Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 5/23/2023 edition of NXT on the USA Network.
We will bring full results and breakdowns for every match and segment on the show. Follow Fightful on Twitter.com/Fightful and Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
Here's what is set for the show.
Preview.
WWE NXT (5/23/2023).
- Noam Dar vs. Nathan Frazer.
- Tyler Bate vs. Eddy Thorpe.
- NXT Women's Championship Tournament - Semi-Final Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Roxanne Perez.
- NXT Women's Championship Tournament - Semi-Final Match: Cora Jade vs. Lyra Valkyria.
- Tank Ledger vs. Hank Walker.
- Axiom vs. Dabba-Kato.
Refresh the site for the latest updates as the show happens.
Live Coverage.
- After a video package hyping up the Semi-Final Matches for the NXT Women's Title Tournament, Vic Joseph & Booker T welcomed the audience to the broadcast before transitioning to the opening match.
NXT Women's Championship Tournament - Semi-Final Match.
Cora Jade vs. Lyra Valkyria.
The match began with the two locking up before Jade hit a knee lift on Lyra. Lyra laid in some jabs on Jade before leaping over her and going for a springboard move, but Jade caught her with a forearm. Lyra got an Inside cradle on Jade for a near fall. Jade tossed Lyra into the ropes before hitting her with a chop and a shotgun dropkick on Lyra while she was wrapped on the ropes. Lyra got a pin on Jade, but Jade reversed it into a modified Romero Special before hitting a stomp on Lyra's head for a near fall. Jade hit a Springboard stomp on Lyra's back, but Lyra kicked out at two. Jade got a chin lock on Lyra, but Lyra got off the hold before hitting a dropkick off the top rope on Jade. Jade hit a toe kick, a pump kick, and hit a Northern Light's Suplex on Jade for a near fall, but Jade reversed it with a Guillotine Choke into a knee lift. Jade went for the Chicago Rising Knee Strike, but Jade caught her and hit a Takedown on Lyra. Jade went for the Back Elbow on Lyra in the middle rope, but Lyra evaded before hitting the Black Mass on Jade for the pinfall win.
Jade attacked Lyra Valkyria after the match, swinging a kendo stick onto Valkyria's left knee.
Winner: Lyra Valkyria.
- DIJAK arrived at NXT backstage but was greeted by a leaping boot from Ilja Dragunov, who continued to attack him with a chair. They are set to sign a contract later in the night to make their Last Man Standing Match official.
Dabba-Kato vs. Axiom.
Dabba-Kato & Axiom began the match staring each other down before Axiom hit two kicks on Dabba-Kato's legs. Axiom hit an enziguri kick on Dabba-Kato. Dabba-Kato went for a chokeslam, but Axiom landed n his feet, but Dabba-Kato caught him with a chop to the chest before he tossed Axiom to the outside. Axiom hit a chop on Dabba-Kato, but Dabba-Kato responded with a chop of his own before Military Pressing Axiom back into the ring. Dabba-Kato tried to get back in the ring, but Axiom caught him with a Dragon Screw to chop down Dabba-Kato. Axiom hit two chest kicks and went for a running knee, but Dabba-Kato caught him with a lariat before hitting a Chokebomb for the pinfall win.
Winner: Axiom.
- Dabba-Kato continued to attack Axiom in the corner after the match but was stopped by the man formerly known as SCRYPTS, Reggie. Reggie tried to shake Axiom's hand, but Axiom was bamboozled.
- Tony D'Angelo was interrogated by an "officer" asking D'Angelo why his name constantly was shown in their investigations. D'Angelo was shown footage of an attack before they were interrupted by another agent.
- There was a video package promoting between Bron Breakker & NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes ahead of their title rematch on NXT Battleground. Breakker said that he was coming to Hayes's hometown to dish out a massacre on Hayes on NXT Battleground.
- NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey & Gallus) came to the ring to cut a promo, saying that Battleground was looking stacked. They made fun of Tony D'Angelo being detained by the police before addressing The Creed Brothers (Brutus Creed & Julius Creed) challenging them to a match. The Creeds came to the ring to interrupt them before officially challenging Gallus to a tag title match for NXT Battleground. The two factions brawled inside the ring, with Gallus dominating proceedings until Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo evened the odds and made the save for The Creed Brothers.
- NXT North American Champion Wes Lee was interviewed backstage and said that he really thought he could have trusted Tyler Bate but maybe thought that it was Joe Gacy getting in his head. Tyler Bate tried to make amends, but Lee stormed out of the interview. Bate said that he still respected Lee and did not appreciate Gacy whatsoever, but said that he was worrying about Eddy Thorpe tonight.
Tyler Bate vs. Eddy Thorpe.
Wes Lee watched the match from ringside.
