SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
NXT TV RESULTS
SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
ORLANDO, FLA. AT CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
LIVE ON CW NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Backstage Correspondent(s): Sarah Schreiber
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
-The thumbnail for NXT on my Xfinity app, which used to have Trick Williams front and center, now features Oba Femi in the star spot with Williams still there, but in the background.
-A few of tonight’s players were shown, but Je’Von Evans stormed right after opening music played and he said “Oh hell naw,” and he called out Josh Briggs, who obliged. They brawled a little outside, then made it to the ring, where the bell sounded.
(1) JE’VON EVANS vs. JOSH BRIGGS
Evans laid out Briggs early and got a very close near-fall, revving up the crowd. Briggs took over on offense with big brutish offense, and the crowd savaged him as they’ve been doing. “Briggs you suck” chant. Rope run and a cross-body by Briggs, called a clothesline by Vic, got two. “Briggs go away” chant. Briggs slowed it down with a headlock on the mat. The crowd loudly clapped Evans into it, and he ran the ropes and hit a huracanrana. He hit another, then dumped Briggs by pulling down the top rope. He wanted a springboard move, but Briggs yanked his legs down to drop his head on the apron. Briggs tried to chokeslam Evans through the announce table, but Evans landed on his feet, set up Briggs with some quick offense, and hit the ring and returned outside with a tope suicida on and over the announce table, leading to the first split-screen commercial. [c]
Briggs had Evans grounded with a headlock. There was a raucous “Bouncy” chant. This crowd tonight is even hotter than usual. Evans peppered Briggs with rights and lefts as he ducked a few of Briggs’ shots. Briggs evaded a basement attack of some kind and caught a charging Evans and choked him over a rope, then covered for two. Both guys sold for a moment. Evans reared back and slapped Briggs, then hit him with some more quick kicks. Splash by Evans for two. Briggs caught Evans and tried a slam of some kind, but Evans turned it into a stunner. PK by Evans got two.
Evans put down Briggs again and laid him out in a corner. Evans hit a swanton bomb from one of the other corners, but he was looking to fall a bit short, so production wisely cut to a different angle and Vic said he clipped Briggs with a boot, which was possible. Briggs distracted both Evans and the ref by grabbing a chair, then took the silver chain around his neck to brain a flying Evans with it while the ref got rid of the chair. Briggs got the three.
WINNER: Josh Briggs at 12:45.
(Wells’s Analysis: Another very strong big-small match, which both of these guys have on a regular basis. Evans again is an underdog who’s been given an out for his loss, while Briggs continues to work like they’re keeping him warm for another title shot at some point)
-Ava tried to keep peace between Ricky Saints and Oba Femi ahead of their coming match, and Trick Williams showed up as well. He said he had “championship business” with Oba Femi, so Saints wouldn’t understand. [c]
-#DIY hit the ring. Tommaso Ciampa said it’s always fun to come back to NXT, but tonight’s extra special because ten years ago to the day, he teamed there with Johnny Gargano for the first time. Gargano said this place will always be their home. Ciampa said his last match in NXT was something he always hoped wouldn’t be his last match in NXT (I think he had to job to Tony D’Angelo? Yikes, if my memory is working). Trick Williams entered to his music and said the issue between them went down because #DIY is jealous, because their NXT crew can’t hang with his NXT crew. #DIY asked them to bring it, and Williams said he would, but he’s not alone.
Carmelo Hayes entered to his music and a big reaction. I guess their issue is over; good for them! Hayes entered and got in the faces of both members of #DIY. The crowd chanted “Melo” until Hayes put out a hand to quiet them. He then walked up to Williams and there was a “hug it out” chant. Hayes said since he left, Trick’s said a lot of things that are true, and a lot that aren’t. Just last week, he said this was his house. And here’s two men (#DIY) who built this house, and Hayes renovated it. He said Williams was squatting, and Hayes is collecting rent. The audience picked up on it immediately and chanted “You’re a squatter.” Gargano ate it up as Williams and Hayes jawed.
