WWE NXT New Years Evil Live Coverage - January 2nd, 2024

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NXT New Years Evil 2024

The NXT Championship will be on the line at New Year's Evil when Ilja Dragunov takes on Trick Williams. Williams won the 2023 Men's Iron Survivor Challenge and earned an opportunity at the NXT Title, but Carmelo Hayes has become increasingly erratic since getting attacked himself, going as far as accusing The Mad Dragon of being the perpetrator.


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– After the opening signature airs to get us started, we head into an elaborate, cold open video package for tonight's special annual "New Year's Evil" edition of WWE NXT.

– We then shoot live inside the Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, FL. where Vic Joseph and Booker T welcome us to the show as the camera pans the venue and the fans chant "NXT! NXT! NXT"

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NXT Women's Championship: Lyra Valkyria (C) vs. Blair Davenport

We then hear the sounds of Blair Davenport's theme music and out comes the winner of the 2023 Women's Iron Survivor Challenge champion for her shot at the NXT Women's Championship. She settles inside the squared circle for this high stakes opener and her music dies down.

The catchy-ass tune for the reigning and defending champion hits and out through the strobe-light-lit entrance way comes Lyra Valkyria emerging through the cloud of smoke. She heads to the ring to a big pop from the Orlando crowd and looks all business and ready to kick off the New Year with a bang here at New Year's Evil.

After the ring announcer wraps up the formal pre-match ring introductions for this championship opener, the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. Valkyria jumps off to an early offensive lead, but it isn't long at all before Davenport completely takes over and turns this into a prolonged one-sided beat down.

Davenport hits a big stomp on Valkyria and then an enormous Avalanche Falcon Arrow off the top-rope. She can't go for the cover, however, because Valkyria was smart enough to roll out to the floor upon impact. Once out on the floor, we Davenport miss a big spot and smash her knee on the announce desk in the process.

Back in the ring, we see Davenport go to pick up Valkyria but her knee gives out. She tries heading to the top-rope and again her knee gives out on her. Valkyria hits a big kick to the face and hoists Davenport up. She hits her finisher and picks up the win in a hard-fought battle to retain her NXT Women's Championship.

Winner and STILL NXT Women's Champion: Lyra Valkyria

– After the match, Lola Vice runs out with her guaranteed title shot contract and a referee. She tries running down to cash it in, but is jumped on the way to the ring by Tatum Paxley. Paxley beats Vice down as Elektra Lopez also rushes to the scene. Valkyria eventually sees what is going on and then the post-match scene wraps up.

– Now we shoot to Kelly Kincaid backstage. She is standing outside of the WWE Medical room where we hear a lot of noise in the background. She makes what the commentators hyped throughout the opener as a big breaking news announcement.

The unfortunate announcement is that Ilja Dragunov has not been medically cleared to compete and will not be defending his NXT World Championship tonight as scheduled. There will be a follow-up update later.

– We head back inside the CWC as the first commercial-free 30 minutes continues in an incredibly eventful start to the annual "New Year's Evil" episode of WWE NXT on the USA Network.

No Quarter Catch Crew vs. LWO & Carlito

The theme for the No Quarter Catch Crew hits and out comes the three-man group, minus Charlie Dempsey, who is in Japan preparing to challenge for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship, which Vic Joseph announces on the broadcast.

Now the theme for their opponents hits and out comes Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde of the LWO. They are without their originally scheduled partner for tonight, NXT North American Champion Dragon Lee, as he is experiencing visa issues. The theme for Carlito hits and he comes out to join the LWO duo for this six-man bout.

From there, the bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. We see Gulak jump off to a good start for his team, which is quickly shifted into the favor of the LWO duo, as Wilde and Del Toro continue to tag in and out and hit big high spots on Gulak. After some interference from the other NQCC guys, we see Gulak take over.

Things build to a huge spot where one member of the LWO is launched by the other two members of his team off the middle rope for an insanely high splash onto the NQCC guys at ringside. We see multiple replays of that cool spot and then Gulak is hit with a missile drop kick off the top-rope and covered, but kicks out at two.

Once again we see Damon Kemp and the other NQCC member get involved, which helps Gulak take back over on offense. This doesn't last for long, however, as Carlito and the LWO fire back up to close out the match with a bang, picking up a big victory. After the match, Carlito chewed up an apple and spit it into the NQCC guys faces for a big pop.

Winners: LWO & Carlito

– We head backstage where Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes are interviewed about Ilja Dragunov being forced to pull out of the NXT World Championship match tonight. They obviously aren't happy but as they talk, up comes Grayson Waller to taunt them. Hayes challenges Grayson on Trick's behalf.

Grayson turns it down at first, bragging about how he only fights legends on SmackDown these days. Hayes then offers up Trick's guaranteed NXT World title shot for Grayson to accept the match. Grayson does when he hears that. Trick isn't sure why Carmelo did that. We head to our first commercial break of the evening.

