In a story that’s becoming as predictable as a heel turning on their partner, Nathan Frazer and Axiom—collectively known as FrAxiom—once again fought through adversity to retain their NXT Tag Team Championships. The pair seem to have adopted a strategy best described as, “How much punishment can we take before pulling off a win?” Spoiler: It’s a lot.
Axiom’s Rough Night
The evening didn’t start kindly for Axiom, who was thrown into action against the Men’s Iron Survivor Winner, Obe Femi, during the night’s opening match. Despite a gutsy performance, Axiom couldn’t outlast the powerhouse, falling victim to Femi’s devastating Fall From Grace. The pinfall loss may have left Axiom physically battered, but his fighting spirit was far from extinguished.
Tag Team Title Defense: Bruises, Bandages, and Botches
With barely an hour to recover, Axiom returned to the ring, this time joined by Nathan Frazer, who sported a shiny new accessory: a protective face mask for his busted nose. Together, they faced Gallus’ hard-hitting duo of Mark Coffey and Wolfgang in a grueling bout.
Despite Axiom’s visible fatigue and Frazer’s nose taking a literal and metaphorical beating, FrAxiom somehow held on. Axiom even managed to survive collapsing mid-suicide dive and accidentally kicking Frazer in the face with his Golden Ratio. But when the chips were down, the champions rallied. Axiom nailed Wolfgang with a spectacular Spanish Fly off the top rope, paving the way for Frazer’s breathtaking Phoenix Splash to seal the win.
Five Times a Charm
This victory marks FrAxiom’s fifth successful televised title defense in their current reign, which began with a victory over Ridge Holland and Andre Chase at NXT No Mercy. Since then, the duo has dispatched challengers like No Quarter Catch Crew, Cedric Alexander and Je’Von Evans, and A-Town Down Under.
Their resiliency and penchant for last-minute heroics have solidified their reign as one of NXT’s most entertaining—but let’s hope their next title defense comes with fewer trips to the trainer’s room.