Williams said he’s been saying stuff about Hayes as recently as last week, and that’s not right, but he squats where he wants to squat. Ciampa stirred the pot by asking which one is the big brother. Hayes told him to shut his mouth because this is between them. Gargano said the crowd just wants to see a multi-generational tag match at NXT Homecoming: Trick-Melo Gang vs. #DIY. The crowd cheered but were perhaps tempered by the fact that the match isn’t going to be tonight. [c]
-Lainey Reid got a pre-recorded promo where she cut on tonight’s opponent Faby Apache and stated that she’d be going all the way to the Speed Championship. Faby Apache was introduced wearing a headdress, and she got an inset promo where she made some basic babyface promises in Spanish.
(2) FABY APACHE vs. LAINEY REID – Speed Tournament semifinal match
The winner faces Candice LeRae in a match to decide Sol Ruca’s next opponent. Natalya was at ringside ahead of her match with Apache at Worlds Collide. Action was lightning quick, of course, with a three minute time limit. With a minute remaining, Reid hit a slam for two. Ten seconds later, Apache returned the favor for two. Apache went up and was briefly distracted by Natalya, who stepped out onto the mat, and Reid hit her with a knee to the jaw to finish.
WINNER: Lainey Reid at 2:38.
(Wells’s Analysis: The constraints of this championship were perfect for Twitter, but on this show, it really stands out when a match is much too short for the offense being presented)
-Sol Ruca and Zaria ran into Hank & Tank backstage and they all got fired up – perhaps annoying to some – ahead of their matches tonight. After Hank & Tank took off, Ruca and Zaria did Hank & Tank’s chest bump. [c]
-A female voiceover said Breaking News: The Glamour is not done with Jordynne Grace, and Jordynne Grace made a big mistake. Blake Monroe sat in a tub in washed red light and a candle in the foreground. She made foreboding statements, and showed a much darker side of herself. She said she could become the devil herself and she’d see Grace in hell. Oh my!
(3) HANK WALKER & TANK LEDGER vs. DARKSTATE (Dion Lennox & Osiris Griffin) (w/Saquon Shugars & Cutler James) (c) – NXT Tag Team Championship match
Vic said Hank & Tank were tag champions for 127 days, which is much more impressive than if he mentioned how many 2-on-2 matches they had in that time. Tank was laid out on the outside early and Hank ended up having to take on both champs, but Tank made a last-moment save after a double-team by the heels. Things broke down early as all four threw rights in the ring less than a minute and a half into the match. The heels got dumped and Hank & Tank fired up and ran criss-cross tope suicidas, both connecting, and the match went to a quick commercial without split-screen. [c]
Tank caught Lennox with a…something…and rolled him up super awkwardly for two. Nice to come back strong from commercial. Lennox crucifixed Tank for two. The heels made some tags as Tank played face in peril, as often. He tried to elbow his way out of a headlock, and did so only to run himself right into a powerslam for two. Griffin shoved Tank’s head as he jawed at him, and he held back Tank from the hot tag as both faces reached as far as possible. Griffin was trying to tag also, and there was a tug of war. Why doesn’t that happen more often? After some rights by both guys, they both tagged.
Hank dominated Lennox as well as Griffin, who hadn’t yet recovered enough to leave the ring.
[HOUR TWO]
Hank hit a cool twisting DDT, maybe? – for two. Tank made the tag and hit a swanton after Hank hit a superplex and he covered Lennox for two. Hank tagged in again and the faces went for the pancake, but Shugars and James got involved. James said “Joe Hendry isn’t coming tonight!” Behind them was the perch, and Hendry busted through a false wall below it because James said his name. However, DarkState soon after got the win as Hank got rolled up, and Hendry looked regretful.
WINNERS: DarkState at 10:48.
