WWE NXT: Gold Rush Live Coverage - June 20th, 2023

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Seth "Freakin" Rollins defends the World Heavyweight Title against Bron Breakker

Seth "Freakin" Rollins defends the World Heavyweight Title against Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin come face to face, Wes Lee puts the NXT North American Title on the line against Tyler Bate with Mustafa Ali as the Special Guest Referee, Chase U holds a Pep Rally for Thea Hail, Triple Threat tag team match, and more!


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– Tonight’s WWE NXT Gold Rush Week 1 episode opens up on the USA Network with a look at WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins arriving to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida earlier today. We also see Bron Breakker arriving. We cut to an opening video package. We’re now live from the Performance Center as Vic Joseph welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by WWE Hall of Famer Booker T.

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NXT North American Title Match: Tyler Bate vs. Wes Lee

We go right to the ring and NXT North American Champion Wes Lee is already out, as is Tyler Bate and special guest referee Mustafa Ali. Alicia Taylor does formal ring introductions.

The bell rings and they lock up, then break. Bate slams Lee and grounds him as fans rally. They trade counters and we have an early stalemate. Lee with a shoulder and a headlock. They run the ropes and we get another showdown.

Bate with a headlock takedown into a 2 count as there’s a fast count by Ali which upsets everyone. Lee fights up and out. Bate out-wrestles Lee but gets taken down for 2. Lee has a word with Ali but Bate rolls him up for 2. Bate shoves Lee and yells at him now. They lock back up and tumble through the ropes to the floor. Fans count but Ali isn’t while Bate and Lee go at it. Bate drops Lee as fans count well past 10 and we go to commercial.

Back from the break and they collide in mid-air to “NXT!” chants as both go down. Ali counts. Bate strikes first but Lee fights back. They continue trading stiff strikes. Lee back-slides Bate but he rolls through. Lee unloads with kicks and a dropkick for a pop.

Bate with a big knee and flying clothesline. Bate goes on and launches Lee with a big suplex. Bate with a Standing Shooting Star for 2. Lee fights back and nails a superkick. Bate dodges the Cardiac Kick and hits a big clothesline for 2. Fans chant “this is awesome!” as Bate goes up top but Lee stuns him and climbs up. Lee goes for a superplex to the floor but Bate blocks it. Bate rocks Lee and they fall… Lee to the floor and Bate to the mat.

Ali counts but runs out and helps Lee up, encouraging him to get back into the match. He also gives a pep talk to Bate. Lee comes right back in and delivers the Cardiac Kick, hitting Bate as soon as Ali moves out of the way from his pep talk.

Winner: Wes Lee

– After the match, Lee stands tall as the music hits. We go to replays. Ali raises both of their hands in the air but they stare him down.

– We get a quick hype video on Gigi Dolin. McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Kiana James now. She goes on ranting about how she has ambition and Dolin needs to grow up. James says she was also reckless when she was young but she grew up and focused on success. James says Dolin can just keep swimming in the pool of mediocracy.

– Chase U is walking backstage. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and we see how Finn Balor beat up Seth Rollins on RAW last night. Vic says he might not be at 100% but he is cleared to compete tonight.

– We go back to the ring for a Chase University pep rally for Thea Hail as she prepares to challenge NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton next week. Duke Hudson, holding his MVP trophy, hypes Hail up and how she will become the youngest NXT Women’s Champion. The ring has a red apron cover, and large photos of Hail are on display.

Duke introduces Hail and out she comes with the other Chase U students, as well as Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey. Hail gets a big pop on her way to the ring. Hail goes on about how she just graduated high school last year and didn’t want college, she only wanted to be where she is now. Gulak and Dempsey can’t believe Hail just graduated high school. Duke tells them this is a pep rally, relax. Hail goes on and gives shout-outs to Duke and Mr. Andre Chase, who is at home watching. She thanks Dempsey and Gulak some more for teaching her what she needs to give Stratton a Chase U-sized ass whooping next week.

