Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 7.22.25

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! It’s Jeremy Thomas as usual, and tonight the fallout from TNA Slammiversary comes to NXT as the brand arrives in Houston with two NXT stars as TNA champions in World Champion Trick Williams and Knockouts Champion Jacy Jayne. There’s likely to be a lot of aftermath from their Slammiversary matches — especially as The Undertaker arrives to confront Trick over his shots at Taker’s LFG team last week. In other developments, Oba Femi will defend the NXT Championship against Josh Briggs and Yoshiki Inamura while Blake Monroe makes her NXT singles debut against Wren Sinclair, with Jordynne Grace banned from the arena. (I’m sure she’ll honor that ban.) And finally, Ricky Saints will take on Jasper Troy. That’s a packed show, and one that should be a lot of fun.

Here at Thomas HQ, I’m deep into my Fantasia Fest 2025 coverage. You can see my reviews of the very funny horror comedy Hold the Fort, the Japanese time loop romantic dramedy Rewrite, and the very effective Korean horror film Noise. I have several more reviews on the way as well. I also did a rewatch of the brilliance that is Jaws for the Final Ghouls of Horror podcast

Speaking of the podcast, you check out the latest episode of below as Holly, L and I look at the famed and influential Japanese action thriller Battle Royale. You can subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, including YouTube.

On the TV side, I caught the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 10 and congratulations to the winner (even if it wasn’t who I was rooting for).

As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s kids is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.

* TUDUM.

* We’re LIVE in Houston! Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence arrive, as does Ricky Saints. Oba Femi is here as is Trick-NA himself in a cowboy hat.

* Booker T is backstage talking about how things are bigger in Texas and he walks out onto the stage, completely fucking up the Blake Monroe hype and hyping the rest of the show.

Sol Ruca, Zaria, Hank & Tank vs. The Culling

It’sda brawl outside the ring and starts with Niko and Hank in the ring. Niko pushes Hank into an uppercut and tags in Spears, who stomps Hank’s head. Niko tagged back in for a shot to Hank’s gut, he slams Hank into the corner and then hits a Euro uppercut. Shot to the head, Spears tags in and talks shit to the babyfaces before hitting a neckbreaker.

Spears goes to stomp Hank’s face but he grabs the boot, gets up and slams Spears into the corner. Splash, Tank tags in and hits a senton. Cover gets one. Whip into the ropes, Spears kicks Hank and tags in Tatum. Zaria in and gets Thesz pressed, back up and Izzi comes in and is caught with a lifting splash by Sol!

Spears tags in and Hank is in, they take him down and go for their flattening but everyone runs in and turns it into a brawl — the babyfaces with a quadruple bodyslam and then a MASSIVE pancake to Vance! Vance is out of the ring as we go to break.

We’re back with Niko in control but Tank with a back elbow and they trade shots. Niko stops Tank from hitting the tag and headbutts him, he goes up top and leaps but Tank moves!

Spears tags in and sends Tank into the corner, Hank saves him and Tank knocks Spears down! Niko in but Tank backdrops him, Sol tags in and Tatum is in. Elbows to Tatum, superkicks to Izzi and Tatum, Tornado DDDT! Zaria tags in and chucks Sol into a dropkick on Tatum. Sol up top, assisted splash, Zaria covers but Izzi tackles Sol to break it up.

Zaria headbutts Izzi off the apron but Tatum with an enzuigiri. Niko and Tank in, Niko taken down. Hank lifted into a splash, Spears is in but gets taken down. Izzi in and hits a lungblower on Hank! She goes up top and dives on Hank and Tank, Sol dives on Niko. Tatum and Zaria in, Zaria charges into a superkick but gets Tatum on her shoulders. Spears up top, Zaria grabs him and slams him down!

Tatum in with a roll-up to Zaria for two, she knocks Tatum down. Spears hands Tatum the doll —

AND DARKSTATE IS HERE! The lights are out –when they come back Tatum has Zaria pinned and gets three.

Winner: The Culling (10:45)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Wacky ending but it was great all the way to that point.

* We get a recap of Jacy winning the TNA Knockouts Championship at Slammiversary. Jacy, Fallon and Jazmyn are WALKING.

* Jordynne walks up the building earlier today and is told by Ava that she’s not allowed in the building. Grace says one way or another she’s getting her hands on Blake.

* Fatal Influence come out, with Jacy holding both her titles. The crowd chants “JACY TWO-BELTS” and she says this picture is worth a million bucks. Love it, hate it, like it, boo it — like it or not, Jacy Jayne runs women’s wrestling. She says not so bad for a third wheel or most beatable champion. Two divisions, two brand and the one at the top isn’t Jordynne Grace, Masha Slamovich, the hot new signee, the flavor of the month, it’s her! And she did it herself without any support. The WWE Universe tried to write her off and look at her now. She walked into TNA’s biggest PPV in history and walked out with the Knockouts Championship.

