AAA On FOX – January 17, 2026 (Debut Episode): Now That’s Better (Contains Full Show)

AAA On FOX
Date: January 17, 2026
Location: Gimnasio Olimpico Juan de la Barrera, Mexico City, Mexico
Commentators: Corey Graves, John Bradshaw Layfield, Rey Mysterio

No not that FOX. Well kind of, but the one for Latin America. This is a big deal for AAA, and WWE as a result, so the show is being streamed on WWE’s YouTube channel. The main event features El Grande Americano vs. El Hijo del Vikingo for a future Mega Title shot. I’m sure we’ll have some surprises as well so let’s get to it.

Please note that my Spanish is limited at best so I apologize in advance for not understanding some of the promos.

We start with some rather enthusiastic fans outside. Nothing wrong with that.

Here is Rey Mysterio to get things going, which is always going to work. Mysterio welcomes us to the show and talks about it being a new era on Fox. I believe he thanks the Pena family (former owners) for giving him his start here and this is his home. Now that AAA is on Fox, millions of people will get to see what lucha libre means to the wrestlers, as it is part of their culture.

He mentions that the main event is for the title shot against his son Dominik, and the fans are NOT pleased. Granted they’re even less pleased with El Hijo del Vikingo, but they do seem to like El Grande Americano. Mysterio heads outside and greets some fans before joining commentary.

La Parka/Mr. Iguana/Nino Hamburguesa vs. Los Vipers

Hamburguesa and Taurus slug it out to start with Hamburguesa dropping him with a clothesline. The running seated senton crushes Taurus but Hysteria trips Hamburguesa from the floor. Negro comes in with something like a dropkick version of What’s Up but the rather large Hamburguesa blocks the double superplex.

Instead it’s a double middle rope splash, allowing the tag off to Parka. House is cleaned and the Thriller connects, with Hysteria making the save. Iguana comes in for a very spinning headlock takeover to drop Negro as everything breaks down. Hamburguesa hits a big dive to the floor and a spinning faceplant gives Iguana the pin on Taurus at 4:35.

Rating: C+. This is a simple, easy to understand match as a trio of fun guys come together to beat three villains. It might not have been a great match or anything close to it, but they had fun and got the crowd going. That’s all this needed to be, as it’s basically a little taste of what you’ll get here to bring the new audience along.

Penta El Cero Miedo is in the back and talks about how he was here fifteen years ago and he was the Rey de Reyes. I believe he says he’ll be watching the main event.

Flammer vs. Lady Shani

Flammer’s Reina de Reinas title isn’t on the line and the rest of Las Toxicas are here with her. Shani rolls her up to start but Flammer is back with a double stomp to the ribs. Flammer hits a basement dropkick for two but Shani is back with a kick to the head. A tumbleweed (eventually) rolls Flammer around for two as Lola Vice comes out to brawl with La Hiedra, leaving Lady Maravilla to trip Shani. Flammer’s running dropkick in the corner is enough for the pin at 3:33.

Rating: C. This was another “here’s what you’ll get around here”, albeit with a bit more storyline involvement. They had some stuff here based on stories that had been going for awhile and that made it a bit more complicated. Featuring a long running champion makes sense, though why not make it a title match to add a bit of spice to the show?

El Hijo del Vikingo doesn’t seem to care about the fans and isn’t worried about the main event. He does however seem rather cocky.

Here is Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. for a chat. He talks about the importance of the Latin American Title and how much he wants to make lucha libre better. Apparently he’s throwing out a challenge and here is a man in a purple mask to drop Wagner and pick up the title. The purple mask comes off and it’s….Santos Escobar.

Dominik Mysterio says the celebrities aren’t the reason AAA is so hot right now, because it’s all about him. He beat John Cena, which his father never could do, and he’ll be the king of luchadors.

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. El Grande Americano

For a future Mega Title shot and Dorian Roldan is here with Vikingo. Rey is impressed by Americano, having “been a babyface all my life.” Americano works on the arm to start but Vikingo goes after the eye to get out. Some shots to the head keep Americano down until he slugs right back. Roldan offers a distraction though and Vikingo stomps away in the corner but American powers out with a suplex.

Another distraction lets Vikingo dropkick him out to the floor and Americano gets sent into the steps. Vikingo hits a 450 back inside, which seems to wake Americano up for some reason. Americano fights back and hits a middle rope clothesline, followed by a modified camel clutch. Roldan offers another distraction but this time Americano drops Vikingo.

Americano loads up the disc but throws it away, instead opting to throw on the camel clutch again. With that broken up, Americano puts him on top but Roldan grabs the leg to block a superplex. Roldan is ejected, leaving American to go after the disc on the floor. Cue Omos to cut him off though, allowing Vikingo to hit a dive. Back in and the 630 finishes Americano at 13:46.

Rating: B. This felt like a bigger match, with Omos making everything feel more important. The idea of having Vikingo as part of a big heel stable works well, as the fans absolutely cannot stand him. Just go with what is working and the rest should figure itself out, which might be where we’re going from here.

Post match Americano decks Vikingo but gets taken out by Omos. Rey Mysterio gets in with a kendo stick and the villains bail to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This show might not have been some instant classic, but it did a good job of giving the fans a taste of what you’ll get around here. You had a fun opener, a women’s match and a main event to set up a future title match. Throw in some WWE names for the star power and this was a good way to get the fans into things. It’s not a must see show, but it did what it needed to do and I’d call that a success.

Results
La Parka/Mr. Iguana/Nino Hamburguesa b. Los Vipers – Spinning faceplant to Taurus
Flammer b. Lady Shani – Running corner dropkick
El Hijo del Vikingo b. El Grande Americano – 630

 

 

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 – January 13, 2026: The From Scratch Show

NXT
Date: January 13, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

And then everything changed. The big story of the first show of the year is all of the callups, which have left a bunch of open spots on the NXT roster. Those are likely going to be filled by Evolve stars, meaning things are going to be changing around here. This includes Oba Femi vacating the NXT Title and that is going to have to be addressed. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a New Year’s Evil recap.

NXT, Ava, NXT Championship, Keanu Carver, Ricky Saints

IMG Credit: WWE

Ava is in the ring with the NXT Title and the roster around the ring. She says there is no better moment than right now but here is Ricky Saints to interrupt. Saints takes credit for running a lot of people around NXT but sees some future champions around the ring. He’s ready to get the championship right now…though that isn’t happening. Instead, it’s going to be a six way ladder match on February 3 for the title. Well happy birthday to me. Qualifying matches start next week and the brawl is on, with Evolve’s Keanu Carver coming in to wreck people, including tossing them around.

Post break Ava is on the phone with someone, who will be here tonight. Someone who looks like Tony D’Angelo walks behind her as Robert Stone says Blake Monroe has something to say tonight.

Kelani Jordan vs. Lola Vice

Jordan dropkicks her off the apron before the bell but gets knocked out of the air back inside. They slug it out on the mat as the bell rings with Jordan rolling her up for two. Vice is back up with knees to the ribs and pulls her into something like a triangle choke, which is broken with a grab of the arm. They head outside with Vice being kicked into the announcers’ table and we take a break.

We come back with Vice winning a strike out but Jordan rolls outside before the hip attack can connect in the corner. Jordan kicks her down and gets two off a frog splash but One Of A Kind is countered into a triangle choke. A spinning Angle Slam drops Vice again and Jordan rolls her up. The referee catches the hand on the ropes (not so much the one on the tights), allowing Vice to hit the spinning backfist for the pin at 11:16.

Rating: C+. These two are suddenly some of the more established names in the division and it felt like a big enough deal to have them facing off. Either one of them winning was fine, though Vice is the one who shouldn’t be losing again. Jordan needs something else to do, even if she’s fitting into the heel role rather well.

Tavion Heights is ready to win the Speed Title, but Jasper Troy disagrees.

NXT, WWE, Tavion Heights, Jasper Troy, Speed Title

IMG Credit: WWE

Speed Title: Tavion Heights vs. Jasper Troy

Troy is defending and shrugs off Heights’ wrestling attempts to start. Some splashes have Heights rolling outside about a minute in and Troy gets to hammer away back inside. Heights fights out of a seated abdominal stretch and grabs a suplex for two. The comeback has Troy staggered but he grabs a Black Hole Slam for the retaining pin at 4:09.

Rating: C. As usual, there is only so much to see in a Speed Title match, though at least they’re letting Troy get a few wins. He hasn’t been around long enough to reach that level yet so this is what he needs to do. Keeping the matches short is smart too, though it would be nice to not see Heights loose so often.

Post match Lexis King runs in to lay Heights out.

Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey get in an argument with Sol Ruca and Zaria over who should face Jacy Jayne next. The four of them go into Ava’s office, where Fatal Influence is waiting. Ava has talked to Santino Marella, and an NXT team is getting a Knockouts Tag Team Title shot. Next week, it’s a triple threat #1 contenders match. Arguing ensues.

Lexis King talks to Chase U, who says that was a teachable moment in what not to do. Stacks comes in to praise King, with Chase U leaving.

Myles Borne really wants one of the qualifying matches for the ladder match and Robert Stone will talk to Ava for him.

Video on Elio LeFleur, the French luchador, who is coming soon.

Ethan Page asks Ava about the NXT Title qualifying match but she says he’s not in one. She’ll change her mind but it would cost him the North American Title. Page brags about his success, with Ava agreeing….before saying he’s defending against Elio LeFleur next week.

Here is Blake Monroe for a chat. Last week, she was ready to get the Women’s North American Title back but instead, she attacked Thea Hail. Everything was changed like she was the problem, but the reality is that someone as talented as she is always gets the narrative changed.

No one compares to her and everything she does has everyone in a frenzy. There are all kinds of stars…and Jaida Parker is back to interrupt. The fans go absolutely nuts for her and the brawl is on in a hurry. Parker sends her into the corner, high steps a bit, and Hipnotiques her to the floor. Parker continues to have all of the potential imaginable.

Shiloh Hill talks about bringing a bunch of flying squirrels into his house. Oh and he wants the TNA International Title.

Video on Darkstate, who brag about their dominance and insist that no one is safe. Does that include Darkstate? Would they beat themselves up? They might want to clarify that.

TNA International Title: Stacks vs. Shiloh Hill

Stacks, with Arianna Grace, is defending. Hill jumps him to start but gets sent into the corner but Stacks fights back. Stacks misses a charge into the corner and the armbar goes on. An elbow sends Stacks outside, where Grace saves him from being sent into the barricade. Hill hits the flipping dive off the apron and we take a break.

We come back with Stacks running him over for two more but Hill pulls him into a tilt-a-whirl for a double down. Hill takes the tooth out and it’s time to start the real comeback. A release butterfly slam gives Hill two more but Stacks is back with a fireman’s carry gutbuster for the same. Hill is back up and goes outside to put his arm around Grace ala Shawn Michaels. Back in and Hill grabs a small package but Grace kicks it over to give Stacks the pin at 10:36.

Rating: B-. I wasn’t expecting much coming into this but it worked rather well. It was nice to see Stacks getting to do something, though I’m not wild on what he does in the ring. At the same time, having another midcard title around here doesn’t do much good and hopefully it winds up back in TNA sooner than later.

NXT, WWE, Izzi Dame, The Culling, Tatum Paxley

IMG Credit: WWE

Here is Izzi Dame, with the Culling, for a chat. She welcomes us to the new reality of the division but she won’t give us the same tired story about stumbling into success. This was all calculation and outsmarting everyone else. What did you think she was going to do with that loss last week?

The Culling has always been about getting rid of the worst and that is what she did. We hear about some people coming for the title but Dame isn’t interested in any of them. If you come for the title, you’re walking into a trap…and here is Tatum Paxley for the brawl, with Dame running.

