NXT Review – 01.20.26

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NXT comes to the airwaves on the CW and Netflix from the Performance Center in Orlando, FL. The announce team for tonight’s show includes Vic Joseph and Booker T on match calls and analysis, Mike Rome on ring announcements, and Blake Howard on backstage interviews and breaking news segments. Let’s watch some wrestling!

Then, Now, Forever….TOGETHER

Highlights are shown from last week‘s address from Ava regarding the NXT Men’s Championship situation. There will be two qualifying matches on tonight’s card, plus Ricky Saints has been added to the ladder match on February 3rd due to being owed a rematch.

NXT GM Ava addresses Security regarding Tony D’Angelo and tells them to be on their toes as she’s sure he’s going to show up again tonight. At ringside, the crowd is fired up as usual.

NXT Men’s North American Championship: Ethan Page (C) vs Elio LeFleur

LeFleur is making his NXT debut in this match. Mike Rome does in-ring introductions as usual. Page trucks LeFleur and then works a side headlock. There’s some reversals and LeFleur gently pats Page on the top of his head to delight the crowd. They run the ropes and LeFleur snaps off a roundhouse before dumping Page to the floor with a rana. LeFleur hits another steps-assisted rana and then runs Page back in. Page catches LeFleur trying a springboard move and sends him into the top turnbuckle before waffling him with a backdrop on the same turnbuckle. Page hits a hig boot that sends LeFleur to LeFloor as we go to commercials.

When the show returns Page hits a powerslam and covers LeFleur for two. Page gets dumped over in a very slow backdrop, and the LeFleur goes toe to toe with Page. LeFleur hits an enziguri and a twisting suplex before covering and getting two. LeFleur ascends but misses a 450 and runs into a Page big boot. Page’s cover gets two. An angry Page bullies LeFleur but gets cut off with a slap and a big release German. Page fires up with a dropkick but LeFleur responds with a DDT. LeFleur hits a moonsault on the floor and then rolls Page back in. LeFleur hits a springboard dropkick and covers for two. LeFleur ascends and hits another LONG dropkick for two. LeFleur goes up one more time and meets Page’s knees on the way down. Page covers and gets two. LeFleur reverses the Ego’s Edge and then gets caught in a Page powerbomb. Page yanks the tights during his cover and gets three.

The newcomer got some shine after the commercial break and really looked the part. Usually you expect to see some nerves during a debut but the French luchador seemed right at home. Page did what he normally does, bump around a bit and then cut stuff off with his punchy-kicky stuff. This was decent for what it was but I would say highlights would be enough if you missed it. 3*

Winner AND STILL NXT Men’s North American Champion – Ethan Page (powerbomb)

Ricky Saints comes out with a microphone and tells Page that they’re the glue that holds this place together and Page brushes him off by reminding Saints about “knocking some sense” into Saints the last time they met. Saints heads to the ring as we go to commercials.

Saints has joined the announce team as Joseph and Booker talk over Keanu Carver, and highlights are shown of a confrontation between Booker and Carver on LFG. Carver also apparently walked out of a meeting with Shawn Michaels earlier today. Booker has no further comments on Carver as Joseph seems non-plussed by the whole thing.

NXT Men’s Championship Ladder Match Qualifying Match: Shiloh Hill vs Josh Briggs

Hill starts throwing bombs immediately and drives Briggs to a corner. Hill trucks Briggs and Briggs responds with some clubbering of his own. They start slugging it out and Hill runs into Briggs shoulder-first in a corner. Hill hits a swinging neckbreaker and a shoulder tackle of his own before covering and getting two. Booker on Briggs: “They might fire his ass if he doesn’t get a win tonight.” WE CAN ONLY HOPE, BOOK. Hill hits a legdrop and then ascends. Hill misses his move and walks into a Briggs sidewalk slam and splash. Briggs covers and gets two. Hill fires up with a rana and Briggs dumps him to the floor. Briggs goes out and eats a Hill rolling tackle. Briggs hits a couple of big rights as we go to commercials.

Hill and Briggs are slugging it out and Briggs gets dumped for some ground and pound before cutting it off with a running elbow. Briggs covers and gets two. Briggs bullies Hill who fires up with some rights and a head butt. Hill trucks Briggs and then ascends. Hill hits a top rope clothesline and then waffles Briggs with a double underhook bomb. Hill hits a standing senton for two. Briggs recovers with a right and a big boot. Briggs hits a chokeslam and covers for two. Hill fires up by dumping an ascending Briggs and then hits a double underhook toss before covering and getting two. Hill runs into another big boot and Briggs then misses a moonsault. Hill yanks Briggs up for a toss neckbreaker and covers for three! Hill qualifies for the six-man ladder match on February 3rd.

