Miller’s live report on Battle Royal for the #1 Condender to Jacy Jayne’s NXT Women’s Title, Zaria vs. Monroe, Briggs vs. Cardona, Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Lexis King

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NXT TV REPORT

OCTOBER 14, 2025

ORLANDO, FLA. AT THE WWE PERFORMANCE CENTER

AIRED LIVE ON THE CW

REPORT BY DAVID MILLER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

 

Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T

 Ring Announcer: Mike Rome

Backstage Correspondent(s): Kelly Kincaid

[HOUR ONE]

-Highlights aired of last week’s Showdown between TNA and NXT, including The Hardy Boyz winning the NXT Tag Team Titles, the NXT ladies winning their match, Page retaining the North American Title, and the TNA men’s team evening the score by winning their match.

-Zaria and Sol Ruca were shown walking together backstage.

-NXT Champion Ricky Saints made his way to the ring.  He said when the going got tough, Trick Williams folded.  He called out Trick for an NXT Title match at Halloween Havoc.  Williams appeared on the big screen and said it wasn’t his fault Saints couldn’t get the job done after he left.  He said he’d do it on his time.  Saints got more fired up and said he was ready.

-In the back, Je’Von Evans and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater were cordially debating who would have won had DarkState not interfered in their title match.  NXT and TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardy Boyz walked up and told them not to take it personally and that they tore the house down at Victory Road.  They talked up Evans and Slater and the four vowed to have each other’s backs.

-Matt Cardona made his way to the ring to a huge pop from the NXT faithful. [c]

(1) MATT CARDONA vs. JOSH BRIGGS

Cardona attacked Briggs as soon as the bell rang, but Briggs gave it back to him.  The crowd chanted “Matt Cardona” as the took it to the outside briefly.  Back in the ring, Cardona mounted the turnbuckle and started hammering away, but Briggs stepped under and tripped him up.  The crowd chanted “Briggs, go away” as he proceeded to thump on Cardona.

He rushed Cardona in the corner, but got backdropped over the top rope and to the floor for his trouble.  Cardona hit a cannonball over the top onto Briggs that actually connected before they cut to commercial. [c]

Back from the break, Cardona tried to mount an offense, but ate a couple of boots from Briggs.  Cardona reversed a chokeslam into a DDT that crossed Briggs’s eyes.  He threw several forearms to the side of Briggs’s head, then followed that up with another big boot and an Unprettier for a two count.  Briggs came back with a hiptoss into a backbreaker, followed by a chokeslam for two.  He again took the chain off his neck and tried to use it, but Cardona hit Radio Silence for a two count.

Cardona leaped off the top, but got caught with a powerslam.  Briggs managed to get in a huge boot to the head of Cardona for the final count.

WINNER: Josh Briggs at 9:39.

(Miller’s Take: Briggs needed the win if they’re going to elevate him.  Cardona received a very warm welcome back, and the announcers touched on his past WWE accomplishments during the match.  Pretty standard stuff, here.  Solid match.)

-Hank & Tank, Chase U, and Lyra Valkyria were gathered in the back.  They were debating who would be the number one contenders to the NXT Tag Team titles.  Lyra asked where Tatum was.  Tatum ran up to give her a hug but was pulled away by Izzi Dame.  Dame said The Culling would be the number one contenders, and that she would win the battle royal to become the number one contender to the women’s title.  Lyra asked what about Tatum?  Dame said Tatum would be with her every step of the way and pulled her away.  Lyra told Spears he was a very spooky man as they walked off.

-AAA Latin American Champion El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. made his ring entrance before they cut to commercial. [c]

-The Progressive NXT Spotlight was on Fatal Influence.  Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne said the only problem wasn’t a problem anymore and now they had someone willing to do what needed to be done.  Jacy welcomed Lainey Reid into Fatal Influence.

(2) EL HIJO DEL DR. WAGNER JR. vs. LEXIS KING

Wagner took control early with his technical prowess.  King showed some skill himself by walking the top rope and jumping down with a slap to the face, which woke up Wagner, who hit King with a moonsault to the outside. [c]

Back from the break, Wagner was still in control until he flew out of the ring and hit the floor hard.  King took advantage of the situation by working on the left knee of the Latin American champ.  He went for a pin, but only got two.  He continued wrenching the knee with a dragon screw followed by an Indian Death Lock.

Wagner fought out of it and began firing up on King, who kicked out of a powebomb into a pin.  King missed a senton, then took a shining wizard and a Michinoku Driver to end the match.

