WWE NXT aired live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The show featured Vanity Project defending the NXT Tag Team Championship, three singles matches and several developments surrounding the upcoming John Cena Classic.
Grayson Waller Is Confronted By Shiloh Hill And Mason Rook
NXT Champion Grayson Waller opened the show by entering to CM Punk’s theme music. Still celebrating his victory over Punk last week, Waller mocked Punk’s claim that he was the landlord of NXT and bragged about making the NXT Championship relevant again. He proclaimed himself the new Best in the World and invited someone to challenge him.
Shiloh Hill answered the call and confronted Waller over the questionable manner in which he defeated Punk. Hill recalled Waller previously saying that his criticism of the NXT roster did not apply to him, but explained that he still took the comments personally. Hill described himself as the hardest worker in NXT and made his case for a championship opportunity.
Waller acknowledged Hill’s work ethic but told him he was not ready for a title match. As Waller attempted to leave, a returning Mason Rook attacked him on the entrance ramp and threw him back into the ring. Rook then crushed the champion with a cannonball in the corner as Hill cheered him on.
Footage from earlier in the day showed John Cena meeting with Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno. Cena praised their teamwork and officially invited both men to participate in the John Cena Classic, presenting them with commemorative coins and briefcases containing additional gifts.
Elsewhere, Vanity Project expressed frustration over being excluded from the tournament. Jackson Drake attempted to calm Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes, while Myka Lockwood suggested that they take matters into their own hands.
EK Prosper vs. Kam Hendrix
Hendrix used his strength to force Prosper into the corner before applying an arm stretch and driving a knee into his midsection. Prosper answered with a hurricanrana and dropkick that sent Hendrix to the floor. After Hendrix returned to the ring, Prosper connected with a blockbuster for a two-count.
Hendrix fought back with a clothesline and suplex, but Prosper pulled down the ropes during a charge and sent him outside. Prosper followed with a moonsault from the ropes onto Hendrix at ringside. Following the commercial break, Hendrix regained control with a headlock and caught Prosper with a one-handed buckle bomb before dropping him face-first onto the canvas.
Prosper countered a backbreaker into a DDT and mounted a comeback with punches, a clothesline, superkick and springboard moonsault. A running knee earned him a near-fall before Hendrix caught him coming off the turnbuckles with the Showtime Kick for two.
Prosper connected with a roundhouse kick and climbed to the top rope, but Hendrix knocked him off balance and delivered a driver for another close near-fall. Hendrix then missed a charge and struck the ring post, allowing Prosper to connect with a top-rope moonsault for the victory.
Winner: EK Prosper via Pinfall
A furious Hendrix tore apart the ringside area after the match, removing the top of the announce table and throwing chairs around in frustration.
Tony D’Angelo Is Ready To Get Back To Work
Tony D’Angelo was shown standing on a bridge when Myles Borne approached and asked whether he was still considering his next move. D’Angelo said he was finished thinking and ready to get back to work.
Vanity Project later attacked Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno backstage. The group used trash cans during the assault and left both Dusty Classic winners laid out.
Wren Sinclair vs. Izzi Dame
Sinclair and Dame opened with a technical exchange, trading holds and counters on the canvas. Dame used her size advantage to knock Sinclair down with a shoulder tackle, but Sinclair targeted her fingers and applied an octopus stretch.
Sinclair attempted several pinning combinations and connected with a bulldog for a two-count. She followed with a dropkick that sent Dame outside, but Dame took control once the action returned to the ring, slowing Sinclair down with a chinlock before delivering a powerslam.
Dame climbed to the second rope, where Sinclair intercepted her with a dropkick. The two exchanged strikes before Sinclair connected with a clothesline, a charging attack in the corner and a butterfly suplex for two.
Dame responded with a backbreaker and chokeslam for a near-fall. She attempted a powerbomb, but Sinclair countered into an Angel’s Wings submission. Dame escaped and survived another pinning combination before catching Sinclair with a running knee to secure the victory.
Winner: Izzi Dame via Pinfall
Zaria stormed into the ring after the match and took Dame down with a spear.
John Cena Invites Kelani Jordan To The John Cena Classic
Earlier footage showed John Cena inviting NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan into the John Cena Classic. Cena presented Jordan with a commemorative coin and briefcase while Myka Lockwood was shown getting her hair done in the background.
Elsewhere, Zilla Fatu discussed his invitation to the tournament and his recent problems with Birthright. Fatu said his immediate focus remained the NXT Championship and promised to confront Grayson Waller before the end of the night.
Kendal Grey Receives An NXT Women’s Championship Rematch
NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan came to the ring and reflected on her recent title defense against Paige. Jordan discussed the pressure that came with being champion and said she continued proving herself against every challenger. She then announced that she intended to take some time to relax before competing in the John Cena Classic.
Kendal Grey interrupted and reminded Jordan that she had not forgotten about being attacked several weeks earlier. Grey argued that she deserved another opportunity at the NXT Women’s Championship and claimed Jordan remained champion only because she had not received her rematch.
