WWE NXT Review – April 11, 2023
Kicking off this week’s NXT with a recap of the events leading up to and of the Women’s Title match between Indi Hartwell & Zoey Stark last week as well as what occurred between NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes & Bron Breakker later on.
Hayes says it’s important to address and talk about what happened last week. He says everything between himself and Breakker was supposed to be about respect but he let his guard down. He says that won’t happen again and says he knows how Breakker feels after losing his NXT Title. He says Breakker didn’t pass him the torch by raising his hand because he took it then adds that the people want him now instead of Breakker. Hayes says the 2 of them have been doing battle for a long time, then offers Breakker a spot in the Fatal 4 Way #1 Contenders Match later tonight. He says he isn’t offering Breakker that, but rather telling him to compete in it.
Dragon Lee’s music hits and he heads down to the ring. Lee congratulates Hayes and shakes his hand then says Lee says he came to NXT to fight the best and says that Hayes has proven that when he shoots, he don’t miss. He notes that while he understands that Hayes wants revenge on Breakker, he will be the one to win the Fatal 4 Way. Hayes welcomes Lee to NXT and compliments him, then tells him to never interrupt the champion. He tells Lee that if he has the title because he is like that.
JD McDonagh’s music hits and he appears. He tells Hayes that he needs to keep his head on a swivel. He says that after one week as NXT Champion he’s already been laid out by Breakker. He says that he would’ve hit Hayes with a headbutt to his face rather than blindside him and says he doesn’t need fancy entrances because he knows he’s #1. Hayes tells McDonagh that game recognizes game but he needs to leap over his pot of gold.
Grayson Waller’s music hits and he appears. He announces he’s the third man in the Fatal 4 Way then tells Lee that both he and the audience are stupid. He says he will strip Hayes of his NXT Title, and Hayes tells the 3 men that while he sees a whole lot of them there can only be 1 him.
We head backstage to Kiana James preparing for her match. Fallon Henley walks in and asks if they’re good, and James gets in her face about ruining her relationship with Brooks Jensen. They agree that they need to focus on winning back the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles but start yelling. Josh Briggs walks in and gets them to stop then asks them where Jensen is. James informs them that Jensen is mad at the both of them.
NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles Match
Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn (c) vs. Fallon Henley & Kiana James
Fallon Henley delivers a Thesz press to Isla Dawn while Kiana James levels Alba Fyre. James tags in and delivers a shoulder to Dawn’s midsection before Henley tags back in. Fyre makes the blind tag and sends Henley face first into the top turnbuckle as we see Brooks Jensen pull up to the Performance Center. Fyre delivers several stomps and a back body drop but Henley manages to hit a jawbreaker.
James & Dawn tag in & James delivers a series of shoulders to Dawn’s midsection then tags in Henley. Henley delivers a kick to Dawn’s head then delivers a forearm to her face that sends us to a break.
After the break James delivers a sunset flip to Dawn. Fyre tags in and sets up for the Gory Bomb but James escapes and rolls her up. Fyre kicks out before James plants her with a back suplex. Henley & Dawn both tag in. Henley delivers a bulldog and a spinning back elbow, then plants Dawn face first.
Fyre tries to interfere but Henley levels her and goes flying to take down Dawn. She goes for a pin but Fyre breaks the fall. Henley delivers a kick to Dawn’s face but Dawn fires back with a roundhouse kick as Jensen runs down and slides in the ring. He begins arguing with Henley and the referee ejects him from ringside.
Josh Briggs asks what he’s doing and Jensen shoves him, allowing Dawn to deliver a kick and tag in Fyre. Dawn holds Henley in place as Fyre ascends to the top and delivers a Swanton Bomb for the win.
Winners & Still Women’s Tag Team Champions: Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!!)
We then head to a video from Noam Dar, who announces he will be putting his Heritage Cup on the line in a Heritage Rules Match against whoever wants to answer his call.
When we come back from the break Chase U is waiting in the ring.
Andre Chase welcomes fans and says the chips were down at Stand & Deliver but tonight’s award recipient went above and beyond. He says while the award winner hasn’t always seen eye to eye, he will fight alongside him and stand by him. He then says Chase U’s MVP is Duke Hudson.
Hudson grabs his trophy and holds it up then thanks Chase. He says he doesn’t like award ceremonies because he doesn’t want the attention on him. He says he took Chase U put it on his back and led everyone to the promise land. He then thanks Chase & Thea Hail, then says he loves to hear it and spell it out. He says there’s another word he would like to spell out Chase U.
Bron Breakker suddenly appears and cuts Hudson off. Chase tells Breakker he is interrupting something important, and Breakker says he has good reason. He says people keep asking why he isn’t in the Fatal 4 Way #1 Contenders Match and says it’s because not only has he realized that the NXT Title but because he doesn’t need the approval of fans anymore. He says if anyone should take his place in the match it’s him.
