Tag: tony d’angelo

WWE NXT live results: Tony D’Angelo vs. Kam Hendrix title match

Posted on by Joseph Collins

Kam Hendrix, one of the newest additions to the NXT roster, is looking to achieve the biggest win of his young career.

The NXT Championship will be on the line when Hendrix challenges Tony D’Angelo tonight. He already owns a victory over D’Angelo in tag team action, though D’Angelo did not take the fall in that match. Instead, Hendrix pinned Myles Borne after pushing his own tag partner Mason Rook out of the way, which led to issues between the two NXT newcomers.

Borne, the NXT North American Champion, has another tag match tonight, teaming with Tavion Heights against DarkState.

We’ll hear from NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice, who promises that she’ll have a lot to say after defeating Izzi Dame last week. Also in the women’s division, Zaria clashes with Lizzy Rain.

Plus, the men’s Speed Championship is set to be defended with Lexis King vs. Romeo Moreno.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

Live! From Orlando, Florida. 

Vic Joseph and Booker T were on commentary. 

The competitors in tonight’s main event were shown walking into the building to hype the Tony D’Angelo NXT title defense against Kam Hendrix. 

Zaria v. Lizzy Rain 

Zaria blocked a tornado DDT and knocked Rain to the mat with a pump kick. Zaria whipped Rain around the ring, targeting her injured back. The Women’s North American Champion Tatum Paxley came out to join the commentators in an attempt to distract Zaria. She was unfazed though, knocking Rain to the floor with a solid forearm shot. 

Back from a commercial, Rain took Zaria to the mat with a super hurricanrana. But Zaria sprang right back up and cut Rain in half with a spear. Both women exchanged forearms, and Rain ducked a charge and hit Zaria with a clothesline. Rain hit a tornado DDT off the ropes for a near fall. 

Zaria came back with a pop-up headbutt. Rain got a near fall with a victory roll. Zaria caught Rain with a knee out of the corner and a rolling lariat for another near fall. Rain fired up and caught Zaria with a cutter and then a modified DVD for a near fall. Zaria came back with a German suplex and a spear. Zaria finished off Rain with an F5. 

Match Result: Zaria pinned Rain (10:32). 

After the match, Zaria tried to beat up Rain some more, but Paxley stopped her by offering up a title match for next week. 

— Saquon Shugars attacked Dark State as they were on their way to the ring. After the break, Vic Joseph announced that the Dark State match would occur later tonight. He also hyped up Booker T as “Mr. Great American Bash” and… really? 

OTM (Bronco Nima & Lucien Price) v. The Culling (Shawn Spears & Nico Banks) (w/ Izzy Dame)

Nima and Price attacked Spears and Banks before the bell. Price and Banks had an awkward exchange that I think was supposed to end in Banks flipping over Price, but he didn’t clear him and basically planted his groin in Price’s face. They figured it out and then redid the spot. They went to the floor and Banks threw Price into the ring barricade. 

After a break, Nima suplexed Spears. Price got the tag, then dropped to the floor to suplex Banks on the apron. Price took both Spears and Price down at once. Price press-slammed Banks onto Spears. Price floored Banks with a knee for a year fall. Banks put down Price with a sharp elbow. Price shoved Spears into Banks. Nima and Price hit their finisher on Spears (kind of like a double-team Angle Slam) and got the pinfall. 

Match Result: OTM beat The Culling when Nima pinned Spears (9:27). 

This was moves with no real flow. 

— EK Prosper, Tate Wilder and Kam Hendrix chat in the locker room about their upcoming matches tonight. Well not EK Prosper, who doesn’t have a match. But he’ll get to tell his grandkids he was in the building when Kam Hendrix won the NXT Championship!  

Jackson Drake (w/ The Vanity Project) v. Tate Wilder 

Wilder took down Drake with a sling blade, and he dropped to the floor to regroup. So Wilder took all of them out at once with a cannonball off the stairs. 

CW paid a lot of bills with a long commercial break during this match. When they finally got back to it, Wilder hit Drake with a flying forearm. They fought on the ring apron. Wilder caught Drake with a gamengiri, but Drake came back with a spear to the floor. Back in the ring, Wilder avoided a 450, then hit Drake with a TKO (the move, he didn’t ask him to take a 50% pay cut) for a near fall. 

Wilder went to the top, but Drake hit the ropes and crotched Wilder. Drake went to the top, but Wilder powerbombed him out of the corner. Wilder hit a twisting splash off the top for a near fall. The members of the Vanity Project jumped on the apron, but Wilder knocked them down. He tried to take out Myka Lockwood with a rana, but she blocked it, powerbombed Wilder into the ringpost and then onto the ring apron. Back in the ring, Drake finished off Wilder with a 450 splash. 

Match Result: Drake pinned WIlder (8:35). 

— Robert Stone was interviewed by Emily Agard about the upcoming Great American Bash. Someone comes in to start yelling at him, but Jasper Troy interrupted. They got in each other’s faces, and another member of Dark State attacked Troy and soon it was complete chaos in the back.

Lola Vice Sets Up Her Next Challenger

Lola Vice came out to the ring for a promo and talked up her recent victories in NXT and AAA. She wanted to know who her next challenger was going to be. This brought out Kelani Jordan. Jordan said that she’s proved herself by going to TNA and winning the Knockouts title, but she didn’t get the same praise that Lola Vice did for going out and winning the AAA Mixed Tag Team titles. Vice wasn’t impressed with Jordan’s TNA title right, because “if you blinked, you missed it.” 

Kendal Grey came out (with Wren Sinclair, hobbling behind her) to throw her name in the ring, too. She, after all, won the Iron Survivor and pinned both Jordan and Vice. Lola Vice got sick of all the complaining, and made the match between Grey and Jordan for next week, with the winner getting the title shot at the Great American Bash. On her way out, Jordan pulled at one of Vice’s title belts, causing her to spin into Grey and hit her with an elbow. 

— In the back, Zaria F5’d Tatum Paxley into a storage cage. 

— Mason Rook and Tony D’Angelo talked trash about each other until Robert Stone intervened and made a match for Rook and Naraku for next week. If Rook wins, he “cuts the line” and gets into title contention. (This was later made a #1 Contenders Match at the end of the show.)

Romeo Moreno (w/ Noam Dar) v. Lexis King (w/ Birthright) for the NXT Speed Championship  

Since this is a Speed Championship match, the time limit is five minutes. Moreno caught King with a sunset flip, then a dropkick. Moreno hit a German suplex and a dropkick off the middle ropes for a near fall. Moreno caught King with a cradle for a near fall. King came back and caught Moreno with a diving dropkick in the corner for a near fall. King repeatedly kept trying to cover Moreno, forcing him to kick out multiple times. 

King and Moreno exchanged a series of strikes. King went for a half-crab, but he didn’t lock it in. Moreno rolled King into a vertical suplex, then caught him with a superkick. Moreno tried for a crossface, but turned it into the Rings of Saturn. King escaped and dropped to the floor. Moreno took out the other members of Birthright with a dive off the top. 

Moreno tried for a dropkick off the top, but King stepped back and, if I can be serious for a minute, locked in a half-crab. Moreno escaped and caught King with a cradle. Moreno missed a move off the top, and King finished off Moreno with The Coronation, and modified swinging neckbreaker. 

Match Result: Kingpinned Moreno to retain the Speed Championship (4:34).

— Natalya and Jadia Parker exchanged words in the back. Natalya sees right through Parker’s act. Natalya knows that she’s soft. 

Dark State (Dion Lennox & Osiris Griffin) v. Tavion Heights & Miles Borne 

Cutler James was taken out of this match in the attack earlier by Saquon Shugars. 

There were a few instances of miscommunication between Borne and Heights in the early going. But they still combined to take Lennox out with a double dropkick. Borne clotheslined Griffin to the floor. Soon all four men were on the floor. Heights tossed Lennox over his head with a belly-to-belly. 

Dark State got the heat on Borne during the commercial. Lennox and Griffin worked over Borne in their corner. Borne backdropped Lennox out of his way to make the tag to Heights. Heights hit an amazing belly to belly on Lennox, then tossed Osiris around. Lennox tripped up Heights so Griffin could give him a headbutt. Dark State finished Heights off with the Doomsday Device. 

Match Result: Dark State won via pinfall (11:02). 

This didn’t feel like eleven minutes, probably because most of it was during the break. 

Next week’s show:

  • Kendal Grey v. Kelani Jordan to crown the #1 Contender for the NXT Women’s Championship
  • Mason Rook v. Naraku (later announced to be a #1 Contenders match for the NXT Championship)
  • Tatum Paxley v. Zaria for the NXT North American Women’s Title 
  • Shiloh Hill v. Tristan Angels in the Mr. NXT Pageant 

Tony D’Angelo v. Kam Hendrix for the NXT Championship

I’m not liking Hendrix’s chances here, since they’ve already set up another opponent for D’Angelo in Mason Rook. 

Hendrix hit the Showtime Kick out of nowhere for a near fall. Hangman’s neckbreaker got another near fall. After a DDT, Hendrix got a third near fall. Naraku was shown watching in the crowd. Hendrix started firing away with forearms on D’angleo. D’Angelo caught Hendrix and dumped him like a sack of potatoes. Hendix dropped to the floor to regroup. 

When Hendrix got back in the ring, D’Angelo was all over him with clobbering forearms and clotheslines. D’Angelo tossed Hendrix with a FU. D’Angelo tossed Hendrix over his head with a belly to belly, then clotheslined Hendrix to the floor. Hendrix went to grab the title belt, but Naraku stood up and shook his head at Hendrix, who left the belt alone and headed back into the ring. 

After a commercial break, Hendrix got a near fall after a suplex while Naraku looked on. D’Angelo came back with a series of release German suplexes. D’Angelo hit a spinebuster. D’Angelo hit a modified fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. D’Angelo ran into a knee and Hendrix went for a cradle with his feet on the ropes, but the ref caught him. 

D’Angelo tossed Hendrix down with a suplex. Hendrix hit a Showtime Kick, then followed up with a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. Hendrix and D’Angelo started exchanging strikes, but Hendrix leapt into a powerbomb from D’Angelo for a near fall. 

Hendrix snapped D’Angelo’s neck against the top rope, then crawled to the floor to get a steel chair. Mason Rook cut him off. D’Angleo backdropped Hendrix onto the announcer’s table. Back in the ring, D’Angelo hit a variation on the Sky High to get the pinfall. 

Match Result: D’Angelo pinned Hendrix to retain (10:48). 

Naraku handed D’Angelo his title belt and offered him a bow after his match. It was made official that Rook and Naraku’s match next week will crown the #1 Contenders for the NXT title. 

NXT Championship match part of next week’s WWE NXT lineup

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Two title matches are part of next week’s NXT lineup.

Tony D’Angelo announced on Tuesday that he would be defending his title next week against Kam Hendrix. But he also wanted to address someone else: Naraku, who came to the ring. The former EVIL explained that he would make sure D’Angelo retains the title next week, as they are meant to wage war over the title.

