WWE NXT Live Coverage - March 14th, 2023

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Johnny Gargano to speak after his surprising return to NXT!

Gallus defends the NXT Tag Team Titles against Pretty Deadly, Wes Lee holds an Open Challenge for the NXT North American Championship, Apollo Crews battles Dabba-Kato, Johnny Gargano speaks, and more!


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– The post-Roadblock edition of WWE NXT opens up on the USA Network with highlights from last Tuesday’s special episode. We’re now live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida as Vic Joseph welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by WWE Hall of Famer Booker T.

– We go right to the ring and out comes Johnny Gargano to a big pop as Alicia Taylor does the introductions.

Fans chant “Johnny Wrestling!” as the music stops and Gargano takes the mic. Gargano asks where he left off and they chant “welcome home!” now. Gargano asks fans to watch his back because of how Grayson Waller attacked him from behind last time he spoke in the ring. Gargano talks about finishing this story and how it felt like a little piece of him was missing when he returned to RAW, because Waller took closer from him.

Gargano hates to say this but he kind of respects it. Gargano waited to see what Waller did with it because the last guy was Tommaso Ciampa and he became a great NXT Champion. Gargano goes on and says Waller failed to win the NXT Title twice, then he cried and blamed everyone else, then he blamed the fans, then the brand. Gargano says no matter what brand he’s on, NXT is h is home and you do not screw with a man’s home.

Gargano goes on about his history with NXT until Vic gets up from commentary, and shows Gargano something on his phone – it’s footage of Waller streaming live from Gargano’s home, where his family is. Gargano runs out of the ring and to the back.

– We see footage of NXT North American Champion Wes Lee arriving earlier today. Axiom greets him, and he’s determined to answer the Open Challenge tonight, and follow Lee around. Lee says the match is still 8 hours away, so what do you want to do? Axiom is down for whatever Lee is down for. Lee asks Axiom if he wants to go get something to eat. They leave together.

NXT Tag Team Titles Match: Pretty Deadly vs. Gallus

We go back to the ring for tonight’s opener and out first comes Pretty Deadly’s Kit Wilson and Elton Prince. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and McKenzie Mitchell tries to stop Johnny Gargano for comments as he rushes through the back, apparently talking to Candice LeRae on the phone. Gargano hops in his SUV and speeds away as McKenzie tells the camera man to follow. We go back to the ring and out comes NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus – Wolfgang and Mark Coffey. We get formal ring introductions from Alicia.

The bell rings and Coffey locks up with Prince. They tangle into the ropes and Coffey breaks but Prince slaps him. Coffey fights back and they brawl now. Fans do dueling chants as Coffey mounts offense and slams Prince.

Prince runs into a big elbow in the corner, then goes down. Prince goes out, then back in, but Coffey is waiting. Wilson tags in and goes at it with Coffey. Coffey takes control and in comes Wolfgang, who tosses Wilson around and hits a corner splash, then a big throw across the ring. Pretty Deadly turns it around together, then Wilson unloads on Wolfgang in the corner.

Wolfgang catches Wilson in mid-air for a big slam. Coffey tags back in for the double team. The double team continues on both challengers now. Gallus clears the ring and sends the challengers to the floor, then stands tall in the ring as we go to a picture-in-picture commercial break.

Back from the break and the challengers are in control. Prince works Coffey over and drives knees to his back for 2. Wilson tags back in and now they both run wild on Coffey in one corner. Prince covers for 2. Prince unloads on Coffey in the corner, then drops him for 2.

Prince grounds Coffey with a headlock as fans rally. Prince slams Coffey for 2. Wilson tags in and decks Coffey while Prince holds him to boos. Fans rally for Coffey and he gets an opening for Wolfgang to tag in. Wolfgang unloads and decimates Prince, then kicks Wilson off the apron.

Wolfgang goes to the top for a double axe handle and a scoop slam to Prince, then a running low splash. Prince kicks out. Gallus ends up hitting the double chokeslam to Prince but Wilson makes the save. Wolfgang is clotheslined to the floor by the challengers, but he pulls them both right back out.

Pretty Deadly launches Wolfgang over the announce table and Booker T has to scramble. Prince argues with the referee while Wilson hits Coffey in the back of the head with a belt shot. Prince covers for 2 and he can’t believe the kick out. Gallus blocks Spilt Milk as Wolfgang pulls Prince to the floor. Coffey levels Wilson with a huge running uppercut, then tags in Wolfgang for the double team finisher to get the pin and retain.

