SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
APRIL 25, 2023
WINTER PARK, FLA. AT THE CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY BRUCE LEE HAZELWOOD (@B_Lee253), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Backstage Correspondent(s): McKenzie Mitchell
Tonight after the show, join the PWT Talks NXT self-proclaimed “gang of idiots” (including me) to break down the show with calls and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
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•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: pwtorchnxt@gmail.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW POST-RECORDING
[HOUR ONE]
-The show began with a video of the roster having a Spring Breakin’ picnic or something with Hank Walker on the small grill facetiming Tank Ledger. They hyped the matches for the tonight with different wrestlers. There will be a “trunk match” between Tony D’Angelo & Stacks vs. Pretty Deadly, Carmelo Hayes defending against Grayson Waller, a mixed tag with Kiana James & Brooks Jensen vs. Fallon Henley & Josh Briggs, Bron Breakker vs. Andre Chase, Indi Hartwell defending against Roxanne Perez and Tiffany Stratton (Big Body Javi was chased by Dabbo-Kato and eventually thrown into a fountain).
-Vic Joseph and Booker T then welcomed viewers as the entrance area was dotted with beach items. D’Angelo and Stacks made their entrance, the former with a trashcan and the latter with a wheelbarrow filled with weapons. Alicia Taylor stated this is the first trunk match (basically an ambulance match). The car is a 1947 Dodge and the trunk (or boot, if you will) was opened for the eventual climax of the match. Pretty Deadly made their entrance.
(1) TONY D’ANGELO & CHANNING “STACKS” LORENZO vs. PRETTY DEADLY (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson) – Trunk match
The bell rung as D’Angelo and Stacks met Pretty Deadly outside, but Kit Wilson was able to get the better of D’Angelo, then Stacks with the help of his partner Elton Prince. Prince grabbed a big chain, but D’Angelo yanked it away and then in the ring, they both hit gut attacks, then switched off and hit the other with the same. If it wasn’t obvious, this is tornado rules. They tore the tops of Pretty Deadly and then isolated Prince. D’Angelo hip tossed Stacks into a seated Prince in the corner.
They took PD toward the car, which was beyond the crowd in the area behind the raised concourse. PD fought them off and went back to ringside for weapons only for the other two to turn the weapons on them. D’Angelo and Stacks grabbed a table from under to the ring and set it up next to the ring. They went for powerslams, but PD rammed them into the post and steps. They then took the table almost into Gorilla. Stacks flew at Wilson, then D’Angelo drove the wheelbarrow into the leg of Wilson. This match is just chaotic, folks. D’Angelo rolled through into a back body drop, sending Prince into Wilson, both into a pool with ball pit balls. Stacks grabbed a bodyboard and then dove onto them with the board. [c]
PD isolated Stacks as they returned, near the entrance area. Wilson took a kid’s football and set it for the field goal attempt, but pulled it back as Prince just punted Stacks in the face. D’Angelo then took them out with a double clothesline, then back inside the ring. They hit chair shots on each of PD, with Wilson getting three. They went for the hip toss in the corner again, a steel chair set up, but Wilson moved and Stacks hit hard. Prince then hit D’Angelo with a roll of quarters, the coins exploding in the ring. They went back to isolating Stacks. They set him in the Tree of Woe and took turns stomping on him. Wilson grabbed a chair and beat on D’Angelo’s back while taunting him in front of the upside-down Stacks. They then set up a trashcan for a double suplex and hit, a release variety so they didn’t suffer damage.
Stacks tried to fight back, but was quickly taken outside. They hit an ugly Spilled Milk on the outside, then lifted and carried Stacks to the back. They locked Stacks in the car. They turned to D’Angelo, but Stacks sprayed Prince with a fire extinguisher as they reopened the trunk. D’Angelo hit Wilson with a crowbar, sending him into the trunk. They turned to the impaired Prince and hit a double belly-to-back (Joseph said “Bada bing, bad boom”) through a table set for water bottles and such. They then placed Prince inside and close the trunk. They then drove off with their foes in the trunk.
