WWE NXT 5/23/2023

WWE NXT 5/23/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/05/wwe-nxt-5162023.html

Lyra Valkyria says her ferocity will carry her past Cora. Cora said NXT needs and wants her to be women's champ. She said she will only be looking at her title. Tiffany Stratton said she never asked to be the "it girl", it just happened. She said she will be NXT women's champ. Roxanne Perez said tonight isn't a fantasy, it's a reality. She said Tiff is a moment maker, but she is a history maker. They did these all in front of cool old-school chroma screens.

NXT Women's Title Tournament Semifinals - Lyria Valkyria vs Cora Jade

They each get some shots in. Cora misses a springboard then rolls her up. Lyra hits a suplex for 2 then Cora dropkicks her while she is tied in the ropes. Cora does a surfboard and kicks her in the back of the head. Cora then comes off the bottom rope and double stomps her back. Lyra 2nd rope dropkicks her then hits a northern lights suplex. Cora is caught in the corner and overhead suplexed. Lyra spinning high kicks her and wins it.

It was a lot shorter than it should have been and Lyra had some sloppy moments here which brought it down.

Cora hits Lyra in the knee with her stick after and refs break it up. 

Dijak arrives and is kicked by Ilja. Ilja then chairs him and throws him into the garage door. Ilja tries to slam it down on him but it is broken up.

Axiom vs Dabba Kato

Ax hits kicks to the leg then enzugiri's him. Kato hita a hard chop and throws him over the top. Kato gorilla presses him, throwing him back in the ring. Ax dragon screws him over the ropes then springboard dropkicks him in the knee. Ax then runs into a palm strike and flips. Kato hits a sitout double arm chokeslam and wins it.

This was short and Ax is so far above this.

Kato beats up on him after. Reggie trampolines in and gets Kato over the top, then the refs have to hold Kato back. We're like near 30 minutes into this and fights had to be broken up 3 times so far.

Reggie goes to help Ax after and Ax doesn't want any of it.

We go to an interrogation room with Tony D'Angelo. Tony is asked why his name keeps coming up in investigations. They show Tony some footage of something but he says it isn't him. Another officer comes in and says they have info on Tony that the officer will want to see.

Bron Breakker does a promo over video clips. He said doing all kinds of stuff for NXT did nothing for him and he said it was all just to pass the torch to Melo. He said he's going to burn this place down with the torch. He said they aren't the same, Bron just woke up. He talked about spearing him and said he's coming to the PPV to dish out a massacre.

Gallus does a promo. Wolf said he hasn't seen Tony and Joe says it is because Tony is detained. Joe said we won't see Tony for a long time. The Creed Brothers then come out. Julius said it seems like Gallus doesn't wnat a challenge. They challenge them for the tag titles at NXT Battleground. Joe said you think you can throw hands with Gallus? Then they start fighting. The Creeds get overwhelmed 3 men to then Stacks comes out to help. Gallus is then lariated over the top.

Wes Lee is interviewed. He said he thought he could trust Tyler Bate. He said things have changed and he needs to stop letting people get close to him. Bate ocmes in and Wes walks off, saying he doesn't need to be his friend to get a title match. Bate tells Mckenzie he has respect for him but not Gacy.

Eddy Thorpe vs Tyler Bate

Bate gets out of an armlock then Eddy does too. Eddy side headlock takeovers him. Bate leg sweeps him then goes up and over and under. Bate dropkicks him then Eddy spinning crossbodies him. Eddy kicks him in the back. Bate hits euros then is spin kicked in the gut. Bate hits a high knee then 2nd rope euros him then exploders him. Bate then hits a standing ssp for 2. Bate rebounds off the ropes and lariats him then hits a tiger driver and wins it.

It was short and maybe Eddy's best match yet, though that was mostly due to it being short.

Gacy comes in and hits Bate after. Wes tries to hit Joe but nails Bate then Gacy handspring lariats both and leaves them laying.

Lyra Valkyria was interviewed in the back. She said her knee is bruised and swollen but will be fine. She says she wants Roxanne Perez in the finals.

During the break, Bate and Wes Lee shoved each other.

Nathan Frazer vs Noam Dar

Dar is headlock takeovered three times. Frazer running dropkicks him out. We go to break and return. NF goes for a springboard but the ropes are kicked while he's on them. Dar hits some elbows to his head then hits some kicks to the body. NF asai moonsaults into a reverse ddt. NF springboard double axe handles him then hits a twisting neckbreaker for 2. Dar superkicks him and puts him in an armbar. They trade chops and forearms then NF rolls him up for 2. Dar spinning back elbows him then Dragon Lee comes out. Lee starts hugging the Heritage Cup and Dar comes out and pushes him. NF dives on Dar then hits a phoenix splash and wins it.

