By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV
Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Aired live July 16, 2024 on USA Network
[Hour One] The show started out with Wes Lee (Dezmond Xavier), Trey Miguel, and Zachary Wentz cutting a promo to hype their upcoming match. The show then cut to Gallus cutting a promo in the hallways to hype their upcoming match against the Rascalz, while also talking about how they don’t like TNA…
Vic Joseph and Booker T were on commentary. Mike Rome was the ring announcer…
The Rascalz made their entrance to the Rascalz theme. Gallus were out next…
1. “The Rascalz” Wes Lee, Trey Miguel, and Zachary Wentz vs. “Gallus” Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, and Wolfgang. Wentz and Miguel used quick tags to dominate Mark early on. Wentz received a “welcome back” chant. Wolfgang tagged in and dominated Wentz. Wentz hit Mark with a high knee and tagged in Wes. Wes hit Joe with a long huracanrana and victory roll for a two count. Wolfgang tagged in and blindsided Wes with a lariat and body slam for a two count.
Wes fought back with a bit of CQC on Wolfgang. Gallus used quick tags to get the numbers advantage on Wes. The Rascals joined in and took out Gallus. Say his name and he appears! I believe in Joe Hendry! [Clap Clap]. TNA wrestler Joe Hendry made his entrance in a suit heading into picture-in-picture commercial break. [c]
Joe Hendry joined the commentary table. Booker asked why Joe was here. Joe noted “tell me you didn’t just say that”? Wes used double boots to bring in Wentz for a hot tag. Wentz hit Joe and Wolfgang with a missile dropkick. Wentz hit Joe with a German Suplex. Trey tagged in and hit The Coffey’s with assisted dropkicks. Wentz hit Joe with an assisted dropkick. The Rascalz used tandem moves to clear Gallus from the ring. Wentz hit Gallus with a Hot Fire Flame at ringside.
Wes hit Gallus with a Flip Dive to ringside. A NXTNA chant ensued. Wentz and Trey hit Mark with a double Cheeky Nandos. Wes hit Mark with an assisted double stomp for the win.
The Rascalz defeated Gallus via pinfall in 12:04.
Joe Hendry noted that if Gallus believed a bit more they might have won. A Joe Hendry narrated video aired where Hendry recapped the events that led to him appearing on NXT last week (Due to Brooks Jensen taking out Je’von Evans). Hendry noted that Trick Williams was the hottest star in NXT while Hendry was the answer to all life’s problems….
John’s Thoughts: Fun debut of the Rascalz group to NXT while also a fun and wholesome return of Zach Wentz to NXT. I hoped that NXT would do more for Joe Coffey and Gallus, but it seems like they are established as Gatekeepers in NXT. Smart to start the show with the TNA crossovers as this was probably the reason people tuned in.
The show cut to Kelly Kincaid interviewing Chase U. Thea Hail stormed off to prepare for a confrontation against Roxanne Perez. Duke Hudson also left to prepare for his match. Chase and Osborne both gave their support for Hudson for his upcoming match against Oba Femi…
Roxanne Perez was walking through the hallways. Thea Hail was about to jump her, but Hail was held back by Ridge Holland…[c]
NXT Champion All Ego Ethan Page was in NXT GM Ava’s office arguing about how NXT is a unsafe working argument. Oro Mensah barged in to argue with Page. Ava noted that Oro wasn’t in the title picture. Oro told Page that the longer he runs, the worse it gets for him. Ava asked Page to defend the title tonight. Page picked Dante Chen as his first opponent…
Vic Joseph and Booker T checked in on commentary. Vic hyped up the two week Great American Bash themed show in a few weeks…
NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez made her entrance in street clothes. Perez asked the crowd what is it going to take for people to treat her like the champion she is. She said she beat the biggest badass NXT has, and she thought she would have received her flowers for that. Perez said that the crowd ended up giving the loser, Lola Vice, a standing ovation. Perez said the crowd don’t deserve to witness her greatness. She said she didn’t even hit her prime yet.
Perez said she isn’t competing against the locker room, she’s competing against history books. Perez noted that 13 years ago, Charlotte Flair had her first NXT match and 13 years later she’s a 14 time champion. Perez said she’s on pace to shatter all of Flair’s records and the records of people like Bayley or Asuka. Perez talked about how people are talking about people like Giulia or Stephanie Vaquer giving Perez a run for her money. Perez said they can roll out the carpet for anyone because no one can step up to Perez.
