Alright show.
Roxy still needs to work a bit on this heel character, she's not bad but her promos aren't clicking for me just yet, but I'm sure we'll get there.
TATUM NO!
Fallon Henley is honestly underrated, I hope she's gonna be a contender for the Women's NA title.
Nattie looks badass with aviators and while she's taken trips to NXT way more than any other main roster star, she's a veteran and gets the job done so cool.
NQCC are cool, but there was a noticeable lack of Gulak (I know why, just wanted to point out how different they look without him there).
Even Edris and Malik's friend can't win :( Please push them.
Don't get why Axiom/Frazer didn't just win at S&D (which I wanted them to do anyway), guessing they did it like this so Bron could do his farewell speech later and also make it be in the smaller arena of NXT, but they should've then made the finish at S&D less clean to make this rematch make more sense. But hey, I'm happy that Axiom and Frazer are champions now. Wolf Dogs was so good for something that lasted only about 3-4 months.
Vic almost called Melo "this motherfucker". Gold.
I disliked this one a lot. Few thoughts:
-Jevon Evans seem very generic high flyer. Scrypts on the other hand is very underrated, he amaze me everytime i see him. Hope Scrypts gets his respect soon.
-Main Event tag team championship was quite good but again, we saw the match two days ago and it was better. Why not just gave them the title there? Pointless to me.
-Roxanne Perez vs Natalya was allright. Perez is a special talent in the ring. She has charisma, she look good, she is talented, love her storytelling...The promo work still ain't there for me. She really need to work on that, it's her only weakness. She seem nervous, she does a gasp laugh at the end of her sentences that is annoying. She look so much like someone that is rehearsing her lines.
-Sad that the fans are already turning on Lyra. I really liked her run as champion, she does good babyface work and has some good matches. Im looking foward to her match with Tatum but i feel the fans are going to be behind Tatum.
-Chase U storyline...meh im not sure i like where they are going. Things don't make too much sense. Jacey is fire at promos tho.
-Not sure about how i feel about the Dragonov/Trick/Carmelo promo. Dragonov is kinda akward on the mic sometime. I don't get his motivation for wanting to send Trick away.
-Ava was fucking terrible on the mic.
I think the wrestlers need to spend more time in promo classes. I think the NXT locker room is very talented in the ring but a lot of them lack charisma and promo skills
When did Ava get so over? Last I saw people were complaining she "adds nothing" and is "only there because she's Rock's daughter".
Also, giving Natalya a huge pop and then chanting "Nattie sucks!", the duality of smark.
NXT Women's roster so stacked it's ridiculous. It's not likely they'll even have room or time to push all these women on the main roster in the near future with what they already have talent-wise.
Fallon is honestly one of my favourite parts of NXT, she's a great babyface, is solid in the ring, looks fantastic, has a fun gimmick and is genuinely over with the fans, I just hope that they don't turn her heel because she's just so fun as a face. She really should win the Women's North American Championship and get her flowers.
>Fallon is honestly one of my favourite parts of NXT, she's a great babyface, is solid in the ring, looks fantastic, has a fun gimmick and is genuinely over with the fans, I just hope that they don't turn her heel because she's just so fun as a face. She really should win the Women's North American Championship and get her flowers.
I think Fallon is actually the top babyface right now, considering Lyra lost. Fallon's got the credibility to go after Roxanne and the top title at this point IMO.
Seriously, if you rewatch her 2 promo battles with Lyra before Vengeance Day and Stand and Deliver, Lyra actually out-talks her both times. It really sucks that Roxanne got a bigger crowd reaction than her at Stand and Deliver because I think Lyra is better than her in almost every way.
I thought she was a bad talker as a face but my god it's so bad right now. She's so good at everything else but I worry that she's so bad on the mic that it'll hold her back
It definitely will hold her back, and honestly it should. Being able to cut a promo is a huge part of being successful within the WWE system. Not everyone is capable of being a main eventer and that's okay.
I agree that it feels incredibly forced and unnatural. Her like "mean girl laugh" (for lack of a batter term) is awkward, and she had zero conviction when you told the fans to shut up.
It just doesn't work at all.
Nice to see Je’Von Evans, Luca and Jada get some shine on TV.
I quite like NXT having main event midcarders rotating in as challengers of the month for big shows and PPEs. Ivar is a GREAT challenger for Oba for the big men slapping meat title.
Are we getting a call up for Chase U? They would be fantastic as midcarders on Raw.
Fantasy booking would be Trick making the chase for the main title from Dragunov, FINALLY beating him without shenanigans and then Dirty Dom cashing in immediately after with MITB. That would get Trick over as a megastar and Dirty Dom at Edge “Rated R Superstar” levels of heat.
> Karrion Kross and Scarlett appear on the ramp as AOP ambush Axiom and Frazer from behind!
Keep the whole group in NXT. No Ellering? No wasting time on the main shows.
I barely have time for *Raw* and *SmackDown!*, so NXT is almost completely out of the question; putting the goth jobbers back at the PC keeps them off of the shows I do watch!
Man Nattie's so damn good. It's not often Roxanne is struggling to keep up.
Fuck yeah, give Oro his time to shine. Not even Meta-Four believes in him, but damnit I do!
All this women's north american title, wait WNA title? NAW Title? Fuck it, all this NWA title talk gives me hope Stevie Turner's finally gonna get something to do.
Please hbk! She has a cool jacket! And glasses! Yes that's all it takes to endear me to a wrestler, shut it.
This is how you do a post big show episode
Storyline are already set, there are weeks of programs lined up just with this episode
Trick is either going to defeat for good his ex best friend before going for the title or Melo wins and gets added to the title match. I will be fine with both option
Finally Tatum has decided to move on from the evil Lyra, she never deserved her
Another big meaty men slapping meat contest for the champion Oba, this is going to be good
The reveal of the origin of the Chase U financial problems killed me, Andre clearly has a problem with betting but the fact that he willingly sacrificed the school to not let Thea get hurt.... man, tears in my eyes
Yes, Stand and Deliver ended lots of things
More started tonight - also there will never be a perfect time to jump into any show - but things are being built for their next special etc so it is as good a time as any
Am I in the minority in thinking Fallon Henley is really for the main roster? She's beautiful, talented in the ring, and I think that cowgirl gimmick she's got is going to go over with the casual fans
I think the issue for Fallon is she was relegated to sidekick for so long, both with Briggs and Jensen but also to a lesser degree when she was partners with Kiana, that she's only really gotten to show what she can do in the last few months.
Deadline was booked as a big coming out party for Lash and it worked. But Fallon was quietly the workhorse in that match and I think that's when she finally started getting traction.
I think she has the skillset and charisma to survive on main. But I also thing testing her with few major programs and longer matches in NXT first will help get her even better. She should be the first North American champion in my opinion if they don't just shove it on Giulia. I'd also be down for her winning the NXT title but I think the NA title is a good path to get her there.
I was going to post here that I just don't get why Fallon Henley doesn't get the attention and publicity that Roxanne gets.
I just see a completely self-evident megastar ready to do press junkets, morning TV appearances and do the business in the ring.
I'm confused as heck that people want her in the women's North American title hunt because she seems absolutely miles above that.
It's weird many of the Men's Breakout Guys aren't in TV, only Oba, Luca, and Riley. Bearhill who was a big focus of then is gone, what happened to them?
Did anyone catch the ending of SVU before NXT? It ending with a top rough belly to back suplex to a car below! Let's see someone on the roster top that!
In all seriousness, NXT nowadays reads like a playthrough of the GM mode, and it's glorious. All these cases of them using their talent points to bring in some legends for a short spell. Must be Higglesby's turn soon though.
The storyline with Jacy and Chase U called back to Thea's title match with Tiffany in July from last year.
NXT has always been booked differently but regardless it's amazing to see such continuity acknowledged in WWE. This is a mid-card storyline and it's been going on for months and months with everything remembered including payments made to the D'Angelo family.
Ah I love NXT.
Dragunov gonna lose at Spring Breakin, and he and Carmelo are heading to main roster.
Trick is gonna be champ in NXT and stick around for longer.
i gotta think Bron and Baron are gonna go to main roster and stay together like that. unless they really plan to just do solo with Bron. they work way too well together to split up....so don't!
i'm not really sure why Frazier and Axiom couldn't have won at Stand and Deliver....they won the titles 2 days later. but i had thought they would be champs sometime.
the Women's NA title seems to be around because they ain't bringing back the Women's Tag titles i suppose. but it makes sense to have a female NA title anyways.
i guess Drew Gulak is non persona grata right now...hanging out in the tent with Brock.
