Posted on 1/28/126 by Bob Magee
NXT is on the air again in front of a live studio audience
from a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando.
Ricky Saints is back on guest commentary, and he joins Vic
Joseph and Booker T at the broadcast booth. Saints would
leave the desk after the opening match was called into
question. The NXT Championship belt still hangs above the
ring ahead of the ladder match for the vacant title. The
opener was set to be another bout in a round of qualifiers
for that ladder match.
The show was supposedly set to open with a qualifying match
between Joe Hendry and WWE Evolve Champion Jackson Drake.
However, plans change. Hendry’s theme music rang through the
sound stage, but no Hendry. Cut to the back where Hendry is
down.
In a Tonya Harding angle, Joe Hendry is in the role of Nancy
Kerrigan. Suspiciously, The Vanity Project trio are standing
over Hendry, with Drake holding a metal folding chair. NXT
General Manger Ava confronts the heel trio, and they deny
attacking Hendry. Drake promises her they found him like
that.
Referee Vicky D’Errico runs in to tell Ava that Tony
D’Angelo arrived at the building. Ava instructs her call for
medical attention, and keep an eye on Vanity Project. Ave
then gets on a headset to tell the production crew they are
going to “move some stuff around” on the card. Ava pitches
to the announce desk. Meanwhile, Tony D’Angelo arrives
surrounded by security.
Back at the announce desk, Saints says he came to call a
singles qualifying match, not a tag team match. Saints
leaves before the introductions of the new opening bout,
which is also a tag title match.
Darkstate (Saquon Shugars & Osiris Griffin with Cutler
James) vs. OTM (Bronco Nima & Lucien Price) for the NXT Tag
Team Championship
—
In keeping with the story of this bout being rushed to the
ring, Saquon Shugars was still adjusting his gear during the
entrance of Darkstate. Shugars would go on to play
chickens*** heel, and he begs off several times. He also had
wacky gear that set him apart from his Darkstate
counterparts.
OTM start strong, and the champs backpedal and powder.
Darkstate cut off OTM, but OTM soon comes back ahead of a
commercial break. Price press slams Shugars over the ropes
to the floor, where he was caught by Cutler James and Bronco
Nima.
After the show returns from commercials, OTM rally again.
They look to go home when in runs the Vanity Project trio.
Brad Baylor, of the tag team called Swipe Right, jumps on
the apron to distract Price. Baylor gets knocked off the
apron, but the distraction is enough for Shugars to roll up
Price. Shugars seemingly meant to get his feet on the ropes,
but he could not reach them. Nonetheless, the Shuagrs pinned
Price.
Match result: NXT Tag Team Champions Darkstate defeated OTM
to retain the tag team titles via pinfall.
Melee erupts following the match as Hank & Tank run down to
brawl with The Vanity Project. Chase U joins the brawl. In
the meantime, Darkstate is celebrating in the ring when they
are ambushed by Shawn Spears & Niko Vance of The Culling.
They lay out the champs, and there is turmoil and mayhem in
the tag team divison.
—
Jaida Parker vs. Nikkita Lyons
—
Parker is back in the ring for her first match since
returning to NXT. Nikkita Lyons gets some offense, this
match was meant to get Parker more over since her return.
Parker shines before Lyons gets heat on her. Parker then
comes back to deliver the Hip-notic spot. Parker then
executes a combo finisher with a pumphandle into a Liger
Bomb. Parker covers Lyons for a three count.
Match result: Jaida Parker defeated Nikkita Lyons via
pinfall.
After the match, Blake Monroe cuts a promo on Parker from
the Titantron. Monroe says she will see Parker very soon.
Parker looks into the camera to address Monroe. Parker says
Monroe knows where to find her.
— Elio LeFleur, Tavion Heights and Eli Knight are talking in
a backstage skit when they are approached by Arianna Grace,
Stacks and Lexis King (who is wearing a cowboy hat for some
reason). King cuts a promo on Heights, which sets up a match
for later.
