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NXT TV REPORT
OCTOBER 27, 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: Sarah Schreiber
[HOUR ONE]
-The camera panned the crowd as Vic Joseph introduced the last NXT before Halloween Havoc.
(1) ROMEO MORENO & NOAM DAR vs. THE VANITY PROJECT (Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes) (w/Myka Lockwood) – Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinals Match
Joseph explained that Dar, whose head was heavily bandaged, suffered an injury during a match with The Vanity Project over the weekend that resulted in him receiving ten staples in his head. The Vanity Project (minus Jackson Drake) came to the ring with new, much less annoying music.
Dar and Smokes began the match, with Smokes immediately going on the attack. They made it clear that their mission was to isolate Dar. Moreno took the hot tag and he and his partner displayed some good teamwork. The action was back and forth pretty evenly as Dar’s bandage predictably slipped off his head. Outside the ring, Dar was sent into the ring steps, which Joseph said was the same move that injured him. Moreno went it alone before they cut to a split-screen commercial break. [c]
Some uninteresting commercials on the right screen detracted from a wrestling match on the tiny left screen. Back to full-screen, Moreno fought to escape the grasp of Baylor to get to his corner. The camera abruptly cut to a social media video that Joseph said was posted during the commercial break. Grayson Waller was talking smack about Tony D’Angelo as he was walking down a street. He stopped in front of a house that he claimed was D’Angelo’s.
Meanwhile, Moreno made a hot tag to Dar, who decimated The Vanity Project before getting a near fall on Smokes. Baylor and Smokes began targeting Dar’s exposed, injured head, but he refused to give up. They attempted a Swipe Left, but Dar deftly escaped. Baylor accidentally knocked his partner’s block off. Dar did the same thing to his partner. The Vanity Project executed their finisher on Moreno, but Dar miraculously broke up the pin.
Dar caught Smokes in a submission leglock, but they both rolled to the floor. Lockwood tried to intervene, but Dar eluded her. Moreno hoisted Baylor on his shoulders while perched on the second rope. He delivered a fireman’s carry slam as his partner executed the same move on the mat. The Vanity Project again attempted their finisher, but Moreno reversed positions with Baylor, who took the full force of his partner’s double stomp from the ropes. Dar & Moreno delivered a high/low on Smokes for the three count.
WINNERS: Romeo Moreno & Noam Dar at 14:11 to advance to the finals.
(Miller’s Take: That, boys and girls, is how tag team wrestling is done. It was brilliantly executed and kept me engaged throughout. There was plenty of movement here, but none of it was wasted. Joseph and Booker referred to Moreno & Dar as a Cinderella team, and that certainly seems to be the case. Two great tag teams delivered one great tag team match.)
-Tony D’Angelo was flipping out in Robert Stone’s office over Grayson Waller going to his house. Tony D. sputtered a death threat as he left the office to go protect his family (his real one, not Stacks, Luca, and Adriana). [c]
-A pre-taped promo from Cruz Montana aired. He discussed what happened at the end of his match with Dion Lennox last week. He lamented being the guy he didn’t want to be last week, but he realized it was brought out in him by Lennox, then threatened to destroy him.
(2) CHANTEL MONROE vs. LIZZY RAIN
Monroe was already in the ring as Rain made her entrance, which is a pretty good indication that she’s there to put Rain over. Monroe did some trash-talking early in the match, but backed it up. The two women traded maneuvers in the opening moments of the match. Rain dropped Monroe with a shoulder block, then pretty much completely missed a kick that Monroe sold anyway. She followed through with some high-impact moves, but Monroe stopped her with a neckbreaker over the ropes. Shockingly, they cut to a commercial break while the wrestlers were still in the ring. [c]
Back to the match, Monroe was still in control as a result of the first neckbreaker before the break. She kept her focus on the Rain’s neck until getting caught by a couple of clotheslines from the Maiden of Metal. She did her trichops in the corner, but ultimately fell victim to a rollup pin in which Monroe grabbed the rope for leverage.
