Two championship matches are set to air on tonight’s Thanksgiving week edition of WWE NXT.
In her first title defense, Lyra Valkyria puts the NXT Women’s Championship on the line against Xia Li. Valkyria claimed the title by defeating Becky Lynch at Halloween Havoc four weeks ago. Li is coming off a loss to Lynch on last night’s Raw.
Li confronted Valkyria earlier this month and has her sights set on winning NXT gold.
The Heritage Cup Championship will be defended tonight as main roster star Chad Gable challenges Noam Dar.
Two Iron Survivor Challenge qualifying matches are taking place tonight. Carmelo Hayes will look to secure his NXT Deadline spot as he faces off against Josh Briggs. Blair Davenport clashes with Thea Hail with a place in the women’s Iron Survivor Challenge on the line. This week’s competitors were selected by JBL.
Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade has been announced for tonight as well, along with Eddy Thorpe vs. Charlie Dempsey.
There is notable post-production on this show, as Vic Joseph’s voiceovers are clearly different than the commentary recorded live with him and Booker T.
Ring introductions open the show, as champion and challenger are already in the ring.
Noam Dar (with Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson & Oro Mensah) vs. Chad Gable (with Maxxine Dupri, Akira Tozawa & Otis) for the Heritage Cup Championship ends in a draw
Heritage Cup goes Broadway on NXT in a great opener. Dar and Gable tie 1-1 after six rounds, thus the match is ruled a draw. Dar retains in that case. Gable had Dar in an ankle lock as time expires in the sixth round, and Dar was tapping out as the bell rings. Still ruled a draw.
Some good wrestling in the first round, but no falls in round one. Good wrestling continues into the second round, except this time there is a fall. Not clean, though as Dar would go up by one fall after outside interference by Mensah.
Mensah kicks Gable in the head with under a minute remaining in round two. Dar then delivers his Nova Roller, and he covers Gable for a three count.
Much of the third round happens during a split-screen commercial break. Under 30 seconds in round three as the show returns from the break. They trade near falls after a superplex as the third round winds down.
Double down as both are on the mat selling, and their corners have to help them up between rounds.
Action intensifies in the fourth round. Some close near falls, and they even tease a count-out. They are trading strikes on their knees as the fourth round ends
Fifth round is all Gable, and he makes short work of Dar to even the score at one fall apiece. Rolling koppo kick by Gable, followed by a series of German suplexes. Gable bridges on a suplex, and Gable evens the score via pinfall.
Legend starts an argument with Dupri between rounds, which distracted Gable. With Gable’s attention diverted, Dar hammers Gable with a cheap shot.
Gable is rocked with 90 second left in the sixth round. They keep trading near falls as the clock continues to run. With 30 seconds remaining, Gable goes for a moonsault press, and Dar tries to keep his boots up to block the moonsault. Gable counters the counter, and he grabs Dar’s leg to apply an ankle lock.
Gable has the ankle locked in with seconds remaining. Time appears to run out on six round as Gable still applies the hold. Dar taps out as the bell is ringing to end the round. Time had run out, as the official decision is a draw.
Post-match angle that teases something between Otis and Legend. Otis catching Legend after she is slapped by Dupri. Legend sells it with disgust and she freaks out.
JBL announces his picks for the Iron Survivor qualifier, which takes place later tonight.
WWE has a cross-promotional with the Big 12 Conference for a tie-in at the Big 12 football championship game.
NXT Tag Team Champions The Family are welcomed by their family for a meal. They toast. To be continued…
Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes seem to be on good terms again in a brief locker room skit.
Xia Li attacks NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria before their match even has its ring introductions. Li jumps Valkyria during the champ’s entrance. That delays the women’s title match, as viewers are to wonder if Valkyria is able to defend her title tonight.
Humberto Carillo & Angel Garza defeated Edris Enofe & Malik Blade
This was supposed to be a standby match, but it is really a showcase for Carillo & Garza. They are getting a renewed push, yet it is still missing something. They could benefit with more character development, as their wrestling itself is great.
