The final Raw before Money in the Bank included an appearance by the NXT Champion.
In his Raw debut, Carmelo Hayes lost to Finn Balor last night. The match was set up when Hayes helped Seth Rollins during a brawl with Balor earlier in the show. Hayes stopped Balor from using a steel chair, which allowed Rollins to run Balor off.
A bond of mutual respect between Rollins and Hayes was formed when Rollins appeared at week one of NXT Gold Rush. During a promo last night, Rollins pointed out that Hayes was a special guest at Raw. Rollins thanked Hayes for having his back when he was attacked by Balor on NXT last week.
Hayes lost clean to Balor in their match. It ended with Balor pinning Hayes after hitting the Coup de Grace.
Balor is challenging Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at Money in the Bank this Saturday. Hayes has an NXT Championship defense against Baron Corbin on week two of NXT Gold Rush tonight.
Balor’s Judgment Day stablemate Damian Priest was in action against Cody Rhodes in last night’s main event. Rhodes got the victory but was given a cheap shot by Dominik Mysterio after the match.
Carmelo Hayes not only made an appearance on Monday’s Raw, but also wrestled.
The NXT Champion appeared at ringside during a Seth Rollins promo. Finn Balor, who has been attacking Rollins in recent weeks ahead of their match at Money in the Bank on Saturday, came to the ring again with a steel chair. This time, Rollins was ready and the two brawled around ringside. Balor went to grab a chair, but Hayes blocked Balor from using it. Balor ended up bailing, running away through the crowd. A match was made for later in the show, which saw Balor pin Hayes clean with a coup de gras in a back and forth match.
Rollins appeared on last week’s NXT, defeating Bron Breakker to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. After the match, Balor jumped Rollins from behind with a steel chair and continued his attack until Hayes and Trick Williams came out for the save.
Hayes will headline the second night of NXT Gold Rush on Tuesday, where he will defend the NXT Championship against Baron Corbin.
The NXT Championship match for NXT Gold Rush night two is set.
Baron Corbin defeated Ilja Dragunov to become the new number one contender for the NXT Championship. He defeated Dragunov after Bron Breakker entered the ring and distracted Dragunov, who got the upper hand. However, Dragunov then walked into the End of Days and was pinned. As a result, Corbin will now face Hayes for the title on the second night of NXT Gold Rush on June 27.
After the match, Corbin celebrated when Hayes entered the ring and attacked Corbin, eventually laying him out with the nothing but net guillotine leg drop.
Corbin and Hayes have been feuding with one another since Corbin returned to NXT earlier this month, laying out Hayes. On last Friday’s SmackDown, Hayes and Trick Williams confronted Baron Corbin as he was making his way to the ring, eventually having to be pulled apart by security.
Tiffany Stratton will defend the NXT Women’s Championship against Thea Hail in two weeks as well. Hail won a battle royal on last week’s TV to become the new number one contender.
Another match set for the second night of NXT Gold Rush will see Gallus defend the NXT Tag Team titles against the winners of a three-way tag team match between Edris Enofe & Malik Blade, Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen, and Hank Walker & Tank Ledger that will take place on next week’s show.
The end of NXT saw main roster star Baron Corbin attack NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes.
Hayes, who accepted a challenge from Noam Dar earlier in the show, had successfully defended the NXT Championship against Dar when Corbin entered the ring and gave Hayes his End of Days finish. NXT ended with Corbin holding Hayes’ NXT title.
As part of the 2023 WWE Draft Corbin was made a free agent, allowing him to be on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Corbin has appeared sporadically on WWE TV since losing his association with JBL, mostly losing matches or seen complaining backstage. He most recently lost to Cameron Grimes in Grimes’ first match on WWE SmackDown.
Earlier on Tuesday’s NXT, Mustafa Ali made a surprise appearance and reiterated he was a free agent. After Joe Gacy attacked Wes Lee and Tyler Bate following a match, Ali came in for the save, raising the hands of both Lee and Bate.
NXT celebrates Memorial Day weekend with its Battleground special taking place in Lowell, Massachusetts tonight.
In his home state, Carmelo Hayes puts the NXT Championship on the line against Bron Breakker. It’s a rematch from Stand & Deliver, but things are a bit different this time around. Breakker turned heel after losing the NXT Championship to Hayes and has his sights set on winning the title back.
A new NXT Women’s Champion will be crowned tonight as Tiffany Stratton faces Lyra Valkyria in the finals of a tournament. The title was vacated by Indi Hartwell earlier this month.
Three other title matches are part of the Battleground card. Wes Lee defends the North American Championship in a triple threat match against Joe Gacy and Tyler Bate. The Creed Brothers challenge Gallus for the NXT Tag Team titles. And Noam Dar puts his Heritage Cup trophy up for grabs against Dragon Lee.
Plus, Ilja Dragunov battles Dijak in a Last Man Standing match.
Tonight’s show streams live on Peacock starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time. There will also be a 30-minute pre-show.
The pre-show is a canned 30-minute preview hosted by Megan Morant, Matt Camp and Sam Roberts. Done in a studio with the co-hosts standing behind a desk, it begins like a glorified control center segment.
Morant throws it to McKenzie Mitchell, who is in Lowell, MA at the Tsongas Center. She pitches to a video package hyping Ilja Dragunov against Dijak in a grudge match that involves assault and kidnapping. Back in the studio, the pundits discuss.
The finals of the NXT Women’s Championship tournament gets some hype, ahead of Tiffany Stratton facing Lyra Valkyria to decide the next women’s champ. Both Stratton and Valkyria get hype videos.
A great video package breaks down the rules for the Heritage Cup title bout tonight as Noam Dar defends against Dragon Lee. This is the first defense of the Heritage Cup on United States soil.
In a backstage skit, Dar tries to recruit Oro Mensah as Dar’s second to be in his corner. Mensah says he will think about, and a fretting Dar cradled his trophy, clearly worried about losing his Heritage Cup.
Some hype for the triple threat match for the NXT North American Championship, and the pre-show concludes with a video package hyping the main event for the NXT Championship.
NXT Battleground goes live on the air with a retrospective looking back at highlights from past shows from the 1990s. The idea is Lowell embraced the “New Generation” and continues to do so as the clips shown transitions into NXT.
Booker T and Vic Joseph are at ringside at the announce desk for live commentary.
Opening the show is a triple threat title match.
