Wells’s report on Trick Williams vs. Ethan Page, Roxanne Perez vs. Jordynne Grace, Women’s Six-Pack Ladder Match, more

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WELLS’S NXT BATTLEGROUND REPORT
JUNE 9, 2024
LAS VEGAS, NEV. AT UFC APEX
AIRED LIVE ON PEACOCK

Commentators: Vic Joseph & Booker T

Ring Announcer: Mike Rome

-Megan Morant and Sam Roberts hosted the pre-show. Not that it needs to be said, but it was a strong hype piece for the show with a lot of original content. Of note, Oba Femi delivered an intense, terrifying promo that should’ve been on NXT proper. We also got some video of Oro Mensah attacking Ethan Page a couple of times, waiting in the wings to avenge Noam Dar after this match goes down.

-Sexyy Red opened the show in the ring. She twerked a lot and the camera was careful with how much was shown. The UFC Apex is a very different-looking venue from the pro wrestling norm, giving the show a novel feel right out of the gate. An opening video promoted tonight’s matches while also showing a time-lapse video of the transformation the arena underwent for tonight’s show.

-Vic and Booker talked to the camera a little before the matches got underway. There was a ladder set up at ringside, so the opener is what you’d expect.

(1) KELANI JORDAN vs. SOL RUCA vs. MICHIN vs. LASH LEGEND vs. JAIDA PARKER vs. FALLON HENLEY – Six-pack Ladder Match for the inaugural Women’s NXT North American Championship

Order of introduction was Ruca, Parker, Michin, Henley (wearing a garish fur coat with cow patterning), Legend and finally Jordan. I’m fairly sure all six were wearing new gear for the occasion.

Legend dominated Jordan in the ring early while Michin and Parker battled at the announce table. Booker T got clipped by a ladder (I think) and he took a moment to compose himself as Vic handled things. It’s a very small space on the outside in front of the barricades given the limitations of the space. I’ve seen a lot of New Japan shows like this and it’s clear that the workers have to be very careful with any spots to the outside (particularly tope suicidas).

Jordan and Legend went at it in the ring, and Michin and Parker teamed up to put them in a corner using a ladder to trap them. It was chaos early on and Henley was able to set up a ladder but Ruca yanked her down. Ruca slowly went for the ladder but Michin yanked her down, only to be yanked down by Legend. Legend charged Michin into the ladder to knock it over. Legend and Michin each had a ladder. Michin set one up for a spot later. Legend went up and had to awkwardly pretend she couldn’t reach the belt as Henley showed up a bit late. Legend put Michin in a headlock. Henley jumped on top of Legend for a headlock and then Jordan jumped on Henley for a headlock for a brief fun visual.

Everyone went up the ladder and fought for position. Jordan got stretched over the top of the ladder by Legend and Parker. Everyone was cleared but Parker and Ruca, and Michin knocked over the ladder. Jordan and Parker each ate the ladder in separate spots. Henley was briefly the only one active and she ran up the ladder, but Parker met her there. A second ladder went up and everyone reached for the gold until Legend and Ruca were left there, exchanging rights. Again, everyone got involved and five of the women tossed Legend outside to a ladder draped from the ring to the announce table. It looked like a bad, painful fall. There was a “holy shit” chant for that.

Michin took control in the ring and went up the ladder, but the other active women pushed the ladder over. Parker hit a powerslam on Ruca and set up a new ladder. She went up and Michin yanked her to the mat. Ruca got involved again and hit a Sol Snatcher on Parker out of nowhere, then another on Henley. Ruca and Jordan went up and then knocked one another off of the top of the ladder. Michin cleared Ruca and then Jordan superkicked Michin and hit a moonsault on Michin on a ladder on the mat. Jordan rushed up the ladder and grabbed the belt uncontested.

WINNER: Kelani Jordan at 12:19.

(Wells’s Analysis: The match had some very good action interspersed with some really bad moments where nobody was available to stop someone from reaching the championship belt. Jordan is a real dark horse winner, as she’s still a real work in progress on the mic whereas many of these women feel more ready for the moment, but I guess they’re going to let her sink or swim. She’s a dynamo in the ring, though, of course. I was surprised at the brevity of the match, which made the finish all the more surprising in the moment)

-Peacock Premium subscribers got a countdown of the ten best announcer reactions of the year, which pulled back the curtain and showed the announcers fighting laughter during some funny moments.

