‘WWE NXT’ Review (Apr 18th 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: Triple Threat Match for the NXT Tag Team Championship – Gallus def. The Dyad and The Creed Brothers
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Gallus boys remained on top after a chaotic and enthralling Triple Threat Match for the NXT Tag Team Championships. Before the match even began, all three teams engaged in a frenetic brawl with multiple officials being needed to break up the action. All three teams gave it their all with Julius Creed showcasing his incredible offense, but in the waning moments, his loyalty is what cost his team. Brutus Creed hit the top rope looking to hit his signature Brutus Ball, but he kicked Jagger Reid off of the apron who inadvertently clipped Ivy Nile, knocking her down. Brutus hit his move, but his brother decided to tend to Nile instead. That decision left Brutus all alone in the ring with Gallus where the champions hit a fireman’s carry running kick combo that allowed them to retain their titles.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Noam Dar def. Myles Borne
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
“The Scottish Supernova” Noam Dar proved why he’s the owner of the NXT Heritage Cup as he quickly extinguished the up-and-coming Myles Borne in his return to NXT. Dar used his vicious precision strikes to gain the upper hand, and right when Borne seemed to be gaining momentum, Dar landed a devastating knee. It wasn’t long until Dar nailed his Nova Roller kick and sealed his victory.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #3: Roxanne Perez def. Zoey Stark
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
“The Prodigy” Roxanne Perez got back to her winning ways by defeating Zoey Stark in singles action, marking her first win since losing her title at Stand & Deliver. Stark started the match in her typical ruthless way, firing off devastating shots including a knee strike so powerful that it reverberated throughout the arena. The scrappy Perez refused to give in and showed why she has the heart of a champion, using her supreme skills to keep Stark off-balance. Stark went for the win via her Stark-360, but it was countered masterfully by Perez. Before she could even react, Stark found herself in trouble and was rocked by a perfect Pop Rox which allowed Perez to walk away the victor.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Cora Jade def. Gigi Dolin
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Gigi Dolin tried to silence the foul-mouthed Cora Jade, but her former tag team partner Jacy Jayne continued to torment her and cost her the win. Dolin was in control having incapacitated Jade with a series of kicks, but Jayne arrived and the two brawled throughout ringside. Dolin managed to toss Jayne into the announce table, but the distraction was long enough for Jade to recover. Jade was lying in wait and nailed Dolin with a knee and then a DDT, clinching the win for herself.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #5: Dijak def. Apollo Crews
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After a discussion about the upcoming WWE Draft, Dijak backed up his talk by systematically destroying Apollo Crews in impressive fashion. Crews started off hot, using his athleticism to disorient the larger Dijak, even knocking him down with an athletic dropkick, a trio of german suplexes, and a blockbuster. The two Superstars traded shots with Dijak winning the exchange thanks to a discus boot. The towering Dijak thought he had the match won with his Hard Justice chokeslam, but Crews kicked out. Crews went for one last athletic move, but Dijak caught him mid-air and put him in the torture rack before hitting Feast Your Eyes and winning the match.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #6: NXT North American Championship Match – Wes Lee def. Charlie Dempsey
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Wes Lee managed to retain his title as defeated Charlie Dempsey in a matchup that featured a complete contrast in styles with Lee’s high-flying juxtaposed to Dempsey’s technician skills. Before the match began, however, Dempsey’s mentor Drew Gulak attacked Lee as Dempsey distracted the referee, giving the challenger an early advantage. Dempsey worked over the limbs and joints of the champion, forcing Lee to dig deep in trying to mount a comeback. His heart shined through and he continued to fight, but Dempsey kept his vice-like grip tight. When hope seemed lost for the champion, Lee used a trio of kicks to stun Dempsey long enough to set up his Kardiac Kick and somehow retain his title.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
Another strong week for NXT as they head towards ANOTHER “premium event” in Spring Breakin’… Goddamn, why so many of these named “event” shows? Does that work to bring in an audience? Or are they just chasing the monthly show schedule set by Raw and Smackdown? Whatever the case, NXT seems to be doing what the aforementioned shows can’t do. Keep things consistent and deliver a good wrestling show week in and week out. Wonder how long it will be until this roster gets gutted now they’ve got good? In the upcoming draft maybe? We’ll see.
