Right off the bat, Chad Gable and Noam follow up front their inring spat from last week, we get two more Iron Survivor qualifier matches from none other than JBL. Finally the main event, Lydia Valkyria defends the WWE NXT Women’s Title against the freight train Xia Li! With all this and more, let’s dive into our results recap of NXT!
November 21st, 2023
WWE Performance Center
Orlando, Florida
WWE NXT Heritage Cup Title Match
Noam Dar (w/Jakara Jackson, Lash Legend & Oro Mensah) (c) vs. Chad Gable (w/Akira Tozawa, Maxxine Dupri & Otis)
Background:
Noam Dar defeated Akira Tozawa after a feud that spanned a few weeks which lead to Akira stealing Noam’s trophy, Noam retrieving it in a haunted house at NXT Halloween Havoc, to their future title match the following week which Noam Dar won to retain the Heritage Cup.
Last week the two groups of Alpha Academy and Meta-Four had a confrontation regarding the whole situation, which lead to the announcement of Chad Gable facing Noam Dar this week for the NXT Heritage Cup.
The Match:
Not happy about no entrances because that deny’s me a close up of Maxxine! This should be interesting because I have a hard time believing Noam beats Chad in this match. I have enjoyed the angle between these two groups so far, it’s doing a good job in establishing Meta-Four as a group in NXT.
Chad continued to deny Noam of any of his offence in Round 1. Dar weathers the storm of Gable in round 2 with some strikes but he was still struggling till Oro Mensah clocked Gable and Dar got a pin toward the end of Round 2.
We came back from commercial break and there was a big time superplex by Gable on Dar and we hit the end of Round 3. Gable hit a big time diving headbutt in Round 4, he only got a 2 count though.
I know I have picked on the Heritage Cup a bit over the last few months but the concept is growing on me, especially when they put people I care about in these matches, not Nathan Frazer. We get a stalemate and slugfest to end Round 4.
Big time start to Round 5 with Gable charging at Dar and hitting his German Suplex for a pin to end Round 5. Noam Dar with another cheap shot after the bell! They were given a very decent amount of time in this one.
In Round 6, Gable went for a Diving Headbutt from the top, Dar caught him in a Triangle Choke, Gable then powerbombed him! I am guessing this will end in a time limit. It really came down to the wire in this one! Ankle lock on Dar sinched in in the last 20 seconds, Dar taps out after the bell sounded.
Kelly Kincaid announces it’s a draw, I had no idea she was the ring announcer, hopefully they don’t have cutaways with her interviewing people!
Lash Legend shoved my darling Maxxine over after the match, then Otis shoved Mensah down which was hilarious after Mensahs shove was completely no sold by Otis. Maxxine slapped Lash and she fell into Otis’ arms and she was moritfied!
Aftermath:
We got no winner here, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a rematch at NXT Deadline.
Winner: DRAW; Still NXT Heritage Cup Champion, Noam Dar in 18:30.
JBL pops on the screen and it’s his turn to choose combatants in the NXT Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Matches tonight.
He chooses Carmelo Hayes, which makes sense. JBL picks Josh Briggs because of stuff he sees in Josh, reminds him of himself.
Same with his next choice, Blair Davenport and then he also picked Thea Hail. Briggs getting a shot is really interesting to me! Last time he wrestled on TV, Baron Corbin wrecked him.
Apparently, Lyra Valkyria Vs Xia Li is next?
The Family are seen walking around, carrying their titles again. Chase U are in the hole because of the Family. OWH FRANK HOW YA DOIN’ as they enter a restaurant.
The Italian American chick is there and she’s just tremendous no matter how minimal her role is. What a great voice on her! The guys at the table they greeted should have again, been Palumbo, Stamboli, Big Vito and Little Guido.
Trick Williams walks up and sits next to Carmelo, and gives Melo some encouragement, Trick offers him to be at his side. Melo said he wants to do it on his own.
The NXT Women’s Title match was SUPPOSED to be next, but Xia Li knocked Lyra down during her entrance, as medical personnel check on her, I guess her head must have had the floor because a club to the back wouldn’t do shizit.
Tag Team Match
Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade
Background:
Last week Garza and Carrillo got in Enofe and Blade’s face in the locker room as all the teams were talking about contendership.
Clearly all the NXT Tag Teams are heading toward some sort of Gauntlet match in the future, as they are all recently vying for an opportunity at the NXT Tag Team Titles currently held by Tony D’Angelo and Channing Lorenzo, The Family. The division is stacked and I expect Garza and Carrillo to go over here!
The Match:
I expect Humberto and Garza to pick up the win here, Malik Blade and Enofe haven’t really been established muchover the last few weeks despite how clearly atheletic and talented they are, they kind of haven’t got their characters clearly defined at the moment which I think is an industry wide issue.
Garza and Carrillo dominated early on here. The Gory Special into the Blockbuster cutter from the rope by Carrillo and Garza is tremendous.
Enofe got a hot Tag, this dude is pretty good, I just wonder where all these people are going to fit into the WWE in the future, there’s just so many people like this! Garza and Carrillo ended up double teaming Enofe and he got pinned for 3.
Aftermath:
Surely Carrillo and Garza get a shot at deadline, but I have a feeling they will go to the main roster soon to side with Santos Escobar as the L.W.O begin to implode.
Winner/s: Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo in 5:33.
