SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV RESULTS
MARCH 26, 2024
WINTER PARK, FLA. AT THE CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS (@spookymilk), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Backstage Correspondent(s): Kelly Kincaid
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
(1) DIJAK vs. SHAWN SPEARS
Dijak backed up Spears to a corner. Spears escaped and hit Dijak with a shoulderblock. Dijak took Spears down with the same. The two spilled out over the top rope and immediately Dijak tried to take it back in, but Spears dropkicked him and hit him with a plancha. Dijak got in a shot and ran in and flipped over the top rope to take out Spears. Action did go back inside this time and Dijak worked Spears in the corners with some basic offense. Spears got in some chops and Dijak fired back with forearms, and then some corner back elbows. Backbreaker and a splash by Dijak got two. There was a “push Dijak” sign. He’s kind of been getting one, though possibly just so this impending loss will give something to Spears.
Spears hit a chop and put Dijak in a corner, where he elbowed a charging Spears and laid him out with a headbutt. Dijak went up and Spears ran up and hit a German from the top. The USA censors had early work tonight as they muted a “holy shit” chant. Action went outside and as Spears jawed at Dijak, Joe Gacy slinked out from under the ring, grabbed Spears’ chair, and retreated under the ring. Action went back inside and Spears hit a draping DDT. The match went to split-screen at about the five minute mark. [c]
With no clear babyface available for a heat segment, the split-screen segment was basically 50-50. Dijak hit a flying clothesline shortly after return to full-screen as the crowd gave it a “this is awesome” chant, which was perhaps a bit generous, though it’s been just fine. Dijak took Spears to a corner for some extremely loud palm strikes. He bealed Spears, who countered and rolled Dijak into a two count. Discus boot by Dijak got a long two. “Fight forever” chant. This crowd is in a great mood tonight. After a couple of counters, Spears hit a soft-looking DDT that the announcers covered for. Dijak put Spears on the mat and went for a springboard elbow, but Spears escaped and Dijak hit the mat. Spears went out to look for his trusty chair, and was confused as it was nowhere to be seen. Spears changed gears and flew off the top, but Dijak caught him. High Justice got two. Dijak hit a superkick and hit Feast Your Eyes for the victory.
WINNER: Dijak at 13:22.
Joe Gacy slipped out from under the ring and posed on top of the announce table with Spears’ chair as he glared.
(Wells’s Analysis: The sign said “push Dijak.” With as much as he’s traded wins for a while now, I wonder how many wins have to be strung together for people to notice that a push is indeed happening. An acceptable hoss fight to open that the crowd just ate up)
-Roxanne Perez segment. She cut up a series of photos from her previously-established scrapbook, removing the stars she posed with as a child. She did the tried-and-true-schtick of asking where her babyface personality ever got her. She said she got to where she is by breaking the rules and doing it her way. She said she didn’t like nor dislike Lyra Valkyria – she was just the one holding her title. Perez was very strong in this pre-taped environment; if she can bring it live, she’ll really get somewhere.
-Thea Hail was introduced for her match with Jazmyn Nyx. Her name is genuinely difficult to type as my muscle memory hates the progression, but reps got me used to typing Breakker, so anything’s possible. [c]
-Hank and Tank and Enofe and Blade (with Brinley Reece) were waiting to audition for the role of hosts for Stand & Deliver. Andre Chase walked out and said he [bleep] nailed it. Meta-Four went inside the room next.
(2) THEA HAIL (w/Andre Chase & Duke Hudson & Riley Osborne) vs. JAZMYN NYX (w/Jacy Jayne)
I know Jayne does well as a heel, but I really don’t know why she was the savior of Chase U if she was going to turn back just weeks later. Nyx took early control and mockingly jawed at Hail as she grinned out at Jayne. Hail got into it with a back elbow and running neckbreaker ot of the corner. Nyx hit a pretty Pele kick to retake control and wrapped up Hail’s arms with her legs. Jayne slunk over to the other side and snatched Chase’s towel and threw it in the ring. Osborne ran in and caught it so it wouldn’t look like a submission. The ref threw out Chase University. Hail got in Jayne’s face and said she thought they were friends. Jayne looked to think about it before saying they were never friends. She slapped Hail. Nyx tried to roll Hail up, but Hail put her in a Kimura Lock for an immediate tap.
WINNER: Thea Hail at 3:35.
Nyx and Jayne attacked Hail along with Kiana James & Izzi Dame. Fallon Henley and Kelani Jordan madethe save and a big brawl ensued. The faces got the better of it as the heels went up the ramp.