Ricky Saints has cooled off and is already in the ladder match and doesn’t even have to win a qualifying match. He mentions Shiloh Hill getting a qualifying match, which doesn’t sit well with Stacks. Lexis King comes up to Stacks and says they should talk.

Tatum Paxley has been ejected from the building.

The Vanity Project is officially part of the NXT roster and they’re ready to win.

Keanu Carver doesn’t want to talk.

NXT, WWE, Joe Hendry, Dion Lennox, Darkstate

IMG Credit: WWE

Joe Hendry vs. Dion Lennox

Anything goes and OTM/Darkstate are here too. They fight over a lockup to start with Hendry getting the better of things and sending Lennox outside. Lennox fights back and gets two off a backbreaker, meaning he can go up. Hendry is right there with a superplex to bring him back down and we take a break.

We come back with Hendry fighting out of a chinlock but getting sent into the corner a few times. Saquon Shugars puts a chair in the corner so of course Lennox goes into it instead. OTM throws Hendry some brass knuckles for a right hand and a near fall so Darkstate throws in a kendo stick. Lennox beats on Hendry, who gets the stick for a beating of his own. The Standing Ovation gets two, with Darkstate making the save.

OTM and the rest of Darkstate get into it and they all brawl to the back. That means a table can be set up in the corner, while Lennox spinebusters Hendry onto a chair. Hendry shrugs it off and hits a Standing Ovation for two of his own. A spear sends Hendry through the table in the corner…and Tony D’Angelo cuts off Lennox’s chair shot. D’Angelo lays out Lennox and then does the same to Hendry, though he lays Hendry on top for the win at 13:20.

Rating: B-. Well, it certainly wasn’t boring and I’m curious about what they’re going to do with D’Angelo. Granted I’m also scared that they’re going to screw him up, but I’ll take the interest over nothing. Lennox still doesn’t quite feel like a main event star, but at least he’s getting some time in prominent spots.

Post match Ava sends security in so D’Angelo beats them up to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. It’s an understatement to say that we’re in a transitional period around here and that is going to be the case for a good while. With so many people moving here and there, you’re going to see a lot of changes taking place. That’s going to make things tricky, but it’s the kind of thing that has to happen in a place designed to help people get out of here. I’m curious to see what happens, though more than a bit worried about there it might be going.

Results
Lola Vice b. Kelani Jordan – Spinning backfist
Jasper Troy b. Tavion Heights – Black Hole Slam
Stacks b. Shiloh Hill – Small package
Joe Hendry b. Dion Lennox – Spinebuster

 

 

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 – January 6, 2026 (New Year’s Evil): It Had To Happen Eventually

NXT
Date: January 6, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s New Year’s Evil and we’ve got a bunch of title matches this week. The (likely) main event will see Oba Femi defending the NXT Title against Leon Slater. Other than that, Evolve Women’s Champion is challenging Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women’s Title and Thea Hail is defending the Women’s North American Title against former champion Blake Monroe. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the highs and lows of 2025. This switches into a preview of tonight’s start to the year.

NXT, New Year's Revolution, Thea Hail, Blake Monroe

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s North American Title: Blake Monroe vs. Thea Hail

Hail is defending but Monroe jumps her from behind before the bell. The beating is on, with Hail going through the barricade, and referees break it up. No match at the moment.

With that being settled, here is Ricky Saints for a chat. Saints says he really needed NXT last year but now NXT really needs him. He’s the reason Je’Von Evans and Trick Williams picked free agency, because they know they can’t hang with him anymore. He knows how this ends and he hasn’t been wrong for twenty years so he isn’t starting now. Tonight’s main event is for the NXT Title and he wants the winner, especially if it’s Oba Femi, because they’re 1-1. In case you needed a reminder, that is absolute.

Ava is panicking in the back and throws us to the package on Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame. They were friends and Paxley had success, but Dame didn’t like that she stopped listening, meaning it was time for a fight.

Post break, Ava yells at Blake Monroe, who is willing to accept a fine and then get her title shot. Ava throws her out instead. I’m curious if Monroe will ever be back.

NXT, New Year's Revolution, Tatum Paxley, Culling, Izzi Dame

IMG Credit: WWE

Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame

Dame powers her into the corner and fires off forearms to start fast. Something like a half crab in the corner gets Paxley out of trouble and a big slap drops Dame again. A running flipping ax kick in the ropes connects but Dame forearms her right back down. We take a break and come back with Dame hitting some backbreakers for two and grabbing a Liontamer.

That’s broken up so Dame goes up top, where Paxley grabs a super Spanish Fly to leave both of them down. Paxley snaps off a German suplex but gets kicked in the face. A doctor bomb gets two but Dame has to break out of the Cemetery Drive. Dame spears her through the ropes, only for Paxley to come back with a kick to the head. A 450 knocks Dame sillier and the Cemetery Drive gives Paxley the pin at 11:37.

Rating: B-. That’s a big win for Paxley, as she beat Dame clean and in theory wins the feud. That comes after Paxley already won the Women’s Title, which is quite the promotion for her. It’s nice to see the hero win like this for a change and the fans certainly like Paxley, so nice job here.

Elio LeFleur (a masked French wrestler, better known as Aigle Blanc on the independent scene) is coming and describes himself as the French luchador. I’ve heard worse ideas.

Thea Hail is told her title match is going to be pushed back but she wants Blake Monroe tonight. Ava tells her about the ejection so Hail says it’s open challenge time. That sounds dumb.

Women’s Title: Kendal Grey vs. Jacy Jayne

Only Jayne is defending (as Grey’s Evolve Women’s Title isn’t on the line) and Wren Sinclair and the rest of Fatal Influence are here too. Grey takes her down by the arm to start but the attempt at a cross armbreaker sends Jayne over to the ropes. A dropkick sends Jayne outside and Grey hits a big moonsault. Jayne sends her into the barricade though and adds a running cannonball as we take a break.

We come back with Jayne hitting a basement superkick and grabbing a cravate. That’s broken up and Grey hits a spinning middle rope crossbody for two, followed by stereo crossbodies to leave both of them down. Grey makes the comeback and takes the straps down, setting up a DDT out of the corner for two.

Jayne catches her on top though and a hanging swinging neckbreaker gives her two of her own. A big boot cuts off some German suplexes to give Jayne two more but Grey grabs the cross armbreaker. That brings in Fatal Influence for the distraction, with Sinclair getting knocked off the apron. Another armbreaker attempt is blocked but Fallon Henley blocks something like Oblivion. The Rolling Encore retains the title at 12:36.

Rating: B. This match told a nice story as Grey was clearly able to beat Jayne but couldn’t overcome the numbers game. That’s a nice way to keep Grey safe, and that is something that they should definitely do. Grey is pretty clearly going to be something around here, and beyond, so keeping her protected like this is a smart idea. Also, while Jayne might not be the greatest in-ring star ever, she can more than hold her own out there and deserves praise.

Ethan Page annoys Ava by bragging about his North American Title reign and goes to continue bragging in the ring. First though, he brings in the Vanity Project, much to her annoyance. Off-screen chattering ensues.

Women’s North American Title: Thea Hail vs. ???

A banged up Hail is defending and says the first woman in the ring gets a shot. The locker room comes out, with Tatum Paxley clearing the way with a chainsaw (fair). As that’s being put down though, Izzi Dame runs in from behind and boots Hail in the face so the bell can ring. A flapjack drops Hail for two but she gets the same off a rollup. Dame’s powerslam gets two and we take a break.

We come back with Dame stomping away but Hail manages a desperation DDT. The springboard backsplash misses though and Dame kicks her down again. Dame Over is blocked but Hail can’t get the Kimura. She can however exploder her out of the corner and out to the floor, where Dame cuts off a dive and plants her hard. Back in and Hail catches her on top, where Dame hits a super Dame Over for the pin and the title at 10:02.

Rating: C+. Well, the short title reign isn’t shocking as it was never supposed to happen in the first place. I do like that they went in another direction rather than having Monroe get the title back, as it should also set up something else between Dame and Paxley. That might not be necessary, but Dame stealing the title was a nice touch.

Post match the Culling celebrates with the new champion, as you might expect.

The Vanity Project hit on Lola Vice but Hank & Tank cut them off. With the Project gone, Vice says she’s going to beat up Izzi Dame and Kelani Jordan. Cue Jordan and the fight is on/quickly broken up.

Joe Hendry comes in to see Ava and requests a No DQ match with Dion Lennox next week. Oh and he’ll find some people to help deal with Darkstate. The last bit is enough for Ava to agree.

Here is Ethan Page for a chat. Last week he became a big game hunter by bagging a Moose. The main event is coming up but make no mistake: the North American Title is the real title in NXT and WWE. He has defended the title against everyone from around the world and that makes him an international icon.

Cue Jasper Troy to interrupt (Page looks confused) and say that he’s the dominant force around here. Before he can finish though, cue Josh Briggs to interrupt, with Troy getting in his last line over Briggs’ music, which really doesn’t work. Briggs calls Page delusional, just like the fans. Page doesn’t like being compared to THEM but here are Stacks and Arianna Grace to interrupt.

Stacks doesn’t like Page calling himself the International Icon when Stacks is already the TNA International Champion. Cue Shiloh Hill, who is facing Stacks for the title next week. Tavion Heights comes out to say this is missing him, so he’s challenging Troy for the Speed Title next week. The big brawl is on, with Hill dipping Grace back…but his tooth falls out. To call this a mess would be insulting to other messes.

Joe Hendry recruits OTM to help him against Darkstate next week. The tease of a possible Tag Team Title shot gets them in.

Fatal Influence runs into Sol Ruca and Zaria, who won awards but don’t have any titles. Ruca and Zaria aren’t impressed.

Ethan Page runs into Myles Borne and Tate Wilder (a cowboy from Evolve). Page isn’t sure why Borne wasn’t out there but Borne says that wasn’t his business. That doesn’t work for Page, who yells at both of them and leaves. Wilder tells Borne to not let this bother him but Borne says it’s too late.

NXT, TNA, Leon Slater, Oba Femi, New Year's Revolution

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT Title: Oba Femi vs. Leon Slater

Femi is defending (Slater’s TNA X-Division Title is not on the line). They circle each other to start, with Slater’s waistlock not working in the slightest. Femi works on the arm instead and chops him down, setting up an early chinlock. Back up and Slater handsprings into a backbreaker, allowing Femi to throw him outside as we take a break.

We come back with Slater hitting a Codebreaker for a needed breather. Femi is knocked outside, where he chops a standing Slater on the apron for quite the loud impact. A running knee hits the post though and Slater sends him knees first into the steps in a smart move. Back in and a high crossbody gives Slater two but Femi’s chokeslam gets the same.

Slater gets in a running knee though and manages a slam for two. An enziguri sends Femi outside and there’s the big running flip dive over the post. The Swanton 450 (which was overlaunched anyway) hits raised knees to give Femi two more but Slater superkicks him. Femi is right back to catch him with the Fall From Grace to retain at 11:10.

Rating: B+. This was a case of Slater having one of the biggest chances of his career and going for it with everything he had. Slater is someone who can do some great things in the ring and will absolutely be on WWE’s radar. At the same time, Femi is quite the monster force and got to win a good main event here. That being said, he’s on his way to the main roster and the title reign is going to have to end sooner or later.

Ava tells the Evolve locker room that there are a lot of spots available at the moment, as Je’Von Evans, Jordynne Grace, Trick Williams and Lash Legend have all moved up. Robert Stone runs in to ask if we saw what Oba Femi just did.

We cut back to the ring, where the title is sat on the mat with Femi gone (and Tony D’Angelo looking on from the crowd). So I guess that’s how they get the title off of him. Smart move.

Overall Rating: B. They were in a VERY tough spot with this show, as so much of the roster is going away all at once. There are at least four people signed up to the main roster, with Femi and Monroe looking likely. That leaves a bunch of changes that need to be made and this show did what it could to make that happen.

