WWE NXT star Roxanne Perez is returning to the place where her career first took off.
Reality of Wrestling has announced that Perez will appear at their Slamuary show in Texas City, Texas on Saturday, January 13. It’s being advertised as Perez returning home for one night only.
‼️ BREAKING NEWS ‼️
NXT Superstar @roxanne_wwe makes her return home to Reality Of Wrestling for One Night Only on Saturday, January 13th for the first event of 2024. #Slamuary
📍9300 Emmett F Lowry Expressway Texas City, TX 77591
Perez was trained by Booker T at Reality of Wrestling and is a former champion for the promotion. She held Reality of Wrestling’s Diamond Divisions Championship in 2020.
Before signing with WWE in 2022, Perez wrestled as Rok-C on the indies and in Ring of Honor.
The 22-year-old Perez is a former NXT Women’s Champion and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion. At NXT Deadline earlier this month, she lost to Kiana James in a steel cage match. Izzi Dame aligned with James and cost Perez the match.
In addition to running Reality of Wrestling, Booker T works for WWE NXT as a commentator. WWE/NXT wrestlers Ivy Nile, Trick Williams, Axiom, and Charlie Dempsey have made appearances for Reality of Wrestling over the past year.
Slamuary is Reality of Wrestling’s first show of 2024.
Roxanne Perez and Kiana James will meet inside a steel cage after the two fought in the open of Tuesday’s NXT, competing in a four-way last chance match to qualify for the Iron Survivor Challenge. Both ended up falling into the announcer’s table towards the end of the match, allowing Fallon Henley to secure the win to advance. Later inside the trainer’s room, the two fought again. Ava said she will go to Shawn Micheals and confirm the match for Saturday.
Ava later met Carmelo Hayes backstage, who told Hayes that his match against Lexis King was good as official. Following an NXT Anonymous video showing Carmelo Hayes on his phone shortly before Trick Williams was attacked backstage back in October, Williams again became suspicious of Hayes. Williams confronted him, asking if he was working with King. Williams said he’d prove himself by taking on King at Deadline.
A kickoff match will also take place before the show, with Axiom facing Nathan Frazer. The two were having a match on NXT Tuesday when all five of the women’s Iron Survivor Challenge participants entered the ring, causing the match to be thrown out.
Here is the updated card for NXT Deadline:
NXT Championship: Ilja Dragunov defends against Baron Corbin
NXT North American Championship: Dominik Mysterio defends against Dragon Lee
Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge: Dijak vs. Trick Williams vs. Josh Briggs vs. Bron Breakker vs. Tyler Bate
Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge: Tiffany Stratton vs. Lash Legend vs. Blair Davenport vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Fallon Henley
The finals for the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament are now set.
Kelani Jordan will meet Lola Vice next week at Halloween Havoc night two to determine this year’s tournament winner. Jordan defeated Arianna Grace on Tuesday’s Halloween Havoc night one, while Vice defeated Karmen Petrovic. After Vice’s win, both women posed in front of the NXT Women’s Championship title match contract, which the winner of the finals will earn.
The tournament has taken place over the course of the last month. Jordan defeated Izzi Dame to advance to the semifinals, while Vice defeated Dani Palmer.
This is the second year in a row a Women’s Breakout Tournament has taken place. Last year’s tournament was won by Roxanne Perez, who defeated Tiffany Stratton in the finals. Both women have gone on to win the NXT Women’s Championship in the last year.
Cody Rhodes earlier this month announced that after the end of the Women’s Breakout Tournament, a Men’s Breakout Tournament will also take place, well as the return of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Tonight’s NXT is the final stop before Great American Bash.
One week after his North American title win, Dominik Mysterio will appear tonight. Dominik and Rhea Ripley are kicking off the episode. Ripley will also be in action against Lyra Valkyria.
With help from the rest of Judgment Day, Dominik defeated Wes Lee last Tuesday to win the NXT North American Championship. Lee was scheduled to defend the title against Mustafa Ali at Great American Bash this Sunday. Tonight should provide some clarity on WWE’s plans for Sunday’s title match.
Carmelo Hayes is putting his NXT Championship on the line against Ilja Dragunov at Great American Bash. Tonight, Dragunov will team up with Hayes & Trick Williams in a six-man tag against Joe Gacy & The Dyad.
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson will provide an answer about his future as he appears tonight. A kendo stick match between Cora Jade and Dana Brooke has also been announced for the episode.
Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
The show opens with recaps of Dominik Mysterio matches from Raw and Smackdown. Out comes the new NXT North American Champion, alongside WWE World Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley, for an in-ring promo to kick off NXT tonight.
Ripley speaks first. She says Judgment Day runs all of WWE. They both brag on their faction. The live studio audience chants for Dom to cut his mullet. Ripley mentions the name of Lyra Valkyria before she was interrupted by former North American title holder Wes Lee.
Lee hates seeing the title in Dom’s hands, because “for 269 days, that title represented hard work and opportunity.” Lee is rightfully upset at the way he lost a title, and he wants a rematch.
Ripley says what NXT needed was a new champ. Wes agrees that they need a new champion tonight. Suddenly, Lee is interrupted by Mustafa Ali, as Ali barges into the conflict.
Ali says he has respect and love for Lee. Keep that in mind for later on. Ali has no respect nor love for Dom. Ali accuses Dom of being a thief. Dom stole his catchphrases, his father’s finisher, his other daddy’s frog splash, and now Ali’s chance at a title shot.
Freudian slip by Ali as he calls Lee a dummy for putting his championship on the line last week. Ali goes on to say he tried to tell Lee not to take the match, but Lee was too stupid to listen. An angry Lee responds by getting in Ali’s face.
Dom interjects, and Dom says he does not mind who he faces at The Great American Bash. Mami even says he can defend the titles against both of them. Dom goes to leave, but he first punks Ali. Dom ducks when Ali charges towards him, and Ali inadvertently hits Lee with a lariat.
The plot thickens in the North American title picture, as two challengers and former friends now seem at odds. Seems to set up a triple threat.
McKenzie Mitchell is backstage interviewing Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo. Tony D says he will not forget the reaction from the audience last week, and Stacks vows they will win the tag team titles. They are soon interrupted by Bronco Nima and Lucien Price. This sets up a tag match for later tonight.
A clip from last night, that was posted to social media, shows Lyra Valkyria challenging Rhea Ripley to a match tonight on NXT. Back at the Performance Center, McKenzie Mitchell is with Valkyria for a live interview. She wants to face Ripley tonight to show the world who she is, against what Valkyria called “the measuring stick” in WWE.
Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams & Ilja Dragunov defeated The Schism (Joe Gacy, Jagger Reid & Rip Fowler with Ava)
Hayes pinned to win this six-man tag match. Good action, and a fun match. They wrestled through a commercial break. Just before cutting to the split-screen break, the babyface trio is standing tall.
In the closing moments, Dragunov is holding his own against The Dyad until the double team is too much. Just as Gacy tags in and The Schism looks to be in control, masked guys at ringside tripped up Gacy. The masked figures at first seemed aligned with Schism, but are they really the Creeds? Meanwhile, Gacy leaps off the top rope for a splash, but no water in the pool.
Dragunov signals for a finisher when Hayes makes a blind tag, just when Dragunov was seemingly about to win. Hayes then climbs the turnbuckles, and leaps off to deliver Nothing But Net on Gacy. Hayes then covers Gacy for the deciding pinfall.
