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Hello everyone, I am one half of your Irn Bruiser weights bringing you your NXT Review. So let's get into it.
NXT in Chicago, Illinois for NXT’s broadcast network debut! Vic calls it the most significant night in NXT history. Okay.
Hey, new theme song and opening video! Not sure who this is but it’s solid and the video itself is pretty great.
The Heartbreak Kid is here! Shawn Michaels makes his way down to the ring in a cowboy hat and snazzy suit, strutting like an absolute fucking dork as only he can. Shawn plays to the crowd a bit and gets the mic, saying “Welcome boys and girls to the premiere episode of NXT on The CW network. And what better place to have it than in the Windy City of Chicago?” he says they can’t have a new network without new championship titles and unveils them before noting the men and women will make history tonight. So he’s just got one question for them.
“Are you ready?” TRIPLE H IS HERE! The Game gets into the ring from the announcer's side and the audience is hyped. Triple H says “No, Chicago, we said ARE! YOU! READY?” And it’s time for our first title match!
Match 1 - NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - ROXANNE PEREZ VS. GIULIA
Lockup to start, Giulia backs Roxy into the corner. Break at four, Roxy right on the attack but Giulia with a wristlock. Roxy flips into a reversal, and Giulia flips to escape. Giulia with a takedown, Roxy into the ropes, Giulia sent into the ropes and ran Roxy over. Roll-up gets two, Roxy reverses for two, they go back and forth one more time and Giulia with a dropkick immediately after.
Roxy fights back and they shove each other — Giulia with a headbutt! She raps Roxy up but Roxy escapes, goes for Pop Rocks but Giulia escapes, they trade reversals and Giulia locks in an STF! But Roxy counters into a crossface, Giulia gets Roxy’s shoulders on the mat for two and they go forehead to forehead as we go to break.
We’re back and Roxy has Giulia on the mat, manhandling her. She has a hammerlock on Giulia, Giulia fights to her feet and hits a leaping snapmare. Roxy right back on the attack, she nails Giulia in the head. Pie-face from Roxy, Giulia with a smack and Roxy with a smack back — and Giulia goes wild with repeated headbutts against the ropes for a four-count!
Giulia manhandles Roxy by her hair and sends her into the ropes — a big clothesline. She catches Roxy — hammerlock suplex for two-plus. She picks Roxy up, but Roxy slides down the back. They trade big shots, Roxy tees off on Roxy and sends her to the mat. Roxy shoves Giulia back with her feet and then pulls her to the floor — DIVE through the ropes onto the challenger! Roxy rolls Giulia in and goes up top but Giulia with a big boot to the champ. She goes for a double underhook — SUPERPLEX! She holds on to the bridge for a nearfall. Giulia with a submission attempt, Roxy gets her shoulders on the mat for two.
They roll around a bit, Roxy locks in the crossface! Giulia tries to counter and Roxy keeps her from the ropes until she breaks free and locks in the STF — Roxy gets to the ropes. Roxy with a shoulder from the apron and comes in but is hit with a belly to back suplex. Roxy takes over, Pop Rocks but Giulia rolls through — knee to the head, cover, nearfall!
Giulia a bit frustrated now, picks Roxy up but Roxy escapes the bodyslam and rolls the challenger up for two-plus. POP ROCKS! Roxy nails her finisher but Giulia rolls to the outside. Roxy is beside herself. She grabs Giulia but gets pulled to the outside — NORTHERN LIGHTS BOMB ON THE FLOOR! The ref starts the ten count, and both women up and get in the ring at nine.
Roxy rolls right back out to take a breaker and goes to grab her title. She comes into the ring and the ref stops her — wait, someone grabs Giulia and hits a DDT on the floor. Giulia rolls back in, and Pop Rocks finishes it.
Official Winner - STILL NXT Woman’s Champion - Roxanne Perez (13:00)
Official thoughts - A very good match to kick off the new era of NXT. Roxy and Giulia clicked quite well in there, there were a couple of slippery moments but on the whole this delivered.
