Browsing: NXT

Indi Hartwell says her wrestling bucket list has one of the most infamous matches on it.

Hartwell recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about the ongoing NXT/TNA partnership. While she has largely stayed out of the chaos leading up to ‘Showdown,†she did guest referee a Knockouts title match at TNA Victory Road featuring NXTâ€s Kelani Jordan.

Indi Hartwell said that she enjoyed her guest referee spot, calling it a bucket-list moment. When asked what else would be on her wrestling bucket list, Hartwell shared a surprising answer.

“Well, something that Iâ€ve already done is the wedding, which is like a huge part of my career. Some wrestlers win titles, but not everyone gets to have a wrestling wedding,†Indi Hartwell explained. “So, I think that should be a bucket list item that a lot of wrestlers should have.

“I got to knock off being on commentary at TNA because I was never a special guest commentator at NXT or WWE that I can remember,†she added. “So, I got to do that. Thereâ€s a lot of, like, stipulation matches too that I havenâ€t gotten to have. Punjabi Prison, thatâ€s my top.â€

What is a Punjabi Prison match?

The Punjabi Prison match is similar to a steel cage match. It features two cage-like structures made of bamboo, and the goal is to escape them both. The winner has to escape the inner cage, then climb the second cage before their opponent. Escaping the cage is the only way to win, as there are no pinfalls or submissions.

WWE has sanctioned three Punjabi Prison matches in the companyâ€s history. The first one took place at Great American Bash 2006 between The Undertaker and Big Show, while the second was between Batista and The Great Khali at No Mercy 2007. The match concept was shelved for nearly a decade, but returned at Battleground 2017 when Jinder Mahal faced off with Randy Orton for the WWE Championship.

Read More: Rhea Ripley Shows Off Broken Nose Suffered During WWE Japan Supershow

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Blake Monroe says Mariah May and her current character in WWE aren’t all that different.

Monroe’s final match in AEW as May was in March at Revolution 2025. She lost the “Hollywood Ending” match to Toni Storm and then debuted on NXT programming on June 3. During a recent interview with TV Insider, Monroe said her character is evolving rather than starting over.

Monroe said:

“We talk about Mariah May, but Blake Monroe is continuing to evolve from the things Iâ€ve already done. Itâ€s not different. Itâ€s not wiping something clean and starting again. Itâ€s taking these parts of me and growing them and nurturing them.”

“As you saw my introduction was ‘The Glamour’ and was very big on that whole pop star vibe with my entrance and the vanity and all these incredible things. Weâ€ve been able to evolve the character. Then you saw me at No Mercy in the steel cage match. You saw a different side of me. Someone who was a bit merciless and a bit unhinged. I think it has been so exciting to evolve something. Iâ€m really proud of my journey, and this is the next chapter. Iâ€m loving just getting so detailed with it. The creative team is so passionate about every part of what you do. Iâ€m having a ball because I love those details and that presentation. I wouldnâ€t say there is too much difference. I would say itâ€s more of an evolution.”

Also during the interview, Monroe said that the idea when she got to WWE is to take what she’s been doing but “make it bigger.”

Monroe continued:

“For me, I loved my character in ‘The Glamour’ when I spoke to WWE. They loved ‘The Glamour’ too and recognized my work and what was important to me. They wanted to take that and make it bigger. My first vignette if you remember was me in a bath. Thatâ€s something I wanted to do for about a year. I always wanted to do that vignette. The very next week thatâ€s what we did.”

“Iâ€m just trying to be a sponge and take everything in at the PC and being around all these Hall of Famers and amazing writing and production team. I try to make the most of it all because I donâ€t take anything for granted. Just to be here is amazing.”

Monroe is 3-3 in singles matches on NXT programming since debuting, dropping two matches to Kelani Jordan and a Weaponized Steel Cage match against Jordynne Grace. Her wins have come against Grace at Heatwave, vs. Wren Sinclair in July, and she defeated Zaria in her last match on the October 7 taping of NXT, which aired on October 14. She appeared in the crowd on SmackDown in San Jose on Friday during Zaria and Sol Ruca’s match against Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair.

