Cook’s WWE NXT Review 9.22.26

Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the latest edition of WWE NXT on the CW! The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic starts tonight with two first round matches. We’ll also see Zilla Fatu’s issue with BirthRight continue in a six-man tag, Kelani Jordan & Zaria teaming up against La Catalina & Thea Hail, and probably a lot more!

If you already subscribe to the 411MANIA Wrestling Newsletter, earlier today you received some of my thoughts on Worlds Collide’s airtime or lack thereof, Trick Williams’ cancelled shirt & Missy Hyatt selling one of her implants. 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 9.22.26

Then. Now. Forever. Together!

We’re in Orlando! We open with a video package for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Cody Rhodes does the voice over and puts over his father for knowing how important tag team wrestling was. He’ll present the winning team with the Cup in person! Vic Joseph & Booker T are our hosts.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match: Rayo & Bravo Americano vs. Noam Dar & Romeo Moreno: That Cup is sitting a little close to the ring, hope somebody doesn’t dive into it at some point! Rayo & Dar start with some mat wrestling, then Romeo & Bravo tag in. Romeo with a dropkick, Bravo with an inverted atomic drop and some punches. Tag to Rayo, Romeo is catapulted into a punch, then Rayo jumps on top of him. Romeo fights back, Dar tags in and kicks Rayo down. We see the Vanity Project watching backstage. Rayo with a chinlock, then a front facelock. Dar takes Rayo down, then lands some kicks. Rayo with chops, Dar goes for a guillotine choke, Romeo meets Bravo with one, but Bravo shifts his weight and slams Romeo on top of Dar & Rayo. Dar & Romeo end up outside, Bravo hits em with a dive. Rayo & Bravo dance in the ring.

Dar is placed in the ring and Rayo stands on his hand. Rayo with a chop, Dar just punches him down and gets two. Romeo in now, Rayo shifts a suplex attempt and takes Romeo over. Bravo tags in for the doubleteam, a double flying headbutt on Romeo. Bravo turns his Gory Special into a backslide for two. Rayo double stomps Romeo’s back off the top. Romeo placed up top, Bravo is slid under and powerbombed by Romeo.

Romeo goes for the tag, but Rayo double stomps him. Romeo evades the Americanos and Dar tags in. Kick to Bravo, dragonscrew to Rayo, Suplex to Bravo. Dar with an ankle lock on Bravo, Bravo rolls through. Dar with some strikes. Romeo with a kick in the corner, Bravo placed up top, doublestomp with a neckbreaker gets a two count on Bravo. Bravo lifts both Dar & Moreno and spins around! Double Samoan Drop! Double diving headbutts! Count gets two. Kicks to Dar, Romeo superkicks a diving Bravo, Dar gets Rayo in the ankle lock. Rayo gets out and hits the Bitter End for two! Where’d he learn that move? Los Americanos clubber on Dar, Romeo kicks Rayo. Bravo with some strikes. Dar gets clotheslined suplexed. Romeo sent out of the ring, Rayo moonsaults onto him. Dar gets a nearfall, then gets the ankle lock in the middle of the ring with the grapevine! Bravo gets out and Germans Dar. Romeo jumps into a forearm by Rayo. Dar is set up for it, Bravo with the top rope rana, Rayo with the splash, it gets a two count! Rayo snaps Romeo’s fingers, then steps on Dar’s fingers. Romeo jumps up top with Bravo and hits a DVD. A High Low ends things in favor of Dar & Moreno!

Winners: Noam Dar & Romeo Moreno (14:28 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/2
Good match here, lots of stuff but at the same time they let things breathe a little bit.. Romeo’s been featured a lot lately and his team with Noam has been showing more chemistry with each week. Hoping Fraxiom beats DarkState because those guys against these guys should be a good time. I kinda thought the Americanos might get a run here, but utilizing them to put Dar & Moreno over was a good idea.

Dar & Moreno will face either Fraxiom or DarkState in the next round.

We go back to last week when Mason Rook became #1 contender to the NXT Championship.

We see Kendal Grey in her psychiatrist’s office. She’s ready to get back in the ring. Losing the NXT Championship was tough, but now she can’t fight for what she’s lost thanks to vertigo. She’s stuck in a hole she can’t get out of and doesn’t know how. She talks about getting a Lisfranc injury her freshman year and having to sit on the sidelines. At least she could see that injury, this one she can’t. She knew she would be cleared for the following season, but with this she doesn’t know when she’ll come back. She was at the highest of highs and everything was gone. She wonders if everything that made her her would be gone. The psychiatrist asks Kendal what she is if she isn’t competing. She doesn’t know.

