NXT TV RESULTS (8/25): Wells’s live report on Shugars vs. Lennox in a Weaponized Steel Cage, Fenix vs. Prosper, Armstrong vs. Zaria, more

NXT TV RESULTS
AUGUST 25, 2026
WINTER PARK, FLA. AT THE CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON CW NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

NXT Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T

Ring Announcer: Mike Rome

Backstage Correspondent(s): Emily Agard, Blake Howard

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST

-Tonight’s major players were shown arriving earlier.

(1) SAQUON SHUGARS vs. DION LENNOX – Weaponized Steel Cage Match

Given the level of setup required for such a match, this is the near-inevitable spot for such a match unless we were to get 20+ straight minutes of backstage segments.

Lennox took an extended early upper hand, tossing Shugars all over the ring and into the cage, and occasionally on a downed chair. Lennox hit a body slam and covered for two. Shugars was finally able to trap Lennox in a trash can, and then he smacked him with the lid and then hit a missile dropkick with Lennox still with the can over him. Shugars covered for two. Shugars took a chair and beat some shots into Lennox’s back, bending the chair over him. Two chairs were set up facing one another, despite the fact that these spots literally almost never end up hitting like they’re supposed to. Lennox hit a suplex onto the chairs, where he…kind of hit one of them. It was good enough to get a “holy sh*t” chant from the generous crowd. The match went to split-screen commercial. [c]

A kendo stick was introduced during the break, though it was slowed way down. Shugars used the kendo stick against Lennox, then tossed him from one side of the cage to another. Shugars hit a high cross-body but Lennox downed him and set up a kendo stick, trapping it using the chain-links. Lennox was reversed into it and slowly and very deliberately made it look like he took the impact on his neck. Shortly after, Lennox hit a spinebuster on Shugars through a trash can. Lennox grabbed some kendo sticks and put them through the links and then set up a chair high on them; it’s a bit tough to describe without having seen the spot. Lennox worked Shugars’ bad knee, set him up in the tree of woe, and took a chair to the bad knee for a long two count.

Lennox worked a leg submission, but the trouble with these gimmick matches is that if a bunch of plunder has been set up for a spot that hasn’t happened yet, there’s zero drama in near-falls in the meantime. Lennox set up a table, then put Shugars up in a corner and followed him up. Shugars used a trash lid that was up on the cage and tried a sunset flip, but his knee gave out. Lennox got put on the table but one side buckled. Tables do as they please. Shugars repeated the spot and superkicked Lennox. The table buckled under Lennox. Shugars went to the top of the cage and hit a high cross-body from there to finish.

WINNER: Saquon Shugars at 14:46.

(Wells’s Analysis: Weapons don’t thrill me, but this particular feud did kind of call for them. Shugars has now dominated his former faction enough times in a row that the two sides need to move on from one another and not find their way back to one another. It might be tough as I’m not sure either party is an imminent callup)

-Nattie, as well as Thea Hail & Jaida Parker, walked separately through the back ahead of a segment to come. [c]

-Blake Howard talked to Tony D’Angelo backstage and asked him about the new challengers he’s got. He brought Oba Femi up, invoking his victory over him. That…probably shouldn’t happen, but eh, it’s only NXT. He said he beat three men to take the title, and he’ll beat these three to keep it.

-Earlier today, Sarah Schreiber joined Vanity Project at their favorite bowling alley. They told Schreiber that Myles Borne and Tavion Heights aren’t real friends like they are. Jackson Drake rolled a ball, knocked down three or four pins, and acted cool and said “we’re locked in” as he walked away. Myka Lockwood said she’d show him how to knock down all ten. She rolled and looked cocky as she stepped back, but she only knocked down seven. Baylor managed eight. Ricky Smokes set up the little kid thing to help them roll a ball faster, and he got nine. All the while, they talked tough about the coming matches they have. They all did the V symbol in the middle of the table and forced Schreiber to do it also.

-Nattie was already in the ring. She said she came here because she thinks Jaida Parker is something special. She put all her skills over but then also said she’s all about wasted potential and Nattie’s appearance has made her better. She said Parker was benefitting from the best thing a young talent can get – Nattie’s attention.

Parker’s music played her to the ring, and she said Nattie’s been calling her a lot of things, and Nattie’s got records and a legacy and she tried to break a woman on the come-up. She thanked Nattie for reminding her who she really was herself. Parker said Nattie’s ungrateful ass should thank her. Nattie said she didn’t just want any match with her, she wanted a submission match. Parker said Nattie might be a low-key legend but Parker’s going to high-key wax her ass. They called each other bitches, and we went to commercial. [c]

(2) KEANU CARVER vs. KAM HENDRIX

Hendrix finished his entrance upon return from commercial, and Carver got full entrance. Carver hit an inside cradle for a near-fall early. Carver hit a big belly-to-belly and a running forearm. A big haymaker put Hendrix on the mat, and he begged off until he could yank Carver into the ropes. Hendrix hit a corner splash, then ran station-to-station for a lariat for just one.

Hendrix choked Carver on a rope using his knee, then worked a headlock on the mat. After a breakup and reset, Hendrix hit a running kick again for just a one count. Hendrix hit a chop to Carver’s back that just pissed him off. Carver hit some huge suplexes and a bigger pounce. Hendrix tried to bail and Carver reached for him, but Hendrix thumbed him in the eye. As Hendrix got cocky, Mason Rook flew in and laid out Hendrix, then rolled him inside. Carver hit a Perfect Plex for the victory.

WINNER: Keanu Carver at 3:39.

(Wells’s Analysis: NXT continues to throw curveballs with Carver, showing he isn’t just a one-dimensional talent, and Hendrix is given an out as he continues his issue with Rook. At times it looked like Carver was sandbagging, but I assume he’s just playing up his toughness)

-In a promoted segment, Kelani Jordan talked about how she showed up with so much talent that she didn’t need the indies or Evolve or a famous last name. She talked about winning the NXT North American Championship and the TNA Knockouts Champion both on her first try, and she’s going to do that with the NXT Women’s Championship because she doesn’t need years to be a star, she just needs an opportunity. Interesting framing given she’s been in the company for years, but oh well. [c]

-In a pre-taped segment, Zilla Fatu talked about his dad Umaga, and also covered how his last name is both a blessing and a burden. He said he wasn’t just a nepo baby and framed his title shot as something he worked toward for years. That’s about the best framing they’ve got, but it’s nowhere near enough to make WWE-only fans think his title shot isn’t specifically a nepo baby thing. The segment, of course, was very good as Fatu is a standout on the mic, even in comparison to much of his talented famous family.

(3) KALI ARMSTRONG vs. ZARIA – If Armstrong wins, she’s added to the Heatwave North American Championship match

I really don’t like stipulations where you have to beat the champion to get a shot at the champion, but they do it very rarely these days, so…I guess. Zaria took the early advantage but got cocky long enough for Armstrong to nail her with a body slam. Zaria took Armstrong to a corner and peppered her with chops and strikes. She charged Armstrong to the opposite corner, then hit a back body drop. After a couple of switches and escapes, Armstrong threw some boxing punches, then hit a lariat to send Zaria to the floor. She nearly over-shot a high cross-body but Zaria got in position to keep Kali safe. Kali fired up and was in control as the match went to split-screen. [c]

[HOUR TWO]