WWE NXT Deadline 2023 Results

WWE NXT Deadline 2023: A Recap for You

The Big Event

For the second time, WWE NXT wrapped up the year with a cool event called Deadline. Excitement buzzed in the air!

Iron Survivor Challenge

In a super cool match called the Iron Survivor Challenge, five guys and five girls battled it out. Did the favorites, Bron Breakker and Tiffany Stratton, come out on top? Or did the underdogs, Fallon Henley and Trick Williams, surprise everyone?

The winners would earn a shot at a championship whenever they wanted. The guys kept a close eye on the NXT Championship fight between Ilja Dragunov and Baron Corbin.

And for the ladies, Lyra Valkyria waited to see who she would face next. There was also drama between Roxanne Perez and Kiana James inside a steel cage. Intense stuff!

Other Showdowns

Wes Lee got injured, so “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio stepped up to face Dragon Lee, with the legendary Rey Mysterio in Dragon Lee’s corner.

Carmelo Hayes was ready to take on Lexis King, and Axiom clashed with Nathan Frazer on the Kickoff show. Big moves!

WWE NXT Deadline 2023 Results: Nathan Frazer vs. Axiom

Nathan Frazer was close to winning, but Axiom turned the tables with a top rope Spanish Fly into the Golden Ratio for the win. They even shook hands after – sportsmanship, right?

Axiom and Frazer always put on a good show. This wasn’t their absolute best, but it was still a solid display of athleticism.

They tried to tell a story about Frazer getting a bit too confident, but it didn’t quite come across in his acting. It felt more like a fun fight between pals, where the loser got frustrated at times.

If the plan is to make Frazer the “bad guy,” there’s more to the tale. But maybe this could be a chance for Frazer to give his character a fresh spin in NXT.

Result: Axiom wins by pinfall.

Grade: B-

Highlights

Just one minute into the match, the crowd started chanting “NXT!”
Commentators hinted at Frazer maybe turning into a “heel,” emphasizing his growing arrogance and frustration.
Frazer came close to winning with a superplex and a spinning neckbreaker. He almost did it again with a superkick counter to the Golden Ratio.

WWE NXT Deadline 2023 Results: Dirty” Dominik Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee

Shawn Michaels Hypes Deadline: CM Punk Considers NXT

Shawn Michaels kicks off the show, building excitement for Deadline. Then, CM Punk shows up, hinting he might choose NXT over Raw or SmackDown.

Dominik Mysterio’s Title Match Drama

In his title match, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio is too focused on Rey Mysterio at ringside. Dragon Lee takes advantage with a tilt-a-whirl DDT, claiming the North American Championship.

A Slow Start, a Quick Climax, and Good Chemistry

The match begins slowly, but the climax speeds up unexpectedly for a premium live event. Despite that, Dirty Dom and Dragon still show great teamwork. The chemistry is obvious, keeping the crowd engaged. This might be The Ex-Con’s farewell from NXT, and he handles the spotlight well.

Unexpected Title Change and WWE’s Pivot

Wes Lee was likely meant to defeat Dirty Dom for the title, but WWE changes course to Dragon. The luchador is now the North American Champion, poised to shine on both NXT and SmackDown.

Match Result: Dragon Wins, B- Grade

Dragon defeats Dirty Dom by pinfall, securing the North American championship.

Notable Moments

Punk appears in a Bret Hart hoodie, expressing his desire for HBK and The Hitman to reconcile.
Rey joins commentary, praising Dirty Dom and criticizing The Master of the 619’s career.
The Ex-Con executes the Three Amigos on Dragon but refuses to take the three count.
Dragon catches Dirty Dom in the tree of woe and sends him to the floor with a double foot stomp.
Dragon and Rey share a hug, celebrating the luchador’s first title win.

Dirty” Dominik Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee: NXT Women’s Championship Match Recap

Blair Davenport and Fallon Henley kicked off the match, followed by Tiffany Stratton at number three. Kelani Jordan took position at four, and Lash Legend was the final entrant.

Early in the match, Legend managed to secure two quick falls against Henley and Stratton. However, Davenport stole the spotlight with three falls, two against Henley and one against Jordan, securing her victory.

The triumphant Davenport challenged Lyra Valkyria, leading to an unexpected twist. Cora Jade ambushed Valkyria from behind, holding the NXT Championship high.

In contrast to last year’s struggles in the Iron Survivor Challenge, this match showcased improved dynamics. Henley and Stratton played a crucial role in the action, consistently portraying their rivalry.

