SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
DECEMBER 23, 2025
ORLANDO, FLA. AT THE WWE PERFORMANCE CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON THE CW
REPORT BY DAVID MILLER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Backstage Correspondent: Kelly Kincaid, Sarah Schreiber
[HOUR ONE]
-New NXT Women’s North American Champion Thea Hail was shown walking through the parking lot, belt slung over her shoulder and beaming. Ricky Saints, Je’Von Evans, Chelsea Green & Ethan Page, and Sol Ruca & Zaria were also shown arriving.
-The arena was all decked out for Christmas as Vic Joseph introduced the show.
(1) LOLA VICE vs. IZZI DAME (w/Shawn Spears)
Noticeably absent from The Culling was Niko Vance, who has apparently been made to disappear by Tatum Paxley and her witch-doctory. Dame and Spears looked a bit concerned by his absence. Dame charged Vice at the bell and muscled her back into the corner. Vice went for an armbar after getting taken down by a clothesline, but Dame fought out of it. Vice used her speed and kicking power to maintain control of the match. They briefly went outside the ring, which, surprisingly, did not lead to a commercial break. Dame landed some forearm uppercuts but got kicked down into the corner by Vice. Dame got caught in a sleeper mid-ring, but she dropped backwards to break it. Dame exclaimed, “MMA my ass, Lola!” as she asserted her dominance. [c]
Back from the break, Vice powered out of a Boston crab attempt and rolled Dame up with a crucifix for a two count. She hit a hip attack in the corner, but was distracted when Spears grabbed her ankle, allowing Dame to knock her out of the ring. Dame followed her out to roll her back in when a loud motor was heard. Mike Rome and the timekeeper jumped out of their seats when Tatum Paxley cut her way through the set behind them with a chainsaw. She revved the saw and went after Spears, who ran for his life to the back with Paxley in hot pursuit. Dame slid into the ring to avoid being carved like a Christmas turkey and was pinned after eating a Lola Vice back fist.
WINNER: Lola Vice at 9:55
(Miller’s Take: This was a decent way to open the show. Vice got a much-needed victory while the fans got the pleasure of seeing a rabid Tatum Paxley wielding a chainsaw. What could possibly be better?)
-After the match, Kelani Jordan jumped the barrier and ran to the ring to attack Vice. The referee finally pulled her off and stopped the assault.
-In the women’s locker room, Jordynne Grace was watching a replay of the end of last week’s Women’s North American title match. She told Thea Hail that she clearly won and the referee did his job correctly. An unusually subdued Hail thanked Grace for standing up for her. [c]
-Meanwhile, in the men’s locker room, North American Champion Ethan Page admonished Myles Borne for not taking his advice. He said he could be in Leon Slater’s place, but he didn’t listen. He told him to move up or move out.
-Mike Rome introduced the new NXT Women’s North American Champion Thea Hail. She addressed the “controversial” ending to last week’s match, but said she did it. She got emotional as she talked about how wonderful it was to be a champion. She told the fans that they watched her grow up in NXT, and she believed in herself. She said the title makes her finally feel like a grown-ass woman.
-Former champ Black Monroe walked out, looking like she just rolled out of bed. She said it was a fluke, a mistake, and an inconvenience she now has to deal with. She screamed that the referee had no idea what he was doing. Hail said she will get her rematch at New Year’s Evil. Monroe punched Hail in the mouth and the two brawled until officials came out to separate them.
-The Progressive NXT Spotlight featured a video package on Eli Knight and Tavion Heights, who will meet in the Speed tournament. [c]
-Sarah Schreiber interviewed Sol Ruca (with Zaria by her side). She spoke of defeating Bayley and how great it was to have a best friend like Zaria by her side. Zaria said Sol deserves to be champion and she’ll be out there later to make sure it happens. Yeah, I don’t like the sound of that. The BFF thing was laid on a bit thick for something “unexpected” not to happen.
(2) ELI KNIGHT vs. TAVION HEIGHTS – Speed Tournament Match
Joseph mentioned that Knight has been honing his craft in Evolve as a part of the WWE ID program. When the bell rang, Knight immediately sent Heights flying with a perfect dropkick. He showed off his aerial prowess with some high-flying offense. It was all Knight for the first two minutes until he missed a moonsault, which allowed Heights to get the pin.