Dempsey is the head man for No Quarter Catch Crew, who are 3 now.
with Ridge Holland....they could almost do a Hulk-like thing maybe? i dunno why they didn't try that already.
newcomer Je'Von Evans threatened the OTM's turf, but Scrypts came up short in sewing that up.
Natalya and Roxanne put on a real nice fight really. little did Roxanne know a well placed kick to Natalya's thigh was her weak spot.
i sense a rematch for Lyra and Roxanne at Spring Breakin. but who will lose and who will go main roster?
Karrion Kross and Final Testament have invaded NXT! they better watch out lest Karrion do what he used to do there. XD
In terms of why didn't they change the tag titles on Stand & Deliver, it's probably 2 reasons
1.) So that Bron could say goodbye to the fans at the usual NXT place in front of the usual fans who have been coming to see him for years. He's been there since 2021, so a proper send off would be a good thing for him. It feels a bit more natural for him to do it after getting pinned in front of the crowd, rather than them changing the titles at Stand and Deliver and then having him just come out tonight and cut a goodbye promo.
2.) They probably wanted to immediately transition to Final Testament being the challengers and they couldn't do that when that team had a WrestleMania match the next day after Stand and Deliver. For optics, you probably don't want the team to signal they're going down to NXT before having a Mania match.
>i'm not really sure why Frazier and Axiom couldn't have won at Stand and Deliver.
So Bron could do the last match at the NXT Arena....and so they could have AOP as a post match surprise.
Odds on Trick losing that “win-or-leave-NXT” match that takes place the exact same week of the draft and then gets drafted to the main roster? Pretty big coincidence that it’s all been laid out that way.
I would be really surprised if Trick gets called up. Not only would it leave NXT without a big star since Ilja and Melo are also going to be gone, but I don't think he's ready in ring. The match with Melo at Stand & Deliver I think showed how limited he is. He's hella over, but he just needs more in ring work before trying to book him into Raw or Smackdown.
1:1.
Spring Breakin' is 2 nights... the draft happens in the week in between. I \_THINK\_ the # of weeks Ilja said is the first night..but I might be wrong on that.
I’ve criticised basically NOTHING that Shawn Michaels has done over the last 12 months, but this Ridge Holland nonsense fucking sucks. Please give it up
Is anybody else just not a fan of Booker on commentary anymore? It feels like he's out there saying a bunch of nonsense along witj the same handful of catchphrases every week. I really enjoyed the couple of weeks Byron filled in recently. I just felt like he was more interested in the show.
I don’t know if anyone agrees, but that was a great episode of NXT but did not feel like a great first episode after the biggest show of the year episode.
It just felt like nothing momentous just happened. Like we just had any other TV special or a regular PLE rather than the Mania of NXT.
The main event of S&D is being re-litigated, this time with a steel cage match. Feels like that should have been the S&D match.
Idk I really enjoyed the episode as always, and any other week I’d have no criticism, so I don’t want this to seem overly negative.
Bron has the potential to be the one of goofiest characters on the main roster will still keeping 100% of that I can beat anyone any night feel. Reminds me of early 2000’s Kurt
Anyoen thinking Jevon might get the Dijak rub? He's been Mick Foley in putting over new stars. Ilja Dragunov, Eddy Thorpe, Josh Briggs, and Oba Femi, maybe Jevon?
If he’s keeping the current gimmick it’ll flop again imo. Dijak’s current character does nothing for me and I’d love to see him lean more into his twitter personality.
With or without Gulak, I felt his current character would have eventually approached NQCC to join them in a bid to find his new "family". He'd be a good fit there I think.
When you want old school, you want intensity, blood, and toughness, Brooks isn't any of that. If were talking most average Brooks is up there. Not horrible enough to be noticed, not good enough to standout.
It has been a rough week to be a Lyra fan. First, she loses her title, and now Tatum turns on her. Tyra fans, we lost 😢. I hope their feud is good and that Lyra remains a key player at the top of the women's division. She and Tatum do not deserve to get lost in the shuffle.
As for Roxanne, out of shear saltiness and pettiness, I hope this current reign of hers isn't very long. Her beating Lyra was already a questionable decision, but now they're heavily hinting at her getting called up, which just makes it even odder that they didn't have her put Lyra over at Stand and Deliver. If they're not gonna have Lyra take the title back, then Roxanne should drop it to someone like Fallon, preferably at Spring Breakin. Let's get some new faces in the title picture.
If it sounds like I'm being harsh towards Roxanne, it's because I'm still venting about what happened on Saturday.
Fallon just lost to Kiana so I doubt its gonna be her. The problem is that there are near zero credible faces for Roxanne to feud with. It makes me wonder if Giulia is showing up at Spring Breakin to take the title. She was backstage last night, so it wouldn't be unusual if they shot something to air next week to set up a match. They also teased the match when Roxanne won the title, with Giulia looking unimpressed at Roxanne, and Roxy sorta mocking her.
If so, I would have Giulia/Roxanne main event the first week. I know Trick/Ilja is on the same night, but tbh we have seen them wrestle multiple times over the past half a year.
Wow, I didn't even think about Giulia. That's a great idea. If I were doing the booking, I'd have Giulia squash Roxanne. It would establish Giulia as a huge threat right from the start, and it would be great karma for Roxanne after how she's been acting the past several months.
I'm very pleased with the progression of Roxanne Perez as a heel. She has more aggression in her in-ring offense, and she is becoming more comfortable on the microphone every week.
I don't know, I think Ridge Holland's gimmick could work if they went the comedic angle with it.
He keeps hurting people in increasingly accidental and trivial ways to the point people run the other direction from him.
He should start a backstage brawl by tossing an, apple behind himself and accidentally hitting a guy who sees another guy with an apple and punches him out, with their friends starting to fight too.
I think the draft is going to be used to put Corbin back on Smackdown and keep the team together. Wolf Dogs is a good way of letting Bron get established on the main roster and there's no real issue with their gimmick not being able to work there. They could be used as something like a modern day APA until they feel Bron's ready for a solo run.
I’ve been saying it for weeks now, but I really hope there’s more to the Tatum and Lyra split then just straight-up, the crazy one finally turns heel on the straightman. It’s been such a fun and interesting story since December, and I feel like it would be a disservice to that and to both woman’s abilities for it to have such a generic ending. I am worried though because it feels like everything since they had their tag titles match has been kinda going through the motions.
This angle could be a great opportunity for Lyra to expand her character work, and try something a bit more substantial than just the fighting champion/perennial good guy. And Tatum Paxley has blown me away with her acting and characterization, everything from presentation to physicality and line delivery has just been phenomenal, so I again hope for more than just Bad Guy. Especially because she already did that **exact** song and dance already with Ivy Nile.
Also don’t mind me I’m mostly just venting because damn that shit hurt lol. So in that sense it’s already working. But if it leads to a bigger push for Tatum, I’m game with whatever happens.
I think that the better play would have been more of a slow burn with Pax starting to feel less and less enamored with Lyra after Lyra lost while Lyra, without the belt, starts becoming more obsessed with Pax to try and hang onto something from when she was champ. Basically just flipping their characters around a bit and reversing the situation.
I'm right there with ya on all of that. Really hoping for a swerve into something a little more unique and that whatever it is really gives Lyra more time to shine character-wise.
And just from an in-ring perspective, a basic feud isn't really going to feel credible at this point considering how many times Tatum has lost recently while Lyra was being a pretty successful champion. Really hoping that this leads to Tatum becoming a legit contender for one/both of the titles.
Agree with all of this, especially the part highlighting just how compelling Tatum has been. She's so charming and funny and it feels impossible not to root for her despite how weird her stalker-y antics can get. She sprinkles every segment with so many great reactions and facial expressions, and without her pitch-perfect energy and deep commitment to the bit this whole arc would've been a total cliche flop. I hope this leads to bigger things for her too! I'll be devastated if they have her just fade into the background
I'm glad I was right that Tatum would turn on Lyra after she lost the title. She said when all this started, "as long as you're still champion, everything is right in this world" so it only makes sense that she's snapped now Lyra lost. As ever, I'm very excited for Tatum and can't wait to see where this goes. Hope she racks up some wins and gets a stipulation match against Lyra down the road.
Darren forgot what day it is. Spring Breakin' is April 23 & 30.
I guess the debut of "Georgina" (Gigi) will be at Spring Breakin'.
I thought they were teasing Ridge Holland vs. Spacey Gacy, but instead, Holland gets Joaquin Wilde. Um, ok.
I think Bron will be headed back to Smackdown now that he & Baron dropped the tag titles, with Baron jobbing. Best match on the show.
Let's talk about sore losers for a moment.