NXT North American Champion Wes Lee defeated Joe Gacy (with Ava) and Tyler Bate in a triple threat match to retain the title
Lee pinned Gacy in a really good opener with a lot of action. The story going into the match is Gacy causing a rift between Lee and Bate, which strained their friendship ahead of tonight’s title match. The rift continues as Bate and Lee engage in fisticuffs early in the match, allowing Gacy to strike with a dive through the ropes.
The pace quickens and the action intensifies with a flurry of spots. Bate does an impressive spot where he gives Lee a giant swing while simultaneously giving Gacy an airplane spin. Moments later, Gacy executes a slop drop on Bate while at the same time giving Lee an uranage slam.
Gacy at separate times catches both Bate and Lee in a crossface, but the hold is broken up both times. Lee fires up to deliver a double Cardiac Kick, and he gets a close near fall on Bate. Great sequence starts with Lee applying a sleeper on Gacy.
Gacy counters the sleeper by ramming Lee into the turnbuckles. Gacy goes for a cover, but Bate breaks it up with a corkscrew swanton. Bate then delivers a Tyler Driver ’97, but Lee breaks up the pin with a gets a near fall that was broken up by Gacy. Great sequence.
A contrived spot had Gacy perched on the top rope, and Gacy apparently avoids Lee’s attack. Lee then sails outside for a flip dive that wipes out Bate. Back in the ring, Gacy executes an uranage slam and sets up for his finisher. Lee counters by executing his own finisher. Cardiac Kick by Lee, and he covers Gacy to win the match and retain his North American title.
Noam Dar (with Oro Mensah) defeated Dragon Lee (with Nathan Frazier) to retain the NXT Heritage Cup
Dar pinned Dragon Lee after outside interference by Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend. The match itself was under Heritage Cup rules, meaning five rounds that are three minutes apiece.
Round 1 was mostly grappling on the mat. Dar powders, and he flees the ring as the round is winding down. Lee is going for a dive when the rounds ends, halting his momentum.
Mensah comes running down to ringside during the rest period, much to the surprise of Dar. Mensah was recruited to be a second in a skit on the pre-show.
Dragon Lee was gaining momentum when he gets rolled up by Dar for a pinfall with about one minute and 30 seconds left in the Round 2.
Dragon Lee was making rally late in the Round 3, but he ran out of time. Just as the round ends, Dar hits Dragon Lee with a cheap shot. Dar ambushes Lee with a back elbow, and Dragon Lee is in peril.
Dar works over Dragon Lee as Round 4 is underway. Dragon Lee fights back, and he applies a Texas cloverleaf. Mensah cheats at ringside by helping Dar get a rope break. Frazier comes to aid Lee, and Mensah sends Frazier crashing into the ring steps.
Dragon Lee ties the score as he does a tilt-a-whirl plancha, and Lee covers Dar for a pinfall. The score is even, and the corner men are also looking to get even. Frazier jumps Mensah and they brawl. The referee then ejects both seconds. Mensah and Frazier are sent packing, and they fight their way to the back.
One-on-one for Round 5, with no seconds in the corner. Dragon Lee takes an ugly bump off the apron taking a botched powerbomb. Dragon Lee somehow recovers, and he executes a Last Ride Liger bomb for his last near fall of the match. They go home after a run-in.
Jakara Jackson suddenly runs into the ring to distract the referee. Lash Legends then hops the barricade, and Legend clobbers Dragon Lee with a spit bucket brought out earlier by one of the seconds. Dar delivers his finisher, and he covers Dragon Lee to underhandedly win the match.
Ilja Dragunov defeated Dijak in a last man standing match
Dragunov is the last man standing in a brutal match that left Dragunov with nasty whelps on his arm. He was beaten to a pulp, but David managed to slay Goliath.
The match begins with them brawling around ringside. The ring steps are quickly utilized as a prop, which is a callback to an angle that set up this match. Dijak also drags a table from underneath the ring, and Dragunov hurls himself through the table in order to knock down Dijak.
Dragunov is also hurled onto the ring steps, but he counters Dijak by giving him a DDT on the steps. Dragunov picks up the steps and uses them as a weapon. Dragunov goes coast-to-coast with a Van Terminator that sandwiches Dijak with the steps.
They trade chops like they are Ric Flair and Wahoo McDaniel. Dijak takes a German suplex on his head and neck, but he rises like an angry monster. Dijak bellows with a primal yell, and he guzzles Dragunov. Dijak gives Dragunov a chokeslam on the apron, which look like it hurt like hell. Dragunov barely breaks the ten count.
Feast Your Eyes by Dijak, and Dragunov is on rubber legs. Dragunov falls into the corner, and the middle rope keeps Dragunov from falling down. Another primal scream by Dijak, and he retrieves a kendo stick. Dijak punishes Dragunov as he wacks Dragunov with the kendo stick.
Dijak wants Dragunov to stay down, but Dragunov will not go down. Dijak splinters the kendo stick with repeated strikes on Dragunov. Dijak then grabs a metal folding chair. Dragunov fights back, but Dijaks hits him with the chair. Dragunov still fights back.
Comeback by Dragunov, and he climbs atop the ring steps that are in the ring. Dragunov leaps off the steps with a flying forearm and lands on Dijak, sandwiching Dijak into a chair. Dijak could not answer the ten count, and Dragunov is the last man standing.
McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Noam Dar, Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson and Ore Mensah. They are celebrating Dar retaining his trophy. Seems like a stable or faction is forming among with the four.
Announced for July 30 is NXT Great American Nash in Cedar Park, TX (outside Austin). Tickets go on sale June 9. Pre-sale registration opens a few days prior.
NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang with Joe Coffey) defeated The Creed Brothers (Brutus & Julius Creed with Ivy Nile) to retain the titles
Mark Coffey pinned Julius Creed, after Ava interfered by attacking Ivy Nile at ringside. Good match that is only hampered by a WWE finish.
Heat on Brutus early on, as Gallus works him over. Julius cleans house after a hot tag. He gets a near fall with a standing shooting star. The Creeds go for a Doomsday Device, but Mark Coffey counters. Double-team by Gallus as they team up on Julius. Brutus makes the save with a flying cannonball.
The Creeds rally as they psych each other up. Joe Coffey tries to interfere, but he is tripped up by Ivy Nile. Joe Coffey is then clotheslines out of the ring. Ava suddenly comes down to ringside and assaults Nile. Ava sends Nile crashing into a ring post.
