{"id":217264,"date":"2026-05-31T23:56:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T04:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=217264"},"modified":"2026-05-30T12:12:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T17:12:58","slug":"wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-nxt-edition-angels-is-a-sheer-terror-dork-state-rain-makes-a-splash-ho-hum-hendrix-rook-ie-of-the-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/05\/31\/wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-nxt-edition-angels-is-a-sheer-terror-dork-state-rain-makes-a-splash-ho-hum-hendrix-rook-ie-of-the-week\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE RISING STARS &#038; FADING STARS: NXT Edition Angels is a Sheer Terror, Dork State, Rain Makes a Splash, Ho-Hum Hendrix, Rook-ie of the Week"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-280714263\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>The recent flood of NXT call-ups to the main roster accompanied by several releases of NXT wrestlers has opened up several spots.<\/p>\n<p>The vacuum they left was instantly filled with a wave of new faces.<\/p>\n<p>Some more established talent has been brushed aside, while others are struggling to stay relevant.<\/p>\n<p>With a refreshed cast, NXT feels like a brand-new program trying to find its next identity.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the newcomers are welcome additions, while others seem rushed onto TV with little more than outlines rather than fully-formed characters.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s evaluate some of the outliers.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Rising Star of the Week: Tristan Angels<\/h3>\n<p>Tristan Angels is something of a paradox.\u00a0 \u201cMr. England\u201d carries himself like a stuck-up British noble, reminiscent of Triple H\u2019s Connecticut blue blood persona.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, he also touts his extensive experience on his family\u2019s sheep farm, even proving it by shearing a sheep in less than a minute.\u00a0 His farming skills are hard to reconcile with his sophisticated snobbery.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-386946651\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Fortunately, Angels is as adept at cutting promos as he is apparently at cutting wool.\u00a0 Whether prince or pauper, it cannot be denied that Angels possesses a charisma that immediately registers on TV.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to being a good farmhand, Mr. England is a good hand in the ring.\u00a0 His debut match against Romeo Moreno was the best match on NXT TV in weeks and showcased the impressive abilities of both men.<\/p>\n<p>Expect big things from Angels.\u00a0 His upcoming Mr. NXT pageant competition with fellow character Shiloh Hill promises to be the kind of nonsense NXT does best when it leans into the absurd with conviction.<\/p>\n<h3>Runner-up: Lizzy Rain<\/h3>\n<p>With a heavy metal gimmick and a truly retro appearance, Rain looks like she would fit right in on the roster of old 1980s Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling program.<\/p>\n<p>The only difference? Rain can wrestle.<\/p>\n<p>She proved it in her extended match for the North American Championship against Tatum Paxley last week.<\/p>\n<p>Rain has been an instant hit with the live audience, who delight in chanting along with her catchphrase, \u201cMake it Rain,\u201d at every opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>If Rain can bring a little depth to her character and find new ways to tap into 1980s nostalgia, she just might turn it up to eleven and transition from novelty act to long-term fixture.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-969995665\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h3>Second Runner up: Mason Rook<\/h3>\n<p>With a unique big man look and remarkable athleticism for a heavyweight, Rook\u2019s debut left quite an impression on fans.<\/p>\n<p>His flying tank moonsault onto Tony D\u2019Angelo made an even bigger impression on our poor champion.<\/p>\n<p>The audience immediately took to Rook, and even more so to his ultra-catchy rallying cry: \u201cHe\u2019s big, he\u2019s bad, he\u2019ll body slam your dad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rook has the attention of NXT fandom.\u00a0 His performance in coming weeks will determine whether he can keep it or fade into the background once the novelty wears off.<\/p>\n<p><em>ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of &#8220;PWT Talks NXT&#8221; with Kelly Wells and Nate Lindberg, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/pwt-talks-nxt-lindberg-cattani-talk-lola-vice-defending-against-izzi-dame-darkstate-resetting-kam-hendrix-stepping-into-title-picture--72179590\">CLICK HERE<\/a> to stream (or search \u201cpwtorch\u201d on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"PWT Talks NXT - Lindberg &amp; Cattani talk Lola Vice defending against Izzi Dame, DarkState resetting, Kam Hendrix stepping into title picture\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=72179590&amp;theme=light&amp;playlist=false&amp;playlist-continuous=false&amp;chapters-image=true&amp;episode_image_position=right&amp;hide-logo=false&amp;hide-likes=false&amp;hide-comments=false&amp;hide-sharing=false&amp;hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"200px\" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Fading Star of the Week: Dark State<\/h3>\n<p>Weeks of bickering between Dion Lennox and Saquon Shugars finally came to a head last week when the rest of Dark State turned on and ousted Shugars in a swerve.\u00a0 This week they delivered a promo justifying their actions and a mission statement going forward.<\/p>\n<p>It didn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n<p>Cutler James and Osiris Griffin struggled to express themselves, giving clumsy cliches about Shugars being the \u201cdead weight,\u201d and the audience quickly lost interest.<\/p>\n<p>By the time their more coherent leader Dion Lennox took the microphone, it was too late.\u00a0 The crowd was more interested in a dueling chant of \u201cWe want Shugars! \/ No, we don\u2019t!\u201d than anything Lennox had to say.<\/p>\n<p>Dark State has consistently struggled to find a feud or storyline that makes their characters interesting.\u00a0 Expelling Shugars from the group is unfortunately no exception and only reinforces how directionless the act feels.<\/p>\n<p>If he can break free from the orbit of this lackluster stable, Shugars may be the lucky one.<\/p>\n<h3>First Runner-Up: Kam Hendrix<\/h3>\n<p>Hendrix is a competent, athletic wrestler, but there\u2019s nothing about his presentation that stands out.\u00a0 With a generic look and ring gear reminiscent of a WWE 2K create-a-wrestler, he would be hard to pick out of a group of performance center prospects.<\/p>\n<p>His character is a fairly standard jerk, with no real edge or distinctive elements. Physically, Hendrix is good to go. Creatively, he\u2019s very much a work in progress, not at all TV-ready.<\/p>\n<h3>Second Runner-Up: Lola Vice<\/h3>\n<p>As NXT Women\u2019s Champion, Vice continues to put on great matches, but her character work fails to connect.<\/p>\n<p>In her frequent verbal exchanges with top contenders for the title, her delivery comes off as stiff and uninspired. She delivers promos with all the elasticity of unfinished lumber<\/p>\n<p>Vice is very good in the ring, but se needs a mouthpiece to keep us interested while she stands there and looks menacing.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wade Keller Post-show (5\/29) - WWE Smackdown w\/Keller &amp; Barnett\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mvOXpQzToGo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-3183193751\"><div id=\"pwtor-4005078861\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>The recent flood of NXT call-ups to the main roster accompanied by several releases of NXT wrestlers has opened up several spots. The vacuum they left was instantly filled with a wave of new faces. <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/05\/31\/wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-nxt-edition-angels-is-a-sheer-terror-dork-state-rain-makes-a-splash-ho-hum-hendrix-rook-ie-of-the-week\/\" title=\"WWE RISING STARS &#038; FADING STARS: NXT Edition Angels is a Sheer Terror, Dork State, Rain Makes a Splash, Ho-Hum Hendrix, Rook-ie of the Week\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":216964,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,4309,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-217264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-rising-star-fading-star","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-24-at-11.51.47-AM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=217264"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":217268,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217264\/revisions\/217268"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/216964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=217264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=217264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=217264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}