WWE NXT Live Coverage - December 5th, 2023
– We are live inside the CWC where we immediately head to the ring for our opening contest.
Last Chance Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifier Match: Kiana James vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Fallon Henley vs. Thea Hail
We hear Roxanne Perez's theme music and out comes the former NXT Women's Champion. She settles in the ring for our opener, which is the first of two "Last Chance Qualifiers" for the Iron Survivor Challenge at Saturday's WWE NXT Deadline 2023 premium live event.
Thea Hail's theme hits next and out she comes accompanied by Jacy Jane. Now the entrance tune for Fallon Henley hits and she makes her way out to a good reaction from the Orlando crowd. The country gal settles inside the squared circle and her music fades off.
The fourth and final member of this match, Kiana James, makes her way out now with her usual loaded hand-bag in-hand. The crowd boos as the heel women's contender settles inside the squared circle for our high stakes first match of the evening here on the Deadline 2023 "go-home" episode of NXT.
Now the bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. All four women collide in the middle of the ring and then splinter off into pairs, where they continue duking it out as the crowd noise picks up inside the CWC. Early on, we see the reigning NXT Women's Champion Lyra Valkyria watching on from a monitor backstage.
All four women in the ring start to go for pin attempts, one after the other, with none managing to secure a three-count. Perez heads to the top-rope but Kiana knocks her off and she crashes and burns on the floor at ringside. Hail knocks Henley out of the ring and is about to dive onto her, but she is hit from behind by James.
Henley blasts Kiana from the floor but then has Perez working on her from behind. Hail hits a dive onto them on the floor, but then James grabs her loaded hand-bag and uses it as a weapon. The commentators point out that this is allowed in this no disqualification match. We head to a mid-match commercial break on that note.
When we return from the break, we see all hell break loose as the action picks up. We see Perez and James end up being put through the commentary desk on the floor at ringside for a loud "Holy sh*t!" chant. In the ring, Henley blasts Hail with a big kick and covers her for the pin fall victory. With the win, she joins the field at the Women's Iron Survivor Challenge.
Winner and ADVANCING to Women's Iron Survivor Challenge: Fallon Henley
– We see some NXT social media footage in a quick transition segment and then we head backstage where Kelly Kincaid is standing by with NXT Women's Champion Lyra Valkyria. They are approached by Lola Vice and Elektra Lopez. Lola threatens to cash in her title shot on Lyra tonight. Up comes another NXT women's contender and she makes it clear she wants a shot at Valkyria's title, too.
– Now we see Wes Lee talking backstage. When he goes to walk off, we see that he is on crutches. Booker T and Vic Joseph mention on how commentary that "that's not good." We head to a commercial break as he gets ready to make his way out to the ring.
When we return, he comes to the ring and gets super emotional, as he cries while struggling to inform fans that he has suffered a serious injury that will require surgery. He says he doesn't know when he'll be back.
Dominik Mysterio appears to taunt him, and then gloats about how he guesses he no longer has an opponent for NXT Deadline 2023. Lee says that is not the case. Rey Mysterio appears on the big screen.
Mysterio informs his son that he will be defending his NXT North American Championship this Saturday at NXT Deadline 2023 as originally planned, but due to Wes Lee being out with injury, he will instead defend the title against Dragon Lee.
The WWE Hall of Fame legend will be in Dragon Lee's corner when he challenges The Judgment Day member for the North American title at the final WWE NXT premium live event this coming weekend. Lee comes out and beats Dom-Dom down before we head to another commercial break.
– When we return, we see a video hyping the WWE NXT Men's Breakout Tournament kicking off next week with Riley Osbourne, Keanu Carter, Tavion Heights, Dion Lennox, Luca Crusifno, Myles Borne, Trey Bearhill and Oba Femi.
Lola Vice vs. Tatum Paxley
We head back inside the CWC where Tatum Paxley is in the ring finishing up her entrance, in progress. Now the theme for Lola Vice hits and out she comes with Elektra Lopez. The 2023 Women's Breakout Tournament winner settles in the ring and her theme dies down.
The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. We see Lopez taunting Paxley early on from the ringside area as Vice takes it to her. Paxley blasts Vice with some big shots and shifts the offensive momentum in her favor, but Vice takes over and picks up the win shortly after in a quick, basic match.