Meanwhile, Lexis King will defend his Speed Championship against Romeo Moreno, who defeated Nathan Fraizer in a surprise upset on Tuesday with just seconds left to go in their match. Moreno advances to the finals after Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy went to a time limit draw in their match earlier in the night.

After DarkState took out Saquon Shugars from the group last week, they explained their actions on Tuesday, saying he was an independent wrestler while they were D1 athletes. They also promised they would be going after people again, making a statement later in the show when they jumped Myles Borne and Tavion Heights as they were arguing backstage, setting up a tag match for next week.

Other matches will see Lizzie Rain looking to gain a measure of revenge over Zaria, while Tate Wilder will face Jackson Drake after throwing out a challenge during a backstage segment.

WWE NXT (June 2)

  • NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo defends against Kam Hendrix
  • Men’s Speed Champion Lexis King defends against Romeo Moreno
  • Jackson Drake vs. Tate Wilder
  • Lizzy Rain vs. Zaria
  • Darkstate vs. Myles Borne & Tavion Heights

WWE NXT live results: Two title matches, Mason Rook’s in-ring debut

Posted on by Chris Aiken

Tonight on WWE NXT is a night of debuts and title matches.

Recent weeks have seen Mason Rook, Kam Hendrix, and Tristan Angels added to the NXT roster. All three are set to make their official TV in-ring debuts tonight. In tag team action, Rook & Hendrix will look to defeat NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo and North American Champion Myles Borne. A victory would likely propel Rook and Hendrix to immediate title contention.

Angels will debut in singles action against a yet-to-be-announced opponent.

A pair of championship matches have also been announced for tonight’s episode. Lizzy Rain, another NXT newcomer, aims for gold early as she challenges Tatum Paxley for the Women’s North American Championship. And the NXT Tag Team titles will be on the line with DarkState challenging Vanity Project for their belts.

Plus, Tate Wilder makes his singles debut as he attempts to overcome Keanu Carver.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

NXT is back on the air in front of a live studio audience from a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando. Opening the show is a tag team match where the two singles champions in the men’s division team up against two newcomers making their in-ring debuts in NXT.

NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo & NXT North American Champion Myles Borne vs. Mason Rook & Cam Hendrix in a tag team match

—

The tag bout goes through a commercial break. Heat on Borne after the debuting duo work together to chop block Borne’s knee. Borne is worked over until Borne counters a double-team and dives for a hot tag. D’Angelo is a house of fire, and he gets a near fall after spearing Hendrix. D’Angelo takes a few really tough bumps from Rook, and D’Angelo crashes into the ring steps. Borne with a save by flying over the ropes with a flip dive to the floor.

Tavion Heights runs down to ambush Hendrix, with whom he has beef. Heights’ sneak attack sends Hendrix into Borne, which trips up Borne’s attempt at springing back into the ring. Borne is then distracted by Heights, who is removed from ringside by officials.

For the finish, a distracted Borne tries to slingshot into the ring. He is caught by Rook, and Borne takes an exploder suplex in a corner. Rook with a fireman’s carry into a jackhammer, and Rook goes for a cover. However, Hendrix is the legal man. He pushes Rook out of the way, and Hendrix pins Borne to win the match. As Hendrix celebrates his win, Rook glares at him like the meme where Undertaker is standing behind AJ Styles.

Match result: Mason Rook & Cam Hendrix defeated Tony D’Angelo & Myles Borne when Hendrix pinned Borne.

— Darkstate in a backstage skit talk about all being on the same page again. Dion Lennox inquires to Saquon Shugars what he meant about them needing to make a change. Shugars assures Lennox not worry about that. Foreshadowing would seem to indicate he should worry.

Confrontation with challengers and the women’s champ leads to melee

—

Kelani Jordan enters the sound stage for an promo in the ring. She would eventually be interrupted by several wrestlers including NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice, Izzi Dame, and Kendal Grey. Wren Sinclair runs into whack Dame with a walking crutch.

Firstly, Jordan cuts a heel promo complaining about never getting a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship. Jordan boasts about being the fastest rising homegrown star. Besides making Lola Vice (the champion) tap out, and also beating Kendal Grey last weeks, Jordan claims she in better than all of the women’s wrestlers called up to the main roster.

Jordan goes on to demand a championship match before claiming to be the most underrated women on the roster.

Out comes Izzi Dame wearing ridiculously fuzzy chaps. Dame marches to the ring in her fuzzy chap, and she cuts a promo on Jordan trying to cut in line.

NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice interrupt the confrontation to confront her two potential challengers. Vice bickers with Dame and Jordan until they are all interrupted by Kendal Grey.

Grey confronts them as Wren Sinclair sneaks in the ring from behind. Sinclairs blasts Jordan with a crutch, which ignites a melee. The heels powder as the babyfaces stand tall. While standing tall, Grey keeps eyeballing the women’s title belt as Vice raises in over her head.

Romeo Moreno vs. Tristan Angels

—

Angels wins his debut match against newcomer Moreno. They had a really good competitive match that goes through a commercial break.

Shiloh Hill watches this match from the crowd while making a spectacle of himself. Hill interacts with Moreno during the match, as they slap hands after Moreno does a big dive over the ropes to the floor.

For the finish, Angels does a curb stomp using a knee drop. Angels then covers Moreno for a three count. Angels and Hill exchange barbs after the match.

Mach result: Tristan Angels defeated Romeo Moreno via pinfall.

Angels gets a house microphone and address Shiloh Hill, who is still standing in the crowd with a sign that reads “MR. NXT”. Angles says Hill is where he belong, in the crowd with the regular people. In response, Hill cuts a promo and throws to an old photo of Angels in a goofy tuxedo. That is supposed to be burn of some sort. Hill polls the crowd on who should be Mr. NXT. Of course, they side with Hill. Angels wants Hill he will regret ruining Angel’s debut match.

NXT North American Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley vs. Lizzy Rain in a title match

—

Rain’s strong push continues, even if she drops a fall here to a reigning champion. Rain has a ton of charisma.

Zaria runs in after the match to lay out Rain before targeting Paxley. Zaria apparently has her sights on the North American title.

The title match tonight goes through a commercial break. Rain with a wrecking ball dropkick just before the show cuts to commercials, and she is rocking.

Very physical and competitive match between two babyfaces. The studio audience got into the match, as they worked really hard to have an exciting bout.

As they go home they are trading near falls and reversals. Paxley counters Rain to deliver Cemetery Drive. Paxley then covers Rain for a pinfall. And still…

Match result: NXT Women’s North American Champion Tatum Paxley defeated Lizzy Rain via pinfall to retain her title.

Paxley and Rain embrace after the match in a show of respect. They are jumped by Zaria. She hits both with a double spear, and Zaria gives both an F-5. Zaria then grabs the title belt and poses with it as the segment ends.

—

Keanu Carver vs. Tate Wilder

—

Wilder gets some offense and the time to show off some of his aerial arsenal, but he drops another fall on television in his second match on NXT in two weeks. To make matters worse, he is busted open in this match with a potato from Carver. Wilder is bleeding from underneath his eye, but he fights on.

Wilder with a tornado DDT plants Carver on the floor. After following up with a frog splash, a still-bleeding Wilder opts for another high risk move instead of going for a pin. Wilder is tripped up and crotched while trying to climb the ropes. Carver then strikes with a Monty Brown Pounce, and Carver scores a clean pinfall.

Match result: Keanu Carver defeated Tate Wilder via pinfall.

— Myka Lockwood assures Vanity Project she has their back in the tag title match later tonight when they defend against Darkstate.

— Shiloh Hill and Charlie Dempsey set up a singles match next week. Hill reminded me of a modern day Bugsy McGraw with his outfit and top hat. He bickers with Birthright, which leads to them setting up a match for next Tuesday.

Mason Rook lays out Kam Hendrix

Sarah Schreiber interviews Kam Hendrix in the ring, which follows up on Hendrix and Rook winning in their debut match earlier tonight. A boastful Hendrix talks about setting his sights on the NXT Championship when he is interrupted by Rook.

Rook cuts a promo on Hendrix, who responds with a promo on Rook. Hendrix pats Rook’s gut, and Rook responds by laying out Hendrix with an Ax Bomber. Hednrix is then send smashing into the corner taking an exploder from Rook. This angle would seem to set up a grudge match between the two.

NXT Tag Team Champions The Vanity Project (Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes with Jackson Drake & Myka Lockwood) vs. Darkstate (Dion Lennox & Saquon Shugars with Cutler James & Osiris Griffin) in a title match

—

Darksate jumps Vanity Project during the champs’ entrance. The tag title bout goes through a commercial break, with the champs reeling as the show goes into the break. The champs turn the tide during the break. They are working over Shugars as the show returns from commercials.

The match continues. Shugars comes back to run wild after several high spots and tags. Shugars is on a roll, and Lennox soon joins in the fun. Darkstate gets a close near fall. Lennox and Shugars signal for a Doomsday Device. Smokes saves Baylor and the champs tag out, only for them both to eat clotheslines from Lennox.

Griffin and Cutler try to get in Drake’s face at ringside, but Lockwood steps in to berate Griffin and Cutler. Another close near fall for Darkstat after Shugars makes a blind tag. Lennox is unaware of the bling tag. Shugars is trying to explain himself to Lennox when Shugars is rolled up by Smokes for a three count. The champs retain, and the finish sets up more dissension in Darkstate.

Match result: NXT Tag Team Champions Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes defeated Saquon Shugars & Dion Lennox when Smokes pinned Shugars to retain their title.

Three members of Darkstate turn on Shugars in a post-match angle. Griffin and James first attack Shugars, and Lennox then joins in to pummel him. Lennox signals for a triple powerbomb, which lead to Darkstate powerbombing Shugars on the announce booth. The desk implodes on impact, and Shugars is laid out as the show goes off the air with his former stablemates standing over him.

WWE NXT live results: Tony D’Angelo appearance, Ricky Saints vs. Shiloh Hill

Posted on by Chris Aiken

Tonight’s episode of WWE NXT is the first since last week’s call-ups to the main roster. Fatal Influence, Sol Ruca, Ricky Starks, Ethan Page and Blake Monroe among those called up.

NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo will be on the show tonight as GM Robert Stone reveals who is his next challenger.

Before Starks heads to SmackDown this Friday, he will take on Shiloh Hill in his final NXT match.

In a defense of the men’s NXT North American title, Myles Borne puts the title up against Saquon Shugars of DarkState.

The MVP of last year’s SummerSlam tryouts — Lizzy Rain — will make her NXT in-ring debut tonight.

EK Prosper & Dorian Van Dux vs. Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo & Uriah Connors of BirthRight rounds out the announced matches.

Our live coverage begins at 8 pm Eastern.

******************

NXT is back on the air in front of a live studio audience from a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando.

The show begins with a clip from earlier today of General Manager Robert Stone meeting with Shawn Michaels and Matt Bloom. They are talking about the call-ups, and how there are big shoes to fill. Stone pitches for new faces. HBK says to “throw a stick of dynamite into that locker room and see who the hell runs out.”

Opening the show in the ring is a title match.

