WWE NXT Live Coverage - December 19th, 2023

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Tiffany Stratton and Fallon Henley to throw down in a one-on-one match!

After weeks of back and forth, Fallon Henley and Tiffany Stratton will go one-on-one in a heated match between two rivals. Henley and Stratton have been going at it for months, and after neither became the 2023 Iron Survivor, one more backstage encounter sparked a huge fight between the two Superstars. Now they will battle it out in the NXT ring.


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– The show kicks off with Tiffany Stratton making her entrance.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley

Shoving match to start. Henley rolls up Stratton for a nearfall, leading to the two women exchanging strikes. Stratton counters a baseball slide by trapping Henley in the apron but Henley quickly regains the advantage. They briefly get back in the ring but Stratton gets the better of Henley and shoves her to the arena floor.

Back in the ring, Stratton smashes Henley into the corner. Stratton hits a hip attack, driving Henley's neck into the ropes. Stratton covers for a nearfall. Henley dodges an attack and mounts a prone Stratton in the corner, wailing on her with punches. Henley hits a big hurracanrana. Stratton stops Henley's momentum with a Spinebuster for a nearfall. Henley comes back with a rollup. Both women trade nearfalls until Fallon keeps Stratton down for the three count.

WINNER: Fallon Henley

– Stratton immediately attacks Henley, smashing her into the announce table, throwing her into the barricade, and dragging her by her hair to the backstage area. Backstage, Stratton continues the assault. Stratton attacks Henley with a wet mop, calling her trash. Stratton then empties a trash can on Henley as the NXT referees do their best to separate the two women.

– Backstage Trick Williams greets Carmelo Hayes. Hayes apologizes for accidentally striking Williams with the title. Williams says "accidents happen." Williams asks Hayes if he saw who attacked him. Hayes says the only person who hits that hard is Ilja, so it had to be him. Hayes thinks that Trick and Carmelo should face Dragunov in a Triple Threat Match. Williams thinks it's a bad idea because Williams wants to face Dragunov alone, to prove that he's a worthy contender. Hayes understands and gives Williams his blessing. Williams says he wants Hayes to help him train and to be by his side.

– Dragunov makes his entrance and immediately says he doesn't understand how he ended up the "third wheel in a bromance movie" and says he didn't have it on his "2023 bingo card." Dragunov says his whole 2023 goal was to return to America and win the title. He is interrupted by Ridge Holland, who says he needs to rewrite his story in NXT.

Holland says that he knows what it's like to be weighed down by stigma. Holland says he know what it's like to have fingers pointed at you for accidents and injuries, and he's here to prove and redeem himself. He says Ilja can help him with that by giving him a shot at the NXT Champion. Ridge says he's willing to beg for the shot and run through the entire NXT locker room until he finally gets a chance at Ilja, which he says would be his honor. Dragunov says that Ridge won't have to wait and will find out where he stands tonight. They shake hands.

– Backstage, Lexis King says he will win the Breakout Tournament and that the next match will be his first step to the NXT Championship.

– Back from commercial, Trick Williams takes issue with Ilja Dragunov taking a match before his scheduled title match at New Year's Evil against Trick.

Men's Breakout Tournament: Dion Lennox vs. Lexis King

King dominates Lennox to start. King hits a big kitchen sink and then hits a huge strike to the back. Lennox begins to power up as King assaults him with kicks. Lennox comes back with punches. Lennox counters a knee strike with a rollup for 2.

Lennox hits a shoulder tackle and a dropkick. Lennox hits a big body slam. Lennox hits a big Front Suplex and covers for two. King leaves the ring and tries to escape with the Breakout Contract but Lennox stops him and slams him into the apron. Back in the ring and King sends Lennox into the corner. King hits a Coronation for the pinfall.

WINNER: Lexis King.

– King is run off by Trey Bearhill, who King eliminated from the tournament by attacking him.

– In a video promo, Eddy Thorpe explains how hard his rivalry with Dijak has been on his family. Thorpe says the ring can't contain them and asks for a No Ropes match against Dijak next week in NXT Underground.

– Jacey Jayne and Thea Hail make their entrance.