She says people want their name written in the history books so much that it’s a cliche. But there’s nothing clcihe about this. She’s a history maker —

LASH LEGEND IS HERE! She wants to give Jacy her flowers. They’ve been at NXT for a few years and no one ever expected her to be double champion, just saying. But she took her moment so congratulations. Jacy’s reactions are great. But did she think her delusional ass was going to be there long? Nope! Lash says she’s going to spiral down fast because it’s Lash Legend’s moment. Everyone at Evolution was talking about her after she eliminated Nia and Nikki and proved she’s the most dominant force not only in WWE but in all of WWE. And she came to the realization that if she can go with the women on Raw and Smackdown, she’s equipped to get one of those titles —

JAIDA’s HERE! Jaida can’t take Lash’s flowers away but look around. This is NXT and in this division, Jaida has a direct line to the title. So it doesn’t matter if they get in her way or in the back of the line because she’s the reality check.

Jacy is glad they think highly of themselves and will let them hash it out. Jacy tells the girls to get them and Fallon says “Not a chance.” So Jacy attacks and THEN it becomes a brawl, with Jacy and Jaida clearing the ring before bumping into each other. They talk shit.

The NXT spotlight has Ricky Saints walking up to Je’Von who is writing down new moves and figuring out what’s next. Ricky says not to overthink it. He says Je’Von probably has notes on Jasper Troy. Je’Von says he’s a Hall of Fame level crashout and tells Ricky what he just said, to not to overthink it. Ricky says the Revolution will be televised tonight and Evans says he’ll be watching.

* Tavion and Charlie are with Wren and concerned about her facing Blake Monroe but she feels ready. Myles comes up and says he’s not with them but he’s still supporting her. Wren gets hyped up and the trio walk off as Myles sees Lexis kicking something in the background.

Jasper Troy vs. Ricky Saints

Troy talks shit and takes a swing, Ricky ducks and lays in the strikes. He’s put in the corner, Troy with some shuts but Ricky ducks one and hits a chop, nails some mounted punches but gets put on the apron and Troy clotheslines him. Saints back in, Troy goes for a splash but misses.

Saints locks in a side chinlock but Troy picks him right up for a powerslam. Cover gets two. Troy grabs Saints and picks him up, tossing him over the top to the floor as we go to break.

We’re back as Saints is on Troy’s shoulder but slides down. He nails Troy in the back and then the head, Saints pushed into the ropes and leaps up RIGHT into a bear hug. Saints bites his way out and kicks Troy, but gets doubled over. Troy goes to chuck Saints through the ropes but he escapes and dives onto Troy! Saints with shots, Troy swings but hits the ringpost! Saints is teeing off on Troy on the outside but gets thrown into the apron.

Saints rolled into the ring, Troy follows but gets his hurt hand stomped on. Tornado DDT countered by Troy who charges into a Stinger splash but Saints moves! Saints with a high crossbody and then a springboard DDT! Cover gets two-plus.

Saints off the ropes and splashes into Troy, and they both go over the ropes to the floor. Troy is up first and stalks the ref for checking on him — Saints jumps on Troy’s back! He decks Troy as they fight onto the stage. Troy throws Saints into the set and Saints is down on the ramp. The ref talks shit to the ref and tells him to tell Troy to check on Saints, because the stage collapsed. Troy DIVES onto Saints on the collapsed part of the stage! The ref is counting them out, Troy crawls and makes it into the ring in the nick of time.

Winner: Jasper Troy (10:45)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Weird close; it seems like it would be a work but if so that’s a strange way to execute it. They didn’t film the ring collapse and it just came off strange, but it was covered well to where it looked like part of the show at least.

* Trick is with High Ryze and says Undertaker isn’t calling him out, he’s calling Taker. Wes says if he needs anything to let them know. Trick says he’s gonna handle his business and Je’Von laughs at him. Trick walks off and Wes approaches him, but Je’Von has to go see this.

* Vic gives tribute to Ozzy. RIP you madman and metal genius.

* Trick Williams has arrived! The TNA World Champion makes his way down the the ring in his jacket and cowboy hat. Trick says it’s time. The man carrying two brands has finally arrived. He’s not bragging, he’s just spitting facts. Sunday he went to Long Island for Slammiversary and main evented TNA’s biggest show. And facts: at Slammiversary he faced two of the best TNA has to offer, defeating Average Joe and the Loud & Proud Boriqua, Mike Santana. So with him defeating the best they have to offer, that makes him undeniably, unequivocally the best TNA World Champion of all time.

