By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV
Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Aired live May 7, 2024 on USA Network
[Hour One] The NXT show focused on Wes Lee’s run as NXT North American Champion, his very emotional farewell due to injury speech, as well as his return to NXT last week. After the video aired, Wes Lee was walking backstage to the ring with the locker room cheering him on…
John’s Thoughts: Nice video package and good change of pace in terms of a show teaser. Wes Lee really comes off well as a down to earth and likable person. Happy to see him back in the ring.
Vic Joseph and Booker T were on commentary. Alicia Taylor was the ring announcer…
1. Wes Lee vs. Josh Briggs. Booker yelled that Lee should be the NA champion and Oba Femi should be “interim” champ (Uhm? Nah. Yeah its more sport-like, but Toni Storm could tell you how damaging a pro wrestling “interim” title run can be based off her first title win in AEW). Lee eluded Josh a few times, but then got taken down with an elbow drop. Lee dumped Briggs to ringside with a jawbreaker and dropkick. Briggs then dragged Briggs in the ring, but was dumped right out with Lee’s huracanrana. Lee was caught midair.
Lee escaped a lawn dart by shoving Briggs into the ringpost, followed by a huracanrana into the barricade. Briggs reversed a handstand into a backbreaker and splash. Ivar showed up at ringside, which caught Briggs’s attention. The show cut to PIP break.[c]
Ivar joined Booker and Vic on commentary. Ivar said he’s here to show the world he’s more than just face paint. Wes worked on Briggs with CQC strikes and a double stomp. Briggs came back with a slingshot hip toss backbreaker. Briggs hit Wes with a sidewalk slam. Joseph noted that Briggs has been targeting Wes’s injured back. Briggs went back to the methodical offense.
Wes hit Briggs with two high kicks. Wes hit Briggs with a Koppu Kick. Wes hit Briggs with a suicide dive. Wes dropkicked Briggs into Ivar. Wes hit Briggs with a Spiral Tap for the victory (I think he calls it the Final Flash in honor of DBZ Vegeta).
Wes Lee defeated Josh Briggs via pinfall in 10:07.
Ivar and Briggs brawled at ringside. Wes Lee went to the top rope and dove on the big men to leave all three men lying. Oba Femi was laughing from the crow’s nest…
John’s Thoughts: AJ Styles just retired from using the Spiral Tap, and Lee picks it up. That actually reminded me of back in 2017 where I believe it was Jeff Jarrett who dubbed Wes Lee as a potential future AJ Styles. Lee is talented enough, so that is a possibility. Good return for Lee with Briggs playing the role of methodical heel. He did have me afraid a few moves because this guy throws caution to the win. Maybe tone it down 5 percent? For your health, Lee?
Chelsea Green and NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez was shown arriving at the performance center with separate parking lot shots…
Vic Joseph and Booker T checked in on commentary. Vic sent the show to highlights from last week’s NXT Underground match between Lola Vice and Natalya…
Shayna Baszler and Lola Vice made their entrance (ugh, give her her old NXT theme back?!?)…[c]
Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont were praising Axiom and Nathan Frazer, saying they are looking to be future champions. No Quarter Catch Crew showed up. Charlie Dempsey mocked that Dupont and Igwe couldn’t even win their debut match. Both groups started to talk trash and had to be pulled apart by Hank and Tank. Gallows and Anderson showed up and tried to Too Sweet Axiom and Frazer. Axiom and Frazer walked away…
Karmen Petrovic and Natalya made their entrance. Karmen brought her katana sword to the ring. I’ll give her a pass for going full weeb…
2. Shayna Baszler (w/Lola Vice) vs. Karmen Petrovic (w/Natalya). Karmen faked out Shayna with a feint knee chamber. Karmen dumped Shayna to ringside with a high kick to the head. Baszler regained control and then wrenched Karmen’s arm under the ring. Baszler worked on Karmen with methodical offense and joint manipulation. Karmen tried to roll up Shayna, but Shayna quickly came back with a clothesline and joint manipulation.
Shayna hit Karmen with a back suplex. Baszler hit Karmen with her signature elbow stomp. Karmen came back with a takedown and overhead Kiryu Kick for a nearfall. Karmen went to the top rope. Baszler swatted Karmen out of the air and put her in the Kirifuda Clutch for the submission win.
Shayna Baszler defeated Karmen Petrovic via submission in 4:17.
