In the main event, Ilja Dragunov defeated Baron Corbin to retain the NXT Championship.

The inaugural Deadline debuted the Iron Survivor Challenge match-type in WWE for both the men and women, which is a five-person match in which a wrestler attempts to score the most falls before the 25-minute time limit (the "deadline") expires to earn a future match for the NXT Championship and NXT Women's Championship, respectively.

It was scheduled to be held on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and aired on Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network in most international markets.

[15] Lee returned a month later during Night 2 of NXT: Halloween Havoc and attacked Mysterio after his successful title defense.

[11] On Night 1 of NXT: Halloween Havoc, Roxanne Perez defeated Kiana James in a Devil's Playground match.

[10] On the December 5 episode, Ava announced that James would face Perez in a Steel Cage match at Deadline.

[17] Two weeks later on Night 2 of NXT: Halloween Havoc, Hayes failed to regain the title from Ilja Dragunov after being distracted by the returning Williams.

[9] On the December 5 episode of NXT, Hayes challenged King to a match at Deadline, which was made official.

Axiom then delivered an Orihara moonsault, but as he attempted to go to the top rope, Frazer stopped him and performed a superplex into a twisting suplex for a two count.

Axiom then landed an avalanche Spanish Fly and hit the Golden Ratio on Frazer to win the match.

[18] The event began with NXT Head of Creative, Shawn Michaels, coming out and hyping the crowd by asking if they were ready.

In the opening stages, Lee landed a somersault plancha and a slingshot hurricarana to Dominik for a two count.

Back in the ring as Lee attempted the Asai DDT, Dominik impeded it with a dropkick for a two count.

[18] Next was the Women's Iron Survivor Challenge contested between Blair Davenport, Lash Legend, Fallon Henley, Tiffany Stratton, and Kelani Jordan.

The Meta-Four (Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, and Jakara Jackson) then came out to prevent Stratton and Henley from escaping the penalty box.

[18] The fourth match was the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge contested between Trick Williams, Bron Breakker, Dijak, Josh Briggs, and Tyler Bate.

Bate performed a step-up enzeguiri, a slingshot clothesline, and the Tyler Driver '97 to Williams to score his second fall (Dijak 1–Briggs 1–Breakker 0–Bate 2–Williams 0).

Williams then delivered a flying corssbidy to everyone on the outside, but as he attempted to enter back in the ring, Breakker stopped him.

Dijak then landed Feast Your Eyes on Williams, but Eddy Thorpe came out and pulled the referee out of the ring to stop the count.

Bate then delivered a Tornillo splash and attempted the Tyler Driver '97, but Williams reversed it into a jacknife pin to score his third fall (Dijak 3–Briggs 2–Breakker 3–Bate 3–Williams 3).

Perez delivered a spinning back kick to James and threatened Kiana with a steel chair.

Corbin attempted a chokeslam, but Dragunov blocked it and delivered a running knee strike and a senton bomb.

Dragunov delivered a running Death Valley Driver into the turbuckles and attempted the Torpedo Moscow, but Corbin intercepted it with a Deep Six for a nearfall.

Corbin attempted the End of Days, but Dragunov stood back up and delivered a powerbomb and a Coast-to-Coast.

Corbin attempted another End of Days, but Dragunov escaped and performed a leaping DDT and three consecutive H-Bombs.

Dragunov then hugged Corbin and delivered the Torpedo Moscow and pinned him to retain the NXT title.

[18] Coby Galenzoski of the Wrestling Republic rated the overall show 3.75 out of 5, saying the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge was the best match of the night,[20] while John Canton of tjr wrestling.net rated the overall show 7.5 out of 10, with the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge standing out as the match of the night.