SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
JUNE 17, 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): Sarah Schreiber
[HOUR ONE]
-The show opened with Jacy Jayne marveling at how she’s only been champion for a couple of weeks, and already the entire women’s locker room is after her. She claimed to be the greatest champion of all time. Talk about a stretch. They recapped Ava’s announcement about the fatal four-way to determine the number one contender to the NXT Women’s title.
(1) JAIDA PARKER vs. THEA HAIL – Fatal Four-Way Qualifying match
Hail attacked Parker as she was making her way to the ring. Intense start to the match. They briefly brawled at ringside before taking it to the ring. Parker briefly took control, but Hail weathered the storm and let Parker have it outside the ring again. They finally made it back into the ring for an extended period. Parker applied a rear chinlock and swung Hail around by the neck.
Parker executed a reverse suplex for a two-count. Hail came back with a sliding clothesline. Outside the ring again, Hail sidestepped Parker, who crashed hard into the ring steps. Split-screen commercial break. [c]
After a mother of messy kids plugged Bounty and Crest magically whitened a woman’s teeth in mere seconds, they returned to full-screen action. Parker was in control until Hail caught her in a Kimura lock. Parker tried inching her way to the ropes, but Hail pulled her back to the middle of the ring. Parker rose to her feet and shoved Hail into the turnbuckle, but Hail leaped back onto her. Parker tapped, but it was out of the referee’s view. When Hail felt Parker tap, she released the hold, thinking she had won. As the referee was talking to her, Parker hit the Hipnotic for the win.
WINNER: Jaida Parker at 9:13 to advance.
(Miller’s Take: That was a hell of a fight. I wouldn’t mind seeing Parker go all the way to Evolution. Hail has a great intensity to her, and all her stuff looks legit. I honestly thought she might take it when she had that Kimura cinched in for so long.)
-Josh Briggs, Yoshiki Inamura, and Elijah were running down First Class and talking about how Trick Williams was ruining TNA. Elijah excused himself, and the tag team champs, Hank & Tank, walked up and told Briggs and Inamura that they could have a shot at the titles once they finished their business with First Class. Oba Femi passed by, and the four men put him over. He said last week was his toughest challenge, but he’s still the ruler. As he turned, Trick Williams was there with his TNA title. They addressed each other as “champ”. Femi said his money was on these guys tonight. Williams said he’d be one broke ruler.
-A super cheesy video package aired of Blake Monroe sashaying in a pink robe and lingerie. A voice-over said she’d be signing her NXT contract tonight as Monroe acted like the star of Ed Wood’s latest feature. Ugh. I really dislike this.
(2) KELANI JORDAN vs. LASH LEGEND – Fatal Four-Way Qualifying match
Legend shoved Jordan to the mat, then dribbled her head off the canvas. Jordan answered with a series of kicks, a hurricanrana, and a dropkick that sent Legend out of the ring. Jordan his a springboard moonsault to the floor before they cut to commercial break. [c]
Back from the break, Legend was holding Jordan aloft for a vertical suplex, but it was countered. Jordan ate a pump kick that nearly took her head off. Legend lifted her over her shoulder for a backbreaker, but Jordan slipped down and nailed a codebreaker. She hit a beautiful frog splash for a two-count. She went for a split-legged moonsault but was caught by Legend. Jordan turned over during a superplex and covered Legend but couldn’t make it stick. Legend hit her unique finisher where she wraps her opponent behind her back and drops down, which earned her the victory.
WINNER: Lash Legend at 9:56 to advance.
(Miller’s Take: This was pretty exciting, but Jordan is more fun to watch when she’s in the ring with someone who meshes better with her style. I like Legend, but I’d have given the nod to Jordan had I been booking this.)
-A recap of the D’Angelo family feud aired. In the back, Tony D’Angelo confronted Luca Crusifino, who was talking on the phone. He said he’d see him in the ring. [c]
-Tony D’Angelo called out Luca Crusifino and said they were going to talk man-to-man. He asked what happened in the desert. He said he was zip-tied, thrown in an SUV, and then Stacks let him go and said it was his lucky day. D’Angelo pointed out how none of it made sense while Luca pled his case for innocence. The Don flat-out asked if he was with Stacks.
