By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV
Orlando, Florida, at the WWE Performance Center
Aired live August 12, 2025, on The CW Network
[Hour One] Hank and Tank ran into NXT GM Ava, who demanded they not interfere in DarkState’s match later in the night due to them having a match against DarkState at Heatwave. Hank and Tank agreed. Ava wasn’t convinced because Hank and Tank seemed sarcastic…
Vic Joseph, Corey Graves, and Booker T were on commentary. Mike Rome was the ring announcer…
Entrances for the opening match took place…
1. Lash Legend vs. Nia Jax. Both women started the match with a collar and elbow, which led to a stalemate. Jax tackled Legend into the corner a few times. Lash turned the table on the opposite corner with gut tackles of her own. Jax countered the tackle with a body scissors Guillotine. Legend deadlifted the large Jax into the corner to break the hold. Jax came back with a Mafia Kick and then dumped Lash to ringside.
Lash tried to rally back with elbows, but was dumped back ot the apron. Lash banged Jax’s head against the buckles. Lash then worked on Jax with overhead slaps to the chest. Lash hit Jax with a Rear View and Standing Splash for a nearfall. Lash dumped Jax to ringside with a big boot.[c]
Jax cleared the announce table during the break. Back form break, Jax was dominating the match in the center of the ring with rest holds. Lash tried to rally back, but Jax planted Lash with a Samoan Drop for a nearfall. Lash hit Jax with a desperation sideways Gory Buster. Jax poked Lash in the eye while the referee was fixing the apron. Jax slammed Lash to the mat and hit her with a Senton. Lash rallied with right hands at ringside.
Lash climbed steps next to the announce table. Jax blocked a suplex by lowering her weight. Lash’s body gave out during a Fallaway Slam attempt, which allowed Jax’s body to send Lash’s body through the announce table. Jax made it in first and Lash beat the ten count. Lash and Jax traded Yay Boo right hands. Lash lifted Jax and hit her with an impressive Body Slam for a good nearfall.
Jax used a forearm to stagger Lash on the top rope. Lash slipped out of the corner. Lash went for a Power Bomb, but Jax’s body weight caved in on Lash. Jax went to the top rope and hit Lash with the A-Nia-Lator for the victory.
Nia Jax defeated Lash Legend via pinfall in 12:53.
John’s Thoughts: The match looked like it could be fun on paper, but the match exceeded expectations in terms of becoming a really captivating match. Seeing Nia back in NXT is night and day compared to her rookie years when she looked like a nervous dear in the headlights. It was fun seeing her being the ring general of the match, leading Lash through on of Lash’s better and longer matches. Lash continues to show the progress and fruits of her hard work. This was also fun given how both women usually face smaller wrestlers, so a good big on big bout.
Kelly Kincaid interviewed the 4 DarkState members about their upcoming match. Dion said they are here to take opportunity and they are going to step up to four of the best from NXT and TNA. Cutler said DarkState will take turns on their asses. James then said they were going to “finish on top”. Dion Lennox facepalmed. The rest of DarkState looked confused. Shugars cut in with the “ay yo!” and went back to hyping up DarkState in their upcoming match…
Vic hyped upcoming segments…[c]
John’s Thoughts: Is Cutler James’s wrestling character secretly the Caucasian version of The Booty Warrior from The Boondocks? Last week it was being all up in Hank and Tank’s asses, and now it’s taking turns on asses. My immature sense of humor can’t help but chuckle at Cutler’s random implied surprise buttsex references. I wonder if it’s just a creative member having fun (as we’ve seen many time during Vince’s run as head of creative), or if this is going to be part of an excuse to get Cutler out of the group. As I said, I think the key here would be to swap him out for Jasper Troy to reboot both acts which have no real credibility, but a lot of upside.
