SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV RESULTS
DECEMBER 17, 2024
LOWELL, MASS. AT LOWELL AUDITORIUM
LIVE ON CW NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXTCommentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Backstage Correspondent(s): Sarah Schreiber, Byron Saxton
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
Nate Lindberg is in the crowd tonight in Lowell, and a second episode is going to be taped immediately following this one, so I’ll be doing PWT Talks NXT with Kevin Cattani tonight. Nate will be back for in-person perspective on both shows next week. EDIT: That is, depending on Christmas Eve plans for both of us.
Per Nate, the first show started filming an hour before airtime, creating a situation where the show is technically taped, though only an hour before anything we see.
-A video showed some of the moments that have happened live in Lowell, such as Shawn Michaels losing his smile. Of course, the house show NXT Championship victory by Samoa Joe over Shinsuke Nakamura is the biggest moment, but they didn’t show that. The narrated video promoted tonight’s matches in the relatively long opening package.
(1) AXIOM vs. OBA FEMI
Naturally, this one has to go before the tag championship match to tell the story they’ve been telling with Axiom and Frazer, but it seems odd that they wouldn’t just go to Ava and insist that their tag match is before Axiom’s appearance in this one.
Axiom took tentative steps toward Femi and tried to decide how and when to strike. He got in a small palm strike but Femi tried to corner him. Femi backed Axiom up to a corner, then asked for him to shoot in. Axiom got in some kicks but Femi caught one and shoved Axiom to another corner. Axiom got in a couple of chops and Femi tripped him, but Axiom kicked himself free. Femi threw some boots and then struck Axiom’s back as he went for a springboard spot. The match went to commercial. [c]
We went to a wide shot among return; for some reason the arena was super dark around the perimeter, despite it looking pretty full. It looks liks a cool venue, but I’ll ask Nate about that. Axiom was in tenuous control, striking quickly and often. He worked Femi’s left leg with repeated kicks, but Femi turned him inside out with a lariat for two. Femi slowed it down and chopped down Axiom to the mat. Axiom tried some arm scissors, but Femi held him up and slammed him into a corner.
Axiom got in some more strikes and Femi leveled him with a palm strike again. Femi asked for some shots and got them, and laid out Axiom again. Axiom tried to fire up and he got in a combo and then hit a dropkick, then another to the knee to stagger Femi. Axiom gave Femi a thrust kick to the head and covered for just one. Axiom hit a combo and covered for two. Axiom rolled through a powerbomb attempt and trapped Femi for two. Both guys collapsed and got an “NXT” chant.
Axiom went up and hit a missile dropkick. He kipped up and called for the Golden Ration. Femi caught Axiom out of the air and threw him with a release slam, then lifted him for the powerslam to finish.
WINNER: Oba Femi at 10:20.
Afterward, Frazer somewhat got in the face of Femi, but he thought better of it.
(Wells’s Analysis: A very good big-small opener that got a little more time than I would have guessed. Femi got a nice win as he works toward a championship match in a couple of weeks, while Axiom & Frazer continue their usual issues)
-Sarah Schreiber caught up with Eddy Thorpe and asked him to explain himself. Thorpe said if it was anyone else, they’d call him a mastermind, but he’s called a cheater. Ava got into the shot and said she could spin it however he wanted, but he took a shortcut. He countered that it sure doesn’t feel good to be blamed for something that’s not your fault, is it? He said she could call him whatever she wants, but at the end of the night she can call him NXT Champion. This storyline is working for me, other than the fact that Trick-Oba is clearly happening, so Eddy is a bit of a lame duck here unless they work some sort of non-finish (in which case Thorpe can be added to a triple threat at New Year’s Evil, eat a pinfall against Trick in that match, and leave the Femi-Williams singles match until Stand & Deliver).
-Zaria and Sol Ruca entered ahead of the next match. [c]
-Vic promoted the Raw on Netflix kickoff tomorrow.
-Dion Lennox and Karmen Petrovic talked in the pantry. Lennox thought Petrovic should apologize for her actions. They hugged in a platonic way, and of course Ashante Thee Adonis saw this and freaked out. He said he had cut Nikkita off, but he’s going to text her now. Everyone left but Lennox, who said he was going back to reading books and minding his business.
