SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV RESULTS
JANUARY 20, 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): Blake Howard
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
-A video package brought us up to speed on Ava making a six-man ladder match for the first show of February, with qualifying matches starting tonight, in the segment where Ricky Saints was already named to the match and Keanu Carver destroyed the majority of the roster as they all tried to make their availability for the qualifying matches knows. A short hype segment promoted tonight’s two qualifying matches. We also saw the replay of a dead-eyed Tony D’Angelo attacking both Joe Hendry and Dion Lennox.
-Presently, Ava told some security guys that Tony D isn’t the same man he used to be, and they need to be on high alert for his possible presence tonight.
(1) ELIO LEFLEUR vs. ETHAN PAGE (c) – NXT North American Championship match
For anyone who missed last week’s show and longish introductory package for LeFleur, he’s a French luchador who earned a mask for being the best student in a luchador camp. Mike Rome handled formal intros.
LeFleur is pale on the level of Sheamus or Jack Gallagher, and is no larger than the latter. Page powered LeFleur down and patted LeFleur’s head to boos. LeFleur returned the favor and Page stared incredulously as the crowd was fully into Elio already. LeFleur used his speed to lay in kicks early and often. Headscissor takedown put Page out on the floor, and he used another there to lay out Page again. LeFleur rolled Page back into the ring and tried to go high, but Page hit a neckbreaker up on the top turnbuckle, then used a backbreaker up in the corner as well. Page dumped LeFleur as the match went to split-screen. [c]
Page, who dominated a heat segment during the break, hit a side suplex for two. Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid were shown getting makeup done for the triple threat tag, which Vic said was tonight’s main event. LeFleur got back into it with a springboard cross-body and a twisting suplex for two. LeFleur went up and missed, and Page turned him instead out with a big boot for a long two. LeFleur is a great bump machine. He looked determined as he absorbed some kicks, then fought one off and laid in a big palm strike. Double-underhook suplex by Elio, who then ran right into a dropkick. Page went for his finisher but Elio turned it into a DDT. Page bailed and Elio (kind of) hit him with a moonsault. Back inside, missile dropkick by Elio for two. Elio went up again and Page crawled far away, but it didn’t matter as Elio reached him anyway for another missile dropkick for two. Elio went for a 450 splash but Page got the knees up for two.
Page went for Ego’s Edge, but Elio hit a headscissor takedown. Page caught Elio with a powerbomb and hooked the tights in full view of us, leaving the door open for more of this one.
WINNER: Ethan Page at 10:16.
As Page celebrated on the ramp, Ricky Saints headed to the ring to his music and said he and Page were the glue that held things together. Saints gassed up Page as Page looked on, amused, and watched Saints head up to the ring to sit in on commentary for the qualifying matches. [c]
(Wells’s Analysis: Hugely enjoyable opener as a guy who figures to be a plucky underdog for his whole career had Page right where he wanted, only for Page to resort to classic heel tactics to pull off the defense. I very much look forward to more of LeFleur, and I’m curious how they’ll approach the mic with the man, as he has an extremely thick French accent)
-Vic threw to a moment a while back with Booker T and Keanu Carver having a communication breakdown, when Carver was reportedly cooled off for disciplinary reasons long before he finally made it to NXT last week. This led to a present-day worked shoot where Carver went on a swearing tirade interrupting someone else’s backstage segment, using his ungovernable personality to play into what they’re doing with him today.
(2) SHILOH HILL vs. JOSH BRIGGS – Qualifying match for NXT Championship six-man ladder match
Hill struck first with quick rights, keeping Briggs on his back foot. Hill blocked Briggs down to the math. Briggs laid in rights and then a knee. Briggs put Hill into a corner and an early “Shiloh” chant broke out. Saints was asked who he wanted in the ladder match, and he said neither. He said “I want Ricky, Ricky, Ricky, Ricky, Ricky, Ricky” to Booker’s amusement. Action went to the apron, where Hill hit a leg drop on a drapd Briggs. Back inside, Briggs hit a high-release side slam and then dropped an elbow for two. A “Ricky sucks” chant broke out next.
Briggs dumped Hill and kept him down with a boot. Hill hopped up on the steps and rolled into a cannonball into Briggs, but Briggs laid out Hill with a hard lariat and took control as the match went to split-screen. [c]
Hill finally got back into it right as the match came back, but it was a quick hope spot as Briggs charged in with an elbow for two to retain control. Briggs kicked and smacked down dismissively at Hill, which is a big heel tradition in Japan, where he did a tour. Hill ran the ropes and blocked Briggs down. Hill went high and hit a flying clothesline. Hill laid out Briggs and hit a reverse rolling senton for a long two.