John’s Thoughts: I was afraid they were going to make Petrovic look competitive with a longer match, but this match was only a bit longer due to Baszler deciding to torture Karmen which feeds into what Shayna is good at. I continue to be a fan of Karmen’s potential and there’s no shame in losing to the former Women’s Champion. I don’t know the name of that Kiryu Kick, but I would like to see it perfected and used as a finisher. (I call it Kiryu Kick in honor of Kazuma Kiryu. I do Tae Kwon Do, not Karate.)
A replay aired of Fallon Henley betraying Thea Hail last week was shown. Kelani Jordan was ranting in the locker room about the heel turn. Jordan said she was holding back from smacking Fallon last week. Fallon Henley showed up and dared Kelani. Jordan said she thought they were friends. Fallon said she doesn’t need friends to be the inaugural Women’s North American Champion. Both women started jawing and had to be pulled apart…
Vic Joseph advertised the “Women’s Combine” for after the break…[c]
Vic Joseph plugged the Clash at the Castle pre sale…
The show cut to footage from the WWE Performance center gym. The narrator noted that the winners will have to excel in speed, power, strength, and conditioning. The combine started with a ten yard sled push. The next was a ten yard sprint. After that was rope running drills. Thea Hail and Kelani Jordan dominated the speed section. After each contest was shown, b-roll footage was shown on how each contest relates to moves in the wrestling ring. The show said the next contests will be power .”to be continued”…
All four men were already in the ring. The referee was “missing”. Alicia Taylor was next to Luca Crucifino and some mafia goons told Alicia that the referee is “missing”. Alicia announced Channing Lorenzo as the replacement referee. Stacks ran out in referee stripes and rang the bell…
3. Tyson DuPont and Tyrek Igwe vs. Myles Borne and Charlie Dempsey (w/Damon Kemp) with Channing Lorenzo as guest referee. Igwe and DuPont used quick tags to keep up the pace and power moves to cut the ring in half of Dempsey. Dempsey managed to escape the corner and tag in Borne. DuPont and Igwe then cut the ring in half on Borne. Borne came back with a dropkick on Dupont. Dupont hit Dempsey with a Sunset Flip for a nearfall.
Dempsey worked on DuPont with submission offense. Dupont escaped and tagged in Igwe who cleaned house. Igwe hit Dempsey with a power slam. Borne broke up the pin. Dempsey hit Igwe with a Bridged German. Stacks did a slow count for the kickout. Stacks punched Dempsey in the face when he protested. Igwe rolled up Dempsey. Stacks did a fast count for the dirty win.
Tyrek Igwe and Tyson DuPont defeated No Quarter Catch Crew via pinfall in 3:94.
John’s Thoughts: Ok. This is cheesy, but I guess Tony D is owed his money for “getting rid” of Drew Gulak. I do like what I see from Igwe and DuPont. They have good babyface explosiveness. Maybe give them some more character definition because all these college NIL types all seem the same. Big ol’ football linemen looking dudes.
Chelsea Green, Ariana Grace, and Gigi Dolin were hanging out backstage. Gigi didn’t look like she wanted to be there. Green and Dolin bonded over acting like beauty queens. Green made sure to throw in a jab at Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce. Grace left to go face Mia Yim while Gigi yelled that she was done with all of this…
Mia “Michin” Yim made her entrance…[c]
Roxanne Perez was interviewed by Kelly Kincaid about her upcoming title defense. Perez talked about how nobody likes Green on Raw, Smackdown, or NXT. Perez talked about sending Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Packing a few weeks ago, and she’ll pack up Green tonight. Perez said tonight will end with the words “and still”…
Ariana Grace made her entrance to generic beauty pageant music…
4. Mia “Michin” Yim vs. Ariana Grace. Yim gave Grace a forearm in the corner and a mid kick. Yim punted Ariana in the chest. Grace came back with a judo overhead hip toss and suplex. Grace put Yim in a modified octopus hold. Yim blocked a Juji Gatame attempt. Yim deadlifted Grace into a power bomb to escape.
Yim rallied with dropkicks. Yim hit Grace with a Yakuza Kick in the corner. Grace backdropped Yim on the apron. Grace reversed a Sunset Flip. The referee broke up the leverage pin. Yim hit Grace with a German Suplex. Mia hit Grace with Seoul Food (Eat Defeat) for the victory.
Michin defeated Ariana Grace via pinfall in 3:25.
