WWE RISING STARS & FADING STARS: NXT Deadline Edition Featuring Kendal Grey, Dion Lennox, Kelani Jordan, Joe Hendry, Lola Vice, Jordynne Grace

NXT just wrapped up its fourth Deadline, a PLE which replaced the previous WarGames PLE when the match type itself was elevated to the main roster to be featured annually at Survivor Series.

Deadl1ne revolves around a novel match type called the Iron Survivor Challenge (ISC). The 25-minute match involves five wrestlers entering at 5-minute intervals each attempting to garner the most pinfalls or submissions before the time limit. After giving up a fall, the wrestler must spend 90 seconds in a penalty box. The stakes are high, as the ISC winner becomes the number one contender to the title.

As convoluted as the rules may seem, they make for tremendous fun, as which competitors scramble to gain pinfalls while foiling those of their competitors. The action is fast and furious, featuring the remarkable athleticism that top NXT stars are known for.

Despite its awkward name, the ISC seems like a rising star of its own, destined to follow WarGames to the main roster.

Rising Star of the Week: Kendal Grey

Of the two ISC matches at Deadline, the women’s match was clearly superior. I recommend going out of your way to see it, if you haven’t already. The MVP of the women’s match was Kendall Grey.

Grey hits hard, possesses boundless energy, and has great in-ring instincts for a rookie. Her German suplex in particular is excellent, a far cry from the anemic version performed by Ivy Nile and others. Grey recalls Chad Gable in her ring style and skill.

Grey was a true dark horse at Deadline, her first PLE. Sol Ruca and Jordynne Grace seemed far more likely winners. She was pinned multiple times during the match, and so didn’t seem particularly protected. However, her performance was exceptionally strong, and it was a pleasant surprise when she picked up the victory.

I’d give her even odds to win Jacey Jane’s NXT Women’s championship at New Year’s Evil, less than two years from her first match.

Don’t sleep on this talented youngster.

Runner-up: Dion Lennox

Since his debut in late 2023, Lennox has mainly lurked on the fringes of NXT programming. He had a few minor roles in backstage drama as an unassuming bookworm and an abysmal win-loss record (6-34 as of December 2024).

In April, Lennox formed Dark State with Cutler James, Osiris Griffin, and Saquon Shugars. Lennox hasn’t particularly stood out as part of the underwhelming as an anarchist faction but did capture the NXT Tag Team Titles.

Two weeks ago, Lennox was unexpectedly named as part of John Cena’s hand-picked entrants to the men’s ISC. As an unexpected move, he responded by relinquishing his half of the tag team gold to stablemate Shugars.

Deadline was our first chance to see Lennox as a legitimate singles competitor in a high-profile match-up. Completely transformed from his former nerd character, Lennox delivered a blistering backstage interview and confronted Oba Femi, coming off like a true badass.

Although he failed to win the ISC, Lennox gave an impressive in-ring performance and garnered considerable heat as the only true heel in the match. Lennox was intense and showed off his considerable athletic ability, more than holding his own against talented competitors, and seemed a legitimate threat.

Lennox’s debut as a heel singles competitor got off to a blazing start at Deadline. The state may be dark, but his future is bright indeed.

Second Runner up: Kelani Jordan

The Standout earned her moniker with a fantastic showing in the ISC. Jordan started off the match against Grey and was likewise able to keep pace for the entire 25 minutes. Grey seemed to bring out the best in Jordan, whose gymnastic background was on full display in a number of impressive spots.

Like Lennox, Jordan benefited from being the only heel in the five-woman match. Jordan, who has been successfully garnering significant crowd heat in recent weeks, was able to elicit overwhelming boos from the crowd when she ambushed Sol Ruca on the way to the ring and seemingly reinjured the surfer’s knee.

An impressive singles win against Jordynne Grace two nights later cements Jordan as one to watch.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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Fading Star of the Week: Joe Hendry

I believe in Joe Hendry, but I’m losing faith. He’s a charismatic talent with a catchy theme song, great look, and fun gimmick. Word that he finally signed with WWE last month means that creative sees something in him, and we can expect he’ll have his share of future opportunities.

However, his whole schtick hinges upon fans believing in him. We have to buy that he has what it takes to win big matches. This has been getting progressively harder to do as Hendry continues to lose all of his important matches in NXT. He lost every one of his NXT PLE matches 2024, most recently his bid for the AAA Mixed Tag Team Titles at Gold Rush.

The ISC was another losing effort, made worse by Hendry’s performance. Surrounded by remarkable young athletes Je’Von Evans, Leon Slater, Myles Borne, and Dion Lennox, the 37-year-old Scot simply couldn’t keep up. He looked like he was moving in slow motion compared to his spry opponents.

I believe in Joe Hendry, but my faith is faltering.

First Runner-Up: Lola Vice

NXT has invested a great deal in Vice, who has successfully adapted her MMA experience to professional wrestling. Her character work has been less impressive than her ring work, however. Her hip-swinging entrance seems more appropriate to the late-‘90s Divas Era than 2025.

Although her ringwork is good enough, Vice’s connection to the crowd is lacking and hasn’t progressed in the past year. In the ISC, “NXT’s Cuban Sensation” failed to stand out and came off as the least of the five competitors.

On her current trajectory, it’s hard to imagine Vice catching on with main roster audiences. After two years on NXT television, her time may be running out.

Second Runner-Up: Jordynne Grace

An excellent prospect with a unique power-lifter build and great ringwork, the Juggernaut has failed to gain any real traction in NXT. Much like Hendry, this former TNA champion can’t seem to catch a break.

Grace has had several shots at NXT titles throughout 2025 but has lost each time. Despite an impressive performance at the ISC match, Grace came up short yet again. A subsequent loss to Kelani Jordan on Tuesday indicates she won’t be challenging for a title anytime soon.

Grace’s win loss record indicates that creative doesn’t recognize her high potential.