Meet all the 5 competitors in the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge at WWE NXT Deadline
WWE NXT Deadline is the next major Premium Live Event from World Wrestling Entertainment.
The big show is set to air live from the Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. According to WrestleTix, over 3,000 fans are expected to be in attendance.
Seven big-time matches have been confirmed for the show, six of which are scheduled for the main block while one bout will be on the pre-show. One of the most intriguing matches on the show is the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge Match.
For those unaware, the match type lasts for 25 minutes and features five stars vying to win. Whichever wrestler walks away as the winner ends up with a title opportunity for the NXT Championship.
In this article we will look at all five men who are set to compete in the big-time match. This includes former champions and stars who are likely the future of World Wrestling Entertainment as whole, NXT included. Who will be in the bout?
Below are the five competitors in the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge at WWE NXT Deadline 2023.
#5. Josh Briggs is the big surprise of the match
The biggest long-shot of the match is Josh Briggs. The 30-year-old star from Arizona may not have a lot of singles experience in WWE, but he's a formidable athlete. As far as championship gold goes, he held the NXT UK Tag Team Titles at one point alongside Brooks Jensen.
Beyond gold, however, Briggs has the distinction of being one of the two biggest men in the match. He stands at an impressive six-foot-eight inches in height. He is billed at 268 pounds. Only one other man in the match has the size that Briggs does.
Still, Josh winning the match is a long shot. While nothing is impossible in WWE, his push up until the past few weeks hasn't pointed to an NXT Championship win. Instead, he'll likely just have a good showing as the company tests his mettle as a singles star.
#4. Dijak is no stranger to the main roster
As noted, another star in the match is quite large, too. Dijak is the heaviest superstar in the bout, albeit only slightly at 270 pounds. He's just a little shorter than Briggs, billed at six-foot-seven inches tall.
Dijak has something that the other stars of the bout lack: main roster experience. Dijak was part of WWE's main roster for a few years while competing under the name T-BAR. While he'd prefer to forget that gimmick, the experience still serves him well.
While anybody can win the match, Dijak has to be considered a favorite. He is big and agile, with more top-level experience than anybody else. Beyond that, a major rematch with Ilja Dragunov, this time for the NXT Championship, could make for an exciting WWE premium live event headline bout.
#3. Trick Williams has broken out as a star
While Josh Briggs is looking to break out, another superstar has recently done exactly that. Trick Williams went from being a sidekick and a background character to becoming one of the brightest prospects in all of WWE.
The fit and athletic superstar has long been associated with Carmelo Hayes, but he recently decided that he wanted to try to find success for himself. In doing so, Trick briefly held the WWE NXT North American Championship but ultimately lost the belt back to Dominik Mysterio.
Of all the stars in the match, Trick Williams may be the most likely to win based on his recent momentum. Alternatively, his lingering issues with Carmelo Hayes and Lexis King could lead to some kind of screwy finish that leaves Williams with a loss.
#2. Tyler Bate could be called up soon
Of all the stars in the match, Tyler Bate has the most credentials, at least in terms of championships. He won the first-ever United Kingdom Championship Tournament and became a star instantly in WWE via the NXT UK brand.
In total, Bate has held five titles in WWE. He's a two-time United Kingdom Champion, a former NXT UK Tag Team Champion, and a former Heritage Cup winner. Tyler also held the NXT Tag Team Titles at one point.
Still, winning the NXT Championship would be a major feather in his cap. Bate could very well win this match and go on to headline a major event against Ilja Dragunov or Baron Corbin. Alternatively, he could lose and move to the main roster to team up with Butch.
#1. Bron Breakker is the future of WWE
The final entry into the NXT Iron Survivor Challenge Match is arguably the favorite to win. The man who is called the future of WWE and who could very well prove it by winning the bout is Bron Breakker.
Breakker is a two-time NXT Champion. He headlined numerous major premium live events and television specials. He's battled the likes of Carmelo Hayes, Dolph Ziggler, and Seth Rollins in major matches.
Unfortunately, Breakker hasn't had as much momentum as of late. That could change with a major victory at WWE NXT Deadline, however. Alternatively, like Bate, he could lose to ascend to the main roster.