WINNER: Chantel Monroe at 9:31.
(Miller’s Take: Well, that was a bit of a bait-and-switch, having Monroe come out with zero fanfare while Rain got her full entrance, then putting her over. Rain hasn’t done much of substance in NXT thus far, so a loss isn’t really going to hurt her. Monroe seems much better in the ring than I remembered her being in Evolve, where she was last seen several months ago. It’s too early to predict anything for Monroe, but I believe Rain is destined for mid-carddom whether she’s in NXT or on the main roster.)
-The Progressive NXT Focus was on Izzi Dame, who ridiculed Zaria for putting up the North American title to hide who she really was, then showed pictures of Zaria playing a saxophone in a school band, and acting in a school play. She claimed the Zaria character was a fraud, and that she was really just an insecure little girl hiding behind a monstrous persona.
(3) SAQUON SHUGARS vs. SEAN LEGACY
The insinuation from Vic Joseph was that Shugars was leaning back into his heel persona. The two men had some quick exchanges in the opening moments before Shugars retreated to the floor just prior to the commercial break. [c]
When they returned from the break, Shugars and Legacy traded blows before Shugars locked in a move that Booker T mispronounced or made up. Legacy fought to catch his breath against Saquon’s aggressive offense. An exciting exchange ended with Legacy landing a superkick the moment Shugars kipped up to his feet. He earned a two count with a sliced bread. Legacy and Shugars fumbled around a bit during a sloppy exchange that prompted Joseph to point out that perhaps Legacy tried to get too fancy. Shugars got a two count before Legacy broke the pin by draping his leg over the bottom rope. He came back to land a standing Spanish Fly on Shugars that earned him the victory.
WINNER: Sean Legacy at 10:24.
(Miller’s Take: This was good, other than one overly complicated spot that got fumbled. Legacy is a superstar in the making, and Shugars is deceptively good in the ring despite his crass persona. The story here, of course, was that Shugars isn’t focused, as Legacy accused him of last week.)
-They replayed the Instagram post of Waller walking up to D’Angelo’s home. That was followed by footage of D’Angelo driving up to his house, getting out, and rushing to the door. Waller called his phone, and D’Angelo lost it on him. Waller was barely discernible, but it sounded like he was talking about Tony’s family. D’Angelo asked him where he was, and Waller muttered something about a restaurant. Tony told him to stay where he was because he was coming to beat his ass. A furious Tony hopped into his truck before they cut away.
-On a split-screen, Tavion Heights and Myles Borne walking separately before they cut to a commercial break. [c]
-This week, Kam Hendrix impressed us with his prowess on the basketball court. My cohort and NXT elder, Kelly Wells, got it right when he compared the last video of him catching footballs with one hand to the introductory video packages of Mr. Perfect, Curt Hennig, when he entered WWE.
-A line of hapless security personnel cut off the ring diagonally while Tavion Heights paced back and forth in his corner as Borne stood in his. Both men said the security was there to protect the other. Heights said he realized what Borne’s true colors are, then called him an arrogant, self-righteous, backstabbing bitch.
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)
[HOUR TWO]
Borne called Tavion the problem, saying Heights needed him, but he didn’t need Heights. He accused Heights of leeching off him. Heights fired up and brought up his pedigree, which Borne dismissed. After Borne ran his mouth about Heights clinging to him for relevancy, Tavion said he was going to lay an ass-wooping on him that he could actually hear. As the brawl inevitably began to break out, the lights flashed and a familiar cackle was heard. Danhausen was heard talking over the house speakers, but he wasn’t seen. He seemed amused with Heights and Borne, then said that as the host of Halloween Havoc, this would be a great match to raise the stakes. He then ordered someone to spin the Halloween Havoc wheel.
-A cloaked figure with a sickle spun the wheel, which seemed to pretty naturally slow down until it stopped on “Weapons Wild Match”. Heights and Borne smiled at each other. Miraculously, not a single security member was dismantled.
