WWE NXT Live Coverage - January 16th, 2024

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Innovative Battle Royal to determine Lyra Valkyria's challenger at NXT Vengeance Day

Lyra Valkyria will learn her opponent for NXT Vengeance Day when a Battle Royal with a twist takes place live on NXT. As revealed by Valkyria, a 20-woman Battle Royal will occur, but once the field dwindles to four Superstars, a Fatal 4-Way Match will take place to determine the new No. 1 Contender.


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– We are live inside the CWC where Vic Joseph and Booker T welcome us to the show.

Dusty Classic Quarterfinals: Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade

We hear the entrance theme of Trick Williams and the fans break out into a loud "Whoop that Trick!" theme. The music keeps transitioning to the theme for Carmelo Hayes and back and forth it goes as they settle in the ring for our opener.

Out next come their opponents, the team of Malik Blade and Edris Enofe. They head to the ring for quarterfinal action in the ongoing Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic Tournament. Enofe and Blade come out with black and yellow polka dots on to honor Dusty Rhodes.

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Hayes and Blade kick things off for their respective teams. Hayes establishes the early offensive lead and tags in Trick, who takes over and hits some big high spots. We head to a mid-match commercial break.

When we return from the break, we see Enofe and Blade enjoying a comfortable, prolonged run in the offensive lead. Things continue this way until finally Trick Williams comes in and fires up on offense, taking out both Enofe and Blade. He tags out and Hayes gets beat down.

Enofe and Blade hit a huge top-rope spot for a super close near fall, which Williams breaks up just in time. Hayes fights back and tags out. Trick comes in with a ton of energy. He hits a flash knee and goes for the cover, picking up the 1-2-3 and getting his team the win to advance to the next round.

Winners and ADVANCING in the Dusty Classic: Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams

– We head backstage to Fallon Henley, who is interviewed about being in the 20-Woman Battle Royal "With A Twist" later tonight. After this wraps up, we see a video package for Dragon Lee's run to the NXT North American Championship and the unfortunate end it recently came to. We head to a break.

– When we return, we see Lola Vice and Elektra Lopez talking about how they're gonna beat Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Paxley tonight, earn the title shot and then beat her for the title. Paxley shows up and says she's gonna win just so Valkyria doesn't have to defend her title.

– Back inside the CWC, the theme for Oba Femi hits and out comes the first NIL athlete to win a title in WWE, the new NXT North American Champion. He settles in the ring and says his destiny was long foretold. He talks about being tested as a young Nigerian Prince and again in the NCAA, but he destroyed his opponents.

As he continues to talk, the theme for Dragon Lee hits and he comes out saying he can't be mad at what happened last week. He says Femi took his moment and made the most of it. He makes his way into the ring and tells Femi he wants to be his first title defense tonight. Femi says no. He says the open challenges are now closed.

Dragon Lee says he wants the championship rematch that he deserves then, and he wants it at Vengeance Day. Femi says he doesn't get to decide anymore. He says he may consider it and walks off to end the segment.

– We head to Eddy Thorpe backstage, who talks with some aspiring NXT Superstars. Trey Bearhill from the Breakout Tournament thanks Thorpe for representing the culture. Dijak walks in and has words with Bearhill. They don't like each other.

Lyra Valkyria & Tatum Paxley vs. Lola Vice & Elektra Lopez

Back inside the CWC, the theme for NXT Women's Champion Lyra Valkyria hits and out she comes to the ring for our next match of the evening. Behind her is her partner for this tag bout, Tatum Paxley, who is dressed up just like her and doing the same poses to the crowd that she is doing right next to her. We head to a pre-match break.

When we return, we see Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams celebrating their win in the Dusty Classic first round bout earlier tonight. In comes Ilja Dragunov who apologizes for not being cleared for Trick's title match. He says he is now and tells him he can have his shot at Vengeance Day. Trick is happy about it. Hayes isn't. Hayes says that's when they'll be in the Dusty Classic finals.

Now we return in the ring, where we see Lola Vice and Elektra Lopez already in the ring finishing up their ring entrance in progress. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Valkyria jumps off to an early offensive lead for her team. Paxley hits the ring and starts doing the same spots that she is doing.

The heel duo take over. Tatum takes the bullet for Lyra getting a big Roundhouse Kick from Lola. Lyra then threw Lola out of the ring and Tatum fell into Elektra for the pin.

Winners: Lola Vice & Elektra Lopez

– From there, we see a quick backstage segment with more contenders in the Women's Battle Royal With A Twist for tonight. We then return back inside the CWC where Ridge Holland makes his way out and heads to the ring for our next match of the evening. On that note, we head to a quick pre-match commercial break.

Ridge Holland vs. Joe Coffey

When we return, the theme for Joe Coffey hits and out he comes. He settles in the ring and his theme music dies down. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one.

Holland easily dominates Coffey early on. Wolfgang tries to interfere, but Holland handles him. The distraction does, however, allow Coffey to start taking over in the ring. Moments later, Holland takes back over and hits a couple of big clotheslines before finishing him off with the big Driver spot for the pin.

After the match, the entire three-man Gallus group of Wolfgang, Joe and Mark Coffey jump Ridge Holland and attack him with a three-on-one beatdown as the NXT Universe loudly boos.

Winner: Ridge Holland

– We see NXT Anonymous footage from inside the women's locker room, where the ladies talk about Chase U and the Women's Battle Royal tonight. We head to another commercial. When we return, we see Kelani Jordan and others talking about tonight's battle royal.

