“Tony fumbled” chants accompanied the pre-match intros for Ricky Saints and Shawn Spears in tonight’s main event. Saints’ revolution was televised in his attempt to win the North American Championship in record time, already becoming a highlight of NXT television heading into Stand & Deliver.
Stephanie Vaquer set records at Roadblock by becoming the first women’s double champion in NXT history. She made history again last week by successfully defending both the Women’s North American and NXT Women’s Championships, but the world-beating momentum halted tonight.
NXT General Manager Ava opened the show by relinquishing Vaquer of the Women’s North American Championship. “It’s not fair for her to continue to do this alone,” Ava said to jeers that drowned out the announcement of a six-women ladder match set for Stand & Deliver with qualifying matches beginning tonight.
Zaria vs Lash Legend – Qualifying Match
The women’s locker room argues over who’s got next, but these competitors can prove it in tonight’s first qualifying match. Sol Ruca and Jakara Jackson take respective corners as their powerhouse partners test one another, and Legend gets the upper hand. Legend gets Orlando standing with a hard chop, Zaria stumbles on a kip-up, and Corey Graves says she’s off her game. Zaria recuperates with suplexes, Legend delivers a chokeslam, and the former connects with a spear. She hits the F5 to win, but Legend’s progress is unmistakable.
Winner: Zaria
Wes Lee laughs at Yoshiki Inamura’s dream of competing at Stand & Deliver. Inamura says Lee used to fight with honor, and the latter honors his request for a match next week.
Kehlani Jordan tells Ava she’ll repeat history by winning the ladder match, and Roxanne Perez vows to win every NXT women’s championship available. Only one will succeed, as they compete in tonight’s second qualifying match.
Cinematic footage of D’Angelo Family intel reveals the four members of Darkstate: Dion Lennox – Oregon State University linebacker and psychology specialist, Osiris Griffin – Syracuse University defensive lineman, Cutler James – Duke University wrestler, and Saquon Sugars – “real slick city kid” who turned down an offer from Harvard. Tony D’Angelo asks “Stacks” to trust his plan, knowing that Darkstate are more than just four “meatheads.”
Hank Walker and Tank Ledger vs No Quarter Catch Crew
“Yes boy!” Pretty Deadly offer their advice to Walker and Ledger, who throw off the duo’s signature tops. They bulldoze the opposition while hitting the Pretty Deadly taunt, but Tavion Heights assists in a clothesline to the outside by holding down the top rope. NQCC control thereafter until Ledger makes an energetic comeback that’s hard not to get behind. Walker and Ledger attempt Pretty Deadly’s tag finisher, but NQCC reverse with their own for victory.
Winners: No Quarter Catch Crew
“Whoop that Trick” continues with a little less gusto, and Trick Williams says his success came with haters. He calls Je’Von Evans collateral damage last week, and “Young OG” responds by coming after his spot. Evans calls him a hypocrite: “One of one? ‘A’ Champion? You don’t know who the hell you is. You’re Carmelo Hayes.” NXT Champion Oba Femi arrives and says that he’s the now rather than the future. Ava officially announces a triple threat for the NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver, Femi knocks down Williams, and Darkstate pounces on the remaining two. Williams, the red herring, gets manhandled as well, and Ava – deliberately or not – watches motionlessly.
Andre Chase learns he suffered cracked ribs during his match against Ethan Page, and Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon offer to drive him home. Meanwhile, Jordynne Grace and Jaida Parker brawl across the backstage area. NXT Tag Team Champions Fraxiom are met by Evolve competitors Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes, Swipe Right, who are as interested with Roxanne Perez as they are the belts.
Roxanne Perez vs Kehlani Jordan – Qualifying Match
First-ever Women’s North American Champion Jordan and longtime NXT Women’s Champion Perez feel like super seniors yet to graduate. Perez has at least shown growth, clawing at Jordan’s eyes and stomping her left arm over the ropes. She methodically targets the arm through another break and connects with a cartwheel knee drop. But recuperating with a split-legged moonsault, Jordan wins in an upset, but the more pressing matter is where Perez lands on Stand & Deliver weekend.
Winner: Kehlani Jordan
Evolve General Manager Stevie Turner apologizes about Swipe Right, Robert Stone runs through Stand & Deliver, but Ava focuses on Darkstate. She announces a six-man tag team match next week: Darkstate versus Oba Femi, Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans.
Jordan tells Zaria she’s winning the ladder match, and Sol Ruca surprises her partner with her own qualifying match. But Ruca affirms that neither the match nor Jordan will drive a wedge between “Za-Ruca.”
Ricky Saints vs Shawn Spears (c) – North American Championship
In a backstage interview, Saints says he isn’t worried about his past and vows to televise the revolution in record time. “This is the revolution” says a new theme song intro, and a remixed version fails to fix what isn’t broken. “Tony fumbled” chants precede Saints’ suicide dive and outside brawl that features a tight-rope walk across the barricade. Spears takes control in picture-in-picture, and Saints reverses a superplex in midair to begin his hot comeback. Niko Vance distracts the referee, Izzi Dame slides in the belt for Spears to use, and Saints kicks out to a standing ovation. The challenger takes out Vance and Brooks Jensen of The Culling, spears Spears and hits Rochambeau for the win and a “revolutionary” pop.
Winner: Ricky Saints
Saints doesn’t celebrate for long, blindsided by rival Ethan Page. “All Ego” holds up the North American Championship in the closing shot, accompanied by more “Tony fumbled” chants.
