wrestling / TV Reports
Cook’s WWE NXT Review 5.12.26
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the latest episode of WWE NXT on the CW! Tonight we’ve got five big matches with almost all of the participants already announced. I love when promotions make things easy like that. We got Kendal Grey facing Kelani Jordan in what should be an absolute classic! Tatum Paxley & Lizzy Rain team to take on Zaria & Nikkita Lyons! Naraku makes his big debut, and maybe we’ll see that Mason Rook fella try to bodyslam somebody’s dad.
If you already subscribe to the 411MANIA Wrestling Newsletter, earlier today you were e-mailed my thoughts about the John Cena Classic, Asuka stepping aside & crazy AEW booking ideas. If you don’t already subscribe, do so right now! Yes, before we get to the show because if you’re like me you won’t remember to do this a minute from now.
Cook’s WWE NXT Review 5.12.26
Then. Now. Forever. Together!
We’re in Orlando! Vic Joseph & Booker T are our hosts and we’re starting with a match. What, no 15 minute discussion that leads to a match after a commercial? Ridiculous!
Tatum Paxley & Lizzy Rain vs. Zaria & Nikkita Lyons: Lizzy yells over the loudspeakers before coming out, that’s pretty rockin. Digging the green zebra look too. Nikkita will face Karmen Petrovic on Evolve tomorrow night. I’ve missed Karmen, hope she’s doing well. Zaria & Rain start. Zaria with the early power advantage. Lizzy fights off a hip toss, goes for a sunset flip and gets clotheslined instead. Nikkita wants in, Zaria gets kicked by Lizzy instead & Tatum tags in. Nikkita with a blind tag, which doesn’t make Zaria happy. Tatum with a step up enziguri using the apron, then a crucifix in the ring gets two. Nikkita slams Tatum & stands on her. Misses the splits legdrop, all four women in the ring and Tatrum & Lizzy get the advantage. Two kicks through the ropes, and Tatum & Lizzy pose as we go to Non-Stop NXT.
Zaria headbutts Izzy, Izzy tries a kick, gets punched instead and dropped on the apron. Back in the ring, Tatum comes in and takes control on Zaria with a couple of nearfalls until Zaria smacks her down. Tatum avoids the knee from Nikkita, but Zaria takes her into a full nelson swinging backbreaker. Knees from Zaria, some strikes in the corner and a clothesline gets two. Nikkita finally gets a legit tag and chinlocks Tatum. Nikkita avoids an enziguri and goes back to the chinlock.
Back full-screen, Nikkita misses in the corner, Nikkita wins the strike exchange and hits a sitout powerbomb for two. Nikkita tosses Tatum in the corner and tags Zaria. The fans want Lizzy, Tatum avoids an F-5 and Zaria charges over the top to the floor. Tags to Lizzy & Nikkita, Lizzy with some strikes and a pumphandle overhead slam. Chops in the corner by Lizzy as Vic keeps referencing monster ballads. Lizzy with a cutter to Zaria, then a running headbutt to Nikkita. Big right hand by Nikkita, Tatum tags in, misses a top rope move, misses her finisher and gets her head kicked off. Zaria reaches for the tag, then pulls away! She backs up the aisleway, Tatum kicks Nikkita, tags Lizzy who hits the Thunderstruck for the three count!
Winners: Tatum Paxley & Lizzy Rain (9:22 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
Zaria clearly can’t be trusted by anybody at this point, so Nikkita was doomed to failure. She’s tried hard for a long time. Lizzy hasn’t been around for long, but fans are digging her vibe and want to see more. I agree with them! I assume this is all leading to some Tatum/Zaria spooky stuff that should be fun.
My feed pauses during the post-match celebration. Been a bad day for Spectrum here. When we return, Lola Vice is arguing with Kendal Grey and Kendal wants that NXT Women’s Championship. She’ll go after that after beating Kelani Jordan. Wren Sinclair tries to mediate, but let’s be honest, she hasn’t had much success doing that in the past.
Naraku is next!
Penta, Bayley & Grayson Waller will be working NXT shows in Buffalo, Canton & Johnstown this weekend!
