WWE NXT Battleground Results: Violent end to gimmick match; New champion crowned - Winners, Recap, Grades & Highlights (May 28, 2023)
Wes Lee kicked off NXT Battleground, and we headed for the first match of the night between Lee, Tyler Bate & Joe Gacy.
The North American Championship Match gets us started tonight at #NXTBattleground! https://t.co/kQcFKSyKuo
WWE NXT Battleground Results (May 28, 2023): Wes Lee (c) vs. Tyler Bate vs. Joe Gacy - North American Championship match
BIG. STRONG. BOI. 💪
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/Xcd1XtqQrk
Lee went for an early pin on Gacy, and Bate came in with a rollup of his own before Gacy tried to get Bate to team up against the champ. Lee and Bate sent Gacy outside and beat him up at ringside before attacking each other.
Gacy came back with a dive and took out Lee and Bate before we headed back to the ring. We got a big double suplex spot from Lee before Bate hit the airplane spin on Lee with Gacy on his shoulders.
Gacy hit a double slam of his own before Tyler hit the Tyler Driver '97. Lee broke up the pin with a Meteora before taking Bate out with a big dive to the outside. Lee took a big slam from Gacy in the ring but came back with the Cardiac Kick for the win.
Result: Wes Lee def. Tyler Bate & Joe Gacy to retain the North American Championship
The Kardiak Kid does it again!
@WesLee_WWE retains his title and sets the record for most successful North American Championship defenses!
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/WOAtrPG0db
Grade: B+
Noam Dar (c) vs. Dragon Lee - Heritage Cup match at NXT Battleground
.@dragonlee95 is rolling!
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/Lbo8XjXmM6
Round 1 kicked off with some holds being traded on the mat before Dar went after Lee's arm and hit a knee drop on his wrist. Lee went for a stretch muffler submission before dropkicking Dar out of the ring.
Oro Mensah came out to assist Dar in the corner while Nathan Frazer was in Lee's. Round 2 saw Lee take Dar down in the corner before hitting a dropkick. Dragon Lee took a sudden elbow to the head before getting the first pin.
Lee was in control as Round 3 kicked off and sent Dar outside before getting a big dive. Back in the ring, Lee got a near fall off some big strikes as the bell went off. Dar went for a big elbow after the bell, but the ref didn't call for a DQ.
Dar got a quick takedown in Round 4 before Lee locked in a Texas Cloverleaf. Mensah got the assist and broke the hold before Frazer came up to him. Mensah shoved Frazer into the steel steps before Lee got a fall off the distraction.
What are @JakaraWWE and @lashlegendwwe doing here?!?!?
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/vuwLRME0MN
Frazer and Mensah were fighting as the round ended, and the ref sent them both backstage. Round 5 saw Lee hit a powerbomb before Lash Legend hit Lee from ringside with a steel trashcan while the ref was distracted. Dar hit his finisher and picked up the win off the distraction.
Result: Noam Dar def. Dragon Lee to retain the Heritage Cup
With a little help from @JakaraWWE and @lashlegendwwe, @NoamDar retains the NXT Heritage Cup...
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/7X3iwIKUqT
Grade: B
Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak - Last Man Standing match at NXT Battleground
You are a madman @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR!!!
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/CvRjucMJE5
The two kicked the match off with big strikes in the center of the ring before heading outside. Dijak brought half of the steel steps inside the ring before the match went outside again.
Dragunov went for a big dive on the outside, but Dijak countered it with a big kick before slamming him on the steel steps. Dijak was trying to set up a table, but Ilja ran into the table and went through it, taking Dijak down.
Back in the ring, Dijak tried to slam Ilja into the steel steps, but Dragunov countered into a DDT. Dragunov sent Dijak up in the corner with the steel steps on top and hit a coast-to-coast on top of it.
Dragunov was sent outside once more with a chokeslam on the apron before heading back in and taking the Feast Your Eyes. Dijak got a Kendo stick and beat Ilja down with it in the corner till it broke.
This is getting uncomfortable...
