Here are my NXT Thoughts & Facts, & Stats:
And here's 5 weeks worth of Weekly Records, updated from 11/20 to tonight's NXT, which ends 2023, as Main Event, Smackdown, & Level Up are Best of 2023 Episodes. I will post my 2023 Year In Review next week.
darrenswinloss.wordpress.com/2k23wk/Chase University VS OTM was a horrible match. FACTS: This was Andre Chase & Duke Hudson’s 1st NXT match since they lost to Tony D’Angelo & Channing Lorenzo on 11/14. This was Bronco Nima & Lucien Price’s 1st NXT match since they lost to The Brawling Brutes on 11/14. This was OTM’s 1st 2-on-2 win since they defeated Hank & Tank on NXT on 9/26.
I did vote for the Year End Awards, but never posted about it. I picked The Creeds, Tiffany Stratton, & Carmelo Hayes for Tag Team, Female, & Male Superstar of the Year, so I got 2 out of 3 but Ilja Dragunov would have been my 2nd pick.
Good segment between Trick Williams & Carmelo Hayes.
Josh Briggs VS Noam Dar was a great match. Briggs really showed a lot. FACTS: Josh Briggs VS Noam Dar was Josh Briggs' 1st Heritage Cup Rules Match in his Career. If he would have won, he would have been the 1st 1st-time Heritage Cup Champion since Nathan Frazer & the 3rd to be a former NXT UK Tag Team Champion after Tyler Bate & Mark Coffey. This was Noam Dar’s 21st Heritage Cup Rules Match in his Career & 1st since NXT on November 21, giving him a Heritage Cup Rules Record of 15-4-2. This was Noam Dar’s 4th Heritage Cup Championship Defense, so if he would have lost, he would have been the 1st to lose in his 4th Defense, which is the 2nd Most Defenses below Noam Dar’s 1st Reign (5). As of NXT, Noam Dar’s Heritage Cup Championship Reign has lasted 126 Days, which is the 3rd Shortest Reign of All-Time ahead of Nathan Frazer (6/13/23-8/22/23, 70 Days) & Mark Coffey (7/14/22-8/25/22, 42 Days). This was the 1st Heritage Cup Championship Match to end in a Disqualification.
OK segment with Axiom, Nathan Frazer, & Bron Breakker to set-up a match between Frazer & Breakker later.
Karmen Petrovic VS Cora Jade was OK. Petrovic is improving. I like Gigi Dolin making the save for Karmen. FACTS : This was Karmen Petrovic’s 1st NXT since 11/28. This was Cora Jade’s 1st 1-on-1 Match since she defeated Kelani Jordan on NXT on 7/11.
They're switching the order around from when they taped it. Frazer VS Breakker & another match which hasn't been announced took place before Riley Osbourne VS Lexis King.
Riley Osbourne VS Lexis King was an excellent match with a surprising finish. Trey Bearhill is a monster & will be a big star one day. FACTS: This was the 1st time that Riley Osbourne wrestled a 2nd Generation wrestler since he lost to Charlie Dempsey on NXT UK on 9/30/21.
Carmelo Hayes VS Ilja Dragunov at No Mercy was awesome, but the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge Match was my Match of the Year for 2023. I voted for Bron Breakker knocking out Von Wagner as Moment of the Year, but The Undertaker appearing on NXT was amazing.
Ava with no update on Ilja Dragunov's condition. I still do not know what her role is & how she got the job.
Nathan Frazer VS Bron Breakker was awesome. Frazer held his own against Breakker. I like Baron Corbin looking on. FACTS: This was the 1st time Nathan Frazer wrestled a 2nd Generation wrestler since he lost to Dominik Mysterio on NXT on 10/31. This was the 1st time Bron Breakker wrestled a British wrestler & a former NXT Heritage Cup Champion since he wrestled Tyler Bate at Worlds Collide on 9/4/22.
Cool video with The No Quarter Catch Crew. The 6-Man Tag VS Dragon Lee & The LWO will be awesome.
OK segment with Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen, & Fallon Henley. I'm tired of being negative about the bad acting, but I like them splitting up & going their separate ways without someone turning on the others.
I spoke too soon. What a horrible segment with Ava & Arianna Grace. How can 2 of the most charismatic wrestlers produce 2 of the worst wrestlers on the planet with a microphone?
OK segment with Lyra Valkyria & Blair Davenport. Their match should be great next week at NXT New Year's Evil.
Tavion Heights VS Oba Femi was a solid match. Both men have a great future ahead of them. Osbourne VS Femi will be a great match next week. Osbourne is my pick to win the Breakout Tournament. FACTS: This was Tavion Heights’ 2nd week in a row on NXT. This was Oba Femi’s 1st NXT since 12/12.
It's good to see Ilja Dragunov walking & talking after what happened last week. I'm looking forward to seeing what Ridge Holland has to say next week.
Joe Gacy VS Joe Coffey was awful. FACT: This was Joe Gacy's 1st NXT since he lost to Trick Williams on 9/26. This was the 2nd 1-on-1 Match between them after NXT on 5/2, which was also won by Gacy, which was Gacy's last win. It was also the 1st match between 2 wrestlers with the same first name since their last match.
Cool segment with Dragon Lee, The LWO, & Elektra Lopez & Lola Vice.
Eddy Thorpe VS Dijak was incredible. I didn't think I would like the Underground style but I have loved both of them that they did. Both men are amazing athletes. FACTS: This was the 2nd NXT Underground Match of 2023 & 1st since 7/4. This was Eddy Thorpe’s 2nd NXT Underground Match in his Career & 1st since he defeated Damon Kemp on July 4, making him the only wrestler to be in both NXT Underground Matches. This was Dijak’s 1st NXT Underground Match in his Career. This was the 5th 1-on-1 Match between them after NXT on August 1 & 29 (won by Dijak), September 26 (won by Thorpe), & December 12 (won by Thorpe by DQ), with Thorpe winning 3 & Dijak winning 2, making it the most re-matched in NXT in 2023.
NXT will end 2023 with 315 Matches, which ends WWE & NXT TV & PPV Matches at 1224 Matches.
The only wrestlers to wrestle on the 1st & Last NXT of 2023 are Dijak, Andre Chase, & Joe Gacy (NXT on 1/3 saw: Carmelo Hayes def Apollo Crews, Axiom def Trick Williams, Dijak def Channing Lorenzo, Alba Fyre def Isla Dawn, Oro Mensah def Javier Bernal, Drew Gulak def Andre Chase, & Kofi Kingston def Joe Gacy.) Both shows had Gimmick Matches: (Extreme Resolution Anything Goes Match (1/6) & Heritage Cup Rules & NXT Underground Match (12/26).
Here are my NXT Match Rankings:
1) Eddy Thorpe VS Dijak
2) Nathan Frazer VS Bron Breakker
3) Riley Osbourne VS Lexis King
4) Tavion Heights VS Oba Femi
5) Josh Briggs VS Noam Dar
6) Karmen Petrovic VS Cora Jade
7) Chase University VS OTM
Overall another great episode of NXT. What a way to end 2023. I can't wait to see what's in store for NXT & WWE in 2024. And they're going to start off awesome with Day 1, New Year's Evil, & New Year's Revolution which I can't wait for.
