SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 4, 2026
ORLANDO, FL 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
[HOUR ONE]
-John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Kelani Jordan, and Grayson Waller were shown entering the Performance Center, followed by a shot of C.M. Punk sitting and chatting with Shawn Michaels before they recapped the highlights from Halloween Havoc.
-Vic Joseph introduced the show as the camera panned the crowd.
(1) DRAGON LEE & CHAD GABLE & REY FENIX vs. THE VANITY PROJECT (Jackson Drake & Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes) (w/Myka Lockwood) – 6-Man Tag Team Match
Gable and Drake started the match, with the North American champ getting visibly frustrated by Gable. Everyone pitched everyone else out of the ring, then they all returned, faced off and began throwing hands. Lee got pulled out of the ring, then Fenix connected with a splash from the top rope to the floor onto Smokes and Baylor. All three members of The Vanity Project were simultaneously clotheslined over the top rope before they cut to the first commercial break of the night. [c]
Back from the break, The Vanity Project utilized their extraordinary teamwork to get the advantage on Gable, who Joseph pointed out lost the Intercontinental title Monday night to NXT alumnus Ethan Page. Fenix took the hot tag and did his amazing top rope walk into a Goodbye Amigo kick to the side of Baylor’s noggin. Gable landed an amazing double German suplex to Drake and Smokes with assistance from Lee, who superkicked Smokes to jump start the maneuver. Lee performed a double stomp on Baylor before pinning him with Operation Dragon as his partners held Drake and Smokes at bay with submission holds.
WINNERS: Dragon Lee & Chad Gable & Rey Fenix at 9:13.
(Miller’s Take: Great opening match that jump-started the crowd. The Vanity Project is just so good, and they hung with the main roster trio like they belonged. I’ve had my eye on them since the first Evolve episode under the WWE banner and recognized their talent. They may have taken the L in this match, but they’re such great heels that they can take it and rebound quickly.)
Kelani Jordan was shown walking to the ring to find out who her mystery opponent was going to be. [c]
-In the back, Shiloh Hill and C.M. Punk were talking about the mist and the fog. Punk talked up Hill, who said he wanted a shot at the NXT title after he beats Waller. Punk said okay, but no mist. Grayson Waller walked up and ran his mouth to both men before walking off.
(2) KELANI JORDAN (c) vs. PAIGE – NXT Women’s Championship Match
Jordan got a look of concern of her face when Paige’s music hit. Joseph pointed out that Paige was the OG NXT Women’s Champion back in 2013. The current champ took control early, but Paige quickly turned it around with some headbutts that showed some air, along with a slap that showed even more air. She landed a cannonball to Jordan on the floor before they cut to a commercial break. [c]
Back from the break, both women landed simultaneous clotheslines during a criss-cross. They traded several big forearms before Paige landed some consecutive offensive moves to gain a two-count on the champ, She hit RamPaige, which Jordan shockingly kicked out of. Paige looked stunned and questioned Vicky D’Errico’s count. Jordan applied a deep crossface, then landed a DDT. Paige kind of got her knees up to counter Jordan’s split-legged moonsault and went for another RamPaige, but Jordan rolled her up for a count of three.
WINNER: Kelani Jordan at 10:01.
(Miller’s Take: I’m admittedly not a fan of Paige’s work. Maybe there’s just too much of the Divas stink still on her for my taste, but there was nothing impressive about this match. Not bad, but not memorable past the next commercial break. Jordan won, as expected, and a clean win at that.)
-In the back, Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey were chatting with Sol Ruca, who said she was there to meet Zaria, who asked to meet with her. Izzi Dame walked up and said it wasn’t Zaria, it was her. She ran her mouth at all of the women and said she wished she could fix them.
-Cody Rhodes was shown walking the hallowed hallways of the PC before they cut to their next commercial break. [c]
-The participants for the finals of the Dusty Cup were already in the ring as Mike Rome introduced Cody Rhodes, who came out smiling from ear to ear. Rhodes entered the ring and shook hands will both teams prior to the match, then joined Joseph and Booker on commentary. Booker and Cody playfully tied up before he took a seat.
