NXT Review – 10.21.25

Let’s look at the WWE prior to this show: Smackdown | Raw

NXT comes to us on the CW in America and Netflix for the rest of the world from the Performance Center in Orlando, FL. The presenters of tonight’s show are the usual suspects – Vic Joseph and Booker T on match calls, Mike Rome on ring introductions, and no one apparently on backstage interviews and news updates.

Then, Now, Forever….TOGETHER

There’s a long highlights package from last week‘s show and the overall build for Halloween Havoc to start things off.

Here’s The Culling to open the show as Tatum Paxley leads them out and is announced as the number one contender to Jacy Jayne’s title. Paxley is overjoyed to have won last week’s battle royale and puts over the crowd for always being there for her. Halloween Havoc will be Paxley’s first NXT PLE and she promises to bring gold to the Culling because she knows Izzi Dame has her back. Here’s Fatal Influence to interrupt. Jacy Jayne says Paxley doesn’t have a chance in hell despite it being “spooky season”. Jayne says despite being the “most beatable champion” she’s continued her reign no matter who the opponent and Paxley definitely cannot beat her. Paxley says Jayne should recognize Paxley’s rise because it mirrors her own. Paxley says she might be a “creepy little weirdo” but Saturday will be her night. Fallon Henley promises Paxley she won’t win and speculates on the Culling being done with Paxley if she loses. Dame reminds Henley of Fatal kicking out their friend a few weeks back to bring in Lainey Reid. Jayne calls Dame a “babysitter” and Paxley says she knows the Culling are happy for her. Paxley proposes a tag match, and a fight breaks out with Dame and Paxley ending up standing tall.

Here’s Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo and Arianna Grace talking about last week’s “future son-in-law” comment from Santino Marella. Grace says she might have dropped a few hints to Marella about the status of their relationship and calls him “Chan”. Lorenzo reminds her it’s “Stacks” at work as they walk past TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater and Je’von Evans. Evans tells Slater to make sure he’s focused on Stacks tonight and they’ll then start focusing on Halloween Havoc after that. We go to commercials.

TNA X Division Championship: Leon Slater (C) vs Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo

A reminder here that Stacks has wrestled once on television since the D’Angelo Family break-up triple threat, it was in early August, and it was just part of the then-ongoing Josh Briggs-Yoshiki Inamura angle. So clearly, he’s definitely a contender for the X Division title. Je’von Evans accompanies Slater to the ring, while Arianna Grace is in Stacks corner.

Stacks hits a back elbow and grabs a wristlock to start. Slater responds with an armdrag and a monkey flip to send Stacks flying. Slater tries for a sunset flip but Stacks kicks his way out of it. Trick Williams is shown arriving to the building in an inset. Stacks bullies Slater in a corner and then whips Slater into the opposite corner. Stacks charges into a Slater boot, and Slater follows that with a rana. Slater hits a back handspring elbow and Stacks bails to the floor. Slater hits a tope cross-body and dances with Evans while Grace looks on in horror. Evans grabs a headset from the announce desk and tells us the show will be right back after this commercial break as Joseph tells Booker Evans is better than him at announcing.

Slater gets a roll-up for two when the show returns. Stacks comes back and drops a knee on Slater’s head before covering and getting two. Stacks hits a reverse facebuster and covers for two. Stacks hits a gutbuster and that gets another two count. Slater hits a quick sunset flip for two and then drops Stacks with a Utopia airplane spin. Grace jumps up on the apron to comfort Stacks but as Slater flies in she gets dropped off the apron into the arms of Evans. Stacks hits a superkick on Slater and then heads out to confront Evans. Stacks smashes a charging Slater into the announce desk and then runs him back in to the ring while glaring at Evans. A recovered Slater hits a cross-body on Stacks. Slater runs Stacks out of the ring and then hits a huge tope con hilo on him. Slater runs Stacks back in to the ring and hits a 450 splash on him before covering and getting three.

Stacks looked rusty and slow, but he’s still an effective opponent if you get where I’m going with that. Slater may have had some nerves but overall he did a good job with a very unfamiliar opponent and venue. There was no reason for this match to exist other than to showcase Slater’s skills and for the most part the goal was accomplished. 2.5*

Winner and STILL TNA X Division Champion – Leon Slater (450 splash)

Post-match sees Je’von Evans grab a mic to put over Slater. Slater wants a tag match with Evans for Halloween Havoc and here’s Mr Iguana and La Parka to answer the challenge. They’ve spoken to Ava and the tag is official for Havoc. La Yesca is happy about this development.

Zach Wentz and Jasper Troy talk up their Speed tournament match. We go to commercials.

WWE Men’s Speed Championship Tournament: Zach Wentz vs Jasper Troy

As a reminder, Speed tournament matches have a three minute time limit. Los Americanos are in the audience apparently doing some scouting for the current Men’s Speed champion El Grande Americano. Wentz hits an enziguri and a fairly ineffective rana on Troy. Wentz hits Troy with some kicks and a double stomp to the spine. Wentz and Troy spill to the floor and Wentz goes back in for a tope suicida. Troy catches Wentz but eats another Wentz kick in response. Wentz hits a torneo splash and then dumps Troy back in. Wentz hits a swanton and covers Troy for two. Troy fires up and trucks Wentz before hitting a Black Hole Slam. Troy covers and gets three. Troy will be in the finals of the Men’s Speed Championship Tournament.