Myles Borne vs. Saquon Shugars (with DarkState) for the NXT North American Championship

—

Fast start with a quick pace. Shugars powders, which leads to Borne doing a flip dive over the top rope to the floor on DarkState. Shugars’ cohorts try to interfere, but Borne fights them off. He is soon cut off, and Shugars has momentum. Shugars works over Borne during the break.

As they fight on the ring apron, Shugars pulls Borne into a turnbuckle. On commentary, Vic Joseph claims the metal turnbuckle was exposed. Borne sells his throat from the spot as the show cuts to a commercial break.

Soon after the show returns from the break, Borne comes back as they trade near falls. Borne with a rally and his is fired up. Dion Lennox tries causes a distraction to allow Shugars to gain an underhanded advantage. Shugars lands on is own head on a modified Northern Lights suplex.

Cutler James and Osiris Griffin distract the referee as Lennox stalks Borne with a metal folding chair. Before Lennox can use the chair as a weapon, Shugars rushed out the ring to stop him. Shugars yells at Lennox as he takes the chair away from Shugars. As they argue, Borne shoves Shugars into Lennox. Borne thwarts the interference of Lennox, and Borne soon thereafter uses his Borne Again finisher on Shugars. Borne then covers Shugars to win the match.

Match result: NXT North American Champion Myles Borne defeated Saquon Shugars via pinfall to retain his title.

In a post-match angle, Tristan Angels debuts with a microphone to cut a promo on Borne. Angels introduces himself as “Mr. England”, and he says we will see much more of Angels on NXT.

As Angels is cutting his promo, Kam Hendrix from LFG runs in to ambush Borne. Hendrix lays out Borne as Angels looks on from afar.

— WWE Women’s Speed Champion Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey are talking backstage when Kelani Jordan interrupts them. They bicker until Sinclair challenges Jordan to a match for later tonight.

—

EVIL debuts to confront NXT Champ Tony D

NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo enters the sound stage for an in-ring monologue. The main focus of his promo is the mystery box he received last week. This leads to the surprise debut of EVIL. A cloaked and hooded figure appears through fog to confront D’Angelo in the ring. The mysterious figure offers a shirt with something written in Japanese on it.

The figure then reveals himself as EVIL, although he was never called by that name. On commentary, he is referred to as a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Vic Joseph wonders aloud if the gift is given to Tony for admiration, or if it is “gift of pure evil.”

EVIL leaves the ring with Tony D holding the gift, and the impact of the debut is immediately lessened when Tavion Heights ambushes D’Angelo. Heights gives Tony D a belly-to-belly suplex. Heights is fired up as he leaves the ring. While he is leaving, an unidentified individual (Will Kroos) in a WWE hoodie climbs the turnbuckles and does a moonsault press on D’Angelo.

— Tatum Paxley and Shiloh Hill are featured in an outdoor skit where they are burying Blake Monroe’s casket in a wooded area. They hope her soul find peace wherever she ends up. The conversation shifts to Hill’s match tonight against Ricky Saints. Hill ran a series of simulations on how to defeat Saints. Hill then leaves, and Paxley lays down next to the grave.

— Out comes BirthRight for an in-ring promo. WWE Speed Champion Lexis King speaks while flanked by Arianna Grace, Stacks and Uriah Connors. King throws to a video clip from earlier today where Grace films BirthRight attacking Dorian Van Dux in an injury angle. That leaves EK Prosper without a partner for a tag team match against BirthRight.

Prosper storms the ring and takes the fight to BirthRight. They gang up on Prosper until Sean Legacy runs in for a save. Prosper has a tag partner after all.

EK Prosper & Sean Legacy vs. BirthRight (Uriah Connors & Stacks with Lexis King & Arianna Grace)

—

Hot start by the babyfaces, and a lots of high spots and dives before a commercial break. BirthRight with an advantage as the show cuts to commercials. Legacy is being worked over as the show returns from the break. Legacy creates separation after an avalanche backdrop.

Hot tag to Prosper, and he runs wild on the heels. Near fall for Prosper with a Michinoku Driver. Connors with a swanton bomb for another near fall. Parade of high spots down the stretch. Legacy executes a crazy finisher that combines a Burning Hammer with a twisting neckbreaker. Legacy then covers Stacks for a pinfall. On commentary, the outcome is called an upset.

Match result: Sean Legacy & EK Prosper defeated Uriah Connors & Stacks when Legacy pinned Stacks.

— In a post-match angle, BirthRight gang up on the babyface team for a beat down. Tate Wilder runs in to make a save. Wilder marks another debut on the show, and I have already lost count on the run-ins so far.

— Kali Armstrong has words with Jaida Parker in a locker room skit, which sets up a match between the two for next week. The match is later made official for next Tuesday on NXT.

— Shawn Michaels voices over a plug for the new deal with CW to air NXT premium live events. Not exactly a “premium” for the shows when the supercards air on free broadcast television, but the supercards are nonetheless begin airing on CW this summer.

— Robert Stone has an encouraging words with Tate Wilder backstage. NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice walks by and she vows to call out Izzi Dame.

NXT Women’s Champ Lola Vice & Mr. Iguana thwart The Culling

—

Vice storms the ring and calls out Dame. Shawn Spears appears on the Titantron, which serves as a distraction while Izzi Dame and Niko Vance sneak up behind Vice. The heels have the tables turned on them when Mr. Iguana sneaks up on them with La Yesca. Of course, Iguana and Vice are the AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions.

Mr. Iguana and Vice send the heels packing. The Culling flees, and this would seem to set up a mixed tag match for the near future. Later in the show the mixed tag is made official for next Tuesday, albeit it appears to be non-title.

— DarkState argue among themselves in a backstage skit. Shugars argues with Lennox, and they are yelled at by Griffin and James. Besides teasing dissension, the point of the skit is DarkState is going for tag team gold again.

Lizzy Rain vs. Nikkita Lyons

—

Rain debuts with a voiceover that proceeds her ring entrance in which Rain vows that she and heavy metal will never die. The heavy metal gimmicks very much fits Rain as she is the niece of Iron Maiden’s original drummer Clive Burr.

Lyons in a pretaped promo vows to ruin Rain’s debut, only for Lyons to put over Rain in her in-ring debut in NXT. In the match, Lyons briefly gets heat on Rain. Comeback by Rain, and she is fired up. She chops Lyons while the studio audience chants “make it rain” in unison.

Rain is briefly cut off, but she soon makes another comeback. Rain executes her finisher, which is called “Thunderstruck”. Rain then covers Lyons for a pinfall to win her debut match in NXT. Fun debut for Rain, and she brings a ton of energy.

Match result: Lizzy Rain defeated Nikkita Lyons via pinfall.

— Myles Borne bickers with Tavion Heights over Heights’ run in from earlier. This teases a potential match between the former associates. Borne turns around to find Keanu Carver confronting him. Carver issues a warning to Borne.

— Vanity Project is backstage chatting, and they agree that Jackson Drake should make an impact. Jasper Troy then confronts Drake. They get face-to-face, and Troy challenges Drake to a match next week. The match is made official in a plug later in the show.

WWE Women’ Speed Champion Wren Sinclair (with Kendal Grey) vs. Kelani Jordan in a non-title match

—

Being a non-title match, no Speed time limit. Thus, they were given a lot of time. They made the most of it. The match goes through a commercial break. Doing a dive before the break, Sinclair looks to have apparently tweaked her left knee. She shrugs off concern while telling the ref she can continue.

Jordan is working the left leg as the show returns from the break. Sinclair sells the leg but still makes a comeback. They go back-and-forth. Sinclair goes for her “Final Wrench” submission hold (cattle mutilation), but Sinclair’s knee buckles. She sells big before taking an Olympic slam from Jordan. She follows up a split-legged moonsault, and Jordan covers Sinclair for a pinfall. With Jordan pinning the Speed champ, this would seem to set up a title match.

Match result: Kelani Jordan defeated WWE Women’s Speed Champio Wren Sinclair via pinfall in a non-title match.

— Zaria is focus of a video package, along with Sol Ruca. Zaria voices over the package, which was heavily edited with special effects and such. Seemingly, this is meant to get Zaria over as a killer heel.

Shiloh Hill vs. Ricky Saints

—

They are having a decent enough match when Hill goes under the ring. Saints goes to pull out what he thinks is Hill. Instead, Saints puts out a dummy dressed like Hill with a hockey mask similar to horror movies monster Jason. With the clothing, the dummy may have looked more like Casey Jones from TMNT fame. Regardless, Saints is distracted by the bait and switch tactic. Hill then leaps off the ring steps with a somersault senton.

AS the show cuts to a commercial break, Hill props the dummy on the barricade so it can watch the rest of the match. Saints cuts off Hill during the break, but Hill fights back. When the show returns from the break, they are having a slugfest.

They trade numerous near falls down the stretch. Saints bumps into the referee, who hits the ropes. That causes Shiloh to crotch himself on the top rope. Ref bump leads into Saints executing a superplex for yet another near fall.

They soon go home after an “Old School” spot. Saints first slaps Hill across the face, and Hill’s false teeth go flying. Saints then attempts to walk the top rope like he is The Spoiler. Hill losing his false teeth only serves to hulk him up.

Saints cuts off Hill to give him a Dominator on the floor. Saints tries to use a metal folding chair, only for that to backfire on Saints. Hill trips Saints, and Saints takes a bumps on the chair. Hill executes his falling neckbreaker finishing move, and he covers saints for a pinfall.

Match result: Shiloh Hill defeated Ricky Saints.

— A fired up NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo cut a promo on the recent choas. D’Angelo appears to yell “let’s f****** go!” That was censored, and the show goes off the air.

Tony D’Angelo receives box with Japanese symbol on WWE NXT

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Whatever’s next for the NXT Champion may be in a box.

Prior to the main event of Tuesday’s NXT, Robert Stone told D’Angelo that he would have a better idea of who his next opponent would be on next week’s show. At the same time, D’Angelo was handed a box with a Japanese symbol. Keanu Carver appeared as D’Angelo asked him if he was the one that sent the box. Carver denied he did, saying if he wanted something he’d take it. 

Carver noted, however, that the symbol on the box was a symbol of war. He walked away, letting D’Angelo know that the sharks were circling around him.

There are several possibilities on what the box could mean. Both Hiromu Takahashi and EVIL left New Japan Pro Wrestling earlier this year. EVIL has since been expected to join WWE, with a recent report indicating he would like to start his run on NXT before heading to the main roster.

Another possibility is Ulka Sakazaki, who announced an excursion to the United States at the start of the year. In February he worked a dark match prior to WWE NXT and confirmed that his excursion would be in WWE.

WWE NXT Revenge week one live results: Two championship matches

Posted on by Marc Quill

In the aftermath of Stand & Deliver, WWE NXT begins a new special event tonight.

NXT’s two-week Revenge special kicks off with a pair of title matches on tonight’s episode. Lola Vice won the NXT Women’s Championship from Jacy Jayne at Stand & Deliver in a triple threat that also included Kendal Grey. Tonight, Jayne gets her one-on-one rematch for the belt.

The men’s NXT Championship will also be on the line as Tony D’Angelo defends against Ethan Page. Stand & Deliver saw D’Angelo become the new champ by winning a fatal four-way match.