Chelsea Green and her secret Hervice were walking around the locker room scouting the women in the locker room about who Tavion Heights might send after Chelsea. Chelsea dismissed some girls. They dismissed Hank and Tank dressed as girls. She felt safe at Karmen Petrovic due to her being Canadian. Green then ran into Kendall Grey and noted that while Grey has an impressive college resume, she can’t beat Alba Fyre later. Green said she had to leave to get ready for her upcoming match…
Wren Sinclair and Charlie Dempsey made their entrance. Say his name and he appears! I believe in Joe Hendry! Clap Clap! Joe Hendry made his entrance…
2. Joe Hendry vs. Charlie Dempsey. Joe started the match with a shoulder tackle. Charlie came back with a drop toehold for a two count. Dempsey worked on Joe with an armbar. Hendry came back with a Judo takeover. Both men traded quick technical holds. Vic noted Hendry’s success as a Greco Roman and Amateur wrestler. Dempsey worked on Joe with Uppercuts and a Gutwrench for a two count. Vic plugged TNA Emergence for this weekend.
Dempsey hit Joe with chained Northern Lights Suplexes into a Guillotine. Joe unraveled Charlie and hit him with a Suplex. Joe rallied with right hands. Joe hit Charlie with his Fallaway Slam into the Zoolander Turn. Joe turned up the band. Dempsey countered Joe into a backslide. Hendry recovered and hit Dempsey with the Standing Ovation for the victory.
Joe Hendry defeated Charlie Dempsey via pinfall in 3:56.
Josh Briggs was shown walking backstage…[c]
John’s Thoughts: A simple enhancement win for Joe. It almost felt like a debut match for a incoming WWE wrestler, even though Joe has been in NXT-WWE for a hot minute with a lot of time in NXT and some big Mania and Rumble PLE moments. Not sure what NXT and TNA have in store for him as he’s spinning his wheels at the moment. He’s wandering the midcard on Thursdays. On Tuesdays, they are reestablishing him and did that oddball subliminal thing two weeks ago where his graphic will interrupt matches.
Lola Vice and Kelani Jordan were warming up backstage. Vice talked about being on a roll in NXT and AAA and it’s a matter of time before she becomes Women’s Champion in NXT. Jaida Parker pulled up and said she believes Vice and Jordan will win their match tonight, but they aren’t getting in her way in the line for a Women’s Title shot…
Josh Briggs made his entrance for a promo. Briggs soaked in boos. Briggs said the boos mean nothing because he sees what the crowd cheers. The boos drowned out Briggs from starting his promo. Briggs said Inamura called himself a friend, but he was selfish and spineless. A “turn his mic” off chant ensued. Josh said they are keeping the mic on all night. Briggs said Inamura kept waving his plan of becoming NXT champion in front of Josh’s face.
Josh said he tried to make Inamura a champion, but Inamura failed because of some sort of code of honor. Josh said there is no code of honor in NXT. Josh said he’s not a man of honor, but a man of mayhem. Josh said Inamura even cost him a shot at the title. Briggs said Inamura needs to learn that to survive in NXT, you have to fight dirty. Josh told Inamura to put his honor on the line next week in a Philadelphia Street Fight.
Yoshiki Inamura made his entrance to confront Josh. Inamura said he thought Josh was his friend, but now Josh is just a, how do you say, jackass. Inamura said he fights his own way with honor. A “He’s a jackass” chant ensued. Inamura said at Philadelphia, in a match with no rules, the honor will be in beating Josh. Inamura threw hands at Josh and pounced him out of the ring.
Both men brawled to the top rope with security running out to try to settle things. Inamura chopped Briggs off the top rope onto the guards at ringside. Inamura hit Briggs and the guards with his powered up High Fly Flow. Inamura stood tall in the ring to end the segment…
The camera showed Jordynne Grace in the back getting ready for a sitdown interview with Kelly Kincaid…[c]
Vic hyped next week’s NXT show on the road. Vic then talked about how Corey Graves was in Canada the prior night, in Florida tonight, in Mexico this weekend, and back to raw and NXT next week. Vic said he’s WWE’s “Mr. Worldwide” (shout out Pitbull)…
Kelly Kincaid had a sitdown interview with Jordynne Grace. She asked about Blake’s comments on Grace’s physical appearance. Grace said Blake was right in that Grace spent most of her life not liking how she looked in a mirror. She said if her journey was just physical, it would have been easier. She said her battle wasn’t with her body, it was with her mind and self worth. She said she had that voice telling her she can never succeed.
