5 Possible directions for Dominik Dijakovic aka T-BAR on WWE NXT - Challenge to new champion, reuniting with released star
About NXT: Halloween Havoc 2023
Image courtesy - The official NXT Halloween Havoc poster.
NXT Halloween Havoc is a professional wrestling event produced by WWE for its third brand NXT. The first Halloween Havoc was held in 2020 and the fourth event will take place on October 24, 2023, and October 31, 2023. The event takes place as a special episode of NXT programming except for 2022 event, which took place as a WWE Network exclusive - TakeOver Halloween Havoc. The 2023 edition of the event took place on October 24 and 31, 2023 at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. It was hosted by Shotzi and Scarlett Bordeaux.
History of NXT Halloween Havoc
Halloween Havoc was the name of a PPV event organized by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) every year from 1989 to 2000. The company was sold to WWE in 2001 and its events were folded. WWE revived a number of WCW-based themes and PPVs for its NXT brand including Halloween Havoc, which it brought back as a television special for NXT in 2020.
Both the 2020 and 2021 editions of the event were held as special episodes of NXT before there was a slight change in 2022. The 2022 event was held as a WWE Network exclusive event and was held in the name of TakeOver: Halloween Havoc. For the 2023 event, WWE moved back to the Television special, but this time it was expanded to be a two-night event.
Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen defeated Tavion Heights and Riley Osborne by pinfall
Tag team match
Dark match
2
Roxanne Perez defeated Kiana James by pinfall
Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal: Devil's Playground Match
10:51
3
Lexis King defeated Dante Chen by pinfall
Singles match
4:12
4
Kelani Jordan defeated Arianna Grace by pinfall
NXT Women's Breakout Tournament semifinal match
7:35
5
Chase University defeated The Family (c) by pinfall
Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship
11:19
6
Blair Davenport defeated Gigi Dolin by pinfall
Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal: Lights Out match
12:32
7
Lola Vice defeated Karmen Petrovic by pinfall
NXT Women's Breakout Tournament semifinal match
3:36
8
Lyra Valkyria defeated Becky Lynch (c) by pinfall
Singles match for the NXT Women's Championship
16:06
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria - NXT Women's Championship Match
On the September 12, 2023, episode of NXT, Becky Lynch defeated Tiffany Stratton to become the NXT Women's Champion for the first time. At No Mercy, she retained the gold against Stratton. Her next contender was to be decided by a triple-threat match between Roxanne Perez, Indi Hartwell, and Lyra Valkyria. On the October 3 episode of NXT, Valkyria won this match to challenge Lynch for her title. At the event, Valkyria managed to defeat the veteran superstar to get her hands on the NXT Women's Championship.
The Family (c) vs. Chase University - NXT Tag Team Championship Match
The October 10 episode of NXT saw Cody Rhodes suit up as the guest NXT General Manager. He was approached by the tag team champions Channig Lorenzo and Tony D'Angelo with a proposal. They asked him to set up a tag team battle royal where the last two remaining teams will square off in a normal competition and the winner would challenge them for the title. Rhodes named it Bada Bing Bada Boom Battle Royal, which was won by Andre Chase and Duke Hudson. At the event, Chase University became the new NXT Tag Team Champions.
Gigi Dolin vs. Blair Davenport - Lights Out
In September, Gigi Dolin's match against Thea Hail was interfered with by Blair Davenport leading to a couple of backstage brawls between Dolin and Davenport. Their skirmish continued for the weeks to come before a match between the two was finally officiated for NXT Halloween Havoc. Dolin spun the wheel to make the deal, and a Lights Out match between the two was announced. In a match that lasted over twelve minutes, it was Blair Davenport who scored the fall.
NXT Women's Breakout Tournament
NXT Women's Breakout Tournament began on the October 3 episode of NXT. The winner of the tournament will earn a contract allowing her to cash in the NXT Women's Championship at any time. Two semi-finals were to take place on the first night of NXT Halloween Havoc. Kelani Jordan was to face Arianna Grace while Lola Vice took on Karmen Petrovic. Lola Vice and Kelani Jordan won the two matches to punch their ticket to the tournament final.
Lexis King vs. Dante Chen
Brian Pillman Jr. made his return to NXT and proclaimed that the previous version of his had died and that now he went by the name Lexis King. He faced the athletic Dante Chen at the Night One of NXT Halloween Havoc where he scored a convincing victory in just four minutes.
Roxanne Perez vs. Kiana James - Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal: Devil's Playground Match
Roxanne Perez and Kiana James spun the Halloween wheel which gave them the Devil's Playground match to take on each other. At the first night of Halloween Havoc, in a match that lasted about eleven minutes, it was the youngest NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez who stood victorious over her opponent.