The music interrupts and out comes Stratton. She knocks the pep rally and goes on about how Hail got lucky in the Battle Royal, but that won’t happen next week. Duke defends Hail and says she is taking the title from Stratton next week. Duke is fired up as he goes on about how he and everywhere believes in Hail. Stratton says don’t make me gag. She promises to retain next week, and that Hail won’t make her tap out. Hail suddenly takes Stratton down into a Kimura Lock, then lets up. Hail and Chase U celebrate as Stratton clutches her arm at the entrance-way.

– We see footage of The Schism from last week. Joe Gacy is upset with himself, taking the blame for the loss to Mustafa Ali, Tyler Bate and Wes Lee. Jagger Reid agrees that Gacy’s actions are impacting them all. Ava asks Fowler, how dare you? Gacy agrees with Fowler and says The Dyad has been hitting harder than ever, so he will look inside himself at his shortcomings. Gacy goes on and Ava says they will not fall from one chop, they can’t change what happened… 4 roots, 1 tree. The Dyad walks off as Ava and Gacy exchange looks. The Diamond Mine is backstage now, watching what The Schism just said. Ivy Nile says The Schism only won a few weeks back because of Ava’s cheap shot. Julius Creed says The Schism is a cancer to NXT, a serious threat they need to consider.

#1 Contenders Triple Threat: Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen vs. Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs. Edris Enofe and Malik Blade

We go back to the ring for tonight’s #1 Contenders Triple Threat and out comes Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen with Fallon Henley. The winners will become the #1 contenders for a Week 2 title shot from NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus Back to commercial.

Back from the break and the NXT Anonymous Twitter account shows us backstage footage of Jacy Jayne and Lyra Valkyria. Lyra confronts Jayne over what she said last week, but Jayne downplays it to locker room chatter. Lyra warns Jayne and says she does not play games. We go back to the ring and Hank Walker and Tank Ledger are out, as well as Edris Enofe and Malik Blade.

We have some technical difficulties and come back to all three teams brawling in the middle of the ring. Gallus is shown watching the match backstage. Briggs and Jensen end up sent to the floor by Blade and Enofe, but then Hank and Tank run the ring and leap out onto the others. We go to commercial.

Jensen and Briggs dominate after the break. They come close to getting the pin on Tank after a Hart Attack. Jensen knocks Hank to the floor. Briggs covers Tank but Enofe breaks it up with a top rope elbow drop. Blade then hits a big Frogsplash on Tank for the pin to win.

Winners and New #1 Contenders: Edris Enofe and Malik Blade

– After the match, Blade and Enofe stand tall and celebrate as the music hits and we go to replays. Blade and Enofe vs. NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus is official for next week.

– We go backstage to Gallus, who are ready to go to the pub. Angel and Humberto show up, and Angel says Gallus is lucky Los Lotharios wasn’t in the Triple Threat because they’d be winning the titles next week. Gallus laughs them off and heads to the pub.

– Eddy Thorpe is backstage with his turntables. Damon Kemp shows up and accuses Thorpe of not wanting to fight. Kemp says he’s bringing RAW Underground to NXT in two weeks. It will be Kemp vs. Thorpe in a 20×20 ring with no ropes… only way to win is by TKO or submission. They both issue warnings to each other.

– The camera cuts backstage to Roxanne Perez attacking Blair Davenport. Davenport struggles to recover and says it’s game on now.

Dana Brooke vs. Cora Jade

We go back to the ring and out comes Cora Jade. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is with his former student, new NXT Heritage Cup Champion Nathan Frazer. Frazer asks Rollins how he is. He talks about what Finn Balor did but says he’s ready for tonight. Rollins also goes on about being proud of Frazer. NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams show up after Frazer leaves. They introduce themselves and there’s a tense moment but then they share a laugh with Rollins. Rollins says he already knows who they are, and he was waiting for them to stop by. Hayes came to show Rollins respect as the champion. Rollins tells Hayes to make sure he’s ready for Baron Corbin next week. We go back to the ring and out comes Dana Brooke.

