The John Report: WWE NXT 02/20/24 Review
This week’s WWE NXT featured two title matches with Oba Femi & Lyra Valkyria making title defenses, plus words from Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin.
I’ll do this summary style and play-by-play for one or two matches. They also this episode one week ago.
This episode is taking place at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Follow me on Twitter/X @johnreport. My WWE NXT Review archive is here. Let’s get to it.
They showed Shotzi and NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria arriving earlier in the day.
It’s Vic Joseph and Byron Saxton on commentary. Saxton is filling in for Booker T.
NXT North American Championship: Oba Femi vs. Lexis King
King tried a move off the turnbuckle, but Femi knocked him down with a forearm smash. King tried some kicks so Femi dumped him over the top to the floor. King got some offense with a dropkick and King rammed Femi’s left arm into the ring post. Mr. Stone and Von Wagner were watching backstage with Stone saying he was going out there. King hit a double foot stomp on Femi’s left arm while Stone was out on the floor. King shoved Stone down. Femi nailed King with a clothesline and he launched King into the turnbuckle. Femi tossed King across the ring. Femi hit a Popup Powerbomb to get the win after about four minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Oba Femi
Analysis: *3/4 A dominant win by Femi as the champion that is rarely threatened during matches. King worked over Femi’s arm a bit, but this was all about putting over Femi.
Thea Hail was backstage with Jacy Jayne and another woman named Jazmyn Nyx talking about her date with Riley Osborne while Arianna Grace was listening in the background as Hail explained how her date went. Hail talked about her date not going well. Grace walked in saying Hail may have scared Riley away. Jayne told Grace to stay out of their business and they left.
The team of Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin were backstage for a promo up next.
(Commercial)
There was a locker room scene with Tatum Paxley talking to NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria with Paxley saying Lyra was her hero. Lyra said she needed Paxley to stay away from the ring for her match tonight. Lyra said she’ll give Paxley a surprise if Paxley stays in the back.
Let’s Hear from Bron Breakker & Baron Breakker
The NXT Tag Team Champions Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin entered for a promo. There was a clip of Bron Breakker signing his Smackdown contract last week. They were greeted with “you deserve it” chants.
Bron said that in September at No Mercy they were beating the hell out of eachother and now they are the new NXT Tag Team Champions. Corbin reminded Bron he beat him at No Mercy. Bron claimed he carried this team. Corbin said he hit the End of Days, Bron hit the Spear and so that’s the Spear of Days, which the fans were chanting. Corbin said he loved it. Corbin said they are good with being the new Tag Team Champions.
Chase U’s Andre Chase & Duke Hudson interrupted. Chase spoke about being the next challengers. Duke talked about Bron & Corbin won the Dusty Cup and the Tag Team Titles, but Chase U is back and it’s their time to shine. Bron told them to shove their calendars up their asses. Chase said it was a teachable moment. Chase said that the former champs promised them a shot at the championships, so they won’t take no for an answer. Hudson said they would give them an Andre Chase University sized ass whooping.
Nathan Frazer & Axiom interrupted. Frazer said that Chase U’s agreement with the former champions is null and void. Axiom & Frazer said they deserved a title shot the most since they nearly beat Bron & Baron. Duke told them to grab a ticket and get to the back of the line. Corbin dismissed the teams.
Ava the NXT GM arrived to say that she thinks that Nathan & Axiom should face Chase U to determine who the Number One Contenders will be for the NXT Tag Team Titles. Ava said that match will be tonight.
Analysis: It’s interesting to see how the crowd reacts to Bron & Baron as a team because they are heels, but they have earned some respect from the fans and they get cheered sometimes. I don’t know if they are going with the “Spear of Days” name, but I guess it can work for them better than Wolfdogs does. Anyway, this was simple WWE booking to set up a tag team match for later and reward the winners with a title shot.
Roxanne Perez was interviewed by Kelly Kincaid about the upcoming match with Wren Sinclair. Perez showed off her very serious attitude and said she would keep a close eye on the NXT Women’s Title match later.
Roxanne Perez entered for singles action.
(Commercial)
There was a mysterious video with words on the screen about being a warrior.
Wren Sinclair vs. Roxanne Perez
It started with Wren getting some rollups, so Perez punched her in the face. Perez got some offense going by wrenching on Wren’s left arm and ramming it into the ring apron. After Perez worked over the arm a bit, Wren hit a couple of clotheslines, but Perez came back with a kick to the gut. Perez hit Pop Rox and she let go of the pin so that Perez could apply the Crossface submission. Wren tapped out to give Perez the win after about four minutes.
