Kevin BergeDecember 18, 2024
- Eddy Thorpe manipulated Trick Williams into giving him a NXT Championship shot.Credit: WWE.com.
- Eddy Thorpe manipulated all of NXT by faking his own backstage attack to get a title match against Trick Williams on the December 17 show at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts.
- No. 1 contender Oba Femi watched the action closely after his match against Axiom.
- This would be one of two matches for Axiom on the night as he also defended the NXT Tag Team Championship with Nathan Frazer against Gallus.
- Wren Sinclair fought a motivated Jaida Parker, who was looking to rebound from recent losses, while Sol Ruca and Zaria teamed up for the first time against Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson.
- This was an important night and the last live show of the year for NXT.
- Oba Femi won the men’s Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline.Credit: WWE.com.
- Axiom pushed Oba Femi, but The Ruler caught his attempt at the Golden Ratio. He threw him across the ring before planting him with a pop-up powerbomb to win.
- Everyone in NXT can benefit from working with Axiom, and that was shown once again Tuesday night. As good as The Ruler has looked in the past, he looked more dangerous than ever against one half of the NXT tag team champions.
- Axiom’s bumping alone elevated the action. This was never going to be a dramatic contest since it only made sense for Femi to win, but that wasn’t the point.
- Femi is showing week after week that he can work with the best. If he does dethrone Trick Williams at New Year’s Evil, he will be ready to carry the NXT Championship.
- Femi def. Axiom by pinfall.
- To start the show, NXT aired a vignette highlighting various important wrestling events that have happened in Lowell.
- Femi hit Axiom so hard that he left a red hand print on his back.
WWE NXT @WWENXT
Yes, that is <a href=”https://twitter.com/Obaofwwe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Obaofwwe</a>’s handprint 😳 <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWENXT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WWENXT</a> <a href=”https://t.co/fF91cCX024″>pic.twitter.com/fF91cCX024</a>
- Frazer and Femi nearly came to blows after the result.
- Sol Ruca and Zaria looked great throughout this match, but one small miscommunication allowed Jakara Jackson to take out Zaria outside.
- Lash Legend planted Ruca with a Boujee Bully Drop to win.
- Everything pointed toward a win for Zaria and Ruca going into this contest, but the more-established tag team pulled it out and finally got back on track.
- This was needed for Meta-Four, even if gives Zaria another early loss on her record. She and Ruca have chemistry to explore, but it is a better story for them to work on it before things click.
- This was really good, especially for the level of experience of everyone involved. Zaria stood out whenever she was in control, and she and Legend could have a fun rivalry down the line.
- Meta-Four def. Ruca and Zaria by pinfall.
- On commentary, Booker T waited about 30 seconds to say Ruca and Zaria could not work as a tag team.
- Zaria lifted Jackson, and Ruca surfed on Jackson’s back before jumping onto Legend outside. Zaria then military-pressed Jackson onto Legend.
WWE @WWE
Have you ever seen this before?!?<a href=”https://twitter.com/SolRucaWWE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@SolRucaWWE</a> and <a href=”https://twitter.com/ZariaWWE_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ZariaWWE_</a> are ROLLING! 💪 🔥<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWENXT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WWENXT</a> <a href=”https://t.co/p7nIQjWhJN”>pic.twitter.com/p7nIQjWhJN</a>
- Zaria rolled off the hot tag, throwing around Jackson then hitting her with a Spear. Legend broke up the pin.
- Zaria almost speared Ruca, but as the two tried to get back on the same page, Legend was able to big-boot Ruca.
- Karmen Petrovic hugged Dion Lennox after he advised her to apologize to Ashante “Thee” Adonis. Adonis saw the hug and told Petrovic he was texting Nikkita Lyons.
- After some messing between OTM and No Quarter Catch Crew outside, Jaida Parker blasted Wren Sinclair with Hipnotic to win.
- Limited time and a lack of chemistry prevented this match from going beyond filler, but Parker picked up a needed victory after NXT Underground.
- Sinclair and No Quarter Catch Crew, outside of Charlie Dempsey, continue to inch closer to success.
- OTM should remain a major priority in NXT into 2025. Bronco Nima and Lucien Price especially need to pick up more momentum to eventually enter title contention.
- Parker def. Sinclair by pinfall.
- Parker mocked Sinclair until she woke up, running over Parker with clotheslines and a Tiger Suplex.
- A brawl between the four men broke out on the outside.
- Backstage, Wes Lee encouraged Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont to question the best way to succeed in NXT.
- In a vignette, Tatum Paxley, Gigi Dolin and Shotzi played with dolls and talked about what they would do to Fatal Influence.
- Fatal Influence mocked Paxley, Dolin and Shotzi until The Unholy Union appeared to call out the trio’s struggles as a unit.
WWE @WWE
“Dolls out, balls out!”<a href=”https://twitter.com/ShotziWWE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ShotziWWE</a>, <a href=”https://twitter.com/TatumPaxley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@TatumPaxley</a> and <a href=”https://twitter.com/gigidolin_wwe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@gigidolin_wwe</a> are ready to go after Fatal Influence! 😤<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWENXT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WWENXT</a> <a href=”https://t.co/377IfQ1mKI”>pic.twitter.com/377IfQ1mKI</a>
- Axiom fought through the pain to help Nathan Frazer when it mattered. He hit Wolfgang with a top rope Spanish Fly and then dived onto Mark and Joe Coffey outside.
