NXT
Date: August 4, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We have less than a month before Heatwave but this week’s show is big enough, as we have Lola Vice challenging Kendal Grey for the Women’s Title in the NXT Underground. Other than that, Tony D’Angelo is having issues with both Cruz Montana and Grayson Waller. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Dory Funk Jr.

Opening recap, looking at the NXT Title picture.

Jaida Parker/Thea Hail vs. Nikkita Lyons/Karmen Petrovic

Nattie is here with the latter. Lyons mocks Parker’s high stepping as Parker works on Petrovic’s arm to start. Hail comes in and gets taken into the wrong corner, allowing Lyons to grab a top wristlock. Everything breaks down and Parker/Hail clear the ring, only for Nattie to get in a cheap shot on Hail. Back in and a Pearl River Plunge gives Lyons two on Hail and we take a break.

We come back with Hail trying to fight her way out of trouble but Lyons pulls her away again. As usual, the diving tag goes through a few seconds later and Parker comes in to chop Petrovic into the corner. Lyons has to offer a distraction and Petrovic gets in a Sling Blade, followed by a Hart Attack for two. Hail and Petrovic slug it out on the floor as Parker hits the Tear Drop on Lyons. Hail’s middle rope backsplash gets the pin at 9:20.

Rating: B. This got rolling near the end and they did something to set up the likely Hail vs. Lyons Evolve Women’s Title match (which was already teased). Parker gets to annoy Nattie again before we get closer to what should be their final blowoff. They did a good job of keeping the action going here and it wound up being a strong opener.

Post match Nattie comes in for the beatdown but Parker and Hail fight back to clear them out.

Tavion Heights is nervous about the Tag Team Title match but Myles Borne says they have this.

We look at Oba Femi beating Brock Lesnar in the Cell and the fallout, with Femi thanking Lesnar and Lesnar retiring.

Here is NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo for a chat. D’Angelo isn’t happy with Grayson Waller insulting the NXT Title and wanting to use NXT as a stepping stone. As for Cruz Montana…and here is Waller. He’s not wanting to see Montana come through the crowd so he and D’Angelo can talk about respect but D’Angelo wants Waller to come down here. D’Angelo brings up teaming up with Waller in WarGames, with Waller being the only member of the team to not become champion.

Waller says he didn’t know D’Angelo had lost his testicles along with his family. This brings out Montana, who says D’Angelo didn’t call Waller out here. Montana has been in Waller’s place before but he proved himself in the ring rather than on a microphone. Montana isn’t about to become another statistic on the blocks he still lives on.

Waller wants to know how many times Montana is going to tell the same exact story. Montana says Waller is only fighting for himself, but when you have people depending on you, it makes you a man. D’Angelo tells them to have a #1 contenders match and he’ll face them at Heatwave. Pretty simple and to the point here.

We look at Lola Vice and Kendal Grey going to a draw back in March.

Wren Sinclair is nervous about her match and Kendal Grey gives her a bit of a pep talk.

Women’s Speed Title: Zaria vs. Wren Sinclair

Only Sinclair is defending, with a five minute time limit, and she gets a Women’s North American Title shot if she wins. Zaria powers her into the corner to start but Sinclair is back with a quick rollup. A headscissors takes Zaria down but she’s fine enough to pull Sinclair off the ropes. Some shots to the neck set up some elbows to Sinclair and Zaria kicks her right in the head.

They knock each other down as we have two minutes left. Back up and Sinclair gets in a few shots of her own, only to get stomped out of the corner with a minute to go. Sinclair’s rollup gets two and she grabs a suplex but Zaria rolls through a high crossbody. They crash out to the floor though and time expires at 5:00.

Rating: C+. I’m still not wild on these titles but they were moving well out there with both of them selling the time limit. Sinclair gets to face Zaria again in a regular match and that should be a nice change of pace. Nice enough job here, with the tie serving as a better ending than one of them taking a fall.

Post match Zaria gives her a quick F5.

Bronco Nima apologizes to Lucien Price about getting distracted last week and everything seems ok. Price says Nima has his backup plan and Price will find his own. Birthright comes in for some insults and Price challenges Lexis King to a match. Price thinks he’s found his own backup plan.

Grayson Waller runs into Kelani Jordan, who likes what he’s been saying. Mason Rook comes in and doesn’t think much of Waller. A challenge is issued but Kam Hendrix runs into jump Rook, setting up a brawl.

Tag Team Titles: Vanity Project vs. Myles Borne/Tavion Heights

The Project, with their associates, is defending. Heights shoves Smokes away to start and it’s off to Borne for an Angle Slam. Baylor gets dropkicked down too and it’s back to Heights, who gets sent into Smokes in the corner. That means a rollup can get a quick two and we take a break.

We come back with Borne rolling Baylor up for two more but getting kicked down. Borne gets stomped in the corner for two but flips out of a double belly to back suplex. The diving tag brings in Heights to destroy both champions and a dropkick/sitout powerbomb combination (cool) gets two on Smokes. A dropkick version of a Hart Attack puts Borne down for two more as everything beaks down. Borne and Heights grab stereo powerslams so the other members of the Project offer a distraction, earning them a double ejection. Borne Again hits Smokes and Heights spinning belly to belly gives us new champions at 10:48.

Rating: B-. That’s a bit of a surprise as I was expecting the Project to retain, as it feels like a somewhat out of nowhere title change. At the same time, the Project were hardly some top level, unstoppable team so Borne and Heights being the ones to finally catch them isn’t a bad thing. I’m curious about where it’s going, though another double champion is less than thrilling as it’s just been done too often.

We look at Lola Vice winning the Women’s Title at Stand & Deliver in a triple threat with Kendal Grey involved (but not taking the fall).

The Vanity Project is walking through the back when Myra Lockwood seems to think something of Keanu Carver.

The Culling surrounds Lizzy Rain but Shawn Spears comes in with a chair to cut it off. They’re having a tag match next week. Rain doesn’t trust Spears and warns him that she’ll turn on him if given a reason. Spears: “Smart girl.”

Keanu Carver vs. EK Prosper

Carver throws him down to start so Prosper picks up the pace and kicks him in the face. A top rope moonsault, with Prosper jumping from the mat to the top rope, hits Carver for two before low bridging him out to the floor. Prosper dropkicks him over the announcers’ table and gets in a double stomp to the back.

We take a break and come back with Prosper fighting out of a chinlock and hitting a springboard moonsault. A Swanton Blockbuster (ok then) gives Prosper two but Carver powerbombs him for the same. Prosper gets in a Shining Wizard and tries a moonsault, only to have to bail out to avoid some raised boots. Carver pulls him into a small package out of nowhere for the pin at 10:40.

Rating: B-. Years ago, Big E. tweeted something to the effect of “when you look like me, people don’t expect you to be that smart”. That’s basically Carver in a nutshell, as his thing seems to be that he throws in a bunch of surprises every so often and it’s kind of working. I can go for having him do something other than just running through the same tropes you see every time with a monster and I’m curious about what he does next.

Dion Lennox isn’t happy with Darkstate’s win last week because Saquon Shuggars is still walking around. They’ll take care of that next week.

We look at Kendal Grey beating Lola Vice for the Women’s Title at the Great American Bash. Vice praised her but wasn’t done so it was a challenge for the rematch in the Underground.

Shiloh Hill has a facial fracture so he’ll be out of action for a bit. He can’t train either so he’s been researching wrestling trivia. Hill finds it interesting that there is no footage or witnesses or ANYTHING about Pat Patterson’s Intercontinental Title win in Rio de Janeiro. Oh and the poison mist that Asuka and Tajiri and such use? It originated in Texas. Hill is one of the most unique characters in NXT and I could go for him having a bunch of trivia going forward.

We get a tribute to Dory Funk Jr.

Cruz Montana comes up to Robert Stone, who confirms the #1 contenders match next week with Montana facing Grayson Waller. That works for Montana but Tristan Angels interrupts. Angels doesn’t like someone new being around here but Montana points out that he’s been here a bunch of times and Angels has only been here for three months. Point to Montana.

Women’s Title: Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey

Grey is defending in the Underground, meaning no ropes on the ring and knockout/submission/referee stoppage only to win. Vice tries an early choke but Grey picks the leg and ties it up, with the two of them rolling over to the edge of the ring. They head outside with Vice being rammed into the steps but a charging Grey is sent into them face first. Grey’s ear is busted open and we take a break.

We come back with Grey’s head taped up but grabbing a German suplex anyway. Vice knees her to the floor but a kick to the ribs is countered with an ankle lock. That’s broken up as well and Vice wins a strike out, only for Hank and Tank to shove Grey back inside for a spinning elbow. Vice gets in a rear naked choke but Grey gets up, leaving Vice to elbow the referee down by mistake. Grey is choked out but there’s no referee so Wren Sinclair wakes Grey up. The cross armbreaker retains the title at 10:31.

Rating: B-. This is a unique kind of match and the taped up head made it feel even more like Grey had to survive a bunch. It’s not a case where they hated each other but rather proving that Grey was the better woman, which makes for a great ending. I can’t imagine Vice being around NXT much longer, as there isn’t anything for her to do around here.

Post match the two of them hug and show respect to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This felt like the show to wrap up a few things, including the ending with Grey and Vice. With that out of the way, it’s time to get ready for the Heatwave build, which should be enough time. I liked the show well enough and it covered a fair few stories. Not a great show, but as usual with the good NXTs, it did what was needed.

Results
Jaida Parker/Thea Hail b. Nikkita Lyons/Karmen Petrovic – Middle rope backsplash to Lyons
Wren Sinclair vs. Zaria went to a time limit draw
Myles Borne/Tavion Heights b. Vanity Project – Spinning belly to belly to Smokes
Keanu Carver b. EK Prosper – Small package
Kendal Grey b. Lola Vice – Cross armbreaker

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: July 28, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re just over a month away from Heatwave and the big story coming out of last week was the debut of…that guy who used to be in TNA under the name of Mike Santana. That’s not going to go well with NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo and it might be time for a big title showdown. Other than that, we’re coming up on Lola Vice challenging Kendal Grey for the Women’s Title in the Underground. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of last week’s main event with Tony D’Angelo retaining over Naraku and….what’s his name debuting.

Commentary is cut off by an invading Grayson Waller, who talks about the things he has done in WWE but then things changed. What happened to him in the last two years? He’s been doing nothing, carried someone for months, and then spent forever pretending to be at a funeral. He could show up to catering once a week for some salt and pepper chicken but he’s here to be the biggest star around.

