Smackdown
Date: May 8, 2026
Location: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

It’s the night before Backlash and that should mean a pretty big Smackdown. WWE has turned the shows before the pay per views into a big preview, which is quite the use of three hours. Hopefully it’s quality to go with quantity this year, though it’s hard to make that work with such a long show. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

In Memory Of Ted Turner. That’s a nice touch.

We open with a long recap of Jacob Fatu vs. Roman Reigns.

Here is Fatu for a chat. Tomorrow, he’s taking the title from Roman Reigns. Since they were kids, everyone has seen Reigns as the future and Fatu as nothing. Everyone has had it in for him but it’s been to protect Reigns. This brings out the Usos to interrupt, who say they aren’t out there to change Fatu’s mind. Jimmy understands that Fatu needs this, but what happens if he loses? Has he ever thought about that?

Jey doesn’t believe Fatu thinks like that but Jey has been there. Tomorrow night, Fatu’s family will be there to see him lose, and his wife and children will have to acknowledge the Tribal Chief. That doesn’t work for Fatu, because this isn’t just a main event. This is about his family because they are going to see him win the title. Oh and if the Usos try to interfere, he’ll burn this whole place down. I don’t think he’s going to win, but Fatu has sold me on him being a threat to Reigns.

We look at Gunther attacking Cody Rhodes last week.

Nick Aldis doesn’t like what Gunther has done, but here is Ricky Saints to interrupt. Matt Cardona comes in and doesn’t like Saints so they’re set for tonight.

Post break, Nick Aldis shakes Jacob Fatu’s hand and Fatu seems ready to leave in peace. As he’s leaving, Fatu runs into Royce Keys, who gives him a pep talk about winning the title. With Fatu gone, Keys runs into Solo Sikoa, who says Keys was in the wrong place at the wrong time last week. Sikoa needs an answer from Keys soon.

Women’s US Title: Tiffany Stratton vs. Kiana James

James, with Giulia, is challenging. We get a video from Chelsea Green, who is bedridden (in a lot of pink of course) and can’t be at the show tonight. James grabs a headlock to start but Stratton is right back with a clothesline. Stratton gets caught in the ropes though and a kick to the head knocks her down. The leg gets wrapped around the post and Stratton is in trouble and we take a break.

We come back with James grabbing a rather logical half crab, sending Stratton over to the ropes. The leg is fine enough to hit the handspring elbow in the corner and a handspring Stunner connects. A basement dropkick gives Stratton two but James sends her into the corner for a handspring (popular in this match) kick to the head. James misses a charge into the post though and Giulia gets on the apron, meaning the referee doesn’t see James grabbing a rollup for two. Stratton knocks Giulia down and hits a Regal Roll into the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to retain at 8:04.

Rating: C+. Oddly enough, Giulia gets my attention the most here as she feels like she is just falling lower and lower every single week. Hopefully they have something for her going forward as this hasn’t worked thus far. As for the people in the match, this felt like a way for Stratton to get a win over a challenger who didn’t feel like the biggest threat.

We go to the funeral for the Gingerbread Man (oh boy) where Sami Zayn asks Nick Aldis how he is letting this happen. Aldis says everyone needs some closure and Zayn is close to losing his mind when R-Truth comes up with a flower for him. R-Truth can see the resemblance between Zayn and Gingerbread Man, who talked about Zayn all the time. Zayn is ready to burst, mainly due to how ridiculous this whole thing is. To be fair, he has a point.

Video on Fatal Influence.

Rhea Ripley, Charlotte and Alexa Bliss are ready to take out Fatal Influence, but Charlotte and Ripley get into it all over again. Bliss has to calm them down, again.

R-Truth is sad about the Gingerbread Man but Damian Priest is more annoyed at Talla Tonga. R-Truth will be out there with him, but Priest wants him to stay in the back due to his shoulder injury. That’s good enough for R-Truth.

Talla Tonga vs. Damian Priest

Solo Sikoa is here with Tonga, who gets jumped by Priest to start fast. Tonga is knocked out to the floor but Priest’s spinning kick is sent into the post. Priest gets slammed onto the announcers’ table and we take a break. We come back with Tonga missing an elbow, allowing Priest to slug away.

Priest avoids a kick into the ropes and now the spinning kick to the face connects. After taking out Sikoa, the top rope clothesline gives Priest two but here is Tama Tonga for a distraction. Talla hits the discus lariat for two and here is R-Truth to even things up a bit. Priest sends Sikoa into Tama but gets dropped by Talla, who hits a chokeslam for the pin at 9:16.

Rating: B-. This was a big man fight and it seems like Priest and R-Truth are having some issues. That makes sense as the team never felt like it was supposed to be anything long term. At the same time, the MFT’s aren’t exactly doing well either, though it seems like we’ll be seeing a title match between the two sides sooner or later.

Post match the beatdown is teased but Royce Keys comes out to stare the MFT’s down, though he doesn’t get physical.

We recap Danhausen getting beaten down last week.

Danhausen is sitting at a table trying to find a partner when Miz and Kit Wilson interrupt. They’re not worried about the match because Danhausen doesn’t have any friends. Wilson holds up a mirror, saying the only person who would team with Danhausen is Danhausen. This gives Danhausen an idea, even though he goes the wrong way at first. I’m terrified.

Paul Heyman goes into Nick Aldis’ office.

We look at the Gingerbread Man being at various famous moments over the years.

Nick Aldis gives Paul Heyman a contract. Gunther comes in and Heyman hands him the contract, with Aldis welcoming Gunther to the Smackdown roster. They’re interrupted by Cody Rhodes coming to the ring, with Heyman saying he’ll handle this.

Here is Cody Rhodes for a chat. Rhodes wants to talk about Gunther but gets Heyman instead. Heyman has a solution in the form of the contract but Rhodes is ready to fight right now. That’s not going to work for Heyman, who makes it clear that this contract is the favor he owes Gunther (that’s interesting and nice job of wrapping up the point).

Heyman says he’s a fan of Rhodes and gets in the ring, saying that the title shot is for…Clash In Italy (later this month). By handing Rhodes the contract, Heyman’s part is done as Rhodes has to get Gunther to sign it himself. Rhodes stops him though and asks if he’s doing this because he’s out of options. Heyman says he’s not the one who’s out of options, because “sooner or later they all need the Wise Man.”

Heyman leaves and here is Gunther, who jumps Rhodes but gets knocked to the floor. Rhodes rants about how he doesn’t sweat Gunther because Rhodes is easy to find and hart to beat. Now that is a heck of a tease from Heyman, though Rhodes kind of forgetting that Heyman has the Vision with a healthy Bron Breakker is kind of odd.

Tama Tonga and Solo Sikoa argue about Royce Keys, with Tonga saying he’s going to go deal with Keys on his own. Sikoa won’t let Talla Tonga go too, because Tama needs to deal with this.

Matt Cardona vs. Ricky Saints

Cardona backs him into the corner to start and hits a running shoulder to annoy Saints again. A running forearm in the corner and a flapjack have Saints down again and he goes to the floor to kick the barricade. We take a break and come back with Saints in control but Cardona making a quick comeback. The Reboot gets two but Saints hits a spinning Downward Spiral for the same. Cardona is right back with Radio Silence as the fans seem to be thrilled that a fan is being ejected. Saints pops up with a tornado DDT into Roshambo to finish Cardona at 8:36.

Rating: C+. This was pretty much booking 101 as Saints lost a competitive match in his debut last week but came back to win here over an established name. Saints should be fine going forward as a midcard hand and this showed he can hang in there just fine. Cardona is pretty much resigned to his fate at this point, which is kind of a shame but he had to know what he was signing up to do.

Sami Zayn is still at the funeral and ranting about how he’s losing everything…to Johnny Gargano, who is still laying there in shock. Rey Fenix comes in and Zayn can’t believe he’s here.

Brie Bella and Paige are almost crushed by a falling piece of the set and Danhausen runs by. And we move on.

Blake Monroe is still on her way here.

Here are Brie Bella and Paige for a chat. Bella talks about how there are a lot of teams coming for the titles so bring it on. Paige has heard them referred to as a retirement tour but they’ve never been better. This brings out Fatal Influence, who say the champs should be worried about them. They’re about to have all the gold but here are the Irresistible Forces to say this isn’t NXT. The fans chant for Trick Williams, with Lash Legend laughing it off. The Forces lay the champs out while Fatal Influence stares on. This brings out Rhea Ripley, who stares at Legend on her way to the ring.

The Gingerbread Man was at other classic moments.

Fatal Influence vs. Rhea Ripley/Charlotte/Alexa Bliss

Henley and Bliss start things off with Henley dodging her and getting in a little dance. Bliss knees her in the face and does her own dance, which seems more popular. Bliss’ knee drop and flipping splash get two but Henley takes her into the corner. Jayne comes in for a boot choke and Reid mocks Bliss, who rolls over and brings in Ripley to start wrecking people. The flip dive off the apron connects and we take a break.

We come back with Reid hitting a neckbreaker on Ripley, who is back with that cool kick from the mat. Charlotte gets the tag and comes in to fire off the chops. The Flair Flip in the corner lets Charlotte hit a double high crossbody and Natural Selection gets two on Jayne. Bliss comes back in but walks into a superkick, as does Charlotte. Cue Jade Cargill to pull Ripley off the apron, allowing Cargill to hit the Rolling Encore to pin Bliss at 9:56.

Rating: B-. This was a good match, with the six person formula working as it usually does. You don’t get enough six person tags, as it worked rather well, allowing multiple combinations to keep things fresh. Cargill being back is good, but I don’t really need to see her going after Ripley again, at least not immediately. At the same time, Fatal Influence, with Jayne in particular, have hit the ground running on the main roster and that is rather impressive as that’s not something everyone can do.

Post match Cargill glares Fatal Influence away. Cargill goes after Bliss but Charlotte gets back in, only to be beaten down by Michin and B-Fab. Ripley tries to make a save and is beaten down as well.

Royce Keys is on his way to the ring but runs into the Usos. They talk about their history together and warn him to stay away from the MFT’s, or risk catching the eyes of Roman Reigns.

Gingerbread Man, classic moments, again. Do you get the joke yet?

Tama Tonga vs. Royce Keys

Solo Sikoa and Talla Tonga are here with Tama, despite what Sikoa said earlier. Tama hammers away to start and gets caught in a running powerslam. Keys punches him down in the corner but Tama slips out of a suplex and goes after the leg. Tama knocks him to the floor but a slide is countered into a World’s Strongest Slam onto the apron. A missed charge sends Keys into the steps though and we take a break.

We come back with the two of them slugging it out until Tama grabs a rolling neckbreaker for two. Keys gets up to fire off some clotheslines, meaning the straps can come down. Another powerslam gets another two but Tama’s reverse DDT gets the same. The comeback is on almost immediately and Tama is clotheslined outside, where Sikoa tells Talla to let Tama figure it out. Back in and the USB (Ultimate Spinebuster) finishes Tama at 7:53.

Rating: C+. This was about Keys getting to beat a name and it worked out well enough, though Keys still needs some more ring time to really polish things up (using the same running powerslam twice in a seven minute match isn’t a good idea). At least Keys keeps winning and, for now at least, he isn’t joining the MFT’s. The team needs some new recruits, though I’m not sure if Keys is the right choice.

Danhausen goes to his laboratory, where he has some chemicals, a microwave, and a cloning machine. This would be in the “well of course he does” category.

Shinsuke Nakamura comes up to Tama Tonga and asks if he’s still an MFT. Talla Tonga comes in to warn Nakamura about talking this brother. We’re still doing this?

Backlash rundown.

Trick Williams runs into Nick Aldis, who is letting the funeral have the rest of the broadcast.

It’s time for the funeral, with the casket and a choir in the ring as Trick Williams comes out to join them. Williams pours out a drink for the Gingerbread Man and hopes he can get through this. He speaks a song (with the choir joining in) about how the Gingerbread Man was destroyed and asking if someone can tell him why.

We get a package on the life of the Gingerbread Man, including him signing with the University Of South Carolina to play football, climbing a mountain, going to various national landmarks with Williams and Lil Yachty and participating in a dunk contest. Sami Zayn comes out to say this is ridiculous and asks if he’s losing his mind for this to go on so long. Closing Smackdown used to mean something and he asks why Williams spent this much money on one idea.

Zayn gets in the ring to yell at Williams about how he’s been doing this for twenty years and isn’t leaving. Zayn decks Williams and shouts about how the title is his life. Then the Gingerbread Man gets out of the casket and it’s Lil Yachty, who beats Zayn down with a kendo stick. The Trick Shot lays Zayn out to end the show.

So Zayn was right yes? Williams spent all this time and money for the sake of knowing that Zayn would interrupt (fair) and get beaten down for fifteen seconds to end the show? That’s quite a bit of effort and resources spent for not much of a payoff. And Aldis and everyone else hates Zayn enough to go with this? This feels like something from the Vince McMahon era and that’s not a good thing to see.

Overall Rating: C. It was a good enough show for the most part, but dang I didn’t care for that ending segment. The whole thing went on way too long and the lack of a big Smackdown match at Backlash made this a bit less than thrilling. Rhodes vs. Gunther being set up (pretty much) for Clash In Italy is fine, but it doesn’t make for the best build to Backlash. Fatal Influence continues to feel like a big deal and Heyman teasing Rhodes needing him in the future is interesting, but this show didn’t really have a big moment to go out on, which hurt things a lot.

