NXT Review – February 14, 2023
Tyler Bate vs. Grayson Waller
Grayson Waller shoves Tyler Bate into the corner then delivers a right hand to Bate’s jaw, an elbow, and a forearm to his spine. He chokes Bate on the middle rope, but Bate fires back with a series of right hands and a kick to his head. Bate delivers a dropkick then goes for a pin but Waller kicks out.
Waller delivers a back suplex and then follows it up with a knee to his midsection. Bate delivers an arm drag and an uppercut then follows it up with a suplex and a standing shooting star press. Waller tosses Bate to the outside but Bate trips him and drags him out to join him. He sends Waller face first into the apron. Waller sends him to the announce table then delivers a lariat.
After the break Bate delivers a clothesline to Waller. He follows it up with an airplane spin, but Waller delivers a kick and several right hands to Bate’s spine. Waller tunes up the band and looks for Sweet Chin Music, but Bate catches it and delivers a pair of right hands and a superkick. He goes for a pin, but Waller gets his hand on the bottom rope.
Bate looks for the Tyler Driver 97 but Waller manages to roll him up. Bate kicks out and delivers a shoulder to Waller’s midsection, but Waller rolls him up again as he grabs onto the ropes. The referee catches him allowing Bate to reverse the fall for the win.
Winner: Tyler Bate
We head backstage to Brooks Jensen psyching himself up for his date with Kiana James. Josh Briggs walks in and asks Jensen if he’s ready and Jensen tells Briggs he’s never kissed a woman before. Briggs tells him there’s nothing to be nervous about, then gives him some advice. Briggs looks to kiss Jensen in order to show him what to do but 1/2 of the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Fallon Henley walks in and asks what they’re doing. Briggs fills Henley in on what’s happening and Henley is about to tell him about James’ mystery person on the phone from a couple weeks ago. Jensen expresses her nerves and Henley can’t bring herself to say anything. She instead offers up some advice.
We then head to the Gorilla Position. Waller yells at Shawn Michaels before an irate Michaels has him escorted out and yells at the crew to cut to commercial.
Back from the break we head to a video from Apollo Crews reflecting on his loss to Carmelo Hayes at Vengeance Day. He addresses Dabba Kato and his interference in the match then asks why he did what he did. He says they were once family but now he is focused on getting his revenge.
Jayne says last week was the end of the Toxic Attraction story but the beginning of the Jacy Jayne story. She says she has been the talk of NXT for the past week, then says her name has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue. She says she has no regrets about attacking Gigi Dolin but she wishes she did it sooner. She then tosses it to a video of her attack last week.
Jayne mocks Dolin then says everyone wants to act like Dolin is the victim. She says anyone who has 2 brain cells knows she is the real victim, then says Dolin’s days of doing half the work and taking the credit are over. She says the world will see who she truly is now that she’s no longer protecting her. Jayne then tells everyone to listen carefully because it will be the most important thing she has ever said screw you. She says everyone called her the 3rd wheel of Toxic Attraction but she’s the last one left standing.
We head backstage to Chase U. Duke Hudson asks Thea Hail what happened with Ava Raine last week after she was taken by her & Andre Chase says he can get her match pushed back to next week. Hail declines his offer and says she has to look fear in the face.
We are back from the break we head to a video of Sol Ruca reflecting on her journey to WWE.
Thea Hail vs. Tiffany Stratton
Match starts off with a lock up then Thea Hail delivers a pair of arm drags and a suplex, then follows it up with a dropkick. Hail takes note of The Dyad who have appeared in the crowd before setting her sights back on Tiffany Stratton. She beats her down but then sees Joe Gacy in the crowd and becomes frightened.
Stratton takes advantage and delivers a right hand then hits a cannonball off the top rope. Hail delivers a pair of back elbows before Stratton rolls to the outside and Hail levels her with a tope suicida.
Ava Raine then appears in the crowd and stares down Hail but Hail gets back in the ring and rolls up Stratton. Stratton kicks out and delivers a hip attack, then follows it up with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win.
