WWE NXT wraps up its build to Deadline tonight with a couple of Hall of Famers set to appear.
Eric Bischoff and Sean “X-Pac” Waltman have both been announced for tonight’s NXT episode. While not much is known about X-Pac’s appearance, it’s been confirmed that Bischoff will be meeting with NXT Champion Trick Williams and Ridge Holland ahead of their title match this Saturday.
The final two Iron Survivor Challenge spots for Deadline will be up for grabs in last-chance qualifying matches. Cora Jade vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Jaida Parker vs. Wren Sinclair is the women’s qualifier. On the men’s side, it’s Axiom vs. Lexis King vs. Eddy Thorpe vs. Cedric Alexander.
A tag team battle royal takes place tonight with the winners earning a title shot against Axiom & Nathan Frazer at Deadline. Plus, Gigi Dolin will be in action after making her return last week.
Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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NXT is on the air with a show taped in front of a live studio audience from a sound stage the Performance Center in Orlando. Opening the show is a last chance qualifier.
On commentary is Vic Joseph and Booker T, and the ring announcer is Mike Rome. Sarah Schreiber is in the Mean Gene role doing backstage interviews.
Wren Sinclair (with Charlie Dempsey) defeated Cora Jade and Kelani Jordan and Jaida Parker in a fatal four-way match to qualify for the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge.
Sinclair pinned Jade, thanks in large part to outside interference by Lola Vice. Jordan and Jade are also doing a program in a subplot, seemingly setting up a match between them in the near future.
Jordan got to shine with several high spots, like a quebrada off the barricade around ringside. But it was Parker in control as the show cut to its first commercial break. Parker stacks Sinclair and Jade in the ropes and Parker drops a bomb on both. Parker boasts with a dance that is shown on replay just before the show goes into the break.
They come back from the break with an awkward Tower of Doom spot, and they go into a series of near falls. They took turns breaking up the pinning attempts. Sit-out powerbombs, Swanton Bombs, Falcon Arrows, and frog splashes are just some of the big moves.
Just before they go home, Jordan does a 450 splash. Parker breaks up Jordan’s pin on Jade. In a call back to earlier in the match, Parker then goes to stack Jordan in a corner. Suddenly, Lola Vice on the apron. Vice goes to throw a spinning back fist at Parker. Ducking the back fist, Parker avoids Vice’s attack, but Sinclair is inadvertently struck by Vice’s back fist. Sinclair falls like a stone, landing on a fallen Jade. Sinclair is out, but she is in a pinning combination. The referee counts a pinfall on Jade. Meanwhile, Vice drags Parker out of the ring. Fluke win by Sinclair, but she nevertheless qualifies for the Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline.
Sarah Schreiber interviews Eddy Thorpe in a backstage area. He has a fair chance tonight, and he vows to win. Up walks Lexis King to interrupt the interview, telling Thorpe to control his temper. King makes a wisecrack about Thorpe being a “loose cannon,” and Thorpe responds by saying King has “daddy issues.”
Out comes an angry Jaida Parker, with a microphone in one hand and a brick in the other. Parker is yelling for to take down the ring ropes. Parker is calling out Vice for an Underground match. The show cuts to a commercial break just as Parker hijacks the show. This leads to an Underground match being added to the Deadline card.
Back from commercials, and Parker is in the ring calling out Vice. Referees around the ring taking down the ropes. Out comes NXT General Manager Ava, and she tells Parker she can have an Underground match. Just not tonight. Ava says Parker cannot wrestle twice in one night.
Lola Vice storms back onto the sound stage and she is yelling for Parker. Vice confronts Parker in the ring. The GM seems powerless to stop an altercation. Parker tossed the brick to Vice, but that was a diversion. Parker then drops Vice with a roaring elbow. Vice is knocked out as Parker stands over her. Parker against Vice in the Underground at Deadline is set.
Karmen Petrovic is chatting backstage with Dion Lennox and Brinley Reece, when Petrovice gets roses from Ashante “Thee” Adonis. The romance continues.
Myles Borne wins a Number One Contenders’ Tag Team Battle Royal
Myles Borne wins the battle royal, which makes the No Quarter Catch Crew the number one contenders for the tag team titles. Borne and Tavion Heights will challenge for the NXT Tag Team Championship at Deadline against champions Nathan Frazier & Axiom.
