NXT TV results (12/26): Moore’s review of Noam Dar vs. Josh Briggs for the NXT Heritage Cup, Eddy Thorpe vs. Dijak in an Underground match, NXT Breakout Tournament semifinal matches – Pro Wrestling Dot Net

By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)

NXT TV 
Taped December 13, 2023 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Aired December 26, 2023 on USA Network

Vic Joseph and Booker T were on commentary. Alicia Taylor was the ring announcer…

Duke Hudson and Andre Chase were already in the ring. Out Tha Mud got a full televised entrance. Tony D’Angelo and Channing Lorenzo were watching the match from the crow’s nest. If Chase U wins, they double their hood craps earnings, and if they lose they only get back their buy-in…

1. “Chase University” Andre Chase and Duke Hudson vs. “Out Tha Mud” Lucien Price and Bronco Nima (w/Scrypts). Price showed off his power early on against the smaller Chase. Chase rallied back with dropkicks. Hudson tagged in for some tandem axe handle strikes. Price regained control with gut punches. Hudson came back with shortarm shoulder tackles on Price. Chase and Hudson traded quick tags to keep the numbers advantage and isolate price.

Nima tagged in and worked on Chase with boots and a rope hung Bronco Buster. OTM cut the ring in half on Chase. Chase used a judo roll to escape the isolation and bring in Hudson for the hot tag. Hudson hit Price with a Yakuza Kick. Hudson hit Nima with a Bionic Elbow. Hudson gave Price a Death Valley Driver on top of Nima. Hudson tossed in Scrypts when he went for the distraction. Chase tagged himself in and missed a dive. Price hit Chase with a superkick. OTM hit Hudson with an assisted spinebuster to give Nima the pinfall win.

Out Tha Mud defeated Chase University via pinfall 6:07 to earn a future NXT Tag Team Title shot.

Vic sent the show to the first NXT EOTY awards. The Creed Brothers won tag team of the year. Tiffany Stratton won female star of the year. Ilja Dragunov won the male superstar of the year…

Meta Four made their entrance…[c]

John’s Thoughts: Expected outcome given the Chase U scandal storyline is just starting. Given how good Chase U as an act is, I’m starting to buy a bit into the goofy ode to Jim Harbaugh story. I was afraid a bit of OTM’s first big program being against the comedy tag team, but everything Chase U touches turns to gold no matter how goofy it is. Hoping we get more promo time from the OTM trio because there is a lot of potential there along with Reggie finally finding an act that’s natural to him. Plus points for Duke Hudson too, who is really good in in his hot tag sequences as a babyface.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams dap’d it up backstage. They were both worried about Ilja Dragunov getting injured by Ridge Holland. Trick said he’s considering delaying his title shot to get Ilja at 100%. Melo noted that several years from now people won’t be asking Trick if he beat Ilja at 100%, just that Trick won the title. Melo brought up how Lebron James won the NBA title in the COVID bubbl

Eddy Thorpe was shown heading to the performance center. A graphic aired to lay out the NXT Underground rules…

John’s Thoughts: Melo may be from Boston, but it seems like based off everything we’ve seen from him, he might be a Lakers fan. As a Lakers fan, I respect that, especially since he’s from the hometown of our rivals. Another note, NXT is really good at doing those match graphics to avoid confusion with their gimmick matches.

Josh Briggs made his entrance…

2. Noam Dar (w/Oro Mensah, Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson) vs. Josh Briggs in a Rounds  Match for the NXT Heritage Cup. Briggs showed off hit power early with a shove. Noam then asked for a test of strength, but Josh reached higher than Noam could reach. Noam then hit Briggs with Muay Thai clinch knees. Briggs tossed Noam away. Noam kept his distance and worked on Briggs with footsies. Briggs continued to come back with power moves.

Briggs hit Noam with a body slam and standing splash for a nearfall. Briggs put Noam in a Half Crab. Briggs hit Noam with a Pounce for a nearfall. The clock ran out before Briggs can hit Noam with a power bomb. [End of Round 1]

Briggs hit Noam with a sidewalk slam. Noam put Briggs in a Guillotine Choke, but Josh powered out. Noam then put Briggs in a Triangle, but Briggs escaped by deadlifting Noam away. Briggs hit Noam with a Clothesline from Hell for the first pinfall. [End of Round 2]

Josh Briggs pinned Noam Dar 1:19 of Round 2 to go up 0-1. 

Round 3 started during the picture-in-picture.[c]

Noam spiked Josh with a DDT on the apron. Noam then hit Josh with a Nova Roller at ringside as the clock ran out. [End of Round 3]

Josh Briggs was bleeding from the mouth. Noam got fanned down by Lash Legend while also drinking his Space Jam drank. Noam worked on Josh with a series of pump kicks. Noam hit Josh with a diving punch for a nearfall. Noam hit Josh with a leg lariat for a nearfall. Noam paintbrushed Josh’s face with slaps. Josh came back wiht a Big Boot and Chokeslam for a nearfall. Dar tripped up Josh and gave Josh’s leg a double stomp. Noam hit Josh with a Judas Effect and put Josh in a kneebar.

Josh reversed the pressure and escaped with clubbing blows. Dar worked on Noam with elbows. Briggs gave Noam a right hand punch. Lash Legend hit Josh with a bucket while the referee was distracted. Noam got a two count. The rest of Meta Four got on the apron for some distractions. The referee turned around and saw Briggs hit Noam with the bucket to invoke a DQ.

Noam Dar defeated Josh Briggs via DQ to retain the NXT Heritage Cup. 

Vic Joseph noted that they treat DQ’s like a knockout and it doesn’t get counted in the point system…

John’s Thoughts: Good match and one of Noam Dar’s best Heritage Cup matches in NXT US. Yes, there was the usual Meta Four cheating, but the size dynamic caused them to change things up a bit. I’m happy that Josh Briggs is finally getting a singles push in WWE and he’s living up to his potential as (possibly) WWE’s next big big man. The guy is doing a good job also doing traditional big man moves. I kinda want to see Briggs take the title off of Noam (as I say for most Noam opponents due to him burying the trophy in sports entertainment).

Axiom and Nathan Frazer were disappointed backstage at not winning male star of the year. Nathan then said he’s glad that Bron Breakker didn’t win. Bron walked up on Nathan talking crap about Breakker. Nathan said he’s only talking crap because he’s willing to say it in peoples faces. Frazer challenged Bron to a match. Bron said “be careful what you wish for”. After bron left, Nathan said Axiom could have warned him. Axiom said he was because he did a wink…

Cora Jade made her entrance…[c]