[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] Then…
now…
forever…
together.
♪ A million dollars from now… ♪
[Vic] We are back to the warmth of Orlando, Florida,
home of the WWE Performance Center,
as NXT is live once more
in the City Beautiful.
♪ A million dollars from now I won't remember you ♪
♪ Soon as I land, they come with a bag ♪
♪Tell her I just got it It don't have a tag ♪
♪ With the strippers They helpin' my brand ♪
♪ On Lanvins The shoe laces look like a crayon ♪
[Vic] And tonight, the NXT Universe is fired up
to feel the fallout of WWE Deadline.
♪ Yeah, you know what I'm sayin' ♪
[dramatic music playing]
[Vic] Minneapolis, Minnesota. Welcome to Deadline.
Men's Iron Survivor Challenge.
Whoever has the most falls will be declared the winner.
All four men down and who can it be?
[Ava] Eddy Thorpe has been ruled out.
I will find a suitable replacement to take Eddy's place
in the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge.
[alarm blares]
[Vic] Oba Femi is here.
And the clock is becoming the enemy now.
[Booker] You gotta do it quick.
[Vic] Double chokeslam!
Oba Femi has scored two falls!
Just like that, Femi's the leader! Cutter by Evans!
-[Booker] Cover him! -[Vic] He'll run out of time.
[bell dings]
[Vic] Oba Femi conquers the field at Deadline.
We are ready to head to the unpredictable underground
as Lola looks to knock out Miss Parker,
who's looking to make it two straight over Lola Vice.
[Booker] Oh baby, we going on a ride tonight.
[Vic] Jaida Parker is systematically dissecting
Lola Vice in front of the world.
Backfist!
-[bell dings] -[Vic] The referee had to stop the match.
And Lola remains "The Queen of the Underground."
Axiom is gonna need to carry Frazer
Borne and Heights are ready for the Tag Team Champions.
[Booker] Nathan Frazer, he's in no shape to make his reign right now.
[Vic] Oh, miscommunication!
Miles Borne, Tavion Heights just turned this matchup inside out.
[ref yells indistinctly]
[Vic] Holy hell.
By the string of Axiom's mask,
the champions survive.
Ridge is looking to destroy NXT
while destroying Trick and becoming the new NXT Champion.
[Booker] This could be Trick Williams's toughest test to date.
[Vic] Oh no, no, no, no! My God!
The damage is done,
and Ridge knows it.
Not like this.
[referee hitting ground]
-[Vic] Trick kicked out! -[Booker] This young man!
[Vic] Trick shot.
-Trick did it! -[bell dings]
[Vic] Williams continues to wave the NXT banner.
[action music playing]
♪ Here we go, here we go… ♪
[bell dings]
[Vic] This is the ultimate battle of endurance and strategy
with the most decisions at the end of 25 minutes.
[Booker] There we go!
[Vic] Every second matters.
[Booker] You got to have eyes at the back of your head.
[Vic] Four women tied at one.
[Booker] Did you see that?
What a main event.
The clock is running up.
[Vic] We got a five-way tie!
Twenty seconds left!
Giulia!
[bell dings]
[Vic] The clock ran out.
Giulia is not only the number one contender,
but the Women's Iron Survivor!
["Time of Arrival" playing]
[Vic] And what a moment it was for "The Beautiful Madness"
this past weekend.
She adapted. She beat the odds.
She is the Women's Iron Survivor.
[Mike] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome
the winner of the Women's Iron Survivor Challenge,
Giulia!
[rock music playing]
[Vic] And we know,
because of that, on the first NXT of the new year
live from Los Angeles,
Giulia will meet Roxanne Perez
for the NXT Women's Championship
at New Year's Evil.
[crowd chanting] Giulia! Giulia! Giulia!
I am the Iron Survivor…
which means I am going to do what I came here for.
Roxanne,
at New Year's Evil in LA,
"The Beautiful Madness" will become
the NXT Women's Champion!
[Vic] Uh-huh.
Whoo!
Congratulations, Giulia.
Huh, you're the luckiest women in the world to have survived Deadline.
And sure, you won, but in my opinion,
I think Sol was the MVP of the match.
[chuckles]
Even Wren Sinclair, she spent most of the time in the penalty box,
and she still almost pulled it off.
Zaria and Stephanie, they didn't lose.
They just ran out of time.
[chuckles]
[sighs]
You won… yeah,
but, uh,
fortunately for you,
you're not on my level. [chuckles]
But I'll give it to you guys.
On Saturday, the ladies proved once again
why we have the best women's division in all of wrestling.
But like I said,
none of you guys are on my level.
[chuckles] And that's not gonna change anytime soon, Giulia,
especially not at New Year's Evil,
because I don't know if you forgot,
but, uh, we've been here before.
Yeah, we have.
And it was the same result as it has been for the past year,
me holding my title in the air
reigning over my division.
And at New Year's Evil,
new town, same result.
"The Beautiful Madness" falling short to "The Prodigy."
And that's if you even make it to New Year's Evil in Los Angeles.
Oh yeah.
How about we do this
right now?
[cheering]
Yeah, I'm not too sure about that, Giulia. [chuckles]
I really don't know,
because I don't think you're gonna make it to New Year's Evil, because of us.
And look, I know you think your best friend, Stephanie,
is gonna come out here and save you, but she can't.
She won't. [scoffs]
Because there's no question about who did it.
-[referee] Don't move. Medical's here. -What hurts? Stay right here.
Stay down. Who did this? What happened?
-What happened? -[referee] Try not to move.
What hurts? Tell me what hurts.
[inaudible dialogue]
[Vic] Well, Booker, Giulia's got no choice.
-[Booker] Uh-huh. -[Vic] But look at that advantage.
-[Booker] That's right. That's right. -[Vic] This is sick.
[Vic] Well, hold on. The cavalry has arrived.
Kelani Jordan.
Evening the odds, even if for just a moment.
Whoa!
Uh-oh.
Ooh.
Looking like Juan Soto for the Mets swinging like that.
["Time of Arrival" resumes]
Well, look, tonight's celebration was cut short.
But not everyone was celebrating after Deadline.
Eighteen years
it took me to get here,
to climb that mountain top,
to win the championship.
But it also took me 18 years to figure out
that Ethan Page has no clue
how to get back there.
-[man] You know what a moron… -[man 2] What he's saying.
[man] Him, idiot.
I don't know.
Tough bit.
[Ethan] I can't do this.
Excuse me, fellas.
Mr. "All Ego" Page.
Come on, man. You're killing the vibe of the room.
You lost. Get over it.
[man] Ha ha!
Get over it?
Tony, I don't know how to get back into the NXT title picture.
Hey, you're right. You blew it.
[chuckling]
I can't even believe I'm saying this right now,
but, uh, I got a little bit of a soft spot for you, Page.
So how about a North American title match tonight?
Wow.
I'm a former NXT Champion.
When I was champion,
I carried this entire brand on my back.
I turned NXT into N… X… Me.
Tony, I mean no offense by this, but
the North American Championship is just, uh…
it's a step-down for me.
-[man] What? -[indistinct chatter]
Okay.
I try to be a nice guy, extend an olive branch
'cause I see you sitting in the corner like a lost puppy.
You don't want the match, fine. I'll open it up to the room.
[overlapping yelling]
"Don!"
"Don," I'll take the match.
No, no, no, I don't want you to take a step-down.
It's not a step-down, "Don." It's not a step-down.
"Don," if I can't beat the North American Champion,
my career… [tuts]
…my career is pretty much over.
Uh, no, just keep on holding onto hope.
I need this!
-[overlapping chatter stops] -I need this.
Please.
[chuckles]
That's all you had to say, Page.
I'll see you out there, kid.
-Come on. -What is this? What is this?
Are you serious?
♪ Your boy is bouncy ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Oh… ♪
[Vic] An unnecessary altercation Saturday has led to this.
[bell dings]
[Mike] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first,
from Greensboro, North Carolina, weighing in at 180 lbs,
Je'Von Evans.
♪ We was built like this ♪
♪ Take a look, man We built this all brick by brick ♪
♪ Yeah, we follow G code… ♪
[Vic] Lee, Evans
next on NXT.
♪ We the streets, bring the heat ♪
When we were in Minneapolis, I did some soul-searching.
