SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT NO MERCY REPORT
SEPTEMBER 1, 2024
DENVER, COLO. @ BALL ARENA
AIRED ON PEACOCK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS (@spookymilk), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Backstage Correspondent(s): Sarah Schreiber, Kelly Kincaid
Send in your questions and comments on the show to pwtorchnxt@gmail.com.
-The pre-show ended with a long-form beachside interview of Ethan Page by Vic Joseph. It was a nicely-done hype piece for the main event, deepening the hook about what special referee has to gain if Joe Hendry beats Page for the championship in tonight’s main event.
[HOUR ONE]
-A narrator talked about “change in the air” in NXT, in the forms of both Ethan Page and Joe Hendry. He then promoted Wentz-Lee and Perez-Parker, and spoke in more general terms about the rest over shots of the hype leading to tonight’s show.
-Vic was on the mic promoting the fact that this was the first PLE in Denver in twenty years. That’s hard to believe, though fans in Denver are no doubt acutely aware.
(1) CHASE UNIVERSITY (Andre Chase & Ridge Holland) (w/Thea Hail & Duke Hudson & Riley Osborne) (c) vs. AXIOM & NATHAN FRAZER – NXT Tag Team Championship
Chase U got their fair share of boos, which is amusing since they’ve finally managed to shake them down in Orlando. Chase had new gear with red stripes down the sides and bright red shoes. He looked like he was wearing nighttime reflective gear. Axiom and Chase opened the match and Axiom hung up Chase in a stretch and tagged Frazer, who ran the ropes and hit a back kick on Chase. Frazer got in some kicks but Holland managed to tag and he immediately flattened Frazer, then hit him with a double underhook suplex for two. Chase tagged in and hit a basement dropkick on Frazer for two. Frazer got in a boot and tagged Axiom, who hit a DDT for two.
The challengers kept up the tandem offense, this time with superkicks, and Frazer covered Chase for two after getting in a cheap superkick on Holland, who was on the apron. Axiom tagged in and worked an ankle lock on Chase, who rolled through. Both guys went for clotheslines and they both ended up on the mat. The two tagged at the same time. Holland destroyed Frazer with more suplexes and then a gut-wrench into a DDT for two. Axiom tagged in and went for a high cross-body but Holland caught him and slammed him. Holland went up and hit a swandive headbutt. He covered for two, but Frazer flew in for the save.
Frazer tagged in and he and Axiom combined for a high-low shot for two. Booker T instigated, saying Holland was doing all the work in the match for his team. Axiom wanted a top rope Spanish Fly, but Frazer got chucked into the ropes and Frazer got crotched. Chase then hit a top rope Spanish Fly on Axiom instead – not sure I’ve seen him do one, ever. He hit a DDT and covered for a long two and an “NXT” chant.
Holland tagged in and went at Axiom with chops, but Axiom got in some quick shots and then hit Chase with a tope suicida. Frazer tried one on Holland, who caught him. Axiom got caught also and Holland tossed them over the barricade. It was Holland specifically getting booed by some of the crowd. The challengers got back into it as there was a mess outside the ring before Frazer hit Chase with a springboard 360 splash for a long two. Chase and Frazer exchanged some quick shots and Holland tagged in and he and Chase combined for a Doomsday Device for two. Holland slammed Frazer for Chase to cover, but Axiom superkicked Holland onto the pile to break it up. All four sold for a bit on the mat.
The illegal men got dumped and Frazer and Chase went at it again. They went up in a corner and Frazer hit a superplex. Axiom tagged in and hit a team move and got two. He went for the Golden Ratio but Chase moved and Frazer ate it. Holland made the tag and turned Axiom inside out. He and Chase combined for a slam and backstabber that got two. Everyone was fooled, including me. Axiom and Chase were legal. Axiom hit the top rope Spanish Fly and Frazer hit the frog splash to reclaim the tag team championships.
WINNERS: Axiom & Nathan Frazer at 13:31.
