Review: WWE NXT (11-19-2024)
NXT was live from Orlando! Finally a show that aired live, and it could only be the great and important NXT!
Much of the crowd is decked out in Chase U gear with the group’s existence on the line in tonight’s main event. Booker’s screaming.
Backstage: Nathan Frazer walks with Axiom, who is concerned about the rise of 52 tag teams everyone forgot existed. But Frazer is focused on his potential singles career going into an Iron Survivor qualifiers match. Boy I tell ya! Despite the fact that these two have had basically no issues with their in-ring chemistry, they sure do have opposite focuses when they’re not wrestling! Gallus stalk behind them for a moment to remind you of the tag teams, who prior to last week had no focus on the tag belts but now all do. Laser focus!
Eddy Thorpe vs Nathan Frazer
Iron Survivor Qualifier
Axiom does accompany Frazer to the ring. Seems like he should be banned. OTM are up in the Eddy Thorpe DJ hole. Hank and Tank are in the crowd standing around. See, the tag teams — oh, you get it. Stacks and Luca are out here. Booker vomits after saying “Da hell?!” His two favorite things apart from checks and championships.
Frazer and Thorpe both looking intense here, both want the opportunity to join Wes Lee and Je’Von Evans, so far, in the men’s Iron Survivor at Deadline. “Da hell?!” Booker asks when he notices those fellows whose names I forgot at ringside, then, while staring down at his monitor, claims they’re blocking his view. Booker T is an international treasure.1
Eventually, while the match just sort of goes through its athletic motions, the tag teams have all made their way down to ringside. I think Booker has said “da hell?! or “what the hell?!” about 17 times in this match.
Crowd staying real fiery over a neat but nothing special match, whether they’re all that genuine about it or not, they do tend to create an atmosphere. They care about that. Frazer keeps getting distracted by all the tag teams and Thorpe hits a nasty little brainbuster for two.
The tag teams keep getting closer to having it all pop off, and then it goes with Gallus lined up against Axiom, Hank, and Tank, Frazer dives onto a bunch of people — including Thorpe — and Thorpe gets a cheapshot in on Axiom before the two of the actual combatants move into the ring. Everyone booking wrestling the last couple years (at least major American TV wrestling) has frankly clearly read Controversy Creates Cash and taken Eric Bischoff’s ideas about “chaos” and unpredictability to heart.2
Frazer winds up winning a match that by itself barely actually exists, even if it has some cool moves. It’s more a half-foreground, half-background device to continue pushing the tag division stuff. Not going to Star Rate.
Video: Andre Chase addresses the Chase U classroom, which has Duke Hudson, Thea Hail, Riley Hudson, and 10 or 12 extras. Chase is very heartfelt. Again, one of the best stories in wrestling this year, the absolute ideal of what you can make memorable for midcarders. Really good package here, too. A couple of the extras get lines. The university is on the line tonight! Wait, no, they’ve left it really clear here: If Andre Chase loses tonight, then Hail, Hudson, and Osborne are done with Chase U. But in theory Chase U can continue on, very possibly with the three newbies who got lines and camera focus at the end of the video.
Watch Scrabble with Raven-Symone!
Video: Giulia has been here a little over two months. America, I tell you, is different than Japan. She saw the statue of an actor who seems to really think he was a real professional boxer. Giulia getting some character background spotlight here, basically.
Backstage: Kelani Jordan is taking to herself in catchphrases. Bob and Steve are also here. Kelani waits too long for her next line. She wants Giulia next week in a qualifier. Bob and Steve have their usual empty, pointless argument that has never meant anything. These are not real characters on this show.
Stephanie Vaquer vs Jaida Parker
Iron Survivor Qualifier
A few of the Chase U shirt-wearers try to start a “both these wo-men” and it doesn’t really catch on. Like, I agree, but I also wouldn’t immediately chant it if I were there.
Vaquer using some neat cradle attempts. Booker says “Jaida Pickett” and Vic thinks he said “Jada Pinkett” — well, no, he knows he said “Pickett,” but they both don’t actually know Jada Pinkett’s name, I guess. But they get to reference the Oscars slap.