Fallon and Jensen offer their support but Briggs also denys them coming to ringside. I have… a feeling about something here.
Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match
Carmelo Hayes vs. Josh Briggs
Background:
Carmelo Hayes and Josh Briggs were selected for this Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match by JBL and the winner heads to NXT Deadline for the Iron Survivor Challenge Match. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised, like what happened when Lash Legend beat Roxanne Perez last week – if Briggs somehow picked up the win here.
The Match:
Briggs done a good job in his focused face and intense body language that he’s taking this super seriously and it’s the biggest opportunity he’s had as a singles wrestler yet!
Melo hits a fadeaway and a crossbody to the outside and Briggs doesn’t look too dangerous at the moment.
Briggs absolutely loses it after Melo slaps him and launched him over the commentary table!
They got given some good time too, Melo weathers Briggs’ storm and he looked a little out of time here and there.
Melo hit an Axe Kick and Booker T was super excited. Lexis King got involved as Melo was looking for ‘Nothing But Net’, Briggs hit a HUGE MOONSAULT and he got he win! I totally forgot about Lexis King.
Aftermath:
Wow, that was surprising, not only the MOONSAULT from Briggs, but the interference from King. I am down with Melo not qualifying – it will be interesting to see what happens as Trick Williams has already qualified.
Winner: Josh Briggs in 12:28.
Lyra Valkyria Interview with McKenzie Mitchell
Lyra is asked if the title match is off, and she makes it clear it’s not. She needs to wear her hair down man.
Wes Lee is seen walking backstage, clearly heading to the ring.
We get footage of Von Wagner going to Robert Stone’s house for dinner. Here we go, this is going to be ridiculous. Robert’s wife is insanely hot as expected, the kids are clearly big fans of Von.
The kids are eating like Von, he’s being a bad influence by accident. The kids mention bullies at school, Von wants to go there and help the kids kick their ass.
The scene ends as they eat the Brownies Von brought with him to the dinner. Very good stuff.
Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match
Blair Davenport vs. Thea Hail
Background:
Blair Davenport and Thea Hail were selected for this Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match by JBL and the winner heads to NXT Deadline for the Iron Survivor Challenge Match.
The Match:
Thea is a hoot mate, for her age, they must all pop for her enthusiasm and understanding of performance, isn’t she like 20 years old?
Blair has changed her gear which is a nice change but i prefer the all black, Blair should win this to keep her momentum going. Either way it wont hurt. Blair won with a knee to the head after Jacy tried to give Thea advice which didn’t work out.
Aftermath:
Blair Davenport advances as she should have to Deadline!
Winner: Blair Davenport in 4:08
Singles Match
Charlie Dempsey (w/Drew Gulak & Myles Borne) vs. Eddy Thorpe
Background:
Last week, as we have come to expect from NXT, Eddy Thorpe was being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell about his absence following his feud ending match with Dijak, and what do you know?
Charlie/Gulak and Myles Borne rocked up and Charlie Dempsey ended up wanting a fight out of Eddy the following week because that’s how we create issues these days.
The Match:
This angle was so forced, Charlie isnt going to win though surely. I don’t buy Eddy beating Regals son. Eddy fought back from Charlies technical wrestling.
Charlie probably should win if hes got his boys at ringside. Charlie hasn’t really been given much since being in NXT, maybe its about time to start doing something there! Eddy Thorpe got a surprise win with a pinning combination and his boys attack Eddie after the match. Well I never.
Aftermath:
Eddy might need some friends to overcome this.
Winner: Eddy Thorpe in 3:57.
Tony, Stacks and their made men are sitting down for their meal and the boys are handing Tony their keep. One guys envelope is “a little light”. Amazing.
I wish they would give the female Italian American a name already, she’s clearly sticking around. As I typed that I think they said her name was Adriana.
As they exit, Humberto and Angel attacked them and left them laying as Adriana and some of the boys ran out.
Arianna Grace Vignette
She bags out Karmen Petrovic and Arianna is terrific. What a character piece – that just did so much for her in such a short amount of time. She’s going to be a star.
WWE NXT Women’s Title Match
Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Xia Li
Background:
Xia Li showed up the week after Lyra Valkyria won the NXT Women’s Championship, after having attacked Lyra’s hero and the lady Lyra beat for the title, Becky Lynch, on Monday Night RAW.
Xia made it clear she wanted a shot at Lyra’s Championship, and after a Tea Ceremony last week where Lyra insulted Xia Li’s honor, we come to our big time title match this week.
The Match:
Lyra like a house of fire to start things off, and this has heat.
Lyra showing so much fire to start off, its funny how they rotate the roster, not long ago it was Tiffy Time, prior to that it was the Roxanne Perez hour, prior to that Mandy Rose was the top NXT star.
Xia Li has suddenly had a push after her WWE Main Event stint! Xia got a good heat in. To be honest, Tiffany needs to be back in the hunt, its almost like shes got some heat.
Xia was going for a killshot but it wasn’t enough as Lyra hit a driver to retain quite easily in the end.
Aftermath:
Looks like this is a one and done! Lyra Valkyria retains in her first title defence. How does this make Xia a threat to Becky Lynch again?
Winner: STILL NXT Women’s Champion, Lyra Valkyria in 9:42.
Final Thoughts:
Not a bad episode of NXT overall, stories were built, angles continued and we had a solid conclusion to the show with some heat.