(2) ZARIA & SOL RUCA vs. LASH LEGEND & JAKARA JACKSON
Ruca and Jackson opened, and Jackson threw a cheap dropkick after the bell as Ruca talked with Zaria. Ruca caught Jackson for an airplane slam. She then rode the wave of Jackson, and dropkicked her for a one count. Ruca wanted the tag but Jackson fought against it and tagged Legend, who ran the ropes and hit a lariat for two. Waistlock takedown by Legend. Standing switch and they reversed some things until Ruca hit a hard right. Legend tossed Ruca for a slam, and Zaria tagged in to cheers.
Legend shoved Zaria, and then ran the ropes for a few blocks that Zaria absorbed. Zaria fought off a chokeslam and went for a suplex. After a few reversals, Legend hit a body slam, then missed a splash. Ruca tagged in and soon after, everyone got involved. Ruca took out Legend on the outside, and Zaria tossed Jackson out of the ring atop Legend. Zaria and Ruca posed on the apron as the match went to commercial. [c]
Ruca and Legend were at it. Jackson tagged in and the Meta-Girls double-teamed briefly. Suplex and a splash by Jackson got two. Jackson trapped Ruca, who rolled over to cover for two and break. Ruca got a back elbow in and tried to fight to a tag, but Jackson held her back. Ruca got in a kick and jumped to the hot tag. Clotheslines and boots for Zaria. Zaria hit a spear and covered, but Legend broke it up. Legend and Zaria had a moment, and Jakara chop-blocked Zaria. Legend tagged in.
The two went for suplexes and finally Zaria got the momentum to hit one. Ruca tagged in, hit a springboard splash, and Jackson broke the count by jumping on the back of Ruca and she continued for a dropkick. It went bonzo gonzo and Jackson hit a real ugly cross-body on Zaria through the ropes. In the ring, Legend hit the Bougie Bully Drop on Ruca to finish.
WINNERS: Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson at 12:13.
(Wells’s Analysis: Okay stuff here, but Jackson in particular still has work to do in order to look smooth in there. It’s no surprise that Zaria didn’t eat a pinfall here, and I get that they want the established team to score the win as they clearly have designs on them hitting the main roster and staying there, but putting Zaria in a position to lose this early as a monster is surprising, unless she’s going to be turning heel sometime soon)
-Last week, Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont blew up. Igwe’s breaking bad. The two argued while Wes Lee lurked in the background. Lee inserted himself and said he could take Igwe places that he wants to go. They bumped fists.
-Jaida Parker & OTM entered ahead of the next match. [c]
(3) WREN SINCLAIR (w/Myles Borne & Tavion Heights) vs. JAIDA PARKER (w/OTM)
Sinclair tried to beg off early, and Parker took it to her in one corner, then another. Parker threw chops on a draping Sinclair, then hit the teardrop and did her high-step taunt. Parker hit a Falcon Arrow for a one count. Parker shoved Sinclair to a corner and blocked her, and Sinclair snuck around Parker and locked on a full nelson. The two jockeyed for position and Parker hit a suplex for two.
Parker threw a right to Sinclair’s back, then stepped in and leaned on Sinclair while wrenching her arms back. Sinclair trapped a leg briefly but Parker threw down some shots. The two exchanged rights, and then Parker threw some palm strikes. Sinclair returned fire loudly, and then leveled Parker with a chop, a dropkick and a bulldog. Parker bailed, and the four men got into it, then brawled to the back.
Inside, Sinclair rolled up Parker for two. Parker hit a back elbow and ran the ropes for the Drive-By and the win.
WINNER: Jaida Parker at 4:31.
(Wells’s Analysis: Interesting that Sinclair was just given the Iron Survivor rub, then promptly was reestablished as an also-ran in her next match. Parker is and should be one of the most protected players in the women’s division, but I think it’s time for Sinclair to break through to a slightly higher placement in the crowded room that is the NXT women’s division. Nice action)
-Tatum Paxley, Gigi Dolin and Shotzi talked in a pre-taped segment while playing with Paxley’s dolls. They talked about how people make assumptions about them when they see them. They cut a promo on Fatal Influence and Paxley said “Dolls out? Balls out.”
Fatal Influence were watching on a video and talked about what they had that the weirdos don’t have. Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn popped into the scene and they took some verbal shots at Fatal Influence.
Vic promoted the tag championship, up next. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-A female-narrated segment promoted the NXT Women’s Division, and the champions throughout the title’s history. Paige, Ember Moon and Mandy Rose all got mentions. I love this brave new world. The segment was to promote the Giulia vs. Roxanne Perez match coming at New Year’s Evil.
