SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
With NXT Stand & Deliver approaching fast and the WrestleMania card finally filling out, it’s an exciting time to be a WWE fan.
And what better way to get ready than by breaking down this week’s biggest hits and most glaring misses?
Rising Star of the Week: Kendal Grey
Grey continues to impress since relinquishing her Evolve Title and becoming a full-time NXT wrestler.
Her ringwork is truly remarkable for someone who only started training in 2023. Powerful, explosive, and instinctive, her style draws from her amateur wrestling background and is reminiscent of Kurt Angle or Chad Gable.
Grey’s mic work is still developing, but she compensates with infectious charisma and a palpable love of performing. Her number one contender’s match with Lola Vice on NXT this week was hard-hitting and dramatic, undercut only by a cheap, cop-out finish that resulted in a no contest.
Although both women are babyfaces, the NXT audience was clearly behind Grey.
She appears to be the most likely prospect to end Jacey Jayne’s long reign as champion—if not at Stand & Deliver, then soon afterward.
Grey has all the tools to become the centerpiece babyface of the NXT Women’s Division. If NXT stays the course, they may already have their next franchise star.
Runner-up: Ethan Paige and Ricky Saints (tie)
Ethan Paige and Ricky Saints are entertaining on their own, but together they’ve become one of NXT’s most compelling acts. In recent weeks, “All Ego” and “Absolute” have formed an alliance built not on trust, but on mutual exploitation.
As two top contenders for the NXT Championship, they constantly feign respect and admiration while clearly attempting to outmaneuver one another. That tension is the hook, and they’re playing it perfectly.
Neither seems likely to win the fatal four-way at Stand & Deliver, but both feel poised for bigger opportunities.
They’ve fully realized their characters, and combined with their strong in-ring ability, each looks ready for a post-WrestleMania call-up. Even when this alliance inevitably collapses, both men should land on their feet.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Fading Star of the Week: Lola Vice
Nobody likes a third wheel.
Despite her strong in-ring ability, Lola Vice has come up short in multiple attempts to dethrone Jacey Jayne and has struggled to build meaningful momentum. Even her underground match win over Kelani Jordan at Vengeance Day did little to elevate her standing.
This week’s NXT featured Vice against Kendal Grey in a number one contender’s match. Given Grey’s momentum, she felt like the clear favorite.
Instead, the match ended in a contrived no contest, setting up a likely triple threat title match at Stand & Deliver—one that feels unnecessary.
One-on-one matches typically offer clearer stakes and more compelling storytelling, while triple threat matches often hinge on opportunism, where winning doesn’t really prove anything.
Fans are eager to see Grey potentially dethrone Jayne, who has held the title for nearly a year. Adding Vice to the mix muddies that story and suggests a title change might be delayed.
Vice remains a talented in-ring performer, but in this scenario, she detracts more than she adds. At this stage, her inclusion feels less like an opportunity and more like a misstep.
First Runner-Up: The Usos
The Usos’ latest tag team title reign came to an end on Raw—and it concluded much like it unfolded: without much impact.
Their reunion in December initially felt promising. Jey Uso’s singles run had stalled, and Jimmy Uso had struggled to gain traction. Reuniting a historically successful team made sense.
They quickly captured their ninth World Tag Team Championship by defeating AJ Styles and Dragon Lee, but the momentum didn’t last.
Their subsequent title defenses lacked energy and urgency, falling well short of the standard set by teams like Styles and Lee or Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh. In the ring, they’ve appeared a step slower and less engaged.
Even with opponents like Logan Paul and Austin Theory willing to create chaos, their Street Fight on Raw fell flat. Add in uninspired entrance music, and the presentation has done little to help.
Most notably, their most compelling involvement has been as supporting players in Roman Reigns’ ongoing issues with CM Punk. Even now, they struggle to break free from that orbit.
For a team with their résumé, this run felt less like a meaningful return and more like a retread that failed to recapture past success.
Second Runner-Up: Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston remains a reliable in-ring performer, as evidenced by his Intercontinental Title match against Penta on Raw this week.
However, WrestleMania season underscores just how far his standing has fallen.
In 2019, Kingston reached the pinnacle of his career during “KofiMania,” defeating Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35.
In the years that followed, he remained a consistent presence on the WrestleMania card, competing for tag team gold at WrestleManias 36, 37, 38, and XL.
Yet the 2025 heel turn intended to rejuvenate The New Day never gained traction, even with the addition of Grayson Waller. Since then, Kingston’s relevance has steadily declined, highlighted by a prolonged losing streak on Raw dating back to August.
For the first time in years, he appears likely to miss WrestleMania altogether.
While Kingston may still have another meaningful run left, the absence of Big E and a clear creative direction makes that increasingly difficult to envision.
From WWE Champion to afterthought in just six years is a stark decline. At this point, it’s fair to question whether there is a genuine plan to rebuild Kingston or if his role has quietly shifted into the background.
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