The Rock thanked Gallus on X for helping him train before WrestleMania XL Night One, and the thanks continues for NXT’s veteran team of Wolfgang, Mark Coffey and Joe Coffey. They returned last week to injure Ivar, potentially taking out Noam Dar too, and immediately inserted themselves into both the North American and NXT Championship picture on tonight’s episode. With the WWE Draft depleting NXT’s roster, can Gallus successfully fill the void?
Thea Hail vs Fallon Henley – Qualifying Match
Not only does the winner advance to Battleground in the Women’s North American Championship ladder match, but tonight’s opener stems from Henley turning on Hail weeks ago. The “Fallon first” mentality is opposed by Hail’s four cornermen, including perennial loser Ridge Holland who inadvertently gets Chase University ejected for stealing a chair. “She was gonna use it, man!” Holland argues before break. Hail makes a comeback thereafter, Henley slams her into the barricade to break a Kimura, and the latter connects with a Shining Wizard to win. Rubbing salt in the wound is Jazmyn Nyx, the lackey of Jacy Jayne, to assault Hail while Booker T looks on intently.
Winner: Fallon Henley
In earlier footage, new Heritage Cup Champion Tony D’Angelo shares chuckles with former champions Nathan Frazer and Axiom over A-Kid, who “couldn’t have been that bright” according to Luca Crusifino. Stacks claims the tag team champions have been ducking The O.C., and he and Crusifino goad them into defending the belts tonight.
Commentary confirms that Ivar is out indefinitely after Gallus’ backstage attack last week. A series of tweets leads to Joe Coffey’s addition into tonight’s triple threat, and Gallus vows to make the NXT roster uncomfortable.
The D’Angelo Family vs Nathan Frazer and Axiom (c) – NXT Tag Team Championship
The always incredible speed of the champions lends them the upper hand, but “Stacks” recuperates with an apron elbow drop before break. Axiom’s agile two-on-one comeback is stifled by The Family, and “Stacks” hits a Superplex on Frazer. Axiom intercepts Crusifino’s splash with a superkick as No Quarter Catch Crew hound D’Angelo, and the champions capitalize with a cheap roll-up. The O.C. jump the winners next, standing tall with the NXT Tag Team Championships that may as well switch to them at this division’s rate.
Winners: Nathan Frazer and Axiom
Lexis King scares away Mr. Stone’s potential prospect like a JPEGMafia album, and NXT General Manager Ava soothes the issue with a match for the former tonight. Similarly, Ridge Holland defends himself to Riley Osborne backstage, and Andre Chase tells them to settle their disputes in-ring.
Wes Lee vs Josh Briggs vs Joe Coffey
North American Champion Oba Femi joins the commentary booth, declining a fist bump from Vic Joseph, to spectate tonight’s number-one contendership match. It’s chaotic from the get-go, and Briggs gains control with a foot in height advantage over both opponents preceding picture-in-picture. Lee hits a spectacular series of high-flying maneuvers, but Briggs dominates again with two chokeslams as NXT’s resident big man following the Draft. It takes Mark Coffey and Wolfgang to take him out, and both Joe and Lee fall into a double cover that takes all steam out of the building.
Winners: Wes Lee and Joe Coffey
Abruptly cutting to the back, Karmen Petrovich and Natalya announce their readiness for tonight’s main event against Lola Vice and Shayna Baszler. Malik Blade and Edris Enofe dwell over their string of bad luck, opting not to accompany an annoyingly cheery Brinley Reece.
Ava tells Oba Femi he’ll defend against both Lee and Coffey at Battleground, which is probably the least favorable outcome of the given possibilities. But presumably, the loss of Ivar shook things up in the North American Championship picture.
Sexxy Red, one of the biggest female rappers in the game, is coming to NXT next week after chiming in on X over the last Supernova Sessions with Trick Williams. She already tweeted about her excitement earlier, saying she hopes to get to RKO someone.
Brinley Reece vs Jaida Parker – Qualifying Match
Reece is the version of Thea Hail who couldn’t get accepted into college, but neither are advancing to Battleground with “Miss Parker” in the equation. Blade and Enofe watch from the monitors to eliminate any bad luck, but as soon as they appear ringside, Parker connects with a hip check for victory.
Winner: Jaida Parker
Jazmyn Nyx insinuates to Fallon Henley that she waited until after she won to attack Hail for breaking Jacy Jayne’s nose. The segment afterwards aptly starts with snoring, but it instead signals the return of Wendy Choo – who symbolically steps out of bed and into her slippers.
A package for NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez paints her as convincing as ever, dismissing her as neither a “villain or a hero” but “The Prodigy.” In a phone call, Ava says she cleared Perez’s next opponent with Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis and will announce it next week.
Lexis King vs Dante Chen
Mr. Stone interrupts King’s brief promo and reveals his representee, who has audible NXT Level Up support from Orlando. The last time he was on actual TV, Bron Breakker split him in half, but it’s a new opportunity against “the television star” King – as Booker T continuously labels him. King attempts The Coronation, but too distracted by Stone, Chen catches a roll-up victory to a warm fanfare.
Winner: Dante Chen
Fellow fighters Shayna Baszler and Lola Vice don matching martial-arts uniforms but seem to disagree on showing Latina heat. Interestingly, Baszler’s RAW partner Zoey Stark has prudently been against popping ass in an X tweet.
Everybody rises for NXT Champion Trick Williams, who cuts off “whoop that trick” chants to clear his name against Noam Dar. “You would’ve had a size 15 Jordan logo tattooed right across the middle of your forehead,” Williams says before three of Meta-Four interrupts. Lash Legend continues defending Williams until Joe Coffey appears, setting the champion up to be attacked by Mark Coffey and Wolfgang. “Young OG” Je’Von Evans attempts to even the odds, but Gallus boys remain on top, coming for both the North American and NXT Championships.
Chen thanks Stone for the opportunity, and Ava congratulates The Brand for creating a new star. The Brand, however, has historically fast-tracked each member to their eventual release.
Lola Vice and Shayna Baszler vs Karmen Petrovich and Natalya
In Petrovich’s biggest opportunity yet, she shines past her veteran partner with smooth, speedy offense. Vice and Baszler control past break, and Natalya makes a comeback to show the “B.O.A.T” is at least still floating. Vice almost cinches the Sharpshooter, but shaking it allows Natalya to reverse and tag Petrovich in for the Hart Attack and victory.
Winners: Karmen Petrovich and Natalya
Before Baszler can expectedly turn on Vice, the latter strikes first and twerks out of spite. But Baszler rises, and former partners commence in a brawl that referees are forced to separate. Ava sets up a match at Battleground, and Baszler modifies it into NXT Underground.
NXT 5/21/24
Orlando, FL
NXT is struggling after the Draft by not only losing top names like Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes but solid midcarders like Dijak too. Meanwhile, time is being filled with rookie qualifying matches with 5 minutes allocated to the NXT Champion – who had the crowd standing that entire time.
