SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV RESULTS
AUGUST 12, 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
-We got shots from last week’s show, leading to this week’s eight-man tag match as well as the Jax-Legend match.
-Ava caught up with Hank & Tank. They want a shot at DarkState, but Ava told them not to interfere because they’ll get a match at Heatwave. Ava had something in her eye and Hank & Tank kept thinking it meant she was subtly trying to tell them to interfere in the match tonight. Bizarre scene to open the show.
(1) LASH LEGEND vs. NIA JAX
Booker T said Jax has many, many more championship reigns in her. Great. The two locked up to an early stalemate. Jax blocked Legend a few times in a corner, then missed in another. Legend laid in some blocks and rights. An early dueling chant was only about 65% Legend at most. Legend put Jax in a corner but Jax trapped her in a guillotine to get back into it. Jax dumped Legend and went out, but the outside fight went nowhere and they reentered. The two blocked some shots and Jax put Legend on the apron. Legend beat Jax’s head into one turnbuckle, then another. She draped Jax between the top two ropes and laid in some throat shots. Back inside, hip attack and a bigsplash by Legend got two.
Legend went for a body slam and got thwarted. They put each other down with simultaneous clotheslines and they sold on the mat for a minute. I guess that was good enough for an “NXT” chant. Legend booted Jax through the ropes and to the floor, and the match went to split-screen with Jax stalling on the outside. [c]
Jax controlled throughout the break and she hit a Samoan drop for two. Lash hit her deadlift slam behind her back and there was apparently a “holy sh*t” chant that the network censored for quite a while. Jax put a thumb to Legend’s eye, hit her with a super awkward body attack, and then hit a splash. Legend bailed to the outside and Jax followed her out. They fought near the barricade on the announce table side, where the steps were separated sometime during the break. Legend walked Jax up the steps and tried to suplex her onto the announce table. She ended up attempting a kind of belly-to-belly, and of course her back gave out and she fell backward, so both of them went through the table. There’s another long censor job.
The announcer started to count. Jax got in early and Legend made it in at nine. Jax made an open-mouthed “shocked” face that made it look like she’d never been asked once in her career to make shock look real. Legend hit a body slam for two. Legend went up in a corner, and Jax followed. They jockeyed ther and Legend snuck underneath and wanted a powerslam, but Jax landed on her with the A-NIA-Lator, then did a proper one for the win.
WINNER: Nia Jax at 12:51.
(Wells’s Analysis: I understand they don’t need to be hasty to pass the torch here, and certainly they don’t need to pull the trigger on Legend beating Jax on NXT, but yikes, Jax is just struggling so much to have a decent match at this point. It did seem to have the desired effect of Legend impressing the crowd in defeat, though, so there’s that)
-Kelly Kincaid talked to all four members of DarkState, who all got brief mic time to promote the eight-man tonight as well as the tag team championship match at Heatwave. Shugars specifically mentioned taking the championships, but I don’t know if that’s a spoiler that he’s in the match or if they’re just speaking as a unit. [c]
-Chelsea Green and the Secret Hervice arrived. They ran into EVOLVE Women’s Champion Kali Armstrong, who didn’t get a line, as she was trying to find more opposition. She also passed through Chantel Monroe, though they didn’t name her. She ran into Kendal Grey, whom she called Kendal Blue before consulting a list Alba Fyre was holding, and said Grey could face Fyre tonight.
(2) JOE HENDRY vs. CHARLIE DEMPSEY (w/Wren Sinclair)
“We believe” chant. The reactions aren’t what they were at first, but they’ve recovered from Hendry being in a feud with Trick Williams for now. Hendry hit an early hip toss to cheers. Dempsey took down Hendry and the two went to a series of grappling reversals for a good minute or so. Hendry looked more at home in the environment than I was expecting. Hendry hit a hip toss that finally got some separation and he soaked up some cheers. Wren Sinclair looked impressed.
They ran the ropes, and Hendry put down Dempsey with a double ax-handle. Fisherman’s suplex, floatover and second, then into a guillotine by Dempsey. Nice transitions. He hopped up for more torque, but Hendry managed a suplex to break. Hendry threw some rights and nailed a lariat. Fall-away slam by Hendry, who fired up the crowd and did his taunt, which the cameraman kind of screwed up by going in on his midsection, then correcting to go up to his face.