-Trick Williams, Ethan Page, Shayna Baszler and Lola Vice were shown walking and sparring ahead of their matches.

(2) AXIOM & NATHAN FRAZER (c) vs. LUKE GALLOWS & KARL ANDERSON – NXT Tag Team Championship match

Axiom and Anderson grappled around the ring to open. Anderson threw a big chop and then worked the taped left shoulder of Axiom. Frazer tagged in and ran the ropes for a back kick on Anderson. Anderson took down Frazer, who made the blind tag to Axiom, who hit a surprise dropkick for two. Frazer tagged back in and went at Anderson with kicks in the babyface corner. Anderson took control with some kicks and he posed to boos. Frazer yanked Anderson into the second buckle and tagged Axiom. Axiom ran the ropes and Anderson caught and slammed him. Gallows tagged in and took over with basic power stuff. Vic pointed out that the OC are having their first PLE appearance since Crown Jewel in 2022. Interesting, though I’m surprised they’d bring that up while they’re going for a championship.

The OC made a few tags and slowed the pace as they worked Axiom over. Gallows lifted Axiom for another slam but Axiom reversed to a DDT. Axiom nearly had the hot tag but Anderson cut it off. Right after, Axiom got in a shot and rolled to the tag. Frazer majorly raised the speed in the ring and hit a standing shooting star press on Anderson for two. Frazer went up and missed a Phoenix Splash, but he rolled through. Anderson hit a TKO ad tagged Gallows. They hit a team neckbreaker and Gallows got a near-fall on Frazer. Gallows hit a sit-out powerbomb for two, broken up by Axiom. Anderson tagged in and he stalked Frazer, who managed an enzuigiri and a tag. Anderson hit a spinebuster on Axiom and the two went for a Magic Killer, but Axiom fought it off and Frazer cleared Anderson.

Axiom snapped a headlock on Gallows, who crawled and made the tag. The two hit another tandem spot for two, and Frazer sailed out of nowhere to break it up. Axiom hit an inside cradle on Anderson for two. Frazer tried a tope suicida on Gallows, who caught him and spiked him on the apron. Insde, Anderson hit a Gun Stun from the second buckle for a very long two. Anderson took Axiom up again, but Axiom wriggled free and hit an enzuigiri. Frazer and Gallows spilled outside, and then Frazer made the tag. Axiom hit a super Spanish Fly and Frazer flew in with a Phoenix Splash. This time it connected to finish.

WINNERS: Axiom & Nathan Frazer at 11:36.

(Wells’s Analysis: Good action, but as always with the champions, it could easily had a slower segment to tell a story rather than rush from spot to spot. The OC seemed like a lock to take the championships from Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin for a moment, but they never got a match with them and have now lost to the next champions. I’m not sure what the plan is for them)

-There was a hype video for Josh Briggs, but this may have been a Peacock Premium exclusive, as it was just basic hype. A video for Carlee Bright followed, spotlighting her career as a cheerleader for the University of Minnesota leading into her new love of professional wrestling. She said she’s NXT’s “Ray of sunshine.” They also showed a Dante Chen video as well as a “Hey, sorry we lied to you about WrestleMania twice” video promoting SummerSlam in Minneapolis in 2026.

-Earlier tonight, Roxanne Perez and Jordynne Grace arrived (separately) ahead of tonight’s match. There was a video package running the feud down as they continued preparing the stage for the match.

(3) LOLA VICE vs. SHAYNA BASZLER – NXT Underground match

Mike Rome handled formal introductions. The only ways to win, as always, are knockout or submission. Darryl Sharma officiated, as I’m pretty sure he usually does for these. Baszler took down Vice early and Vice bailed to the ramp. Baszler followed and beat down Vice there. Baszler managed a couple more takedowns and a suplex (Vic was referring to basic wrestling spots as “takedowns” to sell the legitimate feel of the match). Vice was able to snap on a sleeper to stagger Baszler, who barreled the two of them off the edge of the rope-less structure and into some performance center guys to break their fall.