Perez laughed at Thea Hail being her next challenger. Perez said Hail has as much of a chance of winning as Duke Hudson has at beating Oba Femi. Thea Hail made her entrance. Hail talked about lookng up to Perez at one point. Hail said Perez knew what it was like having doubters. Hail said she’s broken the noses and arms of doubters. Hail said at Great American Bash, Perez better hand Hail a pen so she can write in the history books that Hail is going to be one of the youngest NXT Women’s Champions. Perez joked that Hail was out without her chaperones.
Perez said that the title isn’t leaving her shoulders as long as she’s champion. Hail said she knows how it is to sprial out of control. Perez reminded Hail about Andre Chase throwing in the towel that one time. Perez said that Hail may think she’s a grown ass woman but she’s a little girl. Perez jumped Perez. Ridge Holland and referees pulled Hail away from Perez to end the segment…
Kelly Kincaid interviewed Kelani Jordan in the locker room. Jordan talked about having to pull a lot of crazy moves to defend the title against Sol Ruca. Jordan talked about looking forward to facing people like Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer. Kindaid was distracted because Wendy Choo was behind Jordan glaring ominously…
A replay aired of Brooks Jensen’s recent intrusions on NXT TV…
Je’von Evans made his entrance…[c]
Kelly Kincaid interviewed Lola Vice about her recent title opportunity. Vice talked about proving herself and how Perez had to use 4 Pop Rocks to beat her. Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne, and Jasmyn Nyx showed up to talk trash. Jayne said that Vice should go back to America’s Top Team in MMA. Jayne noted that should go back to fighting in MMA. Vice said she’s a fighter and she sees her next opponent right in front of her…
Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs made their entrance. Brooks told Josh that he doesn’t need him at ringside, but Josh noted that he vouched for Briggs to stay in NXT…
2. Je’von Evans vs. Brooks Jensen (w/Josh Briggs). Jensen dominated early on. Evans came back with a springboard Asai Moonsault and a overhead flip kick for a two count. Jensen came back wtih mounted punches. Jensen hit Evans with a front suplex and cannonball on the announce table. The show cut to regular commercial.[c]
Evans rallied with right hands. Jensen came back with a knee to the ribs. Evans sidestepped Jensen, but ate an elbow. Evans surprised Jensen with a pop up Frankensteiner. Evans hit Jensen with a kick and slingshot crossbody for a nearfall. Jensen reversed a flip into a Neutralizer for a two count. Shawn Spears appeared at ringside. Jensen told Briggs to not pay attention to Spears. Evans hit Jensen with a dive at ringside and then hit Jensen with a diving cutter for the win.
Je’von Evans defeated Brooks Jensen via pinfall in 9:02.
Jensen attacked Evans after the match. Josh Briggs berated Jensen after the match and sent him to the back…
John’s Thoughts: Good win for Evans while continuing the oddball Brooks Jensen work-shoot angle. Smart usage of the Kinesio Tape to fakeout the crowd with a false telegraph. NXT tends to overdo it a bit by telegraphing “outs” with the kinesio tape so it’s good to see them go the opposite direction. The loss doesn’t hurt Jensen at all as they are setting him up to presumably be a protege of Shawn Spears.
Tony D’Angelo and The Family were playing poker backstage. Charlie Dempsey showed up to confront D’Angelo. D’Angelo said he never knew Dempsey had it in him to take care of Damon Kemp. Dempsey said he was still coming for the Heritage Cup, but he needs advice. Dempsey said there may have been a witness
Sarah Schreiber interviewed Dante Chen about his upcoming match. Chen said he knows taht Ethan Page sees him as an easy challenger, but when you have a moment, you have to capitalize on it…
Ethan Page was shown walking through the halls…
Trick Williams was chatting with Ilja Dragunov via facetime at the backstage lounge. Trick said he doesn’t recognize himself now without the title. Ilja talked about how he sought new paths after losing the title and Trick needs to figure things out. Ilja told Trick to take care. Trick confronted Pete Dunne, but before Trick can really say anything, Pete told Trick to “figure it out”. Trick asked “what the hell?”…
[Hour Two] Entrances for the next match took place. Mike Rome handled the formal in-ring championship introductions
3. “All Ego” Ethan Page vs. Dante Chen for the NXT Championship. Page hit Chen with a shoulder tackle and toyed with him as a presumed easy opponent.. Chen rolled up Page for a nearfall. Chen worked on Page with right hands and a thrust kick for a two count. Page caught Chen at ringside with a diving shoulder block. Page worked on Chen with mounted punches. Page got a two count after a body slam. Chen rallied with right hands and an enzuigiri.
