WWE NXT 9/12/2023

WWE NXT 9/12/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/09/wwe-nxt-952023.html

#1 Contenders Match - Wes Lee vs Ilja Dragunov

 

Wes runs at him with a forearm and hits strikes on him. Wes hits more strikes and is slapped. Wes does a corkscrew sell off of a chop then is german suplexed. Wes double leg koppo kicks him out and topes him. Wes topes him again as he tries to get up then Drag blocks his 3rd tope with an enzugiri. Drag germans him on the commentator's table.

We go to PiP break and return. Drag his machine gun chops then Drag chops him in the stomach. Wes hurricanrana's him then hits an uppercut. Drag facekicks him then takes a nasty superkick. Wes then double stomps him to put him down. Drag drops him backwards with a chop then takes a standing spanish fly. Drag knees him in the gut then leans back to the mat and lariats him.

Wes goes for a cardiac kick, gets caught then Wes turns it into a tornado ddt. Wes tope con hilos him over the post then Drag top rope superplexes him. Drag goes a downward forearm onto Wes. Wes blocks his moscow torpedo with a jumping knee then Drag does a stiff forearm to the back of the head and wins it.

This was great. They were real stiff and aggressive with each other and both went all out here. Everything they did looked fantastic and they could not have matched up any better.

Carmelo Hayes comes out and trades words with Drag from the entrance way.

We see clips from last week that happened after the show with Von being stretched out and having his blood on the steps. They still didn't show the actual shot Bron gave him with the steps though. The announcers do their serious voice for this and say Von has a minor skull fracture. They say his past history with brain and skull injuries mean there is no timetable on his return.

Baron Corbin heads to the ring.

 

Corbin said he usually comes out and people don't like him and he doesn't like them. He said he saw Von Wagner's skull get crushed between the steps last week. He said Von's injuries are very very real and says Von will never be the same again. Corbin then calls out Bron Breakker.

Corbin tells Bron that what he did was...freaking awesome. Bron says it was so cool then calls him an idiot. He said he didn't do what he did to gain his approval, he did it because Von put him through a table. Bron says he can see what he did in his head and didn't just like it, he loved it. Corbin said he was coming out to be nice and was going to pay Bron's fine. Corbin congratulates him on ending Von's career and says he should try to end two olympic gold medalists careers like he did. Corbin said he stood toe to toe with Taker and fought Roman. Bron says he doesn't care about his accomplishments.

He says he is on a higher level than him. Corbin says he should want his respect. Bron says he doesn't care or want it and said there's only one thing left for them to do - fight at No Mercy. Bron tells him to call his family and friends as he will leave the building the same way Von Wagner did last week. Corbin tells him he has a lot to learn, says he isn't Von and slaps him. Bron slaps him back and kind of mises. They slap each other and security breaks it up.

This was a good segment here with both guys saying what they should have. The crowd sucked though and was trying to get themselves over by not playing along.

Briggs, Jensen and Myles Borne are doing pulls up in the back and Fallon Henley tells them it's time.

Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen and Myles Borne vs Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp and Drew Gulak

Kemp is slammed then takes a double slam. Briggs and Jensen double team Dempsey and Gulak. Jensen corner lariats Kemp then does some bad swinging facebuster on Drew. Drew is back body dropped over the top. Briggs shoulders Drew outside off the apron then Dempsey takes an atomic drop into a neckbreaker.

Dempsey gutwrenches Borne then Kemp takes a stiff Jensen spinning heel kick. 5 of the 6 end up outside and Borne gets Henley out of the way. Borne swings Jensen's head into the post then Kemp hits a backbreaker into a neckbreaker on Jensen to win it.

This was too short and I didn't get Borne turning on his buddies. Maybe they will make it make sense down the line but I see Borne as a face, not a heel. My idea was to have him lose here, get picked on harder by Gulak and crew and have it eventually lead to him breaking off from them down the line. They also pushed something between Fallon and Borne here. Unfortunately, if they did interact, it was weeks ago and they didn't go over it, so that part didn't work. This is not the end of this one.

We go to Chase U. Chase tells us to take notes on Tiffany/Lynch tonight. Chase asks where Thea is. Duke says they are best friends and they share locations on their phone, but says Thea has turned it off, so he doesn't know where she is.

We cut to Jacy Jayne and Thea. Jacy says boys are coming to talk to them, then they do. Thea says Jacy took her out for her birthday and the boys make fun of Thea. They say she is a little girl and needs to ask permission from Chase. Thea and Jacy then beat up the boys. Thea tells Jacy she doesn't want to look like this anymore and says they will go shopping next week.

Dana Brooke vs Lyra Valkyria

Dana spinning headscissors her then Lyra cartwheels from it. Lyra hits a stiff enzugiri off the cartwheel then dropkicks her through the ropes. Lyra is pulled down off the top rope and Dana lariats her. Dana cravates her. Lyra tries to roll her out of it and Dana rolls with it.

