By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT Hits
Oba Femi vs. Je’Von Evans for the NXT Championship: The match was made during opening segment, which was a strange call over advertising it in advance. Although the segment was about setting up match between Oba and Evans, Ricky Saints was the guy who stood out. Saints looked more confident than usual when he requested his rematch, and he did a nice job of telling a story with his facial reactions to Evans asking to have the title shot he earned by winning the Iron Survivor Challenge early. The actual match was really good once they picked up the pace. Saints pulling the referee out of the ring before he could finish the count that would have made Evans the new champion was well executed, and seemingly positions Saints as the top heel of the brand. There were probably some non-regulars checked out this episode to learn more about Oba heading into his match with Cody Rhodes. This was hardly a showcase intended to make Oba look strong going into that match. That said, I hear Saturday Night’s Main Event has a bigger hook (something about that guy who plays Peacemaker retiring), and Oba’s showcase will likely occur during his match with Cody regardless of the outcome.
Jordynne Grace vs. Kelani Jordan: Good work from both wrestlers. I wasn’t a fan of the silly spot where Grace was kicked off the ring steps into a couple of barricade pieces that simply fell over. The spot was meant to protect Grace for taking the loss, but it looked tame and contrived. Nevertheless, the bulk of the match was enjoyable. Grace has a long history of great work from her time in TNA, and Jordan is improving and is on the rise.
Jacy Jayne and Kendal Grey: A soft Hit. Jayne continued her streak of quality promos, although this one felt like it went a bit longer than necessary. Although Grey’s is a work in progress on the mic, she did okay here. I’m surprised they didn’t dedicate a segment to her winning the Iron Survivor Challenge, but this was an effective beginning to the build for the NXT Women’s Championship match at New Year’s Evil. As much as I like what I’ve seen from Grey, it doesn’t feel like we know much about her from just watching NXT. Hopefully, that will change before the title match.
Ethan Page and Tony D’Angelo: Another enjoyable performance on the the mic from Page before the lights went out and D’Angelo appeared in the ring behind him. D’Angelo attacked babyface Je’Von Evans at Deadline, and now heel Page on the fallout show, so it’s unclear whether fans are supposed to root for or against him. Perhaps that’s why the live crowd was so quiet. I didn’t think much of it when the San Antonio fans were quiet for D’Angelo’s return, but it was surprising that the WWE Performance Center regulars didn’t pop for his return given how over he’s been in the past.
NXT Misses
Blake Monroe’s open challenge: The biggest disappointment of the night. The creative forces surely know that fan expectations are high when they advertise open challenges. I didn’t get my hopes up for anything in particular, and I still found this to be a letdown.
Shiloh Hill vs. Lexis King: Give that referee a raise for taking Hill’s retainer with a bare hand. The Hill videos that led up to this match were interesting. Unfortunately, the in-ring presentation left a lot to be desired. Maybe it’s because I’m a hockey fan, but the fuss over Hill missing a tooth is a bit much. The idea that he comes to life when he removes his retainer was weird and not in a good way like some of the things he said in his videos. I’m still optimistic that Hill can evolve into a good, unique character, but it may take some time for him and the creative forces to work out the kinks. Meanwhile, they picked a strange week to not televise King’s entrance. Why frame him as a jobber when they could have made Hill’s win seem like more of an upset?
Tatum Paxley video: Did anyone else notice the live crowd’s apathy after she incorporated dolls into her pre-taped promo? Paxley needs to evolve beyond this childlike character, but it doesn’t seem like the creative forces are willing to budge. It’s a shame because there’s upside potential that is severely limited by her current act. It shouldn’t happen until both characters are in a better place, but I look forward to crazy meeting crazy when Paxley crosses paths with Shiloh Hill.
(Jason Powell, founder and editor of ProWrestling.net, has covered pro wrestling full-time dating back to 1997. He hosts a weekly podcast, Pro Wrestling Boom, and also appears regularly on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast. Reach him via email at dotnetjason@gmail.com and on social media via @prowrestlingnet.bsky.social or x.com/prowrestlingnet. For his full bio and information on this website, click here.)
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