Vic said Mia will show the division a Day of “reckoning” in NXT…
John’s Thoughts: Now that Dijak is gone, does poor Mia have to eat all the bad Retribution jokes from the roster? I kid, but they never let Dijak live that gimmick down. The match was a bit rough, but that’s because Grace is sill a bit green in the ring. She does have her character down and have good pedigree (as the daughter of TNA authority figure Santino Marella), so I’m confident she can bounce back.
Separate shots of Trick Williams and Meta Four were shown walking backstage…[c]
An ad aired for WrestleMania in Las Vegas…
Thea Hail thanked Ridge Holland for supporting her last week. Ridge said he really understands how it is to hold all that anger and frustration. Hail said she’s happy someone understands her. Hail said she thinks people don’t understand her because she’s young. Ridge said Hail reminds him of his daughter and she hopes that when she grows up she at least has the passion of Hail.
Andre Chase and Duke Hudson showed up to cheer up Hail. Lexis King showed up to call Chase U losers. Duke Hudson got in Lexis’s face and said he has no right to talk to Hail like that. King threw a fit and said “you just pissed off the king”. King walked off…
[Hour Two] In the ring it was time for Noam Dar’s Super Nova Sessions. Noam was about to introduce Trick, but Lash Legend interrupted that he’s a “very special guest”. NXT Champion Trick Williams made his entrance to join Meta Four on the talk show set. After sitting down, Noam said things are going very well for Trick.
Noam said the people backstage made Trick a special to showcase trick’s rise. A Trick Williams championship video package aired. They showed Trick doing his media runs and him mentioning how he’s glad he has people like HBK having his back. The video ended with Meta Four clowning around. Trick said the only reason he’s here now is because he wants to see what’s in the envelop. Noam said they’ll reveal it when he says so.
Noam ordered Lash to open the envelope. Lash took her sweet time opening it. Jakara Jackson got in Lash’s face. The first picture showed Noam Dar’s foot being under the rope when he lost to Trick, right before Trick beat Ilja. Noam said Trick is nothing but a no good trick, and he’ll expose him. Trick said they brought him out there for that lame picture.
Oro said Trick’s win is fraudulent. Trick asked Oro if he can speak. Trick asked Oro if he needs to smack Oro back to the mother land (great line). Trick joked about Lash treating this show like Maury, and “Trick Willy ain’t the daddy”. A “Jerry” Springer chant actually ensued. Trick told Lash to tell the truth. Lash accidentally called Trick “baby”.
Trick said there ain’t nothing to be afraid of. Trick told Lash how she calls him “Trick Willy Wonka”. Noam knocked out Trick with a Judas Effect. Noam picked up the NXT Title and posed over Trick…
John’s Thoughts: The “reveal” was lame and they could have gotten the foot under the rope message over a different way. The segment did get better once Trick took control and started jawing with Oro and Lash. As I mentioned last week, I believe Trick and Lash are dating in real life? I forgot to verify that via social media. Noam looks like he’s going to be that intro opponent for Trick where he’ll look good, but no one expects Noam to win. Noam has been putting on good matches, so this should be a fun one.
The show cut to the “power” portion of the combine. The first competition was Vertical Jump. The 2nd was a long jump. The last competition was a resistance band punch. Mia Yim and Jaida Parker dominated the power section…
Kelani Jordan made her entrance…[c]
Natalya and Karmen Petrovic were walking backstage. Karmen apologized for constantly letting Natalya down. Natalya said that Karmen needs to find an “edge”. Natalya said Karate is about self-defense, while pro wrestling is about offense. A random developmental wrestler passed by and praised Natalya for her match last week.
Another random developmental wrestler hit on Karmen and called her a smoke show. Karmen gave the guy a Roundhouse to the temple to lay him out. Natalya said that was a good start…
Fallon Henley made her entrance…
5. Kelani Jordan vs. Fallon Henley. After a bit of chain wrestling, Henley gave Jordan a right forearm smash, followed by a shoulder tackle. Jordan came back with a split dodged and drop toehold. Jordan hit Henley with a Tiger Feint armdrag and dropkick. Jordan hit Henley with that back elbow flip that her old mentor Dana Brooke (Ash By Elegance does. Jordan rallied with a forearms and a Liger Leg Drop for a two count.
Jordan worked on Henley with a side headlock takedown. Jordan did a few reversals and did a impressive Tornado side headlock takedown. Henley hit Jordan with a impressive whiplash face yank into the top rope. That drew good boos. Henley hit Jordan with her signature baseball slide punch heading into regular commercial.[c]
Back from break, Henley was dominating the match with methodical offense. A replay aired of that whiplash spot on the top rope. Henley dominated for a few minutes. Jordan rallied with axe handle strikes and a cartwheel into a back elbow. Jordan hit Henley with a shortarm Pele Kick. Jordan hit Henley with a botched Overdrive. Henley kicked Jordan in the gut.
