NXT is back on the road as they head to California for No Mercy. This is the kind of thing that makes NXT feel like such a bigger deal as it is such a bigger stage than that little studio in Florida. The card happens to be stacked and it’s one of the better looking NXT cards that I have seen in a good while. That has been the case before but they have some more work to do. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Blair Davenport vs. Kelani Jordan

This was announced after NXT went off the air this week so there isn’t much of a build here. That being said, Davenport has been a monster heel in recent weeks and Jordan is someone who had been looking up to Dana Brooke before Brooke’s release. In other words, there isn’t much of a reason to believe this is going to be overly competitive, but there might be one reason to believe otherwise.

I’m going to go with what should be the obvious pick in Davenport, but I can’t shake the feeling that Gigi Dolin will interfere to cost Davenport the win in a big embarrassment. Dolin vs. Davenport has been set up for a long time now and it would be interesting to see Dolin get one back on Davenport after she attacked Dolin earlier this week. I’ll go with Davenport here, but a Dolin inspired upset wouldn’t shock me.

Bron Breakker vs. Baron Corbin

Sometimes you need to let two power guys beat the fire out of each other and that is what we are going to be seeing here. These two got the big go home segment to end this week’s NXT as they literally went through a wall during their fight. Corbin can do rather well when he is given the chance and having a fired up Breakker could do just that. Breakker could use the win too and I think you know where this is going.

There is no reason to buy Corbin winning here so I’ll take Breakker getting another big win over a stronger name. Breakker has been kind of floating for the last few weeks but having him beat Corbin up for a little while, survive some big moves and then win is a smart way to go. It might even be a fun match on the way there, but Breakker wins here, as there isn’t much of a reason for anything else to happen.

Tag Team Titles: Tony D’Angelo/Stacks(c) vs. Lucien Price/Bronco Nima vs. Creed Brothers vs. Humberto Carrillo/Angel Garza

As is the case with most title matches, this was set up through a nice Italian dinner. The tag division has started a nice little rebuild, but at the end of the day, the Creed Brothers feel like they’re that much better than anyone else. I’m not sure if that’s going to be enough to get them to win the titles though, as it’s hard to fathom the Creeds being in NXT that much longer.

For now, I’ll take the champions retaining, though there is a case to be made for giving the titles to anyone but the Creeds. Carrillo and Garza are a more experienced team and need something to make them feel more special, while Price and Nima could get a heck of a rub by winning the titles so soon into their run. The good thing with a four way is that you still have contenders coming out of the match as only one team gets beaten, and we’ll say the champs get to do said beating here.

Heritage Cup: Noam Dar(c) vs. Butch

This is the result of a nearly month long tournament to crown a new #1 contender and that makes things interesting. It’s kind of hard to imagine Butch coming up short after that long. The problem here could be having Tyler Bate in Butch’s corner, which feels like a way to set up some kind of screwy finish. At the same time, it’s hard to imagine it’s hard to imagine having another main roster star winning an NXT title.

That being said, having a tournament go on that long with Butch winning, only to lose here and keep the title on Dar doesn’t make a ton of sense. Dar has been either champion or right there next to it for months now and I don’t see the need to keep it on him. Butch has been needing a win to get himself back up and I’ll say he wins here, though I have quite the feeling that I’m wrong on this one.

North American Title: Dominik Mysterio(c) vs. Trick Williams

So this one is a bit more interesting as you have Williams replacing the suddenly released Mustafa Ali. Williams has felt like someone who is being groomed for the next big step up the ladder, with a Carmelo Hayes match feeling like it’s on the horizon. That being said, it would be a big deal to take the title from Mysterio, who is quite the big deal in his own right on the main roster.

I can’t imagine Mysterio losing here so we’ll go with him retaining the title. Williams is someone who could become a big deal rather quickly but Mysterio losing the title so soon doesn’t feel right. At the same time, Mysterio losing the title without Rhea Ripley being involved doesn’t feel right. Mysterio retains here, likely with some interference to keep Williams looking strong.

Women’s Title: Becky Lynch(c) vs. Tiffany Stratton

This is Extreme Rules and a rematch from earlier this month when Lynch took the title from Stratton. That makes things all the more interesting, as Lynch already has everything on Monday Night Raw and she isn’t going to be the champion long term. At the same time though, I’m not sure I can imagine her losing the title here. Stratton feels like she is going to be a big star, but I’m not sure we’re at that point yet.

I’m not feeling overly strong on this one, but I’ll take Lynch to retain here. Stratton certainly has a lot of the tools needed to step up sooner than later, but beating Lynch is one heck of an upgrade. There’s a chance that Stratton wins here, though I’ll go with Lynch retaining after a better fight than the previous edition. Lynch goes over here, but after getting quite the test from Stratton.

NXT Title: Carmelo Hayes(c) vs. Ilja Dragunov

This is a rematch from Hayes beating Dragunov at the Great American Bash where Dragunov was sent into a chair. That makes the question whether or not Hayes can win on his own here, and we could be in for a heck of a fight. Dragunov knows how to bring up the emotion with some outstanding near falls and selling the pain he’s going through, which should be the case again here. I’m just not sure how it’s going to end and that’s confusing.

I’ll go with….geez I guess Hayes here, as it doesn’t feel like he’s ready to lose the title here, but dang it’s hard to imagine Dragunov losing another big match. Hayes needs to win here to prove that he’s the big star and he has Williams waiting on him sooner or later. That match doesn’t necessarily need to be for the title, but for now we’ll say the title stays with Hayes after a better match than their first showdown.

Overall Thoughts

The more I look at this card, the better it’s looking. NXT has figured itself out in recent months and that has made it a good show to see again. Now they need to figure out how to make the big shows work, but the pieces are all there to have a successful night. I’m excited about this show and that’s a nice feeling to have, though having it actually be a good show is what matters most.

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NXT
Date: September 26, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s a big night as this is the go home show for this weekend’s No Mercy event. That means we need a new #1 contender to the Heritage Cup, with Butch and Joe Coffey facing off for the title shot. Other than that, we’ll get the final push towards everything on Saturday, which should be good. Let’s get to it.

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

Global Heritage Invitational Finals: Butch vs. Joe Coffey

The winner gets a Heritage Cup Title shot at Noam Dar (watching from a box with the Meta Four) and the rest of Gallus is here with Coffey. Butch takes him to the mat with a headlock to start before starting in on the arm. The stomp to the arm sets up a Fujiwara armbar but a Wolfgang distraction lets Coffey fight back. Butch flips out of a belly to back suplex and Gallus is ejected as we take a break.

Back with Butch working on the arm but Coffey knocks him down again. A German suplex drops Butch again but he’s back with an enziguri. Coffey stays up for a discus lariat to leave them both down. Coffey’s running headbutt sends Butch into the corner and All The Best For The Bells gets two. Butch is sent outside where he avoids a charge, sending Coffey into the steps. Back in and the Bitter End finishes for Butch at 12:41.

Rating: B. Butch is the better choice here as Coffey vs. Dar isn’t exactly a marquee matchup. There is always the chance of Butch winning the title and having him lose after winning this big, elaborate tournament would be a letdown. It’s still fun to watch Butch pick someone apart too and that is exactly what we got here in a good enough tournament final.

Dominik Mysterio, with a black eye, isn’t happy with having to defend against the winner of tonight’s triple threat on Saturday. First Adam Pearce is after him and now it’s Shawn Michaels.

Tony D’Angelo and Stacks are at their dinner and waiting on other tag teams to show up for their dinner. Los Lotharios are here first and get checked for weapons before they get to sit down. Angel Garza isn’t sure about the foot but they’re here for the titles anyway. Other teams are on the way.

Trick Williams vs. Joe Gacy

Ava is here with Gacy. Williams shoulders him down to start and scores with a dropkick. Gacy gets in a shot of his own and unloads with forearms on the mat. The chinlock goes on but Williams is right back up. A leg lariat puts Gacy down but he slips out of a slam and hits a corner elbow. The Upside Down is broken up though and Williams hits a running knee for the clean pin at 2:27. That’s an upset, especially at that speed.

Post match Williams says he’s behind Carmelo Hayes, but Hayes already has his title. Now Williams wants his own.

Blair Davenport doesn’t like Gigi Dolin jumping her from behind. She’s coming for her.

Chase U is worried about Thea Hail when they run into Jacy Jayne. They ask about Thea, who pops in with her new outfit. She’s happy with the new her but Chase U isn’t impressed. Jayne promises more.

Josh Briggs vs. Baron Corbin

Brooks Jensen and Fallon Henley are here too. They brawl to the floor to start with Briggs getting the better of things. Back in and Corbin hits a big boot to take over and hammers away. Briggs gets in a few shots but runs into End Of Days for the pin at 2:58.

Post match Corbin calls out Bron Breakker for No Mercy. Cue Breakker and the brawl is on with security breaking it up.

Trick Williams goes into Shawn Michaels’ office.

Long video on Becky Lynch vs. Tiffany Stratton, with Stratton saying she’s already sick of Lynch.

Lucien Price/Bronco Nima vs. Tank Ledger/Hank Walker

Ledger takes Nima into the corner to start and Ledger adds some running shots of his own. A slingshot splash gets two on Nima but he comes back with a heck of hook kick to the head. Price comes in for a running crotch attack on the rope but Ledger gets the tag and cleans house. Everything breaks down and the assisted Alabama Slam finishes Ledger at 2:48.

Blair Davenport jumps Gigi Dolin in her locker room.

Back to the dinner and Los Lotharios want the Tag Team Titles. The Creed Brothers come in and Brutus is already hungry. The Creeds make Mafia and Godfather references but some more people are coming.

Tyler Bate and Axiom are friends but they’re willing to fight for a title shot tonight. Trick Williams comes in to say the triple threat is now a four way. They’re cool with that.

Eddy Thorpe vs. Dijak

Strap match. They’re tied together and Dijak goes straight to the floor, with Thorpe diving onto him for the big crash. A middle rope dropkick takes Dijak down again but he knocks Thorpe into the corner to start the beating. Thorpe is sent outside for a crash and we take an early break.

Back with Thorpe slugging his way out of trouble and hitting a Cactus Clothesline. Dijak is fine enough to hit a chokeslam onto the apron and whips Thorpe into the barricade, where his family is watching. As his family is scared of what they’re seeing, Thorpe fights up and strikes away with the strap back inside, setting up a top rope elbow for the pin at 10:03.