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/iX1EKSEsV6
Dijak got a steel chair as the fight went on, and Dragunov drove Dijak into it with a diving uppercut. Dragunov barely made it to his feet, but Dijak was down for the ten-count.
Result: Ilja Dragunov def. Dijak
That was one of the craziest things we've ever seen...
@UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR is the Last Man Standing!
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/PInRnO7Jwt
Grade: A
Duke Hudson was still in charge of Chase U, and he invited Drew Gulak and Charley Dempsey. Gulak and Dempsey made fun of Thea Hail's grappling ability as she ran out of the room. Duke told the guests that they shouldn't have done that before NXT Battleground continued.
Gallus (c) vs. The Creed Brothers - Tag Team Championship match at NXT Battleground
Stop it, @JuliusCreedWWE! 😳
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/ZKfGbBTNtY
The Creed Brothers had the early advantage, and the teams went into a big brawl as the match went on. The Creeds got some big knee strikes before Brutus got a big slam and went for a headlock.
Wolfgang came in and got some strikes before taking Brutus out with a big dive. Ava Raine came in and took out Ivy Nile at ringside, and the distraction let Gallus get their finisher on Julius for the win.
Result: Gallus def. The Creed Brothers to retain the NXT Tag Team Championship
.@avawwe_ takes out @ivynile_wwe 😱😱😱
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/JDHfUJAtAG
Grade: B
Tiffany Stratton vs. Lyra Valkyria - NXT Women's Championship match at NXT Battleground
HERE WE GO!
#NXTBattlground https://t.co/z4PSo5m7nI
Stratton was in control early on and sent Lyra outside while focusing on her injured knee. Stratton sent Lyra knee-first into the ring post before hitting a big drop on her knee in the ring.
.@tiffstrattonwwe is absolutely destroying @Real_Valkyria's knee right now 😬
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/jbp44GyMKN
Valkyria was locked in a submission move before the two traded strikes. Stratton was sent outside before Valkyria hit a big crossbody and then one more in the ring. Valkyria got a near fall off a Crucifix Bomb before Stratton knocked her off the top rope.
THIS IS AWESOME 👏👏👏
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/1ewvQK8Fxc
Valkyria hit a big move for a near fall before Stratton caught her on the top rope. Lyra tried for a powerbomb but took the KOD before Stratton got the win with the moonsault.
Result: Tiffany Stratton def. Lyra Valkyria to become the new NXT Women's Championship
Ladies and gentlemen, it's TIFFY TIME!
@tiffstrattonwwe is the new #WWENXT Women's Champion!
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/sB2DWlSI55
Grade: B+
Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Bron Breakker - NXT Championship match at NXT Battleground
OMG WHAT A SPEAR!!!
How did @Carmelo_WWE survive?!
@bronbreakkerwwe #NXTBattleground https://t.co/Uujtv7jz95
Breakker got the first takedown with a shoulder tackle but was kicked outside the ring before Hayes hit a dive on him. Back in the ring, Bron hit some spears before taking a dropkick.
Woah @Carmelo_WWE went FLYING 😱
@bronbreakkerwwe #NXTBattleground https://t.co/oafCGtShse
Hayes got some big hits on Bron's knee, which looked like it was hurting, but Breakker came back with a big clothesline. Bron got some big suplexes before Melo hit a kick to the knee but took another German Suplex.
Here comes @Carmelo_WWE!!!
#NXTBattleground https://t.co/K2EpydpbIc
Bron went for the recliner but took a low blow before Melo came back with a DDT. Breakker took a pump kick and some faceplants before catching Melo with a spear off a counter. Melo came back with a trio of superkicks before getting Nothin' but Net for the win!
Result: Carmelo Hayes def. Bron Breakker to retain the NXT Championship
WHAT A MATCH.
@Carmelo_WWE is still HIM.
#AndStill #NXTBattleground https://t.co/qqKYSzWINz
Grade: B+
Show rating: A
Dijak and Dragunov put on a brutal match tonight on NXT Battleground while we got a new women's champion!