Julius is distracted by Nile being ambushed at ringside, and he falls prey to Gallus. Tandem finisher by Gallus, and Mark Coffey covers Julius Creed for a pinfall. Gallus retain the titles, thanks in part to an ambush by Ava.
Tiffany Stratton defeated Lyra Valkyria in a tournament final to win the NXT Women’s Championship
Stratton pinned Valkyria to win the NXT Women’s title. Part of the story involves an attack last Tuesday by Cora Jade, where Jade injured Valkyria’s knee. That plays heavily into the story of this match.
They grapple at the start, but the tide turns when Stratton targets the injured leg. She works on Valkyria’s left knee. Stratton goes on to pull off Valkyria’s knee brace, and Stratton keeps working the knee, which is wrapped in tape. Stratton applies a Muta Lock, further targeting the injured knee.
Valkyria makes a comeback, and she leaps off the top rope into a missile dropkick. Valkyria is mounting a comeback, yet she continues to sell the knee. Some awkward spots in the closing minutes, but they get through it.
High cross by Valkyria, but Stratton rolls through and lifts Valkyria off the mat. Valkyria sort of counters for a crucifix bomb and a near fall. Valkyria is tripped up, and Stratton springboards into a corkscrew splash.
They trade near falls down the home stretch. Valkyria blocks they handspring back elbow, and she gives suplexes Stratton. Valkyria tries to follow up with her finisher, which is a roundhouse kick. Her injured knee gives way, and Valkyria buckles.
Stratton tries to capitalize with her finishing sequence, but no water in the pool on the moonsault. Valkyria connects with her roundhouse kick finisher, but Stratton gets her foot on the rope to break a subsequent pinning attempt.
They fight on the turnbuckles. Stratton blocks a sunset bomb, and she sort of gives Valkyria a hurricanrana. Valkyria sells it regardless, and Stratton follows up with a rolling fireman’s carry slam that sets up the “Prettiest Moonsault Ever.” Stratton then covers Valkyria for a three count to become the new NXT Women’s Champion.
This was probably by far the weakest match on the show, but it was not bad. They were in a tough spot, though, having to follow the previous bouts on the card.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Wiliams) defeated Bron Breakker to retain his title
Hayes pinned Breakker to retain the title as a hometown hero. Really good match to finish the show in a strong note.
Trick Williams introduces Carmelo Hayes for a special ring entrance that plays on Hayes being from the area. Hayes gets the hometown treatment. Breakker has his own special entrance beforehand, where he came out wearing a wolf mask.
Hayes explodes as the bell sounds to start the match, and Hayes overwhelms Breakker with a flurry of offense. Hayes almost spiked himself doing a dive over the ropes to the floor, but Breakker luckily caught him. Breakker eventually cuts off Hayes, and Breakker begins to work over Hayes.
Hayes fights back, and Hayes delivers the Fade Away legdrop. Hayes works a leg as he targets Breakker’s knee, which is something we saw in the previous match. Notwithstanding, Breakker soon cuts off Hayes again.
Breakker punishes Hayes with a series of suplexes. Breakker pauses at one point to taunt Hayes by doing push-ups. Super Frankensteiner by Breakker for a near fall. Hayes fights back as they trade strikes, but Breakker dumps Hayes with another suplex.
Hayes counters Breakker before Breakker can apply a Steiner Recliner. Breakker goes for a vertical suplex, but that too is countered by Hayes, and Hayes spikes Breakker with a DDT.
They trade punches, and Hayes goes in a flurry of offense that leads to him springboarding into a Tito Santana forearm smash. Breakker will not stay down as he taunts Hayes.
Trading punches again, and Breakker goes for a guzzle. Breakker instead takes a codebreaker, and Hayes climbs the turnbuckles. Hayes rolls through when Breakker moves out of harm’s way. Breakker then posts himself. Hayes attempts his springboard forearm again, and Breakker spears him in mid-air for the best near fall of the match.
Breakker pulls down the straps on his singlet, and he tosses Hayes around. Hayes counters Breakker’s military press into a small package for a close two count. Hayes with a trifecta of superkicks, and Hayes springboards into a DDT. Hayes follows up with the Nothing But Net flying legdrop, and Hayes covers Breakker for a clean pinfall. Hayes retains in front of a hometown crowd.
Overall, this was a really good card. The wrestling matches carried the show, and most all of those delivered. To me this is the first NXT supercard of this era that is on the same level as the golden age of NXT Takeovers from years past.
The NXT Championship match for Battleground on May 28 is official.
Bron Breakker accepted Carmelo Hayes’ challenge on NXT Tuesday. Trick Williams came out and said that as a result of Breakker attacking Hayes last week, Hayes was in the hospital. Williams asked Breakker to come out and accept the challenge. Breakker accepted, saying he wanted to do it so he could embarrass Hayes in his own hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts in front of his friends and family.
Breakker attempted to leave, but Williams then challenged Breakker to a match right then and now. Breakker acted like he was going to accept, but then backed down and said he would do the match next week.
After Hayes defeated Breakker for the NXT Championship at Stand and Deliver, Hayes called out Breakker to put him over. That was when Breakker turned on Hayes, attacking him and Williams. On last week’s NXT, Hayes called out Breakker for a match at Battleground on May 28. Breakker responded by attacking Hayes and Williams again, this time spearing Hayes through a wall outside of the ring. Hayes was stretchered out as a result of the attack.
Carmelo Hayes has challenged Bron Breakker to a match at next month’s Battleground premium live event.
After Hayes defeated Grayson Waller on Tuesday’s Spring Breakin’, Hayes issued the challenge for May 28 in Lowell, Massachusetts, saying that Breakker might not be interested but he was. Hayes demanded Breakker come out to respond. Breakker’s music hit, but ended up attacking both Hayes and Trick Williams from behind. He put Williams in the recliner, then exited the ring and speared Hayes into a wall on the outside of the ring. After the break, footage was shown of Waller being stretchered out.
Hayes defeated Breakker at Stand & Deliver earlier this month to become the new NXT Champion. After Hayes called out Breakker to acknowledge his run as champion on the Tuesday after Stand & Deliver, Breakker instead turned on Hayes, laying both Hayes and Williams out.
The following week, Breakker laid out Andre Chase and said he wasn’t interested in the NXT Championship. At Spring Breakin’, he defeated Chase in a singles match.