Rating: C. As a normal match this was pretty good but as a strap match, it was nothing. Other than a few whippings, the strap meant nothing here and could have been completely dropped without missing much. Thorpe winning is a good moment for him and it should end their feud. Dijak continues to lose big matches, but at least he’s getting the chance.

Post match Dijak jumps Thorpe again as I guess this isn’t over. Thorpe is tied in the Tree of Woe for a whipping.

Blair Davenport interrupts an update on Gigi Dolin and warns Dolin to think twice about messing with her.

Dani Palmer vs. Thea Hail

Hail is basically dressed like Jacy Jayne (who is here as well), so Booker T. talks about Hannah Montana. Hail takes her down for a splash to the arm and the wristlock goes on. The Fujiwara armbar goes on but Palmer reverses into a rollup for two. Palmer drops her and goes up, only to miss the corkscrew moonsault. Hail grabs the Kimura for the tap at 2:10 to continue a string of short matches tonight.

Trick Williams comes up to Carmelo Hayes, who keeps texting while Williams talks about what he’s done tonight.

Barn Corbin and Bron Breakker get in another fight in the back.

Dragon Lee vs. Axiom vs. Trick Williams vs. Tyler Bate

For a North American Title shot at No Mercy. Williams gets knocked to the floor to start and Bate hits a big dive to take him out again. That leaves Lee to charge into Axiom’s elbow to the face, followed by a dropkick for a bonus. Axiom goes after the pile on the floor and Lee dives onto everyone. Back in and we get a three way submission, with only Axiom not in danger. Bate figures that out and breaks it up, leaving everyone free. Williams starts cleaning house (the fans approve), including a double flapjack to Bate and Axiom.

We take a break and come back with Axiom taking Bate down for two but Lee makes the save. Lee hits some corner dropkicks and a sitout powerbomb gets two on Bate. Williams clears out Axiom and hits a double Rock Bottom for two each on Bate and Lee. Bate is back up and airplane spins Lee and giant swings Axiom at the same time (of course he can) but Williams is back in and everyone is knocked down for a breather.

Lee knocks Axiom down again with a superkick and goes up top but Axiom catches him on top with a super Spanish Fly. The fans are VERY impressed but Williams comes back in. Lee headbutts Williams….and falls to the floor, leaving Williams to fall on Axiom for the pin at 10:42.

Rating: B. At some point you have to pull the trigger on someone new and that is what they did here with Williams. It makes things that much more interesting and I could go for seeing what he does against Mysterio. Williams has come a long, long way but at some point Lee and Axiom need to win something of their own. They’re both too good and getting such strong reactions that they almost have to try something with them. For now though, I’ll take Williams going to No Mercy.

Bronco Nima and Lucien Price, with Scrypts, arrive at the dinner and the champs make fun of Scrypts. Insults ensue and the four way title match is made.

Dominik Mysterio is ready for Trick Williams when Dragon Lee jumps him.

Carmelo Hayes is on his way to the ring when Trick Williams pops up. Hayes is proud of him and they’re both ready to win at No Mercy.

An unseen man is watching television, including the Cincinnati Bengals and WCW. Gee I wonder who that could be.

No Mercy rundown.

Here are Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes for the contract signing, with Dragunov almost hyperventilating over the sight for the belt. Hayes says there’s nothing left to say to each other so let’s just sign the deal. Dragunov talks about how Hayes is always in the wrong place at the wrong time, with Hayes saying it’s just like Dragunov at the Great American Bash.

Dragunov says Hayes took his best shot at the Bash and missed, which is why he needed the chair. Hayes talks about how being the champion isn’t about enduring pain but rather being undeniable and Him. He says that he’s different than everyone Dragunov has faced, like Wes Lee, Oro Mensah or….Trick Williams.

Dragunov knows Hayes just slipped up and signs the contract before saying Hayes can’t do anything at No Mercy. If Hayes wants to pus him to new limits, Hayes will find something he won’t forget for the rest of his life. Hayes signs as well and says the title is bigger than the two of them. He’s a beacon of hope for people who look like him. Dragunov can be champion, but he can’t do it better than Hayes.

One more thing: Dragon Lee will be guest referee for Dominik Mysterio vs. Trick Williams at No Mercy.

Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker are still fighting in the parking lot. A car is opened and Breakker’s spear hits the open door, allowing Corbin to unload on him. Breakker shrugs off a low blow and grabs a choke as the fight heads inside. They crash through the wall of Shawn Michaels’ office and security finally breaks it up to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show had one major job and that was to get me interested in No Mercy. With the show over, I’m a lot more interested in Saturday’s show than I was coming in and that makes this a big success. There were enough good matches here (along with some short ones) to get me interested and now if they can do well with a pretty stacked card, we should be in for a heck of a Saturday. Pretty awesome go home show here and I’m more into a show I didn’t care much about coming in.

Results
Butch b. Joe Coffey – Bitter End
Trick Williams b. Joe Gacy – Jumping knee
Baron Corbin b. Josh Briggs – End Of Days
Lucien Price/Bronco Nima b. Tank Ledger/Hank Walker – Assisted Alabama Slam to Ledger
Eddy Thorpe b. Dijak – Top rope elbow
Thea Hail b. Dani Palmer – Fujiwara armbar
Trick Williams b. Dragon Lee, Axiom and Tyler Bate – Williams fell on Axiom

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: September 19, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

The big story around here is Becky Lynch winning the Women’s Title over Tiffany Stratton last week. Lynch has already taken the title to Raw and it is feeling like a big deal because of the star power she brings to it. Other than that, we have about a week and a half before No Mercy and it’s time to build things up. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Becky Lynch winning the NXT Women’s Title last week.

Here is Lynch to get things going. She is glad to be here and is ready to face everyone in that women’s locker room, sending her into a list of most of the locker room, rhyming her way through the whole thing. As for Tiffany Stratton, Tiffy Time is over! The fans chant BECKY TIME (Becky approves) but here is Stratton to interrupt. The rematch is going to happen and she wants it at No Mercy on September 30.

Lynch is cool with that, but the result is going to be the same. Becky has seen people with rockets strapped to her back before but this NXT has the same feel as when she was there in the first place. After ten years, Becky still wants it more than Stratton does. Lynch thinks Stratton wants to go word for word with the Man, but how about the go punch for punch instead. The fight is on with Kiana James running in for the save. Stratton grabs a chair, which Becky takes away and clears the ring.

Tony D’Angelo and Stacks are looking over potential opponents but opt to eat instead.

Ilja Dragunov is ready for Carmelo Hayes for No Mercy and he’ll be watching tonight. Becky Lynch comes in and is ready to face Tiffany Stratton and Kiana James 2-1 tonight.

The Meta Four are watching in their lounge and are doing a Matrix impression for some reason.

Dominik Mysterio comes up to Trick Williams and seems to try to put a wedge between Williams and Carmelo Hayes. Williams doesn’t seem to fall for it.

Global Heritage Invitational Group A: Tyler Bate vs. Butch

Butch needs a pin or submission to advance while Bate advances on anything else. Butch works on the arm to start but Bate headscissors his way out of trouble. Bop and Bang is broken up with a shot to the face and Bate is rather serious. Bate hammers him into the corner and the referee has to back it up. A delayed superplex drops Butch again (with a close up camera shot being a rather nice touch) and we take a break.

Back with Butch knocking him down and firing off forearms on the mat. Bate flips away though and hits a running shooting star to the back for some unique offense. The Tyler Driver 97 is pulled into a triangle choke but Bate powers him up into a Death Valley Driver for two. Butch grabs the Tyler Driver 97 for two, followed by Bate’s Bitter End for the same. We have less than a minute to go as Bate’s Spiral Tap hits raised knees. The Bitter End gives Butch two so he loads it up again, only to piledrive Bate down for the pin instead at 11:48.

Rating: B. These two just work well together and seeing them in the same ring brings back some memories of their classics. This might not have been at that level but it was a rather good TV match and the ending took me by surprise as they were heavily teasing the draw. Heck of a match here and it’s nice to see Butch having some success.

Group A Standings
Butch – 2-0-1, 5 points, 0 matches remaining
Tyler Bate – 2-1-0, 4 points, 0 matches remaining
Axiom – 0-1-1, 1 point, 1 match remaining
Charlie Dempsey – 0-2-0, 0 points, 1 match remaining

Earlier this week, Jacy Jayne took Thea Hail shopping for some new clothes. A lot of leather is included and Jayne is impressed. We don’t see the final outfit, which is revealed next week.

Global Heritage Invitational Group B: Duke Hudson vs. Joe Coffey

Hudson needs a win to for a three way tie with Coffey and Nathan Frazer while Coffey advances with a win or a draw. Andre Chase and the rest of Gallus are here too. They trade shoulders to start with Hudson getting the better of things, setting up a running hurricanrana. Coffey is back up and runs him over, setting up a missile dropkick. All The Best For The Bells is loaded up but Hudson rolls him up for the pin at 3:48.

Rating: C. The match didn’t have time to go very far but the important thing here is we have a three way tie for the win. Odds are that sets up a triple threat at some point and we’ll have someone facing Butch, as this is a rather complicated way to set up a #1 contender for a specialty midcard title. For now though, I’ll take Hudson getting a win, which doesn’t happen often enough.

Group B Standings
Nathan Frazer – 2-1-0, 4 points, 0 matches remaining
Joe Coffey – 2-1-0, 4 points, 0 matches remaining
Duke Hudson – 2-1-0, 4 points, 0 matches remaining
Akira Tozawa – 0-3-0, 0 points, 0 matches remaining

Nathan Frazer is very happy with the result and can’t wait for the triple threat match next week. Actually it’s tonight, so he bolts off to get ready.

Mr. Stone has said that Von Wagner is “not good”.

Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice

Elektra Lopez is here with Vice. They go to the mat to start but Perez chops her in the chest and runs the rope. That’s broken up and Perez’s arm comes down hard to give Vice a target. Vice pulls her into something like a Yes Lock without the crossface. Perez fights up and hits a running dropkick into the corner, followed by the raining of the forearms. Vice goes for the arm again but Perez stacks her up with a rollup for the pin at 4:13.

Rating: C+. This was better than I was expecting as Vice was working with the submission stuff and made Perez work here. Vice is way too new to be able to beat Perez but she got close enough here and it made for a nice surprise. Now give Vice a push in the Breakout Tournament and see where it goes.

Eddy Thorpe is mad at Dijak for hurting his sacred tree so we’ll have a strap match.