Unlike other tag team battle royals, an elimination of one team member does not mean both teammates are eliminated. The last man in the ring wins the match her his team. The final three are Borne, Tank Ledger, and Lucien Price. Borne clotheslines Tank over the top rope, and then Borne dropkicks Price off the turnbuckles.
Eric Bischoff hosts a face-to-face confrontation with NXT Champion Trick Williams and challenger Ridge Holland
Bischoff does a good job of hosting this segment and hyping it up. The confrontation between champion and challenger led to a brawl and an injury angle. Trick Williams leaves on a stretcher after Holland uses his DDT finisher to spike Williams on the announce desk.
Before the injury angle came walking and talking, as Bischoff enters the soundstage. He is joined by his guests, and promos are cut. Holland and Williams trade barbs. They then get into a brawl. The fighting spills outside the ring. Holland smashes Williams into the ring steps, and then Holland gives Williams an implant DDT on the announce desk. The desk did not break, and they sold it like Willaims was seriously injured from the spot. A stretcher is wheeled out for Williams.
After a commercial break, Williams is shown being taken out on a stretcher. Reporter Sarah Schreiber offers an update from Ava, who was unsure what potential injury means for the NXT Championship match at Deadline. Thanks for the update, I guess.
Karmen Petrovic defeated Nikkita Lyons
Petrovic pinned Lyons after the “Silent Slice” kick. Ashante “Thee” Adonis becomes involved in the match just before the finish, and Petrovic is angry with him for pushing her. He was seemingly trying to save her, but that is not how it worked out. Nonetheless, Petrovic perseveres to deliver the Silent Slice.
Shawn Spears talks with Brooks Jensen and Niko Vance. Spears is playing the long game. Whatever that means in NXT. This skit made Spears look foolish, as both Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolan clown on him. This leads to Spears scouting the next match. Whatever that means.
Gigi Dolan (with Tatum Paxley) defeated Izzi Dame
Dame fought valiantly, and she got a lot of offense. In WWE logic, that foreshadowed the outcome where Dolan wins in the end. Dolan won via pinfall after a “Gigi Driver” finish. Paxley became involved during the match, and she takes a bump for Dame. Spears is in the aisle for much of the match being creepy as heck as he watches on.
Sean “X-Pac” Waltman, in a cameo appearance, joins Je’Von Evans for a backstage interview. X-Pac says he was the same age as Evans when Waltman beat Razor Ramon. Evans goes to shake hands with Waltman, but X-Pac wants to “Too Sweet” instead.
Eddy Thorpe defeated Axiom and Lexis King and Cedric Alexander in a fatal four-way match to qualify for the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge
Several wrestlers are on hand watching the match. Ethan Page is providing guest commentary at the announce desk. Je’Von Evans is watching among the studio audience, while Wes Lee is Crow Sting (as he watching from a platform overlooking the ring).
Thorpe pinned King, after stealing a pinfall from Axiom. Just as they go home, Axiom delivers the “Golden Ratio” to King. Axiom seemingly has a pinfall, but Thorpe pulls Axiom out of the ring NWO style. Thorpe then jumps into the ring to cover King for a three count. In winning, Thorpe becomes the final qualifier for the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge. The first part of the match, before the commercial break, was okay. After the break, the match greatly heats up and the action intensifies.
GM Ava is FaceTiming with Stevie Turner and Robert Stone. Ava insists the NXT title match at Deadline will go on as plans, despite Trick being injured in the brawl earlier tonight.
Thorpe also cuts a promo on Turner and Stone.
NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez get into the ring, wearing street clothes and the NXT title over he shoulder. Perez cuts a heckuava promo, and she also cuts promos on all of the participants of the Iron Survivor Challenge.
This all leads to Sol Ruca, Zaria, Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia all coming out to confront each other and Perez. A brawl erupts between the four women. Meanwhile, Wren Sinclair lays out Perez. Sinclair then stands over Perez while holding the title belt overhead.
TO THE BACK, where Eddy Thorpe is laid out after being jumped by a mystery assailant. The show ends with a Tonya Harding angle on this go-home episode of NXT.