NXT’s cupboard isn’t bare, but this felt like a season finale when a lot of the main cast had left. Hopefully they have some fresh ideas for some new names as they’re certainly going to be needed. Call ups are what NXT is designed to do, but they have their work cut out for them. They did well here, but the hard part is just beginning.

Results
Tatum Paxley b. Izzi Dame – Cemetery Drive
Jacy Jayne b. Kendal Grey – Rolling Encore
Izzi Dame b. Thea Hail – Super Dame Over
Oba Femi b. Leon Slater – Fall From Grace

 

 

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 – December 23, 2025: The Show Before The Shows

NXT
Date: December 23, 2025
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re taped for one of the last shows of the year but things are picking up around here. There are a few big matches coming up, as New Year’s Evil is just a few weeks away. Hopefully we get a solid build up this week, as we have a good bit of build left to go before the show. Let’s get to it.

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

Lola Vice, Izzi Dame, Culling, Tatum Paxley, Shawn Spears

IMG Credit: WWE

Lola Vice vs. Izzi Dame

Shawn Spears is here with Dame. Vice (described by Booker as a “spicy meatball”) strikes her up against the ropes to start and pulls Dame into a triangle choke. That’s enough to send Dame outside for a running seated senton off the apron. Back in and Dame grabs a slam but Vice jumps on her back for a choke. Dame sends him flying with a suplex and we take a break. We come back with Vice striking away and hitting the running hip attack in the corner. Spears trips Vice…and none of that matters as here is Tatum Paxley with a chainsaw. The distraction (chainsaw variety) lets Vice hit a spinning backfist for the pin at 9:57.

Rating: C+. Vice was basically squashing her here and it was a bit of a surprise, but the only thing that matters here is the chainsaw at the end. Paxley is making it clear that she’s not done with Dame and is going to go to the extreme to get revenge. That’s an interesting way for Paxley and it should lead to a big blowoff match sooner than later.

Post match Kelani Jordan runs in and beats Vice down.

Thea Hail thanks Jordynne Grace for having her back last week.

Ethan Page comes up to mock Myles Borne for not making the right changes to fix his career. Borne needs to think about his future, because if he can survive here, Monday and Friday are easy. Watch his title defense next week.

Here is Thea Hail for a chat. She looks like she’s about to cry as she talks about how she never knew it would feel this good. The people here have watched her grow up and now she is here. She talks about the lessons that Andre Chase taught her and everything she has lost and now she is the youngest Women’s North American Champion in history. Now she finally feels like a grown a** woman…and here is Blake Monroe to interrupt. Monroe calls last week a mistake that she has to deal with, though Hail doesn’t want to hear it. If Monroe wants a rematch, it’s on for New Year’s Evil.

Video on Eli Knight and Tavion Heights.

Sol Ruca is ready to get back on the waves and win the Women’s US Title tonight. Zaria promises to have her back.

Speed Title #1 Contender Tournament First Round: Eli Knight vs. Tavion Heights

Knight knocks him to the floor to start and hits a big frog splash back inside. Heights powers his way up but it’s a dropkick to put him back down. A split legged moonsault gets two but a regular moonsault misses. Height belly to bellys him for the pin at 2:01.

Blake Monroe runs into Jackson Drake, who introduces her to Swipe Right. They have presents for her because she should still be Women’s North American Champion. Ricky Smokes suggests Monroe might lose so she sends them off. Leave the gifts.

Leon Slater and Oba Femi have a sitdown interview in the back. Femi talks about being the ruler of NXT but he wants it known that he’s the ruler of WWE. In two weeks, Slater is going to feel the shift that is taking place. Slater talks about how wrestling has turned him into a different person because it filled a void in his life. He’s not going to trash talk because his actions speak for him, and we’ll see who speaks louder. We get a tense yet respectful handshake.

Ava is in the ring with security to bring out Je’Von Evans and Ricky Saints for a chat. Evans isn’t happy with him but Saints says Evans doesn’t have the emotional control to lead a brand. Evans accuses Saints of not being the man he thinks he is, though Saints says that Evans can’t string two sentences together. That makes Evans laugh, because he can do well enough for John Cena to put him on his last show and for him to be on Raw and Smackdown. Meanwhile, there’s Saints who…isn’t mentioned. Violence is teased but it doesn’t happen thanks to security not being terrible for a change.

Fatal Influence comes up to Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair for some general insults. The result is Jacy Jayne vs. Sinclair next week.

Skylar Ray/Shiloh Hill vs. Arianna Grace/Stacks

Christmas Chaos, meaning themed street fight. Stacks and Grace share a kiss underneath some mistletoe to start and the fight starts outside. They get inside for an atomic drop to Stacks, who almost falls on Grace. Hill throws Ray onto the two of them outside and it’s time to fight over the Singapore candy cane. Said fight continues even when the women are on the men’s shoulders until Grace and Stacks get tied in the Tree Of Woe. Cane shots bring them back down and we take a break.

We come back with Stacks whipping out a bowling ball, which he hands to Grace, who swings it back….and hits him low. Then drops it on his foot, drawing a YOU DESERVE IT chant. Ray hits a missile dropkick and it’s time to throw cookies to the fans. A table is loaded up and Hill covers it with pine cones of all things. Ray’s frog splash finishes Grace at 11:37.

Rating: C+. This is the definition of harmless fun, as an annoying team loses to some newcomers in a themed holiday fight. It was all in good fun and they gave the new stars a chance at the same time. It’s not like Grace and Stacks are going to fall through the floor as a result so this was a nice use of time.

Darkstate meets Joe Hendry, but violence doesn’t ensue. Instead, Hendry is willing to give a concert next week. Ava agrees.

OTM is looking forward to a better 2026 but the Vanity Project interrupts, now offering their gifts to Kelly Kincaid. OTM doesn’t approve and a match seems likely.

Speed Title #1 Contenders Tournament First Round: Andre Chase vs. Lexis King

Chase, wearing a face shield after a nasal injury, fires off some running forearms to start, followed by a neckbreaker to send King outside. Back in and King superkicks him for two and a running forearm gets the same. The Russian legsweep into a Black Widow has King in trouble but he gets out and hits Chase in his bad nose. The Coronation finishes for King at 2:47.

Kelani Jordan yells at the locker room again.

Tavion Heights and Myles Borne agree that something has to change but Hank & Tank come in to give them a pep talk.

Sol Ruca, Ethan Page, Zaria, Alba Fyre, Chelsea Green

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s US Title: Sol Ruca vs. Chelsea Green

Ruca, with Zaria, is challenging and Alba Fyre/Ethan Page are here with Green. An early drop toehold takes Green down to start and Ruca grabs a front facelock. A spinning belly to back faceplant sets up the surfboard, followed by a faceplant. Fyre tries to help Green and the distraction lets Green get in a cheap shot. Ruca knocks her outside anyway and hits a good looking moonsault for the big knockdown.

We take a break and come back with Green holding a full nelson with her legs until Ruca stacks her up for two. Ruca is back up with a German suplex, setting up a running knee for two. Green’s Rough Ryder gets two and another German suplex sends Ruca flying. She’s right back up with the cartwheel DDT but Page puts Green’s foot on the rope. Cue Moose to brawl to the back with Page, leaving Fyre to break up the Sol Snatcher. The Un-Pretty-Her retains the title at 10:33.

Rating: C. I wasn’t digging this one as much as I expected to, as they seemed to be having too many things going on at once. You had multiple people interfering and while green should need help to win a match like this, there was too much going on. I’m also not wild on Ruca taking another loss, though at least it was to a main roster star.

Post match Zaria hits a double spear, setting up a double Sol Snatcher to leave the villains laying.

We run down next week’s show to end the night.

Overall Rating: C. Much like this week’s Raw, this wasn’t their best effort, as it felt more like a show that was just there to set things up for the bigger shows. That’s not a bad thing either, as we’re in the middle of the holiday season and there are probably going to be people doing other things. Setting it up to start off the new year in a big way makes sense, but it doesn’t make for the most thrilling show. This wasn’t bad, but it’s definitely a skippable week.

Results
Lola Vice b. Izzi Dame – Spinning backfist
Tavion Heights b. Eli Knight – Spinning belly to belly
Skylar Ray/Shiloh Hill b. Arianna Grace/Stacks – Frog splash to Grace
Lexis King b. Andre Chase – Coronation
Chelsea Green b. Sol Ruca – Un-Pretty-Her

 

 

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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AAA Guerra De Titanes 2025: Muy Bien (Contains Full Show)

Guerra De Titanes 2025
Date: December 20, 2025
Location: Arena Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
Commentators: John Bradshaw Layfield, Konnan, Corey Graves

It’s a AAA pay per view and there are quite a few WWE wrestlers to go around. That should make for a big time card, with Rey Mysterio filling in for the injured Penta in the likely main event. Two WWE stars are going to be getting title shots as well, along with what could be a wild eight man tag. Let’s get to it.

The opening video (with English captioning) talks about how WWE has purchased the promotion and now it is going worldwide. Tonight, they rewrite the rules to change lucha libre forever.

LWO vs. Los Americanos vs. Octagon Jr./La Parka vs. Mr. Iguana/Nino Hamburguesa

One fall to a finish. Parka gets sent into the corner by Rayo to start but jumps over him, meaning it’s time for some skeleton dancing. A dropkick staggers Rayo and it’s Bravo coming in for a double clothesline to Parka. That earns Bravo a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker but del Toro tags himself in to take Bravo into the corner. The LWO neckbreakers Bravo out of the corner for two but Hamburguesa comes in to clean house.

Iguana adds an iguana to the head, followed by a rather spinning headscissors to drop Parka. Octagon is in with a top rope armdrag and it’s a four way dropkick for a standoff, followed by a quadruple dive from one member of each team. Los Americanos crotch Parka on the ropes and it’s a super hurricanrana to Octagon, setting up a frog splash for two.

Del Toro missile dropkicks the Americanos to the floor and the big flip dive drops them again. An iguana shot staggers del Toro though and Parka hits a huge springboard moonsault. Back in and del Toro rolls Octagon up for two. A poisonrana gives Octagon the same and Hamburguesa is back in, only to get jumped by Los Americanos.

Hamburguesa cannonballs the LWO but Bravo torture racks him into a reverse airplane spin (must be Bate). Instead of covering though, Bravo gets dropkicked by del Toro. Octagon hits a huge corkscrew dive to the floor onto the pile, leaving Parka to hit a spinning (and dancing) Tombstone (apparently The Thriller) for the pin on del Toro at 9:37.

Rating: B. This was all about going out there and having the people involve go nuts for about ten minutes. That would certainly be mission accomplished, as this was nonstop action with everyone flying all over the place. It’s nice to see some of the WWE guys who don’t have much going on getting in some reps, as they’re more than good enough to warrant a spot, especially when they showcase it like this.

Post match Parka celebrates with a man in a Parka mask….and it’s boxer Canelo Alvarez (that’s a big deal).

We look at Ethan Page attacking El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. last month as part of a pretty long running feud.

Latin American Title: Ethan Page vs. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.

Page is challenging/not defending his NXT North American Title. They immediately slug it out to start but Page can’t hit the Twisted Grin. Instead Wagner knocks him into the corner for a running shot to the back. Wagner’s rope walk is pulled out of the air with a powerslam though and it’s time to rip at the mask. Wagner isn’t having that and fights out as the fans certainly seem to approve.

They (the people in the ring, not the fans) slug it out until a spinning sitout powerbomb gets two on Page. A Best Moonsault Ever hits Page for two more but page is back with a powerbomb for two of his own. It’s time to grab a belt but the distraction lets Page get in a foreign object shot. That’s enough for the pin and title…and here is Mr. Iguana to say what happened. The referee finds the object and restarts the match, allowing Wagner to hit the Wagner Driver to retain at 6:39.

