NXT Battleground 2023: Carmelo Hayes is the hometown hero as he overcomes Bron Breakker at NXT Battleground

Wes Lee walked out of NXT Battleground with his historic NXT North American Championship reign still intact as he knocked off both Tyler Bate and Joe Gacy in Triple Threat action. 

The champion and Bate have been allies in recent weeks, but Bate’s desire to be champion has soured the friendship and forced the two to come to blows with the villainous Gacy watching in the shadows. 

The two Superstars put their differences aside to begin the match to neutralize the leader of Schism, much to Gacy and Ava’s dismay. 

All three Superstars looked to gain an advantage, but it was the Big Strong Boi who lived up to his nickname by swinging Lee while simultaneously hitting an airplane spin on Gacy. 

Gacy took control of the match after hitting a uranage and reverse DDT on his opponents before locking in a body stretch submission on Lee. Even when Bate tried to break up the submission attempt, Gacy just gave him a big smile before locking the hold on him. 

As the action continued, Lee nailed both Bate and Gacy with simultaneous Kardiak Kicks but couldn’t finish the match as both Superstars kicked out of pinfall attempts.

The pace became frenetic as Lee nailed Bate with a dive to the outside, but it left him susceptible to a uranage. When Gacy went for the Upside Down, Bate countered with another Kardiak Kick and retained his title.
 

The NXT Heritage Cup remains with “Supernova 11.” Noam Dar outlasted superb luchador Dragon Lee in the first-ever Heritage Cup Match on American soil. 

With the match being contested under Heritage Cup rules, the first three minutes were a feeling out process as neither Superstar picked up a fall in the allotted time. 

The second round was much faster paced as Dar even picked up the first fall thanks to a crafty roll-up. 

Dar spent the third round working Lee over, using several holds and submissions to keep the high-flying Superstar grounded. As the round came to a close, Dar hit Lee with a cheap shot after the bell rang. 

A clearly stung Lee was not in a good place in round four, but he managed to pick up a fall after Dar was distracted by a fight between Oro Mensah and Nathan Frazer. 

The decisive blow came in the final round when Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson appeared out of nowhere, attacking Lee while the referee was distracted. Their presence allowed Dar to hit the Nova Roller and retain the Heritage Cup. 

“The Mad Dragon” Ilja Dragunov was the Last Man Standing, but not before engaging in a war with Dijak.

The action was intense from the jump as the two Superstars battered each other from the beginning. Both Dragunov and Dijak were willing to do whatever it took to win, with The Mad Dragon even crashing through a table in order to hurt his opponent. 

The brutality continued with a barrage of steel step shots, but Dragunov used them to his advantage as he managed to hit a Coast-to-Coast while Dijak was trapped in the corner. 

Dijak battled back and hit a chokeslam on the apron followed by a Feast Your Eyes. Dijak began to torture Dragunov, bashing him with a kendo stick and a steel chair. 

When Dragunov finally countered, he hit a dazed Dijak with a flying forearm off the top of the steel steps and onto a steel chair which finally kept Dijak down for the 10-count.
 

NXT Tag Team Champions Wolfgang & Mark Coffey continued their dominance in the NXT Tag Team division by dispatching the very game Creed Brothers. 

Coffey & Wolfgang started the match by dominating Brutus Creed, but the champions’ attempt to deliver a cheap shot on Julius Creed backfired and allowed a tag. 

Julius spent the next few moments on an absolute tear as he tossed around both members of Gallus with relative ease in an amazing display of athleticism. 

As the action rolled on, Ivy Nile tripped up Coffey as he tried to interfere with the match, but Ava appeared at ringside and blindsided Nile which distracted The Creeds. With their backs turned, the Creeds were helpless as Gallus hit a devastating fireman’s carry/running kick combination to earn the victory. 
 

The Finals of the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament featured two incredible Superstars – Tiffany Stratton and Lyra Valkyria – but it was Stratton’s night, as the blonde bombshell walked out of NXT Battleground as the new NXT Women’s Champion. 

Valkyria was clearly not at 100 percent as she was still wearing the effects of Cora Jade’s attack. Stratton frequently targeted Valkyria’s injured knee, and despite Valkyria’s efforts to rally, her leg caused her problems. 

Stratton at times was overconfident, becoming caught in pinfall attempts, but she managed to kick out at two each and every time. Stratton’s first attempt at the Prettiest Moonsault Ever was countered, but Valkyria’s subsequent kick didn’t have enough power, and Stratton’s second attempt clinched the NXT Women’s Title. 
 

In a seemingly impossible task, Carmelo Hayes defeated Bron Breakker to retain the NXT Championship at NXT Battleground. 

Despite the support from his hometown crowd, Hayes was battered and bruised by Breakker to begin the match, with Breakker mocking him at every step. Breakker even began showing off, hitting incredible moves like a top rope hurricanrana. 

Right when Hayes gained some momentum, Breakker crushed him with a spear in midair, silencing the Lowell, Mass., crowd. 

Hayes continued to show his championship mettle by kicking out and refusing to give in to Breakker’s wrath. Just as he stunned the champion, Hayes hit a springboard back elbow which put Breakker in a heap of trouble. 

Before he could realize it, Breakker was hit with Nothing But Net, allowing Hayes to retain the NXT Championship, sending the NXT Universe into a frenzy.