WWE NXT #768 (January 14th, 2025) Review

Following an incredibly important and impactful special event show last week with New Year's Evil, we are here to see how the stories continue and feuds progress. We are in a completely new era of the developmental brand, with 3 new champions all going to make the main event scene as big as possible. I am beyond excited to see how this week goes with all of the major players and rising stars. And hopefully we don't get a long winded promo from The Rock again and can focus solely on the future of the promotion.

We get a very well made video package recapping last week's show, showing all the major moments and title changes to really set the tone for what to expect. What is sure to be an incredible show to progress forward into this new time, which is honestly the best time to be a fan of NXT since the golden years of 2016-2018 or 2019. A very great look at the future Wrestlemania main eventers and stars for decades to come.

We then have the brand new NXT Champion Oba Femi make his way to the ring to kick off the proper show. He looks incredible with the title belt, and he really feels like GUNTHER on main roster in some ways, where seeing him without a title belt feels strange. He is one of my top favorites in the entire WWE roster, and I hope we get nothing but success for him. He is already a bona fide star despite still being incredibly new to the business.

He goes over his accolades and saying that he was "backed by destiny" to go over his greatness. Winning the Breakout Tournament, North American Championship (where he is the longest reigning champion ever), won the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge, and now the NXT Championship.

The crowd is incredibly behind him, chanting him and supporting him with every single thing he says.

Oba begins to trash talk Eddy Thorpe over their history, but he gets interrupted by Tony D'Angelo.

The very man who ended Oba's record breaking North American title reign.

I personally am not a fan of Tony, as I don't truly understand why he has such a long and consistent push. He is just fine wrestling wise and is more of a character than anything else. Just a promo, and not even my favorite.

This whole thing was Tony rubbing it in that he defeated Oba and is the "only person" to defeat him. He then basically says that he is going to beat Oba again to become the "Double Belt Don" and that he will be the top of the mountain in NXT.

Tony says that he will take care of Ridge Holland, which immediately makes Ridge come out to gloat about a beat down he did while dressed as Santa Claus (yes really) from a few weeks ago.

Tony and Ridge begin to brawl at ringside with security and officials coming out to take them to the back as Oba Femi watches. Eddy Thorpe then runes out from the crowd, blindsiding and laying out Oba with a leather strap before lifting up the NXT Championship, signaling that they will have a single's match for the belt in a strap gimmick match.

We go backstage to see Ethan Page talking big about himself and starts to mimic The Rock due to his interaction with The Rock last week. He gets tense and starts to trade verbal jabs with the young lower card wrestler Dante Chen. Other wrestlers stop them from fighting and is basically just to confirm that we will get Chen vs Page.

We go to the ring for our first contest of the night.

Match 1: Singles Match

Stephanie Vaquer vs Shotzi

Last week, Stephanie won a Fatal Four Way match to be named the next challenger and contender for the NXT Women's North American Championship, currently held by Fallon Henley. However, later on that same night, Shotzi pinned Henley in a 3v3 tag match, which in wrestling typically means that she would be the next person to challenge for the belt.

We had a segment last week with Stephanie and Shotzi arguing over who should get first crack at the belt, which led to General Manager Ava and Fallon agreeing that the winner of this match right here would get to challenge her for the championship.

I am not sure if there were actual technical issues or if it was due to me watching this on Netflix outside the US, but the entirety of the pre-match stuff as well as the early parts of the action had no commentary whatsoever. The crowd was rather loud, whether it be them actually excited or just miced up.

The match had a very slow and methodical start, going very respectful and technical.

BOOKER T SUDDENLY BUT IN WITH THE AUDIO FIXED AND MAKING ME JUMP HOLY CRAP!

So yeah, the audio eventually got fixed and we can hear them now just as they continue to keep it a little slow and methodical. I am a major fan of technical wrestling, so I am 200% fine with this, considering that they don't really have any sort of bad blood or rivalry to make them be any more aggressive. Honestly, as harsh as it mind sound, this style seemed to really fit Shotzi. It was the best that I have seen her look in WWE in quite some time.

They continued to have a match that started to progress into more hard hitting strikes and big moves. The crowd was very into it until there seemed to be a strange moment with Stephanie getting late to a kick out, making the crowd boo and go dead for a few moments, Stephanie and Shotzi wrestled as hard and best as they could to get them invested again. Shotzi reversed Stephanie's finisher in a great looking momennt before they traded blows.

Fatal Influence member Jacy Jayne came out to cause a distraction, but both Shotzi and Stephanie worked together to beat her up. While the referee was removing Jacy from the ring, Fallon Henley ran out from the crowd and attacked Stephanie. Shotzi got the quick roll up win, not knowing that Fallon helped her win.

Shotzi looked apologetic and trash talked Fallon while their match was announced for 2 weeks away.

Result: Shotzi pinned Stephanie Vaquer

Star Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

We go backstage to see a lot of the NXT women superstars, with Sol Ruca and Zaria trying to compliment and inspire Kelani Jordan after her lose.

