SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
AUGUST 11, 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
Correspondent: Emily Agard
[HOUR ONE]
-The show opened with a panoramic shot of the crowd as Vic Joseph introduced the show, then they showed highlights from last week’s show.
-In the back, Lizzy Rain was freaking out, wondering where Shawn Spears was. The Culling passed by her, and Niko Vance said he told her that Spears would do this. She muttered something about going it alone as The Culling made their way to the ring.
(1) THE CULLING (Niko Vance & Izzi Dame) vs. LIZZY RAIN & SHAWN SPEARS – Mixed Tag Team Match
With no Spears, Rain decided to go it alone and immediately went after Dame but was quickly overwhelmed by her. The crowd chanted “who’s your partner?” as Rain made a comeback. Vance tagged in as Joseph decried the fact that it was against mixed tag team rules. E.K. Prosper ran out and decided to join Rain, then went to town on Vance with his high-flying offense. Rain and Dame entered the ring, then all four started battling. The fight went to the floor, with Dame swinging Rain’s head into the ring steps before they cut to a split-screen commercial break. [c]
Progressive, Skechers, University of Phoenix, and a bunch of other stuff I couldn’t care less about distracted me while the match continued silently on the minuscule screen on the left. When they returned to full-screen, Vance was clobbering Prosper as the announcers wondered aloud where Spears was. Rain took the hot tag and went on the attack. She nailed a hurricanrana off the top rope for a near fall that was broken up by Vance. That prompted Prosper to come in, but he got put down by Dame. Vance hit a top rope headbutt for a very believable near fall.
Prosper hit a high swanton on Vance, but he came back to toss Rain over to Dame, who caught her and delivered a sit-out powerbomb for another very close near fall. The match started falling apart with all four battling in the ring. Prosper hit a high floating moonsault on Vance for the surprise win.
WINNERS: Lizzy Rain & E.K. Prosper at 10:57.
(Miller’s Take: Good opening match. I’m surprised that Spears didn’t show up at all, so I’m wondering what his explanation will be when he eventually does show up. I’m sure the devious Spears has something up his sleeve.)
-Footage was shown of new NXT Tag Team Champions Myles Borne & Tavion Heights celebrating their title victory in the locker room last week.
-NXT Women’s Champion Kendal Grey was shown getting her ear patched up as Women’s Speed Champion Wren Sinclair looked on. They left to make their way to the ring. [c]
-Emily Agard interviewed Prosper and Rain in the back. Before Rain could say a word, Kali Armstrong grabbed the mic from Agard and walked to the ring to call out Kendal Grey. She was interrupted by Kelani Jordan, who came out to dispute Armstrong’s claim to a title shot. The WrenQCC interrupted Jordan, who angrily said she wasn’t done when their music hit.
-Grey had a contract in her hand as she told Jordan she was sick of hearing her complain and told her that she got her ass knocked out when she was in the Underground. She handed Jordan the contract and told her it was for her title. Armstrong protested, but Grey said she could be next in line. Jordan said she’d accept the match for Heat Wave. Armstrong started yelling and took a swing at Sinclair, but she ducked and Grey took the shot to her bad ear. Jordan and Armstrong put the WrenQCC down on the mat.
-In the back, Keanu Carver walked up to Robert Stone and Cruz Montana. He wished Montana luck and gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. Stone asked Carver what was up with him, and he said he was just figuring things out. He told Stone he hadn’t seen anything yet.
-DarkState made their ring entrance before the next commercial break. [c]
(2) DION LENNOX (w/Cutler James & Osiris Griffin) vs. SAQUON SHUGARS
Realizing he was outnumbered with the other DarkState members on the floor, Shugars immediately went on the attack. He drove Lennox out of the ring, but he slid back in and took control of the match after James tripped up Shugars behind the referee’s back. Lennox worked over Shugars for a bit before settling into a rear chinlock to slow the pace. Shugars came back to nail and elbow to the back of Lennox’s neck. He delivered a great springboard move, then went after James and Griffin with his baseball bat. Lennox grabbed it away from him, which distracted the referee long enough for James and Griffin to do some damage on the outside. After they rolled Shugars back in the ring, Lennox made quick work of him.
WINNER: Dion Lennox at 4:55.
(Miller’s Take: This was much shorter and less intense than I expected it to be, but it wasn’t bad. I’m sure they’re not done with this feud, but this match was really too short and nothing to write home about. I’m sure better things will come of this feud. Shugars needs to find someone to back him up.)
-In the back, Robert Stone talked on the phone with AAA GM Rey Mysterio about the upcoming tournament. La Parka was mentioned as a possible entrant, as was E.K. Prosper.