Henley did a Suplex. Henley blocked a German Suplex. Henley “accidentally” smacked Jordan with a turnbuckle to the face. Jordan came back with a Monkey Flip. Henley backdropped Jordan into the steel turnbuckle. Henley gave Jordan a Shining Wizard for the win.
Fallon Henley defeated Kelani Jordan via pinfall in 11:03.
John’s Thoughts: A decent in-ring effort until both women struggled to do that turnbuckle spot. Again accidents happen and Kelani continues to improve. No harm no foul, it’s developmental. What I do hope Jordan does it get that Overdrive out of her arsenal. Back to when MVP used to do it, I was never a fan because it looks like a the performer is just falling down on themselves. There’s a reason Randy Orton hasn’t used it since his early days. Anyways, I digress. Jordan’s great. I also like what I’m seeing from heel Fallon.
No Quarter Catch Crew were cutting a promo backstage. Dempsey gave Tony D his title shot. Dempsey then hyped up the “catch clause” gimmick where Tony D won’t know who he’ll face for the title until the bell rings…
Back at the combine , it was the Strength section. First contest was the Medicine ball toss. Lash Legend dominated, while Wren Sinclair looked good. Next was the barbell pull. Izzi Dame and Mia Yim dominated that. The next section was “conditioning”. The wrestlers did a bunch of cardio machines. Ivy Nile dominated it. Robert Stone was there to help with scoring. They continued to how b-roll footage on how each game relates to in-ring moves. The narrator hyped up the reveal of the winners for sometime in the future…
Lexis King made his entrance…[c]
John’s Thoughts: I liked the combine segments as it gave the show a bit of a sports feel. My favorite little detail is the in-ring b-roll footage of how they connect each contest to moves in the wrestling ring. Keeping sports close to Kayfabe. I wonder if the people they were hyping up were actually the ones setting records (I know Lash is setting them). It’s pro wrestling, so they could have also just found a way to get the wrestlers they want in the ladder match in via fudging. I wouldn’t want to throw in an absolute gym beast who isn’t ready for a ladder match yet.
Kelly Kincaid asked NXT GM Ava who advanced to the ladder match qualifiers. Ava listed the winners of the combine in order of 1st place to 12th place: Sol Ruca, Thea Hail, Jaida Parker, Brinley Reece, Michin, Fallon Henley, Lash Legend, Ivy Nile, Izzi Dame, Kelani Jordan, Tatum Paxley, and Wren Sinclair.
Chase U made their entrance…
6. Lexis King vs. Duke Hudson (w/Riley Osborne, Andre Chase, Thea Hail). Duke Hudson beat up Lexis in the corner. Hudson turned Lexis inside out with a clothesline. Hudson got a two count after a sidewalk slam. Hudson gave Lexis a few loud hand slaps in the corner. Hudson hit Lexis with a hip toss and vertical suplex. Lexis came back with double boots. Lexis drop toehold Hudson throat first. Lexis worked on Hudson with methodical offense.
Hudson got a two count off a sunset flip. Hudson rallied with punches. Lexis came back with a kick and chop block. Lexis hit Hudson with a knee to the back of the neck. Lexis went to jaw with Hail and Chase. Ridge Holland chased Lexis back to the ring. A referee removed a chair from the ring. King hit a distracted Hudson with a high kick and spinning neckbreker for the win.
Lexis King defeated Duke Hudson via pinfall in 4:13.
