SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV RESULTS
OCTOBER 29, 2024
ORLANDO, FLA. AT CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
LIVE ON CW NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS (@spookymilk), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Backstage Correspondent(s): Sarah Schreiber
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
-Vic introduced the show and threw to a video of Halloween Havoc highlights. It was almost immediately interrupted by the video scratching and Tatum Paxley saying “You’ll find out what happened at Halloween Havoc a little later.” She was rolling the casket to the ring for what’s the first women’s casket match in WWE history.
(1) TATUM PAXLEY vs. WENDY CHOO – Casket Match
Paxley’s gear looked to evoke the Alice in Wonderland from the Madness series of video games, but I’m not sure of that. Choo was dressed as Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Action spilled outside early and they went at one another with trash cans. Paxley covered Choo with the can and swung brooms at it. Action went back inside Paxley hit a cross-body in the corner, then hit a reverse Angle slam. Paxley went at Choo in a corner, but she moved and Paxley ate the trash can that was there. Choo put Paxley in the tree of woe, with her upper body inside a trash can, and dropkicked it. Choo smiled cruelly as the match went to commercial. [c]
There was a wooden dollhouse set up in the corner. Choo arm-dragged Paxley into it and the show went silent for too long during a holy shit chant. Choo tossed Paxley into the casket and closed it, but Paxley dragged Choo’s pillow between it so the casket couldn’t close fully. A sack of LEGOs was introduced next and after some jockeying, Choo slammed Paxley into them. “NXT” chant. Choo again tried to shut Paxley in the casket, and she hopped into the casket with a senton and it closed on both of them. Choo kicked it open a moment later and grinned, and then Paxley sat up next to her with a smile of her own. Paxley used a fire extinguisher on Choo, who fell and broke through her own bed. Paxley tossed Choo into the casket and closed it.
WINNER: Tatum Paxley at 10:08.
(Wells’s Analysis: They really packed a lot of the desired silliness into this one, and both women are on brand for the gimmick, so that worked too. Not a technical masterpiece, of course, but they had a strong outing here)
-Vic threw to a Halloween Havoc video again. This time it played through. Highlights of all five matches played, as well as Zaria’s big moment and beatdown of Fatal Influence.
-Trick Williams walked through the back ahead of a talk segment up next. [c]
-Williams hit the ring and revved up the crowd talking about his successful defense. He said he’s in pain right now, and Page indeed put him in pain he’s never felt before. He transitioned to Ridge Holland, who attacked him after the defense. He said he needed to talk to Bubba Ray Dudley, and he introduced him. Dudley entered to the Dudley Boyz music and said he did the right thing, and he stood up for himself, for Dave LaGreca and the Busted Open show as Holland disrespected him. He said as he watched Trick Williams get beat down, nobody was coming to his aid. He asked Trick if he knew why. He said the reason is the NXT Championship, and that’s why nobody came to help him. He said it was a bull’s eye.
Trick said he heard Bubba loud and clear, and he wants his revenge. He said he’s been on Busted Open a few times but he’s never met the man until this weekend. He said he wanted revenge, and he wanted a tag team match. There was an “E-C-Dub” chant. Bubba said he’s known he man for three matches and he’s got his juices flowing. He said he got him thinking of taking it to the extreme in Philadelphia. He said maybe he should go old school tie-dye. He put on his nerd glasses and said maybe he’d be able to go “Trick…get the tables!”
The crowd chanted “Do it!” Bubba said it wasn’t about him, it was about Trick. He said it was about everyone in NXT. He said he can’t take their spot. He said he appreciates it, but he has to say no. There was a “You still got it” chant.
-Ava was watching backstage on a monitor. Rob Van Dam was standing by and said he’d be on the show next week. Ava said she’d figure out how to use him. He took off. Ava stepped away and Kelani Jordan stepped up and said she wanted to get back at Fatal Influence. Nikkita Lyons stepped in from the background and talked down to Jordan and said she lost. She said Fallon needs a challenger, and it’s going to be her. Jordan no-sold Lyons and said to Ava “Fine, I’ll take care of her, and then Fallon.” I think they’re finally testing out Lyons as a heel, which is long overdue as she’s so convincingly unlikable. [c]
-Shawn Spears talked to Brooks Jensen briefly. They approached Tony D’Angelo and Spears had a plan of some kind, but Luca Crusifino and Stacks stepped in with a phone and said it was urgent. Some goombah said it was blatant disrespect that he hadn’t been told firsthand that Tony was going to be in Philadelphia. He said he’d see him there. I’m thinking Big Vito?
