Battleground 2025
Date: May 25, 2025
Location: Yuengling Center, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T., Corey Graves

It’s another big show and we have quite the interesting card this time. Not only is Myles Borne getting an NXT Title shot against Oba Femi, but the TNA World Title is on the line as Joe Hendry defends against Trick Williams. That’s quite a doubleheader and now we get to see what else they have set up. Let’s get to it.

The opening video looks at the show’s major matches as battle lines have been drawn.

Women’s North American Title: Sol Ruca vs. Kelani Jordan

Ruca is defending and has Zaria in her corner. Feeling out process to start with neither of them getting anywhere until Ruca takes her down. Ruca surfs on her back before tripping Jordan into an STF. That’s broken up so Ruca hits a suplex into a standing moonsault. They trade rollups for two each until Jordan plants her down in the corner. Something like a powerbomb looks to set up a half crab but Ruca kicks away.

Jordan kicks at the leg and gets the half crab, which is reversed into a rollup to escape. They both climb up and it’s Ruca with a super X Factor to plant her down for a double breather. Back up and Jordan sends her to the floor, setting up the Asai moonsault. Jordan glares at Zaria and they head back inside, where Ruca blocks a super hurricanrana. A Backstabber (with feet instead of knees) sends Jordan to the floor and a big handspring flip dive drops her again.

Back in and Jordan knocks her down for a change, setting up a frog splash for two. They both head up top again and Jordan tries a super poisonrana, with Ruca flipping out and landing on her feet. A spear gives Ruca two so she goes up, where Jordan gives her a super Spanish Fly for two. Back up and Zaria pulls Ruca away from One Of A Kind, which is enough for an ejection. Jordan baseball slides Ruca down and breaks up the Sol Snatcher but Ruca goes up anyway. A top rope Sol Snatcher retains the title at 12:58.

Rating: B-. That Sol Snatcher is something else and WWE seems to know what they have with the thing. It’s making Ruca feel like a bigger star every time she puts someone away with it and this time it came at the end of a good match. Jordan is starting to find herself more, while Zaria continues to feel irrelevant. Odds are this is setting up Ruca vs. Zaria, and that’s feeling like a downgrade for Ruca at this point.

We recap the Culling attacking Josh Briggs, with Hank And Tank making the save.

Shawn Spears gives the Culling a pep talk before the six man tag. The team can rely on him to face a formidable challenge.

AAA’s Dalys and Chik Tormenta are here.

TNA’s Mike Santana is coming for the TNA World Title so he needs to see who walks out tonight. For those of you who don’t know who he is, he’s a proud man from the Bronx and he wants the winner of tonight’s title match. The No Quarter Catch Crew come in and say they don’t like these outsiders. Tavion Heights wants a match on Tuesday and Santana is game. As this is going on, two women (I believe Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne) can be seen arguing in the back.

The Culling vs. Hank And Tank/Josh Briggs

Izzi Dame is here with the Culling and Vance gets caught in the wrong corner to start. Some dives take Vance out on the floor but Hank gets sent hard into the post. The villains take turns beating on Hank, with Spears stomping away. Hank gets in a right hand for a breather and kicks Vance away, allowing the tag off to Tank to clean house.

Vance gets in a headbutt, only for Briggs to come in with a top rope moonsault for two. A double stomp Dominator hits Hank and the referee has to stop the count due to a late save. Spears grabs Briggs’ hand and Dame gets in a big boot so Jensen can roll him up for two. Briggs hits a heck of a lariat and hands it back to Hank for the powerslam/neckbreaker combination and the pin at 9:28.

Rating: C. This felt like a way to get the Tag Team Champions on the show and they probably should have a better way to go than that. I’ll take it over a forced title defense, but this was easily the weakest built match on the show. The tag division isn’t overly strong at the moment and I’m not sure who is going to be next to come after the belts, save for maybe Darkstate.

Post match the Culling jumps the winners again but Yoshiki Inamaru returns for the save. Great. Now he can be uninteresting all over again.

Ethan Page is ready to win the North American Title on Tuesday by finally finishing Ricky Saints. Ava comes in to say the winner will defend the title at Worlds Collide on June 7.

We recap Stacks vs. Tony D’Angelo. They were the leaders of the D’Angelo Family and grew up together. Stacks started making some moves that D’Angelo didn’t like and put a stop to them, which led to Stacks turning on the team. Now it’s time for revenge and to find out the real force of the team.