(Wells’s Analysis: Jazmyn Nyx’s progression is inversely proportionate to how good her ring name is, which is to say she’s looking very strong in the ring in a short-form match. Lots of business here to continue to establish the two large sides of this multi-woman feud)
-Trick Williams/Carmelo Hayes segment. It was some new soundbytes over some older footage. Booker T weighed in and said it was always going to be time for Trick Williams to strike out on his own eventually. Randy Orton and CM Punk got in some comments as well. SO strange to see them on this show. Carmelo Hayes got his rebuttal. He said this wasn’t a “we” thing, it was a “me, with you” thing. He said Melo was second to nobody. They threw to some of the money lines from Hayes’ excellent sit-down-in-the-ring promo from a few weeks ago. He said “Trick…wherever you at? Stay there. Your fifteen minutes are up.”
-Lola Vice called for an open challenge on social media. After the break, we find out who answered the call. [c]
-Maxxine Dupri tried to pump up Otis and Akira Tozawa in the weight room. Otis was thinking about Lash. Their match with Breakker and Corbin will be our main event.
-Lola Vice got on the mic and said it was Stand and Deliver season, and she put out an open challenge and nobody was good enough to show up. She asked for someone to come out so she could put them to sleep.
Natalya’s music played and she had a mic. Vice sold worry. She said as Lola’s resume has grown, so has her ego. She said she’s not saying this because she sees nothing in her, she’s saying it because she sees everything in her. She said she wants to be the one to kick her ass.
(3) NATALYA vs. LOLA VICE
The two briefly brawled before the bell, and referee Darryl Sharma broke it up and asked for the bell. “Nattie” chant. Natalya took the early advantage but Vice feigned a punch and threw a wicked thrust kick. Vice stood tall as the match went to commercial. [c]
Nattie got in a big boot to get back into it as the match returned. She threw rights in the cornerand the ref backed her up. Nattie tripped vice and hit her with a basement dropkick for two. Natalya set up the sharpshooter but Vice countered into an ankle lock and stuck her tongue all the way out to the camera in a weird taunt. After an escape and some transitions, Nattie got two rollups for two. Backfist by Vice got a long two. Karmen Petrovic walked down the ramp and tried to pump up Natalya since she’s feuding with Vice. The crowd booed her, mostly, for showing up. Vice did her booty-shake taunt at Petrovic and got in one or two more shots, and the two went back to frequent reversals and mat submissions. Vice missed a roundhouse and Nattie rolled her up for the flash pin.
WINNER: Natalya at 8:35.
(Wells’s Analysis: Shawn Michaels continues to love using the finish where babyfaces win via distraction by another babyface. Petrovic got some push-back just for showing up here. Part of that is because heel Vice is still very popular, but I think the audience is tiring of this trope. Good action in this one, however)
-Shawn Spears was right outside the building talking to the camera about tonight’s loss. A chair fell near him, and the camera panned up to the roof where Joe Gacy said “Sorry Shawn! I meant to give that back to you.” Spears angrily stormed off and Spears threw another chair. This time it was a little too close to hitting Oba Femi, who was entering the building. Well, Gacy, been nice to know you. [c]
-Sol Ruca pre-taped segment. She compared her early career to riding the waves – it can all come crashing down in an instant. She set her sights on Blair Davenport, who kayfabe “shredded her ACL” and put her out for nine months. She showed some halfway-decent babyface fire as she said “You may have torn my ACL, Blair, but next week…I snatch your soul.”
-Blair Davenport gave a properly snotty rebuttal in a live backstage segment. She said when she was done with her, she’d be on another painful road to recovery.
[HOUR TWO]
(4) ILJA DRAGUNOV vs. CHANNING “STACKS” LORENZO (w/Adrianna Rizzo)
Non-title. Stacks wanted Dragunov to charge. He did, and Stacks caught the leg and put down Ilja. Ilja threw some rights and Stacks swung and missed, then hit a dropkick. Stacks pointed at his head to brag about the move. Stacks took Ilja to a corner but Ilja threw some chops. Good-looking running uppercut by Stacks. Stacks went to a corner for some mounted punches but Dragunov bombed him out of the corner. Dragunov went for an early H-Bomb but Stacks got a boot up. He stomped on Ilja’s finger and Ilja sold a kayfabe injury to his ring finger. Tornado DDT by Stacks. He covered for two. Stacks worked Dragunov’s arm and we got a look of Tony D’Angelo and Luca Crusifino watching on a monitor near the lockers.
Stacks stomped Dragunov’s wrist and Vic called the move “cement shoes,” which is a nice touch. Dragunov got back into it and hit a snap suplex. Powerbomb by Dragunov. Torpedo Moscow finished.
WINNER: Ilja Dragunov at 5:03.