That means winning the NXT Title and make it mean something again. Who is going to stop him? Cruz Montana? That would be the former TNA World Champion, with Waller loving the new name. Is Tony D’Angelo going to stop him? Waller is going to send him home to his ugly baby. Shawn Michaels needs to send one of his guys out here to get rid of him.

The women are running laps around the men of this place and mocks people who wrestle for a bit and then spend time in the medical room. Or the independent stars who show up here and go nuts in the ring but have no idea how to use a microphone. He knows Michaels is freaking out on the headset but Michaels is also smiling because Waller is speaking the truth.

Waller’s mic is cut off so he grabs the camera and says consider your cages rattled. Where in the world has this Waller been? This was one heck of a rant and if it means something from a serious Waller, I’m interested in seeing where it’s going because this was pretty awesome stuff. I’ll believe it when I see it, but this got my attention.

Tavion Heights and Myles Borne are ready to fight tonight when Mason Rook comes in. Rook doesn’t like what Waller said so he’s going to beat up Kam Hendrix.

Lizzy Rain vs. Izzy Dame

Dame backs her up against the ropes to start and pulls Rain off the top for a crash onto the turnbuckle. Back up and Rain hits a spinwheel kick but a dropkick through the ropes is cut off and we take a break. We come back with Dame hitting an Orton backbreaker but Rain gives her a missile dropkick.

Rain’s springboard elbow is countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb and it’s time to forearm it out. They crash out to the floor before going right back inside with a Death Valley Driver giving Rain two. Rain spears her down but Niko Vance offers a distraction. Cue Shawn Spears to scare Vance with a chair, allowing Rain to hit Thunderstruck for the pin at 12:35.

Rating: B-. This was more about the issues with Vance and Spears but it also saw Rain get a big win, which is the best thing that could have happened for her. She certainly seems to be someone NXT wants to push and it’s slowly starting to come together. Now just find something for her to do long term and she should be fine.

Cruz Montana meets Romeo Moreno and Noam Dar. Saquon Shuggars comes in and the team apologizes for the loss last week. Montana remembers meeting Shuggars and getting into it with him but Shuggars insists he’s a changed man. He hopes Montana will see that and Montana seems open to the idea. Kelani Jordan comes in to say this place is unfair and Montana just walks away as she rants.

The Vanity Project meets with Robert Stone and complain about possibly having to defend against Myles Borne and Tavion Heights. They aren’t scared, but here is Keanu Carver, who wants a match against EK Prosper next week. Stone agrees, saying that was way too easy. Grayson Waller calls and Stone wants him back here because this isn’t done.

Video on Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey in the Underground, with Vice talking about how hard she worked to get here.

Thea Hail and Jaida Parker are both happy with how things are going and Parker thanks Hail for helping her last week. They have a tag match next week against Nikkita Lyons and Karmen Petrovic.

North American Title: Kam Hendrix vs. Myles Borne

Borne is defending. They go to the mat to start and it’s an early standoff, allowing Hendrix to work on the arm. A clothesline and slam give Hendrix two but Borne is back up with a dropkick to the floor. There’s the dive to take him out again and we take a break with both of them outside.

We come back with Hendrix lifting him up for a one armed powerbomb and grabbing a chinlock. That’s broken up and Borne fires away, setting up a quick powerslam for two. Hendrix cuts off a dive though and hits a running boot for two as Tavion Heights is holding Mason Rook back from interfering. Borne pops back up with Borne Again to retain at 12:01.

Rating: B-. I liked the interference/distraction as it made sense for both of them to do what they were doing. Borne continues to hold onto the title and is turning into quite the star in his own right. On the other hand you have Hendrix, who feels like he has potential but isn’t getting the chance to succeed all that often, which can be rather frustrating.

Post match Rook goes after Hendrix so here is the Vanity Project to jump Borne and Heights. That’s broken up though and the Project is cleared out.

Lizzy Rain loves KFC popcorn chicken. Tristan Angels comes in to say she needs a better role model.

Zaria wants her next title challenger and Wren Sinclair comes in to say she wants her next challenger. Sinclair can have a shot next week and if Zaria wins, she gets a future Women’s Speed Title shot.

Birthright vs. OTM

Nima throws Connors around to start and shrugs off Stacks’ right to the face. Price comes in for a hard chop but some double teaming puts Nima in trouble for a change. That just earns Birthright a double suplex and it’s back to Price to clean house. Stacks is tossed over the top onto the rest of Birthright and we take a break. We come back with Connors getting two off a Swanton but Nima hits a top rope stomp to the chest to get out of trouble. Price comes back in to wreck people but here are Los Perros del Mal. The distraction lets Stacks get in a kick to the head to pin Price at 8:54.

Rating: C+. This made perfect sense and I’m curious to see where it goes with Nima. Having different loyalties with Los Perros and OTM is going to become a problem for Nima sooner than later and that’s not something you see often. If nothing else, it’s nice to see OTM getting to do something other than the random one off matches they’ve had for years.

Post match Price is not happy with Nima.

Kendal Grey is training hard for Lola Ice in the Underground. She’s been training extra hard in amateur wrestling to get ready.

Kali Armstrong wants a title shot but Izzy Dame and Kelani Jordan come in to say not so fast.

Shiloh Hill vs. Tristan Angels

Hill starts fast but runs into some raised boots in the corner. Hill misses a charge into the corner so Angels knocks him outside for a neckbreaker. We take a break and come back with Hill fighting out of trouble but getting crotched on top. Angels catches him on top with a superplex for two and they head outside, with Hill being sent into the steps. A powerbomb onto the announcers’ table gives Hill two back inside and he shoulders Angel in the corner. The super Thunderbreaker finishes Angels off at 10:25.

Rating: B-. There is something of a natural rivalry here but that feels like the end, with Hill getting the better of things to finish Angels off for the time being. That’s a good thing too, as Hill is becoming quite the cult favorite around here and could be moving on to bigger things. At the same time, Angels should be fine as he’s that annoying, which will always work.

Here is Cruz Montana for a chat. He has worked hard to get here and wants to be the kind of star his daughter deserves. Along the way though, he was told that he had reached his ceiling as a tag wrestler. He didn’t accept that and became the biggest star in TNA. Montana is grateful to TNA to everything he did there but now he wants to show he can do this with the biggest names in wrestling. He wants to be NXT Champion, and if he has to go through Grayson Waller, they can meet in any YMCA Waller wants.

This brings out Tony D’Angelo, who introduces himself as the NXT Champion. He’s ready to show Montana what he’ll do to keep his spot and they’re ready to go. Cue Waller, with Montana swinging for him but hitting D’Angelo by mistake. The three of them stare at each other to end the show. We didn’t get much new here, but Montana got his chance to show what he can do and promos like that will get him over around here too.

Overall Rating: B-. Montana already feels like a bigger star than almost anyone around here and that’s a great sign for him. It’s not the best sign for D’Angelo though, as his title reign feels like it is being measured in days. You also have the midcard firming up a bit and that could go a long way in keeping the division interesting. Next week will be more about the women though and that should be able to keep things going. Nice job here, with Montana looking like a big deal right out of the gate.

Results
Lizzy Rain b. Izzy Dame – Thunderstruck
Myles Borne b. Kam Hendrix – Borne Again
Birthright b. OTM – Kick to the head to Price
Shiloh Hill b. Tristan Angels – Super Thunderbreaker

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

It’s time for a major title rematch as Tony D’Angelo is defending against Naraku in a street fight. D’Angelo already beat him in one title match, though now we have to do it again due to reasons. In addition, we are starting to approach Heatwave and it’s time to start getting the card ready. Let’s get to it.

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

Robert Stone tells the referee’s main event that Naraku and Tony D’Angelo cannot couch before the main event. Thea Hail comes in to talk to Stone about something but Nattie comes in to say she’s going to beat Jaida Parker.

Romeo Moreno/Noam Dar/Saquon Shuggars vs. Darkstate

It’s a brawl on the floor to start until Dar hammers away on Lennox inside. Lennox runs away from Shuggars so it’s off to Griffin, who pulls a springboarding Moreno out of the air. Everything breaks down and Lennox has to be saved from a TripleBomb through the announcers’ table. Instead Dar gets planted down and we take a break.

We come back with Shuggars getting the tag to clean house, including a basement dropkick for two on James. Shuggars dives into a backbreaker though and everything breaks down again. Moreno’s springboard missile dropkick hits Lennox, who is taken outside for a Death Valley Driver through that wooden wall. Back in and a double toss powerbomb finishes Moreno at 9:27.

Rating: C+. If Darkstate is going to be anything, they absolutely had to win here. The team is still on life support but they should be able to beat a makeshift ground who is there for the sake of giving Shuggars another match. This was all about Shuggars vs. Lennox of course, and there is a good chance that we’ll be seeing a violent fight between then sooner than later.

Post match Shuggars and Lennox have to be help apart.

Lizzy Dame and Thea Hail are unhappy with how things are going around here. Kendal Grey and Jaida Parker get into it a bit over Natalya but calm down.

Here is Kendal Grey, with Wren Sinclair, for a face to face showdown with Lola Vice. Grey is glad Vice won the title shot next week but Vice thinks this is going to be rough for her. The reality is that Vice isn’t done in NXT but Grey says she is already dominating around here. Unlike Vice, it didn’t take her years to make this happen. Vice issues the challenge for the Underground on August 4, with Grey saying she’ll kick Vice’s a** so she can go back to shaking it. That’s a big upgrade, though having Vice’s mega gimmick match as the rematch is a quick move.

Video on Tony D’Angelo vs. Naraku.

Keanu Carver vs. Hank Walker

Tank Ledger is here too. Walker jumps him to start fast and the slugout is on. Carver gets in a few right hands to send him outside but Walker is back in with a Boss Man Slam. That’s cut off with a toss into the fall away slam so Carver goes after Ledger. Walker gets in a flip dive through the ropes and goes back inside, only to get Pounced. The Alabama Slam finishes for Carver at 4:30.

Rating: C. Carver getting to smash through someone else is a good thing to do and I could go for seeing it happen more often. So far that has been the case for him most of the time, save for that EK Prosper stuff, but that’s not a bad idea. It’s not like there was a reason to believe that Walker was going to beat him so seeing Carver smash through someone was good thing.

Post match Carver goes after ledger again but EK Prosper runs in for the save and Carver is beaten down.

Nattie offers her services to Lola Vice, who isn’t interested.

Shiloh Hill buys a tooth from Danhausen, who is happy to accept Bitcoin.