Breakker offers his hand to Hudson, and Hudson shakes it. Breakker goes to leave, but suddenly turns around and spears Chase. Hudson manages to escape the ring with his trophy before Breakker can do the same to him. Breakker then grabs the Chase U flag and rips it up.
We then head to a video of Gigi Dolin at her childhood home as she reflects on her upbringing.
After the break we see a video posted to the NXT Anonymous Twitter account of Pretty Deadly being attacked by Tony D’Angelo & Stacks.
Eddy Thorpe vs. Javier Bernal
Javier Bernal delivers a kick to Eddy Thorpe’s midsection then they go back & forth with submission holds before Bernal delivers a shoulder tackle and sends Thorpe crashing to the outside as Damon Kemp appears at ringside. Bernal sends Thorpe’s head bouncing off the announce table then gets him back in the ring and delivers a bulldog.
He follows it up with a clothesline and a stomp, then delivers a right hand to his head. Bernal tries locking in a Boston Crab but Thorpe escapes and delivers a chop. He then hits an enziguri and an elbow drop before he executes a German suplex and Manifest Destiny for the win.
Winner: Eddy Thorpe
Tiffany Stratton vs. Sol Ruca
Tiffany Stratton delivers a boot to Sol Ruca’s midsection then begins to target her arm. Ruca manages to hit a shoulder tackle but Stratton fires back with a boot to her midsection. Ruca returns the favor before Stratton catches her with a chop. Stratton then offers Ruca her hand and Ruca goes to take it but Stratton delivers a big boot and follows it up with a hair whip and a standing moonsault.
Stratton then hits an elbow and continues to wear down Ruca’s arm. Ruca fires back with a pair of shoulder tackles and a boot to her midsection then follows it up with a double underhook suplex. Ruca plants Stratton with a powerslam and delivers a splash then hits a 2nd powerslam.
Stratton rolls out of the ring and Ruca looks to charge at her but Stratton levels her then they get back in the ring and Ruca sends Stratton bouncing off the top rope but Stratton plants Ruca before she hits Prettiest Moonsault Ever to score the win.
Winner: Tiffany Stratton
After the break we go backstage to McKenzie Mitchell is with Diamond Mine & she asks Ivy Nile why they requested this time and Julius Creed challenges Gallus to an NXT Tag Team Titles next week. Mitchell asks them what they think of The Schism’s challenge, and Brutus Creed says they aren’t done with Gallus yet. Julius adds that they will be watching Joe Coffey’s upcoming match later tonight.
Cora Jade asks if she has everyone’s attention now, then says she found the women’s division turned upside down when she returned last week. She first addresses Zoey Stark and compliments her in ring abilities before she says Stark will always be the challenger and never the champion. Jade then addresses Roxanne Perez and says she knew what she went though, but asks how long she’ll use it as an excuse. She says Perez is proof that some are better at handling pressure than others, then calls out Gigi Dolin next. She says to her surprise, Dolin earned her spot in the Stand & Deliver Ladder match, but the Women’s Title has her name on it. Jade then brings up Tiffany Stratton next and says while she has a big ego, she runs NXT. Jade calls out Lyra Valkyria and says while she will attack anything with a pulse, she should fear her. Jade then addresses Women’s Champion Indi Hartwell and says while everyone chants you deserve it, she was chanting took you long enough. She tells Hartwell this isn’t her fairytale and she is the hero of this story.
Lyra Valkyria’s music hits and she appears. She tells Jade that she can cut through the women’s division but questions why she’s doing it. She speculates that maybe it’s because the women’s division stepped forward in her absence then says maybe watching Stand & Deliver made her jealous. She tells Jade that if she wants to come back and reach the peak on the microphone, she can go right ahead but if she goes near the NXT Women’s Champion, she will rip her eyes out.
Jade slaps Valkyria & Valkyria responds with a kick. Valkyria goes for a 2nd one but Jade rolls out of the ring just in time.
After the break we go backstage to McKenzie Mitchell is with North American Champion Wes Lee. Mitchell asks Lee how he stays sharp, and Lee says he has to stay on point with the amount of great talent in WWE. Drew Gulak & Charlie Dempsey walk in and question if he can get the job done when he is grounded and unable to fly. Lee says he knows where this is going and says if they want a title shot then all they have to do is ask.
Ilja Dragunov vs. Von Wagner
If Wagner loses Mr. Stone ends the partnership.
Von Wagner delivers a boot then he fires off several right hands then whips him into the corner and delivers a splash. He tosses Ilja Dragunov across the ring then whips him into the corner. Dragunov fires back with a clothesline and a modified gut wrench suplex then ascends to the top. Wagner drags him off and delivers a modified rolling cutter but Dragunov lands Moscow Torpedo for the win.
