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NXT TV RESULTS
APRIL 1, 2025
ORLANDO, FLA. AT CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
LIVE ON CW NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Backstage Correspondent(s): Sarah Schreiber
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
-Ricky Saints and The Culling were shown arriving separately. Vic promoted their match for the North American Championship as the main event tonight.
-For the second week in a row, Stephanie Vaquer opened the show. She was wearing very alluring street clothes. Her appearance at a UFC show sometime this week was shown.
Ava was already in the ring, and she said last week, Vaquer proved she was La Primera. Ava said both of these championships deserve to be defended separately given the strength of the women’s division. She said Vaquer will be stripped of the North American Championship and a new champion will be crowned at Stand & Deliver in a six-woman ladder match, with qualifying matches starting tonight. The crowd was booing so loudly that they didn’t even pop for the ladder reveal. Vaquer said that she’d relinquish the championship under just one condition – that she gets to choose her challenger at Stand & Deliver.
Jordynne Grace’s music played and she promoted herself as the next challenger, now that Jaida Parker is out of the way. Parker’s music played her out as the crowd chanted “Miss Parker.” She said last week she came close to winning and would’ve taken it if Grace hadn’t attacked her. Grace said Parker called her shot and she fumbled. She said Parker might not understand how championships work, since she’s never had one. She said she goes to the back of the line. Vaquer said they obviously need to work this out. Parker and Grace came to blows and security split them up. Grace launched a security guy like a rocket (he did a lot of the work there, but the timing was perfect so it looked fantastic) out onto the rest of them and the women continued to jaw with one another.
-Oba Femi said to Sarah Schreiber that Trick Williams would find out the hard way why you don’t call out Oba Femi.
-Vic promoted the first ladder match qualifier, up next. [c]
-The women’s division, in the locker room, argued over who would be the next North American Champion.
(1) ZARIA (w/Sol Ruca) vs. LASH LEGEND (w/Jakara Jackson) – Qualifying match for the Women’s North American Championship ladder match at Stand & Deliver
They’re throwing power out there to open. This is Zaria’s first singles match on TV in quite a while after a few months of teaming with Sol Ruca.
A lockup went to a stalemate and a quick reset. Waistlock takedown by Legend, who jawed down at Zaria, then challenged her to a test of strength. Zaria got the early advantage but Legend powered back up and reversed. Zaria bridged like Legend. Legend hit a suplex and covered for two. Zaria tried a rollup but Legend wouldn’t go down. Zaria threw a big palm strike, and Legend returned fire. It was loud and the crowd was eating it up. Front face-lock by Zaria, but Legend put her on the apron. Zaria floated over and rolled up Legend for two. After some reversals, Legend hit a body slam. Legend and Zaria each missed elbow drops, then hit their feet with flourishes.
Legend put the knees to Zaria, who managed another rollup for two. Legend pasted Zaria with a right and she spilled to the floor. Ruca and Jackson got involved and started jawing with each other as the match went to commercial, oddly without split-screen. [c]
Zaria ran the ropes right into a forearm. Legend put up Zaria in a fireman’s carry and worked a torture rack, I guess, though she wasn’t doing much besides focusing on keeping Zaria up there. The two ran the ropes and put each other on the mat. “NXT” chant. They got to their feet and exchanged rights. Legend threw Zaria to the mat and tried a suplex, but couldn’t get Zaria up. Zaria hit one instead. Irish whip and Zaria went up for a cross-body. Legend caught her and hit a backbreaker. She wanted her finisher but Zaria hit a rana instead. Pump kick and a German suplex by Zaria. Legend caught Zaria with a chokeslam for two. There was a “This is awesome” chant and Ruca briefly joined in. Oh boy. Zaria speared Legend and hit her cutter to finish.
WINNER: Zaria at 11:46.