(3) ROMEO MORENO & NOAM DAR vs. HANK & TANK – Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals
Moreno and Tank started the match. Hank tagged in quickly and took control of Moreno. Dar soon took the tag and showed off a little teamwork with his partner as well. Moreno & Dar nearly collided with each other, but stopped short. Hank and Tank did collide with each other, but no-sold it and flattened their foes. Dar sank in an armbar on Hank while Moreno locked in a guillotine on Tank. After they broke the hold, the four men squared off and began clobbering each other before they cut to a split-screen commercial break. [c]
Rusev, Tiffany Stratton, and Chad Gable thwarted kids with bad intentions on the right while the Dusty Cup continued on the left. Back to full-screen, Moreno was fired up and taking care of business against Hank & Tank. He landed a springboard plancha to the floor before taking the action back into the ring. Dar took the tag as the fight went back to the floor. Moreno got dumped onto the announcers desk before Hank and Tank hit consecutive top rope splashes on Dar for a near fall that shook their confidence. They tried a double belly squish, but Moreno dragged Tank out of the ring. Dar tried to get Hank to tap, but couldn’t get the job done. Dar & Moreno hit stereo CrossRhodes, followed by a high/low on Tank for the highly emotional victory.
WINNERS: Romeo Moreno & Noam Dar at 7:46 to win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
(Miller’s Take: That was everything it should have been. Hank & Tank made a really good showing and gave their opponents all they could handle. The Cinderella team did it, and did it with style. After the match, Rhodes presented them with the trophy and announced that they would challenge for the NXT Tag Team titles next week.) [c]
(4) DION LENNOX vs. CRUZ MONTANA – Unsanctioned Match
UFC fighter Michael Chandler was the special referee for this match. Cruz attacked Lennox during his ring entrance to a huge pop, despite his heelish actions on Raw a couple of nights ago. Joseph wondered aloud if Dion’s actions prompted Cruz to embrace his dark side and join 946. Cruz dropped Lennox on the ring apron before dragging out a Slim Jim table from under the ring. Montana tried to powerbomb Lennox through it, but Lennox drove him back-first into the ringside barrier, then pitched him into some chairs at ringside. He positioned the chairs in an unkempt pile to suplex his opponent onto, but Montana reversed it and suplexed Lennox through the plywood wall that seems to get broken a lot. Montana peeled back the mat on the floor, then tried to powerbomb Lennox off the ring steps to the bare concrete, but Lennox dumped him backwards onto the steps. [c]
Back from the break, Lennox threw Montana through the LED board, then grabbed a set of handcuffs. Chandler tried to take them away from Lennox, who shoved Chandler hard. Montana took advantage of the distraction to beat on Lennox some more. He landed a huge cannonball into the corner, then leaped over the top with a cannonball to the floor that flattened Lennox. Back in the ring, he clotheslined Lennox over the top rope and back to the floor. Just as Montana was about to stomp Lennox into the bare floor, DarkState members Osiris Griffin & Cutler James came to the rescue. As they prepared to powerbomb Montana through the table, the arena went dark. When the lights came back up, Montana was gone and Jaida Parker was standing there yelling at Lennox. A confused James and Griffin looked up to see the rest of the 946 coming down through the crowd. They decimated DarkState before Montana powerbombed Lennox through a table on the floor. Back in the ring, he delivered his spinning clothesline for the pin.
WINNER: Cruz Montana at 13:35.
(Miller’s Take: That was damn good! To be honest, I never thought about the 946 showing up until James and Griffin made their presence known. That got a huge pop. They are really marching out the main roster talent tonight, and the NXT faithful are eating it up with a spoon.)
