Former All Elite Wrestling competitor Ethan Page found his next battleground in NXT, immediately aiming for the top in NXT Champion Trick Williams. He revealed himself as the mystery attacker, debunking both Williams and Gallus, against Meta-Four and capped an episode of multiple headlines – which include the appearance of Sexyy Red, one of the biggest female rappers in the game.
Fresh off of dropping her album In Sexyy We Trust on Friday, she opened the show to “get it, Sexyy” chants with various Drake signs in the crowd. Alongside NXT General Manager Ava, Red point-blankly announced that she’ll be hosting Battleground on June 9 and unveiled the new Women’s North American Championship. Tatum Paxley tried stealing it before getting blindsided by Michin, cutting short an already short-lived first appearance from tonight’s special guest.
Tatum Paxley vs Michin – Qualifying Match
Michin dominates after brawling ringside with Paxley, and meanwhile Red and Ava disappear. The winner heads to Battleground in a ladder match to become inaugural champion, and fellow competitor Jaida Parker joins commentary during picture-in-picture. They share a creepy girl stare-off that misses the mark, but Michin ends it with Sole Food for a decisive victory.
Winner: Michin
Meta-Four approaches The Coffey Brothers, who deny attacking Noam Dar and wonder where partner Wolfgang is. Oro Mensah takes their word and pencils Trick Williams back in, but Lash Legend continues defending his name. After, Arianna Grace tries talking down Lola Vice from fighting Shayna Baszler in an NXT Underground match, but she’s offered a first-hand preview instead.
Riley Osborne vs Ridge Holland
Chase University watches ringside, as Andre Chase himself proposed an in-ring beef squashing. The match is exactly that with Holland overpowering and ragdolling Osborne throughout, stopping any brief attempts at his high-flying offense. Thea Hail redirects Holland from weaponizing the steel steps, but it doesn’t distract him away from hitting The Redeemer for three. Holland offers a hand, but Osborne walks off with Duke Hudson by his side.
Winner: Ridge Holland
In a backstage interview, The O.C. says they’ve had championship reigns longer than Nathan Frazer and Axiom have been teaming. And as long as the NXT Tag Team Champions keep “ducking” them, the beatdowns are prone to continue. Cameras urgently cut to Oro Mensah, suspiciously attacked just like Noam Dar was weeks ago.
Edris Enofe and Malik Blade vs Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows
Enofe and Blade get the upper hand, as commentary calls Brinley Reece their lucky charm just as the former inadvertently dives onto her. Referees escort her away, and the classic Gallows chinlock works down Blade post-break. Enofe makes a sour comeback that inexplicably gets Orlando clapping for Gallows’ chokeslam and Magic Killer for victory. Before long, Axiom and Frazer take down The O.C. first, and the former accepts a defense at Battleground that the champions seemingly didn’t agree on.
Winners: Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows
A Dante Chen package recaps what is his supposedly huge victory over Lexis King, who rains on his parade in the locker room. Chen plans to prove it wasn’t a fluke tonight, and King vows to snap his 15 minutes of fame. After, NXT Champion Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans are met by Sexyy Red, who twerks into frame before accepting to accompany them tonight against Gallus.
NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez gives another unconvincing queen of the mountain promo to chastise Ava and the women’s locker room. But the general manager interrupts to announce her Battleground opponent, TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace. “Who do you think has built the stronger foundation?” Grace asks before expecting to leave Las Vegas as a double champion.
Eddy Thorpe claims he’s “been reborn” in a return vignette, months after untimely injury cut momentum post-feud with Dijak. Back from break, Chase University disintegrates over opinion on Ridge Holland, but Andre Chase tells him it’s a-okay.
Arianna Grace vs Lola Vice
Commentary harps on the appearance of Grace, and Vice wins with a spinning backfist sooner than later. “Either I tap you out, or I knock you out. You choose, b-!” Vice says to Shayna Baszler, who immediately emerges to be separated by miscellaneous personnel.
Winner: Lola Vice
A Carlee Bright vignette highlights her cheerleading career at Minnesota, and Natalya hypes her up. Izzi Dame disses the bunch, and Karmen Petrovich steps up to start a brawl in NXT’s collegiate blonde division.
Charlie Dempsey itches to get back the Heritage Cup, filling No Quarter Catch Crew’s spot as manipulative leader. “Kapeesh?” Dempsey repeats to Damon Kemp, offering him up instead of Myles Borne next week. After, Lash Legend finally agrees to meet with Trick Williams as a possible suspect in Meta-Four’s mystery attacker case.
Lexis King vs Dante Chen
Chen’s fiery offense is stifled by a fed-up King, who lets trash talk distract him from a couple roll-ups. Chen gets the consecutive victory, but King instantly retaliates with a Coronation on the exposed concrete – to which Vic Joseph says, “Lexis King clearly showing he has the ability to be a loose cannon.”
Winner: Lexis King
A Josh Briggs vignette recaps his history with Brooks Jensen and Fallon Henley and an internal conflict for his future. Shawn Spears watches with a sneer, elucidating his plans to guide misguided NXT competitors as “the answer” – almost like a tree of learning.
The D’Angelo Family talks shop on No Quarter Catch Crew, and Tony D’Angelo vows to beat Damon Kemp at his own game, meaning suplexes instead of kidnappings as Channing Lorenzo alludes.
Wren Sinclair vs Kehlani Jordan – Qualifying Match
The winner claims the final spot in the Battleground ladder match, and another competitor in Fallon Henley joins commentary. Jordan displays unique offense but stumbles in a roll-up series, eventually pulling off a Moonsault for victory anyway. The stage is set: Jordan, Henley, Sol Ruca, Lash Legend, Jaida Parker, and Michin are going to Vegas.
Winner: Kehlani Jordan
Stevie Turner complains about lack of opportunity to Ava and her new associate Mr. Stone, but TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace offers to give both competitors some spotlight in a match next week.
Wes Lee is interviewed about Gallus’ plan of taking over, although confident in the triple threat at Battleground. North American Champion Oba Femi interrupts, but Lee says, “I have made a career out of proving people just like you that when it comes to me, you’re wrong.”
Gallus vs Je’Von Evans and Trick Williams
Evans and Williams get the Sexyy Red stamp of approval, and opposingly, Wolfgang is barred from ringside. Red twerks for the camera, only fueling Joe Coffey to turn the tides in picture-in-picture, and Williams eventually makes a comeback to “whoop that trick” chants. Evans barely catches a springboard cutter but indeed connects on an over-the-rope dive on Joe, whose attempt to utilize the NXT Championship is foiled by Red. Williams hits Trick Shot on Mark Coffey for the pinfall victory, but the celebration is interrupted by Lash Legend.
Winners: Je’Von Evans and Trick Williams
Legend confronts Williams about attacking Noam Dar and Oro Mensah, but the lights cut out for Ethan Page to blindside the NXT Champion. “Wasn’t he in AE-” Vic Joseph asks before being cut off by Page, who admits to injuring both Meta-Four members. Page raises up the NXT Championship belt, and commentary closes, “He truly is ‘All Ego.’”
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NXT 5/28/24
Orlando, FL
Three major stories make up for a totally lackluster night of in-ring action, but most of everything around the ropes in NXT is exciting heading into Battleground.