(Wells’s Analysis: Assuming a last-chance five-way for the final spot, with the losers of the first five qualifiers, I wouldn’t write off Legend getting into the match. Satisfying enough power affair here, and they got a lot of time to do their thing. Ruca joining in for one “This is awesome” stood out as something she definitely shouldn’t do, however)
-Josh Briggs and Yoshiki Inamura hyped each other up in the locker room, saying they were trying to get to Stand & Deliver, and Wes Lee, Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe showed up an laughed. It came to Inamura challenging Wes Lee, who said he’d sort it out with Ava and end Inamura and his pipe dream of getting to Stand & Deliver. [c]
-Kelani Jordan told Ava that history would repeat itself as she once again climbs the ladder to win the North American Championship again. Roxanne Perez showed up. She still goes here?! She tried to mess with Jordan, but Jordan spat back, and Perez was impressed she’d finally grown a backbone. Ava booked them in the second qualifying match tonight.
-In a pre-taped segment, the Family had a meeting where they talked about each of the members of Darkstate. Luca Crusifino had done the research on each of them – Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Cutler James (Adrianna Rizzo talked about him) and Saquon Shugars (Stacks covered him). It feels late in the game to be learning more about these guys, but at least we got there with the help of Basil Exposition (is that reference getting too old?). D’Angelo and Stacks had another couple of tense moments. Luca Crusifino looked like he had fallen asleep all day outside. He was red as a beet.
-Hank & Tank were wearing the weird mini-shirts that Pretty Deadly wear, revealing indeed that Pretty Deadly was in the building to a good reaction. They’re still telling the story of Hank & Tank trying to get the right advice to lead them to wins. Tavion Heights and Myles Borne walked by, laughed, and said tonight that Hank and Tank are going to get their asses kicked. [c]
-Hype for Stephanie’s Places. The next episode features Cody Rhodes. I wonder what’s going on in the ring right now; the crowd was chanting something while Vic teed up the segment, but it was too far in the background. There’s only been one match over the first 50 minutes of the show, so restlessness could come if they don’t have something going on live.
-Aaaand another pre-taped segment, as the Culling sat around a table and chatted about the main event tonight.
(2) HANK WALKER & TANK LEDGER vs. NO QUARTER CATCH CREW (Myles Borne & Tavion Heights) (w/Charlie Dempsey & Wren Sinclair)
Heights and Tank opened, and Heights got the early advantage with slow power stuff. Tank took him down and made the tag, and he and Hank teamed up for one of Pretty Deadly’s moves and yelled out “Yes boy!” They mimicked a couple more Pretty Deadly spots, then pancaked Heights between them in the middle of the ring for a two count. Hank tagged in again. Rope run and Borne madwe the blind tag. Hank dumped Heights, but Heights held on and held down the rope so Borne could dump him.
Borne took control inside the ring with some uppercuts, then tagged Heights again, who clotheslined Hank and covered for two. Heights hit a short clothesline, then another, against the ropes. He covered for two. Heights worked a headlock as the crowd tried to fire Hank up. Heights rolled up Hank for two, and Hank made the hot tag after rolling to safety. Tank took over and hit a back body-drop and a belly-to-belly on Heights. He took care of an interfering Borne and then slammed Heights for two, with Borne breaking it up.
Hank and Borne fought and Borne got dumped. Hank ran the ropes for Pretty Deadly’s finisher, but Borne broke it up with a dropkick. The spot went completely awry, as there was at least a foot between them, and Hank also wasn’t close enough to be dumped over the ropes as was intended. The crowd audibly got amused. The opening allowed NQCC to hit their team finisher.
WINNERS: No Quarter Catch Crew at 5:36.
(Wells’s Analysis: They had a fun thing going here but wow, that spot was all kinds of terrible. Hopefully they can shrug it off, because both teams are making big strides in the past few months. Hank & Tank are in a weird spot where they’re losing all the time but they’re getting a bigger push than the teams winning their matches. I’m also interested in whether Borne might have some kind of minor injury, because Heights worked 90% of this match)
-Trick Williams walked through the back ahead of the crossover talk(?) segment with Oba Femi. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-Hype for Triple H going into the Hall of Fame. They mostly talked about his WrestleMania entrances, unfortunately including his lame cross-promotion for one of the later, awful Terminator movies.
-Whoop That Trick played Trick Williams to the ring as Booker T vibed along. Trick told Oba not to get it twisted – even if he’s not the Champion, he’s still the man here in NXT. He said he fought for this, lost a lot for this, and lost a brother for this. He said this was on the CW Network, but every Tuesday, it becomes the TW Network. He said people were trying to keep him from the top, but he gets it now.