(Wells’s Analysis: Kind of a mess, as they wanted their Hendry moment but also wanted DarkState to retain. Not that the spots were huge, but this was still worked as a spotfest)
-A voiceover talked about the rules of a Flag Match, which will take place tonight. I’ve always thought these nationalistic things were silly and over the years they’ve only gotten more so, but given the overall silliness of this feud, they’re kind of getting away with it. Wisely for Tavion Heights’ sake, Chelsea Green doesn’t appear to be on hand. Heights made his entrance as the show went to commercial. [c]
-NXT Anonymous: It’s still a thing! The social media account was watching Ethan Page dress down Myles Borne for his loss in the Lights Out match. Presently, King was talking to Charlie Dempsey in the locker room, trying to get a rise out of him, but Dempsey was laid back about it since they aren’t running buddies anymore. Borne showed up and said “You thought this was done, Lexis?” and he entered through a side door (I’m not sure we’ve ever seen the room from this angle) and he turned off the light and hammered the crap out of King with a chair.
(4) TAVION HEIGHTS vs. ETHAN PAGE – Flag Match
Page went for the Canadian flag immediately. There was a “USA” chant, in stark contrast to the wild crowd in Lowell for Heatwave. Both guys got small teases of getting at their flag early, and after Page yanked down Heights, both sold for a bit. Page put up Heights for a slam but Heights grabbed the pole holding up the flag and nearly got it, but Page got up there with him again and yanked Heights down by his hair and both fell to the mat. There was a loud “USA” chant again as the two went for an exchange of rights. Heights hit a flying forearm after some rope running and both sold on the mat again.
Heights went to his corner to get the flag, and moved out of the way as Page charged and fell to the outside. In a nice touch, the two trons on the back wall had the flags of Canada and USA on them, right behind the flags in question as far as the hard cam was concerned, adding to the visual. Page dumped Heights and tried to go up, but Heights met him there and hit a belly-to-belly from the top. There was a “Tavion” chant as Heights got to his corner and retrieved the flag in a nice, but somewhat unmotivated moment.
WINNER: Tavion Heights at 6:53.
Heights got the Canadian flag and draped it over Page, returning the favor from Page leading to this match. In a truly bizarre moment, Tyler Breeze’s music played him out, and he was wearing all the same gear from his initial (fantastic) run on NXT, right down to the fuzzy selfie stick. He went in the ring and leaned on Page, and took a photo of himself there. Vic pointed out, if it wasn’t clear, that this was a Homecoming tie-in. [c]
(Wells’s Analysis: Up until his last couple of shiftless months in NXT, Tyler Breeze’s run was aces, to the point where it still feels like there’s some unfinished business. I’m going to try not to get excited for some kind of return, even though the man is in just as good of shape as always. The match here was fine enough, but the ending didn’t seem all that ending-worthy to me, and I thought it would get about twice this match length)
-Lola Vice thing: Part 2. These mini-documentaries succeed on the strength of our connection to the performer in question, but Vice just doesn’t come off as genuine as she needs to be to make it work. Her father and sister, Frank and Natalie Loureda, both got soundbytes as we got looks into Vice’s youth growing up learning martial arts from her dad, who runs a dojo. Frank was a lot of fun. Natalie has a likability to her, but overacted pretty badly. I think the scene was a net positive, though I still don’t know if Vice is good enough for the spot yet.
-Fatal Influence talked tough in the locker room ahead of their triple threat. Again, Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne messed with Jazmyn Nyx. I wonder if she’ll fit into the finish when the title changes hands over to Vice.