It was another shorter match that really didn't get the best they could have out of this match. What we did wasn't super interesting.

Ilja Dragunov is interviewed in the locker room. He said he is making Dijak feel the pain and said he will sign the contract tonight. Dijak then comes in and they fight with the wrestlers trying to break it up.

We see Melo getting interviewed on various shows. Melo says it feels right to be at home and he's excited to see his family and friends. Melo said Bron isn't prepared for what he's walking into. He said in his yard, his dogs bite and Bron isn't ready to get bitten.

Tank Ledger vs Hank Walker

They walk out together. They shoulder battle early. Tanks picks him up and puts him in the corner then Hank hits corner spears.  Tank slams Hank then cartwheels into a splash. Hank slams Tank then they collide in mid-air with a crossbody and Hank wins.

This was very very short, probably under 4 minutes total. They were matching up well together before it ended.

Bron Breakker then came out and speared both guys.

Diamond Mine and Stacks talk in the back. Brutus said Tony finally got caught sleeping with the fish and Stacks is angered and confused. Stacks said at the PPV, they should work out an arrangement so they aren't down a man. Julius said no as they have been burnt multiple times but said he and Tony can get the first shot at the titles when they win.

Gigi Dolin came out. Gigi said she allowed Jacy in just so Jacy could burn everything down. She said she will do anything to end Jacy. Jacy Jayne then comes out and said that's as much emo talk as she can take. Jacy said she outgrew her and was tired of carrying her. Gigi said they should settle this right now. Jacy said she can't wait to be done with her for good. They said they should end this next week right here. Jacy said she wants to end this in a cage match. Gigi said she's real by Jacy is fake. Gigi said they should have a weaponized steel cage match next week instead and Jacy agrees.

Luca Crusifino talks about Von Wagner. He said they need to settle their issues in the ring tonight. He says Von will regret not settling this inside of the court.

They talk about the rules of the Heritage Cup. They say he's been champ for over 500 days, though they miss that he didn't defend it for most of that. They then talk about him facing Dragon Lee at Battleground.

Twitter Anonymous is looking at Noam Dar and Oro Mensah in the back. Noam asks him to be his tag partner and Oro says no. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson walk in. They tell him to kiss his sweet little cup goodbye.

Luca Crusifino vs Von Wagner

This is Luca's television debut, though he has been on Level Up. Luca points fingers at him and is driven into the corner. Von hits corner spears the bolo punches. Von hits a big boot then takes boots in the corner. Luca does his hiptoss into a neckbreaker for 2. Von back elbows Luca then is thrown over the top. Luca grbas Stone and gets the picture of Von. Luca calls him a freak then Von lariats him. Von pounds on him on the ropes and the ref DQ's him. Von then throws him into the rail. Stone almost stops him from doing more but Von powerbombs him onto a table.

At least there was a point to this, but it was another short match with a non-finish.

Tony is in the interrogation room and is arrested. 

NXT Women's Title Tournament Semifinals - Tiffany Stratton vs Roxanne Perez

Tiff is flipped over and RP tries to pin her with a bridge. RP hurricanrana's her then Tiff cartwheels out of it. RP cartwheels into a spinning headscissors and sends Tiff out. RP dives on Tiff but is caught. RP headscissors her into the apron then is swept off the top rope. We go to break and return.

Back from break and RP dropkicks her out of the ring. RP topes her and Tiff rolls through her top rope crossbody. Tiff hits a finlay roll then RP moves out of the way on her moonsault. RP hits mounted punches then running euros her. Tiff hits a sky high for 2 RP top rope hurricanrana's her. RP hurricanrana's Tiff off the powerbomb then russian leg sweeps her. Tiff hits another finlay roll and double jump moonsaults her to win.

RP was a little sloppy here early but it ended up being a fun little match before it ended. I thought it could have been longer though.

Tiff and Lyra argue over the women's title. NXT Anonymous attacks RP and runs for it.

Dijak comes out and is jumped by Ilja. They fight on the floor and Ilja battering rams himself into the steps when Dijak moves. Dijak then throws him over the rail hard. Dijak signs the contract then Ilja slaps him and bangs his head off the rail. Dijak is chopped over the rail. Dijak picks up steps but ends up getting his head banged off of them then Ilja jumps off the steps and downward forearms him.

They talk about the history of Lowell, Massachusetts and show various clips from over the years.

Overall thoughts: I wasn't that interested in this one. Most of the matches could have been longer and it just didn't feel like a big show.