With Vengeance Day just four days away, WWE NXT presents a new episode tonight.
Bayley has a chance to become NXT Women’s Champion on Saturday when she faces Giulia and Roxanne Perez in a triple threat match. Tonight, it will be Bayley vs. Cora Jade in one-on-one action. Jade — who also has her eyes on the NXT Women’s title — attacked Bayley with a kendo stick last week.
Gold will be on the line tonight when Tony D’Angelo defends his North American Championship against Ridge Holland inside of a steel cage. The Heritage Cup is also set to be contested with Lexis King defending against TNA star JDC — the former Fandango.
Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura vs. Hank Walker & Tank Ledger vs. Tavion Heights & Myles Borne has been announced for tonight as well. It has title implications with each team looking for a shot against NXT Tag Team Champions Nathan Frazer & Axiom.
Plus, WWE will follow up on Eddy Thorpe’s attack on Trick Williams that closed last week’s show.
Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Vic Joseph welcomed everyone into the show. Tony D and his family were shown walking in the parking lot. Ditto for Ridge Holland. Back in the PC, Bayley made her entrance for the first match.
Cora Jade defeated Bayley
The commentary team wasn’t exaggerating when they said this was the biggest victory of Jade’s career, but umpf, they had a bumpy road getting there. I expected a lot more from these two, but we all have a bad night here and there, so, well, life moves on. Missed spots aside, the women worked hard and Jade’s victory packed a punch because of how predictable it felt that Bayley would win heading into the triple threat at Vengeance Day. That said, the late addition of Jade to Saturday’s match justifies this upset and then some. Perez and Bayley showed good fire in their limited brawling. So much so that I almost prefer a singles match between the two this weekend, but perhaps they are saving that for ‘Mania weekend. Time will tell.
Jade tried to jumpstart the match, but Bayley ducked the attack and the action spilled outside. Bayley held control and went for a dropkick, leaping between the bottom rope and the mat, but Jade was a little out of place and Bayley barely connected. Back inside the ring, Jade gained the upper hand briefly, but Bayley came right back with a series of elbows for a two-count. Bayley landed a knee and Jade rolled to the outside. Bayley followed up with a dive through the ropes. As Bayley celebrated landing the dive, Jade attacked her and went on the offensive. Jade hit a series of strikes and with Bayley down in the middle of the ring, the show went to a commercial break.
The show returned and Bayley hit a type of cutter and the two brawled for a short time before Bayley hit a Bayley-To-Belly, but it only resulted in a near-fall. Bayley followed up with a series of clotheslines and a double-knees to Jade’s midsection. Bayley suplexed Jade for another near-fall. Bayley tried a Sunset Flip, but kind of missed and Jade sat on her for a pin attempt. Bayley caught Jade as Jade lunged at her and then slammed Jade for a two-count. Bayley went to the top, but Bayley’s old theme music hit and Roxanne Perez walked out in old school Bayley gear.
Bayley went to ringside and attacked Perez. Jade followed her out and hit a double underhook DDT on the floor. Back in the ring, Perez hit another one, and that was good enough to get Jade the win. Giulia was shown watching backstage and Ava walked up to her to whisper something. Soon after, Ava walked to the ring and announced that Saturday’s triple threat for the NXT Women’s Championship will now be a Fatal Four-way, including Jade. Jade and Perez hugge and Bayley attacked them both to end the segment.
Zaria and Sol Ruca were shown talking in the locker room. Nikkita Lyons walked in and confronted them, saying one win doesn’t make Zaria and Ruca a tag team. Lyons challenged Zaria to match later tonight.
The Oba Femi/A-Town Down Under segment
Please. If nothing else. Please. I beg you, Shawn Michales, pull the trigger on the Theory and Waller break up this weekend. If there’s anything to come of this excursion back down to NXT for Waller and Theory, it should be a definitive split for those two. We’ve been waiting for months. We’ve been begging for months. I plead with you, man: End the madness. Anyway, this segment was fine. The heels showed good fire, though I can’t say I’m a fan of Femi taking a beating from these two. In some ways, he just seems above it. Then again, you have to keep the story moving going into this weekend’s PLE, and one way to do that is to have the guy take a beatdown. So it goes.
Femi started by reminding everyone who he will be defending his NXT title against on Saturday. Femi called it a handicap match because in Waller and Theory’s mind, they will gang up against The Ruler. Femi said it will be every man for himself and on cue, A-Town Down Under’s music hit. Waller and Theory walked out with microphones. Waller said he thought better of Femi than to try and turn Waller and Theory against each other. Theory said Waller never received his flowers in NXT. Theory said Waller has jumped off ladders and risked his career many times in NXT while other people like Carmelo Hayes and Tony D get all the credit. Theory called Waller a pillar of NXT. Theory then said Waller will help Theory become the NXT Champion on Saturday.