Kali Armstrong vs. Skylar Raye: Booker nearly talks right over Skylar’s inset promo where she explains that she needs to get attention and take opportunities. Kali takes her down in the corner and stomps her. Kali with some shoulderblocks in the corner, she misses a charge and Skylar arm drags her over. Headscirrors by Raye, then a dropkick. Kali looks under the ring, then gets back in and clotheslines Skylar down. Kali with four punches. Reverse pumphandle slam by Kali. Skylar with a sunset flip for two. A series of nearfalls. A crossbody by Raye gets two. Raye with some strikes. Enziguri sends Kali down. Kali fights back and hits a running powerslam for two.

Kali continues on the offensive, stomping Skylar down and choking her on the ropes. Raye fights back but gets elbowed down and punched on the mat. Kali with a chinlock. Skylar fights out, Kali misses some punches and Skylar hits hers. Kali catches Skylar and hits a fallaway slam. Big shoulderblocks in the corner by Kali. A vertical suplex by Kali gets two. Japanese stranglehold by Kali, Skylar gets out but put back in.

Skylar gets out and hits a backstabber. Skylar with a shoulderblock, then a flying elbow. Running charge in the corner, then a tiltawhirl DDT. Skylar goes up top, hits the frog splash for two. Kali with a big back suplex, then the spinebuster gets two. Skylar sends Kali into the corner, rolls her up for two. Kali catches her and powerslams her. Kali takes out the referee with the Konnection! There’s Reina Volcan! She attacks both competitors! She rack bombs Skylar on top of Kali, and the referee rolls in and counts that as the pinfall!

Winner: Skylar Raye (9:36 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/4
Certainly an interesting way to get Reina back in the mix. I’m not really sure what her reasoning for all this will be, so anything should be a good start. The match was ok, Kali was strong with her stuff and Skylar was ok. I may be a bit biased against Skylar currently since her ring gear reminded me of the Chicago Cubs’ home uniforms. I’ll try to forgive that misdemeanor.

Reina looks on at both from outside.

Robert Stone hears from Shiloh Hill about talking raccoons. Saquon Shugars tries to interject. Robert says he knows that Shiloh wants Naraku & Saquon wants Tristian, so he’s going to work on something for next week. Saquon wants to hear more about these crazy things Shiloh is talking about as a result of his recent mist experiments. Not really surprised at all that these two guys could get on the same page.

An hour ago, Stone had Wren Sinclair removed from the merchandise truck outside the arena due to her suspension. The fans were not pleased!

La Catalina & Thea Hail vs. Kelani Jordan & Zaria: Booker seems pretty happy that Catalina is in action. Everybody in the match has a singles championship except for Hail, so the question might be who she’s going to pin. Maybe she’s there to take the pin instead, but I think they want to do something with her. Thea attacks Zaria right away, and Kelani tags in. Thea rolls up Lani, takes her down, does a dance, Kelani hits a dropkick but then gets sent into the ropes. Catalina tags in for the hip attack, Thea does one too. Zaria is sent outside, Thea spreads her legs and Catalina dives through them. Thea does the Aerostar dive off the bottom rope. Thea & Catalina do some dancing.

Back in the ring, Catalina gets the upper hand on Kelani with an arm drag. Thea tags in and Catalina drops her on Kelani for a two count. Thea works Kelani’s arm. Kelani tries to get loose but Thea keeps hanging on. Kelani with a rollup, then she throws Thea down and tags Zaria. Thea evades some moves but not the discus lariat from Zaria. Zaria with an elbow in the corner. She sends Thea through the air, then tags Kelani. Double back suplex by the champions gets a two count.

Thea gets out of a suplex and tries to submit Zaria. Zaria tosses her off. Kelani tags in, she boots Thea into a backdrop by Zaria. Lionsault by Kelani gets two. Kelani with the abdominal stretch. Thea reverses into one of her own, Kelani sends her into the corner. Thea fights both of them off, almost gets the tag but not quite. Wheelbarrow suplex by Kelani. Zaria hits a spear for a two count. Thea flips out of the back suplex, Zaria & Kelani both end up outside and Thea crawls for the tag. Kelani tries to stop it, she gets kicked off and Zaria misses a cannonball in the corner. Catalina finally tags in, hits a missile dropkick to Zaria. Catalina suplexes Kelani, Catalina rolls Zaria up for two. Catalina does hip attacks to both Kelani & Zaria. Zaria suplexes Catalina into Kelani, taking them both out. Zaria goes for a move on Thea, but Thea reverses and rolls her up for three!

