WWE NXT Live Coverage - February 27th, 2024

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Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes come face-to-face

After being called out by Carmelo Hayes, Ilja Dragunov returns to NXT to confront his old rival. Hayes has been on a mission to reclaim the championship he lost to The Mad Dragon, and after viciously assaulting his best friend Trick Williams, there seems to be no one left in his way.


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– We are LIVE inside the CWC where Vic Joseph welcomes us to the show.

– We immediately hear the sounds of the theme music of NXT World Champion Ilja Dragunov. He settles in the ring with his title over his shoulder and a microphone in his hand. He addresses Carmelo Hayes and immediately calls him out, saying he isn't in the mood to wait all night because this is Stand & Deliver season.

Hayes' theme hits and out he comes with a mic-in hand. He stops at the top of the stage. He says Dragunov is the champ, but he's the guy who calls the shots. He points out an entire line full of security guards. He calls them 'Melo Security. He asks if Dragunov is still mad that he got tricked out by Hayes.

Carmelo says he's not stepping in the ring with Ilja until he sees a contract, until Ava makes it official. He says Dragunov is the type of guy to try and take him out before the match. He says he'll give him until the end of the night to get everything in order. Dragunov starts beating up Melo Security to end the segment.

– NXT G.M. is shown walking backstage when she is approached by Gigi Dolin. She wants to talk about her future. They walk into Ava's office together, where Jaida Parker is already standing. She wants to talk about her future as well. The two have words while Ava watches. She makes a match between the two for tonight.

Kelani Jordan vs. Kiana James

Kelani Jordan's theme hits and out she comes. As she settles into the ring, Vic finally welcomes back Booker T on commentary. The two banter back-and-forth and then we hear the helicopter. It touches down and Kiana James makes her way out and heads to the ring accompanied by Izzi Dame.

The two are in the ring and the bell sounds to get our opening contest officially off-and-running. After some early back-and-forth action, we see James re-grouping on the floor with Dame when Jordan hits a big moonsault onto both of them at ringside.

On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When we return, we see some more back-and-forth action until Dame trips Jordan up on the apron for a horrible landing, leading to James getting the cheap win.

Winner: Kiana James

– We shoot backstage and see a big pull-apart in the women's locker room and then return back inside the CWC where the team of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson make their way out and head to the ring. As they settle inside the squared circle for our next match of the evening, we head to a pre-match commercial break.

Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Malik Blade & Edris Enofe

When we return from the break, we see a promotional spot for the official NXT Stand & Deliver theme song and then return inside the CWC where Malik Blade and Edris Enofe are finishing up their ring entrances, in progress. The bell sounds and we get this one officially off-and-running.

Anderson immediately jumps into an early offensive lead over Blade, stomping him out in the corner of the ring. Blade hits a nice drop kick to slow down his momentum. He tags in Enofe, who picks up where he left off after the two hit a double-team spot on Anderson.

Gallows tags in and he immediately shifts things back in the favor of The O.C. duo. We head into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see Enofe and Blade hitting high spots until Gallows and Anderson take back over and score the win.

After the match, Chase U, Axiom and Nathan Frazer, LWO hit the ring and attacks Gallows and Anderson. The tags champs, The Wolf Dogs, are shown in the crowd.

Winners: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson

– We shoot backstage where we see Ava Raine in her office. In comes Oba Femi to talk to her. As he's talking to her, Ilja Dragunov comes in behind him. Femi turns around and the two stare each other down.

Roxanne Perez vs. Jakara Jackson

Back inside the CWC, the theme song for Roxanne Perez hits and out comes the former NXT Women's Champion for our next match of the evening. As she settles in the ring, we head into a quick pre-match commercial break.

When we return from the break, Jakara Jackson is finishing her ring entrance in progress. Hanging at ringside in her corner is fellow member of The Meta-Four, Lash Legend. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Early on, Perez is all over the larger Jackson.

Jackson ends up taking over and dominating for a few minutes, but Perez starts fighting back. Perez looks for Pop-Rox, but Legend jumps on the apron to get involved. The ref catches her and ejects her from ringside.

As she heads to the back, Jackson takes advantage of the distraction and goes back to work on Perez. Perez fights back and gets a cross-face on Jackson for the submission win. She refuses to let go of the hold for a few extra seconds after the match.

Winner: Roxanne Perez

– Thea Hail is sitting backstage with Jacy Jane talking about her date not going well. She wasn't who he expected. Jane says the Hail she used to be was a loser.

Hail says Fallon Henley told her otherwise. Kiana James and Izzi Dame come in and agree that Henley is the last person she should take advice from. They walk off to talk about the calendar and Hail's feelings are hurt about being called someone "who used to be a loser."

Dijak vs. Luca Crusafino

Back inside the CWC, the theme for Dijak hits as the screen goes black and white. He heads to the ring as we jump into another pre-match commercial break.

When we return, we see Crusafino get backed in a corner and chopped so loud that the entire building gasps. Dijak follows up with rapid-fire additional shots and the two get in a wild exchange. Dijak eventually picks up the win. After the match, Joe Gacy hits the ring after escaping from his straight jacket. He and Dijak brawl.

Winner: Dijak

– NXT Women's Champion Lyra Valkyria in fancy clothes is shown walking the hallways backstage at the CWC. She's coming to the ring next. We head to another commercial break.

– When we return from the break, Noam Dar and Oro Mensah talk backstage about tonight's main event, with Dar defending the Heritage Cup against a member of the No Quarter Catch Crew.