Stacks vs. Tony D’Angelo

D’Angelo takes him straight down to start and hammers away but Stacks hits a kick to the ribs. Some heavy forearms to the back of the head rock D’Angelo and they head outside. Stacks gets rammed into the apron and tries to go over the barricade, earning himself a ram into the post. A little too much trash talk lets Stacks knock him into the steps though and a running dropkick makes it worse.

Back in and Stacks stays on D’Angelo’s ribs with a seated abdominal stretch as Booker goes on a weird rant about how it’s “Channing Stacks Lorenzo” rather than “Stacks”. Cement Shoes gives Stacks two but D’Angelo fires off some more uppercuts to the body. Stacks goes back to the ribs but misses another Cement Shoes. A delayed German suplex drops Stacks and D’Angelo hits a powerbomb before raining down right hands.

Hold on though as D’Angelo stops and looks around before they both stand up. Stacks tells D’Angelo that he’s weak and drives him ribs first into the post. A cannonball only hits post though and D’Angelo hits Forget About It for two. D’Angelo’s ribs give out again and Stacks drapes him over the ropes for a top rope double stomp.

Stacks goes to get his crowbar but D’Angelo has taken it away. A spear cuts Stacks down and D’Angelo hammers away with forearms. Stacks begs forgiveness but gets spinebustered for his efforts. Cue Luca Crusifino to stare at D’Angelo, allowing Stacks to kick D’Angelo low. A running knee to the back of the head finishes for Stacks at 15:17.

Rating: B. That’s the right way to go as it leaves the door open for something else while Stacks losing here would have been a death sentence. The Crusifino deal is something else on its own, as he didn’t actually attack anyone and just stood there. That’s likely going to be explained soon, as this story feels like it has a long way to go.

Post match D’Angelo gets up and Crusifino (who did not get physical) offers a hug but gets shoved away.

We recap Jordynne Grace challenging Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s Title. Vaquer is the new star and Grace beat Giulia to get a title shot. This is a major showdown and that’s what it should be.

Women’s Title: Jordynne Grace vs. Stephanie Vaquer

Vaquer is defending. We get a handshake to start and Grace picks her up without much trouble. Grace works on an armbar but Grace is back up with a headscissors into a rollup for two. They go outside and Grace is sent over the announcers’ table, leaving commentary to mock Booker for being such a huge Vaquer fan. Back in and the Boston crab sends Vaquer over to the ropes so Grace slams her down. The Vader Bomb misses though and Vaquer gets in the Devil’s Kiss.

Back up and Grace hits a spinebuster into a sitout package powerbomb for two as they’re both getting tired. Vaquer hits a DDT for two but Grace takes her into the corner for a superplex into a Jackhammer for two more. Back up and the SVB and Juggernaut Driver are both countered, setting up a fight over a tombstone.

With that not working, they go outside and Vaquer powers her through the barricade for a big crash. Back in and the SVB connects…for two, leaving Vaquer stunned. Another SVB is broken up and Vaquer takes out the leg with a dragon screw legwhip out of the corner. Vaquer goes up and hits a Spiral Tap to retain at 16:09.

Rating: B. Another good one here, as Vaquer felt like she defeated Grace for good here. Busting out the Spiral Tap felt like a big way to go and it was Vaquer needing to go big to beat a top opponent. I’m not sure who is next for both of them, but this was a big time title match and that’s what it was supposed to be.

Here is Ricky Saints for a chat. He is ready to face Ethan Page because he doesn’t get what people see in Page. The thing is Page is like the guy at the party but no one knows why he is there. The reality is Saints can put the title on the line because he knew Page’s greed would get in his way. If he has to start this week’s show to beat Page up, so be it. As for Worlds Collide, Saints is ready to go to Mexico if he has to…and here is Page to try and jump him from behind. Saints cuts that off and security breaks it up, with Saints diving onto all of them to get at Page.

We recap Myles Borne challenging Oba Femi for the NXT Title in the form of Borne having a sitdown interview in an empty arena. Borne wasn’t sure if he was ready when he came here but now he’s doing as well as he ever has before. He was ready at the battle royal and he’ll be ready to come after the title.