-It's a good place for it. -Come to find out, I'm a man of integrity.
Not only that, Charlie, but my wrestling has been top-notch lately.
I'm gonna just cut straight to the point. I want another shot at the Heritage Cup.
Of course you do. Look, Lexis,
I've already given you a shot at the Heritage Cup.
So let me think about it, all right?
Hey, that's all the King could ever ask for.
Okay, bye.
[sighs]
Fellas, Wren, to say I'm proud of you all is an understatement.
And Myles, Tavion, you all came this close
to winning the NXT title for the best tag team this place has.
And, Wren,
you showed the world that you belong at the top
of the NXT women's division.
Yeah, you did.
Charles, you have no idea how much that means to me.
Mira, no más. Now didn't we tell you y'all couldn't bring those tag titles back home?
-Huh? -You can't hang with the big dogs.
Yeah, but they were, like, really close.
Uh, baby girl, the only words that should be coming out of your mouth
are "thank you, Jaida,"
because if I never ducked Lola's backfist,
you wouldn't have fallen into that last-chance spot.
But if you didn't duck Lola's backfist,
then you would've gotten knocked out and…
I could knock your ass out here right now if you really want to.
You can get some too. You can get some too.
[Vic] The tension's still on the rise, Booker, here tonight.
[Booker] Yeah.
[Vic] Dynamite drop.
["Assemble" playing]
[Mike] And his opponent,
from Dayton, Ohio, weighing in at 178 lbs,
Wes Lee!
[Vic] Well, I said there was an altercation
that took place between these two.
And here is what I was referring to from Deadline.
Calm down, all right?
You just had a fire performance, and you come into the back
acting, um…
What is it? Come on. Come on.
Salty.
Come on now. Help me say it.
Now you a part of this? Now you a part of this too?
Look, one day, you'll be just like me.
Oh no, I'd rather not.
-[grunts] -[Booker] Oh yeah.
[overlapping yelling]
-[Booker] That boy got stole, Vic. -[Vic] Hold on.
You're all smiling and think it's great,
but the issues between these two certainly did escalate in Minneapolis.
[Booker] Wes Lee's trying to knock some sense into this young man.
He's been in the same position once upon a time, Vic.
You feel me?
[Vic] I hear what you're saying, but I think you can agree
that Wes Lee can go about his business a little bit differently.
[Booker] Nah, man. No, this is a man's game, Vic.
-Only the strong survive. Here we go! -[bell dings]
[Booker] Here we go!
[Vic] They're center of the ring, throwing hands, exchanging blows,
and, of course, Je'Von Evans does hold a victory over Wes Lee.
That happened in Philadelphia at The 2300 Arena.
[Booker] He got the keys, Vic. He has the best name there.
Both of these guys are fast and ambitious.
And one. Going a whole lot. Here we go. I love it!
[Vic] Wes Lee going right to the body.
These two started the Iron Survivor Challenge.
So you tried to call it on points early on
if you remember what happened this past weekend.
Who stood out more to you?
-Whoa! -[Booker] Oh! Wow!
That man right there.
Je'Von Evans, he definitely stood out.
He came so close to cashing in.
He covered the Iron Survivor.
[Vic] When you talk about becoming a grown ass man,
Je'Von Evans surely is flying through the air
and growing in leaps and bounds.
[Booker] And in a lot of high-stakes situations thus far, Vic.
It's gonna be only a matter of time for this young man
to crash that glass ceiling.
I can… I can feel it in my bones.
We saw Giulia already.
Of course, Oba Femi was the winner of the Men's Iron Survivor.
We will hear from him live tonight here on NXT.
As Evans, springboard.
Got caught, dropkick right to the stomach.
[Booker] Right to the solar plexus right there.
-That floating re-up… -[Vic] Cover.
And a quick kick out by Je'Von.
Why… I wanna go back to Wes Lee
'cause you see the look in the eye, a different look, a different demeanor.
Why has Lee become so jaded?
[Booker] Jaded, Vic? Jaded?
Let me tell you why. Let me tell you why.
The greatest… the greatest North American Champion
in the history of NXT.
Losing that can change a man.
That's exactly what it is.
[Vic] So you're saying Wes Lee is the greatest North American Champ--
[Booker] I said not having that mountain, not being that guy,
not holding that championship,
walking in the room and people saying, "Hey, champ. How you doing?"
"You're looking good." I know exactly what that feels like.
[Vic] Oh, these two seem to have some deep issues,
and it does seem one-sided to some--
[Booker] You know what those issues are?
The deep issues are competition.
Competition.
Wes Lee, once upon a time,
was in the same shoes as this young man, Je'Von Evans,
getting all the praise.
And I'm talking about high praise.
-[Vic] Ooh! -[Booker] Oh yeah.
Eat this. I love it, man.
[Vic] Everything done right now
with nasty intentions.
-And one more time! -[Booker] Focus.
[Vic] Wes Lee is taking his frustrations out on Je'Von.
So I'm assuming you would agree with Lee that Evans shouldn't be so jovial
following Deadline like was.
[Booker] No, I understand this 'cause they do use all…
he's living out his dream, Vic.
I love it, but this is a business.
You not too far gone to understand that.
Oh yes!
'Cause your man gets bouncy.
I love it!
[Vic] Je'Von up and over. He's had a few birthdays since his 18…
when he was 18 years old.
It's now Lee going into the barricade.
And now it's Evans turning things around.
The referee's showing a little bit of discretion right now, Book,
because this has been a heated issue
between these two Superstars
for not just days, not just weeks, but it's been going on for a few months.
[Booker] Yes, beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful move there by Je'Von.
[Vic] Nice dropkick!
[Booker] This young kid is special, Vic.
He's extraordinary.
And right now, he's got something on his mind.
I can feel it. Here we go.
Here we go.
[Vic] Oh! Nice job by Lee coming in, taking Evans out at the leg.
Look, he can't stand.
You can't fly.
And now Lee taking to the air.
Sticking the landing. Wiping out Evans.
Who is gonna stand tall tonight, live on NXT?
[Vic] Who is gonna win this struggle right now?
Is it gonna be Wes Lee? Is it gonna be Je'Von Evans?
And again, everyone feeling the pressure, feeling the excitement
here towards the end of the year.
As Lee looking down…
Nobody home. Able to roll right through.
Turns right back around and got dropped!
As I was saying,
with Raw going to Netflix, New Year's Evil in LA,
you assume change is coming to Smackdown!
The transfer window is open.
What a time it is to be in the WWE.
[Booker] Hell of a time it is, and right there is a moment
for this young man, Je'Von Evans.
The people are going nuts.
[Vic] Didn't take kindly to Lee's insults,
not only this weekend, but over the past month.
It was Evans who said he will never have the attitude that Lee has.
And look at Evans right now,
swinging away, coming right back and big clothesline.
And Evans now has all the momentum in this matchup.
And, Book, we're getting into some pretty deep waters.
[Booker] Boom! Beautiful! Beautiful shot there by "The Young OG."
Let me tell you something. If he gets this victory tonight,
not like at The 2300 Arena,
it will not be a tainted victory,
like when RVD came in and messed it all up.
He will do it all on his own.
[Vic] It could be right here. It could be right here.
[Booker] Oh, man. Wow.
[Vic] Getting that inside shoulder up. Take another look at the height.
Sticking the landing was Evans but was not able.
[Booker] He'll do it all on his own.
RVD is not gonna run out here and save him.
There won't be any distractions or anything like that.
This is a man's game.
We're gonna find out if he's gonna man up or not here tonight.
[Vic] What a way to kick off NXT this week here live on the CW.
Evans trying to overpower Wes Lee.
Lee, counter for the moment.
Up over… Hey!
Ooh!
Used the referee for a little bit of an assist.
Didn't really do too much. Big jump and punch!
Superman has answered back as Lee.
[Booker] Wow, big shot.
[crowd] Oh!
[Vic] This is starting to turn out into a little bit of a slug fest here, Book.
Combination offense… from Wes.
[Booker] He's got the best game here, Vic. You talk about those deep waters.
We're definitely in those deep waters, so I'm looking at…
Oh man!
[Vic] Big kick. Locked Wes.
Double underhook. Counter!
[Booker] Oh baby. Talking about prolific.
This young man.