Rating: C+. They were smart to keep this fast and to the point here, as the ending coming so out of nowhere did a good job of selling the drama of a potential title change. I still don’t get much out of Wagner, but the fans are certainly into him and he’s part of a big wrestling family so it makes sense to have him in this spot. He’s certainly not bad, but this is about all he should be doing at the moment.

We recap the Psycho Circus vs. the Wyatt Sicks. They’re both creepy and they’ve fought a lot so let’s have a big weapony brawl.

Los Psycho Circus/Pagano vs. Wyatt Sicks

Carnival Of Carnage (anything goes) and the Fireflies are out for the entrance (that Wyatts song is creepy). The clowns pop up on the screen and want the Wyatts to start this in the back and of course they’ll do it. They head to the back and find a mini carnival waiting for them, with Psycho Clown in a bounce house.

Gacy dives right in to start the brawl and the other Clowns and Pagano show up, but so is Mascarita Sagrada to jump Lumis with a kendo stick. There are various people in some of the booths so the Wyatts beat them up before powerbombing Pagano through one of the booths for a heck of a crash. One more booth’s tent is pulled off and it’s Pimpinela Escarlata to kiss Gacy. The brawl comes into the arena for the first time and Psycho Clown gets quadruple teamed in the ring.

A table is put up in the corner but here is Murder Clown for the showdown with Rowan. Pagano is back with a kendo stick and the Clowns make the comeback. Howdy is right there to Sister Abigail Psycho Clown but Psycho is back up to beat on the Wyatts with…something. Psycho pulls off his face and reveals…a rather red face. Gacy gets knocked off the apron and it’s a Psycho Driver to send Lumis through a table for the pin at 10:28.

Rating: B. I had a good time with this as the carnival stuff was a lot of fun. I’ll take some kind of a theme like that over just doing the same weapons stuff over and over and the Circus/Pagano are an entertaining collective. They fit perfectly well with the Wyatts and this went rather well.

The Lucha Bros and Rey Mysterio are ready for the main event, with the injured Penta being here to show support.

We recap the Cruiserweight Title match. Laredo Kid has been champion for over a year (not even close to his longest title reign) and he wants the best competition, so he’s defending against two people tonight.

Je'Von Evans, NXT, Jack Cartwheel, Laredo Kid

IMG Credit: AAA Wrestling

Cruiserweight Title: Laredo Kid vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Jack Cartwheel

Kid is defending. They run the ropes to start and trade some rapid fire rollups, including a double crucifix. Back up and they try dropkicks at the same time (worked better earlier when it was four people at once) until Evans is sent outside. Cartwheel’s slingshot spinning splash gets two on Kid before Kid is back in for a springboard hurricanrana to Lee. Cartwheel cuts off the big dive though and hits a Space Flying Tiger Drop onto Kid on the floor.

A slingshot 450 gives Cartwheel two on Evans but Kid is back in with a running flipping DDT. Evans gives Kid a springboard cutter on the apron and then busts out the big no hands dive to the floor to drop Cartwheel. Back in and one heck of a frog splash gives Evans two Kid Lee is back in to clear the ring. A huge dive to the floor sets up a 450 to both Evans and Cartwheel at the same time to give Kid another near fall.

An exchange of kicks to the head leaves all three of them down though and we get a needed breather. Evans tells them both to bring it but gets caught with something like a reverse Sliced Bread. Cartwheel shooting stars into a cutter from Evans, followed by a springboard cutter to give Evans two on Kid. Cartwheel goes up but Kid cuts off Evans and hits a kind of reverse super Spanish Fly to retain at 12:33.

Rating: B+. Awesome stuff here and that shouldn’t be a surprise. This was the kind of match where you take talented wrestlers and let them go nuts for awhile. All three of them can do some incredibly athletic stuff and it was on display here, with some of those flips and dives being must see. It was exactly what I was expecting and that’s a great thing in this case.

Las Toxicas vs. Lola Vice/Faby Apache/Natalya

Natalya takes Hiedra down to start and brings her into the corner, where Apache can come in for a quick rollup. It’s off to Vice for the rapid fire kicks and some running hip attacks in the corner. Vice misses a charge on the floor though and Flammer hits a running hip attack against the steps. Maravilla comes in to work on the arm and it’s already back to Hiedra for a chinlock.

Vice gets crotched against the post for two but she manages to fight out of trouble without much trou…uh, difficulty. It’s off to Natalya to clean house, including something like a Hart Attack. Apache gets a boot up in the corner for two on Hiedra and everything breaks down. A series of strikes to the face leaves most of them staggered but Apache dragon suplexes Hiedra for the pin at 7:41.

Rating: C+. This was another fast paced match and it went well enough, though I’m still not entirely sure why I’m supposed to dislike Las Toxicas. I guess they’re the resident heel stable, but nothing about them really stands out. If nothing else, they feel like a way to get the other three on the show and that’s only so interesting. Not bad, but probably the weakest match thus far (which still isn’t that bad).

We recap El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Dragon Lee. The fans have turned hard on Vikingo and Lee brought it up, so Vikingo went full on evil and turned on Lee, kicking off a rather personal rivalry and setting up this match.

Dragon Lee, El Hijo del Vikingo

IMG Credit: AAA Wrestling

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Dragon Lee

Lee jumps him with a kick to the face at the bell but Vikingo is back with one heck of a clothesline that even has JBL impressed. A running dropkick sends Lee outside, where he sends a charging Vikingo into the steps. Back in and they knock each other down with Vikingo getting the better of things and tying Lee to the ropes. Lee runs the ropes and snaps off a running hurricanrana, only to get dropkicked out to the floor.

Vikingo’s Arabian press drops Lee again, setting up a running shooting star from the apron. A shooting star press gives Vikingo two back inside and a poisonrana drops Lee again. Lee is right back with a sitout powerbomb for two and they both need a breather. Vikingo gets caught in a half crab until a single finger on the rope gets him out. They both go up top and Lee hits the Tree Of Woe stomp, followed by one heck of a running flip dive onto the announcers’ table.

Back in and a running elbow drops Vikingo for two but he’s back with a kick to the face. A top rope crucifix driver sends Lee into the corner for the running knees. Lee is able to reverse an inverted top rope hurricanrana (geez) into the Styles Clash for two more. Lee’s running hurricanrana sends Vikingo to the floor but the running flip dive hits the referee by mistake.

That means it’s time for a chair, but Lee grabs Operation Dragon for no count. Vikingo goes even more evil with a low blow and here’s Omos to make things a lot worse. Lee goes after him (despite Omos not doing anything but getting on the apron) and is put down with a powerbomb for his rather dumb efforts. Vikingo’s 450 connects and Omos throws the referee back in to count the pin at 17:29.

Rating: B. This felt like a long running grudge match, though the ending wasn’t exactly the strongest. At the same time though, there is something to having Omos there as a heavy for the hot heel isn’t a bad idea. Lee certainly felt like a big deal too and I liked the action, even with the storyline heavy ending.

Post match here is Dorian Roldan, as Vikingo and Omos are apparently now part of El Ojo. Roldan puts over the team and welcomes us to the new version of the Eye, which sees everything.

El Grande Americano/Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio/Rey Fenix

For the sake of simplicity: Rey Fenix is “Fenix”, Rey Mysterio is “Rey” and Dominik Mysterio is “Dominik”. Americano takes Fenix down into a chinlock to start but switches into a hammerlock. That includes the headstand to keep Fenix in trouble but he gets up and grabs the running hurricanrana. Dominik comes in to face Rey and the fans are rather into this. The pro-Rey chants are enough to send Dominik outside and he comes back in to hand it off to Americano.

Fenix comes back in to help Rey strike Americano down for two but Americano gets in a shot to the face. Now Dominik is willing to come in and hammer on a downed Fenix, followed by a shot to the back from Americano. Dominik’s slingshot hilo (ala Eddie Guerrero) gets two and a basement dropkick connects for the same. The fans seem to be chanting for UNCLE EDDIE as Fenix fights out of a double team.

Dominik is smart enough to run outside and pull Rey off the apron, leaving Americano to clothesline Fenix for two more. Fenix kicks his way out of trouble though and it’s Rey coming in to pick the pace way up. Dominik’s sunset flip doesn’t work as Rey kicks him in the head and a Lionsault gets two. Back up and Dominik gets Two Amigos, with the third being reversed into a DDT for two more.

The 619 is countered into a Michinoku Driver to give Dominik two so Rey is back with a sitout bulldog to Americano. Rey gets caught in the Tree Of Woe, which is enough of a distraction for Americano to load up the foreign object. Cue Penta to take it away and use it on Dominik though, meaning it’s 619 into the slingshot splash to give Rey the pin at 17:31.

Rating: B. Well nothing else was going to make sense in the main event spot and the match wound up being rather entertaining. Rey can still do just about anything you want from him in the ring and seeing him beat up Dominik is going to work every time. This was good stuff, with Fenix doing a lot of the work and Rey coming in for some well earned glory in the end. Throw in Penta being there for a nice reaction and it went well.

Post match Dominik (who seems to be favoring his arm) shoves Americano and leaves. Americano leaves without shaking hands so the good guys can pose and strut with some kids to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. I’m still not entirely sure what is going on with some of these people, as the backstories don’t seem to be the most in-depth, but I get the stories they are trying to tell (English commentary helps so much) and the action is certainly entertaining. This was another fun show and it seems that they are getting the most out of having the WWE stars around. Rey Mysterio is often going to be the biggest name on a show no matter where he goes so putting him in the main event is a nice bonus. Rather fun show here and it felt like a big one, so well done.

Results
La Parka/Octagon Jr. b. LWO, Los Americanos and Mr. Iguana/Nino Hamburguesa – Thriller to del Toro
El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. b. Ethan Page – Wagner Driver
Los Psycho Circus/Pagano b. Wyatt Sicks – Psycho Driver through a table to Lumis
Laredo Kid b. Je’Von Evans and Jack Cartwheel – Reverse susper Spanish Fly to Cartwheel
Faby Apache/Lola Vice/Natalya b. Las Toxicas – Dragon suplex to Hiedra
El Hijo del Vikingo b. Dragon Lee – 450

 

 

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 – December 16, 2025: It’s Back On

NXT
Date: December 16, 2025
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re in a bit of an interesting place with NXT, as there isn’t a pay per view anytime soon but we are fresh off of Saturday Night’s Main Event, which had a big NXT presence. That should be something to build on for at least tonight if not the upcoming few weeks as we close out the year. That’s in addition to the annual End Of The Year Awards, which get some people rather emotional around here. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of the NXT involvement with Saturday Night’s Main Event, as well as what seemed to be Ricky Saints going evil last week to cost Je’Von Evans the NXT Title.

Evans is waiting for Saints but Ava tries to calm him down.

Thea Hail, Blake Monroe

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s North American Title: Blake Monroe vs. Thea Hail

Monroe is defending. Hail goes right to the armbar to start but gets taken down with a rather spinning side slam. Back up and Hail kicks her down for a standing moonsault, followed by a running dropkick to send Monroe outside. An exploder suplex has Monroe in more trouble but she armbars Hail over the ropes as we take a break. We come back with Hail hitting a World’s Strongest Slam and the springboard backsplash…for the pin and the title at 7:24? If that was planned, they’re better actresses than I thought.

Rating: C. The match barely had enough time to get anywhere but it seems like the ending didn’t exactly go as it was supposed to. There’s a chance that we got some really screwy booking to change the title, but it feels a lot more like Monroe didn’t/couldn’t kick out in time. Either way, Hail absolutely needed to win something at some point and this checks that box, even if it might not have been supposed to.

Everyone seems REALLY confused as Hail is awarded the title. It looks like Monroe was trying to get her shoulder up but couldn’t, as that definitely seemed like a mistake.

The Culling seems happy with what they’ve done to Tatum Paxley….but Niko Vance seems to be having second thoughts.