(2) LEXIS KING (w/Mr. Regal) vs. CHARLIE DEMPSEY (c) (w/No Quarter Catch Crew) – Heritage Cup Championship match
ROUND 1: They did the usual mat stuff in the early going. King actually kind of hung with Dempsey in some wrestling sequences. Dempsey laid in a big back elbow and King hit a dropkick to get back into it. King hit a high cross-body for two. Dempsey hit fisherman suplex with a bridge to gain a fall at 2:24 in the round. (DEMPSEY UP 1-0)
ROUND 2: Dempsey worked a cravat into a takedown. King tried to counter but Dempsey held on. Dempsey laid in some clubbing blows and kicks. Desmpsey worked King’s arm and went for a leverage pin for two. King bridged out once, then a second time. Dempsey dumped King to the apron and King slipped from the apron and sold an injury. Nobody checked on him, so it was part of the story. The match went to commercial with a bit less than a minute left in the round. [c]
Apparently the match was paused during the break and we’re back, still in the second round. King sold the leg and got in some back elbows and a superkick as he fought from underneath. I don’t know if King is truly turning face, but they’re certainly presenting him as an underdog babyface here.
ROUND 3: Dempsey took control, targeting the bad leg first. Dempsey went at King with European uppercuts, then a pair of gut-wrench suplexes. Perfect-Plex got two. Half-crab by Dempsey. King fought to the corner, where Regal tried to get him fired up. Given Regal’s interesting dynamic here, they certainly haven’t focused on him much. The two exchanged rights and palm strikes. Shin breaker by Dempsey. King hit a quick enzuigiri and got back into it. Regal surreptitiously tried to pass a pair of brass knuckles to King, who wouldn’t accept them. Dempsey hit King with a bridging suplex to finish.
WINNER: Charlie Dempsey (2-0) at a combined time of around 8 minutes
-Vic mentioned that Zaria is up next. We didn’t linger on the Heritage Cup match at all. [c]
(Wells’s Analysis: It’s been a mild irritant to me that none of the Heritage Cup matches have finished 2-0, despite the fact that good stories can be told even when that happens. This was one of those times. There’s still no telling whether King will turn to the dark side. I also don’t know whether to assume Regal is part of this story anymore either. This was a match of short bursts, but King looked probably as good as he ever has here)
[HOUR TWO]
-Lola Vice cut a promo on Jaida Parker and said she was entering her domain. Dawn Marie of ECW will be the special referee for the hardcore match.
(3) BRINLEY REECE vs. ZARIA
Poor Brinley. Zaria’s hype video played as part of her entrance. Vic said he felt bad for Brinley.
Brinley tried to run Zaria on the ropes, but she shook her off and charged Reece to a corner. Zaria laid out Reece with a palm strike. Zaria hyperextended Reece’s arm (it looks like Reece can make her arm look like Alexa Bliss does). Reece sold it and Zaria slammed down on the arm, knocking it back into place. Zaria charged Reece to a corner again, then hit her with a backbreaker. Zaria charged Reece’s head to the mat. Reece got a couple of shots to the midsection and a quick knee, then a rollup for two. Reece put in a few forearms but Zaria caught her with a suplex and a spear. Zaria fired up and hit Reece with a big cutter to finish.
WINNER: Zaria at 2:49.
Fatal Inluence showed up on the stairs in the crowd and said they have issue with Zaria stealing their moment. Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez showed up making it 5-on-1. Kelani Jordan showed up for Zaria, followed by Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer, and finally Jordynne Grace to a huge pop. The two sides of five threw down to a huge pop and the babyfaces cleaned house. Not that I’m hankering to recap a ten-woman match, but I definitely want to see it.
