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NXT TV RESULTS
OCTOBER 17, 2023
WINTER PARK, FLA. AT THE CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS (@spookymilk), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Backstage Correspondent(s): McKenzie Mitchell
[HOUR ONE]
-Heavy recaps from last week’s loaded show opened, finishing with Undertaker and Carmelo Hayes having a moment at the top of the ramp. It got four minutes.
(1) BADA BING BADA BOOM BATTLE ROYAL
Damon Kemp was immediately tossed, eliminating him and Drew Gulak. OTM eliminated Tank, meaning Hank had to go also. Both of those eliminations were in the first thirty seconds. Briggs nearly eliminated Wolfgang, who brought Briggs to the apron where the two exchanged punches. Jensen charged Wolfgang, who ducked and eliminated him. Enofe and Blade tried to eliminate Ridge Holland, who lifted and tossed both guys. Final six ere Gallus, Creed Brothers, Chase U, Brawling Brutes, Garza and Carrillo and OTM. The Creeds eliminated Gallus, leaving us with four teams.
An OTM-Brawling Brutes battle raged and Scrypts flew in to help, but both teams were eliminated. Julius Creed eliminated Humberto Carrillo, but the refs didn’t see it and the Carrillo snuck in and the two eliminated the Creeds, who argued with the refs on the outside. The match went to a tag match to determine the top contenders at 5:27. Chase U was in control as the match went to split-screen. [c]
The heels were in control upon return. Carrillo managed a near-fall on Chase. They double-teamed to drop Duke Hudson to the floor on the outside, cutting off the hot tag. Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne were on the outside with pompoms cheering on Chase U. Chase ducked the make the hot tag to Duke Hudson, who dominated the heels with power stuff. Punches for everyone. Senton for Angel Garza, who bailed. Slam on Carrillo for two, broken up by Garza. Chase tagged in and hit a high cross-body on Carrillo for a long two. Chase and Carrillo both sold on the mat. Chase went for a tag and Garza charged Hudson into the steps on the outside, then hit him with a DDT on the floor. Carrillo hit a powerbomb on Chase for two. Garza tagged in and the Creed Brothers showed up. Brutus took out Carrillo on the outside as Julius distracted the ref. Chase rolled up Garza for the win.
WINNERS: Chase University at 5:27 in a battle royal and 10:08 in a tag match, total 15:35
(Wells’s Analysis: The Creeds are protected to a level where they’re booked to do extremely heelish things when things don’t go their way, and it’s pretty unbecoming. Also, if they’re going to constantly be shown to be the best unless people cheat to beat them, maybe they should just be the champions. Outside of that, this was a halfway decent way to find new contenders. A battle royal to determine contenders isn’t perfect, but transitioning to a tag match afterward makes it at least seem like the team had to do a team thing to get there)
-Blair Davenport gave a pre-taped promo on Gigi Dolin. She said she didn’t want to erase Gigi’s victory, she wanted to derail her career. She told Dolin to surprise her and face her at Halloween Havoc.
-Carmelo Hayes walked backstage. He’s up after the break. [c]
-Lexis King watched people talk about his father, Flyin’ Brian Pillman. He said he’d look at them right in the eyes and lie through his teeth and say he loved it too. He said he never knew that man and he spent more time in hotel rooms than at home. He said he’s no one’s shadow and Halloween Havoc is the start of his career, and not the continuation of someone else’s. He said he’s going to make a name for himself, and that name is Lexis King. A very effective way to acknowledge who he is, which was inevitable, but allow him to carve out his own path.
-Carmelo Hayes made his way to the ring and he grabbed a mic. He mentioned his moment with The Undertaker. He said he felt like he was living in a video game on Superstar mode. Baron Corbin’s music played him to the ring and he said fans should be in the stands, not in the ring. He said he saw Hayes ask for a picture and an autograph with John Cena and Cody Rhodes, and he should concentrate more on being a superstar than a fan and maybe he’d still be champion.
Dijak’s music played him to the ramp. He said the two of them should be focusing on what he’s going to do – beat both of them and then take the championship from Ilja Dragunov when he beats him. He said Corbin was right that the fanboying wouldn’t matter when he was looking him in the eyes. Corbin said nobody can look in his eyes because he wears sunglasses outside. Dijak took a moment where I’m impressed he didn’t smirk at it. The three of them tangled some more with words and Ilja Dragunov showed up on the tron. He said instead of talking, they should focus on the fierce battle that awaits them. He acknowledged the winner will face him on Night Two of Halloween Havoc. He said Cody Rhodes made one last call as GM last week – tonight isn’t a triple threat, it’s a fatal four-way with…this man. Trick Williams made his way to the ramp and Carmelo Hayes stared out at him.