Baszler uncovered the announce table and brought Vice up atop it. Vice recovered and they exchanged shots. Vice was able to fight it off just enough to clear Baszler from the table. Baszler charged Vice, who moved, and Baszler’s knee crased into the announce table. Vice wrenched Baszler’s leg around a corner post (the posts remain up, though the ropes are gone) and took control in the ring. She worked a leg submission and transitioned to an ankle lock when Baszler didn’t give. Vice struck with combo kicks to ground Baszler, then threw some punches. She locked on a sleeper and Baszler pried herself free. Baszler tossed Vice and then snapped on her own sleeper. Vice tried to wrench Baszler’s leg to get her to break, and eventually she succeeded.

The two hit their feet but Baszler staggered Vice with a knee shortly thereafter. Baszler went for a flash knee but Vice surprised her with a backfist, and Baszler went limp and fell to the outside, again onto two large performance center guys. Baszler strangely went after a bunch of PC wrestlers, male and female, and laid them out as she felt they were in her way. Vice got a kick in, but Baszler trapped her arm as she was draped over the edge of the ring. Baszler went out after Vice, who charged Baszler headfirst into the steel steps. In the ring, Vice hit a big backfist, and then threw a large number of elbows. Darryl Sharma broke it up MMA style and called for the bell, and to save face, Baszler continued going for ankles and bodies until the refs let her know what happened.

WINNER: Lola Vice at 10:18.

(Wells’s Analysis: Another fairly satisfying Underground match, but I think Vice would’ve gained more with a hard-fought loss than a win, and Baszler needed a win in a big way anyway, so it genuinely comes off as a big miss as far as booking is concerned. Still, I guess the finish is a nitpick as the match delivered in the way one would want)

-Peacock Premium spots aired as the ring went back to normal. Eddy Thorpe’s video from last Tuesday played.

-Kelani Jordan celebrated briefly with Sexyy Red and her crew. Jordan is apparently partying with them later? So far, Red’s “hosting” has just been her saying hello and twerking to introduce the show.

-NXT Heatwave is on July 7th on Peacock. Does NXT really need monthly weekend PLEs?

-The announcers hyped the North American Championship match and threw to a video package hyping the competitors.

(4) WES LEE vs. JOE COFFEY vs. OBA FEMI (c) – triple threat match for the NXT North American Championship

Femi swaggered to the ring like he owned the place, which, of course, he does. The match opened with some quick strikes, first in a triangle, but then with the two challengers trying to wear down Femi. Femi got dumped by a Coffey dropkick, allowing Lee and Coffey to have a quick-moving sequence early. Lee charged Femi in the ring, then hit a twisting splash on Coffey, broken up by Femi. Lee got in a couple of kicks but Femi turned him inside out. There was a dueling “Oba Femi/Let’s go Wes” chant that was probably 60-40 in favor of Femi. Femi hit back elbows on both other guys in opposite corners repeatedly. He tossed Lee into Coffey, then smiled and took a breather.

Femi lifted Lee for a suplex, and Coffey threw body shots to Femi, which he absorbed while holding Lee. Finally Femi released Lee and the three of them all took a moment. They jockeyed for position in a corner, where Femi threw Lee high into the air onto Coffey. I’ve never been more surprised to not hear a “holy shit” chant, though there was a good reaction.

Femi got dumped and the two challengers again picked up speed for their exchange. Coffey hit a backbreaker. There was a “we want tables” chant. Why would we want tables to screw up the match we’ve got going here? Coffey briefly took control and he dropped an elbow on Femi for two.  Coffey and Lee took down Femi. Lee superkicked Coffey, accidentally dropping him into a cover for two, which he then broke up. Coffey and Femi went to the outside, where Coffey dominated until Femi caught him and powerbombed him on the apron. Lee flew in with a plancha, and Femi casually caught him and powerbombed him on Coffey.