Kincaid said any woman can relate to that. Kelly said that once Blake chummed up to Grace, we saw a softer side to Grace. Grace said she attempted to connect and try to understand Blake. She said they have the same weakness. She said Blake tries to project her weakness on others to tear down others. Grace said there’s power to see through someone like that. Grace said to all the little girls out there, real strength doesn’t feed on someone else’s weakness.
Kincaid asked Grace for her thoughts on her heatwave match against Blake. Grace said she’s going to prove there is no blueprint for a champion and champions can some in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Grace said champions can also silence bullies like Blake Monroe…
John’s Thoughts: Solid sitdown for Grace to set up her upcoming match against Blake Monroe. I actually like the sitdown as it allows her to build a connection with the crowd without the risk of it backfiring. Grace has improved over the years in connecting with the crowd, so that’s a plus. On a side note, prayers and best wishes to Grace and her husband Jonathan Gresham. Gresham had that health scare last week and prayers to him that he gets back to good health.
The show cut to Blake Monroe in the GM office with Ava. Ava told Monroe that she will have a face to face with Grace next week. Monroe walked out looking annoyed…
A replay aired of the last two weeks of TNA Impact, where Jacy Jayne’s two title defenses both ended in quick DQs…
Blake Howard interviewed Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence. Jayne tried to give her thoughts on the upcoming match, but Henley cut in and said that they can take down Lola and Kelani. Jayne acted annoyed at Henley interrupting. They then all noticed Ash by Elegance and Masha Slamovich appearing on the monitor because they were arriving at the Performance Center. Fatal Influence left with Lainey Reid showing up to randomly wish Jayne good luck…
Fatal Influence made their entrance…[c]
Moose, Oba, Je’von, and Trick were in the locker room. Oba tried to get everyone on the same page and said that they were the alpha males of the species. Moose and Je’von were on the same page. Trick got up and told them all that they were all taking L’s down the road. Hank and Tank showed up dressed as insect fumigators to trash talk DarkState…
[Hour Two] Lola Vice and Kelani Jordan made their entrances. Ash by Elegance, The Personal Concierge, and Masha Slamovich were shown in the performance center crowd…
John’s Thoughts: I don’t get why Booker is a huge proponent of Cholula green hot sauce? El Yucateco green is where it’s at!
3. “Fatal Influence” Jacy Jayne and Fallon Henley (w/Jazmyn Nyx) vs. Kelani Jordan and Lola Vice. Jordan put Fallon in a Rings of Saturn early on. Vice tagged in. Jordan kicked Fallon to give Vice a two count. Jayne tagged in. Fatal Influence used quick tags to cut the ring in half on Vice. Vice hit Jayne with Tae Kwon Do kicks and tagged in Jordan. Vice and Jordan hit both opponents with stereo armdrags. Jayne hit Jordan with a clothesline after she was chasing Nyx and Henley. [c]
During the break, Booker tried to get Vic to mention how hot Fatal Infuence looked, but Vic said his wife (TNA’s McKenzie Mitchell) might be watching and Booker is trying to ambush him. Graves said that Vic and Booker sound like pre-schoolers. Back from break, Jayne and Henley cut the ring in half on Jordan. Vice tagged in and cleaned house with switch kicks. Vice hit Henley and Jayne with her “I’m a Latina” hip attacks.
Vice hit Henley with a Suplex for a nearfall. Vice hit Henley with a Axe Kick. Jordan hit Henley with a corkscrew leg drop for a nearfall. Henley used strikes to fend off both opponents. Jordan hit Henley with a modified Wasteland. Henley dumped Jordan off the top rope. Henley and Jayne hit Jordan with their High Low strike. Vice broke up Jayne’s pin.
Jordan and Jayne traded Yay Boo strikes. Jayne hit Jordan with a superkick. Jordan rolled up Jayne into a two count. Both women traded armdrag counters. Jordan hit Jayne with a shortarm Leg Drop. Vice kicked Henley to ringside and kicked Nyx in the ring. Vice hit Jayne with a backfist. Jordan hit Jayne with One of a Kind for the victory.