– When we return from the break, we see Riley Osborne in the Chase U classroom sitting at his desk thinking, which we hear, about how important his NXT Men's Breakout Tournament finals showdown against Oba Femi is tonight for his future in NXT and WWE.

Roxanne Perez vs. Arianna Grace

Now we return inside the CWC where we see Arianna Grace finishing up her ring entrance, in progress. We then hear the theme for Roxanne Perez and out comes the former NXT Women's Champion.

As she settles in the ring, we see footage of her slap to Grace backstage that led to their match tonight. The bell then sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. We see Perez start off well, but then Grace takes over and starts playing up her beauty queen gimmick, knocking her down and extending her hand to help her up, only to smack her in the face instead.

Perez only gets fired up by this and she begins taking over on offense. Grace fights back into the lead and yells at Perez that she's got to help her as she's beating her up. Fans yell "Let's go Roxy!" and "Arianna!" in a dueling chant. Perez starts to fight back from underneath and takes over, going to work on Grace in the corner of the ring.

Grace rakes the eyes of Perez blatantly but the ref doesn't see it. Still, seconds later Perez hits her Pop-Rox finisher for the pin fall victory. After the match, Grace yells that Perez needs help, so Perez attacks her until multiple refs pull her off of Grace.

Winner by referee reversal: Arianna Grace

– We see Ava Raine come out of Shawn Michaels' office and she informs Kelly Kincaid that Ilja Dragunov will be ready to defend his NXT World Championship against the winner of tonight's Trick Williams vs. Grayson Waller main event. She mentions that she'll be helping with a busy Shawn Michaels around NXT going forward. She also announces that next week will feature the start of the Men's Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic Tournament.

– We see a Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley "Ranch Hand or Servant For A Day" match and then head to another commercial break.

– When we return from the break, we see Blair Davenport backstage as she is approached by Nikkita Lyons. The two have words and Blair tells Lyons she can only beat her up by attacking her from behind, not face-to-face. This leads to a pull-apart between the two that is broken up.

Ranch Hand Or Servant For A Day Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley

We return inside the CWC where the theme for Fallon Henley hits and out she comes for our next match of the evening. She settles in the ring and her music dies down. Tiffany Stratton's theme hits and the former NXT Women's Champion emerges and heads to the ring.

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this Ranch Hand Or Servant For A Day showdown between bitter rivals Henley and Stratton. The early offensive advantage goes to Henley, but Stratton quickly takes over. The fight spills out to the floor where Stratton sends Henley into the steps and post with authority.

She taunts her being her servant after tonight as we head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When we return, we see Stratton miss her Prettiest Moonsault Ever spot. She grabs a chair and brings it in the ring, but Henley counters and takes her out for a pin fall victory.

With the win, Stratton will now serve as Henley's personal Ranch Hand for a day. Stratton left with Henley to head to the back looking upset after the loss.

Winner: Fallon Henley

– We head backstage where we see Baron Corbin approach Bron Breakker in his locker room. He suggests the two team up to destroy everyone in this year's 2024 NXT Men's Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic Tournament, which as noted, kicks off next week. Breakker breaks Baron's balls but then eventually agrees to the idea.

– We head to another commercial break after an Oba Femi video package airs to hype him ahead of his Men's Breakout Tournament Finals against Chase U's Riley Osborne later tonight.

– When we return from the break, we see Gigi Dolin talking to some of the other women in the NXT locker room when Cora Jade comes in and asks why she's in her locker. Dolin talks trash back to Jade and the two have words and are held apart by the rest of the NXT women's locker room.

– We head to a special sit-down one-on-one interview with Sarah Schreiber talking to Ridge Holland. He talks about not having the best of luck. He tells the story of injuring both of his legs as special still photos are shown and footage of him in the ambulance and hospital are featured.

We also see his road to recovery as he talks about how important this is for he and his family. He talks about forming The Brawling Brutes with Sheamus and Butch. He says it was bittersweet. We see footage of his nose being badly broken and resulting in surgery.

We see photos of him and his wife welcoming their two babies to the world. She brings up his recent return and asks which Ridge Holland he wants the people to know. He says he respects Ilja Dragunov immensley.

They talk about him injuring the champ and he assures us there was no ill-will or evil intentions behind that. He says the point still stands that he's in NXT for a reason and that is to show to everyone who Ridge Holland really is. He vows to go through the roster man-by-man to prove himself and find redemption.

– After the lengthy Ridge Holland sit-down interview segment, we head back inside the CWC where Oba Femi's theme hits and the big man makes his way down to the ring for the finals of the NXT Men's Breakout Tournament.

As he settles in the ring, we shoot backstage and we see Riley Osborne walking the hallways when Thea Hail runs up and tells him like a gushy fan-girl that she and Jacy Jane will be out there cheering for him tonight. He thanks her and they high-five each other as he walks off. Jane comes up and Hail freaks out that Riley actually touched her hand.

