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NXT TV REPORT
MAY 20, 2025
ORLANDO, FLA. AT THE WWE PERFORMANCE CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON THE CW
REPORT BY DAVID MILLER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Backstage Correspondent(s): Kelly Kincaid
[HOUR ONE]
-Oba Femi and Joe Hendry were shown walking in the parking lot, and Ricky Saints was shown getting out of an SUV and walking into the building.
-NXT North American Champion Ricky Saints made his entrance. He sat behind the announce desk next to Corey Graves.
(1) JE’VON EVANS vs. SEAN LEGACY vs. ASHANTE “THEE” ADONIS – Triple Threat match
Adonis took off his coat and threw it into Evans’s face to jumpstart the match. He was quickly dispatched, leaving Legacy and Evans to showcase their quickness and agility against each other. Adonis finally fought his way back into the ring and angrily clotheslined Legacy. He performed a vertical corkscrew to the outside, which barely grazed the arm of Evans, who sold it anyway. Evans dove through the ropes onto both opponents on the floor. As Wade Keller and Rich Fann pointed out in their Raw post-show last night, it is a rule that WWE programming must cut to a commercial break after a dive to the outside. Right on cue. Split-screen commercial break. [c]
Back from the break, Adonis was in firm control. The match turned into a kickfest among the three participants, with Legacy getting the best with a high springboard dropkick on Adonis. Legacy hit an outstanding Spanish Fly mid-ring on Evans. This cat from Evolve can go. High octane energy in this match. A “this is awesome” chant broke out, and I can’t argue with it. Adonis covered Evans, but Legacy hit a 450 splash off the top turnbuckle onto both of them.
Evans hit a high frog splash onto Adonis. As Saints was commenting on the match, Ethan Paige jumped the barricade and attacked him. Security ran out to break it up, and Evans dove over the top rope and took out about 38 people. Inside the ring, Legacy hit his Shambles finisher on Adonis for the upset victory.
WINNER: Sean Legacy at 12:04
(Miller’s Take: This was a real barnburner of an opening match. All three men gelled well together, and everything looked crisp and smooth as silk. Fast-paced, energetic opener that got the crowd pumped up.)
-The fight continued at ringside as they cut to Ava, Stevie Turner, and Robert Stone in the back. Ava told them to grab security and go out there to take control of the situation. LFG winners Tyra Mae Steele and Jasper Troy walked up and handed Ava their signed NXT contracts as Ava congratulated them both. Steele was like a giddy schoolgirl, while Troy calmly told Ava he was going to make an impact tonight. [c]
-A video package aired of Jordynne Grace working out like a madwoman. She talked about how her and Vaquez both worked hard to get there. She said there would be no escape at Battleground.
-In the back, Lola Vice told Stephanie Vaquer she had her money on her. As they parted ways, Vice was confronted by Fatal Influence, once again minus Jazmyn Nyx. Vice pointed out how they both just get in each other’s way. Jayne made a remark about Henley thinking she’s the leader. Henley said she was the one who was North American champ. Jayne sarcastically suggested Henley be the one to show Vice why they’re ahead of her in the title picture and walked off. Vice told Henley she’d see her out there.
-Trick Williams had a microphone in his hand as he walked backstage toward the entrance. He called Joe Hendry an “average Joe”, and began rapping a song disparaging Hendry as he walked around ringside and eventually continued in the ring. He ended his serenade with the Joe Hendry turn, minus the cheesy smile.
-In the locker room, Joe Hendry began strumming his guitar, and I thought he was going to give a musical response, but they abruptly cut to Kelly Kincaid interviewing Josh Briggs about his upcoming match with Shawn Spears. He lamented the absence of his buddy, Yoshiki Inamura, and said this one was for him.
-The Culling made their way to the ring as they cut to a split-screen commercial break without anyone diving out to the floor first. [c]
(2) SHAWN SPEARS (w/Brooks Jensen & Niko Vance & Izzi Dame) vs. JOSH BRIGGS
The referee started the match before they came back from the break, which was unusual and a little off-putting. When they did return to full-screen, Spears was in control. Briggs used his power to overcome the speed of Spears. Briggs’s left chest was beet-red from some earlier chops. Slow, methodical pace in comparison with the previous match.