Jaida Parker vs. Nattie

Nattie’s friends are here too and offer a distraction, allowing Parker to get some rollups for two each. Parker wins a power off and tries the Hipnotique, only to have Nattie run out to the floor. A distraction lets Nattie go after the knee to take over as we go to a break. We come back with Parker in trouble but managing a Falcon Arrow for two.

Nattie’s Michinoku Driver gives her two and there’s the Sharpshooter, which sends Parker crawling over the apron for the break. Parker gets her own chop block and Sharpshooter…and here is Thea Hail to throw in the towel (after Nikkita Lyons and Karmen Petrovic were arguing over it) for the win at 11:40.

Rating: C+. Hail vs. Nattie doesn’t do much for me but what matters here is that Parker didn’t lose again. It certainly seems like we are moving away from Nattie vs. Parker and that’s good to see as the feud has gone on far too long. Parker still feels like a star in the making and it would be nice to see her moving on.

Video on Tony D’Angelo vs. Naraku, setting up their street fight rematch for the title.

Kelani Jordan annoys Robert Stone and says she was robbed last week. Stone says the referee’s decision is final. OTM comes in and they have a match set, though Bronco Nima has to decide if he’s working for NXT or AAA that night. Lucien Price doesn’t seem pleased.

Niko Vance vs. Shawn Spears

Izzy Dame is here with Vance, who gets jumped from behind to start fast. Dame offers a distraction though and Vance gets in a shot from the apron to take over. A running clothesline cuts Spears down again but Spears knocks him outside. That means a suplex to put Vance on the floor again but another Dame distraction lets Vance come back again.

We take a break and come back with Vance getting suplexed off the top. Spears fires off the chops and grabs a chair, which brings Dame up to the apron. Cue Lizzy Rain for a distraction and Spears….does the Eddie Guerrero faking being hit by a chair. Believe it or not this actually works and Vance is disqualified at 11:05.

Rating: C+. I was expecting Vance to win here but there is something to be said about the veteran Spears outsmarting him to win. And it even gave us another Guerrero tribute so it’s great to see. While I can’t imagine this winds up going well for Spears in the end, at least he did get off to a nice start so it’s not as straightforward as you might have expected.

Kam Hendrix’s knee is at 67.2% when Myles Borne and Tavion Heights come in. Borne wants to reform the team with Heights and they would like a shot at the Tag Team Titles. Stone agrees, if Borne can successfully defend his North American Title next week. Hendrix gets a well timed text saying his knee is cleared. Stone says if that’s true, he can have the title match next week. Heights is thrilled.

Reina Volcan is ready to prove that she is a natural disaster.

Reina Volcan vs. Skyler Raye

Volcan grabs a powerslam for an early two but Raye starts flipping around. Some running shots in the corner are cut off with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker though and Raye is right back in trouble. A torture rack (the Natural Disaster, a great name) makes Raye give up at 3:05. Pretty solid debut.

Rating: C. This was all it needed to be, as Raye got in a bit of offense and was then promptly smashed. Volcan feels like the new big monster around here and has basically been promoted as such. Go with what makes sense to her and have it work out, which is what they did here.

Shiloh Hill and Robert Stone shill KFC until a rather aggressive Stone requests and receives a match with Tristan Angels next week. Hill calms way down when he gets the match, but he also steals the chicken.

An SUV arrives in the back, with commentary speculating that this is whom Stone has been talking to on the phone all night (which hadn’t really been overly noticeable but fair enough).

NXT Title: Naraku vs. Tony D’Angelo

D’Angelo is defending in a street fight (Commentary says this is the first time the title has ever been defended in a street fight and…..how is that possibly true?). Anyway, Naraku mists him at the bell and D’Angelo rolls outside, where Naraku starts grabbing the weapons. Some chair shots have D’Angelo in more trouble and Naraku suplexes him through some open chairs. D’Angelo fights up and goes over to find a bottle of water to clean out his eyes.

Naraku is sent crashing through the barricade and we take a break. We come back with D’Angelo hitting Naraku with a ladder and loading up a table. An Alabama Slam through a table is broken up so D’Angelo goes to the eyes to put Naraku back down. They head outside again and Naraku Widowmakers him through the announcers’ table. Back in and another misting is blocked, with D’Angelo rubbing the mist into Naraku’s eyes. Dead To Rites through the table retains the title at 12:03.

Rating: B-. This was a pretty standard street fight/weapons match and it went well enough to give D’Angelo a clean win. I’m a bit surprised that they didn’t give Naraku the title as he felt like the one planned to stop D’Angelo, but he could move on to someone else rather quickly. Either way, nice enough stuff here for a big TV main event.

Post match D’Angelo celebrates but former TNA World Champion Mike Santana (no name here, because WWE) comes through the crowd for the big staredown to end the show. Yeah you knew he was showing up and it was a matter of when rather than if, so thankfully they didn’t waste time.

Overall Rating: B-. I wasn’t feeling a lot of this show, though the Santana debut at the end was a great bonus. What matters the most here is that they can start moving towards Heatwave and I could go for seeing what they have in mind for the card. Santana getting the title there wouldn’t be out of the question, but there are at least some seeds being planted for the show this far out. Nice enough show here, but the main event is the only match really worth your time.

Results
Darkstate b. Romeo Moreno/Noam Dar/Saquon Shuggars – Double toss powerbomb to Moreno
Keanu Carver b. Hank Walker – Alabama Slam
Jaida Parker b. Nattie – Sharpshooter
Shawn Spears b. Niko Vance when Vance didn’t hit him with a chair
Reina Volcan b. Skyler Raye – Natural Disaster
Tony D’Angelo b. Naraku – Dead To Rites through a table

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: July 14, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

Heatwave is starting to come into view but we have a good enough while to go. The big story around the NXT Title seems to be a rematch between Naraku and champion Tony D’Angelo. Other than that, we have various people coming for various titles, as tends to be the case on a wrestling show. Let’s get to it.

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

Tag Team Titles: Vanity Project vs. Sean Legacy/Dorian Van Dux

The Project is defending. Legacy rolls Smokes up to start fast before armdragging Baylor into an armbar. Dux comes in for a nice dropkick and a belly to back suplex, setting up Legacy’s standing moonsault for two. Smokes gets chopped down in the corner and Baylor comes in off a blind tag, only to be sent outside. Legacy hits a huge dive and we take a break.

We come back with Legacy in trouble in the corner and Smoke grabbing a chinlock. Legacy fights out of a double belly to back suplex though and it’s a rolling tag to bring in Dux to clean house. Smokes trips Dux from the floor though and it’s a Codebreaker into a spear for two, with Legacy making the save.

Everyone is down for a minute until Dux crotches Smokes on top. A top rope splash and 450 combine to give Legacy two and the champs are sent outside for stereo dives. Jackson Drake is pulled in but Myra Lockwood low bridges Dux out to the floor. Legacy is sent into the steps and a top rope double stomp/reverse DDT combination retains the titles at 13:09.

Rating: B-. Dang it the Project is starting to get good at their thing and that was the case again here. They’re a team who look like they should be easily beaten but they are just good enough to get by. That’s a good place to be and it should be interesting to see which team is finally able to figure out the combination to finally beat them.

Tavion Heights and Myles Borne think they could take the Tag Team Titles but Kam Hendrix comes in to say he wants the North American Title. He’s hurt for now but showtime is coming soon.

Saquon Shuggars wants OTM to be his partners against Darkstate but they remember him being a bit evil so that’s a no. OTM goes over to talk to Birthright for going after them, but Birthright brings up Bronco Nima going to AAA on his own. Maybe there are some cracks in the OTM foundation.

Here is Tristan Angels for a chat. He’s not big on Shiloh Hill, who has a family tree involving wild animals but Angels is here with Hill’s missing tooth. Angels then stomps on said tooth, so here is Hill on the screen, saying that he can fix his smile, but Angels can’t fix the fact that the fog is coming. Hill shouts that a bunch and some fog appears to scare Angels.

Nattie and company think that Nikkita Lyons should replace the injured Layla Diggs in the Women’s North American Title match. Lizzy Rain and Izzy Dame want in as well so a lot of bickering ensues. Robert Stone is sick of it and makes a four way for the title tonight.

Tate Wilder vs. Naraku

Wilder gets an inset promo saying he likes this kind of a challenge. Wilder snaps off an armdrag to start but gets sent throat first into the middle rope. Naraku is sent outside though and we take a break. We come back with Naraku throwing him into an STF. That’s broken up so Naraku grabs a chinlock, only for Wilder to fight up for a Sling Blade. A Sling Blade backbreaker gets two on Naraku and a spinning high crossbody gets the same. Wilder goes up again but gets shoved down for a big crash. Back in and Into The Abyss finishes Wilder off at 8:56.

Rating: B-. Wilder was trying here but he was in over his head and got crushed in the end. Naraku got to shake off just about everything that Wilder threw at him and wound up winning, as the match should have been. There is a good chance that Naraku is coming up on a violent rematch with Tony D’Angelo for the NXT Title so a nice win like this is a good thing.

Post match D’Angelo comes in for the brawl, with security only having so much success.

Hank & Tank and EK Prosper turn Saquon Shuggars down as well.

Women’s North American Title: Izzy Dame vs. Nikkita Lyons vs. Lizzy Rain vs. Zaria

Only Zaria is defending. They fight for some early rollups for two each until Rain springboard elbows Zaria down. Zaria is back up with a spinning clothesline to Lyons and it’s time to pair off for stereo brawls. We take a break and come back with Lyons and Rain striking it out on the apron until Zaria and Dame clothesline each other.

Back in and Rain cleans house but Lyons gives her a sitout powerbomb for two. Dame is back up with a running dropkick to break up a fireman’s carry and get two on Zaria. Rain and Lyons are knocked outside and Zaria spears Dame for two. Cue Nattie and Karmen Petrovic but here is Jaida Parker to take Nattie out. Zaria spears Petrovic and a spear into the F5 finishes Lyons to retain the title at 12:46.

Rating: B-. This was a tricky one as they went from a singles match to a wild four way with pretty much no build. That’s not their fault in this case and they did what they could here. Zaria retains the match and while it’s annoying that Lyons took the fall, at least they did everything to get out of there given the screwy circumstances.

Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey turn Saquon Shuggars down too, but Lola Vice comes in to say she’s not done with Grey.

Tony D’Angelo demands Robert Stone give him Naraku again and the match is set for next week. D’Angelo says he isn’t waiting and Stone chases after him.

Tavion Heights vs. Jackson Drake

The rest of the Vanity Project is here with Drake, who is backed into the ropes to start rather quickly. Heights grabs a headlock, which doesn’t work very well for him as Drake drives him into the corner. Back up and Heights suplexes him into the corner and we take a break.

