For the third time on WWE programming this week, wrestlers and personnel stood for the late Hulk Hogan’s 10-bell salute. NXT returned to the Performance Center after last week’s Houston, Texas, episode where real North American Ethan Page unveiled a Canadian-strapped North American Championship. Italian-Canadian TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella stepped up for the people of North America, challenging Page in tonight’s main event.
Jaida Parker vs Jazmyn Nyx
Women’s NXT and TNA Knockouts Champion Jacy Jayne tells Nyx to prove she’s a baddie tonight before entering the ring. The celebrated Fatal Influence entrance theme is now a little tainted after a social media post outed def rebel’s AI use. The love for “Miss Parker” is real though, with her hip drop and Hipnotic finishing combo getting Orlando on their feet. Jayne and Fallon Henley talk down to a defeated Nyx while Parker’s stock continues to rise.
Winner: Jaida Parker
Backstage, Je’Von Evans daps up WWE LFG members and tells The High Ryze they’re bad friends for letting Trick Williams wear last week’s outfit. He agrees with Andre Chase for telling Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors to reach for the biggest dog, which The Undertaker told Evans last Tuesday.
Evans speaks in-ring, quickly interrupted by TNA Champion Williams. “Woof woof – the biggest dog has finally arrived,” the latter says as he acknowledges and accepts being chokeslammed by Undertaker last week. Evans clarifies the biggest dog is NXT Champion Oba Femi, but The High Ryze appears to back Williams up. Wes Lee accepts his role as Williams’ hype man, and Evans fights back against the four opposition. Lee hits a sick assisted Kardiac Kick, threatening to talk to Ava for a match.
Dixon and Connors wield steel chairs outside NXT Tag Team Champions Hank Walker and Tank Ledger’s locker room. “We’re gonna beat you with these chairs and get a title match!” Dixon says. “Just ask!” the champions respond.
Tavion Heights vs Charlie Dempsey
Last week, Bubba Ray Dudley and his superiority complex suggested a match between No Quarter Catch Crew members, where if Heights wins, he can leave the group – so, the same stipulation as the last one. “I’m not gonna speak on anything Bubba Ray has to say,” Booker T jokes. “Why can’t Tavion Heights just take a hike?” Corey Grave asks. Meanwhile, Joe Hendry’s smile abruptly cuts in, and Evans versus Lee is made official for tonight. After break, Heights makes a comeback until Dempsey sends his left knee into the steel steps. Wren Sinclair contemplates throwing in the towel again, but Heights recuperates with a DVD and belly-to-belly suplex for victory. Heights joins Myles Borne in liberation and shakes Dempsey’s hand, leaving the NQCC to two.
Winner: Tavion Heights
Lee and Williams discuss getting TNA Tag Team Championship matches for Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe as TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella walks in. He relieves himself of his duties for tonight to save North America from “Ethan Pag-ay.”
Through the frame of her vanity mirror, “The Glamour” Blake Monroe enters the ring to correct Booker T on her name, which isn’t “Monica Monroe” as he announced last week. “She loves me,” he responds. WWE superfan Monroe says she put Jordynne Grace in a local medical facility and points out previous WWE footage of the latter as an extra. She displays an older photo of a heavier Grace and compares it to Instagram model posts of herself. Lola Vice interrupts, calling Monroe ugly inside and ironically dissing her for posting backstage photos. Jaida Parker returns to get in line for the NXT Women’s Championship, and Kehlani Jordan appears with Grace’s entrance music. The four brawl, and the weekly segment of consecutive promo interruptions is getting tired.
Izzi Dame shuts down Tatum Paxley’s hopes of challenging Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca, but Shawn Spears says he got her the match. “I love my new family!” Paxley says about The Culling. Cameras pan to an emo Luca Crusifino: “No family lasts forever.”
Lash Legend vs Fallon Henley
Talking down the camera, Legend says Henley is a stepping stone towards NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne. Joe Hendry once again cuts in as Legend powers over her opponent, winning over both Orlando and the commentary desk. Henley sacrifices Nyx, and Legend big boots Jayne ringside. But Nia Jax blindsides Legend, allowing Henley to capitalize with a Famouser for victory. Jax continues the assault with an Annihilator, and the small pond gives the big fish big fanfare.
Winner: Fallon Henley
Former friends Yoshiki Inamura and Josh Briggs get into it backstage, and the former slaps “Stacks” for giving pessimistic advice about family like bizzaro Dominic Toretto. “Oh my god, are you okay?” asks Arianna Grace, “Stack’s” legitimate girlfriend.
Je’Von Evans vs Wes Lee
Williams joins the commentary desk, and Evans jumpstarts with an outside dive. He hits a springboard lariat and chops down Lee, but Tyriek Igwe provides a distraction for the latter’s tope con giro before break. Evans comes back with a snap German suplex and crisp right hands to “Young OG” and “NXT” chants. Lee hits a tornado DDT and brainbuster for two, but Evans recuperates with a front-flip Coast-to-Coast and top-rope splash. A near-fall gets Orlando standing, Evans splashes onto Igwe and Tyson Dupont, and Lee connects with Kardiac Kick for a sneaky rope break. Evans hits his signature springboard cutter for victory in a rare NXT television banger, reminiscent of black-and-gold. NXT Champion Oba Femi stands on the podium, looking over both Evans and TNA Champion Williams.
Winner: Je’Von Evans
Vic Joseph sits down with Myles Borne, who speaks on Lexis King mocking his disability. He reveals being born with persistent pulmonary hypertension with a 50% chance to live. The radiation in his ventilator led to 90% hearing loss in both ears, forcing him to learn how to read lips. “You gotta have fun with it,” Borne teases Joseph, shaking off King’s antics too.
Robert Stone and Stevie Turner tell Ava that Ricky Saints has a bruised sternum and Jordynne Grace is left with a neckbrace. King insists that Borne isn’t deaf and vows to prove he’s a fraud in-ring next week. Also announced for next week: Blake Monroe versus Kehlani Jordan and Chase University versus Hank Walker and Tank Ledger for the NXT Tag Team Championships.
Santino Marella vs Ethan Page (c) – North American Championship
Marella wrestles in a WWE ring for the first time since 2014, welcomed back as a comedy hero. Footage from the break shows Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne berating Jazmyn Nyx for not holding up her end, and Nia Jax interrupts to say Lash Legend doesn’t measure up. Marella shows off his martial-arts background, Joe Hendry appears again, and Page reverses momentum with a big boot. “Pag-ay sucks” chants ring over the champion’s offense, and Marella takes both out with an Airplane Spin. He hits a Stunner and diving headbutt to “you still got it” chants and connects with a Marella-esque outside dive. He releases The Cobra, but Page strikes with an eye poke and Twisted Grin for three.
Winner: Ethan Page
Tony D’Angelo is cinematically filmed at the head of a restaurant table. “You don’t have to call me ‘Don’ anymore,” he tells his waiter. D’Angelo is covered by a looming shadow before NXT goes off air.