Parker showing off some power, fighting through her shoulder hurting, trying to make this more of a fight as she is a dangerous street fighter and college soccer player from Port St. Lucie. Parker getting in plenty of offense; her ring positioning is still not always great, you see she remains a work in progress, but so much promise and so much confidence.
Vaquer gets going and the big experience edge starts making the real difference, also Vaquer does things that Parker didn’t learn at the WWE Performance Center. We get a “this is awesome” chant for an OK match. Parker turns the momentum but then stops wrestling because she sees Lola Vice at ringside. I would simply keep wrestling instead of becoming distracted and thus immediately losing but Jaida hasn’t watched as much wrestling as I have. **½
Backstage: Dion Lennox is warming up backstage with Brinley Reece. “Five years I spent playing football at Oregon State University, it feels good to be back in black and orange again!” Very natural. Very subtle. Thank you, Dion and NXT Creative Team. “And just like the Beavers are gonna take care of Washington State this weekend…” — ah, yes, The Pac-12 Game.3 Brinley has borrowed some Oregon State clothing but her actual gear is blue.4 “Uh! Yes! That’s why you were Captain! You’re gittin’ my Brinergy PUMPED up!” Then she says “heck yeah, brother.” Just two very real seeming people here, having a real conversation.
Brooks Jensen vs Tony D’Angelo
Being honest, Jensen can’t even really buy a reaction at the PC. This is non-title. Jensen has Shawn Spears in his corner, but surely he’s neutralized by Adriana Rizzo. Booker does a bizarre “John Cena impression” that is clearly a Vince McMahon impression but you can’t say “Vince McMahon” anymore.
Jensen grabs a sleephold and Booker makes a reference to Michael Chandler losing on the weekend, because WWE and UFC are the same thing now. This is a “commentary talking” match more than a match. NXT specializes in matches that aren’t really happening.
D’Angelo selling a minor knee injury, might have legit tweaked it for a moment since he’s not letting it at all play into what he does after the moment. D’Angelo hits his spinebuster on a second try and gets the win.
Post-match: Spears helps Brooks to his feet and Jensen stumbles away. Spears then sets his own sights on Tony D and extends a hand. D’Angelo shakes it, and Jensen chop blocks D’Angelo. Rizzo’s there, though, don’t worry. She’s able to look at the two of them with some contempt.
Backstage: “Ashante” The Adonis and Karmen Petrovic have Washington State outfits. This might honestly be the saddest sports promotional tie-in I can remember. I do get it, and it’s totally harmless, but they’ve got these poor folks real fired up for The Pac-12 Game on The CW. Lennox makes sense, anyway. They agree that they’re both attractive.
Backstage: Lexis King is doing Bret Michaels cosplay with stupider facial hair. He’s talking to … someone about trying to change his stripes. Oh, he’s talking to Yoshiki Inamura. You sort of assume the gag will be that Inamura just doesn’t speak English much and has been standing there not knowing what King is saying, but it seems like Inamura was listening and processing but just didn’t really have any idea what the hell King was talking about because he’s never watched NXT. King leaves, Inamura tells Josh Briggs that “NXT is a crazy place,” and then we cut over to all the tag teams fighting, which Inamura and Briggs have no actual reaction to even though it’s feet away and clearly has been going on a while. Inamura likes THAT kind of crazy. They do not join the fray, though.
Ashante Adonis & Karmen Petrovic vs Dion Lennox & Brinley Reece
Big week for mixed tag action in WWE.
Vic: “Booker, you like the Cougars or the Beavers?”
Booker: “I’m a Beaver man myself.”
booker please.
Dion almost accidentally knocks Karmen off the apron, which may or may not have been purposeful distraction from Karmen. Adonis with some nice physicality in there, man, both his offense and the sort of bumping that is meant to get the attention of the office. Pointlessly athletic stuff from Reece. This doesn’t last long, Petrovic pins Reece after an Ashante distraction. Karmen and Adonis are going to have a wrestling marriage. Well. At least a wrestling wedding, which can go either way.
