WWE NXT Results: 19-year-old newcomer faces top champ; Underground match announced; big upset in steel cage match
We got a great episode of WWE NXT before Spring Breakin' with some big matches and an action-packed main event.
- Noam Dar def. Dijak
- Lola Vice def. Sol Ruca
- Ridge Holland def. Joaquin Wilde
- Ilja Dragunov def. Je'Von Evans
- Tatum Paxley def. Thea Hail
- AOP def. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade
- Ivar def. Josh Briggs
- Trick Williams def. Carmelo Hayes
WWE NXT Results (April 16, 2024): Noam Dar vs. Dijak
Dar got some strikes in early on but Dijak caught him by the throat and shoved him in the corner. Dar came back with a forearm takedown before trying for a submission hold. Dijak got a nearfall off a big forearm before we headed for a break.
Back on NXT, Dar sent Dijak into the steel steps and got a big dropkick. Back in the ring, Dijak took Dar out with a big boot and was about to finish the match, but a distraction from Oro Mensah caused Noam to come back with the Nova Roller for the win.
Result: Noam Dar def. Dijak
Grade: B
Ilja Dragunov was backstage, and Ava said that he had to pick an opponent for tonight. Dragunov turned it into an open challenge and told her to spread the word that whoever approached him first would get the match.
Tatum Paxley got a short promo about being obsessed with the NXT Women's Championship and whoever was holding it. She said she wanted to be the one holding the title, and Lyra Valkyria was in her way.
Sol Ruca vs. Lola Vice on WWE NXT
Ruca had the early advantage, hitting a facebuster and a dropkick before Vice sent her into the corner and got a hip attack. Lola hit a few kicks but took a big powerslam and a standing moonsault.
Lola blocked the Sol Snatcher before Blair Davenport came out and dropped Ruca from the top rope. Vice got a big spinning kick before picking up the win.
Result: Lola Vice def. Sol Ruca
Natalya showed up on the Titantron after the match and challenged Lola to an NXT Underground match in two weeks.
Grade: B-
Arianna Grace was still trying to give Gigi Dolin a makeover before we headed for the next match.
Ridge Holland vs. Joaquin Wilde on WWE NXT
Ridge had the early advantage and hit some big uppercuts before Wilde sidestepped a charge and sent Holland into the ringpost. Wilde took a big suplex and came back with a DDT before Shawn Spears showed up to watch the match.
The match headed outside, and Ridge caught Wilde off a dive and hit a big powerslam on the floor. Back in the ring, Ridge got a big DDT and picked up the win.
Result: Ridge Holland def. Joaquin Wilde
Grade: B
Thea Hail was backstage, and Andre Chase came in to talk to her about the gambling from last week. Chase said he bet on Hail, but seeing her suffer in the ring made him throw in the towel, losing the bet in the process.
Tony D'Angelo and the Family were out next, and they were interrupted by No Quarter Catch Crew.
The two teams argued about what the NQCC owed the Family before they started arguing over the Heritage Cup. A brawl broke out, and NQCC was ejected from the ring before we headed for a break.
Ilja Dragunov vs. Je'Von Evans on WWE NXT
Ilja Dragunov was out next, and the whole roster came out to challenge him, but 19-year-old newcomer Je'Von Evans jumped into the ring first.
The champ got a big kick early before getting a few headbutts, but the German Suplex was reversed.
Evans got a near fall off a big counter before the champ swatted him out of the sky with a forearm. Dragunov took a DDT and a dive to the outside, but the champ got his knees up for the splash.
The NXT champ dropped Evans in the corner and hit the Torpedo Moskau for the win.
Result: Ilja Dragunov def. Je'Von Evans
Grade: B+
Backstage, Sol Ruca told Ava she wanted a no-DQ match against Blair Davenport at Spring Breakin', and the NXT General Manager agreed.
Thea Hail vs. Tatum Paxley on WWE NXT
Paxley got a big backbreaker early on, but Hail came back with a headbutt and a big slam.
Jazmyn Nyx and Jacy Jayne interfered and dropped her from the apron, letting Paxley roll her up and get the win.
Result: Tatum Paxley def. Thea Hail
Hail attacked Jacy after the match, and Lyra showed up and attacked Paxley in the ring.
Grade: C
Roxanne Perez was backstage, and Ava told her she would face Lyra and Paxley at Spring Breakin' in a Triple-Threat title match.
AOP vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade on WWE NXT
Blade and Enofe sent AOP outside and hit dives, but the heels caught them and slammed them into each other. AOP hit the super collider back in the ring and picked up the easy win.
Result: AOP def. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade
Grade: C
Ivar vs. Josh Briggs on WWE NXT
The match kicked off with a big boot from Ivar before Briggs came back with a sidewalk slam and a splash. Ivar got a big bodyslam and a powerbomb before Briggs came back with a Boss Man Slam.
Ivar was sent into the steel steps outside before Ivar went up for the Doomsault. Ivar hit the dive, and it looked like Briggs might have broken his nose before the Viking Raider picked up the win.
Result: Ivar def. Josh Briggs
Grade: B
Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes - Steel Cage match on WWE NXT
Trick got an early near fall before Melo's security handed Hayes a steel pipe which he used to beat Williams down in the ring. Melo slammed Trick's arms on the cage wall before Williams came back with a uranage.
Melo dodged the spinning kick before taking a big neckbreaker for a near fall. Williams got another big slam for a near fall before taking a knee to the side of the face.
They climbed the cage wall and slammed each other's heads into it before Melo's security tried to climb into the cage. Trick managed to fight most of them off before one headed into the cage with a steel chair.
Hayes's cronies got taken out, and Melo tried to take advantage with a cheap shot with the chair, but Trick countered it. Williams took Melo out with a kick before picking up the win.
Result: Trick Williams def. Carmelo Hayes
Grade: A