(Wells’s Analysis: This brand loves to have debut matches go 50-50 or even favor the eventual loser, so this squash was refreshing to see. I know it’s a no-brainer to put Zaria over in this fashion, but that’s still not what they like to do)
-Nikkita Lyons walked through the back ahead of what I assume is a match with Kelani Jordan. [c]
-The ten-woman match was made official for next Wednesday’s show.
(3) KELANI JORDAN vs. NIKKITA LYONS
Lyons grounded Jordan with a brief armbar. Rope run and a dropkick by Jordan. Snap mare and a cross-body by Jordan got two. Lyons had pirate gear on, which is Halloween-related, I’m sure, but is much less idiotic than her usual gear. Kelani hit the splits to evade a shot, then got caught with a monkey flip by Lyons. Lyons hit another between the bottom two ropes. Samoan drop by Lyons. Belly-to-belly by Lyons, more of a toss than a slam, but it was kind of badass looking. Cover for two. Lyons booted Jordan to keep up the heat sequence, but Jordan got back into it with ax-handles. Back kick by Jordan, and Lyons bailed.
Jordan rolled Lyons back inside, then followed. Lyons hit a thrust kick, then went up. On the ramp, Adrianna Rizzo showed up, looking serious out at Lyons, revealing that Lyons is who assaulted her last week. Jordan used the opening to finish Lyons with the split-legged moonsault.
WINNER: Kelani Jordan at 4:02.
Rizzo went at Lyons, and Jordan tried to stop her until she said aloud that Lyons is who attacked her last week. Jordan gave her blessing and Rizzo beat down Lyons all the way up the ramp.
(Wells’s Analysis: When Lyons was fresh and absolutely terrible, she was getting an undefeated push. She’s much better now than she was in the beginning – though we’ll see how those embattled knees hold up – and they’re now doing what they should have then, easing her in and testing her in brief affairs rather than trying to make it all happen at once. This was a decent match, which I don’t say often when Lyons is involved)
-Ethan Page walked through the back, apparently up next. [c]
-Ethan Page said he wasn’t finished with the NXT Championship. Immediately, Ridge Holland’s music played and he hit the ramp with a mic. He said everyone was sick and tired of him. He said he’s had shot after shot. He put himself over as the next challenger.
Bubba Ray Dudley’s music played him to the ring for a second time. Booker said entering the ring with both these guys was a big mistake. He said it was time he and Ridge had a little talk. He said before Havoc he didn’t know much about him, but he’s learned a lot about him in the last 48 hours. Dudley’s Bronx accent came out super thick in the early part of his segment for whatever reason. He said now he knew he was tough, fast and agile. He said Holland shattered both of his legs and came back in just eight months. He said it was respectable, but that’s where the respect ends. He said Ridge disrespected him and he doesn’t deal well with disrespect. He said he’s one half of the greatest “mother truckin'” tag team on God’s green earth. He said he’s held more championships than Ridge has had opportunities. He said it’s debatable whether Holland deserves a shot. He said as far as Page goes, he deserves nothing. Bubba walked straight passed a pissed-off Page and focused on Holland. Holland said nobody cares what Dudley thinks anymore. He said he’s just a radio host. He said he’s a nostalgia act. He told him to watch some old ECW. He said it wasn’t Extreme, it was overrated. He said Dudley should go back there now because otherwise, Dave LaGreca will need a new cohost because he’ll be in the hospital. Dudley threw rights at Holland but Page immediately cheap-shotted Bubba. Trick Williams made the save. After the heels were cleared to the ramp, Bubba said “Trick! You still want a tag team partner for next Wednesday?” He said it’s on.
-The five babyfaces talked in the locker room and they each named their targets for the ten-woman match. Rhea Ripley stepped into the scene to a huge pop. She said she couldn’t wait and told them to blow the bloody roof off the place. She shared a brief moment with countrywoman Zaria. [c]
-Jaida Parker cut a pre-taped promo on Lola Vice. She said their ideas of a No Holds Barred match are very different and she’s got her mind of very big things. She also told Dawn Marie not to get in her way or she’ll learn what Lola Vice is going to find out: Jaida Parker don’t play.