Unrest among the winning trio after the match. Williams is angry with Dragunov, and Williams is held back by Hayes. Later in the show, Williams and Dragunov are arguing backstage. They get in each other’s face, which sets up something for later on tonight. Hayes is unhappy with how Williams handled the situation, but Williams vows to call out Dragunov.
NXT Women’s Champion is the focus of a video package that hypes her title defense against Thea Hail at The Bash.
Von Wagner (with Mr. Stone) defeated Javier Bernal
Wagner pinned Bernal in a glorified enhancement match. Booker T on commentary brags on Bernal, and then Bernal proceeds to get squashed by Wagner. Bernal is pummeled before Wagner executes a Rock Bottom into a spinebuster, and Wagner pins Bernal.
Wagner is not done yet, as he powerbombs Bernal through the announce desk after the match. Out of nowhere comes Bron Breakker with a spear that wipes out Wagner. Breakker grabs a metal folding chair. Referees pour out to stop Breakker from using the chair. This clearly sets up a singles grudge match with Wagner against Breakker.
Gable Steveson challenges Baron Corbin to a match at The Great American Bash, in what will be Steveson’s debut match in NXT
Gable Steveson is headed to the ring to announce his decision. He introduces himself to the audience for those that do not know him. He talks about being a Gold Medalist, and says he could go to Paris for the next Olympics to became the first American to win two gold medals in his sport. Or, Steveson says he can go back to college to win a national championship.
Steveson is just about to announce his decision when he is interrupted by Baron Corbin. He sarcastically tells Steveson to either go back to college or go to the Olympics, but do not come to NXT.
Corbin warns Steveson that his decision could determine his entire future. Corbin tells Steveson that he will make Steveson fail. Corbins warns this wrestling ring will humble him. It will make someone question their entire existence. Corbin cautions Steveson that in NXT he will be swimming with sharks. Corbin calls himself a Great White, and says he is “starving” while smelling blood in the water.
Steveson responds by telling Corbin that he just made Steveson’s decision that much easier. Steveson challenges Corbin to a match at The Great American Bash in what is Steveson first match in NXT. A scuffle ensues. Steveson waistlocks Corbin, and he gives Corbin a German suplex. Steveson then does an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Referees pour out to break up the melee.
Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio are seen talking in the locker room.
Dana Brooke (with Kelani Jordan) defeated Cora Jade in a kendo stick match
Brooke pinned Jade to win a match that had more kendo sticks shots than a Sandman match in ’95.
Jade dominated most of the match, as she pummeled Brooke with shots from a kendo stick. Jade retrieved even more kendo sticks, and continued to use them as weapons. Brooke took a lot of hard strikes, but Brooke fights back. Jade dashes a hope spot, but not for long.
Jade sets up a chair in the ring, and she sits Brooke down in the chair. That backfires as they do the Raven spot where Brooke does a drop toe hold, and Jade smashes into the chair. Jade then grabs a pink kendo stick, and it is time for receipts. Brooke repeatedly hits Jade with the kendo stick.
As they go home, Brooke piles up a bunch of kendo sticks and suplexed Jade onto the pile. Brooke then does a senton atomico, and she covers Jade for a pinfall.
Dragunov and Hayes have words in the locker room. Tension build ahead of their title bout on Sunday. Something is also building for later tonight with Trick Williams planning to call out Dragunov, who seems not the slightest bit scared to answer the call.
The Family (Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo) defeated Bronco Nima & Lucien Price
Scrypts is ringside to provide guest commentary. Not sure why, except it set up Axiom doing a run in where he jumps Scrypts. Then, Scrypts escapes after going through the ring. Axiom gives chase, and Axiom does a dive through the ropes.
Despite Nima & Price looking strong during the match itself, I think it was a terrible idea to beat them so early in their run. But whatever. Here they apparently got distracted by the Axiom run-in, which is a pretty lame excuse for a lose. But whatever. The Family is the team getting the title shot on Sunday, so they went over.
Hot tag to Tony D, and he cleans house on Nima & Price. Bada Bing finisher on Price, and Tony D covers him for a pinfall.
After the match, Gallus appears on the Titantron to cut a promo on The Family. This hyped up the tag title match on Sunday.
Dijak in a vignette cuts a promo on Eddy Thorpe.
Zion Clark is seen sitting at ringside among the live studio audience.
“Exclusive footage” shows Roxanne Perez attacking Blair Davenport in a convenience store. Not exactly a classic like Booker T and Stone Cold brawling in a grocery store, this here was still an entertaining brawl in an unusual area. It similar to a brawl at a concession stand in Tupelo.
Davenport and Perez brawl around the store, knocking over merchandise and other gimmicks. Perez stands tall as sirens wail in the distance. The sound of sirens get closer as Perez walks out of the store with Davenport still down on the floor.
The Meta-Four are in the ring for a Supernova Sessions talking segment. Noam Dar is still doing the Weekend at Bernie’s gimmick where he is unresponsive. Jakara Jackson, Lash Legend and Oro Mensah flank Dar in the ring.
They present Dar with a replica of the Heritage Cup trophy, which snaps Dar out of his condition. Dar takes a phantom bump out of his wheelchair, and he jumps to his feet. Dar hugs the trophy and hold it like a baby.
A now jubilant Dar is soon interrupted by reigning Heritage Cup Champion Nathan Frazier and Dragon Lee. This leads to a brawl where Dragon Lee and Frazier get the better of Dar and Mensah. Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon also run in to counteract Jackson and Legend. This all sets up a eight-person mixed tag match for pre-show before The Bash on Sunday.
A vignette shows Thea Hail training for her title challenge at The Bash, as he trains alongside Andre Chase and Duke Hudson. The vignette itself is fun and quirky, but there is maybe too much comedy in this title program. But its Thea Hail, so the comedy works well with her character.
Un-aired footage from last week showed the partnership further deteriorate between Los Lotharios, as Humberto Carillo storms off after an argument with Angel Garza.
WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley (with NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio) defeated Lyra Valkyria in a non-title match
Ripley pinned Valkyria to win the main event match on tonight’s show. It would not actually close the show as the last segment, but it was indeed given plenty of television time.
The match goes through a commercial break. Ripley is looking strong as Valkyria is a babyface-in-peril fighting from underneath. Valkyria kicks out of a near fall, and she also counters a Riptide. Her comeback is seemingly thwarted by Ripley, as Ripley uncharacteristically climbs the turnbuckles.
Ripley does the Eddy shimmy in honor of Dom, but that backfires as Ripley is tripped up and shoved off the top rope by Valkyria. Dom sacrifices himself for his “Mami” when he takes a wrecking ball dropkick from Valkyria. Ripley then takes a flying Frankentsteiner off the apron by Valkyria.
Back in the ring, Valkyria counters a vertical suplex to give Ripley a DDT. Valkyria off the top with a frog splash for a near fall. Valkyria with a series of kicks, and then she attempts a springboard off the middle rope. Ripley cuts her down in mid-air with forearm shiver. Ripley then plants Valkyria with The Riptide, and Ripley folds up Valkyria for a pinfall.
After the match, Ripley gets in Valkyria’s face to motivate her. Ripley tells Valkyria to prove her right and defeat Jacy Jayne. Valkyria tells her she will.