Here is Ethan Page for a chat. Page complains about being attacked by Tony D’Angelo and claiming that he can carry an industry on his back. He doesn’t care why D’Angelo attacked him, but D’Angelo needs to get out here right now. Cue Stacks and Arianna Grace, with Stacks saying grace wants some more gold. Like the AAA Mixed Tag Team Titles.

Cue TNA’s Moose of all people and he gets straight to the point: TNA is ticked off and wants something done about Stacks. Therefore it’s Stacks’ lucky day, because Moose wants Page and the North American Title. The match is already set for December 30 and Moose clotheslines him the floor.

Leon Slater wants Je’Von Evans at ringside for his #1 contenders match tonight but Evans is focused on Ricky Saints. Evans eventually agrees.

OTM vs. Hank & Tank

Nima shoves Tank into the corner to start and it’s off to Price, who kicks Tank down. A running stomp gets two but Tank gets over for the tag off to Hank…as an SUV arrives in the back. Nima gets sent into the corner though and some running splashes have Price in trouble. OTM is right back with a double powerbomb and we take a break.

We come back with Tank and Nima trading big shots to the face. Tank’s seated armbar is broken up and a double torture rack slam drops him for two. Tank manages to avoid being sent through the announcers’ table and Swantons Price but Nima is back in for a save. Hank is back in as well and a small package gives him the fast pin at 13:48.

Rating: C+. Well, at least it wasn’t Hank & Tank being Japanese stereotypes like I was worried it might be. The team still doesn’t do much for me but the fans seem to like them and there are worse options. Granted I could still go for OTM getting a push for a change but that’s not going to happen at the moment.

Ricky Saints was in the SUV.

Jasper Troy is fine with Ava’s announcement of another Speed tournament.

Here is Ricky Saints for a chat. Saints isn’t here to apologize, because he promised to usher in the Absolute Era. He could carry any brand but he wasn’t happy with Je’Von Evans jumping the line to get a title shot. That’s why he had to cut Evans off, because he is tired of being stepped on. Saints told Evans to wait for his turn and now we’re supposed to believe that Evans is better than him? Cue Evans for the brawl but Saints sends him into the steps. Saints lays him out with the Roshambo through the announcers’ table.

Ethan Page complains to Ava about everything going on right now and Chelsea Green comes in to complain as well. Ava says nothing that happened to Green is her fault and gives her a Women’s US Title defense against Sol Ruca (also there, along with Zaria).

Fatal Influence vs. Kendal Grey/Wren Sinclair

Jacy Jayne is on commentary. Grey gets sent into the corner to start as Jayne impersonates Booker’s commentary. Sinclair fights back and it’s back to Grey for a front facelock to slow Reid down. It’s back to Sinclair for a butterfly suplex but she goes outside to yell at Jayne. That earns her a quick posting and we take an early break.

We come back with Reid grabbing a Stunner for two on Sinclair but she kicks Reid away. The needed tag brings in Grey to clean house but Shades Of Grey is broken up. Reid’s Blockbuster into a running faceplant from Henley gets two but everything breaks down. Grey gets a cross armbreaker but Jayne gets up for a distraction, earning herself a right hand. Sinclair hits a dive to take the villains out and the cross armbreaker makes Henley tap at 9:36.

Rating: C+. Grey is still establishing herself but it’s pretty clear that she’s going to be a big deal if she can live up to even some of her potential. Having her make Henley tap out is a nice moment and now we get to see if Grey can pull off a miracle win. Other than that, Sinclair getting to be on the winning side is nice to see as well, though that might not last very long.

Thea Hail is very, very excited about her win and says it’s going to say THEA HAIL very soon. Jordynne Grace comes in to congratulate Hail but Blake Monroe comes in to say she kicked out and wants her rematch. Grace doesn’t like the disrespect but Hail is rather excited anyway (shocking I know).

Izzi Dame finds a doll in her locker and knows it’s from Tatum Paxley. Lola Vice tells her to watch out but gets annoyed at Kelani Jordan moving back into the locker room. Vice warns Jordan that gymnastics is nothing like MMA.

Shiloh Hill meets Skylar Raye but Stacks and Arianna Grace come in to complain about earlier. They argue and a mixed tag is set for next week.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Leon Slater vs. Myles Borne vs. Joe Hendry vs. Dion Lennox

For the NXT Title shot at New Year’s Evil and Slater’s TNA X-Division Title isn’t on the line. Lennox takes Slater down for an early two before uppercutting Borne in the corner. A powerslam out of said corner gives Borne two but Hendry is back up with a double clothesline. Hendry’s DDT gets two on Slater, who is back up to send Hendry outside for a running flip dive.

A high crossbody gives Slater two on Lennox and Slater rains down some right hands in the corner. Another high crossbody gives Slater another two but he misses a dive to the floor and hurts his knee. Borne is back in with a dropkick to Lennox before Slater is back in, where he’s caught in a powerbomb/top rope clothesline combination. Everyone is down for a breather and we take a break.

We come back with Slater’s leg still banged up but he manages a kick to Borne anyway. Lennox catches Slater on top but Borne breaks it up, leaving Slater to get the best part of a Tower Of Doom for two each. Hendry is back up but can’t hit the Standing Ovation. Slater’s knee is banged up so he somehow manages a one legged Swanton to Lennox. Hendry makes the save and fall away slams Borne and does the same send Lennox flying. Slater is tossed over the top onto Lennox before Hendry plants Borne for two. Hendry and Lennox brawl to the floor, leaving Slater to hit the Swanton 450 to pin Borne at 16:27.

Rating: B. Slater winning (despite his knee injury suddenly being fine at the end) is an interesting choice as he and Oba Femi could have a heck of a fun match. Hendry is another interesting situation, as not only is it odd to have him in developmental, but also that he’s just kind of floating around ala Jordynne Grace. Borne needs something else to do and Lennox is still trying to find himself as a singles star. I’m just not sure if Lennox can find that kind of spot.

Oba Femi comes out for the staredown with Slater to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was one of the shows designed to set up things for later, though it seemed to include a non-planned title change. I’m not sure if that’s what was supposed to happen (if so, well done), but it seems like they’re following up on what they have. I liked what we got here well enough and the next few weeks are starting to come together. Granted I’m not wild on even more TNA/NXT invasions, at least it gives us some fresh matches, which does make for something fun.

Results
Thea Hail b. Blake Monroe – Springboard backsplash
Hank & Tank b. OTM – Small package to Price
Kendal Grey/Wren Sinclair b. Fatal Influence – Cross armbreaker to Henley
Leon Slater b. Myles Borne, Joe Hendry and Dion Lennox – Swanton 450 to Borne

 

 

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 Deadline 2025: Like Clockwork

Deadline 2025
Date: December 6, 2025
Location: Boeing Center At Tech Point, San Antonio, Texas
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s NXT’s turn to have a show based on timed intervals as we have the Iron Survivor Challenges. These things can seem a bit complicated at first but once you get into the swing of them, they can be an absolute blast. Other than that, the NXT Title is on the line so let’s get to it.

Since it’s going to come up twice tonight, here are the Iron Survivor Challenge rules:

• 25 minute time limit
• Two wrestlers start with a new entrant every five minutes
• Any pinfall, submission or DQ is a fall and worth one point
• When someone loses a fall, they go to the penalty box for 90 seconds
• Most falls in 25 minutes wins a future NXT/Women’s Title shot

The opening video focuses on time, both with the Iron Survivor Challenges and with title reigns ending. The Iron Survivor Challenges actually aren’t treated as the only things that matter for a change.

NXT Title: Oba Femi vs. Ricky Saints

Saints is defending and starts in on the arm. The armbar is reversed into one from Femi, who powers Saints down. What looks like an F5 is blocked and Saints Codebreakers the arm. Saints knocks him away and gets two off a middle rope dropkick. Back up and Femi shoves him into the corner for a forearm and a Damian Priest Broken Arrow for two. Femi unloads with some more forearms and hard shots to the head.

Saints tells him to bring it so Femi hits him in the head again. Saints is back with some running kicks to the head and a top rope hurricanrana takes him down. The spear gives Saints two and a Stunner connects for the same. A guillotine choke has Femi in trouble but he powers Saints up onto the top rope. Femi misses a charge out to the floor though and Saints knocks him down again, only for Femi to beat the count.

A Fameasser gives Saints two but Femi starts hitting him in the face. What looked like a Big Ending is countered into a crucifix to give Saints two. A missed charge sends Femi into the post and another charge sends him into the steps. Saints’ tornado DDT off the barricade drops Femi onto the steps again. Another tornado DDT gives Saints two back inside, as does Femi’s Fall From Grace. Saints charges right into a sitout Fall From Grace to give Femi the pin and the title back at 17:22.

Rating: B. This is what it should have been, as Saints went at Femi with everything he had but ultimately couldn’t handle the monster. Femi is someone who feels like he is the biggest and most dominant star in a good while around here and him winning the title back is a logical move. I’m just not sure who is supposed to take the thing from him.

Post match, respect is shown.

Kendal Grey, with Wren Sinclair, is ready to shock the world and she is strategizing for the Iron Survivor Challenge.

Video on the Iron Survivor Challenge.

Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge

For the Women’s Title shot at New Year’s Evil. Kelani Jordan is in at #1 and Kendal Grey is in at #2. Jordan takes her to the mat to start but Grey is back up to knock Jordan into the corner. Grey grabs a front facelock and they trade small packages for two each. Jordan’s northern lights suplex gets two and they trade running faceplants to leave them both down. Jordan knocks her down in the corner and hits a handspring spinning Fameasser. Grey snaps off a powerslam for the pin at 4:57.

Grey – 1
Jordan – 0
Ruca – 0
Grace – 0
Vice – 0

Jordynne Grace is in at #3 and immediately takes Grey down for a Vader Bomb. Grace sits her down and cranks on both arms, only for Jordan to escape and make the save. Grey and Jordan trade rollups for two each until Jordan gets a fall at 7:17.

Grey – 1
Jordan – 1
Ruca – 0
Grace – 0
Vice – 0

Grace is back in to run Jordan over and things slow back down a bit. Jordan is knocked down into the corner and Grace is smart enough to run Grey over as she gets out of the box. A slingshot dive drops Grace and it’s Lola Vice in at #4. Vice wastes no time in striking away, including the spinning backfist to pin Grey at 10:25.

Grey – 1
Jordan – 1
Vice – 1
Ruca – 0
Grace – 0

Vice sticks up with the striking and sends Jordan and grace into the same corner for the rather enthusiastic running hip attack. Neither of them are good enough for a fall but Grey is out for a cutter and the pin on Grace at 12:27.

Grey – 2
Jordan – 1
Vice – 1
Ruca – 0
Grace – 0

Grey belly to back superplexes Jordan into a running knee from Vice. A superkick on the apron rocks Jordan again but Vice can’t lock up Grey’s ankle. Grey can’t get the cross armbreaker either as Grace kicks the penalty box door into Jordan’s face. Back in and Grace package powerbombs Grey for two. Jordan’s high crossbody is rolled through though and Grace gets the pin at 14:58.

Grey – 2
Jordan – 1
Vice – 1
Grace – 1
Ruca – 0

Sol Ruca is in to complete the field but Jordan takes her out on the way to the ring. Ruca has to be taken out and it’s Grace loading up a Five Knuckle Shuffle. The free Jordan breaks that up and stomps on Grey as Ruca is in with a double Sol Snatcher to pin Jordan at 18:24.

Grey – 2
Jordan – 1
Vice – 1
Grace – 1
Ruca – 1

It was a double so Ruca pins Vice at 18:26.

Grey – 2
Ruca – 2
Jordan – 1
Vice – 1
Grace – 1

Ruca and Grace go after Grey as Vice chokes Jordan on their way out of the box. Grey grabs Shades Of Grey on Grace but Jordan makes the save with a splash to steal the pin on Grace at 20:58.

