather forced handshake, much to the fans’ annoyance. D’Angelo has a family and the title of Don, but now he wants a title around his waist. Cue Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams to say they don’t buy this. The title match is made for next week.

Toxic Attraction is ready to destroy Roxanne Perez, Indi Hartwell and Cora Jade.

NXT Title: Bron Breakker vs. Duke Hudson

Breakker is defending but Hudson jumps him from behind before the bell. That’s fine with Breakker, who hits the running shoulders and a spear. The gorilla press powerslam retains the title at 43 seconds.

Post match here is Cameron Grimes to say she would like to finish his chat with Breakker. Grimes says Breakker has that title because of his last name, but no one knows who Grimes’ daddy was. That’s completely fine, but that’s the problem: Breakker’s dad was sitting in the front row watching him win a title while Grimes’ dad had to look down at him. Grimes is tired of the catchphrases so let’s launch the rocket and go to the moon at the Great American Bash. Breakker shakes his hand and we’re on.

Ivy Nile gives Tatum Paxley a bit of a pep talk. Roderick Strong and Damon Kemp come in and ask what is up with that, because Strong wants no excuses. The Creeds come in and Strong isn’t happy with them shaking hands after the title defense. Strong was right, but he gets to return to the ring next week. That doesn’t sit well with Strong, but he seems ready to go.

Sofia Cromwell doesn’t want Brooks Jensen ringside next week when Von Wagner gets his revenge.

Giovanni Vinci vs. Guru Raaj

Vinci’s entrance includes a bunch of pictures being take of Vinci (photographers not included) with Vini, Vidi, Vinci on the screen. Vinci takes him down with a headlock takeover before hitting a hard running shoulder. Raaj fights up with a dropkick and that just annoys Vinci. A springboard spinning crossbody drops Raaj and a hard clothesline does it again. Vinci picks him up for a sitout Last Ride and the pin at 2:49. Not a bad debut and the finish was devastating, so nice job for a start.

Grayson Waller interrupts Solo Sikoa, who is so annoyed that he wants a match next week. Cool with Waller.

Malik Blade and Edris Enofe aren’t happy with their loss but they’ll get another shot. Cameron Grimes pops in to say they shouldn’t be this complacent. What if they never get another win like that? They’re trying to leave before the show is over because they’re not hungry. Grimes doesn’t want Enofe to waste his talent, because Grimes doesn’t waste his own.

Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams vs. Stacks/Two Dimes

The rest of the Family is here too. Hayes knocks Dimes down to start and Williams gets in a dropkick of his own. Two Dimes comes in to take over on Hayes and the beating is on, including a hard clothesline. A knee to the ribs keeps Hayes in trouble but something close to the Demolition Decapitator misses. Williams comes in to clean house so Legado tries to interfere, only to take Two Dimes out by mistake. That’s enough for Hayes to go up top for the ax kick and the pin at 4:20.

Rating: C. The problems are already (Or is it still?) showing between the mega team and that’s about what they were shooting for the whole time. Odds are this isn’t going to last long and that is about the only way this could have gone. On top of that, it’s quite the relief to see a champion not lose, as that is far too common of a WWE trope.

Legado gives a great “oh well” look after the match.

Post break D’Angelo yells at Legado, saying to get better, starting next week.

Cora Jade/Indi Hartwell/Roxanne Perez vs. Toxic Attraction

Mandy starts with Jade but quickly hands it off to Jane to pieface her. Jade takes over without much trouble so it’s off to Rose vs. Hartwell, with the latter grabbing a wristlock. A side slam drops Rose and we need a Toxic Attraction huddle on the floor. Back in and Toxic Attraction is knocked outside as we take a break.

We come back with Perez ankle scissoring Jayne down and grabbing a rollup for two. A discus forearm cuts Perez down for two and it’s time for the strike off. Perez rolls her way to freedom and it’s off to Hartwell to take Rose into the corner. Jade gets to clean house for a bit until Jayne takes her down for a kick to the back.

The double clothesline puts Jade and Rose down though, meaning Jade needs to crawl over to Hartwell. The referee doesn’t see the tag though and it’s Dolin taking over on Jade. That doesn’t last either though as the hot tag brings in Hartwell to clean house. Everything breaks down and Jade hits a top rope backsplash on Dolin, allowing Perez to get the pin at 13:45.

