NXT Roadblock (2024)

NXT Roadblock
NXT Roadblock
Promotion	WWE
Brand(s)	NXT
Date	March 5, 2024
City	Orlando, Florida
Venue	WWE Performance Center
NXT special episodes chronology
← Previous; New Year's Evil	Next →; Spring Breakin'
Roadblock chronology
← Previous; 2023	Next →; —

The 2024 NXT Roadblock was the third annual NXT Roadblock professional wrestling television special produced by WWE, and fifth Roadblock event overall. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's NXT brand division. The event took place on March 5, 2024, at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida and aired live as a special episode of NXT on the USA Network. The event's title was a reference to its position on the road to NXT Stand & Deliver, NXT's WrestleMania Weekend event.

Six matches were contested at the event. In the main event, Tony D'Angelo defeated Carmelo Hayes to become the #1 contender for the NXT Championship. In another prominent match, The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) defeated Tatum Paxley and Lyra Valkyria to retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, and in the opening contest, Dijak defeated Joe Gacy in an Asylum match. The event also featured the returns of Sol Ruca and Trick Williams.

Production

Background

Roadblock is a professional wrestling event established by WWE in 2016. The inaugural event was held in March that year and aired exclusively on the WWE Network. The event's name was a reference to its position on the "Road to WrestleMania".^[1] In July 2016, WWE reintroduced the brand extension, where the roster was divided between brands where wrestlers were exclusively assigned to perform. Roadblock was brought back that same year in December as a Raw-exclusive event under the title Roadblock: End of the Line. It aired on pay-per-view (PPV) and the WWE Network with its name being in reference to being WWE's final PPV of 2016.^[2]^[3] Roadblock was then discontinued without any further events scheduled.^[4] However, Roadblock was revived for the NXT brand as a television special episode of NXT titled NXT Roadblock.^[5] At Vengeance Day, it was announced that the 2024 edition of NXT Roadblock would take place on March 5 at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida and air live on the USA Network.^[6]

Storylines

The card included matches that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand,^[7]^[8] while storylines were produced on the weekly television program, NXT, and the supplementary online streaming show, Level Up.

On the January 16 episode of NXT, Dijak faced Trey Bearhill, with Joe Gacy serving as commentator. During the match, Gacy headbutted Dijak. After Dijak won the match against Bearhill, Gacy attacked Dijak from behind and both men started brawling.^[9] The following week, a match between Gacy and Dijak was scheduled, but the match didn't happen due to Gacy attacking Dijak before the bell rang. Both men continued fighting until they were pulled apart by referees and security guards.^[10] At Vengeance Day on February 4, Dijak defeated Gacy in a No Disqualification match.^[11] During Dijak's matches after Vengeance Day, Gacy started appearing under the ring apron. On the February 13 episode of NXT, Gacy faced Carmelo Hayes in a losing effort. After the match, Dijak attacked Gacy with a nightstick and then locked him in a straitjacket and left.^[12] The following week, Dijak locked Gacy in an asylum cell, with Gacy laughing and telling Dijak that "this wasn't over".^[13] On the February 27 episode of NXT, Dijak defeated Luca Crusifino. After the match, Gacy ripped apart the straightjacket and started beating down Dijak until both men went backstage, where they continued fighting. An Asylum match was then announced for Roadblock between Dijak and Gacy.^[14]

At Vengeance Day on February 4, Trick Williams, who was accompanied by Carmelo Hayes, failed to win the NXT Championship from Ilja Dragunov. After the match, Hayes attacked Williams with a steel chair, ending their partnership and turning heel in the process.^[11] On the following episode of NXT, Hayes revealed that he was the one who attacked Williams back in October 2023 and set his sights at Dragunov and the NXT Championship.^[15] On the February 27 episode of NXT, Tony D'Angelo told Dragunov that he was willing to earn a title shot at the NXT Championship. Dragunov accepted D'Angelo's proposal and NXT General Manager Ava set a match between Hayes and D'Angelo at Roadblock to determine a #1 contender to the NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver.^[14]

In December 2023, Tatum Paxley developed a deranged obsession with NXT Women's Champion Lyra Valkyria.^[16] Over the next few months, Paxley interfered in Valkyria's matches, including helping Valkyria retain her title at Vengeance Day.^[11] On the February 20 episode of NXT, Valkyria told Paxley that if she stayed backstage during her title match that night, she would give Paxley a surprise, which she did.^[13] A week later, Valkyria revealed that after speaking with NXT General Manager Ava, Valkyria and Paxley would face The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at Roadblock, which was later made official.^[14]

At Vengeance Day on February 4, Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin defeated Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams to win the 2024 men's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic final^[11] and went on to defeat The Family (Tony D'Angelo and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo) to win the NXT Tag Team Championship.^[12] A week later, a match was made between Chase University (Duke Hudson and Andre Chase) and Axiom and Nathan Frazer, with the winners becoming the #1 contenders for the NXT Tag Team Championship, where Chase U won the match.^[13] The title match was then announced for Roadblock.^[14]