After the match, Crusifino asked D’Angelo if they should go to the ring. D said no, but to invite Dragunov to dinner. He said a restaurant is too open and he had a secret spot in mind.
(Wells’s Analysis: I was no sooner going to write that this might be a time for Dragunov to just flatten his opponent when he did indeed end it. It was maybe too much offense for Stacks, but at least he’s a pretty good wrestler and Dragunov’s act hinges on him fighting from underneath)
-Prime Target, part II: Hayes vs. Williams. I missed that this was Prime Target before. This one was all new content with Williams putting over his beginnings and his journey to where he is. Wrestlers and friends weighed in. He said simply, “Melo…I’m coming for you.”
-A spot for Meek Mill appearing at WrestleMania aired. [c]
-The WolfDogs did some of their usual half-friendly banter and the Good Brothers showed up. They said that if the WolfDogs lose here it’s a triple threat at Stand & Deliver, which will allow them to pin Alpha Academy. Breakker told them it wouldn’t be a triple threat and he’s going to go out there and take care of business.
-Ridge Holland was in the ring to the usual near-total silence. He said he had something difficult to say. He thanked everyone for giving him a chance and giving him the opportunity to say what he has to say. He said during his rugby career if he found himself hesitating or having a step off, it was time for difficult conversations. He said he couldn’t run the risk of hurting himself or someone else again. There was a light cheer for that. He said there’s a perception around him and he’s heard the whispers and seen the comments. He said whether it’s true or not, they don’t know the effect it’s had on the man behind Ridge Holland. He said he’s tired and it’s taken away his ability to be the best dad and husband he can be. There was another cheer. He said he had conversations with, first, the people who love him, and second, with himself in the mirror. He said he’s made a decision for his own mental health and the benefit of his family, and he’s stepping away from in-ring competition immediately. A few more scattered cheers. He said he considers himself blessed and lucky to step foot in the company. He extended a big thanks to NXT for allowing him to go back and take one last shot at redemption. He was sorry it didn’t work out and he appreciates it more than you know. He set down the mic in the ring and started out. There was a “Thank you Ridge” chant. He went up the ramp and out. Nobody interfered or showed up period. It feels like an angle, but if it is, they aren’t paying it off yet, so I guess there’s a small chance it’s not. Then again, would they give that amount of time to Ridge Holland just to actually retire?
-Lyra Valkyria pre-taped segment. She said Roxanne Perez is taking the easy way out, attacking everyone in sight, because looking in the mirror is too hard for her. She said she understood all of Perez’s emotions, but “this title deserves so much better than you.” She said Perez let the title break her. She said she thinks she’s the chosen one, but her time has passed. She said she’d do anything to keep her title, and to keep Perez the hell away from it. More strong hype for the Women’s Championship match here. [c]
(5) JOSH BRIGGS vs. DUKE HUDSON
Briggs took the early advantage as he battered Hudson around the corners. He yelled “See me Dijak? Look at me, Dijak.” as Dijak was sitting in on commentary. Rope run and a rana by Hudson. Hudson hit a side slam for two. The match was going to be for top contendership for the North American Championship. Dijak said he’s been in some of the best matches for the North American Championship in history, but of course he couldn’t mention them because they were with Keith Lee. Briggs laid out Hudson on the outside as the match went to commercial. [c]
Back to action, Hudson was fighting from underneath, as he was playing the face in the face-face matchup. Briggs cut it off with a side slam. Again Briggs stared out at Dijak. Dijak said “they’re not as big as me, they’re not as strong as me, they’re definitely not as tan as me” about the two combatants. Briggs put Hudson up in a corner and Hudson was getting his footing, and Briggs kicked the top rope, which crotched Hudson on the turnbuckle. Briggs hit a superplex. Hudson fought off a corner charge with a back elbow, then hit a short clothesline in the center of the ring. Running big boot by Hudson. Hudson did his Chase U punch progression, then hit a running senton for two. Briggs fought off Hudson in a corner but ran right into a Bossman Slam for two. Briggs hit a side suplex and started toward the corner, but again distracted himself by staring out at Dijak. Hudson hit a powerbomb out of the distraction, followed by a corner lariat. Briggs exploded out of a corner with his own, then hit the Clothesline from Hell for the win.
WINNER: Josh Briggs at 10:29.
Dijak went up to the apron, ready to get after Briggs. Oba Femi showed up on the perch. He said there were two monumental wins from them tonight. He said he had two worthy opponents who wanted to climb the mountain. He reminded them that he is the mountain. He said he’d get them on April 6th at Stand and Deliver. Both Briggs and Dijak smiled, having gotten their opportunity. That one’s going to be hard-hitting.