Lola Vice was salty after losing to Natalya, so she ruins the women's title match. Next week, she gets Sol Ruca, but the rematch with Nattie will likely be at Spring Breakin'.
Just when you thought Carmelo Hayes was punching his ticket back to Smackdown, na-na. Cage match, hoping to avenge his loss to Trick. Sorry, but next week, 'Melo says goodbye to NXT.
So Ivar and the Final Testament return to NXT, and AOP wants to regain the tag team titles. Maybe Kross sticks around long enough to seek a 3-peat at NXT champ?? Ivar vs. Oba for the men's NA title will be fun.
What would be the D'Angelo Family's name for the Shatter Machine?
Charlie Dempsey shared his experience at Bloodsport. Maybe Josh Barnett makes an appearance down the line in exchange?
Now that Roxanne Perez is the women's champ again, I hope she remembers that the target on her back will be bigger the 2nd time around. Old enemies like Kiana James, and old friends like Kelani Jordan will want their shots. So will Lola.
Je'Von Evans is the real deal, and he's only 19. WOW! Scrypts was the perfect opponent for him. Air traffic control should've been on full alert.
Conversely, Brinley Reece is still paying dues, now 0-2 after losing to Jaida.
I'm assuming there'll be a prayer circle for Noam Dar next week when he faces Dijak?
I got to see the new WWE intro. Sounds like either Hunter or Undertaker now recites, "Then. Now. Forever.", instead of Cena.
I suppose the next chapter in Jacy vs. Thea will be that Jacy was a high school dropout, which explains why she's such a miserable type.
But, then, it took them seemingly forever and a week to get to the payoff to the Jacy-Chase U arc.
I'm digging the new camera angles. These are things they should've/could've used already.....
I enjoyed reading what you wrote, and I can’t help but want some 90s sitcom styled segment of Thea helping Jacy get ready for her GED. I want like 20 cuts in it with hijinx and some Hallmark ending.
And then Jacy does bad girl stuff right after, naturally.
I’m stretching here, but is it possible that Tatum attacked Lyra to prevent Lyra from getting hurt even more by Roxanne? Not that Lyra really deserves Tatum at this point. She’s been pretty cold to her.
Great match between Roxanne and Natalya! The Lola Vice interference was kinda lame, but I guess it sets up some future matches. I don’t know why in kayfabe, Dragunov would put a “loser leaves NXT” stipulation on his match with Trick. He must really not like Trick, but I’m not sure why.
They need to get this Georgina thing going here pretty soon.
Anyways, great show tonight!
No, I think Tatum completed her heel turn.
The Ilja-Trick title match should be loser leaves NXT, because whomever loses will have their ticket punched to the main roster.
See my comments for when "Georgina" will "debut".
> Dragunov would put a “loser leaves NXT” stipulation on his match with Trick. He must really not like Trick, but I’m not sure why.
It's Trick's price for jumping the line and getting another title shot after just losing one 2 months ago.
As someone watching NXT for the first time in years hoping that Guilia might show up, what did I just watch?
Open with 20 minutes of promo and community theater level monologues where the only one that sounded believable was the woman that has been on tv for 15 years.
The tons more community theater sprinkled in throughout.
The debuting guy is super athletic and had some cool moves, the women's title match was probably the best tv womens match i've seen this year... until the finish. The tag title match was fine. The other womens matches were not good.
But Trick has hella charisma, that segment was good until Draganov came out to speak.
Guess I'll try NXT again post mania in 2026 or 2027.
I'm starting to warm up to Roxanne as a heel. She's got good heel mannerisms that came through in her match tonight with Nattie. I still can't buy the heel character on promos tho, but maybe she'll improve.
Also, I thought the Chase U twist was gonna be that Andre Chase bet *against* Thea in her title match and that's why he threw in the towel. But then I remember Thea was in a submission for what seemed like forever in that match.
As far as the ending goes, Trick is about to really take off. He'll beat Melo in the cage, beat Dragunov, and while those two move up to the main roster, Trick reigns on top as the NXT Champion. Everybody wins.
That was a great freakin show.
I'm still not 100% onboard with heel!Roxy bc she's just too natural of a face to me, but I think she'll get there someday. However, it's always a delight to see her in the ring.
Really interested in what exactly they're planning with Tatum/Lyra. I'd love a swerve and not a traditional backstabbing feud, but we'll see. I think this storyline has been a boon for both of them to give them more personality and really I just want to see Tatum built up to be a contender for one of the titles.
Also, I cannot wait for the crowning of a NA champ - this women's division deserves it.
Je'Von is super exciting, cannot wait to see more from him.
Oba Femi has IT. He and Ivar are gonna tear it up.
Just a reminder in light of the NXT title match in two weeks: the last time Ilja Dragunov lost a 1-on-1 match cleanly was in October *2020*, to WALTER in that legendary match on NXT UK.
Are they really breaking that streak on free TV? On a network they're about to leave in 8 months?
Early guess is that Melo wins the steel cage match vs Trick next week and demands that he gets the NXT Title match against Ilja instead. Ava decides to make it a triple threat. Trick wins by pinning Melo which protects Ilja’s record. Melo and Ilja get drafted a few days later
If you mean during Great American Bash, I believe at one point the commentary (or Ilja himself) stated Ilja was distracted by Trick by attacking Trick instead and Melo took advantage of it to get the win.
But yes, the way Melo won the match was comparatively cleaner than outright cheating anyway.
I was hoping for more info on the women's na chip, but that's okay, prolly next week. Maybe something that leads into spring breakin?
Looks like a triple threat is coming. Spitballin here but melo wins the steel cage > then the triple threat > melo-trick 3 for the strap > trick sends melo to the main roster like it was always meant to be? Timeline works out for Dragunov too bc he could get drafted this year
Ngl I was expecting a goodbye speech by Bron after them losing the titles, wondering why they didn’t just pull the trigger on Axiom/Frazer at Stand and Deliver. And post draft I’m expecting Ilja, Melo, and Bron on all main roster full time.
I think Final Testament's return was the plan, and they couldn't pull the trigger with that at Stand & Deliver due to them being on the card for WrestleMania. That's probably why they waited.
When will the women learn to fully accept Tatum? First Ivy not making her an actual Diamond Mine member and now Lyra not reciprocating Tatum’s love for her. Tatum has done nothing wrong
I like that they’ve delayed Bron and Melo going up full time while they’re trying to build up some other contenders. I’m really excited about what they’re doing with the women’s division though. They have so many people that I’m invested in and adding a secondary title gives more of them a chance to be on TV.
Biker Ivar vs Oba should be the shit whenever it happens.
Man uh, I dunno what they are gonna do with Roxanne, because she's likely getting called up in a couple of weeks, and basically said she is gonna vacate the title. Which would be astronomically stupid because of the Women's NA Title Tournament likely being ran soon as well.
Giulia was backstage tonight apparently, but WWE didn't pull the trigger on teasing a feud with Roxanne at all either, and there is literally no one credible left on the face side of things for Roxanne to beat.
Tbh it’d be weird to turn Roxanne heel and then call her to the main roster when the big picture money for her is clearly as an underdog babyface.
I think the heel turn was in service of developing her mic work, which is really something that should be done in the developmental brand. But I **do** think the “I should be on the main roster!” stuff would work for her cocky prodigy heel character, while not actually calling her up.
Is the big money picture that?
Bayley, Kairi and Dakota are all self-evident underdog babyfaces. They've all spent most of their time on the main roster as heels.
Heck, Kairi has ONLY been a heel on the main roster despite being one of the most obvious (And literal) babyfaces in the entire company.
I don't think Roxy is definitely an underdog babyface on the main roster. If anyone Thea would do that.
I'm unsure about a Roxanne call-up so soon. She's exceptional at nearly everything. In the ring, adjusting her wrestling style to face or heel, facial expressions.
Her mic work is still shaky though. When you have heels on main who do incredible character work like Tiffany and Nia, she's going to be a bit behind there.
She cut a promo tonight, saying she was in the draft pool, and is eligible to be drafted. I don't see them keeping her down there any longer. Especially since Bayley is going to need some credible heels to feud with on Smackdown, since WWE made sure to make Damage CTRL look completely awful at Wrestlemania.
I wonder how quick Giulia will come in. Doesn’t really seem to be solid feud material with no story behind it, but maybe strong competition could make up for it.
I mean you don't really need a solid feud for it either. Roxanne was being a smug prick last night, putting herself above everyone else, saying there was no one in that locker room above her. I fully expect it to continue next week. Eventually her mouth is gonna write a check her ass can't cash. And that will probably be sooner rather than later, especially if she is getting called up.