Great American Bash go-home segment closes the show
Trick Williams is heading to the ring to call out Ilja Dragunov, and Williams does just that. He calls out Dragunov. Out comes Dragunov, and a brawl erupts. Brawling around ringside, Williams pummels Dragunov. Williams throws him into the barricade, smashed him into the steps, and bodyslams Dragunov on the floor.
Dragunov fights back as he cuts off Williams. Dragunov with a trifecta of suplexes on the floor. Dragunov rolls Williams in the ring, and Dragunov chops him like Wahoo McDaniel, and then Dragunov chops him some more. Dragunov measures and delivers a lying forearm on a prone Williams.
Dragunov looks to deliver Torpedo Moskau. In runs Carmelo Hayes, and the NXT Champion sacrifices himself for his friend. Hayes takes a bullet for Williams, as Dragunov levels Hayes with Torpedo Moskau.
Dragunov on the house mic vows to win the NXT title on Sunday. He poses with the title belt as the show goes off the air.
The final NXT before Battleground takes place tonight.
The episode will feature both semifinal matches in NXT’s Women’s Championship tournament. Roxanne Perez and Tiffany Stratton will meet with a place in the finals on the line. On the other side of the bracket, Cora Jade takes on Lyra Valkyria.
The tournament finals are being held at Battleground this Sunday. The NXT Women’s Championship was vacated by Indi Hartwell earlier this month.
Ahead of defending his Heritage Cup trophy against Dragon Lee at Battleground, Noam Dar will be in action against Nathan Frazer.
Tyler Bate vs. Eddy Thorpe and Hank Walker vs. Tank Ledger have also been announced for tonight’s show. Bate is challenging for the North American Championship at Battleground in a triple threat match against Wes Lee and Joe Gacy.
Plus, NXT will finish building to Carmelo Hayes and Bron Breakker’s NXT Championship match at Saturday’s special.
Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
The show started with inset promos by Lyra Valkyria, Cora Jade, Tiffany Stratton, and Roxanne Perez ahead of the NXT Women’s Championship semifinals.
Lyra Valkyria defeated Cora Jade to advance in the NXT Women’s Championship tournament
Very short match. This ended eight minutes into the show.
Valkyria and Jade traded counters early. Valkyria hit an exploder on Jade for a nearfall. Jade tripped Valkyria on the ropes but Valkyria dodged and hit a spinning heel kick for the win. That puts Valkyria in the finals at Battleground on Sunday.
Jade jumped Valkyria after the match, targeting Valkyria’s knee. Jade grabbed a kendo stick and struck Valkyria in the knee, likely playing into Saturday’s match.
Axiom and Dabba Kato were shown walking to the ring. They showed a tale of the tape, because Dabba Kato tall, Axiom short.
Dijak walked into the building but was attacked by Ilja Dragunov, who attempted to close a sliding gate on Dijak. Referees stopped him before he could do it. Vic Joseph had the “hold harmless” agreement they are to sign later tonight.
NXT announcers, for the record, did mention that it was Reggie who Axiom unmasked several weeks ago.
Dabba Kato defeated Axiom
Another short match. Why did Axiom need to be the fall guy here?
Axiom dodged a chokeslam, but Kato grabbed him and threw him to the floor. Axiom attempted to fight back, but Kato slapped him and threw Axiom back into the ring. Axiom targeted Kato’s leg but Kato hit a huge lariat then connected with a tree slam for the win.
Kato continued to attack Axiom after the match, completely destroying him. Reggie then showed up and dumped Kato to the floor, who was then whisked away by security. Reggie acted friendly towards Axiom, but Axiom did not seem interested in being friends with Reggie.
Tony D’Angelo was shown in what looked like a police interrogation room. The interrogator asked why D’Angelo’s name kept coming up “in ongoing investigations”. The interrogator showed him a video and asked to identify someone in the video. D’Angelo said it wasn’t him. Another person came in and told the interrogator that there was new information regarding D’Angelo’s involvement.
In a video, Bron Breakker talked about what happened at NXT Stand & Deliver. He asked what did this last year get him? Was this all just so he could pass the torch? He said that Melo can have the torch, because he’s about to burn this bitch down. He said Melo is just a dude walking around with his title. He’s not coming to Lowell to witness a homecoming, he’s coming to Lowell in front of Melo’s friends and family for a massacre.
Gallus came to the ring and cut a promo in green Sin Cara lightning. This has never, ever worked and yet they still do it every six months. They ran down Tony D & Stacks and The Creed Brothers. The Creeds came out and said they were saying to their faces they want the titles on the line at Battleground. The two teams eventually got into a fight. The numbers game started to come into play until Stacks came to the ring to make the save for the Creeds.
Wes Lee was interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell. A lot of talking tonight. He said he thought he could trust Tyler, and while he might be paranoid, things have changed. Tyler Bate came in but Wes wouldn’t have any of it and walked away. Bate said challenging Wes Lee for the title changes nothing about what he thinks about Lee but it’s another story entirely regarding Joe Gacy.
Tyler Bate defeated Eddy Thorpe
This was good while it lasted. Thorpe looked fine here but Bate, in terms of in-ring work, stands out among most on the brand following the draft.
Some good back and forth early. Thorpe cut off Bate with a crossbody but Bate cradled him for a nearfall.Thorpe responded with a knee to the back of Bate. Bate eventually cut off Thorpe with a knee and a standing shooting star press for a nearfall.
Bate went for the Tyler Driver 97 but Thorpe escaped. Bate hit a lariat then went for the Tyler Driver 97 again, and this time it connected and got Bate the win.
In what is turning out to be a reccuring theme on this show, Gacy came to the ring and jumped Bate after the match. Lee ran into the ring, but was also taken out. Gacy held the title as the segment ended.
McKenzie Mitchell asked Lyra Valkyria for a medical update backstage. Valkyria said she’ll be fine and will be ready for the finals. Valkyria said she wanted Roxanne Perez, saying she is the best in NXT.
During the break, it was shown that Lee and Bate were fighting after Gacy left.
Nathan Frazer defeated Noam Dar
This was good. Frazer is so quick on his feet, it’s very impressive. I think he’s coming along well even though I don’t really understand the John Oliver promos they have him doing now. Dar held his own and was fine.
After some chain wrestling, Frazer used his speed to send Dar out of the ring and to the floor. During the commercial break, Dar gained the advantage, cutting off Fraszer. Frazer attempted to make a comeback, but Dar cut off Frazer by attacking his knee and working over his arm.
Dar continued to work over the arms and legs of Frazer until Frazer came back with a springboard reverse DDT. Fraszer hit a spinning neckbreaker for a nearfall and went for a phoenix splash but Dar escaped and went for a knee lock, only for Frazer to quickly escape.
The finish had Dragon Lee coming to ringside, admiring the Heritage Cup trophy. Dar was upset and shoved Lee. Frazer hit a dive to the outside on Dar then hit the phoenix splash for the win.
McKenzie interviewed Dragunov, who was interrupted by Dijak as the two fought some more and were pulled apart by the roster.
Time for a Carmelo Hayes video, who will be defending the NXT Championship in his hometown. He was shown doing promotional work and said he couldn’t wait to do this in his hometown. They showed him at a Boston Celtics game, and also posing with Mark Wahlberg. Melo said Breakker coming into his backyard to try to beat him is crazy, and said he hopes Bron is ready to get bitten.
