According to a conversation I had last night with chatGPT, “NXT is a brand of professional wrestling television programs that are produced by WWE and aired on the USA Network. NXT is the development territory for WWE and features up-and-coming wrestlers and matches that are designed to showcase their skills and help them improve their craft. NXT has held several PPV (Editor’s Note: PLE) events in the past, including NXT TakeOver events, which are a series of PPV events that are held exclusively by NXT. These events feature matches between wrestlers from the NXT brand and are known for their high-energy atmosphere and high-quality matches.”
The first NXT Deadline was held at the WWE Performance Center and featured the first Iron Survivor Challenges, a “revolutionary new match never done before in WWE history” that “pits NXT superstars against each other to determine the No. 1 contenders for both the NXT Championship and the NXT Women’s Championship.” I want to meet whoever wrote that and the rest of the bullet-pointed rules that somehow overdid both marketing-speak and wrestling-speak, to offer either editorial or emotional support.
1. Iron Survivor Challenge: Indi Hartwell vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Cora Jade vs. Zoey Stark vs. Kiana James
2 of the 5 began and the 3 remaining entered every 5 minutes; whoever had the most falls at the end of 25-minutes won, and anyone who lost a fall had to spend 90 seconds in a penalty box. I still didn’t completely understand it (or have a grasp on who was in it) until there was a colorful scoreboard listing everyone’s names and points and a timer for who was in the penalty box, so points for presentation but not explanation.
The order of entry was Roxanne, Zoey, Kiana, Cora and Indi, and Roxanne was the focal point all match: she and Zoey spent the first part struggling over headlocks and cradles (got her head stomped on the stairs too), her feud with Cora continued (got superkicked out of a Code Red too), she sold and took pins but in the last 10 minutes pulled off 2 falls to win it all. It was an impressive performance (and endorsement), and on a personal sidenote the visual of her being carried off to the penalty box after being knocked unconscious enough for a 3-count cracked me up.
Zoey was steady all match and Kiana and Cora got decent runs, though neither have shown much beyond “competent WWE PC Superstar.” Zoey’s 2nd-rope springboard moonsault, Kiana’s barricade moonsault, Roxanne’s tope and Cora’s apron somersault plancha brought the excitement, and the action was consistent all match though kind of bland, too, with drama not elicited from performances but assumed from the stipulation. Never assume. As the 25-minute time limit neared and everyone was settling for cradles Roxanne had still turned in a good performance but it didn’t seem like anything was actually, like, being built to or paid off either. ***1/2
2. Isla Dawn vs. Alba Fyre
NXT UK’s Isla Dawn made her U.S. debut with 10-minutes on a PLE, and she and Alba Fyre (another NXT UK alumni) brought the action. It was action that felt a bit rushed, and it was action that ended not when Isla’s superpowers caused the referee to vomit black blood, but when she threw Fyre into a steel turnbuckle. Either way, they brought the action. **3/4
3. NXT Tag Team Title: Pretty Deadly [c] vs. The New Day
As they usually do but especially in the more intimate confinements of the PC, New Day had the people Loving It. There was a twerk-off and tope con hilo and Pretty Deadly bumping around, then Kofi and Xavier took turns taking heat before a 4-man Eddie Guerrero tribute spot that was pulled off tremendously. Hearing Booker T told live on commentary one of his tag records was broken after was money too. ***1/4
4. Iron Survivor Challenge: Axiom vs. Carmelo Hayes vs. JD McDonagh vs. Grayson Waller vs. Joe Gacy
The graphics, countdown and penalty box were back and the order of entry was JD, Axiom, Melo, Grayson and Joe Gacy. Instead of one person as the match’s focus this was more of an all-around type of thing, and everyone brought such a consistency that by the end I’m not sure anyone really stood out.
There were more falls (everyone but JD had 2 with 30 seconds left), though many felt too convenient or too soon. Melo pinned Axiom after 7 minutes, then they and JD put together a decent Triple Threat before Waller entered and conveniently pinned both JD and Axiom. He yelled “who’s your Fav 5 now bitch!?” at Booker T then took a fall from Axiom, who quickly got another fall on JD.
Schism Joe entered last and quickly tapped Axiom, then before Grayson and JD returned to the ring from their penalties pinned Melo with the handspring lariat. He followed with a tope con hilo, then Axiom left the box with a moonsault. With 4 minutes left, Melo tapped Waller to tie everyone but JD at 2 points. The crowd rose as they attained a sort of drama, though a drama that was quickly reduced to everyone just scrambling after Waller got a 3rd fall with 30 seconds left.
Pro wrestling is a product, yeah, but both Iron Survivor Challenges really felt like one, a product sold with a presentation followed by handshakes and a visible production cycle even if nobody was really feeling anything during the whole process, you know? Maybe I’m over-thinking this. ***1/2
5. NXT Title: Bron Breakker [c] vs. Apollo Crews
The build-up for this match was unique for WWE; I mean these two men went to breakfast and out fishing together. The first few minutes were laid out kind of great too, with two big fellas trying to one-up each other: test of strength, holds and double kip-up before an Apollo dropkick and standing moonsault. Apollo hit the ropes but Bron caught him in a gator roll turned into a stalling suplex then did a standing moonsault and tope con hilo. Oh my!
Then Bron jumped into a knee and Crews .. meditated? He closed his eyes then opened them and the camera zoomed out like it was the Rainmaker or something, which was definitely an interesting take on The Comeback if not one I want to see more of. Near falls followed, from Crews’ DVD and triple powerbomb and Bron’s flying bulldog and a gorilla press powerslam. They traded punches and Crews hit an enzuigiri then lifted Bron but Bron escaped and just charged with a spear for 3.
Fun match, well-earned spot for Crews, and another display of what young main eventer Bron can do if not another one that re-enforced his ceiling too. ***1/2
Happy Thoughts: Just… fine. It was fine. A decent show if you’re already subscribed to Peacock, otherwise one that relied too much on a formulaic and over-produced new match gimmick. 3.0 / 5.0