NXT’s top two championships will both be defended on tonight’s Spring Breakin’ episode.
After becoming champion at Stand & Deliver, Carmelo Hayes will make his first title defense against Grayson Waller. Waller defeated Dragon Lee, Duke Hudson, and JD McDonagh in a number one contender’s fatal four-way match two weeks ago to earn the title shot.
NXT Women’s Champion Indi Hartwell will put her title on the line as she defends against Roxanne Perez and Tiffany Stratton in a triple threat match tonight. Hartwell also became champion at Stand & Deliver, winning the title in a six-way ladder match.
The first-ever trunk match takes place tonight when Tony D’Angelo & Stacks take on Pretty Deadly. The first team that puts their opponents in the trunk of a car will be declared the winner.
A mixed tag team match between Fallon Henley & Josh Briggs and Kiana James & Brooks Jensen is set for tonight. The show will also feature Cora Jade vs. Lyra Valkyria and Bron Breakker vs. Andre Chase.
Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
**********
The show begins with introductory video package with the NXT roster partying for spring break. They play games, cookout, have fun, and they also run down the card for tonight. Fun stuff that was very whimsical.
Opening the show live from the soundstage at the Performance Center in Orlando is a tag team gimmick match. Similar to an ambulance match or a casket match, a team wins the opening match by putting their opponents in the trunk of car and closing the trunk. In this case, the car is a custom 1947 Dodge classic. It is very fitting of Tony D’s mafia gimmick. The car itself belongs to Stacks’ uncle.
Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo defeated Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince) in a trunk match
Tony D and Stacks put Pretty Deadly in the trunk to win the match, and then The Family kidnap Pretty Deadly by driving away with them still trapped in the trunk.
The trunk match begins with a melee, and weapons are soon in play. Yet, this was not overly violent. It was more campy. The bumps likely still hurt nonetheless. Besides a literal wheelbarrow full of gimmicks, there are folding chairs and trash cans, and also a kiddie pool full of balls like it was the miniature ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese.
The match goes through a split-screen commercial break after Elton Prince takes a backdrop into the kiddie pool. The violence and use of weapons intensifies after the show returns from the break. Less campy and more ECW. Pretty Deadly soon the upper hand, and they punish Tony D and Stacks.
Stacks is hung upside down in the tree-of-woe. Moments later, Stacks takes Pretty Deadly’s Split Milk finisher on the floor, and Pretty Deadly put Stacks in the trunk and close it. Pretty Deadly go back and they attempt to put D’Angelo in the trunk.
When Prince opens the trunk to thrown in D’Angelo, Stacks is waiting with a fire extinguisher. Stacks sprays Prince with the fire extinguisher, and Prince sells big. A blinded Prince is then put through a table with the Bada Bing Bada Boom finisher. Kit Wilson is hit with a crowbar by Tony D, and he happens to stagger into the trunk. Stacks and D’Angelo then put Prince in the trunk alongside Wilson, and the trunk is shut. The Family win the first-ever trunk match in WWE.
Tony D and Stacks then get into the classic car, and they drive away with Pretty Deadly still inside the trunk.
Tiffany Stratton cuts a promo ahead of her challenging for the NXT Women’s Championship in a triple threat match later tonight.
Duke Hudson gives Andre Chase a pep talk ahead match that is up next. Hudson clutches his MVP trophy like Owen Hart did his Slammys.
Bron Breakker defeated Andre Chase (with Duke Hudson)
Breakker submits Chase with a Steiner Recliner. Breakker mauls Chase from the start. Chase does get a hope spot when Breakker crashes his shoulder into a ring post. Chase targets the arm, but then he pauses to signal for his version of a Garvin Stomp. Terrible mistake, as Breakker cuts off Chase and levels him with a lariat. Breakker does his military press/powerslam combo, and then he locks in the Steiner Recliner to win via submission.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes is the focus of a video package hyping tonight’s title match.
Dijak assualts and attempts to maim Ilja Dragunov in a backstage skit. McKenzie Mitchell is backstage at the scene of the kidnapping from earlier, where The Family drove away with Pretty Deadly trapped in the trunk of a classic car. Mitchell is reporting on the kidnapping when she interrupted by Dijak and Dragunov brawling onto the scene. Dijak pummels Dragunov, and Dijak then closes a roll-up door on Dragunov’s torso.
Cora Jade defeated Lyra Valkyria
The match goes through a commercial break, and Jade is working over Valkyria when the show returns from the break. Valkyria makes a comeback, until Jade cuts her off again. Jade then retrieves her kendo stick and threatens to use it. The referee and Jade have a tug-of-war with the kendo stick, when Valkyria throws a spin kick. I guess she was supposed to kick the stick by mistake, but that was botched. Jade then gives Valkyria a terrible chop block to the knee. Jade follows up with a DDT, and she covers Valyria for a pinfall.
D’Angelo and Stacks are riding around in the classic car while Pretty Deadly are beating on the trunk. D’Angelo has Stacks go check on them, and Stacks supposedly slams the trunk on their heads. The Family then drive away again with Pretty Deadly still in the trunk.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) defeated Grayson Waller to retain his title
Hayes pinned Waller after a flying legdrop. Waller appeared to injure himself during the finish. Hayes calls out Bron Breakker after the match, and Breakker brawls with Hayes before spearing Hayes through a wall in a stunt.
The champ looks strong in the opening moments of the match, but he is eventually tricked by Waller. When Waller throws a chair into the ring, it distracts the referee and Hayes. Trick Williams runs around the ring to intercept Waller, and Waller hits Williams with a chair shot. Hayes rushes to Williams, but it was a trap. Waller cuts off Hayes and levels him with a clothesline on the floor.
The pace quickens after a commercial break. Some wild and wacky bumps by Waller as he does his best Curt Hennig flip bump. Probably should leave that to Mr. Perfect. Hayes also takes some crazy bumps at times during this match. They bumped their butts off.
Waller gets a close near fall. Moments later, Waller executes an Ace Crusher, but Hayes rolls out of the ring before Waller can capitalize. To set up another near fall, Waller jumps off the top rope with a flying elbow that puts Hayes through the announce desk. Hayes still manages to kick out when he is rolled back into the ring.