Hank Walker defeated Tank Ledger
This was fun while it lasted. Ledger is pretty good for someone who’s only had a couple of matches, he only does basic stuff but comes off far more polished than some who have been here for months.
The two hit shoulder blocks on one another. Ledger hit Walker with elbows in the corner, but Walker countered with some strikes. Ledger hit a powerslam and a headbutt for a two count. Walker hit a slam but soon the two collided in a double crossbody. Walker got the better of it, recovered first, and pinned Ledger for the win.
Bron Breakker immediately hit the ring after the match and laid out both with spears. He told Melo that he would see him Sunday.
Stacks met with The Creeds. Julius told Stacks they appreciate him coming out for the save. Stacks told the Creeds that they’ll also be outnumbered at Battleground and suggested that they work something out. The Creeds politely rejected Stacks’ offer, mentioning how they’ve been burned in the past by others. Julius told Stacks that he and D’Angelo would get the first title shot once they win the titles.
Gigi Dolin came out to talk. She said she wasn’t ashamed of the broken home she grew up in. Neither she nor her brother knew what a normal home life was like. She would have done anything for Jacy Jayne, but now she wanted to end her. Jayne was in the crowd and cut a promo saying she got tired of carrying her and refused to let her drag her down any longer. Dolin said let’s settle it right here and now.
Jayne said she couldn’t wait to end this and suggested they do it next week in a steel cage. Dolin called Jayne a fake ass bitch and agreed to a steel cage match, but upped the ante and made it a weaponized steel cage match. Jayne said it was on. The dialogue here, especially for Dolin, was very corny and not great.
The guy who has been mean to Von Wagner for the last two weeks, who has never been named, now has a name: Luca Crusifino. He said he would make Von regret that they didn’t settle their matter in court. He’s a lawyer, you see.
NXT Anonymous captured a video of Noam Dar begging Oro Mensah to be in his corner. Mensah rejected him and got laughed at by Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson.
Luca Crusifino defeated Von Wagner by DQ
Crusifino literally came out to The People’s Court theme. It was a daytime court show in the 90’s, kids, Google it.
Wagner immediately attacked Crusifino , hitting a big boot. Crucifino dodged a splash and hit an armdrag. Wagner was thrown out of the ring as Crusifino grabbed the picture of Wagner as a child from Mr. Stone and called him a freak very loudly. This got Wagner mad and beat Crusifinoso much against the ropes that he ignored the referee’s five count and got disqualified.
Wagner attempted to powerbomb Crusifino into a table after the match, and at first it seemed like Mr. Stone had talked him out of it. Wagner then grabbed Crucifino and powerbombed him into the table anyway.
D’Angleo was still in the interrogation room. Oh no, he’s being arrested. He said he knows his rights.
Tiffany Stratton defeated Roxanne Perez in a NXT Women’s Championship tournament semifinal
This was okay. Stratton has something but is still clearly super green and looked so in spots during this match.
After some early back and forth, Stratton gained control after clipping Perez off the top rope, sending her rolling to the floor. Perez came back with two crossbodys to the floor and then went for one off the top rope, but Stratton lifted her up, dropped her, and went for the BME, which they are now calling the most beautiful moonsault. Perez dodged but Stratton caught her in a sky high for a nearfall.
Perez hit a springboard hurricanrana off the top rope for another nearfall. Stratton blocked a side russian leg sweep as the two traded nearfalls. Perez hit the side russian leg sweep this time and went for pop rocks, but Stratton blocked it and sent Perez into the ropes. Stratton then hit the most beautiful moonsault ever for the win. That makes it Lyra Valkyria vs. Stratton for the vacant title this Sunday.
More segments! The mystery lady that has attacked a bunch of people on social media has made a television appearance, attacking Perez as she headed to the back. Before anyone could breathe and absorb what had just happened, Dijak came out and was immediately attacked by Dragunov. Dijak eventually signed their agreement as they brawled near the announcer’s desk. Everyone was yelling and screaming. CALM DOWN. They had a staredown as they were pulled apart.
The show ended with a NXT Battleground hype video. This show at times felt like a Vince Russo-induced fever dream with 1,000 segments, a lot of them talking, and sometimes some of them bleeding into one another. Not the greatest go-home show.
The semifinals for the NXT Women’s Championship tournament are now set.
Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez advanced in the tournament on Tuesday. Jade defeated Fallon Henley in a short match with a double arm DDT to open Tuesday’s show. Perez, meanwhile, defeated Jacy Jayne with pop rocks. After the match, Gigi Dolin attacked Jayne, continuing their feud.
As a result, next week’s semifinals will have Lyra Valkyria taking on Jade while Perez will face Tiffany Stratton. The winners of next week’s matches will then move on to NXT Battleground on May 28 in Lowell, Massachusetts, where they will meet to determine a new NXT Women’s Champion.
The championship was vacated earlier this month when Indi Hartwell, who was drafted to Raw as part of the 2023 WWE Draft, vacated the title due to her main roster call-up. Quarterfinal matches took place the following week, with Tiffany Stratton defeating Dolin and Valkyria defeated Kiana James to advance.
The first round of the NXT Women’s Championship tournament concludes with tonight with the last two quarterfinals matches.
Roxanne Perez vs. Jacy Jayne and Cora Jade vs. Fallon Henley are tournament bout on the card tonight. The winners will earn their spots in the semifinals of the tournament.
The winner of Perez vs. Jayne will take on Tiffany Stratton in the next round of the tournament. Lyra Valkyria will be waiting to face either Jade or Henley in the semifinals. The tournament will culminate with a new Women’s Champion being crowned at NXT Battleground on Sunday, May 28.
Noam Dar’s Supernova Sessions talk show comes stateside as Dragon Lee appears as tonight’s guest. The segment should continue the build to a Dar vs. Lee match for the Heritage Cup Championship.
A tag team match between The Creed Brothers and The Dyad has been announced for tonight as well. Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Opening the show is a match in the ongoing women’s tournament. Kicking off the show is the first of two quarterfinal matches in the tournament.
Cora Jade defeated Fallon Henley to advance in the NXT Women’s Championship tournament
Jade pinned Henley, and Jade now advances to a semifinal match next week against Lyra Valkyria. There were inset promos before the match like an old episode of Superstars.
Things started fairly even, but Jade soon targets a knee. Jade works the leg, and Jade works over Henley. Jade also applies a leglock, but Henley escapes as she fights back.
Henley makes a comeback and has a rally. She continues to sell her leg, but she is still able to counter Jade’s DDT finisher. Henley delivers a shining wizard, but she unable to make a cover. Jade rolls outside, and Henley is unable to stop her due to her wounded leg.
Jade is then able to orchestrate one of the oldest heel tricks in the leg. Rolling outside was part of the ploy. She easily beats Henley back into the ring, and Jade waylays Henley with a chop block as she is coming through the ropes. Jade executes a Cactus Jack DDT, and she covers Henley for a pinfall.
Lyra Valkyria appears at ringside after the match, and she has a staredown with Jade. They meet next week in the semifinals of the women’s tournament.
Much of the NXT women’s roster and others are watching the show on a monitor, and a skit unfolds that sets up a match later tonight between Kiana James and Thea Hail. James insults Hail, and Hail vows to kick her “prissy ass” in a match tonight.
