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Our preview for tonight's WWE NXT on USA, where Chase U will defend the NXT Tag Team Titles against former champs Tony D'Angelo and Stacks.
Posted in: Review, Sports, TV, USA Network, WWE | Tagged: Bron Breakker, Joe Gacy, NXT, USA Network, wrestling, wwe
WWE NXT 2.0 Recap 4/26: Did Bron Breakker Survive to Fight Next Week?
NXT Champion Bron Breakker has had his hands full with the psychotic Joe Gacy ever since winning back the title the night after WrestleMania. Gacy has kidnapped Breakker's father (WWE Hall of Famer Rick Steiner), stolen and burned Steiner's Hall of Fame ring, laid a series of traps for Breakker, and pushed him off of the elevated stage. All of this is to, in Gacy's words, prove that Breakker is not the rightful Champion and that only Gacy himself can bring the title to where it needs to be. Ahead of their title match next week at NXT Spring Breakin', will Breakker even be able to make it through this week's NXT 2.0 to get to the event to defend his title against Gacy?
Nikkita Lyons vs Lash Legend
So we're having to see this continue, even though Lyons has destroyed Legend at every pass. As to be expected, Legend is absolutely horrible here and can't even run the ropes properly (or at all) in the opening minute of the match, leaving the still-green Lyons to take over as the ring General here. That's a problem too, as immediately after, she gets dumped out of the ring and right onto the top of her head in a very scary-looking fall.
Luckily, she appears ok after and continues the "match". Legend is loudly calling out spots here for everyone to hear and looks utterly lost in everything going on. Lyons eventually hits a spinning Roundhouse Kick to plant Legend and get the pinfall. This match was a complete disgrace and WWE/NXT management needs to take a hard look in the mirror as to why they're putting two complete novices (and a totally hopeless case in Legend) in there together. Put the young talent in there with someone who knows what they're doing and can guide/teach/carry them. Putting two untrained people in the water and hoping they can swim isn't a good plan.
Winner: Nikkita Lyons
Immediately after the bell, Natalya runs in and attacks Lyons from behind. A smiling Legend totally no-sells the beating she just took and joins in, only for Cora Jade to run in and make the save.
We next find Roderick Strong lecturing the rest of Diamond Mine in their training room, but he's getting pushback from the other members (and the side-eye from Malcolm Bivens). He then introduces The Creed Brothers to their opponents on next week's NXT 2.0, The Viking Raiders.
Von Wagner vs Tony D'Angelo
Wagner is stepping in for Xyon Quinn here, who wasn't medically cleared for this match for unspecified reasons. No matter though, as these two have a pretty decent battle here. Eventually, Legado del Fantasma gets involved as Cruz and Wilde distract the ref, allowing Santos Escobar to hit Tony D in the leg with a club. The thugs from last week reappear to run off Wilde and Cruz, but Tony D is hurt and Wagner finishes him off with a Big Boot for the pinfall.
Winner: Von Wagner
We now go backstage to see Toxic Attraction insulting Indi Hartwell, Persia Pirotta, and Roxanne Perez.
Perez then challenges NXT Women's Champion Mandy Rose to a match tonight, which she accepts.
We then move on to find Josh Briggs, Fallon Henley, and Brook Jensen getting hyped for their match, until Sofia Cromwell walks by, which distracts Jensen.
Next, we learn that next week at NXT Spring Breakin', Natalya and Lash Legend will team up against Cora Jade and Nikkita Lyons in a tag team match. Good luck to Natalya on that one, she's got her hands very full babysitting next week…
NXT UK star Nathan Frazer makes his way out for his NXT 2.0 debut now, but Grayson Waller runs in and takes out Frazer's opponent, Guru Raj. Waller cuts a heel promo in the ring and it ends with Frazer taking him out quickly.
They then announce that in two weeks, the first-ever NXT Women's Breakout Tournament will begin.
That transitions to a hype package for Arianna Grace, one of the new faces we will see in the tournament in two weeks.
Next, we go to a backstage interview with Tiffany Stratton, who is interrupted by Grayson Waller, and the two figure out that they're xenophobic kindred spirits.
Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs Yulisa Leon & Valentina Feroz
Here's our first look at the former Kacy Catanzaro in her new ring name of Katana Chance (even though literally yesterday, she was added to the WWE 2K22 video game as Kacy Catanzaro). There's no change to her happy-go-lucky character though and she's still teamed with Kayden Carter, so I guess this was merely because Vince McMahon had a hard time pronouncing Catanzaro.
The match itself is a nice one. Chance & Carter are the most underrated women's team in NXT, so it's nice to see them getting decent TV time here. Both teams bring some fun unique offense here, but it all ends when Chance hits a top rope 450 Splash Crossbody for the pinfall.