WINNER: Tavion Heights at 2:01 to advance.
-Heights offered his hand to his foe after the match, which Knight respectfully accepted.
-Kelly Kincaid was shown preparing for a face to face between Leon Slater and Oba Femi. [c]
-Back from the commercial break, Blake Monroe was wandering backstage in her nightgown, ranting to no one in particular, when Evolve Champion Jackson Drake walked up from behind her and introduced himself. He asked her to follow him because he had something for her she would like, and led her to Swipe Right, who were bearing Christmas gifts. They kissed her backside by telling her how obvious it was that she lifted her shoulder off the mat and should still be champion. Then they pondered the possibility of Hail holding onto the title through half of next year, and Monroe told them to get out of her face but as they were leaving, told Smokes to leave his gift. Ricky Smokes said it was from him, then caught up with his cohorts and said, “I think she saw my abs.” Funny bit.
-Kelly Kincaid sat between TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater and NXT Champion Oba Femi. Femi said he’s not just the ruler of NXT, but to all of WWE. He said Cody Rhodes felt that shift and Slater would feel it at New Year’s Evil. Slater admitted he was walking into the biggest match of his life. He said wrestling filled a hole he had in his life, and he started training at 9 years old. Femi told him his sob story wouldn’t matter when he was standing across the ring from him. Slater said he wasn’t about the trash-talking and he let his actions speak in the ring. The two men stood and shook hands to end the segment.
-Je’Von Evans was shown walking toward the entrance before they cut to another commercial break.
-Back from the break, Ava stood mid-ring, flanked by security. She brought out Je’Von Evans first, who neglected to wag his tongue at the camera, then Ricky Saints. Security immediately stood in between them. Evans said they could be handling this in the parking lot. Saints started running him down until Evans interrupted him by accusing him of being jealous. Saints told him he could barely string two sentences together and sounded like he had marbles in his mouth. He said he checked every box. Evans said he checked enough boxes to be courted by Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce, and checked enough boxes to be on the card for John Cena’s retirement match. Tempers flared as Evans told Saints that if he kept talking to him like he was a little kid, he would beat his ass like a grown man.
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]
-Ava intervened at this point and said they would go one-on-one next week and that would be the end of it.
-In the back, Fatal Influence confronted Wren Sinclair and Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey. Jacy Jayne suggested a warm-up match with Sinclair next week, which she accepted.
-TNA International Champion Stacks and Arianna Grace were shown being all cutesy with each other in the back.
-Shiloh Hill & Skylar Raye, decked out in festive holiday garb, made their ring entrance prior to the commercial break. [c]
(3) SHILOH HILL & SKYLAR RAYE vs. STACKS & ARIANNA GRACE – Christmas Chaos Mixed Tag Team Match
Stacks and Grace were dressed in green fur (Grinches, I suppose) as mistletoe dropped on the big screen. Hill and Raye interrupted the intimate moment under the mistletoe, and they fought their way to the ring. The women fought in the ring, then the men got in on the action. Grace got thrown into a Christmas box in a humorous spot. Hill threw Raye onto both opponents on the floor. Kendo sticks dressed up like candy canes came into the mix.
As the women fought over a stick, the men lifted them onto their shoulders for a chicken fight. Stacks and Grace were hung upside down in opposite corners as their opponents beat on them with candy cane kendo sticks. [c]
Back from the break, Stacks had tied Hill to the corner with Christmas lights as he beat on him with a kendo stick. Grace brought in a gift from under the tree to give to Stacks. It was a bowling ball, which he gave to Grace. As she prepared to bowl a strike, she smacked Stacks where it hurts on her backswing. As he winced in pain, she dropped the ball on his foot. Really funny spot. Hill yanked out his tooth and handed it to Grace, who stood there and screamed while holding it. Hill proceeded to work over Stacks before Raye hit a missile dropkick on Stacks and Grace.
On the floor, Hill put a Christmas wreath over Stacks, pinning his arms to his side. Grace charged at Raye, but she sidestepped her and put her face-first through a Christmas tree. Hill hit a legdrop on Stacks, who was still trapped by the wreath. Hill and Raye then grabbed a tray of Christmas cookies at ringside and began tossing cookies out to the crowd. Hill took a bite of one before Grace clobbered him with a Christmas tree. She then smacked both with a baking pan. Suddenly, hormones or love or something overwhelmed Stacks and Grace, and they kissed again. The liplock was broken when Raye snagged Grace around the waist with a giant candy cane and pulled her into the ring post. Hill kicked Stacks and then emptied a bag of pinecones onto a table, which he promptly put Stacks through. Back in the ring, Raye landed a frog splash on Grace for the three count. A dejected Grace rolled to the floor and started eating one of the Christmas cookies to comfort herself.