Chen hit Page with a Sunset Flip for a nearfall. Chen hit Page with an Atomic Drop. Chen got a few nearfalls off a few rollups. Chen hit Page with a double chop for a nearfall. Page tripped Chen off a slingshot and hit him with a Mafia Kick. Page hit Chen with the Ego’s Edge for the win.
Ethan Page defeated Dante Chen via pinfall in 4:18.
Oro Mensah tried to jump Ethan Page after the match, but Page knocked out Oro with a DDT. As Page was leaving the ring, Oro recovered and attacked Page on-sight. Oro tossed Page back in the ring and rallied with right hands. Oro hit Page with a Pele Kick and Spinning Heel Kick. Oro pinned Page and counted his own three count…
A Duke Hudson profile package aired. Hudson talked about how he started out as a poker player and ended up a MVP. He said tonight he’ll become NXT North American Champion…[c]
John’s Thoughts: Short and sweet title defense for the cocky heel champion. Chen plays the plucky underdog well, so well that I wouldn’t mind him getting a gold watch title run down the road. Good start so far for Page as the cocky champ. Oro Mensah has no chance whatsoever to win the belt, but they’ve done a good job using Noam Dar’s injury to elevate Oro Mensah up the card. With Mensah’s strength being in-ring over talking, he should be able to get a good match out of Page when they face off.
Vic Joseph plugged NXT’s No Mercy and Halloween Havoc PLEs…
Gallus were sulking backstage. Joe Coffey talked about Joe Hendry annoying him. Say his name, and he appears! I believe in Joe Hendry! Clap Clap. Joe Hendry said it’s not his fault he’s hear, Coffey said his name. Hendry talked about how he likes it in NXT and is sticking around. Joe Coffey said no one likes Hendry in NXT. Coffey said when people think of Scotland in NXT, they think of Gallus or Drew McIntyre, not a flash in the pan. Hendry said things would be better for Gallus is they just believed in the answer to all life’s problems, Joe Hendry. Hendry left…
Izzi Dame made her entrance. Tatum Paxley was at ringside…
4. Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame. Paxley hit Dame with a missile dropkick and low kick for a nearfall. Joseph noted that Paxley and Dame both wrestled Jordynne Grace for the Knockouts Title. Dame slammed Paxley for a nearfall. Dame used her size to block an Irish whip. Dame used the ringpost to stretch Paxley like a crossbow. Dame put Paxley in a side rack. Wendy Choo appeared at ringside. Paxley hit Dame with a Dragon Screw and Chop Block. Paxley hit Dame with a standing Splash for a nearfall. Dame countered a Gutwrench with a hook kick. Paxley sent Dame into the ringpost to hurt her shoulder. Paxley hit Dame with a leg hook twisting backbreaker for the win.
Tatum Paxley defeated Izzi Dame via pinfall in 4:03.
At ringside, Wendy Choo handed Tatum Paxley the headless doll Paxley discarded last week. Paxley took the doll and put the head back on it…
Backstage, Ridge Holland was coaching Thea Hail, telling her not to cost herself her title shot. Duke Hudson, Riley Osborne, and Andre Chase showed up. Hudson teased feeling disrespected with Holland not supporting him. Hudson then joked that it was fine. Ridge Holland wished Hudson luck in his upcoming match. Chase U did a group cheer…
Lola Vice made her entrance…[c]
John’s Thoughts: Short, but solid match between two developmental wrestlers. Looks like we’re going to get a team between two of the “creepier” characters in NXT. Paxley is in line for a push after serving as a enhancement wrestler dating back to the 2.0 days.
