NXT
Date: May 5, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We don’t exactly have a big show coming up around here but we do have a bunch of people showing up in a hurry. Last week was one debut after another and that could make for some interesting changes. Hopefully we can find something for them to do though they’re all getting their feet wet. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Tony D’Angelo says he isn’t waiting and charges at Tavion Heights for a quickly broken up brawl.

Jaida Parker vs. Kali Armstrong

They shove each other around to start, followed by an exchange of grappling. Parker gets a chinlock before sending Armstrong outside. That means a ram to send Armstrong into the apron and then being sent back inside. A double clothesline leaves both of them down and we take a break.

We come back with Armstrong sending her into the corner and stopping for some pushups. Armstrong drives in some knees and fires off the shoulders in the corner. The mocking of the high steps just wakes Parker up though and she hits the Tear Drop in the corner. Armstrong snaps off a powerslam to cut that off and the Kali Connection (running shoulder) finishes Parker at 9:57.

Rating: C+. This was about presenting Armstrong as a threat and it worked out rather well. At the same time, it’s a bit annoying to see Parker lose again. She’s turning into the latest star who gets start and stop pushes without getting anywhere. Hopefully that isn’t the case, as she has far too much potential otherwise.

Tony D’Angelo comes in to yell at Robert Stone, saying he wants Tavion Heights tonight. Sure.

Video on Jackson Drake vs. Jasper Troy.

Birthright is not happy with what happened last week. Fit Finlay comes in to say they’re not doing well and William Regal, by phone, says he’s sent Charlie Dempsey back to the Snake Pit before they have a six man tag next week. The team sounds more ready.

We look at not Evil debuting last week. Not Evil says that was a proclamation to Tony D’Angelo and they will battle for the NXT Title. His name is Naraku and he debuts next week.

Jasper Troy vs. Jackson Drake

The rest of the Vanity Project are here with Drake. Troy fires off some shoulders in the corner to start but gets caught with a jumping enziguri. The Project offers a distraction and Drake hits a top rope Meteora and we take a break. We come back with Drake grabbing a tornado DDT but Troy nips up and gives him a chokeslam. Troy goes outside to yell at the Project though and here is Myka Lockwood to slam him on the floor. Back in and Drake’s 450 connects for the pin at 7:18.

Rating: C+. I for one am shocked that a Shawn Michaels run promotion would have a muscular female woman as a heater for a young, disrespectful team. That being said, sure why not, as it’s an idea that has worked before and it can work again. The Project needed one more person and this is better than some big silent brooding man as the enforcer.

We look back at Tristan Angel’s debut last week. Angels talks about being better than a bunch of people on the roster.

We get a Rhea Ripley Origins video.

Here is Zaria for a chat. She says it feels different around here and for the first time, there is no one holding her back in the women’s division. Now she has a clear path to the Women’s North American Title. That title is what finally woke her up but here is Tatum Paxley to interrupt. Paxley knows how the title came between Zaria and Sol Ruca but that has nothing to do with her.

Cue Lizzy Rain to say she was the talk of the town last week and it’s time to add some heavy metal to the title. Cue Nikkita Lyons, who takes credit for fans caring about Rain. Paxley will fight everyone and the brawl is on with Zaria standing tall. If Zaria is the challenger then fine, but this just made me even less interested in Rain and Lyons.

The Vanity Project meets Evolve’s Romeo Moreno, who isn’t impressed with them. Noam Dar returns and wants to fight Jackson Drake next week. Myka Lockwood shows up to scare Dar a bit but the match seems set. With the Project gone, Moreno says he is a huge Dar fan.

Kam Hendrix jumps Tony D’Angelo.

Post break Robert Stone grabs a headset and shakes up the card because D’Angelo can’t wrestle at the moment.