-John Cena was shown wandering the hallway before they cut to the next commercial break. [c]
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)
-John Cena’s music hit to a huge ovation. He slid into the ring and played to the crowd for a bit before grabbing a mic. I’m not sure how long it’s been since Cena appeared on NXT programming, but it seems strange to see him there. He talked up how NXT means potential, then quickly brought up the John Cena Classic and introduced the newest invitee, Zilla Fatu.
-Fatu was excited to be in the ring with Cena, who talked of his history with the Samoan dynasty. He told Fatu he loved his dad, Umaga, which seemed to genuinely move Zilla. Cena told Fatu it was an honor to invite him to the Classic. Fatu said he felt blessed to accept the invitation. They hugged mid-ring before Cena held Fatu’s hand high overhead. [c]
-The Progressive NXT Spotlight was on Tony D’Angelo, who was leaning against the railing of a bridge at night. He just stared into space before they cut away to Kam Hendrix bragging to John Cena backstage. Cena told him he’d best worry about his opponent next week, E.K. Prosper.
(5) GRAYSON WALLER (c) vs. C.M. PUNK – NXT Championship Match
The crowd erupted at the opening strains of Cult of Personality as Punk made his ring entrance. Mike Rome made the official ring introductions. Punk and Waller tied up immediately at the bell before Waller took a couple of armdrags. Waller caught his breath and took the fight back to Punk. Waller stopped an attempted suicide dive by Punk with a stiff forearm, then sank in seated headlock back in the ring. Waller took a knee to the gut from Punk after shooting him off the ropes., then was the recipient of some rabbit punches to the ribs. Waller tried a baseball slide to the outside, but Punk pulled the apron away from the ring to catch him before they cut to a split-screen commercial break. [c]
College, Mr. Clean, and a dude trying and failing to eat a pizza while climbing a mountain was shown on the right while perhaps the biggest NXT main event of all time continued on the left. Back to full-screen, Waller was wrenching the neck of Punk, but got shoulder-blocked into the corner. Punk rushed in, but got sidestepped and crashed shoulder-first into the ring post. Waller executed a neckbreaker over the turnbuckle to Punk, then pushed him hard into the ring post. He bounced Punk off the announce desk, then clotheslined him on the floor.
The Vanity Project were shown whining to GM Robert Stone in the back while Waller continued to work over Punk. He went for a pin, but Punk was way too close to the ropes and easily grabbed the bottom rope to break the pin. Waller kicked at Punk’s head, which woke up the challenger, who fired some chops into Waller’s chest. They both took turns trying to reverse suplexes, which was a contest that Punk eventually won. Waller drove knees into Punk’s neck, then attempted a piledriver on the apron, which Punk reversed into a backdrop that sent Waller tumbling to the floor.
Punk rolled him back into the ring, then hit a high cross body for a near fall. Punk dug deep and fired some right hands at Waller’s noggin, then dropped him with a short-arm clothesline. He climbed the top again and nailed an elbow for another near fall. Punk slammed Waller hard with a superplex off the top rope, then called for the GTS until Kevin Owens predictably ran out to distract Punk. Waller took advantage of the distraction to roll up Punk for the three-count.
WINNER: Grayson Waller at 14:13 to retain the NXT Championship.
(Miller’s Take: Very good main event match that, I believe, lived up to the hype, albeit with a very predictable ending. Even with the distraction, Waller getting a pinfall win against Punk is a pretty big deal. I’m sure Waller will talk about it for months on end. Of course, Punk has an out with Owens running out there for the distraction.)
-Kevin Owens smiled broadly at his handiwork as Waller gloated on the floor.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Tonight’s show was certainly big on star power, with appearances by Lee, Gable, Fenix, Paige, Ruca, 649, Rhodes, Cena, Punk, and Owens. In the end, though, I’ve got to give the match of the night to the Dusty Cup finals. Moreno & Dar are a superstar tag team, and I would not be a bit surprised to see them strip The Vanity Project of their belts next week. Jordan’s mystery opponent, Paige, was her usual, underwhelming self. Good showing tonight, but I’m looking forward to things getting back to normal next week. See you all next Tuesday!