All three got back inside and Lee struck Femi with an overhead kick for two, broken up by Coffey. Coffey took control and hit a spinebuster on Lee for two. Action went back outside. Femi put up Coffey for a slam, and Gallus’s Mark Coffey and Wolfgang charged and took out Femi to boos. Inside the ring, Coffey hit the Glasgow Sendoff on Lee for a long two. Femi appeared behind Mark and Wolfgang, and he charged their heads into the mat. He entered the ring and the three exchanged shots again. Lee hit double knees on Coffey as Femi was cleared from the ring. Cardiac Kick connected on Coffey, but Mark Coffey yanked the referee out of the ring. Gallus jawed with the referee and Lee flew over the ring and took them out.

Back inside, Femi hit a huge press slam on Coffey, then a powerbomb on Lee and another on Coffey to retain.

WINNER: Oba Femi at 12:01.

(Wells’s Analysis: Again, the triple threat environment casts some doubt on Femi’s matches, as they know we know Femi isn’t doing a job in a one-on-one yet. Lee still has an opening for a title match, given that he wasn’t the one to eat the pin. Coffey ate the pin and as a result, Gallus is once again likely defined down as a midcard heel gatekeeper act. As always, Femi is the coolest guy in the room)

-A Premium spot focused on the TakeOver: Brooklyn match between recently-crowned NXT Champion Finn Balor and Kevin Owens, won by Balor to make way for Owens being fast-tracked to the main roster.

-Wendy Choo woke up. She looked with creepy eyes into the mirror, which cracked. She had her tweaked (or completely different?) gimmick will show up on NXT this Tuesday night.

-A video package ran down the story leading to Roxanne Perez defending against Jordynne Grace.

(5) JORDYNNE GRACE vs. ROXANNE PEREZ (c) – NXT Women’s Championship match

Grace’s TNA Knockout Championship isn’t on the line. Perez admired and kissed her championship belt before shoving it in the face of Grace before the match. Mike Rome handled formal intros. A “this is awesome” chant greeted the moment even as the women were just locking up. Grace tossed Perez, then invited her to a test of strength. Perez ran the ropes and the two reversed for a moment until Perez slapped Grace, drawing a “you (effed) up” chant. Grace went for a powerbomb but Perez thumbed her in the eye to free herself. Grace went up in a corner, but Perez yanked her head down on the buckle and grounded her. I’m not sure if Grace clipped a rough part of the buckle or what, but Grace was bleeding on the right side of her face. The ref, a new one, didn’t have his gloves on yet per the norm.

Perez worked over Grace and stomped her, then posed as she surfed on her body. Grace recovered and the two exchanged grapples. Perez worked Grace’s left shoulder, but Grace lifted Perez and dropped her to the mat. The two got to their feet and Perez went for a cross-body, but Grace caught and slammed her. Grace missed from the corner also. The two went up in the corner and Grace hit a slam from the top. Both women sold on the mat.

The two hit their feet and exchanged some quick strikes. Grace hit a body slam, and then another. Perez shrieked and threw some strikes, mostly absorbed by Grace, who laid out Perez with a clothesline. Grace hit a spinebuster for two. Grace wanted a muscle buster but Perez wriggled free, hit a DDT, and covered for two. Perez worked an arm submission, and Grace draped her over the top rope to break. Grace hit a muscle buster for two. Action spilled to the apron, where Perez charged Grace to a post. The two exchanged scary attempts at spots until Perez managed a DDT while flying from the ropes. Back inside, Perez hit a springboard moonsault for two. She transitioned right into the crossface, quickly broken by a rope.

Perez went for Pop Rox, which Grace countered. Grace hit a Gory Bomb. Tatum Paxley showed up through the audience and she grabbed Grace’s Knockouts Title belt. She tried to escape with it, but TNA’s Ash By Elegance (formerly Dana Brooke in WWE; Vic started calling her Dana Brooke before he remembered what he was doing) was on the ramp and she tried to take the title from Paxley. Grace laid both of them out.

Back inside, Grace went for her Juggernaut Driver, but Perez countered and hit Pop Rox for the victory. Afterward, Elegance jawed at Grace. Not sure if their feud will play out on NXT, but Grace will definitely have beef with Paxley.

WINNER: Roxanne Perez at 13:55.