The bell rings and they go at it, then Dana unloads into the corner. Fans do dueling chants now as Dana dominates. Dana drops Jade for 2. Dana keeps control and hits a knee drop for 2. Jade turns it around and rag-dolls Dana some now.

Fans chant “Cora!” as she unloads and kicks away in the corner. Jade shows off some and plays to the crowd but keeps control, focusing on weakening Dana’s leg. Dana rocks Jade and swings her around. More back and forth now. Jade rocks Dana while she’s stuck in the ropes.

Dana kicks out at 2. Dana blocks Jade’s DDT and drops her with a shoulder. Dana goes for the handspring elbow but her hurt knee goes out and she hits the mat. Dana screams out as the referee checks on her. Medics rush the ring to tend to Dana as we go to commercial.

Back from the break and they’re going at it. We see how Dana was put on a stretcher during the break but she slapped Jade and kept fighting to continue the match.

More back and forth now. Dana with a big slam for 2. Fans do dueling chants as Jade focuses on the hurt knee. Dana with a back elbow to drop Jade but she misses off the top.

Jade goes right into a single leg Crab to a “tap!” chant. Dana gets close to breaking free but Jade tightens the hold. Dana does not tap out but the referee calls the match.

Winner: Cora Jade

– After the match, Jade stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Dana is loaded on the stretcher again as Jade taunts her.

– We see footage from earlier today… Von Wagner has brought Mr. Stone to the empty WWE Performance Center because this is where it all began for them when Stone cared about Von when no one else did. Von talks about the baby photo and how he had a condition when he was born, where the growth of his skull was limited. He underwent a 14 hour surgery when he was just 15 months old. Doctors didn’t know if he’d survive but they cut him from ear to ear, pulled his face down, and gave him a life. He talks about how his parents did everything they could. Von recalls how other kids bullied him, and the other parents didn’t want him around their kids. Von knows he did look different. Von goes on and says that’s enough for today. He thanks Stone for listening, then walks off. We go to commercial.

– Back from the break and Eddy Thorpe is in the locker room talking to Axiom, Scrypts and others about how he has 2 weeks to get a training camp together to face Damon Kemp in RAW Underground. Gable Steveson shows up and says no one knows his brother Kemp like he does. Gable offers to help Thorpe train for RAW Underground. Thorpe agrees and they shake hands on it.

– We go back to the ring and out comes Baron Corbin for a face-off. NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes is out next. Hayes poses to his music but Corbin cuts it and says he has no time for that.

Corbin says the NXT Title does not mean Hayes has made it. He says Hayes looks cool and has swagger, but there is nothing he can say that Corbin hasn’t heard already, and there’s nothing Hayes can do next week that he hasn’t seen. Hayes pokes at how Corbin has never held the NXT Title, and has never had the respect of the people. They go on trading insults and comparing career achievements. Hayes says no matter what, he is still Him. Corbin says if you have to tell everyone how you are Him every week, and convince yourself you are Him, then you are a nobody.

Corbin goes on about Hayes being insignificant. Corbin says this is where he would crack Hayes in the teeth and leave him laid out, but he doesn’t have to do that. Hayes talks some more trash and exits as Hayes looks on.

– Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz are backstage warming up. Dragon Lee shows up and gives them props for handling Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson last week. Lee says he will be watching tonight. NXT Heritage Cup Champion Nathan Frazer shows up and thanks them for helping him have one of the coolest nights of his career last week. They tell him any time, then head out. Lee congratulates Frazer now. Frazer recalls how Seth Rollins told him to take care of those who help you, so he wants to give Lee a title shot next week. They shake on it as we go back to commercial.

– Back from the break and Gallus is in the parking lot. Mark Coffey and Wolfgang head to the pub while Joe Coffey takes a phone call about some “rats” or something. Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo suddenly drives up and hits Joe with his car, then puts him in the trunk and drives off.

Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson vs. Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz

We go back to the ring and out comes Meta-Four – Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson with Oro Mensah and Noam Dar, who is still on crutches. Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz are already waiting in the ring.

Meta-Four stalls at the entrance-way so Feroz and Leon goes out and attacks their opponents. Jackson brings it in the ring as the bell hits and she takes control of Leon.

