NXT
Date: January 9, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.
We’re back to the normal shows this week after New Year’s Evil, which didn’t see the advertised NXT Title match. NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov is still banged up and it makes me wonder if that will be the Vengeance Day main event. Other than that, Oba Femi is the new Breakout star and he has a title match wherever he wants. Finally, it’s time to start the men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Let’s get to it.
New Year’s Evil recap.
Blair Davenport and Nikkita Lyons got in a fight in the parking lot and it carries into the arena. And here we go.
Blair Davenport vs. Nikkita Lyons
Lyons suplexes her down to start and a spinning kick to the face gives Lyons two. Davenport gets in a ship into the post though and a shot off the apron takes her down again. Back in and Davenport goes after the knee before grabbing a front facelock. That’s reversed into a suplex, followed by another suplex which is almost more of a DDT. A hip attack in the corner gives Lyons two more and they go outside again. This time Lyons kicks the post by mistake, allowing Davenport to get in a chop block. The knee to the face finishes Lyons at 5:25.
Result: Blair Davenport b. Nikkita Lyons – Knee to the face (5:25)
Cody Rhodes narrates a video on the men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Carmelo Hayes is in the back with Trick Williams, who isn’t happy with Hayes coming to the ring last week. Hayes says Williams got the win last week and he has a surprise: they’re the last team in the Dusty Cup! Williams isn’t sure but the idea of being called Two Time Trick gets him on the same page.
Here are the brackets for the Dusty Cup:
Bron Breakker/Baron Corbin
Gallus
Hank Walker/Tank Ledger
Nathan Frazer/Axiom
Chase U
LWO
Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams
Edris Enofe/Malik Blade
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Bron Breakker/Baron Corbin vs. Gallus
Breakker shoulders Mark down to start so Wolfgang comes in, only to be sent into the corner. Corbin comes in and gets dropped with some uppercuts so he and Breakker take a break on the floor. We take a break and come back with Corbin and Mark slugging it out in the corner until Corbin puts him down for two.
Everything breaks down and Deep Six hits Mark, setting up the four way slugout. Wolfgang pulls Mark away from a screaming Corbin, who misses a right hand to the post. Back in and Wolfgang splashes Corbin in the corner but Mark misses one of his own. That’s enough or Breakker to come in and clean house, including suplexing both of them at once. Corbin tags himself back in (Breakker doesn’t like it) and the End of Days finishes Mark at 10:56.
Result: Baron Corbin/Bron Breakker b. Gallus – End of Days to Coffey (10:56)
We go to Fallon Henley’s ranch, where Tiffany Stratton, in full on pink gear, including her wrestling top and skirt, arrives late. The sights and smells have her terrified, but not quite as much as the clothes Henley has ready for her. Henley goes over her responsibilities and Stratton is already wincing. More on this later.
Here is Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria for a chat. She promises to end the year as champion but needs an opponent for Vengeance Day. We’ll find that out next week, with a 20 woman battle royal but the final four will have a four way for the title shot.
Cue Lola Vice, with Elektra Lopez, to threaten to cash in her contract at any time. Valkyria is sick of hearing Vice talk and wants her to fight. Vice says the people love her Latina Heat, but Valkyria says the only heat is coming from Lopez. The brawl is on but Tatum Paxley runs in for the save.
Meta Four laugh at Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen/Fallon Henley splitting up. Briggs comes in to say he deserves a Heritage Cup rematch but gets Oro Mensah tonight instead.
Luca Crusifino presents evidence his foot was under the ropes but Ava doesn’t care. With Crusifino gone, Dragon Lee comes in but Lexis King interrupts, saying that the open challenge is back on so we’ve got a title match.
Oro Mensah vs. Josh Briggs
The rest of Meta Four are here too as Briggs hammers away to start. Briggs plants him down and the chase on the floor doesn’t go well, as Mensah stomps away on the way back in. A clothesline to the back of the head gets two on Briggs but he plants Mensah with a spinebuster. Dar’s distraction doesn’t work as Briggs hits a running clothesline for the pin at 3:23.
Result: Josh Briggs b. Oro Mensah – Running clothesline (3:23)
Back at the ranch, Tiffany Stratton finishes her first task (which seemed to have a lot of parts) but her feet are killing her in these heels. It’s time to wash a horse (Buttercup) and terror ensues. With that done, Stratton is ready to go, but she has to muck a stall. She even gets a pink rake!
Tag Team Titles: D’Angelo Family vs. OTM
The Family (with Riz) is defending while OTM has Scrypts. Stacks can’t do much with Nima to start so Nima sends him into the corner. That doesn’t work so it’s off to D’Angelo as we get a four way standoff. D’Angelo sends Stacks into Price in the corner for two but OTM takes him to the floor. Stacks gets dropped face first onto the floor for a nasty crash and we take a break.
