Tonight’s episode of NXT built itself around Stephanie – in part by multiple plugs for Stephanie McMahon’s new interview show “Stephanie’s Places.” But the true centerpiece Stephanie, Stephanie Vaquer, pulled double duty as NXT’s first-ever women’s double champion. An opening package highlighted previous instances like Seth Rollins in 2015 and Becky Lynch in 2019, but Vic Joseph mentioned that nobody in WWE had ever successfully defended two separate titles in one night.
Jaida Parker vs Stephanie Vaquer (c) – NXT Women’s Championship
Booker T calls this Vaquer’s “night of champions,” and tonight’s episode is bluntly built around her. The women’s roster watches the monitors as Vaquer wrestles circles around the challenger, who reverses momentum with a hip drop. Parker retains control through picture-in-picture, but Vaquer comes back with a springboard crossbody and Tiger Feint Kick. Her thigh smashes get “shucky ducky quack quack” chants from Orlando, and their buzzing lets Parker know of Jordynne Grace’s arrival ringside. Vaquer capitalizes on the distraction with a roll-up, and officials are forced to separate Grace and Parker. Meanwhile, Fatal Influence blindside the champion with a three-on-one assault preceding tonight’s main event.
Winner: Stephanie Vaquer
Je’Von Evans at last approaches Trick Williams with hostility, saying he dropped Oba Femi in one night when the latter couldn’t in four months. Evans says the NXT Championship changed Williams. “It’s a championship thing, dawg. You wouldn’t understand,” he responds.
Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson complain to Ava that Gigi Dolin and Tatum Paxley have a shot at the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships before them. The prohibited portal continues opening every Tuesday and Thursday.
Footage from earlier shows a sit-down interview between Vic Joseph and Ricky Saints, who says his confidence scares the locker room. North American Champion and familiar face Shawn Spears interrupts the conversation, saying Saints’ arrogance is a plague everywhere. Saints eyes the belt, and Spears warns not to add him “to that long list of enemies” as The Culling appears behind. “In case it doesn’t work out here… nevermind, we both know you burnt every bridge,” Spears closes.
Wes Lee, Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe watch the line-blurring segment on the monitors. Kale Dixon says Saints is “pulling an Ethan Page” – jumping ship and grabbing gold, in other words. Andre Chase stands up for Dixon and Uriah Connors, and Page ultimately backs down.
Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe
In their quest for veteran advice, Walker and Ledger walk past The Motor City Machine Guns, who generously do their “honk honk” taunt together. The match starts in picture-in-picture, showing how important this is, while commentary talks about yesterday’s John Cena segment. Also in jorts, Walker flies on an outside dive across the announce desk, and Ledger eventually makes a hot comeback “with all the grace of a circus panda” as Corey Graves notes. Lee distracts the referee, and Dupont and Igwe connect with a double-team slam for victory.
Winners: Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe
In the trainer’s room, Vaquer promises to keep her word to Ava and defend both titles tonight. After, NXT Tag Team Champions Fraxiom are interviewed backstage, and Axiom reminisces on his match with Gunther in Spain. Nathan Frazer jabs that he wasn’t invited, and meanwhile, NXT Champion Oba Femi arrives at the Performance Center on the monitor.
Je’Von Evans vs Lexis King (c) – Heritage Cup Championship
King changes Heritage Rules to just one-fall – maybe because he isn’t technically gifted enough for six rounds. Opposingly, Evans is an infectious underdog, gets his “bouncy” catchphrase over and dives across the announce desk before break. He connects with an unbelievable twisting kick, frog splash and clears the top rope on an outside dive (yeet). But Femi appears with an apron powerbomb to Evans, and King retains via count-out.
Winner: Lexis King
Femi rises like a lion to an injured gazelle, and Darkstate appears while they brawl. Trick Williams runs in and inadvertently Trick Shots Evans before officials separate the competitors, and Darkstate interestingly cheers him on from the stands.
Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin vs Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson
The teams are actually similar in losing steam without their respective faction leaders. Sol Ruca and Zaria spectate ringside, Dolin makes an awkward comeback, and the duo connects with Cemetery Drive for victory. Paxley and Dolin head to TNA this Thursday, but the Meta Girls inversely proved more than just tune-ups.
Winners: Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin
The D’Angelo Family sits down over water, and Tony D’Angelo orders them for intel on The Culling. “Stacks” sticks around and says D’Angelo can always trust him, uttered over eerie yet cheesy strings. After, The Motor City Machine Guns tell Hank Walker and Tank Ledger to trust their partners and never give up.
Ethan Page vs Andre Chase
Page’s smile fades when Ricky Saints brushes past him before break. Chase’s entrance is also interrupted – his by Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors, who try, but are doomed, to revive the spirit of Chase University. Saints joins a crowded four-man booth, and the disheveled Chase scores with an apron dive preceding picture-in-picture. Chase pumps himself up enough for the patented Chase U stomps, hits an apron neckbreaker and tornado DDT for two. Page crotches him on the ropes and connects with a powerslam, leading to a Twisted Grin for the win.
Winner: Ethan Page
Saints starts jaw-jacking with Page, but like Drake, the former has a lot of enemies. Shawn Spears belts him with the North American Championship, and Vic Joseph reveals he’ll defend against Saints next week.
In the parking lot, Trick Williams says Je’Von Evans was a distraction to what he really wanted: the NXT Champion Oba Femi. “That ain’t my business,” he says in response to Darkstate. That’s exactly what the real Darkstate leader would say.
Fallon Henley vs Stephanie Vaquer (c) – Women’s North American Championship
Vaquer looks to make history as the first person in WWE to defend separate titles in one night. With Fatal Influence’s influence, Henley controls through picture-in-picture, but the champion comes back with a second-rope suplex. Vaquer connects with a meteora, but Henley escapes the Booker T thigh smashes to the biggest jeers of the night. Jazmyn Nyx hits a Pele Kick on the outside, the challenger delivers a blockbuster, but Vaquer ultimately connects with SVB for the win.
Winner: Stephanie Vaquer
Fatal Influence attacks her post-match, but Jordynne Grace makes the save like a true “Juggernaut.” She doesn’t hand the belts over easily, and Parker tries and fails to enact revenge on Grace. Meanwhile, Ava is swarmed by the women’s locker room and championship hopefuls, but it’s Grace versus Vaquer that has Orlando standing.