NXT Men's Breakout Tournament Finals: Oba Femi vs. Riley Osborne

Back inside the CWC, the theme hits to bring out Riley Osborne and the Chase U member settles inside the ring across from Oba Femi. The ring announcer handles the formal pre-match ring introductions for this Men's Breakout Tournament Finals. The bell sounds and off we go.

Immediately we see Femi charge across the ring and over-power Osborne. He proceeds to manhandle him for the next few minutes as the camera cuts back to Thea Hail and Jacy Jane looking nervous in the crowd. He hits a big shot that echo's throughout the CWC as we head into a mid-match commercial break.

When we return from the break, we see Femi has Osborne in a bear hug as the fans are chanting his name. Eventually he escapes and starts to fight back. He strings together a couple of spots on offense for the first time in the bout.

However he then goes for a Shooting Star Press off the top, only for Femi to get his knees up. Femi finishes him off with a pop-up style power bomb for the pin fall victory. With the win, Femi gets a guaranteed title shot contract.

Winner of NXT Men's Breakout Tournament: Oba Femi

– Izzi Jane is interviewed backstage by Kelly Kincaid and talks about aligning herself with Kiana James because it was a no-brainer. She boasts hitting volley-balls and b*tches in her spare time in the past.

Kiana says when she sees Izzi she sees dollar signs. She says she's got a friend now and now it's time to make some money. She says in 2024, everyone will know exactly who Izzi Dame is.

NXT World Championship Eliminator Match: Trick Williams vs. Grayson Waller

We shoot backstage and we see Trick Williams talking to Carmelo Hayes, asking why he offered to put his title shot on-the-line without his knowledge. Hayes says he didn't do it if he didn't think Trick could handle it. He gasses him up but Trick still thinks it was the wrong thing to do.

Hayes says he'll be by his side to make sure he gets it done. Trick stops him and says they talked about this before. He wants to do this on his own. Hayes looks disappointed by that. On that note, we head into another commercial break.

Axiom and Nathan Frazer as well as Riley Osborne and Duke Hudson are announced as two more teams for this year's Men's Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic Tournament. The fourth team joining the previously announced two and the duo of Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker, are the duo of Malik Blade and Edris Enofe.

NXT World Tag-Team Champions The Family duo of Tony D'Angelo and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo respond to a vignette from OTM earlier in the show and mention their title defense against the duo on next week's show. They introduce "The Glue of The Family -- Adrianna Rizzo."

As they go to walk off, we see Joe Gacy pop out of their trunk to freak them out. He said he needed a place to nap. After these insanely rapid-fire quick-hit segments finally wrap up, we return inside the CWC where Grayson Waller's theme hits and out comes the host of "The Grayson Waller Effect" for our final match of the night.

He settles in the ring and his entrance tune dies down. The drumroll begins and then the insanely loud "Whoop that Trick!" chants begin as the 2023 Men's Iron Survivor Challenge winner emerges and heads to the ring where hew will put his guaranteed title shot against NXT World Champion Ilja Dragunov on-the-line against the SmackDown Superstar.

The ring announcer handles the formal pre-match ring introductions for this high stakes main event, and then the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. We see Trick jump off to a dominant start as the commentators spend a lot of time focusing on who the former NXT Champion that Shawn Michaels was teasing on X could be.

Now the fight spills out to the floor as Waller takes over control of the offense. He taunts Booker T at the commentary desk, asking if Trick is his boy before he goes to throw him over the table and into Booker's lap. Instead, Trick reverses and sends Waller flying. He hops up on the commentary desk and plays to the crowd as Booker T yells at him to finish Grayson off.

Back in the ring, Trick continues to work over Waller, who ends up shifting the offensive momentum back into his favor. He talks into the camera off-mic about how he's "already whooped that Trick" as we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this match continues here on the special annual New Year's Evil episode of NXT on USA.

When we return, we see Waller taking it to Trick, who he has hung upside down in the corner of the ring. After some more back-and-forth action, we see each guy start to hit high spots, such as Waller connecting with a Flat-liner for a close pin attempt and Trick hitting a huge Avalanche spot off the top-rope for a close near fall attempt of his own.

Things build to a spot where we see Trick has Waller dead to rights, only for Carmelo Hayes to unnecessarily run down to the ring and jump on the ring apron. Trick gets in his face and asks what he's doing here. As Waller recovers on the floor, it looks like Hayes is about to cost Trick his title shot, when out of nowhere, the former NXT champion that HBK promised appears, and it's Kevin Owens.

With his broken right hand and all, he blasts Waller with a knockout punch. Trick then finishes Waller off for the win, keeping his title shot in tact.
Winner and STILL NXT World Championship No. 1 Contender: Trick Williams

– After the match, Trick celebrates as Hayes looks nervous at ringside. That's how this week's show goes off the air.