Naraku vs. Lince Dorado: Lince is on a good win streak in AAA, but I get the feeling it won’t be continuing here. I’ve heard a lot about Naraku, some good & some bad. NXT’s a clean slate for him as far as I’m concerned. Naraku goes to work right away on Lince, shoulderblocks him down. Some chops on the ropes, Lince does some flips and hits a springboard crossbody for one. Lince goes for an armbar, Naraku stomps his way out of it, then suplexes Lince into the corner. Naraku kicks and palm strikes Lince, then a chop. Narauku drops Lince face first, then clotheslines him to the mat. Naraku with some kicks, Lince tries to fight back but that just makes Naraku mad. Bodyslam to Lince, then some elbows before a chinlock. Lince gets out, hits a kick, then a dropkick takes Naraku down. Boot in the corner by Lince, some strikes, then a handspring into a stunner. Lince runs into a boot in the corner, Naraku with another kick, he sends Lince into the corner and hits a fisherman’s suplex. Another one. An STO ends this one. Enter The Abyss seems to be the name.
Winner: Naraku (4:31 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
Lince got to show a little bit, but using him in this spot plays into the expanding narrative that the AAA wrestlers don’t really matter when they appear on other shows. Dude’s got a win streak going, they could have got somebody else to job to Naraku that’s doing less. I get the feeling that this combined with Los Garzas’ funeral on Raw will lead to some discussion. Naraku looked fine here, hopefully he won’t form a stable anytime soon.
Naraku says he’s evil. That tracks.
Tate Wilder, EK Prosper & Sean Legacy talk about picking their spots and heading out into chaos. Dorian Van Dux appears and talks about coming back from injury. He’ll see them soon!
Nattie talks about her favorite parts of the LFG season until she’s cut off by Jaida Parker. Jaida’s mad that Nattie’s calling her soft, they argue briefly before Jaida is led off by a couple of men.
BirthRight (Charlie Dempsey, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo & Uriah Connors w/Lexis King & Arianna Grace) vs. Tate Wilder, EK Prosper & Sean Legacy: Stacks & Wilder start things off. Wilder hits an arm drag, then dropkicks Stacks down for two. Stacks with a cheap shot before tagging in Dempsey. Dempsey eats a couple of uppercuts, Legacy tags in. Legact works the arm, Dempsey works out of it, but gets tripped by Legacy off the ropes. Double stomp and dropkick by Legacy gets two. Prosper tags in, axehandles Dempsey’s arm. Dempsey with an uppercut, misses in the corner, Prosper with a kick, slam and a jump up into a moonsault gets two. Dempsey knees Prosper down. Connors tags in, the speed picks up and Connors hits the dropkick. Connors on the apron, hits a hilo, Prosper with a rana. BirthRight regroups outside as we go to commercial.
We return to Legacy getting dominated, Stacks with a double stomp to Legacy’s back gets two. Connors sends Legacy’s partners off the apron, Legacy hits a C4 and tags Wilder! Dempsey in to eat some strikes, shoulderblock sends him down. Stacks & Connors get clotheslined, then splashed in the corner. Wilder takes out Stacks & Connors, Wilder suplexes Dempsey for two. It’s all broken down, Stacks getting the upper hand on BirthRight’s opponents until Wilder takes him out. Wilder with a suplex on Dempsey, he goes up top, knocks Connors off the apron. Dempsey joins Wilder up top, hits the super butterfly suplex. EK breaks the count, kicks Connors to the apron but then Connors DVDs him on said apron. Wilder hits a TKO for two. Stacks breaks it up. Stacks sent over the top, Connors follows him. Legacy wants a tag, Wilder dives onto Stacks & Connors! In the ring, Wilder drops Dempsey, goes up top, hits the frog splash! It gets two. Legacy is still begging for a tag, Wilder goes back up top, misses a moonsault. Stacks tags, Connors tags, they hit a double running kick to Wilder’s face for three.
Winners: BirthRight (8:58 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/4
I really enjoyed the story of Wilder being a young doofus that didn’t want to tag his partner and get all the glory for himself. These types of stories really work well on these shows with kids we aren’t familiar with. It’s harder to buy when they’ve been on one of the main shows forever. Some impressive in-ring acrobatics too, so this was fun.
Tatum & Lizzy had a lot of fun out there. Tatum wants to give title opportunities to those that deserve it, so she’ll give Lizzy a shot next week! Shiloh Hill appears and talks about Tristian Angels. Lizzy unfortunately is familiar with him from their home country. Shiloh claims he would be Mr. NXT. Angels appears and claims that Hill can’t out-class him. Angels will make his debut next week and show us that he’s in a class of his own.
Mason Rook signs his NXT contract next!
