WWE NXT: Roadblock Review - March 7, 2023

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Tony D'Angelo def. Dijak in a Jailhouse Street Fight

I wasn't sure what to expect from this stipulation match, but it ended up being quite fun. It was unique but not too gimmicky. D'Angelo hasn't had many standout matches since returning from injury, so this was the performance he needed, and I'm not surprised considering who his opponent was. I want Dijak to win the bigger matches, but I understand his primary purpose in NXT is to put over the talent of tomorrow. I don't know whether he's supposed to be a babyface or a heel right now, but at least he's won his feuds with Tommaso Ciampa, Santos Escobar and now Dijak.

NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus Attacked Pretty Deadly

It's odd that these teams didn't meet for the NXT Tag Team Championship on this show and that the match is instead being saved for Stand & Deliver, if only because that currently doesn't feel worthy of the bigger stage. I know the opener had a heel vs. heel dynamic and it worked in that case, but it doesn't work as well with Gallus and Pretty Deadly because Gallus aren't over yet. Maybe they're actually babyfaces, but that hasn't been established yet. Honestly, this was a pretty lame segment that didn't get me any more excited for their upcoming encounter.

NXT Champion Bron Breakker and The Creed Brothers def. Jinder Mahal and Indus Sher

Breakker and Creed Brothers had wonderful chemistry as partners. Mahal does nothing for me, but Indus Sher are talented enough that they'll be fine and make this pairing work. This was well worked and was nicely paced. It didn't accomplish anything for Breakker because he'll be facing Carmelo Hayes at Stand & Deliver, but it did give the Creeds a win over Indus Sher after losing to them at New Year's Evil. I'd have no issue with them rekindling their rivalry.

Shawn Michaels Introduced Johnny Gargano as Grayson Waller's Stand & Deliver Opponent

Although this played out almost exactly as I thought it would, that didn't make it any less great. Michaels and Waller had an awesome change and touched on some very real points. I don't think anyone actually expected Michaels to come out of retirement, but I assumed it'd be Dragon Lee (who was shown in the crowd during this show) facing Waller at Stand & Deliver. Gargano makes perfect sense seeing as how it was Waller that attacked Gargano in his final NXT appearance back in December 2021. The NXT audience will care much more about that match than the main roster audience would.

Gigi Dolin def. Jacy Jane

For a new feud with so much bad blood, this was a letdown, especially after that awesome promo from Dolin last week. They literally locked up to start the match, and although they showed some intensity, there wasn't anything else out of the ordinary about it, not to mention Dolin won clean. Jane attacked her afterward, so clearly this isn't over between them, but it didn't exactly get me excited about a rematch. They would have been better off saving their first match for Stand & Deliver.

NXT Champion Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes Made Their Match Official for Stand & Deliver

I don't know why this didn't just happen after the six-man tag team match earlier in the episode when Breakker was already in the ring, but I'm glad we got it at all this week. I'm actually surprised NXT waited this long to have them go face-to-face since Stand & Deliver is in less than a month. Despite that, this was terrific stuff. They spoke like regular people just wanting to face each other in order to prove who the real face of NXT is. They showed respect for each other, and they still have time to establish more of an issue ahead of the event. Well done.

Joe Gacy def. Andre Chase

This match was so important that the first few minutes happened during commercial break (at least the main event had televised entrances for both men). Chase U has grown on me thanks to the addition of Duke Hudson (not to mention they're over with the NXT audience), but the Schism shtick still sucks. Both guys are good in the ring and thus this was a well-wrestled match, but I didn't care much for it, personally. Hudson showed frustration toward Chase and Thea Hail backstage afterward due to their recent losing streak.

NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez def. Meiko Satomura

This along the same lines as their match back in September and arguably better with Perez having grown even more as a performer since then. I would've preferred to see this happen at Stand & Deliver so they could've gone longer, but they made the most of the time they had and produced an entertaining main event. The story was that Perez was able to best Satomura this time but paid the price for going the distance with her by passing out afterward. And yes, that was very much an angle and not real. I'm prediction is that Tiffany Stratton will capitalize on the weakened Perez at Stand & Deliver and win the title.

Overall Show

These occasional themed editions of NXT continue to be the best shows the brand produces outside of the live specials. New Year's Evil was underwhelming, but this was an excellent effort overall with a lot of matches that mattered, build for Stand & Deliver and just an energy NXT TV doesn't always have. These two hours were thoroughly enjoyable and I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of card they can put together for Stand & Deliver, though Breakker vs. Hayes and Waller vs. Gargano is a strong start.

SEE MORE: NXT Reviews