WWE NXT Results (05/23) - Tyler Bate Vs. Eddy Thorpe, Second Round Matches For Women's Title Tournament
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "WWE NXT" on May 23, 2023, coming to you live from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida!
Two second round matches in the "NXT" Women's Tournament are set for tonight, as Roxanne Perez collides with Tiffany Stratton while Cora Jade goes one-on-one with Lyra Valkyria. The winners will face one another at "NXT" Battleground on May 28 in order to crown a new "NXT" Women's Champion following the relinquishment of the title a few weeks ago.
Before he takes on Joe Gacy and titleholder Wes Lee in a Triple Threat Match for the North American Championship on Sunday, Tyler Bate looks to gain some momentum going into the bout as he takes on Eddy Thorpe. Bate found himself involved in a verbal exchange with Lee and Gacy last week after Gacy suggested that Bate was using Lee to get a shot at the North American Championship and Bate admitting that he wanted such.
Nathan Frazer will be returning to action on "NXT" programming for the first time since coming up short against Dragon Lee on the April 4 episode as he faces reigning Heritage Cup Champion Noam Dar. The pair came face-to-face last week during "The Supernova Sessions" while Dar was talking to his Battleground opponent, Lee.
Additionally, Axiom will be squaring off with Dabba-Kato as a result of a recent encounter between the pair.
We are live! The show kicks off with videos from Lyra Valkyria, Cora Jade, Tiffany Stratton, and Roxanne Perez discussing how they'll each become "NXT" Women's Champion. Vic Joseph and Booker T then greet audiences at home as Valkyria and Jade make their way to the ring.
Cora Jade vs. Lyra Valkyria in a Second Round Match in the NXT Women's Championship Tournament
The bell rings and Jade delivers a knee to Valkyria's midsection. She follows it up with a right hand across her spine, but Valkyria fires back with a double underhook suplex. Jade then delivers a vicious chop and a dropkick before Valkyria lands a Dragon Screw. Valkyria ascends to the middle rope and lands a dropkick, then follows it up with a scissor kick and a Northern Lights suplex. Jade delivers a jumping knee, but Valkyria catches her with a suplex and a roundhouse kick to her head for the win.
Winner: Lyra Valkyria
After the match, Jade blindsides Valkyria and hits her in the knee with a kendo stick.
Back from the break, we see Dijak arriving at the Performance Center. Ilja Dragunov blindsides him and cracks a chair across his spine before sending him crashing into a garage door. He looks to crush him under it, but Dijak prevents him from doing so until officials appear and diffuse the situation.
Back at ringside, Axiom heads down. Dabba-Kato follows.
Axiom vs. Dabba-Kato
The bell rings and Axiom delivers a series of kicks to Dabba-Kato's thigh. He looks for a shoulder tackle, but Dabba-Kato stays standing and levels him with a clothesline. He executes another one that sends Axiom crashing to the outside, then follows him out there and delivers a vicious chop. He gets Axiom over his head and dumps him into the ring, then looks to follow him in. Axiom catches him with a Dragon Screw and a pair of kicks to his chest, then charges at him. Dabba-Kato flips him inside out with a clothesline, then lands a double chokeslam for the win.
Winner: Dabba-Kato
After the match, Dabba-Kato continues to beat down Axiom, but Reggie comes to Axiom's aid and low bridges Dabba-Kato to the outside. He looks to help Axiom up, but Axiom pushes him away. Reggie then offers Axiom his hand, but Axiom refuses to shake it.
We then head to footage of Tony D'Angelo being questioned by authorities after being taken to the station last week. The official asks D'Angelo why his name keeps coming up in investigations and says they were tipped off. He then shows D'Angelo a video of himself, and D'Angelo says it wasn't him. Another official walks in and tells the first official they have received new information he's going to want to see.
Back from the break, we head to a video from Bron Breakker, recapping what has transpired between himself, Carmelo Hayes, and Trick Williams over the past few weeks, as well as sending a message for Hayes.
Back at ringside, Gallus heads down.
The Creed Brothers Challenge Gallus To A NXT Tag Team Championship Match At Battleground
Joe Coffey says Battleground looked stacked, and Wolfgang says he thought The Family would challenge for the "NXT" Tag Team Championship. Joe says he's heard Tony D'Angelo has been detained and says he doesn't think D'Angelo will be seen for a long time. Mark Coffey then says The Creed Brothers didn't call them out as they promised.