Bate & Thorpe locked up before the two exchanged wrist locks, with Thorpe locking in a headlock. Bate broke the hold with a wrist lock before hitting a takedown on Thorpe. Bate evaded Thorpe's offense before setting up his leg, but Thorpe stepped back. Thorpe ran the ropes, but Bate caught him with a dropkick for a near fall. Bate got Thorpe in a Fireman's Carry, but Thorpe evaded and tossed Bate with a Hammer Throw before hitting a Leaping cross-body. bate got an inside cradle on Bate, but Thorpe responded with a Vicious Chop before hitting a snap-mare PK Kick on Bate for a near fall. Thorpe got a wrist lock on Bate before locking in an Abdominal Stretch on Bate, but Bate broke the hold and hit three uppercuts. Thorpe hit a gut kick on Bate, but Bate hit a knee lift before hitting a diving uppercut, a T-Bone Suplex & a Standing Shooting Star Press for a near fall. Bate went for the Tyler Driver, but Thorpe reversed it with an Uppercut. Bate went for the Bop & Bang, but Thorpe reversed it with a Boot. Thorpe went for a kick on Bate, but Bate evaded and hit the Bop & Bang Lariat before hitting the Tyler Driver 97 on Thorpe for the pinfall win.
Winner: Tyler Bate.
- Joe Gacy attacked Tyler Bate after the match. Wes Lee came to the ring to attack Gacy, but accidentally decked Bate in the jaw before Gacy hit the Rebound Lariat on Bate & Lee. During the commercial break, Bate & Lee argued in the ring.
- Lyra Valkyria was checked on by the Medical Specialist, saying that she was looking to heal up her knee. She said that she hoped Roxanne Perez won to face her in the Finals.
Noam Dar vs. Nathan Frazer.
Dar & Frazer began the match locking up before Dar locked in a wrist lock on Frazer. Frazer was locked in a headlock on Dar before he locked in the headlock again. Dar got to the ropes and went for a kick on Frazer, but Frazer evaded and was locked in another headlock on Dar. Frazer leaped over Dar and ran the ropes before hitting a Lighting-quick single-leg kick on Dar to send him to the outside. Back in the ring, Frazer hit a Snap-Suplex on Dar before catching him with a chop, hitting a Sunset Bomb into a dropkick on Dar for a near fall. After that, Frazer locked in a Cravat on Dar before going for a suplex, but Dar rolled over and hit a PK kick on Frazer's eft leg to drop him before hitting a forearm strike into the corner. Dar slammed Frazer with an Irish Whip, but Frazer leaped over Dar and climbed to the top rope, but Dar kicked Frazer's leg to send him crashing onto the mat.
Back from the break, Dar locked in an elbow lock on Frazer, but Frazer hit a series of body shots on Dar before going for a springboard move, but Dar caught him mid-air to send Frazer crashing onto the mat and kicking his chest for a near fall. Dar continued to attack Frazer's left wrist and his legs before going for a pin, but Frazer kicked out at two. Frazer got back up, but Dar caught him with a forearm to the jaw before hitting two chest kicks on Frazer. Dar went for another kick, but Frazer evaded and hit a Springboard Moonsault into a Reverse DDT on Dar. Frazer hit a series of punches and pump-faked Dar before hitting an Ax-Handle, a forearm strike, and a Corkscrew Neckbreaker on Dar for a near fall. Frazer went for a Phoenix SPlash, but Dar evaded before locking in an Ankle lock, but Frazer tossed him into the corner. Frazer went for a Springboard move, but Dar evaded and locked in the Juji-Gatame on Frazer, but Frazer reversed it with a pin before hitting a Thrust Kick on Dar for a near fall. The two British Talents exchanged strikes before Frazer fired away with chops on Dar, but Dar responded with a jab. Frazer went for a kick, but Dar caught him with a vicious back elbow for a near fall. Dragon Lee watched the match from ringside, but Dar confronted him on the outside. Frazer hit a Tope Suicida on Dar to the outside before getting back in the ring and hitting a Phoenix Splash for the pinfall win.
Winner: Nathan Frazier.
- Ilja Dragunov was interviewed backstage, saying that he wanted to make DIJAK feel what he felt last week. DIJAK interrupted the interview and immediately brawled with Dragunov before the NXT Locker Room split them apart.
- There was a video of NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes doing media in his home state, Massachusets, ahead of his match against Bron Breakker on NXT Battleground. Hayes promised to beat Breakker for his people.
Tank Ledger vs. Hank Walker.
Ledger & Walker adhered to the code of honor to begin the match before the two locked up. Ledger & Walker collided with vicious shoulder blocks four times before Ledger laned Walker into the corner and hit a back elbow on him, to which Walker responded by hitting a shoulder block into the corner. Ledger tossed Walker into the corner before hitting a body slam and a cartwheel headbutt on Walker for a near fall. The two exchanged strikes before Walker hit a body slam, a corner splash, and an Irish Whip before the two crashed with running cross-bodies, which Walker got back up from to get the pinfall win on Ledger.
Winner: Hank Walker.