Roxanne Perez, with the bad arm, comes in to see Becky Lynch and talks about not having people walk all over her anymore. Perez offers to be her partner in the main event but Lynch turns her down because of the arm injury. That’s cool with Perez.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Dominik Mysterio

Non-title. Ilja Dragunov is on commentary as Hayes sends Mysterio to the floor to start. Hayes blocks being sent into the steps and takes it back inside. The 619 is broken up as Hayes hits a superkick into a spinning faceplant. We take a break and come back with Hayes hitting a suplex cutter to put them both down. Mysterio fights back and puts Hayes down, only to miss the frog splash. They go outside where both are sent into Dragunov, though Mysterio slaps him to make it worse. Dragunov comes in and jumps them both for the double DQ at 8:32.

Rating: C+. They didn’t have much time here, especially with almost half of it being spent in the break. What mattered here was getting Dragunov involved, as he and Hayes are getting a lot more personal in a hurry. The match could absolutely deliver, as Hayes and Mysterio did here fairly well.

Post match the brawl is on but Dominik pulls Hayes in the way of the Torpedo Moscow. Dragon Lee comes in to superkick Mysterio and holds up the North American Title.

Trick Williams isn’t happy with what happened but here is Schism to talk to him about loneliness. Williams tells them to get out of here, but Joe Gacy asks why Carmelo Hayes doesn’t think much of him.

Duke Hudson isn’t sure he can win the triple threat but Andre Chase dubs him the Spoiler along with being the MVP in quite the pep talk.

There is a dice game going on outside for a very big stack of cash, with Bronco Nima and Lucien Price (thankfully with name plates) and Scrypts (unfortunately still here) cleaning up.

Hank Walker and Tank Ledger are ready to get into the Tag Team Title picture.

Global Heritage Invitational Group B: Nathan Frazer vs. Joe Coffey vs. Duke Hudson

No time limit. Frazer starts fast and Hudson is knocked down into the corner. Coffey jumps Frazer but gets knocked to the floor, leaving Hudson to faceplant Frazer for two. Frazer sends both of them to the floor for the big dive to take them out again. Back in and Hudson hits a release Rock Bottom out of the corner to plant Frazer but Coffey gives him one heck of a crotching against the post as we take a break.

We come back with Coffey knocking Hudson off the apron but getting rolled up by Frazer for two. Hudson grabs a rollup for two more on Coffey (it worked earlier), followed by the Boss Man Slam for the same. Frazer superkicks Hudson and hits a reverse DDT to Coffey/a regular DDT to Hudson. Coffey’s diving headbutt to the chest is cut off by a superkick but Hudson sends Frazer flying with a release German suplex. Hudson boots Coffey down and sends him to the floor but Frazer runs Hudson over. The phoenix splash connects but Coffey breaks it up and hits All The Best For The Bells to finish Hudson at 12:20.

Rating: B-. They kept things moving here, though having Coffey lose in his first match and then come back to win the second more or less made it feel like filler and nothing more. Coffey vs. Butch should be an interesting match, though it feels like it should be for the title itself rather than a title shot a few days later. Frazer got in his flying and Hudson felt like he was hanging in there, but Coffey was presented as the monster throughout the tournament so having him advance isn’t a big shock.

Butch comes in for the staredown.

Mustafa Ali is mad that Dragon Lee is getting a North American Title shot next week. Ali: “HOW DOES ANY OF THIS MAKE SENSE???” He is going to mess things up on Raw.

Tiffany Stratton and Kiana James are ready to work together against Becky Lynch.

Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen argue with Fallon Henley over Myles Borne’s betrayal last week. Baron Corbin comes in to mock them so Briggs stands up to him. Oddly, no match is made.

Carmelo Hayes doesn’t like Ilja Dragunov being so cocky. Next week, he’ll so Dragunov where he stands.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Becky Lynch vs. Tiffany Stratton/Kiana James

Stratton and James jump her from behind in the aisle but cue Lyra Valkyria for the save and we seem to have a new match.

Becky Lynch/Lyra Valkyria vs. Tiffany Stratton/Kiana James

We get the opening bell and Lynch rams James’ head into the buckle over and over. Stratton comes in and gets taken down by Valkyria so Lynch can add a running legdrop. Lynch’s running faceplant drops James for two and the villains are sent outside for a pair of dropkicks through the ropes as we take a break.

Back with James taking Lynch down and grabbing the chinlock. Stratton comes in but misses a handspring elbow, allowing Valkyria to get the tag and clean house. A bridging northern lights suplex gets two on James, with Stratton making the save. Everything breaks down and Lynch/Valkyria hit stereo middle rope legdrops as the villains hanging in the ropes.

Stratton breaks up Valkyria’s springboard though and James adds a powerbomb. Stratton’s Swanton gets two with Lynch making the save and hitting a springboard missile dropkick on James. The same double DDT that Nathan Frazer hit earlier takes James and Stratton down, leaving Valkyria to hit a top rope splash for the pin on James at 11:20.

Rating: B. This took some time to get going but they got to a higher level in the end. Valkyria makes sense as the backup for Lynch as she has been put into some pretty high profile spots in recent weeks. Granted she needs to actually win something to help pay that off, but maybe that comes in the form of taking the title from Lynch.

Post match Stratton chairs Lynch down. Lynch makes their No Mercy match Extreme Rules to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I’ve said it many times now but dang I love it when this show knocks out a bunch of stuff they need to cover in one show. That was on full display here, with stuff being made for No Mercy and stuff that was already made being re-enforced. This show knows how to use the time they have, though there were some moments that felt like they were just there to make the show go longer. The good was more than good enough though and it was another positive week on the way to Bakersfield.

Results
Butch b. Tyler Bate – Pumphandle driver
Duke Hudson b. Joe Coffey – Rollup
Roxanne Perez b. Lola Vice – Rollup
Carmelo Hayes vs. Dominik Mysterio went to a double disqualification when Ilja Dragunov interfered
Joe Coffey b. Nathan Frazer and Duke Hudson – All The Best For The Bells to Hudson
Becky Lynch/Lyra Valkyria b. Kiana James/Tiffany Stratton – Top rope splash to James

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

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

AND

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

NXT
Date: September 5, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We are less than a month away from No Mercy and NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes is wanting to take care of some previous issues. That could make for some interesting situations as Hayes needs a new opponent. Other than that, we still have the Global Heritage Invitational to work on this week so let’s get to it.

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

NXT Women’s Title: Kiana James vs. Tiffany Stratton

Stratton is defending and they trade some flips into an exchange of wristlocks. They trade cheating rollups for one each until Stratton takes her into the corner and stomps away. James hits a clothesline for two and the double arm crank goes on. That’s reversed into the same thing from Stratton but James is out in a hurry as well. Stereo clotheslines leave both of them down so Stratton goes for the loaded bag. James takes it away and hits the 401k for two but Stratton goes for the eyes. A knockdown into the Prettiest Moonsault Ever retains the title at 5:10.

Rating: C. This didn’t have time to go anywhere and given the teases of Stratton vs. Becky Lynch, there wasn’t much of a reason to believe that James was a serious threat. That being said, she did well in her biggest match ever and it’s nice to see NXT giving her a quick boost like this. James is talented, but they might have something special with Stratton and thankfully they seem to know that.

Post match Becky Lynch pops up on screen to say she’ll be here next week….for a shot at the Women’s Title. Well that escalated quickly.

Carmelo Hayes runs into Wes Lee in the parking lot but nothing happens.

The Creed Brothers want the Tag Team Titles back and thank Tony D’Angelo and Stacks for watching out for Ivy Nile. Malik Blade and Edris Enofe come in and seem to want the Tag Team Titles as well.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Oro Mensah

The rest of Meta Four are here too as Dragunov takes him into the corner by the arm to start. Dragunov gets taken into the corner for some elbows to the face but Dragunov kicks Mensah in the jaw. They slug it out until Dragunov misses an enziguri, allowing a superkick to put him on the floor. A suplex drops Dragunov again and we take a break. Back with Dragunov fighting up and striking away, setting up the Constantine Special. Mensah hits a kick of his own for two but Dragunov grabs a powerbomb. The Torpedo Moscow finishes Mensah at 9:47.

Rating: C+. They beat each other up here but Dragunov has a good shot at being the next #1 contender. That made this little more than a warmup match before he has the chance to get the title shot so this went as it should have. Dragunov’s mini feud with the Meta Four could be interesting and going through Mensah to start is a good way to go.

Post match here is Wes Lee to interrupt. They argue over who will get the next title shot so here is Carmelo Hayes to interrupt. Last week Hayes talked to Shawn Michaels and next week, it’s Dragunov vs. Lee for the No Mercy title shot. Well that’s efficient.

Dominik Mysterio is ready to be guest referee.

Nathan Frazer is never going to slow down.

Jacy Jayne and Thea Hail are in the back when Gigi Dolin interrupts. Blair Davenport interrupts as well and, after a lot of bickering, Hail vs. Dolin is set for tonight.

Global Heritage Invitational Group B: Nathan Frazer vs. Duke Hudson

Andre Chase is here with Hudson. Frazer picks up the pace to start but gets planted to cut him off just as fast. Hudson is knocked outside for the top rope flip dive but he plants Frazer again back inside. A Razor’s Edge is countered into a hurricanrana and Frazer hits the phoenix splash for the pin at 2:47. They didn’t have time to do anything here but Frazer gets to survive in the tournament.

Group B Standings
Joe Coffey – 1-0-0 (2 points, 2 matches remaining)
Nathan Frazer – 1-1-0 (2 points, 1 match remaining)
Duke Hudson – 1-1-0 (2 points, 1 match remaining)
Akira Tozawa – 0-1-0 (0 points, 2 matches remaining)

Hank Walker and Tank Ledger are talking to the Creeds when Lucien Price and Bronco Nima come in. Julius offers a handshake but gets ignored as they start arguing about the Tag Team Titles. Scrypts comes in to say he can relate to Price and Nima.

Tyler Bate vs. Dabba-Kato

Bate goes right after him to start but gets caught in a choke for his efforts. Kato bends him over the knee for a bit before blocking Bop and Bang. Somehow Bate manages the airplane spin and the Spiral Tap finishes Kato at 2:54. They went from slow to blazing in about a minute as Kato loses again, meaning he’ll likely be crushing people again soon.

Dominik Mysterio runs into Carmelo Hayes and nothing much is said.

An annoyed Kiana James storms into the women’s locker room and gets in a fight with Roxanne Perez.

Baron Corbin wants Bron Breakker and Von Wagner to destroy each other.

Tiffany Stratton has no comment on Becky Lynch.