We come back with Heights missing some charges into the corner and getting his leg taken out. The Figure Four goes on with Heights turning it over, sending Drake crawling to the rope for the break. A big backdrop sends Drake onto the Project so Brad Baylor gets up on the apron. That’s cut off so Heights tries the belly to belly, only to get reversed into a sunset flip to give Drake the pin at 10:37.

Rating: C+. It’s a good night for the Project and it’s nice to see Drake get a pretty big win without much cheating. He’s the most talented of the Project and someone who could go somewhere as a singles star so why not see what he can do? At the same time, Heights continues to lose and I have no idea where he’s supposed to go in this whole thing.

Reina Volcan is a force of nature and ready to wreck people.

Saquon Shuggars, Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno….and they actually say yes! Huh, I was expecting someone from the main roster showing up.

Kali Armstrong talks trash to Kendal Grey and promises to win. Armstrong runs into Jaida Parker, who isn’t impressed. Nattie and company jump Parker.

Shawn Spears saw potential in the Culling and he’s proud of Izzy Dame. He was proud of Niko Vance for taking a step forward, but then it was two steps back. Let’s find out just how much Vance learned.

Kelani Jordan vs. Lola Vice vs. Kali Armstrong

For a future Women’s Title shot. Armstrong is clotheslined to the floor to start, leaving Jordan to roll Vice up for two. Back in and Armstrong’s charge hits the post, leaving the other two to brawl on the mat. Armstrong breaks that up with some slams, with Vice being sent outside. Jordan neckbreakers Vice who DDTs Armstrong for two but Vice sends Jordan outside.

A guillotine choke has Armstrong in trouble but Jordan is back in for the save. Vice and Jordan brawl to the floor so Armstrong takes them both out with a big dive. We take a break and come back with Vice hitting the running hip attacks in the corner. Armstrong spinebusters Vice for two but Jordan kicks both of them in the face, followed by a double Eat Defeat.

Jordan gets pulled into a triangle choke with Armstrong making the save, setting up a string of rollups for two each. A frog splash breaks up Vice’s cross armbreaker for two but Armstrong powerslams Vice. The Kali Connection sends Vice outside so she and Jordan can trade rollups for two each. Back in and Vice spinning backfists Armstrong but gets dropped by Jordan. The 450 hits Armstrong, only for Vice to kick Jordan off and get the pin at 14:20.

Rating: B-. It was almost all action, but Vice is absolutely the right choice given how strongly her first match with Grey was received. If you already have a story that good, just run a rematch because the fans are going to want to see it. Jordan and Armstrong losing again is fine as Jordan will get her big title shot down the line and Armstrong is going to be a force just because of the incredible power and athleticism.

We run down next week’s card but it’s off to the parking lot.

Tony D’Angelo and Naraku are fighting in the parking lot so Robert Stone comes in to make their title match next week a street fight.

Overall Rating: B. This was a show built around getting us ready for the pretty big TV show next week before we start the real build towards Heatwave. The good thing is that they made it work here, with pretty much everything clicking and the winners feeling like they got something out of their matches. I want to see where some of these things go next week and I’ll take that every single time.

Results
Vanity Project b. Sean Legacy/Dorian Van Dux – Top rope double stomp/reverse DDT combination to Van Dux
Naraku b. Tate Wilder – Into The Abyss
Zaria b. Izzy Dame, Lizzy Rain and Nikkita Lyons – Spear to Lyons
Jackson Drake b. Tavion Heights – Sunset flip
Lola Vice b. Kelani Jordan and Kali Armstrong – 450 to Armstrong

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

We’re in an interesting place as the big story coming out of last week was…uh…someone we ALL know debuting and attacking Tatum Paxley. That’s going to need some follow up and preferably a name as it feels like quite the big story. Kendal Grey is defending the Women’s Title too so let’s get to it.

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

Kali Armstrong is in the ring to start and she isn’t happy. She saw everyone cheering for Kendal Grey and she had her target. As soon as she decided to go after Grey, everyone was paying attention to her. Now she wants the title and doesn’t care who she has to face. This brings out Lola Vice to say Armstrong is impatient but Kelani Jordan interrupts. She can’t believe what she’s hearing because everyone is worried about Tatum Paxley. Jordan is the one who should get a shot and the brawl is on, with Armstrong clearing the ring. As usual, Jordan is not great at talking. It’s just not her thing.

Darkstate vs. OTM vs. Sean Legacy/Dorian Van Dux vs. Birthright

For a future Tag Team Title shot and it’s Nima and Griffin cleaning house to give us the big power brawl to start. Legacy is back up to send them into each other but Price powers Birthright around without much trouble. James kicks Price away but Legacy and Dux give him a double suplex. Birthright is back up to clear the ring though and we take a break.

We come back with Darkstate firing away until Price forearms Stacks out of the air. Dux gets the tag and fires off the kicks into a moonsault until Nima gives him a spinning Big Ending for two. A bunch of people go outside and Stacks suplexes Dux into Connors’ sitout powerbomb. Legacy and Dux moonsault onto the floor and Griffin hits a dive of his own. Cue Saquon Shuggars in the crowd but Dion Lennox chases him off. A bunch of people brawl to the back and Legacy’s springboard 450 finishes Connors at 14:17.

Rating: B-. This was a bunch of people going all over the place and the problem comes down to there just being so many people out there. The match didn’t have much in the way of a flow or structure as everything was about getting stuff in against each other. Also, it showed how unimportant a lot of these teams really feel, with Legacy and Dux being even weaker.

Jaida Parker isn’t happy with Nattie making her give up, especially when Nattie is here to revitalize her dead career. Parker is coming for her.

Saquon Shuggars knows he needs help to fight Darkstate but no one likes him. It’s time to shake hands and kiss babies to show people he has changed.

Keanu Carver vs. Tank Ledger

Ledger jumps him to start and knocks Carver outside. Back in and Carver gets in a shot of his own to cut that off, followed by quite the clothesline. A powerbomb gives Carver two, with his taped up knee giving out at the end. Ledger strikes away and even gets in a Swanton for two but a full nelson is blocked. Somehow Carver is back up with a dropkick and an Alabama Slam for the pin at 4:46.

Rating: C+. They were smart to keep this short as Carver is all about power and devastation. He absorbed everything that Ledger threw at him and fought through the injury to win. That’s a good way to make Carver feel like a monster and I’m curious to see where he’s going next, as he’s an effective smashing machine.

Naraku talks about how he isn’t done with Tony D’Angelo and asks how far D’Angelo is willing to go, because Naraku will do anything to win the title.

Tate Wilder wants to fight Naraku and Kam Hendrix, whose knee is still banged up, doesn’t think much of Mason Rook. Cue Rook, who scares Hendrix off.

Nattie is ready for her match and offers to be there with Layla Diggs, but Diggs wants to do this on her own. Works for Nattie, who does want her friends out there for the title match.

Lizzie Rain vs. Thea Hail vs. Izzy Dame vs. Layla Diggs

For a Women’s North American Title shot. Dame takes over to start but gets dropped by Rain. Some rollups for two each are exchanged until Rain backdrops Hail out to the floor. Rain’s springboard elbow drops Dame but Diggs is back up to elbow both of them. Hail is up with a middle rope dive onto all three of them and we take a break.

We come back with Hail and Diggs hitting stereo frog splashes for two each. Hail superkicks Diggs into a standing moonsault for two and a springboard backsplash gets two more. Rain is back up with a double cutter, followed by a single cutter to a diving Diggs. Dame chokeslams Diggs for two and a middle rope Codebreaker hitting Rain. Hail’s Kimura is broken up and everyone is down again. Rain elbows Dame into the corner and gives Hail Thunderstruck, only for Diggs to hit her perfect moonsault for the pin at 14:28.

Rating: B-. This was similar to the opening match but it was rather nice to have half of the people involved overall. It helps so much, just for the sake of having less going on and fewer people flying around. Diggs winning is an interesting choice for the win, but it’s a good way to give her a quick move up the charts.

The woman who debuted last week talks about wanting to attack anyone and calls herself a force of nature. Her name: Reina Vulcan.

Here is an upset Tavion Heights for a chat. He doesn’t like the things that he said before the Great American Bash and he wants to apologize to Myles Borne. This brings out the Vanity Project, who say they deserve some apologies of their own. Jackson Drake doesn’t think much of Heights’ statements so the brawl is on, with Heights clearing the ring.

Romeo Moreno and Noam Dar run into Sean Legacy and Dorian Van Dux and seem interested in a match. Legacy and Dux are more interested in figuring out which of their names comes first.

Shiloh Hill vs. Niko Vance

Hill charges into a boot in the corner to start but avoids a middle rope headbutt. Hill’s top rope clothesline gets two and it’s time to stare at each other, followed by Hill hitting another clothesline. Vance is back with a gutwrench faceplant and a middle rope headbutt for two of his own. Back up and Hill snaps off a DDT before striking away and getting two off a backsplash. Cue Tristan Angels for a distraction, allowing Vance to hit a running elbow for the pin at 4:41.

Rating: C+. It was fairly intense while it lasted but this was more about Angels vs. Hill continuing than anything else. That’s a fine enough way to go as a culture clash is always going to work. Hill has certainly gotten some interest from the fans as well and that’s a good sign. It also shouldn’t be surprising as he’s rather oddly charismatic and it’s working well thus far.

Post match Vance poses and here is Shawn Spears to chair him in the back.

Women’s Title: Kendal Grey vs. Nattie

Grey is defending and all of their respective friends are here too. They grapple on the mat to start with Grey getting the better of things. A shot to the face drops Grey so she wrestles Nattie down again. Nattie tries her belly to back drop but Grey picks the ankle into an ankle lock. That’s broken up and they fight outside with Grey getting distracted, allowing Nattie to get in a cheap shot. The seconds get in a big fight and we take a break.

We come back with Nattie holding an abdominal stretch but getting small packaged for two. Nattie pulls her into a rear naked choke so Grey grabs a failed cross armbreaker attempt. Back up and a middle rope dropkick is countered into the Sharpshooter. Grey makes the rope and they fight over a rollup, only for Grey to snap off Shades Of Grey for the pin to retain at 12:19.

Rating: B-. Well at least we should be done with Nattie as a challenger. That’s a good thing to see, as the idea of Grey feuding with her for the long term is almost depressing. The match was the perfectly fine technical display but Nattie wasn’t going to end the big new title reign and certainly not this soon. For a one off TV main event, it worked perfectly well.