Je’Von Evans went to the ring. Williams said it’s Stand & Deliver, so it’s time for the grownups to talk. Evans said he understands Williams now because last year, Williams was Evans. He said just like Williams, he wants the number one spot. He said the difference is that he doesn’t have to break out of somebody’s shadow to find that spot. He’s ready for it now. Williams said Evans was in Trick’s shadow right now. Trick called himself One of One and then called himself the “A Champion.” Evans said he’s not Trick Williams – he’s Carmelo Hayes. Big reaction for that. The CW hair-trigger censors silenced a chant briefly, but the chant was “Melo” so someone must have noticed and turned the sound back on.
Oba Femi hit the ring, dressed to kill as always. He told Trick he’s talked enough. He said when he looks at Je’Von, all he sees is a small boy with big dreams. Williams tried to tell Evans to excuse himself. Femi said if Trick spent less time talking, maybe he’d still be Champion. Ava hit the ramp and said “Alright, I’ve seen this before.” She kept it brief as she promoted a triple threat match for Stand & Deliver. Trick wasn’t happy and he took a cheap shot at Evans. Femi laid out Williams.
The lights went out and Darkstate were shown at their spots. For once, they ran to the ring and laid out both Evans and Femi. Williams ended up surrounded, and they held off for a moment, milking it because some (like me!) have wondered if Trick is aligned with them. Indeed, they ended up taking him out as well. [c]
(Wells’s Analysis: Very good segment to get us where everyone knew we were going for a few weeks now. Williams still dealing with the shadow cast by Carmelo Hayes is a very interesting addition to what’s going on with him)
-A trainer told Andre Chase he suffered a cracked rib last week. He asked Chase if he had a ride home, and he said he was all alone. Uriah Connors & Kale Dixon showed up with a wheelchair and they rolled him toward the door. They slowed down to avoid something as the camera panned back to reveal Jordynne Grace and Jaida Parker brawling all over the loading dock.
-Hank & Tank talked with Axiom & Nathan Frazer. They tried a pep talk, but as usual, they were in an argument. Hank & Tank took their leave, and Swipe Right – a team on WWE Evolve – showed up and said that Axiom & Frazer were basically their Hardy Boyz. Swipe Right struggled through a bro-bro bit and a match was teased for next week. To keep their gimmick going, they talked about all the “talent” in NXT, noting that Roxanne Perez is a smoke show as she walked by. I’ve been watching Evolve, and Swipe Right is…not ready for much exposure yet. They can kind of work, but their mic skills have a very long way to go.
(3) KELANI JORDAN vs. ROXANNE PEREZ – Qualifying match for the Women’s North American Championship ladder match at Stand & Deliver
They went to some quick reversals to start. They were at a stalemate and a reset under a minute in when the match went to commercial, again with no split-screen. Maybe that’s over? [c]
Perez took control, tossing Jordan to the mat by the hair. Jordan caught a slap attempt, then trapped the other arm and slapped Perez. Jordan hit a dropkick that sent Perez to the apron. Jordan draped Perez and hit a delayed leg drop and covered for two. Perez yanked the apron up and the ref dealt with it as Perez raked the eyes away from his view. Perez stomped on Jordan’s hyperextended elbow as it was over the turnbuckle. Perez stomped on Jordan and covered for two.
Perez preened after some stomps, getting way more of a face reaction than you’d hope. I suppose this crowd saw her through all the tough times and at this point just have a ton of respect for her, though. Jordan rolled up Perez, but the force of Perez’s kickout sent her face-first to a turnbuckle. Perez tried to drop knees on Jordan’s arm, but Jordan pulled it away. Perez remained in control anyway, and hit a Northern Lights suplex for two. The match went to another quick commercial, this time with split-screen. Okay then. [c]
Jordan covered and got a two-count. They replayed the modified DDT that had happened during the split-screen to set that up. The two went to a sequence of reversals and Jordan tried her split-legged moonsault, but she missed and Perez hit a cartwheel knee to the skull and covered for a long two. Perez slapped a kneeling Jordan, who sold rage, then fired up and hit quick and often. Roxanne tried Pop Rox but Jordan fought it off. Jordan set up, and this time hit, the split-legged moonsault.