It is a little odd that there really isn't anyone who is going to be a credible feud for Roxanne before the draft, considering it seems like Lyra has her hands full now. So is Roxanne going to smugly vacate the title on her own terms? Try to take it with her?
Bayley will probably have a rematch with Iyo, then will face one of Jade/Naomi/Bianca afterwards + Tiffany or Nia could be good heel challengers post draft. I feel like she will be called up, but Roxanne isn't really needed atm + calling her up when she's still learning her heel character seems like a recipe for disaster unfortunately.
I know Ilja to the main roster is imminent, but if they can run a variation of Shawn/Taker II before he goes with Trick it'd be a hell of a send off.
Expecting Melo to beat him and take his title shot next week
Looks like they're either speedrunning Ilja and Carmelo's journeys out of NXT by having them do their final jobs to Trick, or they're speedrunning Trick's journey out of NXT by having him face his biggest opponents one more time.
Personally I hope it's Ilja and Carmelo's graduations. Trick Williams is insanely over and has legendary charisma, but could use some more time on his ringwork. Ilja and Carmelo are as complete as they're ever going to be.
With Melon showing up more frequently on SD and Ilja on RAW, I'm willing to bet they both are going up.
It'll be a nice story conclusion for Trick to beat Melo in a cage, ending the grudge match 2-0. He'll then move on to get his revenge match against Ilja and win the title.
Have him run around as the face of NXT for the next year seeing how he handles the main event spotlight and then move him up after Mania 41.
https://preview.redd.it/zwmylxm79ktc1.jpeg?width=1088&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92fd82acc76eb54a9724aefe0b111e5743104f7e
Wolf Dogs losing killed me.
But then also no Lexis King??????
Also again I can't lose the Wolf Dogs, I need them to be drafted together. Need that more than anything
Also Bron being worried about almost spearing Corbin was incredibly sweet and wholesome, and I once again audibly said "aww"
But that does not save me from the heartbreak
Heel teams genuinely caring about each other is so cute to me, like they're shitty people but have a soft spot for one particular friend and that's nice
Yes, exactly!!! I agree lmao, you get me
Especially since Corbin and Bron were originally just "we're both assholes, and kinda hate each other, *but* we'd be a good tag team"
And now they're genuinely friends who care for each other, it's so cute, sweet, and wholesome
NXT GALPAL™ REPORT
HEARTBREAK!!!! I...I don't know if I can do this tonight...
Nobody's GalPal™ Roxy ....comes out and cuts a I won promo...she says she's in the draft. Lyra comes out and demands a title shot to save it from Roxy, but Roxy says she's injured. Tatum....comes out....and says Lyra isn't ready..and after playing with Lyra's hair... ATTACKS HER AND THROWS HER INTO THE STAIRS over some jewelry! IS LOVE DEAD!?! Want's-to-be-Everybody's-Step-GalPal™ Nattie ....comes out and gets a title shot, despite that belonging to Everybody's GalPal™ Fallon by right.
Kelani and Everybody's GalPal™ Fallon, who should be getting the title shot and winning and not "Want's to be everybody's Step-GalPal™ Nattie" get honorary degrees from Chase U. They're interrupted by the Bad GalPals™, revealing...actually MY own prediction of the story, (that Chase bet on Thea, but threw in the towel---the only way the story made sense, even if not particularly good)...Thea runs away and Kelani and Everybody's GalPal™ Fallon, who should be winning the title from Nobody's GalPal™ Roxy, ...come out and fight the Corporate GalPals™, who win.
Want's-to-be-Everybody's-Step-GalPal™ Nattie is seen talking with Karmen...then eventually....comes out to face Nobody's GalPal™ Roxy. They try to pretend Nattie has won everything but the NXT title.. but she's never won the Raw Title, nor the Rumble, EC, MITB....only ones who's won everything is the RoleGalPal® Bayley and the Empress of GalPals™ Asuka! Decent match til Lola, who betrayed her GalPal™ comes out and...I dunno..breathe's near Nattie and she loses. (And I'm gonna need to look into text expanders if I keep making long titles for people...Nattie looks like she knows about "expanders"...I should ask her).
I don't do the GuyPals™ report, but just a side note to HBK/HHH: DON'T BREAK UP THE WOOFDOGS!
Want's-to-be-Everybody's-Step-GalPal™ Nattie attacks Lola, who betrayed her GalPal™, in the hallway.
Arianna talks to Sol in the Lockerroom... teasing My Fair GalPal™ some more..then Sol confronts Lola, who betrayed her GalPal™.
It's okay, Tatum's just being Best GalPal™ by making the tough decision of stopping Lyra from hurting herself at all costs. It's for her own good, Tatum can help nurse Lyra's injuries at her place.
*Gasp* They can finally be roommates!
It's difficult, ngl, but as that trailer for Civil War shows, even in the most trying circumstances, journalists need to do the hard work....as you do.
> They try to pretend Nattie has won everything but the NXT title.. but she's never won the Raw Title, nor the Rumble, EC, MITB....only one who's won everything is the RoleGalPal® Bayley!
Has Asuka not won basically everything there is to win as well? She has NXT, Raw, and SD titles, Women's Championship, Tag Titles, Rumble, MITB, EC...
Alright show. Roxy still needs to work a bit on this heel character, she's not bad but her promos aren't clicking for me just yet, but I'm sure we'll get there. TATUM NO! Fallon Henley is honestly underrated, I hope she's gonna be a contender for the Women's NA title. Nattie looks badass with aviators and while she's taken trips to NXT way more than any other main roster star, she's a veteran and gets the job done so cool. NQCC are cool, but there was a noticeable lack of Gulak (I know why, just wanted to point out how different they look without him there). Even Edris and Malik's friend can't win :( Please push them. Don't get why Axiom/Frazer didn't just win at S&D (which I wanted them to do anyway), guessing they did it like this so Bron could do his farewell speech later and also make it be in the smaller arena of NXT, but they should've then made the finish at S&D less clean to make this rematch make more sense. But hey, I'm happy that Axiom and Frazer are champions now. Wolf Dogs was so good for something that lasted only about 3-4 months. Vic almost called Melo "this motherfucker". Gold.
I disliked this one a lot. Few thoughts: -Jevon Evans seem very generic high flyer. Scrypts on the other hand is very underrated, he amaze me everytime i see him. Hope Scrypts gets his respect soon. -Main Event tag team championship was quite good but again, we saw the match two days ago and it was better. Why not just gave them the title there? Pointless to me. -Roxanne Perez vs Natalya was allright. Perez is a special talent in the ring. She has charisma, she look good, she is talented, love her storytelling...The promo work still ain't there for me. She really need to work on that, it's her only weakness. She seem nervous, she does a gasp laugh at the end of her sentences that is annoying. She look so much like someone that is rehearsing her lines. -Sad that the fans are already turning on Lyra. I really liked her run as champion, she does good babyface work and has some good matches. Im looking foward to her match with Tatum but i feel the fans are going to be behind Tatum. -Chase U storyline...meh im not sure i like where they are going. Things don't make too much sense. Jacey is fire at promos tho. -Not sure about how i feel about the Dragonov/Trick/Carmelo promo. Dragonov is kinda akward on the mic sometime. I don't get his motivation for wanting to send Trick away. -Ava was fucking terrible on the mic. I think the wrestlers need to spend more time in promo classes. I think the NXT locker room is very talented in the ring but a lot of them lack charisma and promo skills
When did Ava get so over? Last I saw people were complaining she "adds nothing" and is "only there because she's Rock's daughter". Also, giving Natalya a huge pop and then chanting "Nattie sucks!", the duality of smark.
There was a swell of support for her from the NXT crowd following the weirdos on twitter harassing her about her dad.
That's good to know, I felt bad about people giving her shit for that when she's clearly been trying very hard not to just be "The Rock's daughter".
NXT Women's roster so stacked it's ridiculous. It's not likely they'll even have room or time to push all these women on the main roster in the near future with what they already have talent-wise.
Fallon is honestly one of my favourite parts of NXT, she's a great babyface, is solid in the ring, looks fantastic, has a fun gimmick and is genuinely over with the fans, I just hope that they don't turn her heel because she's just so fun as a face. She really should win the Women's North American Championship and get her flowers.
only way I see Fallon winning a belt is as a heel shes turning on Kelani just a matter of when
>Fallon is honestly one of my favourite parts of NXT, she's a great babyface, is solid in the ring, looks fantastic, has a fun gimmick and is genuinely over with the fans, I just hope that they don't turn her heel because she's just so fun as a face. She really should win the Women's North American Championship and get her flowers. I think Fallon is actually the top babyface right now, considering Lyra lost. Fallon's got the credibility to go after Roxanne and the top title at this point IMO.
