Generation NXT - NXT LIVE recap for July 18, 2023

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams head to the ring to start tonight's show. Carmelo admits last week was a miss, and Trick admits they should have won. Carmelo says last week was 4-on-2 and they were seconds away from beating the most dominant team in WWE until Ilja Dragunov got involved. Dragunov shows up as if on command and tells Carmelo that he did not mean to put his nose in his Carmelo, and that what Carmelo fails to understand is that Priest could have cashed in on him and taken his NXT Championship. He says he wanted to prevent that and face Carmelo at The Great American Bash, and Carmelo not only let him down, but he lost control. Carmelo says he had everything under control and that he is ready for Dragunov while he is in awe of his "maniac pace." Dragunov says he makes the fans feel something and that all he will make Carmelo feel is defeat, but Carmelo reminds him that he feels a lot of things as NXT Champion and that their match will be a fight. He says there is no one more qualified to face him at The Great American Bash, and that he will be champion for a long time and he will be swimming in victory. Dragunov tells Carmelo he will have to hit harder than ever before to beat him, for he cannot control him. Carmelo says that after their match, it will be champagne for one person and "just pain" for the other.

Backstage, Mustafa Ali meets with Wes Lee regarding his title defense against "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, stating the ink has not even dried for their match yet. Wes Lee says he is read for Dominik and Rhea Ripley, but Mustafa Ali wants to be sure he faces Wes Lee.

In footage from earlier today, Tony D'Angelo is released from prison, where Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo is waiting for him.

Nathan Frazer and Dragon Lee beat Los Lotharios (Humberto Carillo and Angel Garza). After the match, Angel Garza yells at Humberto Carillo, and Humberto shoves back, saying the loss was his fault before leaving through the crowd with Garza following him.

We hear from Baron Corbin, who asks what he has gotten into and why he was not satisfied with where he was as it was easy, comfortable and safe, then decides that he must evolve or die. He says he needs to be feared, to be respected and to be champion. When he approaches the man in the black hoodie, he sees himself, and he realizes he must do this as himself and not as another gimmick.

We see footage from "NXT Anonymous" where Booker T tells Roxanne Perez that Blair Davenport is cold and calculated and that if she gives her one inch, she can take a mile and take her out.

Kiana James beats Gigi Dolin after Gigi tries to use Kiana's business bag against her only for Kiana to plant Gigi head-first onto the bag.

Backstage, Axiom and Scrypts confront Bronco Nima and Lucien Price, and this leads to Scrypts challenging them to a match next week, much to Axiom's chagrin, as Axiom wants to accomplish things on his own.

We see footage of Ivy Nile taking down the Diamond Mine banner backstage.

Backstage, McKenzie Mitchell interviews Eddy Thorpe, who says that his NXT Underground match put him on the map when Meta-Four (Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson) shows up and presents him with a signed 8x10 of Noam Dar, which Thorpe tears up. Oro Mensah tells Eddy Thorpe to keep his ego in check, but Eddy tells Mensah that he is more of a fighter than a talker, and referees have to step in before things get physical.

Bronco Nima and Lucien Price beat Axiom and Scrypts after Scrypts turns on Axiom and attacks him from behind. Scrypts leaves with Nima and Price after the match.

Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo and members of Tony D'Angelo's family are in the ring for Tony's homecoming. He talks about how Gallus got Tony locked up and almost took over the streets of NXT, then welcomes D'Angelo back to NXT. Tony D'Angelo declares that he is back and thanks Stacks for coming up with a master plan to free him and brags that Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, Wolfgang) had no clue what was going on, then says that Stacks is not the rat that everyone thought he was. We see footage from two months ago where Stacks and D'Angelo come up with a plan where Stacks comes up with the plan to fake stabbing D'Angelo in the back and convince Joe Coffey that he is going to sell D'Angelo out. We see D'Angelo and Stacks hatch the plan to get Joe Coffey comfortable and then spring it into action, then Gallus shows up. A furious Joe Coffey calls Stacks and D'Angelo the lowest forms of life he has ever meet, and while D'Angelo may be a free man, he will make D'Angelo he was back in a prison cell. D'Angelo mentions that Joe Coffey had control and lost it, and Stacks says that Mark Coffey and Wolfgang will lose the NXT tag team titles. D'Angelo then tells Gallus to shine the tag team titles up for them as they will take their titles. Mark Coffey says Gallus is dead serious when it comes to their titles, and Wolfgang says they will not make it to The Great American Bash. Gallus gets in the ring, and when Joe Coffey pulls out a bat, the D'Angelo family pulls out crowbars. Gallus ends up on the losing end of a brief brawl, and Mark Coffey ends up going through a table.