As Crusifino was about to answer, Stacks came out with some white T-shirt security and told Luca he saved him for a reason, then said he’d never be good enough for Tony. Crusifino started laying into the security guys, and a brawl broke out. Crusifino took a swing at Stacks, who moved out of the way, and the punch connected with D’Angelo. Stacks looked pleased with himself as Crusifino apologized profusely to The Don, who wasn’t buying it.
-In the locker room, First Class told Trick Williams that KC was injured and couldn’t wrestle tonight. They introduced Wes Lee as a replacement. Trick didn’t seem thrilled at first and addressed their past. He said he was tripping at the time and apologized. Trick, High Ryze, and First Class celebrated their newfound partnership. [c]
-Vic plugged the upcoming NASCAR race at Pocono before presenting the Progressive NXT Spotlight, which was unfortunately a Chase U skit. In a makeshift classroom, Andre Chase officially introduced Chase U members Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors. Dixon kept raising his hand, which annoyed Chase. He yelled at Dixon to “(bleep) get tough” A hurt Dixon got up and left, followed by Connors. Chase yelled after them, “What the (bleep)?’ That was a couple of minutes of my life that I’ll never get back.
-Ricky Saints getting his larynx crushed was shown before they cut to the locker room, where Ethan Page gloated to Swipe Right and Evolve Champion Jackson Drake. Saints walked up and rasped that he would be cleared next week and then he’d be coming after Page. Drake said he’d have to go through The Vanity Project first. Ashante “Thee” Adonis stepped up and got in Ricky’s face. Saints brushed him off and left.
-Blake Monroe was shown arriving at the building.
-Elijah, Briggs, and Inamura made their way to the ring. [c]
-In the back, Wren Sinclair, Tavion Heights, and Je’Von Evans were talking about Charley Dempsey when Jasper Troy walked by. Evans, without fear of losing his life, walked over to him and congratulated him on his match with Oba Femi, then made a couple of disparaging remarks before Troy spared his life and simply told him to get out of his face. Dempsey appeared, and Evans told him he should let Heights leave No Quarter Catch Crew. Dempsey said if Heights could beat Evans, he could leave. Evans told Dempsey he needed a hug. That was funny.
-Blake Monroe was shown taking part in a photo shoot.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of “PWT Talks NXT” with Kelly Wells and Nate Lindberg, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
[HOUR TWO]
(3) ELIJAH & JOSH BRIGGS & YOSHIKI INAMURA vs. TRICK WILLIAMS & A.J. FRANCIS & WES LEE (w/KC Navarro & Tyson Dupont & Tyriek Igwe)
Lee started against Inamura. Classic speed vs. strength. Briggs tagged in and began dismantling Lee, who sneaked in a tag to the baby pink-clad Francis.. Both tagged out and Elijah met Williams. Elijah looked really good in his first WWE in-ring appearance since he was known as Elias. It wasn’t long before a lot of action took place on the outside. Lee attempted a somersault plancha to the floor, but was caught by Briggs and Inamura, who tossed him back in the ring before they cut to a split-screen commercial break. [c]
Olive Garden, Head & Shoulders, and more of that refrigerated dog food dominated the split-screen before wrestling took back the attention. AJ Francis, in his pink and grey pajamas, was going toe to toe with Inamura. He pulled off some fancy knee in the corner that somehow ended with him flipping over the top rope onto the floor. That was pretty impressive.
Inamura, after spinning Lee like a top, tagged Briggs as Lee tagged Williams. All six men were soon brawling in the ring. Lee accidentally took out Trick. Inamura leaped off the top rope and smooshed Williams for the pin on the TNA champ.
WINNERS: Elijah & Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura at 11:04.
(Miller’s Take: It was good to see Elijah back in action in a WWE ring and he looked impressive. While AJ Francis moves well for a man his size, he and his partner look indyriffic in their ring gear. Jeez, doesn’t TNA pay them enough to buy real ring gear? Lee accidentally clocking former nemesis Williams could lead to an interesting development.)
-Sol Ruca and Zaria were walking backstage when Tatum Paxley jumped out from behind and gave them a weird, hopeful look. Not sure what to make of that. [c]
-Ava was talking with Robert Stone and Stevie Turner about Evolve when they heard a disturbance outside the door. It was Tony D’Angelo and Luca Crusifino arguing about what happened earlier. D’Angelo wanted Luca to face Stacks next week to prove himself, but Ava said he had a match against Noam Dar next week for the Heritage Cup championship. The Don was beside himself.