Winner: Tiffany Stratton
We go backstage to the Diamond Mine’s dojo where Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley were talking. Javier Bernal walks in and asks Paxley to be his valentine but Paxley says she’s taken. Bernal then asks Nile to be his valentine but Nile beats him down. Isla Dawn’s voice then begins to sound as she attempts to get into Nile’s head.
Axiom vs. Damon Kemp
Axiom wastes no time then he delivers a dropkick and rains down right hands then delivers a 2nd dropkick and a kick to his chest. Kemp rolls out of the ring and Axiom takes him down with a flying right hand. He tosses him back in then ascends to the top and goes flying.
Kemp fires back with a wheelbarrow suplex then follows it up with a German suplex and knocks Axiom to the outside. Kemp delivers a clothesline then gets Axiom back inside and rains down right hands. Axiom delivers a few chops and a dropkick then delivers an enziguri and ascends to the top rope.
He hits a high crossbody, but Kemp rolls through and turns it into a pin. Axiom kicks out and Kemp delivers a clothesline. He hits an electric chair suplex but Axiom fires back with an open palm strike and the Golden Ratio for the win.
Winner: Axiom
We head backstage to Fallon Henley & Josh Briggs looking at a series of pictures posted to social media of Brooks Jensen’s date with Kiana James. Henley says she can’t take anymore and she has to tell Jensen about James’ phone call.
NXT Champion Bron Breakker says things feel a little different tonight and says things are starting to feel better. He looks to address Carmelo Hayes but before he can Indus Sher heads to the ring.
Breakker says he didn’t expect to see Jinder Mahal and Mahal says he’s here to respectfully interrupt him because he’s admired the fact that Breakker has carried NXT for the past year. He says he knows the weight Breakker carries on his shoulder referring to his NXT Title then says he knows the stress that comes with it the media appearances and the lifestyle. He asks if the NXT Title was what he dreamt of and Breakker says damn straight.
Mahal says Breakker must be deaf if he can’t hear that fans have changed their tune. Mahal says you die a hero or become a villain, then says he is here because Breakker can’t acknowledge that the tides have turned. He says Breakker is vulnerable and weak, then challenges him to a NXT Title match next week. Breakker accepts and says he didn’t need to waste everyone’s time coming out with the new 3 Man Band. Mahal says fans don’t like him and says he only made the comment about 3MB to garner fan support.
We head backstage to Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez & Meiko Satomura. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance walk in. Carter & Chance apologize for their aggressive attitude towards Perez last week. Perez asks if they don’t want to have the match, and Chance says that’s not the case. She says they will bring it and they then bow to Satomura and walk off. Perez then thanks Satomura for flying in for tonight’s match and Satomura says she has her reasons.
Back from the break we go backstage to McKenzie Mitchell is with Indi Hartwell. Mitchell says Hartwell requested this time and Hartwell says while she was happy to see Gigi Dolin’s skull get kicked in last week she was sitting in the locker room earlier listening to Jacy Jayne’s hot garbage. She then puts Jayne on notice.
Back at ringside North American Champion Wes Lee is in the ring and says he’s ready to see who will step up to his open challenge. Tony D’Angelo’s music hits and he heads to the ring with Stacks. Dijak jumps him and they begin to brawl.
Von Wagner then appears behind Lee and delivers a boot to the back of his head, accepting the call.
North American Title Match
Wes Lee (c) vs. Von Wagner
Wes Lee delivers a kick to Von Wagner’s midsection then he hits a pair of dropkicks to Wagner’s knee but Wagner whips him into the corner before tossing him across the ring. He delivers a knee to Lee’s midsection but Lee fires off a series of right hands. Wagner tosses Lee to the outside then tosses him into the ring apron and the announce table.
He gets Lee in the ring and delivers a clothesline but Lee manages to trip him and deliver a double stomp. He follows it up with a moonsault and a dropkick then delivers an uppercut and an enziguri. Lee climbs up the middle rope and goes flying but Wagner catches him and plants him.
He follows it up with a big boot then gets Lee up on his shoulders but Lee escapes and delivers a pair of superkicks. He then hits the Kardiak Kick for the win.
Winner & Still North American Champion: Wes Lee (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Charlie Dempsey vs. Hank Walker
Charlie Dempsey & Hank Walker waste no time going after one another. They trade forearms and elbow shots before leveling one another with big boots. Walker locks in a shoulder & arm submission but Dempsey escapes and locks in the Regal Stretch & Walker taps out.