Winner: Lola Vice
– We shoot backstage for a quick interview with Baron Corbin, and then we see NXT Anonymous footage of Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes talking on a muted, black-and-white security camera footage. After they shake hands and Trick walks away, we see Carmelo Hayes immediately start texting someone, leading many to assume he helped tip Lexis King off for the mystery attack on Trick weeks ago.
The Alpha Academy team of Chad Gable, Otis and Maxxine Dupri make their way out to the ring accompanied by "junior cadet" Akira Tozawa. They settle inside the squared circle for our next match of the evening.
Alpha Academy vs. The Meta-Four
Noam Dar and The Meta-Four make their way out. It will be NXT Heritage Cup Champion Noam Dar, and Oro Mensah and Lash Legend from The Meta-Four representing their team in this mixed tag-team match.
Now the bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. After some early back-and-forth action coming out of the gate, we see Chad Gable pull into the offensive lead. He nearly finishes this one off early with an ankle lock, however The Meta Four survive and start to take over.
On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see Otis hit the ring and help shift the offensive momentum back in Alpha Academy's favor. Lash Legend and Otis end up alone in the ring and Otis flirts with her before she scoops him up and somehow slams him.
The fans chant "Holy sh*t!" after Legend's impressive power display. Maxxine Dupri ends up standing in Gable's shoulders for an insanely high diving splash over the top-rope onto a pile of bodies on the floor. In the ring, Gable gets the ankle lock on Dar for the win.
Winners: Alpha Academy
– Hank Walker and Tank Ledger approach Gallus backstage. After the two teams exchange words, a match is agreed on between the two teams for next week's show.
From there, Kiana James vs. Roxanne Perez in a Steel Cage match is announced by Ava Raine of all people in a backstage segment. The women's cage bout will join the card for the NXT Deadline 2023 PLE this Saturday night.
– We go to the ring after returning from a commercial break following the aforementioned match-announcements for next week's NXT and this Saturday's NXT Deadline 2023 premium live event.
In the ring is Byron Saxton. The WWE NXT broadcast team member introduces all of the competitors scheduled for the Women's Iron Survivor Challenge match at NXT Deadline 2023 this Saturday evening.
The segment is a bit of a train wreck, with Lash Legend in particular not seeming to be able to handle it when someone else gets in a good line on her.
The women are seemingly allowed to interject and interrupt each other throughout, so it was tough to endure in spots. It ends with Fallon saying "Yee-hah b*tch!" to Tiffany Stratton and starting a brawl, which involves all of the women. We head to another commercial break on that note.
Axiom vs. Nathan Frazer
Now we head to the ring for our next match of the evening, where masked fan-favorite Axiom makes his way out and heads to the ring. He settles inside and his entrance tune dies down.
Nathan Frazer's theme hits and the NXT Superstar makes his way to the ring. The commentators talk about the backstage segment that aired as a pre-show digital exclusive on social media that set this match up.
The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. The two engage in some pretty basic back-and-forth action early on, and then out of the blue we see all of the women from the Women's Iron Survivor Challenge Debate continue their brawl from backstage back out to the ring.
Nikkita Lyons makes her way out to a huge pop and cleans house in her return appearance. Meanwhile, Axiom and Nathan Frazer simply roll out of the ring and stand in front of the commentary desk. The match is thrown out apparently.
Winner: No Contest
– We shoot to the Chase U Special Assembly featuring Andre Chase. He talks at a podium as a "Live NXT Breaking News" graphic airs on the screen and updates with semi-quotes of things Andre Chase says throughout his speech, where he openly admits to his gambling issues and how they have affected the student's financial aid and other things.
Duke Hudson asks if they can help. They offer to do a bake sale, but decide that won't be enough. Another student tries suggesting a car wash. Another one suggests he offer a crash course on how to avoid financial crisis.
We see Thea Hail looking at this student and getting all dreamy, including the sound effects. Jacy Jane asks if she's okay. She claims she is. Andre Chase vows to get the debt paid and thanks everyone, ending the assembly. The segment wraps up.
– Now we head backstage again and we see Trick Williams approach Carmelo Hayes. He demands answers for what he saw in the NXT Anonymous footage from earlier tonight that made it look like Hayes set Trick up and tipped Lexis King off to help plan the mystery attack on him weeks ago.