IT’S CORA! CORA JADE TOOK OUT GIULIA! Roxy looks intrigued.
Earlier today, CM Punk arrived in Chicago. So did Trick Williams and Ethan Page.
Nathan Frazer and Axiom are playing WWE 2K24 and playing against A-Town Down Under in-game. Axiom tells Frazer he needs to hold onto his anger. Frazer loses it and they lose the match in the game. Frazer stalks off, then comes back and says Axiom may have a point. They agree to play again.
Ava is backstage with CM Punk and says she knows he has a lot going on but he needs to call it down the middle tonight. Punk says he will, and Lexis walks up wanting advice from Punk. Punk mentions King’s dad and he says he’s trying not to be his dad. Lexis points out that he’s trying to be a good guy and that he lost last week against Oro Mensah. Punk gives him the “Two Wolves” line and Lexis says thanks, they part amicably.
We get a video package recapping the Wes Lee and Zachary Wentz feud, including Lee taking out Trey Miguel and their brawls with each other in recent weeks.
Jaida Parker tells Lola Vice to stay in her lane and Lola says she’s taking the lead. They argue over who needs who and Kelani walks up, saying that they need to rely on each other. Jadia says she’ll deal with Fatal Influence and Lola walks off too. Kelani says she’s glad she has a backup plan.
Match 2 - STREET FIGHT - WES LEE VS. ZACHARY WENTZ
Zach dives into the ring to dodge a dive from Wes and then leaps on him as the bell rings! Wentz slams Lee into the apron and then throws him into a grocery cart full of weapons. Wentz picks up the cart and takes aim — he slams it into Lee, sandwiching him against the steps!
Wentz rolls Lee in and goes under the ring. He’s got a big piece of plywood — but Lee dives into it and flattens Wentz! Lee stomps on Wentz and rolls him into the ring then tosses a few chairs into the ring. And two more for good measure. he comes into the ring with a kendo stick and smacks Wentz with it! The stick is cracked over his back, but Wentz comes back with a superkick. Wentz grabs a chair and smacks it over Lee’s back! Another chair across the back. He charges and ends up on the apron where he locks in a sleeper.
Wentz drags Lee to the apron and then locks it back in — but Lee leaps off and pulls Wentz with him through the plywood as we go to break!
We’re back as Wentz hits a Van Terminator on Lee! He pulls Lee to the middle of the ring and covers for a nearfall. Wentz grabs a chair and sets it up, he grabs Lee but Lee fights back and nails Wentz. Whip into the corner where a chair is set up, Wentz stops himself but gets dropkicked into it. Lee off the ropes but Wentz with a tilt-a-whirl throw into the air ONTO THE CHAIR! Cover gets two-plus!
Wentz throws some more weapons in the ring and nails Lee with a kendo stick. He puts a trash can over Lee and tees off on it multiple times. Double stomp onto the can! He goes up top — SENTON INTO THE CAN! Cover gets two-plus!
Wentz is now up and he lies in wait — he charges for a UFO Cutter but gets SHOVED off the rope through the table on the floor! The table didn’t break because he glanced off it. Lee rolls Wentz back in, and double stomps to the back onto a chair! Cover gets two-plus.
Lee has a chain now and wraps it around his fist a bit, but so has Wentz! They nail each other and go down. Wentz slowly to his feet and he has a chair — he says he doesn’t want to do this but goes to swing — and Lee with a low blow, a loaded fist and then he lays into Wentz with chain shots to the head! Lee climbs to the rope and wraps the chain around his knees — double knee through the chair! Cover for three.
Official Winner - Wes Lee (13:33)
Official thoughts - Great Street Fight between these two. I don’t think anyone thought Wentz was winning this and I’m okay with that, but he got a lot of offence and this makes a solid swan song for him while giving Lee the important win in his first heel feud.
The Miz WALKS backstage as we go to break.