Mr. Iguana/Lola Vice vs. Culling

The former’s AAA Mixed Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line and it’s Izzi Dame/Niko Vance for the Culling. The men start things off, with Iguana being shoved into the ropes. The dead iguana pose has Vance confused but he picks Iguana up in a Gory Stretch. That’s broken up as Vice tags herself in, allowing Dame to come in and kick Iguana in the head. Dame hits a running shoulder in the corner but Vice chops away and grabs a springboard armdrag. Everything breaks down and the Culling are taken down with back to back seated sentons

We take a break and come back with Vance dropping a headbutt for two. A heck of a discus right hand puts Iguana down again and a tilt-a-whirl faceplant gets two. Iguana manages a tornado DDT though and the women come back in as everything breaks down again. Vice’s running hip attack in the corner gets two on Dame and a spinning kick to the head knocks her silly. Vance breaks up the count but Iguana and Vice grab stereo triangle chokes. Both of them are broken up pretty quickly and Dame’s running knee finishes Vice at 11:30.

Rating: B-. Iguana and Vice are a mostly silly team but they still feel important enough that beating them still means something. What matters is that Dame is now primed to get the next title shot and that should work. Dame is a big, strong star who can give Vice a good challenge. That’s how it should have gone and it’s a nice story to set up.

Tavion Heights still wants to fight Tony D’Angelo and Robert Stone comes in to say the match is tonight’s main event. Stone goes over to Zaria, who wants the Women’s North American Title. She’s not happy about being in a tag match next week, but Stone says that’s what she has to do if she wants a title shot.

Jaida Parker is livid about her loss. Nattie comes in to say Parker has gone soft. End of segment.

Hank & Tank vs. Darkstate

The rest of Darkstate is here with…uh, Darkstate. James elbows Hank in the face to start and it’s off to Tank to grind away on a headlock. Griffin comes in and gets caught in the wrong corner but comes right back with a delayed vertical suplex. A running bulldog out of the corner gets Tank out of trouble as everything breaks down. Darkstate knocks them down on the floor and Dion Lennox grabs a chair, which Saquon Shuggars takes away. The argument ensues and we take a break.

We come back with Tank fighting out of a chinlock but getting caught with a gutbuster. Griffin sends him back into the corner but Tank escapes a gutwrench and brings Hank in to clean house. A double tackle gets two on James, who is back with a spinning backbreaker. The Vader Bomb gets two, with Hank having to make the save. Hank is slammed on the floor and the diving Tank is pulled out of the air for the same result. Back in and an assisted spinning powerbomb finishes Hank at 12:00.

Rating: B-. Oddly enough this wound up being a pretty hot match, with Darkstate finally getting a win to stop their losing streak for the time being. The fact that Lennox wasn’t involved with the result isn’t the best sign for his future, but the team needed to be shaken up. Hank & Tank continue to exist and that’s about as much as I can think of them most of the time.

Kelani Jordan mocks Lola Vice and says she’s coming for the title too. Kendal Grey comes in to say she’s coming after Jordan, who isn’t worried.

Commentary…has tech issues and we can’t hear anything they say. A production worker comes in to try to fix it and we go to a video instead.

New correspondent Emily Agard gets to meet Keanu Carver on her first assignment. He doesn’t want to talk so they put the camera down…which films them anyway. Carver says he’s here to get paid and comments don’t help him take care of people counting on him. He’s told Robert Stone to give him a chance or cut him. Carver knows they’re still filming him so she can ask one last question on the record.

Agard asks about Carver knowing the symbol of war given to Tony D’Angelo last week. Carver says he played college football…but he paid attention in class too. Carver: “The thing about me that y’all don’t know is that I’m smart as s*** for real.” Well that’s a different way to present someone. I like it though, as Carver has been presented as this big brute but having a brain with that kind of force is interesting.

Hey the audio is better.

Backlash rundown.

Shiloh Hill is walking around in the dark and he’s happy about beating Ricky Saints last week. He also finds Tristan Angels to be a bit ridiculous and hopes he’s allergic to sheep.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Tavion Heights vs. Tony D’Angelo

Non-title. Heights wrestles him down to start and they trade waistlocks. A fireman’s carry faceplant drops D’Angelo and he realizes the amateur stuff isn’t going to work here. Instead D’Angelo hits a John Cena Throwback for two but gets driven into the corner for a beating. Heights throws him down with a suplex but D’Angelo is up for a shove off the top as we take a break.