WINNER: Tony D’Angelo & Stacks at 12:36
-A SUV pulled up in the back and Stratton walked out. She talked about taking her position at the top tonight and called Perez so 2022. She said Hartwell’s 15 minutes of fame are over and that her story is so boring. She said she has “it,” and tonight, “it’s Tiffy Time.”
-They showed Chase in the back as Duke Hudson walked in (MVP trophy in tow). He said it would just be them out there as Chase looked concerned about his match with Breakker, not helped by Hudson listing his accomplishments. Still, Hudson called Chase a beacon of light to students like himself, then gave a rah rah speech to Chase. Chase said he’s going to give Breakker an Andre Chase University sized ass whooping. [c]
(Hazelwood’s Take: It was chaotic, probably entertaining to most fans. Pretty Deadly seems like a lock to be drafted as there’s literally nothing left for them to accomplish in NXT and they’ve been ready for Raw or SmackDown since before they debuted in NXT. It does seem like my prediction about D’Angelo and Stacks becoming that hot babyface team that slowly works toward a championship match – possibly becoming champion – is happening…at least for now.)
-They returned with a Twitter exchange between Dijak and Ilja Dragunov after last week’s encounter. Chase and Hudson were already in the ring. The dogs barked and siren blared for Breaker’s entrance. I love dogs, but the incessant barking at the beginning is annoying as hell.
(2) BRON BREAKKER vs. ANDRE CHASE (w/Duke Hudson) – Singles match
Chase exploded at Breakker before Breakker could gather himself. Chase dodged the military press slam, but was rammed into a corner, right next to Hudson. Breakker sent Chase across and hit a running shoulder thrust to the gut, then back across and hit another one. Breakker hit an overhead suplex, just tossing Chase. He sent Chase into the corner, but Chase dodged, sending Breakker into the post. He then dropkicked him into the corner. From the apron, he grabbed the right arm and snapped it over the top rope, then hit a side Russian leg sweep inside the ring. He went for the Chase U stomps, but Breakker caught the stomp hit a huge lariat. He hit the military press slam and dropped the straps, locking in the Steiner Recliner.
WINNER: Bron Breakker at 2:18 (Steiner Recliner)
-They played a video for Carmelo Hayes with highlights of him winning the Men’s NXT Championship and then more scattered highlights of his from his time in NXT. It also showed him speaking smack to Waller.
-McKenzie Mitchell was in the back where the vintage car was located. Dragunov was walking in and ran right into a huge boot from Dijak. Dijak threw him over and over into a set of ladders standing against the wall. He then beat on him by what looked like a maintenance trailer, struggling yet eventually lowering the grate onto Dragunov. Officials came to take him away, including Oney Lorcan!
-Lyra Valkyria made her entrance for her match with months-long foe Cora Jade. “Generation of Jade” walked out with her black kendo stick, looking nonplussed and dismissive of Valkyria.
(3) LYRA VALKYRIA vs. CORA JADE – Singles match
The bell rung before Jade even removed her jacked, but Valkyria waited. She then drilled Jade with a series of precise strikes and corner attacks. She then hit a big hip toss and a springboard crossbody for a two-count. [c]
Jade had Valkyira in a hold as they returned, a replay showing Jade kicking the rope as Valkyria went for a springboard. Valkyria flipped out of the sub, but Jade dodged a corner attack and hit a corner knee instead. Jade slapped Valkyria, only angering her, resulting in a combo from Valkyria into a Northern Lights, held on, hit another, but Jade prevented the third. Instead, she was sent outside with a back body drop. Valkyria then hit a kick through the ropes. She followed and rolled Jade back inside, then climbed to the top rope. She hit a missile dropkick to Jade, then a roundhouse kick to the head. She bridged a fisherwoman’s suplex for a two-count. Jade suddenly caught Valkyria with an inside cradle, then flipped Valkyria after catching the kick. Valkyria went for a handspring kick, but didn’t handle the momentum off of the ropes well; she still hit, but it didn’t look great. Jade was able to create space and then grabbed her kendo stick. The ref grabbed it before she could swing. She dodged a spin kick, clearing herself from the ref to create space, then hit a chop block and a double arm DDT.