Tyler Bate and NXT North American Champion Wes Lee are meditating in smog-filled locker room. They are ambushed by Joe Gacy and Ava. Bate and Lee are laid out as part of a message directed at Lee.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are heading to the ring for a promo, only to find themselves in a quick skirmish that sets up a tag match for later on. Hayes is sporting Kinesio tape on his ribs, selling a spear last week from Bron Breakker.
Hayes calls out Breakker, but instead out comes Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey. For some reason they have beef with Hayes and Williams. Gulak and Dempsey attempt to ambush Hayes and Williams. They were ready, as Hayes and Williams clear the ring of the smarmy heels. This all sets up a tag match for later tonight.
The Creed Brothers (Julius & Brutus Creed with Ivy Nile) defeated The Dyad (Jagger Reid & Rip Fowler with Ava)
Julius Creed pinned Rip Fowler to win an greatly exciting tag match. Ivy Nile and Ava got involved just before the finish.
The Creeds added a new feat of strength spot to their repertoire where they traded Fowler several times while holding him upside down in a delayed vertical suplex.
The Dyad will not be outdone, as they use teamwork and some underhanded tactics to gain an advantage on Julius. He powers out to fight back as the show cuts to a split-screen commercial break.
Heat on Juius as the show returns from the break, as The Dyad work him over. Hot tag to Brutus, and he wrecks shop. Brutus is a brute, and he pulls down the straps as he lets out a primal yell. He gets a near fall, but Brutus is soon cut off. He saves himself with a great spot where Brutus has Reid rolled up, while Brutus simultaneously giving Fowler a Northern Lights suplex.
Double down when Brutus and Reid hit each other with lariats, and the live studio audience chants “NXT.” Julius and Reid try to top the other as both at the same time execute stereo 2 Cold Scorpio 450s. Quite a sight.
The match really heats up down the home stretch. Fowler is outside the ring selling on the floor when grabs Ivy Nile’s leg. Fowler apologizes and backpedals. He begs off, but it was a ploy for Ava and her sneak attack on Nile. Nile counters Ava, and Nile traps her in Nile’s version of a Dragon sleeper. Meanwhile, Brutus leaps off the apron into a cannonball on Fowler. In the ring is Julius and Reid. Julius hits a sliding lariat, and he then covers Reid for a three count.
After a commercial break, the Creeds come to the announce desk. They issue a challenge to Gallus for a tag team title match at NXT Battleground.
A skit from “yesterday” shows Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo eating an an Italian restaurant. Stacks leaves the table to take a phone call. In walks two member of law enforcement, and they Tony D to the police station for questioning. Stacks returns from his phone call, and he acts perplexed over Tony D being taken away by the police.
Supernova Sessions sets up two matches
Noam Dar, along as always by his Heritage Cup trophy, is the host for a Supernova Sessions talk show. Dragon Lee is the guest, and Dar insults Dragon Lee right from the start. Dar gets out a Spanish book looking to communicate Dar, assuming Dragon Lee cannot speak English. Dragon Lee is quick to correct Dar, showing him that Lee speaks English just fine.
They banter back-and-forth. Dragon Lee wants a match against Dar for the trophy. Out comes Nathan Frazier, and wants to call out Dar as a fraud. Frazier also wants Dragon Lee to get a shot at the trophy. Dar is finally goaded into two matches. Dar puts the trophy on the line in a match against Dragon Lee at Battleground. Dar faces Frazier in a match next week in a match where the trophy is not on the line.
Dijak has kidnapped Ilja Dragunov, and Dijak is torturing him.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams defeated Charlie Dempsey & Drew Gulak
Hayes pinned Dempsey to win the match. At the finish, Williams delivers a pump kick on Dempsey, and Hayes tags in. Hayes leaps off the top rope to deliver a guillotine legdrop. Good match.
After the match, Hayes again calls out Bron Breakker. He is apparently not in the building, as Breakker interrupts with a message that plays on the Titantron. Breakker is at the barber shop that Hayes is known to frequent. Breakker leaves after making everyone nervous.
Thea Hail is pumped up for her match tonight, and she exictedly tells Duke Hudson they are ready to go to the ring. Hudson had forgotten he gave Hail permission to be in a match tonight. A distracted Hudson has been grading papers, but he heads to the ring anyway.
Kiana James defeated Thea Hail (with Duke Hudson)
James pinned Hail, no thanks to a distracted Hudson. Hudson is grading paper at ringside in Hail’s corner, and he barely pays attention to Hail’s match. She fights from underneath to rally. Hail makes a comeback, but Hudson is too busy to watch.
Hail with a high cross for a near fall. James counters Hail and cuts her off. James then executes her 401k finisher, and James covers Hail for a three count.
A backstage skit sets up Tank Ledger vs. Hank Walker for next week. They encounter Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, and that inspires Tank to convince Hank they need to face each other in a “hoss fight.”
McKenzie Mitchell is a roving reporter in the training room. Tyler Bate is having his arm wrapped in the aftermath of suffering a sneak attack earlier tonight. Wes Lee is at his side, and Lee tells Mitchell he normally enjoys interviews with her. However, tonight is different. Lee storms off, headed to the ring to call out Joe Gacy.
Dabbo-Kato is the focus of a vignette.
An angry North American Champion Wes Lee storms to the ring, and he calls out Joe Gacy. Bate is seen watching on from the trainer’s room. He gives a wink and nod to the trainer as he brings him some ice. Foreshadowing, perhaps?
Gacy, flanked by Ava, appear on a perch overlooking the ring. They cuts promos on Lee, which leads to Gacy challenging Lee to a title match at Battleground. Gacy and Ava also warn that Bate is deceiving Lee.
Out comes Bate with his arm bandaged, and he cuts a promo on Gacy. Bate says he has a receipt waiting for Gacy. Lee takes that to mean Bate also wants a match against Gacy at Battleground. Bate corrects Lee, before saying that he and Lee are friends. But, Bate admits he wants a title shot as well. Bate insists he would never let the title come between their friendship, as Ava and Gacy chirp at them from above.
This all sets up a triple threat match at Battleground, which was Lee’s idea. Lee looks at Bate before leaving and says, “Thought I could trust you, brother.”
Roxanne Perez in a vignette is admiring her journey board, and she looks forward to what filling her next journey board.
Roxanne Perez defeated Jacy Jayne to advance in the NXT Women’s Championship tournament
Perez pinned Jayne after Pop Rocks. In winning the match, Perez now advances to the semifinals against Tiffany Stratton.
The quarterfinal match goes through a commercial break. Jayne works over Perez, but Perez eventually counters Jayne to execute Pop Rocks. Good enough match.
Gigi Dolan runs in after the match to attack Jayne. Dolan and Jayne brawl at ringside before being separated.
Dijak still has Ilja Dragunov kidnapped, but Dragunov is defiant despite being bloody and beaten.
Out comes Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams to again call out Bron Breakker. The show cuts to commercial as Hayes and Williams are waiting in the ring.
After a commercial break, Breakker comes out with a security detail. Breakker says the security is there to protect Hayes and Williams from Breakker himself. There is some banter back-and-forth. Breakker insults Hayes’s hometown sports teams.
Hayes cannot stand to hear any more, so Hayes does a flip dive onto the security detail. Breakker and Hayes brawl their way into the ring. Security tries to separate them to no avail. Breakker hits Hayes with a cheap shot, but Hayes counters by hitting Breakker with a low blow. Hayes then lays out Breakker with a belt shot, as Hayes hits Breakker with the championship belt. They are both down in the ring selling as the show goes off the air.