He says they don’t like him in TNA and he doesn’t blame them. He’s dropping records, diss tracks and everyone in his way. And last week the boys of LFG were in his way. They got too big in their britches so he stood on business and told them to get the hell out of the way. He says this sensitive group snitched and told their coach on Trick. They called The Undertaker. It’s a fact that Taker is one of the greatest of all time. But it’s a fact that Taker has never held down two brands at the same time. He says LFG has gotten Undertaker feeling disrespected and soft. And he has no problem being the only man with the cojones to call out the Undertaker. He tells Taker to get out here.

DONG into “American Badass” and the Dead Man is here! Taker comes down to the ring and plays to the crowd before he gets a mic. The crowd chants for Taker who is looking more and more like the grandfather generation of Sons of Anarchy by the way. Not a complaint, just an observation.

We get competing “UNDERTAKER” and “WHOOP THAT TRICK” chants before Taker asks, “Well what do we have here?” He says we have a dead man walking. He says TRrick has the nice title, the bling, and he’s sorry but is that genuine cowhide? He’s asking for a friend. Trick says it’s real. Taker says Trick has it all, except for one thing — respect. Taker says Trick has the swagger too.

Taker says he keeps up with everyone and Trick isn’t the same guy with the TNA Title as he was with the NXT Championship. That guy, he watched scratch and claw all the way to the top. That guy was hunger and had that Dawg in him. That ain’t the guy he sees. Taker calls Trick “young fella” and says he can have the whole package, all the talent, everything in the toolbox. But with his attitude, it’s not a matter of him losing it; it’s only a matter of when. The attitude will be his downfall. And that is when the walls start crumbling down. Taker says he’s seen it too many times.

He tells Trick his attitude is rotten, and that — Trick starts to take the jacket off and Taker says leave it on. He says the attitude is what he tries to teach to his LFG team —

Trick doesn’t give a damn about his LFG team. No one on that team is a superstar like Trick. No one in NXT is, and no one in WWE is. Taker asks if that’s right, and Trick says it is. Taker wants to give Trick one more piece of advice: he’s a little too light in the ass to step to an OG. He says if Trick wants to dance with the devil, he can flip that switch. But when he does, he promises he will make Trick famous.

Trick tries to sucker punch Taker and gets goozled! Choke slam! Trick sells it like a million bucks on the mat.

* Jacy says that didn’t go well and asks Fallon and Jazmyn who’s taking who. Michelle McCool says Jazmyn should take Jaida and Fallon should take on Lash. Fallon asks why Jazmyn takes on Jaida and Jazmyn says a baddie should take on a baddie. Jacy says Fallon is way better than Jaida and Fallon is okay with it. Jacy asks which way to Ava’s office and the FI girls point in opposite directions.

Blake Monroe vs. Wren Sinclair

Lockup and Blake with a kneelift. She puts Wren in the corner and kicks her down, then grabs Wren and grinds her along the top rope. Boot choke by Blake for four, she backs off and plays to the crowd before going to throw Wren into the turnbuckle. But Wren with a back elbow and three quick roll-up attempts for two.

Wren into the ropes but hangs in, Blake charges and eats a back kick. Blake fires back through and hits a front dropkick followed by a Sling Blade for two. Blake with a rear chinlock, Wren fights to her feet and nails Blake in the cut. Armdrag by Wren, she ducks a charge and chops away at Blake. Clothesline by Wren and another! Shoulderblock and a diving bulldog for two.

Blake quickly turns it around by throwing Wren into the wrope, then hits a BIG headbutt. Double arm DDT finishes it.

Winner: Blake Monroe (2:53)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Wren Sinclair.

Blake has a mic after and Jordynne has charged in! She goes after Blake but security tries to stop her — Grace suplexes a guard and then lays into the others. Blake with a headbutt and a double arm DDT into a steel chair on the outside.

* Ethan Page WALKS backstage.

* We’re back and Page is in the ring with a podium and more. He says today marks the 56th day of his being the greatest North American to ever hold the NA Title. Seventeen Americans before him had the honor of being champion, but going forward he vows to bring more honor and class than those 17 combined.

He says he will do that because of who he comes from and talks about how his parents came from Yugoslavia to give him a chance, and because of that he was able to travel the world. Had his family made different decisions, he may have ended up like all of them. But they didn’t because he was born here — and he unveils Canadian flags.

That gets the standard “USA” chant. Page says the title will no longer rep the continent of North America because it’s an absolute lie. And it should represent the pure dominance of Canada over Mexico, the US and everything else. He says he was born in Canada but made in America, which makes him the greatest North American alive. He chucks the NA title outside and unveils the new title — which has the leather in the coloring of a Canadian flag.

