WWE NXT Battleground 2023 Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights

WWE NXT presented another big night emanating from the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. NXT Battleground would see the end of the rivalry between Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes as well as the crowning of a new NXT women's champion.

Breakker's perspective changed when he lost the NXT Championship to Carmelo Hayes. He refused to give "The A Champion" his grace, setting up a massive grudge match between the two young stars.

Tiffany Stratton and Lyra Valkyria pulled off some upset victories on their way to the finals of the NXT Women's Championship tournament. They would fight for the first time ever for the gold.

Wes Lee faced his toughest fight yet to defend the NXT North American Championship in the conniving Joe Gacy and unpredictable Tyler Bate.

This card would also feature a brutal Last Man Standing match between Dijak and Ilja Dragunov, Noam Dar's first Heritage Cup defense in the US against Dragon Lee and The Creeds hoping to reclaim NXT tag team gold from Gallus.

It was all on the line for the gold brand in a night that would feature the future of the business.

NXT North American Championship: Wes Lee (c) vs. Joe Gacy vs. Tyler Bate

This triple threat was non-stop from the opening bell and all three men brought their best to the table. Wes Lee sealed it by jumping over Joe Gacy to the outside to clear out Tyler Bate before countering the Upside Down with the Cardiac on Gacy to win.

This was a serious crowd-pleaser to open the night. Lee has delivered at every premium live event as champion and adds another accolade to easily the best NXT North American Championship reign in the title's history.

The three men also did very well incorporating the story into the action, something NXT wrestlers can struggle with. Gacy was a motivated opportunist. Bate was the athletic standout. Lee was once more the survivor, finding his openings to win.

There is little left for Lee to prove with the title. However, it is still crucial the right man dethrones the NXT North American champion. The moment cannot be rushed.

Result

Lee def. Gacy and Bate by pinfall to retain the NXT North American Championship.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

• The event started with the same video package that ended Wednesday's show.
• It is always interesting to hear an outside crowd for NXT. The arena was only half filled, but this crowd was in right away, cheering for Lee.
• Ava was the only member of Schism to back up Gacy in the match.
• Bate did an airplane spin on Gacy while giving Lee a giant swing at the same time.
• Gacy locked Lee in the Rings of Saturn, and it took multiple punches from Bate to get Gacy to break it. Gacy then sent Bate to the mat and locked him in the Rings.
• Bate almost worked together with Gacy, but Lee ducked their rebound clotheslines to cause them to collide then hit both with Cardiac Kicks for a pair of near-falls.
  
• This win gave the NXT North American champion the most successful defenses of any NXT NA champion in history.
  

Heritage Cup: Noam Dar (c) vs. Dragon Lee

Noam Dar got the first pinfall of the match by stacking up Dragon Lee off a roundhouse kick. Dragon Lee responded with tilt-a-whirl DDT. Miss Jackson and Lash Legend saved The Scottish Supernova, setting him for the Nova Roller on Lee to win.

Dragon and Dar went all out in this one, and it did not always land. There were multiple sloppy spills that could have injured both men. The chemistry was not quite there.

The rules of the match type were clear enough that it did not distract from the action, though the Rounds format is inherently tough to pace out.

Ultimately, it was the overbooking around the ring that made this less than the sum of its parts. These two could probably do better work together in a rematch.

Dar seemingly has a new stable with Mensah, Legend and Jackson. Hopefully, NXT has a clear plan for this oddly orchestrated group. Dragon lost more momentum for it, so it needs to be worth it.

Result

Dar def. Dragon by a final score of 2-1 to retain the Heritage Cup.

Grade

D+

Notable Moments

• Mensah ran out to take the spot as Dar's chief second after the first round went poorly for The Scottish Supernova.
• The luchador came out firing in this match. The referee stopped him at the end of first round from hitting a tope suicida. He finally hit it in second round.
• The Scottish Supernova cheap-shot Dragon with a back elbow after the third round had ended. Dar feigned that he did not hear the bell.
• Mensah pushed the rope toward Dar to save the fall. When Frazer got in his face for it, a brawl broke out that led to both men getting thrown out by the referee.
• The luchador spilled outside badly when he missed his second rope-jump headscissors takedown.
  

Last Man Standing: Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak

Dijak punished Ilja Dragunov throughout this match. "The Czar" countered by landing explosive blows in response. In the end, Dragunov knocked out "Hard Justice" with a jumping forearm strike off the steel steps to the back of Dijak's head through a steel chair.

While the build for the feud was over-the-top, this was easily the match to watch going into the night. The two men delivered on that hype with a fast-paced hardcore war. This was about as brutal and physical as WWE matches can get.

This was genuinely one of the best matches WWE has produced all year, and it is by far NXT's match of the year so far.

Both of these men are main-roster stars that should get title runs soon since the call-up is unlikely in the near future. Carmelo Hayes or Wes Lee vs. Ilja Dragunov at the next NXT PLE would be the show stealer.

Result

Dragunov def. Dijak by ten count.

Grade

A+

Notable Moments

• On his way to the ring, Dijak told a father to get his wife and daughter out of the arena because "they don't need to see this."
• Hard Justice pulled out a table, but as he was trying to set it up, "The Czar" ran through the table to uppercut Dijak. The impact cut open Dijak.
  
