NXT No Mercy Review – 09.27.25

A quick look at the WWE currently has the following: Raw | NXT | Evolve | Impact | Smackdown

NXT’s No Mercy is coming to your screen on Peacock in America, and on Netflix throughout the rest of the world. The event takes place at the FTL War Memorial Arena in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The presenters of tonight’s show are Vic Joseph and Booker T on match calls, Mike Rome on ring introductions, and Kelly Kincaid on backstage interviews and news updates.

Then, Now, Forever….TOGETHER

Walk-ins: Lola Vice, Fatal Influence, Jordynne Grace, Blake Monroe, Ricky Saints, and Oba Femi.

Je’von Evans vs Josh Briggs

Evans is coming off of a great effort on Friday night’s Smackdown where he lost to WWE Men’s US Champion Sami Zayn in Zayn’s ongoing Open Challenge series. Briggs attacked Evans post-match to continue adding fuel to this fire.

Evans starts off with a flurry of offense so Briggs yanks him up and they both tumble over the top rope to the floor. Evans comes up favoring his hip as Briggs takes over. Briggs runs Evans over the barrier into the crowd but Evans just pops right back over after leveling Briggs with a right. Evans runs Briggs into the ring steps and then tosses him back in. Evans hits a reverse springboard cross-body and covers Briggs for one.

Evans hits his rope-assisted springboard tornado DDT and then a dropkick that staggers Briggs. Evans charges but Briggs recovers to hoist Evans up and drop him in a corner. Briggs starts driving in elbows and then manages to launch Evans basically halfway across the ring with a hiptoss. Briggs drops a big elbow and covers Evans for two. Briggs puts the boots to Evans and then stands on his back. Briggs cuts off a short Evans flurry but Evans comes off the ropes and rolls up Briggs for two.

Evans walks into back to back backbreakers over Briggs’s knee. Briggs covers and gets two. Briggs barks in Evans ear and then sends him hard into a corner. Briggs sends Evans into another corner but instead of covering just stares as Evans writhes in agony. Briggs tries the corner whip again but Evans fires up with some offense of his own. After a bunch of rights Evans boots a charging Briggs in the face. Evans takes too much time to work up to his springboard move so Briggs blasts Evans off the apron back-first into the barrier. Evans beats the ref count at nine.

Briggs tosses Evans down but misses a splash when Evans rolls away. Briggs bullies Evans along the ropes and then gets into it with the surly crowd. They start slugging it out and then Evans comes off the ropes to nail Briggs with a German suplex. Evans tries a pair of ineffective lariats while Briggs chirps at Evans to hit him harder. Evans pops Briggs with a superkick, a rolling lariat and two of his Bouncy roundhouse spin-kicks. Evans yanks off his t-shirt as Briggs begs off in a corner.

Evans whips his t-shirt at Briggs and starts whaling away on him. Briggs collapses to a seated position as Evans goes to the opposite corner and ascends. Briggs sees what’s happening and bails to the floor but Evans stays poised on the top turnbuckle. Evans flies off and crushes Briggs on the floor with a huge cross-body. Evans whips Briggs in and ascends again. Evans goes a LONG way with his frog splash and covers Briggs for two.

Briggs fires up some offense and it ends with him reverse-clotheslining the back of Evans head. Briggs covers for two. Evans gets a sneaky roll-up for two. Briggs cuts off Evans brief flurry with an elbow and two big boots. Briggs hits another knee-assisted backbreaker and a tilt-a-whirl GTS before covering and getting two. Briggs drags Evans to a corner and very slowly ascends while yanking Evans up as well. Evans prevents Briggs’s chokeslam attempt and lands on his feet. Evans kicks Briggs in the face but when he comes off the ropes Briggs catches Evans with his chokeslam. Briggs cannot believe it when Evans kicks out at two.

Evans yanks the top rope down when Briggs charges and that sends Briggs to the floor. Briggs catches Evans tope suicida attempt and drives him into the apron. Briggs dumps Evans in and clobbers him with a running lariat. Briggs cover ends up pushing Evans foot on to the bottom rope. Briggs drags Evans by the hair but this only serves to anger Evans. Evans starts bullying a non-plussed Briggs and then pops him with a running double knee strike. Of course Briggs cuts that immediately off with a kick and chokeslam attempt. Evans turns the chokeslam into a cutter and then quickly ascend to hit his reverse springboard cutter. Evans covers and gets three.