Rating: C+. The ending got better and the result helps set up both title matched down the line. That’s a good thing for the future as you can picture one if not both titles changing hands, which is a good thing. The match itself was energetic and they even got in the referee missing the tag spot. Good enough main event here, though the interest might not be that high.

Overall Rating: C. This was a show that didn’t exactly have a lot of greatness on the show, but it set up some things for the future, likely at Great American Bash. It’s kind of a fast turn around from In Your House but at least this is going to be a TV show instead of another big special. This was a right in the middle show with some ok matches, though nothing that is worth taking the time to watch.

Results
Creed Brothers b. Edris Enofe/Malik Blade – Basement lariat to Blade
Fallon Henley b. Tiffany Stratton – Small package
Wes Lee b. Xyon Quinn – Spiral Tap
Dyad b. Javier Bernal/Dante Chen – Assisted elevated DDT to Chen
Bron Breakker b. Duke Hudson – Spear
Giovanni Vinci b. Guru Raaj – Sitout elevated powerbomb
Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams b. Stacks/Two Dimes – Top rope ax kick to Two Dimes
Cora Jade/Indi Hartwell/Roxanne Perez b. Toxic Attraction – Top rope backsplash to Dolin

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: June 7, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

We’re fresh off In Your House and the show came with a few changes. The North American and Tag Team Titles changed hands so there is some fresh blood in the gold scene around here. This week’s features the finals of the Women’s Breakout Tournament as Tiffany Stratton faces Roxanne Perez. Let’s get to it.

Here is In Your House if you need a recap.

We open with a match by match recap of In Your House.

Here is new North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, with Trick Williams, for a chat. Hayes is really happy to have the title back and gives Cameron Grimes credit for a tough fight on Saturday. He brags about his greatness, but here is Solo Sikoa to interrupt. Sikoa says he has next, but Hayes says that deal was with Grimes, not the new champ. Now it’s Grayson Waller to interrupt, saying it doesn’t matter who Sikoa’s family is because no one cares or likes him. The brawl is on, with Sikoa being taken down by some triple teaming.

Video on Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen vs. Von Wagner.

Legado del Fantasma is now Tony D’Angelo and company’s chauffeur/various lackeys. Happiness does not ensue.

Josh Briggs vs. Von Wagner

Fallon Henley, Brooks Jensen, Sophia Cromwell and Mr. Stone are all here too. Briggs slugs away fast to start but Wagner gets in a few shots in the corner. The arm cranking is broken up though and it’s Briggs kicking him in the chest. They fight to the floor, where Wagner gets in a shot to Jensen’s bad hand. Henley gets up for a distraction so Jensen throws Briggs the cast for a shot. That and Briggs’ lariat is enough to finish Wagner at 3:04.

Rating: C-. Standard big man match here with the interference making the difference. If this means slowing Wagner down a bit, I’m all for it though, as he has been the most generic of the monster villains that you can find. Briggs and Jensen aren’t exactly great, but they’re more interesting than Wagner could hope to be.

Solo Sikoa wants Carmelo Hayes and Grayson Waller tonight, whether he has a partner or not.

Thea Hail gets a scholarship to Chase U. Pretty Deadly comes in to mock them, so Bodie Hayward says we could have them get in on a picture to add some star power. Go get the Tag Team Titles…..which Pretty Deadly lost so never mind.

Nathan Frazer vs. Santos Escobar

This is on Tony D’Angelo’s orders so D’Angelo sits in on commentary. Escobar takes him to the mat to start and then does it again for a bonus. D’Angelo declares that boring so do something else. Frazer is back up with a running hurricanrana and Escobar is angry in the corner. Back up and Escobar sends him outside for the suicide dive, though D’Angelo doesn’t approve.

We take a break and come back with Frazer still in trouble as Escobar grabs a Boston crab. With that broken up, Frazer gets in a shot of his own and a standing shooting star press. The jumping superkick drops Frazer again but one of Escobar’s goons slides in a crowbar. That doesn’t work for Escobar, who throws it back, only to get kicked in the head. Frazer’s phoenix splash is good for the pin at 11:52.