As they are going home, Waller gets a running start for his signature spot where he flips into the ring. He appears to hurt his ring ankle as he leaps into the ring. Hayes gives him a superkick that misses by a lot. Waller still gets into a position for the finish as Hayes climbs the turnbuckles. Hayes leaps off the top rope with a guillotine legdrop, and Hayes covers Waller for a three count. Waller seems clearly ready to get out of there as he no-sells as soon as he three count is done, and he pushes Hayes off of him.
Hayes grabs a microphone and calls out Bron Breakker after the match. Hayes challenges Breakker to a title match at NXT Battleground on May 28. Breakker’s theme music rings through the soundstage. Hayes and Williams look towards the stage awaiting the former champ. Breakker ambushes them with a blindside attack.
Breakker spears Williams, and Hayes is thrown out of the ring. Breakker puts Williams in the Steiner Recliner, and Breakker then leaves Williams laid out. Breakker sets his sights on Hayes at ringside. Breakker gets a running start and spears Hayes through a gimmicked wall.
Roxanne Perez in a pre-taped promo talks about being inspired by women wrestlers when she was a child. Perez says she wears bows in her hair to represent all the girls that she hopes to inspire.
A backstage skit sets up a singles match next week with a tag team title stipulation. Joe Gacy and Ava approach Joe Coffey with an offer. They want a fair title match for The Dyad against NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus. Gacy proposes a singles match with him against Joe Coffey. If Gacy wins, The Dyad get a title shot. If Coffey wins, The Dyad will never get another title shot ever.
Josh Briggs & Fallon Henley defeated Brooks Jensen & Kiana James in a mixed tag team match
Briggs pinned Jensen to win the match after a mishap with James. She dumps Jensen after the match, and Jensen reconciles with Briggs.
Jensen has new gear to go along with his new look. He and Briggs have a hoss fight at various times. The announcers sell it like these are brothers having a fight to settle their issues.
James throws in her loaded purse for Jensen to use as a weapon. Briggs dodges the purse, and Jensen is supposed to hit Briggs by mistake. Jensen missed by a country mile, but James sells it anyway as she takes a bump off the apron. James screams at Jensen for mishap, which distracts Jensen. Briggs then delivers an Ax Bomber lariat, and Briggs covers Jensen for a pinfall.
In a post-match angle, Jensen reassures James that they are at least still together. An angry James goes to slap Jensen, but Jensen block it. Jensen with a look of heartbreak on his face asks why James would hit him if she loves him. James looks him dead in the eye and says she never loved him. James then walks away, and Jensen is heartbroken. Briggs embraces Jensen, and they are apparently cool with each other again.
Dragon Lee in a backstage interview with McKenzie Mitchell talks about the Heritage Cup. Scrypts then suddenly appears with a cryptic promo where he is perched on a ledge in the rain like he is Batman.
Oba Femi defeated Oro Mensah
Femi in his in-ring debut on NXT television pinned Mensah to win a glorified enhancement match. Femi did not exactly squash Mensah, by Femi won handily. Mensah targets an arm at one point, only to eat an elbow. Femi then delivers a pop-up powerbomb, and Femi covers Mensah for a pinfall.
Gigi Dolan goes to the announce desk and takes Vic Joseph’s headset away from him. She puts on the headset to cut a promo on Jacy Jayne. Dolan challenges Jayne to a match next week, and Dolan brother will be a ringside to watch Dolan fight for her family’s honor.
Drew Gulak, alongside Charlie Dempsey, vows to beat Wes Lee and win the NXT North American Championship. Later in a backstage skit, Lee agrees to let Tyler Bate be in his corner for the title match.
NXT Women’s Champion Indi Hartwell defeated Roxanne Perez and Tiffany Stratton in a triple treat match to retain her title
Hartwell pinned Perez in a weak finish, which was likely the result of an apparent injury Hartwell suffered earlier in the match.
This is yet another match that goes through a commercial break. The shows cuts to a break just as the title bout begins.
There looks to be some potatoes in this match at times. There was also apparently an injury to Indi Hartwell, when she and Perez base for Stratton on a swan dive to the floor. Hartwell’s right leg folds up underneath her, and she unlaces her boot as a trainer comes to ringside to check on her. That leaves Stratton and Perez in a one-on-one match for a few minutes. Stratton applies a chinlock for a rest hold while they regroup.
Stratton and Perez continue the match until Hartwell rejoins them. Perez carries things, and they set up a high spot. Perez does a Super Frankensteiner off the ropes for a near fall on Stratton.
Hartwell limps to the ring to break up a pinning attempt by Perez, and Hartwell rejoins the match. Hartwell sort of runs wild, or as wild as she can with an injury to one leg.
As they go home, Stratton does a Christopher Daniels’ moonsault. She goes for a cover on Perez, but Hartwell pulls Stratton out of the ring. Hartwell then staggers into the ring, and she does a weak version of her finisher. Hartwell then covers Perez to win the match and retain her title.
The show-long kidnapping ends with murder, as Tony D’Angelo and Stacks drive out to the water’s edge. They are on a pier where they apparently have thrown Pretty Deadly into the water. Tony D says Pretty Deadly is “history.” D’Angelo says their next goal is the tag team titles. They get into the car and drive away as the show ends with a camera shot of the water glistening in the moonlight. The cliffhanger is a homicide.
This show is a mixed bag with some good wrestling, some bad wrestling and some wacky stuff in between. An entire episode of Botchamania can be devoted to this show.
Grayson Waller and Carmelo Hayes will come face-to-face one week before their NXT Championship match at Spring Breakin’.
WWE announced on Sunday that Hayes will be a guest on The Grayson Waller Effect on Tuesday’s show.
BREAKING: Ahead of their Championship Match at #NXTSpringBreakin', NXT Champion @Carmelo_WWE will join @GraysonWWE as a special guest on "The Grayson Waller Effect" THIS TUESDAY!
Hayes will defend his title against Waller on the April 25 episode. Waller earned the right to challenge Hayes after winning a four-way match on last week’s show against Dragon Lee, Duke Hudson, and JD McDonagh.
Waller and Hayes have met just once previously in singles competition. Hayes successfully retained the NXT North American Championship against Waller at last year’s Great American Bash.
Announced for the 4/18 WWE NXT:
NXT North American title: Wes Lee (c) vs. Charlie Dempsey
NXT Tag Team titles: Gallus (Wolfgang & Mark Coffey) (c) vs. The Dyad (Jagger Reid & Rip Fowler) vs. The Creed Brothers (Brutus & Julius Creed)
Grayson Waller will soon get another shot at the NXT Championship.