Joe Hendry, the former NXT Champion, will perform a concert addressing his title loss.

A grudge match between Jaida Parker and Kelani Jordan is also part of tonight’s lineup. Plus, former Evolve Women’s Champion Kali Armstrong makes her official NXT debut.

We’ll also get EK Prosper vs. Dorian Van Dux as NXT’s tournament to crown a new men’s Speed Champion continues.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

– Following the “Then, Now, Forever” signature intro, we opened on a hype package that set the stage for tonight’s show.

Jaida Parker vs. Kelani Jordan

Parker and Jordan kicked it off with a long collar-and-elbow tie-up sequence with neither woman getting the upper hand. Jordan got the advantage by sending Parker’s head against the top rope. However, Parker recovered and hit Jordan with a boot, followed by a sliding sleeper hold. Parker kept the hold on tight as she rolled around the rin g with Jordan still trapped. Jordan finally escaped and hit Parker with a boot to the gut, but she was taken down for an armdrag. Big back body drop by Parker sent Jordan out of the ring.

Jordan swept Parker’s leg as she reached the apron. With both women out of the ring, they took each other down with a double-down on the clothesline as we took a commercial break.

As we returned from commercial, Parker was in a bad way as Jordan targeted her legs with attacks during the break. Jordan dragged Parker into near the ring post and smashed the hurt knee against it to cause maximum pain. Parker stopped the onslaught with a nice German suplex. That opening was fleeting as the pain of the knee was too much as Jordan locked in a modified STF right in the middle of the ring. Parker struggled to get to the ropes, but was pulled away just as she was about to reach it. Jordan talked trash to Parker, which seemed to be a mistake as the injured Parker tried to fight back.

Jordan hit a spinning heel kick, but missed on the running splash. Parker took advantage with a Samoan Drop followed by a flurry of running shoulder blocks. Parker connected with the Backstabber to the back of Jordan. With her foe trapped in the corner, Parker clubbed Jordan before hitting a hip drop as she was stunned across the middle turnbuckle. Outside the ring, Jordan pushed Parker against the apron before the two found their way back into the ring. Jordan connected with a nice apron cutter on Parker for a close two-count. Jordan went for a crossbody, but Parker rolled through and caught her. Jordan reversed it into a Dragon Sleeper, but Parker turned that around into a Falcon Arrow for a near-fall. The match ended as Parker ran into an exposed turnbuckle when she tried to hit the Hipnotic , which opened her up to Jordan’s split-legged moonsault for the win.

Kelani Jordan def. Jaida Parker via pinfall

This was a good opener. Some nice stuff between Parker and Jordan here, and the sequence near the end where Jordan’s dragon sleeper got turned into a Falcon Arrow by Parker was unexpectedly smooth.

**********

– Earlier Today footage saw Shiloh Hill mulling over notes on building something when Ricky Saints confronted him. Ethan Page soon had a chat with Saints, wanting his help for his NXT Title match against Tony D’Angelo. Hill was just ruminating with himself in the background as Saints to agree with Page’s proposal of letting him have a NXT Title shot if he got help to defeat D’Angelo.

– The NXT Focus was on Sol Ruca discussing her deteriorating friendship with Zaria as she recounted the events over the last year that led to their falling out. Next week, the two will face off in a Last Woman Standing Match in Week 2 of NXT Revenge.

Joe Hendry in Concert

Once Hendry got in the ring, he started by saying that he lost the NXT Championship, and it meant that he had to ask a lot of difficult questions. Was it the end of the road? Should he just quit? That’s when Hendry looked in the mirror and said “Joe says no”. With that in mind, Hendry said that it was time to lift everyone’s spirits with a Joe Hendry concert.

Hendry then began to sing a song about his recent NXT Championship struggles. Before he could continue, Keanu Carver interrrupted, much to Hendry’s dismay. Hendry then began to brawl with Carver, who withstood a guitar shot from Hendry. Carver then took down Hendry with strikes as security tried to break everyone up. Outside the ring, the security was with Hendry, as Carver hit them with a spear through the barricade.

**********

– Tony D’Angelo talked about his match against Ethan Page for the NXT Title, as he promised to smash Page’s ego to keep the title around his waist.

– Lola Vice was in her locker room when Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer dropped by for a visit. The two champions wished each other luck for their big matches this week.

Kali Armstrong vs. Skylar Raye

Raye offered a handshake, but Armstrong slapped the hand away and showed impressive strength as threw her around. Raye tried to fight back with a kick, followed by a version of the Dirty Diana. That didn’t last loong as Armstrong dropped Raye with a fierce spinebuster. Armstrong connected with a running powerslam, but Raye kicked out at two.

Raye tried to fight back again, but she got hit with a scintillating punch combo from Armstrong for another two-count. Armstrong had Raye trapped in a chinlock, but she missed with the elbow drop. Raye countered a Samoan Drop attempt from Armstrong and hit a running shoulder charge. Raye hit a tornado DDT on Armstrong, but couldn’t win it there and then. Raye headed to the top rope and looked for a high-risk maneuver. Armstrong intercepted with a punch as she then hit another running powerslam. Armstrong then finished it off with “The Kali Connection”, a move that resembled a cross between Bron Breakker’s Super Spear and The Pounce. The three and that’s this match done.

Kali Armstrong def. Skylar Raye via pinfall

An nice debut for Kali Armstrong here, and I appreciate that Skylar got her shots in and it wasn’t a complete and total squash.

**********

– Robert Stone was with Blake Monroe and The Vanity Project, as he said that Tatum Paxley agreed to defend her Women’s North American Title against Monroe, but only if she got to pick the stipuiation, much to Monroe’s dismay.

NXT Championship: Tony D’Angelo (c) vs. “All Ego” Ethan Page

Page talked smack to D’Angelo’s face as the bell rang, but the NXT Champion responded by battering him with strikes and smashing his head against the turnbuckle. D’Angelo scoop slammed Page in the middle of the ring. Page fought back with a kick to the gut as he attempted a suplex on the champion. D’Angelo tried to reverse, but he couldn’t counter the suplex from Page. Ricky Saints appeared at ringside, but he was pulled from underneath the ring. Moments later, we saw Shiloh Hill emerge under the ring, with Saints tied by the legs with a rope. Hill dragged Saints away from the ringside area.

Back to this match, Page dropped D’Angelo on with a kneebuster to the face. Outside the ring, Page hit a swinging neckbreakerr on D’Angelo as this match went to a commercial break.

This NXT Championship match returned from commercial as D’Angelo fought his way out of an Ethan Page resthold. D’Angelo headed to the top rope, but Page reversed that into a powerslam for a two-count. D’Angelo hyped himself up as Page punched at him and he got a surge of adrenaline as a result. Belly-to-belly suplex was followed by a German suplex from D’Angelo. Page got flattened by a D’Angelo spear, but he managed to kick out. D’Angelo’s Forget About It attempt was countered by Page as the two began to hit each other with hard strikes.

D’Angelo hit the Throwback on Page before connecting with Forget About It. One, two….. 2.999999999!!!!!!!!!! D’Angelo sized up Page for a chokeslam, but Page countered with a thumb to the eyes. D’Angelo got thrown into the ringpost as Page set him up on the top rope. Page looked for an avalanche powerslam and made no mistake on it. D’Angelo kicked out at two, which led to Page hitting a body splash from the top rope. Again, D’Angelo kicked out. Page rolled out of the ring and grabbed the NXT Championship from the podium. The referee tried to grab it from him but D’Angelo rolled up him up for a close kickout. Page hit the Ego’s Edge and dropped D’Angelo right on the title belt. D’Angelo somehow kicked out of this.

Outside the ring, Page rearranged the furniture at the commentary table and looked like he was going to hit a Twisted Grin on the table. D’Angelo countered and dropped him face-first onto the barricade. D’Angelo stood on the barricade and hit a spear onto the commentary table. D’Angelo rolled Page back into the ring and connected with Dead To Rights. The three and that’s it, over. Tony D’Angelo remained the NXT Champion.

Tony D’Angelo def. Ethan Page to retain the NXT Championship via pinfall

A solid match for sure, but I gotta be honest, I’m not sure if I like Tony D’Angelo’s character basically turn into “generic tough guy”. His previous gimmick had a lot of personality and fit the wild and wacky world that NXT is trying to present. The match itself was enjoyable despite that.

**********

– Ricky Starks angrily confronted Shiloh Hill for what he did to him in the previous match, promising it wasn’t over.

Myles Borne addresses Dion Lennox & Darkstate

The NXT North American Champion talked about how he pulled the Black and Gold out of Johnny Gargano at Stand & Deliver. He was going to go celebrate, but Dion Lennox hit him with a chair, which Borne saw as his moment being stolen.

Borne said that Darkstate wasn’t safe, which cued the lights going out and the group appearing amongst the crowd. Dion Lennox spoke about Darkstate’s success, and how they were on a recent slump. But, it was going to be over, and because the key was Borne’s NXT North American Title. Lennox threatened Borne.

Saquon Shugars stated that Darkstate had no leader and seemed to be upset at Lennox challenging Borne for the North American Title, claiming that Lennox cared about his own future more than Darkstate’s. Shugars tried to rush the ring, but Borne got the best of him as the rest of Darkstate pulled Shugars out of the ring, seemingly not on the same page.

**********

– We got a video from Zaria’s perspective on how her friendship with Sol Ruca broke down. Zaria said that next week, Ruca would be burning alongside the world when she’s the Last Woman Standing

WWE Speed Championship Tournament: EK Prosper vs. Dorian Van Dux

This match was contested under Speed rules, which meant a three-minute time limit for this match. We got inset remarks from Van Dux, where he stated that he was here to change the definition of destruction.

We started off fast with Prosper using his speed to get ahead of Van Dux with acrobatic dodges. Van Dux countered by throwing Prosper out of the ring as he then soared over the top rope with a dive. Van Dux hit a diving splash from the top rope for the two-count. With Van Dux out of the ring, Prosper hit a diving moonsault from the apron to get ahead of it. The action was fast as Van Dux recovered with a dropkick from the middle turnbuckle. Fast clothesline by Van Dux couldn’t put Prosper away as this match entered sudden death. Shining Wizard by Prosper on Van Dux for a near-fall. Things quickened as Van Dux struck his target hard on the jumping cutter, but couldn’t achieve double impact with the splash. With ten seconds to go, Prosper connected with the high-arching moonsault to win a shot at Lexis King for the Speed Championship.

EK Prosper def. Dorian Van Dux via pinfall

I’ll admit that I’m seeing both these guys with fresh eyes and even with that in mind, I enjoyed how quick and high-stakes this match was. Of the two, D.V.D. looked the most impressive to me and he had a good first impression as a result. Good match here.

**********

– Keanu Carver was being chastised backstage by NXT GM Robert Stone for crashing Joe Hendry’s concert earlier. Carver promised he’d destroy Hendry some more next week.

– A “NXT Chronicle” package on Kendal Grey was shown.

– Elsewhere, Tatum Paxley was asked by Robert Stone about what the stipulation will be for her match against Blake Monroe will be. It turns out the two will face in a Casket Match, as Shiloh Hill rolled in a casket that he created for Paxley.

