SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV RESULTS
APRIL 8, 2025
ORLANDO, FLA. AT CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
LIVE ON CW NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Backstage Correspondent(s): Sarah Schreiber
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
-Yet again, Stephanie Vaquer got the superstar treatment by opening the show again. She walked through the back and told Kelly Kincaid she’d have an answer about who she wanted to face at Stand & Deliver after the first match. Vaquer continued through the back and sat in on commentary.
(1) JORDYNN GRACE vs. JAIDA PARKER
It wasn’t promoted as a #1 contender’s match, but felt like one. I’m guessing triple threat.
They brawled on the mat to start, selling the personal issue that’s been brewing. They spilled to the outside shortly after and Grace took control, beating Parker’s head into the apron. Parker tried to reenter and Grace pulled her out, then tried to reenter herself. Weird. They eventually headed back in and Grace hit a Death Valley driver and covered for two. They went to the apron, where Grace wanted a back body-drop, but Parker reversed and nearly hit a piledriver. Parker ended up hitting a cutter over the top rope. Inside, Parker hit a blockbuster for two.
The two went for suplexes, but no dice. Grace charged Parker to a corner. Grace went up but Parker yanked her to the rope and draped her for the teardrop. The match went to split-screen. [c]
The two battled to the top, and Grace slipped down for a powerbomb attempt. Parker booted her away and missed a leaping shot. The two traded piledriver{?} attempts and eventually Grace whipped backward and hit a fallaway move instead. “NXT” chan for the innovative offense. Parker hit a short hip check and went for a corner spot, but missed. Grace put Parker in the electric chair and dropped her into the top buckle. She hit a neckbreaker and covered for two.
The two exchanged attempts at dragon sleepers, but Parker planted Grace in the end. Grace evaded a shot and Parker slipped out. Grace went for a tope suicida, and fell short and to the ground loudly. Yikes. Not sure if she clipped a foot on the rope, Parker was too far away, or both. Vaquer ended up involved and through some “accidental” strikes, they all brawled and the match was thrown out.
DOUBLE DISQUALIFICATION at 10:03.
After that, Giulia reentered, now with hair dyed deep blue. She took out Parker and Grace, then hit the Northern Lights Bomb on Vaquer to boos. Vic said she may have “changed the question” as we were searching for an answer from Vaquer.
(Wells’s Analysis: Pretty decent, with some occasional strange transitions. They got away with all of it except for the totally botched tope suicida, where Vic covered by saying “that’s why they call it high risk.” It seemed like a triple threat was brewing all the way to Giulia’s appearance. Now it’s hard to say if it’ll be a four-way or if there will be two singles matches)
-Ricky Saints’ big win was covered, as well as Ethan Page’s post-match attack. Saints was promoted as being here tonight.
-Hank & Tank talked backstage, and Swipe Right showed up. Sigh, I forgot these guys were around. They said Hank & Tank should take notes from them when they face Axiom and Nathan Frazer.
-The tag champions were introduced ahead of the match with Swipe Right. [c]
-In a promoted segment, the Culling sat together and said they’d do anything it took to help Shawn Spears get his championship back. Spears said the title was never the focus – it was a bond to bring them together. He said the focus is now on the other three. He said tonight Izzi Dame will qualify for the women’s ladder match. He then said Hank & Tank were trying to find their way, and tonight they need to make sure they don’t. He said it’s always been about the three of them.
(2) AXIOM & NATHAN FRAZER vs. SWIPE RIGHT (BRAD BAYLOR & RICKY SMOKES)
It’s ludicrous how young Swipe Right looks. Smokes bumped Axiom from the apron for some quick heat and then the two double-teamed quickly for some covers on Frazer. Frazer managed a spin kick on Baylor and made the tag to Axiom, who took over on offense with a big tope suicida on Baylor. Frazer hit one across the way on Smokes. They then switched sides and hit two more.
Back inside, Axiom battered Baylor in a corner, but Smokes made a blind tag and hit a nice spear on Axiom. Baylor tagged in and hit a springboard X-Factor for another two. He worked a short full nelson, and Smokes made a tag and ran right into Spanish Fly. Frazer tagged in and cleaned house on both guys with offense too rapid to call. Standing shooting star press on Smokes got two.