WINNER: Cora Jade at 8:19 (double arm DDT)
-They showed Waller with his golden shoey being carried by a woman and Hayes walking out with Trick Williams. The match is next, meaning Hartwell’s defense is main eventing, at least I think.
(Hazelwood’s Take: Unfortunately, that match was a bit sloppy, and there were moments of such from both women. Maybe they just don’t have great chemistry with each other as we’ve seen both women have better matches to varying degrees. That match wasn’t a confidence booster, though. It’s also interesting that Hayes’ defense is the top of the hour main event instead of the show’s main event. Is it a sign of trust in Hartwell, a test, or both? Is it about Hayes? Who knows, but it’s still an interesting booking decision.)
-They returned with a camera inside of the car with D’Angelo and Stacks talking about their victory. PD was banging in the back and they pulled over. Stacks stepped out open and closed the trunk on them multiple times before getting back inside.
-Waller made his entrance, the woman with the golden shoey walking out after. Waller is definitely hitting Raw soon. They mimicked a shoey in the ring. Hayes then entered with Williams, to a big pop, Hayes looking confident and squarely at Waller. Williams had on Allen Iverson’s “The Question” shoes from Reebok. Alicia Taylor could be seen bobbing her head to Hayes’ music. She gave formal introductions from inside the ring as the two jawed at each other.
(4) CARMELO HAYES (c) (w/Trick Williams) vs. GRAYSON WALLER – Men’s NXT Championship match
They locked up and traded go-behinds, but Hayes hit a dropkick after a few reversals. The two went at rapid pins and subs, Waller needing to grab the rope to break it and then telling Hayes to suck it, only resulting in Hayes’ huge springboard lariat. He then hit a snap suplex, set for Fadeaway, but Waller dodged. Hayes was able to use the position to hit a seated vertical from the middle rope (best I can explain it). Waller rolled outside and threw in a chair that Hayes caught, but as the ref was distracted, Waller grabbed another and took out Williams with chair shots. He then took out Hayes on the outside. [c]
Waller had a single leg crab locked in as they returned. Williams was helped to the back during the break, according to Joseph. Waller got caught and this time was hit by the Fadeaway. However, Hayes couldn’t rise to his feet because of the damage to his left knee. Waller began to lay in some punches. Hayes hit a cravate facebuster into his knee, then the two traded big blows before a simultaneous lariat. Waller’s arm landed across Hayes’ chest, but Hayes kicked out.
[HOUR TWO]
Waller went for a German, but Hayes picked the left leg and began working the left himself. He then hit a series of chops, kicked out the leg, and the one more time. He hit a pump kick to Waller, then a springboard where he just levitated for a bit before dropping back smoothly into a DDT for a two-count. Waller hit the apron and as Hayes went for that assisted suplex again, Waller ducked out and punched him. He went for the rolling stunner, but Hayes prevented that. Waller countered and hit a big sit-out slam for a believable two-count. Hayes went for his springboard lariat, but Waller caught him with the rolling stunner. Hayes used the momentum to roll outside. A frustrated Waller sat on the apron, then cleared the announce table. The golden shoey was on a little table by the announce table. He set Hayes and hit The Hardaway from the top rope!
He quickly rolled Hayes back inside the ring, but Hayes kicked out just before a three-count. The crowd was on their feet at this point. Waller went for the sit-out slam again, but Hayes caught him with the double knee lung blower. Waller went outside and went for his rolling stunner again, but grabbed his ankle as Hayes kicked him. Waller had enough left to get hit with Nothing but Net, but immediately shoved Hayes off of him after the three-count and rolled outside. Williams rejoined Hayes for the victory celebration, selling his back from the chair shot. They conspicuously didn’t show Waller’s rolling stunner at the end.
WINNER: Carmelo Hayesa t 12:03 (Nothing but Net) to retain the Men’s NXT Championship
-Hayes took the mic and called out Breakker after the match for Battleground. He said he doesn’t care if Breakker wants him, he wants Breakker. Breakker’s music hit as they waited, but he came from the concourse area and speared Williams, then a military press slam to Hayes. He locked in the Recliner to Williams for a bit. He then went outside where Hayes was by the elvated concourse. He speared Hayes through the bottom portion that was clearly cardboard or something, but shocked the hell out of the little girl that was sitting right by the spot. They brought out the stretcher.
