WWE NXT: “HEATWAVE” August 22th, 2023 (WWE Performance Center in Orlando- Florida/USA)

Sweaty weather haunts the NXT roster. Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo host a pool party during which they discuss today’s match card. Afterwards we switch to the hall, where the first opponents are already waiting in the wings!

Trick proves himself

•Ilya Dragunov def. Trick Williams via pin after the Falling Forearm from the second rope•

-In the locker room, Tyler Bate is visited by Nathan Frazer. The latter asks Bate to accompany him to the ring later in the evening and to at least begin to make up for Meta-Four’s numerical advantage. In return, he wants to give Bate the first chance at his Heritage Cup after his defense. Bate is quite taken and agrees.

-Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley are preparing for their match tonight when they are visited by Mustafa Ali. The latter literally wishes Dominik a broken neck, because then a new North American Champion would finally be crowned that the audience could be proud of. Ripley and Mysterio think that Dirty Dom is already the best North American Champion of all time and demand Ali to be gone within the next ten seconds.

First TV Match for The Rocks Daughter

•Ivy Nile def. Ava (w/ Schism: Joe Gacy & The Dyad: Jagger Reid & Rip Fowler) via submission in the Diamond Chain Lock•

Side note: Schism were again accompanied to the ring by countless masked supporters who surrounded it.

-Nile then puts her opponent in the Diamond Chain Lock again, whereupon the masked supporters enter the ring. Nile, however, defends herself despite being clearly outnumbered and carries one person after the next out of the ring before she wants to turn her attention back to Ava.

But two more followers have already brought her to safety and carry her backstage, which Nile has to watch from the ring.

-In the locker room, Wes Lee is on the phone when Ilya Dragunov, battered from the fight, stumbles in. Lee inquires if Dragunov is alright, whereupon he explains that he is doing great and that Trick Williams is no longer a problem for him. Now he can finally set out to win the NXT Championship.

Wes Lee almost spits out the water he just drank when he hears these words, because after all, he is the current challenger and he will relieve Carmelo Hayes of the gold. Lee talks about how the title may be Dragunov’s destiny, but he, on the other hand, didn’t get anything handed to him, but worked hard for every chance and opportunity. And if he has to get into the ring with the “Mad Dragon” after winning the title, he will be too happy to do so!

Nathan Frazers & Noam Dars NXT Heritage Cup Unification

•Noam Dar (w/ Meta-Four: Oro Mensah, Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson) def. Nathan Frazer (w/ Tyler Bate) Title Change•

*During round 2, Dabba-Kato entered the arena and attacked Tyler Bate with a chokeslam to the apron.

Noam Dar (1) scored a decision over Nathan Frazer (0) via pin after a roll-in at 2:33 of Round 2.

*Following Round 2, Tyler Bate was escorted out of the arena by medical personnel after being attacked by Dabba-Kato.

Nathan Frazer (1) scored a decision over Noam Dar (1) via pin after a superplex/final cut combination at 1:45 of Round 4.

Noam Dar (2) scored a decision over Nathan Frazer (1) via Nova Roller after 2:30 in Round 6.

*Before the final decision, Frazer had his opponent ready for the Phoenix Splash, but Oro Mensah got on the apron and distracted Frazer. However, the latter was able to get away from him by giving Mensah a kick, causing him to land on Jackson and Legend. This distraction was enough for Dar to take the victory.

-Ava sends a video message in the direction of Ivy Nile. Thus, although Ava was saved from Nile’s rage by two loyal followers of the Schism, she is open to another confrontation. She presents the “Schisms Tree” in the background and asks Nile to look her up.

-Now in the ring is NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton. She explains that the “Tiff-Tiff Summer” is coming to an end, but that means her fall is now upon her. Her title belt won’t leave her, she says, and she plans to add her legendary reign alongside Bayley, Asuka, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair to a list of former champions who shaped NXT like no one else.

She’s interrupted by Gigi Dolin, who is eager to see Stratton’s fall, as that would mean she would soon finally abdicate. And if Stratton is looking for an opponent, she should look no further, because Gigi Dolin is the next challenger. Kiana James also seems interested, she joins them in the ring and amuses herself about Gigi Dolin and that she demands a title shot.

Rather, she said, she herself should be considered. Blair Davenport makes a similar claim about herself, after all she kept the Women’s Division in check over the summer. Gigi Dolin contradicts this, because she can still remember what Roxanne Perez did to Davenport in the supermarket.

Davenport, of course, talks back and promises to do worse to Dolin than Jacy Jayne did when she broke up with Toxic Attraction. Just addressed, now also in the ring – Roxanne Perez also wants in on the action when it comes to a title match. She confirms Dolin’s statement about Davenport and only seconds later the charged atmosphere escalates to a tangible confrontation between the ladies. With the exception of Tiffany Stratton, who has already made off with her title belt in time.

-Drew Gulak is overseeing the training match between Charlie Dempsey and Damon Kemp when Myles Borne comes in and declares that he has completed the tasks assigned to him. Gulak inquires if Borne is now exhausted, which Borne denies, and just a short time later he finds himself in a Rear Naked Choke from Charlie Dempsey. Gulak asks his student to fight it, but Borne has no chance and has to tap several times.