Dragon Lee vs. Mustafa Ali

For the North American Title shot and North American Champion Dominik Mysterio is guest referee. Ali takes him to the mat without much trouble to start and they flip up to a standoff. A hurricanrana sends Lee into the corner but he’s right back with a legsweep into a slingshot dropkick. Ali drops him with a clothesline for two but Lee sends him outside or a heck of a suicide dive over the announcers’ table. Back in and Ali snaps off a tornado DDT for two, only to have Lee superkick him for the same. Ali misses a 450 and gets sitout powerbombed for two. Lee complains about the count so Ali grabs a rollup for a very fast three at 5:20.

Rating: B-. They got a lot in there (I’m shocked) and thankfully Dominik wasn’t a factor until the end. Now there is a problem though, as Ali really needs to win the title after this much of a buildup but taking the title off of Dominik doesn’t make sense. It was an exciting match, though the triple threat seems likely after that finish.

Post match Ali says he didn’t want it like that and drops Dominik.

Ilja Dragunov comes in to see Trick Williams and asks about Williams saying Hayes could beat him. Next week, Williams can keep lying to his best friend or himself.

Drew Gulak, Charlie Dempsey and Damon Kemp yell at Miles Borne for teaming up with Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs. They know he isn’t ready and they’ll prove it next week.

Eddy Thorpe isn’t done with Dijak.

Global Heritage Invitational Group A: Axiom vs. Butch

This could be good. Axiom takes him down into a leglock to start and Butch bails to the rope. Butch ties up the legs this time before stomping on the arm for a change. Back up and a clothesline drops Axiom and there’s the X Plex to make it worse. Axiom’s arm is bent around the rope and we take a break.

We come back with Axiom still in trouble and getting hit in the mask. Axiom manages a quick suplex but Butch pulls him into a quick triangle to cut off the comeback. Some kicks stagger Butch though and we have two minutes left (in the 12 minute time limit). A double knockdown gives them a breather but Axiom is back up with the Golden Ratio. The rope saves Butch so Axiom puts on a quickly broken double arm crank. Butch hits the Bitter End for two but time runs out at 12:00.

Rating: B. These two had a good match and was anyone expecting anything else? They are the kind of guys who can have a good match with anyone and it’s great to see them getting some time. I like the time limit draw here too, as it plays into the tournament scoring while also protecting both of them from a loss. Best match of the night too.

Group A Standings
Butch – 1-0-1 (3 points, 1 match remaining)
Axiom – 0-0-1 (1 point, 2 matches remaining)
Tyler Bate – 0-0-0 (0 points, 3 matches remaining)
Charlie Dempsey – 0-1-0 (0 points, 2 matches remaining)

Post match Tyler Bate comes out to smile at both of them.

Von Wagner talks to a table in rather affectionate terms.

Tony D’Angelo and Stacks are worried about some of the challengers they might face but here are Los Lotharios to interrupt. Words, and then punches, are exchanged.

Gigi Dolin vs. Thea Hail

Jacy is here with Hail, who is dressed a bit darker. Dolin shoulders her to start and gets two off a backslide. The running hip attack misses though and Hail hits a running splash in the corner. Dolin can’t get the abdominal stretch so Hail jumps up with a Kimura. The rope is reached and they head outside, where Dolin gets in a posting. Cue Blair Davenport for a distraction though and another Kimura finishes Dolin at 3:37.

Rating: C. They were starting to get something together here with the submissions and counters but there is only so much you can do with about three and a half minutes. I can go with the idea of a darker Hail, as the nearly psychotic student was only going to go on for so long. A big reunion with Chase U down the line could be great, but for now Hail is using this to grow and that is a good thing.

The Creeds’ locker room is trashed but it feels good to be back.

Lyra Valkyria and Kelani Jordan chat until Dana Brooke interrupts. Brooke wants Valkyria gone and bickering ensues.

Tiffany Stratton is ready to say she isn’t worried about losing the Women’s Title to Becky Lynch.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Von Wagner vs. Bron Breakker

No DQ, Mr. Stone is here with Wagner and Baron Corbin is on commentary. They start fast with Breakker Cactus Clotheslining him to the floor. Breakker is sent over the announcers’ table and the fight goes around the ring. Back up and Breakker gets in a chair shot as we take a break.

We come back with Breakker hammering away and hitting Wagner with a kendo stick. Wagner blocks another swing though, only to have Breakker hit him with a hard clothesline for two. We hit the waistlock but Wagner powers him into the corner and comes back with a sitout powerbomb for two more. A fireman’s carry doesn’t work for Wagner as the ribs give out so Breakker hits the Steiner Bulldog onto a chair.

The Recliner is broken up so they trade clotheslines but can’t knock each other down. Breakker misses a charge into the corner and Wagner hits a chokeslam for two. They go outside with Wagner sending him through the platform. Wagner hits the powerbomb through the announcers’ table but Breakker hits him low back inside. The spear finishes Wagner at 13:31.

Rating: B-. This was more of a wild brawl but a lot of what Wagner did was shrugged off before the spear for the pin. That’s a weird way to go but at the same time, Breakker is still above Wagner on the NXT food chain and it’s too early for Wagner to be getting this kind of a win. Or at least until he drops the “you got tabled/table for one” nonsense.

Post match Breakker grabs the steps and puts Wagner’s head on the other half. Breakker lifts them up and slams them down but we cut to black before the crash. Corbin can be heard yelling something like “HE ACTUALLY DID IT” to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Kind of a strange show this week as they did a lot but a good bit of it isn’t overly important. They set up a North American Title match at No Mercy but there is bound to be some kind of shenanigans in there. The NXT Title match will be set up next week, along with Stratton vs. Lynch. Instead of doing much here, this was more about setting up the future, which makes for an important but not quite interesting show.

Results
Tiffany Stratton b. Kiana James – Prettiest Moonsault Ever
Ilja Dragunov b. Oro Mensah – Torpedo Moscow
Nathan Frazer b. Duke Hudson – Phoenix splash
Tyler Bate b. Dabba-Kato – Spiral Tap
Mustafa Ali b. Dragon Lee – Rollup with a fast count
Butch vs. Axiom went to a time limit draw
Thea Hail b. Gigi Dolin – Kimura
Bron Breakker b. Von Wagner – Spear

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

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AND

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NXT
Date: August 29, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re done with Heatwave and about a month away from No Mercy. Carmelo Hayes has retained the NXT Title and seems likely to be facing Ilja Dragunov next. For now though, we have a cage match between the Creeds and Schism for the Creeds’ chance to return full time. That would be one of two cage matches in four days this week because WWE likes to do things a lot. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt.

We open with a long recap of Heatwave.

Dyad vs. Creed Brothers

In a cage and if the Creeds win, they’re back in NXT full time. Schism jumps Brutus outside the cage and take him to the back, leaving Julius down 2-1. Julius suplexes his way out of trouble but gets caught with a double clothesline. Some ankle locks slow the Dyad down but they send him face first into the cage as we take a break.

Back with Julius still in trouble but here is Brutus to charge through the rest of the masked Schism members. With nothing else stopping him, Brutus rips the cage door off and gets inside to beat up the Dyad without much trouble. The door is used to crush Dyad against the cage and Fowler gets gorilla pressed into the wall.

What looks to be a Doomsday Device is broken up and Julius is sent into the cage again. Some cage shots to Brutus keep him down until Julius makes the save. Julius lifts both of them onto his shoulders at once for a Brutus Bomb in a very impressive power display. The beatdown is on in a hurry and stereo sliding lariats finish the Dyad at 13:45.

Rating: B-. This was more of a fight than a match and that is what it should have been. There is something amazing about watching the Creeds run through other, possibly more talented teams, with pure power and athleticism. Both of them can just wreck people and it is all kinds of fun to watch every time they’re out there. Just get them something else to do already so they can move up to the main roster.

Roxanne Perez is ready to become #1 contender.

We get a rather well produced video looking over the Global Heritage Cup Invitational. It’s a round robin tournament, set up as two groups of four with the winners facing off for a future title shot. All group matches have a 12 minute time limit and it’s two points for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. These matches are NOT under the rounds system.

Tony D’Angelo and Stacks are admiring their titles in the back when Carmelo Hayes comes in to brag with them. The Street Profits come in and show respect to Hayes, while mentioning a blemish on his record. Hayes is ready to get rid of it while the Profits….are interrupted by a brawl between Dana Brooke, Elektra Lopez, Lola Vice and Kelani Jordan.

Global Heritage Invitational Group A: Charlie Dempsey vs. Butch

Drew Gulak and Damon Kemp are here with the Meta Four watching from a box. Dempsey suplexes Butch down to start as the fans are on Butch’s side. They stay on the mat to trade control over the other’s hands. Back up and Butch knocks him down for some forearms to the face. Dempsey’s German suplex gets two but Butch pulls him into an armbar. Butch snaps the fingers again and it’s the Bitter End for the pin at 4:52.

Rating: C+. This was your technical match of the night and my goodness it’s nice to see Butch being like Pete Dunne but under a different name. He has a history in NXT and it is great to see him going back to what made him one of the best things in wrestling for a long time. Dempsey is rather good as well, but he’s not Butch yet and it showed here.

Group A Standings
Butch – 1-0-0 (3 points)
Tyler Bate – 0-0-0 (0 points)
Axiom – 0-0-0 (0 points)
Charlie Dempsey – 0-1-0 (0 points)

Dragon Lee thinks he deserves a North American Title shot but Mustafa Ali comes in to say he’s never had a one on one title shot. People like he and Lee should be fighting for NXT…but Lee already struck out so it’s Ali’s turn now. Lee doesn’t seem to agree as Ali leaves.

Here is Ilja Dragunov to praise Trick Williams for last week. Williams left it all in the ring and proved that he is NOT a sidekick. Dragunov was impressed but now he wants Carmelo Hayes. Hold on though as Noam Dar interrupts from the box to say they’re already on the way to California for No Mercy. Dragunov says it’s very Dar-esque to put the attention on himself and laughs off Oro Mensah’s childish insults.

Dragunov wants to know why he isn’t coming up there right now. Lash Legend says Dar isn’t afraid of anyone so Dragunov takes off the jacket. The Meta Four freaks out so Dar says let’s do this next week: Mensah vs. Dragunov. Works for Dragunov, who kicks Mensah in the head and sends him bailing at the threat of the Torpedo.

Von Wagner wants Bron Breakker, No DQ.

Lola Vice/Elektra Lopez vs. Kelani Jordan/Dana Brooke

Lopez powers Jordan down to start and it’s off to Vice for a double hip attack to the head. Vice’s spinning backfist gets two but Jordan kicks her way out of trouble. Brooke flips Jordan onto Lopez for two as everything breaks down. A spinning kick to the head finishes Jordan at 4:01.