Ridge Holland was pacing ringside going “oh no not again” with his whole sad dad bad luck thing…
John’s Thoughts: Lexis King looked good here selling for Hudson. I’m surprised that Hudson wasn’t called up because he might be main roster ready. I wonder if they’ll ever bring up Chase U to the main roster because that act might be more better for NXT. Meanwhile, Ridge is still a sad dad (where Thea Hail reminds him of his daughter now)
An interviewer tried to ask Meta Four where Lash Legend was, but they brushed the interview off and walked away. JeVon Evans met up with Meta Four and wondered why they tried to play Trick Willy. Evans wondered if they wanted to scrap. Noam said JeVon is the shiny new toy, but stepping up to Meta Four is a good way to stunt growth. Meta Four left…
Chelsea Green passed by her old manager Robert Stone backstage. They then cut to Roxanne Perez walking backstage…[c]
A Jasmyn Nyx promo aired where she wanted Thea Hail to be punished for breaking Jacy Jayne’s nose. Nyx pledged to avenge Jayne…
Ridge Holland walked up to Chase U and apologized for costing their match. Holland said Hail reminds him of his daughter. Hudson said it was okay and if he buys dinner it’s fine because it was Lexis’s fault anyway. Holland agreed. Riley said that he still cost Duke the match. Holland said he’ll try to win their trust. Hail and Chase told Riley that it’s all good…
A tweet of Shawn Michaels inviting Kendrick Lamar and Drake to NXT was shown…
Sol Ruca vs. Izzi Dame, Ivy Nile vs. Lash Legend in North American title qualifying matches were announced for next week. Tony D’Angelo vs. a No Catch Crew member in a Heritage Cup match and JeVon Evans vs. Noam Dar were also announced…
Entrances for the women’s title match took place. Alicia Taylor handled the formal in-ring introductions…
7. Roxanne Perez vs. Chelsea Green for the NXT Women’s Championship. Vic noted that Booker T worked with Chelsea on Tough Enough. Vic noted that Green’s husband is a former Broski (Zack Ryder/Matt Cardona). Perez got a quick crucifix rollup for a nearfall. Green tripped up Perez and gave her a right hand. Vic noted that Green is an accomplished wrestler all over the world. The show cut to picture-in-picture.[c]
John’s Thoughts: To back up Vic’s “accomplished” quote, Chelsea Green still holds the spot for “most surprising match I never expected to be that good” (two or three weeks prior, was reviewing her matches when she was covered in lipstick and vomit gimmick). I swear she wrestled a main event, probably 20-minute mat classic in a dark warehouse in against a luchador with “zero fear”. This was back in 2018.
Back from break, Perez worked on Green with methodical offense. Green and Perez traded forearms. Green shoved Perez away with a boot. Green hit Perez with a Ruff Ryder Leg Lariat which drew a “woo woo woo” from Vic. Green rallied with a right hand combo. Green hit Perez with a sliding Flatliner for a nearfall. Perez hit Green with a right forearm and basement dropkick. Green gave Perez a draping jawbreaker and boot.
[Overrun] Perez came back with a Gamengiri on the top rope. Perez hit Green with a Frankensteiner for a two count. Perez rallied with corner moves. Green reversed Perez and hit her with a German Suplex. Green hit Perez with a missile dropkick for a nearfall. Perez escaped a Unprettier. Both women traded rapid rollups. Perez got the win off a Sunset Flip (she couldn’t get all of Pop Rocks) for the win.
Roxanne Perez defeated Chelsea Green via pinfall in 8:55 to retain the NXT Women’s Championship.
The show cut to The Tony D Angelo Family beating up Damon Kemp in the back of a car and driving him off. Tony noted that it’s going to make the Catch Clause much harder now. After they drove off, Charlie Dempsey was holding the Heritage Cup in the parking lot not knowing what happened…
John’s Thoughts: Solid match. Based off Green being booked as a comedy wrestler, no one expected her to win the title. That said, people also sleep on her being a really good in-ring technician when taken seriously, mostly because she’s also excellent in the character work. I still swear by that match in 2018 in Boyle Heights that she can work a 20 minute main event classic if she wants to (if she can also keep her wrist in tact too). I hope if she’s up for it that they give Green a upper card glow up one day, if not, she’s still a strong character. Bonus points to Vic for all the Zack Ryder references.
Overall solid episode of NXT. If there was one criticism, and it’s not anyone’s fault, a handful of the finishes or finishing sequences had flubs in it. Things like the botched pop rocks and that botched buckle spot. Accidents happen. Maybe Ridge Holland’s “bad luck” is rubbing off on everyone (I can’t stand the sad dad storyline, but Chase U tends to make bad gimmicks work, so I’ll give it a chance. He’s such a sad dad, that he’s saying Thea Hail reminds him of his daughter).
Post audio update: So I wasn’t aware that Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson got released from WWE. They didn’t just kill off Bobby “Damon Kemp” Steveson did they? (Tony D’s kayfabe kills are usually release write offs). If that’s the case, that kinda sucks. He was the “good” Steveson brother. Good talker. Decent in the ring. Hey, Pretty Deadly survived getting drowned by Tony D so maybe there’s hope for Bobby. While I was wrapping up audio, the pavlovian reaction I had to the Tony D kidnapping had me thinking: “wait? Did Gable Steveson get released last week?”
Be the first to comment