Josh Briggs defeated Carmelo Hayes in an Iron Survivor Challenge qualifying match
Briggs pins Hayes, and Briggs qualifies for the Iron Survivor. Lexi King runs in at the finish to cause a distraction, leading to the pibfall.
Breakout moment for Briggs. He is given a pep talk before the match, but he does not need it. Briggs is a monster from the outset of the bout. He shows a ton of fire with a more aggressive style.
Just before a commercial break, Briggs is teases putting Hayes through the announce desk, but Hayes escapes. Hayes goes on to open hand slap Briggs, which enrages Briggs. In a fit of rage, Briggs bounces Hayes on the ropes to set up a lariat. Briggs then flings Hayes over the announce desk as the show cuts away to commercials.
Briggs is working over Hayes as the show returns from commercials. Hope spot dashed as Briggs is fired up again. Hayes eventually makes a comeback, amidst some great action.
Lexi King runs down in the closing moments, and King jumps on the apron. Hayes levels King with a kick, and King takes a bump off the apron. That moment of distraction allowed Briggs to capitalize. Hayes goes for a springboard, and Briggs wipes him out with a lariat. Briggs then climbs the turnbuckles and leaps off into a moonsault press. Briggs covers Hayes to win and advance to Deadline.
McKenzie Mitchell interviews NXT Women’s Champ Lyra Valkyria, who is holding an ice pack on her shoulder. Mitchell asks Valkyria if the title match for tonight is off. Valkyria rises to her feet and exclaims the bout is still on.
Von Wagner comes to Mr. Stone’s house for dinner. Wagner brought brownies, but he ate some on the way. Wagner says he wore his best tank top. Wagner bounds with Stone’s kids as Wagner eat dinner with the family. The kids stare at the scars on Wagner’s head, but they still become fast friends. This was supposed to be comedy I guess.
Wes Lee comes to the ring for a monologue, where he issues a challenge for another title shot against NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio. Out comes Dom to interrupt up, even with no “Mami” to accompany Dom.
Lee and Mysterio bicker back-and-forth for a little bit. Mysterio then tells Lee he is booked in a match next week against three former North American champs. If Lee beats all three former champs in matches, then Lee earns a title shot against Mysterio. Lee of course accepts the challenge and the stips.
Blair Davenport defeated Thea Hail (with Jacy Jayne) in an Iron Survivor Challenge qualifying match
Hail did well with Jayne’s support, but Hail failed to capitalize when she was on a roll. Hail was briefly distracted by the Chase U student section and their lack of support. Jayne urges Hail to forget about them, but it was too late. Davenport delivers her knee strike finisher, and Davenport covers Hail for a pinfall. In winning, Davenport qualifies for the Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline.
A video package hypes the NXT Championship match at Deadline. The feature compares the two different lives and lifestyles of NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov and challenger Baron Corbin. The two meet in a title match at Deadline.
Eddy Thorpe defeated Charlie Dempsey (with Drew Gulak & Myles Borne)
The trend of good wrestling continues with this bout. This is such a wrestling-heavy show.
Thorpe scores a pinfall on Dempsey to win the match, but Thorpe is jumped by Gulak & Borne after the match. Dempsey, Gulak & Borne leave Thorpe laying after the match.
Humberto Carillo & Angel Garza jump The Family in another beatdown. Tony D’Angelo & Stacks are leaving their family dinner when they are attacked by Carillo & Garza. This seems to set up Garza & Carillo challenging for the tag titles at Deadline.
Arianna Grace is the focus of a vignette.
NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria defeated Xia Li to retain her title
“Stone Cold” Valkyria came back from a supposed injury to win the match and retain the championship.
Valkyria wrestled great for someone that was supposedly injured earlier in the show. She is a house of fire at the outset of the match, but Valkyria is soon cut off by Li.
Li works over Valkyria through a commercial break. Valkyria eventually makes a comeback, and she has Li in a fireman’s carry when Valkyria drops her into a Michinoku Driver. Valkyria then covers Li for a three count to retain her title.
