SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV RESULTS
MAY 13, 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
-There was a video hyping last week’s top contender battle royal, ending with Myles Borne’s sink or swim moment.
-Borne and the rest of No Quarter Catch Crew entered to a nice ovation. Borne was in a button-up shirt and slacks. He can’t match Oba Femi’s style, but he’s looking pretty dapper. “Myles” chant. He said last week he shocked the damn world and became the last man standing, leading to his match and Battleground. He said he probably wasn’t your first pick, or second or third, but he stood tall in the end. He acknowledged his disability (his word usage). He said it affects the way he talks, but last week when he eliminated Shawn Spears and Ethan Page, he heard everyone going crazy. He said he wants to be judged on his ability, not his disability. He said everyone with a disability wants that. He said he’s fighting for all the kids out there struggling, fighting their own fight. He said he hopes Oba Femi is listening, because nobody gave him a shot, but he’s ready to shock the world again. He said he might be hard of hearing, but he’d hear them announce him as the next NXT Champion.
Ethan Page’s music spoiled the party. He said enough with the feelgood crap. He said he gave Ricky Saints a lesson, and now he’d give him his. The crowd chanted “I can’t hear you.” Page leaned into it and said he’d say it slow so he can understand: Borne can’t beat him. He told him to prove he was this good and would put the shot on the line tonight.
Charlie Dempsey took the mic and returned the favor Borne forced him into last week. He said iron sharpens iron and he can silence all of his doubters. Borne said Dempsey was right, and he said it’s on.
Ava came out and told us to dial it back a minute. She said she knows it might not be the right move, but Borne wants to prove something, and he made the match right now. He said that match is for later, because Dempsey’s match with Oba Femi is right now.
(1) OBA FEMI vs. CHARLIE DEMPSEY (w/Myles Borne & Tavion Heights & Wren Sinclair)
Non-title. Femi hit Dempsey with a waistlock takedown, but Dempsey reversed to an arm lock, then a headlock. Femi put Dempsey on the apron, then shoved him off into the waiting arms of Tavion Heights. The match went to split-screen. [c]
Dempsey got in some uppercuts. Rope run and a headbutt by Dempsey, followed by a nifty headscissor takeover. Femi powered out but Dempsey was transitioning to a triangle. Sunset flip attempt, but Femi hit a hug back body-drop. Desmpsey got in a chop and then wrenched Femi’s arm, then charged his shoulder into the turnbuckle. He yanked Femi’s arm over the top rope as he continued a surprising roll of offense. Femi hit a couple of back elbows but Dempsey went to a front chancery. Femi charged him to a corner, but Dempsey hit a knee lift and covered for two. Femi hit a body slam and sold the arm. Dempsey dropkicked the worked arm, then hit a German suplex with a bridge for two.
Dempsey worked the arm some more with a short-arm scissors. Femi rolled backward and slammed Dempsey backward. The two went to rights and uppercuts. Femi of course won this exchange, then hit some uppercuts in the corner, then a big one to lay out Dempsey. High-angle release uranage and the Fall From Grace finished.
WINNER: Oba Femi at 8:30.
(Wells’s Analysis: That was a lot of offense for Dempsey. He’s a very good technical wrestler, but has had so few ring minutes that it was a little auspicious for him to get that much. The action was very good and Dempsey was in control with his technique but couldn’t weather the storm once Femi was able to bust out his power offense, so it was a perfectly good story told, given that they gave it this much time)
-Backstage earlier today, Karmen Petrovic thanked Thea Hail for having her back. They came upon Tatum Paxley throwing things and crying through her mascara. She said she had “lost everything” and said that everyone eventually betrays you, not actually bringing up Shotzi or Gigi Dolin by name. She walked off, calling for Ava.
-Tony D’Angelo was introduced ahead of the next match. [c]
-Backstage, Ricky Saints walked up on Ethan Page, who said he obviously gets off on raining on other people’s parades. Page said he definitely does, but after all this, Saints can get back to playing second fiddle to him.
(2) TONY D’ANGELO vs. WES LEE (w/Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont)
In an inset promo, Lee said he was putting the final nail in the coffin of the “once powerful” Family. Uh, when did that happen? He said that “The High Rise” had arrived. Not sure if that’s the name for Tyson & Tyriek or the name for all of them, but either way, I like it.