Last week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, before Raw.
Emma defeated Roxanne Perez (6:10)
This was a good match that allowed Perez to show what she could do while giving Emma her first appearance on the show in over six years.
As she made her way to the ring, they gave the debutante Perez an inset promo. At just 21, she is really quite impressive. She referred to the fact that she is a former NXT Women’s Champion and that she would show everyone tonight why they call her “the prodigy.”
For Emma, this was her first outing on Main Event since 2017. Back then, she was facing the likes of Mickie James and was probably still doing her wacky dance on her way to the ring. She looked far more assured as she entered here in 2023.
After looking like it was going to be a friendly contest in the early going, Emma turned on Perez and shoved her to the floor. Perez was athletic and agile here, showing that she is a natural gymnast and does way more than just the fundamentals.
Emma took most of the match, working over Perez’s lower back. Eventually, Perez got some hope and fired up with a series of strikes and running European uppercuts. She went up to top, but Emma had it scouted and toppled her to the mat.
Emma used a new finisher here to get the win — the Widow’s Peak — previously used by Victoria. It looks a little ungainly to get her opponent locked in, but there’s no doubt it’s a dangerous looking move that could really get over.
Akira Tozawa defeated Nathan Frazer (8:52)
This was yet another good match on Main Event involving Tozawa who gave the impressive Frazer a platform to show what he can do.
They also gave Frazer an inset promo as he made his entrance. In previous weeks, this has only been used for the opener. He said we had to obey three words (Never. Slow. Down.”) and warned us that we shouldn’t blink or we might just miss it.
This was Frazer’s second Main Event appearance as last time out, he lost to Bronson Reed. That was more of an extended squash and thus, this was a much better way for him to showcase his in-ring style.
Tozawa practically feels like a trainer these days. Every week he puts over a different fresh face, bumping all over for them, never putting in a bad performance. If he’s happy in this spot, it’s ideal. But, he does deserve a run on the main roster at some point.
Before the break, they put on lots of intricate mat work and got the crowd’s appreciation for the technical skill on display. They built to a point where Frazer nailed Tozawa with a springboard dropkick off the apron before the ad break.
Frazer then locked in a cravat for a long period as Tozawa tried everything to work his way out of it. He then fired up with a German suplex, running leg lariat, and a top rope back elbow for a two count.
Tozawa kicked out of a Cross Rhodes before they went to the finish with Tozawa coming off the top rope for the senton to grab only his third win in 2023.
Final Thoughts:
Two really good matches made this episode very strong indeed. It goes without saying that Perez has a huge future ahead of her, but so does Frazer who could become a really accomplished in-ring performer. Credit yet again goes to Tozawa, who is such a safe pair of hands and never gives anything other than his best.
A new match has been made official for next week’s NXT.
Roxanne Perez will meet Zoey Stark in a match after events that took place on Tuesday’s NXT. Perez was seen talking to Stacks and Tony D’Angelo when Stark came up to Perez and taunted her for losing the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver.
Both Perez and Stark took part in a ladder match at NXT Stand & Deliver during WrestleMania weekend. Perez had just come back after being gone since last month, when in storyline she collapsed after retaining the NXT Women’s Championship against Meiko Satomura. On the go-home show for Stand & Deliver, Perez told Shawn Micheals she had recovered. Michaels initially was reluctant to put Perez in the match, but ultimately relented.
Here is the lineup for next week’s WWE NXT:
NXT North American title: Wes Lee (c) vs. Charlie Dempsey
NXT Tag Team titles: Gallus (c) vs. The Dyad vs. The Creed Brothers
Roxanne Perez will be defending her NXT Women’s Championship in the Stand & Deliver ladder match.
A vignette aired on Tuesday’s NXT showing Perez entering Shawn Michaels’ office, informing him that doctors had cleared her after suffering from anxiety and body exhaustion following her title match against Meiko Satomura at NXT Roadblock. Michaels initially suggested to Perez she vacate the title to take more time to recover. Perez instead made a plea to Michaels to put her in the ladder match. Michaels eventually relented.
Later in the show, Indi Hartwell won a last chance three-way match, defeating Sol Rouca and Ivy Nile to become the sixth and final participant in the ladder match. She will be joined by Tiffany Stratton, Zoey Stark, Gigi Dolin, and Lyra Valkyria this Saturday.
Here is the updated lineup for Stand & Deliver:
NXT Championship: Bron Breakker (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes
NXT Women’s title ladder match: Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Zoey Stark vs. Gigi Dolin vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Lyra Valkyria vs. Indi Hartwell
NXT Women’s Tag Team titles: Kiana James & Fallon Henley vs. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn
NXT North American title: Wes Lee vs. Dragon Lee vs. Ilja Dragunov vs. JD McDonagh vs. Axiom
NXT Tag Team titles: Gallus (c) vs. The Creed Brothers vs. Tony D’Angelo & Stacks
Winner gets the school: The Schism vs. Chase U & Tyler Bate
Unsanctioned match: Johnny Gargano vs. Grayson Waller
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the death of Kid Zombie, New Japan Cup update, Roxanne Perez, Andy Kaufman and the Hall of Fame, Pat McAfee update, ratings, the full RAW report for this week and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: KidZombie passes away
01:48: New Japan Cup finals set
7:06: Roxanne Perez cleared, NXT and AEW Dynamite lineups
9:17: Andy Kaufman to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
21:05: ESPN trying to get Pat McAfee, Rocky Romero got his head shaved
*The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site. It’s got the most detailed coverage from a business standpoint and creative standpoint, covering AEW Revolution including reader feedback on that show, UFC 285 and the Stardom show this past weekend.
*Match and performer of the week
*The longest singles title matches since 1970 all over the world
*MJF vs Danielson and comparisons to other Iron Man matches
*Evaluating MJF as a performer and a drawing card
*Early PPV numbers along with gate numbers from San Francisco and other business metrics
*The return of FTR
*The potential of the AEW tag team division
*AEW repeat PPV business notes
*Movie theater business for Revolution
*San Francisco records
*Future AEW directions
*Full details on WWE’s attempt to get gambling legal on its outcomes and what steps and how its business will have to change to make this happen
*Full coverage of UFC 285 including Jon Jones legacy and future, Alexa Grasso’s win and business notes regarding the show including what unique note thee was about the prelims this week
*Full details on the amended lawsuit MLW has filed against WWE, McDevitt talks, what new things are added and what it says about the MLW relationship with REELZ, and lots of business notes from the lawsuit regarding the wrestling television rights fees
*Stardom puts on its best show of the year and a look at the very different excellent matches
*Notes on the first few days of the New Japan Cup and where things stand
*TV ratings over the past week as well as segment-by-segment notes, competition and the whys of how everything went down
*The unique team challenge tournament CMLL finished up this past week
*AAA star faces claims by girlfriend of domestic violence and both CMLL and AAA talk about the situation
*Notes on the joint NWA and AAA show put together as part of a Smashing Pumpkins concert
*Notes on retirement of Daisuke Harada
*New Japan anniversary show and New Japan Cup notes*Zero-1 runs 22nd anniversary show
*Notes from Creed III
*Big shows over Mania weekend not from WWE
*Major questions on AEW talent and their media talks
*What international star AEW tried to get for San Francisco and why it didn’t happen
*International TV ratings and streaming numbers for WWE & AEW and what NXT segment scored huge
*Upcoming ticket advances for WWE & AEW shows
*Dana White on the future of Power Slap
*48-year-old world champion wrestler has retirement MMA fight soon
*Notes on Vince McMahon’s return backstage at the Boston show
*Wells Fargo Securities predictions on Smackdown negotiations and the value of Raw & Smackdown right now
*WWE performer talks trying to go to the 2024 Olympics and is training for MMA as well
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Tuesday Update
WWE
Shawn Michaels announced on Twitter that Roxanne Perez’s condition was “still in question” and that at Stand at Deliver they will “possibly” have to crown a new NXT women’s Champion. Micheals wrote on Twitter: “Starting tonight there will be a series of qualifying matches with the winners advancing to Stand and Deliver to compete to become the NXT Women’s Champion in a Ladder Match.”