Josh Briggs drives me insane with the way he wrestles currently. He barely sells anything for longer than a second and then just goes right back to his shitty big-man offense. Not that Evans is some type of master seller either because if you’re gonna pretend your hip is killing you, you might need to agent the match in such a way where he’s not doing a million springboard moves. I like Evans, don’t get me wrong, but Briggs is not Sami Zayn in any way, shape, or form and Evans played his greatest hits here in the opener just to get through it. 2.5*

Winner – Je’von Evans (Double jump springboard cutter)

Highlights are shown of this week’s NXT when TNA Men’s World Champion Trick Williams got into it with TNA’s Mike Santana during his title-for-title match with Oba Femi. This caused an enormous brawl between a bunch of TNA folks who were in the crowd and the NXT roster who poured out of the locker room. Joseph says we’ll hear from Ava later about the aftermath. Joseph also shows highlights of Kelani Jordan winning the TNA Knockouts Title at TNA’s Victory Road last night. Jordan cuts a pre-taped promo where she makes sure we know that no one can do it like ‘Lani.

Joseph mentions that Lainey Reid is not medically cleared for the Speed Championship match but Sol Ruca will defend that title anyway.

WWE Women’s Speed Championship – Sol Ruca (C) vs Jaida Parker

Ruca is seconded by Zaria. As a reminder, Speed Championship matches have five minute time limits. Mike Rome does in-ring intros and we’re off.

Ruca and Parker exchange roll-ups for two to start. Ruca flips out on to the apron and pops a charging Parker in the mouth. Ruca kicks Parker to the floor and then stalks out to hit a rolling tackle off the ring steps. Ruca mocks Parker’s high-step walk and then dumps Parker back in. Parker bails out again and catches Ruca’s baseball slide attempt. Parker wallops Ruca with a right and then stomps on Ruca’s chest. Parker covers for two.

Ruca hits Parker with a backstabber and ascends for the Sol Snatcher, but Parker recovers and slaps Ruca’s chest. Parker hits her butt-drop on a prone Ruca and then pulls her to the middle of the ring for a Falcon Arrow. Parker covers for two. Parker wants Hypnotic but Ruca kind of blocks it and they tumble to the mat. Ruca’s cover gets two. Ruca fires up and smashes Parker with a running knee that sends her on to the ramp. Ruca wants a springboard move but Parker cuts her off with a big right that sends Ruca back inside the ring.

Parker checks the clock and sprints in, but Ruca counters her suplex attempt into a DDT and covers Parker for two. They start slugging it out and it ends with Parker catching Ruca with a fall-away slam. Ruca recovers and yanks Parker to the floor. They start fighting it out and Ruca misses a dive off the ring steps. Parker nails Ruca with Hypnotic and dumps her back in. Parker pauses to bark at Zaria and here’s Lash Legend to attempt to take Parker out. Zaria nails a charging Legend with a spear as a stunned Parker looks on. As Parker makes her way in Ruca leaps up and hits the Sol Snatcher OUTTA NOWHERE. Ruca’s cover gets three with 14 seconds to spare in the time limit.

Better than the usual Speed matches but still just a cluster sprint from start to finish. Move after move after move and barely any selling or psychology. I’m generally lenient for these matches ratings-wise but it’s kind of hard to keep extolling the virtues of this format despite the ease of recapping these matches. 2*

Winner and STILL WWE Women’s Speed Champion – Sol Ruca (Sol Snatcher)

LAST TUESDAY sees Kelly Kincaid catch up with Joe Hendry after his loss in a six man tag match against Darkstate. As Hendry is putting over Darkstate’s brotherhood, they all appear and Osiris Griffin tells Hendry that this is his last warning. They all take turns hitting catchphrases and then leave after promising Hendry it was going to be 4 on 1 every time they see him. Hendry contemplates things as the scene ends.

Blake Monroe and Jordynne Grace don’t like each other and are presumably going to settle things in the cage.