It’s time for Miz TV! The newly-heeled Miz is in the ring soaking in the boos. He asks Chicago to tell him how they feel. He welcomes us to Miz TV and says they’re live in Chicago — now you cheer — for the debut of NXT on The CW. He says we’re all looking forward to the NXT Championship match, but he wants to talk about next week’s match and introduces first Oba Femi, then Tony D’Angelo.
Miz welcomes them both and starts with Tony. Miz says Tony’s admitted he’s afraid of facing Oba again, which makes him think this will be different than No Mercy. Tony says he’s always been the guy people fear, but Oba has changed the game and there’s a reason he’s North American champion. He felt Oba’s power and explosiveness, but he used his fear to do the unthinkable and next week he stands with Oba, dethrones him and becomes the new NXT North American Champion.
Miz asks Oba for his response, and Oba says Miz has been in the game long enough to know when a man believes what he’s saying, and Tony doesn’t. He says Tony’s had a successful career up to this point but a guy like him has a ceiling. He can stuff people in trunks, but he’ll never be NA Champion because it’s Oba’s title.
Tony says Oba talks about him like he knows him. Tony says he grew up 20 minutes from this building in the streets of Chicago. He has family in the back, in the crowd, extended and immediate. He has friends who motivate him to be the man he is today.
Oba says they can’t fight for him. Luca, Rizzo, Stacks, none of them can fight for him. It’s just them in the ring, and the last time they were in the ring together Oba broke him and planted doubt in his mind. He says Tony can’t beat him and Tony stands, they go face to face. Tony says Oba is just a man. Oba says he is inevitable. Tony looks pensive, and Oba says he’s still broken. Miz hypes the match as Tony and Oba stare off.
We get a recap of Cora returning and attacking Giulia to cost her her title match, then revealing herself. Cora is asked about her return and she says so many people were focused on Giulia and Stephanie but they forgot about her. Roxy walks up and Cora says they have a history, but she likes who Roxy has become. Roxy suggests that maybe a common enemy will bring them together.
Match 3 - JAIDA PARKER and LOLA VICE VS. FATAL INFLUENCE
Kelani Jordan is on commentary for the match. Jaida and Jacy lock up to start, they jockey for position and Jaida with a shove and headlock takedown. Back up, Jacy slaps Jaida and gets slapped back. Jaida runs Jacy over and tags in Lola, who hits a kick through the ropes and then covers for two.
Lola locks in a front facelock and rolls on the mat with Jacy, but Jacy takes Lola down. Fallon tags in and they send Fallon into the ropes, Lola takes them out and tags in Jaida. Jaida sends Fallon onto the corner and splashers her, sets her against the middle rope and then puts Jacy on top of her! Springboard hip-drop, Lola tags in for the hip smash.
Lola with a wristlock, takes Fallon down and then backs her in the corner for shots. Jaida tags in for shoulder thrusts, Lola tags herself in and lays in shots. Jaida tags in and hits repeated shoulderblocks, then an armdrop into her knees. Fallon drops Jaida and goes for the tag, she tags Jacy in and Lola comes in to hit Jacy with a kick! Jaida thought the kick was intended for her and they argue until Fallon takes them both out and we go to break.
We’re back and Jacy has Lola in a bodyscissors after Jazmyn Nyx interfered during the break. Lola pushes Jacy’s shoulders to the mat for two to cause the break. Jacy beats on Lola and kicks her in the head, then mocks Jaida before playing to the crowd. She charges in for a cannonball on Lola, cover for two-plus.
Jacy sends Lola into the hostile corner, Fallon tags in and comes off the ropes for a dropping shot to the head for two. Lola fights back and locks in a dragon sleeper, she takes Fallon down and Fallon escapes before they hit a double clothesline Jazmyn goes to stop Jazmyn from interfering and Lola gets knocked into Jaida! Jaida is done and leaving.
Lola fights back and takes it to both women but eventually gets levelled by a rolling elbow. Jacy tags in Fallon, two for one and cover gets three.
