In her first WWE NXT appearance since winning the NXT Women ‘s Championship, Becky Lynch kicked off an action-packed September 19 episode.
It was a champions’ night as Carmelo Hayes and Dominik Mysterio would also compete in a non-title clash. Tuesday’s show also featured the final matches of Group A and Group B in the Global Heritage Invitational. Tyler Bate and Butch renewed their rivalry while Duke Hudson hoped to play spoiler against Joe Coffey.
With the Women’s Breakout Tournament close to returning, Lola Vice hoped to prove her worth early by challenging former winner Roxanne Perez. This was only the beginning of a night with big stakes as No Mercy approaches.
Becky Lynch and Tiffany Stratton Agree to No Mercy Rematch. Becky Lynch opened the show by promising Tiffany Stratton a rematch whenever she wanted it. The Center of the Universe demanded it at No Mercy on September 30. Kiana James then attempted to attack The Man from behind, but she fought off both heels with a steel chair. NXT is leaning into the time it has with Lynch. She is working every week and pushing her competition to step up to her. The crowd went wild for her and finally committed to booing the obvious heel Stratton. The Center of the Universe is still showing continued inconsistency on the mic, but she didn’t lose her confidence at least. It’s surprising that NXT is already pushing for a rematch between the two women, but it will be a guaranteed great contest. Grade B- Notable Moments The Man recited a personalized poem about her future challengers. The crowd did not know how to react to the unique rhymes. Lynch did not mince her words when she called Stratton “a better fighter than a talker.”
Ilja Dragunov promised he would be ready for his rematch with Carmelo Hayes. He then ceded the mic to Lynch, who challenged Stratton and James to a handicap match. The Family agreed to defend their titles against The Creed Brothers, Los Lotharios and the winner between Bronco Nima and Lucien Price and Hank and Tank.
Global Heritage Invitational: Butch vs. Tyler Bate
Tyler Bate and Butch showed what makes them special rivals. It was back-and-forth all the way to the final minute. After The Big Strong Boi kicked out of the Bitter End, The Bruiserweight finished him off with the Better End. While Butch and Bate have had better matches, they keep a consistent quality, and it has been too long since they have clashed. They brought it all over 11 minutes, and they could have had three times as long. The Bruiserweight needed to win here to make the tournament matter. Bate can get a shot at Noam Dar any time, but Butch is likely to return to the main roster soon. He needed a spotlight for his impressive work. The Big Strong Boi showed once again why he may be too good for NXT at this point. He could steal the show on Raw or SmackDown at any time. Result Butch def. Bate by pinfall to win Group A in the Global Heritage Invitational.
Notable Moments Meta-Four showed off their Matrix-inspired gear. Butch interrupted Noam Dar’s Neo impression. At the 10-minute mark, Butch reversed the Tyler Driver 98 into one of his own. Bate reversed the Bitter End into a DDT followed by his own Bitter End for a near-fall. Butch got his knees up to counter the Spinning Boi followed by the Bitter End for a shocking near-fall.
Global Heritage Invitational: Joe Coffey (w/ Gallus) vs. Duke Hudson (w/ Andre Chase)
Joe Coffey enjoyed beating down Duke Hudson too much in this match. However, it gave The MVP an opening, and he stole the win by ducking All the Best for the Bells and stacking up the Gallus leader for a three-count. It would have been nice to see a longer bout, but this was still a solid sprint. The surprise result made things interesting. It was an odd move to have a tiebreaker run-off in a tournament this long, but the match was certain to be good. Of the three men remaining in Group B, Nathan Frazer is the most high profile, but Joe and Hudson could use the spotlight more. Result Hudson def. Joe by pinfall, leading to a three-way tie in Group B of the Global Heritage Invitational.
Notable Moments Joe escaped outside after Hudson began to build back momentum. He caught The MVP on the apron and then planted him with a missile dropkick. After the surprise result, Frazer was hyped backstage for a Triple Threat tiebreaker. He sprinted off to prepare. Thea Hail went shopping with Jacy Jayne and found her perfect new look.
Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice (w/ Elektra Lopez)
Lola Vice challenged Roxanne Perez more than anyone could have expected, but The Prodigy caught the MMA star with a roll-up for three. The goal was to elevate Vice without taking away from Perez. This match certainly served its purpose. This is the best Vice has looked so far, highlighting her MMA background throughout. The Prodigy could have gotten in more offense here, but with four minutes, the two knew it was important to showcase the favorite in the Women’s Breakout Tournament.
Result Perez def. Vice by pinfall.
