The American holiday won’t halt NXT tonight, as two headline matches signal the beginning and end for two respective entities. Gable Steveson appears in an NXT ring for the first time, backing Eddy Thorpe against Damon Kemp in the revived RAW Underground match. Plus, The Dyad faces the Creed Brothers with the losers leaving NXT – realistically a benefit for either stagnating duo.
Blair Davenport vs Roxanne Perez
Perez blindsides Davenport during her entrance leaving ringside foggy like a bad fireworks show. It’s an abnormally quiet opener, possibly because Perez has nothing left to achieve in NXT but is there regardless. Despite the big maneuvers, the crowd lifelessly stares at their awkward back-and-forths until Davenport gains the anticlimactic victory with a series of knee strikes.
Winner: Blair Davenport
Ivy Nile is interviewed about the Creed Brothers potentially leaving NXT when Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton interrupts. She refutes tapping out to Thea Hail last week, and Nile comes back with a pale inflection.
With a look inside his 1.8-million-dollar home, a vignette from Baron Corbin puts his multiple gimmicks to rest. “No more gimmicks, no nonsense, no bull-,” says Corbin, who will evidently remain on the white-and-gold brand.
Mustafa Ali vs Tyler Bate
Amidst an extensive chain-wrestling sequence, commentary discusses Ali’s instigating shenanigans – a side mission to the in-ring showcases he could be having in NXT. Tonight’s match with Bate is exhibit A as they trade smooth and technical reversals in a straight-up contest. Ali counters the Airplane Spin with a Tornado DDT, and the competitors exchange outside dives before Bate misses a Spiral Tap. They battle on the top rope until Ali low-blows him and hits the 450 Splash for victory. Like the previous segment, Ali is capable of wrestling with “no nonsense,” and this exhibition proved it.
Winner: Mustafa Ali
Ali challenges Wes Lee for the North American Championship at Great American Bash on July 30, and Booker T is hyped in his professional tank top.
Joe Gacy denies forcing The Dyad to sacrifice their NXT careers. “Tonight, we eliminate a problem from NXT forever,” he says eerily.
Tatum Paxley vs Kehlani Jordan
Impressive gymnastic accolades highlight Jordan, who is accompanied by Dana Brooke. The rookie hits a Stundog Millionaire in a match better fit for NXT Level Up, and Cora Jade appears talking smack. Jordan offers another match, but Jade declines.
Winner: Kehlani Jordan
The long-awaited return of professor Andre Chase means MVP Duke Hudson is student once again. He berates a fellow classmate and Andre Chase University is whole… for now.
Eddy Thorpe vs Damon Kemp – NXT Underground
The infamous RAW Underground is reincarnated in a no-ropes, submission or knockout only match. Miscellaneous people surround the ring except for standout Gable Steveson in his first significant WWE television segment in years – siding with trainee Thorpe, who is of course battling Steveson’s actual brother Kemp. The latter dominates with takedowns and ground-and-pound, taking the action ringside and powerbombing Thorpe onto the apron. Thorpe comes back with suplexes until Kemp brutally throws him to the floor, but the former begins targeting the opponent’s left arm. Thorpe cinches an arm triangle until the referee steps in, declaring him the victor in an awesome, gritty match.
Winner: Eddy Thorpe
A few of the miscellaneous wrestlers try testing Steveson, who retorts with huge suplexes. Orlando is standing, and Steveson is fired up after defeating his own brother.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams “don’t take the threats lightly” from The Judgment Day and invites them to NXT. “Over here, we the judge, the jury, and the executioners,” says Trick-Melo gang in unison.
In his orange jumpsuit, the imprisoned Tony D’Angelo is met by “Stacks” and Joe Coffey, who have made a deal match; if “Stacks” wins, D’Angelo’s charges are dropped and granted an NXT Tag Team Championship match. If Coffey wins, “conviction is a guarantee.” D’Angelo has no faith in “The Underboss,” but in reality it’s a great continuation and forgone conclusion to this well-shot storyline.
Jacy Jayne vs Lyra Valkyria
“Gigi’s better” chants mean the crowd still has a pulse, not helped by Jayne’s long-winded rest holds. Blood is somehow shed during picture-in-picture, and eventually, Valyria gains the victory with a spinning kick. Jayne assaults her post-match and destroys Valkyria’s “sacred feathers.”
Winner: Lyra Valkyria
A disheveled Noam Dar talks to his beloved NXT Heritage Cup as the Meta-Four comforts him. After, Kiana James walks into her office, trashed with paint by rival Gigi Dolin.
Cameras cut to ringside where Von Wagner is destroying Javier Bernal, and Mr. Stone pleads to “take it to the ring.” Instead, Wagner powerbombs him through the table to a heroic ovation – a new reaction for the “come Tuesday” competitor.
A new vignette from upcoming tag team Bronco Nima and Lucien Price recap their history of the streets and college football; their NXT television debut is next week.
The Dyad vs The Creed Brothers
The losers are exiled from NXT, which either team could realistically benefit from. The Creed Brothers start hot with a superplex. Brutus Bomb, and Shooting Star Press, but Joe Gacy saves his duo before getting ejected from ringside. After picture-in-picture, Julius makes a comeback but Rip Fowler and Jagger Reed remain on top by attacking his left knee. Brutus beats the Jannetty allegations with a springboard 450 Splash but is obliterated with an outside Doomsday Device, and a masked figure takes out Julius. The Dyad capitalize to their own surprise, and the audience stands for the NXT farewell of the Creed Brothers – one of the best success stories of this brand’s era.
Winners: The Dyad
Finn Balor appears on-screen to piped-in boos and accepts Carmelo Hayes’ and Trick Williams’ offer to meet in NXT next week, alongside The Judgment Day in full as confirmed by commentary.
“No bread, no water, just meat!” describes Booker T as Bron Breakker steps into the ring with a microphone, feeling like a super senior. He stresses being “a fraction of a second away” from winning the World Heavyweight Championship in a display of Steiner math. The 25-year-old ponders his future with intensity before Ilja Dragunov interrupts and commences in a pull-apart brawl to close the show.
NXT 7/4/23
Orlando, FL
Obviously a taped show for July 4, the episode felt dead despite some high points. The NXT Underground match was an awesome aesthetic change for the white-and-gold brand, but otherwise, most of tonight seemed like filler.