Official Winner - Fatal Influence (10:55)
Official thoughts - Decent work here, of course this was all about the booking of Jaida and Lola not getting along. Never really hit the next level, but it was solid all in all.
Jacy says that’s a statement made and Fallon says that their next target is Kelani. Kelani had a feeling they’d call her out and they could go right now — but she didn’t come alone.
BIANCA BELAIR AND JADE CARGILL ARE HERE! They get in the ring and lay out Fatal Influence. Jade with the big splash on both Jacy and Fallon, Bianca with a spinebuster and Kelani with a dropkick to both of them. Fatal Influence escapes and Kelani and the tag champs stand tall.
The NXT Focus of the night is on Je’Von Evans, who talks about how Randy Orton called him out for next week. He says Randy was a G at a young age. Orton says he’s where he is because of opportunity and he wants to do the same for Je’Von. Je’Von says he loved Orton growing up but has to be more than a fan next week. Orton says he wants to test Evans’ mettle and the odds are stacked against him, but he can prove himself. Orton says he wants to hit Evans with an RKO that knocks everyone’s socks off. Evans says sometimes the legend has to go down.
Set For Next Week:
– NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Fraxiom vs. A-Town Down Under
– NXT North American Championship Match: Oba Femi vs. Tony D’Angelo
– Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill & Kelani Jordan vs. Fatal Influence
We get a video package hyping the main event.
We get a video package hyping the arrival of Delta.
Match 4 - NXT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - ETHAN PAGE VS. TRICK WILLIAMS
Lockup to start, Trick gets backed into the corner. Punk counts to four and forces the break, though Page isn’t happy. Trick backs Page into the corner, four-count and Punk backs Trick off. Page with a roll-up for two, Trick then rolls Page up for two. Lockup against the ropes, Trick swings but Punk blocks it because Page is in the ropes. Page with a pin and gets his foot on the ropes but Punk sees it.
Trick takes over and comes off the ropes with a forearm, cover gets two. He goes back in but Page pulls him into the rope and then takes him down for two. Trick into the ropes but he ducks a clothesline and hits a dropkick, Page out of the ring. Trick outside and beats on Page, then throws him into the ring skirt. Page turns it around and sends Trick into the timekeepers both as we go to break.
We’re back as Ethan Page covers for two. He continues beating on Trick and Punk warns him, so they argue a bit. Page with a kick to Trick’s head and another, and a third. Trick catches the fourth and spins him around for a shot to the gut. Off the ropes, Page with a kneelift and cover for two. Page beats on Trick in the corner and backs up, he charges in but Trick moves! Jumping neckbreaker!
Both men to their feet and they start clobbering. Page into the ropes into a high knee and heel keep, he lays Page out and hits a big boot that sends the champ to the outside. Trick out now but Page pulls him into the ring steps, then hits an Ego’s Edge through the commentary table!
Page in the ring as Punk checks on Trick then comes into the ring. Trick back in — and he hits a Trick Shot! Page falls back onto Trick and Punk covers for two-plus! Both men having trouble getting up, but Punk gets them up! He tells them to fight and they do, trading shots back and forth! Page with a kick, Trick goes for a uranage but Page blocks it. Big Page kick, Trick with a push up uppercut and then a neckbreaker off the ropes! Pull up uranage, cover gets two-plus!
Trick charges for a Trick Shot but Page dodges and Trick hits the corner! Page covers for two-plus. Page isn’t happy with the speed of the count and he goes for a G2S! He nails it and covers, two and a half but Trick kicks out! Page is pissed! Ego’s Edge — Trick slides down into Punk’s arms. Page goes in but Punk pushes Trick away — TRICK SHOT! That’s it!
Official Winner - NEW NXT Champion - Trick Williams (12:30)
Official thoughts - Fine match again, I think that end booking was a touch wonky but it worked. Trick gets the big win to end the show happy, with no complaints.
Punk puts Page to sleep after the match as Trick celebrates!
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