Rating: C. You can feel the Seth Rollins influence on Frazer and I’m not sure I would consider that a compliment. The Escobar story isn’t exactly great either, but at least it is getting him some serious sympathy from the crowd. Escobar isn’t likely to go anywhere on the main roster, so a nice push around here is about all he can hope for at the moment.

Xyon Quinn doesn’t like Nathan Frazer or Wes Lee, who stole a win from him last week. That’s why he’s going to crush Lee next week in their rematch.

Here is still NXT Champion Bron Breakker for a chat. Breakker talks about how he overcame the challenges of Joe Gacy and did it for NXT, because this place is special. He knows everyone wants a shot, so come get a shot. Cue Apollo Crews, with the crowd being VERY happy to see him. Crews has dropped the accent and Nigerian royalty stuff and is just himself, and is here for as long as he wants to be. He praises Breakker and is very happy to be back here, because there are things he wants to do here. Crews says he’ll see Breakker down the road and they shake hands. I can go for more of this Crews.

Video on Roxanne Perez vs. Tiffany Stratton in the Women’s Breakout Tournament final.

Joe Gacy talks to his minions about how there are people who need guidance. That was the case with the two of them, who needed someone to show them the way. They are the dyad and they can continue to be an extension of him when they compete for the first time next week.

Women’s Breakout Tournament Finals: Tiffany Stratton vs. Roxanne Perez

Perez grabs a headlock to start but doesn’t go anywhere with it. Instead, Stratton takes her to the mat for some arm, and finger, cranking to keep control. Back up and Perez armdrags her way out of a slam attempt but gets dropped arm first on top as we take a break. Back with Stratton still on the arm, including moonsaulting onto it for two.

The handspring elbow in the corner drops Perez for two more but she’s back with a middle rope Thesz press for two. Stratton is sent outside for the suicide dive and a Russian legsweep gives Perez two. A sitout powerbomb gives Stratton two more but Perez is right back with Pop Rox for the pin out of nowhere at 12:21.

Rating: C+. Rather nice effort from both of them here in a case where either would have been a fine pick. Perez feels like an actual prodigy though and it is nice to see her getting the biggest win of her career so far. Stratton’s gimmick and athleticism will carry her a long way so she’s going to be fine. Good stuff here with Perez being the slightly better choice for the win.

Since Perez now gets a title shot of her choice, here is Toxic Attraction to interrupt. Mandy Rose says enjoy the moment, because it’s all downhill from here. If Perez cashes in on her, it will go very badly so the fight is on. Cue Indi Hartwell to even things up and Toxic Attraction is cleared out.

Bodhi Hayward has been attacked and says Pretty Deadly did it.

Tiffany Stratton interrupts Wendy Choo’s interview so Choo throws her drink in Stratton’s face.

Pretty Deadly vs. Andre Chase

Chase storms to the ring for the sake of revenge but gets sent into the corner to cut that off. The double teaming is on so here is the injured Bodhi Hayward, only to have Thea Hail cut him off. Hail gets on the apron to offer a tag, allowing Chase to make a comeback. That’s cut off quickly and it’s Spilled Milk to give Deadly the pin at 3:11.

Rating: C-. Hail’s deal aside, this was little more than a handicap match with Chase fighting hard but coming up short because of the numbers game. The good thing is that it might mean more Chase, and that is always a positive. He has taken this completely ridiculous gimmick to levels no one would have thought possible and is one of the highlights of the show. Give me more of him, maybe even in a more important role.

Tony D’Angelo and company try to intimidate Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, who isn’t interested. Hayes wants some more respect on his name too.

Alba Fyre vs. Tatum Paxley

Fyre grabs the arm to start but gets flipped over so Paxley can put on an armbar of her own. Paxley rolls her up for some near falls and sits down on a sunset flip attempt for two more. Fyre knees her in the face for two of her own and the Gory Bomb plants Paxley. Fyre goes up top for a Swanton so Paxley rolls away before she can launch, but after a shrug, Fyre hits a Swanton anyway for the pin at 2:41.

Post match Lash Legend jumps Fyre, because YOU WILL CARE ABOUT LASH LEGEND.

Malik Blade and Edris Enofe come up to the Creed Brothers and issue the challenge. The Creeds are down but Roderick Strong comes in to yell about how that’s a mistake champions don’t make. That is the one thing they can get wrong.

Giovanni Vinci is here next week and we see his face, confirming that it is in fact the former Fabian Aichner.

