WWE NXT RESULTS: Kiana Calculates Future Odds against Nikkita, Level Up Rematch Comes to the Main Show and The New Cora Battles with Title Contender (August, 9th 2022)
Welcome all to this weeks NXT report, detailing a show that womens wise had PLENTY going on on what was the last show, the go home show, before NXT Heatwave goes down next Tuesday. Ahead of that, championship contender Zoey Stark is in action against the recently turned villainous Cora Jade. Plus a showcase from NXT LVL Up comes to the main show as Arianna Grace looks to rise against the crowd favorite Thea Hail, and Nikkita Lyons meets her most recent enemy to have made, Kiana James.
Speaking of which, the main show opens with womens action, as rising fan favorite Nikkita Lyons takes on Kiana James, weeks after Kiana made some unflattering comments about her during her suggested “research” around her. Kiana, who was also one of the final few in the most recent contendership battle royal, enters first, followed by Nikkita making her way to the ring. As her entrance airs, a separate promo airs from herself and Zoey Stark, who have been pitted as partners on the main roster for the recently announced womens tag team championship tournament. Nikkita, joined by Zoey, tells McKenzie its an opportunity of a lifetime, even despite her and Zoey being on separate paths. Zoey sees it an advantage that they are the unknown team, and after they win the titles, everyone on RAW and Smackdown will know exactly who they are.
We then move onto the present match between Nikkita and Kiana, which starts with aggression from Kiana. Nikkita takes over quickly and Kiana has to resort to weakening her arm and legs for a possible comeback. Nikkita pushes through pain, using her legs to kick back at Kiana, as well as suplexing her and going for a seemingly missed cannonball in the corner, seeking the three count after that round of offense only for Kiana to survive narrowly by clenching the ropes and cancelling that pin. Nikkita drags her away and instead connects with the split leg drop away from the corner for the three count. Nikkita wins the match.
However, post match it appears Kiana has been set off over her defeat, or has calculated new odds against her for the future, as she smacks Nikkita from behind with a bag. Kiana stands over Nikkita, shouting down some smack talk while standing tall over her, signalling their feud, that only just got started, is far from over.
Not too long later in the night, Lash Legend concludes a phone call to speak to Malik Blade, but she notices his tag partner, Edris Enofe, is not with him. Malik doesnt get to say much anyway because it doesnt matter to Lash, because she doesnt really like Edris coming between her and Malik anyway. She asks Malik if he saw her match last week versus Alba Fyre, and he nods to confirm it. She chats up how fly she looked then goes on to diss a little fan as Malik stands by looking uninterested.
Even later in the night, Thea Hail is brought to the Chase University Office by Andre Chase, who is in discussion, or more so apologetic to a woman. That woman is Arianna Grace, who puts blame on Thea for the bruising under her eye. Thea explains its not entirely true, that her and Bohdi were playing ball, she lost the ball and it hit Arianna, even after she suggested she should duck from it. Arianna fumes that it got her in the face, ruining in turn her perfect face. She is a former Beauty Pageant queen and she cannot imagine how she can even wear a crown considering how she now looks. Andre insists the two ladies can settle it in the squared circle one on one and Arianna rises from her seat, fuming. Thea freaks out over it being her first singles match on the main NXT show while Arianna reveals that she was thinking up a lawsuit for Thea. This sends Andre into expletives, to a pop. He adds that at Chase University, differences are settled in the ring. Arianna protests that he cant do that, but Andre says otherwise, plus their recent incident happened on University Grounds. Arianna storms out in heels and Thea continues to freak out until Andre gives her a motivational talk.
Before getting to that, we go back to Lash Legend, still talking herself up to Malik Blade, along with insisting how she had Alba beat last week. A hype Lash Legend then pulls in Edris, and gets onto talking about that match further with him. Both Malik and Edris are looking far from interested as she continues talking herself up.