Cedric Alexander was chatting with Ashanti The Adonis about having new opportunities in NXT. Ashanti was distracted by all the shawtys backstage. Adonis then hit on Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson. Adonis said it’s not “Chase U” it’s “Chase Me”. Adonis said she was checking on Jakara Jackson. Oro Mensah showed up to have Jakara’s back. Adonis said she wants to show Jackson who the hottest attraction in NXT is? Lash and Oro dragged Jakara away. Cedric told Ashanti that the sure likes to get into trouble…
Jacy Jayne, Jasmyn Nyx, and Fallon Henley made their entrance. Jayne set up Cody Rhodes’s nose mask in the corner…
5. Lola Vice vs. Jacy Jayne (w/Fallon Henley, Jasmyn Nyx). Janye slammed Lola to the mat and mocked Vice’s hip movements. Vice slammed Jayne to the mat and shook he hips. Booker liked that. Joseph joked that Sharmell is probably watching the show time to time. Jayne worked on Vice with joint manipulation. Vice escaped and worked on Jayne with an axe kick combination. Vice yelled “I’m a Latina” and hit Jayne with a hip attack. Vice hit Jayne with a spinning backfist for the win.
Lola Vice defeated Jacy Jayne via pinfall in 2:45.
Fallon Henley jumped Vice after the match alongside her fellow heels. Karmen Petrovic and Sol Ruca ran out to help Vice clear the heels from the ring…
John’s Thoughts: A good match to set up a feud outside of the title pictures. Easy to tell story too with the “veterans” feeling petty over the rookies (Jayne did note that Nyx was the exception as far as they were concerned). Good to have Vice get the quick win too as it sets up her spinning backfist as a knockout blow.
Kelani Jordan confronted Tatum Paxley backsgage. Jordan noted that Wendy Choo was looking for her doll, that Tatum was playing with, Paxley noted that it was her doll, and wanted to know if Jordan wanted to play. Jordan said they were too old to be playing with dolls. Jordan left. Paxley then dropped the caucasian doll to pick up a dark skinned doll…
OTM made their entrance…[c]
A interviewer caught up with Ethan Page backstage. Page talked about Oro Mensah almost ruining his night, just like the interviewer is about to do. Page stressed that Oro Mensah didn’t legally pin him…
Gallows, Anderson, and Mia Yim made their entrance. Both teams brawled before the bell. The bell rang once the women were left alone in the ring…
6. “Out Tha Mud” Lucien Price, Bronco Nima, and Jaida Parker vs. Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Mia “Michin” Yim in a mixed match. Parker draped Yim in the corner and hit her with a draping hit attack. Yim hit Parker with a dropkick. Price tagged in, bringing in Gallows. Price no sold a big boot and gave Gallows a Gutwrench Slam. Price dumped Anderson to ringside. Price hit Gallows with a clothesline from a three point stance. Nima tagged in and gave Gallows a headbutt.
Bronco gave Gallows a knee to the back of the neck. Price and Nima used quick tags to cut the ring in half on Gallows. Gallows got a window of opportunity after a flapjack. Yim tagged in to also bring in Parker. Yim hit Parker with a dropkick and suplex. Yim took down Parker with a Pele Kick for a two count. Parker came back with a German Suplex. Nima tagged in to bring in Anderson. Nima no sold a few chops.
Nima tossed Anderson into the corner. Anderson hit Nima with a diving neckbreaker. Gallows tagged in and hit Nima with an assisted neckbreaker for a two count. Yim hit Nima with Seoul Food (Eat Defeat) and then hit Parker with a dive at ringside. Gallows and Anderson hit Nima with a Magic Killer to give Anderson the win.
Karl Anderson, Luke gallows, and Mia Yim defeated OTM via pinfall in 5:58.
Tavion Heights was telling Charlie Dempsey that he shouldn’t be looking paranoid. Wren Sinclair showed up and asked to join No Quarter Catch Crew. Dempsey refused to let her in. Sinclair said she’s going to wrestle her way into Dempsey’s cold heart and into the group…
Chase University made their entrance…[c]
John’s Thoughts: This win actually helps make OTM’s tag team win mean more because it felt like OTM’s win against Gallows and Anderson didn’t mean as much due to Gallows and Anderson lowing so many matches. Both of these groups have been trading wins and loses. I hope they give these two teams one more run-back with OTM getting put over.