Grey – 2
Ruca – 2
Jordan – 2
Vice – 1
Grace – 1

Vice goes after Grey on the floor but Ruca moonsaults onto both of them. Jordan Asai moonsaults onto Ruca and then throw Vice back inside. Something like an Angle Slam drops Vice but Grace is back in to plant both of them. A spinning torture rack bomb finishes Jordan at 22:55.

Grey – 2
Ruca – 2
Jordan – 2
Grace – 2
Vice – 1

Vice kicks Grey down for the fall at 23:04.

Grey – 2
Ruca – 2
Jordan – 2
Grace – 2
Vice – 2

Vice chokes Ruca on the floor so Ruca drops back onto her as we have a minute left. A Sol Snatcher off the steps drops Vice on the floor as Jordan is out of the box. Jordan kicks Ruca’s bad knee out and hits a 450 on Vice with Grace making the save. Grey is in with a top rope Shades Of Grey to Vice as time expires at 25:00.

Grey – 3
Ruca – 2
Jordan – 2
Grace – 2
Vice – 2

Rating: B. These things work so well and they have the whole thing figured out rather well. This was all about the drama and trying to keep track of everything at once and they managed to pull it off. Grey winning is one heck of a moment for her, as it seems they’re ready to run with her. If she’s ready, it’s certainly worth a shot as she checks a lot of boxes at once.

Blake Monroe is going to issue an open challenge for the Women’s North American Title on Tuesday. Ava thinks this is a bad idea but approves it anyway.

Myles Borne is ready for Oba Femi again and has decided he’s entering the Iron Survivor Challenge third. A brawl between Kelani Jordan and Jordynne Grace cuts him off.

North American Title: Mr. Iguana vs. Ethan Page

Page is defending and shoulders him down to start, leaving Iguana to do his dead pose. Page spins him around and accuses Iguana of being dead, earning himself an armdrag. Iguana rolls him up for two and grabs the stuffed iguana, earning himself a DDT. A high crossbody gives Iguana two and they head outside, with Iguana hitting a dive. Page sends him into the steps though and they head back inside, with Page getting a bunch of green paint on his chest.

The stuffed iguana bites Page’s fingers but he pulls a rope walk out of the air into a powerslam. Page spits on the stuffed iguana and throws it to the floor, which has Iguana rather angry. Iguana gets crotched on top but a super Ego’s Edge is countered into a hurricanrana. Iguana’s diving hurricanrana over the top takes Page down on the floor and a flying headbutt gets two back inside. Page is able to slam him off the top though and grabs the Twisted Grin to retain the title at 8:40.

Rating: B-. This got rolling in the middle and the fans were into what Iguana was doing. At the same time though, it was hard to imagine a glorified comedy wrestler being the one to end Page’s rather impressive title reign. Page is a good choice for a heel and he could move up the card in a hurry once he loses the title, whenever that finally happens.

Kendal Grey can’t believe she won but Sol Ruca comes in to say she would have won if she wasn’t hurt. Wren Sinclair says that sounds like an excuse, as Grey got speared out of her boots by Zaria on Wednesday but won anyway. Ruca says she and Zaria are still friends.

Oba Femi and Dion Lennox have a staredown, with Femi hoping Lennox wins so they can fight again.

We recap Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame. Paxley needed a friend and Dame tried to do so, but then Paxley wouldn’t listen to her. Dame cost her the Women’s Title and now it’s time for revenge.

Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame

Paxley is all shaken up and doesn’t want to do this. Dame puts her hand on Paxley’s cheek but Paxley gets angry and the fight is on. Paxley knocks her outside and we get a hug but Dame sends her knees first into the steps. A fireman’s carry faceplant drops Paxley back inside and Dame slowly hammers away.

Paxley’s sleeper has Dame in trouble but she rams Paxley into the corner for the break. The Boston crab goes on and Dame turns it into a Liontamer but Paxley slips out. A rebound German suplex puts Dame down and Paxley’s elbow drop gets two. Dame is able to dropkick her out of the air and a fisherman’s neckbreaker connects for two more.

They fight to the floor with Paxley grabbing a German suplex and loading up the announcers’ table. The Psycho Trap sends Dame into the table….but Shawn Spears pops up with the dolls. She takes them from him and Spears ribs the head off of one of them. That earns Spears a slap to the face but Paxley charges back inside, where it’s a big boot to her face. The chokebomb gives Dame the pin at 12:40.

Rating: B-. This was more about the emotions and the storytelling than anything else, as Paxley is going to find a friend sooner or later. That should make for an interesting twist in everything, though it’s hard to say who that will be. Other than that, Paxley is definitely feeling like more of a star than she was coming into this, so that’s a success.

Ricky Saints is upset by his loss but Je’Von Evans tries to give him a pep talk.

Shiloh Hill is back with his final chat before….I have no idea actually. One time he watched squirrels playing and wanted to know what it would be like to communicate with them. Then he chased one of them and finally caught it, but the high school football coach saw him and asked him to play. Then he tells a story about getting in a fight when he was a kid and losing a tooth. Then we see that he’s talking to a machine, which says it’s time for everyone to wake up. Apparently he’ll have his first match on Tuesday. Ok then.

Video explaining the Iron Survivor Challenge again.

Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge

For the title shot at New Year’s Evil. Leon Slater is in at #1 and Je’Von Evans is in at #2. Evans’ springboard cutter is blocked early on and they circle each other for a bit. They both catch kicks to the ribs and then put their feet down, only for Evans to hold on a bit longer. Slater kicks him in the face but Evans is back with a springboard hurricanrana. Evans gets in a kick to the face before they trade rollups for two each. Another springboard cutter misses so Evans settles for a jumping Stunner. Slater breaks up another springboard but charges into a hurricanrana to give Evans the pin at 4:44.

Evans – 1
Slater – 0
Hendry – 0
Lennox – 0
Borne – 0

Myles Borne is in at #3 and clotheslines away at Evans, followed by an Eye of the Hurricane for two. An Angle Slam gets two on Evans as Slater is back inside. Borne slugs away at both of them in the corners but Slater is back with a nasty chop. Evans helps Slater kick Borne in the head before knocking Slater down for two.

Dion Lennox is in at #4 and gets two off a northern lights suplex to Borne. Evans is back up to slug away at Lennox until Slater is in to help stomp Lennox down in the corner. Borne is back up to catch Slater in an electric chair, with Lennox adding a top rope clothesline. Lennox’s Air Raid Crash pins Evans at 12:40.

Evans – 1
Lennox – 1
Slater – 0
Hendry – 0
Borne – 0

Borne plants Slater for two and then punches away at him in the corner. A running corner splash hits Lennox but Slater kicks Borne in the face. Evans is back in with a heck of a springboard clothesline to Borne, followed by a dive to Slater. Back in and a frog splash gets two on Borne as Joe Hendry is here to complete the field. A double fall away slam drops Evans and Slater, allowing Hendry to strike his pose. Lennox breaks up the Standing Ovation so Hendry sends him outside for the big dive. Back in and Hendry’s spinning fireman’s carry slam finishes Borne at 17:40.

Evans – 1
Lennox – 1
Hendry – 1
Slater – 0
Borne – 0

We get an exchange of rollups until Slater and Evans kick each other in the head to leave everyone down. Borne’s time is up but Lennox kicks the door into his face. Evans is back up with a Swanton Coast To Coast to Lennox but Slater drops Evans and hits the Swanton 450 to pin Hendry at 20:12.

Evans – 1
Lennox – 1
Hendry – 1
Slater – 1
Borne – 0

Borne Again hits Slater but Lennox makes the save at two. Borne again hits Lennox as well though and Borne gets the pin at 21:11.

Evans – 1
Lennox – 1
Hendry – 1
Slater – 1
Borne – 1

Hendry is back up to beat on Lennox in the box as the other three slug it out from their knees. Slater is back in to clean house and everyone outside of the box is down. Lennox is out but he throws Evans in, with the door being locked because…I have no idea really. Since there is no roof on the thing, Evans climbs out and dives onto Lennox, only for Slater to hit his over the post flip dive.

Evans is back in with the top rope cutter to Slater for two, with Borne making the save as we have less than a minute to go. A super Borne Again drops Evans but Lennox makes another save. There’s the Swanton 450 to Evans but Hendry powerbombs Slater to the floor. Evans small packages Borne for the pin as time expires at 25:00.

Evans – 2
Lennox – 1
Hendry – 1
Slater – 1
Borne – 1

Rating: B. It didn’t have quite the drama as the women’s edition but Evans winning here ties into what happened last year when he came just short of winning. Evans is at the point where he has to win something and there is a chance that he pulls it off against Femi. It was another action packed match and the dive off the box was great. Another solid match here with the right winner.

Post match Evans shows respect to everyone, with Lennox not being interested. Oba Femi comes out for the staredown to…not end the show, as we see a video of someone walking on a bridge, though we can’t see his face. Femi and Evans aren’t sure what happened but Tony D’Angelo is back with a spinebuster to Evans. He drops some black…something on Evans (the same thing Ava saw this week) to really end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. Another good show here, with the three big matches more than holding their own. Nothing on here is an all timer but they did a good job with pushing some new stars. I’m curious to see where some of these things go, including the deal D’Angelo at the end. Solid show here, as the Iron Survivor Challenge continues to be one of the best fresh concepts in a long time. Now just follow up with it as we get to the title matches next month.

Results
Oba Femi b. Ricky Saints – Sitout Fall From Grace
Kendal Grey won the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge
Ethan Page b. Mr. Iguana – Twisted Grin
Izzi Dame b. Tatum Paxley – Chokebomb
Je’Von Evans won the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge

 

 

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NXT – December 2, 2025: Striving For Survival

NXT
Date: December 2, 2025
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Corey Graves

We’re back in the regular location here and that means it’s time for the final push towards Deadline. The Iron Survivor Challenges are set and that means we get to see where things go from here. The rest of the show needs some attention of its own and hopefully that is what we get here. Let’s get to it.

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

The women’s Iron Survivor Challenge participants are in the ring with Ava to get things going. Sol Ruca thinks everyone should see her as being great, even though she’s had some issues recently. Jordynne Grace says she has experience winning and she’ll do it again at Deadline. Lola Vice tells Grace to shut up and Kendal Grey says she’s the only person who is already a champion.

Kelani Jordan (the fans DO NOT like her) doesn’t want to hear from Grey because the Challenge is innovative and electrifying, which describes Jordan as well. The other four are the stand ins and she’s the standout. Cue Fatal Influence to interrupt, with Jayne bragging about her skinny waist and then insulting the participants. Insults ensue, with Jordan and Fatal Influence being cleared out.

Joe Hendry and Thea Hail are rather happy with what’s going on around here. Stacks and Arianna Grace come in for an exchange of insults, with a match between Hail and Grace being set for later.

Ava tells security to keep Kelani Jordan and Jordynne Grace apart. Next up is Fatal Influence, who are going to be in a six woman tag tonight.

Thea Hail vs. Arianna Grace

Joe Hendry and Stacks are here too. Hail’s headlock doesn’t work as she gets pulled down into an armbar. Some forearms to the back and a neckbreaker have Hail in trouble but she avoids a charge. Grace crashes out to the floor and gets suplexed back inside. The guys get in a quick fight and Hail slaps on the Kimura for the win at 2:47.

Earlier this week, Chase U almost hit OTM with their car so OTM yelled at Andre Chase, who yelled at Chase U. Apparently OTM says if this happens again, it’s on sight, even if Chase doesn’t know what that means.

Je’Von Evans, Leon Slater, Joe Hendry and Myles Borne are ready for Darkstate, with Ava saying that there’s going to be a match involving Darkstate for the Iron Survivor Challenge advantage. As she’s explaining this, Robert Stone comes in with a box for Ava. It’s already been opened and it’s….coal?