Williams hit the ring and said let’s talk about it. Dijak said let’s talk about how he stabbed him in the back. Williams said let’s talk about how Dijak always sticks his crooked-ass finger in other people’s faces. Corbin said let’s talk about Trick’s ugly-ass pants. This time, Dijak smirked. The heels sowed the seeds of trouble between Trick and Melo. Hayes said he wouldn’t let them do that, because he would put anyone down to be on top. Trick and Melo had a moment and the feels attacked them. The faces dumped the heels and a moment where Hayes sucker-punched Williams, but that didn’t happen…yet.
-Fallon Henley talked to six of the women in the Breakout Tournament and tried to pump them up. She said she was in it last year, but didn’t win, but still it helped her. Tiffany Stratton showed up and called her “Fallon Huntley.” Henley corrected her, and Stratton said Huntley is better. Henley told the girls that Stratton is just what women in NXT should strive not to be. Stratton got the last word (“toodles”) and headed out. Jaida Parker vs. Karmen Petrovic is up next. [c]
(2) KARMEN PETROVIC vs. JAIDA PARKER – Breakout Tournament first round match
Both got inset promos. Petrovic sounded like a valley girl, though she put over her black belt. Parker had some okay early chops as a big-talking heel.
Petrovic took the early advantage and hit a not-so-pretty rana. Parker yanked Petrovic’s arm over the top rope and then worked the arm. She blocked Petrovic’s arm a couple of times, then used it to yank her face-first to the floor. She tried another spot on the arm but Petrovic rolled her up for two. Petrovic hit a slow thrust kick. Parker set up Petrovic on the second buckle, threw a chop, and then hit a hip attack there and covered for two. Parker worked a stretch as the camera focused on a woman who’s likely Petrovic’s mother, though Vic just said “as you can see, family is here.”
Petrovic hit a running boot and then a slow back kick again and then snapped on a submission not unlike the Cone of Silence. Parker tapped.
WINNER: Karmen Petrovic at 3:34.
(Wells’s Analysis: I guess it was inevitable that Petrovic would win here to avoid the heel-heel dynamic as she now faces Lola Vice, but Parker outclassed her in every way and at every second. Parker has a lot of potential and, if I’m looking for a silver lining, she genuinely doesn’t need to win this tournament in order to make a splash. Petrovic will get a second chance to have a stronger match in the semis)
-Tegan Nox was spotted ahead of her match, up next. [c]
(3) LYRA VALKYRIA vs. TEGAN NOX
Early technical reversals from both. Nox took control on the mat with an armbar, then knuckled into Valkyria’s side. Valkyria managed a rollup for one. Reset. Collar and elbow led to a Valkyria headlock. To a corner, where Nox hit a snap mare. Valkyria charged (slowly, for some reason) into a Nox forearm that put her down. Valkyria rolled up Nox for two. Nox worked an armbar. Valkyria twisted her way free and the two exchanged some near-falls on the mat. Nox hit a European uppercut and went up in the corner, where Valkyria dumped her. Natalya was on the outside observing. Valkyria rolled Nox back into the ring and the match somewhat abruptly went to commercial. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
Both missed lariats and then hit simultaneous cross-bodies that left both selling on the mat. Nattie was concerned. The two got to their knees and exchanged punches, elbows and palm strikes. Backslide by Valkyria got two. Northern lights suplex with a bridge by Valkyria got two. Valkyria set up Nox and threw some heavy kicks to her chest. Nox told her to bring it. Nox lowered her head as Valkyria threw a kick and I think she was meaning to duck it, so that may have been an unintended shot. Valkyria ran the ropes and Nox hit a fall-away slam and bridged for two.
Valkyria evaded a shot and hit an enzuigiri. The two went up in a corner and jockeyed for position. Nox shoved Valkyria to the mat and hit a Molly-go-Round for two. Running kick by Nox. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven showed up on the ramp and distracted Nox, and Valkyria hit her finisher.
WINNER: Lyra Valkyria at 11:29.
After the match, Nattie and Nox battled to the back with Niven and Green. Valkyria grabbed the mic and said Becky Lynch helped her get where she is, but she worked her way here to be the first Irish-born NXT Women’s Champion, and Lynch took that away from her. She said when a door closes, though, it’s time to kick down another one. Big pop for that. Lynch showed up on the tron and referenced a trainer they both used to know who told Lynch to watch Valkyria’s career. She put over Valkyria but said she was better. She said Valkyria might see this as a dream match but said when they get into the ring, Valkyria will have to despise her. Welcome to the big time.