Results
Tiffany Stratton b. Kiana James – Prettiest Moonsault Ever
Talla Tonga b. Damian Priest – Chokeslam
Ricky Saints b. Matt Cardona – Roshambo
Fatal Influence b. Rhea Ripley/Charlotte/Alexa Bliss – Rolling Encore to Bliss
Royce Keys b. Tama Tonga – USB

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Smackdown
Date: May 1, 2026
Location: BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

We’re just over a week away from Backlash and there are some spots that need to be addressed on the card. In this case we need a challenger for Cody Rhodes, who didn’t have much to say last week. Other than that, Jacob Fatu seems to have moved over to Raw but wrecked the MFT’s on the way out. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a look at Jacob Fatu vs. Roman Reigns being set up for Backlash, with Fatu laying Reigns out with a Tongan Death Grip on Raw.

Here is Cody Rhodes to get things going. Earlier today, Rhodes met with the medical team and he is officially cleared for action. So what is next for him on Smackdown? Cue Ricky Saints of all people, who does a rather fired up entrance and says he’s great and suave and handsome and everything your mom wishes you were. This is Friday Night SAINTS so Rhodes asks what the difference is between the last time Saints stepped up to him? Saints suggests he’s ready to take the title and the match seems ready. Rhodes says he’s easy to find but hard to beat.

We look back at Fatal Influence making their debut last week.

Charlotte and Alexa Bliss are asked about Fatal Influence’s numbers’ advantage. Rhea Ripley pops in and says she’s here if they need her. Charlotte doesn’t seem impressed however, as three is a crowd.

Jacy Jayne vs. Charlotte

The rest of Fatal Influence and Alexa Bliss are here too. Before the match, Jayne says this is her chance to show what Fatal Influence brings to Smackdown and there is no one to do that to than a legend like Charlotte. Jayne mocks the strut to start but gets taken into the corner. A forearm to the back of the head puts Charlotte down and Jayne snaps off a running hurricanrana.

That earns her the rolling figure four necklock slams and Charlotte kicks her in the head in the corner. Bliss scares Jayne on the floor and we take a break. We come back with Charlotte fighting out of a chinlock and firing off the chops. The flipping clothesline puts Jayne down again and the moonsault gets two. Jayne fights up but gets booted in the face. The Figure Eight goes on but the seconds get in a fight on the floor. Charlotte goes to intervene, allowing Jayne to hit the Rolling Encore (discus forearm) for the pin at 10:04.

Rating: B-. What matters here is that Jayne won. That’s the whole thing, as if she lost, any momentum she had was gone right out of the blocks. Charlotte is someone who can lose for months and be perfectly fine so it’s not like there is any damage done here. Jayne is the new star around and this is a massive win for her, so well done on what happened.

Post match the beatdown is on and Rhea Ripley runs in for the save, leaving her in a staredown with Charlotte.

Paige and Brie Bella are ready to defend their titles against anyone, including the Irresistible Forces tonight.

R-Truth and Damian Priest meet Fraxiom (R-Truth thinks one of them is an Americano), with Priest thinking that R-Truth has given them a title shot tonight. Priest is ready….and Frazer cuts Axiom off before he can say something, saying they’re looking forward to it too. Fraxiom leaves, and R-Truth isn’t happy because they weren’t talking about title shots. He was giving them tax advice, which has Priest even more confused than usual.

Miz and Kit Wilson leave Looney Tunes style trap for Danhausen offering “free human monies” in a briefcase. They hide and Danhausen comes up, gets $40,000 out, and leaves. Miz and Wilson go to the briefcase, which sprays them with powder. Yeah that figures.

Tag Team Titles: Damian Priest/R-Truth vs. Fraxiom

Fraxiom is challenging. R-Truth backs Axiom into the corner to start but gets taken down with a springboard armdrag. Priest and Frazer come in, with Axiom adding a hurricanrana. The champs are sent to the floor where they back off before the dives can launch and we take a break.

We come back with R-Truth hitting a Stundog Millionaire, allowing the tag off to Priest to clean house. The running shoulders in the corner let R-Truth come back in but he gets low bridged out to the floor. Frazer hits the big running flip dive and a missile dropkick connects, only for Priest to throw Axiom into the cover for the save. The Razor’s Edge to Axiom retains the titles at 9:39.

Rating: B-. This was pretty good, as Fraxiom can wrestle that fast paced style with anyone right now but they ran into a monster like Priest. R-Truth is best known for his goofiness but he can wrestle a perfectly competent match. The champs are still waiting for a big time challenger, though they’re fine at the moment having matches like this one.

Post match the MFT’s run in and wreck both teams. Post break, Solo Sikoa and Talla Tonga are still in the ring, with Solo Sikoa showing a clip of Jacob Fatu wrecking the team last week. Sikoa rants about Fatu taking out his family and when Fatu gets here tonight, he’s a dead man walking.

Cue the Usos to interrupt and talk about Fatu using the Tongan Death Grip. That’s a sacred move that is passed down and Roman Reigns isn’t accepting that, so Sikoa and company need to wait their turn. The Usos are telling instead of asking, so Sikoa has Talla wreck them. Sikoa says Reigns isn’t his Tribal Chief and Fatu is a dead man.

Cody Rhodes runs into Sami Zayn, who didn’t like being called sarcastic and condescending. Zayn asks if this was because he called Rhodes “Golden Boy”. They’re the last real good guys and they’re the same. Rhodes says a lot of that is true, but they’re not the same. Rhodes leaves Zayn shocked.

We get a clip of Jalen Brunson (NBA star) talking about his love of Roman Reigns.

Danhausen uncurses Brunson’s New York Knicks but keeps the curse on ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith.

Cody Rhodes vs. Ricky Saints

Non-title. Saints snaps off some armdrags to start and Rhodes needs to pause a bit. They head outside with Saints hitting something like an apron 619 and we take an early break. We come back with Rhodes getting out of a neck crank but getting pulled down with a neckbreaker. Rhodes is back up with a powerslam but Saints slips out and hits something like Sister Abigail for two. A springboard tornado DDT gives Saints two more but Rhodes reverses the Roshambo (running Dominator) into Cross Rhodes for the pin at 8:56.

Rating: B-. They got going near the end, though again I’m not sure about having Saints lose his first main roster match. It’s nice to have him around and there’s no shame in having him lose to Rhodes, but it’s a bit weird to have him take a loss like this so early. At least he did pretty well in his start though and that’s good to see.

Post match Gunther runs in and sleepers Rhodes out. Gunther holds up the title and I guess Rhodes has his random challenger.

Here is Danhausen, in the Hausenmobile, to say he’s using the $400 he found to buy t-shirts for the fans. This brings out the Miz, who says Danhausen has indeed cursed him. So yes, he will indeed be Danhausen’s mentor. They go to shake hands, but here is Kit Wilson to interrupt, saying Miz is supposed to mentor him. Miz says Danhausen has become a big deal on his own so Wilson and Danhausen both offer their hands. Eventually he shakes Danhausen’s hand and the curse is loaded up…but Miz jumps Danhausen and the beatdown is on.

Blake Monroe is in a bathtub and says she’ll be here soon.

Royce Keys vs. Angel

Keys sends him outside to start, where Berto is waiting to check on things. Berto’s distraction…doesn’t really do much for Angel, as Keys puts him on top for a super spinning powerslam. The spinebuster finishes Angel at 1:43.

Tiffany Stratton says it’s her birthday so the open challenge is on for next week. Chelsea Green comes in to reveal she’s healed but Kiana James and Giulia come in to say they want the shot. Stratton is fine with that and gives the shot to….James next week instead.

Jacob Fatu congratulates Royce Keys for his win. They’ve known each other for a very long time and Keys gives him a pep talk about remembering what it’s like to take what you want. Fatu appreciates that and leaves but Talla Tonga runs in to jump Keys. Fatu comes back to help with the fight but gets taken out by the MFT’s.

Here is Sami Zayn, with a big gingerbread man next to him. He loves it here in Tulsa and talks about being a big Bob Dylan (the University of Tulsa has a big Dylan collection), but what happened when Dylan went electric? The fans turned on him, just like they’ve turned on Zayn. He really doesn’t get why but he knows his ride or die fans are here tonight.

It’s ok though, because he can deal with bad reactions, but not disrespect, like he received from Trick Williams. Zayn calls Williams someone who can wear a costume and say catchphrases, but he doesn’t understand the idea of actually doing the hard work. He looks at the gingerbread man and sees nothing but disrespect. Zayn teases punching the gingerbread man (which is just a suit) and stops himself, only to knock it down and hammer away. Williams runs in for the save…and gives the X injury sign for the gingerbread man.

We look back at Paige and Brie Bella winning the Women’s Tag Team Titles at Wrestlemania.

The Irresistible Forces are going to win the titles back because they’re prepared this time.

Trick Williams leaves the trainer’s room and says no one messes with the gingerbread man. Sami Zayn is getting his title rematch at Backlash but Zayn is messing with Williams’ money. If the gingerbread man isn’t ok, Zayn is getting a beating. When Williams wants something, he gets it. Williams: “Ask the legend herself. When Trick Williams wants it, he gets that a**.” Then he’s told that the gingerbread man didn’t make it through. I get that it’s meant to be silly, but is that the best way to present Williams?

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Brie Bella/Paige vs. Irresistible Forces

The Forces are challenging. Legend throws Paige down to start and hammers away before dragging her into the corner. Jax comes in and gets knocked down, allowing the tag off to Bella. It actually isn’t instant destruction for Bella, who is distracted by Legend so Jax can get in a cheap shot.

We take a break and come back with Jax missing a charge into the post. Bella hurricanranas Legend and brings Paige back in to kick Legend in the face. The rapid fire knees in the ropes hit Legend, followed by a Paige Turner into a Bella Buster. Jax makes the save and loads up the Annihilator but Paige breaks it up, allowing Bella to steal the pin at 7:49.

Rating: C. Keeping the Paige/Bella matches short is a good idea and that was on display here. They’re fine for the nice pop from the crowd but there isn’t much beyond that. I get that they’re just filling in for the Bellas as a team and that’s not Paige’s fault, but it’s still not something that I want to see long term.

The gingerbread man has died, so we get an In Memorium graphic.

Here’s what’s coming next week, including the gingerbread man’s funeral. They’re getting really close to running this into the ground.

Sami Zayn complains about the funeral to Nick Aldis, who confirms the US Title match at Backlash. Danhausen comes in to mention being attacked, so Aldis says it can be Danhausen vs. Miz/Wilson at Backlash, if Danhausen can find a partner. Danhausen: “That’s work!”

Usos vs. MFT’s

Jey strikes away at Talla to start and gets knocked down just as fast. Sikoa comes in and gets enziguried, allowing Jimmy to get the tag. Jimmy dives right into Spinning Solo though and the running Umaga Attack sends us to a break. We come back with Sikoa choking Jimmy on the ropes, with Talla adding a clothesline. The neck crank goes on, quickly followed by a Samoan drop for two.

Jimmy avoids some charges though and it’s a big jumping tag to bring Jey back in. A superkick and spear hit Sikoa, with Talla making the save. That earns him a double clothesline out to the floor, where Talla sends Jimmy into the steps. The announcers’ table is loaded up…and here is Jacob Fatu to jump Talla for the DQ at 10:38.

Rating: C+. With so much going on involving the family in one way or another, the DQ almost had to come somewhere in there. That’s good enough, as Fatu is the biggest single name involved with the whole thing here. It’s nice to see a story cross over between the two shows, as it really is making Fatu feel like a more important star.

Post match Fatu hits Talla with the steps and grabs the Tongan Death Grip on Sikoa. Talla gets Death Gripped as well, followed by a Samoan drop through the table. Fatu gets back inside for a staredown with the Usos but walks past them and hits his catchphrase to end the show instead.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a show which was good enough on its own but it would have been that much better with the extra hour cut out here or there. I do like some of the pieces they’re putting together around here though and that’s better than what they were doing before Wrestlemania. It’s far from a great show, but it set some things up for the next few weeks and had good enough action so I’ll call it a fine week.

Results
Jacy Jayne b. Charlotte – Rolling Encore
Damian Priest/R-Truth b. Fraxiom – Razor’s Edge to Axiom
Cody Rhodes b. Ricky Saints – Cross Rhodes
Royce Keys b. Angel – Spinebuster
Paige/Brie Bella b. Irresistible Forces – Rollup to Jax
MFT’s b. Usos via DQ when Jacob Fatu interfered

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT
Date: April 21, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re back here for something of a finale with Revenge Week 2, as Joe Hendry and Sol Ruca are both freshly on the main roster. They both have to wrap things up in NXT, which will likely happen this week. Ethan Page is also already on Raw, though we might also be saying goodbye to some people who are heading to Smackdown this week. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening recap.

North American Title: Myles Borne vs. Dion Lennox

Borne is defending and the rest of Darkstate is here with Lennox. They charge at each other to start with Lennox taking him down for an early two. Borne is back up with a suplex for two and knocks Lennox outside for the big dive. Back up and Lennox knocks him off the apron for a change and then drops him onto it again as we take a break.