-Hype for Homecoming. The Trick/Melo vs. #DIY match was confirmed and a voiceover talked about the concept of coming home. Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Charlotte, Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe and Finn Balor were shown along with Tyler Breeze in various videos. [c]
(5) SOL RUCA & ZARIA vs. FATAL INFLUENCE (Fallon Henley & Jazmyn Nyx) (w/Jacy Jayne) vs. THE CULLING (Izzi Dame & Tatum Paxley) (w/Shawn Spears & Niko Vance) – Elimination match for #1 contendership to the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
Given the length of the match explanation, a good amount passed before I could really type it up. It was all a pretty big mess with everyone getting work in, all in the first couple of minutes. The match started to have some flow as Ruca took a sustained upper hand, but as she ran the ropes, she was yanked out of the ring. The illegal women (and men) got involved and it was just a total trainwreck leading to Ruca hitting a moonsault to the outside to three people, but mostly Niko Vance. It got a slo-mo replay and the match went to commercial, again without split-screen, so maybe there will be another? [c]
Fans were doing the Wave. Vic called this out, despite it being an insult to the performers. Fatal Influence took out Zaria on the outside, using the steps. Inside, they used Ruca as a dart onto Dame’s body. Nyx covered Ruca, then Dame, for two. Nyx hit a Northern Lights suplex with a bridge for two. Nyx wanted a superplex on Ruca, but Dame went for a powerbomb on Nyx, and Ruca flew in with a blockbuster on Nyx as well for the match’s guaranteed totem move. Zaria tagged in and dominated next. To make sight lines clearer, the illegal women stayed on the floor, and not the apron, when they were waiting to tag in. In a complicated spot, Ruca went for a Sol Snatcher, but Zaria was thrown into the line of fire and got hit with the move. Nyx pinned Zaria at about 12:30 to eliminate ZaRuca and leave the two heel teams, which is fine because it was inevitable we’d get heels to face Charlotte and Alexa.
The Culling got several near-falls soon after, but once again we broke down and everyone hit impact moves. Henley and Paxley paired off until they pulled off some double-team moves on Henley, and Dame hit a sitout slam on Henley for the win.
WINNERS: The Culling in about 14:50.
Jacy Jayne grabbed the mic and said she didn’t care who dropped the ball, she was failed by both of them. As she was yelling at them, a car parked out in the parking lot. The show quickly went to commercial with that hook set. [c]
(Wells’s Analysis: That was a total mess of a match, and not often enough in a good way. Nobody screwed anything up, exactly, but they were asked to have a trainwreck, and that’s what happened. A bit of tag team wrestling instead of a tornado affair would be a welcome change. That said, Dame has improved by leaps and bounds and could do some really good big-small stuff with Alexa Bliss, while Charlotte and Paxley could pair off the other way)
-Jacy was still in the ring. She said there was no way Fatal Infuence wouldn’t be part of Homecoming. She said she was sick and tired of carrying the group on her back. She said the lack of respect she gets is pathetic. She said she doesn’t need applause, respect, or any of you. She said she’s the greatest champion of all time, no matter what.
Stephanie Vaquer’s music played her out to the ramp. She said she’d give Jacy credit for beating her, but she was double champ, and she did it by herself. She said at WrestlePalooza she’ll become champion again. Jayne said there’s three of them but only one of her. Stephanie told her to shut up (in Spanish) and asked if she knows what time it is. It was Tiffy Time, as Tiffany Stratton hit the ramp.
Stratton said it was good to be home. Stratton said she was the longest champion in the company (she said it that way, sorry). Jayne said she sees it: these two are the super-seniors trying to be cool. Stratton said she didn’t know what Mami was going to think of being called a super-senior. The crowd blew up as Rhea Ripley was introduced and she joined Vaquer and Stratton on the ramp. There was a very loud “Mami” chant.
Ripley got in just a few choice words and soon enough, the groups of three came to blows, and of course, the babyfaces cleared the ring of Fatal Influence.
For next week’s show, Tyler Breeze vs. Ethan Page, #DIY vs. Trick Melo Gang, and the six-woman match here were promoted, as well as Grayson Waller hosting his show with guests Oba Femi and Ricky Saints.
FINAL THOUGHTS: See, here’s the only problem for us at home: Rhea Ripley was shown on the Homecoming hype video halfway through the show, long before the segment to close it (I guess it’s lucky that I forgot to write down her name when I was talking about who was on the commercial, so I didn’t spoil it for anyone else). That said, it certainly worked on the crowd tonight, which was very hot even by the standards set by the average CWC crowd. The matches were a mixed bag, with both tag matches being the all-too-common breakneck speed affair without much storytelling, another match under three minutes (by necessity), and Heights-Page coming to a much quicker ending than I would’ve guessed. The opener was – by FAR – the match of the night, though, as Briggs and Evans brought it. I’m very interested to see next week’s show, but unfortunately I won’t be able to watch live. Such is life. Nate Lindberg and I will talk tonight’s show over on PWT Talks NXT.
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