Winners: Gallus

– After the match, Gallus stands tall as the music hits. We go to replays. Gallus poses with the gold in the middle of the ring.

– Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley are trying to break into Kiana James’ office to find proof she’s cheating on Brooks Jensen. Fallon is trying to be covert, and Briggs is wearing hunting camo, but it turns out the cleaning lady left the door unlocked. Fallon spots a Stand & Deliver contract on James’ desk, apparently for their NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles to be defended, or this may just be the NXT Women’s Title Ladder Match as the contract says there will be a Stand & Deliver qualifier for tonight. Henley tells Briggs to keep looking for proof James is cheating on Jensen. Briggs sees a photo of Jensen and James, and apologizes. Fallon finds a notebook with “Operation Boyfriend” inside, which includes proof she’s had this all set up, and is seeing someone named Sebastian. Henley takes a photo of the flowers card from Sebastian, thanking James for a great night and morning.

– WWE Hall of Famer & Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels reads his tweets on NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez and her health being up in the air, so qualifying matches will begin tonight to set up a Stand & Deliver Ladder Match for the NXT Women’s Title.

Stand & Deliver Ladder Match Qualifier: Sol Ruca vs. Zoey Stark

We go back to the ring and out comes Sol Ruca for the first qualifier for the NXT Women’s Title Ladder Match at Stand & Deliver. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and we hear from a doctor who has been running tests on Roxanne Perez. He names the various tests Perez has been through and talks about how nothing serious was found. He says Perez is symptomatically stable, but they are unable to identify why she collapsed last week. The doc says it is his recommendation that Perez undergo additional testing, perhaps with other medical professionals, including a clinical psychologist. He also says he is unable to provide an estimated date for Perez’s in-ring return. We go back to the ring and out comes Zoey Stark. They lock up and go at it.

Ruca kicks Starks’ leg and keeps fighting to send her flying to the floor. Stark comes back in as fans taunt her. Stark fights Ruca in the corner but Ruca quickly turns it around. Ruca catches Stark with a big Codebreaker coming in from the apron tot he mat. Ruca goes on and drops Stark for a quick pin attempt. They end up on the floor and Stark superkicks Ruca down.

Stark brings it back in for a 2 count. Stark stomps away now. Stark keeps control and nails a jawbreaker for another 2 count. Stark grounds Ruca now. Fans rally as Ruca tries to fight up and out but Stark tightens the hold to keep her grounded. Ruca fights free and catches a kick, then rocks Stark. They trade lefts and rights in the middle of the ring now. Ruca with two flying shoulders, then a kick to the gut, an elbow to the head and an enziguri. Ruca with the flipping splash into the corner, then a big powerslam in the middle of the ring for a close 2 count.

Ruca clotheslines Stark back to the floor. Ruca goes to the top and hits a big moonsault to the floor, sticking the landing for a big pop. Ruca brings it back into the ring and springboards at Stark but Stark catches her in mid-air with her GTS finisher for the pin to win.

Winner: Zoey Stark

– After the match, Stark stands tall as the music hits.

– We get a new vignette from Scrypts, who is now talking with a distorted voice and he has a new mask. This almost sounds like the type of messages he was sending months back. He will show his true face, from his corner of darkness. He goes on about masks cloaking your face, and his gaze is drawn to one man. Sincerely, Scrypts. This was really bad.

Stand & Deliver Tag Team #1 Contenders Match: Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre vs. Tatum Paxley and Ivy Nile vs. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter

We go back to the ring and out comes Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn in an attempt to earn a Stand & Deliver title shot at NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Fallon Henley and Kiana James.

Back from the break and out comes Ivy Nile and Tatum Paxley. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter are already in. Chance, Paxley and Dawn start tings off. Dawn is sent to the floor. Chance tangles with Paxley but in comes Carter off the tag. She tangles with Paxley until Dawn rushes back in with a kick.

Fyre tags in and attacks Paxley in the corner while Dawn is fighting Carter in the opposite corner. Carter and Chance end up double teaming Paxley and Fyre. Paxley slams Chance on top of Fyre for a 2 count. Nile tags in and they double team Fyre for 2. Nile looks to hit a big slam on Chance but Fyre kicks them both down. Dawn tags back in to level Nile.

Nile fights Dawn off and goes to tag Paxley but Paxley refuses the tag, then yells something at Nile. Paxley has turned on Nile. Paxley hops off the apron and Nile is sent out to the floor.