The Creed Brothers defeated Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo by pinfall
Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal: Tables, Ladders, and Scares match
14:03
4
Dirty Dominik Mysterio (c) defeated Nathan Frazer by pinfall
Singles match for the NXT North American Championship
10:26
5
Bron Breakker defeated Mr. Stone by pinfall
Singles match
2:38
6
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (c) defeated Chase University by pinfall
Tag team match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
8:58
7
Lola Vice defeated Kelani Jordan by pinfall
NXT Women's Breakout Tournament final match
6:56
8
Ilja Dragunov (c) defeated Carmelo Hayes by pinfall
Singles match for the NXT Championship
16:42
NXT Women's Breakout Tournament Final
Lola Vice, Karmen Petrovic, Kelani Jordan, and Arianna Grace competed in the two semi-finals on Night One of Halloween Havoc. The winner of the two matches were to then square off on Night Two in the tournament finals. Kelani Jordan and Lola Vice won their respective matches to punch their ticket to the finals of the tournament. In the penultimate match of Halloween Havoc, it was Lola Vice who won the NXT Women's Breakout tournament.
Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes - NXT Championship Match
On the October 10 episode of NXT, Cody Rhodes acted as the guest NXT General Manager and announced that the challenger for Ilja Dragunov's NXT Championship would be determined by a Triple threat match between Baron Corbin, Dijak, and either Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes. Breakker and Hayes went head to head later that night where Paul Heyman assisted Breakker and John Cena was by Hayes' side. Hayes eventually won the match and also won the triple threat match next week to punch his ticket for the Night Two of NXT Halloween Havoc. In a match that lasted over sixteen minutes, it was Dragunov who managed to defend his championship and did not let Hayes reclaim the gold.
Bron Breakker vs. Mr. Stone
On the September 6 episode of NXT, Bron Breakker brutally injured Von Wagner. At NXT No Mercy, during Breakker's match against Baron Corbin, Wagner's manager Mr. Stone made an interference costing Breakker the match. On the October 17 episode of NXT, Mr. Stone said that Wagner had a long road of recovery ahead and that he was going to challenge Breakker for a match, which was made official for NXT Halloween Havoc. At the event, it took Breakker only two minutes to put a stop to Stone's hope of any upset.
Brooks Jensen vs. Oba Femi - Dark match
Fallon Henley was giving advice to the contenders of the Women's Breakout tournament on October 17, 2023, but was interrupted by Tiffany Stratton who reminded her of their match last year which Stratton had won. On the night one of Halloween Havoc, Henley came out dressed as Stratton and mocked her, leading to a match at the second night of Halloween Havoc. The match was called off unexpectedly and instead a match between Brooks Jensen and Oba Femi took place in the pre-show which Jensen won.
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (c) vs. The Chase University
Andre Chase and Duke Hudson won the NXT Tag Team Championship on the First Night of NXT Halloween Havoc and celebrated loudly alongside fellow stablemates Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne. Their loud celebrations attracted the issues from WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. The matter escalated and finally a match was set up between the champions and The Chase University for the title. At the event, the champions were successful in their bid to retain the title.
The Creed Brothers vs. Angel and Humberto
On October 17, in the Bada Bing Bada Boom Battle Royal, Angel Garza and Humberto Carillo eliminated the Creed Brothers from the match. The brothers sought revenge and asked for a match of a stipulation decided by the Wheel. The two teams spun the Halloween Wheel and competed in a Tables, Ladders and Scares match. The match lasted around fourteen minutes and saw the two brothers getting the better of the main roster superstars.
Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Nathan Frazer
Nathan Frazer had been wanting a NXT North American Championship match for quite a time, but Mysterio declined. A brawl ensued between the two on October 17, 2023, episode of NXT and then a title match was made official for the second night of Halloween Havoc. In a match that lasted over ten minutes, Dominik Mysterio managed to not lose the title and defeated Frazer by pinfall.
NXT Halloween Havoc Date, Time and Venue
The 2023 edition of NXT Halloween Havoc will air live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. It will take place across two nights as a TV special. The first part of the event takes place on October 24, 2023 while the second follows on October 31, Halloween.
The start timing of the event in different countries was as follows:
USA: 8 PM ET / 5 P.M. PT (Tuesday, October 24 and 31)
India: 5:30 A.M. IST (Wednesday, October 25 and September 1)
Australia: 11 A.M. AEDT (Wednesday, October 25 and September 1)
United Kingdom / Ireland: 1 A.M. BST (Wednesday, October 25 and September 1)
Japan: 9 A.M. (Wednesday, October 25 and September 1)
Saudi Arabia: 3 A.M (Wednesday, October 25 and September 1)
The WWE Performance Center is the official wrestling school of WWE. Its first branch was opened in July 2013 and its second branch in January 2019 in London, UK.
