WWE NXT 4/12/2022

WWE NXT 4/12/2022

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/wwe-nxt-452022.html

WWE NXT North American Title - Cameron Grimes vs Solo Sikoa

Solo tries some roll-ups early and motions that the title is his. Grimes armdrags him and hits more armdrags. Solo sentons his back. Solo evades a cave in. Grimes says he respect him but his bloodline can kiss his grits. Grimes tries to bang Solo's head off the buckles but he's Samoan and that doesn't hurt him. Solo then lariats him over the top and and out. Grimes recovers, kicks him off the apron then flip dives him from the apron as we go to break.

We return and Grimes hit an armdrag and they traded punches. Solo missed a running hip attack in the corner then Grimes hurricanrana'd him. Grimes then hit a nice deadlift style suplex. Solo hiptossed him into the corner, then running hip attacked him for 2. Solo crossbodied him and Grimes turned it into a spanish fly for 2.

Grimes jumped up and got samoan dropped. Solo went up to the top then Trick Williams came down and pulled Solo off the buckles. Solo then splashed him on the floor and got a cave-in for the Grimes win.

Hayes helped out Trick after and they beat up both guys. Hayes then held up the North American title over Grimes.

Waller and Sanga interrupted the announcers as they talked about the gauntlet tonight. Waller said he should get the titles by default. Waller said Sanga is going to shred the other teams and said he would look pretty while Sanga does the work.

The Diamond Mine said they would kill two birds with one stone tonight. They said they don't feel pressure, they apply it. They said they proved the are the best team at Stand and Deliver. They called out Pretty Deadly and said they would get them tonight. We then saw then getting their placement out of a roller for the gauntlet match tonight.

Bron Breakker came out to talk. Bron said Joe Gacy wanted to send him a message and get his attention, and it worked. Bron said his dad is at home now and said you don't mess with his family. Bron challenged him to come to the ring. Joe appeared on the tron in front of fire. He said he understands him better now and said his dad took a beating like a man. Joe said Rick Steiner left his hall of fame ring behind. Joe said a family could only be tested by fire and threw the ring in the fire then laughed.

We saw clips of Toxic Attraction last week winning the tag titles. They were then interviewed. Mandy said T-A called their shot last week and are back as champs. Mandy said she would beat Dakota Kai tonight and said they are the measuring stick of NXT.

Kushida and Jiro were in the back then Von Wagner jumped both of them. Kushida was powerbombed behind trash cans then Robert Stone came in and said, "looks like there's no match tonight".

Bron was mad and leaving and the camera man tried to interview him but he wasn't interested.

Robert Stone and Von Wagner were in the ring. They said Jacket Time had run out of time. He then said "this is Von Wagner's world, and you're just living in it". Jiro then came out.

Von Wagner vs Ikemen Jiro

Jiro ran him outside to start then yelled on the mic and the match started. Jiro hit a step up enzugiri then hit corner punches. Von hit a big clothesline then fallaway slammed him. Von put him in a bear hug then Jiro hit some leg kicks. Jiro superkicked him in the face then swanton'd him off the top for 2.

Stone distracted Jiro then Jiro ran into a face kick. Von then hit an F-U and won it.

This was short and was what it needed to be. Jiro got his offense in before getting beaten.

The pretty girl who has been outside and has been seen with Stone signalled them to do more. Von then threw Jiro into the front row with a gorilla press.

Nikkita Lyons was interviewed. Lyons said Lash Legend talks a lot of trash but she doesn't need to prove herself to Lash. Lash then pump kicked her out of the chair and the camera's accidentally cut away before the segment ended. Lash was yelling at everyone.

Pretty Deadly got a video. They said they are the most extravagant and flamboyant. They said there's no better way to make a statement then to attack the biggest and baddest in NXT. they said they would make history tonight by winning the tag titles in the first match. We saw them get their placement from the roller for the gauntlet match tonight.

WWE NXT Women's Title - Mandy Rose (c) vs Dakota Kai

Things got sloppy from the start as they messed up something. Kai hit a bad crucifix then some dropkicks. Mandy got knocked off the apron then Kai crossbodied her and T-A from the top to the floor. We went to break and returned with Mandy putting Kai in a body scissors. Kai tried to back roll into a headscissors but was caught and slammed down.

Kai double stomped her then did a face wash kick. Kai went for a body hurricanrana but was spinebustered. Kai botched something then Toxic Attraction got on the apron. Kai grabbed the title off Jayne then took a pump kick/pumping knee for the Mandy Rose win.

This was not good at all with a lot of sloppy work.

Wendy Choo popped up from behind and squirted T-A with super soakers.

