‘WWE NXT’ Review (Feb 14th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of NXT, right here on Nerdly. Let’s get straight into the review and see what happened this week…
Match #1: Tyler Bate def. Grayson Waller
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Grayson Waller was out to prove something after losing to Bron Breakker at NXT Vengeance Day, but he couldn’t quite overcome the Big Strong Boi. Both men were evenly matched with Bate using his innovative offense to keep the wily Waller off-balance. Still clearly focused on his backstage issues with Shawn Michaels, Waller tried mocking the Heartbreak Kid, but it backfired and nearly cost him the match. The action continued at a frenzied pace, but Waller’s attempt to use the ropes as leverage during a pin was spotted by the referee, and the momentary lapse in judgment allowed Bate to reverse it into the winning pin.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Tiffany Stratton def. Thea Hail
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Still feeling the effects of last week’s frightening abduction from Ava, Thea Hail just couldn’t muster up enough energy to take down Tiffany Stratton. Stratton continued to mock Chase U during the match, much like she has done on TikTok and even last week to Hail’s face. It wasn’t long before Schism appeared and terrified Hail, allowing Stratton to take full control of the match. Andre Chase and Duke Hudson tried their best to pump Hail up, but Ava’s appearance was the harbinger of doom as the distraction allowed Stratton to knock Hail down and hit her with her immaculate moonsault.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Axiom def. Damon Kemp
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The amazing Axiom waited two long weeks to get his hands on Damon Kemp and he made sure to make every moment count. The action was fast and furious with Axiom hitting incredible athletic maneuvers, but Kemp grounded the high-flier with a thunderous clothesline and later an electric into a German suplex. Axiom was not to be deterred and quieted the brutish Kemp as he countered another suplex which set him up for a Golden Ratio.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: NXT North American Championship Match – Wes Lee def. Von Wagner
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The decision to hold an Open Challenge for the NXT North American Championship looked to be a bad idea, but Wes Lee once again proved that he has the heart of a champion. It seemed like either Tony D’Angelo or Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo would answer the challenge, but Dijak appeared and the trio brawled on the outside until Wagner appeared and hit Lee with a big boot. Wagner brutalized the smaller Lee with huge slams and rough kicks to the face, but Lee’s internal fortitude was too strong to keep him down for long. The champion managed to counter Wagner’s press slam and after a flurry of kicks, Lee nailed a Kardiac Kick and successfully retained his title.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Charlie Dempsey def. Hank Walker
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
A battle of up and coming Superstars didn’t go the way of Hank Walker’s as Charlie Dempsey proved that he’s simply a step above. As the protege of Drew Gulak, Walker has shown marked improvement and displayed his new moves in an impressive fashion, but Dempsey’s pedigree as a second generation Superstar left him with plenty of counters. Dempsey’s skills allowed him to lock in a seemingly unbreakable, wrenching hold and forced Walker to tap out. After the match, Gulak didn’t come to his students’ aid and instead walked off with Dempsey.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #6: Roxanne Perez & Meiko Satomura def. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions challenged Roxanne Perez to find a partner for a tag team match, and she found the perfect one in Meiko Satomura. Despite being the more seasoned team, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance struggled early on against Perez & Satomura, falling victim to strong tandem offense until they were finally able to isolate Perez in their corner. The two teams continued to battle back and forth, but the NXT Women’s Champion took control and hit Pop Rox on Kayden Carter, giving her team the victory. After the match, Satomura requested an NXT Women’s Title Match for having Perez’s back and the champ agreed.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
At this point I sound like a broken record but… this was another solid episode of NXT, with a good opener and an even better main event. Apart from the Charlie Dempsey squash there was not a single bad match in the entire bunch, just a series of OK ones. Honestly, like I said about this week’s Raw, this feels like WWE coasting along – putting on good, passable, shows but not really trying to make exciting must-see shows. Maybe they’re just keeping the really good stuff for the PPVs/premium event shows?!