Kelani Jordan and Lola Vice defeated Jacy Jayne and Fallon Henley via pinfall in 11:54.
Nyx and Henley helped Jayne to her feet. Ash by Elegance and Masha Slamovich were shown in the crowd cheering…
John’s Thoughts: Jordan pinning the champ sets her up as a title contender for Jayne on the NXT side. I don’t expect her to lose the titles until mid-October when Jayne will face whoever she is going to face at Bound for Glory. I hope NXT does TNA a solid by having Jayne walk into BFG as the double champ to cash in that equity. I would have picked a better opponent than Jordan who needs a character reboot. Are they giving up on Jordan being a mopey heel (She was mopey not too long ago too when she came out to Jordynne Grace’s entrance for no reason other than to bait and switch the crowd)?
The show cut to a Jasper Troy promo. Troy said he’s tired of small guys like Ricky Saints. Troy said Saints is like those star QBs he used to protect when he was an O-lineman. He said they all acted so cool, with perfect hair, perfect teeth, getting all the girls, and getting all the glory. He said they are nothing without a monster like him protecting them. He said nothing is protecting Ricky. Troy said Ricky has been handed everything and can’t relate to Troy. Troy said he’ll take care of Saints and the spotlight will be on the person it’s supposed to be, Jasper Troy…[c]
Evolve’s Kendal Grey made her entrance. A picture-in-picture showed highlights from Kendal’s amateur wrestling career. Alba Fyre made her entrance with Piper Niven…
4. Alba Fyre (w/Piper Niven) vs. Kendal Grey. Grey started the match with amateur takedowns. Grey tripped up Fyre and hit her with a dropkick. Grey went for a dive, but ate a superkick form Fyre for a two count. Vic reminded viewers that Fyre was NXT UK Women’s Champion for over 600 days. Grey came back with a Belly to Belly toss. A picture in picture showed Ethan Page and Chelsea Green watching the match. Page said he might have to watch the match closer at ringside. Page left.
Grey put Fyre in a Juji Gatame. Ethan Page made his way to ringside. Grey hit Fyre with a Crossbody for a nearfall. Grey hit Fyre with a Gutwrench for a nearfall. Fyre caught Grey with a superkick and Gourd Buster. Fyre hit Grey with a running knee for a nearfall. Fyre raked the eyes of Grey and hit her with a Gory Buster for the victory.
Alba Fyre defeated Kendal Grey via pinfall in 4:06.
Ethan Page took the mic and asked if that was the best that America’s got. Page said the Secret Hervice embarrassed America and Tavion’s pick. Heights made his entrance. He said while he respects Kendal, that’s not his pick. Heights said he picked someone who did something that no other woman has done in WWE history, win an Olympic Gold Medal. Tyra Mae Steele showed up and cleared The Secret Hervice from ringside. Heights chased Page back to the ring. Page ate a German Suplex from Steele…
John’s Thoughts: Talk about night and day, while I do really like the sports entertainment “Secret Hervice” gimmick, it is a bit jarring to see Alba Fyre in NXT as a sports entertainment character when she was at one time HBK’s most protected wrestler on the roster. As Vic mentioned, she had the UK title for over 600 days and any time she lost there was a ton of overbooking. Good match though. I liked Kendal Grey changing up her look. The amateur singlet works and looks good on her. Her last gear had her looking like those interchangeable NIL former cheerleaders.
Jayne, Henley, and Nyx were bickering in the GM’s office. They ran into Ava and The Personal Concierge. Ava informed Jayne that she booked Jayne vs. Masha vs. Ash for the title at Heatwave. The Concierge said the Knockouts title will be soon elegant. Ava then booked Fatal Influence vs. The Elegance Brand for next week’s NXT…
Vic hyped the eight person tag team match for after the break…[c]
Vic Joseph plugged WWE’s podcast lineup…
Ethan Page berated Chelsea Green for overlooking the first female Olympic Gold Medalist in WWE history. Page said their new problem is Mr. and Mrs. Olympics. Green said it was time to propose a peace treaty between Canada and America. Page said he knows someone in the Canadian government that can help him write up something…
The following segments were advertised for next week’s show in Philadelphia: Blake Monroe and Jordynne Grace face-to-face, Jasper Troy vs. Ricky Saints, Trick Williams vs. Je’von Evans, Josh Briggs vs. Yoshiki Inamura in a Philadelphia Street Fight, and Fatal Influence vs. The Elegance Brand…
Je’von Evans made his entrance. TNA World Champion Trick Williams made his entrance. Quinn “Moose” Ojinnaka made his entrance to his Ring of Honor entrance theme…[c]
NXT Champion Oba Femi did his entrance and strut to the ring. DarkState made their entrance.