Josh Briggs vs. Tavion Heights

The brawl is on outside before the bell and they come inside with Heights grabbing a spinebuster. Heights throws him down without much trouble, followed by a capture suplex for two. Briggs manages a good shot out to the floor, where Heights spears him through the barricade for the big crash.

We take a break and come back with Briggs working on an armbar before sending him into the corner. Heights shrugs that off and fires off the clotheslines so Briggs rips the chain off his own neck. The referee takes that away, leaving Heights to hit a belly to belly. Briggs gets a foot on the rope for the break so Heights yells at the referee. That’s enough for Briggs to hit a big clothesline for the pin at 11:36.

Rating: C+. Nice enough power match here and I’m liking the idea of Briggs getting reheated a bit. At the same time I’m not feeling Heights losing again, as he was starting to get somewhere. Unfortunately one of them had to lose here and hopefully Briggs gets to go a bit higher from here.

Here is the Culling for a chat. Izzi Dame gets why the fans love Tatum Paxley so much and the audio cuts off because the fans chant something negative. Dame wasn’t wild on Paxley turning her back on the woman who pulled her out of her terrible place. Paxley was known as a little weirdo freak and Dame gave her confidence.

It felt like Paxley didn’t think what the Culling gave her was good enough. Paxley won the title because Dame allowed her to and then Paxley ignored her. This week, they’ll be facing off at Deadline and Dame has one final lesson for her. Cue Paxley, who says Dame took everything from her and at Deadline, she has to make Dame feel her pain.

Sol Ruca apologizes to Zaria for not being there last week. Zaria says she won’t be here this week but the rest of the team doesn’t really care.

We get a video explaining the Iron Survivor Challenge.

Fatal Influence vs. Kendal Grey/Lola Vice/Sol Ruca

Reid shoves Vice around to start and everything breaks down in a hurry. Grey hits a big dive to the floor and Ruca adds a huge moonsault but Reid forearms her way out of trouble. The fans do the Wave as Henley comes in and gets taken down by an armbar. A basement dropkick gives Grey two but Reid comes back in with a dropkick of her own. Henley trips Grey on the floor and Jayne adds a backsplash as we take a break.

We come back with Grey flipping her way to freedom and rolling over for the tag to Vice. House is quickly cleaned, including the running hip attacks in the corner. Everything breaks down again and a springboard Blockbuster takes Ruca down. A double running knee gives Jayne two with Vice making the save. Ruca is back up with a slingshot X Factor and the Sol Snatcher finishes Jayne at 11:13.

Rating: B-. Ruca continues to feel like an absolute star and that is likely going to be the case for a long time to come. It wouldn’t shock me to see her go after Jayne’s title sooner than later as it isn’t like she has much else to do. On the other hand you have Grey, who feels like the other big prospect, which could go a long way. The future is bright and that’s a great situation to have.

Post match Zaria comes out and spears Grey, though it’s not clear who she was targeting.

NXT Anonymous shows us Je’Von Evans talking to Ricky Saints. They’re both ready to win at Deadline, though Evans does tease coming after the title.

Dion Lennox wants the NXT Title and gives his Tag Team Title to Saquon Shuggars. Oba Femi comes in and Lennox says he wants to face Femi at New Year’s Evil. Femi tells him to not get ahead of himself.

OTM vs. Chase U

Andre Chase is here with Chase U, who jump the monsters to start fast. A Swanton gives Connors two on Price, who gets chopped down in a hurry. That’s broken up and Dixon comes in to chop away. Price kicks him in the face though and the running stomp gets two, with Nima picking Dixon up. A press slam is countered into a Codebreaker though and it’s back to Connors to clean house. The tornado DDT gives Connors two and Nima gets sent outside with a springboard Stunner. Back in and the assisted sitout Alabama Slam finishes Connors at 4:38.

Rating: C+. Chase U hasn’t felt like anything for a good while now but at least they got in a nice performance here. They have to win something at some point or it won’t matter though, that point has probably already passed. At least OTM feels like they are being treated as something serious, which just needs to last.

We look at Ethan Page in a tag match against Mr. Iguana in AAA last month.

Page tries to leave but Ava stops him to say he has a title defense. Against Mr. Iguana. Who steals Page’s car.

Shiloh Hill talks about getting to eat raccoon at Thanksgiving and talks about a Thanksgiving race from when he was a kid. He got lost in the forest and went into survival mode, which changed things for him. It helped him on LFG, where Undertaker fired him up by telling him to take his opponents’ souls.

Deadline rundown.

Joe Hendry/Leon Slater/Je’Von Evans/Myles Borne vs. Darkstate

The winning side gets to pick the entry for the Iron Survivor Challenge. Griffin throws Borne around to start and it’s off to Shuggars for a cravate. Borne fights back with an Eye of the Hurricane and it’s off to Hendry for a shoulder. Shuggars slips out of the fall away slam and James comes in, earning a dropkick from Slater.

Evans’ double stomp to the back connects but James doesn’t like getting chopped. A springboard hurricanrana takes Lennox down but he pops back up with a spinebuster to plant Borne. Everything breaks down and the big slugout is on with Darkstate cleaning house on the floor.

We take a break and come back with Evans sliding between the legs and diving over to tag Hendry. That doesn’t go anywhere as Hendry gets choked on the rope and legdropped. Griffin comes back in for a shot to the face and Lennox slaps on a guillotine. That’s escaped with a backdrop and it’s Slater coming back in to start the comeback. Evans comes in for the big dives and a cutter drops Griffin for two. Everything breaks down with Hendry and Lennox brawling to the back. Borne tags himself in and it’s Slater’s Swanton 450 into Borne Again to give Borne the pin at 14:49.

Rating: B-. Well the point here was about having some issues with the good guys as they vie for an advantage in the Iron Survivor Challenge. That could have been a lot worse, though the match was about what you would have expected. Darkstate losing here is ok, but it shouldn’t happen very often. At the same time, Hendry doesn’t exactly feel hot now that he’s officially in NXT. Maybe that changes, but it’s not a great start.

Oba Femi and Ricky Saints are in the back for their contract signing. They both sign, while talking about how they promise to win. Ava tells them that they’re opening the show to wrap it up.

Overall Rating: B. They did a nice job of making me want to see Deadline, which is feeling like a more important show than they’ve had in a good while. It features the unique Iron Survivor Challenges and this show made me want to see what they’re going to do. That’s a great way to set up the new year and hopefully they can make the whole thing work. For now though, nice job of setting the table.

Results
Thea Hail b. Arianna Grace – Kimura
Josh Briggs b. Tavion Heights – Clothesline
Kendal Grey/Lola Vice/Sol Ruca b. Fatal Influence – Sol Snatcher to Jayne
OTM b. Chase U – Assisted sitout Alabama Slam to Connors
Myles Borne/Leon Slater/Je’Von Evans/Joe Hendry b. Darkstate – Borne Again to Griffin

 

 

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AAA Alianzas – November 28, 2025: The King Has Returned (Includes Full Show)

AAA Alianzas
Date: November 28, 2025
Location: Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Puebla, Mexico
Commentator: Jose Manuel Guillen

Well it worked last week so we might as well do it again. In this case, we have an appearance by Rey Mysterio, which should work well for a featured attraction. Other than that, we are on the way to Guerra de Titanes and it seems that the Lucha Bros are reuniting. Granted that might be a problem due to Penta’s injury, though I’m not sure when this was taped. Let’s get to it.

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

Please note that I don’t speak Spanish and don’t regularly follow the promotion, so I apologize in advance for any character or storyline details I miss.

We open with a recap of Dominik Mysterio and El Grande Americano defeating El Hijo del Vikingo and Dragon Lee when Vikingo turned on him. Then the Lucha Bros popped up to challenge Mysterio and Americano.

Jack Cartwheel vs. Chris Carter vs. Elio LeFleur

LeFleur is better known as Aigle Blanc and is a rather talented French wrestler. This seems to be another #1 contenders match for the Cruiserweight Title, with Laredo Kid on commentary. I thought Je’Von Evans won that shot last week but maybe it’s a multi-challenger thing. They go with a three way test of strength to start before trading rollups for two each. Back up and they flip into a three way staredown as the fans approve. Carter sends the other two outside for a big running flip dive and a shooting star press for two.

Back in and LeFleur spins Carter into a suplex before knocking Cartwheel outside. One heck of a flip dive connects for LeFleur, followed by a reverse headscissor driver for two. Cartwheel takes over on the other two back inside and of course hits the big dive out to the floor. A springboard flipping elbow gets two on Carter, who is back up to superkick LeFleur. Carter gets caught in a Doomsday Canadian Destroyer (ouch) and Cartwheel puts LeFleur down. A Red Arrow gives Cartwheel the pin on Carter at 9:10.

Rating: B. As usual, the idea of taking three talented high fliers and letting them go nuts for awhile works well to open the show. That’s what we had here, with Cartwheel seemingly being added to an upcoming title match. It was a bunch of flying around and it wound up working well, with Cartwheel getting to do his usual entertaining stuff. That works in Evolve and it works here too.

Post match Laredo Kid comes in for a staredown with Cartwheel as commentary suggests that it will be a multi-man match.

We look at Las Toxicas beating up Natalya and another woman.

Las Toxicas vs. Faby Apache/Lola Vice

Vice and Flamer trade knockdowns to start and Vice grabs a headscissors for the hips to the head spot. A basement dropkick gives Flamer two and it’s off to Hidera for a double wishbone. That doesn’t seem to do much as Vice pops up and brings in Apache to hurricanrana Hidera for two.

Vice is back with the bouncing kicks to both of them, followed by the running hip attacks in the corner. Vice’s running charge is sent into the post though and Hidera dances a bit, allowing Flamer to hit her own running hip attack. A double clothesline gets Vice out of trouble though and Apache comes in to clean house. Apache gets a cross armbreaker but cue the third Toxica to send Vice into the steps. The distraction lets Flammer roll Apache up with tights for the pin at 7:47.

Rating: C. Not much to see here other than the usual assortment of hips to the face. That’s a VERY popular thing these days and the novelty is rapidly wearing off. Las Toxicas seem to be a good edition of the evil group and they worked well here, especially with the basic numbers game.

Commentary talks about what we just saw and hypes up Rey Mysterio.

Mysterio is outside the venue and hypes up the promotion, as well as December 20th’s Guerra de Titanes.

Galeno del Mal/LWO vs. La Parka/Nino Hamburguesa/Mr. Iguana

Parka dances away from the much bigger Mal and gets powered into the corner for his efforts. A running shoulder drops Parka again and the LWO comes in for some assisted moonsaults. Wilde uses the other two as a launchpad for a heck of a flip dive to the pile on the floor, followed by a double arm crank back inside.

Parka’s spinning suplex gets him out of trouble and it’s Hamburguesa coming in to clean house, much to the fans’ delight. A triple cannonball in the corner allows Iguana to come in as everything breaks down. Parka low bridges Mal outside for a rope walk moonsault as Hamburguesa….has a hamburger. Makes sense. Back in and del Toro kicks Iguana in the head but Iguana gives him a spinning faceplant for the pin at 6:50.

Rating: B-. I don’t think I remember seeing Iguana actually winning a match before so it’s nice to have a bit of a change of pace. The fans were into the winning side here, which makes sense as the LWO are basically invaders/outsiders. Mal is a good monster giant and moved well, though this was more about Hamburguesa getting to show off.

Post match Mal goes after the LWO and all five knock him outside.

El Hijo del Vikingo seems to explain his actions and brags about his abilities, which the fans don’t like.

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. El Grande Americano

They circle each other for about a minute before locking up, with Vikingo working on the arm. Vikingo takes him down for some cranking, which is broken up rather quickly. They lock hands and fight over some flips until it’s another standoff. Americano grinds away on a headlock but gets reversed into a headscissors. They lock legs and slap it out before turning over for stereo leglocks.