Backslides by both guys. Delayed chokeslam (“The Standing Ovation”) by Hendry finished.
WINNER: Joe Hendry at 3:58.
(Wells’s Analysis: Nice chain wrestling between these two. Dempsey seems like he should have caught fire to some degree and be higher on the card, but on the other hand, I don’t know exactly who to sacrifice to get him there. Hendry’s rehab job is going well)
-Josh Briggs walked through the back and he’s up next. [c]
-Kelani Jordan & Lola Vice sparred in the locker room. Vice said she was on a roll and tonight’s match is a huge opportunity. Jordan said she’s been “this close” to a Women’s Title match. Jaida Parker broke up the touchy session and said she’s got next.
-Josh Briggs headed out to the ramp with a huge smile on his face to boos. He went into the ring and did a taunt up on the corner. He said the crowd’s boos mean nothing, because he sees what they cheer. He said when someone shows you who they really are, believe them. He said Inamura said he was his friend, but he was selfish. He said Inamura only cared about his big plan to become NXT Champion. The boos are deafening here; they might really have something with Briggs at last. He said there was no honor in NXT, and he’s not a man of honor, but a man of mayhem. He said he’s not champion, and it’s because of Inamura. “Shut the hell up” chant. He said the only way to survive in NXT is to fight dirty. He said next week they need to put Inamura’s honor on the line in a Philadelphia Street Fight.
Inamura’s music played him to the ring. He said Briggs was his friend, but now he’s…how do you say in English?…a jackass. The crowd ate it up and chanted “He’s a jackass.” He said in the Philadelphia Street Fight, the honor will be in…beating you. He threw a right and the two brawled around. Some lower-level Evolve guys acted as security, and Briggs went out near them, and Inamura hit his frog splash on the huge pile of dudes.
-Up next, it’s time to find out what Jordynne Grace has to say in a sit-down interview. [c]
-Vic promoted the show in Philadelphia next week and said it’ll have a lot of Heatwave implications.
-Earlier today, Jordynne Grace sat down with Kelly Kincaid. She’s cleared now. She said that Blake Monroe is right about some things, because Grace avoided mirrors much of her life because she didn’t like what she saw. She said the real battle is with her mind, and her self-worth. Kincaid said a lot of women can relate to that. Grace acknowledged that she let her guard down against Blake Monroe, and she tried to reach out because she was was an outsider. She said Monroe tears down other women to try to feel taller. She said to all the little Jordynnes out there, real strength doesn’t lie in someone else’s weekend. She said she wouldn’t be getting into the ring for revenge, it would be to remind her that champions come in all looks, shapes and sizes.
-Blake Monroe was with Ava. Blake said she couldn’t believe Grace thought she was insecure. Ava said she could. Ava said Grace and Monroe will meet face to face next week.
-We got a recap of Impact where Fatal Influence got involved with some of the Knockouts. Fallon Henley answered a couple of Jacy Jayne’s questions for her as the faction continues to snipe with each other. Henley pointed out the screen behind them, which showed that Masha Slamovich and Ash By Elegance were (separately) arriving at the show. Jayne wanted to know why. Shortly after, Fatal Influence made their entrance ahead of the coming tag match. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-The makeshift team that’s facing DarkState met in the locker room. Oba Femi tried to fire them up, although Trick Williams was just messing around on his phone behind them. Trick said all three of them would be taking an L soon, but they’ll take care of business tonight. Hank & Tank walked into the scene with half-masks, pretending poorly to be exterminators looking for bugs. Rob Stone hurried them away.
(3) KELANI JORDAN & LOLA VICE vs. FATAL INFLUENCE (Fallon Henley & Jacy Jayne) (w/Jazmyn Nyx)
Ash By Elegance, with The Personal Concierge, watched from the crowd, as did Masha Slamovich. Jordan tominated Henley early with some quick offense, and Vice tagged in and booted Henley on the back for two. Jayne tagged in and missed a pump kick, and Vice took control. Jayne grappled out of trouble but Vice rolled her into a near-Anaconda Vise but Jayne rolled her up to break. Henley tagged herself in and booted Vice, and Jayne nailed her once as well. Henley and Jayne cut off the ring and worked Vice over. Jayne hit a standing senton for two, then booted Vice’s head dismissively.