(4) AXIOM & NATHAN FRAZER (c) vs. GALLUS (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) (w/Joe Coffey) – NXT Tag Team Championship match
What’s the kayfabe explanation for Gallus getting this match? If I didn’t follow rosters as closely as I do, I wouldn’t even know Gallus were around at this point. Axiom fell during the champion team’s entrance and Frazer picked him up. The story was whether Frazer could return the favor from Deadline in Minneapolis.
Axiom and Mark started the match. Axiom threw his arms out and Frazer made the tag. Frazer was selling his own kayfabe injury to Oba Femi by wearing a facemask. Frazer hit an arm drag and then leaned for a possible tag, which Axiom didn’t make. Gallus made the tag and Wolfgang dropped a knee on Frazer’s face. Frazer sold the pain. Backstage, Luca Crusifino and Stacks were watching on a comically small monitor. Things broke down and Frazer and Axiom hit some tope suicidas. Axiom hit the ropes and crumbled, and Wolfgang slammed him. Mark Coffey posed next to one of the tag championship belts as the match went to commercial. [c]
Gallus remained in control as Wolfgang dominated Axiom on the mat. Coffey tagged in, but Frazer made the hot tag and he took control with some quick offense. Standing shooting star press got two. Vic mentioned that Gallus held the NXT UK tag championships for almost 500 days and the NXT Tag championships for 170, and…does it even feel like that happened anymore? Frazer hit a top rope shot on Coffey and Wolfgang broke it up.
Coffey got in a shot to the face and Wolfgang tagged in. They double-teamed and he covered for two. Wolfgang went up and hit a rolling senton. He covered for two, and Axiom flew in out of nowhere with a dropkick to break. Gallus tried to double-team but Axiom hit the Golden Ratio to take out Coffey. Axiom accidentally hit the Golden Ratio on Frazer, but Axiom took out Coffey, spilling the two of them to the floor, and Frazer hit a poison rana on Wolfgang and the two sold on the mat.
Frazer ate a lariat and Wolfgang went up. Frazer couldn’t convert, but Axiom went up for a Spanish Fly. The champs set up a double-team, but Axiom spotted Gallus getting ready to strike outside, so he took them out. Frazer hit a 450 splash to finish Wolfgang.
WINNERS: Axiom & Nathan Frazer at 12:02.
(Wells’s Analysis: Hear me out: Axiom & Nathan Frazer get more monster treatment than Oba Femi. They constantly have kayfabe excuses to lose, and they constantly beat their opponents. They’re basically unstoppable. The action was likely pretty good, but I find it increasingly difficult to take Gallus seriously and to engage in what they’re doing as they’re so often absent from the show for a long time only to pop up and lose a semi-important match)
-The Netflix RAW logo showed up on the screen for seemingly no reason for a couple of seconds. A hint about Gallus? Or the tuys in the next scene?
-The guys in the next scene were Hank, Tank, and Je’Von Evans, who all fired each other up about their recent accomplishments. Ethan Page showed up in the hallway behind them and, without much energy, pushed past Evans and kept walking. The three babyfaces shrugged. [c]
-Charlie Dempsey and Lexis King trained as King is continuing to try to be taken seriously. Dempsey said he was impressed and he said next week, he’s got his Heritage Cup match. I thought that scene was about to turn into the volleyball scene from Top Gun.
-Ethan Page hit the ring and said he had to get something off of his chest. He said everyone should boo him, and he deserves it. He said that nobody watching understands the journey and the promises he’s made to his family. He said he promised his daughter he’d become NXT Champion, and he did. He said he did it faster than Owens, Zayn and Balor. He said he went through sixteen years of hell to keep that promis. He said it did it for his daughter, his son and his wife. He said right now, he wants to talk to his wife. He looked into the camera and said “Without you, Vivianna, there would be no Ethan Page.” He said he got to live his dream because of all of them. The audience squandered actual reactions in favor of lazily doing the “what” chant. He said he doesn’t know if he loves this anymore, and he said “to be honest, I’ve just lost my smile.” Big reaction for that.
Je’Von Evans hit the ramp and he said he wanted to apologize and it’s hard to hear about other people’s accomplishments. He said Page showed up with a cocky persona and an ego. He said that’s not really who Ethan Page is. He said he knows who the real Ethan Page is. He said he saw him talk to his family afterward and he saw the joy he had in those moments. He said he showed a proud husband and father smile. He said Page deserved the spot he got to. He said the fans know it, and he said for now on, drop the All Ego, and show the real Ethan Page. Evans said he and all of NXT was proud of him. Page looked emotional.