Waller defeated Dragon Lee, Duke Hudson, and JD McDonagh in a four-way match to become the new number one contender for the NXT Championship on Tuesday’s show. Waller will now face new champion Carmelo Hayes on a special edition of NXT, Spring Breakin’, on April 25.
The finish came when Lee struck Hudson with a running powerbomb. Waller came into the ring and struck Lee with a rolling cutter, then pinned Hudson to become the new number one contender. As Waller was celebrating, Hayes came out and the two had a staredown to end the show.
Last week’s NXT saw new champion Hayes call out Bron Breakker as a sign of respect for his run as NXT Champion. Breakker at first acted sportsmanlike, but later turned on Hayes, attacking both Hayes and Trick Williams.
On this week’s NXT, Hayes offered Breakker the fourth spot in the four-way match. Later in the show, Breakker interrupted a Chase U celebration segment and rejected the offer, saying the championship was a curse. He offered the spot to Hudson, who then accepted. Breakker acted like he was going to leave, but then attempted to spear Hudson, who instead put Andre Chase in front of him, causing Chase to get laid out.
Waller last recieved a NXT Championship match at Vengeance Day back in February, losing to Breakker in a steel cage match.
The first entrant into the four-way number one contender’s match on this Tuesday’s WWE NXT has been announced: Dragon Lee.
The standout, who is coming off a win over Nathan Frazier this past Tuesday, made his televised debut at this month’s Stand & Deliver in a fatal five-way for the NXT North American title.
The winner of Tuesday’s match will be the first challenger for new NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes at the upcoming Spring Breakin’ event which does not have an announced date as of yet. Last year’s show took place in early May.
Here’s a look at the current lineup for Tuesday:
Four-way match to determine the number one contender to Carmelo Hayes’ NXT Championship
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn defend against Fallon Henley & Kiana James
Ilja Dragunov vs. Von Wagner where if Wagner loses, Mr. Stone will walk away
In a shocking turn of events, Bron Breakker laid out Carmelo Hayes to end Tuesday’s NXT.
Hayes came out for a championship celebration with Trick Williams. During his promo, Hayes said that Breakker deserved his flowers and asked for him to come to the ring. Breakker obliged, telling Hayes it was his duty as champion to pass the torch when the next guy in line wins the championship. The two ended up hugging, with Breakker raising Hayes’ hand. However, it was a swerve as Breakker laid out Hayes with a lariat. He then press power slammed Williams and speared Hayes to close out the show.
Breakker lost the NXT Championship to Hayes at NXT Stand & Deliver this past Saturday. He had been champion for nearly a year, defeating Dolph Ziggler back on the April 4, 2022 edition of Raw.
The finish of Saturday’s show had Trick Williams interfere, hitting Breakker with the championship belt allowing Hayes to hit a top rope guillotine leg drop to win the championship.
Saturday’s NXT Stand & Deliver event ended with Carmelo Hayes defeating Bron Breakker to win the NXT Championship. This is Hayes’ first reign with the title. He previously held the NXT North American Championship twice.
The finish of Breakker and Hayes’ match involved interference by Trick Williams. After being ejected from ringside earlier in the match, Williams reemerged and hit Breakker with the NXT Championship belt.
Hayes visually tapped out when Breakker had him in the Steiner Recliner, but the referee was down after a ref bump. Williams then ran in and hit Breakker with the title belt. Williams put Hayes in position to pin Breakker, but the referee was slow to make the count and Breakker was able to kick out. Hayes then countered a press slam attempt and hit Nothing But Net to win the NXT Championship.
Despite the interference, Breakker still showed respect to Hayes after the match. Breakker handed the NXT Championship to Hayes and raised his arm.
Another busy day for WWE begins with NXT Stand & Deliver from Los Angeles, California, Saturday — the precursor to night one of WrestleMania 39.
Bron Breakker will look to defend the NXT title against former North American Champion Carmelo Hayes while Roxanne Perez will defend her NXT Women’s title in a six-way ladder match against Zoey Stark, Gigi Dolin, Tiffany Stratton, Lyra Valkyria and Indi Hartwell.
Wes Lee will defend his North American title against Dragon Lee, JD McDonaugh, Ilja Dragunov and Axiom in a fatal five-way.
NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus will defend against the Creed Brothers and Tony D’Angelo & Stacks in a three-way while Kiana James & Fallon Henley defend the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles against Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn.
In an unsanctioned match, Johnny Gargano will take on Grayson Waller while Schism battles Chase U & Tyler Bate in an eight-person tag team match for the rights to Chase University.
**********
A pre-show was mostly hype and video packages, until about 20 minutes before the main show starts. Booker T also gets an entrance on camera as he heads to the announce desk. A mixed eight-person tag match is heading to the ring on the pre-show.
Seeing NXT in an arena is refreshing setting. Nothing against the live studio audience in Orlando, but that setting had become all too familiar. There is a different energy with this crowd in Los Angeles, even as some are still getting to their seats for the pre-show match.
Chase U (Andre Chase, Duke Hudson, Tyler Bate & Thea Hail) defeated The Schism (Joe Gacy, Jagger Reid, Rip Fowler & Ava)
Hudson pinned Reid to win the match, retaining the rights to Chase U as per the stipulation. That wasn’t played up much, but it was a stip heading into today. Hudson teases turning on Chase U, but it was swerve on The Schism.
Seemingly the first time the crowd really got up was for Thea Hail and Ava facing off. They tussled a few times in the match. Once was after Ava slapped Hudson, and Hail jumped in to tackle Ava. Reid pulled Hail off Ava, and Hail kicked him in the shin. Moments later, she counters into a tornado DDT on Reid.
The main story of the match was Hudson being frustrated he couldn’t get a tag. Meanwhile, Bate was getting to shine. Hudson eventually was able to jump in to save Hudson. Friction with Bate remains.
Hudson went for a high kick, but he hit Bate instead. Gacy then executes his Upside Down finisher for a near fall on Bate. The Schism go on to lay out Chase, Hail and Bate. Chase U was down except for Hudson. He bows up to Schism, but he puts down his fists as Gacy whispers into his ear.