Tonight’s NXT Focus: The Culling talk about how they’re stronger together and Izzi Dame is due for a Women’s Championship match. Izzi always knows what steps to take, no one has the attention to detail she does. Shawn Spears & Niko Vance are about to leave when Izzy tells Niko to stay. Izzi tells Niko she’ll be watching tonight’s main event to see if Lola Vice is out there.
Robert Stone introduces Mason Rook, who comes out in his white short sleeve dress shirt covering a black t-shirt and grey pants. The fans say Rook is big, bad and will bodyslam your dad. I guess they love PROGRESS and/or NOAH in Orlando. He’s gone all around the world, and everywhere he goes he turns heads. Even John Cena sees him! It’s hard to not notice a flying human tank. Mason is not satisfied with everyone at home talking about him in the pubs, or going viral and being the name in everyone’s mouth. He wants more. He’s the best anyweight, they’ll find out that when you try and stop a tank you get crushed.
NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo comes out. Stone tells him not to think about it, but Tony is just here to talk. Mason has his attention. Starting at the top is a page right out of his book. Mason won’t make a name for himself at his expense. Kam Hendrix appears and he & Tony fight, so Rook goes up top and moonsaults Kam, Tony & a bunch of security guards! Mason signs the contract while the fans sing his chant.
Noam Dar warms up while Romeo Moreno watches & talks about a match Noam had with Dragon Lee back in 2022 and lists some of his accomplishments. Noam says it’s been a year since he’s been in the ring and doesn’t know if he’s that guy anymore. Romeo continues pumping him up.
Emily Agard is with OTM (Lucien Price & Bronco Nima), who are having a poolside barbecue! Lucien’s little brother JJ joins them as well. They talk about how Lucien & JJ lost their mother at a young age and Lucien had to raise him. Lucien doesn’t like to brag. JJ says that OTM is about overcoming adversity. Bronco is more intelligent than people think, Lucien says. He’s even an artist! They’re yin & yang. JJ suggests that Emily bring some snacks next time. I like how they’re doing something different with Emily on her introduction to NXT, having her interact with the talents in different places than we’re used to seeing them. She’s a modern-day Bill Mercer! OK, so there are some differences between them.
Noam Dar vs. Jackson Drake (w/The Vanity Project): Jackson comes out on the shoulders of Myka Lockwood while Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes jump around them. Noam & Drake into the ropes, Noam with the headlock, shoulderblocks Drake down. Noam picks Jackson’s ankle in mid-air and goes for an ankle lock. Noam blocks a German, hits a backfist. Jackson with some strikes, Jackson ends up on the apron, Noam pump kicks him to the floor. Vanity Project check on Drake as we go to commercial.
Noam gets crotched up top as we return. Jackson hits a superplex and eventually covers for two. Lethal Injection gets two. Bit of a lackadaisical cover there. Drake with some mounted punches. Noam tries to fight back, hits a big strike, then a release German suplex. We see Kelani Jordan stretching as Noam hits another suplex. Big forearm in the corner, Northern Lights suplex by Noam. Noam misses an elbow, Drake with a dropkick, then a gutbuster gets two. Noam rolls up Jackson, they trade pinning combinations. Noam kicks Jackson, goes for a German but drops him into an armbar instead. Strikes exchanged, Noam with some kicks, Jackson with kicks of his own, Noam kicks Jackson in the gut on a handspring attempt. Drake ends up outside, Dar follows him. Myka stares him down, Baylor & smokes try to help but don’t provide much. Myka holds Noam (unfortunately the referee sees it) & Jackson hits a knee to the head. A 450 splash gets the win for Drake.
Winner: Jackson Drake (6:48 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **3/4
I can see these guys having better matches in the future for sure. I like the usage of Lockwood with the Vanity Project. Previously they were all about hanging out with Blake Monroe, now they have Myka on their side and she seems more interested and more capable to help their cause. Good to see Noam back, he’s shown some potential as far back as I can remember, hopefully he’ll have a nice run here.
The lights go out on the celebration, and DarkState appear in the crowd!
Tavion Heights & Myles Borne talk about their upcoming plans. Myles doesn’t seem too thrilled about a tag team match he’s booked for next week with Tony D’Angelo against Kam Hendrix & Mason Rook. Tavion takes offense to Myles flipping out on one of his Day Ones.
