WWE NXT Review - August 27, 2024

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

The Fatal Influence (Jacy Jane and Fallon Henley) def. The Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson)

Even though they've turned face, I still don't care for The Meta-Four. Props to Legend and Jackson for doing what they can to keep the faction relevant in Noam Dar's absence, but Oro Mensah has been doing the best work of the three. This was a well-worked match with a logical result. Fatal Influence recently formed and need to rack up wins in order to be taken seriously as a threat in the women's division. Hopefully the idea will be to elevate either Jane or (preferably) Henley to singles gold sometime soon.

Karmen Petrovic def. Izzi Dame

Dame attacking Petrovic in the parking lot on last week's show forced Petrovic to pull out of the NXT Women's Championship number one contender's Gauntlet Eliminator later in the night. I assume the only reason they did that was to set up this match, not because Petrovic is injured or anything like that. They had a fine match in the time they were allotted. Dame bores me as a character, so Petrovic winning was the right call.

NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez Crashed Sarah Schreiber's Sit-Down Interview with Jaida Parker

Parker came across like a total babyface when being interviewed by Schreiber. That also happened with Lola Vice when Perez was feuding with her earlier in the summer and she stayed babyface (a role she's not a natural in), so I hope the same doesn't happen with Parker. She can always be a fan favorite down the road, but it's too soon for that right now. Perez played her role well in this segment as she's really found her footing as a heel. Parker addressed someone off-screen, so I assume it'll be revealed to be Giulia at No Mercy.

The D'Angelo Family (Luca Crusifino and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo) def. No Quarter Catch Crew (Myles Borne and NXT Heritage Cup Champion Charlie Dempsey)

Man, this faction warfare between The D'Angelo Family and No Quarter Catch Crew feels like it's been going on forever. Then I have to remind myself that Hook vs. Chris Jericho in AEW has lasted even longer. In all seriousness, this was a solid match. Please let this be the end of the rivalry. On a side note, I have zero interest in the community theater crap with the random dudes looking for Tony D'Angelo.

Wes Lee and Zachary Wentz Faced Off

I was already excited for their match at No Mercy, but Lee and Wentz were fantastic here in hyping it up. They ran down their history, Lee explained why he betrayed Wentz, and Wentz showed terrific babyface fire. I'm glad it didn't end in a typical brawl, either. Trey Miguel wasn't out there with Wentz, but maybe he'll be in Wentz' corner on Sunday? This was the best part of the whole show.

NXT Women's North American Champion Kelani Jordan def. Rosemary (Non-Title)

Rosemary showing up as Choo's handpicked opponent for Jordan was an awesome surprise. I realize this was likely a one-off, but she's belonged on a bigger stage for a while now and it was cool to see her get this opportunity. Unfortunately, this was not very good at all. They didn't seem to click and there were a lot of awkward-looking spots. Rosemary watching Choo lay out Jordan afterward gives me hope we may see Rosemary again in NXT soon. Perhaps some sort of spooky faction with Tatum Paxley?

Brooks Jensen def. Malik Blade

Jensen attacking Blade backstage last week was how this bout came to be. Blade and Edris Enofe have been glorified enhancement talent for their entire time in NXT, so the outcome was never in doubt. They had a decent match, but I'm just not invested in what Jensen's doing at the moment. I applaud his effort to do something different, but the quiet crowd response indicates it isn't working. I like the idea of him being Shawn Spears' protege, though.

Joe Coffey def. Je'Von Evans

Both of these guys feel directionless at the moment. Evans was getting a ton of television time in the buildup to Heatwave, but he's been floundering since then. Coffey is in a similar spot, but that's to be expected given how he's been booked this year. These two had an enjoyable outing, so I hope there's a rematch eventually. Both of them need wins, so it didn't really matter who won.

Joe Hendry Attacked NXT Champion Ethan Page​

Hendry's latest concert wasn't as entertaining as some of his other ones, but the crowd ate it up, nonetheless. Page is the perfect foil for this sort of stuff. It was also revealed that Trick Williams will be the special guest referee for their championship clash. Pete Dunne will face Williams on next week's episode, so it's possible he factors into the finish somehow (I still have my fingers crossed for a Josh Alexander appearance/a North reunion). This was a hot close to the show.

Overall Show

I couldn't believe that this was a taped show. Usually the crowd energy is way down from what it normally is, but they were lively throughout and I somehow avoided all spoilers (including the Rosemary one) until the episode aired. It ended up being a straightforward go-home show. NXT does an effective job of highlighting the women's division every week and that was especially evident during the first hour. There were some dull matches, but the bigger stuff delivered. I'm looking forward to No Mercy on Sunday with the card on tap.

SEE MORE: NXT Reviews