They get interrupted by Cora Jade, with the two trash talking while Cora said that she will be a champion before Kelani, leading to Kelani hitting a stiff slap and showing some aggression and character progression.

We then go back to Ava's office with Oba Femi demanding a championship match against Eddy Thorpe. Ava's assistant Mr. Stone tries to talk to Oba and tell him that Eddy is planning ahead, and Oba lifts Stone up and holds him against the wall, with Ava finally saying that next week we will get Thorpe vs Femi.

We then go to the ring for our next contest, a slight delay in the production stuff but nothing too egregious.

Match 2: Singles Match

Ethan Page vs Dante Chen

This match was built earlier in the night.

Dante is a very talented wrestler who hasn't really been given too much time to shine. He has a major victory over Lexis King and that's really it. He has a great look, good charisma, and is great in the ring. He could easily be a big player in the mid card scene, but I don't see him cracking the main event ceiling any time soon.

Before the bell rang, Page attacked Chen to loud boos. Chen said he still wants to fight, getting a quick flurry of offense and having the crowd very firmly behind him. Page sold incredibly well for him, making Chen feel like a bit of a star. Page cheated and very very quickly took the advantage to win.

Result: Ethan Page pinned Dante Chen

Star Rating: 2.25/5 Stars

After the match, Page attacked Chen and continued his streak of injuring people by crushing his leg between the steel steps and the ring post.

Je'Von Evans made a surprise return, attacking Page before Page targeted his broken jaw (which Page caused) and left him spitting out blood in just a few moments. Page looks so sadistic and crazy, which fits him so incredibly well.

We go backstage to see Oba Femi walking, but it is just to act as a transition to Shawn Spears trying to recruit more people to his ranks. he is talking to Adrianna Rizzo before Izzi Dame interrupts. Shawn walks over followed by Izzi, but then this seamlessly goes into the romance storyline that's been building between Ashante Thee Adonis and Kelani Jordan, leading to them finally kissing and becoming official.

We seemed to have some technical issues for a bit, which then suddenly cut to the WWE Tag Team Champions from Smackdown DIY, Johnny Gargano and Tomnaso Ciampa both having incredibly long and important tenures in NXT. The greatest feud that NXT ever had, now a villainous tag team together.

We then go for our next match.

Match 3: Tag Team Match

Unholy Union (Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn) vs Meta Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson)

We start off with Alba and Jakara. I have been a big fan of Alba ever since her Kay Lee Ray days on the British independent scene, like ICW and WCPW. I will always support her in her matches, even if I think her tag team run in WWE has been somewhat lackluster. They are a good team, just never consistently treated like a big deal. Jakara and Lash have been looking incredible, perhaps the most cohesive and best tag team in the entire women's division.

Unholy Union cheated a bit and got the advantage, targeting and beating down on the muscle Lash Legend. We got another very quick and brief technical issue with the video cutting to black for a brief second or so. If it was the only issue I wouldn't have mentioned it, but this entire show has been plagued with them. I really can't tell if it is a Netflix thing or what.

Lash tags in jakara and they go for their team dive move, but Alva hits Lash and sends her to the floor while Alba sends Lash to the floor as well. Alba hits a pretty cool dive, running up the corner and hitting a Swanton onto both Lash and Jakar to loud cheers.

We come back from commercial break just as Jakara gets the hot tag to Lash, who quickly lays out both of their opponents with some impressive strength and power, as well as a great kip up from her back that shoes that she really is a athletic star. There is a bit of a sloppy flapjack, but it wasn't super bad or anything.

Despite a lot of big moves and major moments, the match just continued on and on and on. It wasn't like a super major or dramatic continuation either. It really felt like to me that they needed to pad for time, and everyone just continued to hit moves.

The crowd seemed incredibly invested and were loudly cheering and chanting for everyone, so I may just be overly harsh.

Repeated reversals back and forth leads to Jakara going for a tag, but Lash is laid out on the floor. Alba goes for her finishing move, but Lash breaks it up into an actually really incredible and well done finish.

Result: Lash Legend pinned Alba Fyre

Star Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson are named the new number one contender's for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships, currently held by Bianca Belair and Naomi on Smackdown.

We go backstage to see Lexis King with his newly won NXT Heritage Cup. He is grateful and thanks Ava, but is interrupted by Charlie Dempsey and Wren Sinclair. Wren is incredibly charismatic and so much fun. The best woman on the roster who isn't a champion. Before Ava could officially announce a rematch between Lexis and Charlie, a garage door gets slammed into and she goes to see what it is. She sees Ridge Holland and Tony D'Angelo fighting it out in the parking lot, but we just get to see them get pulled away before too long before we go right to the next match.

Match 4: Singles Match

Cora Jade vs Kelani Jordan

Before the match starts, we go to the crowd to see the TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich. I have been incredibly happy with the working partnership between NXT and TNA. It has done nothing but benefited both brands.