5. Oba Femi, Trick Williams, Je’von Evans, and Moose vs. “DarkState” Saquon Shugars, Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, and Cutler James. All eight men brawled to start the match. Evans and Shugars were last in the ring, trading hands. Evans pummeled Shugars into the corner. Evans hit Shugars with a corkscrew sweep and flip for a nearfall. Evans hit Shugars with his seated springboard huracanrana. Oba dumped Cutler to ringside. Moose dumped Grivvin to ringside. Oba tossed Dion onto the rest of DarkState at ringside.
Trick glared at the rest of his teammates. Oba and Moose tossed Trick onto DarkState. Trick gave his team condescending hugs.[c]
During the break, Graves called Cutler James “The Walking Innuendo” (so his random booty warrior quotes are on purpose). Back from break, Oba and Cutler were trading suplex attempts. Oba won the battle by suplexing Cutler James. Griffin tagged in. Oba and Osiris traded right hands. Both men stood at a stalemate. Dion tagged in and hit Oba with a jawbreaker on the top rope. Osiris hit Oba with a Power Slam.
Dion got a two count on Oba. Dion hit Oba with a neckbreaker for a two count. Griffin tagged in and hit Oba with a leg drop for a two count. Evans tagged in and hit Griffin with a top rope clearing dive. Evans hit Dion with a slingshot crossbody. Evans hit Shugars with a Suicide Dive into the announce table. Dion planted a fired up Evans with a spinebuster. Cutler took down Evans with a clotheline for a two count.
Evans hit James with a flip jump kick. Moose tagged in and cleaned house. Moose knocked Shugars off the top rope with a high dropkick. Moose hit Dion with a Uranage and Senton. Shugars hit Moose with a pump kick Moose hit Shugars with a Go to Hell (Sky High) for a nearfall. Dion tagged in and ate Moose’s headbutt. Trick tagged in. Trick hit Dion with a pop up punch.
Oba tagged in and hit Dion with a backbreaker. Je’von tagged in and hit Dion with a Frog Splash. The rest of DarkState broke up Je’von’s pin. Osiris hit Evans with a backdrop. Shugars hit Evans with a diving leg drop for a nearfall. Evans caught Evans and tossed them into Dion and Osiris for a double Cutter. Moose accidentally speared Oba. Shugars dumped Moose to ringside. DarkState surrounded Evans. Trick could have saved him, but he dropped off the apron. DarkState hit Evans with their pop up Shield Bomb for the victory.
DarkState defeated Je’von Evans, Trick Williams, Oba Femi, and Moose via pinfall in 13:19.
Hank and Tank ran out to brawl with DarkState. NXT closed…
John’s Thoughts: A decent television main event. Not the biggest fan of DarkState picking up the win, especially with them coming off a decisive loss to TNA’s mid-card at Slammiversary, with zero character development from DarkState. Again, I just think they need retooling and I would like them to recreate WWE’s old pseudo trios division that was around during the Shield days. I hope that DarkState don’t get teamed up with Trick. Moreso, I’m a bigger fan of AJ Francis and Rich Swann, who are Trick’s stable in TNA.
Another reason I wouldn’t mind First Class being glued to Trick is it’ll get Rich Swann back on NXT, and he’s world champion material (despite his slim frame). This week’s NXT was a good episode and the show is slowly morphing back to putting on consistently well written shows with solid character development. Still not back to where it was a few months ago, but baby steps.
Is cutler james trying to beat Dolph Ziggler at becoming the next Mr. Ass?