• Dragunov DDTed Dijak on the steel steps and then slammed the steps into his face in the corner. Finally, he trapped him under the steps to hit a Coast to Coast for nine.
  
• After a rough landing on a suplex, "Hard Justice" stood back up, delivering a battle cry matched by Dragunov. Dijak chokeslammed him onto the apron for a nine count.
• Dijak repeatedly smacked Dragunov with a kendo stick in the corner, continuing to demand he stand down. The stick broke before "The Czar" did.
  

NXT Tag Team Championships: Gallus (c) vs. The Creed Brothers

After an intense tag team war, Ivy Nile stopped Joe Coffey from interfering, but Ava sent Nile into the steel post for it. Gallus then hit Julius Creed with Gallus Gate to win.

This was a fine match with a strong three-minute burst of energy near the end. It started slow, but it exploded when Julius got the hot tag.

The interference was a lame end to a match that was set up as the definitive battle between Gallus and The Creed Brothers. Ivy Nile vs. Ava is a solid feud to build both women except when it interferes with other matches.

Once again, Wolfgang and Mark Coffey keep the NXT Tag Team Championships. This time though, there is a clear follow-up match once Tony D'Angelo has dealt with his legal troubles. The Family could be the team to end Gallus' reign.

Result

Gallus def. The Creed Brothers by pinfall to retain the NXT Tag Team Championships.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

• Julius hit Gallus with a series of suplexes while repeatedly kipping up for more followed by both Creed Brothers hitting Mark with standing moonsaults.
• The two teams met in the middle for a brawl, which the referee finally gave up trying to control.
  
• Duke Hudson allowed Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey to teach a class for Chase U that ended with them bullying Thea Hail until she walked out.
• The masked attacker promised to reveal herself on Wednesday.
  

NXT Women's Championship: Tiffany Stratton vs. Lyra Valkyria

Lyra Valkyria fought hard through a knee injury suffered at the hands of Cora Jade on Wednesday. However, "The Center of the Universe" was too much, and finally planted her with the rolling fireman's carry into the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to win.

In one of the longest women's matches NXT has produced in years, Valkyria and Stratton performed at their absolute best.

Valkyria did some serious work in this match, selling her knee injury. She sold a crowd that was much more behind Stratton going in. This was a star-making moment for her, even more than Stratton as the underdog walking in.

"The Center of the Universe" stepped back in moments to let her opponent shine, though she could have done more to sell her role as the heel.

Both women still have room to grow as performers. However, they absolutely over-delivered in the biggest moment of both their careers. This is a match to revisit as these two grow in NXT.

Result

Stratton def. Valkyria by pinfall to become the new NXT women's champion.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

• Stratton slammed the injured knee of Valkyria into the apron then sent her knee into the steel post. She followed up by ripping off the brace.
• Every big move from "The Valkyrie" was sold as difficult due to the knee injury.
• The Center of the Universe caught Valkyria on a diving crossbody and went for a fireman's carry slam, but "The Valkyrie" reversed it into a crucifix pin for a near-fall.
• Valkyria's leg buckled on her first roundhouse kick attempt. She managed to duck The Prettiest Moonsault Ever and hit her second, but Stratton got a foot on the rope.
  

NXT Championship: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Bron Breakker

Carmelo Hayes had trouble keeping Bron Breakker down throughout this match, but he finally found his opening. A series of superkicks into a springboard back elbow set up Nothing But Net to win.

Breakker is a proven power wrestler, but still struggles to deliver in these big main-event spots. He and Melo had a hot crowd and a better story to tell. This did make round two better than round one.

However, it still was not the hoped-for showstopper. The offense of both men does not clash. This led to multiple flat sequences where "The A Champion" was pushing too hard to get in position for a big moment.

Hayes needs to move onto the top-tier in-ring workers to deliver the main events for NXT that will get the brand on the map long term. The options are endless though.

Breakker's time in NXT may be nearing its end regardless of the WWE Draft results. He needs a different stage and level of competition to truly test whether he is a top guy long-term.

Result

Melo def. Breakker by pinfall to retain the NXT Championship.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

• Bron Breakker appeared earlier in the night with giant square sunglasses, but for his entrance, he changed it up, putting on a hoodie and wolf mask.
• Trick Williams gave Melo another big introduction for his latest title match.
• Breakker went for the Steiner Recliner but jumped into the knees of Melo followed by an impact DDT that got The A Champion back in the match.
• Melo went for a springboard but ran into a Spear for a shocking nearfall.

Overall Show

WWE NXT has delivered back-to-back PLEs that start hot and end solid. This was a better show than NXT Stand & Deliver, but it still showcased the inexperience of the roster.

The main event was a fine television bout, but it couldn't live up to matches like Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak or Wes Lee vs. Joe Gacy vs. Tyler Bate.

The women outperformed the men in the back-to-back battle despite drastically different expectations for the bouts. Both Tiffany Stratton and Lyra Valkyria came out looking more like stars than they did coming in.

This was an above-average show, particularly for its intention. NXT needed a big win with NXT Battleground and delivered a small but notable one. For those that give it a chance, they may be impressed.

These shows are likely never going to get back to NXT TakeOver levels, but that is no longer the intention of the brand. The talent that walked into this show largely walked out as bigger stars. That is a win.

Overall Grade: B