Winner by submission: Roxanne Perez
Analysis: *3/4 Perez worked on the left arm for most of the match and then she got the win with the Crossface submission while trapping the left arm. That’s good wrestling psychology. It also shows off the more aggressive side of Perez because she didn’t go for the pin with Pop Rox and instead wanted to win by submission. Sinclair is talented, but it’s still very early in her NXT run.
It was Brooks Jensen against Josh Briggs after a break.
(Commercial)
The Meta-Four group was shown in the locker room when No Quarter Catch Crew interrupted. They informed Dar he’ll face one of them next week. Dar complained about it.
Josh Briggs vs. Brooks Jensen
They are former tag team partners that got into a backstage fight last week. I’m not sure about Jensen’s mustache and heavy chest hair look, but at least it’s different for him.
Jensen got some momentum with a bulldog along with a dropkick. Jensen threw some punches and chops. Jensen ran the ropes leading to a neckbreaker. Jensen sent Briggs over the barricade and Jensen stomped on Briggs a bit.
(Commercial)
Briggs was in control after using his feet to twist Jensen’s neck. The crowd booed Briggs attacking while against the ropes. Briggs said he was doing this for Jensen, so Jensen slapped Briggs in the face. Jensen hit a dropkick followed by a missile dropkick off the top for two. Briggs hit a boot to the face followed by a sitout Chokeslam for two. They each hit some kicks leading to Jensen hitting in a spin kick and a vertical suplex into a pin for two. Briggs got out of a pin attempt with a punch to the face. Briggs hit two running clotheslines in a row for the pinfall win. It went about 11 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Josh Briggs
Analysis: *** I thought that was a good match that was hard-hitting from the moment the bell rang. The announcers had a good analogy for it saying it was like the big brother Briggs beating up the little brother Jensen to teach him a lesson. Jensen got plenty of offense and came close to winning, but then Briggs managed to put him away with two big lariats in a row.
After the match, Briggs held Jensen in his arms. Briggs said he did this for Jensen and he loved him.
They showed Joe Gacy in a straitjacket and he was in some room. Dijak talked to Gacy in the ring. Luca Crusifino walked in saying that this was false imprisonment and Dijak threatened to beat him up. Gacy said this isn’t over.
Carmelo Hayes was shown walking into the barber shop for a segment up next.
(Commercial)
Carmelo Hayes Interview
There was a Carmelo Hayes Barber Shop segment. Melo talked about how the Trick Melo Gang started in the barbershop. Melo said he’s all alone, but he isn’t lonely. Melo said he was there with his pride. Melo said that he wanted to lift Trick up with him and this is how Trick repays him by being the top guy in NXT. Melo said he would allow Trick to be number two, but he tried to come for number one. Melo said he wasn’t second to anybody. Melo talked about how you have to have that killer instinct to be at the top. Melo said he saw Trick eyeing the championship and Melo said he knew he had to get Trick before Trick got Melo. They showed Melo’s attack on Trick at Vengeance Day. Melo told Trick to stay where he’s at because his 15 minutes were up. Melo told Ilja Dragunov to get in line if you want to see Melo and Melo said it’s about that NXT Championship. After the interview, Vic Joseph called Melo selfish.
Analysis: I like heel Melo. We saw it in his early days in NXT and then he became a babyface. I think Melo is better as a heel although he’s easy to root for as well. Anyway, this should lead to Trick Williams coming back soon to probably cost Melo if he has a match with Dragunov soon.
Jacy Jayne (w/Thea Hail & Jazmyn Nyx) vs. Arianna Grace
Grace hit a shoulder tackle and then Jayne sent Grace throat-first into the ropes. Jayne wanted Hail to do cheap shots on the floor, but Hail didn’t do it. Jayne hit a senton splash on Grace. Grace hit a body slam and elbow drop for two. Jayne threw Grace out of the ring again. Jayne wanted Hail to hit Grace while Jayne distracted the referee, but Nyx did it instead. Jayne hit Grace with a forearm smash for the pinfall win. It went three minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Jacy Jayne
Analysis: *3/4 Jayne is a good talent that has fallen far from where she was in the Toxic Attraction days. I think Jayne is way better as a heel. Grace is entertaining as a character, but in-ring she’s basic and she’s there to lose matches.
Post match, Jayne celebrated with her pal Nyx while Hail felt left out.
Tony D’Angelo was featured in a segment with Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo and Adrianna Rizzo. Stacks said that they’ll get the Tag Team Titles back, but Tony D said they are not. Tony said he needs to lead the family in the right direction, a new direction. Tony said they’ll do things his way and if you don’t like it, too bad. Tony said it’s time for him to really be the Don of NXT.
Analysis: I don’t know if that means that Tony D and the group will be heels or what. They were faces in the past, so maybe they’ll go back to the heel route.
Chase U entered for tag team action.