Winners: Katana Chance & Kayden Carter
We then go backstage to find refs and medical personnel helping Brooks Jensen, who was assaulted by someone. Josh Briggs goes into a rage, blaming Legado del Fantasma for the attack.
We next get a video package from Kay Lee Ray, who reintroduces herself as Alba Fyre.
Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen & Fallon Henley vs Legado del Fantasma
At the start, they announce this is now a three-on-two Handicap Match after Jensen's assault and this one's a big brawl from the bell. Randomly, we hear Robert Stone on commentary, where he alludes that Von Wagner was who beat up Jensen. Ok then.
Back to the match, and it is what it is. Eventually, Wilde and Cruz isolate Briggs and double team him for the pinfall.
Winners: Legado del Fantasma
We next go to a backstage interview with Natalya and Lash Legend, where Natalya threatens their opponents and hypes her partner.
We then get a hype package for Kiana James, another participant in the upcoming NXT Women's Breakout Tournament.
Solo Sikoa vs Trick Williams
A pretty one-sided match here, with Sikoa wiping out Williams in a couple of minutes. I really think Sikoa is ready to be called up to the main roster now. He's very good in the ring, has his character down, and is very over with the fans.
Winner: Solo Sikoa
After the match, Sikoa has a run-in with Carmelo Hayes and Cameron Grimes, which leads to him inadvertently Superkicking Grimes.
We then get a backstage promo from Legado del Fantasma where Santos Escobar mocks Tony D'Angelo.
The Viking Raiders vs Malik Blade & Edris Enofé
A prolonged squash here as the SmackDown star eventually put Blade away with a double Powerbomb for the pinfall.
Winners: The Viking Raiders
After the match, the Vikings share handshakes with their opponents before having a staredown with The Creed Brothers.
Next, we get a video package of Wes Lee talking about winning the NXT Tag Team titles and then losing them and his partner. This was actually a decent piece for Lee here. Not only did it surprisingly kind of acknowledge the situation with Nash Carter, but it also made Lee a more serious and empathetic solo character going forward. Interesting stuff here.
We then get a backstage interview with Tony D'Angelo, where he answers Escobar and formally introduces the two guys who have been helping him lately, Troy "Two Dimes" Donovan and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo. I don't know why they picked these two for these roles, as they're noticeably smaller than Tony D, don't look tough at all, and they each look like they just got out of high school. Anyway, Tony D challenges Escobar to have a sit down with him next week.
Roxanne Perez vs Mandy Rose
A solid match here with a lot of fast-paced action that made Perez look strong going forward. Rose takes it with the knee to the face for the pinfall, but it looked like she just squeaked it out, so the loss won't hurt Perez.
Winner: Mandy Rose
After the match, Wendy Choo appears on the apron with Super Soakers, and Toxic Attraction goes running. Then Choo pulls out a button trigger and this dumps a net on them. Once they're out of that, Choo and Perez chase them to the back with silly string. Who is actually entertained by this stupid crap? And I don't want to hear any "oh it's for the kids" garbage. I guarantee kids are 100% more invested in actual serious rivalries and character stories than they are in any of this nonsense. WWE sold more toys and merchandise to kids during the Attitude Era than at any time in history and there was none of this clowning bullshit.
Next, we get yet another hype package for the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament, this time for 19-year-old Sloane Jacobs.
We then find a bunch of cloaked Druids surrounding Joe Gacy and doing some ritual thing backstage. Why they've taken Gacy, who was a woke social justice warrior, and turned him into the Ministry of Darkness Undertaker with dark magic abilities, I have zero clue, but here we are.
Gacy then heads into the ring for a promo and it's worth noting, the crowd gives him zero reaction and once he starts speaking, they start chanting "We want wrestling!" That's all pretty bad for someone you're trying to build as a monster heel.
He rants on and on as the Druids surround the ring until Rick Steiner heads out and confronts Gacy in the ring. Bron Breakker then heads out and fights the Druids, but Gacy sucker-punches him before the Druids pass off the NXT title to Gacy, who poses in the ring with the belt as NXT 2.0 ends.
Well, that's that for a craptacular episode of NXT 2.0 that was both incredibly boring and incredibly stupid. Seeing as next week's show should be packed with matches, hopefully, we won't have to deal with as much nonsense. But then there's always the week after that to worry about…
Till next time friends.
4/26 NXT 2.0
1.5/10
Equal parts boring and stupid, this episode was a chore to get through and did nothing to excite anyone for Spring Breakin' next week. A horrible match opened the show and a horrible segment closed it. The middle wasn't very good either.
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