We come back with Borne firing off some clotheslines but getting clotheslined outside. Lennox drops him onto the steps for two but Borne makes another comeback. An AA onto the knee gives Borne two so it’s Darkstate up with a distraction. Lennox gets in a superplex for two more and they slug it out until a double clothesline drops both of them. Darkstate gets up for a distraction but Borne shoves Lennox into Shuggars and grabs Borne Again for the pin at 11:21.

Rating: C+. This was more about furthering the issues between Shuggars and Lennox and that makes sense, as it also gave Borne a title defense. I’m not sure if the team is splitting, but they do seem to have already hit their high point. Borne is starting to become quite the star with the title, though I’m not sure who is going to be his next big challenger.

Blake Monroe is looking at her custom Women’s North American Title while the Vanity Project seems to ignore her. If she needs anything though, she can text them.

Saquon Shuggars tells Robert Stone that Darkstate needs one more chance but Stone says walk with him.

Shiloh Hill gives Tatum Paxley a pep talk before the casket match. He’s ready for Ricky Saints next week too.

Joe Hendry vs. Keanu Carver

Hendry has to slip out of an early slam and Carver charges into a boot in the corner. Carver shrugs that off and whips him hard into the corner over and over, followed by an over the shoulder backbreaker. Hendry manages to send him outside for a breather and we take a break. We come back with Carver snapping off a German suplex and hitting a big backbreaker. Carver’s charge hits the post but he cuts off the spinning pose. Carver unloads with right hands and Hendry is out, with the referee calling it at 9:14.

Rating: C. Hendry is on his way to Raw and he did more than go out on his back, as he got the fire beaten out of him here. That’s a great way to make Carver look like a smashing machine and I could go for seeing more of this version of him. Hendry is going to be fine on the main roster but dang he got rocked here. He could have a rematch, though maybe this is it, which would be a big way to go out.

Lizzy Rain, a heavy metal rocker, is debuting next week.

Speed Title: Lexis King vs. EK Prosper

For the vacant title and Birthright is here with King. Prosper grabs a flipping backslide to start fast and bounces off the ropes to set up a dropkick. A slingshot Fameasser gives Prosper two as we’re a minute into the five minute time limit. Birthright offers a distraction though and King takes over inside.

Back in and Prosper fights back with some right hands and a leg lariat gets two. King hits a Backstabber for two and we have two minutes left. The Coronation is broken up and they head out to the apron to chop it out. Prosper sends him outside and moonsaults down onto the pile with a minute to go. Arianna Grace offers a distraction though and the Coronation finishes to make King champion at 4:32.

Rating: C. It’s good for King to win a title as it gives him something to do, but at the same time it’s just the Speed Title. The title hasn’t meant a thing since it was introduced and that’s likely going to be the case again here. At least he won the thing though and that’s a step in the right direction.

Jackson Drake is waiting for a date to show up when the rest of the Vanity Project comes in. Apparently Drake got stood up and they’re ready to leave. A woman comes in and says she heard Drake got stood up. Oh dead.

Saquon Shuggars tells Darkstate that they are getting another shot at the North American Title. Dion Lennox is happy….but it’s Shuggars getting the shot. Lennox is still happy. Right.

We look at Zaria costing Sol Ruca her Raw debut last night.

Women’s North American Title: Blake Monroe vs. Tatum Paxley

Paxley is defending in a casket match. They slug it out to start and Paxley sends her straight into the casket. Monroe panics (as you should) and the fight heads outside. Monroe takes over and teases a headscissors into the casket, with Paxley blocking it without much trouble. Paxley whips out the dollhouse but gets dropkicked into it (ouch) and we take a break.

We come back with Paxley hitting an enziguri and they fight back to the apron. They trade strikes to the face and crash into the casket, which closes. That doesn’t count so they get back onto the apron and slug it out on top of the casket. The Glamour Shot is countered into a Spanish Fly to plant Monroe on the floor and they’re both down again.

Monroe is back up with a fire extinguisher shot and hits the Glamour Shot, which knocks Paxley silly. That’s enough for Monroe to put her in the casket…but Paxley gets the belt up in time to avoid it being closed. Back in and Monroe beats on her with the belt and pours out the bag of diamonds. That earns her a Cemetery Drive, followed by a kick to the head to send Monroe into the casket to retain at 11:45.

Rating: B. I liked this more than I was expecting to and there is a good reason that this sends Monroe up to the main roster. I’m not sure how much sense that makes but at least she might get another fresh start. Paxley on the other hand has become one of the more solid stars in the division and that’s great to see. Let her see what she can do and maybe even move up higher.

We go back to Jackson Drake, who is sitting with the woman who interrupted him. Apparently she used to dissect horses with her bare hands. Oh and she points out that the woman he was supposed to meet seems to be an AI bot. Shiloh Hill is blamed but they leave together and she slaps a man away, which Drake thinks is a good thing. And the rest of the Vanity Project can come with them. Ok then.

Here is Lola Vice for a chat. She talks about all of the good things Jacy Jayne did for the women’s division but now it’s time for her moment. Last week she saw a bunch of women coming after her to make their own moments. Vice is ready for them because she’s a fighting champion ready for anyone. You don’t just walk up to Vice City and come up to her but all it’s going to get you is knocked out and danced on.

Cue Izzi Dame with the Culling, with Dame saying she is indeed a threat, but has Vice started to feel the change yet? The women are going to look at her differently and waiting on her, just like Dame is doing. Vice is ready to fight but the Culling offers a distraction, allowing Dame to boot her in the face. There’s your next challenger and they’re not being subtle with it.

Lexis King is happy with his title win but Dorian Van Dux and EK Prosper come in to say King couldn’t win on his own. A tag match seems likely but Arianna Grace says they have a party to plan.

We get a long form look at Kendal Grey. She was a successful wrestler, including against boys in high school. She kept getting scars over the years, including taking a foul ball at a Yankees game. While she wanted to tell us something about herself, she wants the Women’s Title. Good stuff here, just for the sake of getting to know her a bit.

Robert Stone checks on Lola Vice but Ricky Saints has attacked Shiloh Hill.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Tony D’Angelo comes up to Robert Stone and has been sent him a box with a character on it. Keanu Carver comes up and D’Angelo thinks it was him. No, because if he wanted the title then he would take it, but that character means “war”.

Zaria vs. Sol Ruca

Last Woman Standing with Zaria sneaking up on her but getting taken down with a Thesz press. Ruca sends her outside for a quick dive but Zaria is back with a trash can toss. They trade kicks, with Ruca’s hitting a trashcan, and they’re both down. Zaria chokes her with a camera cable but Ruca is back up with the kendo stick shots. A sunset bomb onto the announcers’ table is blocked and Zaria kicks her in the face. An F5 is escaped as well so Ruca spears her through that wooden wall which is broken every few months. They both need a second and we take a break.

We come back with the two of them slugging it out on the barricade until Zaria hits a release F5 to send her crashing through the table. Somehow that’s not enough so Zaria sets up a table, only to get German suplexed on the floor. A running knee puts Zaria down and the table is set up on the floor. Zaria is back up and sets up a second table next to it but Ruca hits her with the cover of the announcers’ table.

Ruca goes up onto the platform, only for Zaria to follow her, right into the Sol Snatcher. Zaria beats the count (again) and they slug it out on the platform with Zaria almost being knocked down. Ruca pulls her back though and Zaria thanks her as this doesn’t seem bright. They hug and apologize…and of course Zaria shoves her off the platform and through one table, with Ruca’s head slamming into the table which doesn’t budge. Thankfully isn’t dead but she is down for the ten count to give Zaria the win at 14:55.

Rating: A-. Well that was outstanding. These two beat the living daylights out of each other and it felt like a fight between two people who were desperate to defeat the other. Zaria gets her revenge and Ruca proves that she’s ready to be a top hero because she couldn’t have looked dumber. This is the biggest win of Zaria’s career and while I’m not sure where she’s going, she had got there in a great match.

Overall Rating: B+. This show was about writing off some of the departing stars and setting up some new things. That’s a hard thing to do but it’s one of the issues that comes with a show like NXT. For now though, they had a heck of a main event and the casket match was good as well, making for a pretty awesome show. It’s one of the better NXT’s in a pretty long time and that has me wondering what is next, which means they’re doing something rather right.

Results
Myles Borne b. Dion Lennox – Borne Again
Keanu Carver b. Joe Hendry via referee stoppage
Lexis King b. EK Prosper – Coronation
Tatum Paxley b. Blake Monroe when Paxley closed Monroe in the casket
Zaria b. Sol Ruca when Ruca couldn’t answer the ten count

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: April 7, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re done with Stand & Deliver and that means it’s time to start getting ready for…whatever the next big show is going to be. The big story coming out of the show is Tony D’Angelo defeated Joe Hendry for the NXT Title. In addition, Lola Vice is the new Women’s Champion. Let’s get to it.

Here is Stand & Deliver if you need a recap.

Stand & Deliver recap.

Here is Tony D’Angelo to get things going. A lot of the fans have been with him since the beginning. He has gone from a boy to a man around here and now he is the only Grand Slam Champion in NXT history. Some of the decisions he has made haven’t been the best but there isn’t a man around here who can take the title from him.

Cue Joe Hendry, who agrees that D’Angelo was the better man. That was just one night though but would it have been the same in a one on one match? Cue Ethan Page to blame Ricky Saints for his loss, which brings out Saints to say the same thing. D’Angelo is ready to go again but here is Darkstate to go after all four of them. We take a break and come back with the fighting having been broken up and Robert Stone making the eight man tag.

Sol Ruca vs. Izzi Dame

Dame has the rest of the Culling with her. Dame powers her into the corner to start but gets taken down with a snapmare. Ruca hits a standing moonsault but Dame is right back with a running clothesline. Some shoulders in the corner have Ruca in more trouble, at least until she grabs an X Factor. A dropkick puts Dame outside and a spinning springboard dive takes her out again.

We take a break and come back with Ruca hitting a springboard flipping clothesline to leave both of them down. Ruca wins an exchange of strikes, followed by a missile dropkick. Dame is able to shove her off the top though and a super Codebreaker gets two. Back up and Ruca knocks her outside, only to miss a moonsault…and get speared by Zaria. Ruca is sent back inside for Dame Over to give Dame the pin at 10:38.

Rating: B-. This worked well enough while it lasted but Zaria vs. Ruca continuing isn’t the most appealing idea. Ruca beat her clean on Saturday and it’s just making Zaria feel whiny to continue the feud. At the same time, I can go for Dame getting more of a push, as she could fit into the title picture rather nicely.

The Vanity Project come into Robert Stone’s office when Blake Monroe (scheduled to meet with Stone) comes in. The Project gives her a fake Women’s North American Title and Stone gives her a mixed tag later tonight.

The injured Elio LeFleur meets with Dorian Van Duks and EK Prosper, saying he wants one of them to win the Speed Title. Duks is ready to go, but so is Prosper.

Keanu Carver vs. Jasper Troy vs. Josh Briggs

It’s a brawl to start with Briggs sending Carver into the post and out to the floor. Briggs takes over but Carver is back in, with Briggs giving him a splash. Carver knocks both of them down, with a clothesline getting two on Briggs. Troy gets beaten up on the floor but Briggs drops both of them as we take a break.

We come back with Carver slugging away at both of them and powerslamming Briggs for two. A spinebuster drops Troy for two and Carver stomps on Briggs in the corner. Troy fights up and chokeslams Carver before covering Briggs for two more. Briggs drops Troy over the top for a big crash, leaving Briggs to kick Carver in the face. A Pounce sends Troy to the floor and another puts Briggs down. The Jackhammer gives Carver the pin at 12:56.

Rating: B-. This was pretty much exactly as advertised, with all three powerhouses beating each other up until one of them got the pin. It was a fine match, though it never really did anything to make it stand out. Carver is being treated as a new force around here so it’s good to see him get a win. If nothing else it seems like he might be in for a big beatdown on Booker T., which would feel like an important deal.

Shiloh Hill and Tatum Paxley are ready for their mixed tag. They also talk about raccoons. Ricky Saints comes in to call them weird but they don’t seem to care.

Ricky Saints/Ethan Page/Tony D’Angelo/Joe Hendry vs. Darkstate

D’Angelo jumps Shuggars to start but gets in trouble in the wrong corner. Lennox comes in and gets driven away, only for Page to steal the tag from Hendry. Page is rammed into Saints, which counts as a tag as well. Saints is taken into the wrong corner but fights out in a hurry, allowing the tag off to Hendry.

A delayed suplex drops James for two and it’s back to Saints for a Fameasser and a near fall. Page and Saints get back together for a double backdrop but D’Angelo gets back in for a change. Lennox actually runs D’Angelo over and we take a break. We come back with Hendry in trouble, with a double suplex getting two. The neck crank keeps Hendry down and he gets swung into a backbreaker.

A running Vader Bomb gives James two but cue Myles Borne to go after Lennox (who attacked him on Saturday). Everything breaks down and Saints dives off the apron with a forearm to James. Hendry hits a big dive and D’Angelo adds a spinebuster to Shuggars. Page tags himself in though and boots D’Angelo in the face. The twisted Grin finishes Shuggars at 15:00.

Rating: B. They had a lot of things going on once here and they managed to make it into a good match. Page stealing the pin in the end and attacking D’Angelo might make him the first challenger for the title. Other than that you probably have Bourne vs. Lennox coming up, which should go well for both of them. Nice job here.

Post match D’Angelo lays Page out.

Jaida Parker is sick of people like Kelani Jordan. They got in a fight at the Performance Center and almost got in another in the parking lot. Parker is ready for her again next week.