Leon ends up down on the floor with a hurt leg. Jackson brings it back in and Lash takes over. Lash with a splash and more offense.

Lola Vice and Elektra Lopez come out to watch the match. Jackson tags in with a Cutter for 2. Jackson grounds Leon now. Feroz finally tags in as does Lash. Feroz unloads and hits a top rope hurricanrana and a Meteora. Mensah tries to interfere but it back-fires as Feroz decks him through the ropes. Feroz turns back around to a big kick by Legend for the pin to win.

Winners: Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson

– After the match, Meta-Four celebrates as Legend and Jackson pose on the ropes.

– The announcers hype Gold Rush Week 2.

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WWE World Heavyweight Title Match: Bron Breakker vs. Seth Rollins

We go back to the ring and out first comes Bron Breakker. Out next comes WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins to a huge pop as fans begin singing his theme song. Alicia Taylor does formal ring introductions.

The bell rings and they trade several counters and attempts early on as fans continue to sing for Rollins. Bron avoids a Stomp, and then blocks a Pedigree. Rollins sends Bron to the floor, then nails a knee from the apron. Rollins keeps control and poses up against the announce table as we go to commercial.

Back from the break and Rollins chops Breakker in the ring. Breakker with a big hurricanrana for 2. Breakker with a big overhead throw out of the corner as fans boo. Rollins, who has his ribs taped up from RAW, kicks out after another throw by Breakker.

Rollins with big chops in the middle of the ring now. Rollins blocks a counter and rocks Breakker. Breakker comes right back with another throw. Fans chant “you still suck!” as Breakker covers for 2. Breakker talks trash to the fans some. Breakker charges with a Spear but he hits the ring post when Rollins side-steps.

Fans rally for Rollins now as he mounts offense and drops Breakker to a pop. Fans start singing again. Rollins rocks Breakker. They trade suplex blocks but Rollins nails a jumping knee to send Breakker to the floor. Rollins with three straight suicide dives now as fans sing some more.

Rollins brings it back in but Breakker avoids the Stomp by rolling to the floor. Rollins follows with a clothesline in front of the announce table. Fans chant “table!” now and Rollins starts taking the announce table apart. Breakker goes to put Rollins through it but Rollins slides out and knocks Breakker onto the table. Rollins goes back to the top rope and hits a huge splash to put Breakker through the announce table. The crowd goes wild as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and they’re going at it in the middle of the ring. Rollins with two close 2 counts. Rollins stuns Breakker and goes up top for a Frogsplash but lands bad on his ribs. Breakker applies the Steiner Recliner in the middle of the ring now to a “no!” chant.

Rollins gets the bottom rope to break the Recliner. Rollins goes up top but Breakker flies up for a big Frankensteiner, then a big powerslam for a close 2 count. Rollins blocks a Spear with a knee, then he nails a Pedigree. Breakker kicks out just in time. Rollins with the forearm to the back of the head. He charges but Breakker intercepts him with a Spear for a close 2 count.

Breakker goes back to the top with his straps down. He flies but Rollins kicks him in mid-air on the way down. Rollins then nails a Stomp. Rollins goes to the corner and plays to the crowd as they start singing again. Rollins then nails a second Stomp for the pin to win and retain.

Winner: Seth Rollins

– After the match, Rollins sits up to recover as his music hits. Rollins stands tall now with the WWE World Heavyweight Title as the crowd pops. We go to replays as fans start singing Rollins’ theme again. Rollins poses with the title on the entrance-way now as Vic is signing off, but Finn Balor suddenly attacks from behind. Fans boo as Balor destroys Rollins at ringside, then brings him in and smacks him with a chair shot. Balor retreats to ringside as NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams rush the ring to save Rollins. They tend to him while Balor looks down at the WWE World Heavyweight Title belt laying on the ground. Rollins gets back to his feet and stands with Hayes and Trick. Balor and Rollins yell at each other as they look on from ringside and the ring. NXT Gold Rush Week 1 goes off the air.