Join 411’s Live WWE NXT Coverage

Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage on 411! It’s Jeremy Thomas, we’re gearing up for NXT Battleground later this month. Joe Hendry is back as he will sign his contract with Trick Williams for their TNA World Championship match at the upcoming PPV, while Oba Femi takes on Charlie Dempsey in a non-title match as Dempsey’s stablemate Myles Borne looks forward to a title shot against Femi. Plus Tony D’Angelo battles Wes Lee and we’ll likely get plenty more shenanigans as well from the feuds heading into Battleground. Should be a fun show!

Meanwhile, my movie watching over at Thomas HQ was slightly less busy, but I did watch a lot of TV. I finally got around to watching the 1980s classic The Big Chill and loved the performances, but found its script and themes very “meh” at best. My rewatch of The Losers further confirmed the 2010 action flick as one of the most underrated comic book movies of that decade. I also watched the 2025 Netflix Untold: Shooting Guards documentary about the Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton gun incident, and the service’s true crime doc A Deadly American Marriage. Both were solid, though I enjoyed the latter just a bit more. Finally, I did a rewatch of the always fun Fear Street: 1994 and Fear Street: 1978 for the Final Ghouls of Horror podcast.

Speaking of that podcast, the latest episode sees myself, Holly, L and I discuss the 2016 morque-set supernatural horror film The Autopsy of Jane Doe. You can check it out below and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, including YouTube.

On the TV side, I watched the first two episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 10, which has a great cast of returning queens and is off to a good (if convoluted) start. And I binged moth seasons of Netflix’s Worst Roommate Ever series, which is great for true crime fans.

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 start with a recap that highlights the NXT Championship #1 Contenders battle royal, with Joe Hendry taking out Trick Williams and Myles Borne winning it all.

* We’re LIVE in the Capital Wrestling Center and the #1 contender is on his way down to the ring with his NQCC allies, including Dempsey. And Borne has never looked more like Randy Orton than when he’s wearing a black dress shirt. He says last week he shocked the damn world. He beat 25 of the toughest men across NXT and EVOLVE, and he’s going to Battleground. He acknowledge that he wasn’t the first pick, the second, or even the third but he’s used to it.

Borne says they’ve danced around this for a while, but he has a disability as he’s partially deaf. He says last week when he eliminated Ethan Page and Shawn Spears, he heard the fans going crazy. He doesn’t just want to be known as the deaf kid; he wants to be judged by his ability, not his disability just like every disabled person. He says he’s the underdog and fighting a dominant champion, but he’s fighting for all the kids with disabilities. He hopes Oba is listening; they didn’t give him a shot last week but look what happened, and he’s ready to shock the world again. He may be hard of hearing, but at Battleground he’ll hear Mike Rome call him the new NXT Champion.

ETHAN PAGE IS HERE! He says enough of this sentimental crap and that Borne may be worse than Ricky Saints. He’s going to give Borne a reality check; he won a battle royal on a fluke and says there’s no closed captioning so he’ll say it slow: “You! Can’t! Beat! Oba!” He says Borne can’t even beat him. And he offers Borne an opportunity to prove himself: put the #1 contendership on the line with him.

Dempsey says this is an opportunity to learn by going toe to toe with a former NXT Champion. He calls it the perfect fight camp and Borne can silence all his doubters, especially his biggest one. Borne says Page is on!

AND AVA IS HERE! She says to dial back a minute and says she doesn’t know if it’s the right move for Myles, but she sees how confident he is and how much he wants to prove it, so she’ll allow it. But that match is later, because right now Charlie is facing Oba!

Non-Title Match
Charlie Dempsey vs. Oba Femi

Dempsey with a waistlock to start but he gets elbowed off. Femi with a takedown but Dempsey counters into a front facelock. Oba picks him up and puts him on the apron and shoves him to the floor. Dempsey back in as we go to break.