Speed Title Tournament First Round: Lexis King vs. Chazz Hall

Hall is freshly debuted on Evolve and is better known as Starboy Charlie. The rest of Birthright is here with King, who charges at him to start fast. That doesn’t get him very far and the Coronation doesn’t work. A standing Sliced Bread gives Hall two and he sends King outside for the big cartwheel dive. Back in and Hall’s shooting star’s press hits raised feet, setting up the Coronation to give King the pin at 2:06. I’m not sure why you would want a newcomer like Hall to lose so soon.

Myles Borne and Tony D’Angelo glare at each other a bit but Robert Stone comes in. D’Angelo wants Ethan Page, which works for Stone. Keanu Carver comes in for the staredown with D’Angelo.

We get a clip of the new Shawn Michaels documentary.

Shiloh Hill/Tatum Paxley vs. Jackson Drake/Blake Monroe

The rest of the Vanity Project is here too. Paxley and Monroe compare belts before the match until Monroe gets shoved down. Monroe is back up with a tackle but Paxley cranks on her arm. Drake comes in to miss an enziguri on Hill and some forearms to the chest have Drake in trouble. A top rope clothesline gives Hill two but Monroe doesn’t want to tag. Hill tags in though and Monroe has to come back in, where the Cemetery Drive is broken up.

Paxley and Hill grab stereo surfboards, both are which are escaped and the villains head outside. We take a break and come back with Hill giving Drake a running shoulder. A belly to back suplex is broken up though and it’s a double shot from behind to put Hill down. Hill easily fights out though and it’s back to Paxley, with Monroe realizing she’s in trouble. The Project offers a distraction so Hill hits a flip dive but the distraction lets Monroe avoid the 450. Drake offers a distraction and it’s the Glamour Shot to pin Paxley at 11:17.

Rating: C+. This is another case of a feud seemingly wrapping up at Stand & Deliver but it keeps going here anyway. I’m not sure what the thinking is behind doing that over and over, but there should be enough names to come after Paxley’s title without going to such a quick rematch. Hill and Paxley did have some chemistry together though and that could work for a bit going forward.

Robert Stone announces that for the next two weeks, it’s NXT Revenge. In the first week, Tony D’Angelo defends against Ethan Page and in week two, it’s Zaria vs. Sol Ruca in a Last Woman Standing match. Hopefully Maya Inca Boy makes one of the cards.

Kali Armstrong is coming (at Revenge).

We look back at the eight man tag and the post match brawl.

Here is Lola Vice for her first chat as Women’s Champion. She’s proud to be the first Cuban American WWE Champion and thought she was ready the second she walked in the door. The reality is she got humbled fast and now she knows she wasn’t ready. Now the reality is she’s undeniable and she knows what it means to have to earn something…and here is Fatal Influence.

Jacy Jayne tells her to enjoy this time because she’s ready to become a three time champion. Jayne says she lost on a technicality and gets annoyed at the fans booing her. Robert Stone comes out to make the match for next week but Fatal Influence jumps Vice from behind. Vice fights them off to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I’m not sure what to think of this show, as it really made Stand & Deliver feel like a rest stop for Revenge rather than the biggest show of the year. What we got here was an ok show which felt like it was telling us to watch for the big show over the next two weeks. That’s a really weird way to go and I hope it doesn’t continue in this style, as it brings the major events way down.

Results
Izzi Dame b. Sol Ruca – Sitout powerbomb
Keanu Carver b. Josh Briggs and Jasper Troy – Jackhammer to Briggs
Joe Hendry/Ethan Page/Ricky Saints/Tony D’Angelo b. Darkstate – Twisted Grin to Shuggars
Lexis King b. Chazz Hall – Coronation
Blake Monroe/Jackson Drake b. Shiloh Hill/Tatum Paxley – Glamour Shot to Paxley

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Stand & Deliver 2026
Date: April 4, 2026
Location: The Factory At The District, St. Louis, Missouri
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s the biggest NXT show of the year and this time around it’s on the road, outside of Orlando. For a bit of a twist, this year’s show is also not taking place over Wrestlemania Weekend, which should give it a bit more focus. There are a few multi challenger title matches taking place this year so let’s get to it.

IMG Credit: WWE

Kickoff Show: Birthright vs. Hank & Tank/Shiloh Hill/EK Prosper/Wren Sinclair

The brawl is on before the bell and Connors is powered into the corner to officially get things going. Tank picks Stacks up and throws him over the top onto the pile at ringside for the big crash. Dempsey comes in to uppercut away on Hank and the rest of the team takes out the other good guys. Hank fights out of that and brings Sinclair in to chop away at Grace. Dempsey has to break up the Final Wrench and the women hit stereo faceplants.

Prosper (the new name for Eli Knight) comes in to clean house but Grace’s distraction causes him to get shoved out to the floor. Sinclair chops away at Dempsey and gives him a suplex as everything breaks down again, with commentary having no clue who is legal. Prosper hits a crazy double springboard moonsault onto the floor, leaving Hank & Tank to crush Dempsey. Hill’s pop up neckbreaker gets the pin at 6:33.

Rating: C+. This was exactly what it needed to be, as they didn’t overstay their welcome but still had a fast paced match to start the night. No one really had time to stand out but Prosper did well in the time he had. The match was a nice little bonus that didn’t hurt anything, which is all you need from a Kickoff Show match.

Here is Shawn Michaels to introduce Sexyy Red as the show’s host.

The opening video looks at St. Louis as the gateway to the west. It turns into a regular look at the card and we’re ready to go.

We recap the Women’s Title match. Jacy Jayne needed a challenger but Kendal Grey and Lola Vice went to a double finish so it’s a triple threat. I’ll take that over Jayne interfering to set up a triple threat like a moron.

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s Title: Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey vs. Jacy Jayne

Jayne, with Fatal Influence, is defending and Wren Sinclair is here with Grey. Jayne shoves both of them to start but gets sent outside, leaving the other two to grapple. Back in and Jayne rolls them both up for two each with Grey being knocked outside. Everyone gets back inside and it’s a double dropkick to put Vice and Jayne back inside. Jayne pulls Grey outside and sends her into the steps.

Vice hits Jayne with a running seated senton off the apron and takes Jayne back inside. A distraction lets Jayne get in a kick to the back and a backbreaker gets two. Grey is back in so Jayne sends both of them into the corner for a cannonball and Vice is sent outside. Jayne gives Grey a facebuster into a clothesline for two but Vice tries to come back in. That earns her a neckbreaker over the rope to put her outside again, leaving Jayne to kick Grey back down.

Back in and something like a Tower Of Doom doesn’t quite work and it’s Vice up to strike away at Grey. The running hip attacks hit Grey and Jayne but Grey is back with a German suplexes to Grace. The straps come down and Grey snaps off the German suplexes, only for Jayne to knee her down for two more.

Vice drops Jayne for two but gets sent outside, leaving Grey to ankle lock Jayne (as the screen goes black over and over). Back in and the strikes are on with Grey putting Jayne down, only to have Vice put the foot on the rope. Fatal Influence offers a distraction so Sinclair chases them off, leaving Vice to choke Grey, who flips over. With that broken up, Jayne hits a hard shot to knock Grey outside. That allows Vice to hit the spinning backfist to take out Jayne for the pin and the title at 16:16.

Rating: B. This got rolling near the end as they didn’t stop with the intensity and energy. Vice almost had to win here as she had come close so many times without actually getting over the finish line. Grey’s time will come and Jayne very well may be on her way up to the main roster, so this was the right way to go all around.

Evolve’s Kali Armstrong (a powerhouse) is coming to NXT.

IMG Credit: WWE

Tag Team Titles: Los Americanos vs. Vanity Project

The Project, with Jackson Drake, is defending and El Grande Americano is here with Los Americanos. Bravo armdrags Smokes down to start and fires off some right hands. Rayo tags himself in and Smokes gets crotched on the post. It’s off to Baylor, who gets taken down for some double knees to the ribs.

Bravo is back in to hammer away in the corner but Smokes’ distraction lets Baylor take over for the first time. That doesn’t last long as Bravo escapes for the tag to Rayo, whose top rope moonsault gets two on Baylor. Smokes gets a blind tag though and hits a spear for two of his own, only for Rayo to hit a sunset bomb. Baylor is right back in with a brainbuster onto the knee for two.

That doesn’t last long and it’s Bravo getting the tag for a high crossbody. The spinning torture rack is broken up so Bravo suplexes both of them at once. A spinning hangman’s neckbreaker gets two and Rayo comes in for a Michinoku Driver/dropkick combination. Smokes cuts him off though and the Super Swipe (assisted swinging Rock Bottom) gets two on Rayo. It’s time to go after the mask but Rayo snaps off an X Plex for two. Americano lets Bravo load up the mask but the Project cuts him off with an assisted DDT for a rather near fall.

Smokes unloads Bravo’s mask though and knees Rayo outside. That doesn’t last long as it’s a super hurricanrana into a frog splash for a rather close two and everything breaks down again. Bop and Bang puts Smokes down and the Bigger End hits Baylor. Americano cuts off an interfering Drake on the floor but Baylor hits a flipping dive. Drake gets in a cheap shot to Bravo though and it’s a top rope double stomp/reverse DDT combination to retain at 13:28.

Rating: B-. This wound up being a lot more entertaining than I was expecting, with the Project being able to hang with a more experienced team. The Americano stuff is still such over the top goofiness that it wound up working. I wasn’t buying a title change, but at least they had a good time on the way there.

We look back at the Kickoff Show match.

Shiloh Hill and Tatum Paxley are happy over their recent success. Sexyy Red comes in and Paxley is excited, but Ricky Saints comes in and isn’t impressed.

We recap Zaria vs. Sol Ruca. They were partners but Ruca wound up having a lot more success, despite trying to help Zaria. This led to jealousy and Zaria turned on her, setting up this match, even though the issue continues to be “Zaria never wins anything”.

IMG Credit: WWE

Zaria vs. Sol Ruca

Ruca charges in to jump Zaria and start fast. A basement superkick puts Zaria down but she sends Ruca throat first into the rope. Ruca is sent outside, where she’s able to kick Zaria to the floor. Zaria is right back up with a fireman’s carry drop onto the steps, followed by a backdrop back inside. A superkick knocks Zaria out of the air but she’s right back with a fall away slam for two.

Zaria’s curb stomp gets two but Ruca escapes a choke in the corner. A super hurricanrana sends Zaria flying and they slug it out with Ruca getting the better of things, including some elbows to the face. Ruca’s middle rope dropkick hits Zaria and a clothesline lets them crash out to the floor. Back in and the Sol Snatcher is broken up with a superkick but they go outside onto the steel ramp.

Ruca escapes a chokeslam and Sol Snatches Zaria onto the steel. Zaria gets up so Ruca hits a second Sol Snatcher for two back inside. Another springboard earns Ruca a spear and Zaria grabs the F5 for two more. We pause for a potential reunion but Zaria headbutts her a bunch of times. The fireman’s carry is taken to the middle rope but Ruca hits a super X Factor into another Sol Snatcher for the pin at 13:08.

Rating: B. It was a good fight and Ruca pinned her clean, which is another devastating loss for Zaria. As was the case coming into this, she just hadn’t won anything and that’s not a good sign. I’m not sure what is left for her around here, though Ruca can move up to either the title picture or just on to the main roster. They had a good match, though I’m not sure on the result.

Lola vice is happy with her win and there is going to be a celebration on NXT. Sexyy Red comes in for some dancing.

IMG Credit: WWE

North American Title: Johnny Gargano vs. Myles Borne

Gargano, with Candice LeRae, is challenging. The idea is Gargano is in a horrible rut so he’s back here in an attempt to recapture his old success. The bigger Borne shoves him down to start and works on an early armbar. A running shoulder puts Gargano down and he just lays there (as he’s been doing on Smackdown) but it’s a ruse to hit a dropkick to send Borne outside.

Borne tries to get back inside, where a fired up Gargano clotheslines him outside. An Angle Slam into the post cuts Gargano off and Borne whips him hard into the corner back inside. A powerslam gives Borne two and he bends Gargano’s spine over the knee. Back up and Gargano is able to avoid a charge into the post, setting up the slingshot spear for two. Gargano’s cranking on the arm is broken up though and Borne hammers away with right hands in the corner.

That’s reversed into the Cheeky Nandos kick and a sunset bomb gives Gargano two. Naturally Gargano hits the suicide dive but Borne gives him a super powerslam for two back inside. A dropkick and German suplex rock Gargano, who charges into a Death Valley Driver onto the knee. That sends Gargano out to the ramp, where Borne catches him with a diving clothesline.

Gargano is right back with a DDT and One Final Beat but Borne counters the Gargano Escape into Borne Again for two. Borne’s Boston Crab attempt is countered into a rollup for two and LeRae gets in a cheap shot. The Gargano Escape has the bad arm in trouble but he crawls over to the rope. Another One Final Beat is blocked though and it’s a slingshot Borne Again into Borne Again to retain the title at 14:34.

Rating: B. This was a way to give Borne some more credibility and it worked fine. Borne had to beat a former NXT Champion and main roster star, which he did in a big way. It was nice to have the old Gargano back, even for one night, and I’m not sure where he’s going on Smackdown. Borne gets to move on to his next challenger though, which is what he should be doing.

