NXT – September 30, 2025: We’re Being Showdowned
NXT
Date: September 30, 2025
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.
We’re done with No Mercy and there was a surprise title change as Ricky Saints defeated Oba Femi to win the NXT Title. That’s a big enough story, but at the same time, we have a week to go before the next event, as TNA is coming for Invasion. That show’s lineup will be announced this week, which should be rather important. Let’s get to it.
Here is No Mercy if you need a recap.
We open with a recap of last week’s TNA invasion, which set up next week’s TNA Invasion.
Long No Mercy recap.
Here is Ricky Saints for a chat. Saints talks about how he wanted to bring reality around here and the reality is he is your new NXT Champion. Did he do it? Did WE do it? He bet everything on himself and that title is the proof that it works…and here is Jacy Jayne to interrupt. She brags about having the gold and now it’s time to deal with TNA. Cue Ava to interrupt, saying that Jayne is right, which is why the two of them are the captains for Invasion.
Cue Santino Marella, who says you can’t trust a man named TRICKY to be your captain so Mike Santana will be his captain instead. At the same time, NXT’s Kelani Jordan will be the women’s captain for TNA. They’re ready for a summit later but Jayne has no idea how Jordan makes sense as a captain. Saints says he’ll see Santana later tonight.
Je’Von Evans runs into TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater, who he is set to face at Bound For Glory. They’re cool with each other and ready for their title match. The Culling comes in to say they don’t approve of this and a match seems to be made for later. Lyra Valkyria comes in and has a present for Tatum Paxley: a new doll! Screaming for joy ensues.
Jaida Parker vs. Lash Legend
Legend jumps her in the corner to start fast and a suplex drops Parker. A running shoulder puts Parker on the floor, where she gives Legend a Samoan drop. We take a break and come back with Legend grabbing a half crab, which is broken with a grab of the rope. Parker scores with a quick Blockbuster but Legend grabs the tights to cut her off (with the fans approving). The hip attack connects in the corner, only for Legend to pop up with a pump kick. Legend’s backbreaker faceplant is broken up though and the Hipnotique (more a running shoulder this time) finishes for Parker at 9:08.
Rating: C+. They were just starting to get going at the end but I can go with Parker picking up the win. She’s been needing that for a good while now and beating Legend clean feels like an important moment. At the same time, Legend losing isn’t great to see, but I’d be stunned if we don’t get another match between these two.
Trick Williams talks to the NXT roster and says he should be co-captain with Ricky Saints. That’s not quite cool with Saints, who says there are two spots left on his team and Je’Von Evans (next to him) is getting one of them. The other spot is going to Myles Borne, who impressed Saints at No Mercy. Williams, who seems to have some authority here, picks Josh Briggs, which makes Evans walk off. Saints says he’ll deal with Evans, and tonight it’s Briggs vs. Borne for a spot on the team. They really did not make this clear and I shouldn’t be this unsure of who is in and who isn’t.
Here is Ethan Page to brag about his title defense on Saturday, as he turned away an OLYMPIC level threat. Now it’s time to go south of the border and deal with El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. Page calls him out but instead he gets TNA’s Mustafa Ali, who is greeted with a WELCOME BACK chant.
Ali gets right to the point: two years ago he earned a North American Title shot but he was released before he got his shot. Page says cry to someone who cares, but Ali says he’ll be politicking for it. That’s why he’s talked to Ava and Santino Marella and the title is on the line next week at Showdown (not Invasion). Page isn’t happy but says bring it. The brawl is on and Page is cleaned out.
Fatal Influence is here to pick the women’s Survivor Series team. First up: Sol Ruca, who agrees. Lola Vice wants to be on the team but Fallon Henley says she’s getting the final spot. Lainey Reid comes in to say don’t trust Henley and the big argument is on. Jayne calms things down and makes Henley vs. Vice for the spot on the team. Zaria asks to talk to Ruca in private.
Video on the Hardys, who are back in a title vs. title match against Darkstate next week. They’re ready to win the only WWE titles they’ve never won and DELETE Darkstate.
Myles Borne vs. Josh Briggs
For a spot on the NXT Survivor Series team. The fans don’t like Briggs, who shoves away an early headlock. Borne knocks him down and hits a sliding forearm before sending Briggs outside. The big running flip dive connects but Briggs knocks him down back inside to take over. Briggs sends Borne into the corner but stops to acknowledge the fans chanting about him. A crossbody takes Borne down and a chokeslam gives Briggs two as we take a break.