Backstage, Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams run into Schism (Joe Gacy, Rip Fowler, Jagger Reid, Ava). Joe Gacy says there is no reason to target them with their negativity, and that their union will end when Carmelo loses the NXT Championship. Ilja Dragunov shows up and confronts Gacy, and that leads to a brawl.

Thea Hail beats Elektra Lopez with the Kimura Lock. After the match, Thea Hail says she feels unstoppable after making Elektra Lopez tap out like Tiffany Stratton did, and she wants another chance at the NXT Women's Championship, as she knows she can beat Tiffany. Thea Hail calls Tiffany Stratton out so she can kick her ass, and Tiffany shows up and tells Thea she does not get to call her out because it is rude and she is totally superior to her. Tiffany calls it cute that Thea Hail learned one move and thinks she can take on the world, then accepts her challenge as it will be the easiest title defense after having beaten her. Before Tiffany can leave, Thea Hail demands that their rematch be a stipulation match, but Tiffany says says she is the one who can add stipulations to their match and she cannot make her. Thea grabs Tiffany and makes her submit and add the stipulation.

Backstage, Rhea Ripley and "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio are met by The D'Angelo Family (Tony D'Angelo and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo), who wish Dominik luck tonight. Lyra Valkyrie then shows up, and Rhea Ripley tells her to prove she is the badass she is telling everyone that she is following her recent loss to Jacy Jayne. Lyra says that when she faces Jacy Jayne again, she will.

We hear from Gable Steveson, who contemplates his future and announces that he will decide his future next week.

Oro Mensah beats Eddy Thorpe. During the match, Jakara Jackson distracts the referee so Lash Legend can place a very distraught Noam Dar in the ring, and as that happens, Dijak shows up and attacks Eddy Thorpe on the outside. Eddy Thorpe is able to get back in the ring in time, but Oro Mensah is able to get the win.

We see Dana Brooke and Kelani Jordan backstage. Kelani is mad at herself for losing against Cora Jade last week, then we see the two of them practice gymnastic routines. Dana says Kelani is about to break out, and both admit they learned a lot from each other. Meanwhile, Cora Jade is not impressed with either Dana or Kelani, and says gymnastics will not help her next week.

Backstage, Blair Davenport and Roxanne Perez are interviewed. Blair says she decimated Roxanne once before, but now she will do it front of friends and family. She says that Roxanne had a good year last year, but she is here and Roxanne does not belong in NXT anymore. Roxanne says she is everyone thinking she is some easy target, and while she may not be six foot tall or able to overpower anyone, there has been a rage building up inside her and Blair has added to it. She says she will have to show a side of herself that the fans have never seen before to beat Blair Davenport, and that Blair does not know what is coming to her. Blair says Roxanne does not even believer herself and that she will hurt her. Blair then tells Roxanne to go home as she does not belong in NXT anymore. Roxanne takes her microphone off and leaves her part of backstage, and Blair continues to mock her.

"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio beats Wes Lee to become the NXT North American Champion. During the match, Dominik tries to run away with the North American Championship, but Wes Lee does not let him. Soon after, Finn Balor distracts the referee and Damian Priest tries to lay out Wes with the North American title only to eat a Cardiac Kick. Wes Lee goes up top, but Rhea nails him with the Women's Heavyweight Championship, and Dominik is able to make the pinfall attempt and get the win.

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!