Cutting away from that, its over to the ring where Thea Hail is, and joined by Andre Chase and also Bohdi Hayward. Also in the ring is Thea’s set opponent, Arianna Grace. The back and forth fun encounter ends favorably on the heel side, as Arianna convinces the referee she has further injured her eye, before blasting Thea with a boot out of nowhere followed by a wasteland slam for the three count and the rebound. Arianna wins the match.
Then even later we see Malik and Edris still stuck with Lash’s whining, still trying to convince them she had Alba Fyre beat. Edris puts Lash in her place to tell her that she lost, surprising her. Lash isnt content with being interrupted by them, and in fact, she gets backed up by the appearing Elton Prince and Kit Wilson of Pretty Deadly. Elton advises Malik and Edris to never interrupt a woman, with Kit adding that in a few minutes they have a match with Edris and Malik and they will wipe the floor with them. However Malik and Edris are confident, and have some pent up aggression after having to listen to Lash for a whole hour, so they will see Pretty Deadly in the ring.
Backstage also are Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon, speaking after coming up short in last weeks four way. Yulisa reminisces on the championship four way that Kayden and Katana won and insists they were in full control, and both she and Valentina are frustrated that they got eliminated. Yulisa turns to Sanga beside her for advice on how they can improve. Sanga is about to preach that advice but in walk Katana and Kayden, though Katana is apologetic for the interruption. Katana turns her attention to Yulisa and Valentina and acknowledges that she and Kayden have known them a long time and share respect for them. Kayden guarantees that they will be fighting champions and theres no doubt that they will cross paths again. Katana concludes their speech by telling Valentina and Yulisa that when that time comes, they have no problem defending their championships against them both. As the new champions leave, Yulisa and Valentina ponder if they are even ready and Sanga blurts how they both remind him of Katana and Kayden, because they came close so many times but never gave up and now they are champions. He urges Valentina and Yulisa not to give up, because one day they will be there just like the champions. They need to clear their mind and next week they will come with them to find balance and perspective.
A little later, Tiffany Stratton walks by her lonesome through a backstage corridor and finds her way to her personal locker room. Tiffany walks into the darkened room and is relieved to finally relax but waiting behind her and calling her name and telling her shes been waiting for her is Wendy Choo. Wendy shuts out the light and all we hear is Wendy beating up Tiffany, showcasing her aggressive side for another week.
Following that, Pretty Deadly pick up a win over Edris and Malik, with NXT UK Tag Team Champions Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen at ringside with Fallon Henley. As Fallon tends to Briggs and Jensen after the match after they got took out for trying to get involved, Lash Legend shows up and beats down on her briefly. She then advances passed the ringside area and ends up joining Pretty Deadly, standing by the former NXT UK Tag Team Champions.
Then its off to the main event, as the darker Cora Jade heads out to battle, weapon in hand and new entrance music to add. Zoey Stark is about to head out, but first she is met with the presence of Nikkita Lyons, standing to her side and evidently hurt due to Kiana. Nonetheless, Nikkita brags on getting the W over Kiana, but acknowledges that she also owes her another beatdown. Moving away from her own situation, Nikkita tells Zoey its time for her to get her own win, because shes sure Zoey wont let Cora stand in her way of the NXT Womens Championship. Zoey denies that she will let Cora get in the way, and Nikkita adds that no one will stand in the way of them getting the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles either. They do fistbumps and more then down to the ring goes Zoey Stark.
But before getting to the in ring action, theres a hype promo for former NXT Womens Tag Team Champions Jacy Jayne and GiGi Dolin, without Mandy Rose. Jacy talks about rock music, how its the soundtrack of her life and release, speaking to her because it doesnt give a damn who you are or what you did, and thats exactly what Jacy Jayne is. GiGi takes a drink and declares she doesnt play by anybody elses rules, because when she does things her way, she thrives and she wont change, ever. Toxic Attraction lives the rockstar life, sadistic, seductive and successful. They are wounded, but a wounded animal is most dangerous. They are Toxic Attraction and they shatter their false reality.
