After Tony D’Angelo crashed Joe Hendry and Dion Lennox’s match last week, along with attacking several security guards, NXT General Manager Ava told a new batch to stay alert for the perpetrator tonight. The message fell on deaf ears, as D’Angelo involved himself in the aftermath of two qualifiers for the NXT Championship ladder match on Feb. 3. Ricky Saints became the first entrant in the six-man match, spectating tonight at the commentary desk.
Ethan Page (c) vs Elio LeFleur – North American Championship
Formerly known as Aigle Blanc, the French luchador LeFleur makes his NXT television debut. He one-ups Page with agile chain wrestling and lands a hurricanrana off the steel steps. The champion regroups with a side slam to the turnbuckles, following with a big boot to the floor preceding break. Accompanied by “oui” chants, LeFleur makes a comeback with a springboard crossbody. Page hits another boot and a mid-air dropkick, but LeFleur recuperates with an outside moonsault and springboard knee. The challenger goes coast-to-coast and reverses Ego’s Edge, but a mild powerbomb with leverage from the tights lets Page retain.
Winner: Ethan Page
Former rival Saints interrupts Page’s celebration, calling each other “the glue that’s holding this place together” before heading to commentary. Saints’ original trap-drum theme song variant is here to stay.
Footage shows Keanu Carver decimating the NXT roster last week, and Vic Joseph mentions that he was previously moved to WWE Evolve for disciplinary reasons. In a clip from WWE LFG, Booker T tells Carver in an argument to “get the f— out of here.” Carver storms out of Shawn Michaels’s office, disrupting a backstage Kam Hendrix promo and leaving Booker T speechless.
Shiloh Hill vs Josh Briggs – Qualifying Match
Tonight’s winner joins Saints in the six-man ladder match, in other words the second body. Regardless, Hill continues gaining Orlando’s support, and Briggs opposingly keeps getting jeered. The big men trade messy offense, and Briggs lands an outside lariat preceding commercial. Hill makes a comeback with an inside-out senton, and Briggs boots the tooth out before hitting a chokeslam. He misses a moonsault, and Hill capitalizes with a neckbreaker to advance.
Winner: Shiloh Hill
Tony D’Angelo hits both men with spinebusters, walking away as Saints gawks. “Where the hell is security?” Booker T correctly asks.
In the locker room, Zaria and Sol Ruca reflect on the former’s loss at TNA Genesis. With an injured shoulder, Zaria tells Ruca not to blame her if they lose tonight’s main event.
The Vanity Project vs Chase University
Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes, accompanied by Evolve Champion Jackson Drake, wrestle their first match as official NXT wrestlers – complete with frat-house music. On the opposing college niche, pupil Uriah Connors looks like he can’t wait for David Finlay’s arrival. Booker T coincidentally says Kale Dixon is missing guidance, and the latter hits a standing moonsault and stereo dives. Meanwhile, TNA International Champion Stacks and Lexis King shake hands backstage while The Vanity Project takes over. Dixon comes back with a Fosbury Flop and a picturesque twisting splash, but Smokes singles him out. The latter hits an assisted stomp for victory, but Chase University has evidently improved immensely. Cameras focus in on Connors’ face, contemplating over Dixon and Andre Chase.
Winners: The Vanity Project
Lola Vice and Thea Hail argue over who’s next at Izzi Dame’s Women’s North American Championship, and Ava settles it with a triple-threat championship match on Feb. 3. Ava slips in a kudos to Vice “at the big Fox premiere” for AAA.
Keanu Carver eventually agrees to Shawn Michaels’ call for a sit-down interview, conducted by Blake Howard. The latter announces Carver’s inclusion in next week’s qualifying match, and the latter refuses to answer his “dumba– questions.”
Jaida Parker enters the ring to rowdy “Miss Parker” chants. She gives Kendal Grey and Lola Vice her flowers and retracts them for Blake Monroe. Setting up her in-ring return, she confidently talks about owning the spotlight and refusing to dim it. The lights immediately dim, and Monroe appears on the podium. “If you had to stop talking, you might have something to prove,” Parker says, shutting her up.
Elio LeFleur interrupts Myles Borne’s conversation with Myles Borne, who welcomes him to NXT. Borne catches up with Ricky Saints, telling him he’ll join the ladder match after beating Dion Lennox next week. Ethan Page becomes a thorn again, accusing Borne of falling short in opportune moments.
Sean Legacy vs Eli Knight – Qualifying Match
Saints rejoins the booth, waiting to see the six-man ladder match’s third entrant. The former WWE Evolve wrestlers talk similar grinds in pre-match lower thirds, and Legacy wins a fast-paced exchange with an outside dive and springboard crossbody. Knight comes back with a springboard moonsault before break, they trade roll-up attempts, and Legacy hits a Spanish Fly. He lands a springboard 450 Splash, and Knight connects with a moonsault and Sliced Bread. But Legacy gets his boots up on another moonsault, capitalizing with a spinning suplex for victory.
Winner: Sean Legacy
The competitors exchange respect, and Tony D’Angelo invades again. He slams Legacy onto the announce desk, and Saints shields himself with an office chair. Security proves feckless, so external guards arrest a complying D’Angelo.
In a backstage promo package, Women’s North American Champion Izzi Dame sits at the pinnacle of The Culling. Niko Vance plans on following suit, letting OTM and DarkState tangle before eyeing the NXT Tag Team Championships with Shawn Spears.
“Free Tony!” fans shout as guards escort D’Angelo outside the building. Blake Howard tries getting an interview but is instead shoved away by OTM. They challenge DarkState to an NXT Tag Team Championship match next week.
The Vanity Project boast their win over Chase University to two blondes. Robert Stone steps in, letting Jackson Drake know his opponent for next week’s qualifying match: Joe Hendry. He of course appears, taking a girl’s place in Ricky Smokes arms, and the latter panics over possibly kissing him.
Cutler James tells DarkState that D’Angelo is safer in prison than in the locker room, and Dion Lennox promises to whoop Myles Borne next week in their NXT Championship ladder match qualifier.
Fatal Influence vs ZaRuca vs WrenQCC
The Elegance Brand’s Personal Concierge sits ringside, as the winning team challenges for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships. With NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne’s influence, Fatal Influence capitalizes on Zaria’s injured shoulder, and WrenQCC hit consecutive moonsaults before break. “She’s become a hell of a worker – I mean a hell of a talent,” Booker T says about Wren Sinclair, who makes a comeback with multiple suplexes. Kendel Grey smoothly avoids Jayne’s right hand and connects with a dropkick, following with an armbar on Lainey Reid. Sol Ruca breaks it with a frog splash to “women’s wrestling” chants, and Zaria tags herself in. She hits a double spear, Jayne hits Rolling Encore on Grey, and Fallon Henley throws Sinclair into the barricade. Ruca saves Zaria from a pin and hits double Sol Snatchers, letting Zaria hit an F5 on Henley for victory.
Winners: ZaRuca