We come back with D’Angelo fighting out of a chinlock, only for Heights to gutwrench suplex him for two. A pretty impressive top rope splash gives Heights two…and makes D’Angelo Hulk Up. Some German suplexes put Heights down but his capture suplex gets two more. Forget About It gives D’Angelo two of his own and they forearm it out. A spear drops puts Heights down again but he’s back up with his spinning belly to belly. Cue Kam Hendrix for a distraction so Heights beats him up, with Myles Borne running in to give Hendrix a running flip dive. They brawl off and D’Angelo chokeslams Heights for the pin at 10:22.

Rating: B-. They got rolling near the end here and were trading one big shot after another. The Hendrix and Bourne stuff didn’t really help, but D’Angelo gets to beat someone on the way to his next big challenger. That could be a few people, though Naraku seems likely. Heights still feels like he has potential, but this came off more as him just being someone for D’Angelo to beat.

Post match respect is shown but the big guy from last week runs in again and lays them both out. He introduces himself as Mason Rook and says he has arrived.

Overall Rating: B. This was the follow up to last week’s show with all of the people debuting and this week seemed to be more about them pairing off and getting settled into their new spots. That’s good to see and it’s something that has to happen around here, as it’s the nature of NXT. The wrestling was more good than bad and the show accomplished enough so I’ll call it a good show.

Results
Kali Armstrong b. Jaida Parker – Kali Connection
Jackson Drake b. Jasper Troy – 450
Culling b. Mr. Iguana/Lola Vice – Running knee to Vice
Darkstate b. Hank & Tank – Assisted spinning powerbomb to Hank
Tony D’Angelo b. Tavion Heights – Chokeslam

 

 

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

We’re in a big period of transition around here as a bunch of stars have either been released or promoted up to the main roster. That’s going to require a lot of switching around and there is a chance that some stars will be moved over to NXT on a regular basis. Either way, they’re going to need the help so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a Revenge recap, featuring a bunch of stars who are now gone.

The bosses (Shawn Michaels, Robert Stone and Matt Bloom) go over the stars who have left, with Stone saying we need some fresh names involved. Michaels says this is what NXT does and Stone is told he can take his time and pick someone….or throw a stick of dynamite in the locker room and see what happens. Stone gets the idea.

North American Title: Saquon Shugars vs. Myles Borne

Shugars, with the rest of Darkstate, is challenging. We get the Big Match Intros and Shugars sends him into the corner. Borne is back up with a release suplex and Shugars bails to the floor, where Borne hits a big running flip dive. Back in and they fight over a backslide, with Shugars flipping him over onto the top rope. Borne gets pulled throat first into the turnbuckle (which has been exposed), followed by a dropkick through the ropes.

We take a break and come back with Shugars dropping a leg and grabbing a chinlock. That’s broken up and Shugars kicks him in the back before taking him up top. The belly to back superplex is reversed into a crossbody to give Borne two and they get back up. Borne gets two off a backslide, plus an Eye Of The Hurricane for the same. Darkstate gets on the apron so Lennox grabs a chair, but Shugars waves him off, saying he wants to win. Borne sends them into each other and a slingshot Borne Again retains the title at 10:02.

Rating: B-. Darkstate’s days seem to be numbered and that’s a good thing, as there doesn’t seem to be much to them these days. Shugars got to have a good match here before dealing with the Borne stuff in the end. At the same time, Borne gets to beat Darkstate in back to back weeks, which is a nice way to make him look like a star.

Post match Borne celebrates but Tristan Angels (from Evolve) pops up in the crowd to say he’ll be around more often. Cue Kam Hendrix (also from Evolve) to jump Borne and lay him out.

Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair are in the back, talking about all of the incoming talents. Kelani Jordan come in to say she’s not impressed and gets mocked for her recent losses. Jordan says Grey is going to turn on Sinclair, with Sinclair issuing the challenge for tonight.

Video on Tony D’Angelo.

Here is Tony D’Angelo for a chat. He says he has been the constant around here and no one on the roster is touch enough to take the title from him. That includes whomever sent him that box last week. You have people from all over jumping stars, Europeans stepping up and Keanu Carver staring him down. He knows the box was a warning…and the lights go out.