Rating: D+. As usual, Dana Brooke matches aren’t very good and it shouldn’t be a surprise anymore. Jordan is still brand new at this and still has a long way to go. Then you have Lopez, who feels like she should be a star but never really broke out. Finally there is Vice, and she has something. There is a presence to go with her charisma and that could get her a long way.

Gigi Dolin is ready to become #1 contender.

Trick Williams talks to Carmelo Hayes, who doesn’t like people thinking Williams got him the win over Ilja Dragunov. Now Hayes has to fight Dragunov one on one but Williams isn’t sure if Hayes can beat him. Hayes isn’t happy, but as he leaves, Williams says “I know you can”, though Hayes doesn’t seem to hear him.

Dijak vs. Eddy Thorpe

Eddy starts the fight in the aisle and hits a running boot in the corner for two. A suplex gets the same on Dijak but he’s right back with High Justice for two. They’re both knocked down so Dijak pulls off his belt and the tug of war is on. Thorpe sends him shoulder first into the post but gets tossed hard over the announcers’ table for the big crash. Dijak misses a chair shot in the corner so Eddy him outside. The referee takes the chair away and Dijak gets in a belt shot. The cyclone boot finishes Eddy at 4:15.

Rating: C. These two had a hard hitting match but they seem to be stuck in the purgatory that is the NXT midcard. Either of them could move up to the next level without much of a stretch but for now, they’re more people just trading wins without going anywhere. Why aren’t either of them in the North American Title hunt? Or even the Heritage stuff?

Kiana James is ready to become #1 contender.

Bron Breakker interrupts Baron Corbin and tells him to stay out of the No DQ match with Von Wagner next week.

Angel Garza wakes up with blood on his hands. After he washes it off, Humberto Carrillo knocks on the door and says he had a dream about their grandfather. They seem to have had the same dream, with Garza scratching his chest until he bled. Carrillo reveals that he did the same thing, which means they have to start from….scratch. They pull out a Los Lotharios shirt and seem to be on the same page.

Bray Wyatt tribute video.

Blair Davenport is ready to become #1 contender.

Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio aren’t impressed by Dragon Lee. Mysterio says he belongs to Mami and Ripley promises to make him champ for life. Lee and Mustafa Ali can even fight each other for a North American Title shot at No Mercy. Dominik will even be guest referee!

Global Heritage Invitational Group B: Nathan Frazer vs. Joe Coffey

The rest of Gallus is at ringside. Frazer works on the arm to start but Frazer seems to accidentally slam his head against the top rope (I’ve never seen that before) so Coffey slams him down. The referee checks on Frazer as fast as he can but Frazer is fine enough to grab a headlock. Coffey powers him into the corner but gets knocked to the apron. A dropkick sends Frazer outside and we take a break.

Back with Frazer firing off a bunch of running forearms into a swinging suplex for two. Coffey cuts him off with a pop up uppercut into a bridging German suplex for two more. Frazer is fine enough to send him outside for a heck of a dive (which barely makes contact). The frog splash gets two back inside but Frazer misses a phoenix splash. A Gallus distraction lets All The Best for The Bells finish for Coffey at 10:00.

Rating: C+. If Frazer is going to be getting the title shot against Dar at the end of this whole thing, they are already building him up for quite the underdog run. Other than that though, we had another good enough match, with Coffey getting something of an upset win. Frazer continues to be a fireball every time he’s out there though and that is always fun to see.

Group B Standings
Joe Coffey – 1-0-0 (3 points)
Akira Tozawa – 0-0-0 (0 points)
Duke Hudson – 0-0-0 (0 points)
Nathan Frazer – 0-1-0 (0 points)

We’re off to Chase U, where there is no Thea Hail. Duke Hudson doesn’t know where she is but can’t imagine she skipped class. Chase recognized Duke Hudson for being in the Global Heritage Invitational. Chase didn’t know that Hudson was from Australia, thinking it was New Zealand. Hudson seems surprised at the round robin structure. Class is dismissed and Hudson and Chase talk about the tournament. Thea Hail comes in and seems to imply she skipped class. Hudson says they’re off to Study Hall but Hail says she’s going out. Jacy Jayne pops in to ask if Hail is ready and they leave together. Oh dear.

Fallon Henley talks to Myles Borne, who is cleaning the ring after Drew Gulak and company. She offers him a spot on a team with Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, so he’s in.

Wes Lee is in the desert and says he wants another shot at Carmelo Hayes, who didn’t beat him as Lee beat himself. It’s different the next time he gets a chance.

Tyler Bate sizes up the competition in his group but seems to think twice at Butch. As for next week though, he’s going to be waiting in the ring for Dabba-Kato, so come be the Goliath to his David.

Roxanne Perez vs. Gigi Dolin vs. Kiana James vs. Blair Davenport

One fall to a finish and the winner gets a Women’s Title shot next week. Dolin and James fight to the floor to start, leaving Davenport to forearm Perez down. Back in and they trade rollups for two each Everyone stares at each other. Dolin plants Perez on the apron and whips James into the barricade. Davenport takes Dolin down but James moonsaults off the barricade to drop Davenport, only to get taken down by Perez’s dive.

We take a break and come back with Perez getting the worst of a Tower Of Doom. The lack of impact leaves Dolin to hit running charges and dropkicks against the ropes until Perez fights up. Pop Rox is broken up by a James dropkick but Davenport plants Perez or two. Dolin gets two off a half and half suplex and everyone is down (including James on the floor). Perez is back up with Pop Rox to Davenport but she rolls out to the floor. James is back in with the 401k to Perez, followed by the Dealbreaker to Dolin for the pin and the title shot at 11:39.

Rating: B-. This was a better match that I was expecting as they were moving well out there and kept up the action throughout. James kind of stole the win but she did it by taking out two people in a row. That’s an impressive way to get the title shot and it’s nice to see her get a boost. The women’s division can use some fresh blood so even a short shot of James is a good idea.

Tiffany Stratton comes out for the staredown with James.

Carmelo Hayes is watching Wes Lee’s promo and goes into Shawn Michaels’ office, saying they need to talk to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Another fine show here, even if it was more about setting things up than last week’s show with a bunch of showdowns. They have about a month before No Mercy and they started fast here, though that tournament sounds long (I can however go for something other than another single elimination format). This wasn’t exactly a must see show, but it started to set things up in the right time.

Results
Creed Brothers b. Dyad – Double sliding lariats
Butch b. Charlie Dempsey – Spinning kick to the head
Lola Vice/Elektra Lopez b. Dana Brooke/Kelani Jordan – Spinning kick to the head to Jordan
Dijak b. Eddy Thorpe – Cyclone boot
Joe Coffey b. Nathan Frazer – All The Best For The Bells
Kiana James b. Gigi Dolin, Roxanne Perez and Blair Davenport – Dealbreaker to Dolin

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

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

AND

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

NXT
Date: August 22, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

It’s time for another special with Heatwave, which will be our big time TV show for August. That includes Carmelo Hayes defending the NXT Title against Wes Lee, plus a Trick Williams vs. Ilja Dragunov showdown. NXT has had some success with these bigger shows so maybe they can continue it here. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening sequence features Tony D’Angelo and Stacks in a pool, talking about the matches tonight. Big Ang comes in with some of her friends to join in and the guys think the more the merrier. More previewing ensues, with Stacks getting a bit distracted.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Trick Williams

This is the more serious Williams and they start fast with a strike off. Dragunov gets the better of things by chopping him around the ring until Williams blocks a boot. Williams gets in a shot to the face of his own and they head outside, where Dragunov sends him into the apron. We take a break and come back with Dragunov chopping away in the corner, with Williams telling him to bring it.

Dragunov does bring it, and seems to regret that decision. Williams blocks a chop and kicks him down though and the fans seem to approve. Some shots to the face strike Dragunov down against the ropes but he tells Williams to bring it on. Fans, seemingly singing: “TRICK’S GONNA BEAT YOUR A**!”

One heck of a knee puts Dragunov down again but he pulls Williams into a DDT. Back up and Williams catches him with a super Rock Bottom (that was cool) for two of his own. Dragunov knees him down and hits a powerbomb as the fans are WAY into this. The middle rope fist drop finally finishes Williams at 12:49.

Rating: B. This wasn’t so much about the technical side of things but rather two guys beating the fire out of each other as the fans got into it. If that crowd reaction is any indication of what they are going to do with Williams, his future just got a heck of a lot brighter in a hurry. Williams has a charisma to him and enough in-ring ability to back it up. He wasn’t ready to beat a star like Dragunov here, but they beat each other up really well on the way to the loss.

Tyler Bate is trying to recover from his Dabba Kato beating last week when Nathan Frazer comes in. Bate is ready to see Frazer show he’s the true Heritage Cup Champion, but Frazer would like him to be his second tonight. And yes, Bate will get the first shot after Dar is vanquished. Deal.

Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley are warming up for their mixed tag tonight when Mustafa Ali comes in. Ali can’t wait for Dominik to be gone so the North American Title can be free but Ripley threatens violence if Ali isn’t gone in ten seconds. Ali: “Ten seconds? Sounds like something you guys are used to.”

Ava vs. Ivy Nile

Schism is here with Ava, who sends her into the corner for a running splash to start. A scorpion kick puts Nile down again but a slam attempt is countered into the Diamond Chain Lock to make Ava tap at 2:11.

Post match the masked Schism members come after Nile, who fights them all off until Ava is pulled away.

A banged up Ilja Dragunov comes in to see Wes Lee, saying he is next for the NXT Title. Lee says he’ll be champion at the end of the night and he’ll face Dragunov after he wins the title.

Heritage Cup: Noam Dar vs. Nathan Frazer

Frazer, with Tyler Bate, is defending while the rest of the Meta Four are here too. This is of course under Heritage Cup rules so round one begins with Frazer working on the arm. Dar takes him down into an armbar of his own but Frazer reverses into a headlock as they stay basic to start. Some kicks to the ribs have Frazer staggered a bit but he rolls Dar up for two. Back up and they both miss a few shots, allowing Dar to get in a slap to the face. Frazer hammers away until the round ends and we take a break.

Back with Dar up 1-0 as Dabba Kato came out to attack Bate, allowing Dar to roll him up for the fall. Round three begins with Bate being carried out and Frazer grabbing an STF on Dar. With that broken up, Dar gets in a shot of his own and counters an enziguri into an ankle lock. Frazer breaks that up and sends Dar outside for a suicide dive. A running shooting star press gives Frazer two as the round ends, though Dar gets in an elbow after the bell.