Both guys made tags and the action remained rapid. Magic Killer by Swipe Right. They went for their team finisher (I assume) and Axiom fougt it off and hit a top rope Spanish Fly on Smokes. Frazer hit the Phoenix Splash. Axiom hit the Golden Ratio on Baylor to keep him from breaking the count.
WINNERS: Axiom & Nathan Frazer at 4:59.
(Wells’s Analysis: You can’t pack more action into five minutes than that, and it wasn’t just a spotfest, as they did some real old-school tag stuff at times. It’s no surprise that Swipe Right had their best match to date with these guys, but it was their best by a very wide margin, which shows why the brass were eager to get them some reps against strong competition even though they – particularly Baylor – aren’t ready on the mic yet)
-Fatal Influence, in the locker room, argued about which of them were going to take the qualifying match they got tonight. Henley and Jayne were arguing when Jazmyn Nyx stood up and took charge, stepping out of frame and saying it was going to be her match. Henley and Jayne wondered what just happened. [c]
(3) SOL RUCA (w/Zaria) vs. JAZMYN NYX (w/Fallon Henley & Jacy Jayne) – Qualifying match for the Women’s North American Championship ladder match at Stand & Deliver
Nyx worked a headlock early, and Ruca escaped with a headstand. Quick escapes until Ruca hit an X-Factor. Ruca hit a suplex and kipped up, then flipped onto Nyx and covered for two. Ruca went for a springboard splash, but Nyx got her knees up. Nyx booted Ruca in a corner and went at her with rights. Perfect plex by Nyx got two. Nyx worked a neck submission and then hit a PK for two. Nyx missed a right and Ruca planted her, and both of them sold on the mat.
Ruca ran Nyx on the ropes and hit a block, then hit a couple of springboard strikes. Backpack senton, maybe? by Ruca. Cool, whatever it was. OUtside, Jayne and Zaria argued, allowing Henley to distract Ruca. Nyx Kick got a long two. Nyx managed a kick but out of nowhere, Ruca hit the Sol Snatcher to finish.
WINNER: Sol Ruca at 5:03.
(Wells’s Analysis: Another extremely strong five-minute match here. Henley is farther along, but I honestly think Nyx has the largest amount of natural talent in Fatal Influence. Ruca joins Zaria and Kelani Jordan in the ladder match with three spots left to fill)
-Sarah Schreiber talked to Je’Von Evans, who said he called this. He said he knew DarkState was going to be a problem. He said he doesn’t have “an era” and he’s not “the ruler,” but he doesn’t want to be like Trick or Oba. He said tonight it’s DarkState, but soon, it’ll be the NXT Championship. Schreiber thanked him and said Hank & Tank vs. The Culling was next. [c]
-Giulia walked outside and said “Stand & Deliver. No friends. Rematch” when asked about attacking Stephanie Vaquer.
(4) HANK WALKER & TANK LEDGER vs. THE CULLING (Niko Vance & Brooks Jensen)
Jensen tripped on the stairs as he walked up them. That’ll fill coworkers with a lot of trust. Jensen was pancaked by Hank & Tank immediately, and Vance got the same treatment shortly after. Tank tagged in and they tried a double-team, but Vance interfered to allow Jensen to hit a spinning heel kick on Tank. Cover for two. Shawn Spears was shown watching on a monitor backstage, as he and Dame aren’t at ringside for this one.
Vance tagged in and dominated Tank for a moment before a lukewarm tag. Hank hit lariat/splashes in two corners and ran the ropes for a body block for two. Tank and Vance brawled outside as inside, Jensen avoided a swanton bomb and the heels hit a top rope team move for yet another super quick Hank & Tank loss.
WINNERS: Niko Vance & Brooks Jensen at 3:23.
Hank & Tank wondered aloud what they’re doing wrong.