Next Week – NXT Revenge Week 2:

  • Last Woman Standing: Zaria vs. Sol Ruca
  • NXT North American Championship: Myles Borne (c) vs. Dion Lennox
  • Joe Hendry vs. Keanu Carver
  • NXT Women’s North American Championship Casket Match: Tatum Paxley (c) vs. Blake Monroe

– Things with Darkstate seemed rough right now as Dion Lennox argued with Saquon Shugars about what happened earlier. Shugars seemed upset at Lennox prioritizing his personal glory over the group, but Lennox justified it by stating that going after Myles Borne’s North American Title was perhaps the only chance at gold that the group would get.

NXT Women’s Championship: Lola Vice (c) vs. Jacy Jayne (w/ Fatal Influence)

Vice put her dukes up as the bell rang and things started off at a more methodical pace. Vice took down Jayne as neither woman was able to establish themselves in this early stage of the match. Vice and Jayne traded arm drags as the match took on a more technical pace. Jayne got caught in an armbar from Vice, who then hit her with a hard strike to the gut. Vice targeted Jayne’s gut with kicks to the area as the challenger rolled out of the ring. Vice launched herself from the apron, but Jayne avoided calamity as Lainey Reid took the bullet for her. This allowed Jayne to flatten Vice with a running boot as we took our final commercial break.

We returned to our main event as both Jayne and Vice were recovering in the middle of the ring. Once both women were on their feet, they exchanged strikes and kicks. Vice got the best of Jayne with a snap German suplex. With Jayne stirring to her feet, Vice unleashed a flurry of furious kicks to keep the challenger flatfooted. In the corner, Jayne fell victim to two consecutive running hip strikes. Jayne turned Vice’s submission into a pinning predicament for a near-fall.

Vice kicked Jayne in the head, which sent her foe out of the ring. As Vice rolled Jayne back to the ring, Fatal Influence provided a distraction, which gave Jayne enough time to hit the knee for the near-fall. Jayne maintained momentum as she put Vice on the top rope. However, Vice turned that into a choking submission. Lainey Reid provided a distraction as Fallon Henley hit Vice with a kick to the face. With the referee still distracted, Jayne hit Vice with the spinning punch. The NXT Womens’ Champ somehow kicked out at two here.

Vice used the ropes to assist her in locking Jayne into a sleeper submission. Vice was sent into the ropes by Jayne, as Lainey Reid struck herin the face. The spinning punch from Jayne was avoided, but Vice’s backfist found its target as this matcch came to an end.

After the match, Kali Armstrong literally bulldozed through Fatal Influenced and stared down Vice. Soon, Kendal Grey and Izzi Dame appeared. Just as Zaria headed down to the ring, Sol Ruca attacked her before she could reach the ring. The Triple H/Shawn Michaels producer credits popped up and NXT Revenge Week 1 ended with Vice raising her title high.

Lola Vice def. Jacy Jayne via pinfall to retain the NXT Women’s Championship

**********

Kind of a standard main event title bout here with the babyface champion overcoming heel interference to retain the gold. The post-match stuff with Vice’s upcoming challengers confronting her was fine and it does set up an interesting road map for her title reign.

Overall, week one of NXT Revenge was alright. The matches were entertaining enough (the Speed tournament match being my standout) and I didn’t feel like my time was wasted watching this show. The set up for week two next week was done well and nothing really stuck out as being overly “bad” at all. All in all, tonight was good.

Tony D’Angelo wins WWE NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Tony D’Angelo is the new NXT Champion.

The longtime NXT star finally won the brand’s top title at Stand & Deliver, defeating Joe Hendry, Ethan Page, and Ricky Saints in a four way match. The finish had D’Angelo putting both Page and Saints through the announce table, meeting Joe Hendry back in the ring. D’Angelo cut off Hendry with a spear and pinned him after hitting the dead to rights chokeslam. The show ended with D’Angelo standing tall, holding his new championship.

D’Angelo returned at the end of last year remaining silent about his intentions at first. However, he ultimately revealed two goals of his: taking out DarkState and eventually winning the NXT Championship. After defeating Dion Lennox at Vengence Day, he made his title ambitions clear.

Two others wanted a crack at Hendry, however: Page and Saints. D’Angelo faced Saints in a number one contender’s match but Page interfered, causing a disqualification. Robert Stone eventually announced the four-way for St. Louis.

Hendry held the title for 60 days, winning a ladder match for the vacant title on the February 3 edition of NXT.

Tony D’Angelo reveals WWE NXT’s original scrapped plan for Bron Breakker

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

In a new interview, Tony D’Angelo shared what WWE NXT had originally planned for he and Bron Breakker together.

Speaking on the No Contest Wrestling podcast, D’Angelo said in their early days in NXT, WWE had originally planned to have D’Angelo and Breakker together as a tag team.

“When we first got in, me and Bron were in a tag together. So, we were doing that for a minute. Not on TV, but they were priming us, ‘This is what you’re gonna do,’ kinda like the new age Steiner Brothers type of deal. I was (wearing a singlet), but I was wearing a singlet before that anyway, so that wasn’t foreign.

“I just remember one day, Road Dogg came up and he was like, ‘Hey man, we’re not doing this,’ and this is right when 2.0 first kicked off. They kind of just…‘Clean slate, everybody, We kind of have a lane for you,’ and I had to figure out quick what I was gonna do,” D’Angelo continued.

“So in one of the in-house matches, I just turned it on and they were like, ‘Whoa, where did that come from?’ And then they were like, ‘Yep, we’re running with this, this is it.’”

Following the original scrapped plans, Breakker was presented as a singles star and soon pushed to the top of the branding, going on to become a two-time NXT Champion.

While Breakker and D’Angelo never tagged together, they both won the NXT Tag Team Championship with different partners: Breakker with Baron Corbin, and D’Angelo with Channing ‘Stacks’ Lorenzo.

Interestingly, Breakker and Corbin defeated D’Angelo and Lorenzo to win the NXT Tag titles in February 2024.

Breakker is currently a part of Paul Heyman’s Vision stable and is recovering from a hernia injury. Although out of action, he is rumored to return by WrestleMania 42.

WWE NXT live results: Tony D’Angelo vs. Ricky Saints

Posted on by Marc Quill

Former WWE NXT Champion Ricky Saints will take on hopeful future challenger Tony D’Angelo in the headliner for tonight’s WWE NXT on The CW.

This came about as D’Angelo was gunning for a title shot against Joe Hendry, but Saints got involved instead.

The next challenger for the men’s North American title will be determined in a gauntlet match featuring Jackson Drake, Dion Lennox, Shiloh Hill, Charlie Dempsey and a mystery entrant. The winner will challenge Myles Borne at Stand & Deliver.

After winning the Women’s Speed title last week, Wren Sinclair will team with Kendal Grey against Fatal Influence’s Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid as Grey is targeting NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne.

In a tournament match to determine the number one contenders for the NXT Tag Team titles, The Culling battle Eli Knight & Elio LeFleur.

Following a backstage skirmish, Thea Hail will go one-on-one with Kelani Jordan.

Our live coverage begins at 8 pm Eastern.

****************

– Following the Then, Now, Forever signature, we went right to the WWE Performance Centre before a recap of last week’s episode from Houston, Texas was shown.

– Backstage, we saw Mr. Stone chatting with Shiloh Hill, as Tatum Paxley asked him where her NXT Women’s North American Title was, as well as Blake Monroe. Paxley left with Shiloh, who was on his scooter. Meanwhile, a referee appeared and tried to get Stone’s attention for an important matter.

WrenQCC (Wren Sinclair & Kendal Grey) vs. Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) (w/ Jacy Jayne)

Henley charged at Sinclair early, but got taken down instead. Henley got the advantage soon enough in the cornerf with stomps, but got reversed into an early pin attempt by her opponent. Henley got hit with a spinning kick from Sinclair, as she quickly recovered and taggged Reid in. The Fatal Influence duo shelled Sinclair with consecutive elbow drops, but Sinclair fought back. Meanwhile, we got a picture-in-picture inset during the match of Mr. Stone checking in on Eli Knight and Elio Lefleur down and out backstage after being beaten down by mysterious assailants.

Back in the ring, Sinclair got blasted with a kick by Henley, as she quickly recoered with a floatover double underhook suplex. Henley tagged in Reid, who took down Sinclair with a modified Blockbuster while Henley had a hold of Sinclair. This led to a commercial break.

We returned from break as we learned that Eli Knight & Elio Lefleur were taken to medical attention after the backstage attack. Bringing attention back to our match at hand, Sinclair hit Grey with an enzuigiri as she reached out to Reid for a tag. Reid dodged an attempted strike from Grey, which opened her up for a back body drop from Sinclair. Reid finally entered the match and held her own against Grey and Henley for a bit. The Fatal Influence duo soon took advantage with a double team on Reid, before Grey hit a modified ushigoroshi on her opponent. Sinclair broke up the count to keep this match going.

Grey tried for that ushigoroshi again, but Reid reversed and hit a nice spinning elbow instead. Grey found herself trapped in Reid’s armbar while Sinclair locked in the Final Wrench on Henley to keep her from interfering. Grey tapped out to win this match.

After the match Grey called her shot against Jacy Jayne, but Lola Vice appeared and instead said that she’d be the one to be the NXT Women’s Champion. NXT General Manager Mr. Stone soon showed up and declared that next week in New York, we’d see Kendal Grey vs. Lola Vice, with the winner going on to face Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women’s Title at Stand & Deliver next Saturday.

WrenQCC def. Fatal Influence via submission

This was a good opener for tonight’s show, especially as someone who enjoys technical wrestling as much as I do. The scheduled Grey vs. Vice match for next week’s NXT should prove to be an interesting encounter to watch.

****************

Sol Ruca’s face-to-face with Zaria

Ruca was already in the ring and said that she has seen everything that Zaria had to say on social media, telling everyone who would listen. Ruca said that she thought that she and Zaria were stronger than this, but she found out how Zaria thought she wasn’t worth standing next to her anymore.

Ruca talked about how she stood beside her as a friend, every time after every spear, after every snarky comment. Ruca discussed about Zaria didn’t want a team, she just wanted a moment, and that when she got that moment, Zaria decided to take her out instead. Ruca said that she genuinely believed that she and Zaria were better together, which is why she took every opportunity given to them. Maybe that’s where she went wrong, according to Ruca. She gave Zaria her spot in a women’s title battle royal, vouched for her in a TNA Knockouts championship match, and let her fight for her NXT Women’s North American Title.

Ruca said that while it was clear she was fighting for her and Zaria, it was clear that Zaria was simply just fighting for herself. Ruca said that she now knows what Zaria is, and it was time to ftake her on at Stand and Deliver.

Zaria appeared and provided a rebuttal. She accused Ruca of stealing the spotlight, stating that Ruca only saw her as nothing more but a “partner” in her shadow. Zaria said that hitting the spear and F5 was a liberating feeling. And it was fitting that Ruca wanted to fight her at Stand and Deliver, because that’s where it’s started and it’s where it will end.

