NXT Battleground 2024 Review

It’s a TNA-themed NXT PPV at the home of UFC.

Jaida Parker vs. Sol Ruca vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Lash Legend vs. Fallon Henley vs. Michin for the NXT Women’s North American Championship

A ladder match for the first ever championship reign and a smart choice for an opener. It’s a really good ladder match too with the enclosed arena at the UFC Apex creating more of a challenge for the wrestlers and a sense of jeopardy. It felt scrappy and chaotic and not choreographed like so many modern ladder matches do. Sol Ruca really stood out as a star here with a ‘what’s she going to do’ unpredictability to her which works. As the powerhouse, Lash did really well too and her recent work has been really good so she was contender to win. Instead, Kelani took down the belt and I don’t hate it at all. She can be that underdog babyface looking to put shine on the championship with lots of quality defences. A good run with good matches could push her into that #1 babyface spot on the women’s roster too. ***1/2

Nathan Frazer and Axiom (c) vs. The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) for the NXT Tag Team Championships

This was a decent speed v power match with a motivated Good Brothers providing a solid challenge. Axiom/Frazer are having a great run with the belts and getting eyes on them so a main roster call-up by the end of 2024 isn’t a bad call. Frazer hit a superb springboard dive to break up a pin that was produced so well, it felt like he flew into the tv screen. Anderson had a good showing here too and his TKO off the top was NICE. I would say NXT need to do a better job of building their tag division as 2024 hasn’t been the year for tag wrestling in the brand. Get Axiom/Frazer a name and start building units. The champs retain with a Spanish Fly/Phoenix Splash combo on Karl. ***1/4

Shayna Baszler vs. Lola Vice

NXT Underground here meaning it’s fight night under the dark shadows! Smart choice to run this here in the UFC Apex and it was a great, intense shoot-style match. It was filled with takedowns and submissions with Shayna selling a leg injury in a big way. This felt chaotic in all the best ways and all the bells and whistles of it protect Lola’s weaknesses and made her look like a badass. The finish was great for that too. Shayna took a heavy thump to the back of the head from the steel steps so Lola was like an animal to take advantage with a spinning backfist. The referee stops it too. Really thought out and impactful stuff here. ***1/2

Oba Femi (c) vs. Wes Lee vs. Joe Coffey for the NXT North American Championship

Fun triple threat. Oba played the Brock role of monster that needed to be stopped before eventually he rises from the pit at the end. It’s insane how good the champion is at such a low level experience. Wes Lee’s story is a strong one and he is positioned in a way that he could make the step up to the NXT Title picture. Good near falls and non-stop action before Gallus stop Wes from winning and Oba pounces to win with multiple powerbombs. ***1/4

Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Jordynne Grace for the NXT Women’s Championship

A whole lot of fun here. Grace turning up with her Knockouts title was a really cool moment and she’s presented as such a great outside threat here. You can see that Shawn Michaels and Triple H really rate her highly with the way she’s been presented here and at the Royal Rumble. Roxanne did well setting traps throughout this but when she’s dealing with someone as powerful as Grace, it didn’t work. And that enraged Perez who is super arrogant now. That caused her to make mistakes. Grace did well as the powerful face fighting from underneath and then they used Tatum Paxley and Ash by Elegance to run interference and protect Grace in defeat. Good counter out of the Juggernaut Driver. Pop Rox. 1. 2. 3. Good stuff. ***3/4

Trick Williams (c) vs. Ethan Page for the NXT Championship

It’s a solid match but it’s no main event. Neither man are really ready for the spot they’re in here. Ethan’s a decent worker but we’ve watched him as a lower midcard guy for a few years now so he has to work his way up. Meanwhile, Trick is insanely over but perhaps isn’t ready in the ring to be working PPV main events. At least they know that though as they only give this 15 minutes to protect him. What Trick does have is GREAT working punches, an insane amount of charisma and he looks like a STAR. That’s going to take him a long way. Page’s control segment was fine before Trick made his comeback and hit his finisher to retain in a pretty standard manner. The thing is, while Trick isn’t ready, with his overness and push, you have to just put him in these spots and let him figure it out. It’s a developmental brand for a reason. ***