Hayes tries delaying it, saying he's got the Last Chance Qualifier to focus on. Trick isn't hearing that, however, and says this is his last chance to explain things to him. Hayes walks off to head to the ring while Trick heads in the other direction. We head to a commercial break.
– When we return from the break, we see social media footage from Lexis King addressing the situation with Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes. He says he should have known the cameras would find him. He says they always find the big stars, "ain't that right, Carmelo Hayes?"
He claims he won't interfere in his friends match tonight and cost him a shot at Deadline. He says they'll be on the same page very soon, because he knows for a fact that 'Melo doesn't miss. He says 'Melo also knows for a fact that Lexis doesn't miss either. Back inside the arena, we see Tyler Bate rolling into the ring for his entrance.
Last Chance Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifier Match: Carmelo Hayes vs. Eddy Thorpe vs. Joe Coffey vs. Tyler Bate
Already in the ring is the former NXT World Champion Carmelo Hayes. After Hayes and Bate settle in the ring, the theme for Joe Coffey hits next and out he comes to a bunch of boos from the NXT Universe in attendance.
Kelly Kincaid is backstage with Eddy Thorpe, and he is asked about his ribs. He says they aren't well after the attack from Drew Gulak and his friends last week. He claims they're well enough that he's gonna go get the job done and then get to Deadline 2023 and get his hands on Dijak.
Back in the CWC, Eddy Thorpe's theme hits and he makes his way to the ring to a good crowd reaction. The four men involved in this Last Chance Qualifier for the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge are all in the ring and ready to go, and then the bell sounds to get this one started. Soon there after, we head into a mid-match commercial break.
When we return, we see a huge high spot take place on the floor that sees Eddy Thorpe not get up. A bunch of officials rush to check on him and he doesn't get involved again, and remains on the floor until the match ends. The match does indeed end moments later, with Tyler Bate hitting the Tyler Driver for the win.
Winner and ADVANCING to Men's Iron Survivor Challenge: Tyler Bate
– We see NXT World Champion Ilja Dragunov and his challenger for Saturday's NXT Deadline 2023 premium live event, Baron Corbin, both backstage getting ready for their advertised final face-to-face ahead of their title tilt this Saturday night at the final WWE NXT PLE of the year.
We head to a quick commercial break. When we return, we see Carmelo Hayes talking to Ava Raine. He says she's getting things done around here and asks her for a favor. She tells him consider it done and walks off.
Trick Williams walks up and confronts Carmelo Hayes and says enough is enough. He asks if he tipped Lexis King off. Hayes says he didn't. Hayes says he would never work with that sucker and to prove it, he's gonna whoop his ass on Saturday.
He says he talked to Ava and she's gonna get that match made. He tells Trick he no longer stands on word, he stands on business. He says he'll prove it Saturday. Trick says good. He says Saturday Hayes will open the show, and he's gonna close it.
Back inside the CWC, out comes Baron Corbin, the challenger for the NXT World Championship match at this Saturday's NXT Deadline 2023 year-end premium live event. He settles in the ring and his theme music dies down.
Now the reigning and defending NXT World Champion "The Mad Dragon" Ilja Dragunov heads out and settles in the ring as well. The two are now beginning their final face-to-face before their big championship contest in the main event of the final NXT PLE of 2023.
After the two go back-and-forth talking about each others reasons for winning and needing to win on Saturday, Corbin tries his best to get Dragunov to lose his cool. He even sets a table up in the corner and all but puts himself through it for him. Dragunov comes close, snatching Corbin up but then he stops and smiles.
He tells Corbin only "The Mad Dragon" can make "The Mad Dragon" come out. Now we see all of the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge competitors brawl from the back out to the ring like the women did earlier during the Axiom vs. Nathan Frazer bout, which has been announced as the Kickoff Show match for Saturday's NXT Deadline 2023 PLE.
They all brawl in the ring and some are put through the table in the ring from the Dragunov-Corbin segment via a spear. In the end, it is Last Chance Survivor winner from earlier tonight, Tyler Bate, is the only man standing. Everyone else in the ring is down and out and that's how this week's show goes off the air, as Vic Joseph and Booker T remind us to tune into NXT Deadline 2023 this Saturday night.