Yeah, so about Booker’s comment about Briggs….I think the kids say LOL. Hill once again showed a lot of promise here and whenever you deal with someone like Briggs who simply refuses to let a match flow normally, you have to improvise. Hill has a combination of big man moves, some nice suplexes and throws, and a good general demeanor in the ring. He’s the weirdest babyface maybe ever but it’s over with the crowd, so hopefully he continues to grow. Briggs, on the other hand, simply exists now. No promo time, loses a bunch, and as I’ve said before, I’d be making calls to Santino if I was him. Briggs dragged this down star-wise, not Shiloh. 2.5*

Winner – Shiloh Hill (Toss neckbreaker)

Post-match sees Tony D’Angelo attack both guys before heading over to glare at a slack-jawed Ricky Saints.

Sol Ruca and Zaria are discussing things and Zaria mentions her ongoing shoulder issues as being the reason she lost to Lei-Ying Lee at Genesis. Zaria says she’s not 100% and if that costs them tonight, she’s not taking the blame.

Swipe Right and Evolve Men’s Champion Jackson Drake make their way to ringside as we go to commercials.

Swipe Right (Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes) vs Chase U (Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon)

Andre Chase seconds Dixon and Connors as usual. Jackson Drake remains at ringside with Baylor and Smokes. Smokes and Connors start and there’s a series of reversals. Smokes trucks Connors and Dixon is able to tag in. Baylor tags in and he hits a back elbow as Connors tags in. There’s some double-team offense from Chase U and then they hit stereo tope suicidas on the Swipe Right kids. Baylor dumps Connors off the top rope and goes to ground and pound. We see Lexis King watching this match while TNA International Champion Stacks Lorenzo and Arianna Grace wander into scene to greet King. Baylor tags in Smokes and they hit some double team stuff before Smokes covers and gets two. Smokes smashes Connors with a forearm and tags in Baylor. Connors fires up with some rights and htis an enziguri. Baylor gets a tag and Connors tries to fight his way out but Baylor hoists Connors up so he can get smashed by a Smokes dropkick. Smokes covers for two. Baylor tags in and Connors escapes to finally tag in Dixon. Dixon runs wild and dumps both Swipe Right guys to the floor. Dixon hits a twisting tope con hilo on both guys before ascending. Dixon hits a torneo on a downed Smokes and then he and Connors hit some double team stuff on Smokes. Baylor interrupts a Connors cover at two and then drags Smokes into his corner. All four are in the ring and Baylor ends up smashing Connors with a knee lift. Smokes comes off the top rope with a double stomp to the gut of Connors, who’s being held prone by Baylor. Smokes covers Connors and gets three.

They’re all being taught that these types of tag matches are the way forward so I’m going to have to deal with it. This was a bit more 50/50 than I would have expected. Baylor and Smokes looked the part, and Dixon and Connors did what they usually do albeit with a bit more shine than usual. Chase U are low-card jobbers now, and it’s a sad state of affairs from when Duke Hudson and Thea Hail were part of the group. Baylor and Smokes are going to look tiny next to guys like OTM and the Darkstate dudes, but perhaps their quickness and guile will allow them to compete. We will see. I didn’t like this but I have old-school biases around tag wrestling that apparently do not matter anymore. 2.5*

Winners – Swipe Right (Jumping double stomp to Connors)

Ava tells Robert Stone that “officers are on their way” and Stone asks if this is a drastic move. Lola Vice enters and wants a word and here’s Thea Hail to demand a rematch for Izzi Dame’s Women’s North American Championship. Ava makes a three-way for the title on the big February 3rd show. Jaida Parker is on her way to the ring as we go to commercials.

Joseph tries to bring up Keanu Carver to Booker again, and then shows a short interview that took place between Blake Howard and Carver. Carver refuses to answer any questions and Howard brings up Carver’s disciplinary issues. Carver gets pissed and cuts the interview off while telling Howard not to touch him.

Jaida Parker is in the ring and thanks the crowd for their raucous cheering. Parker says she hasn’t changed while being gone even if things have changed in NXT. Parker puts over Kendal Grey’s performance against Jacy Jayne and says she deserves her flowers. No flowers for Blake Monroe, but flowers for Lola Vice. It’s good to know who deserves flowers, actually. Parker says she’s the standard that refuses to bend and knows that everyone has their opinions about her. Parker says she has days where she feels like she can’t catch a break, but she catches eyes, attention, and makes the rooms she walks into more pressure-filled. Parker says she won’t pretend to fit in a box or dim her light, and on cue, the lights go out. Here’s Blake Monroe in the NXT Roost and she gets a spotlight. Monroe says Parker made a grave mistake when she interrupted Monroe last week. Monroe says Parker is just talk and does not get to stand in the way of Blake Monroe. Parker says she thinks Monroe talks so much because if she stopped talking she’d actually have to prove something. Parker says Monroe is going to have to deal with her and leaves to her “Miss Parker” chant. (This may have been Jaida’s best non-match moment in NXT. The promo work was excellent here until Monroe showed up.)