Winner By Submission: Charlie Dempsey
After the match Dempsey keeps the Regal Stretch locked in as Drew Gulak watches on and does nothing when Dempsey eventually releases the hold. Gulak & Dempsey stare one another down before leaving the ring together.
We then head backstage to an irate Von Wagner & Mr. Stone. Mr. Stone says Wagner lost the match because he doesn’t have a connection to anyone. He tells Wagner to break his walls down so he can help him out. Mr. Stone says he doesn’t have time to waste then says he has time for the guy locked inside Wagner.
Back from the break we head to a video of NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus in a pub playing pool. Pretty Deadly walks in and challenges them to a round and Gallus accepts. Pretty Deadly challenges them to a 2nd game and says if they win then they get a NXT Tag Team Titles Match. Gallus agrees as long as Pretty Deadly pays for their drinks. Pretty Deadly agrees and the two teams play several rounds. Gallus wins them all, then informs Pretty Deadly who are now stuck paying a hefty tab for all the drinks that if they wanted a match all they had to do was ask.
We head backstage to McKenzie Mitchell is with Ilja Dragunov. Dragunov reflects on his road to recovery from injury and his return. Trick Williams suddenly appears on the television next to them and calls Dragunov to the ring. Dragunov answers Williams’ call and heads out to ringside.
Dragunov says Williams is the life of the party and says Williams knows what it’s like to keep him from his mission. Williams hits him with a right hand, but Dragunov hits him with a dropkick and sends him to the outside. JD McDonagh’s music hits and McDonagh says Dragunov should be in jail. He says he should’ve listened to him when he said to go home and stay home then says that because he blinded him he will beat him down so bad he can’t hold his son. Williams then attacks Dragunov from behind and heads to the ring.
We are back from the break we head to a video of Brooks Jensen dropping off Kiana James at him. James says she had a great time and Jensen begins rambling about the North Star. The pair are about to kiss, but Fallon Henley and Josh Briggs approach them before they can. Henley tells Jensen about the phone call and James says the person she said I love you too was her brother. James becomes irritated and asks Henley when she will trust her. James goes inside and a disappointed Jensen walks away with Briggs.
Tag Team Match
Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez & Meiko Satomura vs. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance
Roxanne Perez & Kayden Carter lock up to kick this match off then Carter delivers a shoulder tackle then tags in Katana Chance. Chance delivers a cannonball over the top rope and into the ring then looks for a hurricanrana. Perez lands on her feet before Chance delivers a drop toe hold and tags in Carter.
Meiko Satomura tags in and shakes Carter’s hand. Satomura delivers a kick but Carter looks for a chop. Satomura no sells it and plants Carter then knocks her out of the ring. Satomura goes flying off the apron and takes Carter down that takes us to a break.
After the break Chance delivers a kick to Perez. Carter tags in and Perez rolls her up. Carter kicks out and Perez tags in Satomura. Satomura trips Carter and delivers the double knees then fires off a series of kicks. Satomura delivers a roundhouse kick then gets Carter up on her shoulders and plants her.
Perez tags in and Carter delivers a forearm. Perez returns the favor, but Carter delivers a right hand to her chest and plants her. Carter delivers a running boot then tags in Chance. Chance ascends to the top and goes flying but Perez delivers a Russian leg sweep and tags in Satomura.
Satomura plants Chance then delivers a back elbow and ascends to the top. Chance meets her there as Carter makes the blind tag. Carter helps Chance deliver a hurricanrana. Carter gets Satomura up on her shoulders but Satomura escapes and tags in Perez. Perez then delivers Pop Rox for the win.
Winners: Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez & Meiko Satomura
After the match Satomura grabs a mic. She tells Perez that since she did something for her, she now she needs Perez to return the favor, pointing to her Women’s Title. Perez says it would be her honor and they stare one anther down to close out this week’s NXT.
Next Week’s NXT
NXT Title Match
Bron Breakker (c) vs. Jinder Mahal
Jacy Jayne vs. Indi Hartwell
Ilja Dragunov vs. Trick Williams