Carmelo Hayes/Grayson Waller vs. Solo Sikoa

Trick Williams is here with Hayes and Waller, but hold on because Sikoa has a partner.

Carmelo Hayes/Grayson Waller vs. Solo Sikoa/Apollo Crews

I would have bet on it being Cameron Grimes so well done on the surprise. The fight is on before the bell with the villains being cleared out. Back in and it’s Sikoa vs. Waller to start with the latter being sent into the corner. Crews comes in for a delayed suplex (Barrett: “PUT HIM DOWN WILL YOU???”) and it’s time to work on the arm. Hayes comes in from behind though and catches Crews with a spinning faceplant to take over. Back up and everything breaks down, with Crews hitting a slingshot dive to the floor as we take a break.

We come back with Sikoa in trouble and Waller stomping away. The top rope elbow gives Waller two and the Crossface makes things even worse for Sikoa. A rope is grabbed for the break and Sikoa gets over to Crews for the hot tag. House is cleaned as everything breaks down, with Crews hitting the toss powerbomb to finish Waller at 13:42.

Rating: C+. This was a standard main event tag match formula and it worked out as well as can be expected. What mattered here was getting Crews back into the mix and he filled in just fine, which is always a good sign. It isn’t like Crews was doing anything on the main roster, so why bother leaving him up there to do nothing at all?

Overall Rating: C+. They kept some momentum going here after In Your House and that is more than I would have expected. It is nice to see NXT actually going somewhere and if they can keep it up, that makes it all the better. The action was the usual hit and miss, but what mattered here was a feeling that we are moving on to some new stuff. Crews was a rather nice surprise and again, if he isn’t doing anything else, why leave him on the main roster? Pretty good show here, and I’ll take what I can get from NXT.

Results
Josh Briggs b. Von Wagner – Lariat
Nathan Frazer b. Santos Escobar – Phoenix splash
Roxanne Perez b. Tiffany Stratton – Pop Rox
Pretty Deadly b. Andre Chase – Spilled Milk
Alba Fyre b. Tatum Paxley – Swanton
Solo Sikoa/Apollo Crews b. Grayson Waller/Carmelo Hayes

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

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AND

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NXT
Date: May 31, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

It’s the go home show for In Your House and that means we are ready for the final push towards the show. Most of the card is set but there is always the chance that we will be seeing another match added this week. The main event is Nathan Frazer vs. Cameron Grimes, which should be a good one. Let’s get to it.

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

Diamond Mine is coming to the ring but Roderick Strong tells the Creeds that they have the night off.

Diamond Mine vs. Pretty Deadly

Non-title and it’s Strong and Damon Kemp for Diamond Mine. Prince takes Strong into the corner to start and whips him into it again for good measure. Wilson comes in and gets kicked down so Kemp comes in, sending Wilson bailing into the corner. A slap to the face wakes Kemp up and he explodes on Prince, including a bunch of suplexes into a chinlock. It’s back to Strong, who again gets stomped down in the corner, allowing Wilson to forearm away. Strong manages to get over to Kemp though and it’s a slingshot spear to cut Wilson down. Everything breaks down and Diamond Mine clears the ring as we take a break.

Back with Wilson chinlocking Kemp, which stays on a bit longer than you might expect. Kemp finally fights up and powers over to Strong for the house cleaning. Pretty Deadly is sent into each other as the fans are behind Strong again. Everything breaks down and Prince grabs a title belt. Cue the Creeds for the save but Julius takes the shot for Strong. The distraction lets Spilled Milk finish Strong at 13:17.

Rating: C+. That ending is going to cause even more issues with the Diamond Mine, which seems to be living on borrowed time as it is. The Creeds continue to be the good guys while Strong has had all of the power go to his head, which isn’t going to be the best combination. The Creeds very well could take the titles on Saturday and that should make for a rather nice moment, assuming Strong doesn’t cost them somehow.

Solo Sikoa wants Cameron Grimes to take care of Carmelo Hayes at In Your House because he has the next title shot. Grimes agrees but Duke Hudson comes in to say he should get the shot. Hudson says he doesn’t expect Sikoa to understand this because he isn’t on that level. The match is set for tonight.