(Commercial)
Ridge Holland was featured in an interview with Sarah Schreiber in the backstage area. They showed last week’s NXT when Ridge used a steel chair to beat up the three Gallus guys. Ridge said that Gallus smashed his surgically repaired leg with a chair. Ridge said he defended himself, yet people judge him. Ridge said next week he’ll address the WWE Universe and apologize for his actions even if nobody gives a damn. Ridge said that the man he is with a chair in his hands is not the man he is in every day life. Ridge walked away.
Analysis: It is more continuation of the Holland character as they try to make him a face, but maybe he’ll turn it around and be a heel. In NXT you never know.
Axiom & Nathan Frazer vs. Chase U – Andre Chase & Duke Hudson (w/Riley Osborne)
Chase and Axiom started with both men going for a dropkick at the same time. Frazer hit a quick DDT along with a standing Shooting Star Press on Chase for two. When Duke tagged in, he used his size to run over Frazer with a shoulder tackle. Axiom and Frazer each hit two straight suicide dives on their opponents on the floor.
(Commercial)
The team of Frazer & Axiom isolated Chase for a few minutes until Chase avoided a leaping Frazer leading to a uranage slam. Hudson got the hot tag leading to power moves on his smaller opponents. Duke hit a senton/gutbuster combination on his two opponents. Axiom countered a Razor’s Edge into a hurricanrana that sent Duke into the turnbuckle. Axiom hit Duke with a Spanish Fly slam off the top for two. Duke came back with a double clothesline on his opponents. Chase was back in as he exchanged pin attempts with Frazer. Chase sat on top and held onto the legs of Frazer for the pinfall win. It went about 12 minutes.
Winners by pinfall: Chase U – Andre Chase & Duke Hudson
Analysis: ***1/4 Good tag team match with a lot of action. Both sides came close to winning a bunch of times. They are both likable teams who are easy to root for. It really could have gone either way, which is what makes the match more exciting. That Spanish Fly by Axiom on Hudson was impressive. The finish with Chase barely beating Frazer was well done to show how close of a finish it was.
After the match, The OC’s Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson showed up to attack the five guys in the match including Osborne. Gallows & Anderson hit the Magic Killer to end it.
Analysis: Gallows & Anderson weren’t doing anything on Smackdown, so putting them on NXT to feud with some new opponents is a good idea. Why not? It freshens things up a bit.
Ilja Dragunov, the NXT Champion, was featured in an interview calling Carmelo Hayes the lowest form of life. Dragunov wanted Hayes to meet him face to face next week. Dragunov said that he’s coming for Melo’s soul and they showed Dragunov’s red eyes to end it.
Analysis: That was a bit cheesy at the end with the red eyes. I don’t mind more Hayes-Dragunov because they are great together.
Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson entered for Lash’s match up next.
(Commercial)
Fallon Henley was in the locker room frustrated about why she doesn’t know what’s gotten into her best friends (Briggs & Jensen) fighting. The Hail was also there looking sad. Henley and Thea Hail were both frustrated about things, so they talked about their issues. Hail said that her date didn’t go so well and it was awful and she thinks she ruined everything. Henley said she knows about a terrible Valentine’s Day. They walked away talking.
Analysis: The NXT roster is full of women and lots of different alliances. Perhaps we’ll see Henley helping out Hail now.
Kelani Jordan vs. Lash Legend (w/Jakara Jackson)
Jordan got a couple of quick pin attempts. Lash used her size advantage to hit a jumping boot to the gut. Lash hit a backbreaker followed by a splash. Lash put Jordan on her back and stretched her body looking for a submission. Jordan got double knees to block a splash from Lash. Jordan dd an impressive backflip getting out of a move and then Jordan hit a hurricanrana after leaping off the top rope. Jackson got involved, so Jordan punched her down. That led to Lash hitting a Chokeslam while Jordan was on the middle rope for the pinfall win. It went about four minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Lash Legend
Analysis: ** Lash has improved a lot in the last year. Early in her run, I wasn’t sure about her as a worker, but she keeps getting better and you can tell the hard work has paid off. As a taller woman, Lash should use her power game a lot and she does do it a lot. It’s working well for her. I don’t think Lash should win a match like that due to help from Jackson, but it’s a way to put over Lash as the heel that she is.
Post match, Kiana James and Izzi Dame tried a double team attack. Jordan managed to fight them off and Jordan bailed to the floor.
The main event of Lyra Valkyria and Shotzi was up next.
(Commercial)
There was an outdoor interview with Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows talking about how they are back in NXT. Karl said they’ll stay as long as they want. Karl said they’ll separate the men from the boys when it comes to the NXT Tag Team Titles. Gallows ripped on Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker. Gallows said that it’s the same old recipe – a Magic Killer, a 1-2-3 and it will be just too sweet. Karl said they would be over there brothering.