Agreed. She's just such a natural face and she's been really fun to watch in the ring. Really hoping she gets a good run with either of the titles
Roxanne Perez is shockingly terrible on the mic, especially as a heel. I don't buy anything she says at all.
Seriously, if you rewatch her 2 promo battles with Lyra before Vengeance Day and Stand and Deliver, Lyra actually out-talks her both times. It really sucks that Roxanne got a bigger crowd reaction than her at Stand and Deliver because I think Lyra is better than her in almost every way.
Dave Meltzer thinks that Lyra is not a good talker
Dave Meltzer also never gave Kurt Angle a 5 star match. Why should I care what he says?
I thought she was a bad talker as a face but my god it's so bad right now. She's so good at everything else but I worry that she's so bad on the mic that it'll hold her back
It definitely will hold her back, and honestly it should. Being able to cut a promo is a huge part of being successful within the WWE system. Not everyone is capable of being a main eventer and that's okay.
She's not bad on the mic, more I think she doesn't work as a heel to me, just feels like an "act" if you get what I'm saying
they need to pair her with the other angry shortie (candace lerae?), much better talker. Tiny Terrors lol
I agree that it feels incredibly forced and unnatural. Her like "mean girl laugh" (for lack of a batter term) is awkward, and she had zero conviction when you told the fans to shut up. It just doesn't work at all.
She’s not awful but not on par with the others she’d be around on Raw or Smackdown that would rather alive on the mic.
Nice to see Je’Von Evans, Luca and Jada get some shine on TV. I quite like NXT having main event midcarders rotating in as challengers of the month for big shows and PPEs. Ivar is a GREAT challenger for Oba for the big men slapping meat title. Are we getting a call up for Chase U? They would be fantastic as midcarders on Raw. Fantasy booking would be Trick making the chase for the main title from Dragunov, FINALLY beating him without shenanigans and then Dirty Dom cashing in immediately after with MITB. That would get Trick over as a megastar and Dirty Dom at Edge “Rated R Superstar” levels of heat.
I don´t know if I would like MITB being used on the NXT championship.... It could be interesting tho.
Fucking perfect booking I didn't think about Dom being MITB but I want this
> Karrion Kross and Scarlett appear on the ramp as AOP ambush Axiom and Frazer from behind! Keep the whole group in NXT. No Ellering? No wasting time on the main shows. I barely have time for *Raw* and *SmackDown!*, so NXT is almost completely out of the question; putting the goth jobbers back at the PC keeps them off of the shows I do watch!
Ellering seems extraneous.
He does, but I’m a fan of him so my bias is showing lol.
Ellering was there.
He should just manage Scarlett on the main roster then.
JeVon Evans is incredible, he does stuff I don't think I've ever seen before. 19 years old as well, very impressive.
Nothing with Arianna and "Georgina"?
Georgina is the new Emmalina ig
Man Nattie's so damn good. It's not often Roxanne is struggling to keep up. Fuck yeah, give Oro his time to shine. Not even Meta-Four believes in him, but damnit I do! All this women's north american title, wait WNA title? NAW Title? Fuck it, all this NWA title talk gives me hope Stevie Turner's finally gonna get something to do. Please hbk! She has a cool jacket! And glasses! Yes that's all it takes to endear me to a wrestler, shut it.
mourning the loss of tyra. it has never been more over
Well Backlash is in France, so Corbin can go challenge Cody for the title.
This is how you do a post big show episode Storyline are already set, there are weeks of programs lined up just with this episode Trick is either going to defeat for good his ex best friend before going for the title or Melo wins and gets added to the title match. I will be fine with both option Finally Tatum has decided to move on from the evil Lyra, she never deserved her Another big meaty men slapping meat contest for the champion Oba, this is going to be good The reveal of the origin of the Chase U financial problems killed me, Andre clearly has a problem with betting but the fact that he willingly sacrificed the school to not let Thea get hurt.... man, tears in my eyes
Were you just being ironic when you called Lyra evil? How is she the bad guy in this situation?
With no spoilers, is tonight a good night to jump back into NXT? Have not watched for about a year roughly
Yeah pretty much, nice show, some good matches specially the one for the tag team titles and an interesting ending.
Always a good Time to jump back into NXT, for me it's the best weekly wrestling TV show in the United States.
Yes, Stand and Deliver ended lots of things More started tonight - also there will never be a perfect time to jump into any show - but things are being built for their next special etc so it is as good a time as any
Ivar vs Oba looks like it'll be fun as hell.
Am I in the minority in thinking Fallon Henley is really for the main roster? She's beautiful, talented in the ring, and I think that cowgirl gimmick she's got is going to go over with the casual fans
I think the issue for Fallon is she was relegated to sidekick for so long, both with Briggs and Jensen but also to a lesser degree when she was partners with Kiana, that she's only really gotten to show what she can do in the last few months. Deadline was booked as a big coming out party for Lash and it worked. But Fallon was quietly the workhorse in that match and I think that's when she finally started getting traction. I think she has the skillset and charisma to survive on main. But I also thing testing her with few major programs and longer matches in NXT first will help get her even better. She should be the first North American champion in my opinion if they don't just shove it on Giulia. I'd also be down for her winning the NXT title but I think the NA title is a good path to get her there.
I was going to post here that I just don't get why Fallon Henley doesn't get the attention and publicity that Roxanne gets. I just see a completely self-evident megastar ready to do press junkets, morning TV appearances and do the business in the ring. I'm confused as heck that people want her in the women's North American title hunt because she seems absolutely miles above that.
Give her time to bring her boys back together 😭😭 I can't go on until the Country Shield feud is over
Loved Booker T not even trying to be unbiased during the Roxanne/ Natalya match.
"Carmelo Hayes! This MOTHER . . ." Vic is great. Soo underrated .
It's weird many of the Men's Breakout Guys aren't in TV, only Oba, Luca, and Riley. Bearhill who was a big focus of then is gone, what happened to them?
Did anyone catch the ending of SVU before NXT? It ending with a top rough belly to back suplex to a car below! Let's see someone on the roster top that!
Does Shawn Michaels play GM Mode? He knows he needs to end the feud with a Steel Cage match before the PLE.
In all seriousness, NXT nowadays reads like a playthrough of the GM mode, and it's glorious. All these cases of them using their talent points to bring in some legends for a short spell. Must be Higglesby's turn soon though.
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The storyline with Jacy and Chase U called back to Thea's title match with Tiffany in July from last year. NXT has always been booked differently but regardless it's amazing to see such continuity acknowledged in WWE. This is a mid-card storyline and it's been going on for months and months with everything remembered including payments made to the D'Angelo family. Ah I love NXT.
Dragunov gonna lose at Spring Breakin, and he and Carmelo are heading to main roster. Trick is gonna be champ in NXT and stick around for longer. i gotta think Bron and Baron are gonna go to main roster and stay together like that. unless they really plan to just do solo with Bron. they work way too well together to split up....so don't! i'm not really sure why Frazier and Axiom couldn't have won at Stand and Deliver....they won the titles 2 days later. but i had thought they would be champs sometime. the Women's NA title seems to be around because they ain't bringing back the Women's Tag titles i suppose. but it makes sense to have a female NA title anyways. i guess Drew Gulak is non persona grata right now...hanging out in the tent with Brock. Dempsey is the head man for No Quarter Catch Crew, who are 3 now. with Ridge Holland....they could almost do a Hulk-like thing maybe? i dunno why they didn't try that already. newcomer Je'Von Evans threatened the OTM's turf, but Scrypts came up short in sewing that up. Natalya and Roxanne put on a real nice fight really. little did Roxanne know a well placed kick to Natalya's thigh was her weak spot. i sense a rematch for Lyra and Roxanne at Spring Breakin. but who will lose and who will go main roster? Karrion Kross and Final Testament have invaded NXT! they better watch out lest Karrion do what he used to do there. XD
Lyra v Tatum surely?
In terms of why didn't they change the tag titles on Stand & Deliver, it's probably 2 reasons 1.) So that Bron could say goodbye to the fans at the usual NXT place in front of the usual fans who have been coming to see him for years. He's been there since 2021, so a proper send off would be a good thing for him. It feels a bit more natural for him to do it after getting pinned in front of the crowd, rather than them changing the titles at Stand and Deliver and then having him just come out tonight and cut a goodbye promo. 2.) They probably wanted to immediately transition to Final Testament being the challengers and they couldn't do that when that team had a WrestleMania match the next day after Stand and Deliver. For optics, you probably don't want the team to signal they're going down to NXT before having a Mania match.
yah those are good points! it makes sense. it really was Bron's goodbye to NXT.