– From there, we head to a Baron Corbin backstage interview. He talks about advancing to the semifinals of the Dusty Classic. He claims to be the leader of the team with Bron Breakker. In comes Breakker who says Corbin gave him the wrong time for the interview.

Breakker disputes Corbin's memory of things and claims he led the team to victory. He points out he saved Corbin's ass on the way to them getting the win. He says the Wolf Dogs are on the hunt and next week they're gonna beat Nathan Frazer and Axiom to win the finals.

Corbin asks him about the team name of the Wolf Dogs. Corbin doesn't like that name. Breakker mentions coming up with the name while thinking about Corbin in the shower. Corbin stops him again and is freaked out by him now. He suggests Wild Boars as a name and Corbin just walks off in disgust.

Dusty Classic Quarterfinals: Chase U vs. LWO

Back inside the CWC, the theme for Chase U hits and out comes the team of Duke Hudson and Riley Osborne accompanied by Andre Chase. Their opponents, the LWO duo of Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde come out with Zelina Vega. The bell sounds and we're off-and-running with our final Dusty Classic first round bout.

Early on we see the LWO duo faring well, hitting some big high spots. As Chase U starts to fight back, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the action in this tourney tilt continues. When we return, we see some more back-and-forth action until finally the LWO duo finishes this one off for the win.

Winners and ADVANCING in the Dusty Classic: LWO

– We shoot to The Family backstage talking with Adrianna Rizzo about tonight's Women's Battle Royal With A Twist. When we return inside the CWC, we see Joe Gacy sitting with Vic Joseph and Booker T on commentary like it's normal. Vic and Booker are both freaked out by it.

Dijak vs. Trey Bearhill

Dijak's theme hits and out he comes. We head to a pre-match break. When we return, the theme for Trey Bearhill hits and out he comes to the ring as Vic and Booker talk more with Joe Gacy on commentary, as he is sitting in for this match. Early on we see Dijak taking it to Bearhill and controlling the offense.

The action spills out to the floor where Dijak is dominating things until Joe Gacy pops up and headbutts Dijak out of nowhere. This allows Bearhill to take over, however once the action resumes in the ring, Dijak takes back over and wins. Gacy hits the ring and he and Dijak brawl to the back afterwards. Lexis King hits the ring and takes out Bearhill.

Winner: Dijak

– Backstage we see JBL approach Josh Briggs. He tells him he picked him for the Iron Survivor Qualifier for a reason. He wants him to show the WWE and NXT Universe who he is. Briggs thanks him. JBL walks off.

20-Woman Battle Royal With A Twist

Back inside the arena, we hear the theme music for Kiana James and Izzi Dame. Out they come to the ring for our main event, which is the Women's Battle Royal With A Twist.

When we return, we see Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes backstage talking about how Trick will have double duty at Vengeance Day. Hayes is with it until Trick gloats about how after Vengeance Day he'll be the first person to hold the NXT World and Tag-Team titles at the same time.

Now we return inside the CWC where we see the ring filled up with the 20 competitors in this women's battle royal with a twist main event. Footage is shown of Cora Jade getting injured over the weekend to explain her absence in the bout.

The commentators announce that the winner of tonight's main event, who will meet Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women's title at Vengeance Day will appear on next week's show in a contract signing segment.

Also announced for next Tuesday night's NXT on USA show is the first of two semifinal bouts in the ongoing Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic Tournament, as Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin take on Nathan Frazer & Axiom.

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. We see some quick eliminations and then head into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see a Kofi Kingston-esque moment for one competitor in the match to avoid elimination. Fallon Henley throws someone out.

Lola Vice eliminates her own friend Elektra Lopez. Tatum Paxley then eliminates Vice. Vice and Lopez start brawling on the floor at ringside afterwards. Gigi Dolin is eliminated moments later. Thea Hail and Blair Davenport fight on the apron. Petrovic kicks Davenport to eliminate her.

Davenport pulls her out to the floor under the bottom rope and decks her. Lash Legend fires up for some high spots while the focus is on her. Petrovic is tossed out and then Arianna Grace is eliminated. We head into another mid-match commercial break on that note.

As we settle back in from the final break of the evening, we see Thea Hail hitting big suplexes and other high spots on everyone in sight until she is thrown out by Izzi Dame. She is thrown out seconds later. Lash Legend is then thrown out. Kelani Jordan comes back in after not being thrown out.

Fatal-4-Way Title Eliminator: Kelani Jordan vs. Kiana James vs. Fallon Henley vs. Roxanne Perez

One more elimination takes place and we're down to the last four. Those are Kelani Jordan, Kiana James, Fallon Henley and Roxanne Perez. The referee enters the ring and now a traditional Fatal-4-Way match begins, with the winner emerging as the new number one contender to the NXT Women's Championship.

Kelani Jordan shines early on, knocking everyone out to the floor and hitting a big diving splash for a huge pop from the crowd. Back in the ring, Kiana takes over for a bit. She hits a big Spinebuster for a close near fall that Perez breaks up just in time.

Perez hits a big spot off the top on James but Jordan tries stealing the pin with a follow up top-rope splash of her own. Izzi Dame gets involved from the outside. Perez hits her Pop Rox finisher on Jordan for the win.

Winner and NEW No. 1 Contender to NXT Women's title: Roxanne Perez

– With the win, she will challenge Lyra Valkyria for the title at Vengeance Day, and will have her contract signing next week. Valkyria comes out to close the show by staring Perez down. That's how this week's show goes off the air.