With the NXT go-home episode done, all roads now lead to NXT No Mercy. The Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California will play host to the exciting event. This marks the return of the No Mercy event, with the last one taking place in 2017 before being discontinued. With the 2023 return, this marks the first time that the event will be for the NXT brand.
NXT No Mercy takes place on Saturday, September 30, and is available to watch on Peacock and on the WWE Network. The main card is set to start at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT with the pre-show set to begin at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT.
At the time of writing, seven fights have been confirmed for the No Mercy card, with five of them being title fights.
WWE NXT No Mercy 2023 Full Card:
- Becky Lynch (c) vs. Tiffany Stratton – NXT Women’s Championship Extreme Rules Match
- Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov – NXT Championship Match
- ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Trick Williams – NXT North American Championship Match
- Noam Dar (c) vs. Butch – NXT Heritage Cup British Rounds Rules Match
- The Family (c) vs. OTM vs. The Creed Brothers vs. Los Lotharios – NXT Tag Team Championships Fatal Four-Way Match
- Bron Breakker vs. Baron Corbin – Singles Match
- Khelani vs. Blair Davenport – Singles Match (Kickoff Show)
Bron Breakker And Baron Corbin Rivalry Reaches Fever-Pitch
Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin‘s rivalry has seemingly come out of nowhere. It all began on the September 12 edition of NXT when Corbin praised Breakker for crushing Von Wagner with the steel steps the week prior. Breakker was not amused by this praise and challenged Corbin to a match at No Mercy – a challenge which Corbin accepted.
Since then, the two have just been rubbing each other the wrong way and it all became even more heated on the September 26 NXT. The two brawled all the way from the ring to the outside parking lot before eventually finding their way into Shawn Michaels‘ office. Security could not stop these two from tearing each other (and the building) apart and, at No Mercy, it’s all systems go as their rivalry reaches fever-pitch.
A Fatal-Four Way Battle For NXT Tag Team Supremacy
The NXT tag team division is at its most contentious state right now, with several tag teams vying to claim that top spot. Tony D’Angelo and Channing ‘Stacks’ Lorenzo are currently the champions of the division and, as such, they get to have their pick of who they would like to defend their gold against.
On the September 26 edition of NXT, The Family hosted a dinner that included three other tag teams to finally announce who they would choose as their next challengers. Namely, those tag teams were OTM (Lucien Price & Bronco Nima), The Creed Brothers (Brutus Creed & Julius Creed), and Los Lotharios (Humberto Carrillo & Angel Garza).
Instead of subduing each tag team one at a time, The Family opted to instead attempt to eliminate all competition in one go. The tag team division will be on full display at No Mercy as The Family defends their gold in a fatal four-way tag team match. With all factors considered, this could be an exciting match-up as every tag team looks to outsmart their opponents and ultimately come out on top.
The victors of this match will not only prove their supremacy over one other tag team but, having succeeded in a fatal four-way tag team match-up, they can truly say they have come out on top in this battle for tag team supremacy – and they get to walk away with the NXT Tag Team Championships to prove it.
British Rounds Rules Clash Of Heritage And Desire For NXT Heritage Cup
Noam Dar currently holds the NXT Heritage Cup and, at No Mercy, he puts it on the line for the first time in this reign against Butch. Dar, flanked by the rest of Meta-Four, has been watching closely as the NXT Global Heritage Invitational Tournament unfolded over the weeks since NXT Heatwave, which took place on August 22.
Eight wrestlers started the tournament but only two prevailed to make it to the showdown that would provide the number one contender for the NXT Heritage Cup. Butch and Joe Coffey met in the tournament final on the September 26 NXT but ‘The Bruiserweight’ would ultimately be the one to come out on top.
Butch is the former NXT UK Champion, and that is just one of the many accolades he got within NXT. Butch has been primarily on the main roster but he made his return to NXT for this chance to add the NXT Heritage Cup to his arsenal. Dar has lost the NXT Heritage Cup before and he worked hard to ensure he regained that gold. Dar will not be willing to lose that gold once again, and he will do all that he can to ensure it stays within the Meta-Four camp.
Butch is as brutal as they come, and that lends to the heritage of all the championships he has held over the years. Dar has an unmatched desire and that is what makes him stand tall amongst the rest. This battle between Dar and Butch will not only see a contest for the NXT Heritage Cup but it will also be a display of desire meeting heritage.
Special Guest Referee Levels Playing Field In North American Championship Match
NXT North American Champion, ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio, believed that he may have the night off at No Mercy but that would not be. Just an hour prior to the start of NXT on September 26, Shawn Michaels would make a post on his X account announcing that a triple threat match-up to determine Mysterio’s No Mercy opponent would take place on the show. The triple threat included Tyler Bate, Axiom, and Dragon Lee.