(4) ZARIA (w/Sol Ruca) vs. IZZI DAME (w/Shawn Spears & Niko Vance) – Fatal Four-Way Qualifying match
Dame started out hot and heavy until Zaria took some advice and encouragement from Ruca on the ring apron. The two traded heavy blows until Zaria floored her with a kick. She locked her arms around Dame’s neck in the corner and lifted her into the air as Izzi screamed. The announcers bantered back and forth in an argument about the solidarity between Zaria and Ruca. [c]
Back from the break, Dame charged into Zaria in the corner, then dropped her with a kick and bodyslam for a near fall. She hit a chokeslam for another two-count. Zaria fought back until she became distracted by the appearance of Tatum Paxley, who came up and hugged Sol Ruca from behind. As she turned to face her opponent, Dame executed a popup powerbomb for the pin. Paxley began apologizing profusely.
WINNER: Izzi Dame at 7:34 to advance.
(Miller’s Take: This was another surprise for me, as I had my money on Zaria, but it seems like they’re playing up her alliance with Ruca as being detrimental to her career. It wasn’t a miscommunication between them this time, but rather Tatum Paxley’s forced affection on Ruca that caused the babyface to be stupidly distracted. Good match, bad ending.)
-In the back, Briggs was telling Inamura that he should be in line for a TNA title shot after pinning Williams. Inamura said he came back for Briggs and he’d give him the TNA title shot if they gave him one, and he would take the NXT title so they’d both be champions.
(5) LOLA VICE vs. JORDYNNE GRACE – Fatal Four-Way Qualifying match
The two babyfaces began the match with some mat-based wrestling. Vice hit a big kick to the midsection before resorting to those ridiculous jumping kicks to the left and right sides of The Juggernaut. She hit a hip attack in the corner, then gave Grace a couple of extra butt-bumps to the face for good measure. [c]
Back from the break, Grace hit a running Death Valley Driver for a two-count. Vice slipped in a choke that Grace barely escaped. She planted Vice on the turnbuckle and chopped her hard. Vice answered with an armbar on the second rope, and she dropped to the mat with it. A beautiful spin kick resulted in a two-count. Vice went for another spin kick, but Grace caught her leg, lifted her, and dropped her. She quickly went to Beast Mode for the pin.
WINNER: Jordynne Grace to advance.
(Miller’s Take: Good match, this time with the expected outcome. Vice made a good showing for herself and had a couple of believable near falls, but Grace clearly belongs in this spot.)
-In the back, Zaria and Sol Ruca were confronting Tatum Paxley over her poorly timed appearance at ringside, even though she did nothing to actually cost Zaria the match. Izzi Dame walked up and used this as an opportunity to tell Paxley they weren’t her real friends, or they’d include her. Paxley walked off behind Dame. Blake Monroe sashayed past Zaria and Ruca on her way to sign her NXT contract.
-It was announced that Josh Briggs would, indeed, face Trick Williams for the TNA World Championship next week. The Fatal Four-Way for the number one contender to the NXT Women’s title was previewed.
-Ava stood mid-ring and announced Blake Monroe to a lukewarm response at best. Monroe grabbed the mic and put over NXT’s Women’s division. She talked about wanting to “hop into bed” with the talent in the locker room. She said the women’s division was all hers. She put pen to paper. Fatal Influence came to the ring. They ran down Monroe, who said they were as insecure as they were bitches.
As Jayne was running her mouth, Monroe slapped the words out of it. Henley attacked, but was being thumped on by Monroe until she turned around and ate a discus punch from the champ. Jayne and Henley put Monroe through the table that was in the ring for the contract signing.
-The announcers previewed next week’s card as the show closed.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was pretty decent overall. The four qualifying matches were exciting and we got what I thought were a couple of unexpected winners. I’m not all that familiar with Blake Monroe’s AEW work, but this NXT presentation of her reeks of a Toni Storm rip-off, with the movie-star gimmick and the sexual innuendos. I’m neither impressed nor excited so far, but I’ll give it a fair chance. The D’Angelo Family saga continues. Crusifino did appear to be on Tony’s side tonight, with the errant blow to The Don being an obvious mistake, but I see Stacks convincing Luca to join the dark side. I look for Tatum Paxley to be the newest member of The Culling. They need something to happen, because what they’re doing now certainly isn’t cutting it. See you tomorrow for Evolve!
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