Gacy embraces Hudson, and Gacy is handed a Schism shirt. Hudson takes off his Chase U shirt and headband. He throws the items to the ground, and he takes the Schism shirt from Gacy. Hudson puts on the Schism shirt in a spoof of NWO angles of decades past, but it was all a red herring.
Hudson swerves Schism as he rips off the shirt like Hulk Hogan, and Hudson attacks Schism. Chase, Bate and Hail join Hudson is cleaning house on Schism. Bate and Hail do dives to the outside. Frat-liner in the ring by Hudson and Chase. Hudson then covers Reid for a pinfall.
Indi Hartwell defeated Roxanne Perez , Zoey Stark, Gigi Dolan, Lyra Valkyria and Tiffany Stratton in a ladder match to win the NXT Women’s Championship
Hartwell wins the match with help from a returning Dexter Lumis. Jacy Jayne also returns to NXT during the match when she attacks Dolan.
Stratton, Valkyria and Perez got entrances on the main card. As reigning champion, Perez was last to enter. The rest made their entrance on the pre-show.
Perez and Dolan try to bring a ladder into the ring earlier on, and both have the ladder dropkicked into them. Hartwell goes put a ladder into the ring, and she avoids flying dropkicks only to get caught by another flying dropkick from Valkyria. A ladder is eventually slid into the ring, while other ladders are used as props around ringside.
A ladder is set up in the ring, and they fight to climb it. Stark does a missile dropkick at one point. Hartwell shoves the ladder over with Perez and Stratton on it. Dolan does the Terry Funk spot where she puts the ladder on her shoulders and swings it around. Valkyria takes a backdrop on a ladder propped in a corner, and she is splashed on the ladder by Stark.
Slight botch but Stratton hold it together to give Dolan a rolling fireman’s carry slam on a ladder. Stratton and Perez run through some spots, and both fall off a ladder. Hartwell jumps in to give Stratton a spinebuster on a ladder. Starks gets hung up on the ropes doing a slingshot into a twisting senton, and she lands awkwardly.
Stark goes for a her finisher on Perez, but Perez counters her. Perez then does her Pop Rocks (code red) finisher on Stark. Stratton blocks Perez’s finisher, but Perez has a counter for her as well. Stratton is sent over the ropes with a hurricanrana. Perez goes for another hurricanrana on Dolan, but Dolan catches Perez and smashes her into a ladder.
Valkyria is hung upside down on a ladder, and she is thrown off by Dolan moments ladder. Dolan is left alone atop the ladder and the title belt is within reach. Suddenly, Jacy Jayne runs up the ladder and knocks Dolan off. A stunned Dolan falls backwards and takes a bump on a ladder bridge. Referees pour into the ring to eject Jayne.
Stratton takes a bump off the ladder where she turns it into a dive on several other women. Hartwell shoved her off, and she is left alone in the ring. She is taking forever to climb. In a surprise, Dexter Lumis appears out of nowhere. Lumis puts Hartwell on his shoulders, and he climbs the ladder with her on his shoulders. Hartwell grabs the title belt, wins the match, and reunites with Lumis. In-Dex is back together.
Daniel Cormier is shown in the audience.
NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus (Wolfgang & Mark Coffey) defeated Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo and The Creed Brother (Julius & Brutus Creed) in a triple threat match to retain their titles
Gallus retains the tag title thanks in large part to the returning Joe Coffey. Match was decent enough, but the crowd seemed quiet for the most part. They did perk up for certain spots.
There was a double Doomsday Device that was botched. Coffey had Stacks in an electric chair. Julius Creed then lifts both Coffey and Stacks up in another electric chair. Brutus jumps off the top rope, but he misses by a country mile. They other still topple over.
Joe Coffey returns and he appears on ringside to break up a pinning attempt by Stacks. D’Angelo eats a lariat from Joe, and Joe rolls Stacks back into the ring. Wolfgang and Mark Coffey execute their tandem finisher, and Wolfgang covers Stack for a pinfall to retain the tag titles.
Pretty Deadly are outside Bron Breakker’s locker room. They were planning to interview him, but both are reluctant to knock on Breakker’s door. So, they don’t. This was a waste of time.
NXT North American Champion defeats Ilja Dragunov, Wes Lee, JD McDonagh and Axiom in a fatal five-way to retain the title
Wes Lee pinned Dragunov to win what was an action-packed spectacle. Notably, this was also Dragon Lee’s in-ring debut in NXT.
They start the match with the champion in the center of the ring, and his four challengers each in a corner. Lots of action from the beginning.
McDonagh and Dragunov tangle early on to continue their blood feud. Dragon Lee gets to shine with some of his signature offense. He eventually squares off with Wes Lee. He crashes and burns on a dive, but he no sells it as I think he was supposed to land on his feet.
Getting to look strong, McDonagh runs wild for a bit. Dragunov breaks up a pinning attempt. Dragunov gets his time to shine among the plethora of high spots. Dragunov was also busted open and he bled some.
Lots of clever spots that play into everyone’s strengths. There was also a double submission spot, and some tandem spots in the closing minutes. They take turns running through intricate high spots. Some stuff looks rather stiff. Numerous near falls in the closing minutes and some great saves.
Finish comes as Dragunov was measuring Dragon Lee for his finisher. Just as Dragunov strikes, Wes Lee hits him with a Cardiac Kick. Wes Lee then pins Dragunov to retain his title.
Johnny Gargano defeated Grayson Waller in an unsanctioned match
Gargano submitted Waller in a great match. This was arguably Waller’s best match in NXT, and this was probably Gargano’s best match since returning to WWE.
Gargano’s wife Candice LeRae and their child are at ringside watching the match. Gargano is on fire at the start of the match, and he tosses props into the ring like kendo sticks, trash cans and such.
Waller nails Gargano with a trash can lid when Gargano goes for a tope. Waller goes on to set up a bed of folding chairs on the floor. He would later take a bump on the bed of chairs. They tease it for a bit before Gargano suplexes Waller onto the bed of chairs.
Waller later spoofs doing Sweet Chin Music, but is blocked by Gargano. They tease another suplex through a table, but that is broken up. Waller gives Gargano a stunner on the floor, and Waller powerbombs Gargano through a table.
Gargano takes a sideslam onto a chair. Waller works the back further with shots from a kendo stick. Waller would pummel Gargano in front of his wife and child. Gargano turns the tables and gets the stick from Waller. Candice LeRae jumps the guardrail to hit Waller with the stick. Waller’s back is left with whelps and cuts.