Post match Jaida Parker comes out for a staredown with Nattie. Kali Armstrong, Lola Vice and Kelani Jordan surround Grey to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a show about moving stories forward, but it made you realize how a lot of these people haven’t been developed all that well yet. The thing to remember is a good number of these people are freshly moved up to NXT from Evolve and haven’t had the chance to grow yet, despite being put in these spots. That is making for a tricky situation and NXT is handling it as well as they can, which is impressive enough. The show was busy but good enough and held my interest so we’ll call it acceptable this week.

Results
Sean Legacy/Dorian Van Dux b. OTM, Darkstate and Birthright – Springboard 450 to Connors
Keanu Carer b. Tank Ledger – Alabama Slam
Layla Diggs b. Thea Hail, Lizzie Rain and Izzy Dame – Moonsault to Hail
Niko Vance b. Shiloh Hill – Running elbow
Kendal Grey b. Nattie – Shades Of Grey

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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Evolve
Date: July 1, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

We’re done with Succession III and the big story coming out of the show seems to be Timothy Thatcher’s security going into business for themselves. It’s going to be a little while before we find out about that though as Thatcher is gone this week, with KevOnStage in his place. We also have a six person elimination tag so let’s get to it.

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

KevOnStage recaps Succession III and previews tonight’s show.

Opening sequence.

Layla Diggs vs. Gianna Capri

Masyn Holiday is with Diggs. Capri misses an early pump kick so Diggs grabs a headlock. Diggs’ sitout gordbuster and a Shining Wizard combine for two but Capri is back with some knees to the ribs. A belly to back suplex gets two but Diggs avoids another pump kick. Diggs kicks her into the corner for a running knee so Capri hits her in the back again. Hold on though as Anya Rune offers a distraction from the VIP section and shoves her hands at Capri, which she calls punishment (I believe it’s a Dragon Ball Z thing). Diggs knocks Capri down and drops a moonsault (that thing looks great) for the pin at 4:38.

Rating: C-. So was that the nerd version of Danhausen’s curse? Other than that, the match felt like it was in slow motion with both of them looking like they were trying to remember their next step. Diggs is quite the athlete and she’s already doing more on NXT, though this wasn’t the best work from either of them.

Post match Diggs and Holiday dance but Braxton Cole pops up with the NXT Rule Book, saying that there is nothing that can make him have a No DQ match with Harlem Lewis. Cue Lewis to jump him from behind and sends him into the steps as we take a break.

Braxton Cole vs. Harlem Lewis

No DQ. We come back with the opening bell and Lewis hitting him in the back with a cookie sheet. Said sheet is put into the corner so Cole can whip Lewis into it for the big crash. Cole finds a cane in the VIP area and hammers Lewis down as they go outside again. Somehow Cole finds a belt in the crowd for some whipping before Lewis punches him in the face. That lets Lewis get the belt for some whipping of his own but Cole gets in a sheet to the throat.

A hanging neckbreaker to the floor drops Lewis again and Cole whips out a pool cue of all things. Some more shots to the ribs have Lewis in even more trouble and Cole uses the stick to tie Lewis to the post. That just gets the stick broken but Cole is back with a Crash Landing onto the sheet for two. Cole busts out a trashcan full of more weapons, including a large mop. Said mop is broken over Lewis’ back but another mop is used to hit Cole low. That makes Cole beg off so Lewis puts the mop into Cole’s face. The Boom Slang finishes for Lewis at 7:11.

Rating: B-. I liked this well enough, with Lewis desperately wanting to prove himself and then doing just that, as he absorbed everything Cole threw at him and then won. That’s the story that they set up and then paid it off here, which is always appreciated. Cole got in some nice shots of his own, but this was all about Lewis and that’s how it wound up going.

Post match here is Aaron Rourke to congratulate Lewis on his win. Rourke thanks him for helping him against the Mog Squad, which Rourke never even asked him to do. He thinks they’ve developed some respect for each other so he wants to give Lewis a proper thank you. The fans get ahead of Rourke by asking for a title shot and Rourke is going to try to get it made, but at least for now, he offers a sincere thank you. They shake hands and part in peace, with Lewis staring at the title. That was the logical way to go and it’s nice to see them taking the simple path.

Sloane Jacobs praises Nikkita Lyons for her title win last week. It was Lyons in “her full luminosity.” She wants to thank Lyons so next week it’s going to be a huge championship celebration.

Here is Kale Dixon for a chat. Dixon talks about how he left his ego at the door during his first time in NXT and that got him nowhere. He came from college baseball and turned down MLB contracts to be here. Now he knows that everyone in the back is scared because he is going straight to superstardom. Everyone is jealous of him because they don’t possess the athleticism and abilities that he has.

Chuey Martinez goes to end the interview but Dixon isn’t done, saying it’s not over until he says it’s done. Martinez asks about the woman who was with him last week and she pops up next to them, saying Evolve is about to change forever. Cue Darkstate’s Cutler James, who doesn’t seem to be on the same page as the two of them.

Cutler James vs. It’s Gal

Gal runs in to jump James from behind and we’re ready to go anyway. James sends him into the corner for an eye rake across the rope but Gal gets in an enziguri. Back up and James grabs a swinging backbreaker before cutting off a comeback attempt. A giant swing sends Gal swinging and a pop up uppercut gives James two. The abdominal stretch lets James rip at Gal’s sunburn (DUDE TOO FAR!) but Gal reverses into one of his own. Gal’s clotheslines get two but James buckle bombs him rather hard. Dark Matter finishes for James at 4:51.

Rating: C+. I’m trying to get over the pain of messing with the sunburn, which is just pure evil. James could use the rehab assignment after Darkstate crashed out so hard as there is definitely something for him to do. At the same time, I have no idea what Gal is supposed to do, as he’s little more than a quirky jobber at this point and that isn’t the brightest future.

Elijah Holyfield doesn’t think much of Brooks Jensen cheating to beat him and they’re far from done. In Holyfield’s family, if you don’t fight, you don’t eat, so he’s ready to knock Brooks silly on sight.

Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins come in to see Timothy Thatcher (Why is he here?) and want to get rid of Tate Wilder for good. Thatcher will talk to Robert Stone and figure something out. Viktor Zanov and Shida Ash come in to chase them off but Thatcher yells at Zanov and Ash for going too far last week. They’re fired as security and no they aren’t wrestling, as that would be a reward for their behavior. Zanov and Ash say they know how to do what they want.

Mog Squad vs. Sam Holloway/Cappuccino Jones/Marcus Mathers

Elimination tag and Max Abrams is here with the Squad. Holloway has very banged up ribs after last week so Mathers starts with Rivera. Mathers doesn’t like being backed into the corner to start so he headlocks Rivera down without much trouble. A headscissors doesn’t get Rivera very far as Mathers slams him down and drops a jumping elbow. Mathers’ jumping kick to a seated Rivera gets two and it’s off to Holloway for a springboard elbow

The ribs are banged up again though and Jones has to come in instead. Ball charges into a nice dropkick and Holloway crotches Valor against the post. Back in and Ball hits a dropkick of his own and it’s off to Valor for some quick shots to the throat. Naturally Abrams gets to play cheerleader on the floor but Jones gets over to Mathers for the springboard crossbody comeback. A cutter hits Ball and a superkick puts Valor down, allowing Mathers to moonsault outside onto all three of them. Back in and Ball kicks Mathers in the face, setting up Valor’s Sling Blade Hart Attack for the elimination at 5:24.

Holloway comes in for a heck of a big boot to Rivera and an atomic drop but the ribs are banged up again. Holloway fights out of trouble and makes the tag to Jones to pick up the pace. The Froggy Brew gets two with Valor making a diving save. Holloway distracts the referee like a goof and Rivera gets in a Codebreaker, meaning it’s another Sling Blade Hart Attack to pin Jones at 8:16.

We take a break and come back with Holloway down 3-1 and Valor’s Chaos Theory getting one. A chokeslam drops Valor but Rivera distracts the referee to prevent the count. Ball rolls some gutwrench suplexes for two but Holloway gets in a desperation chokeslam. Rivera cuts off the count AGAIN though and comes in with a sitout Slapjack for two of his own.

Back up and Holloway chokeslams Valor and Rivera at the same time but they both roll outside. Abrams offers a distraction so Holloway punches him down and hits a big flying dive to take out all four of them at once (that looked awesome). The trio gets back inside though and a pop up spear finishes Holloway at 13:05.

Rating: B-. The big thing here is that this match told a story. You had the ID guys trying as hard as they could but not really being a unit. That let the Squad take over and cut them down one at a time, with Holloway having to fight out of desperation. It made for a good ending and the Squad got a much needed win. Nice job here, though it’s frustrating to see Mathers lose so quickly again.

Overall Rating: B-. This show walked a pretty nice line between dealing with fallout from last week and doing a bunch of stuff this week. I liked the wrestling for the most part and there are things set up for the future. It was back to the normal nicely done Evolve and as usual the time went by and they had a good mixture of stuff to keep the show interesting. In other words, it’s the kind of show that makes Evolve one of the better watches of the week. Oh and what was the point of KevOnStage?  I don’t think he was ever around after the opening segment and Thatcher was there anyway!

Results
Layla Diggs b. Gianna Capri – Moonsault
Harlem Lewis b. Braxton Cole – Boom Slang
Cutler James b. It’s Gal – Dark Matter
Mog Squad b. Sam Holloway/Cappuccino Jones/Marcus Mathers last eliminating Holloway

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

Evolve
Date: June 17, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Peter Rosenberg

It’s the week before Succession III and at least the biggest matches on the card are put together. That should make for an interesting week here as we have the final push towards the event. If nothing else we should be getting some of the hard sell for the title matches, which often works well. Let’s get to it.

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

Timothy Thatcher is excited for Succession and runs down tonight’s card. Wendy Choo (Thatcher: “Come on in champ two!”) comes in and signs the card to face Nikkita Lyons at Succession but she’ll be watching tonight to see who might be her next contender.

Opening sequence.

Elijah Holyfield vs. Brooks Jensen

Jensen backs him up against the ropes and gets punched in the ribs for his efforts. Back up and Jensen fires off some forearms before sending him throat first into the middle rope. Things slow down, with Jensen kicking him to the mat and grabbing the chinlock. That’s broken up and Holyfield hits a heck of a shoulder, followed by the clothesline comeback. A whip out of the corner is blocked but Jensen pulls the turnbuckle pad off. The spinebuster drops Jensen and Holyfield hammers away in the corner, only to get dropped onto the turnbuckle. Jensen’s rollup gets the pin at 4:25.

Rating: C. This was very basic and you could see Jensen walking Holyfield through the match. That’s how you need to treat someone like Holyfield at this point, as he’s still so brand new and has no idea what he’s doing. The only thing that is going to make that better is experience and this kind of match, plus house shows, is the way he gets better.