A contract signing between Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes has also been added to tonight’s NXT.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Akira Tozawa and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson vs. Maximum Male Models were taped for this week’s Main Event.
Bianca Belair has made history as the longest-reigning Black champion in WWE’s history, having held the Raw Women’s Championship since last year’s WrestleMania 38 at 344 days. The previous record holder was MVP, who held the United States title for 343 days.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Charlotte Flair was asked about Mercedes Mone’s recent transition to New Japan Pro Wrestling. “I think it’s cool whenever someone follows their heart, and that’s inspiring,” she said. “There will never be another group like the Four Horsewomen, ever.”
PWInsider reported that Drew McIntyre nearly missed last week’s SmackDown due to illness. He was cleared by WWE’s medical team to compete that night.
In an update regarding the MLW vs. WWE case, WWE has asked for an extension to respond until April 7.
WWE filed for the trademark “Bobby Lashley” on March 9.
Shotzi celebrates a birthday today.
AEW
This week’s AEW Road to, focusing on the AEW International and Trios title matches.
Other Wrestling
Josh Alexander vs. Michael Oku has been added to the WrestleCon Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow on March 30.
Bushiroad announced that they and Pro Wrestling Wave will hold a joint show on April 28 at Shinjuku FACE.
ECW Press will be publishing a biography on Macho Man Randy Savage by Jon Finkel. The book will be titled Macho Man: Life of a Savage and will be released in 2024. Slam Wrestling announced the book Tuesday morning.
Roxanne Perez faces off with a legendary challenger on tonight’s special edition of NXT.
NXT Roadblock features an NXT Women’s Championship match between Perez and Meiko Satomura. It will be the second time they’ve ever faced each other, with Satomura defeating Perez on NXT last September.
A grudge match will also take place as Gigi Dolin battles her former Toxic Attraction tag team partner Jacy Jayne. Toxic Attraction imploded with Jayne turning against Dolin last month.
Shawn Michaels will make an appearance, joining Grayson Waller on a new edition of The Grayson Waller Effect. Waller has been causing chaos in recent weeks after feeling disrespected by Michaels and NXT management.
A new match type will make its debut as Dijak and Tony D’Angelo face off in a Jailhouse Street Fight. NXT Champion Bron Breakker teams up with The Creed Brothers against Jinder Mahal & Indus Sher, and Andre Chase goes one-on-one with Joe Gacy.
Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
**********
Opening the show is a pre-tape featuring “Tiffany’s Epiphanies” hosted by Tiffany Stratton. She runs down the card and gives her thoughts. At Roadblock, all roads lead to Stand & Deliver in Los Angeles over WrestleMania weekend.
Kicking off the show live from the sounstage at the Performance Center is a gimmick match where the loser gets locked in a cell.
Tony D’Angelo (with Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo) defeats Dijak in a Jailhouse Street Fight
The rules are similar to a ambulance or casket match, except the prop is a cell. D’Angelo wins by putting Dijak into a cell and shutting the door. The match also played out like a WWE-style street fight. Other punder is used, like metal folding chairs, tables, a crowbar and such.
Dijak piles chairs into the ring just before the show is ready to take its first commercial break. Dijak goes to the top rope, but the chairs come back to bit him. D’Angelo cuts him off with a chair shot, and D’Angelo then suplexes Dijak off the top rope onto a pile of chairs in the ring.
Dijak turns the tables during a picture-in-picture break. He also sets up an actual table during the break, much to the delight of the live studeo audience. They chanted for tables earlier in the match.
Upon the show returning from the break, Dijak springboards off the top rope into a flying elbow drop on D’Angelo, who is laid out on the table. The table crumbles to pieces. Highlight reel type of spot.
Stacks interferes at one point, looking to help D’Angleo. That backfires when D’Angelo throws Dijak into the cell, and Dijak takes Stacks as a hostage. D’Angelo cannot bring himself to close the cell on Dijak while Dijak is choking out his charge. This allows Dijak to escape the cell, and he then boots Stacks in the face.
D’Angelo fights back, and he fires up on Dijak. Chairs shots by D’Angelo as Dijak feeds him his back. Low blow by Dijak to turn the tide. Dijak executes his Feast Your Eyes finisher, and Dijak goes to drag D’Angelo into the cell. Dijak is able to shut the door when Stacks throws himself in the way. Stacks takes Feast Your Eyes, and he is out.
The save by Stacks allows D’Angelo to recover, and D’Angelo gets up swinging a crowbar. Dijak eats shots from the crowbar, and D’Angelo slams the door in Dijak’s face to win the match.
Really good babyface promo by NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez in an interview with McKenzie Mitchell. Perez says beating a legend like Meiko Satomura means as much to her as winning the title altogether. Perez vows to leaving everything in the ring in trying to defend her title tonight.
Gallus and Pretty Deadly are face-to-face
NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus, dressed in street clothes, are heading to the ring to call out Pretty Deadly for a face-to-face meeting. Instead, Pretty Deadly appears on a perch overlooking the ring.
There is bantering back and forth, which leads to Pretty Deadly to challenge Gallus to defend their titles against them. Gallus takes off the straps, and they lay the belts into the ring. They dare Pretty Deadly to come take them.
Pretty Deadly charges to the ring, and Gallus cleans house. Gallus makes short work of Pretty Deadly, and Gallus boots them out of the ring. Pretty Deadly sure looked like geeks here. Nonetheless, this somehow sets up a tag title match for next week on NXT. The match is made official later in the show.
A vignette hypes Ilja Dragunov in his feud with JD McDonagh.
Dragon Lee in his NXT debut is seen in the front row at ringside. He waves to the crowd, and the announces put him over.
NXT Champion Bron Breakker, Julius Creed & Brutus Creed defeated JInder Mahal, Veer & Sanga in a six-man tag team match
Brutus Creed pins Veer to win this trios bout. It was a slobberknocker by the end.
Lumbering giants and hoss fights early on. The trios bout then goes through a commercial break. Just before the split screen break, Breakker and the Creeds jump over the ropes with a flip dive trifecta. Suddenly, a lumbering match looks more like Fantastica Mania.
Heat on Julius Creed, and he is being worked over as the show returns from the break. Meanwhile, Carmelo Hayes is now at the announe desk for surprise guest commentary. Hot tag to Brutus, but he is soon cut off. Brutus quickly comes back with feats of strength. Breakker does a moonsault, and Julius follows with a 2 Cold Scorpio 450 splash.
