The John Report: WWE NXT 12/27/22 Review
This week’s WWE NXT featured Wes Lee putting the NXT North American Title on the line against Tony D’Angelo, plus a match with a family bar on the line!
For this review, it will be in a condensed format. It’s the holiday season. I can take a bit of a break with the word count. Back to normal next week. I will go play by play for the main event. This show was taped two weeks ago.
This episode is taking place at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Follow me on Twitter @johnreport. My WWE NXT Review archive is here. Let’s get to it.
There were backstage walking promos from Julius Creed and JD McDonagh ahead of their opening match of the show.
The commentary team was Vic Joseph and Booker T as usual.
This will be a condensed review. It’s the holiday season. I can take a bit of a break with the word count. Back to normal next week.
Julius Creed (w/Brutus Creed) defeated JD McDonagh
It was the usual good McDonagh match where he worked over different body parts throughout the match since she’s a skilled technical wrestler. Most of the match had JD on offense while Julius sold everything well. JD missed a moonsault, Julius managed to get some offense going with a lifting powerslam followed by a running clothesline for the pinfall win. I was a bit surprised by the clean result, but I don’t mind it because it puts over Julius in a big way. It went ten minutes. (Match Rating: ***1/4)
Sanga & Veer Mahaan said they were willing to face them in two weeks at New Year’s Evil. Veer said they’ll destroy the Creed Brothers.
Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo were interviewed by Mckenzie Mitchell. Tony D talked about winning the NXT North American Title while Stacks claimed that Dijak won’t be an issue because he took care of it.
A video aired featuring the Schism group talking about their six-man tag team match later in the show.
Wendy Choo defeated Cora Jade
This has been a rivalry for several weeks now with Jade winning in the past, so Choo got the win back. Choo has a silly gimmick for the most part, but she’s talented when the bell rings. Each woman got nearfalls like Choo getting a cross body block while Jade got a neckbreaker slam for a two count. Choo hit a Full Nelson slam followed by the backward leap off the top into a splash. I’m a bit surprised that Jade lost this match although I guess it’s a case of wanting to build to the third match between them. They got about six minutes. (Match Rating: **3/4)
Ikemen Jiro was shown backstage doing a promo without the jacket because I guess that’s some character development for him.
A quick locker room segment was shown with Fallon Henley getting ready for her match with her buddies Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen by her side. Brooks said something dumb as usual to tease his crush on Kiana James.
Scrypts defeated Ikemen Jiro
The winning ways of Scrypts continued. As I mentioned before, no jacket for Jiro for this match. Scrypts (former Reggie) does a lot of acrobatics, but some of the moves he does don’t necessarily look that powerful. Jiro is a pretty good striker. They battled on the top rope, Scrypts knocked Jiro down, then Jiro did a backflip across the ring and Scrypts did a somersault onto a standing Jiro for the pinfall win. It was decent for a shorter match to put over Scrypts. Post match, Scrypts put Jiro’s jacket on top of him. This went four minutes. (Match Rating: **1/4)
There was a video about Oro Mensah in the club and he’s bringing that vibe to NXT.
A video aired from Alba Fyre issuing a warning to Isla Dawn. Next week, they will have an Anything Goes Match with Fyre saying she’ll end Isla Dawn.
Wes Lee was shown getting ready for his NXT North American Title match later in the show.
Lyra Valkyria defeated Lash Legend
This was Lyra’s second match in NXT after being in NXT UK in the past. Legend got some offense early on as the bigger heel until Lyra made the comeback using some big moves like a running dropkick while Legend was on the floor. Lyra countered a move with a DDT that wasn’t pretty, but that’s what happens with Lash sometimes. Lyra hit a roundhouse kick and a top rope splash for the pinfall win after four minutes. I guess it’s fair to say that they have given up on pushing Legend much at this point although I think they like her look and she’ll get some wins again soon. A simple match to put over Lyra again. (Match Rating: **)
They showed the Toxic Lounge with Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne talking about all of their success this year. They didn’t mention or show Mandy Rose although they did reference her with Gigi saying that people are wondering what their next move is. Jacy said they’ll rebuild, reconstruct and return to glory. Jacy said it starts with taking down the woman that took down their empire – a video was shown of NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez so they are going after her.