Winners: La Catalina & Thea Hail (9:35 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
Thea gets a win over Zaria, setting her up for a future North American title match. I figured something like that was in the plans, could be a good feud for Halloween Havoc with Zaria going against a local favorite. It’s been nice seeing Catalina on Raw & NXT the last couple of nights, wouldn’t mind seeing more of that.

Zilla Fatu & Sean Legacy talk about how Dorian Van Dux isn’t cleared to wrestle tonight. appears and says he wants to compete. Legacy says there’s a hole in his lung and he can’t compete. After a brief argument, Sean says he called EK Prosper, and EK pops up all ready to go. Sean tells Dorian he needs to get medically cleared for the Dusty Cup.

Cruz Montana makes his way out through the crowd. We’ll hear from him next!

Cruz asks NXT what’s good. He made his intentions clear as day when he set his intentions on the NXT Championship. He hasn’t been stacking those wins, but he hasn’t been losing either. His old man said that they don’t take losses, they learn lessons. He wants whoever wins between Grayson Waller & Mason Rook.

DarkState interrupt. Dion Lennox says that nobody cares who Cruz is or what he’s done. Cruz says that Dion talks tough when his crew is with him, and suggests that he face him like a man. Dion says that Cruz was the guy in TNA and all over the world. Dion says there’s a reason athletes come in and take over. Cruz shakes at the idea of discipline, Dion is discipline. EK Prosper & Cruz had to eat dirt to get here, he never had to do that. Cruz says he cleaned up his own mistakes and spent years overcoming demons. He’s busted his ass and learned from some of the best. He paid his dues every step of the way. He’s earned everything he’s gotten, Dion’s got nothing on him. All that athletic ability won’t stop Cruz from working circles around him in every aspect of the business. Dion couldn’t cut it in the NFL. Cruz didn’t get messages on Instagram about try outs; he earned his way. He carries his family, city & culture on his back. Dion asks if Cruz’s mom was a drug dealer. Dion did everything right and the WWE begged him to come here. For some reason, all these people hate him but love Cruz. Dion wasn’t a drug addict, everyone wants to pat Cruz on the back when all he did was become the man he should have been since day one. Cruz had to lose everything to become somebody, Dion’s been somebody his whole life.

Cruz attacks Dion! Referees separate them in the aisleway.

Stone congratulates Mason Rook on becoming #1 contender, and tells him he can say anything he wants to say about Grayson Waller tonight face to face. Hank & Tank sing Mason Rook’s chant and suggest that when he speaks from his belly, he can’t go wrong. Mason approves and leaves. Hank & Tank tell Stone they’re happy to be in the Dusty Classic. They’re done helping the rest of the tag team division and want to help themselves.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match: Brutus & Julius Creed vs. Harley Riggins & Jaxson Presley: Vic & Booker put the Creeds over as favorites to win the tournament. They attack Riggins & Presley right away. Presley gets suplexed over. Presley slips out of a move and kicks the Creeds around kinda. Backdrop to Brutus. Presley with a clothesline, he knocks Julius off the floor and hits Brutus with a clothesline over the top rope. A very slow one. Brutus sends Presley into the steps. Double gutbuster by the Creeds as the Wagner Brothers look on backstage. Presley whipped hard into the corner and shoulderblocked. Julius knocks Riggins off the apron. Julius misses an elbowdrop and Riggins tags in. Some big strikes by Riggins. Dropkicks both Creeds down. Tumblewed onto Julius, cover gets two. Brutus accidentally hits Julius. Julius suplexes Presley over. Presley is taken out with the double powerbomb side slam for the three count.

Winners: Brutus & Julius Creed (3:33 via pinfall)
Match Rating: *1/2
I didn’t care for this match at all. Riggins & Presley might be ready for NXT proper someday, but here they looked pretty rough. I think the Creeds gave Presley & Riggins a little too much offense, especially since they didn’t look real good taking it. I probably would have been more impressed with them if they got to sell more and make the Creeds look good instead of trying to do stuff. I guess Brutus learned he shouldn’t be trying to flip over the ropes on a clothesline.

We go back to last week when Myles Borne acted like he was going to apologize for a few minutes and Tavion Heights was dumb enough to believe him.