(Wells’s Analysis: What a surreal scene to have the NXT Knockouts Champion challenge for an NXT Championship. The two had a nice affair that proved to be more of an angle in the end, signaling more to come from this company partnership. Grace feels just barely figured-in enough to have had a small chance at the championship, and she may have another match down the line, but I’d still bet on Giulia to be the next NXT Women’s Champion, as most people would)

-Premium focused on Drew McIntyre’s very brief World Championship reign at WrestleMania, which segued nicely into a promo for Clash at the Castle.

-Sarah Schreiber talked to Sexyy Red. The audio quality in the scene was awful, like they were in a tunnel or something. Lola Vice showed up and twerked with Red. Red turned Schreiber around and told her to twerk. Schreiber, in a weird spot, decided to briefly go along with it despite some hesitation.

-Backstage, Gallus attacked Wes Lee.

-Vic hyped this week’s NXT, with a Singapore Cane match between Dante Chen and Lexis King, Jaida Parker vs. Michin, and Shawn Spears vs. Je’Von Evans.

-A video package ran down the events leading to Ethan Page’s shock debut and insertion into the main event scene, shoving aside Noam Dar but setting up issues for all parties even after this match goes down. Somehow, Page being in this spot this soon strikes me as more surreal than Jordynne Grace being in the last match.

(6) TRICK WILLIAMS (c) vs. ETHAN PAGE – NXT Championship match

Page got some heat, though still somewhat muted as many fans may still be getting to know him (or waiting to see if this level of push is sustained). Page went at Williams immediately with kicks and rights. Vic said it took Page 17 years to get here, but in one night, he could be champion. Williams reversed and did some ground & pound, then hit a neckbreaker. Page dumped Williams by yanking a rope, then went out and charged Williams into the steel steps. The two fought near the ropes and Page managed a draping backbreaker for a quick one count. Back suplex by Page also got a one count. A neckbreaker got two. Page clapped at the ref in the hopes of getting him to count faster.

Page slowed it down with a waistlock, and then charged Williams repeatedly in the corner. The two fought up on the turnbuckle and Page controlled and grounded Williams with a powerslam for two. Page hit a headbutt and then clubbed Williams a few times. There was a “You don’t go here” chant. Williams fought off a charge with a DDT, creating separation and allowing both to sell. The two got to their feet and exchanged forearms. Williams got the better of it and hit an axe kick and a flapjack as Vic said Booker must be proud.

Page was draped over the barricade, and Williams charged and splashed him there as security guys kept the mass of humanity from landing on a fan. Action went back inside and Page got the better of Williams and covered for two. The two exchanged forearms from their knees and then their feet. Williams was winning the exchange until a Page knee. The two missed a series of kicks until Page hit one, but Williams hit a uranage for a long two.

Action once again went outside, and after a segment of jockeying for position, Page suplexed Williams through the announce table. Booker T’s headset was apparently non-functional so Vic took over on his own. Page went at Williams with relentless punches in the corner, and then did so again. The ref backed him up and Williams hit the Trick Shot out of nowhere to finish.

WINNER: Trick Williams at 12:11.

Sexyy Red danced a little bit with Trick after the win, apparently hitting her quota for appearances. There was no show-ending angle, and the show went off the air after two hours and 38 minutes.

(Wells’s Analysis: This feels like a fever dream with Page in this spot. It ended abruptly, as 12 minutes is pretty short bell-to-bell time for an NXT PLE main event. It was perfectly decent action in the main event but we aren’t in the Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov era anymore, obviously. It really feels like WWE signed Page out of nowhere, and figured they could get a main event spot out of him one time without having to define him down, so they called an audible and saved Noam Dar for later)

FINAL THOUGHTS: There was nothing here that qualified as bad, but this was a pretty lackluster NXT PLE in terms of memorable moments and match quality. It comes off a little like a somewhat strong weekly episode as a result. Perez and Grace had the longest match, and I’m wondering how long it’s been since the longest match on an NXT PLE was shorter than 13:55. Maybe never? I don’t have any major complaints but I’m also worried I won’t have a lot to say on Wrestling Night in America with Greg Parks in a few minutes here. Hopefully, adrenaline will take over. Check us out live or stream tomorrow. See you Tuesday.