Now I think it's the haircut
giving a little bit more aerodynamics here tonight.
Oh yes!
[Vic] Looking to fly.
Got caught!
-[Booker] Wow. -[Vic] Back into it goes Evans.
Sit down, Pearl River style.
Not able
to keep Lee down.
[Booker] What a way to kick tonight off, Vic.
[Vic] Take another look.
Bam.
He took the plunge
but was able to fight through.
Oh, got caught. Bad landing.
Wait, wait, Lee! Come on!
[Booker] Oh. Good strategy.
-[Vic] Great job. -[Booker] Come on, ref.
-Come on. Do your damn job. -[Vic] He did. He did do his job.
[indistinct yelling]
You got your foot on the ropes.
[indistinct chatter]
-[Vic] He might not like it, but there… -[Booker] Whoa.
[Vic] Gonna say there goes Evans. Lee had it scouted.
"The Young OG" tried to catch Lee.
Lee put in a big DDT.
[Booker] Got all of it. Got all of it, Vic.
[Vic] And now "The Cardiac Kid" looking for that cardiac kick.
[Booker] Ah. Build it.
-[referee] One, two… -[Vic] Good.
Absolutely not.
And I may be just as shocked
as Wes Lee.
That's how he won that North American title.
That's how Wes Lee won the Tag Team titles.
[Booker] Nobody kicks out of that, Vic.
What the hell?
[crowd chanting] "Young OG." "Young OG." "Young OG." "Young OG." "Young OG."
-[Vic] This is Evans… -[Booker] Don't take too much time, Wes.
[Vic] This is Je'Von Evans growing up
right here before our very eyes.
Superkick under the jaw.
Buckling the knees of Wes Lee.
[Booker] Talk about high-stakes situations.
This young man did it, Vic.
[Vic] Lee, out of desperation, just grabbing the leg
because he knows once Je'Von Evans gets to the top rope,
he's at home.
That's where he wants to be.
He wants to fly. He wants to risk it all.
Another superkick under the jaw.
Don't think about it. Do it!
-[Booker] Wow. -[Vic] Middle of the road.
-Into the cover! -[crowd] One, two, three!
[Vic] "The Young OG" makes it two straight of the week.
[Mike] Here is your winner, Je'Von Evans.
[Vic] I hate to steal a phrase of yours,
but I'm gonna do it anyways.
What a night! What a fight!
That cardiac kick, as you mentioned, has put away everyone in its path,
did not put away Je'Von Evans here tonight.
But for Je'Von Evans,
as he did in Philadelphia,
was able to put away Wes Lee
for another significant victory.
And I'm taking a look up from my monitor.
Wes Lee obviously frustrated,
as Evans steps up in a big way on NXT.
[sighs] Man, I'm struggling out there.
[Axiom] It was in the bag.
Ooh, but the… You had it. It was right there.
You could've pinned him and become the Iron Survivor.
Ah, look on the bright side, amigo, all right.
We still got these bad boys, don't we?
-[Axiom] We do. -[coughing]
[Axiom] Ugh, we do.
Listen, Nathan, I… I wanna apologize
'cause I was worried.
You know, I was worried about you having to compete twice, but
I see it now. You did it.
You got your nose smashed into pieces, but it didn't matter.
You walked out there with me, and we defended the title.
Brother, you carried us out there. I couldn't even breathe.
Without your performance, we're genuinely not the champions anymore.
Like, I owe you, man.
Big time.
[Axiom] My performance, Nathan? You did amazing out there.
After what you did, you should be the Tag Champ and the Iron Survivor.
Oba kind of screwed that one up, didn't he?
[Axiom] Dude, Oba.
He wasn't even in the match, was he? Ugh.
[scoffs] Man, you're really mad at him, huh?
[Axiom] Well, of course I am, Nathan. I want you to succeed.
You are my tag team partner.
I'll do anything for you.
Amigo, I gotta make this right, man.
[Axiom] No, Nathan. I will make this right.
No, amigo, trust me, I need to make this right.
-[Axiom] I have an idea. -I'll handle it, all right?
Just you watch.
[Vic] Booker, we got some breaking news right now
because it is happening.
Tony D'Angelo will face Ethan Page
for the North American Championship
live right here tonight on NXT.
And it's been a busy night for our general manager, Ava,
because this is from her neck.
Combustible elements are going to explode
after what kicked off tonight.
These four will meet in our main event tonight
on NXT.
♪ A million dollars from now ♪
[dramatic music playing]
[Briggs] This past summer, I fought in the Pro Wrestling NOAH
N-1 Victory Tournament in Japan.
The Japanese wrestling style, it's different.
It's… it's tough. It's gritty.
And it feels like it was made for me.
In the two months that I was there,
one wrestler impressed me.
It was Inamura.
[Inamura] My first impression of Briggs was he fits a Japanese style.
He has a fighting speeds like WWE Hall of Famer star has.
In the ring, with Briggs getting the top,
he has a crazy side,
which I like.
[Briggs] Inamura and I clicked because he's a grown man.
He was raised in a different culture.
I'm not dealing with the immaturity like I was before.
Sure, there's a language barrier.
[indistinct yelling]
Back over to the ground!
I understand!
[Inamura] When the opportunity for me to come to NXT opened up,
I jumped at it.
I knew Briggs and I could do damage in tag-team division.
My kind of crazy!
[Briggs] Look, I didn't wanna be part of a tag again,
but I saw him training in Japan.
Eva wants to see more from the tag-team division?
There won't be a tag-team division after Inamura and I are done with it.
I love competition. The fight.
The struggle.
Josh and Inamura are led to create chaos
in N… X… T.
I could feel it. I could feel it in my bones.
1991, I made that same trip, and I'm gonna tell you.
You learn so much about yourself
going to the Land of Rising Sun.
Josh Briggs is about to blow up bad!
I don't mean to turn the subject around,
but our very own Sarah Schreiber right now is standing outside of our medical room.
-Sarah? -I'm excited.
Thanks so much, guys. I'm standing outside of medical,
hoping to get any updates on Stephanie Vaquer. I'm…
And look. It looks like Kelani Jordan and Giulia are here with me.
Ladies, do you have any updates on Stephanie?
[speaking Japanese]
I think what she's trying to say is what goes around comes around.
Look, Stephanie's banged up, but she's gonna be okay.
But, Sarah, honestly, I'm sick and tired of Cora and Roxanne
walking around this place like they run NXT.
'Cause let's be real.
They couldn't run a lemonade stand in a desert even if they tried.
And Cora thinks I'm the same Kelani Jordan that left Michigan State a few years ago?
News flash, me now would eat that girl alive.
So what does she think I'm gonna do to her?
I'll put my resume up against Cora Jade's any day of the week.
Let's go get ready for our main event, Giulia. Come on.
[exhales]
Honestly, that Iron Survivor match
was the most fun I've had in a long time.
Mm. I've never felt anything like that before.
The heat of the battle.
Ah, I just felt alive.
Yeah. Well, I felt the complete opposite of that
when I was in the penalty box watching the time run out,
knowing that I was only one soul snatcher away from New Year's Evil.
-Freaking-- -Skrr!
I could've told y'all neither one of y'all were gonna win,
because that would've saved y'all that long 25 minutes.
-Uh-- -News flash.
If the Meta girls would've been in the qualifier,
one of us would be the Iron Survivor.
-That's right. -Mm-hm.
Now, Zaria, I heard about you.
The mystique.
The power.
You may have all these other girls in the locker room shook,
but you know like I know
you ain't Lash Legend,
and you can't hang with "The Boujee Bully."
Okay, Lash, you may be bougie,
but if you were in that match on Saturday with Zaria,
you would know that you cannot bully this powerhouse.
Hold up. Sol, why are you sticking up for somebody
who literally wanted to rip your head off less than 48 hours ago?
-Ew. -Ew.
-It's giving delusional. -Yeah. Mm.
-Let's go, girl. -Mm.
[Sol sighs] Whatever.
[Vic] The Meta girls might want to watch what they say.
["Mad Dawg" playing]
-Ah! -[bell dings]
[Mike] The following contest is a tag-team match
scheduled for one fall.
The team at a combined weight of 595 lbs,
"The Whopper" and Tank Ledger,
Hank and Tank!
[indistinct yelling]
[Vic] Well, get ready, Booker.
