8/23 NXT 2.0 REPORT: Wells’s report on Briggs & Jensen vs. Gallus, Tiffany Stratton vs. Wendy Choo, Tyler Bate vs. Von Wagner, more

NXT 2.0 TV REPORT
AUGUST 23, 2022
WINTER PARK, FLA. AT THE CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS (@spookymilk), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

NXT Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

Tonight after the show, join me, Bruce Hazelwood and Nate Lindberg to break down the show with calls and emails.

•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
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[HOUR ONE]

-Heatwave recaps covered all champs retaining and Santos Escobar probably getting promoted after losing a match to Tony D’Angelo. It ended with the arrival of NXT UK Champion Tyler Bate heading toward the last Worlds Collide before NXT UK is no longer one of the worlds.

-Bron Breakker headed to the ring. Breakker pandered to the local crowd and put over JD McDonagh’s ring skills, then transitioned to Tyler Bate. “Big strong boy” chant. He asked Bate to come to the ring to talk, and Bate’s music played him to the ring to join Breakker.

Bate thanked Breakker for the kind invitation and congratulated him on the win last week, also putting over McDonagh. He said Breakker was correct that Bate wasn’t just there to collect air miles. He said that he was the proud flagbearer of NXT UK as the first and last champion, and he couldn’t think of a better way to kick things off than to unify these titles. Breakker said he knew exactly who Bate was and what made him a threat. He said he agreed there should be one NXT Champion, and in two weeks, when Worlds Collide, let’s make it champion vs. champion, title vs. title.

(Wells’s Analysis: Quick turnaround, as often, for a major NXT show. With NXT UK shuttering and making way for NXT Europe, it looks like all the championships will be unified soon enough, if some aren’t transitioned to the Europe brand.)

-Gallus segment promoted their upcoming match and, in a brief way, filled the audience in on who they are.

(1) JOSH BRIGGS & BROOKS JENSEN (c) (w/Fallon Henley) vs. GALLUS (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) (w/Joe Coffey) – NXT UK Tag Team Championship

Backstage before the commercial, Fallon Henley and Lash Legend were being pulled apart. [c]

After the break, Henley joined Briggs and Jensen, so apparently the brawl wasn’t too much of a big deal. Wolfgang pounced on Briggs to start and threw hands. He tagged Coffey, who threw some punches but Briggs returned fire and tagged Jensen, who hit a bulldog for a one count. Rope run and Coffey got the better of Jensen and tagged Wolfgang, who rolled him up for one. Wolfgang leaned on Jensen and threw some rights, then tagged Coffey, who continued battering Jensen in the corner. He rolled him up for one. Another tag and the heels took turns throwing European uppercuts. Jensen, who was bleeding hardway from the mouth, escaped between the two for a tag. The faces cleared Gallus from the ring and the two teams jawed as the match went to a very early split-screen break. [c]

Vic, per usual, said during the commercial break that it was “ALL Gallus,” which was a lie, as the break was largely the faces in control before the heels took momentum late. Wolfgang hit a cannonball on Jensen and Coffey covered for two. Coffey worked a front chancery. Wolfgang tagged in and Briggs did as well, taking full control over as he destroyed Gallus. Outside, Lash Legend showed up and she brawled with Fallon Henley. Pretty Deadly showed up and brawled with Briggs and Jensen until they were counted out. Inside the ring, Diamond Mine attacked Gallus as the total mess was complete.

WINNERS: Gallus by countout at 8:46.

(Wells’s Analysis: Action was straightforward and basic before the break. They seemed to be heading to a slightly higher gear just in time for everything to break down to set up some future matches, though Jensen in particular is still not the smoothest in the ring. Still, he’s a long way from where he started)

-Grayson Waller badgered a stagehand. [c]

-My internet blipped so I missed the beginning of the “Grayson Waller Effect” segment, where he interviewed Apollo Crews. He asked Crews what it was like to be a clout chaser. Waller asked Crews about when he used to have an accent and native garb. Crews put it on and said “Is this the accent you’re talking about, huh?” to cheers. He went back to his real voice and said he was still a strong Nigerian warrior but he got too caught up in his past. Waller said Crews was admitting to all these people that he’s selfish. Crews said he new himself now. Waller interrupted Crews multiple times, blaming him for Diamond Mine having issues. Crews got up to go after Waller as he continued to talk over him. Waller asked how Crews was going to feel when he was run out of NXT by Waller. Crews asked Waller what it was like to be a low budget version of The Miz. “Low budget Miz” chant. Waller asked how Crews feels about being a failure and not being on Mondays or Fridays anymore. Crews said “I tell them that dad was a champ on Mondays, dad was a champ on Fridays, and he’s definitely going to be a champ on Tuesdays.” He laid out Waller with a punch and said “And THAT is the Apollo Crews Effect.”