Lee used his superior speed early and tried to strike quick and often, leading to a couple of resets. Lee tried a second rope cross-body. He was too low, but D’Angelo kept him safe by catching him low anyway. D hit a big arm drag on Lee, then cleared Dupont off the apron. He also had to kick back at an interfering Igwe, and he kept up the offense. D threw Lee outside and the henchmen caught him, so D’Angelo hit all three with a cross-body leading to split-screen. [c]
Lee was jawing at D’Angelo, which fired him up. D’Angelo took Lee outside and tried to clothesline him. Lee snuck underneath, but D hit Tyson and Tyriek. Back inside, Lee got caught and hit with a huge overhead belly-to-belly. Both guys sold on the mat. D’Angelo took the advantage and had a sort of fighting spirit moment. He hit a scoop slam and covered for two. D waited on Lee, but Lee hit a headscissor takedown. Lee tried the Cardiac Kick but D’Angelo allegedly hit a spear. Oh god, that was mistimed. On the tron, Stacks showed up and said he knew where the Rizzo safehouse is. D’Angelo was left open to the Cardiac Kick.
WINNER: Wes Lee at 10:14.
Stacks continued (too early, as they played the rest of the video over the announcement of the winner rather than waiting) and said he was going to pay Adrianna a visit. Listen: I can abide the murder of Luca Crusifino, but Rizzo is a bridge too far.
(Wells’s Analysis: This was a perfectly acceptable big vs. small other than D’Angelo’s poorly timed spear. It wasn’t a surprise that Lee won to continue justifying the TV time for the new trio, and D’Angelo was protected and continues his issue with Stacks, who again seems like he won’t actually be in the building tonight)
-Stephanie Vaquer walked through the back with another memorable outfit, and apparently she’s up next. [c]
-There was a local commercial for AEW Dynamite Beach Break. Actually, I’m not sure it was local. Samoa Joe and Jon Moxley were featured.
-Vic promoted Money in the Bank weekend tickets.
-A promoted segment hyped OTM again ahead of their re-debut, again suggesting the tag division might be centered around them soon. The partnership with Jaida Parker appears to be dead, which is fine, as I don’t know if either side needs the other anymore.
-Stephanie Vaquer was introduced and she entered the ring in non-wrestling gear (I hesitate to call the glammed-up look “street clothes”). “La primera” chant. She said she has respect for Jordynne Grace’s journey, but now she wants to ascend to the top of NXT. (She had trouble with the pronunciation of the word “ascend” but continues to get more comfortable with English-language promos. She said something fiery in Spanish and got a good reaction.
Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne hit the ring. Jazmyn Nyx wasn’t released, was she? Henley and Jayne kind of broke down a little as they each put their own name out there. Jayne said it would be ironic if it was Fatal Influence who took the belt off her after this reign. Jordynne Grace’s music played her down the ramp and she said she wasn’t here to save the day, she’s here to protect her investment. Vaquer said “I am not your investment.” The banter was kind of awkward and messy. Jayne said she and Henley held down the division before these two got there. Grace said a lot of growth can be made in a year. She said she’d beat Vaquer at Battleground, but if she has to take on Fatal Influence tonight, she will, but she’s going to make sure Vaquer makes it to Battleground in one piece. Fatal Influence said they’d be the ones to take the title eventually, and they left.
-No Quarter Catch Crew were together in the back. Borne told Heights and Sinclair to take Charlie Dempsey to medical. He said it would be fine, and nobody was taking this shot away from him. Uh-oh. [c]
-Tyra Mae Steele and Zena Sterling (LFG talents) were flanked by The Undertaker and Bubba Ray Dudley. She said both of them had earned the chance to wrestle for the chance to get an NXT contract. Izzi Dame & Nikkita Lyons showed up and Dame said good luck hanging in their locker room. Lola Vice & Lash Legend showed up and Lash essentially said the same. In the back of the room, a few Evolve talents showed up (they were beyond focus, but the middle one was Kali Armstrong, who has a ton of promise). Taker said that no matter who makes it, they’ve got their work cut out for them.
(3) MYLES BORNE vs. ETHAN PAGE – Borne’s #1 Contendership is on the line
Borne bizarrely didn’t get a televised entrance. I know he’s been out there once, but if he’s being pushed to this level, don’t skimp on it. Borne took down Page early but Page got into it with some rights and a lariat.
