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WWE NXT North American Champion Wes Lee appeared on the show early to lay down an Open Challenge for his title. He put on a great match with Nathan Frazer to get the night going before other superstars pitched in to put on a solid show.
Meiko Satomura got a match against Zoey Stark to showcase what she is capable of before her big match against Roxanne Perez. Meanwhile, Sol Ruca defeated Elektra Lopez to march ahead as the future of the NXT women's division.
Shawn Michaels accepted Grayson Waller's invitation to appear on his talk show next week at NXT Roadblock. Meanwhile, The Creed Brothers tried to convince Damon Kemp to work with them once again to take down Indus Sher.
This week's episode had some great matches and segments that helped build towards the upcoming Roadblock show. Take a look at the five things WWE NXT got right on this week's episode.
#5. Nathan Frazer pushed Wes Lee to his limits for the NXT North American Championship
Wes Lee took to the ring to kick off WWE NXT this week. The superstars fought backstage for an opportunity to challenge him for the North American Championship on the show. Dabba Kato looked to cash in on the opportunity, but Apollo Crews attacked him on his way to the ring.
This allowed Nathan Frazer to return to the show and challenge Lee for the title. The two men got going right away and hit each other with some standard moves to warm up the crowd.
Frazer missed a couple of big moves, allowing the champion to take control for some time. They took each other down with flying crossbodies to get the fans up on their feet.
Frazer sent Lee onto the announcers' desk outside the ring and missed another dive, allowing the champion to capitalize once again. Wes Lee got a moonsault, followed by a Cardiac Kick for another successful title defense.
The match was fantastic, and it was good to see Frazer back in the fold. He pushed Lee to his limits and allowed the champion to come out looking strong once again.
It's surprising how much trust NXT has in Lee's abilities. He's had a longer reign than most would have imagined and has continued to put on some spectacular matches.
#4. Indus Sher made quick work of Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen
Brooks Jensen kicked off the match for his team on WWE NXT and found himself on the back foot early. Indus Sher isolated him for some time before he got the tag to Josh Briggs.
Veer and Sanga kept the pressure on and continued to stop their opponents in their tracks whenever they built up some momentum.
The heels toyed around with their opponents before Briggs and Jensen worked together to hit a double-team move. Sanga stayed alert and dodged a move from Brooks before hitting him with a chokeslam. Veer came in and hit his finisher to pick up the win for his team.
After the match, Jinder Mahal made it clear that he wanted a six-man tag team match with The Creed Brothers.
The match itself was decent and helped build Indus Sher as a team. However, Veer and Sanga still have a lot of work to do to come across as a real threat in the tag team division.
Meanwhile, Bron Breakker decided to join Julius and Brutus Creed and accept Mahal's challenge. The creative team will keep Breakker busy with Indus Sher for some time before he finally faces Carmelo Hayes.
#3. Meiko Satomura and Zoey Stark put on a solid contest on WWE NXT
Zoey Stark took on Meiko Satomura on Tuesday's episode of WWE NXT to prove who is the real final boss. Roxanne Perez joined the commentary team to watch her future challenger up close.
Stark kicked off the match with some holds before Satomura retaliated with a few holds of her own. Stark broke free and looked to use her strength against the legendary wrestler.
The heel hit a few knees before targeting Satomura's injured knee and hitting a Frog Splash. Satomura kicked out of the pin before Stark tried for the 450 Splash. Meiko rolled out of the way and picked up her opponent for the Death Valley Driver for a statement victory.
Stark is among the finest and strongest performers in the NXT locker room. The creative team decided to sacrifice her to build Satomura as a top challenger for Perez. It will be interesting to see how that match goes and which superstar comes out on top, as it will be difficult to protect either woman from a clean loss.
#2. Axiom picked up a crucial win over Hank Walker
Axiom and Hank Walker agreed to compete in a match early on in the show. They met towards the end of the night and looked to make an impact with a big win.
Axiom hit a big crossbody early and got a near fall. He stayed on the attack and stomped down his opponent with some kicks. Walker came back with a big takedown and a clothesline to punish his opponent.
Walker absorbed nearly everything Axiom had to throw at him but could not get the better of the high flyer. Axiom set him up for the Golden Ratio kick and picked up a rather quick win.
Hank Walker looked to get back on his feet after being betrayed by his former mentor Drew Gulak. Constant television time will help him stay relevant on the brand.
Meanwhile, Axiom is shaping up to be one of the top superstars on the roster. He has picked up some big wins in recent times and could be next in line for an NXT North American Championship run.
#1. Carmelo Hayes defeated Tyler Bate to prove himself once again
Tyler Bate and Carmelo Hayes met in a singles match in the main event of WWE NXT. Bate was fresh off a win over Grayson Waller and looked to extend his winning run against the former North American Champion.
The two men traded roll-ups early before Tyler Bate tried to hit his finisher. Hayes fought back and tried to get Bate on the mat to work on his opponent.
Trick Williams tried to interfere but was shot down from the apron. The Big Strong Boy hit a standing shooting star for a near fall before continuing to put pressure on his opponent. He hit the Phantom Driver for another near fall before falling to a modified DDT.
Bate hit a superplex and went up on the ropes, but Trick tried to get involved and got kicked off the apron once again. Melo took advantage and countered the dive before hitting Melo Don't Miss to get the win.
After the match, Melo made it clear that he was the only man who can defeat Bron Breakker for the NXT Championship. The match was great and deserved the main event spot. Both men put on a good show and took each other to the limit.
Carmelo Hayes looks ready for an NXT Championship run, especially with Trick Williams by his side. He could win the title before WrestleMania 39, so Breakker could be moved to the main roster.