Jayne rolled up Vice for two, but Vice snatched her into a sleeper. Jayne frantically wagged about until she got free. Vice made the tag to Jordan, and the babyfaces hit some stereo spots on Fatal Influence. Action spilled outside and Jordan got triple-teamed by Fatal Influence heading into split-screen. [c]
Jordan was playing face in peril until she hopped to avoid a charge and rolled up Jayne for two. Jayne managed a short lariat for two. Jayne worked over Jordan in a corner, but Jordan athletically found her way to her corner for Vice to tag. Vice controlled both and took ages doing her “I’m a Latina” hip attack. With the time she took it really made the heels look like they were overselling, a la The Worm. Jordan tagged in and hit a leg drop on Henley for two. Jordan set up Henley near a corner, but the other Fatal Influence members got involved and the distraction caused a double-team and cover for two, with Vice drilling into the pile to break the count.
Jordan and Jayne exchanged rights, then kicks. Jordan caught her with a rollup for two. Jayne countered a cutter into a wristlock takedown in an innovative spot. Jordan laid out Jayne and covered, but everyone got involved shortly after. The ref got hung up with Jazmyn Nyx, allowing Vice to hit a backfist on Jayne. Split-legged moonsault finished for Jordan.
WINNERS: Kelani Jordan & Lola Vice at 12:06.
(Wells’s Analysis: Pretty good stuff here, and the finish allows both faces to claim they should be the one to get the next shot. Meanwhile, Slamovich was hanging nearby waiting for her shot at the TNA Knockouts Championship also.)
-In a promoted pre-taped segment, Jasper Troy called out Ricky Saints, saying he reminds him of the skill players he protected as a lineman in football, who were all looks and style, while they were nothing without him blocking them. That’s kind of a cool angle. I remain only mildly sold on him, but it’s a step in the right direction. [c]
(4) KENDAL GREY vs. ALBA FYRE (w/Piper Niven)
Backstage, Green told Ethan Page they’d be made proud.
Grey is fairly heavily featured on Evolve. She’s pretty strong in the ring, but remains a very bland, blank canvas as a personality. Grey took down Fyre early, and the match quickly went to some reversals and finally a dropkick for Grey, who fired up. Grey tried to come off a corner, but Fyre nailed her with a superkick on her landing. Fyre hung up the ref so Niven could slap Grey through the ropes. Grey fought to her feet and did a couple of back elbows and an overhead belly-to-belly. Ethan Page, from the locker room, said he trusted Chelsea but he had to go out there for a closer look.
Action spilled to the apron, where Grey trapped Fyre in an armbar. They went intside and Fyre rolled Grey up to break. High cross-body by Grey. Ethan Page had appeared to check on Piper Niven. Fyre nailed a superkick and planted Grey, then hit a flash knee for two. Grey put up Fyre in a fireman’s carry, but Fyre raked the eyes. Gory Bomb finished.
WINNER: Alba Fyre at 4:05.
(Wells’s Analysis: Very cool to see another Evolve kid make it to the show, but I stress that they haven’t tried to give Grey much of a personality at ALL, and they have to work on that before she gets more time here on NXT)
-Ethan Page mocked everyone, saying it was ridiculous that this is the best the US has to offer. Tavion Heights showed up on the ramp and said he hadn’t picked Grey to be his partner – he picked the only woman on the roster to win an Olympic Gold Medal – Tyra Mae Steele. Steele hit German suplexes on Fyre, Niven, and Page. Vic said “What a find for Tavion Heights!” She literally won LFG…isn’t she about the first person he’d ask?
-Ava talked to Fatal Influence, and said that at Heatwave she’ll go up against both Masha Slamovich and Ash By Elegance. Ash’s Concierge was fired up about that. Ash wasn’t there for some reason. Ava continued and said that next week, Fatal Influence will face the Elegance Brand.
-Vic promoted the 8-man main event as the show started to wind down. [c]
-Ethan Page and Chelsea Green talked in the locker room. Green said it was time for a USA-Canada peace treaty. Page loved it, and said that he’d talk to his friends at the Embassy. This seems a little on the silly side for such a cruel character in Page, but whatever.
-Next week, Jasper Troy faces Ricky Saints, Josh Briggs faces Yoshiki Inamura in a street fight, and Fatal Influence faces the Elegance Brand.