Zaria yelled that Ruca chose the Women’s North American Championship over her last year at Stand and Deliver, which she hated greatly. Zaria said she hated seeing Ruca succeed, because it meant that she’d stand behind her former friend as a result. Zaria said that she cared enough to realize that as long as Ruca stood, she wasn’t going to herself. Zaria pointed out that this isn’t wasn’t about Ruca, but being about caring about only her interests.

Ruca got upset at Zaria’s gaslighting and silent treatments just because she didn’t get opportunities, then accusing her of being the villain in her story. Zaria corrected Ruca, declaring her not to be the villain of her story, but nothing more but a mistake.

I find this feud having no true heel/face dynamics and it being treated as a realistic breakup (or as realistic as a wrestling storyline can get anyway) between friends. The Performance Center crowd siding with either woman adds to this. Hopefully the presumed Stand & Deliver match between Ruca and Zaria delivers.

****************

– Ricky Saints & Ethan Page argued about who would be the NXT Champion, which annoyed Josh Briggs. Page uttered that between him and Saints, he was the one who pinned Joe Hendry, which brought out the man himself. Hendry said that he doesn’t care which one he’ll face, or if it’s Tony D’Angelo, he’d handle either one of them at Stand & Deliver. After Hendry left, Saints and Page continued to argue amongst themselves.

Kelani Jordan vs. Thea Hail

This match got underway with chain wrestling between Jordan and Hail before the latter hit a Lou Thesz Press. Jordan caught Hail’s leg and began hitting her with punches to the face. Jordan then followed that with an overhead suplex for a two-count. Jordan smashed Hail’s head against the turnbuckle twice, but the third attempt was block before Hail gave Jordan a taste of her own medicine.

Hail struck Jordan in the corner and tried for a suplex, but that was block. Jordan escaped a standing armbar from Hail with a slam, but she got caught in it once more. Jordan broke it up by throwing her into the middle turnbuckle before connecting with an X-Factor. Jordan then got the victory after a Rob Van Dam-style split-legged moonsault.

After the match, Jordan continued the attack on Hail before she locked in an arm bar on her. Jaida Parker ran in and went after Jordan and sent her to a retreat.

Kelani Jordan def. Thea Hail via pinfall

Kind of a short match, which makes it really hard to judge on its own merits or lack thereof. Hail did show some nice fire, but it was ultimately for naught. The Jordan vs. Parker feud should prove to be a hard-hitting one.

****************

– We got remarks from Jasper Troy about what Keanu Carver did last week in his attempt to ruin Booker T Appreciation Night. Troy said that he and Carver would face off next week in New York and he promised to make Carver pay for what he tried to do with Booker.

– Backstage, Shiloh Hill was talking with Tatum Paxley, telling her that he put a picture of Blake Monroe through some tracking software, apparently having a tutorial of some sort for that. Hill gave Paxley the supposed info about Monroe’s whereabouts before leaving for the Gauntlet Eliminator Match that was coming up next.

Gauntlet Eliminator Match (#1 Contender for NXT North American Championship): Shiloh Hill vs. Dion Lennox vs. Jackson Drake vs. Charlie Dempsey vs. ???

Hill entered first before the commercial break, with Jackson Drake being the man he would face first in this Gauntlet Eliminator.

Drake applied a headlock on Hill, but got hit with a running shoulder block. Drake attempted a neckbreaker, but Hill countered that into an attack on the arm. Drake recovered and dropped him on the top rope with the guillotine. With Hill stunned, Drake hit a knee drop to the head and maintained control of this match early on. Hill recovered, but got hit with a standing Russian leg sweep from Drake. The former Evolve Champion soon found himself hit with consecutive tilt-a-whirl slams from Hill.

Entrant #3: Dion Lennox

Lennox stormed the ring and hit Hill and Drake with spinebusters to take command of the match as the match headed to a commercial break.

Entrant #4: Charlie Dempsey

The Birthright’s patriarch entered during commercial, as he took over in the match as we returned. He had Lennox locked in a submission, with Drake and Hill soon joining in a train of sorts. Lennox escaped, but it was Hill who got control with scoop slams a-plenty. Dempsey trapped Hill in a modified STF that was broken up by Drake. Dempsey and Drake brawled it out in the ring, while Hill was thrown into the barricade by Lennox.

Lennox entered the ring and hit a double German Suplex on Dempsey and Drake. While Dempsey and Lennox fought, the final competitor was set to enter. The voice of Candice LeRae was heard, stating that she had tried everything to snap a certain someone out of a funk, and maybe it took a place that he called home… and the final entrant, as we’d find out, is Johnny Gargano!.

Entrant #5: Johnny Gargano

Gargano seemed confused but the WWEPC crowd chanted for him before entering the ring. Drake kicked Gargano as he entered, which seemd to knock him out cold. Dempsey took down Lennox with a triangle choke, but was lifted into a sitdown powerbomb. Drake kicked Lennox out of the ring, which left him at the mercy of OTM, who laid Lennox out with a curbstomp into the broken barricade. Lennox was thrown into the ring, as Hill hit his finisher, a back suplex into a neckbreaker to score the first elimination.

Dion Lennox has been eliminated

We returned from the commercial break as Dempsey and Hill had Drake locked in a simultaneous leg lock that got broken up as the two began trading blows. Meanwhile, Gargano was still out cold on the apron as Drake leapt over the top rope to take both Hill and Drake out with an amazing dive. In the ring, Drake connected with a 450 Splash on Hill, but that wasn’t enough to get the elimination. Dempsey entered the ring and attempted a German suplex, but Drake landed on his feet. Drake clotheslined Dempsey out of the ring as he then hit a suicide dive on the follow-up. Drake tried for a leap, but got caught in the finisher of Hill, which got him the three.

Jackson Drake has been eliminated

Dempsey stepped back into the ring and and began to mix it up with Hill, as he connected with a Northern Lights Suplex, followed by a double underhook Suplex. Dempsey attempted a back suplex, but he found himself with Hill’s finishing move to get the elimination. Afterwards, The Birthright assaulted Hill as Stacks Lorenzo and Uriah Connors threw him into the steel stairs. Dempsey hit a German Suplex on Hill, who was then thrown into the ring. With Hill left beaten, Gargano stood up and was pushed by LeRae, which was counted as a pinfall win.

Johnny Gargano wins the Gauntlet Eliminator to become No. 1 Contender for the NXT North American Championship

The actual gauntlet match was pretty fun, and the finish was a bit ridiculous, but oddly fitting for the rather ridiculous world of NXT.,

****************

– Robert Stone was a busy, busy man as a referee complained that nobody wanted to officiate the Jasper Troy vs. Keanu Carver match next week. Stone said he’d think of something. Jaida Parker rolled up and wanted to face Kelani Jordan next week, Stone then booked the match for next week.

– OTM were backstage as we found out that we’d see them and Darkstate in a six-man tag match next week in New York. TNA World Champion Mike Santana was revealed to be the partner of OTM in this big six-man tag match.

NXT Tag Title Contenders Tournament: Shawn Spears & Niko Vance vs. Los Americanos (Rayo & Bravo Americano)

El Grande Americano’s two charges were revealed as the replacement for Elio & Eli after their winning effort against The Vanity Project last week.

Bravo started out against Spears in this match with a tie-up in the middle of the ring. Bravo broke out of an arm wrench from Spears and hit an arm drag as she showed off. Spears taunted Bravo by flexing his derriere, and got a dropkick in response. Rayo tagged in as Vance entered for his team. Los Americanos’ attempt at a double team was overpowered by a double clothesline from Vance. Rayo chopped at Vance’s chest, but that did minimal damage to the area. Bravo blind tagged in as their attempt at a double team finally succeed against Vance with stereo kicks. Bravo took out Spears with a dive, as Rayo tried one of his own. Vance caught him, but Bravo assisted with the suicide dive to bring Vance to his knees. We took a break in the action.

The match continued from break as Bravo soared and took Spears out with the diving crossbody. The two men made the tag to their respective corners as Rayo was on fire against Vance and Spears. Rayo hit a moonsault from the top against Vance, as he and Bravo attempted some kind of double team move, but Vance caught the two. Vance chokeslammed Bravo onto Rayo. Bravo showed some nice strength with a scoop slam on Vance. He tried the airplane spin on Spears, but Vance stopped that.

Vance headed to the top rope, but Rayo pulled Bravo out, which caused a distraction as Bravo put something under his mask. Spears superkicked Rayo on the apron, as he hit a slam on Bravo. Outside, Rayo loaded his mask and hit the headbutt on Spears. Vance got taken out with a loaded headbutt on the apron by Bravo. The cover on Spears and this one’s done.

The Birthright were seen taunting Los Americanos from the NXT Balcony, as the two teams will face off with the winner facing The Vanity Project at Stand & Deliver

Los Americanos def. Shawn Spears & Niko Vance via pinfall

This was an okay match. Like with El Grande Americano, it all comes down on the enjoyment on the whole Americanos thing. I just couldn’t really get into this match as much as I’d hope to.

****************

– Josh Briggs volunteered to be the referee for Jasper Troy vs. Keanu Carver for next week’s show. Elsewhere, Tatum Paxley was seen pacing at a hallway, in search of Blake Monroe.

– Blake Monroe was seen with the NXT Women’s North American Championship that she stole. Monroe was enjoying a bath when a knock on the door was heard. It was Tatum Paxley, who grabbed at her as we learned that they’d be facing off next week in New York for the Women’s North American Title.

– We got remarks from Sexyy Red about her appearance at Stand & Deliver next Saturday.

Next Week on NXT

  • Darkstate vs. OTM & Mike Santana
  • Jasper Troy vs. Keanu Carver (Guest Referee: Josh Briggs)
  • NXT Women’s Championship Contender’s Match: Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey

Ricky Saints (w/ Ethan Page) vs. Tony D’Angelo

Our main event kicked off with a staredown between the two as D’Angelo blocked a kick from Saints by grabbing at the foot. Saint tried to engage in a mat-based duel with D’Angelo, and managed to keep up with him in this duel. D’Angelo eventually used his strength to overpower Saints with a lifting takedown that sent him rolling out of the ring. At ringside, Saints blocked an overhead belly-to-belly from D’Angelo. However, he couldn’t block the military press throw between the ropes from D’Angelo. Saints went for a leap from the apron, but D’Angelo caught him. The attempted powerslam on the outside was countered by Saints, who pushed him right into the steel steps, which took us to the final commercial break of the evening.

We returned from commercial as Saints applied a resthold on D’Angelo. The hold was broken up as D’Angelo rammed his foe into the corner. Saints tried again with a sleeper on D’Angelo, but he got thrown out of it. D’Angelo tried to fight back with a standing Samoan Drop. Ethan Page pulled at D’Angelo’s leg to create a momentary distraction. Off of this, Saints attempted the Revolution DDT, but D’Angelo muscled his way out of it to hit a suplex instead. Saints recovered and hit two shotgun dropkicks as he attempted a Rochambeau on his foe. Saints couldn’t connect on that, but he did manage to hit a Spear for the near-fall.