Waller said this weekend, Theory can ride shotgun after Waller wins the NXT title. Femi chimed in and asked them if they both thought they’d become NXT Champion. Waller fired up and said he’d do whatever it takes to win … and was then cut off by Theory, who said he was never NXT Champion. Theory was then cut off by Waller, who said nobody cares about the things Theory has accomplished. Theory noted how Waller has never had a singles title run in WWE. Waller brought up how he had the WWE Tag Team Championships in his hands at a ‘Mania. Theory fired back and said he’d do whatever it takes to win this weekend. Theory and Waller turned their attention to how they want to attack Femi on Saturday.
Waller told Femi his plan didn’t work tonight and there is nothing or nobody who will stop him from winning the NXT Championship. Waller dropped the microphone and walked away, but Theory pushed Waller, who tried to clothesline Theory, but Theory moved and Waller hit Femi. Theory and Waller then double-teamed Femi and Theory hit his finisher on Femi before Waller followed up with a rolling Stunner. Waller then picked up the title. Theory took it from Waller and Theory and Waller posed together to close out the segment.
An Eddy Thorpe vignette aired. Thorpe challenged Trick Williams to a strap match at Vengeance Day.
Footage of Ethan Page busting up Je’Von Evans from a couple months ago aired. A doctor came on the screen and said that while Evans is cleared to wrestle this weekend, if it goes wrong, Evans could be out for months. Evans was then shown talking to Ava in her office and Ava made Evans sign a waiver saying if anything bad happens to him at Vengeance Day, WWE isn’t responsible. Evans signed it right away.
Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura defeated Hank Walker & Tank Williams and Tavion Heights and Myles Borne
My God, this felt like I was covering AEW TV again, what with the nonstop action, the quick tags and my constant use of the three words, “things broke down.” I’m not complaining. This was a lot of fun and the right team went over. Briggs and Inamura have a weird momentum going for them and the last-minute tag title match is a solid addition to Saturday’s card. Axiom and Frazer are main roster-ready, so do we think this is the time they drop the belts? Probably not, but a loss backed with a solid performance this weekend could set up a better moment for Briggs and Inamura during ‘Mania weekend. In the meantime – and back to the match at hand – Hank and Tank deserve some credit here because they looked better than most everyone else involved. Kudos to those fellas.
Tank and Inamura started the match, but things broke down fairly quickly and Heights tagged himself in, lifted Hank and Borne tagged in. The two dropped Hank, but Tank quickly tagged in and things broke down between the teams. Before long, Tank hit a cartwheel and took out Briggs and Inamura. Borne tagged in and was disposed of to the outside quickly. Heights tagged in and Hank and Tank took down Heights. Hank and Tank squished Borne on the outside of the ring, but soon after back inside the ring, Heights slammed Hank. Axiom and Nathan Frazer were shown watching match from the Designated NXT Eagle’s Next. The show then went to a commercial break.
Back to from the break, Inamura tagged in and worked over Borne, complete with a spinning body slam. Briggs tagged himself in and took out Heights and Borne. Hank tagged in and things broke down between the six wrestlers again. “NXT!” chants broke out. Hank and Heights were left alone in the ring and they traded blows. Briggs gave the big boot to Heights and Hank. Briggs chokeslammed/powerbombed Hank and went for a pin, but it was broken up. Hank hit a splash on everyone, who was on the outside. Hank then slammed Briggs back inside the ring for a good near-fall. Bodies were everywhere and “This is awesome!” chants started.
Hank went to the top, but Briggs cut him off. Briggs set up for a chokeslam, but Hank worked out of it. Inamura tagged in and hit a huge splash on Hank, which was good enough to get his team the win. After the match, Frazer and Axiom spoke to the winners and said they could have a title match at Vengeance Day on Saturday.
Tony D was talking to his family backstage and Stacks apologized for the way he’s been acting. D’Angelo forgave him, and, of course, said, “Forget about it!” The show went back to the ring.
Lexis King defeated JDC to retain the NXT Heritage Cup
I’m not in the camp of people who blindly hate King for the sake of hating King, and in a lot of ways, I root for something – anything – to work for him … but it’s just not getting there. Bringing in JDC, who you can’t have a bad match with if you tried, was a smart move because the in-ring work wasn’t going to suffer, but even with that loyal NXT PC crowd, King seems to never receive any notable reactions, no matter what he does and no matter how hard he tries. The fact that we are now making Heritage Cup matches just a regular old match does nothing for me, either, because … well … why? How does this allow the prize to standout among the other belts on the brand? At this point, it’s just a prop and that’s kind of sad.
The action was slow to start. JDC eventually took control and chopped the hell out of King repeatedly. JDC went for a backslide, but King kneed JDC in the face and JDC went to the outside. King wiped himself down with a towel in a corner and JDC came back at him. JDC then clotheslined King over the top and to the outside and the show went to a commercial break.
The show returned and King had the upper hand. King went for a single-leg crab, but JDC worked out of it and chopped King a few times, only to have King ultimately work a single-leg crab. King went to work on JDC’s back, but JDC came back with a strong clothesline. JDC followed up with a Russian Leg Sweep and a Falcon Arrow for a two-count. King went to the outside and JDC landed a dive over the top. Back inside the ring, JDC hit a leg-drop from the top for a nice near-fall. JDC went back to the top, but King hit the ropes and JDC stumbled. King then hit The Coronation for the win.