Back with Nima pounding Stacks down until Stacks manages a quick posting. D’Angelo comes back in to clean house, including a spinebuster for two on Nima. Everything breaks down and Booker sounds like he calls OTM “the young bucks”. An assisted powerslam gives Price two on D’Angelo but Stacks is back in for the save. D’Angelo hiptosses Stacks onto the two of them on the floor and they all slug it out back inside. Riz cuts off an interfering Scrypts and the fisherman’s suplex finishes Price to retain the titles at 11:47.
Result: D’Angelo Family b. OTM – Fisherman’s suplex to Price (11:47)
NXT Anonymous shows Jacy Jayne rallying the female Chase U students with an idea to save the school.
Oba Femi isn’t sure when he’ll cash in but Lexis King comes in to say Femi should focus on the NXT Title.
Gallus is mad over their loss but Ridge Holland interrupts. They don’t like each other and we could be on the way to Joe Coffey vs. Holland.
Cora Jade vs. Gigi Dolin
They trade wrist cranking to start but Dolin has to escape an early Jaded attempt. Some shoulders in the corner have Dolin in trouble and a running elbow to the back makes it worse. The chinlock is broken up so Dolin strikes away and hits an STO to drop Jade. The abdominal stretch bomb is blocked with a grab of the rope though and Jaded finishes Dolin at 4:05.
Result: Cora Jade b. Gigi Dolin – Jaded (4:05)
OTM is made about their loss but run into Jaida Parker, who isn’t surprised at the result. She seems ready to help them deal with Riz, so Scrypts says they should talk.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Axiom/Nathan Frazer vs. Tank Ledger/Hank Walker
Walker runs Axiom over to start as Booker goes on a rant about Ledger and Walker’s wardrobe. Ledger comes in and gets kicked in the chest as commentary talks about how both teams used to fight each other. A slingshot splash gets two on Axiom but he rolls over for the hot tag to Frazer. Everything breaks down and a toss belly to back suplex gets two on Frazer. Back up and Frazer hits some hard dives but Tank clothesline Axiom down. Not that it matters as Axiom kicks Tank in the face, setting up Frazer’s Phoenix splash for the pin at 4:41.
Result: Axiom/Nathan Frazer b. Tank Ledger/Hank Walker – Phoenix splash to Ledger (4:41)
Back to the farm where Tiffany Stratton is near her breaking point so Fallon Henley and her friends mock her behind her back. She’s finally done and Stratton yells at Henley for being pitiful enough to enjoy this stuff. Then Stratton steps in some droppings and falls into a tub of water.
Edris Enofe and Malik Blade are ready to win next week and are tired of hearing about Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams. Brinley Reece comes in to give them training tips but they show off their abs as proof that they’re covered.
North American Title: Lexis King vs. Dragon Lee
Lee is defending and grabs a headlock takeover to start. That’s broken up so King grabs a wristlock, which is countered into a rollup for two. Back up and they run the ropes until Lee hits a running dropkick. Cue Tre Bearhill to distract King though and Lee kicks him down as we take a break.
We come back with King grabbing a half crab before slapping Lee in the mask in the corner. Lee isn’t having that and gets back up for a slingshot kick to the face. They chop it out and trade strikes to the face until King walk into a superkick, setting up Operation Dragon to retain the title at 8:48.
Result: Dragon Lee b. Lexis King – Operation Dragon (8:48)
Post match here is Oba Femi to cash in his contract.
North American Title: Dragon Lee vs. Oba Femi
Lee is defending and hits a suicide dive to the floor before the bell. Femi grabs a belly to back toss but charges into some boots to the face. A tornado DDT gives Lee two but counters Operation Dragon into a powerbomb for the pin and the title at 1:16.
Result: Oba Femi b. Dragon Lee – Powerbomb (1:16)
Results
Blair Davenport b. Nikkita Lyons – Knee to the face
Baron Corbin/Bron Breakker b. Gallus – End of Days to Coffey
Josh Briggs b. Oro Mensah – Clothesline
D’Angelo Family b. OTM – Fisherman’s suplex to Price
Cora Jade b. Gigi Dolin – Jaded
Axiom/Nathan Frazer b. Tank Ledger/Hank Walker – Phoenix splash to Ledger
Dragon Lee b. Lexis King – Operation Dragon
Oba Femi b. Dragon Lee – Powerbomb
Please share this story on Facebook! And follow the Wrestling Rumors’ Twitter account for up to the minute news and more! Help us spread the word!
You can find more from Thomas Hall at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his- Amazon author page with 30 wrestling books.
Get the LATEST RUMORS! Click to sign up for the exclusive Wrestling Rumors daily newsletter.