Monroe’s full interview with Scott Fishman of TV Insider is available here.

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Blake Monroe does not have any issue with starting her WWE career in NXT.

The former Mariah May debuted for NXT this June following the expiration of her AEW contract. Given that she was a champion for AEW and has international experience, some fans were surprised that Monroe did not skip NXT and go straight to the WWE main roster. But Monroe told The Ringer Wrestling Show that she’s enjoying the opportunity to build her brand in NXT. She thinks being able to do that gives her the best opportunity to succeed when she does get to Raw or SmackDown.

“I mean, to date, NXT’s got the highest viewership of any show I’ve been on,” Monroe said. “And I think as well, you have to consider, like, WWE is so huge. The amount of TV equity [stars like Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, and Charlotte Flair have]… I mean, they have millions of followers, all this TV equity. I know I could go toe-to-toe with them, but I feel like — why wouldn’t I go to NXT, continue to build my brand, continue to introduce myself to the WWE Universe who may know me, probably don’t. Like, I don’t think any of these kids would know me or anything. Tell them who I am and also make NXT my brand, because I truly feel like I am doing that and can do that.

“Why wouldn’t I take that opportunity, get that TV equity, build myself in WWE, use the resources, be able to talk to Shawn Michaels and Matt Bloom and all these amazing coaches, learn and grow. So when I do go to the main roster and I’m going against these juggernauts, I really have the best chance possible to succeed, because they are huge stars. So I got to get a little — build myself up a little bit, maybe.â€

She might be more experienced than a lot of her NXT peers, but Monroe believes everyone is there for a reason and has something to offer.

“There’s always something you can learn from each other. Everybody has different backgrounds, sure. But we’re all here in the WWE for a reason,” she said. “So I feel like you should never kind of feel like you’re above anybody. And I think the best wrestlers are the ones that keep their heads down and just learn.â€

Monroe has been feuding with NXT Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca leading into Halloween Havoc. The NXT PLE is taking place in Prescott Valley, Arizona on Saturday, October 25.

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Blake Monroe has shared her perspective on why she is happy to be starting her WWE journey in the NXT brand rather than being immediately called up to the main roster. In a world where many new talents are eager to get to Raw or SmackDown as quickly as possible, she sees NXT not as a developmental stepping stone, but as a platform with a large viewership where she can build her brand, introduce herself to the fans, and utilize the resources available at the WWE Performance Center.

Speaking in a recent interview with The Ringer Wrestling, Monroe detailed her reasoning for wanting to make NXT her home.

“I mean to date, NXT has the highest viewership of any show Iâ€ve been on. I think as well, you have to consider that WWE is so huge, the amount of tv equity that Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, they have millions of followers and all of this TV equity. I know I can go toe-to-toe with them, but I feel like, why wouldnâ€t I go to NXT to continue to build my brand, continue to introduce the WWE universe.”

She continued, noting wanting to learn from the legends who are now coaching the next generation of superstars.

“They may know me, they probably donâ€t, I donâ€t think any of these kids know me or anything. Tell them who I am and also make NXT my brand because I truly feel like I am doing that and can do that. Why wouldnâ€t I take that opportunity and get that TV equity, build up myself in WWE, use the resources and be able to talk to Shawn, Matt Bloom, and all of these amazing coaches.”

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NXT tag team Hank Walker & Tank Ledger will experience Japan for the first time when they make their Pro Wrestling NOAH debut this month.

Hank & Tank will be in action at NOAH’s Sunny Voyage 2025 on October 26, taking on Dragon Bane & Alpha Wolf. The show is being held at Hodogaya Public Hall in Kanagawa and will be broadcast live on the Wrestle Universe streaming service.

📢 10/26 Kasukabe — New WWE NXT stars join the action!