One Final Beat by Gargano for a close near fall. Gargano then goes for a crossface submission, but Waller rakes Gargano’s eyes. Waller puts a trash can on top of Gargano, and Waller goes a coast-to-coast for a Van Terminator. That leads to a near fall for Waller. Gargano powerbombs Waller through the gimmicked announce desk. Roll though into a stunner by Waller for another near fall.
Waller is taunting Gargano, and Gargano gives him a low blow. Gargano then repeatedly hits Waller with chairs shots as Waller feeds him his back. Gargano puts a chair around Waller’s neck, and Gargano hits that chair with another chair. Gargano Escape is applied, and Waller taps out.
– Tony D’Angelo was in the locker room trying to console Stacks for the loss earlier. Pretty Deadly entered and didn’t help matters, eventually enraging D’Angelo and leading to a pull-apart
Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn defeated Kiana James & Fallon Henley (w/ Jensen & Briggs) to win the WWE NXT Women’s Tag Team titles
James & Henley were bickering on the way down to the ring and Fire took advantage with a top rope dive to the outside to take advantage. Fyre & Dawn were on their game early, working over Henley with several near falls. Their double team combos were especially on point with Fyre looking particularly crisp.
Henley eventually got the hot tag and took out Fyre & Dawn, hitting a moonsault to the outside off the apron on both women at one point. Henley came in off a blind tag and had mixed results, losing the advantage and nearly getting beat off a double team reverse slam that James had to save.
The champions worked their way back into things with Henley connecting on a missile dropkick on Fire as she was mounted on James’ shoulders that got a close near fall. The challengers responded in kind, getting a super close near fall off a double superkick on James that the ref looked to pull up on as the three was coming.
James then yelled at Jensen for her bag and both Henley and Briggs urged him not to hand it over. The distraction led to Henley getting taken out and James getting hit with a backstabber from Dawn and a swanton from Fyre combo to earn Fyre & Dawn the titles.
This was good in spots, but felt like it was a few minutes too long.
– Coming up Tuesday: Pretty Deadly vs. D’Angelo & Stacks, and Dijak vs. Odyssey Jones
Carmelo Hayes defeated Bron Breakker to win the NXT Championship
Trick Williams did a big intro for Hayes which added to the big fight feel between two of the top stars in NXT at arguably their biggest show of the year. The crowd was really into Hayes at the onset with their chants.
The early going was both men trying to establish their own games. Hayes had a miscue, slipping on the middle rope off an Irish whip. He went right back to it and attempted to hit his jumping cutter, but Breakker shoulderblocked him to get things back on track.
Breakker’s agility was on display with a frankensteiner and standing moonsault that got a near fall. Hayes rallied, Breakker rallied and so it went.
The champion went on an offensive run, using his power advantage. As he got Hayes up for a torture rack, Williams jumped up and pulled Hayes out. Instead of the ref calling for a DQ, he used his discretion and tossed Williams out.
That was followed by a huge Breakker running somersault dive over the top onto both men. He hit the top rope bulldog on the way back in that got a close near fall.
Hayes came back as the crowd chanted “Melo,” but Breakker slide outside the ring to curb the momentum. He blocked a suplex back in, but Hayes jumped on the middle rope to counter and hit the suplex in a really innovative spot.
As the story of the match went, Breakker roared back with a run-up frankensteiner off the top to counter Hayes as neither man could keep the advantage for more than a move or two.
Things took a turn as Breakker speared Hayes who fell into the referee. The straps came down and Breakker clamped in the Steiner Recliner for the visual tap. Williams then reappeared, hit Breakker with the title and dragged Hayes onto the champion…for a super close near fall. Hayes’ look of disbelief afterward was great.
Breakker countered a Hayes springboard into a press slam which was then countered with the First 48. Hayes went to the top, hitting Nothing But Net for the pin and title change to end a really, really good match.
Afterward, Breakker handed Hayes the title and showed him respect as Hayes looked on cautiously in case a swerve was coming.
Let the Carmelo Hayes era truly begin and the speculation of Bron Breakker to the main roster begin.
This past week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, before Monday’s episode of Raw.
Carmelo Hayes defeated Akira Tozawa (5:42)
This was a good match between two extremely talented and athletic workers. Tozawa is always so good in this spot and Hayes showed what an exciting talent he is.
Hayes cut an inset promo as he made his way to the ring, pointing out that he was now the number one contender to the NXT title and that tonight, Tozawa would just end up as another name on a t-shirt.
Hayes is impressive and after Tozawa took the first minute or so, they did a nice spot where he suplexed Tozawa over the top rope and then hung his legs over the bottom rope and did some sit-ups. That, and an absolutely beautiful springboard clothesline where he pretty flew across half the ring, showed off what he can do.
Tozawa got the hope, culminating in a top rope back elbow for two. They then traded near falls before Hayes rolled out of the way of a top rope senton.
Hayes went up top himself and connected with a leg drop to the back of Tozawa’s neck for the win. This was very much like the move John Cena used to do and the crowd seemed to appreciate the acknowledgement given that Cena was in the building.
The OC (w/ Michin) defeated Maximum Male Models w/ Maxine Dupree) (5:59)
There wasn’t much to this one, but they gave the right team the win in front of an expectant Boston crowd.
Although both Mansoor and Mace have worked Main Event before, this was their first appearance as a tag team. It’s a horrible gimmick, but they made me chuckle as they walked to the ring. In their body language and gait, they seem to be channeling Serge from Beverly Hills Cop. If you know, you know.
Maximum Male Models are pretty easy to hate and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson had no issue getting over with this audience. Without the injured AJ Styles, they are essentially treading water for now which must be frustrating after they returned to the company in the fall of last year.
They did some early comedy and quick tags, which led to Anderson getting distracted by Maxine who got up on the apron and tried to scout him for her agency. This led to Gallows getting taken out and Michin and Dupree arguing outside as we went to the break.
When we got back, Mansoor was in control of Anderson, slowing things down. They built to giving Gallows the hot tag and he ran wild, destroying both Mansoor and Mace. Anderson then recovered and they hit Mansoor with the Magic Killer for the win.
Final Thoughts:
This was a mediocre show made better by a strong, quick opener and a hot crowd. As a show, it didn’t translate that well on screen, but to get your crowd pumped for Raw, I’m sure it made sense in the building.
