WWE LFG Review 09.21.25

Alright, folks. Got some free time this morning before the rapture occurs, and I’ve been curious to see what happens with the boys on their first day of cuts. No, that is not a circumcision reference but, rather, one to the first round of cuts on the men’s side on LFG this week. Let’s get to it.

THEN. NOW. TYLENOL DOESN’T CAUSE AUTISM. TOGETHER.
SEASON 2, EPISODE 13: IT’S NOT OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER

I always dislike the whole storyline of teammates fighting against each other for elimination. I guess it adds more drama to it all, but it’s got to get in the talents’ heads a bit.

Joe tells us it’s a new day at the Performance Center, following the women’s cuts from the last episode. Shawn comes out and praises Dani and the other women for their performances last week, giving Dani the point I didn’t realize wasn’t even given previous week until now. Shawn turns his attention to the men and tells them it’s their turn to step up.

Following the intro, Taker sits with Shiloh Hill and Drake Morreaux, reminding Shiloh that he drafted him first this season, while basically saying he didn’t really want to draft Drake. His assessment of Drake’s abilities is fair, though, as he shows you these small moments of potential, but just too many moments where he’s, at best, bleh. The standard “why should you move forward” questions occur. Drake cuts a promo that may work in AEW, but I don’t see this as anything other than an undercard talent promo here.

SHILOH HILL VS. DRAKE MORREAUX

Lock-up to start, and they circle each other while Bubba yells at Drake to “do something” within the first fifteen seconds of the match. They fail to take each other down with clotheslines, but a big shoulderblock from Shiloh takes Drake down. Drake gets a sidewalk slam for two and begins to work on the arm. Short-arm clothesline from Drake gets two, as does a running dropkick. I agree with the coaches here, as this is one of those moments where you see it with him. They trade punches and forearms. Neckbreaker and spinning senton get two for Shiloh. Mox-style DDT leads gets reversed into a roll-up from Drake for two. No one gigged, though. Shiloh escapes the chokeslam, and hits a back suplex for the sudden pin.

WINNER: SHILOH HILL

MATCH RATING: C Basic, by the numbers sprint, albeit one wrestled well by both guys.

SHILOH: B+ There’s really nothing left to do for Shiloh at this level. He’s got a defined character, and knows his way around the ring. Move him forward.

DRAKE: C+ You see the glimpses of something, but it’s never enough to overcome the goofy presenation. This show has done him no favors, and he’s better off seeing what Evolve or NXT could do for him.

I say the result is obvious here, but let’s see what happens. Booker thought Shiloh was a bit off, and would actually put Drake forward. The coaches somehow think Drake had a great match here, which I don’t see at all. Taker saw it too, but still does the right thing and puts Shiloh forward. I didn’t see any of what the coaches saw here. Guess it was all that Tylenol my mom took.

Booker meets with Chris Island and Harlem Lewis, as this should be more interesting. I see the argument for either guy. The usual pep talk happens, and Harlem either knows his character REALLY well or has got some real issues. Either way, whatever he’s doing is convincing.

HARLEM LEWIS VS. CHRIS ISLAND

Island comes out with the judo outfit again, which I really like. Harlem is all intensity. A shove from Harlem leads us to a commercial break and a commercial for an A&E special on celebrity sex tapes. I’m mildly curious. Also, no one does those anymore. We return to Island taking Harlem down with an arm drag and yelling for him to say his name. They battle over a wristlock, and Harlem eventually takes Island down with a big shoulderblock. Harlem misses the charge into the corner and eats a big kick, monkey flip, and clothesline for two. Nice intensity from Island here. Harlem comes back with a shot to the kidneys. Harlem seems a bit gassed, as his offense doesn’t sharp right now. Fallaway slam by Lewis gets two, and we hit the chinlock. Island giths out, and eventually hits a belly to belly for two.Harlem fights out of a suplex, some weirdness happens, but he hits the jackhammer for three.

WINNER: HARLEM LEWIS

MATCH RATING: C The men aren’t quite bringing it tonight, as this had both its good and not-so-good, wonky moments from both guys.

ISLAND: B+ I thought Island faired better here as, other than losing his momentum on hitting that big kick in the corner, he looked crisp and convincing throughout. He’s made big strides.