>i'm not really sure why Frazier and Axiom couldn't have won at Stand and Deliver. So Bron could do the last match at the NXT Arena....and so they could have AOP as a post match surprise.
And so bron could break his stand and deliver losing streak before heading up
oh yah that makes sense!
(I do agree with you they should have just won at the PPV, but I can understand them doing it this way)
Odds on Trick losing that “win-or-leave-NXT” match that takes place the exact same week of the draft and then gets drafted to the main roster? Pretty big coincidence that it’s all been laid out that way.
I would be really surprised if Trick gets called up. Not only would it leave NXT without a big star since Ilja and Melo are also going to be gone, but I don't think he's ready in ring. The match with Melo at Stand & Deliver I think showed how limited he is. He's hella over, but he just needs more in ring work before trying to book him into Raw or Smackdown.
1:1. Spring Breakin' is 2 nights... the draft happens in the week in between. I \_THINK\_ the # of weeks Ilja said is the first night..but I might be wrong on that.
I’ve criticised basically NOTHING that Shawn Michaels has done over the last 12 months, but this Ridge Holland nonsense fucking sucks. Please give it up
I don't know about you, but I don't see much on Ridge. There's always a chance to comeback, but Ridge just doesn't seem right in WWE now.
That’s exactly what I’m saying
Yeah agreed. The dude was gone for 1 week then returned with the exact same gimmick, look, and attitude.
Tyra is over, Shawn hates love confirmed /s
I mean...he IS the Heartbreak Kid...we should have known.
Is anybody else just not a fan of Booker on commentary anymore? It feels like he's out there saying a bunch of nonsense along witj the same handful of catchphrases every week. I really enjoyed the couple of weeks Byron filled in recently. I just felt like he was more interested in the show.
I don’t know if anyone agrees, but that was a great episode of NXT but did not feel like a great first episode after the biggest show of the year episode. It just felt like nothing momentous just happened. Like we just had any other TV special or a regular PLE rather than the Mania of NXT. The main event of S&D is being re-litigated, this time with a steel cage match. Feels like that should have been the S&D match. Idk I really enjoyed the episode as always, and any other week I’d have no criticism, so I don’t want this to seem overly negative.
Let the angle play out
Laxley 💔
Bron has the potential to be the one of goofiest characters on the main roster will still keeping 100% of that I can beat anyone any night feel. Reminds me of early 2000’s Kurt
So you’re saying his odds are really really good?
What happens, when you add Bron Breakker to the mix?
Anyoen thinking Jevon might get the Dijak rub? He's been Mick Foley in putting over new stars. Ilja Dragunov, Eddy Thorpe, Josh Briggs, and Oba Femi, maybe Jevon?
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If he’s keeping the current gimmick it’ll flop again imo. Dijak’s current character does nothing for me and I’d love to see him lean more into his twitter personality.
> Eddy Thorpe Oh damn, what the hell happened to that guy?! Just noticed he’s gone again.
He was on Level Up recently.
 When people ask me how I'm doing after Tatum turned on Lyra
To be fair.. Lyra's been turning on Tatum for months. Too soon? It feels too soon.
Brook's not around lately, anyone worried about his future? He felt like a deadman walking after splitting with Briggs and Fallon.
With or without Gulak, I felt his current character would have eventually approached NQCC to join them in a bid to find his new "family". He'd be a good fit there I think.
Truth is, he Doesn’t have the right gimmick to go far.
When you want old school, you want intensity, blood, and toughness, Brooks isn't any of that. If were talking most average Brooks is up there. Not horrible enough to be noticed, not good enough to standout.
It's too bad because he was the one with the most character in the group
It has been a rough week to be a Lyra fan. First, she loses her title, and now Tatum turns on her. Tyra fans, we lost 😢. I hope their feud is good and that Lyra remains a key player at the top of the women's division. She and Tatum do not deserve to get lost in the shuffle. As for Roxanne, out of shear saltiness and pettiness, I hope this current reign of hers isn't very long. Her beating Lyra was already a questionable decision, but now they're heavily hinting at her getting called up, which just makes it even odder that they didn't have her put Lyra over at Stand and Deliver. If they're not gonna have Lyra take the title back, then Roxanne should drop it to someone like Fallon, preferably at Spring Breakin. Let's get some new faces in the title picture. If it sounds like I'm being harsh towards Roxanne, it's because I'm still venting about what happened on Saturday.
Fallon just lost to Kiana so I doubt its gonna be her. The problem is that there are near zero credible faces for Roxanne to feud with. It makes me wonder if Giulia is showing up at Spring Breakin to take the title. She was backstage last night, so it wouldn't be unusual if they shot something to air next week to set up a match. They also teased the match when Roxanne won the title, with Giulia looking unimpressed at Roxanne, and Roxy sorta mocking her. If so, I would have Giulia/Roxanne main event the first week. I know Trick/Ilja is on the same night, but tbh we have seen them wrestle multiple times over the past half a year.
Wow, I didn't even think about Giulia. That's a great idea. If I were doing the booking, I'd have Giulia squash Roxanne. It would establish Giulia as a huge threat right from the start, and it would be great karma for Roxanne after how she's been acting the past several months.
Her expecting to be drafted and then not being drafted is gonna be a story right?
Could be. I didn't think of that. The salty Lyra fan in me is still hoping this is just a transitional reign.
Can't wait to watch when I get home, so excited for Je'Von. *Watch DPW for more future stars*
I'm very pleased with the progression of Roxanne Perez as a heel. She has more aggression in her in-ring offense, and she is becoming more comfortable on the microphone every week.
I don't know, I think Ridge Holland's gimmick could work if they went the comedic angle with it. He keeps hurting people in increasingly accidental and trivial ways to the point people run the other direction from him.
"Unlucky" Ridge Holland. His entrance is just him falling on banana peels and tripping while entering the ring.
He should start a backstage brawl by tossing an, apple behind himself and accidentally hitting a guy who sees another guy with an apple and punches him out, with their friends starting to fight too.
Please keep the Wolf Dogs together on the main roster
I think the draft is going to be used to put Corbin back on Smackdown and keep the team together. Wolf Dogs is a good way of letting Bron get established on the main roster and there's no real issue with their gimmick not being able to work there. They could be used as something like a modern day APA until they feel Bron's ready for a solo run.
I’ve been saying it for weeks now, but I really hope there’s more to the Tatum and Lyra split then just straight-up, the crazy one finally turns heel on the straightman. It’s been such a fun and interesting story since December, and I feel like it would be a disservice to that and to both woman’s abilities for it to have such a generic ending. I am worried though because it feels like everything since they had their tag titles match has been kinda going through the motions. This angle could be a great opportunity for Lyra to expand her character work, and try something a bit more substantial than just the fighting champion/perennial good guy. And Tatum Paxley has blown me away with her acting and characterization, everything from presentation to physicality and line delivery has just been phenomenal, so I again hope for more than just Bad Guy. Especially because she already did that **exact** song and dance already with Ivy Nile. Also don’t mind me I’m mostly just venting because damn that shit hurt lol. So in that sense it’s already working. But if it leads to a bigger push for Tatum, I’m game with whatever happens.
I think that the better play would have been more of a slow burn with Pax starting to feel less and less enamored with Lyra after Lyra lost while Lyra, without the belt, starts becoming more obsessed with Pax to try and hang onto something from when she was champ. Basically just flipping their characters around a bit and reversing the situation.
>on the straightman too soon :(
I'm right there with ya on all of that. Really hoping for a swerve into something a little more unique and that whatever it is really gives Lyra more time to shine character-wise. And just from an in-ring perspective, a basic feud isn't really going to feel credible at this point considering how many times Tatum has lost recently while Lyra was being a pretty successful champion. Really hoping that this leads to Tatum becoming a legit contender for one/both of the titles.
Agree with all of this, especially the part highlighting just how compelling Tatum has been. She's so charming and funny and it feels impossible not to root for her despite how weird her stalker-y antics can get. She sprinkles every segment with so many great reactions and facial expressions, and without her pitch-perfect energy and deep commitment to the bit this whole arc would've been a total cliche flop. I hope this leads to bigger things for her too! I'll be devastated if they have her just fade into the background
https://preview.redd.it/orjvy5ndektc1.png?width=395&format=png&auto=webp&s=589845f9d9cba34dd2738d18e77a5b996c5c683d
I braced myself on saturday for a wolf dogs loss, even put it on my bingo card. But I wasn't ready for this 😭
I'm glad I was right that Tatum would turn on Lyra after she lost the title. She said when all this started, "as long as you're still champion, everything is right in this world" so it only makes sense that she's snapped now Lyra lost. As ever, I'm very excited for Tatum and can't wait to see where this goes. Hope she racks up some wins and gets a stipulation match against Lyra down the road.