We come back with Briggs fighting out of a chinlock and going up top. Briggs catches him though and hits a pair of backbreakers for two. Borne gets in a belly to back suplex but walks into a boot. That’s enough for Briggs to load up his chain but cue Matt Cardona to cut off the big swing. The distraction lets Borne hit Borne Again for the pin at 10:15.
Rating: B-. Borne has come out of absolutely nowhere and turned into a rather solid star. I’m not sure how far he’s ever going to go, but for someone who was little more than an extra hand in a stable, he’s come an incredibly long way. You can see the confidence in him and that’s an incredible sign for his future.
Jordynne Grace congratulates Kelani Jordan and wants to be on the TNA team but makes the mistake of mentioning Joe Hendry. Mike Santana comes in and wants to talk to Jordan, leaving Grace and Hendry to want in on next week.
Fallon Henley vs. Lola Vice
Vice starts fast but gets elbowed in the face, setting up a dropkick to the back for two. Henley sends her throat first into the ropes for a right hand, followed by a running elbow for two more. The comeback starts fast with some suplexes and Henley is quickly knocked outside. The spinning backfist finishes Henley at 3:50.
Rating: C. This was about all it needed to be as Vice shrugged off everything Henley threw at her (which granted wasn’t much) and then pinned her clean. Vice is still someone who can be around the title picture so putting her onto the team over Henley is a good move. I’m glad they didn’t extend this one out as there was no need for it to go any further.
Darkstate is ready for the Hardys.
Jacy Jayne says that was her fault as Fallon Henley wasn’t ready. Lainey Reid comes in to say she attacked Lola Vice and Jazmyn Nyx, who never belonged in Fatal Influence. The team is stunned.
Je’Von Evans/Leon Slater vs. The Culling
Slater headlocks Spears to start and hits a running clothesline in the corner. Vance comes in and gets his arm worked on, including Evans’ top rope ax handle. A spinebuster gets Spears out of trouble but he sees Izzi Dame yelling at Tatum Paxley for playing with the doll she got earlier. The Culling is sent outside and taken down by dives and we take a break.
We come back with Slater fighting out of a full nelson and kicking Spears away. A kick to the face drops Vance and the tag brings in Evans to pick up the pace. Vance manages to Alabama Slam him out of the corner for two and it’s already back to Slater. That means the big running flip dive over the post can drop the Culling but Spears knees Slater out of the air. Slater is back up with a double Lethal Injection and the Swanton 450 (exactly what it sounds like and it’s awesome) pins Spears at 10:51.
Rating: B-. Pretty standard tag match until it all went nuts at the end, which is where Slater took over. Slater is one of the most exciting stars going today and it would not surprise me at all to see him getting on a much bigger stage. His time in TNA has gone well so far and he needs a lot more experience, but dang he is fun to watch.
Team TNA is here (in a CYBERTRUCK of all things) and they’re confronted in the parking lot. We come back from a break with the big summit in the ring, with Trick Williams declaring himself co-captain. Ricky Saints shuts that down immediately and names the men’s NXT team: Saints, Williams, Je’Von Evans and Myles Borne (who has suited up since his match). Mike Santana says TNA has a locker room full of men ready to turn this place upside down. The TNA team: Santana, Frankie Kazarian, Moose and Leon Slater (no Hendry oddly enough).
Jacy Jayne doesn’t buy Kelani Jordan being loyal to NXT and picks herself, Sol Ruca, Jaida Parker and Lola Vice. Jordan counters that with herself, the IInspiration (apparently the new Knockouts Tag Team Champions) and “Jak…I mean Mara Sade!” (formerly known as Jakara Jackson). The huge brawl is on with Shawn Michaels coming out to watch to end the show. The only thing I got out of this: Jordan isn’t great with a live mic. Oh and the women’s match is looking like a total squash on paper.
Overall Rating: B-. They were in a very tricky spot here as they had to build to No Mercy in the previous weeks before turning all of their attention to Showdown. The invasion still feels a bit out of nowhere, but they’ve turned it into a pretty big deal in short order. I’m wanting to see the show, even if the build was pretty much done in the span of one night. It’s a one story show so if you don’t care about the invasion then you won’t care, but it walked a thin line fairly well.
Results
Jaida Parker b. Lash Legend – Hipnotique
Myles Borne b. Josh Briggs – Borne Again
Lola Vice b. Fallon Henley – Spinning backfist
Je’Von Evans/Leon Slater b. The Culling – Swanton 450 to Spears
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