Who will take the next step in our tag-team division?
We're about to find out in moments live right here on NXT.
["Throwdown" playing]
♪ You picked the wrong one… ♪
[Mike] And their opponents
at a combined weight of 525 lbs,
Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe!
[Vic] Booker, let's go back to last week.
It was the number one contenders' Tag Team Battle Royal.
And that's where this really all started to unravel
between these two teams.
I wanna shake his hand. That man.
[Vic] A sign of sportsmanship.
However, same can't be said when it came to Tyriek.
No!
What?!
Man, don't do that!
-Come on. -Are you crazy? Hell no!
[Vic] Typically, here's where I would say the spirit of competition.
Well, there's a little bit more to it
because not only that elimination led to Tyriek and Tyson out,
it also led to, as you saw,
Hank being eliminated.
NXT brought to you by Monopoly Go,
where money talks
and friendship pays.
[Booker] Can't get along, Vic.
We gotta do this right here in the middle of this ring.
We gotta get it on.
-Two big tag teams. -[bell dings]
A lot of beef. A lot of beef right here, Vic.
[Vic] But you would agree that this is a time for me not to say spirit?
-[Booker] I'd agree. -[Vic] All right.
Hey, we're on the same page.
-Look at that. -[Booker] Oh, baby.
[Vic] How big of a match, though, truly is this?
for these two squads, as you take a look at the landscape in the tag-team division?
[Booker] It's about stepping up.
You got a moment right here tonight on live television.
Time on… on television is worth its weight in gold.
Here we go! Here we go!
-I love it. -[Vic] Look at that.
Atomic drop. You talk about going old school.
Big leg drop.
Into the cover goes Hank.
Hook of the leg and…
Tyson able to kick out rather quickly. I mean,
it's hard looking towards New Year's Evil, the tag-team division.
They're gonna have to start standing out for someone to rise up
as the next contenders
to the NXT Tag Team title.
[Booker] Gotta give it to Hank and Tank. Definitely gonna put them to work
as well as, uh, Tyson and Tyriek.
These young guys are gonna make a play at this thing as well.
But look what you got the family with,
"Stacks" and Crucifino.
Um…
-[Vic] I was agreeing. -[Booker] Excuse me. My bad.
No, I mean, my thing is everybody's got a shot at 2025.
It's an open door.
-[Vic] Not used to being in agreement. -[Booker] Hop up top.
[Vic] Nice dropkick from Tyriek.
And when it comes to Tyson and Tyriek,
are they just going through growing pains?
[Booker] You took it right out of my mouth.
I mean, these guys are, you know, I wouldn't necessarily say green
but they're on the beginning side of this division.
And one thing about it, you gonna have those pitfalls,
those bumps in the road.
I mean, you look at Hank and Tank, they've grown into this sport.
Oh yes, man! Kicking…
[Vic] And there is a tag-team continuity.
Big bulldog from Hank.
And now Tank entering the middle.
[Booker] People love these guys, man.
They love Hank and Tank.
Paul… Paul, David got me my own T-shirt… T-shirt.
"Hank and Tank," it said.
Oh, oh, "Shucky ducky, quack, quack."
I loved it, man.
[Vic] I'm gonna move on from that
and talk about the champions who we heard from earlier.
Hats off, by the way, to Axiom and Frazer,
who literally survived Saturday in Minneapolis.
[Booker] Axiom and Frazer, they always come in the underdog.
The ultimate underdog.
But they are proving the ultimate tag team in my estimation there.
They're the best in NXT.
And now perhaps the best we've ever seen in NXT, Vic.
And Tyriek turning this matchup around and showcasing some power.
Good shot by Tyriek.
That's one thing you cannot combat, Vic.
And that's vision. That's power. Pure power. Pure strength.
Oh yes, man!
[Vic] Oh, big splash from Tyson. Hook of the leg and ooh.
I mean, this would be a big victory for Tyson and Tyriek.
-Taking a look. -[Booker] You know what?
It'd be a big victory, but I would not call it an upset by any means,
because Tyson and Tyriek, like I say,
all these tag teams, they're looking to crash that glass ceiling,
put themselves in position for a Tag Team title shot.
-[Vic] Oh! -[Booker] Big, big uppercut.
-Look at the agility on this guy, man. -Come on!
[Vic] Man, that big shouldn't move that easily.
[Booker] Tyson, what? Three-hundred maybe. Three-hundred?
[Vic] That was before lunch and dinner.
As he tags in Tyriek and now trying to fight back.
To his own effort here is Tank.
And Tank right now is gonna have to do a little bit more than that
'cause Hank, on the opposite side, is a long way away from the tagging
getting overpowered by Tyriek.
And take a look at Tyson answering right back.
And it is Tyriek who is the legal Superstar for his team.
And into the cover. A hook to the leg. And another… near fall.
Speaking of tag team,
what is up with OTM getting into it again
with the No Quarter Catch Crew?
[Booker] He had them flipping to making a play, man.
What's the moniker? What's the moniker? Out…
-[Vic] …of the mud? -[Booker] Exactly my point, man.
Moving uptown to that deluxe apartment in the sky, man.
[Vic] Both these teams trying to do that same thing,
and running right into a wall
was Tyriek.
And now there is a man who is becoming unleashed.
[Booker] Hank Walker right now, he's looking to get in, man.
He's… he's what you call champing at the bit.
[Vic] Tags.
Swinging away.
Dropping Tyson.
Turning things around in a hurry
is Hank.
[Booker] Oh. Momentum shifted right there, Vic.
[Vic] But he bounced right off it. He bounced right back in.
He was not even fazed by what just happened.
He ate that turnbuckle like he ate all that steak for lunch.
Big clothesline. Referee almost got wiped out.
[Booker] Was he caught on a side out?
Oh yes!
Oh yes, man!
[Vic] Might put some tallulah green on it.
He is now climbing to the top.
You don't see a big man fly very often.
Maybe that why. Hank, nobody home.
Coming right back in.
-Boss Man Slam! -[Booker] Oh baby! Oh baby!
Beautiful action on that big, bold, bad slam.
[Vic] Tag was made. New man's legal.
And the motto is "hit first, hit last."
Tank into the cover.
-And look who stands tall tonight. -[bell dings]
[Mike] Here are your winners,
Hank and Tank!
[Vic] That's a big victory in the tag-team division
for Hank and Tank
And tonight's Make It Count moment
is brought to you by Jack Daniel's, drink responsibly.
Take another look at that Boss Man Slam,
really driving the wind out of Tyson.
Tag was made.
Tyriek was isolated on the outside.
And the motto's simple.
"Hit first, hit last."
And look who are the victors here tonight on NXT.
[rock music playing]
[crowd chanting] Crash out! Crash out! Crash out.
[Vic] Yeah, a nice show of sportsmanship from Tyson.
[crowd booing]
[Vic] Well, no doubt
Tyriek very irritated.
[rock music playing]
[Vic] Oh, he is "The Ruler."
He is "The Destroyer."
He is the Iron Survivor.
Oba Femi, next.
["Hands of Fate" playing]
[Vic] We're back live
and being joined by the Iron Survivor.
Oh!
[Mike] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome the winner
of the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge,
Oba Femi!
[Vic] And, Booker, if you remember,
it was Oba Femi who pinned two men
at once
in the closing moments.
[Booker] It's simple. It's simple, Vic.
That man, Oba Femi,
"The Ruler."
No bread,
no water,
just me!
Oh yes!
[music fades]
Surprise! Surprise!
[cheering]
"The Ruler" is back.
[chuckles]
At Deadline,
I stormed into the building.
-I kicked down the opposition. -[crowd] Hoo!
-I destroyed everybody. -[crowd] Hoo!
-And now… -[crowd] Hoo!
…I am the Iron Survivor.
[crowd] Hoo!
[cheering and applause]
So now, in four weeks,
in Los Angeles, California,
at New Year's Evil,
I will reclaim my rightful position on the throne
as "The Ruler" of NXT.
[crowd] Hoo!
[cheering and applause]
And now that brings me to
Trick Williams.
You know, you and I haven't really officially crossed paths yet.
But we've been very dominant in our individual divisions, haven't we?
But now I think it's time for us to find out who the real top guy is.
[cheering]
["Locked In (Trick Williams)" Playing
-[crowd chanting] Whoop that Trick! -[Booker] Uh-huh.