Weaponized Steel Cage – Blake Monroe vs Jordynne Grace

They slug it out to start and Grace runs Monroe into the cage to gain the advantage. Grace, whose thumb is taped up and was said to be broken prior to the match, misses a chairshot that causes some pain in her hand. Monroe starts hammering Grace with a pink kendo stick. Grace manages to steal the kendo stick and she gets in some licks of her own. Grace yanks Monroe into a spinebuster on a downed chair and covers Monroe for two.

Grace pulls Monroe into a Boston crab and then puts the chair over the top of Monroe so she can’t escape. Grace releases the hold and stomps Monroe in the back. Grace locks the chair in place between the second and third ropes and goes back to Monroe. Monroe bites Grace’s hand and after a series of reversals Grace charges in and hits the chair she set up face-first. Monroe runs Grace into the cage and then yanks Grace’s hand through the fencing. Monroe poses for the cameras and then kicks Grace in the stomach. Monroe dumps out the contents of a trash can and then hammers Grace in the back with it. Monroe covers for two.

Monroe grabs the kendo stick and pushes it directly onto Grace’s injured thumb. Monroe misses a couple of kendo stick strikes and she and Grace tussle over the stick. Monroe pulls Grace into an inverted Russian leg sweep and her subsequent cover gets two. Monroe pounds away for a couple seconds and then finds a hair-dryer that had been in the trash can she dumped out earlier. Monroe uses the cord of the hair-dryer to tie Grace’s hands to the middle rope. Grace pulls out a pair of scissors and starts cutting off Grace’s extensions.

Grace fires up after escaping her bonds and smacks Monroe with a couple of elbows. Grace goes ballistic after seeing all the hair in the ring, calls Monroe a bitch, and hits her with a Thesz Press while hammering away with fists. Grace hoists Monroe up for a powerbomb but Monroe escapes by grabbing onto the cage. Monroe walks along the ropes so Grace crashes into them crotching Monroe. Grace snatches up Monroe and hits a top rope Samoan Drop. Grace rolls Monroe over and covers for two.

Grace finds a weight belt and smacks Monroe in the back with it. Grace tries to slam Monroe onto a poised trash can but Monroe slips off and drives Grace face-first on to the bottom of the can. Monroe tosses a trash can lid to Grace and then dropkicks the lid into Grace’s face. Monroe drives a running knee into Grace and covers her for two. Monroe finds a bag of fake diamonds and dumps it out. Grace fights back and snaps Monroe over on to the “diamonds”. Grace’s cover gets two.

Grace mounts a dazed Monroe on a top turnbuckle and sets up a trash can behind her. Monroe slips out and smashes Grace in the back. Grace ends up in the tree of woe so Monroe puts the trash can over her face and chest. Monroe comes off the top rope with a double stomp on the trash can. Monroe covers for two.

Monroe grabs a SLIM JIM table but Grace fights off her efforts to slam Grace face-first on the exposed leg. Grace pulls up Monroe and smashes her into the cage a few times. Grace sets up the table fully but ends up on it herself after Monroe pulls her face-first into the cage. Monroe ascends but Grace realizes it and pulls Monroe on to her shoulders. Monroe senses what Grace wants to do and locks her legs around Grace’s head before driving her a few times into the cage. Monroe and Grace end up sitting on the top of the cage and they start slapping each other in the chest. Monroe hits Grace with some powder as Grace was getting ready to use a crowbar. Grace manages to hoist Monroe up and hits a top rope Air Raid Crash through the table. Grace ends up on top of Monroe and the referee counts three.