-Corey promoted TripleMania XXXIII live on Youtube this Saturday.
(5) OBA FEMI & TRICK WILLIAMS & JE’VON EVANS & MOOSE vs. DARKSTATE (Dion Lennox & Saquon Shugars & Osiris Griffin & Cutler James)
The babyfaces all got full separate intro heading into commercial with no split-screen (no Femi yet, so he’ll be after the break). [c]
Femi joined his partners with his full entrance. The four of them tried to get together to strategize but it wasn’t going well. DarkState entered together (from the ramp).
Upon the bell, all eight guys brawled and got a quick “NXT” chant. Everyone got in early spots before it finally settled into Evans vs. Shugars. Evans dominated completely and the ref pulled him back from the corner as he wouldn’t let up. Standing shooting star press got two. Shugars laid in a knee but Evans hit him with a headscissor takedown and a dropkick. Once again it broke down and everyone got involved. Femi casually picked up Shugars and threw him onto the other members of DarkState out on the ramp side. Williams tried to walk out on the mess of, but Moose and Femi launched him onto DarkState with a plancha. Williams made a big show of celebrating with each unimpressed babyface. The match went to split-screen. [c]
Oba Femi and Cutler James were having a suplex stalemate. Seriously? Femi, of course, was the one to finally hit it. James rolled to a tag to Griffin. The two large men threw rights. Rope run and a block led to a stalemate. The heels took control with a blind tag and a choke on the top rope. Lennox covered Femi for two. Neckbreaker by Lennox got two. Griffin tagged in and hit a leg drop for two. Griffin snapped on a headlock, and Femi fought to his feet and threw midsection shots and a body slam to escape trouble. Lennox and Evans tagged in. Evans jumped over Lennox and cleared out some DarkState guys on the outside. He threw his body everywhere and the crowd was apopleptic. He ran himself into a spinebuster by Lennox.
DarkState cut off the ring and dominated Evans. James covered for two. Evans reached for a tag but was held back. Evans hit a spin kick and made the hot tag to Moose, who dominated all of DarkState. Uranage for Lennox. Standing senton. Moose fired up to a big reaction. He ran into a boot by Shugars but hit a sit-out chokeslam for two. Shugars chopped Moose in the throat and tagged Lennox. Trick tagged in and Femi tagged himself after that. Evans tagged also and he hit a big splash on Lennox. He covered, and all his partners tried to block, but DarkState plowed through them to break. Shortly after, Shugars hit a big leg drop on Evans’ jaw and got two. Everyone got involved and the face team controlled until they started accidentally hitting one another. Evans was left by himself in the ring and Williams had a chance to help, but he jumped off the apron and backed up as DarkState hit their four-man powerslam and Lennox covered Evans for the win.
WINNERS: DarkState at 13:16.
Hank & Tank ran in and battled with DarkState, to add to the wild mess going on already.
(Wells’s Analysis: That was an incredible ride from start to finish. It was more of a car crash than a match, but that’s what you’re supposed to get with DarkState, so that’s fine. They continue to improve in every aspect, and though I’m far from saying they’re a sure thing to be a long-term faction, I can see their personalities popping more and more – particularly those of Shugars and Lennox, though the others are making strides as well. Trick was able to play his part brilliantly, almost never getting involved of his own volition, and stepping away when his team needed him most. It’s more fuel to the neverending fire that he might be with DarkState, though I continue to expect this to be a red herring and Trick is going to turn babyface again at the end of all of this)
FINAL THOUGHTS: I haven’t smoked for years, but I feel like I need one after that wild main event. Longtime readers and listeners will know it’s not my usual kind of match, but there was a story to tell and there were just so many fun spots along the way. The bizarre Chelsea Green-Ethan Page angle as well as the Legend-Jax match made this feel like kind of a break from the norm, but I think this show is best when there’s a wide variety of talent to pull from. Josh Briggs and Yoshiki Inamura had probably the segment of the night as they continue a feud that seems to be doing a lot for both of them, but as of now I’m believing the bigger beneficiary is going to Briggs, as his heat is just nuclear right now. Nate Lindberg and I will talk it over on PWT Talks NXT very soon. Check it out tonight or stream tomorrow.
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