WINNER: Kelani Jordan at 14:37.
(Wells’s Analysis: Jordan sure seems miles away from the bland girl who could work, eh? She brings so much emotion to her matches now. Perez put another person over in NXT for some reason, as she has things going on on the main roster also, sort of. It’s a weird position she’s in)
-Ava, Stevie Turner and Rob Stone were in an office. Ava booked Darkstate vs. Femi, Williams and Evans for next week. She didn’t mention which three would be in the match.
-Sarah Schreiber talked to Ricky Saints, who said it took a long time for Shawn Spears to taste gold, but he’s going to do it in record time. He said the revolution will be televised. He walked off, and Schreiber said it’s up next. [c]
-Zaria said she wanted Sol Ruca out there for the match at Stand & Deliver. Kelani Jordan showed up and called her shot for the match. Ruca said she’d be the one, as she has a qualifying match next week. She tried out “ZaRuca” as their team name, and Zaria said she didn’t hate it.
-Via socials, Darkstate went through the usual and said they were four men with one goal, and we’d all see next week.
(4) RICKY SAINTS vs. SHAWN SPEARS (c) (w/Brooks Jensen & Niko Vance & Izzi Dame) – NXT North American Championship match
Mike Rome handled formal introductions. Graves quipped “He looks like he could make you a hell of an Old Fashioned,” because Rome was looking like a bartender in a fancy joint. It also looks like Rome’s hair is done by the same guy who does Lexis King’s beard.
Spears bailed to start, drawing boos. Saints charged out and went right at Spears. Back inside, Saints missed a dropkick, then hit one, and pounded Spears in a corner. Spears bailed again, and Saints tried a leap from the apron, but Spears got a knee up. Saints hit a backdrop on the floor, then walked the barricade and laid out Spears again. Spears did his familiar pose as the match went to split-screen. [c]
Spears was in control as we returned just seven minutes to the hour. Spears went for some ground & pound and then hit a body slam, slowing things way down. He went high, but Saints joined him there and they jockeyed for position. Saints hit a superplex and landed on Spears, but then rolled off of him rather than stay on him for a cover. Apparently there was a “holy sh*t” chant as they were muted for a bit. Saints threw rights and exploded out of a corner with a lariat. He hit another. Back elbow in the corner by Saints. Spinebuster by Saints. Yet again, Spears rolled to the outside.
Saints followed Spears out and hit a tornado DDT off the apron. Back inside, Niko Vance took the focus of the ref and Dame gave Spears the belt. Spears nailed Saints with it, but only got a long two in a believable false finish. Spears said “You made me do this” and tried C4, but Saints fought it off, fought off the other two members of the Culling, and reentered the ring. Spear by Saints. Roshambo, new champion.
WINNER: Ricky Saints at 10:14.
Saints got a bit of a moment to celebrate, but Ethan Page charged in and hit the Twisted Grin, then posed with the belt as the show went off the air.
(Wells’s Analysis: Saints was just on fire throughout the closing minutes here. He was intense, loud and focused, drawing the fans in so they would explode when he won the title. Spears proved to be a transitional champion, as was assumed. I suppose it gave a boost of legitimacy to his faction, though I don’t know how much they really gained and it’s going to be tough to take them seriously now that Spears will likely go back to losing a lot. With this win, Saints is a singles champion for the first time since his FTW Championship run in AEW four years ago)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Just four matches this week as they went heavy with the work on Stand & Deliver. The main event scene was finalized with Darkstate still likely to play a role in the match, and Stephanie Vaquer’s brief time as double champion came to an end as the brand thought of another excuse to have a ladder match for a North American Championship at the yearly show. There was also a bit of cringeworthy content as Swipe Right isn’t ready to be exposed on this level, and the Family got tasked with a scene that existed solely to provide exposition for other characters on the show. Nate Lindberg and I will talk it out on PWT Talks NXT shortly. Cheers.
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