After the match, all of Chase U stood together, but they lingered just a bit too long as it was clear we were headed somewhere. Holland jumped Osborne and Hudson as they attempted to leave the ring, then destroyed Chase to boos. Hail cried as she tried to stop Holland from taking Chase to the announce table and nailing him with a double-underhook DDT. Boos rained down on Holland, but of course there was a “one more time” chant also. They brought out a stretcher and prepared Chase for it as the show cut to a commercial for NXT Halloween Havoc on October 27th.
(Wells’s Analysis: So why the title change and the long angle about Axiom & Frazer not being on the same page? Maybe an audible was called at some point? I suppose Holland losing a title he’s finally gained is bigger than just losing in a title shot, so whatever. Holland will remain heel after all, and this time it seems like they’ve hit upon something that can garner him real heel heat. A good opener)
-On Peacock Premium, I got a longish hype package for the issue between Pete Dunne and Trick Williams, who both got sit-down promos. I think the pieces appeared on the weekly show some weeks ago, but they promoted the match for this Tuesday.
-Jaida Parker and Roxanne Perez were both shown arriving earlier tonight. They also replayed the Holland beatdown, and Vic couldn’t resist saying that Holland showed NO MERCY to Andre Chase.
-Hype for Lee-Wentz.
(2) ZACHARY WENTZ vs. WES LEE
Wentz carried his TNA tag team championship belt with him, though partner Trey Miguel wasn’t there. On his entrance jacket, there were photos of all three of them hanging out before the break. Vic mentioned they first teamed together in December 2015 in Rockstar Pro.
Quick reversals and missed connections early. I guess we’re not treating this as a grudge match. Lee got in some rights, then the two ran the ropes. Wentz tripped Lee and hit a basement dropkick, then kipped up. Wentz hit a twisting cross-body from the corner and covered for two. Lee bailed and Wentz followed. Both guys missed shots and Lee charged Wentz into the post headfirst. He threw some kicks at Wentz, who was laid up against the ring. Lee hit a back suplex on Wentz on the apron, then went in and covered for two.
Lee hit a trio of knee lifts. The two exchanged rights but Lee caught one and charged Wentz into a corner. For as much as the rapid-fire opening worried me, Wes is firmly working heel here. He mockingly made the MSK hand gesture to the crowd to boos. Lee worked an armbar and Wentz tried to break with a right. The two exchanged forearms and Wentz flipped off the ropes and hit a jumping knee. Lee took down Lee with a couple of running elbows, then hit a snap German. Knee lift in the coner by Wentz, who then hit Lee with a kick to the chest. Lee bailed and Wentz ran and hit him with a PK that turned Lee inside out on the floor. Wentz went to the top and laid out Lee on the floor. “TNA” chant. Action went back inside.
Wentz slammed Lee and covered for two. The two reversed some shots. Lee went for a meteora but Wentz rolled with it and snapped on a Boston crab. Lee booted Wentz from underneath and Wentz hit Lee with a superkick. Wentz went up but Lee booted him and then hit him with a beautiful rana. He covered for two. Cardiac Kick got two. Huh. Are we headed toward a new finisher?
Wes threw some rights and Wentz hit a kind of blockbuster DDT (that’s what Vic went with, and it was too quick for me to be sure) and Lee quickly hit the meteora. They sold and got a “this is awesome” chant. Lee took Wentz outside and uncovered the table. Between Bash in Berlin and this show, is there a running joke to involve the table as much as possible? Lee charged Wentz against the steps, but Wentz moved. Wentz tried to head back inside but Lee dragged him out and set him on the table. Unfortunately, the table collapsed under Wentz. Lee went to the top anyway and hit a Thesz press from the top to make up for the lost table spot. It worked, as the crowd gave him a “holy sh*t” chant.
Lee walked over and got a chair. He tossed the TNA tag belt aside. He reared back to hit Wentz with it, but Trey Miguel was behind him and he snatched the chair. Wentz leaped from the apron and hit a destroyer, then took Lee inside for the UFO cutter and got the victory.