Chance and Dawn go at it now with Dawn going down. Fyre with a cheap shot to Carter after taking Chance out. Paxley kicks Nile at ringside and smiles. Nile is rolled back in for the double team from Fyre and Dawn to get the win and the title shot at Stand & Deliver.

Winners and New #1 Contenders: Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn

– After the match, Fyre and Dawn stand tall as the music hits. We go to replays.

– Ilja Dragunov is walking backstage. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and NXT Champion Bron Breakker is backstage when Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo walk up. They offer to take care of Trick Williams (or was it Carmelo Hayes?) ahead of tonight’s contract signing with Hayes. Bron comes back with some mafia jokes but turns the help down and says he appreciates it but he has this one. Bron walks off. Tony says he has a plan for them. Stacks asks if that means taking out the winner of Hayes vs. Breakker, or answering the Open Challenge for the NXT North American Title tonight. Tony says no, he said “we” so they are going for tag team gold. Tony goes on about how loyal Stacks has been to him.

– We go back to the ring and out comes Ilja Dragunov to a pop.

Dragunov says his WWE career has been life-changing – for him, his son, his wife, they have had opportunities they never imagined. He goes on and says with every step he took, JD McDonagh has been there to cut his legs out from under him. This was avoidable but now he has no choice, to keep his autonomy, he needs to rid NXT and himself of JD, once and for all. The music interrupts and out comes JD.

JD says this was never avoidable as they are two sides from the same coin, and are a lot more alike than different. Ilja says he’s wrong. They both accuse each other of being obsessed with the other. JD says because of that obsession, they both failed. Ilja goes on about how pain makes him feel alive, so he chooses that life. JD says Dragunov is not in control of his life. JD says Dragunov’s greatest strength is also why he has no title. JD will never get tired of making new ways to make Ilja suffer, and he thinks they are destined to do this for a long time. Ilja says no because he will end this week and when he’s through with JD, there will be nothing left of JD but body parts and fluids that spell out, Here Lies The Irish Ace!

JD gets in Dragunov’s face now. JD says he looks forward to their Symphony of Sadism more than Ilja can imagine, he will commit it to memory because like a scalpel in his eye, it will be hard to watch. Fans chant “fight!” now. Ilja dodges a headbutt and they brawl into the corner now, then tumble over the top rope to the floor. JD drops Dragunov but the brawl continues around the ringside area, then into the back. The brawl goes out into the parking lot to end the segment.

– Pretty Deadly is backstage with McKenzie Mitchell. They can’t believe they lost to Gallus. They say they don’t need Stand & Deliver, Stand & Deliver needs them. Why be on the show when you can be the show? This is Hollywood so they should host the show, they say. They excuse themselves to go and pay someone a special visit.

– NXT North American Champion Wes Lee is walking backstage when JD McDonagh and Ilja Dragunov are still brawling. Lee gets upset at how close they get, but officials try and restore order, telling Lee to keep walking to the ring. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and Tyler Bate is teaching Thea Hail more breathing techniques for stress while Andre Chase and Duke Hudson watch. They head out. Duke talks to Chase and says he’s still not over their win-loss record as wins and losses are everything, and people will judge them for that. Chase says that’s always been the case with sports, but then Chase U was born. Chase goes on about what Chase U means, and how it’s where he, and Duke, came to find their purpose. Chase says for the first time in Duke’s career, he cares. He says Duke might think Chase U has done nothing for him, but maybe Chase U has done more for Duke than anything in his life. Chase walks off. Ava Raine appears and takes off her yellow mask. She looks at Duke, then places the mask on Hail’s megaphone and walks off. Duke turns and sees the mask.

– We see Grayson Waller’s live stream from outside of Johnny Gargano’s house. Waller is going to check and make sure Gargano didn’t leave the front door unlocked.

– We see Von Wagner, Dante Chen, Damon Kemp, Xyon Quinn, Odyssey Jones, Edris Enofe, Malik Blade, and a bunch of other Superstars brawling backstage. The brawl spills out to the entrance-way as NXT North American Champion Wes Lee waits in the ring to begin his Open Challenge. Axiom breaks through the chaos and enters the ring to face off with Lee, but Scrypts suddenly flies in from the top rope to take Axiom down. Lee is yelling about how he still needs an opponent. JD McDonagh rushes in from behind and turns Lee around for a clothesline. Ilja Dragunov then attacks JD and their brawl continues. Lee runs the ring and nails a big dive on the large group of Superstars brawling at ringside. Fans chant “NXT!” as the fight continues.

– McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Dragon Lee. She welcomes him to NXT, and he thanks her. Lee says he has been around the world but to be here in NXT is so exciting. She asks what we can expect from him. He says so much, he wants to be a great example of lucha libre. He speaks some in Spanish and mentions Wes Lee’s Open Challenge, and says he’s going to love it here in NXT. Lee says it was nice to meet you, then walks off.

– We get a promo for Apollo Crews vs. Dabba-Kato. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Jacy Jayne, who has her arm in a sling. McKenzie mentions last week’s loss to Gigi Dolin. Jayne says Dolin did nothing last week, even on her best day she’s nowhere near as good as Jayne. McKenzie says she did win though. Jayne tells her to report news, not gossip. Jayne says Dolin injured her early into the match and she could barely lift anything, and still can’t. She says Dolin is even more pathetic than she thought if she calls that a win. Jayne will be thinking of Dolin every second she’s away from NXT and when she returns, she promises to break Dolin’s heart and face… again. Jayne walks off.

Dabba-Kato vs. Apollo Crews

We go back to the ring and out comes Apollo Crews, who is all serious and ready to fight. Dabba-Kato marches to the ring next.

Crews flies off the top and attacks Kato at ringside. The fight continues around the ringside area with Crews keeping control. Kato fights back with big forearms. Crews keeps chopping Kato down. Kato grabs him but gets shoved into the ring post.

Kato fights back and lifts Crews to the apron, but Crews rocks him. Crews enters the ring and now we get the bell. Crews charges but they tumble right back to the floor. Crews with shots to the back of the neck to keep Kato down. Kato fights back and launches Crews into the barrier. Crews with more right hands.

Kato charges but hits the steel ring steps when Crews moves. Crews rolls Kato back in and stomps him. Kato fights back with big right hands, then he flattens Crews with a big boot to boos. Kato stands tall over Crews as we go to a picture-in-picture commercial break.

Back from the break and Kato has been dominating. Kato man-handles Crews with a backbreaker as the boos continue. Kato with a big forearm to the lower back. Crews keeps fighting back but Kato shuts him down. Kati bends Crews over the top turnbuckle as the referee warns him and fans rally.

Crews with an enziguri from the apron, then a shot over the top rope. Crews re-enters with three pump kicks, then a corner splash. Crews is fired up as fans pop now. Crews manages to get Kato up for a slam for another pop. Crews goes to the top and hits the Frogsplash but Kato kicks out at 2.

They go to the floor and Crews leaps off the steps as Kato stumbles around, but Kato catches him and slams him over the steel steps. Kato returns to the ring and the referee counts. Crews rushes back in at the 9 count. Kato grabs Crews for the sitdown powerbomb for the pin to win.

Winner: Dabba-Kato

– After the match, Kato stands tall as the music hits. We go to replays. Kato looks on from the entrance-way while Crews recovers.

– The NXT Anonymous Twitter account catches Wes Lee arguing with Shawn Michaels. Shawn says Lee has already proven himself, but Lee insists he still has to prove himself and Shawn of all people should know this. Lee asks for 10 of NXT’s best at Stand & Deliver. Shawn will meet him half-way. Shawn books a Fatal 5 Way for Stand & Deliver with the NXT North American Title on the line, and will let Lee pick the 4 opponents. Lee and Shawn hug.

– Brooks Jensen and Kiana James are backstage. Brooks can’t get Josh Briggs to pick up, and James can’t get Fallon Henley to answer. James needs Fallon for her match. Jensen offers to go out with her but she says she needs to be alone… but just for this match, sweetie. James heads out and Jensen looks worried. Back to commercial.

Stand & Deliver Ladder Match Qualifier: Gigi Dolin vs. Kiana James

We go back to the ring and out comes NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Kiana James for the second qualifier for the NXT Women’s Title Ladder Match at Stand & Deliver. Gigi Dolin is out next. The winner will join Zoey Stark as Superstars who have qualified for the Ladder Match.

The bell rings and fans chant for Dolin as they lock up. The back & forth on the mat continues as fans rally for Dolin. Dolin nails a knee to the face for a 2 count. James turns it around in the corner and stomps away.

James with a neckbreaker for 2. James keeps control until Dolin fights free, mounts offense and nails a pump kick. Dolin with more offense as she turns James inside out for 2. Dolin with a STF for 2. More back and forth between the two. Dolin hits her powerbomb finisher for the pin to win and advance to Stand & Deliver.