Analysis: I miss Mandy for sure, but I hope the team of Jacy & Gigi do well without her. It wouldn’t shock me if they wrestled more in singles as well, especially Jacy, who has all the tools to be a singles star. Gigi isn’t as good as Jacy in the ring, but I think Gigi has a lot of star power too.
Bron Breakker, the NXT Champion, was interviewed by Mckenzie Mitchell, who asked about Bron hitting Waller’s metal plate last week. Bron said he was going to call Waller out, but Mitchell said Waller wasn’t there/ Waller did a video promo from his home country of Australia as they showed some videos of Waller in Sydney talking about how he was getting ready for his match against Bron for the NXT Title at New Year’s Evil. They showed Waller at the famous Sydney Opera House, the beach and other places. Waller said they can sign their title match contract net week on the Grayson Waller Effect. Bron smashed a TV into the locker and left.
Analysis: The December 20 and 27 shows were taped on the same day (December 14), but the NXT roster was given the Christmas break off so Waller got to go home, so that’s cool for him. It should be a great match at New Year’s Evil, but I think Breakker will keep his title.
The Schism (Joe Gacy, Rip Fowler, Jagger Reid) (w/Ava Raine) defeated Edris Enofe, Malik Blade & Odyssey Jones
This was taped before Enofe got the WWE logo tattooed on the right side of his chest. The babyfaces were in control early including Jones hitting a running body attack on Fowler. After Jones gave Fowler a body slam, all six guys went into the ring and they went to break. Back from break, Ava Raine told Booker this was her living her best life. Blade was isolated for a while, Jones tagged in and hit a slam on two guys. Enofe hit a top rope elbow on Reid for a two count because Gacy broke it up. The three Schism guys hit a bunch of suicide dives in a row on Jones on the floor. That was a unique spot, but also very cool. Gacy made a blind tag while Enofe was against Reid. Fowler had Blade on his shoulders leading to a double Doomsday Device clothesline by Reid. Fowler & Reid hit double Codebreakers and Gacy did the cartwheel clothesline to win. A quality win for The Schism group to keep their momentum. Jones was booked strong, so I’m not surprised it was Enofe taking the pin. They got 11 minutes for this. (Match Rating: ***)
Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams were interviewed by Mckenzie Mitchell, who mentioned Hayes faces Apollo Crews while Trick will face Axiom. Melo said he’ll move Crews out of the way because the NXT Championship has his name on it.
Fallon Henley (w/Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen) defeated Kiana James
This has been built for a while with Henley putting her family’s bar on the line against James, who wants to turn the space into condominiums, which is EVIL~! Yes, because business deals for a bar owned by a woman wrestler’s parents often get handled in wrestling matches.
James did a nice job as the aggressive heel that took control for most of the match. Booker talked about trying to improve the neighborhood, so he was supporting James wanting to build condos. Henley got some momentum going with a running facebuster-style move. James hit a gutbuster into the knee for a two count. Henley came back with a trip followed by a running knee for the pinfall win. The match was pretty good with James working well as a heel as usual while Henley sells well. They are two of the more talented women that have been utilized more in NXT this year. (Match Rating: **3/4)
After the match, it looked like Jensen was a little sad that James lost even though Jensen is Henley’s friend. It continues the story that the dumb guy Jensen is being manipulated by James.
Roxanne Perez was interviewed by Mckenzie Mitchell with Perez talking about how great it feels to be the champion. Roxanne said she’ll do everything she can to represent this championship. It was a fine promo that was very generic for a WWE babyface in this era.
There was a promo from creepy Isla Dawn talking about the Extreme Resolution Match with Alba Fyre next week.
Drew Gulak Invitational
Drew Gulak was in the ring with a microphone with Hank Walker beside him along with some wrestlers. Drew talked put a guy named Luka in a chickenwing with Luka tapping out right away. Drew worked with Tavian the amateur wrestler leading to Drew applying a leg lock submission with Tavian tapping out. Miles Borne was last with Borne getting a takedown, so Drew was mad and Drew applied a dragon sleeper. Drew did not let Borne go after he tapped, which Hank pointed out.