-The Trick/Bubba-Ridge/Ethan match was made official for next week. Vic also talked about the ten-woman match.
-The tag team champions were introduced ahead of the main event.
-We quickly went to the back, where Stevie Turner and Rob Stone were talking to Ava, but mostly bickering. Eddy Thorpe made a quick appearance. Good to know he’s still around. The camera then went to Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez grinning and walking into the arena together. Liv was holding a baseball bat. The camera followed officials to a car, where we saw a bloodied Rhea Ripley. [c]
-The announcers sold a serious situation with Rhea Ripley.
(5) AXIOM & NATHAN FRAZER (c) vs. JE’VON EVANS & CEDRIC ALEXANDER – NXT Tag Team Championship match
The challengers didn’t even get a televised entrance. That’s rare. Alexander and Axiom opened the match, and they exchanged some reversals before Alexander worked an armbar on the mat. Axiom ran the ropes and caught Alexander with a bow-and-arrow before an escape. Both guys tagged. Frazer and Evans showcased their speed and Frazer hit a rana, but Evans landed on his feet. They had a lightning-quick sequence and the crowd went wild. Frazer threw a slap and Evans fired up and threw rights. Alexander made the blind tag and hit a dropkick for two. Alexander laid in a big chop and Evans tagged back in.
Frazer leaned on Evans in the champ corner and Axiom tagged in, but Evans kept it up with dropkicks and quick offense. Alexander hit a plancha and the challengers posed on the apron as an “NXT” chant rang out and we went to our final commercial. [c]
Alexander and Axiom were legal. Axiom had control as the champs were the de facto heels for the match. Both guys tagged and the pace picked up again. Springboard thrust kick by Evans. He hit a tope suicida on Axiom into the announce table, then quickly hopped to the top rope for a huge springboard lariat to Frazer for two. “This is awesome” chant. The champs tagged and teamed up for a dropkick from the top for two. Axiom missed from the top but hit his feet. Another blind tag by Alexander and the challengers teamed up for a powerbomb by Alexander. He covered and Frazer made the save.
Evans hit a cutter on Axiom for a very long two as Frazer was being held back by Alexander, adding some believability to the near-fall. Axiom hit a Canadian destroyer on Evans but Alexander was legal and went in with chops. They exchanged some kicks and Alexander went up, but Axiom hit a front kick and Frazer tagged in. The champs hit the Spanish Fly/Phoenix Splash combo, but Evans broke it up and hit a cutter and all four guys sold on the mat.
Wes Lee hit the ramp, and Evans went after him, leaving Alexander alone. Alexander hit the Lumbar Check on Axiom and a Michinoku Driver on Frazer for a very long two as the crowd was going nuts. Axiom and Frazer took over on numbers and hit an assisted vertical drop brainbuster to finish.
WINNERS: Axiom & Nathan Frazer at 14:54.
Backstage, Evans and Lee were at each other’s throats. Ava got between them. Rob Van Dam showed up and said the two gave him a great idea, and now he knows what he wants to do next week. That was the cliffhanger as he walked off and we abruptly went off the air.
(Wells’s Analysis: Wow. Hard to take a breath in there, but even among the scintillating action there was a heel-face dynamic that made it all work. The crowd actually believed the challengers could win here, and they were living and dying with every near-fall. Of course, the big story out of it is Wes Lee and Je’Von Evans continuing their issue, although realistically Cedric Alexander should be annoyed that Evans walked out on the championship challenge.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: I really dug the pacing of this show. Rather than jam eight matches and countless short segments into it, we had a more efficient two hour show with five matches and more meaningful segments. Regardless of any specific feelings on the content presented, I would happily accept this pacing on a wrestling show. The women’s division is scorching hot right now with a LOT of moving parts, and Trick Williams is getting into a meaty story by his recent standards, as he’s kind of faded a little to the background as champion (and could use more main event slots). A lot of work was done to promote the ECW-flavored show next Wednesday that goes head-to-head with AEW Dynamite. Nate Lindberg and I will talk this show over on PWT Talks NXT now. Check us out live or stream tomorrow. Cheers.
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