Analysis: Two guys in their 40s being in NXT seems weird perhaps, but I don’t mind it since it strengthens the tag team division.
Next week on NXT:
* NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov & Carmelo Hayes go face to face.
* Noam Dar defends the NXT Heritage Cup against one member of Drew Gulak’s No Quarter Catch Crew
Shotzi made her entrance looking excited as usual. Lyra Valkyria was up next as the NXT Women’s Champion.
NXT Women’s Championship: Lyra Valkyria vs. Shotzi
They battled over a headlock with some mat wrestling. Lyra hooked Shotzi’s arms leading to a pin attempt. Shotzi rolled up Lyra leading to a two count. Shotzi ran over Lyra with a shoulder tackle. Shotzi did a headscissors, so Lyra flipped out of that and landed on her feet. Shotzi hit an impressive move off the ropes leading to an arm drag. Shotzi jumped off the apron leading to Shotzi hitting Lyra with a DDT on the apron. When Shotzi went down the floor, Shotzi was grabbing her left knee. She was in a lot of pain.
(Commercial)
They returned from a picture-in-picture break. There was a replay of Shotzi injuring her left knee.
Analysis: I’m not going to rate it. I feel terrible for Shotzi. We knew about this last week and it was revealed to be a Torn ACL that Shotzi has already had surgery on. Shotzi joins Cora Jade and Charlotte Flair as two other women who have had Torn ACL injuries in the last two months. Best wishes to Shotzi, who will miss anywhere from nine months to a year because of the Torn ACL injury.
The NXT GM Ava said that due to Shotzi’s injury, she is unable to compete. Ava said they promised a NXT Women’s Title match, so whoever comes out will be the opponent. Ava said it will be an open challenge.
Lash Legend answered the challenge.
Analysis: This was done on the fly and not planned obviously due to the Shotzi injury. It was a taped show, so they probably had a bit of time to set this up, but really not that much time.
NXT Women’s Championship: Lyra Valkyria vs. Lash Legend
Lash nailed Lyra with a forearm smash to the face. Lyra hit some kicks to the body, but Lash prevented a body slam. Lash caught Lyra in her arms leading to a backbreaker for two. Lash hit an elbow drop on Lyra’s back for the two count. Lash sent Lyra into the turnbuckle twice followed by a clothesline for two. Roxanne Perez was shown in the locker room wondering what was going and other girls informed Perez that Lash took the opportunity. Perez threw a TV down when she heard that. Lyra hit a kick to the head to get some offense going, but Lash blocked another kick and Lash hit a Chokeslam for two. Lash charged, Lyra got her boot up and Lyra hit a cross body block off the top for two. Lash came back with a pump kick for two. There was a lot of talking going on between Lyra, Lash and the referee. Lash set up Lyra on the top rope, Lyra knocked her down with an elbow and Lyra jumped off the top with a Superfly Splash for the pinfall win after six minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Lyra Valkyria
Analysis: **1/4 It was decent for an improvised match. Lash didn’t do a lot of complicated moves. It was basic stuff while Lyra sold it really well before Lyra made the comeback to get the win. It wasn’t a great finish by any means, but it was a way to give the champion a decisive win.
Lyra Valkyria celebrated with the NXT Women’s Title. That was the end of the show.
Analysis: They need to build up a heel opponent for Lyra. I guess it’s going to be Roxanne Perez, who has been heelish of late. I hope it turns into a meaningful feud because Lyra needs a rival at this point.
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Three Stars of the Show
- Lash Legend – Kudos to her working twice, including a match on the fly.
- Chase U – Andre Chase & Duke Hudson
- Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen
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The Scoreboard
This week: 6.25 out of 10
Last week: 6.5
2024 Average: 6.88
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Final Thoughts on WWE NXT
It was just an average episode of NXT. My lowest rating for the show this year. It doesn’t mean it was that bad. It was just less interesting than what they usually do. The match quality was weaker than their better shows for sure. I did like the Briggs/Jensen match and the Chase U win over Frazer/Axiom too.
I feel bad for Shotzi tearing her ACL during her NXT Women’s Title match against Lyra Valkyria. Shotzi hit a DDT on the apron and hurt her knee when landing on the floor. That led to Lash Legend taking over the match, which was an improvise match with Valkyria, who beat Legend clean. They did the best they could in a tough spot.
They are slowly building some stories well. I don’t think anything is that “hot” right now until Trick Williams is back to get revenge against Carmelo Hayes, who wants the NXT Title from Ilja Dragunov. Next week’s Melo-Dragunov segment should be interesting.
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John Canton
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