Sure, I guess. They worked hard and got a good hand from the crowd, so despite my feelings on this, I guess it sort of worked. However, Jordynne Grace deserves better than this feud. A babyface coming out on top in a big grudge match in a cage is a fine result but this match was plunder garbage with a subplot of Monroe cutting off Grace’s clearly fake extensions. The crowd just wanted to see someone go through a table and were chanting ECW at this at times, which I’m pretty sure isn’t what they were going for despite the obvious plunder connections. If this is your jam, cool, it definitely is not mine. Also, I’m not sure what they’re doing at ALL with Monroe’s overall booking but maybe she’ll go do something a little more worthwhile than this. 2.25*

Winner – Jordynne Grace (top rope Air Raid Crash through a table)

Halloween Havoc is October 25th. Did you know Tony D’Angelo is in the intro graphic for Halloween Havoc? Joseph throws it to NXT GM Ava who announces that Tuesday, October 7th will have a show called “Invasion” with two Survivor Series-style matches, men’s and women’s. The teams will be announced on this week’s NXT show after Ava and Santino Marella make their picks. NXT Tag Team Champions Darkstate will face TNA World Tag Team Champions The Hardy Boyz where everyone is barred from ringside and there must be a winner.

Lash Legend rejoins us and says taking the spear from Zaria was worth it because it cost Jaida Parker the match against Sol Ruca. Legend then starts chirping about TNA and touts herself as being a great leader for the women’s team in the Invasion matches. Jaida Parker comes flying out to attack Legend and Security struggles to break it up.

Kelly Kincaid is backstage with a despondent Lainey Reid. Reid says tonight was going to be her big night but she was injured during training the previous day and the medical staff would not clear her as she’s now in a walking boot. Reid promises to take the Speed title as soon as she’s cleared. Lola Vice comes up and offers sympathy but Reid mentions that Vice has no chance of beating Jacy Jayne for the title tonight. Vice says she can turn Reid’s leg from being in a boot to broken with one kick and everyone better stop doubting her. Reid glares at Vice as she leaves.

NXT Men’s North American Championship – Ethan Page (C) vs Tavion Heights

A pre-match graphic helpfully notes that this is Page’s sixth defense of this title.

Heights bullies Page to the ropes and yells that he has to wrestle, so after the ref breaks it up, Page grabs a side headlock. Page slips out but doesn’t appreciate Heights encouraging the crowd’s USA chant. They charge like bulls at each other and no one gains the advantage. Heights eventually starts clubbering away and Page tries a kick that misses. Heights hits a dropkick that sends Page onto the ramp. Heights foolishly charges out and Page immediately backdrops Heights on the ramp. Page invites the crowd to enjoy his backside before driving a shoulder into Heights back as he’s sprawled in a corner. Page hits a Saito suplex on Heights and covers for two.

Page continues to work Heights back but after an irish whip Heights is able to slip Page’s charge. Heights back pain prevents him from being able to suplex Page so Page immediately reverses and hits one of his own. Page’s cover gets two. Page grabs a waist lock as Joseph recounts that Heights wanted to leave the NQCC but now has no one out here to mentor him in times like this. Heights breaks out with a back elbow and ascends. They tussle a bit before Page lands a roundhouse kick that plants Heights on a top turnbuckle. Page yanks up Heights and drops him back-first on to the top turnbuckle and then to the floor.

Page runs Heights back in and stops to collect a compliment from Booker. Of course this allows Heights to recover and pop Page with a bunch of rights before hitting him with a big lariat. Heights hits a pump kick and a sort-of sling blade before pulling the straps down. Page slips off Heights shoulders but that allows Heights to grab Page’s leg and slap on the ankle lock. Page manages to make the ropes and then rolls up Heights for two after the ref breaks the hold. Heights grabs a roll-up and gets a two count.

Heights reverses a Twisted Grin attempt into a backslide that gets two. Page connects with a roundhouse kick and wallops Heights with the Ego’s Edge before covering and getting two. Page turns Heights over into a Boston crab and Heights finally struggles to the ropes to break it. They slug it out along the ropes with Page favoring his ankle now. They both ascend and Heights manages to turn Page around and grab a sleeper. Page rolls off of that and drops Heights onto his back with a powerslam from the second rope. Page holds on and smashes Heights with the Twisted Grin. Page covers and gets three.

An underdog babyface not finding a way to beat a heel champion in his first singles shot at the title is a story as old as time. I don’t love Ethan Page, which some of you may remember, but this result didn’t bother me and Page wasn’t AS kicky-punchy as he’s been in the past. Heights has a good future, I think, but like a lot of them in dev, just needs more reps. This was fine for what it was but it’s still Ethan Page, so…. 2.5*

Winner and STILL NXT Men’s North American Champion – Ethan Page (Twisted Grin)

Post-match sees AAA Latin American ChampionEl Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jr pop up on a ‘tron to say he’s got eyes for Page’s title and he’ll see Page soon.