-In the back Dion Lennox revealed to his teammates his strategy against Cruz Montana, which was to push him over the edge. GM Robert Stone walked up. Lennox told Stone that Montana didn’t fight security last week, but just naturally assumed a submissive position. Stone remarked that it was no wonder Montana wanted to whip his ass, then asked what the hell was wrong with him. He told Lennox that the only way he’d get Montana next week would be if it were a non-sanctioned match.
-Hank & Tank made their ring entrance before they cut to a commercial break. [c]
-Back from the break, Tony D’Angelo was walking through the kitchen of a restaurant, calling out for Waller. In the dining area, somebody told Tony that Waller was just here, but left him a message. D’Angelo was ushered into a private dining area, where a note was left on a table that read, “Meet me where it all began – the champ.”
(4) HANK & TANK vs. The Wagner Brothers (Galeno & El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.) – Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinals Match
Hank and Galeno started the match. The AAA tag team champs took control early on with their power advantage, but Hank & Tank managed to swing the pendulum briefly. Galeno backdropped his partner over the top rope onto Hank & Tank, who were standing on the floor, before they cut to an early commercial break. [c]
Back from the break, Wagner made the hot tag to his brother, who came in and dropped some heavy bombs on Hank & Tank. The announcers mentioned many times throughout the match that the father of the champs, Dr. Wagner Jr., was in attendance. They showed him many times as The Wagner Brothers continued to dominate. Wagner landed a moonsault on Hank, which was followed up with a frog splash by Galeno for a very near fall. Both teams faced off and commenced to clubbering each other. They took turns hitting big moves until Hank & Tank each landed top rope splashes on Galeno for the pin.
WINNERS: Hank & Tank at 10:57 to advance to the finals.
(Miller’s Take: Either way, we were going to have a face vs. face finals match, but this was a bit of a surprise to me. Who would have picked Hank & Tank to even advance to the quarterfinals? This was fine, but nothing to write home about. The finish, for whatever reason, just felt flat to me. It’s set for Halloween Havoc . Hank & Tank vs. Dar & Moreno. My crystal ball is showing the reflection of Dar & Moreno. If I’m wrong, then I may have to dig out the Windex and paper towel.)
-After the match, Dar & Moreno came to ringside so the cameras could get a shot of both teams staring up at the trophy with reverence.
-Footage was shown from last night’s Raw, where NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan walked into GM Adam Pearce’s office as he was having words with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis. Pearce hung up to acknowledge her presence. He told her he would have his eyes on her title match with Wren SInclair. Iyo Sky approached and asked Pearce why he wanted to see her. Jordan took exception to the interruption, but Pearce told her that this was Iyo’s time, and she just showed up. Sky told Jordan that she guessed the rumors were true about her being different now. The champ said that when she gets called up, she’ll walk all over the women’s division, including her. The ladies began arguing loudly until Pearce yelled over them and told Kelani he’d catch up with her later.
-In the women’s locker room, the WrenQCC were watching. Kendal Grey got bent out of shape over what she saw, but Wren settled her down and said she’d take care of her at Halloween Havoc.
-Zilla Fatu was shown walking in the back before they cut to a commercial break. [c]
-Vic Joseph announced that Cody Rhodes would be on NXT next week, which will air on Wednesday due to election coverage, to present the Dusty Cup to the winners. Joseph also made the huge announcement that John Cena would make an appearance. I wonder if he’s going to announce the participants for the John Cena Classic.
-Zilla Fatu made his entrance and stood next to the wheel, where he was asked by Sarah Schreiber about BirthRight. He was interrupted by Arianna Grace, who accused him of being nothing more than a last name. He was attacked from behind by a hooded man with a shovel. Two other hooded men joined him and revealed themselves to be (gasp) BirthRight. Who else would it have been? I guess they weren’t really trying to hide their identities, but were just trying on their costumes for Halloween Havoc. They held Fatu’s arm down and smacked it with the shovel as Fatu howled in pain.