(Wells’s Analysis: An okay match. No clunky moments exactly, though Nox is still surprisingly slow and tentative for this far into her career. Then again, it’s perhaps to be expected by one who’s had such a storied injury history. The final push for Lynch-Valkyria was very strong and it’s easy to envision Lynch wanting this run to culminate in putting over another Irish talent in a big way)
-Melo and Trick met near the lockers. Hayes wanted to know what happened out there. He said Trick blindsided him. He said they agreed about which championships they were going after. Williams said Melo was the one who decided that. Trick said beating Dirty Dom for the North American Championship was great and he wanted more of it. They both agreed that they have to do what they have to do. Trick-Melo Gang. We always gonna be. Both said all the right things, but the awkwardness simmering between them is great. [c]
-An unseen interviewer asked Gigi Dolin about Halloween Havoc. She said this is her favorite time of year and her favorite holiday. She conveniently walked up to the wheel and spun it. She spun it and got “Lights Out Match.” She said “Blair Davenport…next week, it’s lights out, bitch.”
-Earlier this week, Von Wagner continued his physical therapy as Mr. Stone looked on. He tried to pull a band and said he couldn’t do it. Stone tried to pump him up. Sad piano music backed the scene and I think they were leaning into the cheesiness of it. Stone’s speech worked on Wagner, who said “Hand me the damn band.” At this point I’d like to point out that Wagner defeated Kyle O’Reilly to prove he was the next big thing on December 7th, 2021.
(4) SHOTZI vs. KIANA JAMES
Shotzi is the host for Halloween Havoc again. And again the line they’re going with is “Who better than Shotzi for this?” There are many options, but she was okay before. James missed a kick as Shotzi ducked and screamed out. Shotzi worked a head scissors over the corner but James threw her head into the post and pushed her to the floor. James yelled “no one embarrasses me” and the match went to commercial. [c]
James held control and had apparently had it through most of the break. James worked a headlock to ground Shotzi, who worked her way free and hit some lariats and a backfist, then a pump kick. Shotzi draped James for a DDT to the outside, leaving James on the floor, and hit a tope suicida. Shotzi went up and James dumped Shotzi to the floor. Roxanne Perez showed up and took Kiana’s bag, which had a brick in it. Behind the back of the official, Shotzi took the bag and hit James with it, then played hurt a la Eddie Guerrero. The ref fell for it and reprimanded James. Shotzi hit her top rope senton to finish.
WINNER: Shotzi at 8:38.
(Wells’s Analysis: Decent stuff in the ring from what we saw, although this episode is filthy with babyfaces sinking to the level of their heel opponents)
-McKenzie Mitchell talked to Lash Legend and Oro Mensah about how Jakara Jackson had to withdraw from the Women’s Breakout Tournament. They had Noam Dar on the phone and the members of Meta-Four acted like Jackson “might not pull through.” Dar said it looks like they’re taking Jackson’s arm off. Mitchell didn’t fall for it and said the report said Jackson didn’t even need surgery. Akira Tozawa popped into frame and told Legend and Mensah to tell Dar he was looking for him.
-Mitchell threw to the back, where Trick Williams had been attacked. [c]
-Kelly Kincaid announced that Trick Williams was now ruled out of the main event match, though there was no news on who had attacked him. The match reverts to a triple threat.
-McKenzie Mitchell tried to interview Dominik Mysterio, who was immediately attacked by Nathan Frazer. The two brawled out to the ring as a gaggle of referees tried to stop them. Frazer dominated and set up a top rope move, but Rhea Ripley yanked Dom to freedom. Frazer landed on his feet, then sat cross-legged and begged Dom back. Of course, he didn’t go.
-Shotzi walked with Roxanne Perez backstage. She said she really liked this ballsy version of Perez. The two happened upon the wheel, and the Perez-James match is now a “Devil’s Playground match.” Perez said this devil’s playground is going to be Kiana’s hell. They didn’t bother to remind us what a devil’s playground match is.
(5) BRINLEY REECE vs. ARIANNA GRACE – Breakout Tournament first round match
Grace got beauty queen music as she waved to the crowd. She said she graciously accepts her bye into the second round. Brinley Reece’s music music played. She got an inset promo and it was meat and potatoes babyface stuff.
Reece hit a body slam to open, then missed in the corner and Grace threw a right to the small of her back and managed a judo toss and a suplex for two. Grace stomped Reece in the corner and said “thank you” and did some beauty queen waving. Grace worked an armbar on the mat. Reece almost broke free and Grace kneed her. Two rollups by Reece got two. Grace couldn’t manage a suplex and had a look of surprise on her face as Reece hit one instead. Reece put Grace into a corner, then rolled forward and hit a lariat. Grace raked Reese’s face and hit her finisher. Vic said both semifinal matches are on night one of Halloween Havoc.