Notable Moments Perez offered to tag up with Becky Lynch after her match, but her shoulder was too bruised for The Man to let her. In a pre-taped video, Eddy Thorpe challenged Dijak to a strap match.
Carmelo Hayes vs. ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio
“Dirty” Dominik Mysterio struggled to find an opening against Carmelo Hayes until The A Champion accidentally threw him into Ilja Dragunov on commentary. The Mad Dragon struck, laying out Dirty Dom to cause a disqualification. Afterward, the NXT North American titleholder threw Melo into a Torpedo Moscow from Dragunov then bailed. Dragon Lee laid him out and stood tall with Dom’s belt. This was a solid if unspectacular performance from both men. Melo and Mysterio started off quickly, but the action could not keep that pace once the bell rang. These two did not have enough chemistry to sell the time they got. Neither man could afford to lose, so NXT took the cop-out finish. While Mysterio can hold hold this over Melo, the prospect of these two fighting again is not all that exciting. Next week, NXT needs something bigger for Melo vs. Dragunov. This feud should feel bigger, but Becky Lynch has taken some of their spotlight. Result Mysterio def. Melo by DQ.
Notable Moments Earlier in the night, Mysterio tried to convince Trick Williams they were alike and should work together. Dirty Dom attacked Melo before the bell, but The A Champion fought right back. The referee barely found time to start the match. Mysterio caught Melo with a 619. The A Champion ducked his frog splash attempt then both tumbled to the floor. Backstage, Schism tried to recruit Trick Williams, but he wasn’t interested. In an interview later, Mustafa Ali decried Dragon getting a title shot before him. On his way out, Melo warned Dragunov that he would put him in his place.
Global Heritage Invitational: Nathan Frazer vs. Duke Hudson vs. Joe Coffey
Duke Hudson threw around his more decorated opponents for a while, but he could not overcome their speed and power. Nathan Frazer hit him with a Phoenix Splash, and then Joe Coffey threw out Frazer and hit All the Best for the Bells to win Group B. The real Group B final was significantly better and more involved than the first sprint. This was wild action, showcasing what makes Frazer so special. He constantly pushed the pace in this match. That is not to take away from either other competitor. Hudson delivers every time when playing to the crowd, and Joe looked better in this match than he has for his entire NXT run so far, delivering with a varied move set. Joe probably should have just defeated Hudson to keep his dominant streak going, but fans got a better match out of this booking by the end. The Gallus leader should have his best match on NXT TV next week against Butch. Result Joe def. Hudson and Frazer by pinfall to win Group B of the Heritage Cup Invitational.
Notable Moments Andre Chase gave Hudson a big pep talk just before this match. Frazer laid out both men with a running clothesline and then a tope to the floor. Hudson nearly stole the win again by sending Frazer to the floor and stacking up Joe, but the Gallus leader kicked out. Scrypts, Bronco Nima and Lucien Price won money in street dice games. In a follow-up interview, Hank Walker and Tank Ledger promised to beat them next week. Baron Corbin got into an argument with Josh Briggs backstage after Corbin made fun of him and Brooks Jensen for losing last week.
Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria vs. Tiffany Stratton and Kiana James
Tiffany Stratton and Kiana James attacked Becky Lynch from behind before the bell. Lyra Valkyria made the save to set up a tag team match. The Man hit James with a Manhandle Slam followed by The Valkyrie’s diving splash to win it. After the finish, Stratton struck Valkyria and Lynch with a steel chair. The Man demanded their rematch at No Mercy be contested under Extreme Rules. It was a foregone conclusion from the opening segment that Valkyria would help Lynch in the main event, but that did not take away the impact of the match. This fight felt important and highlighted the top women in NXT. WWE put over The Valkyrie in a big way, giving her the pinfall. It would not be surprising if she was the next up for the title. She is the most credible woman outside of Stratton to defeat Lynch. It looks like Lynch vs. Stratton could be the main event at No Mercy, especially with the added Extreme Rules stipulation. This will be a major test for The Center of the Universe, who has limited experience in stipulation contests. Result Lynch and Valkyria def. Stratton and James by pinfall.
Notable Moments James and Stratton bonded backstage over making each other better. Lynch and Valkyria looked like an experienced team. They moved together smoothly, and The Man played coach on the apron when she was not competing. The Center of the Universe hit a senton bomb on The Valkyrie. Lynch barely stopped the three-count.
Overall Show 8 OF 8 While last week was more hyped, this week’s NXT might have been an even better show top to bottom. The exciting high of Becky Lynch’s win made this follow-up episode feel big despite less hype for the card. The Man helped elevate Lyra Valkyria as a future challenger while setting the stage for an important NXT Women’s Championship rematch at No Mercy.