Troy got basically one big offensive move and won the match. I guess you have to start somewhere with him but man oh man, this is a long drop from facing Oba Femi for the title. 1.5*

Winner – Jasper Troy (Black Hole Slam)

The women’s locker room has kicked out TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan for siding with Team TNA at Showdown. Jordynne Grace comes in to stand up for Jordan, but Jordan claims Grace is just jealous of her and points out that Grace has not been a champion in NXT yet. Jaida Parker brings out the last of Jordan’s things as we go to commercials.

Darkstate cut a promo on the Hardy Boyz who respond with one of their own from the Hardy Compound. There are a LOT of references to the Broken universe and guess who emerges from the Lake of Reincarnation. Brother Nero and Broken Matt let everyone know that the match will be a Broken Rules match where anything goes and Darkstate are sentenced to DELETION.

Highlights are shown of Sol Ruca and Zaria’s women’s tag team title match on Smackdown, where Blake Monroe confronted Ruca and cost them the match. Here’s WWE Women’s Speed and NXT Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca and Zaria entering as Ruca is in a huge knee brace and walking with crutches. Zaria asks if Ruca is sure she “wants to do this” and Ruca says she’s sure as we go to commercials.

NXT GM Ava is in the ring with Ruca and Zaria when the show returns. A tearful Ruca tells the crowd that she’s injured and is not cleared to compete at Havoc. Ava tells Ruca she doesn’t have to do anything but Ruca says there are a lot of women who deserve a shot. Here’s Blake Monroe to interrupt and say that since she’s the number one contender she should just become the champion. Zaria says there are no handouts in NXT and Monroe says that Zaria once again is doing Ruca’s heavy lifting. Zaria tells Ruca that she can defend the title at Havoc in Ruca’s honor and asks Ava what she thinks. Ava says she thinks it’s a great idea but asks Ruca what she thinks. Ruca says there’s no one in the world she trusts more than Zaria and it’s official. Monroe screams at Ava so Zaria hoists her up and drops her on her face.

THE PROGRESSIVE SPOTLIGHT is on Axiom and Sean Legacy prior to their Men’s Speed Tournament match. We go to commercials.

The NXT Anonymous X account catches an exchange between ex-stablemates Tavion Heights and Myles Borne. They commiserate over their current plights and here’s Josh Briggs to put over beating Matt Cardona last week. Briggs mocks Borne’s deafness and slams Heights for constantly losing despite being an Olympian.

WWE Men’s Speed Championship Tournament: Axiom vs Sean Legacy

Axiom misses a dropkick and Legacy covers for one. Legacy hits a dropkick and a blockbuster before covering and getting two. Axiom fires up with a Saito suplex and a roundhouse kick to Legacy’s chest. Axiom covers and gets one. Legacy hits a back elbow and a Michinoku Driver. Legacy covers for two. Legacy misses a splash and Axiom tries for an arm submission. Legacy rolls out of it and gets a two count. Legacy rises so Axiom drops off of him and smashes him with a kick. Axiom snaps off a Spanish Fly but can’t make a cover. Legacy hits a superkick and covers for two. Axiom manages to mount Legacy before hitting a top rope Spanish Fly. Axiom covers and gets three with one second left in the match. Axiom will face Jasper Troy in the finals of the tournament to earn a shot at the Men’s Speed title.

Lots of moves, very little selling. This is the way with Speed matches. Legacy has a future but I’d like to see him work more with some different types of workers. Axiom is probably jobbing to Troy but I guess we’ll see. 2*

Winner – Axiom (Top rope Spanish Fly)

Ethan Page cuts a pre-taped promo on El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jr and says that Saturday is more important than Wagner’s family legacy and mask because it’s for his NXT Men’s North American title. It’s Wagner’s match and his rules but Page promises to leave Wagner for dead in the desert. We go to commercials.

Hank & Tank vs OTM (Bronco Nima and Lucien Price)

A fight breaks out in the aisle prior to the bell. Hank and Tank hit simultaneous tope suicidas. The bell rings and Hank and Tank hit some double team offense on Price. Price fires up and bullies Hank along the second rope. Nima tags in and he and Price take turns stomping Hank. Nima covers and gets two. NXT Men’s Champion Ricky Saints is shown chatting with Ava in an inset. Price tags back in and Nima whips him into a prone Hank. Nima smashes Hank with a high knee and both he and Price talk trash. Nima holds Hank in the OTM corner as Price hits a huge clothesline on him. Hank slips away and manages to finally tag in Tank.

Tank runs wild on both OTM guys and it culminates with him hitting a big back drop tackle on Nima before covering and getting two. Price smashes a charging Hank before eating a knee from Tank. Nima drops Tank with a tilt-a-whirl slam and tags in Price. Nima and Price hit a double team spinebuster and Price covers Tank for three.