Lyra hits a windmill slap then slams her. Lyra spears her in the gut then axe kicks her. Lyra spinning high kicks her then top rope splashes her to win.

It was short and there wasn't a lot to this. The crowd crapped all over Dana.

Lyra offers a handshake after and Dana obliges. Lyra turns away and Kelani Jordan stops Dana from attacking her.

They announce an NXT Women's Breakout Tournament coming soon. They have a lot of new girls on NXT Level Up lately, so this is a good idea.

Eddy Thorpe is interviewed. He said he hasn't cooled down from Dijak and said he's not letting this go. Dijak then shows up on the tv monitor and is in Eddy's magical field with the spirits. He said Eddy needs to engage in viciousness and the wild side because he's marking his territory. Dijak then starts nailing a tree with his belt and Eddy says we can pick this up another time.

Dominik Mysterio runs into Carmelo Hayes in the back.  Dom says he was creative in solving his championship situation and says he made Ilja and Wes fight it out. Melo says original is something Dom knows nothing about. Dom says Melo will be stuck facing Dragunov and says he can't beat him. Dom says Melo said his NXT North American title was the A-Championship and says now he is the A-Champion. Melo says things have changed and challenges him for next week.

Becky Lynch is interviewed. Becky says she's still hungry and nobody doubts her now. She said she's ready to right the wrongs and walk out the NXT women's champ. Kiana James walks in. She says she doesn't want her here. She says it's lucky they aren't fighting tonight as she'd send her back to Raw empty handed. Becky says she will take that as an application for an @ss whooping when she becomes NXT Women's champ. Becky says she is coming around a whole lot more.

NXT Global Invitational Group A- Tyler Bate vs Axiom

A bunch of people are sitting in the back watching this as part of a viewing party. Meta-Four are dressed in safari gear in the old Toxic Lounge. Dar's riding an inflatable elephant. Ax snapnmares Bate, bate bridges then Ax does the same. They both kip up and stand off. Bate knocks Ax out of the ring and they shove each other. Ax overhand chest slaps him and dropkicks him. Ax moonsaults off the top and hits his head off the announcer's table outside.

Bate is thrown back in Ax top rope crossbodies him. Bate airplane spins and drops him. We go to break and return and Ax is caught with an exploer. Bate running ssp's and is caught with triangle. Ax enzugiri's him then Bate rolling koppo's him. Bate bounces off the ropes and takes a sanding spanish fly.

Bate comes off the 2nd rope and is caught with a sleeper. Bate hits another airplane spin then takes a poisonrana out of it. Bate brinabusters him. Ax hits a top rope spanish fly then snap hurricanrana's him. Bate bounces off the ropes for a lariat then hits a tiger driver to win.

I didn't like this at all. This was a completely different match than what these two would have done on NXT UK and it was an indy type of match with lots of kickouts and big moves.

Butch is interviewed. He said him and Bate go far back and talked about their history. He said he's not here to reminisce, he's here to prove he's the baddest man in NXT. He said nobody brings out the bruiser in him like Tyler and says next week is fight night.

A bunch of people are sitting in the back watching this as part of a viewing party. Meta-Four are dressed in safari gear in the old Toxic Lounge. Dar's riding an inflatable elephant. Ax snapnmares Bate, bate bridges then Ax does the same. They both kip up and stand off. Bate knocks Ax out of the ring and they shove each other. Ax overhand chest slaps him and dropkicks him. Ax moonsaults off the top and hits his head off the announcer's table outside.

Bate is thrown back in Ax top rope crossbodies him. Bate airplane spins and drops him. We go to break and return and Ax is caught with an exploer. Bate running ssp's and is caught with triangle. Ax enzugiri's him then Bate rolling koppo's him. Bate bounces off the ropes and takes a sanding spanish fly.

Bate comes off the 2nd rope and is caught with a sleeper. Bate hits another airplane spin then takes a poisonrana out of it. Bate brinabusters him. Ax hits a top rope spanish fly then snap hurricanrana's him. Bate bounces off the ropes for a lariat then hits a tiger driver to win.

I didn't like this at all. This was a completely different match than what these two would have done on NXT UK and it was an indy type of match with lots of kickouts and big moves.

Butch is interviewed. He said him and Bate go far back and talked about their history. He said he's not here to reminisce, he's here to prove he's the baddest man in NXT. He said nobody brings out the bruiser in him like Tyler and says next week is fight night.

We see Schism outside. Gacy says to Ava that it's clear their tree is dying and is rotten. Gacy says they stand all alone, more isolated than ever before. Gacy and Ava put their hands on the tree. This was interesting as they made it see like The Dyad are gone though they haven't done anything to suggest that on TV.