Backstage: Ridge Holland is with Sarah Schreiber. Ridge got Chase U that classroom and some t-shirts, by goodness. I’ve found I’m probably high-end on Ridge Holland, but I think this is another solid promo and that he’s finally found a groove. “I’m going to Deadline, and Chase U as we know it dies.” Yeah as we know it. Chase U will continue, as I’ve always hoped. People should just “graduate” and be replaced by new faces, because Andre Chase is that useful in the role.
Along with Washington State (8-2) at Oregon State (4-6), The CW will have North Carolina (6-4) at Boston College (5-5) and The Citadel (5-6 in FCS) at Clemson (8-2) on Saturday.
Zaria vs Wren Sinclair
Iron Survivor Qualifier
Someday, all of this “making new people meant to quickly be stars look the best they can look” work is going to pay off for Wren Sinclair. Vic asks Booker who Zaria reminds him of and Booker reacts like Vic has four eyes.
Wren trying to use her skills, her agility, her wrestling, but Zaria is just too powerful, too sturdy, too sound herself, for that matter. And man is she a a true powerhouse. Wren does have minor chances but they pass quickly. Chuck Dempsey is out with Sinclair but stays uninvolved physically. Zaria does give him the evil eye at one point, but that’s her own problem distracting herself, and Sinclair lands a dive to give herself a shot here.
Wren putting what she can into some chops and a jumping clothesline, a facebuster, a dropkick, she has Zaria rockin’ and a-reelin’! And then she doesn’t. Spear is basically the true beginning of the end, then the F5 that they call nothing but Booker T goes “YEEEEEEEEEEEEES” finishes.5
Backstage: Fatal Influence walk around.
Backstage: Tony D’Angelo is getting his knee checked by the trainer, and Ava shows up to act at him. Eddy Thorpe is here now, too. He’s begging for a decision reversal. Tony D has to get cleared to get a match with Spears. Thorpe is pissed because Ava won’t just reverse the referee’s decision and he storms off.
In the Ring: Fatal Influence are in the ring. Jacy talks first. Strongest women’s division, strongest women’s division. She finishes her lines and Fallon Henley takes over and argues that Fatal Influence are at the top because one of the three of them holds a secondary title. Fallon finishes her lines and Jazmyn Nyx takes over. She’s the least sure of them on the mic but it’s about the same style. Henley issues an open challenge jesus christ can someone get a new idea for a secondary belt in This Business. It’ll be next week, but the call is answered immediately by Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend. The two of them want to answer the open challenge put out for a singles match. You know who else does? Nikkita Lyons, who tells Lash to “get to the back of the line.” And then Adriana Rizzo hits Nikkita in the back of the head to minimal effect, and there’s a big brawl, and a bunch more women join, and Vic even gets to say, “Just like the tag team division!” It sure is, Vic! Fallon’s alone in the ring as everyone else peters out, and Tatum Paxley comes from under the ring to attack her and claim the open challenge spot for herself, probably. Terrific angle, it used three tired concepts at once.
Backstage: Niko Vance tells Spears that he’s got his title shot next week. Then over to Karmen and Adonis who might want to date, and then Nikkita Lyons says she’s “waiting on that text back” from Ashante. Karmen is mad and leaves. “I didn’t text her!” Karate Iggy Azalea is gonna get karate’d by a real karate master.
Video: Ethan Page wants to be in the Iron Survivor. Personally at his age I would want to be, like, on Raw. But here we are.
Backstage: Axiom tells Nathan Frazer that he’s going to face Ethan Page next week in a qualifier. Frazer and his great acting are surprised. But he’s happy for Axiom. Maybe. Can these two just fucking kiss already. Frazer realizes then that they’ll both be in the Deadline match if Axiom beats the former NXT champ. I doubt it’ll come up.
Video: Another Chase U meet-up covering some of their funniest moments of Andre Chase throwing basketballs at students and whatnot. More hype-up.