The show cut to a random club that Eddy Thorpe was DJ’ing at. Lexis King showed up and started to mess with Thorpe’s mixing board. Thorpe and King brawled in the club…
John’s Thoughts: This gimmick is lame, and kinda boring, but at least he doesn’t annoy me as much as Joaquin Wilde did when he was a wrestling DJ (Wilde is an amazing wrestler by the way. His ba ba ba ba’ing just always annoyed the hell out of me and is one of my most hated wresting gimmick’s of all time for me. Jonathan Gresham’s contagious squid ink gimmick is starting to reach that level of annoying for me these days).
Eddy Thrope vs. Lexis King and Ashante the Adonis vs. Oro Mensah were announced for next week…
Oba Femi made his entrance. Mike Rome handled the formal in-ring championship introductions…
7. Oba Femi vs. Duke Hudson (w/Andre Chase, Thea Hail, Riley Osborne) for the NXT North American Championship. Both men started at a stalemate after a few collar and elbows and shoulder tackles. Oba rallied with uppercuts and a shove tackle. Duke fired himself up by taking off his headband and Chase U shirt. Hudson hit Oba with a huracanrana and DDT. Hudson dumped Oba to ringside heading into picture-in-picture.[c]
[Overrun] Oba Femi dominated Duke Hudson with overpowering strikes. Oba planted Hudson with a sidewalk slam for a two count. Hudson escaped a headlock with a jawbreaker. Oba came back with two backbreakers. Hudson kicked out at two. Oba hit Hudson with Snake Eyes. Oba reversed a suplex into a crossbody for a two count. Oba rallied with Uppercuts. Hudson came back with a big boot. Hudson rallied with hands.
Hudson hit Oba with the Chase U Bionic Elbow. Hudson hit Oba with an impressive plancha. Hudson hit Oba with a Slingshot German Suplex for a good nearfall. Oba knocked Hudson off the top rope with a headbutt. Hudson popped back and hit Oba with a Trish Stratus delayed Frankensteiner. Hudson got a two count off a crucifix pin.
Oba chokeslamed Hudson for a good nearfall. Hudson hit Oba with a Super Sunset Bomb for a nearfall. Oba reversed Hudson and hit him with a backbreaker on the announce table. Oba hit Hudson with a pop-up power bomb for the victory.
Oba Femi defeated Duke Hudson via pinfall in 11:34.
Oba posed with a mouth full of North American Title…
Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen were exiting the Performance Center. Briggs berated Jensen for his recent erratic behavior. Jensen challenged Briggs to a match next week. Briggs said he already beat Jensen and he doesn’t want to put Jensen through that again. Briggs asked for a No-DQ match. Jensen then got in the seat of a van and drove off with a unseen driver (presumably Shawn Spears)…
John’s Thoughts: I didn’t think that the Femi vs. Hudson matched looked like a main event on paper, but both men killed it here. Oba continues to shatter expectations with how well he’s killing it so young in his wrestling career. In the last PLE audio review I did with Jason Powell, Jason wondered if Oba looks impressive in NXT, but would be overshadowed by larger members of the main roster. Well, WWE may have shattered that fear because they’ve run him through the 6 foot 4 gauntlet by having him wrestle a majority of his title defenses against their larger wrestlers.
Hopefully Duke Hudson has caught some eyes as well. I remember back in the pandemic year when he looked like a deer in the headlights when they called him up way to soon. Yes, Chase U turns everything they touch to gold, but Hudson deserves credit for the growth he’s shown since the proto-Hurt Business days, and even the weird stint as a poker player. Solid episode of NXT this week. They started the show with the TNA hook and crossover, but hopefully they kept viewers due to their own storyline developments. Interesting choice by NXT to really rally behind Joe Hendry as well. He’s in short segments, but they are sprinkling his presence on the show the last few weeks, almost like he’s the co-protagonist with Trick Williams. I think it would do everyone a solid if maybe Trick can appear on AXS TV one of these weeks (hard to do, because TNA’s taped, and it’s tough to sync with the live NXT show, hence why they can’t get the Wes Lee continuity straight yet).
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