Jacey Jayne and Thea Hail vs. Kianna James and Izzi Dame

Hail starts out against Dame. Hail uses her athleticism to get the upperhand on the taller competitor. Chase U's student section makes noise as Jayne tags in and gets a nearfall on Dame. James tries to help her partner, but Jayne knocks her off the apron. Dame tries to overpower Jacey but Jacey counters with a nearfall.

Dame comes back with a huge clothesline. James tags in. James stomps on Jayne, then hits a series of knee strikes. James corners Jayne and tags in Dame. Dame keeps up the dominance by hitting a big Flapjack for a nearfall. Dame stretches Jayne. Jayne comes back but a double clothesline halts both women's momentum. James tags in. Hail tags in. Hail hits a fast and furious series of attacks, culminating in an Exploder Suplex. Hail hits a Springboard Senton but James comes back with a punch to the throat. Dame blind tags. Hail locks in the Kimura, James taps out but isn't the legal woman. Dame hits a huge kick and pins Hail.

WINNERS: Kianna James and Izzi Dame.

– Backstage, Roxanne Perez fumes over James and Dame's victory. Arianna Grace tells Roxanne to calm down and gets slapped for it.

– Andre Chase and Duke Hudson are shown throwing dice with Out The Mud. Duke tells Chase he should quit while he's ahead but Chase decides to challenge Out The Mud to a tag match to double their money. Adrianna Rizzo informs Chase that if Chase U wins next week, his debt to Tony D'Angelo is paid.

Back in the ring and No Quarter Catch Crew are in the ring. Dragon Lee makes his entrance. Dragon Lee's opponent is revealed to be Charlie Dempsey. But before the match starts, Gallus interrupts. Joe Coffey decides to interject himself in the match. Dragon Lee decides to take them both on.

WWE NXT North American Championship Match: Dragon Lee (c) vs. Charlie Dempsey vs. Joe Coffey

Dempsey and Lee start the match as Coffey stays on the outside. Lee gets some momentum and suddenly Coffey gets in the ring and levels the champion. Coffey hits a series of backbreaker. Dempsey and Coffey trade holds. Coffey hits a headbutt to the back and starts to scrap with Lee. Gallus holds Lee back and the referee banishes Gallus. Dragon Lee hits a German Suplex and a Superkick but Dempsey breaks up the pinfall as we head to a commercial.

Back from commercial and Dragon Lee is doing his best to quell both competitors but it soon becomes to much for him and he powders to the outside. Dempsey and Coffey go back and forth, with Dempsey outwrestling the powerful Scot. Dempsey suplexes Coffey, who tosses Lee, everyone is down. All three men recover and trade blows. Demsprey hits a big European Uppercut. Coffey takes out both men and covers Lee for a nearfall.

Coffey puts Lee on the top rope and chops away at him. Lee counters and hits a diving stomp on a prone Coffey. Lee then hits a suicide dive on Dempsey on the outside. Lee hits a V-Trigger for a nearfall. Dempsey counters a plancha with an uppercut. Dempsey and Lee trade blows. Joe Coffey comes flying out of the ring and takes out both men. Joe Gacy appears from under the ring and watches the match gleefully. Gacy pulls Coffey under the ring.

Back in the ring, Dempsey counters Operation Dragon with a Fallaway Slam. Lee counters a suplex and hits Operation Dragon for the pinfall.

WINNER AND STILL WWE NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION: Dragon Lee

– After the match, No Quarter Catch Crew attacks Dragon Lee but Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro show up to help Lee fight off the crew.

– Back from commercial, Cora Jade makes a grand return to the NXT Women's locker room. She takes back her locker from Karmen Petrovic. Karmen is angry and Gigi Dolin tells her there's only one way to deal with Jade.

Men's Breakout Tournament Match: Luca Crucafino vs. Tavion Heights

Heights manhandles Crucafino for much of the start until Crucafino throws some punches to try and fight back. Crucafino continues to batter Heights. The match is mainly a lot of elbows but Crucafino hits a big neckbreaker for a nearfall. Crucafino starts fighting back. Heights counters a hip toss. Heights drops Crucafino with a big overhead toss. Heights hits a huge German Suplex. Heights hits a Capture Suplex. Heights hits a spinning Belly To Belly Suplex for the pinfall.