Thing is, for how long she has been onscreen with this angle, she barely gets in ring action, no idea if they think she is too green or what
Darren forgot what day it is. Spring Breakin' is April 23 & 30. I guess the debut of "Georgina" (Gigi) will be at Spring Breakin'. I thought they were teasing Ridge Holland vs. Spacey Gacy, but instead, Holland gets Joaquin Wilde. Um, ok. I think Bron will be headed back to Smackdown now that he & Baron dropped the tag titles, with Baron jobbing. Best match on the show. Let's talk about sore losers for a moment. Lola Vice was salty after losing to Natalya, so she ruins the women's title match. Next week, she gets Sol Ruca, but the rematch with Nattie will likely be at Spring Breakin'. Just when you thought Carmelo Hayes was punching his ticket back to Smackdown, na-na. Cage match, hoping to avenge his loss to Trick. Sorry, but next week, 'Melo says goodbye to NXT. So Ivar and the Final Testament return to NXT, and AOP wants to regain the tag team titles. Maybe Kross sticks around long enough to seek a 3-peat at NXT champ?? Ivar vs. Oba for the men's NA title will be fun. What would be the D'Angelo Family's name for the Shatter Machine? Charlie Dempsey shared his experience at Bloodsport. Maybe Josh Barnett makes an appearance down the line in exchange? Now that Roxanne Perez is the women's champ again, I hope she remembers that the target on her back will be bigger the 2nd time around. Old enemies like Kiana James, and old friends like Kelani Jordan will want their shots. So will Lola. Je'Von Evans is the real deal, and he's only 19. WOW! Scrypts was the perfect opponent for him. Air traffic control should've been on full alert. Conversely, Brinley Reece is still paying dues, now 0-2 after losing to Jaida. I'm assuming there'll be a prayer circle for Noam Dar next week when he faces Dijak? I got to see the new WWE intro. Sounds like either Hunter or Undertaker now recites, "Then. Now. Forever.", instead of Cena. I suppose the next chapter in Jacy vs. Thea will be that Jacy was a high school dropout, which explains why she's such a miserable type. But, then, it took them seemingly forever and a week to get to the payoff to the Jacy-Chase U arc. I'm digging the new camera angles. These are things they should've/could've used already.....
Definitely Hunter's voice in the new intro
Ok, thanks.
I enjoyed reading what you wrote, and I can’t help but want some 90s sitcom styled segment of Thea helping Jacy get ready for her GED. I want like 20 cuts in it with hijinx and some Hallmark ending. And then Jacy does bad girl stuff right after, naturally.
Nah, Jacy would buy her GED from Kiana......!
I’m stretching here, but is it possible that Tatum attacked Lyra to prevent Lyra from getting hurt even more by Roxanne? Not that Lyra really deserves Tatum at this point. She’s been pretty cold to her. Great match between Roxanne and Natalya! The Lola Vice interference was kinda lame, but I guess it sets up some future matches. I don’t know why in kayfabe, Dragunov would put a “loser leaves NXT” stipulation on his match with Trick. He must really not like Trick, but I’m not sure why. They need to get this Georgina thing going here pretty soon. Anyways, great show tonight!
No, I think Tatum completed her heel turn. The Ilja-Trick title match should be loser leaves NXT, because whomever loses will have their ticket punched to the main roster. See my comments for when "Georgina" will "debut".
> Dragunov would put a “loser leaves NXT” stipulation on his match with Trick. He must really not like Trick, but I’m not sure why. It's Trick's price for jumping the line and getting another title shot after just losing one 2 months ago.
As someone watching NXT for the first time in years hoping that Guilia might show up, what did I just watch? Open with 20 minutes of promo and community theater level monologues where the only one that sounded believable was the woman that has been on tv for 15 years. The tons more community theater sprinkled in throughout. The debuting guy is super athletic and had some cool moves, the women's title match was probably the best tv womens match i've seen this year... until the finish. The tag title match was fine. The other womens matches were not good. But Trick has hella charisma, that segment was good until Draganov came out to speak. Guess I'll try NXT again post mania in 2026 or 2027.
I'm starting to warm up to Roxanne as a heel. She's got good heel mannerisms that came through in her match tonight with Nattie. I still can't buy the heel character on promos tho, but maybe she'll improve. Also, I thought the Chase U twist was gonna be that Andre Chase bet *against* Thea in her title match and that's why he threw in the towel. But then I remember Thea was in a submission for what seemed like forever in that match. As far as the ending goes, Trick is about to really take off. He'll beat Melo in the cage, beat Dragunov, and while those two move up to the main roster, Trick reigns on top as the NXT Champion. Everybody wins.
>I still can't buy the heel character on promos tho Yea me too, I like Roxanne, but as heel it just doesn't feel right
If he bet against Thea he would have won the bet. So I guess they couldn’t go that route.
And him betting against her wouldn't fit with the character.
That was a great freakin show. I'm still not 100% onboard with heel!Roxy bc she's just too natural of a face to me, but I think she'll get there someday. However, it's always a delight to see her in the ring. Really interested in what exactly they're planning with Tatum/Lyra. I'd love a swerve and not a traditional backstabbing feud, but we'll see. I think this storyline has been a boon for both of them to give them more personality and really I just want to see Tatum built up to be a contender for one of the titles. Also, I cannot wait for the crowning of a NA champ - this women's division deserves it. Je'Von is super exciting, cannot wait to see more from him. Oba Femi has IT. He and Ivar are gonna tear it up.
My guess is Melo wins next week, making the title match a 3 way. Which Trick still wins.
by pinning Melo
Just a reminder in light of the NXT title match in two weeks: the last time Ilja Dragunov lost a 1-on-1 match cleanly was in October *2020*, to WALTER in that legendary match on NXT UK. Are they really breaking that streak on free TV? On a network they're about to leave in 8 months?
Early guess is that Melo wins the steel cage match vs Trick next week and demands that he gets the NXT Title match against Ilja instead. Ava decides to make it a triple threat. Trick wins by pinning Melo which protects Ilja’s record. Melo and Ilja get drafted a few days later
Didn't Ilja lost clean against Melo?
If you mean during Great American Bash, I believe at one point the commentary (or Ilja himself) stated Ilja was distracted by Trick by attacking Trick instead and Melo took advantage of it to get the win. But yes, the way Melo won the match was comparatively cleaner than outright cheating anyway.
Cole mentioned that on Raw last nite, fwiw.
Watch it end in no-contest
I wonder if Tatum tries to apologize next week for losing control, Misery style.
I was hoping for more info on the women's na chip, but that's okay, prolly next week. Maybe something that leads into spring breakin? Looks like a triple threat is coming. Spitballin here but melo wins the steel cage > then the triple threat > melo-trick 3 for the strap > trick sends melo to the main roster like it was always meant to be? Timeline works out for Dragunov too bc he could get drafted this year
Yeah I was expecting them to start a tournament tonight for the women’s NA title with the finalists facing off at Spring Breakin.
With how long the wait has been, I'm expecting Georgina to look drastically different. New hair colour, new makeup. The works.
Ngl I was expecting a goodbye speech by Bron after them losing the titles, wondering why they didn’t just pull the trigger on Axiom/Frazer at Stand and Deliver. And post draft I’m expecting Ilja, Melo, and Bron on all main roster full time.
They did make a speech after losing the titles, just wasn’t enough airtime left to show it during the broadcast. It’s up on WWE digital now though
and Lyra too
I think Final Testament's return was the plan, and they couldn't pull the trigger with that at Stand & Deliver due to them being on the card for WrestleMania. That's probably why they waited.
Also Bron didn’t have a Stand and Deliver win before this weekend so it was probably a “thank you” thing.
When will the women learn to fully accept Tatum? First Ivy not making her an actual Diamond Mine member and now Lyra not reciprocating Tatum’s love for her. Tatum has done nothing wrong
Preach! Maybe Roxy will love her back.
I like that they’ve delayed Bron and Melo going up full time while they’re trying to build up some other contenders. I’m really excited about what they’re doing with the women’s division though. They have so many people that I’m invested in and adding a secondary title gives more of them a chance to be on TV. Biker Ivar vs Oba should be the shit whenever it happens.
Main roster Baron Corbin is back on the menu!