-Gallus and Pretty Deadly ran into each other backstage and argued. Pretty Deadly reminded them of who took their NXT UK tag team championships in the first place. They were pulled apart by “officials” as the show went to break. [c]

-Tyler Bate hype segment. We got clips from UK interspersed with a new bunch of soundbytes. Bate had a run in NXT, but it’s wise for NXT to let audiences get to know these guys a little before Worlds Collide.

-McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Robert Stone and Von Wagner. It wasn’t poetry, but Wagner had far and away his best night on the mic as he gave a basic heel mission statement for his match with Bate later tonight.

-Javier Bernal ran across a security guy and put himself over, referring to himself as “Big Body Javy.”

(2) CAMERON GRIMES vs. JAVIER BERNAL

Schism was watching from the perch. Gacy took the mic and wished Grimes luck. Bernal dominated early with some quick shots. Bernal leaned on Grimes with a headlock. Gacy and the Dyad looked on and Gacy smiled. Grimes hit a dropkick from a prone position, then hit a back bodydrop where Bernal didn’t get all the way over and landed badly. Grimes hit a superkick, did his To the Moon taunt and hit the Cave In.

WINNER: Cameron Grimes at 2:33.

(Wells’s Analysis: My main takeaway from this angle is hoping that the course is corrected back to Grizzled Young Veterans sooner than later)

-Blair Davenport segment. She’s previously known as Bea Priestley and was formerly involved romantically with Will Ospreay, and did an angle with him to write her out of New Japan a couple of years ago. She’ll debut later tonight. [c]

-Alba Fyre vignette. She said Lash Legend learned that you don’t disrespect the fire-keepers of her ancestry. Fyre said soon, all of them will know what she already knows: she’s a warrior and will do whatever it takes to win.

(3) INDI HARTWELL vs. BLAIR DAVENPORT

Poor Indi – besides not being named as Davenport’s opponent earlier, she was also the “already in the ring” enhancement talent with no entrance here. Hartwell took Davenport down with a headlock after taking some lumps. Action went to the corner and Davenport dumped Hartwell with a boot. Hartwell caught Davenport with a superkick. Back inside and Davenport caught Hartwell with a draping cutter. Davenport planted Hartwell for one. Davenport worked a headlock. Hartwell got to her feet and Davenport jumped up on Hartwell’s back. Hartwell broke the hold by dropping backward.

[HOUR TWO]

Both got to their feet. Hartwell threw rights and lariats. Spinebuster and a rollup by Hartwell got two. European uppercut and a big boot by Hartwell. Hartwell went to the top and Davenport yanked her to the mat for two. Davenport hit her finisher for the pin.

WINNER: Blair Davenport at 3:47.

(Wells’s Analysis: Okay debut for Davenport although I’d much rather see a completely one-sided affair over a no-name. Hartwell still looks tentative in the ring.) 

After the match, Davenport kicked Hartwell from the ring and took the mic, referring to herself as the most menacing mistress in NXT. She said she was #1 contender in the UK, so she figures the NXT Women’s Champion will do just fine. Mandy Rose’s music played her out to the ramp and said her reputation precedes her. She said she’s Mandy Rose, and Davenport was standing in Rose’s ring, and had entered into her world. She said in her world, everyone follows her lead. She explained that she was the most dominant Women’s champion and she wanted respect on her name.

Meiko Satamura’s music played, bringing the NXT UK Women’s Champion to the ring, raising the average wrestling talent in the ring almost immeasurably. She also had a mic. She said Mandy wasn’t the most dominant women’s champion – that would be her. Rose put over Satamura as a true legend, but the best way to put respect on her name was to beat her. Satamura said at World’s Collide, Rose could go for it, champion vs. champion, with the final boss. Davenport interjected and reminded them she’s the #1 contender. “Shut the hell up” chant. Satamura declared it a triple threat.

