WWE NXT Review - April 16, 2024

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Noam Dar def. Dijak

This came about after Dijak crossed paths with The Meta-Four backstage, or something like that. I don't know, I didn't really care about. It was obviously a well-worked match given who was involved, and Dijak is excellent, but anything involving Dar immediately loses my interest. Dar winning was pretty egregious, unless the idea is that Dijak is headed back to the main roster in the Draft and this was his way of putting someone over on his way out.

Lola Vice def. Sol Ruca

I thought Ruca was done with Blair Davenport after beating her clean two weeks ago, but apparently not. Davenport cost Ruca the win here and they'll have what's being billed as a "Beach Brawl" (a.k.a. a No Disqualification match) next week. There wasn't much to this match, but it was fine while it lasted. Natalya popped up on the big screen afterward to challenge Vice to an NXT Underground match, also on Night 1 of Spring Breakin'.

Ridge Holland def. Joaquin Wilde

Cruz Del Toro recently underwent surgery for something, so Wilde doesn't have a tag team partner for the time being (aside from his LWO stablemates, obviously). Holland's "retirement" was short-lived as he resurfaced at Stand & Deliver and turned heel by attacking Joe Gacy. He's still being scouted by Shawn Spears for some reason. This was a straightforward squash win for Holland as it should have been.

No Quarter Catch Crew Confronted The D'Angelo Family

Channing Lorenzo and Luca Crusifino beat Damon Kemp and Myles Borne last week, so I don't see the need for them to have a six-man tag team match next week, too. They attempted to justify it here with The D'Angelo Family accusing No Quarter Catch Crew of not paying them for the favor they did for them. It was implied that The D'Angelo Family took out Drew Gulak, so I guess that means he's gone indefinitely. If nothing else, I applaud the effort to explain where he went.

NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov def. Je'Von Evans (Non-Title)

Dragunov issued an open challenge to anyone on the roster and Evans answered the call. Dragunov obviously wasn't winning ahead of his NXT Championship defense against Trick Williams next week, but it was more about Evans showcasing his skills and I thought he absolutely made the most of the opportunity. He had a strong showing in defeat and the two had a very fun match. This was a nice endorsement of Evans, who will be one to watch going forward.

Tatum Paxley def. Thea Hail

The video package that aired for Paxley earlier in the episode where she explained why she betrayed Lyra Valkyria last week was a terrific piece of business. Her character work has been great and she's improving in the ring as well. This was similar to Vice vs. Ruca in that it was brief, forgettable and more about what came afterward. Valkyria and Paxley brawled, leading to the announcement that Roxanne Perez will defend the NXT Women's Championship against both of them in a Triple Threat next Tuesday night.

Authors of Pain def. Malik Blade and Edris Enofe

It's been over six years since the last AOP squash on NXT TV. This was an effective way to reestablish them as a force to be reckoned with following The Final Testament's return last week and it was wisely kept short and sweet. Blade and Enofe had a storyline going for a little while where they were down on their luck, but there's been zero follow-up with that, so now they're back to being directionless losers.

Ivar def. Josh Briggs

This was basically a number one contender's match for the NXT North American Championship without officially being labeled as one. You can add this to the list of quality hoss fights we've gotten in NXT lately. Briggs has been impressive on his own, but he still needs more character development. I have no idea whether he's supposed to be a heel or a babyface. It's worth noting Ivar was back to doing his Viking shtick here after coming across like a regular dude in his segment with Oba Femi last week.

Trick Williams def. Carmelo Hayes in a Steel Cage Match

Despite the stipulation here, I ​actually thought their original encounter at Stand & Deliver was stronger. I wasn't a fan of all the unnecessary interference and they didn't get as much time, so it felt rushed down the stretch. Still, it was a good main event and another momentum-boosting win for Williams, who will face Dragunov for the NXT Championship next week. It was also a worthy NXT sendoff for Hayes, who is absolutely moving to Raw or SmackDown in the Draft.

Overall Show

The second half of the show was much better than the first half (I didn't mind the opener but I hated the outcome). Dragunov vs. Evans, Ivar vs. Briggs and the main event were all enjoyable, making this a slightly-above-average show. There was also an ample amount of build for Spring Breakin' starting next week. Much like with Raw and SmackDown, I appreciate that the brand isn't a lame duck period ahead of the Draft and that we're getting stuff that matters in the meantime.

SEE MORE: NXT Reviews