It’s true that he was given a 15% chance of living when he was born but now he wants people to know about his disability so that kids who are struggling can know that nothing can hold them back. He’s been fighting the odds since birth and he’ll be fighting the odds against Femi, who has everything over him. The only thing Borne has over him is heart. Sweet goodness this guy is likable.

NXT Title: Oba Femi vs. Myles Borne

Borne is challenging. Femi backs him into the corner to start and sends Borne flying, though Borne does stick the landing. A nice dropkick staggers Femi but he’s back up with a suplex for one to take over. Some forearms to the back have Borne in more trouble and a big one puts him down. An Irish Curse plants Borne again and Femi slams him head first into the mat.

Back up and another great dropkick puts Femi down again for a needed breather. A big clothesline rocks Borne but he grabs a sleeper to put Femi in some trouble for a change. Borne can’t suplex him and Femi gets in a kick to the ribs, setting up a reverse chinlock. That’s broken up and Borne manages to send him outside for a heck of a flip dive. Back in and a powerslam out of the corner gives Borne two as the fans are getting into this.

A double stomp into a standing moonsault…is countered into a chokeslam for two as Femi is looking a bit shaken. Borne is back up with a DDT before countering the Fall From Grace with a hurricanrana. Back up and Femi rocks him with a forearm to the face, only to get caught with a German suplex. A frog splash gives Borne two and he hits another dropkick but walks into a pop up uppercut. The Fall From Grace…gets two and the fans are right back into this. Borne rolls him up out of the corner for two but gets turned inside out with a clothesline. Back to back Falls From Grace retain the title at 16:51.

Rating: A-. I had a grand total of no expectations coming into this and they MORE than pulled me into the whole thing. While I wasn’t completely buying that Borne was going to win, they had me feeling the Rocky style story here of someone who had no business hanging in there with the monster champion. I loved this and it’s one of the best things I’ve seen NXT do in a long time.

Post match, respect is shown.

We cut to the back where Jacy Jayne and Fallon Henley are STILL arguing (for an hour now). At the same time, Stephanie Vaquer is arguing with the two women from AAA. Jayne comes in to slap Vaquer and they have to be held back.

We recap Trick Williams challenging Joe Hendry for the TNA Title.

TNA World Title: Joe Hendry vs. Trick Williams

Hendry is defending and we get the Big Match Intros. Hendry wants to fight so they start the brawling, with Hendry grabbing a headlock. Back up and Williams hits a fall away slam for two, followed by a Rock Bottom for the same. They trade rollups for two each until Williams drops him again. Williams tries a Spinarooni (yes we look at Booker) but he walks into a Rock Bottom for two.

A side kick drops Hendry but he muscles Williams into a fireman’s carry slam for two more. Williams is back up and they go to the floor, where Hendry is whipped into the steps. Back in and Hendry fights up again, this time with a fall away slam. Hendry hits the pose but the Standing Ovation is blocked. Williams misses a kick and gets Standing Ovationed for two with a foot on the ropes making the save.

Back up and Williams kicks him down and they head outside, with a Rock Bottom through a table planting Hendry. Back in and a Trick Shot gives Williams two and frustration is setting in. Williams grabs the belt and gets it taken away, only to walk into a Standing Ovation attempt. That’s broken up with a rake to the eyes, allowing Williams to flapjack Hendry down onto the belt. Another Trick Shot drops Hendry for the pin and the title at 15:04.

Rating: B. This is what the crossover story has been needing, as otherwise it’s just been midcarders trading wins. Hendry gets cheated out of the title and there is a reason to see a rematch, possibly with Hendry winning the title back at Slammiversary to avenge his company. Williams has been needing a win of his own too and it came at the end of another solid match.

Overall Rating: A-. That six man is the only thing close to bad on the show and it’s absolutely nothing terrible. Other than that, it was one good match after another with Femi vs. Borne tearing the house down. This was a good looking show coming in and they knocked it out of the park with a great night. NXT has been needing a show like this for a bit and dang it was worth the watch. Awesome stuff here.

