WWE NXT 5/2/2023

WWE NXT 5/2/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/wwe-nxt-4252022-nxt-spring-breakin-2023.html

WWE NXT North American Title - Wes Lee (c) vs Drew Gulak

Wes shotgun dropkicks him to start. Dempsey gets on the apron to distract Wes and Drew gets a nearfall off of it. Wes goes for a leapfrog and is rolled up then Wes kicks double stomp as he is down. Drew diving lariats him off the top for 2. Drew does an armlock with a crossface.

Wes enzugiri's him in the corner. Drew goes outside where Wes topes him. Drew distracts the ref and Dempsey pulls out Wes then Bate comes off the steps and uppercuts Dempsey. Wes then hits his backflip kick on Drew and wins it.

It was short and compact. I didn't think it was that great or anything but it was okay for an opener.

Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre were doing their witchcraft stuff. They said their next destination is Smackdown and said this was their final night in NXT. They said Carter and Chance were the staples of the division for so long and said they would take the NXT Women's Tag Titles with them tonight.

Trick Williams came out to talk. He said Bron hospitalized Melo, but Melo is his buddy. He said he and Melo went to the same high school. He said game recognized game and said the Trick-Melo gang was being created there. Trick said they will always be here. He said they are like Shaq and Kobe. He said Melo don't miss, but when he does, he's coming down with the rebound.

Bron Breakker interrupts. Bron said he speared him and put him in the recliner, but he's still out there. Bron told him to relay the message that he wants to fight him. Trick said Bron blindsided Melo, but also blindsided him. He said they should settle it like men. Bron said he put Melo in the hospital and would hate to do it to his mouthpiece. Trick said Bron was mad that the people didn't like him like they did with Trick and Melo. Trick said he would knock the tan off him until he's black and blue. Trick said he wanted to fight now, but Bron said he calls the shot and said they can fight next week. He said he will break him in half.

JD McDonagh is interviewed. they mentioned him going to Raw. Noam Dar interrupted. Dar asked JD to make sure Dragon Lee doesn't walk out of here tonight. JD said all Dar cares about is the Heritage Cup. He told him to stay away with him because if he doesn't, he will take the Heritage Cup with him to Raw.

Gigi Dolin vs Jacy Jayne

I can't imagine either one of these two are real happy right now. They were supposed to be called up by now but other acts got the nod over them.

Jacy misses some shots and Gigi forearms her. Gigi throws her out then Jacy cannonballs her off the apron. Gigi's brother Myles is in the front row here. Jacy sentons her then kicks her in the back for 2. Jacy superkicks her then takes a superkick. Gigi high kicks her and sto's her for 2.

Gigi throws her into the rails outside then bangs her head off the steps before hitting Kawada kicks. Jacy somehow starts bleeding bad off this. Gigi has her shoulder pulled into the post then Jacy spinning facekicks her for the win.

They keep trying with these two, but they just don't have a great match in them. It would be better just to let this feud go at this point.

Jacy beats her up after and throws her into the steps. Jacy slaps her and yells at Gigi's brother.

Axiom vs Scrypts

Scrypts jumps in during Ax's entrance and single leg dropkicks him. Ax armdrags him then does a flipping northern lights suplex. Scrypts jumps onto the table outside and flips onto Ax. Scrypts misses some shots  then hits a huge top rope moonsault for 2.

Ax hits a nice dropkick then butterfly suplexes him. Ax comes off the top and takes a dropkick. Ax flips him then hits a pumping knee for 2. Scrypts corkscrew crossbodies him and goes for a 450 but takes a superkick in the air. Ax then flying kicks him and wins it.

This was a good little match. It was exactly what you would want with them doing some highflying and not overdoing it. The 450 superkick spot was cool, as was the flip into hte knee and the top rope moonsault.

Ax tries to shake his hand but Scrypts nails him. Ax hits him back then Ax takes his mask and reveals him to be Reggie. Ax superkicks him and we cut away.