Kelly Kincaid is backstage with Myles Borne and he mentions how great it is to have Lexis King in his rearview. Borne says he could be signed up to be the captain of NXT’s team for Invasion right now.

Here’s Mike Santana via Instagram to call Trick Williams a “pendejo” for running after slapping Santana on Tuesday night. Santana says Trick is holding the title hostage and he’s going to do whatever it takes to bring it home to TNA. Santana says he’s coming to NXT on Tuesday night and he’s bringing a crew with him.

NXT Women’s Championship – Jacy Jayne (C) vs Lola Vice

Jayne is seconded by Fallon Henley. Vice greets her family at ringside prior to the match. This will be Jayne’s fourth defense of her title in her 122 days of being champion. Mike Rome does in-ring intros with Vice getting the big hometown pop and we’re off.

Joseph speculates that Jayne doesn’t want to get into a striking contest with Vice as they lock up. Jayne cranks on a side headlock but Vice flips her over for a quick one count. Vice slips out and puts a side head-scissors on Jayne. Jayne slips out and goes back to the side headlock. Vice tries some acrobatics to get out of it but it doesn’t succeed. Jayne finally releases and hits a running senton on a prone Vice. Jayne talks trash to Vice’s family so Vice slaps on an armbar. Jayne rolls Vice over and gets two while breaking the hold.

Vice cranks on Jayne’s shoulder and pops her in the chest a couple of times. Vice trips Jayne down and stomps on her back. Jayne takes some time and consults with Henley on strategy. Henley walks around outside the ring and of course Vice takes her eyes off of Jayne. Jayne wallops Vice with a kick and then runs her into a corner. Jayne kicks Vice down to a seated position. Jayne yanks up Vice and chops her along the ropes. They run the ropes and Vice fires a right into Jayne’s gut. Vice hits a snap suplex and covers Jayne for one.

Vice cranks on a rear headlock which Jayne turns into a jawbreaker. Vice dumps Jayne over and covers for two. Vice tries a crucifix and gets two. Vice boots Jayne hard in the gut and then shakes her moneymaker. Vice hits a rear thrust kick that sends Jayne to the floor. Vice rams Jayne head-first into the No Mercy board on the announce desk. Henley tries to attack Vice but misses, and when Vice turns to face Henley a quickly-recovered Jayne rams Vice directly into the ring steps. Jayne hits a cannonball on Vice as she was seated in front of the steps.

The crowd wants Henley gone so Jayne mocks Vice’s salsa dance before ramming her back-first into the apron. Jayne dumps Vice back in. Jayne hits a sloppy sling-blade and covers Vice for two. Jayne whips Vice to a corner and follows with a hip attack. Jayne hits a snap suplex and covers Vice for two. Jayne puts boots into Vice’s back. Vice fires up with some kicks so Henley leaps up on the apron to distract. Henley goes back to the floor as Vice’s kick attempt misses. Jayne charges over and crushes Vice with a backstabber. Jayne’s cover gets two.

Jayne bullies Vice along the ropes and then crushes her with an elbow. Jayne covers and gets two. Jayne cranks on a rear chinlock with a knee in Vice’s back at the same time. Vice rises and drives Jayne back-first a couple of times into a corner. Jayne shakes that off and rolls up Vice for two. Vice transitions to a sitting crossface before Jayne shifts weight and gets a two count. Jayne misses a charge and runs into a series of kicks from Vice. Vice hits her quick low kicks on the outside of Jayne’s legs and then puts some mustard on a hip attack. Vice hits a Saito suplex but Jayne rolls away and ducks a Vice back-fist attempt. Henley pushes Jayne out of the way as Vice hits a rolling tackle on Henley.

Jayne waffles Vice with a pump kick and then dumps her back in the ring. Jayne misses a Rolling Encore and Vice smashes her with a roundhouse kick. Vice’s cover gets two as Henley yanks the ref out of the ring. The ref ejects Henley. Meanwhile Jayne rolls up Vice and gets two but Vice slips out and puts Jayne in a rear naked choke. Jayne manages to roll all the way out to cover Vice for two. Vice misses a charge and Jayne wallops her with a right. Jayne hits a back-fist and covers Vice for two.