WINNER: El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. at 13:16.

(Miller’s Take: This match lasted about 5 minutes longer than it needed to.  King continues to slide down the ladder of relevance, despite being a very good hand in the ring and a natural heat magnet.)

-After the match, Wagner called out Ethan Page.  The North American champ smirked his way down the entrance and talked about how great he is.  He said Wagner would be challenging him at Halloween Havoc.  Wagner said something in Spanish, then explained in English that they weren’t having a regular match, but a Day Of the Dead Match in which anything goes.

-In the women’s locker room, Zaria and Sol Ruca were talking about makeup when the former noted that the latter was in ring gear.  Ruca said there’s the battle royal tonight to determine the number one contender to Jacy Jayne.  Zaria asked Ruca how many belts she wanted, and said never mind, she’d take on Blake Monroe by herself and walked away as Ruca tried to explain. [c]

[HOUR TWO]

-In the back, Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater asked Ava and Santino Marella if they could team against anyone at Halloween Havoc.  Stacks Lorenzo and Arianna Grace walked up and mouthed off at Slater.  Santino asked Avaif his “future son-in-law” could have a title match.  Ava said it was fine with her and Slater agreed as well.  A loud commotion was heard, and Ava rushed around the corner to see Ricky Saints laid out with Trick Williams standing over him, saying he told him it would be on his time.  Ava shooed him away and called for medical.

(3) BLAKE MONROE vs. ZARIA

Zaria, sans Sol Ruca, showed off her power early on, not budging at Monroe’s attempted offense.  Monroe sneaked in a clip to the back of the knee and began focusing on that, but couldn’t sustain the offense long.  Zaria lifted her by her head in the corner, then took the fight to the outside.  Blake cut her off before they cut to a commercial break. [c]

When they returned, Monroe had a sleeper applied, but Zaria backed her into the corner to break it.  Blake went right back to the hold and mounted her back, but Zaria dropped backwards to break it this time.  The two began trading stiff blows mid-rind until Zaria woke up and hit some screaming offense that rocked Monroe.  They butted heads, which rattled both of them.  Monroe grabbed a chair from beneath the ring and threatened to swing it, but Sol Ruca ran out and grabbed it away.  As the referee was distracted with Ruca, Monroe pulled a hair pick out of her boot, jabbed it in Zaria’s throat, and hit the Beauty Shot for the win.

WINNER: Blake Monroe at 9:48.

(Miller’s Take: It definitely looks as if they’re heading toward a Zaria heel turn with the backstage dissension and Ruca involving herself in this match, which led to a loss.  Zaria has the best ring entrance video I’ve ever seen.  It makes her look like a killer, and I definitely think she’d be better served as a monster heel, although I admit to thoroughly enjoying the unorthodox team of Zaruca.  Monroe continues her nefarious ways and I’m sure will wind up in another feud she can sink her pearly whites into soon enough.)

-Ava announced that the Men’s Speed Championship tournament would soon commence.  She named the competitors as Axiom, Sean Legacy, Zachary Wentz, and Jasper Troy, with the winner getting a shot at El Grande Americano.

-Hank & Tank made their ring entrance before the commercial break. [c]

(4) HANK & TANK vs. CHASE U (Uriah Connors & Kale Dixon w/Andre Chase) vs. THE CULLING (Shawn Spears & Niko Vance) – Triple Threat Tag Team Match

Tank, Vance, and Dixon started out the match with lightning-quick near falls.  On the outside, The Culling became the meat in a Hank & Tank sandwich.  Chase U dived over the ropes onto Hank & Tank before they took it back into the ring.  Hank & Tank bodyslammed Vance out of the ring, but then fell victims to a double splash by Chase U.  OTM suddenly hit the ring and beat on all three teams as the referee threw the match out.

WINNERS: No contest at 3:36 when OTM interfered in the match.

(Miller’s Take: Well, I wasn’t expecting OTM to show up, but there they were.  Good to see them back in action, even if it was at the expense of a fun trainwreck of a triple threat match.  The return of Lucien Price & Bronco Nima was the big story here.)

-Sol Ruca greeted Zaria as she exited medical.  She apologized for not being out there for her.  She thanked Zaria for always having her back, and Zaria said she’d always be there for her.  Sol told her that she wanted Zaria to have her opportunity, so she was giving her spot in the battle royal to her.  She said she wanted them both to have all the gold, including the tag team titles.  Zaria gave her a bearhug then grabbed her throat as Ruca reminded her she has a battle royal to think of. [c]

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