-[crowd] Whoop that Trick! -[Booker] Uh-huh.
-[crowd] Whoop that Trick! -[Booker] Say what?
-[crowd] Whoop that Trick! -[Booker] Yeah.
-[crowd] Whoop that Trick! -[Booker] Uh-huh.
-[crowd] Whoop that Trick! -[Booker] I like it.
-[crowd] Whoop that Trick! -[Booker] Oh yeah, man. That's slick.
[crowd] Whoop that Trick!
[Vic] Oba's right in Los Angeles for the first NXT of the new year
here on the CW.
Oba Femi challenges Trick Williams
for the NXT Championship
at New Year's Evil.
[Booker chuckles] Yeah.
["Let the Good Times Roll" playing]
[Vic] Oh no.
No, no, no, no. Cut that music.
Cut that music.
This ain't happening now.
[music stops]
Oba, I'm not gonna let you ignore what you did to me.
Me and my people have been through enough.
You attacked me last week.
You took me out.
The biggest chance of my career, gone.
And on top of that,
you took my place in the Iron Survivor.
So where's the justice in that, huh?
What? Because you're a badass, you can do whatever you want?
-I'm not gonna stand for this. -Shut your mouth!
[crowd cheers]
You do understand that you're making some very bold accusations there, my friend?
So you answer me this.
Did you see me attack you?
What? No, of course… I got attacked from behind.
And I've never been hit with so much power,
and there's only one person in that locker room
with that kind of strength, and I'm looking right at him.
Thank you for the compliment.
I'm done wasting my time with you.
Now, Trick--
Oba, I listened to you talk. Now I need for you to listen to me.
Because I've been where you've been.
The highs and the lows, I've felt that. The Iron Survivor Challenge, I won that.
And I know everyone here has been waiting to see you and me
go head-to-head.
[cheering and applause]
Los Angeles.
The City of Angeles.
The City of Stars.
The two biggest stars NXT has to offer,
Trick Williams
and Oba Femi,
will collide for New Year's Evil.
That sound good, don't it?
Oba, you and me ain't never really talked.
But I'm glad you here.
You see, because the legacy of a title run
isn't defined by how long you hold a title.
It's defined by who you defeat
while you carry it.
Trick. you're talking all this noise about being champion.
But here's the truth.
Because I don't think anybody has ever hit you with some truth.
The only reason that you have been the number one guy around here
is because I let you be the number one guy around here.
As a matter of fact, the only reason there's ever been a Whoop That Trick era
was because I allowed there to be a Whoop That Trick era.
[crowd clamors]
And the truth is this.
The truth is this.
I've always known this.
That whenever I was ready,
I would take that easily.
And at New Year's Evil,
it seems we have a date with destiny, don't we?
Oba Femi versus Trick Williams
for the NXT Championship.
I promise you… I swear to you
the beginning of 2025 will be the end…
will be the end of your era.
[cheering and applause]
What the hell, Trick?
You're the NXT Champion.
You're supposed to be a leader around here, yeah?
But you didn't press Oba once,
not once about what he did to me, did you?
And here I thought that maybe, just maybe,
you would give me an NXT title match
for the injustices that happened to me.
But I was wrong about that.
Just like I was wrong about you.
See, I used to see you as this man of the people.
Everyone follows you everywhere you go.
But when it's time to check under the hood
of the Lamborghini,
all there is is a manufactured sports entertainer.
And I know that you reached the top here at NXT very quick,
but you wouldn't last two weeks in the Japanese dojos that I came up in.
So what, this?
This is the guy that I'm supposed to be chasing?
What? A guy that came from Eagles training camp
and went to a WWE tryout?
Unlimited charisma, I don't care, man--
Eddy, shut your ass up.
[cheering and applause]
'Cause I'm sick of you. I'm sick of all the doubters.
The same doubters who doubted me,
calling me a sidekick when I was with Melo,
but look at me now.
The same doubters who've had something to say
when it was me versus "The Mad Dragon," but look at me now.
The same doubters in that locker room who think they got what it takes
to see me one-on-one and take my title shot.
You think you could take my title, Eddy?
You think you the one?
Well, good, believe that
'cause I got no problem whupping every single ass
inside that locker room.
I got no problem doing that
and proving to everybody I am exactly what I say I am.
And that's the NXT Champion.
So let's find out next week, Eddy.
You versus me.
Ava, set it up.
[crowd clamors]
[Vic] Trick Williams, not in any mood for games,
because the fire is getting hot
as our champion looks to handle the heat.
here in NXT.
[crowd chanting] Whoop that Trick.
Whoop that Trick.
[mumbling]
She just won't go away.
She's literally obsessed with me.
Mm, I think she's back because she has eyes for my title.
[sighs] No, she's back--
Guys, does it matter?
We need to get rid of her, okay?
Sure.
-Hey. -Now, Tatum, I'm glad for our new--
Friendship?
-Sure. Sure. -[chuckles]
But as fun as it is pissing off Fatal Influence,
there's three of them and just two of us.
I wouldn't worry about that,
because I made a brand-new--
Excuse me.
Yeah, whatever drama you have going on with Fatal Influence,
put it to the side because I'm not done with you.
I wanna run it back. And this time, what I'm gonna do--
[Shawn] Excuse me, Miss Dame.
I don't want anything happening to these ladies.
I wanna leave.
-Good luck in your tag match tonight. -[Brooks chuckles]
Izzi, you seem lost.
But I can't overlook how impressive you were last week.
Yeah, you see, what I don't need is your approval.
I know how damn impressive I am.
[Vic] What's up with Shawn Spears?
["The Chosen" playing]
♪ Like a thief in the night ♪
♪ No, we won't let you in ♪
♪ 'Cause we hold all the light ♪
♪ And we'll blind you with it… ♪
[Vic] Never mind, I know why you're not talking to me.
[Booker] Uh-huh.
♪ You can't say the same ♪
♪ So stay where you're meant to ♪
♪ We'll take away this game… ♪
[Vic] Well, my broadcast partner is ready.
[bell dings]
[Mike] The following contest is a tag-team match
scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first,
accompanied by the NXT Women's North American Champion,
Fallon Henley,
representing Fatal Influence,
Jazmyn Nyx and Jacy Jayne!
[Vic] The question is, is Paxley and Dolin…
they're getting ready to take on Jayne and Nyx of Fatal Influence,
live next.
["Watch Me Now" playing]
[Vic] How about the, uh, pairing of Paxley and Dolin?
Gigi returned. Did so in saving Tatum Paxley.
[Booker] Vic, stay off the friendship thing.
You know, I would wanna call it an alliance.
-Let's do that, all right? -[Vic] I don't want to.
[Booker] Tag team of self-destruction,
à la Alba Fyre, à la Dawn
trying to get that magic.
That's what I'm talking about.
-For once. For once. Please. -[Vic] No. No.
It has to feel good for Tatum to have another real friend.
Of course, her first friend, Lyra Valkyria,
advanced in a Women's Intercontinental Championship tournament on Raw.
They're like us. They talk. They text. They're friends.
[Booker] No, they're not like us. We don't talk. We don't text.
-[Vic] Cover. -[Booker] We're not friends.
[Vic] Nyx able to kick out. On the topic of that,
Fatal Influence here in this match is Jazmyn Nyx, Jacy Jayne.
Fallon Henley on the outside.
The Women's North American Champion
who will be the first Women's United States Champion
in semi-finals this Friday on SmackDown!,
is to remain in the finals on this Saturday night's main event.
As Gigi Dolin rolling in control.
And face first.
-[Booker] Wow. Big shot. -[Vic] Unbelievable.
What a dropkick to the mush.
[Booker] I must say that Gigi Dolin is looking great since her return.
I mean, she's in great shape right now.
She's on a mission.
[Vic] When it comes to Paxley and Dolin,
I mean, they're an unusual pairing to say the least.
As a tag was made, Jacy Jayne checking in.
[Booker] Uh, I would agree they work well with each other.
They complement each other very, very well.
[Vic] And these two are obviously no strangers to one another,
and it's curious that Jacy Jayne tags into the match
when Gigi Dolin is flat on her back.
How can Jacy say with a straight face
Gigi is obsessed with her?