Arriving: Trick Williams is coming to commentary for the main event to see whom he’ll face at Deadline. Booker wonders if Trick is “representing Harlem Heat with that jacket, with that flame jacket on.” It’s actually a ‘99 Jeff Gordon jacket so no.
Andre Chase vs Ridge Holland
NXT Championship No. 1 Contender Match
If Chase loses, the three people in Chase U that you’ve heard of can’t be in Chase U anymore. Booker T has recently watched Tombstone, as he says this is about “the reckoning.” Backstage, Chase U look on as Chase gets his ass kicked some by Ridge.
But Andre fights off a possible power bomb on the exposed floor, but once Ridge gets hold of him the power advantage is a huge difference. Ref misses a low blow and Ridge hits the Redeemer, but Duke Hudson pulls the ref out of the ring. Booker points out that should be a DQ. Thea is also here.
Duke gets in to attack Ridge. Boy this guy wants to stay in this gimmick real bad. Trick enjoys it. But Duke gets put through the side of the Eddy Thorpe DJ hole. Crowd cusses and Thea gets in Ridge’s face, but then Riley Osborne flies and crashes into both Ridge and Hail. Osborne is smart so he figures Thea can take a glancing dive without passing on, as she is a pro wrestler, so he just keeps going after Ridge, but Ridge press throws him to the exposed floor from the ring.
Booker is being fair that these people did attack Ridge. Chase fires up and just has to go toe-to-toe with Holland. It’s a bad gamble but it’s all he can do right now, and he’s got fire on his side.
God. This rocks. Chase is bringing everything he has but he gets caught and finished with the Redeemer, a deflating but relatively clean end to the Chase U saga as it stands, and Ridge earns his shot at Deadline. ***¼
Post-match: There are, hilariously, a few people in the crowd crying as we focus on Andre Chase’s agony and a few people sing the “na na na hey hey hey goodbye” tune because they do not care.
GRADE: C+
Most of the show was pretty so-so, but a nice main event and tough ending to a fan favorite group as we know it. And again, I like Ridge more than most.
Things I don’t much care for right now in NXT include whatever Eddy Thorpe is doing, but at least we’re heading to a proper heel turn, it seems, and that might give him some fire, and also Tony D taking a big step down to fart around with the Shawn Spears Collective, which could be better with the right story steps, I guess.
Three Stars of the Show
Andre Chase: Obviously Ridge is the winner, predictably, and moves on to Deadline. But that match was all about wrapping up the story of Andre Chase and Chase U to date. It was done quite well, and Chase went out fighting his guts out. And I assume they’ll just have new lead students soon.
Ridge Holland: Solid promo mid-show, solid work in the main event. Kind of a Hercules opponent for Trick Williams’ Hulk Hogan, but I do think Ridge has at least earned the look. I mean, for one thing, he’s worked hard, for another he’s 36. See what he can do in the spot. It’s just the NXT anyway.
Ashante “Thee” Adonis: Kinda like whatever they’re doing with him and Karmen right now, and I thought he had some head-turning little moments in the ring with Dion Lennox, too.
Booker also wonders “what the hell is going on” with all the Chase U fans opposite the hard cam, and Vic says, “What do you mean ‘what’s going on,’ it’s the damn main event, Booker.” For all the world, it really does not seem like Booker has any sheet of talking points to hit, and if he does, he takes every word of it as suggestion he can feel free to ignore.
Of course if you do it enough, it becomes predictable over time. Maybe they didn’t get to that chapter.
It airs on The CW, so there’s tie-in here. Also while not impossible, unlikely, as Oregon State are 4-6 with five straight losses, including blowouts to Cal and Air Force and a loss at home to San Jose State, while Washington State are 8-2, although coming off of a loss to New Mexico on the road. So again, not impossible, but still unlikely. Oregon State are, however, playing for their season and any hope at a bowl game, though a game at Boise State the following week is even more daunting.
She went to Sacramento State.
In the highlights Vic just called the spear and then the F5 was “followed it up.”