We go to Fallon's bar with Briggs and Jensen, who walks in. Jensen apologizes and they say it's not necessary. Jensen says thanks and Briggs tells him thank you for reminding him how hard he hits. Jensen said he learned a lot from Kiana James and and tries to talk Fallon into either selling or buying to make more profit. Two girls ask Brooks if he wants to have a drink and he declines as he wants to hang with his friends. Seems like things aren't totally finished with Kiana here.

JD McDonagh vs Dragon Lee

JD fireman's carries him but Lee holds onto his wrist during it. JD tries to armdrag him but Lee holds on then Lee holds on through a monkey flip. Lee flips him with his feet then dropkicks him. Lee slingshot swinging dropkicks him in the corner then dropkicks him in the corner. JD then shotgun dropkicks him into the buckles.

Lee is put in the tree of woe and JD tries to baseball slide him but his crotch goes into the post. Lee backdrops JD then atomic drops him. Lee then lariats him over the top. Noam Dar comes out.

We go to PiP break and return. They go up top and JD tries to take his mask off. Lee top rope crossbodies JD then flying hurricanrana's him. Lee hits a tope con hilo on him outside. Lee top rope double footstomps him for 2.

They fight on the apron then JD death valley drivers him there. Lee rebound germans him and hits a poisonrana. Lee then takes a big lariat. Lee hits forearms then JD hits Kawada kicks and a slap. Lee sitout powerbombs him for 2. Lee goes up top and is crotched. JD top rope spanish flies him then brainbusters him for 2.  JD pulls him up but takes a canadian destroyer. 

Dar takes a shot at Lee outside but gets a superkick. JD headbutts Lee then pulls him into a belly to belly for the win.

I didn't like this at all. Just people doing big moves for no reason at all and the selling was not good here. 

Lee topes Dar after and they fight to the back.

Carter and Chance talk in the back. They say its weird that a Raw tag team will face a Smackdown tag team for the tag titles. They said the titles will not be taken to Smackdown. They said they have been teaming longer and have more title defenses and a longer reign. They said they will go out tag champs and Chance hugs her against her will.

Schism looks at clips of Gallus working out. Gacy said he will give his body to The Schism for tonight for  the collective good. Rip said to do them this honor and they will take the tag titles. Ava told Gacy to do this for them and then do something for himself.

We see clips of Nikkita Lyons, Wendy Choo and Sol all being attacked by an unknown assailant. Maybe it's the NXT trainer who keeps getting them injured with tough training regimes?

If Gacy wins, The Dyad get a tag title shot - Joe Gacy vs Joe Coffey

Someone called this the anti-dimes match and I think I agree.

They each hit shots in the corner then Joe hits mule kicks. Joe crossbodies him then Gacy hits a knee. Gacy goes for a senton but Joe gets his knees up. Gacy then hits a uranage for 2. Joe uses the buckles to hit a euro then flying shoulders him. Joe botches a belly to belly for 2.

Joe punches Gacy when he goes into the corner then Joe top rope dropkicks him. Joe flying battering rams Gacy then spinning lariats him for 2. Rip gets involved then Gallus and Dyad fight. Joe nails Jagger and almnost nails Ava. Ava sells it like she got hurt then Gacy handspring lariats Joe to win it.

The finish was clevel. The match wasn't bad at all with the two hitting big shots.

Ivy Nile is with Diamond Mine in the back and said she's sick of Ava always getting involved.

Sol talks to Dani Palmer, who is doing a split in mid-air. Tank and Hank then walk in and hyper her up. they said she is so ready. Sol said she made Dani's gear and Hank and Tank talk about how ready she is. Oba Femi walks in, says nothing and moves on.

We see a clip from the Performance Center from earlier. Damon Kemp talks to Eddy Thorpe. Eddy said he is working on side to side movements. Kemp said he has the trash and tells him to throw his trash away. Kemp said that he said he slept on gym floors and he wanted to make him feel at home. Eddy said it's not a funny joke and Kemp said it's a joke that Eddy things he can hang with him in the ring. Kemp then calls him a young boy and threatens him.

Tatum Paxley vs Dani Palmer

This is Dani's NXT TV debut, but she's already been on Level Up. They have music, lights and a graphic for her already, so they believe in her - as they should.

