6 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE NXT Stand & Deliver 2024

3. New Women’s Champ

NXT Stand & Deliver 2024 Roxanne Perez Lyra Valkyria
WWE.com

Saturday was defo a beautiful day for Roxanne Perez.

She's held gold before, but something feels different about this second title reign. Roxanne isn't the pint-sized, happy-go-lucky smiler she was last time. Now, she's a much more well-rounded character who has more of an edge. She entered a visibly mature performance at Stand & Deliver.

The finish was great. Lyra Valkyria tried to hold on in the submission as long as she could, but Perez had relentlessly targeted her arm through the entire match and wouldn't let go. Eventually, Lyra had to tap out and watch her own title dreams fade. Her desperation was obvious, and the atmosphere was electric right before she submitted.

The injured arm thread meant both women could establish a deliberate pace and tell their story without going hell for leather and burning themselves out. You've got to admire that dedication to story over spots for the hell of it. There's that restraint mentioned earlier.

Strong, strong stuff.

Advertisement
 
Posted On: 
Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.