The teams trade near falls. Near fall as Veer saves Sanga from taking a pin. Indus Sher does the old Demoltion finisher, but that pinning attempt is also broken up. Amid a melee, Breakker delivers some spears. Veer strikes to take out Breakker.
The Creeds double team Veer, and he is placed in a Doomsday Device. Brutus then leaps off the top rope wth a cannoball on Veer, and Brutus covers Veer for a three count.
A promotional tie-in with Progressive insurance highlights the toxic feud between Gigi Dolan and Jacy Jayne.
Johnny Gargano returns to NXT on The Grayson Waller Effect with special guest Shawn Michaels
Waller welomes viewers “to the most important Grayson Waller Effect of all time.” He gets right into it as Waller introduces Shawm Michaels. Full entrance for HBK, as he dances on stage dressed like he is going to a country music awards show. The crowd sings HBK’s theme, and they chant his name. He is over huge of course.
Michaels sits down with Waller behind a desk. Waller starts with a zinger about Bret Hart. Michaels asks Waller what is his problem with Michaels. Waller says Michaels is doing to Waller what Vince McMahon did to Michaels — he is holding him back. Huge eye roll.
Waller keeps accusing Michaels of holding him down. Michaels scoffs at that, and Michaels says Waller is not “the guy” because Waller lost at Vengeance Day. Michaels tells Waller to look in the mirror.
Waller claims the only reason Micahaels is in charge of NXT is becuase his friend Hunter had a heart attack. Shots fired! Michaels deflects that zinger, with Shawn saying he stepped in to help out his friend.
Michaels tells Waller to get something straight — Triple H used to run NXT, but HBK is steering the ship now. Waller responds by saying that ship is headed into an iceberg. Waller rants some more about how he is being held back.
Michaels says Waller is a part of NXT, but only a part. Waller does not take this well. He sarcastically asks Michaels when did he suddenly become a team player. HBK admits during his active career it was all about him, but Michaels says that changed the moment he walked into NXT. HBK felt this place was special.
Waller gets up and mocks Michaels. He rants about being tired of this place, and Waller runs down the NXT brand. Michaels finally has enough, and he shouts “ENOUGH!” Head coach Shawn suddenly morphs fully into The Heartbreak Kid as Michaels proceeds to cut a promo on Waller.
HBK can handle someone running down his name, but he will not allow Waller to run down the NXT brand. Waller asks HBK if that pisses him off, and HBK says it does. Waller then dares HBK to do something about it. Michaels takes off his jacket and says nothing more would make him happy that kicking Waller’s ass. But there is someone else who wants to kick Waller’s ass even more than HBK.
Michaels introduces a returing Johnny Gargano as Waller’s opponent for Stand & Deliver. “Johnny Wrestling” is back in NXT to defend the honor of the brand. Gargano rushes into the ring and he peppers Waller with punches. Waller powders.
Gigi Dolan defeated Jacy Jayne
Dolan pinned Jayne, and Jayne attacks Dolan after the match to get her heat back.
They had a wrestling match to settle a blood feud. Granted, they brawled and worked hard, but this was anticlimatic. Escpeially considering the build to this match and the other gimmicks used on this show, this grudge match never felt intense enough.
Jayne gets the heat on Dolan as the live studo audience seems to mostly sit on their hands. There is some chants and such, but there seems to be a clear lack of energy. Dolan eventually fights back, and she counters Jayne with a curcifix bomb to score a pinfall on Jayne.
Jayne jumps Dolan after the match to get her heat back. Jayne gets a folding chair, and they tease Pillmanizing Jayne’s neck. Referees pour into the ring to break up the post-match beatdown.
A reoccuring skit on the show has Josh Briggs finally agreeing with Fallon Henley that Kaina James is cheating on Brooks Jensen. Henley knows just what to do about it.
Main event made for Stand & Deliver
NXT Champion Bron Breakker comes out in what is sold as an impromptu segment. Breakker comes to the ring and grabs a microphone. Breakker addresses the main event of Stand & Deliver, and he calls out Carmelo Hayes.
Out comes Hayes to confront Breakker in the ring. This leads to them both agreeing to a title match at Stand & Deliver.
Tyler Bate is doing breathing exercises with Thea Hail in a backstage skit. Bate is helping Hail overcome her trauma. Andre Chase is happy to hear it is helping Hail. However, Duke Hudson is not buying it.
Joe Gacy (with Ava & The Dyad) defeated Andre Chase (with Duke Hudson & Thea Hail)
The match begins during a commercial break and is joined in progress. Silly gimmicks aside, Chase and Gacy have a good match.
Hail is trying to do her breathing exercises, but she suddenly explodes with rage. Hail storms over to Ava and screams at her. Ava just smirks at Hail, but Hail has apparently overcome her fear.
While Hail might have overcome fear, her antics at ringside distracts Chase. He takes the Upside Down from Gacy, and Gacy covers Chase for a pinfall.
Hudson’s explodes in a backstage skit, and there is turmoil within Chase U. Hudson says they aren’t a university, they are a joke.
Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre are practicaing witchcraft, or something like that.
Another open challenge next week for NXT North Amercian Champion Wes Lee.
NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez defeated Meiko Satomura to retain her title
Perez pinned Satomura in a great match. Although Perez retains, she is unconsious after the match in an injury angle. In a takeoff of an angle with Shawn Michaels on Raw in the mid-90s, Perez takes a number of shots to the head. That leads into the injury angle after the match.
After the ring introductions, the match begins during a split-screen commercial break. The bout is joined in progress when the show returns from the break.
Satomura works a leg, but Perez is able to counter. Satomura plays subtle heel. Perez shows a ton of fire as she fights a mentor. Proverbially turning of the tables as Perez uses a dragon screw to target Satomura’s leg.
Perez fires up on Satomura, showing even more fire. Perez avoids Satomura’s finisher, and Perez leaps through the ropes with a dive outside the ring. They go on to tease a superplex and other spots on the top rope. Satomura goes for a splash, but Perez gets her knees up.
Satomura cuts off Perez with a lots of kicks. They trade near falls and they trade strikes down the home stretch. Combos and and a Saito suplex by Satomura, but Perez kicks out. Satomura uses a Death Valley Driver, and Satomura follows with a signature falling kick. Yet, Perez valiantly kicks out again.
The fight spills onto the apron, and they trade strikes and kicks. They fight on the floor, and Perez goes for Pop Rocks. Satomura blocks it somehow, and Satomura delivers a kick on the floor. Perez is rolled back into the ring, where she gets a foot on the bottom rope to break a count.
Satomura goes for her Scorpio Rising finisher, but Perez counters to roll up Satomura for a three count. Perez withstood the onslaught and retains her title. Perez is motionless as she lays face down in the ring. She is unconious as referees pour into the ring.
Booker T leaves the announce desk to check on Perez. Medical staff and referees tend to Perez as Satomura is in tears. Perez leaves on a stretcher. Shawn Michaels also comes out to check on Perez as she is taken to a waiting ambuance. Michaels is fittingly involved in an on-screen role with the injury angle, as he starred in a similar cliffanger years ago. The show closes with Perez being loaded into an ambulance.
WWE NXT is building to next week’s episode of Roadblock, join Denise Salcedo on Speak Now Pro Wrestling as she runs down the February 28, 2023 episode of NXT.