Page says he’s just proud of being in Canada! Going forward, to claim yourself as being a great NA Champion, it will come from a standard of excellence because Canadians do it better. They do it better with honor and pride, and that’s just the athletes. The food is better and healthy, the women are hotter and healthier, the air is cleaner — he says Houston stinks but he accepts them as who they are. And as your NA Champion —

The crowd chants “ASSHOLE!” As North American Champion, he takes great pride in holding this. But that pales to the pride he feels as a Canadian. He wants to close by asking them all to rise and as he sings the Canadian National Anthem. He sings —

AND SANTINO MARELLA IS HERE! The crowd chants for him and Santino says that Ethan Pa-jey has a big mouth and should be ashamed of himself! He says he’s from Italy and tried to follow in great Italian combat sports athletes, but he also lives in Canada and they don’t think like Page. He says the people all over are good, hard-working people and the garbage coming out of Page’s mouth makes him sick.

He calls Page a Bumhole Boy and Page tells Santino he’s lost and go back to TNA. Santino is friends with Ah-Vah and couldn’t take it so he came out here. He says the title should be held by someone with dignity, honor, class, and pride but Page doesn’t have any of those things. He does, and he’ll see Page next week.

Page says they should do this now and turns around — COBRA! Page just manages to dodge and escapes the ring.

* Trick is walking backstage and comes face to face with Oba. Jacy cuts through holding both her titles and Trick stares at Oba, who smiles and leaves.

* Je’Von is backstage writing his notes when Inamura walks up and says he needs some advice. He asks if he’s a bad friend to Briggs and Evans says no; he just has his own code. Inamura likes Briggs but sometimes doesn’t like how he thinks. Je’Von says sometimes you can love someone and not like him. Inamura gets it and asks Evans what he’s doing? Evans says he’s figuring it out. Inamura s

* Myles tells Charlie he still thinks he knows better than everyone. Charlie tells Myles to go away and Bubba Ray comes in and tells Myles to stay. He tells Charlie to tell him to go. He then tells Wren great match and he’s so proud of her. Bubba Ray says he’s going to make a match with Ava for Tavion and Charlie. If Tavion wins, he’s out. If Charlie wins, he stays in NQCC with a smile. They agree.

Lexis walks in and says Myles isn’t deaf because he’s been wearing noise cancelling headphones and he can hear. He says Myles is faking, and isn’t deaf. Myles says he’s deaf but everyone wishes Lexis was mute.

Set For Next Week:
– NXT North American Championship Match: Ethan Page vs. Santino Marella

NXT Championship Match
Oba Femi vs. Josh Briggs vs. Yoshiki Inamura

Oba takes it to Briggs and sends him over the top before brawling with Inamura. Inamura gets Oba in the corner, Irish whip reversed by Oba. Belly to belly to Inamura and Briggs knocks Oba down, splashes him for two. Briggs and Inamura batter Oba with shoulder blocks but Oba blocks one and takes them both down.

Charging Euro uppercuts to Inamura and Briggs in succession, he goes again but Inamura blasts him and covers! Inamura covers and Briggs steps on the ref’s hand to block the three-count. During the confusion Oba gets up and hits a double chokeslam as we go to break.

We’re back and Oba has Briggs on the top, climbing up for a superplex. But Inamura nails Oba and gets the champ on his shoulder! He steps back but Oba grabs Briggs and pulls him off the top. Inamura covers Oba for two, the kick out puts Inamura on Briggs for two. Briggs and Inamura argue, they try to double team Oba but miscommunication gets Inamura nailed and sent to the outside. Briggs with a chokeslam to Oba, cover for two-plus.

Briggs batters Oba and sets him up for a suplex but Oba lands on his feet. Inamura charges at Oba but he moves and nails Briggs. Briggs is outside and Inamura takes over on Oba — he picks Oba up into a sit-down powerbomb and covers but the Briggs pulls the ref out! The ref is back in and Briggs puts Oba’s hand on the ropes!

Inamura is pissed! He lays out Briggs and then comes back in to hit a Rock Bottom! Yoshiki up top for the frog splash! Cover for two — Briggs with a MOONSAULT OFF THE TOP to break it up! Cover and Oba kicks out just before three.

Inamura and Briggs up now and brawling! Inamura chops Briggs in the face and Briggs answers back but Inamura is in charge! They trade back elbows — Briggs with the Diamond Lariat! Oba in blasts Briggs! He finishes him and pins for the win.

Winner: Oba Femi (9:33)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: VERY good hoss fight. Briggs’ best match by far and Inamura and Femi delivered too. Great bout that went exactly how it should have; zero complaints.

Briggs runs over Inamura on the outside.

* Je’Von is on his couch and Taker walks up and tells him to continue going after the biggest dog in the yard.

And with that, we’re done for the night!

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Really fun episode of NXT as a whole this week. When the show goes on the road, they're always going to go all out and it paid off here. We had a bad-ass main event, the Taker and Trick segment worked well, the opening tag match was fun. All in all I have very few complaints about this week's show.