Ava was standing between Perez and Bayley in her office and the women were bickering. Perez was still in her Bayley gear and Bayley said it was the best she ever looked, called her an idiot and walked away. Jade walked into the office and said she’d win the women’s title this weekend and walked away. Perez said “over my dead body” as she stood there with only Ava.
Fallon Henry was walking backstage and Kelani Jordan walked up and said Fallon has yet to face “this version of Kelani Jordan.” Jaida Parker appeared and said she has next. Ashante Thee Adonis walked in and said his girl Karmen is the one who should have next. Everyone bickered and the segment ended.
Zaria defeated Nikkita Lyons
More of this for Zaria, please. She came in as a monster, but for whatever reason, the booking minds have cooled her off in the last handful of weeks. This was a nice semi-squash that could help re-establish her has a force of nature. Lyons, meanwhile, held her own, but less is more with her as she’s still a bit of a work in progress. This was inoffensive and quick. You can’t ask for much more than that when it comes to a match that was made earlier in the show.
Lyons hit a German Suplex early on and went to the second rope, but Zaria cut her off … until Lyons turned Zaria over with a head-scissors takedown. Zaria came back with a German Suplex and the match reset. The two hit a series of simultaneous clotheslines before Lyons landed a kick to take brief control. Lyons worked a Camel Clutch until Zaria stood up and slammed Lyons. Zaria ran right into a knee from Lyons, but Lyons missed a splash. Zaria speared Lyons and then hit her finisher for the win.
An Ethan Page vignette aired.
Trick Williams was interviewed in the Eagles Nest while the cage for the main event was being set up in the background. Williams officially accepted Thorpe’s challenge for a strap match at Vengeance Day. The commentary team then ran down the card for Vengeance Day … until Ricky Starks showed up in the crowd. And I can’t believe I just typed that. The crowd chanted “Ricky Starks!” and Starks said NXT needs an “absolute superstar of the future” and NXT needs “the hottest free agent right now.” Starks said he was there to turn the place upside down. Starks talked about the revolution being televised, hit his pose and left through the crowd.
Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia were shown talking backstage briefly until Ridge Holland walked past them. From there, footage of the main event participants walking was shown. The show went to a break.
Andre Chase was shown walking backstage and ran into Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon. They wanted to go out with Chase, but Chase said it was a school night. Chase reflected on the fact that Chase U is dead and walked away.
Tony D’Angelo defeated Ridge Holland to retain the NXT North American Championship
A good television main event. It felt like some shenanigans were in the works once the entrances for it started about 20 minutes to the hour, but I like the Shawn Spears alliance. He’s been cold since coming over from AEW, so this is a nice way to heat him and his faction up. Holland ostensibly no-selling the defeat only to rush out of the cage and attack Stacks felt a little out of place, but Holland is going to need something to do coming out of this loss anyway, and he could worse than a program with Stacks. Despite no title changes this week, it was quite the newsworthy go-home show between Jade beating Bayley, Izzi Dame turning on D’Angelo and Ricky Starks showing up. Never a dull moment these days in the land of NXT.
D’Angelo got the better of things early, hitting a series of strikes and a suplex for a two count. D’Angelo went for a belly-to-belly suplex, but Holland eye-gouged his way out of it. D’Angelo ultimately flipped Holland into the cage and tried to follow it up with a splash, but Holland moved and D’Angelo went into the cage hard. The show went to its final commercial break of the night.
The show returned and Holland had control, complete with a strong clothesline for a two count. Holland went to the top and went for a splash, but D’Angelo moved. D’Angelo then threw Holland into the cage repeatedly. D’Angelo followed it up with a series of belly-to-belly suplexes. D’Angelo hit a Fisherman’s Suplex for a two count. D’Angelo ran right into a pump kick and a Snowplow from Holland for a nice near-fall. Holland sold disappointment in not getting the three count.
With both wrestlers on their knees, they traded elbows. There was a tiny bit of miscommunication before D’Angelo threw Holland into the cage and followed it up with a spear for another nice near-fall. Izzi Dame tried to throw a crowbar into the ring. Stacks stopped her and threw the crowbar into the ring himself. Holland and D’Angelo fought over the crowbar and Holland ultimately got possession of it. Holland hit D’Angelo in the head with it and covered him for a very good near fall. Holland jawed at D’Angelo and D’Angelo eye-gouged Holland before hitting him with the crowbar and his finisher for the win.
Aftrer the match, Holland attacked Stacks and some of the family. They brawled to the back and Shawn Spears showed up with his crew. D’Angelo jawed at them and Izzi Dame hit D’Angelo in the back of the knee with the crowbar. Spears and his faction worked over D’Angelo from there, with spears working D’Angelo over with a chair. With the cage door locked, Stacks and the D’Angelo family ran back out for the save, but couldn’t climb the cage before Spears suplexed D’Angelo onto a chair in the ring. A video package on past Vengeance Days aired to end the show – until one final teaser for the new faction aired to truly close things down.
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