DarkState are in the ring now while Vanity Project are in the aisleway. They want the NXT Tag Team Championship back. Dion & Saquon put over Cutler & Osiris as future champions. Baylor & Smokes remind them that they took that championship and are the reason that Dion & Saquon are at each others’ throats. The Vanity Project doesn’t give out handouts! Cutler says that Robert Stone already made the match, but it’s not going to be him & Osiris. They need to be united, so Dion & Saquon need to be the team that get the Championship back. If they don’t, things are gonna change. Baylor & Smokes attack, but that gets nowhere.
Robert Stone congratulates Naraku. Kam Hendrix & Mason Rook are in his office and they’re not happy about teaming against Tony & Myles. Tate Wilder thanks Stone for the opportunity, and wants a match next week. Here’s Keanu Carver, who wants to talk about that interview stunt last week. Stone thinks it went well, and he books Keanu against Tate next week.
Kelani Jordan is WALKING! She exchanges glances with Izzi Dame, who has Niko with her.
Next Week: Myles Borne & Tony D’Angelo vs. Kam Hendrix & Mason Rook! Tatum Paxley vs. Lizzy Rain! Vanity Project vs. DarkState!
Blake Howard asks Kali Armstrong what’s next for her. Kali drops everybody’s names, and says Lola won’t be the only one watching that match. She’s about to run through everybody just like she did in Evolve! Kendal says that Kali didn’t run through everybody.
Kendal Grey (w/Wren Sinclair) vs. Kelani Jordan: Keliani & Kendal go back & forth early. Kendal gets a nearfall, then Kelani takes advantage. Lola is shown watching on a monitor. Kendal with some chops, Kelani avoids the fireman’s carry and dropkicks Kendal. Kelani works Kendal over in the corner, she runs into an elbow from Kendal. Kendal avoids her in the corner, Kelani with some gymnastics before getting dropped and kicked on the mat. Kelani gets Kendal on the apron, goes for a piledriver, that gets broken up, Kendal ends up doublestomping Kelani in the ring for two. Roll-throughs, Kendal goes for the anklelock and Kelani kicks her out of the ring. Kelani hits a springboard Asai moonsault! Kendal kicks Kelani to the floor, goes up top and hits a crossbody! Kendal & Wren do their secret handshake as we go to Non-Stop NXT.
Kelani sends Kendal off the apron to the floor, then whips her into the ring and drives her back-first into it a couple of times before sending her into the steps. Back in the ring, Kendal with a quick rollup, Kelani takes her down. Whip into the corner and a backbreaker by Kelani. Kelani shoulderblocks Kendal in the corner. Kendal turns a suplex into a small package, she fights back until getting whipped hard into the corner by Kelani. That gets two, Kelani goes for a modified camel clutch, Kendal is not quite made humble.
Both women go for each other’s hair and they’re both down. Kendal sends Kelani outside, Kelani comes back in and eats some elbows. Kendal suplexes Kelani and pulls the straps down. Back suplexes by Kendal, there’s a German. Kelani catches Kendal in the corner, but that leads to a rana for two. Kelani blocks a suplex, strikes Kendal. Kelani springboards into a forearm, then hits a sitout powerbomb for two. Kelani pulls Kendal to the corner and sets up the split-legged moonsault, but Kendal catches her with an ankle lock. Kelani tries to get out but Kendal holds on. Kelani finally gets out, she misses in the corner and Kendal goes for an armbar. Kelani gets out via knee strikes, both clothesline each other down. Kelani with some kicks, Kendal with a twisting powerslam for two! Hold on, Izzi’s attacking Lola backstage! Meanwhile, Kelani hits a Spanish Fly off the top for two. Kelani goes back up top, Kendal stops her. As they fight on the turnbuckle, Lola & Izzi fight down the aisleway! Wren gets knocked over in the melee! Kelani takes advantage of the distraction, takes Kendal down and hits the split-legged moonsault for three!
Winner: Kelani Jordan (12:44 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***
Another matchup I’d like to see more of in the future, both these Superstars are very talented. I dug the run-in that wasn’t really a run-in, these things seem to happen a lot on NXT because these folks are outta control. Big win for Kelani, her & Lola have some history that could be revisisted.
Lola goes to check on Wren, and Kendal shoves her! They argue, and that leads to Izzi striking Lola from behind! Izzi stands tall with the Women’s Championship as we fade to black. So long for now!
If you’d like to chime in with your own thoughts on tonight’s show, feel free to join your fellow 411 Maniacs down in the comment section! As the legendary Larry Csonka always said: Have fun and don’t be a dick. When I’m not here you can catch me on social media from time to time. To be honest, e-mail is a better option and you can reach me at [email protected].