Page thanked Je’Von and said he was right. He said everything made it clear for him. He shouldn’t worry about losing his smile…”I should worry about taking yours.” Page sucker-punched Evans and clocked him with a right. He took off his jacket, then grabbed a chair and trapped Evans’ head with a chair and hopped on it. He said this was “the real me.” Evans was bleeding profusely from the mouth. I hope that’s a blood capsule. The show cut to commercial to sell the “reality” of the moment. [c]
(Wells’s Analysis: This was one of those promos where you know what’s going to happen but it’s still delicious to watch the whole thing play out. Evans was so kind, so thoughtful and so enthusiastic about pumping up Page, only for Page to show his true darker colors once more)
-Sarah Schreiber talked to Trick Williams. He gave well-wishes to Evans and then moved on to the main event. He said tonight we’re in Lowell Massachusetts, the home of hard work and gettin’ the job done. He continued to pander to the home crowd and Oba Femi walked into the scene. He said he hoped it was Trick that he takes the championship from in three weeks.
-Stephanie Vaquer cut a pre-taped promo in Spanish. She said her hard work got her here and next week, she’ll take Cora Jade to meet hell. Also next week, we’ll have a Christmas Chaos Fatal 4-Way #1 contender’s match for the tag team championships.
-Eddy Thorpe entered ahead of the main event. [c]
(5) TRICK WILLIAMS (c) vs. EDDY THORPE – NXT Championship
Mike Rome handled formal intros. There isn’t a ton of TV time left, so this could be the screwjob I was predicting. There was an “Eddy sucks” chant and he bailed early to boos after not getting an early upper hand. Williams took Thorpe to a couple of spots against the barricade and chopped him, allowing some fans to get quick closeup photos. Action went back inside, where Thorpe reversed momentum on a splash. Williams took control again with a right and an axe kick for two. Williams missed a second axe kick against the ropes, and he got crotched on top and then dumped by Thorpe as the show went to one more commercial. [c]
The two exchanged suplexes after the break. Thorpe covered for two. The two possibly had miscommunication on a cross-body/block attempt as they met and fell to the mat. Williams threw some rights and hit a running lariat, then a flapjack. Williams hit a uranage for two. Thorpe got in some kicks and then hit a German suplex. Elbow drop got two for Thorpe. Thorpe pounded his head into Trick’s as they were both on the mat. The two hit their feet and exchanged rights and forearms. Thorpe hit a back kick, Trick hit a pump kick and the two raised the stakes until Thorpe hit a neckbreaker.
The two jockeyed for position until Williams pulled out his hair tie and went for a big move. Thorpe tried his finisher, but he took out the ref with Trick’s body and got the visual pin but nobody counted it. A new official showed up and Williams rolled up Thorpe for two. Trick hit the Trick Shot and both guys collapsed. There were two refs and each of them saw the pin happening in favor of a different guy. They both insisted their guy was the winner. Ava showed up and the two refs argued their points to her as the show went off the air.
WINNER: Inconclusive at 11:21.
(Wells’s Analysis: There’s your screwjob! This leaves Thorpe to once again complain about unfair treatment, and get himself into the match with Femi and Williams and eat the pin. Although I’m sure he’s just a device to lengthen the Femi-Williams business, and I agree that they should do so, in the meantime he’s got by far his best chance to date to raise his stock and find himself in a much more interesting spot in the pecking order. I think the heel work has been pretty strong so far and if he can run with the ball, we’ll have another interesting piece in a men’s division that feels very topheavy right now when compared to the absolutely stacked women’s division)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Nate may join us a bit later on the show after all for some in-person perspective, as they just blew through the content in 90 minutes live and added commercials later, apparently, so they’re already well over half done with the second episode. We had some decent little steps for certain storylines tonight, but outside of the unstoppable bullet train that is our tag team champions, it was all about getting Eddy Thorpe closer to being inserted in the match at New Year’s Evil. They could really do something with him at this point, if they feel so inclined by his work, but I think it’s more likely that Williams is allowed to hold his championship until Stand & Deliver and then lose it to Oba Femi there, possibly leaving him free for a main roster callup not long after.
Kevin Cattani and I will start PWT Talks NXT shortly. Check it out live or stream tomorrow. Cheers.
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