We’re back as Dempsey manages to get a headscissor takedown on Oba into a submission attempt. Oba breaks free and Dempsey into a triangle attempt, Oba picks him up but he drops down for a sunset flip — Oba picks him up into a backdrop! Dempsey with chops to the chest, followed by an arm snap over his shoulder. Femi sent into the corner and Dempsey snaps the arm over the ring ropes.

Dempsey back in the ring and stomps the elbow, then locks in a waistlock. Femi with a couple back elbows and takes a shot to the back of the neck. Underhook but Femi shoves Dempsey into the corner, Dempsey takes Oba down for a two-count.

Right into an armbar for Dempsey, Oba gets to his feet and slams Charlie down. Elbowdrop but Dempsey gets the knees up, German suplex for two! Dempsey working the arm and transitions into a short-arm scissors. Femi rolls through and picks Dempsey up — BIG slam down! Dempsey with a slap and Oba fires back! They trade shots but Oba with Euro uppercuts taking Charlie down.

Backdrop by Oba, he charges into the corner several times for uppercuts and knocks Dempsey to the mat! He takes aim — atomic drop toss! FALL FROM GRACE! That’s it.

Winner: Oba Femi (8:13)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Banger of a match to start the show. Dempsey got more offense than I expected but he worked well with Oba to deliver a very enjoyable bout.

* Karmen and Thea are talking early today as they see Tatum losing her shit backstage. Tatum says the new two best friends are here. She says Thea thinks she’s a grown ass woman but can’t do anything alone and she’s lost literally everyone. Thea’s the worst kind and says that friends just leave you as she runs off screaming for Ava.

* Ricky Saints walks up to Ethan Page and says he loves raining on people’s parades. Ethan says he does, he gets immense pressure from taking people’s moments. But he is busy with prepping for his match so he can win the title and restore balance to NXT, so he walks off and Ricky says “Good luck with that.”

Tony D’Angelo vs. Wes Lee

Wes Lee’s alliance is now called The High Ryze. Okay, that’s what that was for.

Wes and Tony circle and lock up, Wes shoved to the mat. Wes back up and ducks a lock-up, applying a headlock. Shot into the ropes but he cinches the headlock in. Tony blocks a takedown and backdrops Wes, who lands on his feet. “You gotta be quicker than that,” Lee says.

Lee ducks a swing and lays in some kicks to Tony, ending with an enzuigiri. Springboard crossbody, caught by Tony! He lays in the body shots and knocks Wes down, charges in and hits a big leaping shot to the head.

Lee to the apron, Tony grabs him and arm drags him into the ring. Tyson on the apron and gets knocked down, he nails Wes and sends him into the ropes but Tyriek grabs Tony’s foot. He gets free and nails a charging Wes, then chucks him over the top — caught by Tyson and Tyriek, but Tony leaps onto them as we go to break!

We’re back and Lee took over during the break. He nails Tony on his knees with a couple of shots and then talks some shit, saying Stacks will be the next Don — and Tony grabs him in a choke! Headbutts by Tony D, Wes falls out of the ring and Tony follows. He throws Wes into Tyson and Tyriek and then runs in, clotheslining the Ts.

Lee in the ring and Tony follows, roll-up with feet on the ropes but Tony kicks out. Kick to the chin, Lee comes off the ropes but is caught with a release belly to belly suplex. Tony back up and he swings at Wes, then hits a couple clotheslines. Choke slam, a release German, and a whip into the ropes for a powerslam! Cover gets a nearfall.

Tony lies in wait as Lee gets to his feet — spinebuster countered into a rana! Kick to the head by Lee, Cardiac Kick — countered with a Tony D spear! He gets ready — but Stacks is on the Tron! Stacks is at Rizzo’s safehouse and Lee hits a Cardiac Kick! That finishes it!

Winner: Wes Lee (10:14)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Another very good match. The story played out well enough, and Tony & Wes have great in-ring chemistry. I have no complaints here.