Post match respect seems to be shown but Dion Lennox runs in to chair Borne down.

Sol Ruca says that was her hardest match yet and now she’s coming after the gold. Izzi Dame comes in to say not so fast and a match seems to be set.

We recap the Women’s North American Title match. Tatum Paxley finally finished the feud with Izzi Dame but Blake Monroe, the former champion, stole the title to set up this fight.

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s North American Title: Blake Monroe vs. Tatum Paxley

Monroe is challenging despite coming in with the belt itself. Paxley jumps her to start and hits a knee to the face, followed by a Gory Stretch into a painful looking stretch. That’s broken up and Monroe takes her down to hammer away for a change. Paxley sends her into the corner for a running crossbody to the ribs but Monroe catches her on the top. The anklescissors brings Paxley crashing down, with her shoulder getting banged up in the process.

Naturally Monroe is right on the shoulder, though she makes sure to shove Paxley around a bit as well. A Crossface has Paxley in more trouble but she’s able to get up for a jumping enziguri. Paxley hits a German suplex into another enziguri, followed by a flipping Fameasser for two. A superkick drops Monroe but Paxley can’t immediately follow up. Instead they kick away at each other from the mat, with Paxley getting the better of things

Paxley puts her on top for a superplex rolled into a suplex but Monroe is right back up. Another suplex cuts Monroe off so she heads to the apron, where she grabs a sunset bomb to Paxley. The comeback is cut off again though and Monroe gets in a belt shot for a rather near fall. Paxley is sent into an exposed turnbuckle and a DDT gives Monroe two. Monroe is shocked but Paxley is right back with the Cemetery Drive for the retaining pin at 13:20.

Rating: B-. Paxley was coming off like a superhero here and it was fun to see her getting to do that for a change. I’m not sure how long she’s going to be on this sort of a roll, but you can’t argue how well it’s going at the moment. The division needs some fresh stars so why not see how far it can go? It’s not like there are several better options at the moment.

Saquon Shuggars isn’t happy with Dion Lennox getting another shot, but things calm down a bit as Lennox has a plan for all of them.

Video on Josh Briggs vs. Keanu Carver vs. Jasper Troy before their triple threat on Tuesday.

Here’s what’s coming on next week’s show.

Tatum Paxley celebrates with her friends. The Vanity Project comes up and doesn’t get it, but Blake Monroe wants to talk to them. They seem to get that.

We recap Joe Hendry defending the NXT Title in a four way. Ricky Saints and Ethan Page are reluctant partners who want the title back, while Tony D’Angelo wants his first title reign. Go.

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT Title: Joe Hendry vs. Ricky Saints vs. Ethan Page vs. Tony D’Angelo

Hendry is defending and it’s one fall to a finish. After the Big Match Intros, Hendry and D’Angelo clear out the villains to start but they’re right back up. Hendry gets to clean house and drops Page onto D’Angelo for a big crash. The delayed suplex gets two on Saints but Page is back in with a big boot to Hendry.

With D’Angelo on the floor, Page and Saints start double teaming Hendry, meaning we get some double posing. A double suplex drops Hendry again but page and Saints argue over the cover. They get back together to put D’Angelo on the floor again and it’s a TKO to Hendry, with Page and Saints getting a double near fall. Page and Saints try a PowerPlex to Hendry but Page’s top rope splash hits Saints (Page: “SORRY!”).

D’Angelo is back in with a spear but gets knocked back down, leaving all four needing a breather. D’Angelo’s spinebuster drops Hendry but Page and Saints are back up to plant D’Angelo on the floor. That just lets Hendry hit a big dive onto the two of them but the Standing Ovation is broken up back inside. Hendry gets to clean house with fall away slams but D’Angelo is back in with suplexes of his own.

D’Angelo spears Hendry down twice in a row but Saints grabs a chair and takes over. Page doesn’t like this though and the alliance finally breaks down, with Page putting him through the cover of the announcers’ table. D’Angelo spears both of them off the steps and through the table (with the candy flying). Back in and D’Angelo spears Hendry, setting up the spinebuster for the pin and the title at 16:03.

Rating: B. Another fast paced match here, with what was the most logical ending. I’m really not sure I can imagine Hendry staying in NXT that much longer as putting him on the main roster is hardly the craziest idea. If nothing else, it gives the fans someone new to cheer for, while D’Angelo gets his chance to run as a big star. Saints and Page were always going to turn on each other and this was a good enough way to make it happen. Solid main event here, though it never got to that higher level.

D’Angelo celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. This was kind of a toned down version of the old Takeovers, with a bunch of good stuff and nothing resembling a bad match. While it didn’t have anything great like you would get in the Takeover days, it felt like a big night and I liked what we got out of the whole thing. This is basically the season finale for NXT and we’ll pick things up again on Tuesday with some fresh blood on top, which could mean some new names on the main roster. That’s what happens in a place like NXT and maybe this was setting up for the future. Or maybe it was just a pretty awesome show.

Results
Hank & Tank/Shiloh Hill/EK Prosper/Wren Sinclair b. Birthright – Belly to back neckbreaker to Dempsey
Lola Vice b. Kendal Grey and Jacy Jayne – Spinning backfist to Jayne
Vanity Project b. Los Americanos – Top rope double stomp/reverse DDT combination to Bravo
Sol Ruca b. Zaria – Sol Snatcher
Myles Borne b. Johnny Gargano – Borne Again
Tatum Paxley b. Blake Monroe – Cemetery Drive
Tony D’Angelo b. Joe Hendry, Ricky Saints and Ethan Page – Spinebuster to Hendry

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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This is a bit of a change to the usual schedule as the show has been moved from its traditional Wrestlemania Weekend spot, which in a way does put more focus on the show. It’s now the biggest wrestling show of the weekend and it gets its of day for a change of pace. The card is still the most important of the year for NXT so hopefully they make it work. Let’s get to it.

IMG Credit: WWE

Kickoff Show: Hank & Tank/Shiloh Hill/EK Prosper/Wren Sinclair vs. Birthright

Prosper is the new name for Eli Knight because wrestling is weird. This is a rare pre-show match featuring a stable which isn’t exactly feeling like the biggest deal but the other side is quite the mixed grouping. For a match that isn’t likely to get much time and mainly be little more than a way to warm up the audience, it should be a fun way to go and that’s all it needs to be.

Since it’s just a Kickoff Show match, I’ll take the good guys to win here, as it is the kind of win that can wake the fans up a bit and watch an annoying heel group take a loss. At the same time, Birthright isn’t exactly doing well thus far, but it kind of fits well with the people on the team. Maybe they’ll win to give them the tiniest bit of momentum, but I’ll go with the heroes to win here.

IMG Credit: WWE

Tag Team Titles: Vanity Project(c) vs. Los Americanos

This is one of those ideas that makes all the sense in the world and it should be a nice, basic storytelling device. The Project is a team with very little status in NXT, to the point where they literally fell into some wins. That is something that needs to be developed, even if it is a couple of clueless guys who manage to pull off some upsets. Hence how we’ve gotten here.

Los Americanos are here to make the champs look good, which they will do as the Project retains. It’s a simple idea and something that could go rather well, albeit after a fun match. Los Americanos are a joke everyone gets but they can still do well enough in the ring to make this work. Either way, they’re losing to the Project here, as WWE seems to see a lot in the inept champs.

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s North American Title: Tatum Paxley(c) vs. Blake Monroe

I’m already not sure which way to go here, as this one really could go either way. Monroe is a former champion but really doesn’t seem to have gotten very far. She’s ok at what she does, but there isn’t much that really makes her stand out. Winning the title back could help that, but I’m not sure what she is supposed to do then. At the same time you have Paxley, who has turned into something of a breakout star.

I’ll go with Paxley to retain here, though I’m not how sure I am about the pick. Ultimately, Paxley feels like she has the bigger upside as she is just now breaking out on her own. Monroe comes off more like someone who is pretty much exactly what you’ll get out of her no matter what, which doesn’t leave much in the way of development. Paxley winning makes more sense, though it’s far from a guarantee.

IMG Credit: WWE

North American Title: Myles Borne(c) vs. Johnny Gargano

This is your Special Guest Star match of the show and there are far worse choices. Borne has really blossomed in the last few months and become one of the more reliable midcard hands in NXT. At the same time, he’s still relatively new as champion and there aren’t many better ways to boost him up than by having him defend the title against the most successful (or at least most prolific) champion in history.

I don’t see any reason to expect a title change here, though there is always the chance that Gargano gets the belt back to boost him up a bit. At the same time, that would be a heck of a demotion for him, even if he hasn’t felt like the biggest star on Smackdown. Borne could get a lot out of the win though and we’ll go with him doing just that, as he should given how well things have been going for him in recent months.

IMG Credit: WWE

Sol Ruca vs. Zaria

Here we have the classic “they were friends and partners but one got jealous” feud, which is something that has worked for years in wrestling and will work well enough for these two. Ultimately though, the problem comes down to one issue: Zaria has never really won anything. Ruca feels like she is on the verge of becoming a much bigger star, but that doesn’t leave much for Zaria to do. That’s where this match comes in.

Unless WWE is just cutting bait on Zaria, she has every reason in the world to win here. Ruca has already won titles and appeared on the main roster. She is more than ready to move on to something bigger. On the other hand you have Zaria, who needs to win SOMETHING and there is no reason to wait on it here. Zaria absolutely needs this one more and I think she’ll get it.

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s Title: Jacy Jayne(c) vs. Kendal Grey vs. Lola Vice

Now we get into the complicated stuff as I could see this one going any way. On one hand you have Vice, who has been built up as a big deal time after time but lost every shot. Then you have Grey, who is pretty clearly in line to become a top star in the division before moving up to do the same thing on the main roster. Finally you have Jayne, who has overcome the odds time after time. So where does that leave us?

While my first instinct is to say that Jayne wins here and shocks the audience again, I think I’ll actually take Vice here. At some point, she needs to actually win a singles title and I’ll go with her finally getting some (non AAA Mixed) gold. It’s the match that I’m the least confident in on the entire card, but Vice needs his one more than the other two. Grey will have her time, but it isn’t going to come here.

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT Title: Joe Hendry(c) vs. Ricky Saints vs. Ethan Page vs. Tony D’Angelo

Finally we have this one, which in a way feels like a souped up triple threat rather than a four way. Saints and Page are basically functioning as a team, though it feels more like a matter of time before they stab each other in the back. Granted that doesn’t mean they’re going to split up for good, but thinking of them as one person makes things a bit less complicated. It just doesn’t really make me any more sure about who is leaving with the title.

I can’t imagine Saints or Page leaving (as much as I could go for Page regaining the title), so that leaves us with two options. D’Angelo has been hunting for the title and it’s pretty much the only thing that he hasn’t won in NXT. That being said, I just can’t imagine Hendry losing the title here, so I’ll take Hendry to retain, likely pinning Page or Saints, and having a singles showdown with D’Angelo later. I could absolutely see D’Angelo winning here, but I’ll officially say Hendry retains.

Overall Thoughts

This show has the potential to be quite the success, though there isn’t a match on the card that feels must see. The good thing is that it very well could be a case of the sum of its parts being better than the individual pieces, and we could be in for a solid night. It’s an experiment which could go rather well and I’m curious to see what NXT can do with this kind of a chance to shine on its own.

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT
Date: March 31, 2026
Location: Infosys Theater At Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s the last show before Stand & Deliver and most of the card is set. The NXT Title will be defended in a four way, but we still need to have challengers for the Tag Team and Women’s Titles. Those will be decided tonight and maybe we’ll get another match or two added as well. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Darkstate vs. OTM/Mike Santana

Santana is the TNA World Champion and the fans rather like him as the hometown boy. Shuggars knocks Santana off the apron to start before Nima gets caught in the wrong corner. That’s fine with Nima, who powers Lennox into the corner for the tag off to Price. Lennox is caught in the corner as well and it’s off to Santana, with the fans being right behind him.

Some right hands keep Shuggars in trouble but Griffin gets the tag, allowing him to take over on Price. That doesn’t last long as it’s back to Nima, who hits a running crotch attack in the ropes to Lennox and Shuggars. A DDT gets Lennox out of trouble as the back and forth continues and we take a break.

We come back with Nina still down but suplexing Shuggars. It’s back to Price to pick up the pace and clean house but the numbers game catches up with him. Price is fine enough to get over to Santana for the tag, meaning it’s a frog splash for two on Lennox. Everything breaks down until Santana is left alone to roll Shuggars up for two. Spin The Block (discus lariat) sets up In The Mud to finish Shuggars at 10:14.

Rating: B-. Perfectly nice opener and it’s a good sign for Santana that he came off like a big guest star. Maybe it was because he was in front of the right crowd, but the fans were into him and that could continue for a long time. If nothing else, it’s nice to see OTM actually maintain some momentum for a little while, which hasn’t been the case before.

Myles Borne talks about how far he has coming in the last year and thanks Ethan Page for giving him the edge that made him champion. He’s ready to retain the North American Title and wants Johnny Wrestling to show up. Johnny Gargano comes in and says Johnny Takeover is still somewhere inside of him. If that comes out, he’ll eat Borne alive. It isn’t personal between them, but that title is personal to him. For the first time in two months, he won’t lay down and die because he will stand and deliver. This was a thrown together match and they’re doing what they can to make it work.

Wren Sinclair gives Kendal Grey a pep talk.