Tatum has new evil makeup I think. Dani cartwheels through a throw then Dani ties her legs up. Dani backflips out of a wristlock. She goes up and over then catches her with a headscissors. Dani then hits a nice dorpkick and does a cool headflip into a pin attempt.

Dani tries to go up and over again but is clubbed in the back and stomped on. Dani gutwrenches her then bangs her head off the mat. She hits a nice elbow drop for 2. Tatum abdominal stretches her and Dani splits out of it to escape it. Dani flying back elbows her then neckbreakers her. Dani comes up from behind like a headscissors but crossbodies her out of it then hits a huge frogsplash to win.

This wasn't Dani's NXT debut as I said, but this was as good as you can really do for her first TV match. She was better here than we have ever seen her be and looked like a star in the making. Tatum, unfortunately had to do the job here and it's a real shame. It's hard to know where she's at since she doesn't get on TV too much, but this is not where you want to be if you here.

We go to Chase U. Andre Chase is late. Thea gets a text saying Chase doesn't feel well and is cancelling class. Thea asks what they should do to make him feel better. Duke then gets up on the podium. He says there is no reason they should fall behind. He then pulls out a Duke University Curriculum (which is an inside joke at Duke University) and says he will teach the class. He said they will learn about the WWE draft.  Someone asks if this means there will be no pop quiz and Duke tells him to hold up his paper. He tells everyone else to do it too and to rip up their papers. He says no more pop quizzes at Chase U and says Duke University has a nice ring to it in an interesting segment.

We go to Von Wagner and Mr. Stone. Von shows pictures of his dad at Summerslam 1992. He said he wasn't even born yet during this. We then see a picture of Von hat Von doesn't want to talk about. Von slams the album shut and we see a sick child in a hospital.

NXT Tag Titles - Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre vs Kayden Carter and Katana Chance

Everyone fights outside to start then Chance is popped up by Carter onto her opponents. Chance enzugiris Isla then Isla and Alba are both thrown out. The faces then dive on the heels as we go to PiP break.

We return and Chance bulldogs Alba then hurricanrana's her. Chance does a flipping kick on her then the faces do a bottom rope springboard moonsault and legdrop in stereo. Chance is flipped onto Alba, but Alba gets her knee up. Alba swantons Chance as she is on Isla's knees.

Isla superkicks Carter then Isla takes the 450 + neckbreaker combo. The our girls meet up in the middle of the ring and fight. Alba superkicks Carter then gets crotched up top. Alba takes a double top rope spanish fly for 2. Chance top rope crossbodies Isla then Alba swings Chance into Carter. Chance then takes a gori special + flatliner combo and the heels win it.

The faces looked good here as usual and it was a decent but short match.

Dijak talks about Ilja Dragunov. He said he gave him fair warning not to show up and says his ribcage is smashed now. He said he was helpless and mocked him. He said he will break him next week.

Indi Hartwell is headed to ringside on crutches.

Apollo Crews talks to Trick Williams in the parking lot. Crews says he sees a lot in him. He sid Melo has the spotlight but Trick is the definition of a superstar. He tells him to keep grinding and next year he will get drafted.  

Indi Hartwell comes out. She said she was a fan of the black and gold era of NXT and said no one ever thought she'd acheive her goal. She said then she found The Way and formed a bond with them and the fans. She said everyone wants to be a fighting champ and said she wasn't going to let her title run end on the medical table last week. She said he couldn't believe she got drafted to Raw  and said the most important thing is NXT and the title. She said there will be a tournament for the NXT women's title next week. She said don't cry because its over, smile because it happened. She said she needed to figure out how she will get out of the ring then Dexter Lumis appeared and helped her out.

Tiffany Stratton came out and took the title then Cora Jade did a tug of war with her over it. The other girls on the roster then came down and fought as the show ended. 

I really don't get why they had Indi win the title if she was getting drafted. That didn't make any sense. I also don't really get why Indi is getting drafted since she's one of the worst women on the NXT and since the crowd support from NXT will not follow her to the main roster.

Overall thoughts: Indi relinquishing the title was dumb. The show was okay overall but it wasn't my favorite episode ever. The in-ring work was good overall minus the JD/Lee match.