In honor of Jaida Parker’s Main Event debut, I had prepared a series of Friday-inspired puns to mark the occasion. But what I saw Thursday night was one of the best fights I’ve seen all week, as Parker faced Lyra Valkyria in a match that felt ultra-personal and ultimately stole the show.
Fraxiom vs. Tama & Talla Tonga w/ Haku
- Result: The Tongas win by pin following a backdrop into a powerbomb
- Takeaway: Welcome to the Talla Tonga show.
A match meant to spotlight Haku’s boys ultimately became Talla Tonga’s coming-out party.
Fraxiom froze in fear when Talla tagged in. He took out Axiom with a clothesline that sounded like a home-run shot, then press-slammed
Frazer onto his partner. Later, he leveled Axiom with a chop that seemed to cut straight through his soul.
Fraxiom finally dropped the giant with a double missile dropkick, but it wasn’t enough to stop the sons of Haku. The finish came when Tama went to backdrop Frazer. As Frazer flew through the air, Talla caught him and powerbombed him, allowing Tama to score the pin.
During the match, Vic Joseph and Blake Howard talked up Haku’s legacy, recounting his rivalries with Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and the Ultimate Warrior. They also sprinkled in Easter eggs about his tag-team runs with the Islanders and Colossal Connection.
As commentary wondered whether Tama and Talla were the new Faces of Fear, it was hard to see this as anything but a showcase for Talla, as the crowd visibly applauded his feats of strength.
Creed Brothers vs. BirthRight
- Result: The Creeds win by pin following a double sit-out spinebuster
- Takeaway: Taking the Creeds “Higher.”
For the second week in a row, Julius Creed was in good spirits, hyping the crowd and talking smack into the camera. Brutus, the more outgoing of the two, seemed especially fired up by his brother’s change in demeanor.
There might be a reason for that.
Commentary talked up American Made as potential tag title contenders, pointing to their 4-0 record on Main Event in recent months. They looked the part against Uriah Connors and Stacks. Brutus took out both members of BirthRight with an overhead belly-to-belly, which Julius later repeated.
Following a melee late in the bout, the Creeds took over, leveling Stacks with a double sit-out spinebuster for the win.
While the Creeds looked like legit contenders, it would help if they picked up such wins on Raw, where WWE’s larger audience could see why they deserve a title shot. With the right storyline, they could help even the odds for Akira Tozawa and Otis against reigning tag champs, The Vision.
Jaida Parker vs. Lyra Valkyria
- Result: Lyra wins by submission with a bulldog choke
- Takeaway: When is the sequel coming out?
I did not see this coming.
Wow.
After getting the upper hand, Lyra shouted in Parker’s face, “I should be going after the IC title, and I’m here with you. I’m here with you!”
Standard trash talk, right?
But as the match went on, these two did as much bad-mouthing as wrestling. After a big shoulder block dropped Lyra on her tail feathers, Parker barked, “Who you messin’ with!?”
According to Cagematch, this was only their second one-on-one meeting. Yet, it felt like a match deep into a long-running feud.
Trapped in the corner, Lyra put up her feet to stop a charging Parker. Parker caught her, shouted, “STUPID,” and spun her into position for a Teardrop.
When Lyra rolled outside, Parker followed with what looked like a dropkick through the ropes. This time, Lyra caught her, spun her around, and dropped Parker’s neck across her knee. Back inside, Lyra took her down and locked in a bulldog choke.
With nowhere to go, Parker tapped out.
This was my favorite match this week so far, and possibly the best I’ve seen on Main Event all year. I strongly recommend readers check this out. For its placement and the time it was given, this was unusually fierce and highly entertaining.
I can’t wait for the rematch.
The Final Bell
As good as the main event between Parker and Lyra was, their presentations and performances impressed me even more.
While I’ve always been on the fence about Parker, my wife loves her — the look, the entrance, the whole package. But it wasn’t until I saw her on Main Event that I wondered if her personality is simply too big for NXT.
In front of a large crowd and under the bright lights of a match taped before Raw, Parker looked like a main-roster star. The challenge will be finding a place for her in the stacked women’s divisions on Raw or SmackDown.
I also loved her selling. Her expression after tapping out earned my sympathy, as she looked like she’d been put through a wood chipper. Then Lyra pulled her hair as a final insult, and Parker’s eyes fired up.
Normally, someone in that position plays the timid victim. For a moment, I thought Parker was going to get up and whip her ass. But despite her anger, she still looked exhausted.
Live to fight another day.
As for Lyra, y’all need to buy stock in this woman right now. From the neck up, she continues to look like a crazed mess — and that’s not a knock. Far from it. She’s 100% committed to this gimmick, and it’s awesome.
Her ring work is vicious. Everything is centered on the head and neck, building to the bulldog choke. Her contempt for fans and mockery of them as they “Whooo” between the beats of her music are top-notch.
After calling for a change in music, I’m suddenly in favor of her keeping her theme exactly as it is.
But the best part was Lyra’s eyes bugging out as she locked in the choke. This bird has flown the coop, and I am here for it.
Outstanding.