Grayson Waller yelled at some wrestlers, telling them to learn from Tiffany Stratton, who is so much better than Roxanne Perez. On top of that, she’s better than Fallon Henley. Josh Briggs comes up and says he’ll give Waller a country whipping tonight.

Earlier today, Tony D’Angelo and company met Legado del Fantasma on Santos Escobar’s yacht for their usual face to face bickering. The result this time: a six man at In Your House.

Cora Jade vs. Elektra Lopez

Jade snapmares her down into a basement dropkick for a fast one. Lopez isn’t having that and faceplants her down, setting up some choking on the rope. The fans get in Cora’s corner but she misses a knee in the corner and gets her leg chopped down. Lopez tries to take her up but gets knocked back down. The top rope backsplash gives Jade the (possibly upset) win at 5:04.

Rating: C-. Lopez is still in a weird spot as she seems like she could be a star but has never broken out of the same spot she has been in for a long time. Jade is rather talented but needs a good bit more seasoning. The return of NXT live events could do her a lot of good as she needs the ring time more than anything else. The match wasn’t exactly great, but I’m glad Jade is getting somewhere.

Wes Lee is ready to face Xyon Quinn because he has to keep fighting. Sanga comes in to give Lee a pep talk, saying he may not be a giant, but he has a giant heart. It’s nice to have a different kind of giant for once.

Video on Roxanne Perez, who has been growing up wanting to be here. While her friends were watching Stranger Things, she was watching Raw and Smackdown to be like Paige, Michelle McCool and Nikki Bella. She would take a ten hour bus ride one way to train with Booker T. No one got it but Cora Jade because she was doing the same thing. Tiffany Stratton is stronger than her, but Stratton doesn’t have the same desire.

Wes Lee vs. Xyon Quinn

Lee kicks him down but gets dropped ribs first onto the top rope to cut him off. Quinn takes it into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs to stay on a target. Back up and Lee manages a kick to the head but the middle rope moonsault press is pulled out of the air. A lawn dart sends Lee into the corner so Quinn loads up the running punch, only to get rolled up for the fast pin at 3:41.

Rating: C. I could go with more of Quinn but it’s nice to see Lee get a win after a few losses in a row. He’s a talented guy who got put into a bad situation so it’s refreshing to see him still getting a chance. Even if it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s still better than the Forgotten Sons mess, which was rather pathetic even by WWE standards.

Roderick Strong yells at Diamond Mine but Ivy Nile explains what happened because Strong can’t watch a tape. Strong doesn’t really care and says he should have been hit with the belt because it would have been a DQ win. What matters most is getting all the wins, so the Creeds better win the Tag Team Titles or they’re off the team.

Joe Gacy talks about Rick Steiner not being there to do much for Bron Breakker, who would fight with his brothers while Rick wouldn’t do anything. That made Breakker angry, which he used in football and now in wrestling. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, so Breakker will let his anger get the better of him at In Your House.

Bron Breakker isn’t going to let Joe Gacy get the better of him. Gacy’s laughter is heard and Breakker wants to fight, but he stops himself from breaking a TV.

It’s time for a women’s champions summit between Toxic Attraction and Wendy Choo/Katana Chance/Kacy Catanzaro with Wade Barrett hosting. The challengers don’t want Toxic Attraction to talk but the champs need to brag about what they’ve done and who they’ve run off. Choo: “JUST SIGN THE CONTRACT!” Barrett tries to calm them down but there are most scripted lines to get in, including Wizard of Oz Munchkin jokes.

Choo: “JUST SIGN THE CONTRACT!” Mandy Rose goes on a rant about how Choo, in a cow suit, belongs in Candyland. “OR WONDERLAND!” Rose wants more respect on her name and finally signs. Then Choo fires a spit ball at her and the fight is on, with Choo putting Rose through a table. This was one of the most annoying segments I have heard in a long time.

Ivy Nile is working out when Kiana James comes in to ask if Nile is going to be talking to the Creeds after they lose to Pretty Deadly. Nile says they’ll win, but James gives the Creeds a 12% chance. Nile slams her against a locker.

Solo Sikoa vs. Duke Hudson

Sikoa strikes away to start and knocks Hudson to the apron, only to have Hudson grab a slingshot German suplex. There’s an overhead belly to belly and another makes it worse. Sikoa fights back up with a Samoan drop and the running hip attack in the corner. The Superfly Splash finishes Hudson at 4:43.