Stacks says he’s paying Rizzo a visit, and Tony runs to the back.

* Stephanie Vaquer WALKS backstage

* This week’s NXT Spotlight is an OTM vignette. Nima says their return is sink or swim for the tag team division. Price says to listen carefully: when they get back to the ring it’s the end of everyone’s game.

* Stephanie Vaquer is out to the ring! She says last week, Jordynne Grace became #1 contender for her championship at Battleground. She has respect for Jordynne’s journey. She was the top of TNA, and now she wants to ascend to the top of NXT. She switches to Spanish.

FATAL INFLUENCE IS HERE! Or Jacy and Fallon at least. Fallon says it must be nice to be on top of the world because everyone and their mom loves Stephanie. She says Steph has been on top ever since she got here and is truly one of a kind. But that’s what will make her downfall that much sweeter. She says Steph was a double champion, and Jacy interrupts and says that Steph beat Fallon to win the NXT Women’s NA Championship, and Fallon gets pissy.

Jacy says NXT is Fatal Influence’s world and Steph is just living in it. She says it would be fitting for FI to take the title off her —

AND JORDYNNE IS HERE! Grace tells Jacy and Fallon that they can’t even get out of each other’s way, so how are they talking about the NXT Women’s Title. She’s here to protect her investment and opportunity, but Steph says she’s not her investment.

Jacy says she’s flipped friendships and turned this division upside down. Fallon says that’s the past, and Jacy says that while Jordynne & Jacy were collecting stamps, she and Fallon were turning things upside down.

Steph says Jordynne failed last time and will fail again. Grace says a lot of growth can happen in a year and she’ll win the title. And nothing — especially not Fatal Influence, will stop her. She’ll stop FI tonight if she gets the shot and she’ll make sure Vaquer is ready at Battleground. Jacy says that whoever wins, they’ll be waiting.

* Borne is prepping backstage and the rest of the NQCC come in with Dempsey looking beat up. Borne tells them to take him to medical, he’ll handle business.

* Bubba and Undertaker are with Zena Sterling & Tyra Mae Steele and Bully says they’ve earned a spot in the finals of the WWE LFG tournament at MSG. But only one of them gets the NXT contract and the right to compete and entertain in the best division in the business. He says that Taker will back him up that one of them will have a bullsey on their back.

Izzi and Nikkita walk in and say good luck lasting. Lash and Lola say if they come for her spot she’ll make them wish they were on the next season of NXT. Taker says whoeever wins, they have their work cut out for them.

* Tony rushes out to the car and hops in with the cameraman, saying to head to the safe house.

NXT Championship #1 Contenders Match
Myles Borne vs. Ethan Page

Circle and lock up to start, Borne with a waistlock takedown into a front facelock, but Page gets to the ropes. Page with a shot to Myles and a headlock, shot into the ropes, arm drag by Born into an elbowlock. Back to their feet, Page lays in shots to Borne and hits a clothesline off the ropes. Shots to the head of Borne, an elbow to the back of the dome. Borne fires back but gets decked — and Borne reverses a suplex into one of his own!

Euro uppercuts from Borne, into the ropes and Page with a back elbow. Mounted punches from All Ego, a chinlock by Page on the mat. Borne gets into a sitting position and gets to his feet, back suplex to break the headlock! Page with a shot off the ropes and right back into the chinlock.

Borne gets to his feet but Page jumps on his back, he backs Page into the corner to break it and lays in heavy punches! Page sent across the ring and Borne charges in for a splash. Page misses a charge, and Borne sends him all the way to the floor with a clothesline as we go to break.

We’re back and Page is trying a superplex — and hits it! Cover gets a nearfall. Page is angry and grabs the legs for the Boston Crab — but Borne kicks free and hits an Orton-like powerslam off the ropes! The crowd chants “RKO.”

