NXT Women’s Championship Tournament: Gigi Dolin VS Tiffany Stratton, Gallus VS The Dyad: NXT Tag Team Championships
NXT kicked off with the 8-competitors in the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament standing on the ramp. Tiffany Stratton’s music then hit as she was about to face Gigi Dolin in the first Quarter-Final matchup. Both women got video promos whilst making their way down to the ring and Tiffany Stratton saying “I’m too good for this tournament” made me laugh. The match itself was alright, Stratton is probably the best female competitor in the NXT Women’s division now that Zoey Stark and Alba Fyre have gone to the main roster. Gigi Dolin also looked better here, but she really needs to pick her pace up if she’s going to be seen in the same light as Stratton when it comes to in-ring ability. In the end, Tiffany delivered the “Prettiest Moonsault Ever” to get the victory which was definitely the right call. She will face either Roxanne Perez or Jacy Jayne in the Semi-Finals.
Grade: C+
Joe Gacy hyped up the Dyad backstage before he told Ava that he wouldn’t be coming out to ringside as he has other things to focus on. We then went back to “CutWiz”, aka Melo’s Barbers, but this time, it was Trick Williams who was in the important chair. Trick told Melo that he needs to focus on getting ready to defend his NXT Championship against Bron Breakker at NXT Battleground whilst Trick acknowledged that this was the biggest night of his career. Trick Willy then told the A-Champion to stay at the barber's whilst he goes and handles his business. The NXT Tag Team Championships were then on the line as Gallus looked to retain against the Dyad. This match was decent, both teams are talented and they worked well together. Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo watched from the Podium/Platform area whilst Ivy Nile wasn’t impressed with the Creed Brothers backstage. There was quite a lot of hard-hitting action in this bout and near the end, I actually thought the Dyad might win. Ava caused a distraction which allowed Jagger Reid to deliver a DDT and just before Reid and Fowler were going to hit a double knee combination, Ivy Nile arrived and attacked Ava. Jagger then went to the outside to check on Ava whilst back in the ring, Gallus hit their tag team finisher onto Rip Fowler to retain their titles. Once again, there are quite a few teams vying for the gold.
Grade: B-
Duke Hudson VS Javier Bernal, Damon Kemp VS Eddy Thorpe
Thea Hail was speaking to her fellow Chase U students before Javier Bernal walked in and asked Thea Hail if the University puts on any classes “to show people how to get into the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament”! This guy is so good! Duke Hudson then walked in and after an exchange that saw Bernal question Hudson’s intentions, “the Duke” challenged Bernal to a match. We then saw a hooded figure (most likely NXT anonymous) watching clips of Nikkita Lyons, Wendy Choo and Sol Ruca being attacked before it was time for the match between Hudson and Bernal. I was quite surprised that this match got time and I was also glad it did because this was a decent match between two entertaining characters. Big Body Javi is actually pretty decent in the ring as well so he definitely deserves to be given a bigger spotlight, particularly now that so many guys have been called up to the main roster. In the end, Duke Hudson picked up the victory with the Razor’s Edge.
Grade: C+
Von Wagner was answering some quick-fire questions from Mr. Stone before the former Robert showed Von the same picture from last week that Wagner clearly doesn’t want to talk about. The guy that showed up in a segment a few weeks ago then appeared again (I still don’t know what his name is) and he annoyed Wagner to the point that Von nearly beat him up. I thought Von being drafted seemed weird, but him being a free agent makes sense now as he can still carry on his storyline with the ever-great Mr. Stone. Gallus then had a go at Diamond Mine backstage before they said they were off to the pub. I just don’t like Joe Coffey for some reason. Gallus’ whole act before Stand and Deliver was “if you want a fight, we’ll give you a fight”. Since Joe Coffey’s arrival at Stand and Deliver, they just seem to back down from a challenge. Eddy Thorpe then did his unique entrance as he was about to battle Damon Kemp in singles action. This wasn’t the best contest, it was evenly matched, but it just felt a bit off. Kemp’s credibility completely vanished after Halloween Havoc last year whilst I haven’t been impressed by Eddy Thorpe in the few matches I’ve seen him have. Thorpe did get the victory though so NXT clearly likes him.