Hill hit a big boot. After a long rope run, Briggs hit a big boot. Chokeslam and a big tomahawk from Briggs got a long two. A replay showed that Hill’s false tooth flew out during the big boot. Double-underhook suplex by Hill got two. Briggs hit another boot, then missed a moonsault. Hill hit a neckbreaker that got…three?! Nice neckbreaker, but I didn’t figure it to finish here.
WINNER: Shiloh Hill at 10:40.
After the match, Tony D’Angelo attacked both men. Let’s not emasculate the men’s division for the sake of this guy, really. After he laid out both men, he walked out on the announce table side, he took a look over at a fearful Ricky Saints, but kept walking.
(Wells’s Analysis: Hill continues to just own the crowd with his wild, weird act. I feel for Briggs, who really seems like he could be a Baron Corbin for eight or ten years with a potentially higher ceiling, but they never quite commit to him fully. At least he’s still getting TV matches)
-ZaRuca were typically having a minor argument backstage about their last match together on Saturday. Zaria made it clear that she’s not 100% tonight, and if they can’t pull it off tonight, don’t blame her.
-The Vanity Project was introduced for the upcoming tag match. Baylor and Smokes have always been called Swipe Right as a sub-group of The Vanity Project, but it seems they may be simplifying down to just one name (I’ve seen some people complain online about the annoying “Swipe Right” name, which is the exact reason I think it’s perfect for them, but oh well). [c]
(3) CHASE UNIVERSITY (Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors) vs. THE VANITY PROJECT (Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes) (w/Jackson Drake)
Last week on the podcast, I became the last wrestling fan in America to learn that Uriah Connors is the son of Fit Finlay and the brother of David Finlay, both of whom I’m way into (furthermore, David and Uriah look a LOT alike). Can’t win ’em all, I guess, though I have no idea how I missed that.
Smokes and Connors opened it up with some quick-moving mat work with several reversals and evasions. Smokes blocked down Connors, who hit a headscissors afterward and made the tag. Smokes got in a quick right to create separation and tag. Dixon and Connors made another tag and took control. All four men got involved and the babyfaces hit stereo tope suicidas out on the ramp side. Back inside, Connors took too long to get there and Baylor took him out. Smokes tagged in and slowed it down on Connors, putting him in the heel corner for a back elbow. Connors played face in peril until he was able to duck-roll into a tag to Dixon, who took down the heels with lariats and kicks, then a hidden blade on Baylor. Dixon dumped Smokes, then hit a twisting move on both men despite catching his body slightly on the top rope. He hit a twisting splash from the top for two. Connors tagged in and covered Smokes, but Baylor made the save and dragged Smoes over for the tag. It went bonzo gonzo and Chase U set up Baylor for the endgame, but Smokes dragged Connors out. Shortly after, they hit their top-rope dropkick finisher on Dixon. Vic said “The Vanity Project swipes left on Chase U,” which would’ve worked better if they were still called Swipe Right, but I think it still worked.
WINNERS: The Vanity Project at 5:35.
(Wells’s Analysis: They fit ten minutes of match into a five-pound bag, which was exciting, but I would’ve taken a couple more minutes and at least one slower sequence here. I can’t deny the development of both teams, though Chase U could desperately use a win; I think it’s more likely that they’ll have to make a change before any push can happen)
-Lola Vice, and then Thea Hail, made their intentions for the NXT Women’s North American Championship known to Ava. Ava said they’ll both get a shot in a triple threat with Izzi Dame.
-Jaida Parker walked through the back ahead of the next segment. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-Blake Howard tried to interview Keanu Carver and got flustered, though Howard’s acting was pretty poor, as Carver channeled Marshawn Lynch and said he was only there because he had to be. Carver blew it off before long and said he had no time for the dumbass questions.