-Once again we see Ava talking about Ivy Nile. She is much too cowardly to face her now. Suddenly Nile appears in the background, whereupon Ava instructs her followers to seize Nile. But they refuse and lift their masks. Julius & Brutus Creed are now revealed underneath! The Diamond Mine now take control of the segment and let the rest of Schism know should they want to see Ava again, they should agree to a Steel Cage Match between the Creeds and The Dyad. And should the Creeds win the match, they will be reinstated to NXT.

-Meta-Four celebrate Noam Dar’s title defense with champagne from the cup as Dar is handed an envelope. In it, the Heritage Cup Committee addresses Dar and informs him that next week’s “NXT Global Heritage Invitational” will kick off a tournament in which eight competitors will battle it out to become the next challenger. The winner will get a chance to prove himself against Dar at NXT “No Mercy.” For Dar’s ego, of course, this is gold and the group is now looking forward not only to defending their title, but also to five weeks without any more title matches and a trip to California.

Dragon Lee pins the North American Champion

•Dragon Lee & Lyra Valkyria beating The Judgment Day (NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio & Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley) via pin by Dragon Lee on Dominik Mysterio after a Somersault Inverted DDT•

Before the finish, Ripley did take out Valkyria, however Raquel Rodriguez stormed out and brawled with Ripley backstage.

-Carmelo Hayes is backstage preparing for the upcoming title match against Wes Lee when Trick Williams comes in. Hayes pays respect to his buddy for his performance in the opener, even if he had imagined the start of his singles run differently.

However, he says he will not give up and will continue to work on himself. Looking ahead to the NXT Title, Williams explains that Trick-Melo-Gang will open and close the night, and tonight will be Hayes’ first title defense without Williams by his side. Hayes doesn’t seem unhappy about this, as the match against Dragunov left some question marks.

Williams asks if this is an accusation, but Hayes just wants to leave absolutely no doubt about his reign, and a win against Wes Lee is optimal for that. Once again, Williams takes a look at the NXT Championship before handing it over to Hayes, who heads off to the match.

-Tiffany Stratton has called for more camera time on McKenzie Mitchell, where she corrects that Becky Lynch has never been NXT Women’s Champion. Stratton explains that she didn’t exactly know the facts, as Lynch wasn’t particularly relevant, unlike herself. Now she presents a big announcement, as the four ladies who previously interrupted her in the ring will face off in a 4-Way Match next week. The winner of the match will be the new main challenger for the NXT Women’s Championship.

-A review of the match between Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne from the previous week follows. Jayne removed the padding in the corner of the ring and Andre Chase put it back in place. That distraction subsequently caused Hail’s defeat. Backstage, Hail then argued with the referee, but he was unwilling to reverse the decision.

Frustrated, Hail assigned the blame to Andre Chase when she was visited by Jacy Jayne. The latter explained that standing before her was not the same Thea Hail who first stood in the Locker Room a year ago. Hail is now a beast in the ring and shouldn’t worry because wrestlers like these two will always be stopped, but they will also always find a way to come out victorious.

-Now the match between Von Wagner and Baron Corbin is supposed to start, but the latter attacks his opponent already at his entrance. The two brawl around the ring before Wagner smells the commentary desk and clears it, sending Corbin through it. Corbin is able to take control briefly as he tangles with Mr. Stone, but is able to get the drop on Corbin from Von Wagner. The Powerbomb through the desk is to follow, but with the speed of light, Bron Breakker comes charging out of nowhere, who nearly sweeps Wagner off his feet with a Spear. Breakker celebrates himself over Wagner and Corbin.

-Joe Gacy, Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler question the Creed Brothers’ way of reclaiming their careers by secretly mingling with their family and now kidnapping Ava. The brothers may feel safe from the rest of Schism in the Steel Cage, but they shouldn’t forget who they’re locking themselves in with. The Dyad look to finally bring this feud to a close next week.

-There follows a review of the match between Dijak and Wes Lee, in which Eddy Thorpe interfered. Dijak grants Thorpe seven more days to prepare with his rituals, after which he will break him.

-Becky Lynch has also heard about Tiffany Stratton’s statement. Via Twitter she noted that the fact that she herself has never been NXT Women’s Champion could possibly change…

-Next week, a 4-Way Match between Roxanne Perez, Kiana James, Blair Davenport and Gigi Dolin will decide which of them will get a shot at Tiffany Stratton’s NXT Women’s Championship next. Also, The Creed Brothers will face The Dyad in a Steel Cage Match to become part of the NXT roster once again.

In addition, the Global Heritage Invitational Tournament kicks off, looking for the next challenger to Noam Dar’s NXT Heritage Cup. The latter will defend his trophy at NXT “No Mercy” on September 30. But what will be defended already today is the NXT Championship of Carmelo Hayes!

Carmelo with a Convincing title defense

•Carmelo Hayes (c) retains his NXT Championship against Wes Lee via pin after the Nothing But Net•

During the match Hayes placed his opponent on the commentator’s desk before he came flying with a springboard backdrop, causing the desk to burst into pieces along with Lee.
Before the finish, Lee already showed off the Cardiac Kick, but Hayes was able to roll out of the ring. Lee followed up with a Suicide Dive, but landed very roughly in the barricade.

Carmelo Hayes celebrates the first successful title defense without Trick Williams by his side, ending NXT this week!

FALLOUT:

-Lenny Wrestling

*Photo courtesy of Wrestling Inc