Grade: C-
Dijak VS Ilja Dragunov, Tyler Bate VS Charlie Dempsey
Kiana James talked about what a brilliant year she’s had in NXT (ok) before Bron Breakker said his attitude hasn’t changed, he’s just stopped caring. Bron then told Trick Williams that he’s going to send him to the same hospital that he sent Melo to and I actually thought Breakker delivered this promo well. Dijak then took on Ilja Dragunov in what should’ve been a great match. The match was fine, it had some good moments in it, but I just didn’t like the ending. Dijak shoved both the timekeeper and the referee over which was unique before he smashed Dragunov with a chair to cause a DQ. He then “crushed” the Czar under the steel steps. I get that this was furthering the story for the main match which will probably take place at NXT Battleground, but you could’ve just had Dragunov win and then have Dijak attack him again.
Grade: C+
Tyler Bate was deep in thought as Wes Lee told him he’d be at ringside for his match tonight. Dani Palmer then asked Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen how she can improve her game before Hank Walker and Tank Ledger took Briggs and Jensen’s advice by challenging them to a tag team match. Tyler Bate then made his way down to the ring as he went one-on-one with Charlie Dempsey. This match didn’t go very long, but what did happen was pretty decent. Joe Gacy arrived to look at Wes Lee before Drew Gulak told them both to go away. Tyler Bate then took out the heels, but a distraction by Gulak to the referee allowed Gacy to punch the Big Strong Boi, allowing Charlie Dempsey to pick up the biggest win of his NXT career so far. I like that NXT gave Dempsey a big win like this and Joe Gacy getting involved in the NXT North American Championship picture makes sense. However, I probably would’ve left it until after Lee was done with Gulak and Dempsey.
Grade: C+
Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen VS Hank Walker and Tank Ledger, Lyra Valkyria VS Kiana James: NXT Women’s Championship Tournament
Carmelo Hayes left the barbers shop and said he was coming to NXT before Dragon Lee’s promo was interrupted by Noam Dar who announced the return of the “Supernova Sessions”, a talk show that Dar hosted back in NXT UK. The NXT Heritage Cup Champion asked Lee to be his first guest and the Japanese sensation accepted. It was then time for a tag team match as Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen took on Hank Walker and Tank Ledger. This was a decent match, Briggs and Jensen are a good tag team and Walker and Ledger definitely have some chemistry as a team which always helps. Tank lost his tooth at one point which was pretty wild and in the end, Briggs and Jensen picked up the win after hitting their tag team move on Ledger. After the match, the babyface teams shook hands.
Grade: C+
Lyra Valkyria said that Kiana James is one of three superstars that have “been marked” before it was time for Episode 2 of “Hard-Hitting Home Truths with Nathan Frazer”. Frazer talked about how all of the NXT guys that have been drafted up to the main roster allows new superstars new opportunities. Frazer then talked about how International the NXT roster is before he told Noam Dar that sooner rather than later, he won’t be holding the NXT Heritage Cup anymore. It was then time for the second Quarter-Final in the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament as Lyra Valkyria looked to defeat Kiana James. This match was actually pretty decent, Lyra Valkyria was definitely having to carry this match a bit and I thought she did it really well. Having said that, that doesn’t mean that Kiana James didn’t bring something to the fight as she is starting to improve, especially from where she was 6 months ago. In a match either woman could’ve walked out as the victor, it was Lyra Valkyria who advances to the Semi-Finals after hitting James with a Roundhouse Kick.
Grade: B-
Bron Breakker VS Trick Williams
Gallus were at their favourite pub before Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo came up to them and challenged to a match for the NXT Tag Team Championships. Joe Coffey said “things are different now” and what he meant by that was he had the power to say no so he did. The Family then left after they realised they were outnumbered. Again, I don’t like Joe Coffey. It was then time for the main event as Bron Breakker took on Trick Williams. Bron Breakker destroyed Andre Chase in his first match as a heel, but this match was a lot more even as Trick Willy brought the fight. I’ve said for a while that whilst Melo is the star that he deserves to be, Trick Williams is great and he could easily become a star of his own. In the end, though, Bron Breakker hit Williams with the Military Press Slam before he wrecked him with the Spear. He still wasn’t done here though as Breakker then locked in the Steiner Recliner on Williams and Trick had no choice but to tap out. After the match, Carmelo Hayes arrived to make the save, but he was met with a bullet Spear from Breakker. The impact looked awesome and I am looking forward to their NXT Championship rematch at NXT Battleground.
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