It’s…a guy in a rather big robe with his face covered. He gets in the ring and the fans seem to think he’s (very nice, very) EVIL. The man hands him a rolled up something (appears to be a shirt) and unmasks as Evil (the former IWGP World Champion, rumored to have signed with WWE). D’Angelo unwraps the shirt, which has the same symbol as the box from last week. The unnamed Evil leaves and cue Tavion Heights to suplex D’Angelo. An unnamed (looked to be Progress’ Will Kroos) man runs in to moonsault D’Angelo.

Shiloh Hill and Tatum Paxley bury Blake Monroe, apparently ignoring that she’s due to debut on Smackdown? Paxley talks about her issues with attachments and Hill says he’s set up a simulation to find out how Ricky Saints does his moves. They seem to get along well, but he needs to go get ready. She’s going to enjoy the scenery. In the graveyard.

Here is Birthright, who show a clip of the team attacking Dorian Van Dux. Apparently he can’t be in their scheduled match, so here is EK Prosper (Van Dux’s partner) to run in on his own. That earns him a beatdown but Sean Legacy runs in for the save.

Birthright vs. Sean Legacy/EK Prosper

They start fast with Legacy kicking Connors in the back for two and it’s off to Prosper for a double dropkick. A cheap shot knocks Prosper to the floor though and Birthright hit dives as we take a break. We come back with Legacy fighting out of trouble and hitting a reverse implant sitout DDT. It’s back to Prosper as everything breaks down. Connors hits a Swanton but it’s Legacy coming back in to hit Shambles for the pin at 9:24.

Rating: B-. Another nice match here, with Legacy actually managing to get a pin for a change. I’m hoping Van Dux isn’t seriously hurt though, as I was digging what I had seen from him thus far. The same is true for Prosper, who is quite the athlete, though I’m not overly sold on Legacy. As for Birthright…well you pretty much know what you’re getting with them.

Post match the beatdown is on again but Evolve’s Tate Wilder (he’s a cowboy) runs in for the save. Wilder tries a shooting star off the apron but lands on his feet and has to settle for a double clothesline.

Jaida Parker and a bunch of the other women talk about the incoming women when Kali Armstrong comes in to say they’re all scared. She’s the difference maker around here and if that starts with Parker, so be it. Parker is not taking that sitting down and they’re held apart.

Shawn Michaels announces that the NXT Premium Live Events will be airing on the CW, starting this summer.

We look at Izzi Dame taking out Lola Vice last week.

Robert Stone welcomes Tate Wilder to NXT. Lola Vice pops in to say she’s going to call out Izzi dame.

Here is Vice in the ring and she gets straight to the point by calling out Izzi Dame. Shawn Spears pops up on the screen for a distraction as the Culling appears behind Vice. She says they got her…and Mr. Iguana (her partner in AAA) pops up for the save.

Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox are arguing again but are calmed down with talk of getting the Tag Team Titles.

Lizzy Rain vs. Nikkita Lyons

Rain is here to make sure that heavy metal never dies. Before the match, Lyons says Rain is too loud so it’s time to quiet her down. Lyons shoves her down to start but Rain is back up with a springboard elbow. Back up and Lyons kicks her in the head, followed by some forearms. The splits splash connects and Lyons grabs a cobra clutch. Rain fights up and makes the clothesline comeback, followed by a cutter. Lyons is sent into the corner for the chops (fans: “MAKE IT RAIN!”) and a pop up kick to the head (Thunderstruck) finishes for Rain at 4:20.

Rating: C. Oh…yeah I’m not sure about Rain. Thunderstruck is a great name for a finisher but the whole Heavy Metal thing feels like a weird blast from the past and not in a good way. Maybe she’ll have it tweaked a bit, but this wasn’t the best debut. Then again it’s not like Lyons has anything going for her either.

Tavion Heights comes up to Myles Borne, who wants to know what was up with Heights attacking Tony D’Angelo. That’s not the Heights he knows, but Heights asks how it’s different than Borne attacking Ethan Page. Borne backs off a bit and talks about the stars who are coming in. Heights says you can add his name to the dangerous ones. Heights leaves and Keanu Carver comes in to say there are a lot of sharks around here, but he’s the Great White.