Joe Gacy did a promo on Bron. He said he is too easy to manipulate and said he can control his every move. He said he will tear down everything in his life. He then grabbed the ring out of the fire and put it on.

Tony D said he and Santos had a misunderstanding last week. He gave him a peace offering with money inside of an envelope. Santos gave it back to him.

Cora Jade came out. She talked about losing at Stand and Deliver. she said she thought she wanted to become NXT Women's champ, but now says she needs to be NXT women's champ. She said her name would someday be with the other WWE women's greats and named Natalya. Natalya then came out. She said the building brought back memories, but I don't think she was ever in NXT. Cora talked about how much she idolized her and said she sent Natalya a DM before. Natalya said she was happy she inspired her. Natalya said Cora is the future of the women's division, but the future is bleak. She then slapped her and put her in a sharpshooter. This was a very well done angle and was super believeable.

Briggs, Jensen and Fallon Henley were all hyped up and yelling about how they would win the titles tonight.

Nathan Frazier got a video promo and announced he was coming to NXT 2.0. Who will NXT 2.0 have left at this rate?

Draco Anthony vs Xyon Quinn

Xyon knocks him down early and offers his hand to get him back up.  Xyon has new gear here. He does corner spears and throws Draco across the ring. Draco hits a nice lariat then northern lights suplexes him. Draco slaps him on the back and mocks his haka taunt.

Xyon throws Draco then hits a nice lariat. Xyon then hits a death valley driver and does a flying forearm. Xyon did it like twice more and won.

This was short and Xyon's new finisher sucks. It wasn't bad up until that though.

Natalya arrived in the back and ran into Tatum Paxley. She said she's been trying to prove herself and basically challenges Natalya. Natalya agrees then says the girls are all on notice.

Duke, Dexter, Persia and Indi talk in the back and argue. Persia said if Duke and Dexter were in this gauntlet, they'd win the gauntlet. Indi said they should team up and the girls tried to talk them into it. Duke agreed and Dexter gave in too.

WWE NXT Tag Title Gauntlet

Nash Carter of MSK was fired and MSK had to vacate the belts.

Leg 1 - Legado del Fantasma vs The Creed Brothers

The Creed's take some kicks early and Wilde springboard dives on them outside. Mendoza hit a twister brainbuster on Julius then Wilde did a spingboard flip dive in the ring on him. Julius ankle locks Wilde then Brutus ankle locks Mendoza. Julius does a dangerous release german Mendoza and Mendoza gets knocked off the apron into the rails.

Brutus dead lift powerbombs Wilde then Mendoza springboard dropkicks Julius. Wilde does a 450 on Julius then Julius olympic slams Wilde. Wilde then gets picked up, spinebustered and downward lariated. Legado del Fantasma is eliminated.

Leg 2 - Briggs and Jensen vs The Creed Brothers

Fallon fights with Lopez as LdF leaves. They brawl. We go to break and return with Briggs hitting a big lariat on Julius. Brutus takes a sandwich lariat then gets powerbomb + chokeslammed onto a table. Julius dropkicks Briggs then takes a double shoulder. B&J slide out of the ring and double punch both.

Julius takes an atomic drop into a face kick. Julius takes a dominator + top rope knee combo but Brutus breaks the count. Julius did a weird thing where he was thrown into the ropes and just fell out. Brutus then hit a surprise downward lariat out of nowhere to let the Creeds advance to the next round.

Leg 3 - Grayson Waller and Sanga vs The Creed Brothers

Sanga hits a big boot on Julius then does a big european uppercut.  Julius gets pushed out and takes a hard fall. Waller gets in and pretends to be injured then totally decks both Creed's with a forearm. Waller reveals his injury is healed or was a fake all along. We go to break and return and Brutus deadlift backdrops Waller. Julius spears Waller. Brutus does a nice deadlift backdrop on Sanga then Julius does his take down on Sanga. Julius then hits a downward lariat and pins Sanga to advance.

Leg 4 - The Creed Brothers vs Pretty Deadly

PD double teams Julius and knocks him out of the ring. Julius tries to fight back and takes some simple offense. PD double suplexes Julius. Howley and Julius trade forearms then Julius belly to bellies him and tags out. Brutus gets thrown into a gutbuster then Julius is thrown into the steps outside.

PD does a neat move where Stoker gets pushed into a codebreaker on Julius. Brutus and Stoker collide heads. Brutus is lifted up then Howley neckbreakers him for the Pretty Deadly win.

It wasn't the greatest debut for PD and it's tough for them to win this when most people really don't know who they are. Teams should generally win on their debut though. The gauntlet was good. It was about 25 minutes of just straight action and it was cool to see The Creed's take on a bunch of different teams. 

Overall thoughts: I liked the gauntlet but not much else. Not a great episode of NXT here.