Round four begins with Frazer kicking him down but missing the phoenix splash. Dar elbows him in the face again for two but Frazer catches him on top with a superplex. The Final Cut ties us up at 1-1 at 1:45 of the round and 12:25 overall. We take a break and come back with Frazer hitting a dive onto Dar but Lash Legend slows the count down. Frazer gets a very close two as the round ends.

Round six begins with Frazer forearming him down but Dar gets in some kicks from the mat. Frazer misses a kick in the ropes and gets struck down, only to have Dar miss a top rope stomp. Dar counters a kick into the kneebar but Frazer kicks his way out as we have a minute to go. Frazer goes up top but another distraction means the phoenix splash misses. The Nova Roller gives Dar the cup back at 2:45 of the round and 19;41 overall.

Rating: B-. These matches do have a unique feeling with the rounds, but when you miss most of two of those rounds, the special part kind of goes away. Other than that, this was a back and forth match, though Dar getting the Cup back is a bit depressing. He’s great in the role, but we’ve seen it for so long that it stops being so fun.

Ava says Ivy Nile tried to hurt her but couldn’t do it. If she wants to try again, come give it a shot.

Here is Tiffany Stratton to say it is the end of a hot summer. She won the Women’s Title and now the fall is going to get even better. She’s already a perfect champion so how much better can it get? Bayley promises to be a better champion than anyone in NXT history, including Becky Lynch (who never won the NXT Women’s Title).

Cue Gigi Dolin to say she wants the title. Cue Kiana James to say she wants the title. Cue Blair Davenport to say she wants the title. Insults are hurled and Tiffany tries to leave but cue Roxanne Perez to hit Tiffany in the face. The brawl is on with Tiffany leaving. This was every horrible “HEY, WHAT ABOUT ME” parade style promo you could ask for and that is not a good thing in any way.

Charlie Dempsey and Damon Kemp are training when Miles Borne comes in to talk to Drew Gulak. Borne has done his chores but Dempsey chokes him from behind. Despite Borne tapping, Gulak says Borne needs to work harder.

Ava is still waiting on Ivy Nile. Cue Ivy, with Ava telling the masked men to take her out. They unmask as the Creeds, who say that if Schism wants Ava back, the Dyad has to face them next week. In a cage, and if the Creeds win, they’re back in NXT.

The Meta Four are celebrating Noam Dar’s win when he is presented with a letter from the Heritage Cup committee. Next week, a #1 contenders tournament begins to find his new challenger for No Mercy. All Dar hears is he isn’t defending for five weeks so they’re off to California!

Judgment Day vs. Lyra Valkyria/Dragon lee

Lee and Dominik start things off with Dominik hammering away before they trade standing switches. Lee hits a dropkick so it’s off to Ripley vs. Valkyria, with the latter jumping up or a headlock. Ripley powers her down but gets kicked from the mat before the threat of a roundhouse kick sends Ripley running. Valkyria slips out of a suplex attempt and strikes away before it’s back to the men, with Lee kicking Dominik in the head. Judgment Day is sent outside for a dropkick through the ropes and a dive as we take a break.

Back with Ripley holding Valkyria in a bodyscissors and screaming a lot. Valkyria manages to turn it over and fires off forearms so Ripley suplexes her down. Ripley tries it again but this time it’s reversed into a DDT for a breather. The roundhouse kick connects for Valkyria but Ripley is knocked into the corner for a tag.

Lee drapes him over the top for a double stomp to the back and a near fall. Dominik misses a 619 attempt and gets planted with a sitout powerbomb for two. Valkyria’s hurricanrana off the apron is pulled out of the air but cue Raquel Rodriguez to go after Ripley. The distraction lets Lee hit a flipping reverse DDT for the pin at 14:05.

Rating: B-. Another good match on the show as Judgment Day continues to feel like the biggest stars anywhere when they’re around. Dominik oddly gets more heat out of being North American Champion on the main roster shows but around here he plays it a bit more seriously, which is quite the change. Lee is all but guaranteed the next title shot and that should make for a solid showdown, with a title change feeling a bit more likely than last time. Throw in Valkyria doing well enough against Ripley and this was a nice use of TV time.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams have a reunion and are all ok with each other.

Tiffany Stratton has gotten all the mentions and no, Becky Lynch was never NXT Women’s Champion. As for the other four, they’re in a four way match for a future title shot.

We look back at Thea Hail losing last week due to Andre Chase’s mistake.

Hail rants about how Chase cost her when Jacy Jayne came in to say Hail has improved a lot in the last year. Jayne talks about how everyone has been let down before, but people like them always get through it.

Von Wagner vs. Baron Corbin

Corbin jumps him during the entrance and sends Wagner (with Mr. Stone) into the steps. Wagner gets in a few shots but is sent into the steps again and it’s time to load up the announcers’ table. Stone tries to make a save, allowing Wagner to get up…and get speared down by Bron Breakker. No match.

Schism is down to face the Creeds, as long as they get Ava back.

Dijak is ready to hurt Eddy Thorpe.

Becky Lynch has sent out a tweet saying she has never been NXT Women’s Champion. Yet.

NXT Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Wes Lee

Hayes is defending. They flip around a bit to start and then bounce back to their feet for a standoff. Lee takes him down for a fast two before they trade dropkicks into nipups. A double knockdown sends us to a break as they’re mostly mirroring each other to start. We come back with things having slowed down a bit and Hayes hitting an enziguri into the corner. The Fade Away connects for Hayes and they’re both down again.

They slug it out until Hayes drops him for two, with some frustration setting in. Back up and Lee hits a standing Meteora for two, followed by Spiral Tap for two more. Hayes counters the Cardiac Kick into a suplex cutter though and Lee gets planted for two more. They head outside with Hayes DDTing him through the announcers’ table. Nothing But Net misses back inside though and Lee hits the Cardiac Kick, only to have Hayes roll outside. Lee misses a big dive and barely beats the count, leaving Hayes to hit Nothing But Net to retain at 12:08.

Rating: B-. Hayes is a weird case as champion as he does all the things that make him feel like a star but his matches rarely hit that higher level. That was on display here as the match was good, but it wasn’t anything close to great. What matters is Lee got the chance and the ending, with him going a bit too far, could open him up for a rematch. Ilja Dragunov seems to be next for Hayes though and that should be a showdown.

Overall Rating: B. This definitely felt like a big show and the card was rather stacked. What matters here is getting things out of the way so the road to No Mercy can start up next week. The opener was the best match of the show and the rest were good enough, along with stories being set up for the future. That’s a well done two hour special and I had a good time throughout the whole thing.

Results
Ilja Dragunov b. Trick Williams – Middle rope fist drop
Ivy Nile b. Ava – Diamond Chain Lock
Noam Dar b. Nathan Frazer 2-1
Dragon Lee/Lyra Valkyria b. Judgment Day – Flipping reverse DDT to Mysterio
Carmelo Hayes b. Wes Lee – Nothing But Net

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

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AND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blair Davenport vs. Dana Brooke

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

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

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

Trick Williams vs. Drew Gulak

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dijak vs. Wes Lee

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joe Coffey vs. Tyler Bate

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

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

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

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

Jacy Jayne vs. Thea Hail

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

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

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

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

Tiffany Stratton is back next week.

Heatwave rundown.

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

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

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

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

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

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AND

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NXT
Date: August 8, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

The long road to No Mercy is on but there are probably going to be a bunch of big time matches before we get there. A month and a half is too long to build up the card so odds are we’ll blow through some stuff over the next few weeks. That includes tonight’s North American Title match with Rey Mysterio here as a special guest. Let’s get to it.

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

Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio are ready to prove how great Dominik is.

Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee are ready to show that Lee is the future of lucha libre.

Mustafa Ali vs. Axiom

This is over Ali trying to jump over Axiom to get a North American Title shot and feeling disrespected. Booker tries to make it into some complicated thing and Vic, apparently not in the mood tonight, wastes no time in asking what the heck Booker is talking about. They run the ropes to start until Ali runs him over. Back up and Axiom sends him outside for a dive over the announcers’ table, with Booker managing to stay on his feet.

Back inside and here is Scrypts to watch as Axiom is shoved off the top for a flip into a clothesline to drop Axiom. Cue Bronco Nima and Lucien Price as Ali reverses a suplex into a Jackhammer of all things. Axiom snaps off a Canadian Destroyer to send Ali rolling outside, where a huge springboard moonsault connects.

Hold on though as Axiom comes up holding his knee but he’s fine enough to avoid a 450 back inside. A tornado DDT plants Ali but he counters a cross armbreaker into a Sharpshooter. With that broken up, Axiom hits a springboard moonsault DDT and they’re both down again. Axiom goes up but Ali goes the mask and sends him crashing to the floor. The 450 gives Ali the pin at 10:07.

Rating: B-. Good action, as you would expect from these two as Ali moves forward to a likely North American Title shot, but WOW they need to drop this Scrypts stuff. He isn’t interesting, he looks tiny and they can barely decide what his name is, let alone giving us a reason to care about him. Just let Axiom go have good matches with people and stop trying to make Scrypts a thing.

Post match Ali says he’s next in line for the North American Title.

Schism promises to find the Creed Brothers, and proceed to destroy Ikemen Jiro.

Kelani Jordan vs. Blair Davenport

This is the result of Dana Brooke, here at ringside, wanting Jordan to do something so she called Davenport out. Jordan starts fast and can’t quite snap off a springboard hurricanrana. Davenport takes her into the corner and hammers away, with Dana’s coaching not really working. Jordan fights up but gets knocked out of the corner, allowing Davenport to stomp her in the back. A hard knee to the face finishes Jordan at 3:27.

Rating: C. Speaking of things that aren’t working, Dana Brooke is up there on the list. It’s a fine story of a veteran trying to push a newcomer to the next level, but at the end of the day, that veteran is Dana Brooke. She has always tried and seemed to be getting better at times, but this is not the right role for her and there isn’t much of a way around that.

Post match Dana chases Davenport off with a belt but nearly hits Jordan with it, earning Dana a glare.

Von Wagner is ready for Bron Breakker and threatens to put him in a table.

Tyler Bate vs. Noam Dar

This is for Dar’s unofficial Heritage Cup and therefore under Heritage Cup rules with the rest of the Meta Four at ringside. Round one begins with a fight over wrist control and go to the mat with neither being able to get the better of things. Back up and Bop and Bang doesn’t work for Bate so they clothesline each other and pop up for a glare. More fighting against the ropes ends the round with neither having much of an advantage.