WINNERS: Shiloh Hill & Skylar Raye at 11:39.
(Miller’s Take: This was exactly what it was supposed to be…some holiday fun. Stacks & Grace make a great comedy duo, and a mixed tag match with Chelsea Green & Ethan Page would be a hoot. The bowling ball spot was hilarious, as was seeing Grace thrown face-first into a Christmas tree. Shiloh Hill continues to get over with the crowd (and me) with every appearance.)
-Ava was meeting with DarkState. Dion Lennox said he wanted Joe Hendry. The other three members tensed up as, since his name was said, Joe Hendry appeared from behind a bookshelf. He and Lennox faced off before DarkState left. Hendry told Ava he wanted to perform a concert next week, which she agreed to. [c]
-Kelly Kincaid was with OTM. They started talking about 2026 being their year when The Vanity Project walked up to Kelly and offered her the presents that Blake Monroe didn’t take. OTM took exception to being interrupted and asked who they were. Ricky Smokes said he didn’t appreciate their tone. OTM threatened them if they ever interrupted them again. They gave Kelly the gifts and left.
(4) ANDRE CHASE vs. LEXIS KING – Speed Tournament Match
Chase was wearing a face mask due to recent reconstructive surgery, according to Vic Joseph. Chase started the match on fire but ate a superkick at the one-minute mark. King had the majority of the offense for the second minute. With one minute left, Chase went for a submission. After breaking free from the hold, King kicked Chase in the face, then hit the Coronation for the win.
WINNER: Lexis King at 2:47 to advance.
(Miller’s Take: Typical Speed match. King needed a win badly, and Chase was a warm body.)
-Kelani Jordan was seen exiting the women’s locker room. As she was leaving, she issued a warning that anyone who had a problem with her would get the same thing Lola Vice got. As she passed Myles Borne and Tavion Heights, she told them they would get the same thing, too. Heights said he liked her better when she was nice, then talked about how things have to change next year. As Hank & Tank walked up to say nothing important, Borne looked pensive and said maybe Ethan Page was right. The seeds have been sown. [c]
(5) CHELSEA GREEN (c) (w/Alba Fyre) vs. SOL RUCA (w/Zaria) – Women’s U.S. Championship Match
Ruca took down a charging Green with a leg trip, then went into a front facelock. She cartwheeled out of an arm twist and applied a surfboard. Some blatant assistance from Fyre and Page led to Zaria coming over to even the odds. Green took control of the match before they cut to a commercial break. [c]
Back from the break, Green had Ruca in a leglock full nelson. Ruca fought her way out, stood up out of a monkey flip, then hit a missile dropkick. Green pulled out a spinning kick for a near fall. She pulled Ruca off the second rope with a German suplex but missed a flying elbow. Green obviously stood in place waiting for Ruca to hit a cartwheel DDT off the ropes. Page put Green’s foot on the ropes while the referee wasn’t looking to break the pin. Zaria came over to confront Page, but Moose attacked him from behind. With the referee paying attention to everything except what was going on in the ring, Fyre tripped up Ruca as she was going for a Sol Snatcher, which allowed Green to deliver an Unprettyher for the pin.
WINNER: Chelsea Green at 10:33 to retain the Women’s U.S. Championship.
(Miller’s Take: That was a disappointment. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Ruca win with the momentum she’s built up lately, but the match itself just could have been more. Green’s character makes up for anything she may lack in the ring, with the opposite being true of Ruca. Maybe a big angle after the match? Let’s see…)
-After the match, an enraged Zaria delivered a double spear to Green and Fyre. Ruca followed suit with a Sol Snatcher on Green to leave the fans happy.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The show never really picked up momentum, instead staying at a nice, leisurely place throughout. No big angles, but a promise of good things to come with a Hail vs. Monroe rematch and North American Title match between Page and Moose looming on the horizon. Merry Christmas, everybody!
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