As the show got underway, Trick Williams proved successful in his own match-up of the night against Joe Gacy. Perhaps fuelled by the crowd’s energy and the adrenaline of the victory, Williams decided to speak to Michaels and inserted himself into the match for the NXT North American Championship contendership, making it a fatal four-way instead.
This was a hard-fought battle but Williams came out the victor and, as a result, now finds himself the number one contender for the championship around Mysterio’s waist. This is a major opportunity for Williams to move into a top spot within NXT and bring more gold to ‘Trick-Melo Gang.’
Williams believes that he is a star and, over the last few weeks, his momentum has undeniably been on the rise as he raises his stock. At No Mercy, Williams has the opportunity to claim his first piece of gold.
This is the closest he has been to earning a championship, and he can feel that this is his moment. All that Williams has ever wanted is in front of him but, in order to get it, he has to get past Mysterio. The champion has proven to be resilient, and ‘Dirty’ Dom is not ready to be without gold. As much as Williams is motivated to get the championship, Mysterio is equally motivated to keep the title.
This match will have Dragon Lee, who is familiar with Mysterio’s tactics, serving as the special guest referee. Lee’s involvement in this match-up means that Mysterio will be watched closely, which minimizes his chances of carrying out any mischievous plans he might have in mind. This makes it a level playing field for Williams, and this could be a great match.
High-Stakes Pivotal Clash For NXT Championship Scene
NXT Champion, Carmelo Hayes, is set to be in action once again at No Mercy. Hayes will be going up against a familiar opponent in Ilja Dragunov. The two faced off at The Great American Bash in late July and put on what many have dubbed an NXT match of the year contender. Dragunov called into question the validity of Hayes’ victory as Trick Williams had an involvement in the way the match ultimately ended.
With Williams no longer directly in Hayes’ corner, Dragunov thought it would only be right if he got the chance to go up against the champion one-on-one. Before that, Dragunov had to overcome fellow challenger, Wes Lee, who also felt he had not gotten a fair shot at Hayes. Dragunov came out on top and now finds himself set to go up against Hayes once more.
Hayes is in his prime right now and is effectively the face of the NXT brand as the NXT Champion. This is a position that Hayes respects and honors every week, and he hopes to continue to do so for a while. To continue his reign, Hayes needs to silence the doubters, and his main doubter is Dragunov.
This is a high-stakes bout and it is a pivotal one for the NXT Championship scene. Should Hayes successfully retain at No Mercy, there will be little to no doubt about the validity of his reign and position as the face of the roster.
Hayes will be undeniable with a stronghold on the division with his reign and, when he says he is ‘HIM’, little opposition could be brought forth against that. Should Dragunov be successful in his quest to capture the title, the entire NXT Championship scene will get flipped on its head.
A new champion means new challengers come forth, new motivations in the division, and, most importantly, a new face for the brand. This will be a cataclysmic match between two of the hottest stars in NXT right now.
Extreme Rules Showdown For The NXT Women’s Championship
The rivalry between Becky Lynch and Tiffany Stratton began during NXT Heatwave when Stratton, then reigning as the champion, mistakenly referred to Lynch as a former NXT women’s champion. This was not accurate but it did catch Lynch’s attention and ultimately led to ‘The Man’ looking to capture the one title that has alluded to her.
The two fought on the September 12 edition of NXT, and Lynch was successful in capturing the title and becoming a Grand Slam Champion.
The following week, Lynch offered Stratton a rematch at any time of her choosing, and Stratton wasted no time answering that. Later on during that September 19 NXT, Lynch teamed up with Lyra Valkyria against the team of Stratton and Kiana James.
Lynch and Valkyria picked up the victory but this enraged Stratton, who then proceeded to attack the newly-minted champion with a steel chair. Not one to back down from a fight, Lynch put forth the challenge of an extreme rules match at No Mercy, and Stratton agreed.
Stratton wants to find herself back in the top spot of the women’s division, and she understands that she needs that gold to do so. Lynch, on the other hand, is ready to teach Stratton a lesson or two whilst also continuing her ‘N-Bex-T’ run. Lynch has been involved in extreme rules matches before, or at least some variation of a hardcore and taxing match-up.
Stratton, although young in age and experience, is one of the most athletic women on the roster and she proves it every time she steps into the ring. This will be an exciting match-up and it promises a high level of violence as the two battle it out to be the best amongst the rest. This will undoubtedly be the biggest match of Stratton’s career whilst it will also add to all the great matches that ‘The Man’ has under her belt.
Whilst they are competing for the NXT Women’s Championship, this rivalry goes beyond the gold – it’s personal now. Lynch and Stratton will undoubtedly put on a hard-hitting and exciting match-up, as the sole special stipulation match-up on the No Mercy card.
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