When NXT Deadline came to an end with the image of Ilja Dragunov and Trick Williams staring each other down as Carmelo Hayes came up behind his long-time friend, it marked the end of the WWE Premium Live Event calendar, with fans having to wait through Christmas and New Years in order to see their favorite Superstars work on television without commercials breaking up the magic.

Fortunately, Shawn Michaels made the most of his time on Peacock with a show that had a little bit of something for everyone, from an exciting match type that appears to have found a long-term home in the WWE Universe to two matches with titles on the line, and a few more with nothing on the line but pride.

So, in case you missed the show or just want to relive the magic once more, here are three major takeaways from the final WWE PLE of the 2023 calendar year.

3. Roxanne Perez is getting the Cody Rhodes treatment

When Roxanne Perez took the ring for a non-title cage match against Kiana James, the conceit of the match was simple: The two WWE Superstars don't like each other one bit and wanted to settle that feud in a match so vicious that they couldn't be restrained by the traditional confines of the squared-circle.

And yet, in a match designed to be one-on-one with no interference by the very nature of its design, the match was instead decided by Izzi Dame, a performer so new to WWE television you might have thought it was Tiffany Stratton in the moment due to process of elimination alone.

What gives? How did Perez go from the youngest and first Ring of Honor Champion and the youngest NXT Champion in the promotion's history to a performer jobbing out to a brand new performer and a mid-card heel like she was Becky Lynch six months ago?

Well, the answer is easy, really: Perez is getting the Cody Rhodes treatment.

That's right, much like the “American Nightmare,” who was borderline guaranteed a spot back in the main event of WrestleMania 40 when he ended up on the wrong side of the 1-2-3 in Inglewood, California, Perez has effectively proved everything there is to prove in NXT and is now waiting on her main roster call-up, whether that's in January at the Royal Rumble, in April on Mania weekend, or a few months later at the WWE Draft, assuming they run the event once more in 2024. Good luck against James, Dame, and Cora Jade, Rok-C, and good luck on the main roster a few months later.

2. Ilja Dragunov is the best technical wrestler in WWE

After securing wins over some of the best individual performers the NXT brand has to offer since becoming a champion versus Carmelo Hayes at No Mercy, Ilja Dragunov has rapidly turned himself into the ace of WWE developmental, taking up the mantle from performers like Pete Dunn and Gunther who came before him.

Related NewsArticle continues below
Ballerina star Ana de Armas, who was interviewed by WWE Superstar Chelsea Green, at the Oscars on March 2, 2025.
WWE’s Chelsea Green interviews ‘gorgeous’ Ballerina star Ana de Armas
Silhouette of WWE star Pat McAfee, who suffered an eye injury against Gunther at Backlash: St. Louis.
WWE’s Pat McAfee reveals NSFW eye injury after Gunther match
Hulk Hogan talks up the Hulkamania on Dec. 6, 1994, at the Hard Rock Café in Nashville during a press conference promoting the Dec. 27’s Starcade ’94, a pay-per-view wrestling bonanza at Municipal Auditorium. Hogan will battle archrival Butcher in the main event.
Hulk Hogan breaks silence on Los Angeles booing from WWE RAW crowd

Case in point, his match against Baron Corbin, a performer who has never earned a 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer. While Dragunov probably didn't elevate Corbin to the level of a “perfect match” in the eyes of the Wrestling Observer scribe, as wasn't quite as good as the “Czar's” match against Hayes at Halloween Havoc, he did lead the former United States Champion to what might have been the best technical match of his career, which is a pretty incredible accomplishment.

Put Dragunov in the ring with a top-tier performer like Axium, Nathan Frazier, or even Bron Breakker, and with the right match layout and some luck, fans could be looking at the new ace of NXT.

1. Lexis King didn't attack Trick Williams, but did Carmelo Hayes?

And last but not least, arguably the biggest question that has been surrounding the NXT Universe over the past few weeks: Who attacked Trick Williams and prevented him from competing for a spot in the NXT Championship match at Halloween Havoc?

Well, as much as fans wanted to learn the answer one way or another, as Carmelo Hayes literally booked a match against Lexis King with the express desire to get an answer to that question, no definitive answer was delivered, with just one name removed from the suspects list: Lexis King.

That's right, after taking the loss to Hayes in the middle of the card, King asked for a mic and told Hayes and the WWE Universe that he was not the person who attacked Trick Willie, opting instead to keep the mystery alive in order to secure a spot on his first-ever NXT Premium Live Event.

Can fans trust King? Maybe yes, maybe no, but based on the way Hayes walked out behind Williams at the end of the PLE, it's clear this storyline isn't ending without a little more bad blood being spilled one way or another.