Spears was doing a lot of trash-talking, which only served to anger Briggs. Spears countered a chokeslam and clotheslined Briggs over the top. Spears attempted a flying press to the outside, but Briggs caught him and dropped him face-first onto the announce desk and threw him back in the ring. Jenson distracted the referee, allowing Dame to kick Briggs in the face as he was returning to the ring. Spears took advantage and rolled him up for a count of three. An angry Briggs attacked Spears after the match but was quickly overcome by The Culling. Hank & Tank ran out to make the save.
WINNER: Shawn Spears at 5:30.
(Miller’s Take: Not bad, but nothing memorable by any means. The Culling really doesn’t have much heat with the fans, and Briggs is so much more interesting when teamed up with Inamura. Here’s hoping he comes back to help his buddy. Oh yeah, did I mention the tag team champions made an appearance? Well, they did.)
-In the dressing room, Kelani Jordan wanted Sol Ruca to clarify that she would get a title shot (not “opportunity”, thank God) on Sunday night after she beats Zaria. When she questioned the possibility of Ruca going back on her word, Zaria stepped forward to defend her and said she wouldn’t go back on her word, Jordan just wouldn’t be going to Battleground.
-Elsewhere in the darkened corners of the Performance Center, Andre Chase and his dorky red track suit were accompanying Kale Dixon & Uriah Conners to their upcoming demise against OTM. [c]
-A disheveled and blank-eyed Tatum Paxley was sitting on the floor backstage when Thea Hail confronted her about last week. Paxley told Hail she didn’t know what it was like to lose everyone she was close to. As Hail kneeled down to her level, Jaida Parker rushed in and demolished her with a knee. She bent down and feigned empathy for Paxley, telling her she felt for her. Paxley said, “You do?” and reached for her hand. Parker got up and replied, “Hell no, what’s wrong with you? Stupid.”
(3) KALE DIXON & URIAH CONNERS (w/Andre Chase) vs. OTM (Lucien Price & Bronco Nima)
Nima took turns driving both opponents face-first into the mat from a lock-up. Price continued the destruction after tagging in. Conners surprised Price with a dropkick and tagged in Dixon, who hit one of the loudest chops I’ve ever heard to the back of Price. Chase U V2 briefly got the upper hand but were soon squashed by OTM.
WINNERS: OTM at 3:09.
(Miller’s Take: That was nothing but a showcase for OTM to re-establish themselves as a dominant team. It was what it should have been.)
-A sharply dressed Myles Borne and an even more sharply dressed Oba Femi were shown walking on their way to their final face-off before Battleground. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-Myles Borne and Oba Femi walked to the ring. Well, Borne walked and Femi strutted. Femi threw some compliments Borne’s way. He said he admired Borne’s fight for the disabled and felt in his heart that he’s a good man but said this isn’t a Disney movie. He asserted his dominance and assured victory. Borne said he was fighting for every kid who feels different, and every parent worried that their child won’t fit in. He encouraged Femi to underestimate him. He said he might be hard of hearing, but everyone in the arena would hear the referee count to three.
As Borne left the ring, Jasper Troy sneak attacked Femi and laid him out. Borne chased him out of the ring, then extended his hand to a fallen Femi, who slapped it away. Borne picked up the title belt and handed it to Femi, who lifted it over his head as they stared each other down.
-In the back, Ricky Saints and Ethan Page were screaming at each other from opposite ends of a table with security standing behind them and Ava in the middle. Saint offered to put the title on the line next week. Ava made it official and yelled at both of them to get out of her office.
-Lola Vice made her way to the ring as they cut to a break. [c]
-The Progressive NXT spotlight featured Tony D’Angelo sitting at a table with a glass of white wine. He talked about the betrayal of Stacks Lorenzo and challenged him by saying, “I’ll meet you anytime you want in our Italian restaurant.” No, not really. I couldn’t resist.
(4) LOLA VICE vs. FALLON HENLEY (w/Jacy Jayne)
Vice clamped on a submission early. Jayne taunted her teammate, reminding her that she was the leader. The announcers took a moment to wish Zoey Stark a speedy recovery after the horrific knee injury she suffered on Raw last night. Henley turned the tide of the match before they cut to commercial. [c]
Henley remained in control as they came back from the break. She rocked Vice with a stiff elbow and a sliding forearm. A double clothesline floored them both. They rose to their knees and traded forearms. Once on their feet, Vice connected with a series of kicks, but Henley countered with a neckbreaker. Vice rolled her into an armbar, but Henley leveraged her for a two count. Jayne climbed the ring apron to complain to the referee. Henley shoved Vice toward Jayne, but Vice reversed it, and Henley collided with Jayne, knocking her to the floor. Vice hit a back fist for the pin. Henley and Jayne argued on the floor as Vice stood victorious.