– Back inside the CWC, the theme for Lyra Valkyria hits and out she comes as Vic Joseph talks about Lash Legend pushing her to the limit last week.

Valkyria starts by wishing Shotzi well. She says she owes her a title shot when she gets back. She gives Lash Legend her props for stepping up last week. She then tells Tatum Paxley to come out for being a woman of her word. She does.

As a surprise, Lyra tells her they'll be teaming together next week and they will be challenging The Kabuki Warriors for the Undisputed WWE Women's Tag-Team Championships. Paxley is floored by this announcement.

– Ridge Holland comes to the ring for his advertised segment, and within a few moments after entering the ring, the latest ominous "Three Faces" vignette aired live inside the building.

After it wrapped up, the lights go out, then we see a spotlight in the ring when out of nowhere, someone wearing a hood appears behind Holland with a chair. He attacks him and pulls the hood off to reveal he is none other than Shawn Spears.

Lexis King vs. Von Wagner

Lexis King makes his way to the ring for our next match of the evening and we head to another commercial. When we return, Von Wagner is making his way to the ring after we see highlights of Shawn Spears' return a moment ago.

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. We see some general back-and-forth action until ultimately, Wagner picks up the win. After the match, King hits a brutal assault on Wagner and Mr. Stone.

Winner: Von Wagner

– We head to another commercial break after the King post match beat down of Wagner and Stone. When we return, we see Ava talking backstage with Dijak as we hear someone off-camera talking, saying, "You may be finished with me, but I'm not finished with you!" He attacks Dijak.

Jaida Parker vs. Gigi Dolin

The bell rings and the two lock up. Parker sends Dolin crashing into the mat face first, but Dolin trips her. Parker delivers a knee to Dolin's midsection, but Dolin hits a dropkick. Parker sends Dolin crashing into the middle turnbuckle, but Dolin responds with a few forearms. Parker delivers another knee to her midsection and drapes her across the middle turnbuckle, then delivers a modified senton and goes for a pin. Dolin kicks out and rolls up Parker, but Parker kicks out.

Parker delivers a Blockbuster to Dolin, then locks in a shoulder submission on her. Dolin delivers a boot to Parker's jaw, then connects with a series of forearms as a distressed Arianna Grace makes her way down to the ring, having gotten into a heated confrontation with Parker in the locker room earlier tonight. Dolin fires off kicks on Parker's head, then looks to clock Parker. Grace catches her hand, and Dolin delivers a headbutt to her. This opens the door for Parker to deliver a sliding right hand to Dolin's head for the win.

Winner: Jaida Parker

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NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Noam Dar (C) vs. Charlie Dempsey

We see the entire No Quarter Catch Crew walking backstage, each in their ring gear. When we return, we find out which will challenge for the NXT Heritage Cup Championship in our main event of the evening.

A beach segment airs and at the end written in the sand it says, "See you soon," followed by the NXT Roadblock logo airing. We are also told there will be an Asylum Match between Dijak and Joe Gacy next week at Roadblock.

Back inside the CWC, the theme for Noam Dar hits and out he comes accompanied by Oro Mensah. The commentators mention this being a rare time when Dar is out-numbered, with all four NQCC guys out there. We find out that Charlie Dempsey will represent the NQCC.

The bell sounds and off we go. It doesn't take long at all for Dempsey to get his first points on the board, as he surprises Dar with the first fall after a cheap shot from the NQCC at ringside to go up 1-0. We head into a mid-match commercial break on that note.

As soon as we return, the clock is winding down on the second round. After two it's still 1-0. The third fall begins and the two immediately start trading shots. The third fall ends without any points. Early into the fourth fall, Dar lands a KO shot to even things up 1-1.

We head into the fifth round tied and these two get after it quickly, with Dar jumping on a still foggy Dempsey. Myles Bourne gets involved but Oro Mensah helps out. Dar sees Damon Kemp on the apron and he takes him out, but turns into a suplex from Dempsey for the pin. With the pin, Dempsey goes up and wins the Heritage Cup.

Winner and NEW NXT Heritage Cup Champion: Charlie Dempsey

– When we return from the break, we hear Shawn Spears, who is called by that name, backstage. He says "The truth can bring you to your knees" as his reason for coming to NXT. He says he'll see us next week.

– Back inside the CWC, the ring is set up for a contract signing. Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes comes out to the ring, where NXT G.M. Ava is also standing. They each talk briefly but as Hayes is speaking, The Family's theme hits and out comes Tony D'Angelo and Stacks.

D'Angelo is warned by Melo to leave or Melo Security will deal with him. He says don't try me. D'Angelo says The Don can make things happen around here, too. He tells Melo Security to take a hike, and they immediately oblige to Hayes' dismay.

Tony D'Angelo continues by taking a seat and making it clear that he wants a shot at the NXT Championship, not Carmelo Hayes. He says he earned everything he's received. He says Melo is demanding a title match, but D'Angelo is gonna earn one at NXT Stand & Deliver.

Dragunov says D'Angelo has his interest as a man willing to work for his spot. D'Angelo says next week at NXT Roadblock it's gonna be Carmelo Hayes vs. Tony D'Angelo with the winner getting a NXT title match at NXT Stand & Deliver.

Ava says she has a contract for that made up but it's up to Ilja. Ilja agrees to it. It's on. Hayes attacks them both and is the only man standing as the show ends. That's how this week's show wraps up.