5 Things NXT Halloween Havoc got right: Superstar’s career saved; surprising champion crowned
WWE NXT Halloween Havoc took over Saturday night with some massive matches on the card. The highlight of the show was the NXT Championship match between Bron Breakker, Ilja Dragunov, and JD McDonagh.
Mandy Rose retained her NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Alba Fyre. It was one of the most questionable wins, as Fyre had the momentum to finally take the title away from Rose.
Meanwhile, a five-man Ladder Match was scheduled to crown the next North American Champion. The match featured some excellent spots that made the Premium Live Event memorable.
It was an overall complete show that had excellent matches. Check out the five things WWE NXT got right at this year’s Halloween Havoc.
#5. Apollo Crews defeated Grayson Waller at WWE NXT Halloween Havoc
After building their rivalry for several weeks, Apollo Crews and Grayson Waller competed in a Casket Match at NXT Halloween Havoc. The two fought their way outside the ring where Crews hit his opponent with a body drop on the floor.
The two men competed all around the ring and Waller sent Crews into the casket from the apron. The lights went out and when they came back on, the casket door was broken and Crews got back into action to send Waller into the steel steps.
Another casket was brought in as the two men continued to beat each other all around the arena. The former United States Champion stayed on the attack and hit a big splash before fighting back into the ring.
Crews tried to pay homage to The Undertaker with a Tombstone, but it was countered. Crews still managed to get the better of Waller and slammed him into the casket before closing the door to pick up the win.
The match wasn’t too great, but it was good to see Crews come out on top. His move to NXT hasn’t been as noticeable as many expected it to be. The win will likely allow him to move on to a more meaningful rivalry. Meanwhile, Waller will continue to march ahead as a top heel.
#4. Roxanne Perez got the better of Cora Jade in a Weapons Wild Match
.@CoraJadeWWE and @roxanne_wwe just PLUMMETED out of the #WWENXT Universe and through a table!
#HalloweenHavoc https://t.co/HkcHysukMr
Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade competed in a Weapons Wild Match on NXT Halloween Havoc. Perez took a skateboard out of a trashcan and went hard on Hade right away. The two made their way to the ring where Perez hit a dive before bringing a table. The heel used a spray to blind Perez and send her into the barricade before beating her down and trapping her in a trashcan.
Perez used Jade’s bat to beat her down and picked up a near fall. Jade countered the Pop Rox and made her way to the high balcony where they exchanged some strikes. A terrible spot saw Perez take Jade down with her through a table from the balcony. Back in the ring, Perez hit her with a slam on a pile of steel chairs before hitting the Pop Rox for the win.
The match allowed both the young superstars a chance to shine. In the end, Perez deserved to win the match. Fans are behind her, and WWE could give her a real chance to defeat Mandy Rose for the NXT Women’s Championship.
#3. Wes Lee became the new WWE NXT North American Champion
A five-man Ladder Match for the NXT North American Championship kicked off at Halloween Havoc. Carmelo Hayes walked into the match as the favorite to win the title back.
Wes Lee and Hayes unloaded on each other while Oro Mensah and Nathan Frazer went after Von Wagner. Ladders were introduced soon after, and Hayes and Frazer pulled off an incredibly painful move on it.
Frazer and Lee hit some good spots to make the match interesting and put their bodies on the line for the fans. Lee nearly climbed the ladder, but Wagner stopped him and tossed him outside onto the announcers’ desk.
Mensah and Frazer teamed up again to try to take Wagner out of the equation. The two tried to climb the ladder, but Hayes stopped them from getting to the title. Wes Lee came back into the ring and dropped Melo onto a horizontal ladder. He completed the climb and retrieved the North American Championship to pick up the biggest win of his career.
The match was solid and had all the big spots one would expect from a ladder match. Many fans doubted Lee’s ability as a singles superstar after MSK broke up. However, the victory shows that the creative team has a lot of faith in him. It will allow him to have a reign that can hopefully give him a big push in WWE.
#2. Julius Creed saved his brother’s career in the Ambulance Match
Julius Creed and Damon Kemp competed in an Ambulance Match to settle their differences on WWE NXT Halloween Havoc. Julius’ brother’s career was on the line in the match, and he went hard on Kemp from the opening bell.
Julius hit some big suplexes before the fight spilled over to the floor. He tried to send Kemp into the ambulance early, but the heel fought back and beat down his opponent with a crutch.
Julius used a fire extinguisher on his opponent and send him into the steel steps. He sent Damon into the apron on a wheelchair and punished him with some thunderous strikes.
Damon used the timekeeper’s bell and nearly got Julius into the ambulance but failed to lock the doors. The former NXT Tag Team Champion fought out and powerbombed Kemp into a stretcher before tossing him into the ambulance and securing the doors for the win.
It was arguably the hardest-hitting match of the night and both men put on a great show. In the end, Julius successfully saved Brutus Creed’s career and silenced Damon Kemp for good. It will be interesting to see how the latter reacts to the loss in the coming weeks.
#1. A hard-hitting NXT Championship match headline Halloween Havoc
WHAT?!
#HalloweenHavoc #NXTChampionship https://t.co/kWIMDlVHIh
The biggest match of the night took place between Ilja Dragunov, JD McDonagh, and NXT Champion Bron Breakker. Fans waited to see who would walk out with the title in hand. Breakker bulldozed through both his challengers but was sent out of the ring early. Ilja and JD exchanged some stiff strikes before Bron returned to take them out.
The champion used his strength to stay on top of his opponents and hit them with some wonderful moves. McDonagh broke up a pin attempt from Breakker before being taken out with a hurricanrana by the champ.
Dragunov showcased his prowess by hitting some signature moves on both superstars. JD hit Bron with a 450 Splash but the champion kicked out in time. Breakker hit back and got his finisher on Ilja but JD took him out before he could secure the win.
Ilja hit a senton and the Torpedo Moskau for a near fall of his own. The three men did everything they could but failed to get the pin for some time. In the end, Breakker tore through Dragunov with a spear before getting the win at NXT Halloween Havoc.
It was surprising to see Ilja take the fall at the end of the contest. NXT's creative team seems to have a lot of faith in McDonagh, and he could get another shot at Breakker’s title in the coming weeks. The match was solid and all three men performed their hearts out. Bron Breakker continues to prove that he is among the most complete superstars in the company today.