— The Elegance Brand from TNA cut a promo about being the
TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions.
— Zaria is trying to call Sol Ruca but no answer. Thea Hail
tries to empathize with Zaria, who scorns Hail by
insinuating Hail was given a title. Hail retorts by
asserting she earned her shot. This skit sets up a match
between Zaria and Hail for later.
— Myles Borne is talking backstage with NXT North American
Champion Ethan Page, who continues trying to get Borne to
embrace the dark side. Ricky Saints walks in and Borne cuts
a promo on him, saying no one wants to hear him on
commentary. Borne is headed to the ring for the next bout.
— Vanity Project is backstage pleading their case to Ava.
Drake wants to be awarded a spot in the ladder match via
forfeit. Ava grants him that wish, but she cautions that Joe
Hendry also automatically qualifies for the ladder as well
if Hendry is cleared to wrestle.
Dion Lennox vs. Myles Borne in a qualifier for the NXT
Championship ladder match
—
Ethan Page watches the match from ringside, and Page coaches
and encourages Borne at times. They had a lengthy match that
went through a commercial break. Lennox blatantly cheats,
but he is often caught by the referee. Borne thwarts the
cheating by Lennox as they go home.
Page slides the North American title belt to Borne to use as
a weapon, and Page rushes around the ring to jump on the
apron and distract the ref. Page meant for Borne to hit
Lennox with a belt shot, but the referee catches Borne with
the title belt. The ref takes the belt from Borne, and Borne
turns around to get scooped up by Lennox for an Emerald
Flowsion. Lennox then covers Borne for a three count.
Match result: Dion Lennox defeated Myles Borne via pinfall
to quailify for the NXT Championship ladder match.
In a post-match angle, Borne hits Page with the title belt.
Page is berating Borne over not “pulling the trigger” when
Borne snatches the belt from Page and hits him with it. Page
sells like he sees stars while Borne stands over him.
— Ricky Saints is talking with Ava in her office when in
walks Tony D’Angelo. Saints cautions Ava to not let anyone
interfere in the ladder match next Tuesday. Saints left
after glaring at D’Angleo, who comes in to ask Ava why she
bailed him out of jail. Ava says despite all of his wild
card antics, NXT needs D’Angelo. Ava needs to know if
D’Angelo is “in or out” of NXT. D’Angelo will give an answer
next week. Ava then forbids D’Angelo from interfering in the
ladder match next Tuesday.
Tavion Heights vs. Lexis King
—
Arianna Grace and Stacks watch the match from ringside, as
they are no a faction alongside Lexis King. Heights was
shining until King targets an arm. Heights makes a comeback,
but he goes sailing over the ropes trying to do a
clothesline. He lands on the floor near the feet of Stacks
and Grace. Heights is really selling his arm as he goes to
slingshot himself back into the ring. King sidesteps him,
and Heights crashes to the mat. King capitalizes with a
Coronation, and King hooks a leg while pinning Heights.
Match result: Lexis King defeated Tavion Heights via
pinfall.
— Hard sell for a deluxe edition of the 2K26 video game with
Triple H on the cover, and a skit with Paul Heyman reveals
the cover.
— In a personality profile dubbed “NXT Origins”, Finn Balor
is featured in a look at his journey through NXT. No mention
of New Japan, but Balor says he “just wrestled” before
coming to NXT. His time in NXT turned a “wrestler into a
superstar” after learning to play to the cameras.
Zaria vs. Thea Hail
—
NXT Women’s North American Champion Izzi Dame joins the
announce desk for guest commentary during the match. The
bout itself goes through a commercial break. Zaria does her
hanging tree spot after the show returns from the break, but
Hail soon makes a comeback.
Hail goes for a Kimura lock, only for Zaria to escape and
spear Hail. Zaria goes for a finisher, but Hail counters
into tornado DDT. Hail and Zaria then bonk heads as they
collide. Double down in the ring while at ringside is a run-
in by Tatum Paxley.
