Indi Hartwell won the NXT Women’s Championship in a ladder match at Stand and Deliver due to relinquishment from Roxanne Perez, and in unfortunate irony the title may revert back for similar reasons. Hartwell defended against Perez and Tiffany Stratton in the main event of Spring Breakin’, where the latter challenger dived onto the opposition at ringside. Hartwell collapsed onto her right ankle and limped through the remainder of the match, but the future of her championship reign remains unclear.
The episode otherwise featured an enjoyable card of matches, including Carmelo Hayes versus Grayson Waller and The D’Angelo Family versus Pretty Deadly, which may have been the NXT finale of the respective losers. Almost everybody left off tonight’s card was highlighted in a spring festivities package, which had Dabba-Kato throwing “Big Body” Javier Bernal into a dirty fountain, to open this year’s Spring Breakin’.
The D’Angelo Family vs Pretty Deadly – Trunk Match
Tonight’s opener is a modified casket match where the box is instead a 1947 Dodge, fitting with the campiness of both tag teams. Maintaining that theme is the weaponization of surfboards and ball pits, but it’s a colorfully stimulating visual that’s followed by steel chairs in picture-in-picture. “That’s gangster, baby!” says Booker T about Pretty Deadly’s usage of two rolls of dimes – wink wink, and Tony D’Angelo is then sidelined with a trash can. Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo is stuffed in the trunk but recuperates with a fire extinguisher and crowbar, ultimately working together with D’Angelo to shut Pretty Deadly out in an entertaining brawl.
Winners: The D’Angelo Family
From Dodge to Chevrolet enters Tiffany Stratton with a message for her opponents: “it’s Tiffy time!” Afterwards, Chase University MVP Duke Hudson pep-talks a nervous Andre Chase who has zero chance against a revamped Bron Breakker.
Andre Chase vs Bron Breakker
“Meaner than evil” is stitched onto Breaker’s all-black singlet, which is an automatic upgrade from the usual color splotch. Chase’s stomps get interrupted with a slam and Steiner Recliner for Breakker’s first victory since losing the NXT Championship, and the new attitude is unquestionably more appealing.
Winner: Bron Breakker
After a cool package for Carmelo “Him” Hayes, Ilja Dragunov is attacked backstage by Dijak who crushes him underneath a garage door.
Lyra Valkyria vs Cora Jade
Valkyria shows off with athleticism before picture-in-picture where Jade takes over, but the former comes back with suplexes. While the referee is distracted by taking away Jade’s bat, she capitalizes with a chop block and DDT for an unnecessarily awkward victory.
Winner: Cora Jade
The D’Angelo Family cruises in their 1947 Dodge before “Stacks” beats a helpless Pretty Deadly in the trunk – great roll models.
Grayson Waller vs Carmelo Hayes (c) – NXT Championship
Shockingly not the main event is a match between NXT 2.0 standouts and potentially Waller’s last white-and-gold bout before the WWE Draft. The opening goings are expectedly smooth as Waller capitalizes by taking out Trick Williams ringside before picture-in-picture. Hayes eventually comes back with his spectacular signature offense, but Waller reverses with an insane catching stunner and elbow drop through the announce table that has the entire audience standing. He stumbles on his finishing stunner which allows Hayes to connect with the top-rope leg drop for three. Waller immediately rolls out, but it’s a proud hurrah for the NXT staple.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
The champion calls out Bron Breakker for NXT Battleground, and the latter surprises Williams with a spear and Steiner Recliner. Hayes is speared through the ringside podium, and Breakker looks like an absolute beast as the champion is stretchered away.
Roxanne Perez mentions the Bella Twins and AJ Lee as inspirations in yet another childhood promo with unmoving delivery. She plans on winning the NXT Women’s Championship for “the little girl” in her who “dreamt of doing this her entire life.”
Joe Coffey is approached by Joe Gacy and Ava Raine – notably not with Rip Fowler and Jagger Reed. The challenge is made: if Gacy wins, the Dyad receive an NXT Tag Team Championship match. If Coffey wins, the Dyad will never get another opportunity against them.
Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley vs Brooks Jensen and Kiana James
An extensive package recaps the months of storytelling pitting teammates against each other in an actually interesting arc. Booker T and Vic Joseph argue over the morality of Jensen turning on Briggs for James, coming to the conclusion that “sometimes brothers fight.” Jensen looks better than ever in-ring but inadvertently takes out James, allowing Briggs to recuperate with a lariat for three. “I never loved you,” says James to Jensen in a heartbreaking finale.
Winners: Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley
Dragon Lee is interviewed backstage and has sights set on Heritage Cup Holder Noam Dar. Meanwhile, the monitor is hacked by the corny Scrypts who’s still beefing with less corny masked man Axiom.
NXT Women’s Champion cuts a promo on herself in a mirror, but at least has more oomph than challenger Perez. “The most beatable champion,” as Stratton describes, has something to prove in the main event.
Oba Femi vs Oro Mensah
The visual of the debuting 6’6” Femi makes Booker T say, “Oh my god, man!” The former shot-put champion is put over heavy in statistics and background, but the strength and size speak for themselves. Mensah gets small amounts of offense in, but an intense discus elbow and pop-up powerbomb gives Femi the very impressive victory.
Winner: Oba Femi
Gigi Dolin steals Vic Joseph’s headset to send Jacy Jayne an impassioned message. They’ll wrestle next week as Dolin’s aforementioned little brother watches ringside.
Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey are interviewed about attacking North American Champion Wes Lee, and the regal rookie has an authentic coldness seen nowhere else.
Lee is approached by Tyler Bate, who praises him for “operating on peak levels for quite some time now.” Bate offers to even odds against Gulak and Dempsey, as well as participate in some “pre-match meditation,” if you will.
Tiffany Stratton vs Roxanne Perez vs Indi Hartwell (c) – NXT Women’s Championship
New champion Hartwell and rookie Stratton have expectations to meet in tonight’s main event that jarringly cuts to picture-in-picture almost immediately. Perez has constantly been positioned on top, but it’s Stratton that shines brighter – although an outside Swanton horribly injures the champion’s right ankle. An uncomfortable hush falls over Orlando, and eyes are directed only at ringside as the in-ring action becomes insignificant. Hartwell miraculously limps back, but it’s a painfully awkward affair as she delivers a running elbow to Perez for three.
Winner: Indi Hartwell
The champion is declared victorious but all three competitors, and a concerned audience, wear the faces of defeat. Meanwhile with the D’Angelo Family, Pretty Deadly are sleeping with the fishes – or in other words, main-roster bound.
NXT Spring Breakin' 2023
Orlando, FL
Despite an incredibly hard to watch main event, the entirety of Spring Breakin’ was constantly entertaining in various ways. Hayes and Waller were of course impossible to follow, but the episode payoff of Pretty Deadly’s “death” was worth the format shift.