Saints threw D’Angelo into the corner as he then stomped at the leg. Another Irish Whip from Saints to D’Angelo into the opposite corner. Saints chopped at D’Angelo’s chest as he then landed two kicks to the back. That seemed to wake up D’Angelo, who got fired up and hit Saints with a hard strike to the face. Big clothesline by D’Angelo was followed by two overhead belly-to-belly suplexes. Spear by D’Angelo made no mistake, as he held Saints up for the Chokeslam. Page attacked D’Angelo to force the DQ as he and Saints attacked him two-on-one.

After the match, Saints and Page attempted a spike piledriver on D’Angelo, but Joe Hendry ran in for the save and fought off the two. With Saints and Page disposed of, Hendry stared down D’Angelo and hit him with the Standing Ovation. In the midst of this, Saints and Page stared down one another as they got a hand each on the NXT Championship.

Before the show wrapped, Sarah Schreiber interviewed Robert Stone, who revealed that we’d see a fatal-four way match for the NXT Title with the four men we just saw. On top of that, we’d get a contract signing with Hendry, D’Angelo, Saints, and Page on next week’s show.

****************

An okay main event that was meant more to set up the Stand & Deliver main event match than anything else. The Page/Saints dynamic is honestly proving to be the most entertaining element amidst everything.

As for this show, it’s NXT. Your enjoyment will come down to whether the sort of show that Shawn Michaels and crew have come up with on here is something to enjoy. I will say that the gauntlet eliminator and the opening tag match were the standouts for me on this night. Also, the build to Stand & Deliver has been good from what I’ve seen, and in some cases, perhaps a bit better than some of the WrestleMania matches being set up.

Tony D’Angelo vs. Ricky Saints, number one contender’s gauntlet part of next week’s WWE NXT lineup

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Following an event-worthy March 17 episode of WWE NXT and Booker T appreciation night, WWE has already announced another packed NXT episode for next week.

Next week’s March 24 episode of WWE NXT is scheduled to take place at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

While this week’s episode has three title matches, next week’s will be more about a number one contender chance.

A Gauntlet Eliminator match has been scheduled to determine the number one contender for Myles Borne’s NXT North American Championship at the Stand and Deliver PLE on April 4, 2026. Ricky Saints, with Ethan Page in his corner, will also take on Tony D’Angelo.

Eli Knight & Elio LeFluer will also take on The Culling (Shawn Spears & Niko Vance) in the Tag tournament match for the NXT Tag title shot. Below are several other matches announced.

Update lineup for next week’s WWE NXT

  • Ricky Saints (with Ethan Page) vs. Tony D’Angelo
  • Gauntlet Eliminator for a shot at Myles Borne’s North American title at NXT Stand and Deliver
  • Sol Ruca and Zaria to meet face-to-face
  • Eli Knight & Elio LeFluer vs. The Culling (Shawn Spears & Niko Vance) – Tag tournament match for the NXT Tag title shot
  • Thea Hail vs. Kelani Jordan
  • Fatal Influence (Lainey Reid & Fallon Henley) vs. Wren Sinclair & Kendal Grey

WWE NXT notes: Finlay & William Regal appear, Charlie Dempsey, Tony D’Angelo

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Notes from this week’s NXT.

After Charlie Dempsey agreed to team with Tavion Heights, he turned against his former tag team partner on Tuesday after seeing his father William Regal and Finlay at the entrance. It was then that he dragged Heights out of the ring and gave him a German suplex, eventually allowing Birthright to score the victory. Dempsey then entered the ring and posed with the rest of Birthright, solidifying himself as the newest member of the group.

On social media, Finlay shared a picture of him and Regal with the group backstage writing: “well, who would have thought! ⁦@WWENXT just changed. You need this, yet you recoil from it.”

Birthright, consisting of Lexis King, Stacks, Arianna Grace, and Uriah Connors had been attempting to recruit Dempsey for several weeks. At Vengeance Day, Dempsey rejected their offer outright and agreed to team with Heights for Tuesday’s match.

Tony D’Angelo came to the ring on Tuesday following his victory over Dion Lennox and said the other reason he returned to NXT was because he wanted to win the NXT Championship, calling out Joe Hendry. He said last year he would have asked to break bread with Hendry but now things are different, saying Hendry better prepare for him because he would not be denied.

The main event of Tuesday saw Ethan Page and Ricky Saints defeating Hendry and Myles Borne after Page pinned Hendry, setting himself up as one of the top contenders for the NXT Championship.

New match & stipulation added to WWE NXT Vengeance Day

Posted on by Bryan Rose

A match and a new stipulation has been added to NXT Vengeance Day. 

Jaida Parker and Blake Monroe’s face-to-face ended in a confrontation on Tuesday, leading Parker to stand tall. Later in the show, Monroe emerged by the announcer’s table and told Parker she did bring the hell out of her and said this would end at Vengeance Day in a Street Fight.

The two have been feuding since last month, with their first match ended in a double countout and with Monroe injuring Parker’s neck. On last week’s NXT, Parker returned and attacked Monroe, costing her a Speed tournament match against Thea Hail.

Throughout Tuesday’s show, DarkState looked to go after Tony D’Angleo, who cost them the NXT Tag Team titles. Tony D finally confronted Dion Lennox in the crowd, saying the hunter has become the hunted. He blamed Lennox for his downfall last year and while he might have killed that man, he’s returned as a more dangerous person. D’Angelo challenged him to a match at Vengeance Day, saying after he beats Lennox he will have completed one of the two goals he has set out for himself since making his return.

After Sol Ruca came out and interrupted the NXT Women’s Championship match between Zaria and Jacy Jayne, Robert Stone said he would have a decision about the NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day. Ruca laid out both women with the sol snatcher, leading to no winner in their title match.

Here is the updated lineup for WWE NXT Vengeance Day:

WWE NXT Vengeance Day (March 7)

  • NXT Championship: Joe Hendry defends against Ricky Saints
  • NXT Women’s North American title: Izzi Dame defends against Tatum Paxley
  • NXT Underground match: Lola Vice vs. Kelani Jordan
  • Street Fight: Blake Monroe vs. Jaida Parker
  • Tony D’Angelo vs. Dion Lennox

Tony D’Angelo and wife expecting first child

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

WWE NXT wrestler Tony D’Angelo and his wife have announced that they are couple are expecting their first child.

On Saturday, February 14th, 2026, D’Angelo’s wife, Isabella Borini, took to social media to share the positive announcement. Borini wrote, “Half of you + Half of me.”

She also shared a video with it that showed the ultrasound photos of their first child. The post also attracted several well-wishing comments from current WWE talents, including Trick Williams, Lash Legend, and Austin Romero.

D’Angelo is currently a part of the WWE NXT roster, where he was recently brought back to television by former GM Ava Raine. He is a former NXT North American Champion, two-time NXT Tag Team Champion, and NXT Heritage Cup winner. D’Angelo is next scheduled to face Cutler James on the upcoming February 17th episode of NXT. His wife, Borini, is a former track and soccer athlete.

WWE NXT live results: Ladder match for the vacant NXT Championship

Posted on by Chris Aiken

A new NXT Champion will be crowned on tonight’s WWE NXT from Orlando, Florida, as the post Ava era begins.

After Oba Femi relinquished the title on the way to the main roster, Ricky Saints, Shiloh Hill, Sean Legacy, Jackson Drake, Dion Lennox, Keanu Carver and Joe Hendry will compete in a seven-way ladder match to determine the new champion.

In a three-way, NXT Women’s North American Champion Izzi Dame will defend against both Thea Hail and Lola Vice who made her women’s Royal Rumble debut this past Saturday.

The TNA Knockouts Tag Team titles will be on the line as The Elegance Brand (M by Elegance & Heather by Elegance) will defend against ZaRuca (Sol Ruca & Zaria). This comes days after Ruca’s impressive performance in the women’s Royal Rumble.

Tony D’Angelo will also make an appearance to finally address why he’s back in NXT and what’s next for him.

Our live coverage begins at 8 pm Eastern.

**********

NXT is on the air in front of a live studio audience on a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando.

The show begins with Shawn Michaels making Robert Stone the new interim general manager of NXT. Stone enters the office formerly belonging to Ava, as HBK wanted to see him. HBK remarked how Stone always does whatever is asked of him, and Stone replied he did it because he loves NXT.

Michaels then informs Stone he is the interim GM. Michaels says he knows this place can be crazy, but he likes it like crazy. With that, HBK wished Stone luck before leaving the office set.

No mention of Ava.

After the skit, a video package hypes the men’s championship ladder match later on. Opening the show from the sound stage is a triple threat match for the NXT Women’s North American Championship. On commentary, Vic Joseph noted is the first time this particular version of the North American title is ever being defended in a triple threat.

Izzi Dame (with The Culling) vs. Thea Hail vs. Lola Vice in a triple threat match for the NXT Women’s North American Championship

—

The title bout goes through a commercial break. Thea Hail and Lola Vice shine before the show cuts to commercials, with Hail first jumping off the ring steps with a flying head scissors on Shawn Spears at ringside. Hail ducks a kick from Dame, and Vice leaps off the ring apron with a meteora on Vice. Hail circles back to drop Vice with a tope suicida. The title belt is on a pedestal at ringside, and Hail runs over to bite the title belt as the show heads into the break.

The show returns from the break with combo where Dame has Vice on her shoulders as Hail leaps off the ropes with a neckbreaker on Vice as Dame falls back like a Samoan drop. Vice then fires up with a series of kicks and hip attacks. More tandem spots, leading to several near falls.

Hail with another rally as she shakes the ropes like Ultimate Warrior before springboarding off the middle rope into the waiting arms of Vice, who catches Hail in sleeper hold. Dame breaks up the hold and they fight on. Hail went for a Kimura lock a moment later, but Vice escapes and is able to again apply a sleeper. Dame breaks up the sleeper, only to take a DDT from Hail.

Kelani Jordan suddenly ran down to ringside and attacked Vice. Jordan pulls a ladder partially out from underneath the ring, and Jordan uses the ladder to smash Vice’s right hand. Vice sells big as referees pour out to eject Jordan from ringside.

Meanwhile in the ring, Hail as Dame locked in a Kimura. Dame escapes the submission hold, and Dame with a gutwrench Liger bomb on Hail. Dame then pins Hail for a three count. Good opener in a match that appeared very choreographed at times. And still…

Match result: NXT Women’s North American Champion Izzi Dame defeated Thea Hail and Lola Vice in a triple threat match to retain her title.

— In a locker room skit, Zaria was upset at Sol Ruca for not telling her about being in the Royal Rumble. Ruca wants to tell Zaria everything, but Ruca was told not to say anything. Zaria is understandable, and she switched focus to their upcoming title bout.

— As the show heads into a commercial break, Tony D’Angelo is headed to the ring for a monologue.

— Back from commercial for a skit that sets up a tag team match for later on. Chase U’s Uriah Connors & Kale Dixon are confronted by Lexis King & Stacks, along with Arianna Grace, and a match is made for tonight.

Tony D’Angelo explains his actions

—

Tony D’Angelo is in the ring to “clear the ring” after seven months of him talking to the audience. The studio audience starts chanting for him before D’Angelo briefly runs down his history in NXT. He had family, friend and people that had his back — but that was taken from him.