Jayne yanks up Vice and hits a back kick to Vice’s head. Jayne hits a running back splash on a prone Vice before pummeling her with elbows. Jayne barks at Vice’s family and then predictably runs into a Vice back elbow. Vice ascends and crushes Jayne with a rolling DDT that turns into a guillotine choke. Jayne rises and manages to drive Vice into a corner to break the hold. Jayne misses a charge and eats a bunch of Vice side kicks to the ribs. Vice ascends but Jayne quickly recovers to blast Vice with a roundhouse kick. Jayne hits a second rope belly-to-back suplex and then a running knee strike on a dazed Vice. Jayne’s cover gets two.

Jayne rolls out and grabs her title belt. The ref prevents Jayne from using the belt and Vice sneaks in to roll up Jayne for two. Jayne misses a knee strike and Vice again rolls her up for two. They trade superkicks and then start throwing bombs at each other mid-ring. Jayne connects with the Rolling Encore and as Vice comes off the ropes she waffles Jayne with a big back-fist. Vice’s momentum ends up with her on the floor. As the ref checks on Jayne someone clad in all black leaps the barrier and hammers Vice with a running knee. Vice beats the ref’s count at nine but immediately walks into another Rolling Encore. Jayne covers and gets three.

Jacy Jayne is such a clever wrestler and I love damn near everything about her presentation at this point. She’s fully realized in the ring, maybe not the greatest seller, but she can work with all types and make them look good while getting her stuff in. The Rolling Encore is a good finisher and looks devastating. Vice was a worthy challenger and had her moments, but her offense is kind of limited and she never wins the big one other than beating Shayna in an Underground match awhile back. Still, though, this is your Match of the Night by a country mile so far. 3.5*

Winner and STILL NXT Women’s Champion – Jacy Jayne (Rolling Encore)

We get comments from TNA wrestlers Moose and Mustafa Ali regarding Invasion. Jaida Parker vs Lash Legend has been booked for Tuesday night. Ava and Santino will choose their teams for the Invasion elimination tag matches. Other things will presumably happen! Who can tell.

The NXT Men’s Championship match is previewed.

NXT Men’s Championship – Oba Femi (C) vs Ricky Saints

This is Femi’s eleventh title defense, for the record. Only Bron Breakker defended it more in one reign with thirteen defenses in his second go-round with the title. Mike Rome does the in-ring intros and we’re off.

They slug it out to start and Femi lifts a knee. Saints tries for a sunset flip so Femi blasts him in the head with a right. Femi smashes Saints into the mat a couple of times and then yanks him up to blast Saints with a kick. Femi whips Saints to a corner but eats a Saints boot when he charges. Saints gets a quick roll-up on Femi for one.

Femi shakes it off and cracks Saints with a Euro uppercut before grabbing a side headlock. Saints slides into head-scissors and Femi escapes quickly. Femi waffles Saints with a body slam and covers for one. Saints fires up with some chops. Femi flips Saints over but Saints lands on his feet and kicks Femi in the gut. Saints hits a low dropkick that staggers Femi. Femi misses a charge and Saints grabs Femi’s arm. Saints wants to ropewalk but Femi just snatches him down. Saints slips out of Femi’s grip and hammers Femi with a dropkick. Saints sends Femi to the floor with a knee lift into Femi’s back.

Saints runs the ropes and finds Femi waiting with a huge right hand. Femi drapes Saints over the second rope and drives a knee into his back. Femi smashes Saints down with a kick to the middle of his back. Femi hits three over-the-knee backbreakers on Saints and his cover only gets two. Femi yanks Saints out from a corner and crushes him with a lariat. Saints bails to the ramp so Femi yanks him back in for another huge right hand. Saints ends up on the ramp again and the ref’s count reaches seven before Saints flops back in. Femi hoists up Saints and drops him belly-first over the top rope. Femi hits an uppercut and poses for the crowd.