Cora Jade comes out and gives a bit of side eye to Masha in the front row.

The match for me wasn't anything overly special. It just went on slow and plodding for quite a while. Kelani began to show extra aggression and fire very briefly, but Cora raked her eyes and hit her finisher to win. There was a really big lack of drama of this match, which was sort of built like a grudge match despite the feud barely existing. If we get an increased amount of focus and character development with Kelani, I am very happy.

Result: Cora Jade pinned Kelani Jordan

Star Rating: 2.25/5 Stars

Cora had a brief staredown with Masha Slamovich before we cut to a social media promo from Eddy Thorpe. Saying that he planned for everything to happen the way it did and showing a whole bunch of cocky arrogance.

We go backstage to see NXT Tag Team Champions Fraxiom get approached by Josh Briggs and Yoshiki Inamura before OTM interrupt. Briggs and Inamura start a brawl with OTM, cutting to commercial just as it gets broken up.

Main Event: NXT Tag Team Championship Match

Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) (Champions) vs OTM (Bronco Nima and Lucien Price) (Challengers)

We get back from the quick backstage brawl to OTM looking more motivated and angry than before, putting them into the mindset to fight it out.

The match starts off quick and hot, the two teams going at it with aggression and determination right away. It's a match built entirely off of speed vs power. Fraxiom a collection of very small and quick guys whose literal catchphrase is "Never Slow Down" while Bronco and Lucien are both super big and strong dudes.

We cut to see DIY watching in the crowd, seeming to look at the tag champions who have been considered one of the best tag teams in the world.

In their first real showing as a dominant team, OTM looked incredible. Dominant and powerful, making it believable that they might have a chance to win the titles.

The match was just so incredible, hard to really go into detail because the moves are only part of the story. We get so many moments of Axiom and Frazer having to be smart as they used their speed or try to use submission holds, but even then OTM are so strong and powerful that they keep fighting out of it.

OTM went on a quick run, able to really beat down the champions and get to a really close victory, but Frazer was showing his heart and resiliency. We then get to see Lucien and Axiom fighting on the floor before Lucien tries to put Axiom through the announce table. Axiom fights out whle in the ring Frazer goes for a Superplex, but we get a quick moment of tag team unity. Frazer tags in Axiom and climbes the other corner, hitting a Frog Splash to Lucien through the table while Axiom hits a Avalanche Spanish Fly followed up with a Golden Ratio to retain their titles in a GREAT match with a super hot crowd.

Result: Axiom pinned Nima to retain

Star Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

We go backstage to see Roxanne Perez coming out for an appearance after losing her NXT Women's Championship, a mysterious person arriving in a truck, and a breakdown for next week's show.

Ridge Holland vs Tony D'Angelo for the NXT North American Championship and Oba Femi vs Eddy Thorpe for the NXT Championship.

We go back to see Roxanne talking about her historic reign, saying how people doubted her and she kept proving them wrong. Proving that she was the reason that NXT Women's Division became the best in the world. She started to cut a babyface promo with the crowd raining down cheers, which was surprising. She just thanked the fans and said how she was proud of everything she did, then said that Giulia was the better woman. Not even complaining about loosing.

Roxanne seemed like she was going to be giving a farewell speech, but then she turned back to heel and said that the NXT Women's Division will suffer without her. Roxanne is the top and without being there, the whole division will suffer. The crowd was rather quiet, which wasn't a great sign, but she was cutting a pretty great promo.

We got a very surprising return once Roxanne mentioned the phrase "The Four Horsewomen."

Bayley arrived to NXT for the first time in years.

I was expecting it to be a returning Becky Lynch, but Bayley got a massive ovation and the two engaged in a promo battle with the crowd raining down cheers and love for Bayley.

Bayley gave a whole lot of praise onto Roxanne and tried to give her some advice, trying to be nice and respectful while playing on the fact that Roxanne used to look up to her.

Roxanne said how she "used to look up to" Bayley and other women like Natalya or guys like CM Punk, but that Roxanne has done more for NXT and wrestling in general than any of them. Bayley starts to get more serious while the promo continues on as the show is about to end, but then Bayley and Roxanne get into a physical brawl just as it cuts to black.

This episode of NXT was full of ups and downs. The great stuff was truly great, while the bad was lackluster and slightly disappointing. It was just a mixed bag of a show. Nothing too bad, and nothing too great. We get a lot of forward momentum and progression of stories and characters along with some good wrestling, but just overall felt rather uneventful. The biggest takeaways are a elongated program between Oba Femi and Eddy Thorpe, which we already saw coming, but then we know Oba will retain and then go on to face Tony D'Angelo (possibly) with both titles on the line. We also know we are going to get Bayley vs Roxanne Perez in the future, which sounds like a great way to finally move Roxanne up to the main roster and make her feel like a big star off the bat.

An enjoyable show, but one that didn't have as much lasting stay as compared to last week or even previous shows over the past few months.

Overall Rating: 7/10