Tag Team Titles #1 Contenders Tournament Finals: Los Americanos vs. Birthright

The Americanos jump them on the floor to start fast and it’s Bravo atomic dropping Connors. A dropkick puts him down again and Connors gets crotched on the post. Rayo adds a backbreaker and Bravo slingshots in with a hilo onto the knees. Stacks comes in and goes outside to dance with Arianna Grace but Bravo takes Stacks down and dances with her instead. Grace isn’t pleased and they go back inside, where Connors gives Rayo a springboard Stunner.

We take a break and come back with Connors and Rayo slugging it out until Rayo X Plexes him down. Bravo comes back in to beat up both of them, including the spinning torture rack to Stacks. Grace offers a distraction though and Lexis King gets in a cane shot to give Stacks two. Cue Shiloh Hill to get rid of the rest of Birthright and it’s a super hurricanrana into a frog splash for two on Stacks as Connors makes the save. Cue El Grande Americano so the Americanos can load up their masks. Bravo’s flying headbutt pins Connors at 10:43.

Rating: B-. Another good tag match here, with Los Americanos getting the title shot that works well for them. The good thing is that they can give the Vanity Project a nice win on Saturday and boost them up. If nothing else, Los Americanos are working with their simple cheating style and the fans are buying it. I’m not sure how long it can go, but it’s working at the moment.

Darkstate is mad about the loss and Dion Lennox is going to get them back on track at Stand & Deliver.

Jaida Parker vs. Kelani Jordan

Jordan slaps her in the face to start so Parker unloads with right hands in the corner. Parker throws her out to the floor but Jordan gets in a ram to the steps as we take a break. We come back with Parker falling back onto her to break up a choke. Parker shoves her out to the floor before bringing Jordan back inside for some shoulders.

Jordan’s pump kick hits Parker’s banged up shoulder (after it went into the steps) and a crucifix gives Jordan two. Parker is able to catch her on top though and it’s a release German superplex to bring Jordan crashing down. The Hipnotique sets up Deja Vu to give Parker the pin at 9:36.

Rating: C+. The important part here is that Parker won, which hasn’t been the case very often. She has charisma, a good look and the athleticism. If she can put all of that together, she could be quite the star. It seems like she’s getting close to pulling that off, but there is still a pretty long way to go. At least she won here though.

The Vanity Project offer to escort Blake Monroe to her locker room but she’s ready for her closeup.

Here is Robert Stone to host a four way contract signing for the NXT Title, featuring Tony D’Angelo, Ricky Saints, Ethan Page and champion Joe Hendry. Page and Saints insist that the other go first but Hendry takes the contract and signs first instead. Hendry can’t wait to see which one stabs the other in the back first because they both want the title so badly

They’re passionate about the title but he’s passionate about NXT and being in New York City tonight. He’s ready to leave the world believing but Saints says Hendry should forget about this friendship. Saints is going to set the world right by becoming a two time champion and he signs. Page talks about selling himself short by focusing on being the greatest North American Champion so he should get his title back and signs as well.

D’Angelo speaks for the first time by shouting ENOUGH and talks about how he’s done these sitdowns before. Saints and Page have both gotten a chance and failed. As for Hendry, D’Angelo has no issues with him, but he wants the title. D’Angelo is the only one who isn’t an outsider (he signs) and promises to run them all over like a freight train. With that out of the way, D’Angelo tells Stone to get out of the ring and the fight starts. Saints and Hendry are put through the tables, leaving the other two to brawl until it’s broken up by security.

Keanu Carver vs. Jasper Troy

Josh Briggs is guest referee. Carver jumps Troy on the floor to start and sends him into the steps but they get inside for the opening bell. Troy hits a running splash in the corner but Carter knocks him down and chokes with his boot. Carver goes outside to yell at Booker before grabbing a fan, which has Briggs breaking it up. More yelling at Booker ensues, allowing Troy to hit a chokeslam through the announcers’ table.

Somehow that isn’t a DQ so Troy takes him back inside for a swinging Boss Man Slam for a rather near fall. Troy shoves Briggs, who boots him in the face as a result. Carver is back up with a Pounce into a running powerslam (good for him for changing from that weird spinning slam thing he was doing in Evolve) for the pin at 2:24. They packed a lot into this but the main thing is Carver looked like a beast, which is a good sign for his future.

Post match Booker is ticked and Carver insist that Briggs raise his hand. Briggs does indeed do so, but then drops Carver with a hard clothesline. If this leads to a three way hoss fight, I’ve heard far worse ideas.

Sean Legacy and Elio LeFleur are banged up as Hank & Tank want to get rid of Birthright. LeFleur has some bad news though: he has torn tendons and will be out of action for six months, meaning the Speed Title is vacated. LeFleur wants Eli Knight to enter the tournament to crown a new champion, which is cool with Knight. Wren Sinclair comes in to offer condolences but Shiloh Hill comes in to laugh a lot. He has an idea.

Here is Tatum Paxley for a chat. She loved getting to pull Blake Monroe by the hair last week, but she also gave Monroe an ultimatum. Monroe comes out with the title, saying she never lost it in the first place. Now she can’t just give it back but Paxley is willing to give Monroe her biggest spotlight. They can have their title match at Stand & Deliver and Monroe is in. She’s not giving the title back yet though, because Paxley is nothing like her. Paxley isn’t happy with that the fight is on, though Monroe escapes with the title.

Robert Stone makes a ten person tag for the Stand & Deliver Kickoff Show. Keanu Carver comes in and yells so Stone makes a triple threat for next week. Hold on though as Kelani Jordan has laid out Jaida Parker.

We get a video on the rise and fall of Sol Ruca and Zaria. They were friends, but only Ruca had success as a singles star. People started putting thoughts of doubt in Zaria’s head but Ruca kept trying to help her. Zaria finally turned on her after one more loss and blamed Ruca for everything. Now it’s time for their big fight.

Fatal Influence is waiting to see who will be challenging Jacy Jayne next, though Izzi Dame seems interested.

Stand & Deliver rundown.

Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey

For the Women’s Title match on Saturday and Wren Sinclair is here with Grey. Vice wrestles her down to start and grabs a headlock, which is quickly reversed as well. Neither can get a cross armbreaker so Vice starts firing off the kicks in the corner. There’s the running hip attack, followed by a running seated senton off the apron to drop Grey again as we take a break.

We come back with Grey snapping off a German suplex and taking down the straps. The cross armbreaker still doesn’t work though and Vice grabs a choke. That’s broken up as well so Vice hits a spinning backfist to send her outside. Cue Fatal Influence for a distraction and Vice misses a running hip attack, which only hits steps.

Back in and Grey gets kicked out of the air for two but gets in a spinning elbow for a near fall of her own. Vice’s kick is reversed into an ankle lock, which is reversed with a rollup. Grey leg dives her but gets pulled into a guillotine. That’s reversed with a northern lights suplex for the pin at 13:28…but another referee comes out to say Grey tapped first. Uh oh.

Rating: B-. And there’s how they get out of having one of these two lose. That makes sense as Grey seems to be the next big project and Vince has lost enough already. While I do like that we didn’t get the beyond tired “heel runs in and jumps both challengers”, it’s still setting up another triple threat. These things feel so played out, but you almost have to expect them these days.

Shawn Michaels comes out to mediate, even though the slow motion replay shows that Grey tapped WAY before the three.

Overall Rating: B. This is the kind of show that NXT needed, as I’m a lot more interested in Stand & Deliver than I was coming into this week. They built up some of the matches that were already set and then added in a few more. I want to see Saturday’s show and hopefully that means they have something good as we head into their biggest night of the year.

Results
OTM/Mike Santana b. Darkstate – In The Mud to Shuggars
Los Americanos b. Birthright – Loaded flying headbutt to Connors
Jaida Parker b. Kelani Jordan – Deja Vu
Keanu Carver b. Jasper Troy – Running powerslam
Kendal Grey vs. Lola Vice went to a double fall

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT
Date: March 10, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re done with Vengeance Day and that means we are on the way to Stand & Deliver. That is the biggest event of the year for NXT and it should be interesting to see what they have in store for the night. With less than a month to go, they need to start things in a hurry so let’s get to it.

Here is Vengeance Day if you need a recap.

Long Vengeance Day recap.

Here is Tatum Paxley, fresh off winning the Women’s North American Title, to get things going. For the longest time, she felt like she was doing everything wrong but she kept winding up alone. On Saturday, she won this title because of the people here. They made her want to keep going and now she has the confidence that she belongs here. She won the Women’s Title for the Culling but she won this for the people.

Cue Izzi Dame (Paxley: “Ugh GO AWAY!”) to interrupt and we see a highlight package of Paxley’s failures over the years. Dame calls Paxley painfully fake and a weirdo outcast because this is all just another mask. Eventually, that unlovable girl will come out again and Dame wants her title back. Cue the Culling for a distraction and Dame hits a powerbomb.

Ricky Saints and Ethan Page are upset over Vengeance Day, with Saints saying they’re both naked now. Page doesn’t like that visual but they’re ready to get a win in tonight’s tag match against Joe Hendry and Myles Borne. Then it’s off to Stand & Deliver to become two times champions.

Jasper Troy vs. Sean Legacy vs. Eli Knight

Troy starts fast by throwing them both around, including pulling Knight out of the air. A chokeslam drops Knight onto Legacy but Knight gets a boot up in the corner. Some superkicks stagger Troy though, with a double shot putting him on the floor. Cue Keanu Carver to chokeslam Troy through the announcers’ table and yell at Booker T. as we take a break.

We come back with Knight dropkicking Legacy to the floor for one heck of a dive. Back in and a step up moonsault gets two on Legacy, who is right back with a reverse sitout gordbuster for two of his own. Shambles is broken up but Legacy dropkicks Troy through the ropes. Troy gets back up to run the two of them over, including a chokeslam to Legacy. A double Samoan drop connects, though Troy’s ribs are banged up. Legacy has to make a save and Knight breaks up the Black Hole Slam. A 450 from Legacy into a heck of a moonsault from Knight means a double pin on Troy at 12:06.

Rating: B. This was a blast with pretty much nonstop action throughout. Troy felt like a monster who is on a collision course with Carver, which should be a heck of a hoss fight. At the same time, Knight looked like a star out there with those dives, which he made to look effortless. Legacy finally gets a win, though he can’t even get that on his own, which isn’t a great sign. Still though, really fun match here.

Booker is ticked at the result because that’s not how it works.

Tatum Paxley recruits Shiloh Hill to help her find the Culling. Hill grabs a lug wrench and we’re ready to go.

Lexis King and company don’t like that it has come to this, but Uriah Connors’ dad (Fit Finlay) made a call and “they’re on the way”.

IMG Credit: WWE

Lexis King/Uriah Connors vs. Charlie Dempsey/Tavion Heights

Stacks and Arianna Grace are here too. Connors and Dempsey go with the grappling to start with Connors flipping over him without much trouble. Dempsey takes him to the mat for a leglock and it’s off to Heights for a gutwrench suplex. A blind tag brings Dempsey back in for a running knee to King so Connors makes a surprise tag of his own to jump Dempsey.

That’s broken up and Heights is back in for the belly to belly, with King making the save this time. Everything breaks down and they all wind up on the floor…and here are Fit Finlay and William Regal to stare. That’s enough for Dempsey to suplex Heights on the floor and send him back inside for the Coronation and the pin at 4:39.

Rating: C+. This was a case where there might as well have been a big neon countdown clock to Dempsey turning on Heights as they all but guaranteed that would be happening when the match was made. That’s not a bad thing whatsoever, as it’s the logical path for the story to take. If nothing else, Regal and Finlay making a cameo makes the team feel a bit more legitimate, which they’ve been needing.

Post match Dempsey poses with the villains.

The Culling goes to leave but their car is on blocks, with Shiloh Hill walking away holding the lug wrench. He hands it to Robert Stone and the Culling is livid.

Here is Tony D’Angelo for a chat. When he returned to NXT, he said he had two missions and the first one ended at Vengeance Day, when he finished Darkstate. They are now what he was before: broken and searching for answers. D’Angelo has buried that version of himself and now it is time for him to win the NXT Title. He has no issues with Joe Hendry, but if he has to break Hendry’s face, so be it. This is personal, because Hendry has what D’Angelo wants. That’s the simplest way to go and this worked fine.

Sol Ruca and Lola Vice praise each other and want to face off for the NXT Title at Stand & Deliver.

Myles Borne asks Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey if they have seen Joe Hendry. They take him over to a refrigerator, where they say his name and find…a cake? Hendry pops up and says he and Borne need to talk strategy. Sinclair goes to leave and Grey….is using her hand to devour that cake.

IMG Credit: WWE

Sol Ruca vs. Lainey Reid

The rest of Fatal Influence is here with Reid. Ruca wrestles her down to the mat to start and works on the arm. A headlock keeps Reid in early trouble and Ruca takes her down for the surfing on the back. Ruca faceplants her and then pulls her outside for a dive, only for Jacy Jayne to get in a cheap shot. Reid gets in a double stomp to the back of the head and we take a break.

We come back with Ruca dropkicking her into the corner but Reid manages a springboard Stunner for two. An electric chair drop plants Reid and Ruca elbows her in the face a bunch of times. Reid grabs a sitout powerbomb for two but Ruca hits an X Factor. Something like a spinning Beach Break gets two but the Sol Snatcher is broken up. A crucifix bomb sends Ruca into the corner, where she avoids a running knee. The Sol Snatcher finishes Reid at 12:58.