Well, there wasn’t a whole lot to this, but OTM were certainly not losing their first match after returning last week. Hank and Tank are bulletproof so this won’t hurt them at all but this had some squash stink coming off of it. Just a television match, nothing too memorable here. 2*

Winners – OTM (Assisted spinebuster on Tank)

Post-match sees Nima smash Hank with the top of the ring steps before he and Price putting Tank through the announce desk. Poor Booker loses more candy.

Here’s Wren Sinclair in the Maybelline Plug Of The Week segment while presumably talking with Charles Dempsey who’s still in Japan. Lash Legend is in the room and is tired of hearing Sinclair talk. Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey comes in to defend Sinclair, and Legend tells her to watch her mouth.

Fatal Influence make their entrance as we go to commercials.

The Culling (Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley) vs Fatal Influence (NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne and Lainey Reid)

Fallon Henley is with Fatal at ringside and I’m hoping the rumors of her being injured are not true. Reid and Paxley start with Reid gaining the early advantage. Paxley responds by whipping Reid to a neutral corner and slapping her in the chest. Paxley runs into Reid’s knees during a charge and then eats a clothesline. Reid misses an elbow drop and Paxley slams Reid jaw-first on to her knee. Jayne tags in and talks some trash to Paxley before dropping Dame with a right hand. Jayne snaps off a rana but misses a charge. Paxley hits a double underhook suplex and then smashes Jayne in the Culling corner with a splash.

Dame tags in and waffles Jayne with a short arm lariat before covering and getting two. Dame slams Jayne and stands on her chest as the ref counts two. Dame keeps smashing Jayne with fists while barking at Reid and Henley. Jayne snaps off an armdrag into a cover and gets a quick two. Jayne yanks Dame into the Fatal corner and Reid tags in. Dame catches Reid with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Paxley tags in and she and Dame hit some double-team offense on Reid. Jayne prevents a facebuster by grabbing Reid’s legs so Paxley starts smashing both of them. Paxley dropkicks Henley through the ropes but gets caught by Reid and Jayne who hit a double-team neckbreaker on her. We go to commercials.

Paxley pops Reid with a roundhouse kick as Joseph tells us that Paxley has been desperately trying to tag out during the break. Paxley finally tags Dame in as Jayne tags in as well. Dame runs wild on Reid and Jayne and smashes them both with a Codebreaker from the second rope. Dame chokeslams Jayne and gets two. Jayne fires up with a DDT and Dame ends up in her corner with Paxley tagging in. Paxley eats a Jayne superkick but manages to snap off her swinging backbreaker. Paxley’s cover gets two as Reid charges in to break it up.

Dame and Reid slug it out and tumble to the floor. Paxley catches Jayne with a roll up and gets two. Henley gets up on the apron so Dame charges over and slugs her which drops Henley into the ring. Chaos breaks out and in the middle of it Jayne wallops Paxley with the Rolling Encore and gets three.

For this being the de facto main event it wasn’t too shabby, all things considered. The crowd was very into it after a pretty lackluster night of matches overall, which helped it a bunch. The finish was a mess and I’m not sure how Paxley getting pinned clean helps draw any heat for the match at Havoc but here we are. Match of the night, though. 3*

Winners – Fatal Influence (Jayne Rolling Encore on Paxley)

Post-match sees Henley and Reid drive Dame into the ring steps as Jayne looks on in approval. Fatal look to continue the attack on Paxley but she fights out of it and wipes out Jayne with her spinning neckbreaker. Paxley picks up Jayne’s belt and poses with it.

Trick Williams and NXT Men’s Champion Ricky Saints make their way to the ring as we go to commercials.

Ava is in the ring with four Security goofs to introduce the contract signing. Ava mentions that things got chaotic last week but she’s reminded both competitors to keep it under control for this signing. Trick comes out first to a raucous crowd and a very enthusiastic Booker on commentary. Ricky Saints is out next and he gets a good hand. Trick reminds Saints he does things on his own time and is still the main event. Williams says he walked out on Saints at Showdown because he wanted to prove to Saints that Trick was the only man who could carry NXT. Trick mentions how much he loves himself and doesn’t owe TNA or NXT anything. Trick signs the contract as Saints says the title has made him more ambitious. Saints says Trick started the Whoop That Era but it didn’t last because Trick got too big in his own head. Williams reminds Saints of his days grinding on the indies and says he looks Hollywood and like a champion is supposed to look. Trick says Saints is cosplaying as a stunt double for Trick. Saints says Trick would have folded on the indies and says he’s the blueprint. Saints fires up and says this is his house. Trick hits Saints with a sucker punch but Saints responds in kind and drops Trick through the table that they were using as Ava looks on.

Joseph and Booker run down the Havoc card as Saints poses over the fallen Trick. The credits roll and we’re out.

The main event women’s tag was the best thing on this show by a country mile. The Speed matches were exactly what you’d think and the men’s tag was kind of a boring sprint. I can’t say this is the best go-home they’ve ever done and Havoc feels kind of like a real B-level event at this point as it’s hard to see any of the big titles changing. I guess we’ll see how it goes.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Please make sure to go read all of our other recappers whenever you get a chance, those clicks are fun things! See you all for Havoc this weekend.