Welcome to WrestlePurists’ Coverage of the August 22nd Episode of WWE NXT HEATWAVE
Ilja Dragunov Defeats Trick Williams
Wow! What an incredible match to start off tonight’s show. Just amazing stuff from both of these performers. This was the highlight of the night by far.
Ilja wins this brutal battle by pinfall. Check this one out, you will not be disappointed.
Following the match we see Tyler Bate in the locker room doing some meditating when Nathan Frazer comes in. Frazer asks Bate to be his second and Tyler accepts. He then offers Tyler next shot at his Heritage Cup.
We return from commercial with Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley in the locker room. Mustafa Ali comes in to wish them luck by telling Dominik to literally break a leg so he can leave NXT. Dom says he doesn’t care about NXT, and that he only cares about Mami.
Ivy Nile Defeats Ava Raine
This was a very quick match. Ivy Nile wins by submission with a dragon sleeper.
After the match, members of The Schism start entering the ring, going after Nile, who starts tossing them around until they pull Ava out and leave the ring.
Backstage, Wes Lee is with Ilja Dragunov. Dragunov says nothing will stand in his way of winning the NXT title. Lee says he will make his own destiny tonight and that he looks forward to facing Dragunov as champion.
NXT Heritage Cup Championship Match: Noam Dar Defeats Nathan Frazer
This one had some exciting moments and plenty of outside interference and shenanigans sprinkled throughout. It was also a solid wrestling match.
Early on, Tyler Bate was attacked again by Dabba Kato, who chokeslammed him onto the ring apron. The distraction allowed Dar to take the early lead in the match.
Late in the sixth and final round, a distraction by Oro Mensah allows Dar to hit the Nova Roller and we have a new NXT Heritage Cup Champion.
We then see Ava Raine backstage with two other masked members of The Schism, whom she thanks for saving her. She says that Ivy Nile tried to end her career but she failed just like Diamond Mine failed.
Backstage we see Drew Gulak and Myles Borne training in the dojo. Charlie Dempsey comes in and puts Borne in a sleeper hold.
Tiffany Stratton In Ring Promo
Tiffany Stratton covers her last couple of months in NXT. She calls herself a perfect champion. She says that when you are Tiffany Stratton, perfection comes easy. She says she will go down as the greatest women’s champion in NXT history. Suddenly Gigi Dolin comes out to interrupt. She tells Stratton to shut the hell up. She says she can’t wait to see the fall of Tiffany Stratton. Stratton tells Gigi that she doesn’t deserve a title match if that is what she came for. This prompts Kiana James to come out. She calls out Gigi and agrees that she doesn’t deserve a match but that she does. Suddenly, outcomes Blair Davenport, who states her case for being next in line for a title shot. After a few moments, Roxanne Perez comes out and reminds Davenport that she beat her at the Great American Bash. She then attacks Stratton and a brawl breaks out.
After a commercial, we see Ava Raine backstage again. She is continuing to call out Ivy Nile who finally shows. Ava orders the two men behind her to attack Nile but they remove the masks to reveal The Creed Brothers. Nile attacks Ava, and Diamond Mine call out The Schism and challenge them to a steel cage match with the stipulation that if they win, they are back in NXT.
Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley Dragon Lee and Lyra Valkyria
This was one of the more entertaining mixed tag team matches I’ve seen in awhile. We got some really innovative offense and solid work. At the end of the match, Raquel Rodriguez came down to attack Rhea. Dragon Lee hit Dominik with a DDT and secured the pinfall victory.
Carmelo Hayes is backstage speaking with Trick Williams. Hayes tells Williams he wants his match tonight to be strictly one-on-one.
We then see Tiffany Stratton who is being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell. Stratton announces that Blair Davenport, Roxanne Perez, Gigi Dolin and Kiana James will have a match to decide who will get the next shot at the NXT women’s champion.
We return from commercial to backstage footage from last week. Thea Hail is asking the official to reverse the decision from last week but he refuses. Hail is then greeted by Jacy Jayne. Jayne tells Hail that she has changed a lot in the last year and that whatever she is going through that she will get through it. She says people “like them” always get through it.
Von Wagner vs Baron Corbin Results in No Contest
Baron Corbin jumps Von Wagner during his entrance and the fight begins before the bell rings. The brawling continues outside, until Bron Breakker comes down and hits Wagner with a massive spear. He then stands tall as Corbin and Wagner are both laid out. I don’t think this match every officialy started.
We then go backstage with The Schism. Joe Gacy is absolutely livid and questions the Creed Brothers’ morality. Seemingly agreeing to the match terms, Rip Fowler says that with a a steel cage, the Creeds will be trapped inside and that they will beat them once and for all.
We see a short video package featuring Dijak. He says that Eddy Thorpe has seven days before he breaks his spirit and soul.
NXT Championship Match – Carmelo Hayes Defeats Wes Lee
Carmelo Hayes retains in a short but sweet main event. This match had some brutal looking bumps and exciting offense, but really would have benefited with more time.
Final Thoughts
Heatwave had some good moments and this felt like another night of high quality wrestling. It seems we have been getting at least 2 very good matches a week consistently for awhile now and the talent pool continues to grow.