Rating: C+. This was a rare lengthy Reid match, which worked out well enough. At the same time, it seems that we could, or at least should, be on the way towards winning the Women’s Title. If nothing else, a showdown with Zaria has to come sooner or later, so why not at Stand & Deliver?

Elio LeFleur talks to Robert Stone about Eli Knight or Sean Legacy getting a title shot. Stone isn’t sure what to do when the Vanity Project comes in. They want a big match for Stand & Deliver but Legacy wants to fight them next.

Blake Monroe wants a big match at Stand & Deliver. Tatum Paxley comes in looking for Izzi Dame and leaves, with Monroe saying she wants her Women’s North American Title back.

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s Speed Title #1 Contender Tournament Final: Wren Sinclair vs. Thea Hail

Hail dropkicks her down at the bell but it’s way too early for the Kimura. They trade running shots to the head for two and go outside with less than two minutes to go. Back in and Hail misses a high crossbody but grabs the Kimura. Sinclair is right back with the Final Wrench for the submission at 1:55.

Robert Stone talks to the tag division and we’ll be having a tournament to crown new #1 contenders. Darkstate wants their rematch without the tournament and here is OTM to brawl with them.

Fatal Influence doesn’t like being reminded about their title matches next week. Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey come up to say they’re coming for the titles.

The Culling is leaving and Tatum Paxley jumps Izzi Dame. Security breaks it up so Robert Stone comes in to make the title rematch next week. In a cage.

Post break, Robert Stone hypes up the Houston show and announces that the tag tournament starts next week, but after that mess, OTM and Darkstate are not included. The Vanity Project comes in to thank Stone for the next week off, but Stone puts them in a six man against the Americanos.

Vic Joseph stands up at the desk and says he and Booker T. were only supposed to be a team for three months, but they’ve been going for over three years. Next week in Booker’s hometown of Houston, it is Booker T. Appreciation Night. Booker seems surprised.

Ethan Page/Ricky Saints vs. Myles Borne/Joe Hendry

Of note: Page and Saints have been standing in the ring for about ten minutes counting other segments and breaks. Hendry headlocks Page down to start and drops him again with a running shoulder. Borne comes in for a dropkick as Hendry has Page up in a suplex. It’s off to Saints, who takes over on Borne without much trouble. Borne is back with a swinging fisherman’s suplex but Page boots him in the face. Page tells Saints to throw in the title but Saints throws it too far, just like Page did on Saturday.

We take a break and come back with Borne still in trouble. Borne breaks out but Saints is there to pull Hendry off the apron. Saints and Page go old school with a PowerPlex for two but Borne is right back up for the tag to Hendry. House is quickly cleaned until Hendry and Saints hit clotheslines. Page throws in a title, which is quickly taken away, allowing Hendry to grab a rollup for two. Saints hits the spear but Page tags himself in, meaning it’s time to argue. Page is back up with the Twisted Grin onto the title to pin Hendry at 11:13.

Rating: B-. This was another match that went with a pretty obvious plan, as the ending sets up Page for a title shot at Stand & Deliver. After his pretty incredible North American Title reign, that makes all the sense in the world. Throw in Saints coming for the North American Title, they should be good to go for the top two men’s title matches. Not bad for one main event.

We get one more rundown of next week’s big show.

Saints and Page post, though Saints seems to realize that Page did what he couldn’t. Joseph: “Saints just realized that Page did what he couldn’t do.” Yeah that.

Overall Rating: B. There was good action and they took a lot of steps towards setting up Stand & Deliver. That’s what they needed to do here and it worked out well, though there is still a good deal of time left to fill on the way. For now though, they’re off to a good start and the opening triple threat, odd ending aside, was quite fun. Good show this week, which tends to be the case around here.

Results
Sean Legacy and Eli Knight b. Jasper Troy – Double pin
Lexis King/Uriah Connors b. Charlie Dempsey/Tavion Heights – Coronation to Heights
Sol Ruca b. Lainey Reid – Sol Snatcher
Wren Sinclair b. Thea Hail – Final Wrench
Ethan Page/Ricky Saints b. Myles Borne/Joe Hendry – Twisted Grin onto the title to Hendry

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Vengeance Day 2026
Date: March 7, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s another special event in NXT and that should make for some interesting moments. The main event is NXT Champion Joe Hendry defending against Ricky Saints, but we also have a street fight and the return of NXT Underground. The card has been put together pretty well and hopefully it lives up to the hype. Let’s get to it.

The opening video talks about how everything can change with one look. Tonight, it’s all about vengeance. So shouldn’t it be Vengeance Night? Each match gets its usual look.

Blake Monroe vs. Jaida Parker

Street fight. They slap it out to start and go out to the floor with Parker taking over. A table is loaded up but Parker takes too long, meaning she has to block a double arm DDT. The table is set up some more, only for Monroe to come back with some umbrella shots. The table leads are folded back, meaning the crowd…oh you know what they’re saying. Back in and Monroe loads up a chair in the ropes, only for Parker to drop her onto it face first.

They go back to the floor, where the Hipnotique hits the steps to give a rather angry looking Monroe an opening. Back in and Monroe grabs a kendo stick around the throat for something like a Skull Crushing Finale and a near fall. Parker fights up and slugs away but Monroe grabs her arm and uses it to send Parker face first into the buckle. A running hip attack crushes a chair into Parker in the Tree Of Woe for two, followed by a right hand with…something wrapped around Monroe’s fist.

Monroe uses the stick to grab a crossface, which is broken up rather quickly and Parker is mad. She hammers away with the kendo stick and a Blockbuster sends Monroe out to the floor. Monroe gets in a trashcan lid shot and sets up the table before grabbing a brick. Since picking up a brick takes too long, Monroe gets chaired in the ribs and sent on the table.

That means Parker can hit a middle rope Tear Drop through the table, followed by a Hipnotique for two back inside. Parker gets sent through a kendo stick though and Monroe’s knee to the chest gets two. It’s time to pour out a bag of a bunch of diamonds, with a super hurricanrana driving Parker into the pile. The Glamour Shot onto the diamonds finishes Parker at 13:00.

Rating: B-. Pretty standard street fight here, though I was expecting Parker to win as she is red hot at the moment. At the same time, Monroe certainly needed a win here as she has kind of been floundering. I’m assuming this is the end of their feud, and that could be interesting for both of them, though I’m not sure where they’re going from here.

Ricky Saints asks Ethan Page where he was to help against Joe Hendry last week. Page is sorry but he just lost the North American Title. Eventually Page agrees to help him tonight, but Page seems interested in getting the NXT Title himself.

Darkstate jumps Tony D’Angelo in the parking lot…but it’s not the real D’Angelo. Instead he pops up from behind and jumps them with a crowbar as we’re ready to start.

Tony D’Angelo vs. Dion Lennox

They start fighting in the parking lot, with Lennox being sent through a windshield. The fight goes inside with D’Angelo being smart enough to lock the rest of Darkstate outside. D’Angelo punches a hole in the restroom door but manages to knock a chair out of Lennox’s hand. Darkstate is back though, with D’Angelo and security fighting them off. Lennox almost crushes D’Angelo with a cabinet and they go back to slugging away. D’Angelo drags him back outside where Darkstate is back too.

Lennox loads up a big crowbar shot but OTM and a bunch of the locker room shows up to really get rid of them. D’Angelo tackles Lennox through a wall and they’re FINALLY in the arena. They get inside and sure let’s ring the opening bell. That means another slugout until D’Angelo is sent into the middle buckle. A big boot misses but Lennox is able to choke away on the ropes anyway. Lennox spinebusters him for two but D’Angelo is right back with a release German suplex.

The torture rack neckbreaker and a clothesline put Lennox on the floor, where he fights back again. Lennox can’t manage to crush D’Angelo’s ankle with the steps so he throws D’Angelo over the barricade instead. That doesn’t last long as Lennox superplexes him off said barricade and through the announcers’ table for a big crash. Booker: “Man.” Back in and a slingshot powerbomb gives Lennox two more but D’Angelo cuts him in half with a spear. The big spinebuster finishes for D’Angelo at 7:09.

Rating: B. Well, it certainly felt like a fight, though it’s one of those weird cases where the brawl before the match itself almost got more time. The other thing is that Lennox still doesn’t feel like a big deal. Granted he was more the last option than anything else, as D’Angelo absolutely ran through Darkstate like they weren’t even there. That’s not an awful way to go, though it pretty much ends Darkstate’s experiment as a team that matters. To be fair, they never quite clicked anyway so maybe that’s for the best.

We recap Tatum Paxley challenging Izzi Dame for the Women’s North American Title. They were friends and Paxley won the Women’s Title, only for Dame to turn on her, leaving Paxley betrayed yet again. Then Dame stole the Women’s North American Title (a chainsaw was involved), so Paxley is coming for revenge and the title.

Women’s North American Title: Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame

Dame, with the Culling, is defending. Paxley jumps at her and hammers away, setting up a sleeper. With that broken up, Paxley dropkicks her outside and followed with some forearms up against the barricade. A flip dive off the steps takes Dame down again but she drops Paxley face first onto the steps. Paxley is right back with a jumping elbow back inside and hammers away in the corner.

The Cemetery Drive is broke up so Paxley grabs some rollups, only to get hit with a hard clothesline. Dame kicks her in the face and stomps away, followed by a basement dropkick. Some Irish whips with knees to the ribs connect for Dame (it worked for Val Venis in No Mercy and it’ll work for her here) and a choke in the corner gets two. The abdominal stretch goes on but Paxley reverses into one of her own. That’s quickly broken up so Paxley goes with the forearms, only to get backbreakered.

Dame grabs a Liontamer (with Shawn Spears coaching her on how to make it work), which is reversed into a Boston crab to send Dame over to the ropes. Back up and a superkick rocks Dame, followed by a German suplex to put her down again. A flipping ax kick gives Paxley two but Dame catches her on top. Dame’s superplex is broken up but she avoids a 450, allowing Dame to hit something like a Claymore for two. They forearm it out until Dame hits a Sky High.

Now the 450 (with Paxley’s knees hitting the mat a bit too early) connects for two but the Cemetery Drive is blocked. Dame kicks her in the head and a flipping belly to back suplex into a cutter plants Paxley for two. That leaves Dame rather distraught on the apron, where Paxley gives her a sunset bomb to the floor (which only looks so great because it’s rather hard to land something like that in one motion).

Paxley sends her inside but stops for a staredown with the Culling, allowing Dame to come back with a Sky High of her own for two. Dame’s gutwrench powerbomb is countered into a hurricanrana for two of her own so Spears gets on the apron. Paxley rams them together though and a rollup gets two. Dame’s Codebreaker is countered with a backflip and a rolling Liger kick knocks Dame silly. The Cemetery Drive gives Paxley the pin and the title at 15:35.

Rating: B. That’s exactly how the match should have ended, with Paxley standing up to Dame and beating her clean to win the feud. They had a good match and it got a lot of time, as Dame felt that she should have won through power and athleticism but Paxley stayed in there with pure heart. That’s a great story with the right ending and it’s easy to cheer for someone like Paxley.

OTM didn’t attack Darkstate for Tony D’Angelo’s sake but they appreciate what he’s doing. They’re coming for Darkstate and then the Tag Team Titles.

Here is Robert Stone, who brings out Fatal Influence for a chat. Jacy Jayne promises to walk into Stand & Deliver as Women’s Champion. That’s interesting because she remembers being called a transitional champion not too long ago, but now those voices are a lot more quiet. There were times where she got a bit paranoid because she thought she would be released.

Last year, she was happy to just get in a tag match on the Stand & Deliver Kickoff Show. Now she’s coming in as a dominant champion and she should main event the show. Next year, she can headline Wrestlemania against whomever their precious champion is then. Jayne brags about having Zaria beaten but cue Zaria (in a Sol’s Ex shirt), who blames her loss on Sol Ruca. Fallon Henley doesn’t want to hear this because Zaria can only blame her own jealousy for her issues.

Henley helped Jayne win the Women’s Title but that’s never thrown in her face. Lainey Reid has helped Jayne keep the title so maybe it’s time for Zaria to blame herself. Cue Sol Ruca to interrupt, with threats of snatching souls. She knows how Jayne and Zaria operate and is coming for the Women’s Title. Stone makes a triple threat title match between Zaria, Ruca and Jayne for the upcoming Houston show. Ruca gets triple teamed by Fatal Influence, with Zaria pulling them off. Zaria can’t F5 Jayne but Ruca is in with a Sol Snatcher to Zaria, only to get laid out by Reid. This was a long thing to set up one match in a few weeks.

Lexis King and company ask Charlie Dempsey for an answer and it’s going to be a no. King says it’s time for Dempsey to finally embrace his destiny and the team walks off. Tavion Heights is tired of this and wants a one night NQCC reunion to take them out. Dempsey is in.

We recap Lola Vice vs. Kelani Jordan in NXT Underground. They both have extensive backgrounds in other sports and Jordan eventually won the TNA Knockouts Title. Vice kicked her out of the locker room, though it’s ok for Vice to go to AAA. That’s not ok with Jordan and they kept arguing over gymnastics vs. MMA. Vice knocked her out but Jordan injured Vice’s hand and actually beat her by submission. Tonight, it’s a much bigger fight in NXT Underground.

