By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT TV
Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Aired live December 10, 2024 on The CW
[Hour One] Vic Joseph checked in on commentary while shots aired of Orlando… A video package recapped the NXT Deadline premium live event… Booker T joined Joseph on commentary, and Mike Rome was the ring announcer…
Giulia made her entrance and was introduced as the winner of the women’s Iron Survivor Challenge. A graphic listed Roxanne Perez vs. Giulia for the NXT Women’s Championship on the New Years Evil show that will be held on January 7 in Los Angeles. Giulia stood in the middle of the ring and said she will become the new champion.
NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez interrupted Giulia by making her entrance. Perez entered the ring and said that Giulia won the ISC, but she is not on her level. Perez said they’ve done this before and the result will be the same. Giulia said they could do it right now and then dropped her mic.
Cora Jade showed up with a weapon and said Giulia wouldn’t make it to New Years Evil because of her and Perez. Jade said Stephanie Vaquer wouldn’t be saving her. Footage aired on the big screen of Vaquer being tended to due to an attack. In the ring, Giulia hit Perez with a forearm. Jade hit Guilia with the weapon.
Kelani Jordan ran out and took Jade down. Jordan got the weapon. Giulia and Jade cleared Perez and Jade from the ring…
Powell’s POV: I assume this will lead to a tag team match either tonight or on next week’s show.
Footage aired from after NXT Deadline of Ethan Page’s promo. They cut to a shot of various wrestlers watching the promo in the backstage area while Page was seated on a couch looking depressed.
Tony D’Angelo and his crew showed up. D’Angelo offered Page a shot at the NXT North American Championship. Page said it was a step down for him. D’Angelo said he was trying to be a nice guy and then said he would open up the title shot to others.
The wrestlers in the room all stepped up and wanted the title shot. Page did as well and told D’Angelo that he wanted the match. Page said it wasn’t a step down for him and then said please. D’Angelo told Page that’s all he had to say…
Je’Von Evans made his entrance heading into a commercial break… [C]
Backstage, Lexis King told Charlie Dempsey that he did some soul searching in Minneapolis and wants another shot at the NXT Heritage Cup. Dempsey said he’s already given him a shot and told King to let him think about it. King said that’s all he could ask for and then made his exit.
Wren Sinclair, Tavion Heights, and Myles Borne arrived. Dempsey praised Sinclair and said she showed that she belongs on top of the women’s division.
“OTM” Bronco Nima and Lucien Price showed up with Jaida Parker. OTM said they could bring the tag team titles home. Parker said Sinclair should thank her because Sinclair never would have earned the final spot in the ISC match had she not taken an elbow from Lola Vice…
Wes Lee made his entrance…
1. Je’Von Evans vs. Wes Lee. Evans hit Lee with an early suicide dive. Lee came back and hit a flip dive onto Evans at ringside heading into a break. [C] Lee took Evans down and covered Evans while using the ropes for leverage, but the referee caught him.
Lee hit the Cardiac Jam on Evans for a near fall. Lee showed surprise and frustration while Joseph said the same move won Lee the NXT North American Championship. Joseph said this was Evans growing up in front of viewers.
Evans superkicked Lee. Evans followed up with a double jump corkscrew dive from the top rope and got the three count…
Je’Von Evans defeated Wes Lee in roughly 12:00.
Powell’s POV: A nice match and a good win for Evans. Here’s hoping this is the start of a significant push for Evans.
NXT Tag Team Champions Axiom and Nathan Frazer spoke backstage, Axiom said Frazer was close to winning the men’s Iron Survivor Challenge. Frazer boasted that they retained their titles.
Axiom apologized to Frazer for being worried about Frazer taking two matches. Axiom said Frazer got his nose smashed, but he did it. Frazer said he couldn’t breathe and owed Axiom for what he did during their tag match.
Axiom was upset about Oba Femi winning a match he wasn’t supposed to be in. Axiom said Frazer is his tag team partner and he would do anything for him. Frazer said he had to make things right and would handle things…
Joseph announced Tony D’Angelo vs. Ethan Page for the NXT North American Championship, and Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade vs. Giulia and Kelani Jordan. The tag match will be the show’s main event… [C]
A sponsored video package featured Josh Briggs talking about his stay in Pro Wrestling Noah. He said Yoshiki Inamura impressed him. They cut to Inamura, who said Briggs had fighting spirit like Stan Hansen. Inamura said Briggs has a crazy side. Briggs said he and Inamura clicked and he’s not dealing with childish antics like he did before (with Brooks Jensen). Briggs said he didn’t want to be in a tag team again until he saw Inamura train in Japan. Inamura said he and Briggs are ready to create chaos in NXT…
Booker T said he made a trip to Japan in 1991. He said you learn so much about yourself by doing so. Booker said Briggs was about to grow up…
Sarah Schreiber stood outside the medical room looking for an update on Stephanie Vaquer. Giulia and Kelani Jordan emerged from the room and a graphic mistakenly listed Jordan as Vaquer. Giulia yelled in her native tongue, and then Jordan spoke and said they needed to get ready for their main event…
Zaria and Sol Ruca stood in the women’s locker room and spoke favorably about the Iron Survivor Challenge. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson interrupted them. Legend said Zaria might have the other women shook, but Zaria isn’t her. Ruca said Legend wouldn’t be saying that had she been in the ISC. Jackson asked Ruka why she was sticking up for someone who wanted to rip her head off less than 48 hours ago…
Powell’s POV: Less than 48 hours ago? I guess Jackson (or the writers) are still thrown off by premium live events being held on Saturdays.