Charlie Dempsey (the son of William Regal even though NXT doesn’t mention that) interrupted the proceedings daring Drew to take him on. Walker held Gulak back. Dempsey told Gulak that next week he’ll make an example of Walker with Gulak saying Hank will be ready.
Analysis: It was a slow progression of the story with Gulak helping Walker although he was also a bit heelish by holding onto a submission for too long. Dempsey has a lot of potential as well.
This Friday on Smackdown: John Cena returns to team with Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns & Sami Zayn. I will not be home to write about it live, but I hope to get to it later that night.
Next week on the first NXT episode of 2023 it’s back to a live show:
* NXT Champion Bron Breakker and Grayson Waller contract signing for New Year’s Evil
* Trick Williams vs. Axiom
* Carmelo Hayes vs. Apollo Crews
* Extreme Resolution Match: Alba Fyre vs. Isla Dawn
* Charlie Dempsey vs. Hank Walker
NXT North American Championship: Wes Lee vs. Tony D’Angelo (w/Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo)
I’ll go play-by-play for this match. Tony D used his power advantage with a belly-to-belly suplex followed by a German Suplex for two. When Tony tried another suplex, Lee flipped over and landed on his feet. Lee ran the ropes leading to a headscissors into the ropes. Lee with an uppercut followed by a barrage of punches in the corner. Stacks told Tony to “sweep the leg” as if it was Karate Kid and Tony yelled at him. Lee avoided a leg trip leading to Lee applying a front facelock. Tony went for a kick in the corner, but Lee avoided it, Lee wrenched on the knee, Lee with a kick and a standing Shooting Star Press. Tony D to the floor, so Lee hit him with a suicide dive on the floor. They went to a picture-in-picture break.
Lee with kicks to the leg, but Tony D caught Wes and suplexed Lee into the turnbuckle. Lee with a backbreaker stretch across the knee. Tony D hit a clothesline followed by an elbow drop. Tony worked over Lee’s left leg with a submission on the mat. When Lee broke free, Tony did two straight kneebreakers into the leg. They were on the floor with Tony giving Lee a front suplex onto the hood of the commentary table with Lee’s knees hitting the table hard. Back in the ring, Tony got a two count. Lee countered a lifting move by Tony into a DDT. Lee started his babyface come back with strikes to the body along with a forearm to the face. Lee worked over Tony with punches, but Tony came back with a Powerbomb out of the corner. Tony went to the middle rope, took way too long, Dijak took Stacks to the back and Lee hit a jumping kick on Tony. Lee hit a backflip kick to the head for the pinfall win after 14 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Wes Lee
Analysis: ***1/4 I liked the match. They got plenty of time, Tony D dominated most of it and all it took was two moves for Lee to beat him. The distraction by Dijak taking Stacks to the back cost Tony D, so Tony has an out for why he lost. That Dijak/Stacks thing is based on last week when Stacks tried to talk to Dijak and we never saw the conversation. Anyway, Lee winning was the obvious result here.
Wes Lee celebrated with his title. End show.
Three Stars of the Show
- Wes Lee
- Julius Creed
- Wendy Choo
The Scoreboard
This week: 6.75 out of 10
Last week: 7
Final Thoughts
The show was okay but a little weaker than their better episodes. It’s still an enjoyable product for the most part.
There were some shorter matches this week to try to showcase some different talents. I enjoyed the opener with Julius Creed beating JD McDonagh in a match with a result that may surprise people, but Julius has all the tools to be a huge star in WWE. The main event between Wes Lee defending the NXT North American Title against Tony D’Angelo was a very good match.
As usual, they do a nice job of building matches week to week and on the road to New Year’s Evil in two weeks.
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Thanks for reading. Go Los Angeles Rams, Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs. My contact info is below.
John Canton
Email mrjohncanton@gmail.com
Twitter @johnreport