-Jaida Parker strutted out to a “Miss Parker” chant along with her music, and they gave her a long ovation and a “welcome back” chant that she greeted with a little giggle that she couldn’t control. It was charming. She said she keeps hearing about a change in the NXT women’s division and she had flowers for Kendal Grey, but none for Blake Monroe, who acts like she owns the place. She also had nice words for Lola Vice. She said she didn’t have to explain herself because “standards don’t have to talk.” She said she’s the standard that doesn’t have to change just because the room gets uneasy when she walks into it. She said everybody’s got their own opinion about Jaida Parker and she has days where she can’t catch a break, but not this time. She said she may not catch breaks, but she catches eyes and attention. She said when she walks into the room, it gets a little claustrophobic from the pressure. She said she’s earned every bit of space she takes up. She said she won’t fit into a box or dim her light. The actual lights went out, and she said “I know you lyin.”
Up on the perch, a light came up on Blake Monroe. She said “Put the spotlight where it belongs, just in case you need a reminder, Jaida.” She said it was a mistake to interrupt her last week. She said Parker said she didn’t get to talk over Blake Monroe. Parker said Monroe talks so much because she knows she’s got something to prove, and at the day, she’s got to deal with Miss Parker. “Byeeeeee!” Strong, highly enjoyable segment from both women ahead of a match that’ll likely happen on the same show as the ladder match.
-Elio LeFleur thanked Ava for the opportunity tonight, and she said he impressed. The segment continued with Myles Borne happening by Ricky Saints and saying he’ll be joining him in the ladder match when he beats Dion Lennox next week. Ethan Page showed up to stir things up also. Saints said that commentary needs him again and he took his leave. Page said to Borne “the choice is yours, Myles, but I think you know what you have to do.” [c]
-Vic threw to hype for Unreal: season two.
(4) SEAN LEGACY vs. ELI KNIGHT – Qualifying match for NXT Championship six-man ladder match
Legacy got an inset promo during his entrance about traveling similar roads to Knight, but he said only one can take the next leap. Knight got one as well. He said he grew up 20 minutes from the PC and he was able to see the future happen right in front of him. He said nobody’s hungrier than Eli Knight. Knight’s off to an okay start but needs reps on the mic.
Lightning-quick start as both men got zero-count falls and a lot of evasions. They went for dropkicks at the same time and then kipped up and reset as they looked up at the NXT Championship hanging from the ceiling. Knight got bumped to the floor and Legacy hit a tope suicida. Back inside, high cross-body by Legacy got two. Legacy chopped Knight in a corner a couple times, then took him to another for another loud chop. Rope run and a dropkick by Knight put Legacy outside. After some jockeying, Knight hit a springboard moonsault on Legacy on the floor heading into a commercial. [c]
The audience was way into it as both guys sold on the mat upon return. They got to their feet and exchanged rights. There was a bit of a yay/boo thing with Legacy getting the minor boos, which is odd since both are essentially playing the same babyface underdog character (but Knight is the younger one, so there’s that). Knight tried to roll into a lariat or something, but he ate a superkick instead. Standing Spanish fly and a springboard 450 by Legacy got a long two. “Both these guys” chant.
Legacy charged into a snap belly-to-belly by Knight into the corner. Standing moonsault by Knight got two. After some reversals on the mat, Legacy trapped Knight for two. Out of nowhere, Saints said “They got me sweatin’ balls!” Legacy caught Knight with his finisher.
WINNER: Sean Legacy at 10:52.
Because it’s been so thrilling to this point, we got a third segment in the last two weeks of Tony D’Angelo destroying both men involved in a match. They’re setting him up as a major threat to the championship, but without an actual hook to his character – and this dead-eyed faux intensity isn’t one – I’m not buying it at all. Security came out and D’Angelo gave himself up. The crowd booed as he was handcuffed. Come on, that’s the best case ending to this. [c]
(Wells’s Analysis: No surprise here as Legacy is on the move up the card and Knight is just getting started, and as expected, they had a spirited match and got the time to show what they can do. Legacy is an extreme long shot to win the ladder match, but there’s no doubt he’ll be able to do some impressive things on the way to an eventual win for Ricky Saints, Tony D’Angelo or Myles Borne (I’ve got Borne in this one).)
-A promoted segment focused on Izzi Dame and the Culling. I wonder how Progressive feels about constantly being tied to this faction. Niko Vance said it was time to refocus on the tag team championships, and they’ll pick the bones after DarkState faces OTM. There are more tweaks to Izzi’s look, and she’s carrying herself more like a star all the time.
-Security in riot gear took Tony D’Angelo out to a car and forced him in as Blake Howard tried to get a word with him. He still didn’t talk. I am begging for a reason to be interested in this guy. Afterward, OTM walked up behind Howard as he was trying to talk, and shoved him out of the frame to laughs. They cut a promo on DarkState.