(Wells’s Analysis: It would’ve been ideal to have more weeks before the Worlds Collide show, but given that it’s coming as soon as it is, NXT is wisely cutting way back on the wrestling minutes this week to sell the show hard and continue to help fans unaware of these talents who they are)

-Tiffany Stratton cut off McKenzie Mitchell to talk down Wendy Choo. She said after she defeats Wendy, the women’s division would be all about her.

-Tony D’Angelo, with Stacks, talked to an unimpressed Legado del Fantasma (minus Santos Escobar). They reluctantly followed him as he left for the ring later tonight. [c]

-JD McDonagh vignette. He said he thinks he enjoyed the pain from Bron Breakker more than Bron did. He said he would never be challenged if he ran from difficult situations. He said he’d see Breakker at Worlds Collide. The camera pulled back and flipped over, revealing that McDonagh was hanging from a chin-up bar by his feet.

-Wes Lee and Kayden Carter & Katana Chance bantered backstage. It was vaguely flirty at the end and didn’t go much of anywhere.

-Vic announced the Women’s triple threat was official for Worlds Collide.

-Indi Hartwell was still at ringside. She said she was at rock bottom. She said the problem wasn’t Blair Davenport – it’s always been Hartwell herself. She said four months ago she was going to reinvent herself and reach for the stars and change her career. She said she was still in the same position she was after Stand and Deliver.

Behind her, on the other side of the ring, Dexter Lumis popped up to a huge pop. He and Indi crawled toward one another, then hugged, and finally kissed. He held open the ropes for her and carried her backstage. “InDex” chant. Wade said he needed a bucket because he was going to be sick.

Near the front of the building, Lumis handed her a note. He went out the front, where police cars were waiting. He backed up and allowed them to take him quietly. She opened the note and it said “Goodbye Indi (for now…).” [c]

-McKenzie Mitchell talked with Cora Jade. Jade bragged about her dirty win last week at Heatwave. She said if the roles were reversed, they would be saying Jade deserved it. She told her haters to go on a date, and no, their inflatable dolls don’t count. She seems more comfortable on the mic, but still has a weird, singsong delivery that she’ll have to continue to try to shake.

(4) LEGADO DEL FANTASMA (Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde) (w/Elektra Lopez & Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo) vs. THE DYAD (Rip Fowler & Jagger Reid) (w/Joe Gacy)

Within a minute, it devolved into a mess where Legado hit a couple of planchas. D’Angelo went nuts and suggested he didn’t want any of that flying stuff. Del Toro waved him off. Action returned inside. Wilde got dumped and Fowler hit a tope. The Dyad took out Del Toro on the outside and shared a group hug to boos. Cameron Grimes watched from the perch to make nine wrestlers involved in this one.

Wilde fought back and hit a DDT on Reid. Corner lariat and a tag. Double suplex by Legado. Fowler broke up a pin attempt. Extra players exited and Wilde rolled up Reid for two. Blind tag by the Dyad. They hit their team-up jawbreaker to finish.

WINNERS: The Dyad at 5:02.

Tony D’Angelo yelled at Legado.

(Wells’s Analysis: It’s always a lightning-quick affair when these two teams go. I have no doubt they could have a great formula tag match, but they always have to pack a ton of action in a small space.)

-Backstage, Javier Bernal walked. A woman from the PC congratulated him on almost winning. He blew a gasket and yelled at her. The security guy from before, Hank Walker, interjected. The woman extricated herself and Walker told her never to talk to a woman like that. A match was teased and Bernal walked off. Walker again called him a prick. [c]

-Legado del Fantasma walked out of the building, sulking. A vehicle stopped in front of them. Santos Escobar rolled down the window and said “You didn’t think I would leave you, did you? The familia stays together.” Legado excitedly entered the car and they all drove off together, probably for the last time on this brand.

(5) TYLER BATE vs. VON WAGNER (w/Robert Stone)

Wagner dominated with power stuff early. Bron Breakker watched on a monitor backstage. Wagner tossed Bate into a corner and hit a lariat there. Wagner clubbed Bate to the mat and stood over him. Press slam by Wagner. Wagner worked a headlock. Bate escaped and got into it with a series of quick kicks and strikes. Wagner caught a running Bate and hit a backbreaker, then hit a fallaway slam. Wagner went for another press, but Bate escaped and dumped Wagner with a kick, then hit a plancha with serious air.

