‘WWE NXT: No Mercy 2023’ Review (Sept 30th 2023)
Well, well, well. NXT now have the No Mercy PLE brand and this is the first version of the PPV which started back in 1999, right here in the UK! With that being said, let’s see what went down on the first NXT: No Mercy…
Match #1: Blair Davenport def. Kelani Jordan
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The destructive Blair Davenport sent another message to the NXT women’s locker room by defeating upstart newcomer Kelani Jordan to kick off NXT No Mercy. Davenport mocked her opponent throughout the match, but her overconfidence backfired as Jordan rallied with her innovative and athletic offense. Despite the NXT Universe firmly in her corner, Jordan couldn’t muster up enough to overcome her veteran opponent as Davenport’s suplex driver gave her the victory.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Baron Corbin def. Bron Breakker
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Carnage and chaos followed Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker in a matchup between two of the toughest Superstars in NXT, but in the end, only Corbin was left standing tall. Before the match could begin, Corbin and Breakker brawled at the ringside area and their fight even spilled into the crowd. Once the bout officially started, the two Superstars continued to tear each other apart with their signature offense, with Breakker hitting a rib-cracking spear and Corbin smashing the badass through the announce table. Out of nowhere, Mr. Stone launched himself off the top rope at Breakker and was swiftly tossed out of the ring, but the distraction allowed Corbin to hit End of Days and walk out of No Mercy the victor.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: North American Championship – Trick Williams def. “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The North American Title reign of “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio came to an end at No Mercy as Trick Williams dethroned the Judgment Day Superstar to win his first championship in WWE. Mysterio was not pleased with Special Guest Referee Dragon Lee, believing him to be biased, and Williams took advantage of Dirty Dom’s arrogance. An errant dropkick from Mysterio knocked out Lee, but the champion didn’t appreciate the replacement official either and knocked him down to the ground, too. Trick Willy took advantage of the distractions and nailed a kick square on Dirty Dom’s jaw to deliver himself his first taste of championship gold.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: NXT Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way – Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo def. Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo, The Creed Brothers and OTM
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Family remains on top as Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo overcame the odds in a Fatal 4-Way Match to remain the NXT Tag Team Champions. Disaster nearly struck The Family as Tony D left the match with a right knee injury, but he triumphantly returned and battled alongside his partner and Underboss. The match would devolve into anarchy as all four teams found themselves in the ring, even hitting each other with a quadruple Superplex. In the end, The Don, on one leg, managed to hit Bada Bing Bada Boom with Stacks to retain their title.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: NXT Heritage Cup Championship – Noam Dar def. Butch
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The NXT Heritage Cup will remain with Noam Dar and the Meta-Four after a hard-fought matchup against The Brawling Brute, Butch. The first round went to a draw, but as Butch was manipulating Dar’s joints, the champion levied a cheap shot on the challenger after the bell. Butch recovered in the second round, but a distraction from Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson allowed Oro Mensah to clock Butch, allowing Dar to pick up the first fall. The third round was Butch’s as he tied the contest with a big time Bitter End, but his submission attempt at the end of the fourth round kept the bout tied. Round five came and went without a fall, and in the waning minutes of the final round, Gallus appeared, and Joe Coffey laid out Butch with All The Best For The Bells to secure the win for Dar.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: NXT Championship – Ilja Dragunov def. Carmelo Hayes
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The era of The Dragon is officially upon us as Ilja Dragunov knocked off Carmelo Hayes to become the new NXT Champion. Dragunov preyed on the lack of confidence that he instilled in Hayes in the weeks leading up to their highly anticipated rematch and he battered the champion with a bevy of vicious strikes. Both Superstars were forced to dig deep after their signature moves failed to win them the match, highlighted by Hayes missing his Nothing But Net leg drop. After countering Nothing But Net, Dragunov went to extreme measures to win the match and hit a Super H-Bomb to win the NXT Title, ushering in his reign as champion.
My Score: 5 out of 5
Match #7: NXT Women’s Championship Extreme Rules Match – Becky Lynch def. Tiffany Stratton
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Man came around to NXT No Mercy and made good on her word, retaining the NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Tiffany Stratton in an instant classic Extreme Rules Match. The action was fast and furious as Becky Lynch showed up with a shopping cart full of weapons, ready to battle the bombshell that is Stratton. Lynch used some innovative tactics to batter her opponent, including dumping Stratton onto a pile of broken dolls. Stratton came right back at the champion, crushing her through a steel trash can and smashing her onto the steel steps. After attacking Stratton with a barbed wire bat, Lynch was smashed through the barricade thanks to Stratton’s back handspring. Stratton followed it up by a gravity-defying Swanton Bomb onto The Man through a table. Stratton went for broke and attempted her Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but she missed and landed on a pile of chairs. Lynch then hopped up to hit a Man-handle Slam to retain the NXT Women’s Championship.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
What a show to kick off NXT’s version of No Mercy! This thing built and built as the show went on until we got back-to-bangers with the two NXT titles on the line in both men’s and women’s title matches. This PLE really hit its stride at the halfway point as the tag team fatal four-way raised the game, and then Noam Dar and Butch had one hell of a Heritage Cup final that, if not for the interference at the end, would have been even better and rivalled the women’s title match in terms of score. Speaking of the women’s title match, Tiffany Stratton managed to truly hold her own against the more experienced Becky Lynch in what was something of a hardcore match but one that didn’t rely on blood or too much over-the-top physical violence. It worked. And it certainly elevated Stratton that’s for sure! But the star of the show was the Men’s NXT title match as Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov had one of the best matches we’ve seen in any WWE product in what feels like an eternity. I certainly can’t remember the last time I gave a WWE match full marks… In fact, five stars is something of a rarity for ANY wrestling brand. But these two guys deserved it. We talk about matches elevating wrestlers and that’s certainly the case here – for BOTH men. Even in losing Carmelo Hayes looked the proverbial million bucks. It will be interesting to see what happens to both men going for after No Mercy.