-The Vanity Project celebrated and the tag guys had their arms around two young women, likely PC performers. Robert Stone showed up and congratulated them, and also said Jackson Drake will face Joe Hendry. Of course, Hendry’s music played. The camera panned back, and Smokes now had his arm around Joe Hendry, but didn’t know. Hendry started talking and Smokes freaked out. As Hendry talked about next week’s match, Smokes freaked out and looked for the attractive young woman (including in a trunk behind them). He wondered if he had actually kissed Joe Hendry when he thought he kissed her. I love this screwball stuff with Vanity Project.
-ZaRuca was introduced ahead of the triple threat main event. [c]
-DarkState (minus Dion Lennox) talked in the locker room and Cutler James said Tony D’Angelo was delusional for trying to get his hands on them when they dismantled his faction. Dion Lennox showed up and promised to take down Myles Borne. It’s Hendry-Drake, Chase-Carver and Borne-Lennox next week.
(5) ZARUCA (Zaria & Sol Ruca) vs. WRENQCC (Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair) vs. FATAL INFLUENCE (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) (w/Jacy Jayne) – Triple threat match where the winner gets a shot at the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions
The Concierge from The Elegance Brand is on hand also. Are they the champs now? Wasn’t it just the Iinspiration? I wish there were enough hours in the day to watch all the wrestling. The match was uncharacteristically easy to follow and not at all messy early on, which is not like NXT in a triple threat context. A couple of minutes in, Fatal Influence took control out on the floor until Sinclair and Grey hit moonsaults off of the two corners on the ramp side, taking out everyone. Inside, Grey covered Ruca for two, and the match went to split-screen. [c]
Zaria yanked up Grey into her corner dangling headlock, but Grey fought back. Henley got involved and put Grey up on her shoulders, and Zaria turned it into a doomsday device. Vic explained that The Elegance Brand won the tag championships just this week on Impact. With this triple threat looming, it seems a weird time to switch the titles. Reid and Ruca tagged in and the match got crazy. Reid hit a nice sitout slam on Grey for a long two. There was a Kendal/Lainey dueling chant that was closer than you’d think. Grey caught Reid in a Fujiwara armbar but Ruca flew in and splashed Grey for two.
Ruca got dumped as both other legal women superkicked her, but Ruca flew in with an X-Factor on Grey. German suplex on Reid. Zaria got back to the apron and tagged herself in, to Ruca’s chagrin. She hit a spear on both other women. Ruca got laid out outside, and inside, Grey hit Shades of Grey on Zaria. Jayne also took out Grey outside, but Sinclair took her out (and Henley took her out). Fatal Influence isolated Zaria, but Zaria fought both valiantly. Henley hit a blockbuster and got a long two, but Ruca made the save and speared Henley outside. Ruca rolled Henley inside, then entered and hit the Sol Snatcher on both of FI. She set up Zaria for her own finisher and, predictably with the hill-to-climb story, they got the win.
WINNERS: ZaRuca at 12:21.
The losers of the match looked in sadly. The Personal Concierge did his typical mugging and overacting on the outside. Vic laid out the card next week and asked if the TNA Knockouts tag titles will cross the line, which honestly feels like very small potatoes when there are so many in-house championships to worry about, but at least it’s something different.
FINAL THOUGHTS: We’ve got two men to join Ricky Saints in the ladder match in Shiloh Hill and Sean Legacy, and next week it sure looks like they’ll be joined by Joe Hendry and Keanu Carver (the Lennox-Borne match is more of a wild card, and I wouldn’t write off Tony D’Angelo finding his way into the match somehow, though it wouldn’t be logical given this week’s happenings). Jaida Parker is playing an unrepentant babyface for the first time and it’s going as well as I would have expected, with the crowd just eating it up and the right opponent – Blake Monroe – on the horizon. Elio LeFleur gave us a lot to look forward to and Ricky Saints just owned this episode without ever even having a match; he’s just so at home in the heel act he’s doing right now. This was an okay enough episode that would suggest a lot of excitement in the near future, and I look forward to talking it out with Nate Lindberg on PWT Talks NXT. Additionally, there are just two episodes left of NXT: Eight Years Back, which has been quite the passion project for Tom Stoup and me, and I hope those of you who checked it out – whether for the wrestling talk or the movie talk, which was about 50-50 – enjoyed the run. Thanks to everyone who supported it, and those of you who wrote in regularly.
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