SUNNY VOYAGE 2025
📅 10/26 (Sun) 1:00 PM Start / 12:00 PM Doors
🟠Saitama • Kasukabe Fureai Cube

Full card & event details ⤵ï¸
🔗 https://t.co/qyyjkTF92U#noah_ghc #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/5k6IQSSTnh

— PRO WRESTLING NOAH (@noahglobal) October 17, 2025

With both being former college football players, Hank & Tank were put together as a babyface team in NXT starting in 2023. They had a four-month reign with the NXT Tag Team titles earlier this year.

WWE and Pro Wrestling NOAH have a working relationship that has seen NXT wrestlers like Charlie Dempsey, Harlem Lewis, Tavion Heights, and Josh Briggs travel to Japan and get more ring time working in a non-WWE environment. Yoshiki Inamura has also crossed over from NOAH to the NXT roster.

The October 26 NOAH event will be headlined by an eight-man tag match pitting KENTA, Ulka Sasaki, Tetsuya Endo & Hayata against Kaito Kiyomiya, Harutoki, Alejandro & Kai Fujimura.

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WWE NXT saw an increase in viewership on October 14.

According to Wrestlenomics, NXT averaged 690,000 viewers on Tuesday. The show drew a 0.12 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic. The viewership is up from last weekâ€s episode, when an average of 625,000 viewers tuned in. The demo stayed even from last weekâ€s show (0.12 rating in the same demographic).

What happened on WWE NXT this week?

This weekâ€s show kicked off with a promo from NXT Champion Ricky Saints. He challenged Trick Williams to a match at Halloween Havoc. Williams appeared on the tron and said things would happen on his time.

AAA Latin American Champion Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. defeated Lexis King.

Elsewhere on the show, Josh Briggs defeated Matt Cardona in his first match in a WWE ring in five years.

In the main event of the evening, Tatum Paxley won a 20-woman battle royal to become the number one contender for Jacy Jayneâ€s NXT Womenâ€s Championship at Halloween Havoc.

Hereâ€s an overall review of Tuesdayâ€s episode of NXT courtesy of our live coverage page…

WWE NXT Review:

Tonightâ€s show moved at a glacial pace, with most of the matches and angles falling flat. Coming off the NXT Showdown event, you would think there would have been more meaningful action or, at the very least, hotly contested matches. Itâ€s unclear which direction NXT will be heading as a brand, but they will need to put a bit more effort into keeping their fans engaged if they want to keep their fans in the arena and at home, tuning in.

Rating: C

READ MORE: WWE Had ‘Significant Say†In Booking Direction Of TNA Bound For Glory Match — Report

What did you think of WWE NXT overall this week? What was your favorite match or segment? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.

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The October 14, 2025 edition of WWE NXT featured a loaded card that kept fans engaged from start to finish. One of the nightâ€s biggest moments came when Tatum Paxley won a high-stakes battle royal, earning herself a shot at the NXT Womenâ€s Championship.

According to Programming Insider, the October 14 episode of WWE NXT on The CW Network averaged 690,000 viewers, up from the 625,000 viewers recorded on October 7, 2025. In the key P18–49 demographic, the show scored a 0.12 rating, holding even with last weekâ€s demo number.

The show also delivered a 0.39 household rating/share, reaching between 0.493–0.506 million households. Among adults 18–49, NXT delivered a range of 0.157–0.170 million, including a 0.09 rating among women and a 0.15 among men. In the A25–54 demo, the show earned a 0.14 rating, with between 0.170–0.182 million viewers in that age group (0.10 F25–54, 0.19 M25–54).

WWE NXT week-to-week viewership comparison

MetricOctober 7, 2025October 14, 2025Change% ChangeTotal Viewers625,000690,000+65,000+10.4%P18–49 Demo Rating0.120.12±0.000.0%

Ringside News will continue to provide weekly updates on NXTâ€s ratings and major storylines, so stay tuned for more insights into how NXT performs in the weeks ahead.