(Wells’s Analysis: Hudson doesn’t get to win a lot, but he provides a valuable service as a tough-to-beat big man who indeed usually ends up getting beat. Briggs looked good in this one and his preoccupation with Dijak was a good red herring as both were actually heading to the match.)
-Prime Target – part III – Hayes vs. Williams. Punk appeared again, as did Johnny Gargano and Randy Orton. They talked about the nature of revenge. Tommaso Ciampa said that it was going to be the biggest match in NXT history. Cody Rhodes said it was easy to pick a winner – Trick Williams. Trick and Melo got some more soundbytes in. Hayes asked what Williams knows about selling tickets, about making money, about being…him. I don’t know how they’ve found a way to add more sizzle to this scorching match, but they have.
-There was some hype for Stand and Deliver, and suddenly there was some commotion in the production room, where Meta-Four said they were the official hosts of Stand and Deliver. Really…who else? It’ll be interesting to see if they attempt to strike a balance between the usual silliness and their genuine abilities to sell a show when the time comes.
-The WolfDogs entered ahead of the main event. [c]
-Arianna Grace, via socials, was obsessing over what outfit to use to dress “Georgina.” She found one – unseen to us – and said “She’s gonna look SO GOOD…”
-Kelly Kincaid talked to Ilja Dragunov by the lockers. Crusifino showed up and invited him to a pre-Stand and Deliver dinner. He gave Dragunov a sealed envelope with a gold sticker with Tony D’Angelo’s monogram on it. Dragunov opened it, still selling the pain to his worked hand, and he and Kincaid shared a shocked look at the contents, unseen to us.
(6) ALPHA ACADEMY (Otis & Akira Tozawa) (w/Maxxine) vs. THE WOLFDOGS (Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin) – If Alpha Academy win, they’re added to the Tag Team Championship match at Stand & Deliver
This isn’t for the title itself but AA advances if they win. Otis and Breakker got into it and Otis laid out Breakker with a stiff lariat. Corbin charged in and got laid out by Otis. Tozawa tagged in and stung early and often on Corbin, clearing him to the ramp along with Breakker. Otis tossed Tozawa onto the opponents outside and the match went to split-screen. [c]
[OVERRUN]
The champs dominated during the break as the pace slowed. Breakker laid out Tozawa with a big short clothesline and the crowd barked. Corbin tagged in and the duo hit an assisted powerslam (Breakker tossed Tozawa to Corbin) and Corbin covered for two. Corbin leaned on Tozawa near the ropes. “Let’s go Corbin/Corbin sucks” dueling chants were about even. I guess they may have been saying “Tozawa,” though. Breakker tagged in and charged Tozawa in a corner, but Tozawa moved and Breakker ate ringpost. Tozawa hit an enzuigiri and Corbin tagged in while Otis made the hot tag. The heels fed Otis as he dominated with corner splashes, clotheslines and rights. Otis gave backdrops to both monster opponents at once to a pop. He hit the Worm and the elbow for two. Breakker tagged in and Otis immediately hit him with a big slam for two. Tozawa tagged in and he and Otis went for a cross-body with Breakker on Otis’s shoulders, but Breakker reversed in midair in a wild spot. Breakker and Corbin bombed Otis through the announce table and it was time for the censors to earn their pay again.
Back inside, Tozawa superkicked Corbin, but he made the tag, and Corbin set up Breakker for a big spear that was good to finish. AA won’t be heading to Stand & Deliver and the match will be 2-on-2 as the opponents are decided next week. LWO, the Good Brothers, and Axiom & Nathan Frazer all showed up ahead of the triple threat next week to decide the opponents. As the brawl devolved into all eight men going at it, I couldn’t help but think that this brand loves its four-way tag championship matches on big shows, and somehow that’s probably where we’re headed. The show faded out as the eight raged on.
WINNERS: The WolfDogs at 10:07.
(Wells’s Analysis: The WolfDogs act continues to be more fun than it ever had any right to be. Assuming this does end up a four-way, that seems an okay way to get the belts off of Breakker without damaging what they’re going to build with him on the main roster. Fun tag action here with massive underdogs still making the crowd believe anything was possible)
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a pretty strong show as the brand heads toward Stand & Deliver, anchored primarily by the Trick-Melo Prime Target segments that really drove home that this is probably the brand’s defining feud – ever – other than Gargano vs. Ciampa (and there’s time to surpass that one, too, though Melo’s impending callup will keep that feud from growing further, most likely). The picture for NXT’s intended biggest show of the year continued to grow clearer as each match got a good amount of shine tonight. I’ll cover it all with Nate Lindberg tonight on PWT Talks NXT
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