After a successful road trip to Chicago and St. Louis the last two weeks, NXT is back in the Performance Center with its new, sleek silver aesthetic and encompassing LEDs. Vic Joseph and Booker T welcome everyone to The CW, introduce the returning Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal, and recap the previous episode – capped off by a victorious “Don of NXT.”
New North American Champion Tony D’Angelo sits in-ring after breaking Oba Femi’s record-long streak. “Salud,” he toasts before Femi interrupts, vowing to regain the championship at Halloween Havoc. “Your little family here – they will not be by your side to help you,” Femi says, spinning the wheel and landing on Tables, Ladders, and Scares. Presumably anything goes with that unlucky selection, but that closing statement could be a threat.
Femi has until October 27 to back his words, but tonight’s wacky stipulation of Gentlemen’s Duel pits Lexis King against Oro Mensah. The competitors can’t strike an opponent with four points of contact on the ground, throw an opponent over the top rope, or fight on the floor. They have until the referee’s count of three to break when in the ropes, and all violations will result in a disqualification. “May the best man win,” King says while contrarily, rudely crashing Mensah’s interview segment.
Stephanie Vaquer vs Wren Sinclair
Vaquer makes her WWE television debut with commentary’s approval of “greatest luchadora in the world.” NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade watch the monitors as she nonchalantly ties Sinclair into knots. The No Quarter Catch Crew member offers solid opposition, but a Dragon Screw, double knees, and package backbreaker gives Vaquer the victory. The aforementioned duo attack post-match until Giulia makes the save, and Vaquer declares a tag team match, playa, at Halloween Havoc.
Winner: Stephanie Vaquer
NXT Champion Trick Williams chats with Women’s North American Champion Kehlani Jordan backstage about tonight’s triple threat. The latter leaves her respective challenger up to Ava, and Fatal Influence peers in the background, as per usual.
Ashante “Thee” Adonis skis into Karmen Petrovich and Brinley Reece’s conversation before Shawn Spears and Brooks Jensen step in, ripping up his rose. “Ava’s office, please!” Robert Stone pleads while Petrovich discreetly grabs the flower.
Lexis King vs Oro Mensah – Gentlemen’s Duel
Vic Joseph mentions WCW’s San Francisco 49ers match as NQCC’s Tavion Heights tweets about the five rules they discussed. King slips on a springboard crossbody and almost, illegally throws Mensah over the ropes. But rulebook aside, King is much more awkward than smooth-moving Mensah. They trade blows after break, and Mensah connects with three awesome aerial kicks. He reverses The Coronation before exchanging near-falls, but King ultimately wins with a bridging pin “taught from CM Punk,” Joseph says. Like a gentleman, defeated Mensah allows King to raise his hand.
Winner: Lexis King
Je’Von Evans and Cedric Alexander bicker with NXT Tag Team Champions Nathan Frazer and Axiom before Wes Lee expresses his confidence in tonight. “You ain’t got the potential,” Lee says as on-fire, young Evans towers over him.
Meta-Four’s Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson respond to a challenge made by Damage Control after their altercation on Monday Night Raw. After next week, they’ll eye Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Lola Vice vs Nikkita Lyons
“Shucky ducky quack quack,” Booker T says about Lyons’ video package that precedes yet another in-ring return for her. Unfortunately for Lyons, NXT has a new – less polarizing – favorite thirst trap in Vice. They trade strikes and submissions, both boasting martial-arts backgrounds, until Jaida Parker runs in on Vice. Lyons capitalizes with a second-rope splash in a successful welcome back.
Winner: Nikkita Lyons
Fatal Influence walks in on Ava’s talk with Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia, and the general manager pitches a two-on-two next week. Fallon Henley begrudgingly agrees in hopes of a future Women’s North American Championship match.
Riley Osborne vs Ridge Holland
Osborne jumpstarts with an outside dive, attempting to avenge Chase University from their traitor. He connects with a Tornado DDT from the announce desk, but Holland recuperates with a top-rope overhead. The latter hits The Redeemer for three and continues the assault as Thea Hail watches helplessly. But Andre Chase makes the heroic save, and the professor has finally made Holland worth investing in.
Winner: Ridge Holland
Byron Saxton interviews Tatum Paxley while she plays with her dollhouse, but OTM steals him away. “I don’t doubt that you can handle Wendy Choo, but baby, I don’t play at all,” Jaida Parker tells Paxley.
Ashante “Thee” Adonis vs Brooks Jensen
Jensen gets an enhancement entrance with Shawn Spears accompanying him, so the apple doesn’t fall far. Meanwhile, Karmen Petrovich appears ringside with Adonis’ rose petals, firing him up until Spears interferes. Jensen capitalizes with a rope-hung DDT for three, but Adonis walks away the real winner.
Winner: Brooks Jensen
The trifecta is almost complete as another cinematic Delta vignette plays. After, Lexis King shakes Charlie Dempsey’s hand in celebration before congratulating Tony D’Angelo. Cameras smoothly transition to The D’Angelo Family, where Luca Crusifino offers to test Oba Femi next week.
Je’Von Evans vs Wes Lee vs Ethan Page
Tonight’s winner faces Trick Williams for the NXT Championship at Halloween Havoc, and former champion Page is still smiles with Orlando singing his song and raising a row of “EGO” signs. Evans starts hot, bouncing around with ease, and briefly cooperates with Lee to rid Page. The latter suplexes Lee onto the announce desk, but Evans meets him with an unfathomable dive before break. Page overpowers the opposition before trading strikes, and the house stands in ovation for the final moments. Evans hits an Avalanche Spanish Fly on Page, a twisting kick and springboard cutter on Lee for a huge set of near-falls. He backflips out of a top-rope German and connects with a rotating splash, but Page steals the victory in a thrilling close.
Winner: Ethan Page
Page immediately calls out Williams, spins the wheel, and lands on Devil’s Playground Match. The challenger socks him with a light, and The CW abruptly cuts from Page’s cheesy smile.
NXT 10/15/24
Orlando, FL
Not only is the new aesthetic sleek, but the overall structure is too. Some fat is trimmed, and time is better allocated to hoopers like in tonight’s main-event. The episode started with solid energy, but that triple threat went absolutely wild.