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The new #1 contender for the NXT Womenâ€s Title certainly earned her spot. Now, Jacy Jayne has quite a scary challenger waiting for her.

The October 14 episode of WWE NXT was quite a show. WWEâ€s NXT brand needed a new #1 contender for the Womenâ€s Title. That was determined this week in a battle royal match.

The battle royal was also promoted to be a cross-branded affair, with NXT and TNA representation. It was anyoneâ€s guess who would show up to get a shot at Jacy Jayneâ€s title.

This match went down as the main event of the night. It included some of the top names from NXT and TNA. They all got in the ring, including Victoria Crawford, Jordynne Grace, the IIconics, Zaria, Lash Legend, and so many more battling for the win.

This was an intense battle royal match, and bodies were flying all over the place at one point or another. Some big names like Lola Vice and the IInspiration were eliminated. Kelani Jordan tried to take out Jordynne Grace, but in the end, the Juggernaut too her out, despite an impressive handstand effort to stay in.

In the end, Izzi Dame, Tatum Paxley, Jordynne Grace and Kendal Grey were the final four in the match. The four kept going and the action was fast-paced, for sure. Grey tried to take Paxley out, but then Grace started to push Kendal out. Izzi eliminated Grey before she clotheslined Grace and they both went toppling over the top rope.

That left Tatum Paxley alone in the ring, so she will get a shot at Jacy Jayneâ€s championship. As Paxley celebrated, her old friend Lyra Valkyria ran out to the ring to join in the happy times as the show came to a close.

Whatâ€s your take on the new #1 contender for the NXT Womenâ€s Title? Do you believe that Jacy Jayne has already met her match? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

October 14, 2025 10:02 pm

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Who will Jacy Jayne be defending her WWE NXT Womenâ€s Championship against later this month at Halloween Havoc?

In the main event of tonightâ€s episode of WWE NXT, a 20-woman over-the-top-rope battle royal featuring women from both NXT and TNA Wrestling took place to determine the number one contender for Jayneâ€s NXT Womenâ€s Championship at Halloween Havoc.

The 20 participants in tonightâ€s match were as follows:

• Jordynne Grace
• Lash Legend
• TNA Wrestlingâ€s Lei Ying Lee
• TNA Wrestlingâ€s Xia Brookside
• TNA Wrestlingâ€s Victoria Crawford
• Jaida Parker
• TNA Wrestling†Mara Sade
• TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan
• Tatum Paxley
• Lola Vice
• Zaria
• Arianna Grace
• Wren Sinclair
• TNA Wrestlingâ€s Cassie Lee
• TNA Wrestlingâ€s Jessie McKay
• Izzi Dame
• TNA Wrestlingâ€s Heather by Elegance
• Kendal Grey
• Thea Hail
• Karmen Petrovic

The final four participants came down to Jordynne Grace, Tatum Paxley, Kendal Grey, and Izzi Dame. Paxley and Dame teamed up to try and eliminate Grace and Grey.

Dame would eventually eliminate Grey. She would then set her sights on Grace, who was tangled up with Paxley on the other side of the ring. Izzi would charge in and clothesline Grace over the top rope, but her momentum took her over, too, leaving Paxley as the winner and new number one contender.

Lyra Valkyria hit the ring to celebrate with Paxley as Fatal Influence watched from the entrance stage at NXT went off the air.

WrestleZone will have live coverage of NXT Halloween Havoc later this month.

READ MORE: Tony Schiavone Explains Why He Has No Interest In Watching The Current WWE Product

What do you make of the new number one contender? Do you think they have a shot of dethroning Jacy Jayne later this month at WWE NXT Halloween Havoc? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

NXT TV REPORT

OCTOBER 14, 2025

ORLANDO, FLA. AT THE WWE PERFORMANCE CENTER

AIRED LIVE ON THE CW

REPORT BY DAVID MILLER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Â

Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T

ÂRing 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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