Hank Walker and Tank Ledger made their entrance… [C] Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe made their entrance…
2. Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs. Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe. Dupont hit a running splash on Ledger for a two count nearly three minutes in. Ledger was isolated by his opponents for a stretch.
Walker eventually took a hot tag and had a clunky exchange with Dupont. Walker went to the steps and dove onto Igwe on the floor. Walker went up to for a top rope clothesline that Dupont avoided. Walker hit a Boss Man Slam. Ledger tagged in and then he and Walker hit their double team finisher, which led to Ledger pinning Dupont.
Hank Walker and Tank Ledger defeated Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe in 6:20.
After the match, Walker and Ledger shook hands with Dupont, but Igwe blew off the handshake…
Powell’s POV: It looked like Dupont was to blame for the two rough spots that I caught, but I need to watch it back. Dupont and Igwe haven’t been featured enough on television for Igwe blowing off the handshakes to feel like a big deal, but hopefully this is the start of the development of both characters.
The Raw on Netflix graphic made its way to NXT… Oba Femi was shown walking backstage. Joseph said the Iron Survivor Challenge winner was up next… [C] Oba Femi made his entrance.
[Hour Two] “Surprise, surprise, the ruler is back,” Femi started. He said he destroyed everyone and now he’s the Iron Survivor. Femi said he will claim his rightful position on the throne as the ruler of NXT in four weeks at New Years Evil.
Femi said he and Trick Williams haven’t crossed paths yet, but they’ve both been dominant and now it’s time to find out who the real top guy is.
NXT Champion Trick Williams made his entrance and joined Femi inside the ring. Williams and Femi looked at one another in the eye, but they were interrupted.
Eddy Thorpe came out and accused Femi of taking him out last week and replacing him in the Iron Survivor Challenge. Femi told Thorpe to shut his mouth. Femi asked Thorpe if he saw him when he was attacked. Thorpe said no, he was hit from behind, but he’s never been hit with so much power.
Williams said he’s gone through the highs and lows and won the Iron Survivor Challenge. Williams said everyone is waiting to see him and Femi. Williams said he and Femi have never really talked, but he’s happy that Femi is there. Williams said the legacy of a title run isn’t defined by how long you hold a title, it’s defined by who you defeat while you carry it.
Femi said the only reason that Williams has been the number one guy is because he let him be the number one guy. Femi said there’s a Trick Era because he allowed it. Femi said he’s always known that he would take the NXT Title once he was ready. Femi said he and Williams have a date with destiny. Femi promised that the start of 2025 will be the end of Williams’ era.
Williams tried to go after Femi as he was leaving, but Thorpe cut him off. Thorpe said Williams is supposed to be a leader, but he didn’t press Femi once about what he did to him. Thorpe said he thought Williams would give him a title shot due to the injustices he’s been through.
Thorpe said everyone followed Williams, but when you check under the hood of the Lamborghini, there’s just a manufactured sports entertainer. Thorpe said Williams wouldn’t last two weeks in the Japanese dojos that he came up in.
Williams cut off Thorpe and said the doubters spoke before he faced Ilja Dragunov and look at him now. Williams said he had no problem whooping every ass inside the locker room. Williams called for a match against Thorpe for next week. Williams called for Ava to set it up, then dropped the mic and punched Thorpe, who laughed while lying on the mat…
Powell’s POV: Femi’s promo was solid and his exchange with Williams was really good. They sold me on their match even though their interaction was brief. Thorpe was less polished than the other two and his “sports entertainer” line didn’t get a reaction from the live crowd.
“Fatal Influence” Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne, and Jazmyn Nyx were shown backstage. Jayne said someone is obsessed with her. Henley said she thought the person was back because of an obsession with her title. Nyx said it didn’t matter, they need to get rid of this person…
Powells POV: I assume they were talking about Gigi Dolin, but the Williams’ entrance theme was playing and it seemed like production was a couple seconds late in switching the audio to the locker room scene.
Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin were walking backstage. Dolin reminded Paxley that Fatal Influence has the numbers advantage. Paxley spoke about having a friend.
Izzi Dame showed up and said she wants to run it back with Dolin. Shawn Spears, Brooks Jensen, and Niko Vance showed up and wished Paxley and Dolin good luck with their match. Spears started to make a pitch to Dame, but she blew him off and stormed away. Spears smiled…
Fatal Influence made their entrance… [C] The Raw on Netlix graphic was shown. Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin were already in the ring…
3. Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin vs. Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx (w/Fallon Henley). The broadcast team clarified that Fatal Influence was speaking about Dolin during the backstage segment. Late in the match, Paxley went up top and was shoved off by Henley while the referee was distracted. Jayne hit the Rolling Encore on Paxley and then pinned her.
Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx defeated Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin in 3:00.
After the match, Fatal Influence worked over Paxley. Dolin tried to save her partner, but she was outnumbered.
Shotzi made her entrance and got the better of the Fatal Influence trio. Paxley and Dolin stood on the ropes and then Shotzi dove through the ropes and hit the heel with a suicide dive…
Backstage, Axiom informed Nathan Frazer that he went to Ava and got a match with Oba Femi for next week. Frazer thanked Axiom. Frazer said he felt bad about Axiom carrying him at Deadline and was going to tell him that he went to Ava and got them an NXT Tag Team Title match for next week. Axiom noted that he would have to work two matches next week… [C]
Ethan Page made his entrance for the NXT North American Title match. Joseph said Page is known as All Ego, but he wondered if he’s actually Fragile Ego. Tony D’Angelo made his entrance with his crew…
4. Tony D’Angelo (w/Channing Lorenzo, Luca Crusifino, Adriana Rizzo) vs. Ethan Page for the NXT North American Championship. Vic Joseph delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Joseph hyped that next week’s show will be held in Lowell, Massachusetts. D’Angelo clotheslined Page and both men tumbled over the top rope heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Page hit a cutter for a near fall. Page showed frustration when he didn’t get the three count. Page set up for his Ego’s Edge finisher, but D’Angelo slipped away. D’Angelo put Page down with a spinebuster and then pinned him…
Tony D’Angelo defeated Ethan Page in 8:40 to retain the NXT North American Championship.
Powell’s POV: An enjoyable match while it lasted. This could have been the television main event or even a premium live event match under difference circumstances, but they are telling a story with Page’s struggles and growing frustration.
The Raw on Netflix graphic appeared again…
Lexis King was backstage with former NFL player Ryan Leaf. King said Leaf’s career didn’t work out, but he praised him for calling college football games on The CW and doing a lot for mental health. King also thanked Leaf for telling him to go to Minneapolis for Deadline. Charlie Dempsey showed up and said he would give King the NXT Heritage Cup shot in two weeks if he had a workout with him. King agreed…
Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade made their entrance for the main event… [C]
Ethan Page was leaving the building in his gear and told a camera person that he couldn’t do an interview. Page said he’s lost his way. He said he says he’s All Ego, but he doesn’t think he is. Page said he has no idea how to get back to the NXT Championship. Page said he’s just lost and ashamed…
Joseph listed the following matches for next week’s show: Trick Williams vs. Eddy Thorpe for the NXT Championship, Nathan Frazer and Axiom vs. Mark Coffey and Wolfgang for the NXT Tag Team Titles, Oba Femi vs. Axiom, Zaria and Sol Ruca vs. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson…
Giulia made her entrance for the main event and was attacked by Perez and Jade. Kelani Jordan came out and helped her partner. Jordan hit her opponents with a dive from the ring to the floor. Jordan rolled Perez inside the ring and followed, which led to the referee calling for the bell to start the match…
5. Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade vs. Kelani Jordan and Giulia. Jordan got a two count on Jade after Guilia put Jade down with a big boot. The heels were down at ringside heading into a PIP break. [C]
Late in the match, Jordan was isolated by the heels, but Giulia tripped Perez as she was running the ropes. Jade drilled Giulia with a knee strike. Jordan put Jade down with a kick and then dove over the top rope onto Jade at ringside.
Jordan rolled Jade back inside the ring. Perez hit Jordan with Pop Rocks and then rolled her back in the ring. Giulia and Perez fought to the back. Jade put Jordan down with a DDT and pinned her…
Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade beat Kelani Jordan and Giulia in 10:50.
After the match, Stephanie Vaquer’s entrance music played. Jade stared at the stage and waited, but Vaquer attacked her from behind. Jade fled the ring quickly. Vaquer went after Jade, who hopped the barricade. Vaquer gave chase before the cameras cut away…
In Ava’s office, Eddy Thorpe signed a contract for his NXT Championship match for next week and said he couldn’t believe it was happening. Ava said it was official for next week. Ava added that they were still looking into who attacked Thorpe.
Thorpe said he knew who attacked him. “You’re looking at him,” Thorpe said. “I got my title match and I didn’t have to through 25 minutes of hell to get it. I’ll see you in Lowell.” Thorpe handed the contract to an angry Ava, who aggressively took it away to close the show…
Powell’s POV: I didn’t see that coming. So Thorpe staged his own attack and then manipulated his way into the title shot without having to win the Iron Survivor Challenge. That’s clever and stands out as the most notable thing the Thorpe character has done thus far. I’m looking forward to seeing how he does in his title match next week. The main event was fine, but it felt a little trivial.
Overall, a solid follow-up to Deadline. The initial build for Trick Williams vs. Oba Femi was really good, and the story of Ethan Page losing his confidence is interesting. I will be by later tonight with an exclusive audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
The end of that show (with Eddy and Ava) was FIVE STARS!!