WINNER: Zachary Wentz at 13:37.
(Wells’s Analysis: This result should call the result of the main event into question, as we now know they’re willing to put TNA over in big spots. With no championship on the line, though, this is easy to do a one-off where Lee doesn’t lose anything. This one got into an impressive gear while Lee was still able to work heel like a champ. Very good stuff throughout)
-Vic announced that Jordan-Choo is up next. Peacock Premium subscribers got a previously-seen pre-recorded hype segment for Fatal Influence, and one for Oba Femi.
-On a social media video, Hank & Tank bantered about the tag team championship match. Tank said the new champions need new #1 contenders.
-Backstage, Joe Hendry prepared. Trick Williams stepped in and said he’d be calling it down the middle. Hendry said he expected nothing less and he would still be giving Trick the first title shot if he won.
(3) KELANI JORDAN (c) vs. WENDY CHOO – NXT Women’s North American Championship
The camera lingered longer than usual on Choo’s creepy doll poses as she continues to find the character. Jordan is getting to be more recognized and respected from the fans after months of having no clear direction before the title win.
[HOUR TWO]
Jordan got in some quick offense and showed off her speed early. Choo forced down Jordan’s hand and stomped it, then hit a monkey flip. Choo was wrenching Jordan’s wrists until Jordan flipped through and kicked away one arm. Choo got dumped and Jordan hit her with a plancha. Back inside, Jordan wanted a split-legged moonsault but Choo rolled away. Jordan hit some dropkicks and a thrustkick. The audience was pretty gassed here after the Lee-Wentz match.
Choo took Jordan up in a corner and put her in the tree of woe, except hanging over the outside. Choo booted her into the post, and she fell to the floor. Choo did a doll pose before going back to work. Choo beat Jordan against the apron and then rolled her inside and hit the cobra twist. Choo ran the ropes and hit a thrustkick, then covered for two. Choo whipped Jordan into the post, then hit a flatliner and did a creepy grin. Choo yanked Jordan’s legs but she landed on her feet and rolled Choo up for two. Choo hit a quick throat chop to retain the upper hand.
Choo hit a splash in the corner, then tried in the opposite corner but ate a back elbow. Choo laid out Jordan and hit an elbow drop for two. She sold frustration. Choo put Jordan up in the tree of woe and charged, but Jordan got a boot up. She freed herself and the two laid each other out with a double clothesline.
Jordan fired up and hit Choo with a couple of running ax-handles, but Choo hit her with a German suplex. Jordan managed a dropkick and then hit Choo with a Pele kick. Tornado DDT by Jordan and an X-Factor by Jordan got two. Choo defiantly stared at Jordan, who put the boots to Choo. Vic said it was like Choo is possessed. Jordan hit a frog splash from the top for a long two. Action spilled outside, where Choo hit a snap suplex on the floor. They went right back inside.
Jordan countered a full nelson but had no answer for a Choo powerbomb. Choo covered for two. Jordan fought off Choo by holding onto the ropes and the two jockeyed for position there. Choo was likely going for a superplex but the two couldn’t connect properly and they fell to the mat. Choo worked her sleeper and Jordan’s arm also hit the mat, but she shook her arm in defiance and broke the hold. Jordan booted Choo to the mat and got in some forearms. Flatliner by Jordan. 480 splash by Jordan. Split-legged moonsault finished.
WINNER: Kelani Jordan at 13:15.
After the match, Choo stared out with her doll pose, and Tatum Paxley showed up from behind her and choked her out. She put a Barbie doll fashioned to look like Choo and set it on Choo’s pillow.
(Wells’s Analysis: This was a perfectly good match other than the ugly top-rope spot near the end, but the audience didn’t respond much to it. It could be fatigue from the first two lightspeed matches, but it could also be that neither is connecting enough with the audience yet, though I think both are on the right track, no matter how high concept and weird Choo’s direction is. The audience also didn’t respond much to Paxley’s appearance, which isn’t a huge surprise as she’s rarely been booked as a winner)
-Premium subscribers got a Jaida Parker hype segment.
