What was the biggest story of NXT Deadline? Let’s see…
CM Punk and Shawn Michaels open the PLE with a selfie moment and the tease of the recent returnee plying his trade on Tuesday nights. I shouldn’t need to say anything about the likelihood of this coming to fruition, but some guest appearances from time to time are certainly plausible.
Shawn Michaels and CM Punk at NXT Deadline on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Total Mortgage Arena, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com MORE PHOTOS FROM NXT DEADLINE IN OUR GALLERY
Oh, and on the kickoff show, Nathan Frazier was downed by Axiom, for those keeping track. Not sure why a kickoff is needed when you’re essentially not selling that-night buys.
Dragon Lee at NXT Deadline on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Total Mortgage Arena, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com MORE PHOTOS FROM NXT DEADLINE IN OUR GALLERY
Dominik Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee (North American Championship Match)
Dom’s all by his lonesome. We Want Mami change emphasizes this point.
Luchamania is running wild brother. Dragon with most of this offence including the Slingshot Wrecking Ball kick, which looks so perfect.
Rey Mysterio’s on the outside, by the way, in case anyone needed a reminder of the bad blood between papi and hijo.
Dom takes control and takes time to taunt Rey. Maintains control over Dragon though with Eddy-inspired offence including the Slingshot Senton and Three Amigos. Dom pulls off a pin to continue focusing on his dad. Wonder if that will come back to bite him…
Corner offence by Dom including some Tree of Woe goodness. That just isn’t used enough these days.
Dom goes for the 619 but misses. A couple pin attempts later and Dragon slays the Dom with Destino
Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge — Blair Davenport vs Tiffany Stratton vs Lash Legend vs Kelani Jordan vs Fallon Henley — at NXT Deadline on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Total Mortgage Arena, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com MORE PHOTOS FROM NXT DEADLINE IN OUR GALLERY
Fallon Henley vs. Blair Davenport vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Lash Legend (Iron Survivor Match)
This match is so unnecessarily convoluted.
Fallon and Henley start things off, Tiff is in third. Stratton gets an Alabama Salm on Henley but Davenport steals the pin and points. 1 point Davenport, Henley to the box.
Jordan enters the match. Henley’s back and goes house of fire on Stratton, finishing things off with a Shining Wizard before the pin to send Stratton to the box. 1 point Davenport, 1 point Henley.
The four women are soon joined by Legend, who is at a distinct disadvantage point wise. She makes up for it quickly with a double pin on the tired Henley and Stratton after delivering a Chokeslam and Powerbomb (respectively) to each. 2 points Legend, 1 point each Davenport and Henley.
Meta4 stop Henley and Stratton from coming out of the box at their appointed time, so Henley climbs out and suffers as a result, going through the announce desk. She recovers though. Davenport hits Jordan and a pin. Davenport and Legend have 2 points each, 1 for Henley.
Intensity is building up with time limit approaching. PME by Stratton on Lash gets her a point. Davenport runs wild and gets another pin on Henley following a kick. She then exits the ring to get away from a pursuing Lash to get the cheap win.
The action was fine but this felt Russoriffic.
Winner: Blair Davenport
After the match, Davenport taunts Lyra Valkryia, who comes out, but is blindsided by a returning Cora Jade.
Oh and what would an NXT show be without backstage stuff? Trick! Melo!
Carmelo Hayes vs Lexis King at NXT Deadline on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Total Mortgage Arena, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com MORE PHOTOS FROM NXT DEADLINE IN OUR GALLERY
Carmelo Hayes vs. Lexis King
Lexis tries to be all ROH but Melo has none of it.
Standard strength and stall stuff to start. Fighting continues even Steven. King gets a two count after a double stomp. Another near fall after Northern Lariat. Melo gets a hope spot but that’s quickly dashed with a running knee.
Both men to the outside, then back in Melo hits La Mistica for two. Final Cut is countered with a knee. Back and forth until Melo hits Nothin’ but Net for the duke.
Good match, but this kills Lexis heat.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
Back to the backstage. Cora! Trick! Melo!
Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge: Trick Williams vs Dijak v Josh Briggs vs Bron Breakker vs Tyler Bate at NXT Deadline on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Total Mortgage Arena, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com MORE PHOTOS FROM NXT DEADLINE IN OUR GALLERY
Trick Williams vs Dijak v Josh Briggs vs Bron Breakker vs Tyler Bate (Iron Survivor Match)
Good start between these two work horses. Dijak gets a point with Feast Your Eyes before Tyler Bate enters the match.
Briggs gets revenge on Dijak, sending him to the box after a Clothesline from Hell. Briggs and Dijak each have a point.
Bate gets a Tiger Driver 97 on Bate but gets his first point reversing a Feast Your Eyes into a Dreaded Roll-up. Everyone has one point.
Trick’s in next.
Bate hits Trick with an impressively long Helicopter Spin and later gets the Tiger Driver on Trick to earn his second point.
Bron enters and quickly racks up three points following Spears on Briggs, Bate and Dijak. That just looked silly. Bron 3, Bate 2, Dijack and Briggs 1 each.
Wackiness in the penalty box as Bron and Trick go at it solo for a bit. Once the other boys are out, Bate goes on the offence and gets his third point on Dijak.
With everyone out of the box at long last, the action picks up. Lots of brawling and swank moves but Trick has the best up his sleeve – the Dreaded Roll-up – on Briggs for his first point. Bate and Bron 3, Dicak, Briggs and Trick, 1.
Dijak tries Feast Your Eyes but Eddy Thorpe rumbles out to break up the pin attempt.
Trick goes on an impressive run, finishing things with a pin on Bron to get to four points quickly and wins.
Again, convoluted and felt worse than the women.
Winner: Trick Williams
More backstage! Briggs! Jensen! Meta4! Henley! Kiana!
Izzy Dame and Kiana James at NXT Deadline on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Total Mortgage Arena, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com MORE PHOTOS FROM NXT DEADLINE IN OUR GALLERY
Roxanne Perez vs. Kiana James (Steel Cage Match)
Kiana with the impressive entrance to evoke TakeOver memories.
Back and forth to start until Perez tries a crossbody and gets reversed by Kiana with some cage action. She then attacks Perez’s hand.
More viciousness from the ladies and they end up at the top of the cage and trade punches up there. Back down, the two continue their even Stephanie offence. At one point Perez gets Pop Rocks but can’t take advantage and only gets two.
Ladies are tired at this point. James gets a chair and brings it into the ring. Women continue to fight and at one point Perez heads toward the door, only for it to be slammed in her face (in a way too standard spot to be effective) by a competitor I haven’t seen before. KJ hits an Inverted Overdrive for the duke.
Nothing particularly special here.
Winner: Kiana James
Men’s Breakout competitors are intro’d.
NXT Championship: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs Baron Corbin at NXT Deadline on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Total Mortgage Arena, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Photo by George Tahinos, georgetahinos.smugmug.com MORE PHOTOS FROM NXT DEADLINE IN OUR GALLERY
Ilja Dragunov vs. Baron Corbin (NXT Championship Match)
Very long match here, possibly the longest non-cluster match of Baron’s WWE career.
Decent action to start that spills to the outside. Front Suplex by Corbin which drapes Ilja across the announce desk.
Corbin continues the slow but forceful offence. Diving Lariat gets two. Ilja goes for a German but he’s too hurt. Corbin is in full control and tries a Dragon Sleeper but Ilja worms his way out with kicks.
Ilja evens up the offence with a strike exchange. Ilja gets the German finally and holds it for two.
Ilja’s on the top rope and Corbin brings him down the hard way with a Chokeslam in an impressive spot. Only gets two as he’s showing signs of being spent.
Ilja comes back and gets some hard offence in. Goes for Torpedo Moscow but Baron reverses into a Deep Six for two. Ilja escapes End of Days but his ribs are too rough to muster anything back. Ilja conjures up his best last gasp and hits two H Bombs and Torpedo Moscow to get the duke.
Good match, one of Baron’s best in WWE. Have to figure Corbin heads back to the main roster now.
Winner: Ilja Dragunov
The PLE closes with Trick Williams and Ilja Dragunov facing off.
Until next time, Stay Classy.
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