Speaking of Toxic Attraction, the head of it, Mandy Rose, the NXT Womens Champion, perches by the commentary table and joins commentary for Zoeys main event singles bout against Cora Jade. Cora looks like shes about to go to another level to try and win towards the end, but is distracted by the appearing presence of Roxanne Perez, swinging the same weaponry Cora had brought to the ring. Cora tries to turn back to Zoey but misses offense and turns right into a superkick from Zoey, who spins Cora into the raised knee for the three count. Zoey wins the match.
Post Match, Roxanne stalks Cora all the way into a corner and starts swinging her weapon at her. Roxanne misses her few attempts and follows Cora to the outside, giving chase to the back and encountering one another one last time before their newly scheduled match at NXT Heatwave. Meanwhile Mandy Rose sneaks to the ring, trying to take out her own challenger, Zoey Stark, but she eats a superkick too and is scooped into Zoey’s finisher. Zoey ends the night standing over Mandy and holding up her NXT Womens Championship.
(Nikkita Lyons vs Kiana James)
(Andre Chase, Arianna Grace and Thea Hail Backstage Segment)
(Lash Legend, Malik Blade and Edris Enofe Backstage Segment)
(Thea Hail w/ Bohdi Hayward and Andre Chase vs Arianna Grace)
(Sanga, Yulisa Leon, Valentina Feroz, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter Backstage Segment)
(Tiffany Stratton and Wendy Choo Backstage Segment)
(Edris Enofe and Malik Blade vs Kit Wilson and Elton Prince feat Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen, Fallon Henley and Lash Legend)
(Kit Wilson, Elton Prince and Lash Legend Backstage Exclusive)
(GiGi Dolin and Jacy Jayne Hype Promo)
(Zoey Stark vs Cora Jade; Mandy Rose on Commentary feat Roxanne Perez)
Thoughts On:
Nikkita vs Kiana: The two were put in quite the spot as the crowd are red hot to start the show, and the opener is usually to keep the crowd hot. The match was short, but served up someone over with the crowd (Nikkita) and her winning, and in somewhat demolishing fashion kept the crowd happy. It seems they are going further with ascending Kiana somewhat as she collected some heel heat from the post match attack. Seemed like a case of upping Nikkita’s momentum while starting to soar up another heel.
Thea vs Arianna: I really enjoyed Thea and Arianna’s match last week, so seeing it come to the main NXT show, and with a story behind it made me happy. It seems like Arianna suffered bruising either from that match or training, and they are turning it into a story of Thea accidentally hitting her with a ball on university grounds. Im really starting to like even more Thea’s part in Chase U and shes playing her role excellently, while i feel Chase U could become its own separate universe. Have some of the up and comers play students from there, and have Arianna, Brooklyn and Sloane be the stereotypical mean girls club of Chase U and use two up and comer females as babyface students who back Thea, maybe even those coming through the WWE NIL program such as the Cavinder twins. If Arianna isnt going to be put with Giovanni Vinci, then theres definitely potential in making a fresh stable out of her, Brooklyn and Sloane considering she was hanging out with them weeks ago and because NXT may need one should Toxic go up or just become a two piece in future (considering the GiGi and Jacy vignette surprisingly didnt include Mandy).
Zoey vs Cora: An enjoyable main event that had an inevitable outcome. Zoey has a title match next week and had to win, and Cora needed some more build to her feud with Roxanne so Roxanne appearing and going after her worked. If Zoey doesnt win next week, im intrigued to see if they take the MR team of her and Nikkita further in NXT, considering they are using NXT to build some chemistry between them. Next week should also give some clarification as to whether GiGi and Jacy are still with Mandy or whether they’ve been quietly scrubbed from her act which would indeed be surprising to happen without reasoning played up on television.
– Catherine
Cattie's Womens Wrestling 