-Earlier tonight, Andre Chase was loaded into an ambulance and Thea Hail rode with him.
-Sarah Schreiber tried to get an answer from Ridge Holland, who just smirked and resumed walking away.
(4) TONY D’ANGELO (w/Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo & Luca Crusifino & Adrianna Rizzo) vs. OBA FEMI (c) – NXT North American Championship
The crowd still seemed a little muted until Femi came out and they woke up a little bit. Lockup to open, leading to a stalemate. Femi worked a headlock and then blocked D to the mat. The two exchanged some shots and D hit a suplex that sent Femi outside to regroup. Femi reentered, caught a charging D’Angelo, and charged him to a corner. Rope run and Femi looked like he was going for a uranage but D’Angelo’s foot went over Femi’s and it looked like D rolled his ankle to some degree. From one who knows (though I don’t have the pressure of being an athlete), hopefully he avoids the high-ankle sprain. He was running the ring shortly after, so hopefully it’s minor.
Femi hit a suplex and then rocked D with a running uppercut. He covered for two. Femi charged D to the ropes and then hit a wicked lariat to the rear side that laid out D’Angelo. Femi stepped on D’Angelo’s neck until referee Darryl Sharma broke it up. Femi hit a shoulder breaker that Vic called “Papa Shango-esque.” He covered for two. D’Angelo turned a powerbomb attempt into a back body-drop. D wanted a belly-to-belly but Femi clapped his ears. Fami caught a charging D’Angelo and they both fell to the apron, where they exchanged rights. D’Angelo managed a DDT.
Back inside, they ran the ropes and D’Angelo hit a belly-to-belly suplex. He was selling and couldn’t cover. They went to an exchange of rights and D’Angelo hit another belly-to-belly. Fuhgeddaboutit fisherman suplex got two. The two laid in some rights and D’Angelo hit a powerslam. D put up Femi in an electric chair and fell back for two. Action spilled out again, where Femi grabbed a crowbar from Crusifino. He destroyed Crusifino and then Stacks, but D’Angelo got the upper hand. It went back inside and D’Angelo hit a spear for two.
The two fought out and back into the ring yet again, where Femi hit a powerbomb. He got two and the announcers said nobody’s kicked out of it before. D’Angelo definitely shouldn’t have been the one to break that streak. D’Angelo fought through a powerbomb attempt and he slammed Femi. Again he couldn’t cover. The Family tried to rally D’Angelo in a shot thatI think was meant to make D look like the underdog favorite, but that was never going to happen as the crowd chanted “Oba.” He hit a powerbomb to finish.
WINNER: Oba Femi at 13:44.
(Wells’s Analysis: Just a weird bunch of characterizations here, as the Family is silly enough as heels, but outright miscast as babyfaces. The match was worked as if D’Angelo was the face, but months of evidence would suggest that they aren’t going to be able to cast someone as effortlessly cool as Femi as a heel and have the fans play along. Femi has been in his share of great hoss fights, but this wasn’t one of them. D’Angelo still comes off better as the brute in a tag team)
-Premium subscribers got a look at Michael Cole’s biggest calls and moments, followed by a Bron Breakker hype segment.
-Trick Williams stepped up to Ethan Page to let him know he was calling it down the middle. Page said that was a bigger joke than Trick’s championship reign. Williams said if he doesn’t abide by his rules tonight, he just might Whoop That Trick.
-Sarah Schreiber caught up with Zach Wentz and Trey Miguel. Wentz was drenched in sweat as if the match had just ended. He said he lost a friend, but a true friend in Trey Miguel showed up. He said although MSK wasn’t able to topple Axiom and Nathan Frazer a couple of weeks ago, they never faced the Rascalz. He asked into the camera what they thought of the challenge. Apparently Wentz and Miguel aren’t written off of NXT TV yet…
-Hype for the Women’s Championship match.