Zilla Fatu, Sean Legacy & EK Prosper vs. BirthRight (Lexis King, Uriah Connors & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo w/Arianna Grace): Two straight matches have started with one side already in the ring. That’s a little interesting, especially since this time it’s an act that’s been around for awhile. Legacy & Stacks start. Legacy with a quick armdrag and bodyslam. Kick and a standing moonsault get two. Takes Stacks over, tag to Connors, tag to Prosped. Some roll throughs and flips, dropkick by Prosper. Connors with some chops in the corner. Lexis tags in and hits some chops and kicks. Dropkick by EK gets two. Tag to Zilla, he slams King a couple of times. Double clothesline for Connors & Stacks. King dropkicks Zilla out of a press attempt and tags Stacks. Headbutts and strikes. Stacks with some shots, Zilla tosses him over, Connors tagged in and Prosper does too. Kick from Prosper. Zilla whips Legacy into Stacks. EK with the dive, Legacy with the dive, Zilla joins the party with both of them. Dive dive dive! We go to commercial!

Stacks & EK trade shots as we return. EK with a stunner, then he ranas Stacks off the middle rope. Zilla dives onto King. Connors tags in and kicks Prosper, a combo suplex, powerbomb gets two. Connors with a chinlock on Prosper. Kick by Connors, then a stunner of his own gets two. Zilla tags in and punches all of BirthRight. Bubba Bomb to King, he sits down on Stacks. King with a kick, Zilla no-sells, King tags out. Connors down in the corner, Zilla with the hip attack. A Grande distraction leads to Legacy getting kneed by Connors on a 450 attempt for three.

Winners: BirthRight (7:08 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/4
There was some good stuff here, but it was another lame finish that didn’t really make anybody look good. They’re trying to get BirthRight more over so Zilla beating them means something, we’ll see if that works or not.

King yells at Zilla and gets chopped in the throat.

EMILY AGARD talks to Zaria about her defending the North American Championship against Thea Hail next week. Zaria promises that she won’t get pinned by Thea again. They’re interrupted by what appears to be footage of Zaria in promo class on the TV behind them. Zaria runs off and Izzi Dame appears. She says that Thea & Zaria have a lot in common since they have no friends.

Grayson Waller is shown WALKING towards the Face to Face segment that will happen next.

Next Week: Zaria vs. Thea! Fraxiom vs. DarkState! BirthRight vs. Mini Vikingo & Chaz Hall! Myles Borne Returns!

Grayson Waller makes his way to the ring, then Mason Rook makes his entrance. Grayson says Mason doesn’t need a microphone, he doesn’t know how to use it. Grayson’s goals were to become NXT Champion, bring the championship back to the prestige it enjoyed before by defending it against the best, right now Mason is the best. Nobody is hungrier than Mason. They have a lot in common. They left everything to travel the world and chase their dream. Mason’s been here six months, he doesn’t know what sacrifice is. Grayson runs marathons, Mason runs to get his Doordash order. He could roast him all day, but the title means too much to take him lightly. Mason is strong, powerful and creative, nobody moves like he does at his size. There’s a reason he’s Cena’s favorite wrestler. He’s big and bad, Grayon is sad when he looks at him. He’s 75% there and not willing to do the hard work to make it all the way. Mason is soft, lazy and complacent to be here. He’ll take Mason to the deep waters and drown him. Mason will be begging for air, everything will tell him to quit and he will. Grayson wants to have some fun. The microphone is important for an NXT star, not like most of them know that. He suggest Mason use it to tell him he’s wrong.

Mason says Grayson can call him whatever he likes, but he’s not an idiot. Grayson wants him out here to hold a verbal execution. Maybe he will give it a go. Maybe there’s a Theory as to why he’s back here at NXT, maybe he didn’t fit the Vision of what it is to make it on the main roster. Maybe he’s jealous because Cena knew who he was before he made it to a WWE ring. He won’t play Grayson’s game because Grayson can’t play his. What will happen when the bell rings? He’ll be drowning in Mason’s deep waters. He’s not here because he wasn’t good enough elsewhere. He earned the right to be a WWE Superstar, and he’s the best big man in the game. When his hands are around Grayson’s neck, he’ll realize he’s in way over his head, being great on the stick won’t save his sorry ass this time.

Grayson & Mason talk some smack off microphone, they’ll face off next week for the NXT Championship! Our event comes to an end, 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]. I’ll be more likely to respond there.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

We've got some big matches set up for next week's NXT. I'm expecting the champions to retain their titles, but there will surely be some controversy going on to keep feuds going. Obviously Grayson is superior on the microphone, he managed to make all the Mason Rook fat jokes while still putting him over as a tough competitor. That said, I thought Mason was perfectly competent tonight and had some decent lines. The opener kind of stole the show and things tailed off towards the end, but overall it was still a decent episode. See ya next time!