The Creed Brothers' music hits, and Brutus and Julius appear. Julius says it sounds like Gallus doesn't want a challenge, but now that they've found them, they're officially challenging them for their title at Battleground. Mark says he gets that they want another shot, but Gallus is a different animal. Julius says the four of them will go into a fight, but two will emerge victorious and it will be himself and his brother.
The two teams then begin beating one another down. Gallus is about to gain the upper hand, but Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo heads down to provide The Creed Brothers with a helping hand and even the odds. Gallus is forced to retreat.
We then head backstage to McKenzie Mitchell and Wes Lee. Mitchell asks Lee about his friendship with Tyler Bate and Lee expresses his frustrations. He says maybe he should stop getting close to people before Mitchell brings in Bate. Lee says he doesn't want to hear it and walks off. Bate then says his challenge for the North American Championship doesn't change how he feels about Lee.
Back at ringside, Eddy Thorpe heads down. Bate follows as Wes Lee joins commentary.
Tyler Bate vs. Eddy Thorpe
The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with submission holds before Bate lands a dropkick and gets Thorpe up on his shoulders. Thorpe escapes and delivers a modified crossbody, then delivers a chop and a kick to Bate's spine. Bate executes a suplex and a standing Shooting Star Press, then goes for a pin but Thorpe kicks out. Bate sets up for the Tyler Driver 97, but Thorpe escapes and catches Bate with a kick. Bate delivers a rebound clothesline and Tyler Driver 97 for the win.
Winner: Tyler Bate
After the match, Joe Gacy appears and beats down Bate. Lee gets in the ring and looks to hit Gacy, but winds up hitting Bate after Gacy ducks out of the way. Gacy then catches both men with The Upside Down and grabs the North American Championship as Ava watches on from outside.
We then head backstage to Lyra Valkyria and McKenzie Mitchell. Mitchell asks Valkyria for an update on her knee, and Valkyria says while the doctor needs to take a closer look, she doesn't feel like it's torn and she'll be ready for Battleground. Mitchell then asks Valkyria who she wants to face in the finals, and Vakyria says she wants to collide with Roxanne Perez because she sees her as the best "NXT" has to offer.
Back from the break, we see Bate helping Lee up during the commercial break. Bate shoves Lee, and Lee does the same before angrily leaving the ring.
Back at ringside, Noam Dar heads down. Nathan Frazer follows.
Nathan Frazer vs. Noam Dar
The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with submission holds before Frazer delivers a single leg dropkick that sends Dar crashing out of the ring.
Back from the break, Dar trips Frazer off the top rope, then delivers a kick to his head. He then delivers a kick to Frazer's chest and stomps on his knee before raining down elbow strikes. Frazer fights back with right hands, but Dar fires off several kicks. Frazer hits a springboard moonsault-reverse DDT combination, then ascends to the top and looks to land a Phoenix Splash. Dar moves out of the way and cinches in an Ankle Lock, but Frazer quickly escapes and Dar catches him with a kick to his head. He then locks in an Arm Bar, but Frazer rolls him up and Dar relinquishes the hold by kicking out.
Frazer lands a superkick and goes for a pin, but Dar kicks out. The pair then go back and forth with right hands and chops, but Dar gains the upper hand and lands a back elbow. Dragon Lee heads out to ringside and starts mocking Dar by behaving similarly to him. Dar takes notice and gets in his face, allowing Frazer to blindside Dar, toss him back in the ring, and deliver a Phoenix Splash for the win.
Winner: Nathan Frazer
We then head backstage to McKenzie Mitchell, who is interviewing Ilja Dragunov in the locker room. Dijak barges in looking for him, and the two begin brawling before the other men in the room separate them.
Back from the break, we head to a video of Carmelo Hayes visiting his home state of Massachusetts, as well as showcasing all the interviews he has taken in over the past little while.
Back at ringside, Hank Walker and Tank Ledger head down.
Hank Walker vs. Tank Ledger
The bell rings and the two men shake hands. They lock up before attempting to level one another with shoulder tackles. Walker delivers several shoulders to Ledger's midsection, but Ledger sends him crashing into the corner and delivers a bodyslam. He follows it up with a headbutt before Walker lands a bodyslam of his own. The pair then level one another with crossbodies, and Walker manages to pin Ledger for the win.
Winner: Hank Walker
After the match, Walker looks to help Ledger up. Bron Breakker appears out of nowhere and levels both men with a Spear each.