(Wells’s Analysis: Hank & Tank continue to get pushed while picking up zero wins. I get what they’re doing, but the crowd won’t follow these guys forever if they don’t pick one up soon)
-Ricky Saints was shown arriving at the venue. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-Saints walked to the ring to a huge ovation. Vic said he had set the record for quickest time from debut to holding a championship. Ethan Page had to be up there, which might come up in their feud. He grabbed a mic and said he told everyone he was going to turn NXT upside down, and he was a man of his word because now he’s the North American Championship.
He said he’s got a bitter taste in his mouth, though, because Ethan Page attacked him last week. He said he gets it, because if someone had done what he did faster and better, his ego would be shattered too. He called Page out.
Instead, Lexis King’s music played, and a throne rolled him out to the top of the ramp. King said Saints is worried about the wrong guy. He said King loves gold and would like a little extra. Eddy Thorpe’s music played him to the ramp for the first time since his last big loss. He said he realized he had his sights set on the wrong thing, because he wanted the title that represents the land that was stolen from his people. Wes Lee’s music played him out and he said you can’t talk about that championship without him in the conversation. King once again said he was taking it and Thorpe said he was just another greedy white man who wasn’t happy with what he had. Ethan Page, out of nowhere, hit a neckbreaker on Saints. The four championship suitors all grabbed the belt, then brawled.
-Ava, Rob Stone and Stevie Turner were in a room. They were watching the previous segment and Stone said it was definitely Stand & Deliver season. Stephanie Vaquer showed up and said she’d made her decision – she wants all of them. It’ll be a four-way at Stand & Deliver. [c]
-Sarah Schreiber talked to Trick Williams – who said every time he stepped up, there was someone new in his way. He said this time he’s leaving with a title around his way. He said he was concerned about their match tonight, and told Oba and Je’Von to bring their A Games. He said they’ll need it, since he’ll whoop their asses at Stand & Deliver.
(5) YOSHIKI INAMURA (w/Josh Briggs) vs. WES LEE (w/Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont)
This is from an issue set up last week. They fought before the bell and the ref got control. Inamura went strong style immediately, absorbing chops before unloading bigger ones. The two fought for position in a corner, and Lee choked Inamura on a rope for as long as he was allowed. Lee missed from the top but landed on his feet. Inamura leveled him with one of the biggest back body-drops you’ll ever see. Inamura went at Lee with some more chops. Inamura deadlifted Lee into an exploder for two.
Lee tripped Inamura into a turnbuckle. Briggs checked on him and Lee hit a tope on Briggs. Back inside, Inamura caught Lee from the top and spun him around rapidly, then slammed him and fired up. Inamura went up but Tyson & Tyriek & Briggs got involved and the rope got bumped and Inamura fell. Lee finished with the Cardiac Kick.
WINNER: Wes Lee at 3:53.
(Wells’s Analysis: Give me more Inamura. Strong style really stands out on a show where it’s not the norm. These two meshed really well and I wouldn’t turn down a longer match if they find a reason. Commentary teased, perhaps unintentionally, that Inamura might have an issue with Briggs being the one who bumped the rope. Hard to say if it’s leading to a break or just a way to get them to tonight’s finish)
-Oba Femi cut a promo on DarkState and said they hit him with their best shot but failed to put him down. He cut a fiery promo on both his opponents at Stand & Deliver and said they’d suffer the same fate. Strong, scary stuff from our champion. [c]
-The Women’s North American Championship sat on a podium outside the ring.
(6) WREN SINCLAIR (w/Charlie Dempsey & Myles Borne & Tavion Heights) vs. IZZI DAME (w/Niko Vance & Brooks Jensen) – Qualifying match for the Women’s North American Championship ladder match at Stand & Deliver
“Wren” chant followed by a “Wren XT” chant. They went to a quick start with Dame getting some shots in, followed by several Sinclair rollups. Wren tied up Dame, then slipped down to try something, and Dame stomped her and hit a body slam and a big boot. Dame ran Sinclair’s head into the corner and then did some ground & pound. Dame worked a chinlock with an armbar added. Shawn Spears was shown watching on a monitor in the locker room.