-[Booker] She's upset with the past, Vic. -[Vic] Obsessed.
[Booker] She's upset with the passed. You must admit these two have
a whole lot of history in the ring as well as out of the ring, right?
[Vic] They totally do.
I mean, Dolin and Jayne once part of whom some consider
to be the greatest tag team ever in NXT.
[Booker] The greatest faction in the history of NXT, Vic.
Tell it like it is, man.
Pain right now. And we're coming up on perhaps Fatal Influence being that
because they are certainly taking things over in a hurry.
Nice kick by Nyx.
Following right up by Jacy Jayne.
Still to come, a tag team main event.
Giulia, Jordan, Jade, Perez.
[Booker] Gonna be good.
Highly anticipated main event tonight.
Who's in the main event? Who did you say?
-Did you say Perez? -[Vic] Yeah.
[Booker] Did you say "The Prodigy"? Did you say the best in the world? Oh yes.
[Vic] Tatum Paxley has checked in.
And Paxley taking over.
Nyx gets dropped.
Coming right back in. Double underhook.
Jacy Jayne goes for the ride as well.
And on the outside right here in front of us
is the Women's North American Champion, Fallon Henley,
who is perplexed as Paxley keeps her foot on the gas.
[Booker] And like I said, what a North American Champion she is,
Fallon Henley, right now,
just quarterbacking this thing,
and she's doing a hell of a job.
And Jazmyn Nyx was right earlier.
It doesn't matter the reason why Gigi Dolin is back.
No matter the reason why she's teamed with Dolin,
the fact is she is back.
-And the official distracted by Nyx. -[Booker] You see that?
[Vic] Fallon Henley sticking her nose in.
-And the rolling encore from Jacy Jayne. -[Booker] Beautiful play.
[Vic] And Fatal Influence steals this match.
-[Booker] Yes, man! -[Vic] They stole it.
[Booker] Yes.
[Mike] Here are your winners…
-[Vic] Oh, not to be outdone. -[Booker] Oh.
-[Vic] You condone this? -[Booker] This is a ragtag.
Is what this is, Vic.
This is a drive-by.
This is a beatdown.
I love it, man.
[Vic] Gigi trying to save Tatum again.
And…
Was doing her best until the champion stuck her nose in.
[Booker] Numbers game.
[Vic] I'm glad you think this is great.
[Booker] I didn't say that.
[Vic] Having a fun time watching.
["I'm a Psycho" playing]
-[Booker] What's… -[Vic] Hold on.
-[Booker] What the hell? What the hell? -[Vic] "The Ballsy Badass" is back.
[Booker] What the hell?
[Vic] Shotzi's here, Booker.
[crowd chanting] Shotzi! Shotzi! Shotzi! Shotzi! Shotzi! Shotzi! Shotzi!
[Vic] NXT Universe
on their feet.
Paxley said she had a friend.
She's got a friend indeed.
[crowd] Shotzi! Shotzi!
[Vic] Dolin, Paxley,
Shotzi
just took care of business.
["I'm a Psycho" resumes]
Get a close up on this!
-[laughs] -"The Ballsy Badass."
-I got some big news. -[Axiom] Let me go first. This is big.
All right. All right.
[Axiom] Listen.
I know I told you about controlling your emotions,
but I went to Ava,
and I got myself a one-on-one match against Oba Femi.
What do you think?
What?
[Axiom] Yeah. Yeah.
-When? -[Axiom] Next week.
Listen, I know… I know your concern. It's Oba Femi,
but you are my tag-team partner.
And after what he did to you, I'm not gonna stand for that.
I'm gonna make him feel… What's happening? What are you doing? I thought you'd enjoy…
Amigo, thank you.
But I was going to tell you that I felt really bad
about you carrying the team at Deadline,
so I went to Eva and got ourselves a Tag Team title match.
[Axiom] When?
-Next week. -[Axiom] Oh my God.
So I'm gonna have two matches next week?
Nathan.
I mean, look… look. If anyone can pull it off, it's you, amigo.
How bad could it be?
[Axiom] Have you seen your face?
I mean, you wear a mask.
♪ A million dollars from now… ♪
[Vic] It looks like the champions got their wires crossed,
but there is a champion.
He offered. It was a nice gesture by "The Don,"
but Tony D'Angelo will have to defend
the title over his shoulder against this man,
the former NXT Champion,
that being Ethan Page.
Page, D'Angelo for the North American Championship
live next.
["With a Smile" playing]
[Vic] And we are set
for a championship to be defended.
We weren't expecting this tonight, folks,
but the North American title is on the line.
♪ Kill 'em with the rhythm Kill 'em with a smile ♪
♪ Ego ♪
♪ Kill 'em with the rhythm Kill 'em with a smile ♪
♪ Ego ♪
♪ Kill 'em with the rhythm Kill 'em with a smile ♪
♪ In my bag, Vinnie's in my bag ♪
♪ Where the fellas? ♪
♪ Here we go ♪
♪ Ch… ch… check this out ♪
♪ In my bag, Vinnie's in my bag ♪
♪ Where the fellas? ♪
[Vic] Hold on, there was not a smile there on the face of Ethan Page,
who we know him to be.
"All Ego."
But are we seeing that Page actually has a fragile ego?
[Booker] I wouldn't say that, Vic.
I wouldn't say that at all.
-[Vic] Why? -[Booker] A man on a mission.
He's a man on a mission trying to get back to that spot.
That's what it is, Vic.
Look at his eyes.
[Vic] I saw his eyes. I saw no smile.
I saw a sigh.
I saw him walk away.
[Booker] No, this is serious, Vic. That's what this is.
It's a very serious moment.
[Vic] Booker, you know as well as I do, we all have egos.
But people don't treat others badly to build theirs up.
Ethan Page has no friends in the locker room.
And then it was Tony D'Angelo who offered an olive branch
to Ethan Page tonight.
-[Booker] That's what you call that? -[Vic] Well, what do you call it?
-[Booker] Do you trust Tony D'Angelo? -[Vic] Yes, I do.
-[Booker] A boss. -[Vic] Yes.
[Booker] A gay boss.
-[Vic] He walked in to that group… -[Booker] That's the guy…
That's the guy you…
Vic, that was an ulterior motive behind that.
Come on. You got to read between the lines.
You got to be able to see the forest from the trees.
You got to be able to do that, man. Come on.
You're telling me, he walked in with a motive,
asked a guy who was down in the dumps, and he wanted a championship match?
-[Booker] A method to all the madness. -[Vic] Let's go to Mike Rome.
The following contest, scheduled for one fall
is for the NXT
North American Championship!
Introducing the challenger,
from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada,
weighing in at 225 lbs,
"All Ego,"
Ethan Page!
[crowd booing]
And his opponent,
representing the D'Angelo family,
weighing in at 240 lbs,
he is the NXT North American Champion,
"The Don" of NXT,
Tony D'Angelo.
[Vic] Who will be the North American Champion
when we arrive and we are live in Lowell, Massachusetts next week,
just outside of Boston?
Championship to be defended…
By the way, four championships to be defended Saturday,
including Owen's road to the undisputed WWE title
live from Long Island.
Don't miss Saturday night's main event live nationwide.
You gotta give "The Don" credit for offering words of encouragement to Page.
Let me frame it to you in a different way, okay, dude?
Can you not put it in there?
[Booker] Vic, come on. Come on. That's a strategy for Tony D., all right?
That's what that was.
That wasn't something…
Oh no, no, no, no olive branch.
That wasn't something that he was just doing nice
around the holiday season or anything like that.
No, no, there was a method to the madness. Trust me, Vic. Trust me on that.
[Vic] I understand "The Don" has some great ideas…
-[Booker] Big shot! -[Vic] Incoming.
[Booker] Big shot!
What a right from Ethan Page with a big body slam.
No playing, no job, and just digs.
Have you seen Ethan Page's resume?
I mean, if everyone's a criminal, it'd be called a rap sheet
because it's that long, Vic.
This man has been doing nothing but one thing
since he stepped into this ring,
and that's winning, man. That's what he wants.
[Vic] Well, Tony D'Angelo's been very giving as champion.
He is a proud fighting champion here in NXT
as puts the title on the line here tonight.
And to your point, Tony D'Angelo has won
every championship in NXT
except the only one that Ethan Page has held.