Chazz Hall vs. Tristan Angels

Hall takes him down to start and Angels is frustrated, causing him to walk into an armdrag. Hall sticks the landing on a monkey flip but gets caught up top with a step up enziguri. Back in and Hall is sent into the buckle, setting up the chinlock. That’s broken up and Hall hits a middle rope clothesline, setting up a standing Sliced Bread.

The standing corkscrew moonsault gives Hall two and he hurricanranas Angels outside. A Lionsault connects on Angels, who catches Hall back inside with an apron superplex for two of his own. Angels’ powerbomb is countered into a DDT but the shooting star press misses as well. The Shire’s Kiss finishes for Angels at 7:13.

Rating: C+. Angels is someone that WWE clearly wants to have around in whatever way they can and that’s an interesting way to go for him. He’s getting time both in Evolve and on NXT, which isn’t surprising given how easy it is to dis like him in general. Hall losing is a bit of a surprise but Angels feels like the bigger priority, as he should be.

Post match Angels brags about his success and calls himself the definition of elegance, excellence and class.

Zena Sterling is glad to be back after everything that she has been through.

Zena Sterling vs. Anya Rune

Rune gets an insert interview, saying she wants people to get to notice her. Rune’s wristlock doesn’t work early on as Sterling takes her down into an armbar. That’s broken up and Rune flips her over by the wrist for a nasty crash. Rune goes up top and has to break up a superplex, only to fall off with no one touching her. She was shouting about flying so I’m assuming she was supposed to slip?

Either way, with that weird deal covered, Rune gets two off a small package and kicks her into the corner. Rune goes up top and slips again, then slips a third time (with the turnbuckle pad falling off) before going to the mat and hitting a running crossbody. Back up and Sterling sends her into the exposed buckle and a spinning side slam (ala Victoria, but nowhere near as smooth) finishes Rune at 3:56.

Rating: D. I’m not sure what in the world they were going for here but it didn’t work. The slipping off the top thing didn’t make me want to see Rune more. It just made me think that she wasn’t very good, which is hardly how you want to present anyone. Sterling being back is a good thing, but this really didn’t make me want to see her again, as she almost lucked into a win over someone in over her head. This was a big miss, and that’s a rarity in WWE these days.

Post match Gianna Capri comes out to yell at Rune, saying she doesn’t belong here. Masyn Holiday and Layla Diggs comes in to scare Capri off.

Earlier today, Harlem Lewis was training in the gym and is asked about his injured arm. Apparently Lewis is medically cleared but he was scared that he was going to be done with wrestling after his injury. He can’t stand Cole being all smug and rich when Lewis is trying so hard to make it to the next level to make his family financially secure. Therefore, he wants Cole in a No DQ match. Lewis and Howard talk about boxing as we wrap this up.

Nikkita Lyons, with Sloane Jacobs, signs for the Succession title match as well. It’s written in the stars for her to be the best champion ever. KevOnStage, an actor from a Tubi series, comes in to praise Timothy Thatcher, while Lyons says the it’s Kev’s honor to meet them. Kev tries to give Lyons some advice on going viral and the women leave in a huff. Thatcher says that he’ll be on a scouting trip in two weeks and invites Kev to run the show in two weeks. That works for Kev, who makes Harlem Lewis vs. Braxton Cole in the No DQ match.

Succession rundown.

Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno vs. Harley Riggins/Kam Hendrix

For some reason commentary seems surprised that Dar and Moreno are teaming, even though the match was mentioned earlier in the night. Riggins requests and receives Moreno to start, with a big boot putting Moreno down rather quickly. Moreno flips up with a headscissors before it’s off to Hendrix, who can’t keep up with Dar’s speed. Dar gets two off a left hand but gets taken into the wrong corner.

That’s broken up and it’s back to Moreno as the good guys clear the ring. Moreno hits a big dive but gets taken down by the ankle to slow him down. We take a break and come back with Moreno still in trouble as Hendrix grabs an ankle lock. With that broken up, Riggins comes in but gets knocked away, allowing Dar to get the tag.

Dar quickly takes over and locks Hendrix’s ankle, with Hendrix making a quick save. Everything breaks down and Riggins knocks Moreno down for two, followed by a spear for the same. We settle down to Moreno in trouble with his leg messed up so Riggins grabs a trashcan. Cue Tate Wilder to cut him off and Moreno gets two off a small package. Back in and Dar’s spinning backfist finishes Riggins at 8:56.

Rating: C+. Moreno continues to do nothing for me but I can see what they’re going for with Dar as a bit of an NXT/indy legend. The match was good enough and Dar gets a win to help establish the new team. At least Hendrix didn’t lose here, as that has been happening too much as of late.

We get the official faceoff between Evolve Champion Aaron Rourke and Max Abrams. Rourke talks about how great the ID Program has been and how much they have helped him get better. Then you have Abrams knocking the title out of Rourke’s hands, with Abrams going all the way back to Sean Legacy’s farewell. Legacy ignored him and that didn’t work for Abrams, because everyone around here is useless. Outside of the Vanity Project, who are now in NXT, no one here means anything.

Abrams says that Rourke’s family knows he’s a joke, which gets Rourke out of his chair. Security comes in to hold him back and Abrams gets in a slap to the top of the head to end the show. Abrams getting underneath Rourke’s skin there was a bit of a surprise as Rourke tends to keep his cool. That’s a good way to go for the title match and this did make it feel better.

Overall Rating: C-. This was the big preview for Succession and outside of the main event promo off, which lasted about three minutes, I wasn’t overly interested in a bunch of this show. The Sterling vs. Rune match was weird and the Holyfield match wasn’t going to be good due to his inexperience. This was a miss for the most part, but Succession is what matters the most and we’ll get to that soon enough.

Results
Brooks Jensen b. Elijah Holyfield – Rollup
Tristan Angels b. Chazz Hall – Shire’s Kiss
Zena Sterling b. Anya Rune – Spinning side slam
Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno b. Harley Riggins/Kam Hendrix – Spinning backfist to Riggins

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: June 9, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re less than three weeks away from the Great American Bash and you can see some of the card starting to come together. The big story here would seem to be Naraku coming for Tony D’Angelo’s NXT Title, which has gotten some time to build. As for this week, we’ll be finding out who is next in line for Lola Vice’s NXT Title. Oh and it’s the Mr. NXT pageant, which is going to be…something. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Fraxiom vs. Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno

Dar and Axiom go technical to start with Axiom rolling out of an ankle lock. Back up and they both block kicks before Axiom hits a quick dropkick. It’s off to Frazer to flip over Moreno, who backs him into the ropes. Axiom is back in to help double team Dar down, with a basement DDT sending him outside. Moreno makes a save and hits a nice springboard dive to the floor. Dar hits a dive of his own and we take a break.

We come back with Moreno getting the tag and fighting back to clean house. It’s right back to Dar, who gets missile dropkicked down for two. Dar and Moreno both get ankle locks, both of which are broken up. Frazer superplexes Moreno, who rolls him right into a small package for two more. A double slam gets two on Frazer but a double superkick puts Dar down. Frazer takes Moreno down and it’s the Golden Ratio into the Phoenix splash to pin Moreno at 13:17.

Rating: B. This was the cruiserweight/all over the place high flying match that is often a great way to start a show. Fraxiom are much bigger deals around here and it’s always fun to have some NXT legends come back for a cameo. At the same time, Moreno’s losing continues, though at least his latest loss came in a good match.

Post match, respect is shown.

Wren Sinclair wants to defend her Women’s Speed Title, injury or not. Kendal Grey wishes her well as she leaves and Lola Vice comes in to wish Grey good luck. Grey doesn’t seem interested and will go after Vice after she beats Kelani Jordan tonight.

And now (oh dear) the Mr. NXT pageant between Tristan Angels and Shiloh Hill. There will be three rounds: talent, attire and public speaking, with a trio of judges. The judges are Evolve Champion Aaron Rourke, Kit Wilson, and comedian Matt Matthews. First up is attire, with formal wear, casual wear and swimwear.

Angels goes first and we get a montage of his gear, with Rourke’s jaw having to be closed at the Union Jack speedo. Hill gets his own montage and wears swimming trunks and flippers with a snorkel mask. Matthews goes with Hill (who gave him a beach ball) but the other two go with Angels. Rounds two and three coming up later.

Mason Rook vs. Naraku

For the NXT Title shot at the Great American Bash. Rook powers him into the corner to start before winning an exchange of shoulders. A backsplash gives Rook two but he misses a charge into the corner and gets slammed as we take a break. We come back with Rook hitting a super powerslam for two, followed by a Blue Thunder Bomb for the same. Naraku comes back with a fisherman’s suplex and jawbreaks his way out of a quick sleeper attempt. Rook flips him into the corner for a kind of cannonball but here is Kam Hendrix for a distraction. Naraku grabs Enter The Abyss for the pin at 9:45.

Rating: B-. This was a good showing from both and Rook is cleared away so we can move on to Naraku vs. Tony D’Angelo, which has been pretty clearly ready to go for a long time. That being said, it was nice to have Rook get in a strong performance. He needed to be able to hang in there with a bigger name and it worked well here.

Tavion Heights suggests he should get a North American Title shot at the Great American Bash and Myles Borne seems interested. The Vanity Project comes in, with Jackson Drake suggesting he get a title shot. Heights makes a #1 contenders match against Drake for the Bash title shot, which works for Borne. Quick and to the point here.

Tate Wilder talks about loving to take risks, especially around here. That’s quite the departure from his modern day cowboy deal in Evolve.

Kelani Jordan vs. Kendal Grey

For the Women’s Title shot at the Great American Bash and Grey has some mini mirrors on her arms, ala Shawn Michaels back in 1997. Jordan tries to jump her to start and gets armdragged into an armbar. They go to the mat with Grey working on the arm, only for the two of them to trade flips away. Jordan knocks her down for a running basement cross body but Grey is right back with a waistlock.

Grey is sent into the corner for a stomp to the ribs but pops up with a kick to the head. A headscissors sends Jordan out of the corner, only to come back with a running neck snap over the top. Jordan’s swinging neckbreaker on the floor keeps Grey in trouble and we take a break.

We come back with Grey breaking up a dive and a double clothesline leaving both of them down outside. Grey knocks her down again back inside and drops the straps for a bonus. A superkick looks to set up a wheelbarrow rollup but Jordan rolls to the side (that was nice) into a crossface.

