By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT Hits
Tony D’Angelo and Evil: The mystery gift box bearing the Japanese symbol for war felt like an intriguing start to a several-week build to Evil’s arrival. Rather, they rushed right to the payoff. Even so, it was fun to see Evil’s debut. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear Vic Joseph acknowledge that Evil is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion. I didn’t even recognize Tavion Heights when he entered the ring and put D’Angelo down with an impressive suplex. Heights was a new man. He improved his look, and I don’t recall seeing him display that type of intensity. Here’s hoping that his cosmetic overhaul includes new gear. The uneven sleeves and pant legs look has always struck me as bush league. I got a kick out of Joseph questioning whether Will Kroos was a fan who entered the ring and performed a moonsault on D’Angelo. It was an interesting way to introduce Kroos, even if it did distract from what Heights did to the NXT Champion.
Myles Borne vs. Saquon Shugars for the NXT North American Championship: A quality win for Borne, who is suddenly one of the top male wrestlers on the brand. Meanwhile, I hope Shugars is high on the list of wrestlers the creative forces intend to get behind after losing so many top talents to the main roster. Tristan Angels stood out in a good way when he cut a brief promo while standing in the crowd. Kam Hendrix, who is married to Maxxine Dupri, attacked Borne afterward, and I look forward to seeing how he performs during their eventual match.
Kelani Jordan vs. Wren Sinclair: A soft Hit. Jordan won the match, but Sinclair’s character showed heart by pushing Jordan to the limit while working through a knee injury. Sure, the match quality would have been better without the injury, but they told a good story that worked nicely for Sinclair’s likable underdog persona. I’m surprised that Jordan wasn’t called up to the main roster. Hopefully, she will be in the NXT Women’s Championship mix.
Lizzy Rain vs. Nikkita Lyons: Has anyone told Rick Boogs that his dream girl is in NXT? A soft Hit for Rain’s debut. The generic hard rock theme used during Rain’s entrance is a problem. I don’t expect TKO to break the bank to pay a big licensing fee for a popular hard rock anthem, but there is surely a fun, affordable song that fits her character’s vibe. For instance, I can’t imagine the licensing fee for a song that peaked at No. 3 on the Norwegian singles chart in 2010 was pricy, but the first season of Peacemaker wouldn’t have been the same without the “Do Ya Wanna Taste It” theme.
Zaria video: In the middle. The brief video set the right tone for Zaria’s heel character, but I also understand the fan backlash over the company using AI. Putting that aside, I hope a lesson was learned after Zaria’s friendship with Sol Ruca was dragged out for what felt like an eternity. As a developmental brand, there’s always a chance that wrestlers will be promoted to the main roster on short notice. Had they pulled the trigger on the Zaria heel turn sooner, she and Ruca could have had a full program rather than just two matches that took place at a time when it was obvious that Ruca was going to lose the feud because she was headed to the main roster.
NXT Misses
Shiloh Hill vs. Ricky Saints: The match was good for the most part, even if the outcome was predictable due Saints being advertised for his Smackdown debut on Friday. This landed in the Miss section because the booking of Hill continues to be a turnoff. Hill has a lot going for him and could be one of the wrestlers who could help fill the void left by the call-ups, but the creative forces just won’t cut the quirky crap from his act. The obnoxious laugh. Hulking up after his tooth pops out. And now a cutesy dummy version of himself that he used to throw off Saints. I’d have no problem saying if his act was getting over at the level I think he could if he played it straight, but the live crowd’s reaction was telling. The fan reaction during his entrance was mild. The tooth spot never produces a strong enough pop to justify making it such a big part of his matches. And his big win over Saints was greeted by a mix of polite applause. Clearly, the fans don’t find this act nearly as cute as those in charge of his creative direction do.
The Culling, Lola Vice, and Mr. Iguana: Whatever good came from Izzi Dame’s recent promos was lost when she screamed after catching an iguana puppet. It’s past time that someone put the Culling faction out of its misery. There’s a place in NXT for all three members, but they bring each other down as a unit. Meanwhile, let Vice and Iguana do their mixed tag thing in AAA. Vice is off to a good start as a serious NXT Women’s Champion who is willing to take on all comers. Keep her away from undercard comedy.
The BirthRight faction: The match that Channing Lorenzo and Uriah Connors had with EK Prosper and Sean Legacy was fine, but the BirthRight faction is rough, and the members continue to lack chemistry. Lexis King isn’t the right leader or mouthpiece. It says a lot about the sad state of BirthRight and The Culling when they’re not pushing the poorly booked DarkState for the title of top heel faction in NXT.
(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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