Capping a year of unique locations like the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas or The Factory in St. Louis, tonight’s episode of NXT came from the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts. The opening package skimmed through historic moments in the building like the unsung shock victory of Samoa Joe over then-NXT Champion Finn Balor in 2016 and, important to the night’s happenings, Shawn Michaels losing his smile in 1997.
On a losing streak, Ethan Page seized the ring to contemplate his career trajectory, unexpectedly finding support from “Young OG” Je’Von Evans. Just as Page symbolically expressed losing his smile, it was Evans’ smile that was ultimately, bloodily taken from him.
Oba Femi vs Axiom
NXT Tag Team Champion Axiom pulls double-duty tonight via miscommunication with partner Nathan Frazer. “Oba’s gonna kill you” rings out in Lowell as Vic Joseph mentions Axiom is 150 pounds lighter than his opponent, who leaves a handprint on the champion’s back before break. Femi’s chops and lariats garner bloodthirsty pops, but Axiom remains resilient. The former counters Golden Ratio with a biel and delivers Fall From Grace for three, heading to his NXT Championship match on January 7 with continued momentum.
Winner: Oba Femi
Backstage, Eddy Thorpe deems himself brilliant for staging his own attack. NXT General Manager Ava wags a verbal finger, but Thorpe stays focused on winning the NXT Championship against Trick Williams tonight.
Footage from over the weekend shows Dion Lennox suggesting to Karmen Petrovic she should apologize to Ashante “Thee” Adonis. They hug as Adonis walks in, and he says he’s going back to Nikkita Lyons. “I’m going back to reading books and minding my business,” Lennox says.
Sol Ruca and Zaria vs Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend
Mainstays Jackson and Legend still have refining to do, especially in comparison to the respective agility and power from their opponents. Ruca surfboards off a fireman’s carry and dives onto Legend ringside, and Zaria press-slams Jackson onto her partner before break. After an extended period, Zaria finally receives the hot tag with a German and spear, building up to a big suplex on 6’ Legend. Ruca eats a pump kick to save Zaria, Jackson hits an awkward dive, and Legend’s finisher on the former earns the three – complete with mistimed crowd sweetener.
Winners: Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend
Footage from last Tuesday follows Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont’s argument over not shaking Hank Walker and Tank Ledger’s hands after their match. Wes Lee then chimes in: “Tyriek, you’re right. It’s cutthroat, and friends are overrated. Keep that same energy, dog.”
Jaida Parker vs Wren Sinclair
OTM and No Quarter Catch Crew take opposing corners, more locked in than the audience. Sinclair fires herself up and double-underhooks Parker to the outside, and the two duos brawl towards the back. Parker connects with a running hip attack for victory, keeping the same unteachable confidence in Lowell as she does in Orlando.
Winner: Jaida Parker
Shotzi sits in on Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin’s dollhouse playtime in a package, where the latter strategizes taking out former partner Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence. The aforementioned faction chuckles at the monitor as Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre walk in to imply disharmony between the cowgirl, rockstar, and soccer player – finally someone says it.
Highlighting a more cherished section of the NXT women’s division, a package for the NXT Women’s Championship pays respect to names like the Four Horsewomen, Asuka, Shayna Baszler, Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, Raquel Rodriguez, Mandy Rose, Tiffany Stratton, and Roxanne Perez. The final name defends her championship against Giulia, who will presumably add herself to that list, at New Year’s Evil.
Gallus vs Axiom and Nathan Frazer (c) – NXT Tag Team Championships
Beforehand, a battered Axiom tries puking into a garbage can with his mask on and stumbles through their entrance. Gallus targets Frazer’s deviated septum as The Family watches on, and Axiom crumbles after a second suicide dive attempt. Frazer makes a comeback with lightning speed, Gallus capitalizes on the momentary two-on-one, and Axiom inadvertently hits Golden Ratio on his partner. But Axiom pulls off a Destroyer on Mark Coffey while Frazer hits a Poisonrana on Wolfgang, leading to the champions’ Avalanche Spanish Fly and Phoenix Splash combo for three. Against the odds, the duo doesn’t miss – “I don’t know what else to say about Axiom and Frazer,” Vic Joseph aptly says.
Winners: Axiom and Nathan Frazer
Je’Von Evans congratulates Hank Walker and Tank Ledger on their NXT win last week, the duo who – by the way – are the new Reality of Wrestling Tag Team Champions. Evans hypes up his own 2024 successes as Ethan Page dejectedly walks past before cutting to commercial.
As agreed upon, Lexis King trains with Charlie Dempsey in exchange for a Heritage Cup Championship match. They flip through an entire deck of cards correlating to different workouts, and Dempsey gentlemanly keeps his word.
Page interrupts Joseph and Booker T, walking to the ring surrounded by jeers. “It’s the same energy I’ve been getting at home for the last couple weeks – I deserve it,” Page says. He recalls keeping a promise to his daughter to win the NXT Championship and thanks his wife down the camera as Lowell “whats” him. “I don’t know if I love this anymore, and to be honest with everybody, I’ve just lost my smile,” he says in another Shawn Michaels tribute. Evans steps in to commend his familial bond, getting Lowell to support “All Ego,” and admits that everyone is proud. Page responds, “Everything you said just made everything so clear for me. I should not be worried about losing my smile – I should worry about taking yours,” before beating down Evans and Pillmanizing his mouth to a shocking spurt of blood.
A Stephanie Vaquer promo package translated from Spanish targets rival Cora Jade. “Next week, I will take you to meet hell,” she says preceding NXT’s Christmas Eve special that is confirmed by Joseph to feature Santa Claus.
Eddy Thorpe vs Trick Williams (c) – NXT Championship
In the back, Williams wishes Evans a speedy recovery and plants his NXT flag before Oba Femi interrupts in hopes that his New Year’s Evil opponent is him. The “whoop that trick” movement takes over Lowell, and opposingly, Thorpe is unanimously berated a week after scheming this match. After break, they collide awkwardly to set off an off-kilter Williams comeback, and Thorpe caps a striking exchange with a backbreaker. Thorpe attempts an Impaler DDT but knocks out the referee, and both the new and old official count three on Williams’ Trick Shot. But with Williams’ shoulders also down and Thorpe’s hand on top, NXT abruptly cuts with a deflating, unfinished conclusion.
Winner: Trick Williams
NXT 12/17/24
Lowell, MA
“And then the bell rings” is a popular discussion on social media this week, and Trick Williams might unfortunately fit that bill. Axiom and Nathan Frazer unsurprisingly carried the in-ring quality of tonight, but it was of course the Ethan Page and Je’Von Evans’ segment that stole the show.