Winner: Ilja Dragunov (Since Wagner lost Mr. Stone ends the partnership between them)
After the match Dijak’s music hits and he appears behind him. Dragunov turns around to see him and they stare one another down.
Joe Coffey vs. Tank Ledger
Tank Ledger shoves Joe Coffey then they lock up before Coffey hits a forearm. Ledger fires back with a shoulder tackle but Coffey lands an uppercut and a dropkick. He whips Ledger into the corner, then executes a backbreaker and goes for a pin. Ledger kicks out and delivers a belly 2 belly suplex then hits a shoulder tackle and a splash. He goes for a pin but Coffey kicks out.
Coffey delivers a right hand that sends Ledger crashing to the outside then joins him out there and sends him colliding with the ring steps. Coffey tosses Ledger back in the ring and delivers a right hand before hitting the signature Gallus pose and delivering a pair of discus lariats for the win.
Winner: Joe Coffey
After the match Creed Brothers & The Schism head to the ring all 3 teams begin brawling with one another as officials run down in an attempt to separate them.
We head backstage to Tony D’Angelo & Stacks chatting. Roxanne Perez walks by and all 3 begin chatting with one another. Stacks & D’Angelo tell Perez they have her back before Zoey Stark walks in and starts to mock Perez. Perez tells her that people like her are the reason it’s so important for her to be open about her anxiety then says she’s strong enough to face her next week. Perez walks away and Stark looks to do the same but Stacks calls her back to ask a question before he can ask it Pretty Deadly blindside Stacks & D’Angelo as retaliation for the attack that was posted to the NXT Anonymous attack.
NXT Title #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way Match
Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh vs. Grayson Waller vs. Duke Hudson
Match starts off with all 4 men stare one another down. Grayson Waller looks to clock Duke Hudson but Hudson catches his punch and knocks him to the mat. Waller then pulls Hudson out of the ring as Dragon Lee & JD McDonagh go at it in the ring. Lee delivers a kick to McDonagh before Waller attacks him from behind. He sets up for a move but Lee reverses it into a Tijeras. McDonagh & Waller take Lee down and Waller tosses Hudson in the ring.
He then works with McDonagh to take down Hudson with a double suplex but can’t lift him up. Hudson instead levels both men with a suplex before he hits them both with bodyslams. Hudson bodyslams Lee onto them and the action spills to the outside where McDonagh nails Lee with a moonsault off the ropes. Hudson then looks to go flying, but Waller catches him with a Stunner and goes for a pin but McDonagh & Lee break the fall as we go to a break.
After the break McDonagh & Waller have Hudson in a Boston Crab. Lee gives Hudson a hand and takes out McDonagh then delivers a dropkick to Waller and heads outside to where McDonagh is. McDonagh sends him into the ring post before Waller does the same to McDonagh and gets back in the ring. He delivers an elbow drop off the middle to Hudson, then fires off a couple of right hands.
Hudson delivers a right hand to Waller’s midsection, then follows it up with a pair of back elbows and a sidewalk slam. McDonagh & Lee try to take out Hudson but Hudson catches them both with back body drops. He catches Lee with a splash in the corner then sends Waller crashing into Lee.
Hudson then delivers a senton to Waller, then delivers a shoulder to Lee’s midsection and follows it up with a German suplex. He goes for a pin but Waller breaks the fall. Hudson gets Waller up on his shoulders and delivers an electric chair then does the same to Lee. He looks to catch McDonagh with one but McDonagh reverses it into a Poisonrana.
Lee & McDonagh teeter on the top rope before Lee drapes McDonagh off the top by his knees and hits a double stomp. He goes flying and levels Hudson on the outside, then catches McDonagh with a knee and goes for a pin. McDonagh kicks out before Hudson gets Lee up and looks for a crucifix in the corner.
Lee escapes and hits a hurricanrana then delivers a German suplex to McDonagh that sends him crashing to the outside. Lee hits Hudson with a powerbomb and goes for a pin but Waller catches Lee with a Stunner and pins Hudson to get the win.
Winner & #1 Contender To The NXT Title: Grayson Waller
After the match NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes’ music hits and he heads out to ringside to stare down Waller to close out this week’s NXT.
Next Week’s NXT
Roxanne Perez vs. Zoey Stark
NXT Tag Team Titles Triple Threat Match
Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) (c) vs. Creed Brothers (Julius & Brutus) vs. The Dyad (Rip Fowler & Jagger Reid)
North American Title Match
Wes Lee (c) vs. Charlie Dempsey
Spring Break In Card (April 25th)
NXT Title Match
Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Grayson Waller