[HOUR TWO]
Page leaned on Borne and kept it slow until Borne got back into it with a series of uppercuts. Page took down Borne again and the crowd booed as he did some ground & pound. Page worked a headlock on the mat and Borne fought to his feet and briefly got some separation until Page hit a running lariat. Page worked a headlock for a while until Borne backed him into a corer and then threw rights. To a corner, Borne ran into a boot but he clotheslined Page over the top to finally take contol as the match went to split-screen. [c]
Page hit a superplex for two. Borne laid out Page and both sold on the mat. “RKO” chant. Borne fired up and hit some lariats, then a belly-to-belly. Corner splash by Borne. Side suplex by Borne. Waistlock by Page, but Borne threw a dropkick. Page caught the dropkick attempt with an ankle lock. That’s cool. Borne quickly wriggled to a rope.
The two went up in a corner. There was a chant that I’m pretty sure was “Deaf KO.” They ended up on the mat, where Page evaded an attempt at an Orton scoop slam. Borne hit a dropkick and an O’Connor roll and…it was good to finish?!
WINNER: Myles Borne at 11:06.
(Wells’s Analysis: Perfectly good stuff here, although it’s weird that most of the full-screen action was dominated by Page, and Borne won in such a basic way. I was minorly worried that this was about to be a rug-pull and it was always going to be Page, but Page is tied up in a story with Ricky Saints and that wasn’t lost on me)
-Sean Legacy, via socials, sent a video message to Je’Von Evans. He said if Evans wants to recreate some of the magic they made in the battle royal, it would be cool with him.
-In the locker room, Ashante Thee Adonis talked smack to Je’Von Evans. Evans said Adonis might try to play big timer, but Evans remembered where he came from. Things got chippy, and Ricky Saints showed up. He said he’d like to see it, and he’ll see the winner on the other side of Battleground.
-Stephanie’s Places features The Undertaker this week.
-Thea Hail was introduced ahead of the next match. [c]
-The Stacks scene was replayed, and then we saw some guerrilla footage where Stacks went up to the safe house. D’Angelo was there and he tried to attack, but Stacks was ready and he hit D with a crowbar. He said he knew D would fall for it, and at Battleground, he’ll put an end to the D’Angelo Family once and for all.
(4) THEA HAIL vs. TATUM PAXLEY
Hail dominated early with quick offense, then slowed down with an armbar. Paxley rolled Hail up to break, then hit a gutbuster and a headbutt. She hit an enzuigiri as an inset showed Jaida Parker watching the match. Hail rolled up Parker for two. Hail blocked some rights and threw her own. Paxley hit a rolling legdrop on a staggered Hail for two. Back at their feet, Hail hit a headbutt, then wrenched the arm. Hail threw chops and then hit some ax-handles. Hail fired up but missed in the corner, and Paxley went for…something…but Hail caught her in a Kimura Lock. Paxley reached a rope to break. Paxley rolled up Hail for two, and Hail went back to the Kimura Lock and the ref called for the bell.
WINNER by DQ: Thea Hail at 4:13.
Paxley tried to rip out Hail’s eye, according to Vic. Some of the guys in the audience chanted “Tatum.”
(Wells’s Analysis: They tried to pack too much into a small space and the match was just a low-level spotfest as a result. Paxley is being turned heel just a few weeks after she and Gigi Dolin were really convincing underdog babyfaces in a Women’s Tag Team Championship match. Hopefully Paxley can transition despite all the changes she’s being asked to make)
-Jaida Parker walked in on Kelani Jordan, Sol Ruca and Zaria in the locker room. Jordan tried to sow seeds of mistrust between Ruca and Zaria, but ultimately we landed on a Jordan-Zaria rematch for next week. [c]
-Vic promoted Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia in late June.
-Tony D’Angelo vs. Stacks, as well as Joe Hendry vs. Trick Williams for the TNA Championship, were promoted for Battleground.