Round two begins with Bate taking Dar down but having to clothesline Mensah off the apron. A big dive hits Dar on the floor and the Tyler Driver 97 finishes Dar at 43 seconds of the round and 4:15 overall to put Bate up 1-0. We take a break and come back with Bate missing what looked to be a dropkick off the top, banging up his knee in the process as round three ends.

Round four begins with Bate running him over for a rather close two. Dar is right back up and hits a spinning elbow for two before grabbing the kneebar. Bate stacks him up for two so Dar grabs the hold again until Bate taps at 2:20 of the round and 11:01 overall, tying it up 1-1. Round five begins with Bate unloading on one leg but Dar pulls him back into the kneebar. That’s broken up and Bate hits a German suplex before a small package gives Bate two. The Tyler Driver 97 is countered so Bate rolls him up for the pin at 2:13 of the round and 13:33 overall to win 2-1.

Rating: C+. I was expecting Dar to retain via cheating so well done on a bit of a surprise. I’m still not much of a Heritage Cup fan and the Meta Four do very little for me, but Dar has gone from all time levels of annoying to moderately interesting, so there is some growth there. It’s also nice to see Bate get a win, as he hasn’t been in the ring much lately.

Tank Ledger and Hank Walker name themselves Smash Mouth before being beaten down by Schism, who is still looking for the Creed Brothers.

Dijak comes in to Carmelo Hayes’ locker room and wants a title shot. Wes Lee comes in and wants a shot too but Dijak doesn’t like that. They argue as Hayes leaves, with Dijak sucker punching Lee and sending him into a locker.

Here is Ilja Dragunov to call out Trick Williams. Cue Williams, to say he has something to say, which is too far for Dragunov. He doesn’t want to hear from Williams after the Great American Bash, but Williams says Dragunov ran into the title rather than Williams hitting him with it. The challenge is on for a match because Williams wants to show he can back everything up because he isn’t a sidekick. Dragunov says be careful what you ask for because he won’t hold back and will break Williams. Williams says they’re on for two weeks at Heatwave. Dragunov is going to kill him, but Williams should put up a good fight.

Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey think Tank Ledger and Hank Walker are cowards for backing out of their match due to injury. Damon Kemp comes in to say he’s their man if they are looking for toughness. That’s just one, so here are Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen to say they’re tough. A tag match is made.

Bron Breakker is ready for Von Wagner.

Rey Mysterio gives Roxanne Perez a pep talk and is impressed with her. Thea Hail comes in and is a nervous wreck to meet him. Rey praises the heart he sees in the ring with her and she seems amazes. Thea asks if he still loves Dominik, which Rey says he does, even if things aren’t great right now. Rey leaves and Chase U comes in to say that was Rey Mysterio, Hall of Famer! Thea: “I know. And unlike you, he wouldn’t throw in the towel!” YOWZA that was cold.

Von Wagner vs. Bron Breakker

Mr. Stone is here with Wagner, who powers Breakker into the corner to start but Breakker runs him over with a clothesline. Breakker drops him again and hits a standing moonsault (or most of it) for two. Back up and a double clothesline leaves both of them down again for a breather. Wagner gets up and hits a running big boot but the fans want tables. Breakker doesn’t mind and hits a spear for the pin at 5:11.

Rating: C+. Nice power match here and they went the right way with the far more established Breakker winning, but please stop with the table stuff. It’s bad enough to have the fans chant for them in every weapons based match and I really don’t want to hear about them every time Wagner is out there at all. They’ve been done to death so many times that they’re probably eligible to be put on trial as a serial killer and those chants can take over a match way too fast. Find something else for Wagner to use as a thing please, before it gets even worse.

Post match Breakker goes after Stone but Wagner powerbombs him through a table.

Eddy Thorpe talks about the spirit he was given to fight for his people but Dijak has taken him out more than once. Now he has to take responsibility to refocus and readjust.

Lyra Valkyria interrupts Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio, but she accuses Ripley of manipulating people. Ripley doesn’t like being accused of helping Dominik retain the title, so Valkyria challenges her to not be in Dominik’s corner tonight.

Schism asks Tony D’Angelo and Stacks about the Creed Brothers but tease coming after the Tag Team Titles instead.

Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen vs. Drew Gulak/Charlie Dempsey

Fallon Henley is here with Briggs and Jensen. Gulak backs Jensen into the corner to start but charges into a boot to the face. An elbow misses for Jensen though and it’s Dempsey coming in for a headlock takeover. Cue Myles Borne to be in Gulak/Dempsey’s corner but since he doesn’t have water, Gulak sends him away. Briggs comes in to slam Dempsey and drops an elbow for two.

It’s back to Gulak, who is quickly taken into the wrong corner, with Briggs sending him flying off a slam. Briggs and Jensen drop Gulak but it’s Dempsey gets the tag anyway and twists Briggs’ arm over the ropes. Dempsey cranks on the arm, with Vic saying he has a regal approach to this kind of thing. Briggs fights up and brings Jensen back in as everything breaks down. Cue Damon Kemp to suplex Jensen, allowing Dempsey to snap off a dragon suplex and pin Jensen at 5:46.

Rating: C+ Briggs and Jensen have kind of fallen off the face of the planet since the Henley/Kiana James deal ended and that’s a shame as they aren’t a bad team most of the time. That being said, I do like Kemp being added to Gulak/Dempsey. They fit well together and that could be a nice three man team going forward.

Dana Brooke wants to know what that was from Kelani Jordan, but Jordan doesn’t know what her killer instinct looks like. Brooke will show her next week when she faces Blair Davenport. This really isn’t working as it’s still just Dana Brooke.

Ivy Nile vs. Kiana James

Before the match, James promises to tap into her wild side. James jumps her before the bell and takes it outside, with Nile getting posted and suplexed. Back in and we hit the armbar as we take a break. We come back with Schism surrounding the ring and rhythmically slapping the mat. Nile fights up but charges into a boot in the corner, allowing James to hit the spinebuster. A Fujiwara armbar has Nile in more trouble but she’s back with a powerslam. Schism offers a distraction though and a knee to the back of the head finishes Nile at 7:41.

Rating: C. Yay more Schism, as this one angle has been on TV four times tonight. I still do not get what NXT sees in these guys but they don’t seem to be going away anytime soon. At least they’ve mainly been portrayed as a bit more unhinged this week, as they have been the lamest cult in a long time. As for the match, James being more aggressive is good but they still need to find a way to make her stand out more. Nile continues to feel like a missed opportunity and could be something, provided she doesn’t have to talk.

Post match Schism gets in the ring but Tony D’Angelo and Stacks run in with crowbars for the save.

Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo text each other about how they’re a joke now but want to honor their grandfather. A reunion is teased.

Tyler Bate is polishing up his new Heritage Cup when the Meta Four come in to say Noam Dar needs it back for emotional support. Nathan Frazer comes in with his own cup and says they’re a Spider-Man meme. They argue over which cup is real and the result is Dar getting his cup back AND a shot at the real thing at Heatwave. Frazer to Bate: “I owe you one?” Bate: “Yep.”

Tiffany Stratton is asked what’s next for her but talks about clothes instead of the title.

Trick Williams runs into Wes Lee in the parking lot and is told to tell Carmelo Hayes to be ready. Williams tells Lee to tell him himself but Lee drives away. Drew Gulak and company show up to mock Williams and then tell Myles Borne he’s late again.

Here’s what’s coming on upcoming shows.

North American Title: Dragon Lee vs. Dominik Mysterio

Dominik, with Rhea Ripley, is defending and Rey Mysterio, who handles Lee’s entrance, is in Lee’s corner. Lee knocks him into the corner to start and hits the slingshot dropkick to send Dominik outside. The fight with Rey is teased and we take a break. Back with Dominik taunting Rey and grabbing a chinlock. Three Amigos hit Lee and Dominik hammers away with right hands.

Dominik goes for the mask, which fires up Lee to start the comeback. Lee knocks him outside for a big dive but Dominik grabs a neckbreaker for two back inside. They trade shots to the face until Dominik hits a 619. The frog splash hits raised knees though and the powerbomb gets two. Rhea slides in the North American Title but Rey takes it away. That’s enough for Rhea to hit Lee with the Women’s Title, allowing Dominik to hit a Michinoku Driver to retain at 11:40.

Rating: B-. One of the good things about Dominik is that he is far from a disaster in the ring. While he’s nothing compared to his dad (most aren’t), he’s certainly capable of having a completely acceptable match. That was on display here, with the Ripley stuff being more of a way to bail Dominik out rather than saving him at the beginning. Lee will get there one day, but Dominik isn’t losing that title for a long time, and that’s how it should be.

Post match Rhea yells at Rey but Lyra Valkyria comes in to send Rhea to the floor. The heroes stand in the ring to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. Maybe it was the show feeling longer with the limited breaks or something, but this show was testing my patience more than once. Between Scrypts, Schism and Dana Brooke getting so much time, it was a tough show at times and that isn’t a good thing to do. The action was mostly fine, but there were enough annoying parts to bring it back down. Not their worst show ever, but getting rid of some of the bad parts would help a lot.

Results
Mustafa Ali b. Axiom – 450
Blair Davenport b. Kelani Jordan – Knee to the face
Tyler Bate b. Drew Gulak 2-1
Bron Breakker b. Von Wagner – Spear
Drew Gulak/Charlie Dempsey b. Brooks Jensen/Josh Briggs – Dragon suplex to Jensen
Kiana James b. Ivy Nile – Knee to the back of the head
Dominik Mysterio b. Dragon Lee – Michinoku Driver

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: August 1, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re past the Great American Bash and Carmelo Hayes is still the NXT Champion after defeating Ilja Dragunov in the main event. The show was another strong effort when NXT goes on the road and now they’re having to get ready to do it again at the end of next month. There is a good chance that the build starts here so let’s get to it.

Here is the Great American Bash if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of the Great American Bash.

New Tag Team Champions Tony D’Angelo and Stacks arrive but get jumped by Gallus. Joe Coffey says no matter what, Gallus boys on top.

Jacy Jayne storms the announcers’ table and promises to finish what she started with Lyra Valkyria at the Great American Bash.

Jacy Jayne vs. Lyra Valkyria

The fight is on before the bell with Valkyria in trouble as we officially get things going. Jayne takes her down and nails a kick to the back before they head outside. Valkyria takes over and we go to an early break. Back with Valkyria elbowing her way out of the corner but Jayne knocks her down again.