(5) JAIDA PARKER vs. ROXANNE PEREZ (c) – NXT Women’s Championship match
Apparently OTM didn’t make the trip to walk her to the ramp. From here on out we’re on watch for Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer and Delta to arrive, assuming none of them skip NXT entirely. Parker got a strong pop during Alicia Taylor’s formal intros, but there was a “Roxy” chant as well.
Perez powered Perez down for a quick one count. The two exchanged some holds and it was impossible not to notice how much smaller Perez is. Perez got in a knee. Perez bowed after an escape, so Parker bowed back after an arm drag. Parker caught a charging Perez, draped her on the second ropes, and ran for the hip attack but Perez escaped. Rope run and Parker blocked Perez to the mat. Perez dumped Parker, then went for a tope suicida, but Parker caught Perez over her back and started going up the steps. Perez escaped and charged Parker to the steps. Perez broke the count and referee D.A. Brewer tried to get it back inside, but Perez booted Parker hard into the steps.
Brewer reached the count of five and Parker made it to the ring. Perez put the boots to Parker and hit a double stomp. She covered for two. There was a dueling chant that was relatively even. Parker blocked some rights but nailed her own. Parker got dumped to the apron and Perez charged her to the ringpost, then yanked her into it from across the post. Perez covered for two. Perez worked an abdominal stretch and added some elbows to the side. Parker broke free and the two exchanged rights. Perez got in an uppercut in the corner and Parker ended up draped on the second ropes, and she hit Parker’s signature hip attack, then mocked her strut to boos.
[HOUR THREE]
Perez ran the ropesand got caught. She made a “please don’t” motion and Parker hit her with a powerbomb for two. Parker fired up and hit some strikes and a body slam. Spinebuster by Parker got two. The two sold for a moment. Perez flew but Parker caught her and set up her hip attack. She rained palm strikes on Perez’s belly, then went up and hit the teardrop hip attack. She covered for two. Parker tried a suplex but her ribs were worked and she couldn’t convert. Perez tried a crossface but Parker caught her for a suplex. Parker tried her running hip attack finisher, but Perez snatched her and snapped on a submission. Parker fought to her feet and slammed Perez behind her, then went for a backsplash but missed. Perez rolled her up for two.
Perez went for Pop Rox, but missed. Parker hit the Hipnotic hip attack, but they were too near the ropes and Perez went spilling out. There’s her visual victory before the loss. Parker charged and missed and broke through a barricade, and Perez hit Pop Rox on the fallen barricades. Parker fought her way to the ring at 9 only to immediately get hit by Pop Rox again.
WINNER: Roxanne Perez at 14:50.
After the decision was rendered, Perez posed, but a foreboding theme played and smoke filled the arena. Through it walked Giulia, who casually strode down the ramp as Perez clutched her belt to her chest. Giulia hopped to the apron and stepped into the ring and walked up to Perez. Perez held up her belt defiantly and the two stared at each other before the show went to a commercial.
(Wells’s Analysis: With the women about to enter NXT, this was never going to be Jaida’s match, and I think a lot of people figured the hook was set to debut Giulia this week. Hopefully Jaida isn’t lost in the shuffle, because I thought she really showed up here in a big spot, but Giulia will be the center of the women’s division from the moment Tuesday’s show hits)
-Premium subcribers got previously-seen hype videos for Je’Von Evans, Izzi Dame and Giovanni Vinci.
-Sarah Schreiber talked with Ava, who said that Gallus, Hank & Tank, and the Rascalz would meet in a triple threat #1 contender’s match on Tuesday. She also said as part of the launch on the CW, whoever walks out as NXT Champion tonight will defend on that show. Vic also promoted the Trick Williams-Pete Dunne match on Tuesday.
-Hype for the main event.
(6) JOE HENDRY vs. ETHAN PAGE (c) – NXT Championship match – special guest referee Trick Williams
Hendry’s entrance had Denver in the palm of his hand just like he has Orlando, but this match is a big put up or shut up moment for him. Page got a small moment to jaw into the camera and say he’s going to do what he does best – win – before he told the unseen production guys in gorilla to hit his music. Alicia Taylor handled formal intros.