Results
Sol Ruca b. Kelani Jordan – Super Sol Snatcher
Josh Briggs/Hank And Tank b. The Culling – Powerslam/neckbreaker combination to Jensen
Stacks b. Tony D’Angelo – Running knee
Stephanie Vaquer b. Jordynne Grace – Spiral Tap
Oba Femi b. Myles Borne – Fall From Grace
Trick Williams b. Joe Hendry – Trick Shot

 

 

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NXT
Date: March 18, 2025
Location: Capital Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T., Vic Joseph

We’re done with Roadblock and that means it is time to get ready for Stand & Deliver. That should make for some big matches on the way there, as we can find out what we should expect on the show. As for tonight though, we have NXT Underground with Trick Williams hopefully blowing off his feud with Eddy Thorpe. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long Roadblock recap.

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

Green, with Piper Niven and Alba Fyre, is defending while Ruca has Zaria with her. Ruca starts fast with an armbar and handstands her way out of a headscissors. An X Factor gets two on Green but she’s back up with a hard whip into the corner. Back up and Ruca faceplants her down, setting up the surfing on Green’s back. That earns her another knockdown though and we take a break with Ruca in trouble.

We come back with Green taking out the knee but Ruca wins a slugout. The knee gives out on a springboard attempt though and Green gets two off a Rough Ryder. Green gets caught on top and Ruca manages a cartwheel DDT, setting up a big dive to the floor. Back in and Green’s Codebreaker connects but she has to break up the Sol Snatcher. The Unprettier retains the title at 9:49.

Rating: C+. This was a nice way to start things off as Green comes back to NXT and breaks a bit of a sweat against a popular star in Ruca. That’s all this needed to be as Green continues to be entertaining no matter what she is doing. It was a good opening match with Ruca hanging in there before going down in defeat.

Je’Von Evans suggests that he and Trick Williams are friends and partners but Williams doesn’t want to hear it. Lexis King comes in to run his mouth and gets punched for his efforts.

The D’Angelo Family is ready to get Tony D’Angelo’s title back, but tonight D’Angelo is staying in the back while the rest of the team gets some revenge.

Here is Stephanie Vaquer for a chat after becoming a double champion last week. She says this is difficult for her because English isn’t her first language. Wrestling is her first language and she proved it last week against one of the best. Now she is ready for her first challenger and here is Jordynne Grace to interrupt. Grace says Vaquer is a trailblazer but she isn’t the only one who won last week. Cue Jaida Parker to jump Grace from behind, saying the line starts behind her. Vaquer should enjoy her time as double champion while she can, because Parker is coming for the title.

Hank And Tank fire each other up.

Hank And Tank vs. Yoshiki Inamura/Josh Briggs

It’s a brawl before the bell and Briggs clotheslines Hank down, setting up a chokeslam for two. Inamura comes in to strike away on Tank in the corner and everything breaks down again. Everyone heads outside before Inamura gives Tank a spinning slam back inside. Briggs’ big boot gets two but Tank manages a knockdown and hands it back to Hank. House is quickly cleaned but Tank misses a Swanton. Inamura’s top rope splash is good for the pin at 5:45.

Rating: C+. Inamura and Briggs are a tam who need wins like this, as they have been presented in a weird way. For some reason they have done just about everything but win a bunch of regular tag matches. This isn’t the big breakthrough win but it’s better than having the team all over the place week to week.

Eddy Thorpe comes into the locker room and talks to Ridge Holland, with the two of them talking about how no one will accept them no matter what they do.

D’Angelo Family vs. The Culling

It’s a brawl on the floor to start and we settle to Riz taking Dame into the corner and hitting a high crossbody. Stacks comes in to clothesline Vance, who powers him out tot he floor. The distraction lets Dame deck Riz but Stacks is back in with a springboard forearm to Vance. Everyone winds up on the floor for the string of dives with the Family taking over as we take a break.

Back with Jensen chopping at Stacks and hitting a top rope bulldog for two. Vance grabs a chinlock until Stacks kicks his way to freedom. The women brawl again as the tag brings in Crusifino to clean house. The Shatter Machine connects….and we cut to the back, where Tony D’Angelo is attacked by the mysterious group. That’s enough of a distraction for Vance to give Stacks the reverse Death Valley Driver for the pin at 10:30.

Rating: C+. This was an energetic match at times, with the women getting in multiple brawls to keep things going. At the same time, you had the ending as a way to keep the Culling strong and protect the Family as well. It was a good way to go, with the Culling continuing to rise up the ranks, especially Vance, who got to show himself off a bit.

Ava makes Jaida Parker vs. Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s Title next week. Works for Vaquer, so here is Fallon Henley to say she wants her own title shot. Ava throws her out because Vaquer is already busy.