Myles Borne is with Ava and Elio LeFleur interrupts to thank Ava for the opportunity. Borne says “Welcome to NXT” as LeFleur exits and Ricky Saints happens by. Borne has a qualifier with Dion Lennox next week, and here’s Ethan Page to confer with Saints and Borne. Page says the choice on how to act moving forward is his but Page knows what that choice should be. Borne looks on as Page leaves. We go to commercials.

Saints is with Joseph and Booker when the show returns.

NXT Men’s Championship Ladder Match Qualifying Match: Sean Legacy vs Eli Knight

Inset promos by both guys suggest they have traveled similar pathways to get to this point. They exchange arm-drags and agree to drop each other’s legs after they each catch them. There’s more acrobatics and Legacy finally hits a dropkick to take control. Legacy hits a tope suicida and then runs Knight back in. Legacy hits a high cross-body and covers for two. Legacy hits some chops and Knight fires up with a dropkick of his own. Knight hits a springboard moonsault on the floor as we go to commercials.

They’re slugging it out when the show returns. Knight hits a high boot but Legacy responds with an uppercut. Knight hits an enziguri and then runs into a Legacy lariat. They exchange roll-up covers for two each. Knight hits a superkick and then runs into one from Legacy. Legacy snaps off a Spanish Fly and then ascends for a 450 splash that gets two. Legacy hoists Knight who grabs the ropes to cut it off. Knight hits an Exploder and then ascends. Knight hits a jumping moonsault for two. Knight gets a roll up for two, and then runs into a Legacy roll up that gets two. Knight hits Sliced Bread and then ascends. Knight’s moonsault attempt hits Legacy’s boots. Legacy yanks up Knight and hits a twisting cutter neckbreaker thing that gets three. Legacy qualifies for the six-man ladder match on February 3rd.

The crowd got into this heavily during the second act, and both guys hit their moves. No one sold anything, of course, but everything was crisp other than a bit of awkwardness during a roll up exchange. Legacy will bump all over the place during the ladder match and I’m guessing that’s why he’s included in it. Knight looked the part and I’m sure he’ll get opportunities moving forward, but he’s going to have to distinguish himself somehow and his moveset isn’t there yet to do that. 2.75*

Winner – Sean Legacy (Twisting cutter/neckbreaker)

Post-match sees Tony D’Angelo again come in to attack both competitors. D’Angelo chokeslams Legacy on the announce table as Saints hides behind his chair. Security and law enforcement enter as D’Angelo stares down Ava. D’Angelo holds his hands behind his back, gets cuffed, and is lead away as we go to commercials.

THE NXT FOCUS PRESENTED BY PROGRESSIVE is on Izzi Dame and the Culling. Spears and Vance vow to come for the NXT tag team championships but are willing to let OTM and Darkstate soften each other up before making their move.

Ava tells a cuffed D’Angelo that he left her no choice. Blake Howard tries to get a word as D’Angelo gets loaded into an SUV and driven away. OTM push Howard out of the way and threaten Darkstate. They want to fight for the titles next week.

Jackson Drake and Swipe Right are with some ladies backstage and here’s Robert Stone to announce that Jackson Drake will take on Joe Hendry who shockingly immediately appears. Hendry would have preferred to get some answers from Tony D’Angelo but he’ll settle for being in the ladder match qualifier next week.

Fatal Influence make their entrance, as do ZaRuca. We go to commercials.

Darkstate are backstage and are chatting about how delusional Joe Hendry and OTM are. Dion Lennox promises to whoop Myles Borne next week. They hit the catchphrase and dap it up.

TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships Number One Contenders Match: Zaria and Sol Ruca vs WWE Women’s Speed Champion Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid vs Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair

The Personal Concierge has joined the proceedings at ringside, and NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne is out with the Fatal crew. There’s an exchange of roll ups and Ruca hits a senton on both Reid and Grey before covering and getting two. Ruca hits a suplex on Reid and then covers but Grey breaks it up. Ruca hits a double dropkick and Zaria tags in aggressively. Zaria hits a double lariat and then trucks Reid and Grey in opposite corners. Sinclair tags in and she and Grey hit some double team stuff on Zaria that includes a double backdrop. Sinclair hits a bulldog on Zaria and then waffles a charging Reid with a double underhook suplex before covering and getting two. Zaria gets run into a corner as Henley tags in, and she and Reid trip up Sinclair for some double team stuff. Zaria cuts that off and kicks Henley down before slugging Reid. Zaria hits a powerslam on Sinclair and tags in Ruca, but Zaria’s shoulder gives out before they can hit a move. Fatal charges in to dump ZaRuca. Henley and Reid charge over to smash Grey and Sinclair before going back to attacking Ruca and Zaria. Sinclair hits a cross-body as Grey flies off with a moonsault. Grey gets a two count on Ruca as we go to commercials. (This is difficult to recap because, well, you can guess.)

Zaria lofts Grey in a choke as the show returns. Henley and Zaria combine for a Doomsday Device on Grey. Everyone makes tags so now it’s Reid, Sinclair and Ruca as legal participants. (I need to note this when it happens because this has been a frenetic mess so far.) Sinclair runs wild for a bit and smashes Reid and Ruca in a corner. Sinclair hits a double underhook on Ruca and a backdrop suplex on Reid. Grey tags in and wallops Ruca with a flying forearm before covering for two. Grey gets caught by a Reid spinning Michinoku Driver that gets a LONG two. Grey grabs a roll up on Reid who kicks her off at two. Grey wallops Jacy Jayne as she was attempting to interfere, and then slaps an armbar on Reid. Ruca flies off with a splash and covers Grey for two. Reid, Grey and Ruca fight it out mid-ring and Ruca ends up taking control. Ruca hits a German on Reid and then dumps Henley. Zaria tags in and crushes Grey and Reid with shoulder tackles. Zaria hits a headbutt on Reid and runs into Shades of Grey. Reid breaks up the cover at two. Jayne issues a receipt to Grey in the form of a Rolling Encore, so Sinclair avenges her partner with a flying dropkick. Henley runs Sinclair into the barrier. Zaria gets caught by a Reid crucifix bomb. Henley hits a DDT on Zaria before walloping her with a blockbuster. Ruca pulls Henley off Zaria at two and then crushes Henley with a shoulder tackle. Ruca hits a double Sol Snatcher on Henley and Reid and Zaria flies in with her F5 on a dazed Henley. Zaria covers Henley and gets three.

I didn’t recap every move that happened here because it would have been two thousand more words. Look, I get that this is the way now. I get it. I’m not sure how any of this will ever work on the main roster and so with that being said, eventually EVERYONE IS GOING TO HAVE TO SLOW THE HELL DOWN. I know FrAxiom have so far refused to do it and I guess Hunter throws up his hands and says okay, fine, you’ll be feuding with Johnny Gargano for four straight months. Look, I want to be clear here. All, and I mean EVERY ONE of these talents are good workers. They can cut promos, they hit their moves crisply and cleanly for the most part, they know their roles in terms of heel/face, and it all works storyline-wise. It’s just this style, and it’s not just this company, that is really hard for me to get into. I don’t want to see rest-holds or Memphis stalling or any of that shit, but this breakneck frenetic pace that these tag matches have is just so off-putting to me. But, here we are as the Old Man Yells At Clouds once again. This was good, not great, and these endless teases of Zaria and Ruca being at odds are now at what, maybe eight months or so? Get to the fireworks factory, Shawn. 3.25*

Winners AND NEW Number One Contenders for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships – ZaRuca (Zaria F5 on Henley)

Post-match sees Ruca and Zaria celebrate in the ring as the other teams look on forlornly. The credits roll and we’re out.

We’re in the middle of a reset here and Shawn is doing the best he can as usual. The ladder match qualifiers were okay and I’m fine with introducing some new talent to get into the mix, because if it’s Ricky Saints and Ethan Page on top now, we need new blood and soon. The sudden absences of Je’von Evans, Trick Williams, and Oba Femi has left a void though, and on the men’s side, it’s going to take some time to rebuild. I’m not sure this Tony D thing is working so far but I guess we’ll see how it goes. Since he isn’t in a qualifier, I’m guessing he’s going to be the first contender for the new champion. The women’s side was a little light this evening, but Jaida Parker’s promo was solid, and the main event three-way tag was what it was. Thumbs in the middle tonight, some good, some bad, and with a reset this was probably about as good as you can do while trying to build to a big card in two weeks.

Thanks for reading and commenting. I appreciate you all very much as I feel like this comment section is the most reasonable and level-headed crew that I write for.