Paxley flew into the scene with a dive over the announce
desk. Paxley with a cross body on Dame, who is still seated
in a chair at the desk. Paxley attacks Dame, who attempts to
flee by rolling into the ring. Paxley chases her out of the
ring and up the aisle. Zaria is distracted by the melee,
which allows Hail to roll her up for a three count.
Match result: Thea Hail defeated Zaria via pinfall.
Hail offers a hand shake after the match, and Zaria slaps
her hand away. Suddenly, Fatal Influence (Lainey Reid & WWE
Women’s Speed Champion Fallon Henley) run down and jump on
the apron. They face off with Zaria and Hail, who puts her
hand on Zaria’s shoulder while telling her that Hail has got
her back. Zaria then snatches Hail to deliver a F-5, which
seems a rather harsh reaction. Fatal Influence back away.
— Hard sell for Royal Rumble weekend precedes a backstage
skit with Wren Sinclair, Charlie Dempsey and WWE Evolve
Women’s Champion Kendal Grey. Up walks the recently formed
trio of Lexis King, Arianna Grace and Stacks. They want to
speak with Dempsey. Grace tells him that he is “one of us.”
Keanu Carver vs. Andre Chase in a qualifier for the NXT
Championship ladder match
—
Andre Chase wrestled with a nose guard. I did not like his
chances against someone getting a major push like Keanu
Carver, who ate up Chase in the match. Chase still took the
fight to Carver, only for Carver to mow him down. Chase is
soon tossed outside the ring, where Carver pummels him
around ringside. Carver wrestled like a heel, as he punished
Chase by pummeling him some more in the ring. Chase was no
match, yet he bumped and fed well for Carver.
Chase gets a comeback and a tornado DDT off the middle rope.
Chase follows up with a high cross off the top rope. Outside
the ring on the floor, Carver rams Chase into the edge of
the ring apron. Chase retaliates with by charging toward
Carver. They tumble over the announce desk. On commentary,
Chase is credited with being the aggressor as Chase rises
from the ashes to stand defiantly stop the announce desk. He
lets out a primal yell, only for Chase to fall prey to
Carver. After an impressive leap on to the desk, Carver with
a sidewalk slam sends Chase crashing on the desk. Back in
the ring, Carver delivers a twisting powerslam, and Carver
covers Chase for a three count.
Match result: Keanu Carver defeated Andre Chase via pinfall.
In a post-match beat down, Carver continues his assault on
Chase. Carver smashed him into a turnbuckle repeatedly, and
Carver rips off the turnbuckle pad before smashing Chase
into the exposed buckle. Not finished yet, Carver drags
Chase over to the ring steps. Carver stomps Chase’s head on
the steps in an injury angle.
Carver then gets the house microphone and cuts a promo
warning everyone he is winning the ladder match. Shiloh Hill
is watching on a monitor backstage. After a commercial
break, Hill and others are in the ring for a go-home promo.
Shiloh Hill is the ring alongside other ladder match
participants Sean Legacy, Dion Lennox and Jackson Drake.
They take turns cutting a promos until the are interrupted
by the entrance of Ricky Saints. He carries a ladder on the
stage, and Saints climbs atop the ladder. Saints remarks on
the view looking good from up there. Saints sees a lot of
potential in the ring, but they are seeds that are yet to
sprout. Saints is the rose that sprouts in a concrete
jungle. Saints vows to be a two-time champion.
Carver butts in to say they are doing too much talking. You
can say that again. A melee erupts and everyone starts
brawling around the ring. Parade of high spots before Vic
Joseph on commentary says his name and he appears. Out runs
Joe Hendry clutching his arm. Hendry with a Spirit of ’76
comeback, and he is a house of fire until running into
Carver. Hendry is given the twisting powerslam that Carver
used as his finisher.
Carver looks dominant as the show goes off the air.