Kelani Jordan vs. Lola Vice

No ropes, wrestlers around the ring, and knockout/submission only to win (it’s basically MMA without judges), with Vice coming in with a bad hand. They go to the mat to start with Vice firing off some left (non injured) hands. Jordan gets smart by going after the hand and ramming it into the post. A release northern lights suplex drops Vice onto her hand again and Jordan stomps down onto it as well. Jordan takes the glove off the bad hand and wraps it around the post again as Vice is in big trouble.

Vice manages to send Jordan face first into the post and some strikes rock Jordan for a change. There’s a German suplex to send Jordan flying and Vice kicks her onto a pile of wrestlers at ringside. Vice goes after the lumberjacks, allowing Jordan to hit a superkick. Hold on though as Jordan goes over to yell at Vice’s father, which is never a good idea. That’s enough for Vice to catch her with one heck of a spinning backfist for the knockout at 6:40.

Rating: C+. I never know how to rate these things as they’re so different than usual matches. It told a good story with the hand being hurt but Vice fighting through the pain and using the hand to knock Jordan out cold. The finish looked great as anyone scoring that kind of a knockout is a great way to go. Awesome finish and Vice looked like a killer in the end.

Stand & Deliver is coming to St. Louis on April 4, two weeks before Wrestlemania Weekend.

Jacy Jayne is panicking over the triple threat so Lainey Reid offers to take out Sol Ruca. Works for Jayne.

We recap Ricky Saints challenging Joe Hendry for the NXT Title. Hendry won the vacant title in a ladder match and Saints is livid, as he doesn’t think Hendry is a true main eventer. They’ve been brawling ever since and it’s time for the title match.

NXT Title: Ricky Saints vs. Joe Hendry

Hendry is defending. Saints slaps away at Hendry’s back to start, earning himself a beating out to the floor. Back in and Saints knocks Hendry into the ropes, with Hendry’s ankle getting tied up. That lets Saints kick him out of the ropes before taking Hendry back inside to keep up the beating. Hendry fights back and grabs a delayed vertical suplex for two before spinning out a suplex attempt.

A neckbreaker puts Saints down but he gets in a shot of his own and tries the strutting Old School. That takes too long as well and Hendry kicks him down for the crotching. They head outside, with Saints sending him hard into the steps for the big crash. Saints’ neckbreaker and a shot to the shoulder gets two and we’re off to the chinlock. With that broken up, Saints hammers away in the corner and sends Hendry outside for an ax handle from the apron.

A belly to back suplex gives Saints two and a slingshot rollup of all things gets the same. Saints puts him in the corner for a running basement dropkick and the kickout has the frustration mounting. The fall away slam and nip up let Saints do the mocking pose, but that’s enough for Hendry to pop up with a spear. Hendry’s fall away slam sends Saints flying and Hendry gets to spin around.

Saints’ hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb for two and now it’s Hendry’s turn to be frustrated. Saints slugs his way up and grabs an Air Raid Crash for two, followed by the crossface. Hendry rolls around enough that Saints has to settle for a guillotine choke and Hendry is on trouble. That doesn’t last long as he powers up and tries a fireman’s carry. That’s broken up as well and Saints scores with a superkick, only to walk into an AA for two. Saints is sat up top for a super fall away slam for two and Hendry is running out of ideas.

Back up and Saints manages a jumping knee into a hammerlock DDT for two of his own. Cue Ethan Page to pick up the title, which distracts Saints enough that Hendry gets two off a rollup. Saints spears him down for two more so Page throws the title in, with the referee taking it away. A low blow and springboard tornado DDT drop Hendry for another near fall so a ticked off Saints just hammers on him. The referee almost gets bumped and Hendry gets in a low blow of his own, allowing the Standing Ovation to retain the title at 16:18.

Rating: B. These guys were trading bombs here and having Page out there made it feel that much more likely that Saints might actually steal the title. At the same time, it lets Hendry get in a big time title defense, which should help make him feel like a more legitimate champion. At the same time, Page feels all but guaranteed for the Stand & Deliver title shot, where we really could see him get the title back. Solid main event here, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

Hendry celebrates as the villains leave to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This was another solid show with a bunch of grudge matches, some of which happened to have titles on the line. That’s the point of a show like this, as a bunch of the feuds are cleared out on the way to Stand & Deliver next month. That is the clear big goal from here and this did a good job of getting things ready. Nice work here, as NXT is starting to find itself, as it has to do so often.

Results
Blake Monroe b. Jaida Parker – Glamour Shot onto a pile of diamonds
Tony D’Angelo b. Dion Lennox – Spinebuster
Tatum Paxley b. Izzi Dame – Cemetery Drive
Lola Vice b. Kelani Jordan via knockout
Joe Hendry b. Ricky Saints – Standing Ovation

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: March 3, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

It’s time for the last show before Vengeance Day and the pay per view card has mostly been set. Odds are this is going to be a show about furthering the stories that have already been set up, which is what a go home show is supposed to be. That’s in addition to the Women’s Title being on the line so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening recap, featuring last week’s three title changes and Zaria turning on Sol Ruca.

Here is Myles Borne for his championship celebration (complete with the classic red strap on the belt). He heard that announcement loud and clear but he’s not here to talk about his sob story because we’ve all been there. Instead, he wants to thank his biggest hater for doubting him: Ethan Page. All that did was unleash a demon inside of Borne, and can you hear him now?

Cue Page, who heard the thank you from Borne, meaning it’s time for a thank you. Page had one bad night but he’s had quite a few great nights. Borne is down for the rematch but here is Robert Stone to cut it off. Actually never mind as we’re getting a referee so the match is on right now.

North American Title: Myles Borne vs. Ethan Page

Borne is defending and they’re both in suits. They start the brawl fast with the shirts being ripped open as they go outside. Borne drives him over the announcers’ table for a big crash and we take a break. We come back with Borne hitting a dropkick and Page pulling out something for a cheap shot and a near fall. Page loses his pants and gets caught in an ankle lock. That’s broken up as Page loses a shoe, which Borne uses for a cheap shot, setting up Borne Again to retain at 7:04.

Rating: C+. The best thing I can say about this is that it was different, which made things more interesting in this case. I wasn’t exactly expecting them to have the match in street clothes but it’s better than doing the same stuff over and over again. Borne gets to put Page behind him and while another match is possible for Vengeance Day, this very well may be it for the feud.

Zaria doesn’t want to talk about what happened last week.

Darkstate is waiting for Tony D’Angelo in the parking lot but Robert Stone says they have to go inside. As they leave, D’Angelo arrives and pulls a crowbar out of his trunk.

Here is a ticked off Blake Monroe for a chat. She was expecting to feel rage and anger when Jaida Parker kept costing her things. The reality is Parker needs her and all Parker has done is confirm Monroe’s value. People love to obsess over her and Parker is someone who is obsessed with emotions. The fastest way to relevancy is to come after Monroe, which is why Monroe is going to take care of Parker at Vengeance Day.

Cue Parker, who needs to slap the taste out of Monroe’s mouth. The Glamour is insecure, which isn’t the case with Parker. Monroe has been a supporting character all her life and the reality is she needs Parker. At Vengeance Day, Parker is going to prove that Monroe is soft. If you take away the glamour, all you have is a mediocre b****. The brawl is on with Monroe being cleared out.

The Vanity Project apologizes to not being there for Ethan page but Ricky Saints tells them to worry about the Evolve Title match tomorrow night. The Project leaves and Saints is off to prep as well. Page is annoyed but understanding.

Sean Legacy congratulates Elio LeFleur on his Speed Title win. Jasper Troy comes in to say he wants a triple threat rematch next week.

Women’s Speed Title #1 Contenders Tournament First Round: Wren Sinclair vs. Nikkita Lyons

Kendal Grey is here with Sinclair. Lyons fires off the kicks to start but Sinclair is back with a shot to the ribs. Lyons’ release fisherman’s suplex gets two so Sinclair chops away, setting up a running clothesline. A dropkick puts Lyons on the floor but she’s back in with a great looking spinning kick to the face. Lyons is sent shoulder first into the post though and a Final Wrench (Cattle Mutilation) makes her tap at 2:56.

Joe Hendry congratulates Myles Borne on his win last week, though he says listening to Ricky Saints makes him wish he was deaf too. Borne teases being annoyed by they’re fine.

Kelani Jordan is training for NXT Underground with Shayna Baszler.

We get a sitdown interview with Tatum Paxley and Izzi Dame, complete with the dollhouse. Paxley brings up winning the Women’s Title but Dame talks about stealing the title. Dame blames Paxley for losing everyone because she is pathetic and incapable of being fixed. Paxley promises to win on Saturday and prove that she was never meant to be played with. She leaves, with Dame breaking the dollhouse.

Vanity Project vs. Hank & Tank/Shiloh Hill

The Project gets jumped in the aisle to start fast and we take a break before the opening bell. We come back joined in progress and Drake in trouble in the corner. Hill’s running shoulder puts him down again but Smokes comes in to take over in the corner. Cue Keanu Carver to yell at Booker T., saying keep his name out of his mouth.

Smokes gets sent into Tank’s exposed stomach and the good guys clear the ring to quite the positive reception. Baylor comes in off a blind tag and it’s back to Drake for a knee drop. That’s shrugged off and it’s back to Tank as everything breaks down again. Tank gets pulled to the floor though and crushed with the steps as we take a break.

We come back with Tank making a diving tag to Hill so he can take the tooth out. A double backsplash gets two and it’s back to Drake, who gives Hank something close to a Burning Hammer. Drake gets dropped with a Boss Man Slam and Hank & Tank hit stereo dives on the floor. Hill’s pop up neckbreaker gets the pin at 12:36.

Rating: B-. They had an energetic match here with some people who have been having some issues in recent weeks. The Project has fit in well around here thus far, even with their less than strong in-ring abilities. That’s the entire point of the team though and it’s working out well, as it’s fun to see them get beaten up.

Blake Monroe pops up on the announcers’ table, swearing to end it with Jaida Parker at Vengeance Day…in a street fight. Parker runs out and they both have to be held back.

Osiris Griffin has been attacked and Dion Lennox is going to call out Tony D’Angelo.

Lola Vice is told she still needs time to have her hand heal and she needs time off. She won’t do it, despite warnings that it could get worse, even permanently.

Here is Dion Lennox to call Tony D’Angelo out. D’Angelo pops up in the crowd, saying that Darkstate took out a dangerous man but a more dangerous man is here. The challenge is on for Vengeance Day but Lennox wants it in the parking lot. D’Angelo is in.

Jacy Jayne thinks Sol Ruca is here for the main event. The rest of Fatal Influence understands their assignment: get Jayne to Stand & Deliver.

Myles Borne thanks the No Quarter Catch Crew for their help, who say they’re spinning their wheels. Lexis King and company come in to tell Charlie Dempsey that the clock is ticking, with Tavion Heights not being happy about Dempsey even considering this.

Women’s Title: Zaria vs. Jacy Jayne

Jayne, with Fatal Influence, is defending. Zaria looks at the seconds to start and gets jumped from behind. That’s shrugged off and Zaria chokes in the corner, with Jayne rolling out to the floor. Jayne sends her into the steps and we take an early break. We come back with Zaria hitting a superplex to leave both of them down.

Zaria’s running elbows in the corner set up a suplex and clothesline for two as frustration sets in. Jayne is back with a running knee for two of her own but the Rolling Encore is cut off with a spear. Back up and the Rolling Encore drops Jayne and here is Sol Ruca to take out Fatal Influence. Ruca comes in and hits a double Sol Snatcher for the double DQ at 10:50.

Rating: B-. This was a question of when Ruca was going to interfere rather than would she debut, which is ok as it makes sense for the story they’re telling. The triple threat title match is set for either this weekend or next week, and that’s a good way to go. If nothing else, Jayne retaining the title is nice to see, as it seems a bit too soon for her to lose the belt.

The fans aren’t sure about that and sing something, even as Ruca belt shots Reid’s hands.

Vengeance Day rundown.

Robert Stone talks about…something involving the Women’s Title that I can’t understand as the feed screws up.

Here is Ricky Saints for his Experience. He’s a musician, actor and wrestler so he’s here to one up Joe Hendry’s concerts. The first song isn’t exactly great music and involves lyrics about how he believes in himself. Ah apparently that was just mocking Hendry’s style so he requests a stagehand give him a chair. Saints sings a similar song before needing his mic fixed, allowing him to sing about how you should NOT believe in Hendry.

Actually he needs an entirely new guitar so here is one…as held by Hendry himself. The Vanity Project runs in for the beatdown so here is Myles Borne for the quick save. The champions pose to end the show. This wasn’t a great segment as we got the joke pretty fast, but the closing brawl was good.

Overall Rating: B-. The wrestling was just ok here, but the important part was having the focus on Vengeance Day. What matters the most is that the card is set and has been built up well, which should make for a good event. I’m not sure how well it’s going to go, but they’ve laid the groundwork and that’s a good sign. NXT is still in a transitional phase and now we get to see how well that has gone with their first big test, which they very well could pass.

Results
Myles Borne b. Ethan Page – Borne Again
Wren Sinclair b. Nikkita Lyons – Final Wrench
Hank & Tank/Shiloh Hill b. Vanity Project – Pop up neckbreaker to Drake
Zaria vs. Jacy Jayne went to a double DQ when Sol Ruca interfered

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6