A backsplash gets two but Valkyria manages a quick toss outside, followed by a high crossbody back inside. Valkyria’s northern lights suplex gets two but Jayne’s spinebuster gets the same. Back up and Valkyria hits a spinning kick to the head into a top rope splash for the pin at 9:23.

Rating: C. They started fast but then it turned into a more basic match after the break. Valkyria gets a nice win over someone with some status and that is a good idea. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Valkyria as the next challenger to the Women’s Title and a win like this can be a step forward for her.

Trick Williams congratulates Carmelo Hayes on retaining the NXT Title but says he has to start doing this for himself. Hayes is totally cool with that and says Williams should go get his, but Williams says he isn’t a sidekick. Hayes says he never saw Williams as a sidekick, which Williams says he knows, but now it’s Williams’ time to go after the dragon. Williams clarifies that this is NOT a breakup and Hayes promises to have his back anytime. They seem to part as friends.

Tony D’Angelo and Stacks are getting checked out by the medics but D’Angelo says they want Gallus tonight. Stacks says that’s 3-2 but D’Angelo is going to make a call.

Here are Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio for a celebratory chat. Mysterio says the win on Sunday makes him the greatest luchador of all time, but here is Dragon Lee to say Mysterio’s dad is the greatest of all time. Lee and Rhea disagree about Dominik’s cajones but we get a title match set for next week. Rhea says she’ll be here too, but Rey Mysterio pops up on screen to say he’ll be in Lee’s corner next week because Lee is the future of lucha libre.

Wes Lee is mad about his loss and vents to Carmelo Hayes, who tells him to calm the h*** down. Noam Dar comes in to say he’s the Heritage Cup Champion because Nathan Frazer never beat him. On the other hand, Dominik beat Lee twice. That’s enough to trigger a brawl, with referees quickly breaking it up.

Thea Hail is depressed over her loss at the Great American Bash, with Andre Chase saying he had no choice. Hail shouted she still had a chance but Baron Corbin shows up to tell them to leave. Corbin tells Hail that the job isn’t for everyone so she should leave. Chase: “That’s it Corbin. You’re a piece of s***.” A match seems to be made but Hail still doesn’t want to talk to Chase.

Eddy Thorpe vs. Dijak

Thorpe charges right at Dijak to start and sends him into the corner, setting up a high crossbody for two. Dijak is right back up for a slugout before drilling Thorpe with a clothesline. Dijak can’t get a chokeslam so Thorpe sends him into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs. A charge only hits post though and Dijak grabs a chokeslam for two. Back up and Thorpe grabs a suplex for two but can’t hit a German suplex. Instead Dijak tries a torture rack but gets reversed into the German suplex to knock him silly. They head outside, with Dijak posting him hard, setting up the cyclone boot to finish Thorpe at 4:22.

Rating: C+. This didn’t have time to get very far but they used the time they had well. Dijak continues to feel like a monster and some of the things he can do still look great. At the same time you have Thorpe, who has hit a rough patch and doesn’t feel like nearly the up and comer he was a few weeks ago. There is still time for him, but Dijak getting pushed is certainly interesting at the moment.

Tony D’Angelo makes a call to someone and gets a second partner for tonight.

Dana Brooke and Kelani Jones are happy with Brook’s win last week but tells Jordan to find her killer instinct.

Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz vs. Lola Vice/Elektra Lopez

Leon and Lopez start things off with Lopez taking over. Feroz comes in but gets caught in the wrong corner, allowing Vice add a running hip attack in the corner. Lopez’s enziguri sets up a chinlock but it’s quickly back to Vice. A belly to back suplex doesn’t work for Vice and Feroz crawls over for the tag to Leon. Everything breaks down and Vice kicks Leon in the head for the pin at 3:31.

Rating: C. Another match without much time, but what matters here is setting up Vice and Lopez as a new team. It’s not like there are a ton of options in the women’s tag division so setting up someone from NXT is a good way to go. Maybe this is just a one off, but beating Feroz and Leon does feel like a little something at least.

Tiffany Stratton talks about how much pain she was in against Thea Hail but she survived. She’ll be back next week for something fabulous.

Wes Lee/Carmelo Hayes vs. Oro Mensah/Noam Dar

Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend are here with Mensah and Dar. Lee starts fast on the floor and Hayes has to come out for the save before asking what Lee is doing. We settle down to Hayes being driven into the wrong corner but coming out with the springboard clothesline to Mensah. Lee comes in for two off a falling backsplash as the fans start chanting HAPPY BIRTHDAY to someone (apparently Hayes, who is turning 29). Mensah rolls outside and Lee loads up a dive but Hayes calls him off as we take a break.

Back with Mensah hitting a northern lights suplex for two on Lee. A quick shot takes Mensah down though and the big tag brings Hayes back in to clean house. Hayes takes Dar down with La Mistica (headscissors into a faceplant, minus the armbar) but Jackson gets in the way of something off the top. Everything breaks down and Lee’s Cardiac Kick hits Hayes by mistake. Mensah superkicks Lee into the Nova Roller to give Dar the pin at 10:45.

Rating: B-. This match, especially the ending, was more about setting up Lee as the likely next challenger for Hayes. After Lee’s record North American Title reign, he has more than earned a shot so that all lines up. Other than that, this was a pretty nice tag match and it isn’t like being pinned by a long running Heritage Cup Champion is some major upset. They did what they needed to do here and that’s nice to see.

Post match Hayes and Lee argue, with Hayes trying to play peacemaker but Lee yells a lot.

Bron Breakker talks about the sad story Von Wagner has been telling but the truth is that Wagner is soft like his father. The scar he had on his head was nothing compared to how Wagner will look after Breakker gets done with him.

Axiom is looking to get a North American Title shot (Dominik Mysterio can’t keep his masked people straight) but Mustafa Ali interrupts and tries to get his own title shot. Dominik and Rhea Ripley leave as they argue, with Axiom saying he doesn’t respect the disrespect. Ali rants about being disrespected for three years.

Baron Corbin vs. Andre Chase

The rest of Chase U is here and Thea Hail is rather distraught. Corbin powers him around to start but Chase slips out and knocks Corbin outside. A Death Valley Driver plants Chase on the floor and we hit the chinlock with a knee in Chase’s back back inside. Fans: “THROW THE TOWEL!”

Chase fights up and gets in a shot to the leg before dropkicking the leg out again. The Russian legsweep sets up the spelling stomps but Corbin is back with a spinebuster. A half crab goes on and Thea throws in the towel at 4:40. The referee doesn’t see it so the match continues with Corbin letting the hold go as Thea leaves. End of Days finishes Chase at 5:14.

Rating: C. As much as I want to see him win, Chase losing here is what makes the most sense. He isn’t as big of a star as Corbin, or even close to it, and he has the whole Hail thing on top of it. Corbin gets a bit of a win to help make up for the Gable Steveson mess, but for now it’s going to be about Chase U, which seems to be in a lot of trouble.

We look at Roxanne Perez going back home to Texas for the Great American Bash, where Blair Davenport jumped her. Then she beat Blair in a Weapons Wild match, because no one can break her.

Meta Four is bragging about their win when Tyler Bate returns to say he has been in Tibet for a bit. Since Noam Dar says he’s the Heritage Cup Champion and has beaten everyone, he might need a fresh opponent. Bate accepts the challenge (which he himself issued) so the title match is on next week.

Here is the Schism to find out who messed with them last week. There are six masked people in the ring with them, with Joe Gacy talking about how insubordination must be eradicated. Ava tells them to unmask one by one, with the first two being no one in particular. The third is….Ikemen Jiro of all people, with his stylish jacket. Schism throws him and one other person out, leaving two people that Schism KNOWS are the Creed Brothers. They jump the still masked men but the Creeds pop up on screen from a beach.

They’ve also been to the pyramids, Easter Island, and…well back to the beach in some place they can’t agree on. What matters is they are NOT in Orlando, so we see that the two masked men are just more people. Gacy tells the worldwide followers of the Schism to find the Creeds and bring them back. Well at least the Creeds are kind of back and the Jiro surprise was good for a chuckle.

Last week, Cora Jade snapped after her loss to Dana Brooke and stormed out of the locker room.

Gallus vs. Tony D’Angelo/Stacks/Santos Escobar

Stacks hammers on Wolfgang to start before D’Angelo comes in for more of the same. A hiptoss sends Stacks into Wolfgang in the corner and everything breaks down, with the good guys hitting stereo punches to the ribs. The ring is cleared out and we take a break with Gallus in trouble.

Back with Gallus taking turns on Stacks, including Mark holding a front facelock. Stacks slips away but his partners are pulled to the floor, meaning there is no one to tag. Not that it matters as the tag off to Escobar allows him to clean house. Mark sends Escobar to the apron, where he scores with an enziguri. A high crossbody hits Mark and a victory roll gets two. Everything breaks down and Escobar snaps off a super hurricanrana to Mark. The Bada Bing finishes for D’Angelo at 9:54.

Rating: B-. This was little more than a fun reunion between Escobar and D’Angelo while giving Escobar a mini boost before his US Title match. It was just fine for what it was and should finish Gallus off from the title hunt for the time being. I can really go for more of these main roster cameos in NXT and this was another good one.

The winners celebrate, and seem to bury the old hatchet…..to not end the show.

Ilja Dragunov says he isn’t done with Trick Williams and promises to begins his retribution next week.

Overall Rating: B-. This show felt like a nice, slower edition without much going on but when you look at it, they accomplished a lot. They covered the fallout from the Bash, set up some matches for next week and seemingly set up Hayes’ next challenger. That’s a rather efficient use of two hours and it’s cool to see an NXT that is covering so much in a single night. If there was some better wrestling throughout this would have been one of the better weekly NXT shows in a good bit. For not though, it was just another efficient one.

Results
Lyra Valkyria b. Jacy Jayne – Top rope splash
Dijak b. Eddy Thorpe – Cyclone boot
Lola Vice/Elektra Lopez b. Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz – Superkick to Leon
Oro Mensah/Noam Dar b. Carmelo Hayes/Wes Lee – Nova Roller to Lee
Baron Corbin b. Andre Chase – End of Days
Tony D’Angelo/Stacks/Santos Escobar b. Gallus – Bada Bing to Mark Coffey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blair Davenport vs. Roxanne Perez

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

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

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

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

Gable Steveson vs. Baron Corbin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video on Ilja Dragunov.

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

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

Women’s Title: Thea Hail vs. Tiffany Stratton

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s what’s coming next week.

NXT Title: Ilja Dragunov vs. Carmelo Hayes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.