-The contract signing was pre-taped in a dark room. Ava ran through some of the TNA Champions of the past, of course only highlighting current WWE stars (and Bubba Ray Dudley, who’s close enough). Ava attempted to be tough when Hendry and Williams almost came to blows, and told them not to make security come in here. Hendry asked Trick if he knew how big it was that the TNA Championship was going to be on the line on a WWE PLE. Williams said it was big because he’s in it. He said everybody has his 15 minutes of fame, and next Sunday, he’ll take Hendry’s fame, his title, and his brand. Ava slid the contract to Trick, and he signed it. Hendry said this might not feel like the biggest match in Trick’s career, but it’s the most important. Hendry said once he beats Trick, he has no pathway to gold anymore. He said if anyone learns what it’s like to have his fifteen minutes expire, it’ll be Trick. Hendry signed the contract. Trick’s said “Trick Willy.” Good that he saved all that time. Williams seethed, affected by Hendry’s words, as the segment ended. [c]
-Josh Briggs was sad in the locker room. Hank & Tank showed up and said he was having a worse week than anyone. Briggs said he didn’t want Inamura to leave, but he pushed him away. Shawn Spears showed up and said Briggs was a cancer when it comes to relationships, going back to Brooks Jensen. Briggs said he’s in a fog, but he’s got a good idea how to clear his head.
-Ava talked to Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors, who said they were trying to put Chase U back on the map. Ava said they had a match next next Tuesday. Andre Chase showed up and asked who their opponents will be. Ava said it’ll be a returning OTM. “Guys, what the f*&k,” Chase said with a bleep.
-Next week, Trick Williams will have a rap performance in addition to everything else, and Je’Von Evans, Sean Legacy & Ashante Thee Adonis will go at it in a triple threat match.
(5) STEPHANIE VAQUER & JORDYNNE GRACE vs. FATAL INFLUENCE (Fallon Henley & Jacy Jayne)
No time for Fatal Influence to get their own entrance, apparently. Grace and Vaquer got separate full entrances. Grace worked over Henley early, but Vaquer tagged herself in to Grace’s annoyance and hit a springboard lariat. Henley managed a chop and then hung up Vaquer in the corner. Jayne tagged in and threw chops and hit a suplex for one. Rope run and Vaquer caught Jayne with a rollup for two. Another rollup for two. Vaquer crossed her arms and did the bridging pin Zack Sabre loves for two. Henley made a blind tag and Jayne hit a single-leg dropkick. The heels attempted to double-team but Vaquer hit a Codebreaker on Henley while landing into a senton on Jayne. Everyone got involved and Fatal Influence took over on the ramp side as the match went to split-screen. [c]
Vaquer took over and beat down both heels briefly, but Jayne hit a knee lift and a lariat for two. Jayne missed in a corner but hit a pump kick. Jayne went up in a corner but Vaquer yanked her head down and hit a superkick from underneath. Both women crawled to the corner and they made them in the order you’d think. Grace dominated both heels after the hot tag. Spinebuster for Jayne. A forearm took down Henley for two, broken up by Jayne. Henley hit a suplex out of the corner, and once again all four got involved. The heels got the better of it and set up Meet in the Middle, or something like it. Grace bit the bullet by pushing Vaquer out of the way, “protecting her investment.” Cover for two. Grace caught Jayne with Beast Mode and covered for the win.
WINNERS: Jordynne Grace & Stephanie Vaquer at 10:54.
(Wells’s Analysis: Perfectly decent action here with a small moment featuring Grace protecting Vaquer. Of course, Fatal Influence lost, because that’s just about all they do. Vaquer remains the centerpiece of the show, even at the sacrifice of Oba Femi, and I figure she’ll lose her championship and move up before he does, though hopefully both will be saved for when they’re actually figured in, because both are immense talents who shouldn’t be rushed)
-Vic and Corey ran through the Battleground card. Back in the ring, Grace handed Vaquer her championship back as Fatal Influence seethed on the outside. Vic threw to something going on outside (t was actually near the shipping area): Ethan Page had laid out Ricky Saints against the shipping door. We got one more shot of Grace & Vaquer looking at each other, because why not?
FINAL THOUGHTS: I might stop saying it at some point, but it won’t be this week: I love the pacing of the show right now. They’re giving everything space to breathe and not running too many matches. Battleground looks to be the rare NXT PLE with a bunch of singles matches, though it’s an auspicious use of some of their talent, as Tony D’Angelo vs. Stacks frankly doesn’t seem like a PLE-worthy affair while Ricky Saints will apparently be saving his next defense for the Tuesday after, or beyond. Myles Borne sounded confident in his extended mic time this week, and if the intent was to at least create a mild amount of doubt, I think they did so for me, as I’ll be waiting for the moment it’s time to call Femi up and put someone over huge. Nate Lindberg and I will talk it out on PWT Talks NXT. Check us out tonight or stream tomorrow.
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