WINNER: Arianna Grace at 2:56. [c]
(Wells’s Analysis: Grace is a joy. She’s so committed to the bit and her facial expressions are wonderful. On top of that, she’s fairly smooth in the ring. Reece, who wasn’t supposed to be in this tournament, wasn’t bad either in this brief setting. She wasn’t given much of a character other than basic fired-up babyface, which is likely because she wasn’t supposed to be on TV yet at all. Kelani Jordan-Lola Vice seems like the inevitable final of this tournament, though Grace is the most unfortunate odd person out.)
-McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Bron Breakker, who mocked Von Wagner. Mr. Stone stepped in and got fired up. Bron suckered in Stone and told him to do something about it. Stone said he will, and yelled that he wanted a match with Bron in Halloween Havoc. Bron said that sounds like a great idea. He said to call the hospital, because he’s going to do the same thing to Stone.
-Vic ran through next week’s matches for night one of Halloween Havoc.
(6) CARMELO HAYES vs. BARON CORBIN vs. DIJAK – #1 Contender’s triple threat match
Hayes was amusingly and strangely the “already in the ring” guy and was the only one not to get a televised entrance. There was a “We want Trick” chant as the audience played their part in the long-term story between Trick and Melo.
Early on, Corbin and Dijak both hit chokeslams on Melo. They both moved down for the cover, but neither took the bait as they knew they’d just be attacked. Hayes got back into it with some quick stinging offense from the apron. He flew at Dijak, who caught him, hit a backbreaker and tossed Melo aside. The large heels exchanged rights in the ring as Melo waited for an opening. Melo tried a Fade Away on both guys. They caught him but he reversed course and hit a DDT on both. He covered each for two counts. The match went to split-screen. [c]
Corbin took over on offense with corner splashes. Dijak evaded one and hit some of his own. He tossed Melo onto a grounded Corbin. “NXT” chant. Corbin hit a side suplex on Dijak, and then a second rope lariat on Hayes for two. Dijak hit a lariat on Melo to put him out on the floor. Corbin and Melo fought on the floor, and when Corbin tried to reenter, Dijak booted him out. Dijak missed a discus boot on Melo, who pushed a charging Corbin into Dijak for a slam. Corbin covered and Melo broke it up, and covered himself for two. Dijak and Hayes exchanged shots and Dijak hit a beautiful discus boot, sold perfectly by Hayes, for a long two.
[OVERRUN]
Hayes and Dijak continued to pair off as Corbin was out of it. Action went to a corner, where both went up. Dijak set up a superplex but Hayes went underneath. He tried to bomb Dijak but Corbin booted Hayes to the mat. Corbin went up to suplex Dijak, and Hayes got involved so both heels were suplexed. A “holy shit” chant was muted about five minutes before Chucky will start to drop F-bombs. Dijak set up Feast You Eyes, but Corbin wriggled free and hit End of Days. Carmelo Hayes flew in, dumped Corbin, and covered the beaten Dijak for the win and a third match with Ilja Dragunov.
WINNER: Carmelo Hayes at 12:31.
(Wells’s Analysis: Interesting call as it seemed like Corbin might still have business with Dragunov, but it’ll be a third round of a feud that has produced absolute gold. Of course, the real story is between Hayes and Trick Williams. Whether Hayes was the attacker on Williams or not, we’re going to get there. Hayes became another babyface who took the heel’s journey tonight as he poached victory away from Baron Corbin, though this is by design as we’re supposed to wonder if the heel turn by Hayes is inevitable.)
-Backstage, Lyra Valkyria watched a screen by the lockers. She took down a photo of herself and Becky Lynch from her locker and said “in one week, your title’s mine.” She ripped the photo and walked off. On the monitor she had been watching, Jade Cargill appeared. She tapped her wrist like there was a watch there, suggesting she’ll be here very soon. The show ended five minutes past the hour.
FINAL THOUGHTS: It was an enjoyable go-home show, essentially, though the hype for Halloween Havoc feels extremely rushed since so much effort was expended on promoting last week’s super-show. Chase U, Lyra Valkyria and Carmelo Hayes all put themselves in position to win championships at Havoc, and of those, I’d say by far Valkyria has the best odds to win, though I’m not sure I expect any changes. Lexis King got off to a strong start and we’ll have to see what the larger amount of reps he can get at the PC will do for him, and of course Jade Cargill represents a very strong hook in the last moment of the show. I wondered if Cargill would jump past NXT entirely, but even though she’s clearly going to be there for a bit, she’s being positioned as one of the top stars. Tonight it’s a full house in PWT Talks NXT. Check us out live or stream tomorrow.
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