WINNER: Tavion Heights

– We take a look at the upcoming WWE NXT Women's Championship Match between Lyra Valkyria and Blair Davenport.

– Backstage, Nikkita Lyons tells Lyra Valkyria that she's hoping to get a shot at the women's title.

– Back from a commercial and Noam Dar says that he will give Josh Briggs a shot at the NXT UK Heritage Cup in the name of Christmas spirit.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Tatum Paxley

Paxley drops to her knees. Lyons drops into a split. Lyons smacks Paxley, who retreats to ringside. Lyons gives chase but Paxley gets the upperhand on the outside. Back in the ring and Paxley maintains dominance. Both women trade nearfalls. Paxley keeps up the assault, attacking Lyons's arm. Paxley manipulates Lyons's hand, wrist and fingers but Lyons rolls her up for a nearfall.

Lyons trips Paxley and hits a roaring side kick. Lyons unleashes a flurry of strikes. Lyons hits a modified Banzai Drop. Lyons tosses Paxley. Lyons hits a Spinning Roundhouse, followed by a big split for the pinfall.

WINNER: Nikkita Lyons

– Backstage, Fallon Henley tells Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs that she's not done with Tiffany Stratton. Jensen and Briggs celebrate that Briggs has a shot at the Heritage Cup. Briggs says that he wants no back up. He has to do this one on his own.

Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs. Gallus

Mark Coffey starts against Hank Walker, who runs over Coffey quick. Wolfgang tags in. Walker gets the batter of Wolfgang and levels him with a shoulder tackle and a senton. Coffey tags in. Ledger tags in.

Ledger manhandles Coffey. Coffey fights back with a punch but Ledger hits a huge shoulder block. Hank tags in and hit a double shoulder tackle. Wolfgang tries to help but gets dumped out of the ring. Wolfgang tags in and pulls Hank to the outside. Hank gets sent into the ringpost. Wolfgang attacks Hank on the apron.

Back in the ring, Gallus keep the upperhand with quick tags and tandem offense. Hank starts to fight back but gets leveled by a forearm. Hank hits a Pounce. Tank tags in but wasn't holding the tag rope. Coffey uses the distraction to hit a big kick on Hank for the pinfall.

WINNERS: Gallus

– Joe Gacy is shown watching Gallus from the Chase U student section.

– Dijak says that Eddy Thorpe is a fool for challenging him to an NXT Underground Match with injured ribs. Dijak reminds Thorpe of the recent assault and says the match will be Thorpe's last, ever.

– Backstage, Ridge Holland gets ready for his main event match.

– Backstage Tiffany Stratton says Fallon Henley is supposed to be a servant. Stratton says Henley will never be her. "You will always be trash." Stratton challenges Henley to a match at New Year's Evil and if Henley loses, she has to be Stratton's servant.

Non-Title Match: Ilja Dragunov vs. Ridge Holland

They lock up. They trade shoulder tackles. Holland runs Dragunov over. Ridge hits a huge lariat. Dragunov comes back with a big rebound lariat. Holland fights back and hits an Alabama Slam. Dragunov hits a German Suplex and then another. They trade strikes. Dragunov hits a big German Suplex. We head to a commercial.

Back from commercial and Dragunov is firmly in the driver's seat. Dragunov kicks away at Holland. Holland comes back and smashes Dragunov into the turnbuckle, then immediately hits a lariat. Holland hits a body splash in the corner, then another. Holland hits a Belly To Belly Suplex for a nearfall.

Dragunov fights out of a suplex attempt and eats a knee. Ridge wastes time going for 10 Beats Of The Bodhran and Dragunov makes him pay. Dragunov gets a nearfall and hits an H Bomb. Holland counters a powerbomb. Holland hits a Pump Kick for a nearfall. Ridge goes for a Suplex but Dragunov fights out. Ridge modifies his plan and hits a Vertical Suplex DDT. Dragunov is hurt. The referee calls off the match.

No Contest

– Dragunov is taken out on a stretcher as Ridge looks on in horror and a quiet, uncomfortable pall is cast over the NXT arena.