We then head backstage to Diamond Mine discussing amongst themselves. Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo walks in, and Julius says even though they haven't seen eye-to-eye, he's thankful Stacks provided them with a helping hand. Stacks then offers to work out a deal so he can be at ringside for some extra backup at Battleground, but Julius says they've been burned before. Stacks says he understands, and Julius offers The Family the first shot at the "NXT" Tag Team Championships when himself and Brutus win.
Back from the break, Gigi Dolin heads down to the ring.
Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne Agree To Put Their Issues To Rest Once And For All Next Week
Dolin says she's not shy about hiding her past or the home she grew up in, then says she thought she found a family when she came to "NXT". She says Jacy Jayne cut her off when she would've done anything for her.
Jayne appears in the crowd and says that's all the emo talk she can take for one night. She says it all started in the crowd when they would sit in the lounge, and says it was the run of her career. Dolin asks why she threw everything away if it was so great, and Jayne says she was tired of carrying her. She says everyone knew she was destined for bigger and better things. Dolin says Jayne doesn't want to move onto bigger and better things, but rather so that she's not remembered as the third wheel. Jayne reminds Dolin she beat her and embarrassed her in front of her brother, and Dolin says Jayne needed to get eight stitches to fix her face. She says since they each have a win under their belt, why not settle it right now. Jayne says she can't wait to be done with Dolin once and for all, then challenges her to a Steel Cage Match next week. Dolin says she wears her heart on her sleeve and she's as real as it gets. She then takes it a step further and challenges her to a Weaponized Steel Cage Match. Jayne accepts.
Back from the break, Luca Crusifino heads to the ring. Von Wagner and Mr. Stone follow.
Von Wagner (w/ Mr. Stone) vs. Luca Crusifino
The bell rings and Wagner wastes no time. He whips Crusifino into the corner, then delivers a splash and a big boot that sends Crusifino crashing to the outside. He tosses him back in, then charges at him. Crusifino ducks out of the way, and Wagner is sent face first into the top turnbuckle. Crusifino then lands a hip toss-neckbreaker combination, then lands a back elbow. Crusifino tosses Wagner to the outside and follows him out there. He gets distracted by Stone and pulls a photo of a young Wagner from his jacket pocket before mocking him. An angered Wagner clotheslines him, then tosses him back in the ring and continues to ferociously beat him down. The referee calls for the bell after ordering Wagner to stop.
Winner: Luca Crusifino (via disqualification)
Wagner then continues to beat down Crusifino on the outside and looks to powerbomb him through the announce desk, but Stone talks him out of doing so. Wagner doesn't listen and powerbombs Crusifino on top of the announce desk.
We then head back to the footage of Tony D'Angelo being questioned. The two officials walk in and arrest him as D'Angelo protests.
Back at ringside. Tiffany Stratton heads down. Roxanne Perez follows.
Roxanne Perez vs. Tiffany Stratton in a Second Round Match in the NXT Women's Championship Tournament
The bell rings and Stratton mocks Perez's height. They go back and forth with attempts to pin one another before Perez lands a back elbow and an arm drag. She follows it up with a hurricanrana that sends Stratton to the outside, then sets up for a tope suicida. Stratton ducks out of the way before Perez sends her into the ring apron face first.
Back from the break, Perez delivers a massive dropkick that sends Stratton tumbling to the outside. She follows it up with a pair of tope suicidas, then tosses her back in the ring and ascends to the top. She looks for a crossbody, but Stratton rolls through and plants Perez. She then looks for Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but Perez ducks out of the way. She lands an uppercut before Stratton plants Perez.
The two women teeter on the top rope, and Perez lands a hurricanrana. She then delivers a knee to Stratton's jaw and follows it up with a Side Russian Leg Sweep. She sets up for Pop Rox, but Stratton counters. She plants Perez, then lands Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win.
Winner: Tiffany Stratton
After the match, we see Stratton and Valkyria get into one another's face. A hooded individual then appears and beats down Perez on the ramp.
Ilja Dragunov and Dijak Sign The Contract For Their Last Man Standing Match At Battleground
Dijak's music hits and he then heads down to the ring. Ilja Dragunov blindsides him and beats him down, but Dijak manages to send him crashing into the ring steps. He tosses him straight over the barricade, then grabs the contract and signs it. Two security guards appear, but Dijak levels them both. Dragunov then sends Dijak into the barricade face first, then fires off several chops. He then signs the papers and looks to go after Dijak again. More security runs down, but Dragunov levels them both. Dijka then takes him down and grabs the ring steps, but Dragunov wrestles them away from him before he goes flying and lands a right hand.