Femi cranks on a rear chinlock while driving a knee into Saints back. Saints drops Femi’s jaw on his shoulder during a sit-out move. Femi catches Saints cross-body attempt and drops him back-first onto Femi’s knee. Femi poses Saints over a top turnbuckle and cranks on his head and legs to torque Saints backward. Saints lifts a knee to finally break it before firing off an elbow. Femi catches Saints springboard attempt and smashes Saints with a chokeslam. Femi’s cover gets two.

Saints slips a Femi charge and rolls him up for two. Saints hits a knee lift and again tries the rope walk. You’d think he’d have a cooler move than just a single sledge to the shoulder but friend, you’d be wrong. Saints manages to finally truck Femi with a forearm and when Femi staggers to a corner Saints hammers him with a running elbow. Saints manages to hoist Femi into a Samoan Drop before covering and getting two.

Saints catches Femi with an enziguri but his spear attempt is met by Femi swatting him into the mat. Femi hoists Saints into a big Euro uppercut and covers for two. They run the ropes and Saints manages to spear Femi. Saints covers for two. Saints ascends but is quickly met by a big right from Femi. Saints recovers and tries for a sunset flip but Femi blocks it. Saints decides to powerbomb Femi instead and his cover gets two.

They slug it out mid-ring and Saints kind of collapses before Femi can really blast him. Shockingly Saints was playing possum and he starts waffling Femi with forearms. Femi has had enough and crushes Saints with a lariat. Femi hoists Saints who slips down and rolls through. Saints covers and gets two. Saints runs the ropes and Femi catches him and tosses Saints half-way across the ring. Saints rolls through a Fall From Grace attempt and rolls Femi up for two.

Saints eats a Femi dropkick and both guys are down. Saints bails to the floor and Femi follows. Femi clears the announce desk as Booker once again loses his candy supply. Femi rolls in to break the ref’s count and then rolls back out to find Saints again. Joseph mentions the ref showing discretion at the moment as Femi goes to hoist Saints up. Femi tries the Fall From Grace but Saints counters into a DDT as the desk does not break. Saints uses the desk as a springboard during his subsequent tornado DDT.

Saints runs the ring apron and meets a THUNDEROUS slap to the chest from Femi. Femi hits a Fall From Grace and is apoplectic when Saints kicks out at two. Femi tries to hoist Saints again but Saints once again counters to a DDT. Saints yanks Femi up and hits another tornado DDT. Saints covers Femi and gets three! Ricky Saints is your new Men’s NXT Champion.

I have to say I was not expecting that result but I guess I’m not surprised either. Femi had to lose sometime, I guess now’s as good a time as any. I doubt he’ll stay down much longer after this but perhaps he’ll be around until the Rumble or thereabouts. I liked this, I didn’t love it, and I didn’t think it was as good as the women’s title match, but I’m sure many folks will have opinions on that. It will be interesting to see how this goes moving forward, whether or not there will be a rematch at Halloween Havoc or whether Trick sticks his nose back into the middle of it all. Ricky Saints really does nothing for me but he’s Cody’s buddy so here we are. 3*

Winner and NEW NXT Men’s Champion – Ricky Starks (tornado DDT)

Saints celebrates with the title as the credits roll.

A mixed bag tonight, to be sure. The last two matches delivered but I didn’t enjoy much before it. I didn’t have a lot of enthusiasm coming into this show given the Speed title match (which, we had a tournament for, why couldn’t they just drag Candice LeRae to Fort Lauderdale to lose to just continue that instead of ham-fisting the Legend-Parker feud into it) and the cage match. Like, I like Jordynne Grace a bunch as I mentioned but plunder matches are not my jam in the slightest anymore. The women’s title match delivered big-time for me, and the men’s match was fine despite Ricky Saints presence in it, mostly because Oba Femi is a STAR. One thing of note is them bringing back Survivor Series-style elimination tags at Invasion which I hope will be a balm to the old-timers (like me) who miss them every November. On we go to Tuesday night where we find out the teams, and let the speculation begin on who those people might be. Thumbs leaning down tonight, sorry group. This show didn’t really do it for me overall.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Let me know your thoughts on the show, and let’s speculate on the Invasion team members. Enjoy your Sunday.