- Frazer followed up with a Phoenix Splash on Wolfgang to win.
- Axiom and Frazer continue to rise in the ranks of the best NXT tag team champions in history with every wild performance.
- The champions still fall into similar tropes in their matches, but it hardly matters with the level of high-octane offense delivered against varying opponents.
- This was another wild night of action, giving Gallus a career-highlight contest. The new wrinkle of the champions constantly working hurt has pushed them to sell more than ever in engaging fashion.
- It looks likely that the end is coming, even if it isn’t clear which team will step up to dethrone the champions. Eventually, though, Frazer and Axiom are going to run out of steam.
- Frazer and Axiom def. Mark and Wolfgang by pinfall to retain the NXT Tag Team Championships.
- Axiom struggled to make it to the ring, bandaged up from his match with Oba Femi.
- Frazer wore a face mask due to a ruptured septum.
- The Family watched this match closely.
- Frazer picked up the pace when he got the tag, running over both men, but Wolfgang broke up his pinfall attempt with a frog splash on Mark.
- Axiom ran in with a Golden Ratio to save Frazer but then accidentally hit his teammate with his second. He planted Mark with a Canadian Destroyer to make up for it.
WWE @WWE
THIS IS AWESOME! 😱 👏<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWENXT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WWENXT</a> <a href=”https://t.co/0mhKt9zues”>pic.twitter.com/0mhKt9zues</a>
- “All Ego” Ethan Page talked to his wife, Viviana, and his son and daughter about his failures. Je’Von Evans interrupted to say Page needs to be his “real self” like he is with family.
- The Young OG told Page that he and the locker room were proud of All Ego. This set off something in Page, who attacked Evans. He wrapped a chair around his mouth and smashed it, causing a splurt of blood.
WWE @WWE
We have absolutely no words. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWENXT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WWENXT</a> <a href=”https://t.co/Yoma6YJxxV”>pic.twitter.com/Yoma6YJxxV</a>
- This was a solid follow-up to the recent “sad Ethan” storyline. Instead of turning him face, it set the stage for Evans’ first true blood feud.
- Evans and Page have already looked good together when in the same contest, but this is going to be more than the build to a match. This is a chance for The Young OG to get serious.
- This story could have gone multiple other ways, but this is probably the best outcome for NXT’s immediate future.
- Evans talked up Hank Walker and Tank Ledger’s journey to the NXT Tag Team Championship, but when he mentioned his own Iron Survivor loss, he set off Page, who stomped off.
- All Ego worked with the crowd’s boos as he cut his heartfelt promo, admitting that he deserved it.
- Page threw out the expected line, saying he had “lost his smile.” He followed up before he attacked Evans, saying he should turn his focus to “taking [Evans’] smile.”
- NXT delivered a vignette on the importance of the NXT Women’s Championship. The focus turned to hype for Roxanne Perez vs. Giulia.
- Stephanie Vaquer delivered a warning to Cora Jade ahead of their match next week.
- Trick Williams was battered by the offense of Eddy Thorpe and found himself out of sorts. He accidentally knocked down one referee, setting up a second official to get involved.
- After a Trick Shot, both men’s shoulders were down, and the referees each counted a pinfall on a competitor, leading to an unclear finish.
- It was obvious this match would not get enough time when it started with less than 15 minutes left for the night. Add in a commercial break, and the pacing never clicked.
- Thorpe never truly looked like a real threat to Trick, even with the messy finish likely pushing him into another title match at New Year’s Evil.
- This was a weird choice to make when NXT had an easy story to tell going into the event on January 7. Thorpe has played a crowd-spoiler role that it feels like he wasn’t built for.
- On the positive side, NXT did not make Thorpe a one-and-done threat, further committing to him longer term as a top heel. He just needs more big matches like this to show he has earned it.
- This could translate to Thorpe eventually taking the North American Championship off Tony D’Angelo after he plays his role in delaying Trick vs. Oba Femi to a future premium live event.
- Trick vs. Thorpe goes to a no-contest due to a double pinfall; Trick retains the NXT Championship.
- Femi wished Trick good luck before he headed to the ring, hoping he would see him at New Year’s Evil.
- The fans were unhappy with the finish as NXT general manager Ava rushed to the ring to sort it out.
WWE @WWE
WHO IS THE NXT CHAMPION?!?!?<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWENXT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WWENXT</a> <a href=”https://t.co/pf2v0FVXYB”>pic.twitter.com/pf2v0FVXYB</a>
- A hot crowd elevated a solid show for NXT.
- It was certainly not the top-level show the brand tries to give live crowds outside the Performance Center, but everyone played their role.
- The main disappointment was a lack of strong build toward New Year’s Evil. This came as a filler show in terms of story momentum with no new matches announced and no appearance from Roxanne Perez or Giulia.
- The MVPs of the night were Axiom and Nathan Frazer, but that isn’t an uncommon sentiment when it comes to NXT.
- The main event was deflating for the night, but the brand has a chance to elevate everyone if it is all played out well.
- For now, it just looks like a stalling tactic rather than keeping the focus on Trick Williams vs. Oba Femi as the money match of the company.
- It may be time to reconsider always delivering the title match after the Iron Survivor Challenge matches at New Year’s Evil.