-A video ran for Perez about growing up with friends who were into Disney princesses and Barbie dolls, but she wasn’t into them and only when she saw WWE did she find what she wanted to be, seeing the same girls in the crowd with the same look she used to have. She said the bows in her hair are for every little girl like them out there. They showed pics of young Perez in WWE merch.
-They showed a video of “last week” at Big Daddy’s bar with Henley and Briggs. James and the new-look Jensen walked in and Jensen went in on both of them – with a smile. They showed the failed Valentine’s Day thing with Zack, James’ brother, and then Briggs went at them for James cheating on Jensen. They showed footage of the Sebastian stuff that was quashed when James kissed Jensen. They then showed their title loss at Stand & Deliver and the segment from last week. They returned to the bar as James and Jensen challenged them to a mixed tag team match. [c]
(Hazelwood’s Take: A good match, as you would expect. They used their familiarity with each other to counter spots and still fall victim to the same moves later in the match. I wonder if Waller was selling the ankle or if he really did tweak it as they didn’t replay that spot. If he’s hurt right before the draft, oof, but hopefully it’s just a slight sprain or something.)
-They returned with Joe Coffey on the phone with his brother. After he hung up, Joe Gacy approached and then Ava walked up and proposed a fair tag team championship match for The Dyad, saying Gallus pinned The Creed Brothers last week. Gacy said he can feel that Coffey wants to punch him in the face and said they will do that next week. If The Dyad win, they get a title shot, but if they lose, they don’t get another shot as long as Gallus are champion. Ava said to have something ready (I didn’t catch it) and Gacy said “in time.”
-Joseph and Booker T went over the spear to Hayes and showed him being stretchered out. OK I must have missed something because the mixed tag is happening now. Typing and paying attention is hard, folks haha. The other two made their entrance in matching red gear.
(5) JOSH BRIGGS & FALLON HENLEY vs. BROOKS JENSEN & KIANA JAMES – Mixed tag team match
The two men began the match, Jensen looking much different in traditional wrestling trunks, kneepads, and boots. Briggs was in dark camo pants and a button-up vest. Jensen had the advantage early as Briggs refused to attack his former partner until finally pushed into a shoulder tackle. He yelled at Jensen, but Jensen regained the advantage. The crowd is pretty apathetic for this one. Briggs sent Jensen outside, but Jensen kicked the barricade in frustration, no-selling the spot. Jensen paced outside for a bit as the crowd chanted “we want Fallon.” James tagged herself in and Henley exploded into a Thesz Press, then dropped James. James dodged a dropkick and the two women glared at each other.
James took the advantage with some corner work, but Henley hit a huge lariat after James showboated. She called James a bitch and then slid out to land the right. Meanwhile, Jensen took out Briggs, who had attacked him. He then saved James from being hit to the ground and then flung her into Henley. Briggs leaped onto Jensen, then Henley onto James on the outside. They went back inside to pose at James and Jensen, laid out on the outside. [c]
Jensen was in control, talking smack as they returned. The two then traded blows. The two men fell back into their corners and the women tagged in, Henley getting the better. James was able to counter with a jawbreaker and flapjack into their corner. She tagged in Jensen and told him to attack Henley. He looked at Henley and said I’m sorry, but Briggs just bowled into him and then hit a flurry of strikes. He hit a sidewalk slam, standing splash, and then hesitated on the lariat. James taunted him, but Henley took her out and rammed her into the steel steps. Jensen hit Beauty Shot – that’s how hard that spinning heel kick was – to floor both men.
The two men went at each other with stiff shots. Jensen got the better and hit a sliding lariat to the back of the neck of Briggs, then a short-arm one. He hit a spinning brainbuster for a two-count. James took out Henley and threw the bag inside for Jensen to use. She was on the apron, and Briggs dodged, but Jensen hit the ropes, sending James flying. She yelled at him and he turned into a Clothesline from Hell. Joseph said it was a Stan Hansen lariat.