Trick Williams is watching this in the back then Meloy comes in. Trick says he can relate to him being alone. Melo says he always has his back and says he has Dom next week. Trick offers to be at ringside for him but Melo says he's good. wes Lee walks in the locker room behind then. Trick asks if they are boys and Melo says they are. Wes is clearing out his locker while this happens, throwing his nameplate in the trash.

The Creed Brothers vs Malik Blade and Edris Enofe 

 Blade hits a dropkick to start and his team hits a quick sequence that ends in an Enofe top rope elbow drop. Julius flips Enofe with a lariat and The Creed's hit a flying knee + reverse attitude adjustment that the cameras miss. Brutus hits three moves in a row and we see Tony and Stacks watching in the back. Blade top rope crossbodies Brutus. Brutus is lifted up for a blockbuster then Enofe hits a fameasser on Brutus.

Brutus hits a pounce on Enofe. Julius his three belly to belly suplexes in a row and catches Blade off the top and rolls back. Blade takes a brutus ball + powerbomb and is pinned.

It was quick and rushed, though it was all action. Everyone looked good here.

Hank and Tank, Garza and Carrillo all motion towards The Creed's. Lucian Price and Nima then jump Hank and Tank from behind then that is broken up quick.

Lyra and Becky hug in the back. Becky says she's making everyone proud and Lyra asks her to win the title tonight.

Roxanne Perez, Dani Palmer and two other girls talk in the back. Perez talks about her year and Perez says Kiana has never been nice to her after eliminating her. Elektra Lopez and Lola Vice come in. They say Perez has been causing issues in the locker room. Perez tells her chaos is inevitable here. Lopez tells her that if she's looking for trouble, she just found it. Lola says Perez's new attitude will get her into trouble. She says Perez is hers and says she will enter the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament.

Global Heritage Invitational Group B - Tozawa vs Nathan Frazer

Meta-Four is watching in the lounge again. Tozawa armlocks Frazer then Frazer armwhips him. They stand off. Frazer runs the ropes fast and dropkicks him. They evade moves and Tozawa german suplexes him. Tozawa hits a shining wizard then top rope dropkicks Frazer out. Tozawa then topes him. Frazer runs up the ropes and superplexes Tozawa into a twisting neckbreaker to win it.

This was short and kind of rushed though it was never boring.

Gallus is interviewed from the viewing area. Joe says he has been the odds on favorite in the tournament and says Duke Hudson is the only person standing in his way. Duke then comes up to the interviewer and says it'll be a 3 way tie for Group B if Duke can win next week. He said he may have to call himself "The Spoiler" Duke Hudson after.

Mustafa Ali is interviewed. He said he didn't like how Dom reffed in his match with Lee, but there's nothing he can do with it. He said he will reclaim the North American title for NXT. Dragon Lee came in and said Dom counted too fast. Ali said it doesn't matter if he agrees or not as it will not change anything. He offers him the first shot at the title if he wins. Lee says he is not done with him.

Wes Lee is interviewed as he leaves. He says Ilja was the better man tonight. He said if he's not going to No MErcy, he's going home. He then talks out I think with his girlfriend and says he's done. 

Blair Davenport then gets jumped by Gigi Dolin in the back and has her head banged off the garage door.

NXT Women's Title - Tiffany Stratton (c) vs Becky Lynch

Tiff shoulders her over and cartwheels over her. Tiff bridges out of a lariat then Becky bridges out of a pin. Becky cartwheels over her then pulls Tiff down on a leapfrog. Becky's head is banged off the buckles. Tiff suplexes her onto the rope rope and hip attacks her off the apron.

We go to PiP break and return. Becky exploders her then top rope dropkicks her. Tiff sky high's her for 2 and they fight up top. Tiff drops Becky from the top then hits a great top rope swanton for 2. Becky double underhooks her into an armbar. Tiff double stomps her while she is seated.

Tiff takes a 2nd rope russian legsweep for 2. Becky is swepted onto the apron then sent into the stairs. Becky legdrops her from the rail to the table then top rope legdrops her for 2. Becky puts her in an armbar then high kicks her from the apron. Tiff sitout powerbombs her for 2.

Tiff rolls her up for 2 then finlay rolls her. Becky avoids the moonsault then uranage's her for the win.

I didn't like Becky winning it here. I have faith that it will lead to something, but Tiff didn't get a real good reign. The title also obviously does nothing for Becky. The match just was what it was. Tiff looked better than Becky did and it was just average for the most part, though the crowd loved it.

Overall thoughts: Dragunov vs Wes Lee and the main were the only matches that got enough time. Dragunov's match was aggressive and vicious and the main wasn't that special. I didn't like Tiff losing. The rest of the show had a lot of shorter and rushed matches.