D’Angelo goes on to say he needed to regroup after Darkstate ruined his life. He had to set in a dark room but himself to remember who he was, which is a National Champion and Division I All-American. He also remembered he was good at bouncing people off the mat.

D’Angelo talks about the mystic after his recent return, where no one knows what he is doing. Tony calls this a selfish time in a selfish business, and that aligns exactly with his plans. He came back for two reasons. One reason is he wanted Darkstate to know he was coming for them. This is about punishment, not revenge. The second reason we will see when he is done with Darkstate.

— “NXT Focus” is the sponsored personality profile where Shiloh Hill takes about the championship ladder match that headlines tonight’s card.

— WWE Speed Champion Jasper Troy cuts a promo on his prospective challengers ahead of the upcoming tournament to crown a top contender. No matter who wins, Troy vows to destroy them in Atlanta.

Elio LeFleur vs. Charlie Dempsey in a first round match in the Speed tournament

—

This was great for a three-minute match. The closing minute was especially good with them trading counters and near falls. LeFleur delivers a tilt-a-whirl Rocker Dropper, and he hooks a leg to cover Dempsey for a three count with seconds remaining in the time limit.

Match result: Elio LeFleur defeated Charlie Dempsey via pinfall to advance in the Speed tournament.

— Kelly Kincaid interviews Joe Hendry, and he talks about going into the ladder match with an injury. His smile has been hiding frustration and disappointment because the last seven months have been without a championship. Hendry goes to vow he becomes the new NXT Champion.

— NXT’s presence in the Royal Rumble was the focus of a video package.

The Elegance Brand (Heather by Elegance & M by Elegance with Ash by Elegance & The Personal Concierge) vs. Sol Ruca & Zaria for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship

—

TNA authority figure Daria Rae (who is formerly Sonya Deville in WWE) returns to NXT as she watches the title bout near ringside.

The story of the match was dissension between Zaria and Ruca. Zaria refuses to tag out, and they trade blind tags, while also arguing and shoving each other. Their future is in question, especially after the finish.

The match goes through a commercial break. Ash by Elegance jumps on the apron to cause a distraction, which allows The Elegance Brand to gain the upper hand as the show cuts to a commercial break. When the show returns from the break, heat on Zaria as she is worked over and separated from her corner. Zaria comes back and refuses to tag out.

For some reason, Sean Legacy is seen getting ready in the locker room ahead of the main event ladder match in a split-screen in the middle of the match. Why?

Double down in the ring and Zaria uses the ropes to pull herself to her feet, which allows Ruca to make a blind tag. Ruca then runs wild and gets a few near falls. Meanwhile, the studio audience is doing the wave.

Heather by Elegance with a moonsault press, and M by Elegance goes for her own moonsault. No water in the pool, though. Ruca rolled out of the way, and Ruca struggles to her feet. Zaria makes a bling tag, leading to her and Ruca getting into a shoving match.

The challengers argue as they both deliver stereo spears on the champs. Ruca signals for their finisher, so Zaria hoists M by Elegance on her shoulders. Ruca went to follow with a Sol Snatcher, but M escapes their clutches. Ruca then inadvertently catches her own partner, Zaria, with a Sol Snatcher. Ash by Elegance pulls Ruca out of the ring and sends her crashing into the ring steps.

Bow and arrow hold on Zaria by M as Heather leaps off the top rope with a double foot stomp. Heather then covers Zaria for the deciding pinfall.

Match result: Heather by Elegance & M by Elegance defeated Sol Ruca & Zaria via pinfall when Heather covered Zaria to retain their titles.

— NXT North American Champion Ethan Page cuts a promo where he gives The Vanity Project a pep talk of sorts.

— In a skit from social media, Jaida Parker is attacked by Blake Monroe at a merchandise booth outside the building.

Chase U (Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors with Andre Chase) vs. Lexis King & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo (with Arianna Grace)

—

Dixon & Connors got their time to shine, but this match was more about getting King & Stacks over as a team. Dixon & Connors looked great in the ring, but they drop the match to the new heel team. Dixon fires up in the closing moments. He goes for a moonsault off the top rope, but Stacks gets his feet up to block it. King tags in and delivers a V-trigger, and King follows with The Coronation. King pins Dixon to win the match.

Connors backs away and apparently quite Chase U in an angle after the match. He leaves Chase U and exits just behind the heels.

Match result: Lexis King & Stacks defeated Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors via pinfall when King pinned Dixon.

— The trio of Fatal Influence are in the ring for a promo where NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne talks about her time in the Royal Rumble. Jayne cuts a promo on Sol Ruca, who eliminated Jayne in the Rumble match by tossing her out. Jayne is cutting her promo on Ruca when she is interrupted by Zaria.

Zaria gets in the ring to confront Jayne and Fatal Influence. Zaria says Ruca had plenty of shots at the title, and this was Zaria’s turn. They are all soon interrupted by the team of Wren Sinclair & WWE Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey. Everyone is bickering in the ring when Sol Ruca joins the ongoing argument.

Ruca makes a crack at Zaria about not being friends anymore, and they briefly bicker. Eventually, out comes Robert Stone for his first announcement and ruling as GM. In his first act at interim GM, he books a tag match for next week with Sinclair & Grey against Ruca & Zaria. Whomever scores the winning fall also earns a title match against Jacy Jayne in Atlanta.

— Kelly Kincaid interviews Kelani Jordan, who boasts about breaking Lola Vice’s hand in an injury angle from earlier tonight.

— Ricky Saints gets a full entrance before a commercial break. Other participants for the ladder match get their entrances during a split-screen as commercials run.

— After the commercial break is a skit where Lexis King, Stacks and Grace approach Charlie Dempsey to ask if he thought about their recent offer to join the new faction.

— Joe Hendry also gets a full entrance after the break.

Ricky Saints vs. Shiloh Hill vs. Sean Legacy vs. Jackson Drake vs. Dion Lennox vs. Keanu Carver vs. Joe Hendry in a ladder match for the vacant NXT Championship

—

Keanu Carver starts off strong, and ladders soon come into play with several taking bumps on the ladder from the opening moments onward.Many ladders of various sizes are set up around ring for easy access.

Joe Hendry uses the ladder as a battering ram before he spins around with it to do his pose. He tries to climb towards the title belt hanging above the ring, only for Hendry to get tripped up by Jackson Drake. Time for Drake’s turn to take a bump off the ladder as Hendry tips it over. Hendry then powerbombs Drake over the ropes into the arms of the other participants on the floor. Hendry follows up by hurdling the top rope for a dive outside the ring. The show cuts to a commercial break with a slow motion replay of Hendry’s hurdle over the ropes.

Carver rips a gimmicked ladders apart in a feat of strength in the middle of the match. The ripped apart ladder would play into another stunt moments later. Sean Legacy and Dion Lennox get their chances to shine in spots after the show returns from the break. They are fighting on a ladder when Shiloh Hill uses the two sections of the gimmicked ladder as a stilts. Hill would go on to take a Doomsday Device at the hands of Carver and Lennox.

Lennox is climbing the ladder when Saints tries to stop him. Saints takes a spinebuster on a ladder. Hendry thwarts Lennox and give him a chokeslam on a ladder. Hendry climbs and Drake again stops him. Legacy takes a wicked swanton from Drake, and Drake climbs he ladder. Saints goes to stop him, only for Carver to enter the ring and mow down Saints.

Carver stumbles over the ropes in a spot. Drake then does a tornillo splash off the top turnbuckle to the floor, just before the show cuts to its final commercial break. They continue running through high spots during a split-screen.

After the show returns to full screen, Carver is using a ladder to smash everyone. Hill leaps off the ring steps for senton that sandwiches Carver in the ladder. In a bizarre spot, Hill celebrates by taking out this false teeth and throwing them on the ground, which apparently similar to a Southern babyface pulling down the straps on is singlet.

Hill follows up with a running knee strike on Carver, and Hill smashes him with the ladder. Everyone works together to pile ladders on top of Carver. They bury Carver underneath ladders. Hill does the Terry Funk spo of airplane spinning a ladder in a crazed manner while other wrestlers bump into the ladder. Hill eats a shining wizard from Drake, and Drake builds a ladder bridge. That backfires on him as Legacy springboards into a 450 splash that drives Drake into a ladder.

Legacy and Lennox are fighting on one ladder when Hill sets up a second ladder to climb. Hill and Drake climb the second ladder. Hill and Drake takes bumps off the ladder, while Lennox and Legacy remain on the other ladder. Legacy hangs from the ladder like its Ultimate-X before taking a bump off the ladder. Hendry breaks up Lennox’s climb with Lennox fingertips away from the title belt.

Hendry and Lennox end up fighting outside the ring, where Carver awakens from his slumber under the pile of ladders. Carver mows down wrestlers with shots from the ladder and spears on the floor. Carver sends Drake over the barricade into the arms of plants in the front row. In another stunt, Legacy is shoulder tackled through a gimmicked section of wall by a charging Carver.

Ricky Saints rushes to climb a ladder in the ring as Carver rushes back inside the squared circle. Two ladders are still side-by-side from earlier in the match. Now, Carver and Saints climb opposing ladders. They fight atop the ladders.

Saints kicks over the other ladder, and Carver takes a big bump on a ladder bridged between the ring apron and the broadcast booth. Carver crushes the ladder as Saints smirks atop the ladder in the ring. Saints senses victory, only for him to be surprised by Hendry shooting up the other side of the ladder.

Saints and Hendry are fighting over the title belt as they unhook from the hanger. Tug-of-war with the belt as he hangs above ring. They each tease falling off the ladder until Hendry lightly hits Saints with the belt, and Saints does a Nestea Plunge off the standing ladder to a ladder bridge. Nasty bump for Saints as his head snaps on the top rope as he takes a hard bump on the ladder.

Hendry grabs the title belt, and new…

Match result: Joe Hendry wins a ladder match to capture the NXT Championship

The Joe Hendry era of NXT has begun. He is your new champion of the men’s division. All hail the king.

Absent star makes return at WWE NXT Deadline

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Tony D’Angelo is back.

The end of Saturday’s Deadline PLE had Je’Von Evans celebrating his Iron Survivor Challenge win when new NXT Champion Oba Femi came out. The two were having a staredown when suddenly the lights went out. After a video aired of an unidentifiable man walking near a bridge, a spotlight came on. Evans turned around and D’Angelo was seen. Evans extended his hand but instead was met with a chokeslam. D’Angelo dumped what appeared to be black material on Evans as the show ended with D’Angelo staring down Femi.

D’Angelo was last seen in July after defeating former associates Luca Crusifino and Stacks in a three-way match. A vignette aired of him at his restaurant when suddenly someone appeared in front of him. The screen then blacked out, similar to the infamous series finale of The Sopranos. In October, it was reported that D’Angelo had requested time off, and was seen at the WWE Performance Center last month.

Teases for D’Angelo’s return started on Tuesday when Ava was given a box by Robert Stone. When she dumped the contents on her desk, it was the same black material that D’Angelo dumped on Evans at the end of Deadline.