HARLEM: C- He certainly didn’t pick the right moment to have his worst outing in LFG, as his hits looked soft, and he botched his end of the suplex-into-rollup. He made what may have looked like a cakewalk for him into a conversation.

I’d put Island forward, but this likely resembles the first elimination in that it’s too little, too late. Let’s see. The coaches praise both guys here, as my views don’t seem aligned with them at all. Must be that damn Tylenol again. Booker notes Chris’s improvement but, like I imagined, Harlem’s potential is too big to send home. A tough one, as I think Island earned his spot, but I get it.

Anthony Luke and Trill London are next in what should be the most fun match of the night. Michelle does the usual here, encouraging one of them to make the decision easier for her tonight. I like the exchange between Luke and Trill here. It comes off as really natural. Trill, especially, was great here in keeping his cool demeanor for most of it.

ANTHONY LUKE VS. TRILL LONDON

They tie up, with Trill using his speed to escape and get Luke in a headlock. Luke pulls the hair as Vic drops a “charismatic enigma” on us. Nice quickness from Trill, eventually falling victim to an elbow from Luke. Trill fights out of a the corner with a crossbody for two. Trill with a Whisper in the Wind to the outside as I’m missing every other move while I type. Luke dropkicks Trill coming off the top rope and goes on the attack. They trade boo/yeah punches, with the crowd behind Trill. Dropkick and Side Effect get two for Trill as the Hardy-isms are starting to get a bit too on the nose here. Swanton only gets two as Luke gets his foot on the rope. Trill takes off his shirt and goes to the top again. Please, skip the whole “do drugs” part, Trill. Luke catches him on the top and hits a big superplex. Lights, Camera, Action gets the three for Luke.

WINNER: ANTHONY LUKE

MATCH RATING: C+ Wrestled well but, again, nothing here rose above a good developmental match. The women are leaving these guys in the dust.

LUKE: B Anthony does what he does. I’m not sure he’s at the place where he’s going to impress as a singles act, even on NXT, but I could see him as a strong half of a tag team while he figures the rest out.

TRILL: C+ It’s not that he did anything wrong. It’s that he basically went out there this week and executed the entire Hardy Boyz playbook. Even at this point of his career, he’s better than that.

IDK about you, but this seems pretty easy to me. Trill leaned way too hard on the Hardy-isms, almost to the point of tribute act. Once again, the established wrestler moves forward here in Anthony, and I don’t disagree. He stayed steady while Trill hit a grounder to second when it mattered most.

We’re obviously getting some sort of swerve here, with two entire segments remaining, and BJ Ray coming out believing he’s got a first-round bye due to Elijah Holyfield’s injury. BJ calls himself the #1 seed, earning the first-round bye, and is clearly in on the storyline as he hams this up well. He’s cracking me up here, I have to say. As he rtries to leave, Bubba grabs him by the arm, turns his hat backwards, and calls back to a talk with Elijah in which he tells him he’ll be standing in the ring across from him. Sure enough, Elijah stands in the middle of the ring, arm in cast, waiting for BJ. BJ, again obviously in on this, cuts a promo and tells Elijah his father would be embarrassed for him. Bubba stands up and says BJ isn’t moving forward that easily, and that he’s having a match tonight as we cut to break. I have a million ideas for this, none of which will probably come to fruition. Bubba whispers something to Alicia Taylor when we return from break, and it’s…….Drake Morreaux, again. That was not one of my million ideas. I won’t bother with the intro. Drake rolls up BJ for three. A pissed off BJ cuts another promo in which he insults Roxanne Perez, the coaches, and then dares Bubba to enter the ring and put hands on him. Of course, Bubba enters the ring, and it’s another swerve as Drake slams BJ. Bubba puts the glasses out and calls out Zena Sterling for her and Drake to hit the wuzzup drop, all wearing glasses. Zena and Drake get the table, and a double chokeslam sends BJ through the table. Cute for sure, but the world doesn’t need more Drake Morreaux.

OVERALL RATING: C- Fairly predictable episode, with none of the men really showing out the way women did last week. The future is female.

See y’all tomorrow for Evolve.