- After the match, Ledger & Walker got punked by Bron Breakker, who hit them with spears before calling out Hayes.
- Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo tried to be in the corner with The Creeds in their match against Gallus on Battleground, but The Creeds told them that they had burned too many bridges in the past and they would not take chances with that.
- Gigi Dolin came to the ring to cut a promo, saying that she would do anything and everything to end Jacy Jayne. Jayne interrupted the promo and was on the crowd area, where the Toxic Lounge used to be located, before saying that she outgrew Dolin and saying that she was destined for greater things on her own, but Dolin refuted by saying Jayne was doing anything to not be remembered as the third wheel. Dolin challenged Jayne to a match right now, but Jayne refuted by challenging Dolin to a Steel Cage Match. Dolin accepted the challenge and made it a weaponized Cage before calling Jayne a "fake-ass bitch", which Jayne accepted.
- Luca Crucifino cut a promo on Von Wagner, saying that he would make him pay.
- There was a video package highlighting the lineage of the NXT Heritage Cup ahead of the match between Heritage Cup Champion Noam Dar & Dragon Lee.
- There was a segment backstage of Noam Dar talking to Oroh Mensah, offering him to be his second for his match in NXT Battleground. Mensah refused the offer before Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson talked trash to Dar.
Luca Crucifino vs. Von Wagner (w/ Mr. Stone).
Wagner absolutely beat the brakes out of Crucifino, hitting a series of corner splashes and a big boot on Crucifino. Wagner went for a corner splash, but Crucifino evaded before hitting a hip toss neckbreaker on Wagner for a near fall. Wagner hit a forearm strike on Crucifino before hitting a back elbow. Crucifino tossed Wagner to the outside. Crucifino took Wagner's baby picture to talk trash to Stone at ringside, but Wager caught him with a lariat on the outside. Wagner laid out the punches on Crucifino n the ropes, leading to Crucifino getting the win via Disqualification. Wagner was going to toss Crucifino onto a table, but Mr. Stone stopped him. As the crowd chanted "Matalo (Kill him In Spanish)", Wagner obliged and hit a Powerbomb on Crucifino onto the broadcast table.
Winner: Luca Crucifino (via Disqualification).
- Back in the interrogation room, Tony D'Angelo was arrested and sent out of the room.
NXT Women's Championship Tournament - Semi-Final Match.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Roxanne Perez.
The main event of the night began with the two locking up before Perez went for a Bridge Pin on Stratton, but Stratton kicked out. Stratton hit a shoulder block on Perez, but Perez reversed it with a Tijeras but Stratton landed on her feet. Stratton & Perez exchanged pins before Perez hit a back elbow on Stratton and hit an Arm Drag on Stratton. Perez hit the Tijeras on Stratton to send her outside. Perez went for a Tope on Stratton, but Stratton caught her before Perez got off and hit the Tijeras on Stratton into the barricade. Perez went for a dive off the top rope, but Stratton dropped her into the mat.
During the break, Stratton got a near fall on Perez before stomping away at Perez. Stratton dominated proceedings during the break, slamming Perez into the mat before hitting a Double stomp on Perez. Stratton got a Bow & Arrow hold on Perez before hitting a gut kick on Perez. Stratton went for a Gut Wrench Bomb on Perez, but Perez rolled over and hit a dropkick on Stratton before hitting her with two Topes Suicida to the outside. Perez went for a dive, but Stratton rolled over and hit the Green Bay Plundge before going for the BME, but Perez rolled over and hit a Thesz Press. Perez hit an uppercut on Stratton in the corner before hitting another uppercut on Stratton, but Stratton responded by hitting the Sky High on Perez for a near fall. Stratton put Perez on the top rope and went for a Suplex, but Perez stopped her and hit an Avalanche Frankensteiner on Stratton for a near fall. Perez laid in the strikes on Stratton before going for a Russian Leg Sweep, but Stratton slammed Perez onto the mat. Stratton went for a Liger Bomb, but Perez reversed it with a pin before she hit the Russian Leg Sweep on Stratton for a near fall. Perez went for Pop Rox, but Stratton slammed her into the top rope before hitting the BEST MOONSAULT EVER for the pinfall win.
Winner: Tiffany Stratton.
- After the match, a mysterious figure attacked Roxanne Perez from behind before she ran out of the building.
- Ilja Dragunov & DIJAK brawled on ringside ahead of their Contract Signing. Dragunov went for the Torpedo Moscow, but Dragunov crashed into the stairs before DIJAK tossed him over the barricade. The two continued to brawl before Dragunov chopped DIJAK over the barricade. The two signed the contract before DIJAK got a set of stairs, but Dragunov booted him before hitting the Fallingf Forearm on Dijak off the stairs. Dragunov stood tall to end the broadcast.
- Check out the post-show podcast for a full review of the show on Fightful's YouTube & Twitch channels. You can check Fightful's Results Section here.