WINNER: Josh Briggs & Fallon Henley at 11;43 (Clothesline from Hell)
-After the match, James went to slap Jensen and he caught hit. He said he thought she loved him and she said she never loved him, drawing a huge oooooooooh from the crowd. Briggs went to comfort his former partner and Jensen just put his head into Briggs’ chest.
-Mitchell was in the back with Dragon Lee, asking about Noam Dar’s match, which he watched. My son mentioned The Heritage Cup and said he hopes their paths cross again very soon. The screen behind her suddenly lit up with a video from Scrypts, addressing Axiom. He was perched on a gargoyle ledge in his gear, this one black and yellow instead of black and orange.
-A video played of Oba Femi just throwing things, from TVs to love seats to couches. He debuts next. [c]
(Hazelwood’s Take: I just want this foursome story to be done with – three months ago.)
-A video played where Hartwell was talking to herself while looking in a mirror. It was basically a confidence boosting speech to herself, reminding herself (and the viewers) of her journey. They showed footage of her days in NXT and becoming the Women’s NXT Champion. She steeled herself and said it’s not ending tonight before walking off.
-Joseph and Booker T hyped Battleground, May 28, the day after Night of Champions. They showed an NXT_Anonymous video of Sol Ruca being attacked, but from behind frosted glass, so it wasn’t shown who attacked. Dani Palmer rushed back to check on her friend and then called for medical.
-Oba Femi made his debut to a dope entrance with imposing music and lighting, fitting for the imposing man. I am hyped! The infographic put him at 6’6″, 310 pounds.
(6) OBA FEMI vs. ORO MENSAH – Singles match
Oh, poor, poor Oro Mensah. Femi quickly took the left arm and slammed Mensah. Mensah tried to kip up, but Femi kicked him mid-air. Mensah got some strikes in, but Femi just dismissed his aerial assault. He lifted Mensah into a belly-to-back position, but just shot put Mensah all the way across the ring and that is not an exaggeration. He hit a corner avalanche and then short-arm clotheslines. He lifted Mensah by the arm, but Mensah hit elbows to break the hold only to get hit with a shoulder tackle. Femi stalked (Booker T said “Oba Fema), then tossed Mensah outside. He brought him back inside, but Mensah used his quickness to dodge strikes to land his own. He used rope runs to hit two running lariats, then a rolling kick to the head. He went for and hit a springboard side kick for a two-count, Femi using one arm to toss Mensah out of the pin. Femi caught the next kick and then hit a rolling forearm to Mensah’s mouth. A huge pop-up layout powerbomb ended the match. Strap all of the rockets to Oba Femi.
WINNER: Oba Femi at 3:34 (pop-up layout powerbomb)
-Suddenly, a voice appeared on commentary. It was Gigi Dolin, taking Joseph’s headset and calling out Jacy Jayne. She put a lot of passion into it and said that since Jayne wanted to involve her brother so bad, he’ll be there next week as she caves in her face.
-Mitchell was in the back with Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak. Dempsey said people only remember who win the war (what about the Battle of Thermopylae?). Dempsey and Gulak said Wes Lee’s open challenge is great for them because Gulak is going to break him and become the new North American Champion. He said this game’s a marathon kid, not a sprint.
-Stratton made her entrance. [c]
-They returned with Lee in the locker room watching film. Tyler Bate approached and offered a “helping hand’ after what happened last week. Bate offered to be Lee’s corner next week and my other son agreed.
-Perez made her entrance next, so only Stratton received the truncated television entrance of the three. Ref D.A. Brewer was in the ring, but not Taylor. Hartwell made her entrance, but there wasn’t a discernible reaction from the crowd. Taylor was indeed in the timekeeper’s area and gave formal introductions there, so another interesting booking decision.