The Vanity Project talk about how things are changing around here and Jackson Drake says he feels like he’s on top of the world thanks to Micah (the woman he met last week). Jasper Troy isn’t impressed and wants a match next week.

Wren Sinclair vs. Kelani Jordan

Non-title and Kendal Grey is here with Sinclair. They go to the mat to start with Sinclair grabbing an early leglock. Jordan has to nip her way out of a headscissors, only to get pulled into a headlock. Back up and Sinclair runs her over again, with Jordan heading into the corner. Sinclair misses a charge and gets tied in the ropes, where she avoids a springboard legdrop. Sinclair’s dropkick off the apron connects but Sinclair comes up favoring her knee.

We take a break and come back with Jordan working on the bad leg but Sinclair rolls her up for two. Sinclair fires off some rather loud chops and another rollup gets another two. Jordan is sent to the apron, where she comes back with a spinning springboard cutter. A frog splash hits raised knees though and the Final Wrench goes on, only for Sinclair’s knee to give out. Jordan puts her down and hits One Of A Kind for the pin at 10:58.

Rating: B-. This was a pretty standard story and it worked well, with Jordan working on Sinclair’s bad knee to set up her usual stuff for the ending. Sinclair was doing everything she needed to in there and it made for a good match. Jordan isn’t the most interesting star, but she’s a heck of an athlete and has the in-ring side of things well in hand.

Video on Zaria, who has ended Sol Ruca once and for all. Now she is ready to destroy everything in her way.

Video on Ricky Saints vs. Shiloh Hill.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Shiloh Hill vs. Ricky Saints

Saints jumps him from behind to start and chokes in the corner, followed by some stomping as well. Hill ducks an enziguri though and drapes him over the top to hammer away. Saints 619s him from the apron and Hill bails underneath the ring. He gets pulled out by the boot…and it’s a dummy, allowing Hill to get in a flip dive off the steps. Hill dances with the dummy (who wears a hockey mask) and we take a break.

We come back with Saints hitting a tornado DDT for two and mocking Hill. Back up and another tornado DDT is countered into a tilt-a-whirl slam but Saints pulls him into a choke. With that broken up, Saints spears him down for two and it’s time to slug it out. Hill gets the better of things and goes up but Saints kicks the referee into the ropes for the crotching.

Something like a super Jackhammer gives Saints two so he slaps the tooth out of Hill’s mouth. That just wakes Hill up so he crotches Saints down to break up the dancing Old School. Saints is knocked to the floor, where he hits a Roshambo…and goes after a chair. The referee takes that away and Hill sends him into the chair. Whisper To The Beast finishes for Hill at 12:05.

Rating: B. That’s easily the biggest win of Hill’s career and it might be the kind of step up to the next level. I’m not sure he’s ready to be a main eventer, but at least he got a win over a former NXT Champion. That’s what they need around here and it’s certainly better than nothing. Sure Saints has already been announced for Smackdown but still.

Post match Hill, with the dummy, celebrates in the crowd.

Tony D’Angelo goes to see the bosses and says he loves the chaos. Shawn Michaels says it’s time for him to prove it. Hill: “LET’S F****** GO!” I was expecting a big debut to end the show but this week was already packed.

Overall Rating: C+. Oh boy this was something else. They had A LOT of rebuilding to do and in this case they seemed to want to do it all in one night. That only works so well, but they seemed to be going with the theory of “get people on the show so fast and figure the rest out later”. That’s certainly an idea, but it’s only so interesting of a way to go for two hours. We’re absolutely resetting things around here again and as Michaels said, that’s kind of how this place works. We just need to see where it goes from here, though it was quite the all over the place start.

Results
Myles Borne b. Saquon Shugars – Slingshot Borne Again
Sean Legacy/EK Prosper b. Birthright – Shambles to Stacks
Lizzy Rain b. Nikkita Lyons – Thunderstruck
Kelani Jordan b. Wren Sinclair – One Of A Kind
Shiloh Hill b. Ricky Saints – Whisper To The Beast

 

 

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