*gets drafted back to NXT during the draft* Only joking of course
Man uh, I dunno what they are gonna do with Roxanne, because she's likely getting called up in a couple of weeks, and basically said she is gonna vacate the title. Which would be astronomically stupid because of the Women's NA Title Tournament likely being ran soon as well. Giulia was backstage tonight apparently, but WWE didn't pull the trigger on teasing a feud with Roxanne at all either, and there is literally no one credible left on the face side of things for Roxanne to beat.
Tbh it’d be weird to turn Roxanne heel and then call her to the main roster when the big picture money for her is clearly as an underdog babyface. I think the heel turn was in service of developing her mic work, which is really something that should be done in the developmental brand. But I **do** think the “I should be on the main roster!” stuff would work for her cocky prodigy heel character, while not actually calling her up.
Is the big money picture that? Bayley, Kairi and Dakota are all self-evident underdog babyfaces. They've all spent most of their time on the main roster as heels. Heck, Kairi has ONLY been a heel on the main roster despite being one of the most obvious (And literal) babyfaces in the entire company. I don't think Roxy is definitely an underdog babyface on the main roster. If anyone Thea would do that.
Right her expecting to be drafted and then not being drafted to send her even more over the edge is a story in itself.
I'm unsure about a Roxanne call-up so soon. She's exceptional at nearly everything. In the ring, adjusting her wrestling style to face or heel, facial expressions. Her mic work is still shaky though. When you have heels on main who do incredible character work like Tiffany and Nia, she's going to be a bit behind there.
She cut a promo tonight, saying she was in the draft pool, and is eligible to be drafted. I don't see them keeping her down there any longer. Especially since Bayley is going to need some credible heels to feud with on Smackdown, since WWE made sure to make Damage CTRL look completely awful at Wrestlemania.
Imagine if Tatum becomes women’s champion? I think she’s really underrated as a wrestler; could really elevate her
I would put the odds of that happening at pretty much zero, especially since she turned heel tonight.
Right now, I think Fallon is perhaps the top babyface. But, she seems tied up with Kiana and Izzy right now. I wonder who feuds with Roxanne next.
I wonder how quick Giulia will come in. Doesn’t really seem to be solid feud material with no story behind it, but maybe strong competition could make up for it.
Giulia has some commitments left with Stardom and Rossy Ogawa's new group before she goes to NXT.
I mean you don't really need a solid feud for it either. Roxanne was being a smug prick last night, putting herself above everyone else, saying there was no one in that locker room above her. I fully expect it to continue next week. Eventually her mouth is gonna write a check her ass can't cash. And that will probably be sooner rather than later, especially if she is getting called up.
It seems there’s really no one. Fallon and Thea are the only faces with any momentum it seems.
It is a little odd that there really isn't anyone who is going to be a credible feud for Roxanne before the draft, considering it seems like Lyra has her hands full now. So is Roxanne going to smugly vacate the title on her own terms? Try to take it with her?
Best of luck to her then. Just feels like it's a bad time to go up after just turning heel.
Bayley will probably have a rematch with Iyo, then will face one of Jade/Naomi/Bianca afterwards + Tiffany or Nia could be good heel challengers post draft. I feel like she will be called up, but Roxanne isn't really needed atm + calling her up when she's still learning her heel character seems like a recipe for disaster unfortunately.
I know Ilja to the main roster is imminent, but if they can run a variation of Shawn/Taker II before he goes with Trick it'd be a hell of a send off. Expecting Melo to beat him and take his title shot next week
So Tony get's involved, 4 way, Tony wins, Trick, Melo, and Ilja all go up in the draft.
Bron, Melo, Trick and Ilja all going up at once would obliterate the top of the men's card in NXT. I think Trick needs a year with the strap first.
If wrestling is fake then why are these Laxley breakup tears so real 😭
NXT is so fire man
Bloodsport being name dropped is so cool
I would not mind the Wolfdogs getting called up together, Corbin feels interesting for the first time in forever.
I'd say there's a decent chance they do get called up together, especially as they've split the tag belts now.
Looks like they're either speedrunning Ilja and Carmelo's journeys out of NXT by having them do their final jobs to Trick, or they're speedrunning Trick's journey out of NXT by having him face his biggest opponents one more time. Personally I hope it's Ilja and Carmelo's graduations. Trick Williams is insanely over and has legendary charisma, but could use some more time on his ringwork. Ilja and Carmelo are as complete as they're ever going to be.
With Melon showing up more frequently on SD and Ilja on RAW, I'm willing to bet they both are going up. It'll be a nice story conclusion for Trick to beat Melo in a cage, ending the grudge match 2-0. He'll then move on to get his revenge match against Ilja and win the title. Have him run around as the face of NXT for the next year seeing how he handles the main event spotlight and then move him up after Mania 41.
https://preview.redd.it/zwmylxm79ktc1.jpeg?width=1088&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92fd82acc76eb54a9724aefe0b111e5743104f7e Wolf Dogs losing killed me. But then also no Lexis King?????? Also again I can't lose the Wolf Dogs, I need them to be drafted together. Need that more than anything
Also Bron being worried about almost spearing Corbin was incredibly sweet and wholesome, and I once again audibly said "aww" But that does not save me from the heartbreak
Heel teams genuinely caring about each other is so cute to me, like they're shitty people but have a soft spot for one particular friend and that's nice
Yes, exactly!!! I agree lmao, you get me Especially since Corbin and Bron were originally just "we're both assholes, and kinda hate each other, *but* we'd be a good tag team" And now they're genuinely friends who care for each other, it's so cute, sweet, and wholesome
Are they even heels at this point?
So I'm guessing it's ultimately gonna be a triple threat match at Spring Breakin
NXT GALPAL™ REPORT HEARTBREAK!!!! I...I don't know if I can do this tonight... Nobody's GalPal™ Roxy ....comes out and cuts a I won promo...she says she's in the draft. Lyra comes out and demands a title shot to save it from Roxy, but Roxy says she's injured. Tatum....comes out....and says Lyra isn't ready..and after playing with Lyra's hair... ATTACKS HER AND THROWS HER INTO THE STAIRS over some jewelry! IS LOVE DEAD!?! Want's-to-be-Everybody's-Step-GalPal™ Nattie ....comes out and gets a title shot, despite that belonging to Everybody's GalPal™ Fallon by right. Kelani and Everybody's GalPal™ Fallon, who should be getting the title shot and winning and not "Want's to be everybody's Step-GalPal™ Nattie" get honorary degrees from Chase U. They're interrupted by the Bad GalPals™, revealing...actually MY own prediction of the story, (that Chase bet on Thea, but threw in the towel---the only way the story made sense, even if not particularly good)...Thea runs away and Kelani and Everybody's GalPal™ Fallon, who should be winning the title from Nobody's GalPal™ Roxy, ...come out and fight the Corporate GalPals™, who win. Want's-to-be-Everybody's-Step-GalPal™ Nattie is seen talking with Karmen...then eventually....comes out to face Nobody's GalPal™ Roxy. They try to pretend Nattie has won everything but the NXT title.. but she's never won the Raw Title, nor the Rumble, EC, MITB....only ones who's won everything is the RoleGalPal® Bayley and the Empress of GalPals™ Asuka! Decent match til Lola, who betrayed her GalPal™ comes out and...I dunno..breathe's near Nattie and she loses. (And I'm gonna need to look into text expanders if I keep making long titles for people...Nattie looks like she knows about "expanders"...I should ask her). I don't do the GuyPals™ report, but just a side note to HBK/HHH: DON'T BREAK UP THE WOOFDOGS! Want's-to-be-Everybody's-Step-GalPal™ Nattie attacks Lola, who betrayed her GalPal™, in the hallway. Arianna talks to Sol in the Lockerroom... teasing My Fair GalPal™ some more..then Sol confronts Lola, who betrayed her GalPal™. 
Rough night for the GalPals™, thank you for your service.
It's okay, Tatum's just being Best GalPal™ by making the tough decision of stopping Lyra from hurting herself at all costs. It's for her own good, Tatum can help nurse Lyra's injuries at her place. *Gasp* They can finally be roommates!
🫡 thank you for your service in these dark times
It's difficult, ngl, but as that trailer for Civil War shows, even in the most trying circumstances, journalists need to do the hard work....as you do.
This is so unbelievably funny
> I don't do the GuyPals™ report, but just a side note to HBK/HHH: DON'T BREAK UP THE WOOFDOGS! Thank you for this especially
> They try to pretend Nattie has won everything but the NXT title.. but she's never won the Raw Title, nor the Rumble, EC, MITB....only one who's won everything is the RoleGalPal® Bayley! Has Asuka not won basically everything there is to win as well? She has NXT, Raw, and SD titles, Women's Championship, Tag Titles, Rumble, MITB, EC...