(7) INDI HARTWELL (c) vs. ROXANNE PEREZ vs. TIFFANY STRATTON – Women’s NXT Championship triple threat match
Stratton talked smack to both, then was beat around by both. The three women then traded pins, all broken up by another. [c]
[OVERRUN]
Hartwell was on the outside as Stratton had the left arm of Perez in a wrench. Perez reversed to a wrench of her own. Stratton regained the left, but Perez countered into a victory roll, then a leg capture pin. On the kick out, she took out Hartwell who had just hit the apron. This left the two non-champions in the ring. Perez went for a rana, but Stratton cartwheeled out. Hartwell came back in and hit a double lariat. She then hit both women with bodyslams. Perez countered the second one into a victory roll for a two-count, then used her technical expertise to take it to both women, wrenching both arms and doing an ugly rope-assisted arm drag that didn’t really work. Stratton was able to toss Perez, who landed on Hartwell in a Thesz Press. She then hit a lope to Hartwell on one side and one to Stratton on the other side, ramming her head into the announce table. She went for one more on Hartwell and hit.
Perez rolled Hartwell back inside and climbed to the top for a crossbody, only a two-count. She punched Stratton off of the apron, then went back after Hartwell for a standing arm-trapped guillotine choke. Dolin vs. Jayne was confirmed for next week. Hartwell tried to power out into a suplex, but Perez hit an inside cradle instead. Hartwell was able to power out of a side Russian leg sweep, then hit a short-arm clothesline, holding on and hitting a second, but a third turned into a sunset flip. However, Stratton leaped over and landed on Perez with a double stomp! Well timed that was. She then dropkicked Hartwell out of the ring.
She climbed to the top quickly and hit a swanton to both women on the outside. The three women took some time to regroup as medical checked on Hartwell. Joseph said she was grabbing her right ankle. Back in the ring, Stratton took the attack to Perez. There was a sudden pall to the crowd as they peered over to Hartwell instead of the match. On the replay, Hartwell’s right leg got caught under her like Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic’s leg after being knocked out by Gabriel Gonzaga. The two women then basically had a basic wrestling match as the crowd was just silent. Perez tried getting them back in with strikes and yells, but Hartwell wasn’t even at ringside anymore. Perez went for a crossbody, but Stratton held on and rolled through. Perez countered into a stacked schoolgirl, but Stratton kicked out.
The overrun would usually have ended, but it seems to be a 15-minute overrun for this PLE-lite. Perez sat Stratton on the top rope and wailed away. Perez has shown much more fire since her Satomura match. She hit an avalanche rana, but landed a bit on her own head; Stratton kicked out. They started to trade blows as it seems likely we’re getting a new champ. Perez countered a vertical suplex into an inside cradle. She went for the leg sweep and hit, into a pin, only a two-count. Hartwell limped back out to break up another pin! She then tried pins on both women, but they kicked out. Hartwell, limping, hit both women with her uppercut-kick combo, then a spinebuster to Stratton, pin broken up. Hartwell tried to gain her feet, but rolled back outside. Stratton hit a bodyslame and went for the BME. Hartwell just missed her, then dragged out Stratton on the pin. She hit her sliding lariat to the back of Perez’s neck (Hidden Blade, basically) to retain.
WINNER: Indi Hartwell at 15:12 (Hidden Blade) to retain the Women’s NXT Championship
-They ended the show with D’Angelo and Stacks at a pier or something, intimating they “took care of Pretty Deadly” the same way they did Two Dimes. D’Angelo said it’s time to celebrate and they got back into the old car and drove off.
(Hazelwood’s Take: The replay clearly showed her leg bending underneath her in a terrible position. Hopefully it looked worse than it actually was. Otherwise, maybe an audible should have been called to put the title on one of the other two. If she does have to miss time and relinquish the title, then we’re looking at another tournament or multi-person match to determine a champion. If she is injured, then it’s another one of those that, like Waller, just couldn’t have come at a worse time – as if there’s ever a good time to be injured.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: There was a lot to the show, but potential injuries to Waller and Hartwell are the looming stories. Both happened to be ankle or knee injuries, so unless they were both written to sell it like that – and we’ve seen a complete lack of “quality control” regarding angles and endings across U.S. wrestling – then it should have been written differently. However, from my perspective, the injury to Hartwell looked legit with her leg bending under like that and it was hard to tell with Waller since a replay wasn’t shown. The matches didn’t have the best quality to them as well, Hayes-Waller aside, but the debut of Femi is a big plus. I guess with the Draft so close, it’s hard to try and put anything solid down for future plans because you just don’t know who will be left.
Yeesh, poor Mensah is right! Where are the jobbers???