-Big clothesline! -[Booker] Oh baby!
[groaning]
[Vic] Ethan Page just took control of this matchup.
But I got no clue why earlier Page was so hesitant
to accept this matchup.
Saw it as a "step-down," and those are his words, not mine.
Challenging for the North American title.
[Booker] A way out for Ethan Page.
Ethan Page knows that right now, he's not at the top of his game.
I think that he knows that more than anything,
and this match is definitely going put it in a bad, bad way.
[Vic] Can Page become champion?
Again and a near fall. Just getting that right shoulder up.
[Booker] Ethan Page, you can tell, seems like he's maybe a half step behind.
[Vic] Cover, cover, cover, cover. And another kick-out.
Well, you saw that hungry locker room.
You saw all the eyes on Tony D'Angelo earlier.
He gave the opportunity to one man initially.
And that would be Ethan Page!
And D'Angelo turning it around.
Belly-to-back suplex.
And is page maybe taking things a little too far?
He didn't know what to do on Saturday.
He said if he doesn't win tonight, he has no career.
I hope he realizes no one feels bad for him.
Nobody in that locker room feels bad for him.
[Booker] Being down in the dumps in this business, in a deep depression,
is something that can eat you alive.
Like I said, at the top of the game,
to some of you, it'd be deceiving,
traveling down the mountain.
It could do something to you. Trust me.
[Vic] This match started to break down.
Both men came here tonight not expecting to have a championship matchup.
But it was Tony D'Angelo's offer.
Big belly-to-belly!
[Booker] Manhandling him right now.
Bad tagging, Ethan Page. Oh yeah! Oh yeah!
[Vic] That was accepted by Page. It was approved by our general manager.
And Tony D'Angelo right now, Booker, is in control.
[Booker] And Tony--
[Vic] He was looking for that spinebuster.
[Booker] Got caught right there.
Oh baby!
[Vic] Oh, he got caught for sure. What a kick from Page.
Page coming right back in. Swing and a miss.
Big spear!
Will it be enough to retain?
Page's left shoulder just getting off the mat.
Take another look.
Feel the impact
from champion to challenger,
as Rizzo, "Stacks," Luca on the outside.
D'Angelo looking for the "forget about it."
It's counted inside. Cradle.
Champion has to kick out, and he just was able to.
Big boot, drops D'Angelo.
Fall into the cover.
Page still not enough
as this championship match continues here live on NXT.
[Booker] Tony D. gotta be regretting that he gave this man here,
Ethan Page, a title shot, perhaps, I'm thinking.
Here we go, Vic.
[Vic] I think Page may be looking for the Ego's Edge.
Countered, though, nicely by D'Angelo.
What a championship matchup we have here in this moment
with the North American title on the line again.
Who will carry that title into Lowell, Massachusetts live next week
when we make our way to NXT just outside of Boston?
[Booker] Now, Tony D., like I said, he's on a mission to start it
with the heritage coming down.
With the North American Championship,
I'm sure he wants more, Vic.
He wants the Tag Team Championship.
He wants that North American Women's Championship.
He wants it all, Vic.
[Vic] He wants the family to be in power,
but look at Page turning it around!
[Booker] Good night! Good night!
Rock-a-bye baby.
[Vic] He might… Oh!
I thought he would've just cut D'Angelo to the core,
but instead, the champion showing the heart of one.
[Booker] Wow.
[Vic] And what now must be going through the mind of Page?
Page looks like he's beside himself.
[Booker] Vic, what's going through the mind of Tony D. right now?
[Vic] Great question.
Championship hanging in the balance.
Page again looking for Ego's Edge.
D'Angelo slipping down, turning around,
and just drew the hot air out of Page's lungs!
-The champion retains tonight. -[bell dings]
["Strictly Business" playing]
[Mike] Here is your winner and still
the NXT North American Champion,
Tony D'Angelo.
[Vic] Take another look.
Able to counter the Ego's Edge
into a spine-rattling spinebuster.
And that's what it took
for D'Angelo to retain here tonight.
And it looks like "The Don" has broken the ego of Ethan,
leaving Page to ponder what's next.
Thank you for coming out. Ryan Leaf, what an honor it is to meet you.
I mean, second pick in the NFL draft.
I know it didn't work out,
but just look at the way you turned your whole life around.
Pac-12 commentator on the CW.
Not to mention all the things you do for mental health. Dude.
Dude, you're the inspiration. We watch this week in and week out.
I had to do it in a really public way, and so are you.
And I think that's what makes you so much more relatable.
Everybody gets to see it. And that's special.
You don't decide what the story looks like when it starts,
but once you figure it out and you wanna finish it, you start here.
You can make a hell of an ending. That's what you're doing.
I can't wait to see what happens next.
Thank you so much. And I really appreciate your advice
on telling me to go to Minneapolis.
It really helped me close that chapter in my story.
Lexis, gone and thought about it, and you know what?
You are becoming the best version of yourself, so guess what.
I will give you that Heritage Cup match you want in two weeks.
But first, I need you to make it through a workout with me.
Hm.
Done.
-Fantastic. -Hm.
-Are his workouts hard? -We're about to find out.
-Thanks, Ryan. -You bet, brother. Good luck
[Vic] Uh, looks like Lexis could have
his crowing moment.
[bell dings]
[Mike] The following contest is a tag-team match
scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first,
the NXT Women's Champion,
Roxanne Perez.
And her tag-team partner,
Cora Jade.
[Vic] Well, get ready, Booker, because these two started the night.
Their opponents look to end it.
Women's tag-team main event next.
-[man] Ethan Page, where are you going? -I know what you want.
[panting]
I know what you want.
I just can't right now. I…
I really can't.
I know I'm better than this. I've been better than this.
[sighs]
I've just lost my way.
I… I… I… I… I say I'm "All Ego." I…
I say I'm "All Ego."
But the reality is…
I don't think I am.
I don't
think I'm good enough to get the North American title.
I have no clue how I'm supposed to get back to the NXT title.
I'm just… lost.
[sighs]
And ashamed.
And, uh…
[Vic] Well, next week, live in Lowell, Massachusetts,
Trick Williams is tired of the doubters,
and he got a new one tonight in Eddy Thorpe.
Thorpe wanted the champion's attention. He got it.
NXT title to be defended next week live right here on NXT.
As for Axiom,
he looked to give his partner a solid favor
as Nathan Frazer will get his one-on-one opportunity
against the Iron Survivor, Oba Femi, next week.
But Frazer was looking to do the same for his partner,
agreeing to defend the tag-team gold next week.
Champions crossed their wires.
Frazer has to pull double duty.
Will Gallus get back on top?
Or can Axiom and Frazer survive once more?
NXT Tag Team title's on the line next week.
And also in tag-team action, "The Lash Legend," Jakara Jackson
looks to back up the trash talk against Zaria and Sol Ruca
at NXT live from Lowell next week.
♪ I won't remember you… ♪
[Vic] Talking about main events though, Book, it's main event time now on NXT.
["Time of Arrival" playing]
-[Vic] Hey! -[Booker] Uh-huh.
Uh-huh. Here we go.
Here we go.
[Vic] Yeah, and there's Kelani. Kelani coming out to even the odds.
I feel bad for our official.
He hasn't even gotten control.
The bell hasn't even sounded.
This matchup isn't even official.
And these four have been wanting to rip each other apart
since we started the night.
And it was Jade and Perez who attacked Stephanie Vaquer.
Kelani Jordan, she asked for it. Now she got it.
[Vic] She's getting something, all right.
She's getting a piece right now of Cora Jade.
Giulia getting a piece of the women's champion.
Double dropkicks.
And look who's standing tall.
-There's no damn time-out. -[Booker] Time-out.
[Giulia] Come on!
[Vic] Bell still hasn't sounded.
Referee's gotta get some sort of order here.
-[Booker] Is that a disqualification? -[Vic] For what?
This isn't reality wrestling, Booker. Looking to make your own damn rules.
-[bell dings] -[Vic] There's the bell.
Kelani dropping the champion.
Covers center of the ring. And a kick-out.
Giulia, of course, the Women's Iron Survivor,
outlasted the field.
Kelani Jordan, she joined the fight earlier tonight.
Said that she thought Perez and Jade,
they're certainly going to pay.
I'm sure you think Kelani just needed to mind her own business.