Rating: C. Sikoa winning is the right move here as Hudson can talk his way back to whatever low spot he has. You can see the star power in Sikoa though and he certainly has the family skills included. Let him get a nice push and see where he can go, because the potential is right there.

Tiffany Stratton is glad that she fixed a problem last week. She doesn’t care that she took Nikkita Lyons’ spot because Lyons wasn’t going to win anyway. Stratton has all kinds of accomplishments anyway and works harder than anyone else. Oh and Roxanne Perez took a bus ten hours to train? Has she never heard of an AIRPLANE? Stratton is over everyone liking Perez so much. This was how you present an annoying brat.

Thea Hail has graduated high school and will be attending…..ANDRE CHASE UNIVERSITY! Ok point for a good payoff.

Grayson Waller vs. Josh Briggs

Brooks Jensen and Fallon Henley are here too, but Waller says the horse face needs to leave. Waller: “And take Henley with you!” Briggs starts fast and knocks Waller into the ropes, which is enough for him to come out with a cheap shot. Waller side kicks his way out of the corner for two as we hear that Jensen has a firm grip on his recovery. Briggs gets in another shot of his own but here are Sofia Cromwell and Mr. Stone for a distraction. The rolling Stunner finishes the distracted Briggs at 3:43.

Rating: C. They didn’t have much time here but they got the story in that they needed. Waller picks up a win while Briggs vs. Stone and company continues. I still think Jensen turns on Briggs in exchange for Cromwell, even if that might not be the most PG NXT story. It would be a bit of a shame too as the country boys are a fine midcard team.

Post match Von Wagner comes in to go after Briggs and sends him shoulder first into the post. Jensen makes the save and Wagner is held back.

Ivy Nile vs. Kiana James

James takes her into the corner and gets shoved right back down. Some forearms annoy Nile but James manages to knock her back. Back up and Nile fires off some kicks, including a running one in the corner for two. James actually takes her down again and says it’s brains over brawn. Nile’s quick dragon sleeper attempt is broken up and James clotheslines her down. Nile clotheslines her much harder though and the kicks to the chest make it worse. A throw finishes James at 3:32.

Rating: C+. Very nice performance from James here, who wasn’t going to win but made the most of her time in there. She beat up Nile for a good chunk of the match in by far her most impressive outing to date. Nile seems primed to be the next big thing in NXT though and that could be starting any day now.

Post match here is Pretty Deadly to go after Nile but the Creeds make the save.

We get another Giovanni Vinci video, with the woman’s voice confirming that it is a he, who likes to drive fast cars and eat good food.

Cameron Grimes vs. Nathan Frazer

Non-title and Trick Williams/Carmelo Hayes are on commentary. Feeling out process to start and it’s an early standoff with both of them nipping up. They run the ropes until Frazer dropkicks him to the floor, only to be elbowed into the corner. A dropkick has Grimes in trouble and we take a break.

Back with Grimes hitting a swinging Rock Bottom for two and the slugout is on. Neither can get the better of it so Grimes goes with a clothesline to take over instead. Grimes’ powerbomb is countered into a hurricanrana but he suplexes Frazer out of the corner, setting up the Cave In for the pin at 10:06.

Rating: B-. This was the best match on the show and it did its thing perfectly well. You had the champ picking up a win and Frazer getting to hang in there against a bigger star. That’s how a main event like this is supposed to go and Grimes is even more ready for Hayes than he was before. The talent is there in NXT and this was another nice showcase.

Post match Hayes comes in to jump Grimes but has to be saved from the Cave In. Glaring ensues to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Pretty good show this week, as they focused on In Your House and made me want to see the show that much more than I did coming in. Other than the summit, nothing was really bad and even the worst match was watchable. They had some storyline advancement to go with completely acceptable wrestling and that is about all you can ask for around here. Nice show.

Results
Pretty Deadly b. Diamond Mine – Spilled Milk to Strong
Cora Jade b. Elektra Lopez – Top rope backsplash
Wes Lee b. Xyon Quinn – Rollup
Solo Sikoa b. Duke Hudson – Superfly Splash
Grayson Waller b. Josh Briggs – Rolling Stunner
Ivy Nile b. Kiana James – Throw
Cameron Grimes b. Nathan Frazer – Cave In

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.