Wagner went back to the ring and Bate followed with a running elbow. Wagner tried a powerslam and Bate escaped and threw rapid shots. Bate ran the ropes, or tried, as Wagner grabbed his arm and hit a lariat for two. Elbow drop by Wagner. Bate escaped a couple of near-strikes and managed his big left and a swinging right. Exploder by Bate, who went up and hit a “Spinning Boy” (Spinal Tap).

WINNER: Tyler Bate at 6:09.

(Wells’s Analysis: Inevitable that Bate would win here, though putting him in a match with a guy who’s going to get the majority of the offense seems a strange choice with very little time to build to Worlds Collide)

-Diamond Mine said this is what they would do to Gallus next week. Roderick Strong tried to get in on it and the Creeds said they only roll with people as they trust. Briggs and Jensen walked in and wanted a challenge for the Creeds as well. Strong tried to interject and Julius Creed stepped in and pushed him back and said “Your opinion doesn’t carry as much weight around here as it used to.” They said they’d do this after they get through Gallus. [c]

-Next week, Grayson Waller faces Apollo Crews, and Briggs/Jensen/Henley face Pretty Deadly/Legend while Gallus faces Diamond Mine.

(6) WENDY CHOO vs. TFFANY STRATTON – Lights Out match

Stratton got no entrance. Wow. Choo got an entrance where she woke up from a bed on the ramp, which seems like a lot of effort for a still-weak gimmick. The lights went down, but now low enough that anyone would think they couldn’t see each other. Choo took Stratton outside and threw a garbage can on her head, then battered it with the lid. She set up the can in a corner, then took Stratton inside again. Stratton bailed and Choo ran around the corner, but Stratton struck Choo with a tool box. She tried to swing a…wrench?…at Choo but missed and hit the post. Back inside, Choo set the garbage can up in between the top and second ropes in the corner. Both women charged the other toward it, but both put on the brakes. Choo hit a wonderful release suplex, then charged the corner but got tossed into the garbage can. Stratton took Choo outside and tossed her into the stairs as the match went to split-screen. [c]

[OVERRUN]

Both women laid on the mat. Stratton got up first and laid a pink chair atop Choo. She went for a moonsault, but Choo moved, taking the chair with her. She laid the chair in the center of the ring and suplexed Stratton on it. Choo choked Stratton with something, but Stratton took a bottle of hair spray out of a bag and sprayed it in Stratton’s eyes. Stratton slammed Choo on a trash can, destroying it, and covered for two. “This is awesome” chant. Stratton went for a moonsault and Choo escaped.

Choo went outside and grabbed a pillow and swung it at Stratton. She opened the pillow and poured out a ton of Legos. That’s a fantastic spot and they probably hurt more than thumbtacks. “NXT” chant. The two exchanged near-hits on the Legos and Stratton hit a release suplex, then a body slam right onto the Legos. Another “NXT” chant rang out. Stratton did essentially a Cave In to Choo, who kicked out at the last moment.

Stratton kicked Choo from the ring and tried to toss baby powder in Choo’s face, but Choo saw it and tossed it back at her instead. Choo bodyslammed Stratton through the bed, revealing why it was really there as a prop tonight. Choo put Stratton inside and hit Naptime in the ring to finish. Vic said “How wonderful this must feel for Wendy Choo,” as if Choo hasn’t been the bully and the one acting badly throughout this entire feud.

WINNER: Wendy Choo at 13:08.

(Wells’s Analysis: For all the weirdness with the feud and Wendy Choo bullying Stratton while Stratton mostly didn’t do anything to her, this was a super fun finale that allowed both women to bring their characters into the match in a big way. Both have gotten so good in the ring, both from a pure wrestling and a character standpoint, and this match as a result easily earned its spot in the main event)

-Somewhere in a dimly-lit meeting room, the three women for the triple threat, Bron Breakker and Tyler Bate signed their contracts for their two Worlds Collide matches.

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FINAL THOUGHTS: This episode was a huge success, as NXT managed to build to a big show in two weeks as well as provide some hooks for next week’s show. Wrestling minutes were lighter than any week I’ve recapped in a long time at just 39 minutes as the show worked overtime to get the pieces in motion for what’s next. Near the end of the black and gold era, NXT wasn’t always taking the extra time necessary, preferring to relentlessly throw action out there and not slow down. This episode would seem to suggest they’re correcting that mistake and remember to effectively tell stories on the way to their blowoffs. Check out PWT Talks NXT with me and Bruce Hazelwood tonight or stream tomorrow. Cheers.