The bell rang to start the match, after which Williams…called for the bell? Interesting start. They locked up early and fought to a corner until Page wouldn’t break and Williams had to get between them. They fought to the corner again and this time Hendry cornered Page, and Williams broke it up again as the match went totally ham-fisted in establishing Williams as impartial.
Hendry took down Page, who reversed, but Hendry worked the wrist and took down Page again to cheers. They met in the middle and neither one could take down the other. Page resorted to a kick to the midsection, but Hendry ran the ropes and blocked Page to the mat. Hendry picked up Page for a long-delayed suplex for two. Page got in a hard right but Hendry rolled him up for two, then went to a different rollup for two. Page went for some quick ground & pound and then worked Hendry over in the corner, the posed on the second rope to boos.
Hendry exploded out of the corner with a lariat. Page put down Hendry with a back elbow. Page worked a front chancery on the mat, then leaped into it to add torque. Hendry fought it into a suplex. Vic was laying the “Do you believe?” stuff on pretty thick. Page hit a suplex and covered for two. Page argued the count with Williams, who had effectively disappeared into the background until it was time to establish his presence for a moment again.
The two went up in a corner and fought for the upper hand. Page finagled Hendry over his shoulder and hit a powerslam for two. Page went up but Hendry recovered and met him there for a fallaway slam. Page bailed, and Hendry sailed over the top rope to lay out Page. Page charged Hendry to a corner, then hit Ego’s Edge on the hardest part of the apron. Page tried to get Williams to count faster. Hendry made it at the last moment. Page laid in some shots on Hendry, then got into Trick’s face for a moment.
Page tried Ego’s Edge again but Hendry caught him and hit his own Edge for two. Both guys sold for a moment. They got to their feet and traded uppercuts, then chops and forearms. Hendry got in a few in a row and hit a running Page with a lariat. Fallaway slam by Hendry. Hendry led a “We believe” chant and he hit the Standing Ovation, but Page’s leg was under the rope and Williams noticed at the last moment. Hendry went to argue, and Page charged Hendry into Williams. Williams spilled from the ring. Page hit the Standing Ovation on Hendry and covered, and referee Darryl Sharma ran down to count it.
Page nailed his finisher on Hendry and covered, and Sharma counted the one…two…and then Williams flew into the ring and got between Sharma’s arm and the mat. He said he was the official. Page tried to hit Williams, who ducked. He took out Sharma as a result. As Williams checked on Sharma, Page nailed Hendry with a low blow. Page hit Ego’s Edge and covered. Williams reluctantly counted the 1…2…3.
Afterward, Page put up a big thumbs up in the face of Williams, who wasn’t amused.
WINNER: “All Ego” Ethan Page at 15:07.
As Page posed with the belt, Williams was outside the ring. From behind him, Pete Dunne showed up and hit the Bitter End on Williams. Vic said that Ethan Page will show NO MERCY on the NXT roster. Sigh.
(Wells’s Analysis: This went about as I expected, with Hendry having a lot of outs for the loss but not securing the NXT Championship. Now we have Williams-Dunne, but we also might have Hendry having an issue with Williams as well. The bigger question now, of course, is about what to do with Hendry. This company would without a doubt want the chance to sign him and see if they can create another LA Knight-style sensation out of him on the main roster, so his story on the brand may not be over yet either)
FINAL THOUGHTS: It definitely had the feel of a big show, with some genuine moments (Ridge Holland turning heel, which I don’t think people expected yet) and Giulia debuting (which I think most people saw coming). The matches either delivered on what was expected – the main event was predictably an okay power match which never found or even really looked for a higher gear – or overdelivered, like Lee-Wentz. Though I guess there’s the exception as the Femi-D’Angelo match, which I’d already forgotten, was something of a drag.
Nate Lindberg and I will be having a bit of a chat about the show for VIP members. Cheers, and see you Tuesday.
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