Vikingo hits a basement dropkick as the fans are chanting…what I’m assuming is something pro Americano. Vikingo kicks him outside and teases a dive but flips back to pose instead. Americano takes it outside for a chop against the barricade, followed by a suplex for two back inside. Something close to a spinning Canadian Destroyer gives Americano two but Vikingo rolls over into a rollup for two of his own. Back up and Vikingo’s Canadian Destroyer gets two more, followed by a 450 for the same.

Vikingo sends him outside for a ram into the steps, setting up a double stomp off of said steps. The 630 gives Vikingo two and the fans are rather pleased with the kickout. A guillotine choke is broken up and Americano makes the fired up comeback, including rapid fire chops in the corner. Americano’s Samoan drop gets two and they’re both down for a bit.

They slap it out from their knees and Americano pulls him into a modified camel clutch. That’s broken up and the referee is bumped, leaving Americano to make Vikingo tap to the same hold but no one sees it. The hold is broken and Vikingo hits him with a horn for two. Vikingo goes for the mask (the fans lose it over this) so here are Raya and Bravo for a distraction. Americano gets to load up the mask and the running headbutt gives Americano the win at 23:21.

Rating: A-. This was a wild match and the fans carried up that much higher, turning it into one of the most entertaining things I’ve seen in a good while. It’s a great sign when I’m not even entirely sure what the story is but I was wanting to see what was going to happen. They made this work very well and I had a great time with it, as they tore the house down in the end.

Post match the Americanos leave and it’s Dragon Lee coming in for the big brawl. Security has to break it up and it’s Rey Mysterio coming out to interrupt. Mysterio says he respects both of them (one of these gets better reactions than the other) and seems to suggest a match at Guerra de Titanes. That seems to work, but Vikingo lays Lee out again. Lee gets back up to drop him and stand tall to end the show. Hot angle here, with Mysterio adding all of the gravitas to the situation.

Overall Rating: B+. This show started good and then slowed down a bit before finishing hot with the outstanding main event and Mysterio segment. For a promotion I don’t know very well, they’ve got me wanting to see where some of these stories go and that’s a great sign so far. I’ll keep checking these out if they’re going to be airing on WWE’s Youtube page, as they’ve been a lot of fun with some familiar names.

Results
Jack Cartwheel b. Chris Carter and Elio LeFleur – Red Arrow to Carter
Las Toxicas b. Lola Vice/Faby Apache – Rollup with tights to Apache
Mr. Iguana/La Parka/Nino Hamburguesa b. Galeno del Mal/LWO – Spinning faceplant to del Toro
El Grande Americano b. El Hijo del Vikingo – Loaded running headbutt

 

 

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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AAA Alianzas – November 22, 2025: In Any Language

AAA Alianzas
Date: November 22, 2025
Location: Gimnasio Olimpico Juan de la Barrera, Mexico City, Mexico
Commentator: Jose Manuel Guillen

This appears to be a show that airs about once a month or so and in this case, it was broadcast on the WWE YouTube channel. That’s enough to get me to watch the show, though apparently commentary is entirely in Spanish. I’m not sure what this is going to mean or how much I’ll understand but the name of the show means Alliances, so expect some kind of a team deal. Let’s get to it.

Note that I do not follow the regular AAA shows nor do I understand more than a tiny bit of Spanish so I apologize in advance for any storyline or character points that I miss.

We open with a recap of El Hijo del Vikingo saying he’s the best and being interrupted by El Grande Americano, leading to a brawl. We also see Dominik Mysterio beating Dragon Lee to retain the Mega Title at Heroes Inmortales. Later, the Wyatt Sicks attacked Pagano and Psycho Clown and Chelsea Green and Ethan Page became the Mixed Tag Team Champions.

Mysterio and Americano, partners later tonight, share a bag of popcorn.

A team called El Ojo (the Eye) gets what seems to be instructions from their manager (I believe it’s Dorian Roldan).

We get the traditional tribute to Antonio Pena.

Je’Von Evans vs. Axiom vs. Octagon Jr.

For a future Cruiserweight Title shot, with champion Laredo Kid on commentary. Octagon gets knocked down to start but gets back up for a rollup on Axiom. Commentary talks about John Cena and Smackdown as they trade missed dropkicks for a triple staredown. A dropkick and springboard armdrag send Evans outside and Axiom follows it up with a running hurricanrana to Octagon.

Evans is back in to send Axiom outside, only to get hurricanranaed by Octagon. Back up and Octagon hits a running corkscrew dive to take both of them out on the floor, followed by a slingshot corkscrew splash for two on Axiom. The corkscrewing continues with a high crossbody for two on Evans as Axiom makes the save. This time it’s Axiom hitting the big dive to the floor to take both of them out as the fans approve.

Back in and Evans is knocked down, followed by a Codebreaker to Axiom, leaving all of them needing a breather. Octagon’s 450 mostly misses Evans but gets two anyway, with Axiom breaking it up. Evans hits a heck of a no hands dive onto Octagon on the floor, followed by a great frog splash for two on Axiom.

Back in and Axiom kicks Octagon down and backslides Evans for two. A superkick gets two more on Octagon, who catches Axiom on top. The tabletop superplex drops Axiom for another two with Evans making the save this time. Axiom’s super Spanish Fly hits Octagon but Evans cuts off the Golden Ratio, using Octagon as a launchpad for a cutter. The top rope cutter gives Evans the pin on Axiom at 12:12.

Rating: B. This is straight out of a bunch of promotion’s playbooks, as you take athletic wrestlers and let them fly around the ring for a bit to start the show. It’s worked well for years and will continue to do so for a long time. Evans continues to rack up experience, which is only going to help him in the end. Axiom is already fairly seasoned and can hang in there with anyone, with Octagon being more than good in his own right. Rather fun opener here.

Post match Kid gets in the ring for a respectful handshake and staredown.

Dominik Mysterio and El Grande Americano are in the back, with Mysterio holding up some Gringos Locos masks.

El Ojo vs. Psycho Circus/Pagano

No DQ and Dorian Roldan is here with El Ojo (El Mesias, Mecha Wolf, Forastero, Sanson) and Psycho Circus is Psycho Clown/Murder Clown/Dave The Clown). The Clowns clear the ring to start and we settle down to Pagano striking away at (I believe) Wolf, including a springboard cutter. Pagano whips out the weapons but gets taken down by the quick dive, allowing everyone to grab weapons for the big brawl.

The Clowns get the better of things and Murder takes over with cookie sheet. That earns him a big group beatdown, including stomps and kendo stick shots. Murder is right back with a double Samoan drop and the crushes Mesias, allowing the needed tag off to Psycho. Everything breaks down again and we hit more dives, meaning it’s table time. Dave takes out Psycho by mistake and Mesias gives Dave a Backstabber.

Pagano’s middle rope Codebreaker takes Mesias down and Murder chokebombs Wolf. Sanson comes back in to clean house until Psycho sunset flips Forastero for two. Forastero and Sanson take Psycho up top for a double superplex, which naturally is turned into a Tower Of Doom. Some top rope splashes ensue and everyone is down for a needed breather. The clowns hit their dives (mostly) and it’s Psycho with a super Spanish Fly onto some chairs to pin Sanson at 12:08.

Rating: B-. Kind of like the opener, you knew what you were going to get with the people involved. They didn’t bother trying to do anything but have a violent fight here and from what I’ve seen, that tends to go with the Clowns’ strengths. The Clowns have felt like a big deal around here for a long time and having them face what seems to be a top heel stable is always going to work.

Post match the Clowns brag about their win but Bo Dallas pops up on screen and accepts a challenge for a match against the Wyatt Sicks at Guerrera de Titantes. It seems to be a Carnival Of Carnage, which doesn’t sound pleasant.

Dragon Lee talks to El Hijo del Vikingo about their tag match tonight but Vikingo doesn’t seem interested.

Mixed Tag Team Titles: Lola Vice/Mr. Iguana vs. Chelsea Green/Ethan Page

Green and Page are defending and the champs run them over to start fast. Some stereo hurricanranas take Green and Page down though and Vice rams her hips into Green’s head. Vice even blows a kiss to Iguana, who isn’t sure what to do. A snap suplex drops green and it’s off to the men, with Iguana pulling out his namesake. Page cuts that off with a powerslam out of the corner and kicks Iguana in the face for a bonus.

Another powerslam attempt is countered into a tornado DDT and the tag brings in Vice to kick away at Green. The running hip attack in the corner gets two, with Page making the save. Everything breaks down and Iguana hits a springboard hurricanrana to take out Page on the floor. The referee goes down and Green brings in a kendo stick. Vice takes it away but so does Page, and a hard shot knocks Iguana (who was protecting Vice) out for the pin at 7:02.

Rating: C+. Green and Page are some of the most entertaining people in wrestling today and they got to showcase some of that here. At the same time, Iguana and Vice were able to do their thing, with the fans approving. These titles are almost guaranteed to be a bit less than serious, so Green and Page annoying the fans until someone knocks them off is a good way to go.

Post match El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. runs in for the brawl with Page. Green gets in a cheap shot though and Page beats him down.

Dominik Mysterio/El Grande Americano vs. Dragon Lee/El Hijo del Vikingo

Mysterio and Americano are the clear crowd favorites here. Lee and Mysterio start things off with Lee snapping off a running hurricanrana. Vikingo comes in to cut off a charge into the corner so it’s off to Americano, who shoves Vikingo down. Americano’s armdrag into a hammerlock has the fans singing (again) and Americano does a handstand, complete with claps of his feet.

That’s broken up and Lee hits a running dropkick but Vikingo won’t let him use the big dive. Vikingo does his own dive and NOW Lee can bust out the flipping dive. Lee and Vikingo nearly get in a fight on the floor, allowing Mysterio and Americano to hit stereo baseball slides. Back in and Mysterio dropkicks Lee outside again and some rolling suplexes make it worse. Vikingo gets the tag to take over on Mysterio, but Lee tags himself in out of frustration.

Lee’s top rope double stomp in the Tree Of Woe gets two and it’s back to an annoyed Vikingo. A Michinoku Driver gets Mysterio out of trouble and Americano comes in for the comeback. Americano hits a springboard Blockbuster (nice) into something like White Noise for two on Lee.

Vikingo goes up but Lee is sent into him for a crotching so Americano covers Lee, with Vikingo firing off a 450 for the save. Unfortunately that hits Lee, who is right back with Operation Dragon for two on Mysterio. Lee dives over for the tag and of course Vikingo pulls his arm back and even knocks Lee out. The 619 sets up Americano’s running headbutt to finish Lee at 17:01.

Rating: B. The fact that I can’t understand the promos or the backstory but knew the story they were telling in the match means they were doing something right. The action was there as well, with everyone working hard and putting in a good match that the fans liked. I got into this and it felt like a big time main event, so well done all around.

Post match Mysterio brags about their win and says they’re the best in the world. Cue the reunited Lucha Bros, who seem to disagree, and say something about chicken nuggets. This seems to be a challenge for Guerra de Titantes on December 20 in Guadalajara. Mysterio and Americano seem to be in to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I had a good time with this show, which certainly felt like a WWE formatted show at times. I could get a nice enough idea of what was going on here, which is quite the feat when the show is in an entirely different language. This was definitely a faster paced style, but the show was entertaining and kept my attention for almost two hours. Nice job, and something I could go for more of if WWE wants to do some more special broadcasts.

Results
Je’Von Evans b. Octagon and Axiom – Top rope cutter to Axiom
Psycho Circus/Pagano b. El Ojo – Super Spanish Fly onto chairs to Sanson
Ethan Page/Chelsea Green b. Mr. Iguana/Lola Vice – Kendo stick shot to Iguana
El Grande Americano/Dominik Mysterio b. Dragon Lee/El Hijo del Vikingo – Running headbutt to Lee

 

 

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