-An Instagram video showed Shiloh Hill in his lab, messing with more poison mist. He said he got some new lab equipment off the dark web, but was having some trouble figuring out the black mist. He said he learned how to use it and showed himself practicing blowing it. He looked menacing as he warned Naraku of his newfound ability.
(5) JACKSON DRAKE (c) (w/The Vanity Project) vs. E.K. PROSPER – North American Championship Match
GM Stone warned The Vanity Project that there was to be no interference in this match. Prosper flipped out of some offensive moves by Drake, who isn’t used to being one-upped in the speed department. Prosper showed confidence early in the match as he continuously befuddled Drake. Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes dragged Drake out of the ring to protect him from further embarrassment, but Prosper dived over the ropes and took all three of them out. Myka Lockwood, ignoring Stone’s orders earlier, grabbed Prosper’s leg as the tried getting back into the ring, distracting him long enough to throw him off his game and give Drake an opening. [c]
Back from the break, Prosper was fighting back from underneath. He turned Drake inside out with a clothesline, then landed a springboard blockbuster for a near fall. He missed a shining wizard, then got caught with a hotshot and a big kick for a two-count. Drake unleashed a couple of kicks, but Prosper caught a third and blistered Drake with some chops. He got another near fall after a roundhouse kick that nearly took Drake’s head off. Drake caught Prosper with a springboard Spanish Fly for a near fall as the drama got dialed up a couple of notches.
Prosper and Drake climbed the corner until Drake headbutted Prosper off, but Prosper quickly recovered and began overwhelming Drake. Baylor & Smokes jumped up on the ring apron and got blasted by Prosper. Lockwood distracted the referee while Kam Hendrix shoved Prosper off the turnbuckle and down hard to the mat. Drake hit a running knee to secure his title.
WINNER: Jackson Drake at 12:37 to retain the North American Championship.
(Miller’s Take: So much for Stone’s stern warning, as The Vanity Project were all over this match, seemingly ramping up the interference in blatant defiance of the GM. I thought Prosper might actually win a couple of times, but then the convoy of interference kind of gave the ending away, save for Hendrix being one of the perpetrators. Prosper has it all (with the exception of a good ring name), but Drake’s numbers were in his favor tonight.)
-NXT Champion Grayson Waller was shown walking through the parking lot of the Performance Center, apparently keeping one step ahead of D’Angelo on his little scavenger hunt. [c]
-Also outside the PC, a cameraman caught up with an obviously flustered Zaria, who sounded unsure of herself as she warned Izzi Dame and shooed off the cameraman.
-Joseph ran down the card for Halloween Havoc, including Fatu vs. Dempsey, Borne vs. Heights, Naraku vs. Hill, and Jordan vs. Sinclair. He also plugged next Wednesday’s NXT.
-Grayson Waller’s music played as the NXT champ walked to the ring, mic in hand. He mocked Tony for running around and worrying about everything but the title. He said he wanted to drive D’Angelo crazy, and he succeeded. A confident Waller put himself over as he said nobody on any brand or any roster could stop him. The big screen showed Tony D’Angelo’s truck pulling up to the PC. Waller stripped off his jacket and shirt, rolled out of the ring, and ran outside to confront Tony. As D’Angelo stepped out of his truck, Waller burst out the door, and the two began brawling in the landscaping. About a hundred officials swarmed the parking lot to separate them, but failed miserably. Tony D. threw Waller into the bed of his truck, then jumped in with him and thumped him as the show faded to black.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Not the best buildup to Halloween Havoc, but the closing segment was strong. It was fun seeing Kelani Jordan talking with Adam Pearce on Raw and interacting with Iyo Sky. Could a long-overdue call-up be imminent? Did they give away the finish of the match? Hill playing in his lab is always fun to watch. If Dar & Moreno don’t win, I will riot. See you next week, and Happy Halloween!