-Zaria made her ring entrance before the commercial break. [c]
-In medical, Grayson Waller yelled at Saquon Shugars, belittling him for letting himself get thumped like that. A fired up Shugars grabbed his bat and staggered off.
(3) ZARIA (c) vs. WREN SINCLAIR – NXT Women’s North American Championship Match
Sinclair started as if she were wrestling a Speed match, going for quick rollups. Zaria soon overwhelmed her with her power game and slowed the pace down to her speed. Sinclair made a spirited comeback with a shoulder tackle and a modified bulldog. Zaria quickly recovered and lifted Sinclair in the corner by her neck. On the floor, Sinclair hit a sloppy drive-by that barely connected, but Zaria still sold it. With the action taking place on the floor, it was the perfect time for a split-screen commercial break. [c]
Several uninteresting commercials blared on the larger screen on the right while Zaria thumped Sinclair on the microscopic screen on the left. Back to full-screen, Zaria was attempting to separate Sinclair’s arm from her torso. Joseph mentioned that Sinclair has a match with Sloane Jacobs on Evolve tomorrow night as Zaria pie-faced her with her boot. That woke up Sinclair, who fired up and hit a cross body off the second rope.
[HOUR TWO]
They looked like they were a bit lost for a moment before Zaria lifted her for a German suplex. She went for an F5, but Sinclair turned it into a Final Wrench. Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox came out of the ring entrance fighting. Shugars chased Lennox into the ring with his baseball bat, and the rest of DarkState followed. After Shugars clotheslined Lennox over the top rope, Sinclair dropkicked the chair James was holding into his face. That cost her, as Zaria took advantage of the distraction to nail a spear, followed by an F5 for the win.
WINNER: Zaria at 9:41 to retain the NXT Women’s North American Championship.
(Miller’s Take: This was decent while it lasted, even though it did get a bit sloppy in spots. I’m not sure why the referee didn’t throw the match out when the DarkState saga bigfooted the ladies. Being that she’s a champion in her own right, it does make sense that they would give Sinclair an out for losing in her North American title bid.)
-Another Shiloh Hill social media post saw him deliver the good news that he was healing much faster than anticipated. He rattled off some more random facts about the Japanese mist.
-Mason Rook made his way to the ring before the next commercial break. [c]
(4) MASON ROOK vs. KAM HENDRIX
Rook blasted Hendrix right out of the gate and backdropped him nearly into the lights. Hendrix took a powder, then entered the ring again and took another sky-high backdrop. Hendrix fought back and took Rook off his feet with a big clothesline. He began methodically thumping on Rook, but the big man got to his feet and chopped the skin of Kam’s chest. Hendrix caught Rook coming off the ropes with an impressive spinebuster.
Rook tried fighting back, but Hendrix threw some heavy hands to keep him down. Rook hulked up and began manhandling Hendrix like he was a jobber. He delivered a cross body and a blue thunder bomb, but Hendrix surreptitiously removed the turnbuckle pad in the process. Hendrix drove Rook’s head into the exposed turnbuckle and pinned him.
WINNER: Kam Hendrix at 4:46.
(Miller’s Take: Really good, but really short. It accomplished what it set out to, which was to put over Hendrix as a sneaky heel. I want to see them run this one back, as I think it could have legs.)
-The Vanity Project whined to Robert Stone in his office. Borne and Heights walked in before Stone told Jackson Drake that he had a singles match next week. He told Jackson that if he wins, he’ll get a North American title shot, and Baylor & Smokes will get a tag team title match. Borne said if Drake wins, he’ll wrestle twice at Heat Wave. Jackson was happy until Stone revealed his opponent would be Shiloh Hill.
-Lucien Price told Bronco Nima he would handle his match on his own before they cut to a break. [c]
(5) LEXIS KING (w/BirthRIght) vs. LUCIEN PRICE
King feigned a handshake offer before chopping Price, who didn’t budge, but just about chopped the life out of King as he leaped off the ropes. He grabbed Connors by the hair, which allowed King to take the advantage. The announcers noted that the chop from Price actually opened up King’s chest. King fought back gamely, but Price overpowered him. King hit a clothesline to the back of the head, but Price delivered a one-handed high chokeslam for the win.
WINNER: Lucien Price at 3:30.
(Miller’s Take: I’ve seen chests bruised and battered from chops, but I’ve never seen a single chop split open someone’s chest like that. Ouch. Despite the attempted shenanigans from BirthRight, the large and scary Price put the Speed champ down in short order.)
-The WrenQCC barged into Stone’s office and ranted to him that she wanted another shot at Zaria. She said she’d sweeten the pot by offering up her Speed title for a unification match at Heat Wave. He told them both that they had a tag team match next week against Armstrong & Jordan. [c]
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