Jacy Jayne vs. Karmen Petrovic

The rest of Fatal Influence and Ashante Thee Adonis are here too. Petrovic kicks her down to start and hits a basement clothesline. A basement dropkick gets two but Jayne is back with a kick to the face. The Cannonball gives Jayne two and she grabs the chinlock to keep Petrovic down. That’s broken up so Adonis throws in a chair, which the referee cuts off. Back up and Jayne catches Petrovic with a discus forearm for the pin at 4:02.

Rating: C. I still don’t get the point of Petrovic and Adonis and they aren’t exactly making things that much more interesting. Other than that, it was nice to see Jayne getting a win, though I’m not sure what is supposed to be next for Fatal Influence. In theory it should be Henley getting her rematch, but after that it could go in a few ways. I’m just not sure how interesting that would be.

Hank And Tank are annoyed at their loss so here are Wes Lee, Tyriek Igwe and Tyson DuPont to mock them.

Jaida Parker is ready to win next week. Ashante Thee Adonis and Karmen Petrovic can be seen fighting in the back.

Ricky Saints vs. Ridge Holland

They grapple up against the ropes to start before Holland hits some uppercuts. Saints is right back with a dropkick but Holland suplexes him right back. Saints’ elbow in the corner connects, only for Holland to pull him off the middle buckle. Holland tosses him outside and we take a break.

Back with Holland working on the back, including an over the shoulder backbreaker. That’s broken up and Saints sends him outside for a ram into the apron. Back in and a tornado DDT plants Holland again, setting up the Roshambo (minus the running part) to give Saints the pin at 12:32.

Rating: C+. They had to start Saints’ singles career somewhere and beating someone with Holland’s status is a good way to go. Saints is someone who could turn into something big around here, though it might take some time for that to happen. At least he got his first singles win, as he is at least getting somewhere.

The mystery group talks about how they weren’t given a chance and now it’s time for them to do something about it. Their name seems to be Dark State.

Here’s what’s coming next week, including Stephanie Vaquer defending both of her titles (Women’s Title against Jaida Parker and Women’s Norther American Title against Fallon Henley).

Ricky Saints is happy about his win and is ready for Stand & Deliver…but the Culling interrupts. Trash talk ensues, but Saints makes it clear to Izzi Dame that he measures up in all the right places. A quick stare at Shawn Spears sends the culling leaving.

Eddy Thorpe vs. Trick Williams

NXT Underground, meaning no ropes and you only win via submission or knockout. Thorpe takes him to the mat to start and they start the brawling before heading outside. Williams whips Thorpe into the steps but misses the Trick Shot back inside. Instead Thorpe knocks him down and goes outside again for a belly to back suplex through the announcers’ table. Back in and Thorpe grabs a triangle choke but Williams powerbombs him onto the Evolve wrestlers outside. They get back inside again, where Williams hammers away until the referee stops it at 3:54.

Rating: C. Where’s the rest of this? The match was built up for weeks and then it doesn’t even go four minutes. That’s a weird way to go and I’m not sure what purpose it really served. I get the idea of having the match be more realistic as they were being so violent, but it still felt underwhelming.

Post match Trick Williams calls out and receives Oba Femi. Then the lights go out and Dark State is here, with Je’Von Evans and the Evolve wrestlers coming in to help with the fight. Evans hits a cutter on Femi and stands tall with Williams as Dark State stands in the crowd to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. There were some good parts to this and it was nice to see Dark State actually starting to get somewhere. They also started to set up a few things for Stand & Deliver but we still don’t have anything definitive. Things should start coming together in the next few weeks, though hopefully it’s just Williams vs. Femi in the main event. That’s the big match and has been for a long time now, which is where things need to go. Overall, this wasn’t a bad show, but it felt like they were waiting again before we really start getting going for the biggest show of the year, which is only about a month away.

Results
Chelsea Green b. Sol Ruca – Unprettier
Yoshiki Inamura/Josh Briggs b. Hank And Tank – Top rope splash to Tank
The Culling b. D’Angelo Family – Reverse Death Valley Driver to Stacks
Jacy Jayne b. Karmen Petrovic – Discus forearm
Ricky Saints b. Ridge Holland – Roshambo
Trick Williams b. Eddy Thorpe via referee stoppage

 

 

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

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