By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
No Mercy Hits
Jacy Jayne vs. Lola Vice for the NXT Women’s Championship: Vice’s home area fans got behind her and created a fun atmosphere. Fallon Henley running interference for Jayne led to good heat before she was ejected. Most of the fans on the main floor were on their feet for the action down the stretch and for good reason. The wrestlers took them on a rollercoaster ride with Vice coming close to winning several times before the mystery person hit her at ringside. And even then, the fans popped big when Vice beat the referee’s count to avoid being counted out, only to have Jayne hit her finisher for the win. This match exceeded my expectations. I’m guessing that Lainey Reid was the mystery attacker, but I’ll play fantasy booker. What if it turned out to be Mandy Rose, and the reason she helped Jayne win this match is because she wants to beat her former ally for the championship? I’m not holding my breath, but that sure would be fun.
Je’Von Evans vs. Josh Briggs: A good, suspenseful match with strong near falls for both wrestlers. It felt like Evans and Briggs both needed wins, which made it feel like this match could go either way. I suppose that Evans going over is logical because he avenged his television loss to Briggs from earlier this month and will be challenging Leon Slater for the X Division Title at TNA Bound For Glory. But Briggs loses too often for a big man, and he really needs a breakthrough win.
Jordynne Grace vs. Blake Monroe in a weaponized steel cage match: How do you turn a cage match into something lighter? By making it a weaponized cage match with the usual tired assortment of WWE weaponry, including a sponsored table, and a few cosmetic items. How do you turn a weaponized cage match into something lighter? By painting most of the weapons pink, even though Monroe didn’t even wear pink or lean into her Glamour persona. Fortunately, the wrestlers worked a gritty style and overcame the campiness. Monroe cutting off some of Grace’s hair was unexpected fun, as was using “diamonds” instead of overdone thumbtacks. I just can’t believe Monroe wasted all that cocaine by throwing it in Grace’s eyes. Wait, what? Never mind. Anyway, that powder spot felt needless considering that Grace hit the Air Raid Crash from the top of the cage through a table to get the win just moments later. But that was one of my few complaints about the work of the wrestlers. I’d still prefer a good old-fashioned cage match, but Monroe and Grace did a hell of a job.
Oba Femi vs. Ricky Saints for the NXT Championship: Here’s hoping that Saints winning means Oba will be moving to the main roster. The story of Saints hitting Oba with DDTs on the broadcast table, the ringside floor, and then in the ring seems logical enough in theory, but the live crowd didn’t see the third DDT as the match finisher, so their reaction to Saints winning felt a little delayed and even subdued.
No Mercy Misses
Sol Ruca vs. Jaida Parker for the WWE Women’s Speed Championship: I’ve made it clear that I’m not a fan of the Speed matches or adding even more title belts to NXT. But I was a little more interested in this match when Parker replaced Lainey Reid, simply because the idea of Parker plowing through challengers in five minutes or less was appealing. Unfortunately, Ruca went over, and Zaria still hasn’t turned heel. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still high on Ruca, but I think Parker would have brought something different to the Speed matches.
Ethan Page vs. Tavion Heights for the NXT North American Championship: A minor Miss for a quality match that lacked mystery regarding the outcome and felt like a standard TV match. The live crowd never seemed to buy into the possibility of Heights winning. In fact, the only time these fans were quieter was after the video aired with El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. vowing to come for Page. Heights is good in the ring, but he and the creative forces have a lot of work to do on his character.
(ProWrestling.net Editor Jason Powell has worked in journalism for 27 years, including as the Assistant Editor of PWTorch.com and as a Senior Editor at Fanball.com before launching ProWrestling.net on Feb. 11, 2008.)
No way it’s Mandy Rose unless Only fans got shut down.
Lol
If it were Reid, I would think they wouldve done the reveal that night. Waiting until Tues sounds like an angle will occur. I agree that it seems like someone who wants to challenge Jacy. I’ll say it’s Gigi, Mandy, or hell, it’s 2025 wwe, maybe Nyx.
Sadly though, it looked like Reid’s body under the disguise.
Well it wouldn’t be sadly.Reid’s a good talent and potential star in the future.
I agree on that. I just meant sadly as in it wouldnt be a surprise.
Before it was corrected, someone posted on the WWE website that Lainey Reid attacked Lola Vice so it is Reid unless WWE changes things.