5 things WWE NXT got right this week: Top star turns heel, high-flyer injured
WWE NXT hosted the Women’s Tag Team Championship match on this week’s show. It was the biggest bout scheduled for Tuesday night.
Bron Breakker and Von Wagner were scheduled to come face-to-face in The Grayson Waller Effect during the show. Wagner laid out Breakker last week to quickly enter the NXT Championship picture.
WWE also booked a few other matches for the show that weren’t too impressive. While the brand's quality has dipped over the weeks, one can expect it to rise again, keeping the upcoming rivalries in mind.
T-Bar also teased his return to the brand during the show. It’ll be good to have the big man back in the coming weeks.
Let's take a look at the five things WWE NXT got right on this week’s show.
#5. Ava Raine helped Joe Gacy defeat Cameron Grimes
Joe Gacy came out with The Schism to kick off WWE NXT on Tuesday. He said that he would face Cameron Grimes for the last time on the show.
The Technical Savage took the fight to Gacy early on and made the heel pay for his actions. Schism's leader locked in a Crossface, but Grimes fought out to hit some good moves. The Schism tried to interfere in the match to help their leader out.
Grimes kicked The Schism off the apron before hitting a crossbody to Gacy. The Technical Savage had the match under his belt before Ava Raine distracted him. The heel took advantage and hit the handspring clothesline for the win.
The rivalry between Gacy and Grimes finally seems to have ended. It looks like NXT wanted Gacy to get the upper hand before finishing their feud. Getting Raine involved in the finish was an intelligent decision. She will probably get involved in more matches for the faction, just like Rhea Ripley in Judgment Day.
#4. Duke Hudson threw in the towel for Andre Chase against Charlie Dempsey
Charlie Dempsey came out to showcase his potential against Chase U’s Andre Chase on WWE NXT. The former went on the attack early and grounded the big man with impressive moves.
Chase fought and hit a few big slams and kicks to punish his opponent. Dempsey fired back with a Uranage and a submission hold that nearly earned him the win.
Chase U's leader was in trouble, and Duke Hudson threw a towel in the ring to force the referee to stop the match. Charlie Dempsey earned a hard-fought forfeit victory on the show.
NXT ended the match in a very interesting way this week. It will probably lead to a rift between Hudson and Chase in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Dempsey earned a big win to help his case in the ring.
#3. The Grayson Waller Effect with Bron Breakker and Von Wagner on WWE NXT
Grayson Waller hosted NXT Champion Bron Breakker and his challenger, Von Wagner, on his talk show this week. Waller set the room alight by claiming that the NXT Universe did not see Wagner as a deserving challenger for the top title.
Von said he had come in not to become a fan favorite but to win matches. He wasn’t bothered by what the haters had to say and wanted to win the title from Breakker.
The two men took verbal shots at each other and had an intense stare-down after Breakker attacked Mr. Stone for trying to get in between the two superstars.
The Grayson Waller Effect was simple yet effective this week. The show needed a simple build for the title match that will likely see Breakker come out on top once again.
The filler feud needs nothing fancy to get over. Instead, another interview segment will help both men polish their promo skills.
#2. JD McDonagh injured Axiom to pick up another win
JD McDonagh ran into Axiom and Nathan Frazer backstage on WWE NXT. A confrontation led to a match between McDonagh and Axiom.
The two men fought outside the ring early, where McDonagh sent Axiom knee-first into the steel steps. The heel used the injury to punish his opponent for the rest of the contest.
Axiom tried to regain control of the match, but his injury slowed him down. JD continued to work on his opponent’s injured knee as the NXT Universe cheered for the babyface.
He locked Axiom in the sharpshooter before the two men traded some strikes. Axiom gathered enough strength to get his knees up to block a dive, hit a Hurricanrana, and a kick for a nearfall. McDonagh continued to work on his knee, forcing the referee to call off the match.
After the contest, he called out the entire locker room to face him, especially Apollo Crews. The two will likely have a rivalry to determine who will face Bron Breakker for the title once he is done with Von Wagner.
#1. Zoey Stark turned on Nikkita Lyons after failing to win the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance defended their NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship in the show's main event. They took on the team of Nikkita Lyons and Zoey Stark.
Stark took control of the match early for her team and isolated Chance for some time. The challengers worked on her arm and punished her before Kayden tagged into the contest.
Both teams hit some good double-team moves to make the match entertaining. Stark missed a dive before Chance countered a suplex attempt with a DDT.
Zoey and Nikkita nearly collided, allowing the champions to take both women out. Chance got another DDT before hitting the 450 splash combo for the win.
After the match, Stark attacked Lyons and the champions. She laid her partner out before the show came to a close.
The match was entertaining and had some memorable spots. Stark’s heel turn was on the cards, and it was good to see her take out Lyons after the match.
A rivalry between the two will likely prepare the next challenger for the NXT Women’s Championship.