The Global Heritage Invitational reached its finals with the two best matches of the entire tournament. Butch and Joe Coffey are big-time contenders coming off their group victories. Surprisingly, the only real down moment of the night was the overlong battle of Carmelo Hayes and Dominik Mysterio. They do not have enough chemistry for a serious feud beyond this bout. The stage has been set for No Mercy as the biggest show NXT has produced in years. That is thanks to shows like this, which continue to build the legacy of the brand and fresh top stars.
In her WWE NXT comeback after clinching the NXT Women’s Championship, Becky Lynch spearheaded an exhilarating episode on September 19, heralding an event with champions Carmelo Hayes and Dominik Mysterio also stepping into the ring for a non-title face-off.
The evening also witnessed the conclusion of the Global Heritage Invitational group stages, with Tyler Bate going head-to-head against Butch, and Duke Hudson challenging Joe Coffey. Meanwhile, Lola Vice aimed to establish her prowess against the erstwhile victor, Roxanne Perez, as the Women’s Breakout Tournament neared its return.
As the No Mercy event draws nearer, the stakes were high, setting the stage for a night filled with riveting encounters and notable moments. Below is a rundown of the critical happenings of the action-packed night:
Becky Lynch Advocates for a No Mercy Rematch
Becky Lynch set the stage by assuring Tiffany Stratton a rematch at her convenience, with Stratton opting for September 30, at the No Mercy event. Despite Stratton’s shaky performance on the mic, the promise of a rematch holds the promise of a gripping duel.
- Grade: B-
- Highlights:
- Lynch’s original poem about future adversaries confused the crowd.
- Lynch boldly branded Stratton a superior fighter over a speaker.
- Lynch initiated a handicap match against Stratton and James.
Global Heritage Invitational: Tyler Bate Vs. Butch
The clash between Tyler Bate and Butch epitomized their exceptional rivalry. Despite not being their finest encounter, they maintained a high standard, delivering a gripping 11-minute battle.
- Result: Butch triumphed over Bate, clinching Group A of the Global Heritage Invitational.
- Grade: A-
- Highlights:
- Noam Dar’s Neo impersonation was disrupted by Butch.
Global Heritage Invitational: Joe Coffey Vs. Duke Hudson
Despite enjoying a dominant start, Joe Coffey found himself caught off guard, giving Hudson the chance to secure a quick victory.
- Result: Hudson prevailed, causing a triple tie in Group B of the Global Heritage Invitational.
- Grade: C+
- Highlights:
- Post-match, an exhilarated Frazer was seen gearing up for a Triple Threat showdown.
Roxanne Perez Confronts Lola Vice
Lola Vice surpassed expectations in her challenge against Roxanne Perez, demonstrating an impressive display rooted in her MMA background.
- Result: Perez defeated Vice via pinfall.
- Grade: B-
- Highlights:
- Post-match, Perez expressed willingness to pair up with Lynch.
Carmelo Hayes Faces ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio
A frenzied start to the match between Hayes and Mysterio was followed by a significant drop in momentum, culminating in a somewhat unsatisfactory end due to external interference.
- Result: Mysterio won by DQ.
- Grade: C-
- Highlights:
- Dragunov laid out both contestants post-match, standing tall with Mysterio’s title.
Global Heritage Invitational: Nathan Frazer Vs. Duke Hudson Vs. Joe Coffey
In a match filled with adrenaline and spectacular moves, Joe Coffey emerged victorious, showcasing his power and dynamism.
- Result: Coffey won Group B of the Heritage Cup Invitational.
- Grade: A-
- Highlights:
- Frazer’s impressive performance, dictating the match’s pace with his agility.
Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria Battle Tiffany Stratton and Kiana James
Despite a predictable assistance from Valkyria in the main event, the encounter succeeded in highlighting NXT’s leading women, setting the stage for an enticing championship rematch at No Mercy under Extreme Rules.
- Result: Lynch and Valkyria clinched victory via pinfall.
- Grade: B
- Highlights:
- Stratton attacked with a steel chair post-match, instigating the Extreme Rules stipulation.
Final Thoughts
While not as hyped as the previous week, the episode delivered a robust performance with Becky Lynch further elevating Lyra Valkyria as a potential adversary and setting an exciting premise for the No Mercy event. Despite a dampened encounter between Hayes and Mysterio, the evening set a strong foundation for what promises to be a significant No Mercy event, underpinned by a vibrant legacy and emerging stars at the forefront.
- Overall Grade: B+