[Booker] That's not true. That's far from the truth.
Let me tell you something. Kelani Jordan did the right thing.
In this vengeance, you wanna be either the main event
or working with the person that's in the main event.
I understand exactly where Jordan's coming from.
[Kelani] Come on! Kick out!
This woman's had a near fall.
Talk about the main event, women's division takes center stage on Saturday.
Main event once again here tonight.
[booker] Yes, I have been talking about them.
My radio show has caused the division here.
The women's division is the top division in all of the whole country.
The ladies are knocking it out of the water right now.
You got Roxanne Perez in there. You got Cora Jade in there.
Two of the best and most vicious.
[Vic] Cora Jade had sort of a backhanded compliment on X over the weekend
to all the competitors at Deadline.
No one home!
-Bounced off the middle. -[Booker] No!
-[Vic] Into the cover. And a kick-out. -[Booker] Come on!
Giulia back in control.
Still, I'm sure, is feeling the effects
of the Kendo stick attack from earlier tonight.
But Giulia has been waiting for another match with Roxanne Perez.
She earned it this past weekend at Deadline.
Kelani into the cover, hook to the leg, and a near fall.
[Booker] You always talk about the tainted victory
that Giulia got over Roxanne Perez.
I get it. I get it, but can she do it one-on-one?
Can she do it under the bright lights? That's the question.
[Vic] What you just brought up is, uh, something Perez left out earlier,
was that in that first meeting with Giulia,
it was Jade who interfered, saving Perez and also saving her title.
There's a nice arm drag. Tag was made.
Perez coming right back into the fight,
and she suffers the same consequences of her tag-team partner,
not once, but twice.
Looking for the trifecta.
Instead, just a dropkick to the face.
[Booker] Beautiful. Beautiful action right there.
You gotta give it up for Kelani Jordan.
She's young and new to this vengeance,
but she's picking it up at an astronomical pace.
[Vic] Well, look. Kelani heard what these two, and that being Perez and Jade,
have said for weeks,
even what they've said online.
And you could understand why Jordan, Giulia, and the rest are just
sick of Jade and Perez.
Look who saved her partner.
Don't miss a second.
Get back in the ring! Come on, Perez.
-You okay? -Get back in the ring.
[Vic] Tag-team main event here on NXT.
Kelani Jordan creating some separation,
but now she definitely needs to make a tag,
as she's trying to take it to Roxanne Perez,
the self-described best woman in the world,
who is tied with WWE Women's Champion Iyo Sky
for the most women's matches here on NXT
on a premium live event.
And she's showing you why.
[Booker] Yeah, baby!
Yes, that's Roxanne Perez right there.
[Vic] I'll give Perez a lot of credit.
Only three women have held the title, the Women's title here in NXT,
for more combined days than Roxanne Perez.
She certainly has rewrote the record book here.
As Cora Jade charging right in!
[Booker] Beautiful work there by Cora Jade.
Cora Jade actually said Roxanne Perez was truly the best.
-That kind of-- -[Vic] In for the cover.
[Booker] That kind of praise coming from your tag-team partner
has got to do something for you.
[Vic] That's what they should be doing. I'll ask you this.
With Giulia on the outside, desperately wanting to get back in.
As Roxanne Perez, are the champion's days numbered?
[Booker] Oh, I… I wouldn't think that. Why would you say something like that?
[Vic] She has a huge matchup coming up in Los Angeles.
First NXT of the new year.
-[Booker] Can I… can I say something? -[Vic] New Year's Evil.
[Vic] I haven't stopped you.
[Booker] I wanna say congratulations to Giulia because she got a piece of history
becoming the Iron Survivor.
Congratulations, Giulia.
[Vic] With that, she becomes the number one contender.
Again, the official here has his hands full with these two,
as Perez… Oh!
Kelani now, trying it her way.
Oh, nasty landing for Cora Jade.
And the door is open.
Giulia's so close.
-And here comes "The Beautiful Madness." -[Booker] Oh baby! Oh yes!
[Vic] I'm starting to think about what happened earlier tonight
when Perez got in the face of Giulia,
when Roxanne Perez came out with a Kendo stick,
when they both attacked Stephanie Vaquer.
Is that an act of desperation by those two?
[Booker] What are you talking about?
[Vic] They can feel it slipping through their hands.
[Booker] I don't think so, Vic. I don't… It's… it's far from that.
-Oh! -[Vic] Oh my!
I'm saying for the big shot right there.
She's dazed. She's dazed.
[Vic] And she's probably gonna be confused here in a moment.
[Giulia] Yah, ha, ha!
[Roxanne whimpers]
[Vic] Giulia having a little bit of fun.
Northern lights style, into the cover.
-[Booker] Go, Roxanne. -[Vic] And the champion just kicked out.
Take another look.
Nice little hammerlock. A little extra oomph on that suplex.
It's now Giulia turning things around.
Hoisting up the champion. Roxanne not gonna like the landing.
Able to counter those. Perez "Prodigy" to the midsection.
-[Booker] Beautiful… -[Vic] Looking for Pop Rox.
[Booker] So close. So close.
Big forearm.
Perez charging back in with one of her own.
[Booker] Bring it. Bring it, Rox says. Bring it.
[Vic] And this is a taste of what we're gonna have in Los Angeles.
[crowd shouting]
[Giulia screams]
-[Booker] Man. -Yeah!
Beautiful belly-to-back there by Giulia.
Roxanne's dazed.
Like you said, confused.
[Vic] And is this the moment now?
Can Giulia pin the NXT Women's Champion
just weeks before their championship rematch
at New Year's Evil?
-Sit-down style. -[Booker] I don't like this.
[Vic] It might be… pins a champion.
Cover!
Oh, and Cora Jade breaking things up.
And now all four women in the ring.
Again, things breaking down.
There has been a lot of animosity
between these four
since the start.
We said it would be combustible elements in our main event.
Counter, inside cradle.
Kelani able to kick out.
Perez following right up with a dropkick.
[Booker] Right now, Kelani Jordan is
in the wrong side of town right now, Victor.
[Vic] She certainly is. And there is the tag.
The legal Superstar is now Cora Jade.
[referee] Make the tag!
Unless you make the tag, you gotta get out.
[Vic] Jade and Perez letting her know. And Giulia
dragging out the champion.
Big knee just wiped out "The Beautiful Madness."
And the two legal Superstars are the only two standing
for a moment.
Kelani said earlier she was confident in her abilities.
She said check the resume.
And she goes up, over, and wipes out Cora.
[referee] Come on, bring it in.
[Vic] Roxanne saved herself.
[Booker] I'd say got out of the way in the nick of time.
That's what that was, Vic.
[Vic] You can say that again. Oh, and on the outside,
making Kelani pay.
As you see in the background, the official didn't see Pop Rox
right here on the floor.
Giulia, though, target acquired.
Wiping out the champion.
Those two can't wait for Los Angeles,
but, Booker, this matchup continuing.
And look at the two legal Superstars.
They're in the ring.
The damage that has been done to Kelani.
-And picking up the scraps! -[Booker] Oh yeah!
-Oh yeah! Give me some. -[Vic] It's all Jade.
[Booker] Give 'em one, two, three.
-[bell dings] -[Vic] And Jade just pinned Jordan.
[Mike] And your winner,
the NXT Women's Champion, Roxanne Perez,
and Cora Jade!
[Vic] Well, hey, Book, gloat.
[Booker chuckles]
[Vic] Tell…
[Vic] Oh.
["Bury Me" playing]
[Vic] Cora's ready.
There's Stephanie Vaquer.
She was taken out earlier.
[crowd chanting] Stephanie! Stephanie! Stephanie!
[Vic] But she's now looking for her pound of flesh.
[crowd chanting] Stephanie! Stephanie! Stephanie!
[Vic] And, Booker, you know what they say about payback.
Hell hath no fury.
Like the dark angels scored.
I can't believe it's happening next week.
The biggest match of my life for the NXT title.
Yep, it's official. I'll see you in Lowell.
I deserve this.
And, Eddy, just so you know, we're still looking into who attacked you.
I know who attacked me.
Seriously?
You're looking at him.
I got my title match,
and I didn't have to go through 25 minutes of hell to get it.
I'll see you in Lowell. through 25 minutes of hell to get it.