Jordan dismissed Grey as someone she had already moved past, but NXT General Manager Robert Stone arrived to settle the dispute. Stone agreed that Grey deserved another opportunity and announced that Jordan would defend the NXT Women’s Championship against her next week.
Vanity Project Receives Replacement Challengers
Tony D’Angelo arrived at the Performance Center in his truck, with Myles Borne pulling up shortly afterward and approaching him before he entered the building.
Medical personnel later informed Stone that Dar and Moreno had not been cleared to compete following Vanity Project’s attack. When the champions approached and mocked the situation, Stone informed them that they would still defend their titles later in the evening against replacement challengers.
Lizzy Rain vs. Chantel Monroe
Monroe attempted an early pinning combination before retreating to ringside. Rain followed her outside, drove her head into the apron and brought the action back into the ring. Rain connected with chops and elbows, but Monroe pulled her down from the top rope and began targeting her neck.
Rain fought back with a fisherman’s suplex and attempted a Boston Crab, but Monroe escaped. Rain later connected with a headbutt from the turnbuckles and followed with a missile dropkick. The two exchanged forearms until Monroe landed a kick, only for Rain to answer with another suplex.
Rain made several attempts to apply the Boston Crab and eventually connected with a spinebuster before transitioning into a Liontamer. Monroe reached the ropes to force the break and responded with a stiff knee to the head for a two-count before applying a crossface.
Rain rolled Monroe into a pinning combination for two. Monroe avoided a charge and attempted a rollup while using the ropes for leverage, but the referee caught her and stopped the count. Rain capitalized with a shoulder attack before hitting Thunderstruck for the victory.
Winner: Lizzy Rain via Pinfall
Mason Rook Wants His NXT Championship Opportunity
Rook addressed his return and made it clear that he intended to challenge Waller for the NXT Championship. Rook said he had never received his rightful title opportunity and refused to allow Waller to escape him. He also warned that neither Hill nor Fatu would prevent him from getting his shot.
Hendrix later complained about D’Angelo backstage, claiming that D’Angelo had already received his opportunities. D’Angelo, who was standing nearby at his locker, told Hendrix to shut up. Hendrix responded by sucker-punching him.
NXT Tag Team Championship
Vanity Project (c) vs. Hank & Tank
With Dar and Moreno unable to compete, Stone announced Hank & Tank as Vanity Project’s replacement challengers. Hank and Tank immediately attacked Baylor and Smokes before the opening bell, overwhelming the champions with strikes before continuing their aggressive approach once the match officially began.
Hank battled Baylor before knocking Smokes off the apron and catching Baylor with a powerslam. The action spilled outside, where the challengers delivered chops against the barricade. Hank brought Smokes back inside and attempted a cover, but Smokes kicked out.
Tank tagged in and maintained the pressure until Baylor avoided a charge, causing him to crash face-first into the ropes. Vanity Project capitalized with several double-team maneuvers, including an assisted dropkick.
Tank escaped and made the tag to Hank, who entered and cleared the ring before hitting Baylor with a hip attack and spinning side slam for a near-fall. Hank and Tank continued working together and sent Smokes crashing into his partner.
Vanity Project attempted simultaneous sleeper holds, but the challengers backed into each other to escape. Tank took out Baylor and delivered a swanton from the top rope, but the champion survived the pinfall attempt.
Despite not being medically cleared, Dar and Moreno suddenly appeared at ringside. During the confusion, Lockwood interfered and knocked Hank from the turnbuckles. Baylor took advantage and covered him to retain the championship.
Winners: Still NXT Tag Team Champions, Vanity Project via Pinfall
Footage from the previous week showed Saquon Shugars and Sean Legacy exchanging words backstage. Tristan Angels joined the conversation, prompting Legacy to mock him over his recent struggles.
Elsewhere, Thea Hail and Layla Diggs were talking when Monroe interrupted and made insulting comments about Hail’s hair, leading to another tense exchange.
Zilla Fatu Calls Out Grayson Waller
Fatu entered the ring wearing John Cena Classic merchandise and discussed his upcoming participation in the tournament. He said he wanted to enter the John Cena Classic as NXT Champion and officially called out Waller for a title opportunity.
DarkState answered instead. Dion Lennox addressed the group’s confrontation with The 946 last week and blamed the setback on DarkState being outnumbered. Lennox compared Fatu to Cruz Montana and warned that he was not ready to challenge for the NXT Championship.
As DarkState threatened to put Fatu on the shelf, Birthright made its entrance. Lexis King declared that Birthright, rather than DarkState, was the dominant faction in NXT. With both groups surrounding the ring, Fatu stood alone between them before directing everyone’s attention toward the crowd.
Karmen Petrovic was shown wearing a Perros del Mal shirt as Berto, Angel and Daga emerged and joined Fatu at ringside. Fatu eventually stepped away, leaving DarkState, Birthright and Perros del Mal to erupt into a massive three-way brawl as NXT went off the air.