That’s broken up so Grey goes up but gets superkicked out of the air. Jordan’s frog splash gets two before she has to block the cross armbreaker. The Haas Of Pain is reversed into an ankle lock, which Jordan reverses into a cradle for two instead. Back up and Shades Of Grey connects out of nowhere to give Grey the pin and the title shot at 13:05.

Rating: B. This was a nice, back and forth match with Grey getting a clean win. That’s a good thing to see as she feels like she could be a real threat to win the title. What matters the most is that NXT is at least giving her a chance to show what she can do. Jordan very well will likely get back into the title picture soon enough, but Grey is getting the chance she deserves.

It’s back to the pageant, with the talent competition. First up, Shiloh Hill solves a Rubic’s Cube rather quickly and then does some kind of a juggling deal with sticks (it’s rather flashy). Angels storms in to say he can do the Cube faster but can’t get anywhere (there’s a special way of turning the blocks or it just gets more complicated). Rourke says Angels has taken too long so Angels breaks the Cube. He starts juggling but Hill rides by on a unicycle and steals the balls, which is enough to win the round. I’ll give points to anyone who can ride a unicycle.

Tony D’Angelo respects Naraku but doesn’t get him. All that matters is that he’ll be facing Naraku at the Great American Bash. Naraku comes in, gives D’Angelo an envelope, and bows. D’Angelo opens the envelope, which has a card with the symbol for EVIL on the back (no word on what, if anything, is on the other side).

Jasper Troy vs. Dion Lennox

Darkstate comes through the regular entrance instead of through the crowd. Lennox gets shoved over the top and out to the floor, followed by a hard running shoulder from Troy back inside. Troy’s chokeslam is broken up though and Lennox goes after the leg to take over. Hold on though as Saquon Shuggars pops up on the screen though to say watch your back.

Troy uses the distraction to get in a backdrop out to the floor and we take a break. We come back with Troy getting choked on the ropes but fighting out of a chinlock. Troy drives him into the corner but Osiris Griffin offers a distraction to break up a Vader Bomb. A powerslam gives Lennox the pin at 8:10.

Rating: C+. This was fine, with Lennox getting a win to keep some of his momentum before his big showdown with Shuggars. Troy is someone big enough to look like a threat to Lennox before going down in defeat. It wasn’t exactly a shocking result, but sometimes that’s exactly the kind of match you need.

Post match Shuggars pops up on screen…and then jumps Griffin from behind with a pipe.

Earlier this week, Jaida Parker attacked Nattie during a training session.

It’s time for the final round of the pageant, with Angels and Hill having to speak about why they should be Mr. NXT. Angels brags about how great he is and mentions that it’s his birthday, as he should win over someone with “a smile like an unfinished jigsaw puzzle”. Hill talks about how he’s always different and trying to find out who he is. That’s what NXT is all about and that’s why he should be Mr. NXT.

It’s off to the judges, with Matthews voting for Hill, Wilson saying they’re both toxic and picking Angles, and Rourke saying it’s close…so the fans can pick his vote! We go to a fan poll and believe it or not, Hill wins! Angels erupts and beats up Hill with both his cane and a chair. Eh fair as that was kind of a judge going a bit screwy. This whole thing was about as expected and that’s fine, as I’ll take something unique and entertaining rather than the same stuff over and over as a means to set up a match.

Robert Stone congratulates Naraku on his win but asks what was in the envelope he gave Tony D’Angelo. Apparently it was an invitation but here is Keanu Carver for a quick staredown. Naraku leaves and Carver says he wants a fight, which Stone says he can have next week. Carver says he better get one, or he’ll decide his own opponent.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

The Culling wants Izzy Dame to win the Women’s Speed Title, starting with a win in the tournament over Thea Hail.

Women’s North American Title: Zaria vs. Tatum Paxley

Paxley is defending and grabs a small package for two at the bell. Zaria is back up with a spear for two of her own and Paxley needs a breather. Zaria’s suplex toss sets up a German suplex into the corner but she misses a charge into the post. Paxley sends her into the steps and hits a moonsault to the floor but Zaria pops back up as we take a break.

We come back with Paxley hitting some running forearms and a running flipping Fameasser in the apron. Paxley blocks a spear and grabs a kind of rolling pumphandle slam. Zaria is back up with a spear for a double down before they forearm it out. Paxley gets caught going up top but kicks Zaria into the Tree Of Woe. A coast to coast connects for two but Cemetery Drive is broken up. Another spear misses though and Zaria crashes to the floor, only to come back in with another spear. The F5 gives Zaria the pin and the title at 10:47.

Rating: B-. Thank goodness. Not that Paxley lost, but that Zaria won. She had a terrible reputation for choking in the big matches and she couldn’t have handled another loss like this. Winning the title here makes Zaria feel like a much bigger deal and that’s what she has been needing. Good enough match too, but Zaria winning clean is what matters the most.

Overall Rating: B+. There was some good action here and they set up more than a few things for the Great American Bash. That’s what this show needed to be about and I liked what they put together here. It’s still not the best looking card in the world, but at least there is a card now rather and that is a lot better than things had been going. Plus it had a unicycle and that’s always a bonus.

Results
Fraxiom b. Romeo Moreno/Noam Dar – Phoenix splash to Dar
Naraku b. Mason Rook – Enter The Abyss
Kendal Grey b. Kelani Jordan – Shades Of Grey
Dion Lennox b. Jasper Troy – Powerslam
Zaria b. Tatum Paxley – F5

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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Evolve
Date: June 3, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

The road to Succession III is on and we’re going to need some challengers for the titles. That is probably what we’ll start finding out this week, as Evolve tends to run a pretty tight ship. What matters the most is that there is now a target in sight as it helps things get more focused. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a clip from after last week’s show, with the Mog Squad surrounding Aaron Rourke, only for Sam Holloway, Marcus Mathers and Cappuccino Jones running in for the save. Max Abrams managed to lay Rourke out before the villains left though.

Nikkita Lyons and Sloane Jacobs handle this week’s recap. I do like that this isn’t treated as a conversation, but rather just them recapping the show and talking as they would. It feels so much more natural.

Masyn Holiday vs. Gianna Capri

Layla Diggs is here with Holiday, who spins out of a wristlock and armdrags her down. A dropkick gives Holiday two and we hit the armbar. Back up and Capri is sent into the corner, where she gets annoyed at the dancing and knocks Holiday down. Holiday gets up and they trade the big strikes, with Capri being knocked back against the ropes. A running seated senton hits Capri again but she’s back with a chop block. Capri grabs a rollup and holds the rope for the pin at 3:28.

Rating: C-. That was a weird ending as it felt like they were starting to get going and then ran home as fast as they could. The chop block looked to be setting up whatever they were doing to do next and then it just wrapped up. The match was only so good in the first place and then it never got the chance to improve. Odd choice here.

Wendy Choo is better for Sloane Jacobs, even if Nikkita Lyons is there too.

It’s Gal is standing by some water and talks about how he’s been pulled into too many different directions in Evolve. That isn’t happening anymore because from now on, the only rock and hard place he’ll be between are his big arms. He’s on his own now and that means an open challenge next week. While I can’t stand open challenges, Gal saying his full name and posing every time made up for it.

Harley Riggins vs. Romeo Moreno

Kam Hendrix is here with Riggins and Moreno is ready to show that he can do his best when things are at their worst. Riggins starts fast by knocking him down and grabbing the chinlock. Moreno tries to get up and gets pulled right back down, with the fans staying being Moreno in a good sign.

Back up and Moreno hits an enziguri, leaving both of them down. Some more kicks in the corner have Riggins in trouble but he fights back on top. Moreno’s super Spanish Fly is blocked as Hendrix grabs the leg though, allowing Riggins to hit a knee to the face for the pin at 3:36.

Rating: C. The match was another strange one, with a good chunk of it being spent in a chinlock and Moreno losing again. Moreno is starting to feel like someone who is just a warm body around both Evolve and NXT and that’s only kind of surprising. There isn’t much about him that stands out and until that changes, I don’t quite seeing him having the most success.

Post match Hendrix grabs a chair and Riggins Pillmanizes Moreno’s ankle.

Timothy Thatcher yells at his security guards, who are finally named as Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash, for being too rough last week and injuring Harlem Lewis (I believe, as the audio wasn’t the clearest). With that out of the way, he wants them ready to secure things tonight as he has a big match. That leaves Thatcher with Succession III, which will feature new arrivals and the winner of tonight’s Women’s Title match against Nikkita Lyons. Let’s get to work.

Max Abrams vs. Cappuccino Jones

Abrams manages to pull off his entrance pants while jumping off the top. They start fast with Abrams catching him in a chase and stomping away. Jones is back up with a running elbow in the corner but Abrams sends him to the apron for a springboard kick to the head. Abrams hammers away in the corner, with Jones snapping off a hurricanrana to escape

That lets Jones go up but he dives into a dropkick. A running Blockbuster gives Abrams two but the top rope elbow misses. Jones hits a top rope ax handle for two and a sitout powerbomb gets the same. Back up and some running kicks to the head rock Abrams and they hit stereo crossbodies for another double down.

Cue some of the Mog Squad but security is waiting on them, only for Marcus Mathers and Sam Holloway to jump the Squad from behind. Security gets rid of Mathers and Holloway, leaving Abrams to go outside so Jones can take him out with a big dive. Cue CJ Valor to crotch Jones on top and the Main Objective finishes Jones at 6:27.

Rating: B-. They’re clearly setting Abrams up as the title challenger for Succession and that’s not a bad idea. He’s been positioned as the star member of the Squad and I could go for seeing what else he could do. At the same time, Jones and company are feeling less and less important every week and that’s a really bad sign going forward.

PJ Vasa is here to watch the Women’s Title match.

Elijah Holyfield vs. Kai Kavari

Holyfield powers him into the corner and hits a running shoulder, followed by some running splashes in the corner. A big spinebuster drops Kavari again and an uppercut gives Holyfield the pin at 1:15. This was designed to put Holyfield in the ring and show the very basic stuff he can do. That’s perfectly fine and did well, albeit in a tiny sample size.

Tristan Angels is mad about last week’s loss to Aaron Rourke and doesn’t like a bunch of the people around here. He’s not done coming after the title and isn’t stopping until he has it.

Women’s Title: Sloane Jacobs vs. Wendy Choo

Choo is defending and the winner defends against Nikkita Lyons (in Jacobs’ corner) at Succession in three weeks. Jacobs charges at her to start and gets caught in a running headscissors. A dropkick gives Choo an early near fall and she knocks Jacobs outside as we take a break.