Sinclair escaped and got in some shots, then a knee. Sinclair got in some chops and hit a runnig lariat, then a bulldog for two. Sinclair hit a crucifix for two. Dame hit her finisher, and for some reason, she rolled off after the two count even though it was the finish? And the ref had to count the three? I think Dame thought the ref getting into position was the one count or something. Just a total disaster of a finish.
WINNER: Izzi Dame at 4:27.
(Wells’s Analysis: One wants to feel good for Dame for getting this shot, but in her most critical win to date, it was a disaster at the end. The new ref, a young blond woman, was in a tough spot as a result of Dame’s rolling off of Sinclair)
-Stephanie’s Places spot. She’s got Rhea Ripley this week.
-Fatal Influence, Lash & Jakara, and Roxanne Perez had some kind of argument. It seemed to be headed for a triple threat tag, but Perez said she had no tag partner.
-The six-man main event was promoted. [c]
-Hank & Tank ran into the Street Profits, who told them to stop trying to emulate everyone and instead be themselves. They told Hank & Tank that next week, there’s a tag team gauntlet match and the winners move on to Fraxiom at Stand & Deliver. They got loud and goofy and they fired up Hank & Tank. A graphic showed it’ll be Hank & Tank, The Culling, Briggs & Inamura, Borne & Heights, and Igwe & Dupont.
-Evans, then Williams, then Femi entered ahead of the main event. [c]
(7) OBA FEMI & TRICK WILLIAMS & JE’VON EVANS vs. DARKSTATE (Dion Lennox & Cutler James & Saquon Shugars) (w/Osiris Griffin)
Quick start as DarkState swarmed. They had black gear with silver lines all over. They dominated Williams, who was early face in peril, for the first two minutes. Williams almost made the hot tag but Shugars tried to cut him off. He hit a back body-drop, then fired up and wouldn’t tag in a partner. He worked a front chancery briefly, but Shugars escaped and threw chops. Williams reversed and threw his own, then a body slam. Evans tagged in.
Evans threw a right to put Lennox on the floor, then leveld Shugars with a uranage. Double stomp by Evans, but James interfered Snap mare and a superkick by Evans. Everyone got involved and the babyfaces cleared DarkState. There was a question of whether they could coexist, and the two sides jawed with DarkState on the apron as the match went to split-screen. [c]
Evans hit Shugars with a huge cross-body from the top for two. James made the blind tag and put Evans down with a lariat from the apron. He slowed it down and hit a body slam for two. Lennox tagged in and hit a spinebuster on Evans, then worked a headlock. Lennox hit another spinebuster, this one huge and loud, for two. Shugars tagged in again and had Lennox slam him onto Evans. Shugars covered for two. Shugars held Evans at bay as he tried to tag, and slammed him. James tagged in and missed in a corner, but Lennox tagged himself in and planted Evans. Evans hit an enzuigiri and Femi tagged (Williams was trying to tag at the time also) and he destroyed all of DarkState, using Shugars as a dart as he threw him into Williams. Williams got hot and got in and argued with Femi. Femi tagged Je’Von in and then Femi and Williams brawled outside. Evans hit a big frog splash for a long two. DarkState hit a big triple-team move and Shugars covered Evans for the win.
WINNERS: DarkState at 13:28.
As DarkState celebrated, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo showed up on the tron and challenged DarkState to meet them next week…in the parking lot. Big response for that. He said that actions have consequences.
(Wells’s Analysis: Competent tag wrestling as Evans played face in peril for quite a bit of the runtime. Now that DarkState got this big win out of the way, aided by the faces not getting along, they settle in to their first real feud (which also involves a team with possible dissension). Very interesting that Stacks is the one that made the call, and that could be another tease of Stacks flying too close to the sun)
FINAL THOUGHTS: It was a frenetic show, with seven matches (last week there were four) and plenty of other segments. It reminded me of the much-too-fast era of NXT a few years ago before they started pacing things a little differently. There were some miscues tonight, with Jordynne Grace’s tope suicida being the biggest botch on almost any night, but Izzi Dame rolling off of Wren Sinclair before she’d actually beaten her was really unfortunate. Well…it’s developmental, after all. Kevin Cattani and I will cover this exhausting couple of hours on PWT Talks NXT. Join us tonight or stream tomorrow.
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