WINNER: Lola Vice at 11:30.
(Miller’s Take: That was probably about four minutes longer than it had to have been for the story they told, which was simply Fatal Influence not getting along these days. Is Jazmyn Nyx in the desert somewhere with Luca Crusifino?)
-Kelly Kincaid conducted a sit-down interview with NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer. The champ talked about her journey getting to where she is now, starting in Chile, then honing her craft in Japan and Mexico. She called Jordynne Grace her toughest challenge yet. She said she went through hell and made the hell her own. She told Grace when she got close to hell, she would burn in flames.
-Kelani Jordan made her ring entrance before they cut to commercial. [c]
-A black and white DarkState promo aired, with all four men taking turns talking. They need many more of these types of promos to familiarize fans with the group.
-A recap aired of a couple of basketball players on a wrestling show.
(5) KELANI JORDAN vs. ZARIA (w/Sol Ruca)
Zaria started the match by German suplexing Jordan halfway across Orlando. Jordan began utilizing her speed and agility with some high-flying offense, but Zaria overpowered her. Jordan tried a hurricanrana to the outside, but Zaria caught her and swung her headfirst into the barricade as Ruca winced. [c]
Jordan tried a sunset flip, but Zaria didn’t budge. With both women on the mat, cue the obligatory slugfest on their knees. Jordan did some flipping and flying and hit a dropkick followed by a spinning DDT for two. Zaria clotheslined Jordan hard. Jordan climbed Zaria’s back to clamp on a sleeper, but Zaria ran with Jordan on her back and cannonballed into the corner.
Jordan kicked Zaria off the ring apron and into the arms of Ruca, who gingerly placed her on her feet. Jordan hit a baseball slide into Ruca, who collided with Zaria. She threw Zaria back into the ring and followed her in, but Ruca climbed onto the ring apron. As Zaria went for a spear, Jordan moved and Zaria speared Ruca off the ring apron. Jordan then rolled up her opponent for the pin.
WINNER: Kelani Jordan at 10:34 to win a Women’s North American title match.
(Miller’s Take: The road toward the inevitable end of the friendship between Ruca and Zaria continues. If this is what it takes to see Ruca vs. Jordan Part II, then I’m all for it.)
-Joe Hendry was shown getting ready to answer the musical challenge of Trick Williams. [c]
-TNA World Champion Joe Hendry was seated in the middle of the ring with a couple of guitars and a mic. He mocked Trick’s earlier attempt at musicianship. Hendry began strumming as the crowd clapped along. He sang a witty little ditty about Williams being the former sidekick to Carmelo Hayes and showed a hilariously edited video of an old skit with Trick and Carmelo. That got a good laugh from the crowd. He continued singing about Trick being “Melo’s bitch”.
An irate Trick Williams interrupted the concert and called Hendry an “average Joe”, then decked him with a right hand, followed by a spinning kick. He went in for a Trick Shot, but Hendry busted a guitar over Trick’s knee as he came running in for it. Now we know why there were two guitars out there. Hendry grabbed his belt and the mic as Williams clutched his knee in pain and sang, “At the end of the day, Joe Hendry is the champion of TNA.”
FINAL THOUGHTS: From a wrestling standpoint, it didn’t get any better than the opening match. As has been mentioned by my esteemed editor and colleagues here at PWTorch.com, WWE really needs to get away from some of the same old same old. Opening shots of wrestlers walking to the building, dives to the floor directly preceding commercial breaks, commercial breaks in between ring entrances, wrestlers getting attacked while doing commentary, and wrestlers trading blows while on their knees have all become cliché. Switch the format up a bit. Make it less predictable. Best promo of the night goes to Myles Borne. He has really given the fans a reason to cheer him and has the in-ring ability to back up his newfound charisma. If you or anyone you know has information leading to the whereabouts of Jazmyn Nyx, please contact your local wrestling promoter. See you next Tuesday!
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