However, when Henley and Stratton were out of the ring, the match faced challenges. Legend was carefully guarded during her 10 minutes, rarely leaving her feet. Although Davenport and Jordan performed well, they were not consistently in focus, except during near-falls.

Davenport emerged as the deserving winner, riding on momentum and a compelling storyline from her NXT reintroduction. Despite her victory, it seems unlikely she will dethrone Valkyria, especially with Jade stealing some of her spotlight upon her return.

Result: Davenport (3) defeated Legend (2), Henley (1), Stratton (1), and Jordan (0), earning an NXT Women’s Championship match at New Year’s Evil.

Grade: B

Notable Moments:

Henley faced a double-team from Stratton and Davenport, leading to Davenport stealing the first fall from Stratton on Henley.
The bar owner re-entered the action, running down The Center of the Universe and pinning her with a Shining Wizard.
Legend swiftly entered and planted Henley on Stratton, earning two points.
Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, and Jakara Jackson blocked the door when Stratton and Henley attempted to leave the penalty box. They managed to escape from the top before The Center of the Universe sent her rival through the announce table.
Stratton secured a late decision with the Prettiest Moonsault on Legend, but missed hitting Jordan for a second.
Cora Jade kept her next move after returning to NXT a secret, refusing to disclose it to Kelly Kincaid.

Dirty” Dominik Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee: Carmelo Hayes vs. Lexis King

In the match between Carmelo Hayes and Lexis King, Carmelo faced some challenges keeping his focus due to various distractions. Eventually, he regained his determination and executed a move called Nothin’ But Net to take down King.

Post-match, King teased Carmelo, claiming that he didn’t attack Trick Williams but instead enjoyed the attention from the live event.

The encounter felt too lengthy and oddly slow, even though Carmelo dominated for large portions. Despite Carmelo’s strong performance, the match seemed more fitting for a mid-show NXT TV slot.

While the action was decent, it should have been shorter. King didn’t pose a genuine threat to Carmelo and was defeated in a straightforward manner.

Surprisingly, NXT played King’s music to close the segment after he admitted faking an attack on Trick to secure a match. This came off as awkward and a misuse of Carmelo’s considerable talent.

Result

Carmelo won against King by pinfall.

Grade

D+

Notable Moments

Carmelo assured Trick that he would triumph in the Iron Survivor Challenge, but Trick advised him to concentrate on defeating King.
Hayes took an aggressive stance against King early on, keeping the villain on the defensive until King threw Carmelo outside and struck him on the steel steps.
King requested Carmelo to shake hands. Although Carmelo agreed later in the match, he then raised a middle finger and headbutted his opponent.

Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge

Dijak and Josh Briggs kicked off the match. Tyler Bate joined at three. Trick Williams entered energetically at four. Bron Breakker also joined the action fervently, taking the lead.

After a tough fight, Trick Williams didn’t have any falls in the last 2 minutes. He pinned Briggs, Dijak, and Bate for three falls before catching Bron Breakker with a running knee just in time to secure his final fall and win.

Whoever organized this match was very careful. It was clear a lot had been planned ahead of time. It seemed almost too rehearsed, but the moves were consistently impressive.

The action was chaotic but always easy to follow. Trick’s comeback in the last minute was well-executed and lifted the match to memorable heights.

It’s time to think about making Trick the NXT champion. He’s the most popular guy in NXT and ranks among the most popular stars in WWE. By the end, it was evident that this match was the moment he became a star.

Dijak was well-protected in the finish and should still be in the running for the title. Briggs looked like he belonged. Breakker and Bate performed reliably well throughout.

Result

Trick (4) defeated Breakker (3), Dijak (3), Bate (3), and Briggs (2) to earn an NXT Championship match at New Year’s Evil.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

Dijak took the first pin with Feast Your Eyes on Briggs at five minutes.
Briggs returned and landed a running clothesline on Dijak for a fall.
Hard Justice interrupted a pin after the Tyler Driver 97, but Bate countered a Feast Your Eyes attempt with a stack-up pin for a fall.
Trick leaped off Briggs’ back, catching Dijak mid-air with a clothesline but then fell to Bate after the Tyler Driver 97.
Breakker speared Briggs, Bate, and Dijak for three consecutive points upon entering.
Trick dove outside but returned into a discus big boot from Dijak, who secured his second fall.
Breakker sent Dijak into Bate’s arms for a Tyler Driver 98, earning a third fall.
Dijak and Briggs worked well together, hitting double moonsaults on Trick and Breakker for falls.
Eddy Thorpe prevented Dijak from getting a fourth fall by pulling the referee outside.
Meta-Four taunted Briggs and Fallon Henley backstage, sparking a brawl afterward.