Winner: Gigi Dolin

– After the match,, Dolin stands tall as the music hits. We go to replays. Dolin makes her exit while hyping herself up. We see Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn pull James from the ring to the floor and man-handle her some.

– We see Johnny Gargano arrive to his house. He walks up to the front door but Grayson Waller, in all-black, attacks him. They brawl in the front yard now. They use a large trash can on each other. Gargano unloads on Waller on the front door step. Candice LeRae opens the front door and he tells her to go back inside. Waller turns it around and pounds on Gargano now. Waller says daddy’s home as he walks towards the door. Gargano stops him and slams his head into the side of the house. Waller fights back and drops Gargano again. Waller drops Gargano with a rake and beats him with it as LeRae tells him to stop and get out of here, while holding their child. Waller snaps the wooden handle over Gargano’s back, and keeps beating him while he’s down. Waller taunts LeRae while beating on Gargano. Waller says Gargano isn’t the same anymore. Waller runs off as LeRae comes down to check on Gargano in the yard.

– The announcers hype up Stand & Deliver.

– We see Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams walking backstage. We also see Bron Breakker walking. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and the worst storyline in all of WWE right now continues with Fallon Henley and Kiana James arguing backstage. Henley has just learned of their title defense at Stand & Deliver.

– We go back to the ring for tonight’s NXT Stand & Deliver contract signing. Carmelo Hayes is out with Trick Williams, followed by NXT Champion Bron Breakker. They comment on how no one else is out here, so it’s good to go ahead and sign this contract before something breaks out like usual.

The music interrupts and out comes Pretty Deadly, the hosts for Stand & Deliver. They’re just here to host, and Breakker and Hayes won’t notice them. Hayes gives Bron some props for his title reign but says you can feel it, there will be a changing of the guard at Stand & Deliver because Hays is taking the title and taking it way further than Bron ever could, just like he did when he made the NXT North American Title the A-Title in NXT. Hayes says respectfully, Bron is coming in second to him at Stand & Deliver.

Bron doesn’t agree with the last bit, but he agrees with how Hayes, in his own head, made that the A-Title because he knew he wasn’t ready for this title yet. Bron says that’s fine because that wasn’t the Melo he wants to face… he wants to face the one people get on their feet and chant for, the one that beat Ricochet, the one that beat Apollo Crews, that knows deep down in his heart and soul, that he’s ready.

Melo doesn’t miss. Bron says it’s pretty fitting because on April 1, there’s going to be a first for everything. Pretty Deadly enjoys what they see but they’re annoying Trick, Bron and Hayes, who thought they weren’t going to talk. Hayes says he doesn’t want the Bron with anger management issues, he doesn’t want the Bron in a tuxedo inducting his father and uncle into the WWE Hall of Fame, he doesn’t want the fisherman Bron, or the Bron smiling on all posters… leave him at home. Hayes says he wants the Bron that runs through walls, won at WarGames, made Tommaso Ciampa tap out, and can do greatness because whenever Bron is that guy he’s unstoppable, which is going to make it all so much better when Bron gives him everything he’s got and it’s still not good enough.

Hayes says he doesn’t just say this because it sounds good, because it’s true… I am him. Bron knows Hayes is him, he believes him, but Hayes has to show him that “him” isn’t just a t-shirt slogan or something Hayes made up to further his character, that it means something because if Hayes does, Bron promises he will get everything he wants out of this, and Bron will get what he wants. Pretty Deadly interrupts again but they’re hushed by Bron. Bron goes on hyping the match, calling it potentially the biggest match in NXT history. Hayes needs Bron to understand this is big, this is the youngest WrestleMania Weekend main event ever. Hayes says there’s lots of pressure but that’s nothing new to them. Hayes says he will deliver he needs to make sure his opponent will as well.

Bron laughs and says something’s got to give. Hayes signs the contract and says he’s not giving an inch. Bron signs and says neither will he as fans do dueling chants. Pretty Deadly announces that the match is official as Bron and Hayes stand in front of the table to shake hands. Trick stands behind Hayes. Bron and Hayes nod and back away from each other to exit the ring. Pretty Deadly yells for them to stop… people come for drama, we need something full of drama, please. Bron and Hayes stat preparing for a fight as fans cheer, but they grab Pretty Deadly instead, then slam them both through the table to a big pop. Breakker and Hayes face off in the middle of the ring now, and Bron raises the title in the air. NXT goes off the air.