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Wells’s report on Carmelo Hayes vs. Bron Breakker, Lyra Valkyria vs. Tiffany Stratton, Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak, more – Pro Wrestling Torch
SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
WELLS’S NXT BATTLEGROUND REPORT
MAY 28, 2023
LOWELL, MASS. AT TSONGAS CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON PEACOCK
Commentators: Vic Joseph & Booker T
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Torch subscribers can check out a VIP roundtable later as Bruce Hazelwood, Nate Lindberg (who will be attending the show) and I break down our thoughts.
-There was a video of big happenings in Lowell, including Rock’s first championship win, then some local hype Carmelo Hayes did before the show tonight in his backyard.
There were some friendly angles showing a mostly full crowd, though Nate Lindberg reports that the hard cam side is entirely tarped off.
(1) WES LEE (c) vs. TYLER BATE vs. JOE GACY (w/Ava) – Triple threat match for the NXT North American Championship
Champion Lee entered first to a strong reaction as the announcers mentioned he’d be the champion with the most total defenses with a win tonight. Bate entered next as the announcers talked about whether Bate was underhanded or not in working toward this match. Gacy entered last, with Ava (in preparation for their contracts running out, Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler haven’t entered with Gacy for weeks now despite occasionally being on TV otherwise).
Quick rollups by all three guys to start, then a reset. Bate and Lee agreed to attack Gacy but Bate stayed back and it was a moment. Gacy got dumped and the babyfaces paired off. Before they could pair off, Gacy tried to stir something between them. The faces went out and threw some hands at Gacy, then rolled him inside but couldn’t agree on who would enter first to try a cover. They exchanged fists and Gacy hit them with a tope. Bate entered and Gacy hit him with a slam and covered for two; Lee broke it up.
Bate and Gacy paired off and Lee flew over the top and rolled up Gacy for another near-fall. Lee punched down to Gacy and Gacy bailed to a corner. The faces exchanged some more shots. Bate hit a leaping uppercut on Lee and a suplex on Gacy. Exploder and a standing shooting star press for Lee. Gacy flew in and Bate evaded the senton, then hit bop and bang on Gacy. Bate put Gacy up in a fireman’s carry and did a big swing on Lee at the same time to oohs and aahs. Bate covered Gacy and Lee broke it up.
The faces paired off again and exchanged strikes and kicks. Rope run and a backdrop from Bate to Lee ended with Gacy catching Lee and darting him into Bate. Gacy hit a combo uranage/slam on Lee and Bate. He snapped on his submission and Lee fought it off until Bate booted Gacy, who sold the kick but held on and smiled. Bate had to throw a few more strikes to break the hold. Bate missed a shooting star press and Gacy snapped the submission on Bate, and Lee broke it up with a double stomp. All three sold on the mat for a “this is awesome” chant.
Lee took over on offense with strikes for both guys but both returned fire until Lee moved and they hit each other with lariats. Lee hit a Cardiac Kick on both and covered Gacy, then Bate, both for two counts. Lee worked on Bate in a corner, then charged Gacy in the opposite corner. Lee hopped up to put Gacy in a sleeper and Gacy hit a cannonball in the corner to break. The three kept hitting finishers for covers and breaks by the third man. Bate got dumped and Lee put Gacy up in the corner. Lee hopped over Gacy to lay out Bate on the outside. Gacy fired up and hit a uranage but Lee stunned him and hit him with the Cardiac Kick to defend.
WINNER: Wes Lee at 11:58.
(Wells’s Analysis: They continued the story of awkwardness between Lee and Bate in the first half before settling into a more straightforward triple threat. Strong work by all three and it didn’t overstay its welcome like so many triple threats on this brand. Gacy is an also-ran as usual while Bate, who didn’t eat the pin, can likely continue the story and get a one-on-one and quite possibly be the one to dethrone Lee after his marathon title run)