We come back with Jacobs staying on her in the corner and hitting a suplex into a legdrop for two. Back up and Jacobs hits a running boot in the corner, followed by a hanging swinging suplex for two more. The figure four necklock is broken up and Choo gets to fire back for a change. Some clotheslines put Jacobs down and a Molly Go Round (close enough) gets two.

Jacobs is back with a facebuster for two of her own and sends Choo into the corner a few times. Back up and Choo snaps off a brainbuster for two more but the Dirt Nap is broken up. A top rope elbow gets two on Choo and the Muta Lock makes it even worse. With that broken up, Choo is sent into the corner but comes right back with the Dirt Nap to retain at 9:01.

Rating: C+. Jacobs was a completely acceptable challenger for the title, even if there was no reason to think she was going to face Lyons at Succession. At the same time, it is great to see Choo getting to showcase herself in such a better way after the whole sleep deal. It was sad to have Choo wasting away with that nonsense, as this version is quite a good bit better.

Choo and Lyons have a staredown…and PJ Vasa beats up Karmen Petrovic in the VIP section to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Now this show was more like the Evolve style, as it was all about setting things up for Succession. That included making some matches and getting a few stories out of the way. That is the kind of show you need to have and I had a nice time watching them get ready. Good stuff here, and the likely Abrams vs. Rourke title match should be good.

Results
Gianna Capri b. Masyn Holiday – Rollup while holding the rope
Harley Riggins b. Romeo Moreno – Knee to the face
Max Abrams b. Cappuccino Jones – Main Objective
Elijah Holyfield b. Kai Kavari – Uppercut
Wendy Choo b. Sloane Jacobs – Dirt Nap

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: June 2, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re getting closer to…whatever the next big show is going to be but first we have the NXT Title being defended as Kam Hendrix challenges Tony D’Angelo. That should at least be a good match, but we also have the issue of Saquon Shuggars trying to get revenge on Darkstate for turning on him. Let’s get to it.

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

Zaria vs. Lizzy Rain

Zaria goes after her to start but gets dropkicked into the corner. Rain knees her from the apron and snaps off a hurricanrana into the corner. A kick seems to annoy Zaria, who hammers Rain down and pulls her away from the ropes for the crash. Cue Tatum Paxley to taunt Zaria but she’s able to knock Rain outside as we take a break.

We come back with Rain firing off headbutts in the corner but walking into a spear to leave them both down. Back up and Rain wins a slugout, setting up a springboard tornado DDT. Zaria’s F5 is countered so she nails a discus lariat for two. Rain shrugs off some yelling and hits a cutter, only to springboard into a suplex. The F5 gives Zaria the pin at 10:34.

Rating: C+. They kept this moving and Zaria is finally starting to get somewhere with these wins. Odds are she gets a title shot against Paxley at the Great American Bash and it’s nice to see her string together some wins to make that more realistic. Other than that you have Rain, who is still trying to find something to do.

Post match Zaria loads up another F5 but Paxley comes in to offer her a title shot next week.

Tavion Heights and Myles Borne suggest Sean Legacy and Dorian Van Dux team up. They seem somewhat interested.

Izzy Dame, in a referee top, tells the Culling to focus, as she is going to put the Women’s Title on the backburner for now.

Darkstate comes out for a match but Saquon Shuggars sneaks through the crowd and drops Cutler James with a pipe. Apparently we have a schedule change.

OTM vs. The Culling

Izzy Dame is here with the Culling, who get jumped to start fast with Spears getting elbowed in the face inside. Vance comes in to take over on Price, who avoids a charge in the corner and runs Vance over. Price gets sent outside though and we take a break. We come back with Nima suplexing Spears and getting over for the tag to Price. House is quickly cleaned, with a knee to the face getting two on Vance. The powerslam/neckbreaker combination gets two on Price, who is back up with a superkick to put Vance on the floor. The double swing into the double Angle Slam pins Spears at 9:29.

Rating: C+. It’s another perfectly nice match with the two teams getting to have some ring time. If nothing else, it was nice to see OTM actually win a match for a change. They’ve felt like they have potential to do something for a long time now but it isn’t going to matter unless they get to do this a lot more often.

EK Prosper gives Tate Wilder a pep talk but asks him to maybe let someone else have a chance. Wilder doesn’t seem interested but Kam Hendrix comes in to brag about his own success.

Jackson Drake vs. Tate Wilder

The rest of the Vanity Project is here with Drake. Wilder wrestles him down to start and works on the arm for a bit. Back up and Drake swivels his hips a bit, earning himself a Sling Blade. That’s enough to send Drake outside, with Wilder hitting a quick flip dive. We take a break and come back with Drake winning a brawl on the apron but missing a 450. The TKO connects for Wilder and he powerbombs Drake out of the corner. A UFO Splash gives Wilder two but the Project gets up for a distraction. Myra catches Wilder in a pair of powerbombs and now Drake’s 450 can connect for the pin at 8:38.

Rating: B-. I still like Wilder a bit but he’s firmly in the “getting used to this place” phase. That will pass in time and Wilder hasn’t looked bad this far. On the other hand you have Drake, who is easily the best star of the Vanity Project. The whole group is working well enough thus far and I’m curious to see where they go from here.

Robert Stone is fired up about the Great American Bash but Osiris Griffin comes in to complain about Cutler James being attacked. Jasper Troy comes in to mock Griffin but Darkstate jumps Troy and leaves him laying (with the camera being taken out as well).

We look at Lola Vice retaining the Women’s Title last week.

Here is Vice for a chat. Last week, she knocked out Izzi Dame just as she promised and now she wants to know who is next. This brings out Kelani Jordan, who brags about how she’s gone to TNA to become Knockouts Champion and became a bigger star. Some people criticized her for that, but those same people praised Vice’s success. Now all she needs is one chance but here are Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair to interrupt.

Grey brags about her own success and suggests that she’ll be coming after Jordan for her attacking Sinclair. Vice is sick of this and makes a #1 contenders match between Grey and Jordan for next week (which apparently she can just do). Grey approves and Jordan goes for the belt Vice is wearing, so Vice swings the spinning elbow…which knocks Grey silly by mistake. This all made sense and they didn’t do anything illogical, even with the champ getting to pick her potential challengers.

We preview the Mr. NXT Pageant, which should be either hilarious or stupid. Or both.

Tatum Paxley knows Shiloh Hill will win the pageant. Hill leaves and Zaria runs in to lay Paxley out.

Mason Rook comes up to Tony D’Angelo and says he should be having a title shot tonight. Robert Stone comes in to say Rook can face Naraku (who is in the background) next week.

Men’s Speed Title: Lexis King vs. Romeo Moreno

King, with Birthright, is defending and Moreno has Noam Dar. It’s also a five minute time limit for the title match. Moreno snaps off the sunset flip for an early two and la majistral gets the same. King breaks up something off the top though and gets a frustrated two. They chop it out with Moreno hitting a suplex and grabbing a Rings Of Saturn. With that broken up, Moreno hits a dive onto Birthright at ringside and gets caught in a half crab back inside. With that broken up, King knocks him out again and a Coronation retains the title at 4:34.

Rating: C+. I’m still not sure I get the appeal of Moreno, who is technically fine but there’s just nothing overly interesting about him. It’s WAY too early to write him off of course as he’s been in NXT for about 18 seconds, but I’m not seeing it so far. King is pretty much all he’s going to be right now, though being in a stable is a smart move for him.

Nattie and Jaida Parker argue in the back, with Nattie calling her soft. Parker responds by…looking sad. So yeah, kind of soft.

Keanu Carver comes up to the banged up Tate Wilder but EK Prosper stands up for Wilder.

Kendal Grey is worried about Wren Sinclair’s knee but Sinclair tells her to worry about Kelani Jordan.

Tavion Heights/Myles Borne vs. Darkstate

Borne slugs it out with Lennox to start and it’s off to Heights, who shoulders Griffin in the corner. Darkstate gets cleared out but comes back in to get knocked outside again. Lennox gets launched with a suplex on the floor and we take an early break. We come back with Borne in trouble as Lennox works on his leg.

Griffin hits a backbreaker and Lennox catapults Borne into a World’s Strongest Slam for two. Borne is back up without much trouble and brings in Heights to clean house. Everything breaks down and Lennox breaks up Heights’ spinning belly to belly. That means Heights is sent into the post, setting up a Doomsday Device to finish him off at 11:01.

Rating: B-. That’s a better finisher than anything I remember Darkstate doing otherwise and again, they were someone who needed a win. Heights losing is the best way to go as the champ shouldn’t be taking another fall. Darkstate has issues going on already though and that’s going to involve Saquon Shuggars, as it already has.

Post match Shuggars shows up for a staredown.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

NXT Title: Kam Hendrix vs. Tony D’Angelo

D’Angelo is defending and gets kicked in the face for two at the bell. A neckbreaker gets two more and Hendrix hammers away. D’Angelo is back with a chokeslam attempt to send Hendrix bailing out to the floor. Back in and D’Angelo snaps off some suplexes, with Hendrix heading outside again, only to run into an imposing Naraku.

We take a break and come back with D’Angelo fighting out of a chinlock but getting suplex slammed for two. D’Angelo Hulks Up and fights back, with a fisherman’s suplex getting two. A suplex toss gives D’Angelo two more but Hendrix kicks him in the face. Hendrix’s sitout powerbomb gets two, as does D’Angelo’s powerbomb. Hendrix goes for a chair but here is Mason Rook to cut him off. D’Angelo sends Hendrix onto the table and the spinebuster retains the title at 10:48.

Rating: B-. This got going a lot more at the end and it did pick up, with Rook not being a big factor. It felt like just a quick title defense before D’Angelo gets on to his bigger title opponents. At the same time, D’Angelo doesn’t really come off as the strongest champ and I’m not sure how long I can picture him holding the title. He feels more like a transitional champion, which very well may be the case.

Post match Naraku presents D’Angelo with the title. Naraku vs. Rook is officially a #1 contenders match.

Overall Rating: C. I wasn’t feeling this one as much as very little, including the main event for the NXT Title, felt overly important. The good thing is we now have the Great American Bash to build towards and there will be three weeks to get ready for the show. This didn’t do much to get us there and felt like they were just getting done with some stuff before we get to the important material going forward. Not a great show here, but they have time to kick it into the higher gear.

Results
Zaria b. Lizzy Rain – F5
OTM b. The Culling – Double Angle Slam to Spears
Jackson Drake b. Tate Wilder – 450
Lexis King b. Romeo Moreno – Coronation
Darkstate b. Tavion Heights/Myles Borne – Doomsday Device to Heights
Tony D’Angelo b. Kam Hendrix – Spinebuster

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