Borne blocks some shots and takes Page down. Short-arm uppercut and a belly to belly! He charges in for a splash, hits an Olympic slam and covers for two-plus.

Borne gets Page on his shoulders, Page slides down into a waistlock. Back elbows, he ducks a shot and Page blocks a dropkick for a cover and nearfall! Borne put on the top rope, Ethan climbs up — powerslam attempt off the middle rope but Borne ge4ts free and hits a HUGE crossbody off the rope! He goes for a powerslam but Page ducks it. Ego’s Edge countered, Twisted Grin countered — BIG dropkick for three!

Winner: Myles Borne (11:08)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Solid enough if not great match, Borne gets some nice momentum off the win over Page. He definitely needs a better finisher though.

* Sean Legeacy posted a video to social media talking about his involvement in the battle royal last week and issuing a challenge to Je’Von Evans

* Evans watches the video as Ashante is in the background. He tells Je’Von he’s too big a star to worry about that. Evans says to worry about his pickup and not him. Ashante says the indie boys don’t deserve his time and he says the indie scene has dogs. Ashante says he’d smoke them both and Ricky Saints says he’d like to see that and the winner can see them after Battleground.

* We get a recap of Stacks revealing he was at Rizzo’s safe house before Tony shows up at the house and tells the driver to get the rest of the boys. He runs up to the house and Stacks nails him with a crowbar to the knee. He tells Tony that he’s studied him and he has nothing. He says he finishes Tony and puts an end to the D’Angelo family at Battleground.

Thea Hail vs. Tatum Paxley

Tatum looks angry and Thea locks in a waistlock, then knocks her down and asks what she did to her. Tatum attacks, Thea takes her down and hits a moonsault for two. Right into an elbowlock, Tatum rolls it into a one-count and then kicks her in the gut. Short-arm punches by Tatum and a headbutt!

Tatum sobs and goes to throw Thea into the corner but Thea blocks it and tosses Tatum in. She charges into a back elbow, enzugiiri to Thea for two. Tatum hits another enzugiri but is distracted by herself and Thea rolls her up for two.

Punches by Thea, into the ropes but Tatum holds on and kicks Thea in the head. Somersault Rocker Dropper! That gets a nearfall.

Tatum screams and picks up Thea, Thea with a headbutt drops Tatum into an armbreaker for two. Into the ropes with a couple forearms, diving clothesline and Thea charges but Tatum escapes out of the corner and nails Thea. Front facelock countered into a Kimura! Tatum goes for the ropes and gets ahold of it.

Thea catches a kick and goes for the arm, Tatum with a roll-up for two. Thea with a kick to the head, 5150 into the Kimura in the middle of the ring, Tatum goes for the eye! The ref calls for the bell via DQ.

Winner: Thea Hail by DQ (4:33)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Fine for what it was, they were a bit off but that was more down to the storyline than anything else. Not sure where either of these two are going, but hopefully something bigger than this.

Tatum attacks post-bell and goes for the eye again. The ref and officials pull her off.

* Jaida says that’s what you get and Kelani walks in. Jaida says they’re just like Thea and walks off. Kelani asks what it was with Zaria spearing her through the guardail. So9l says she didn’t know that happened. Zaria says they can run it back and the results won’t change. Kelani wants a shot an Zaria again and if she wins, she faces Sol for the title at Battleground. Sol agrees, Zaria is less happy.

* Tony vs. Stacks is official for Battleground.

* We then go to the back for the contract signing for the TNA Title match. Ava thanks them for being there and notes that TNA celebrated 23 years recently. Trick said he did this to himself by taking his title shot, so he’s gonna take what means the most to Hendry. Next week they’re going to Battleground which is his house.

Hendry says if anything knows about taking risks it’s Trick, but along the way he lost what was important to him. Trick says Randy Orton beat his ass, Joe says he was at WrestleMania and Ava tells them to sit down.

Hendry says TNA is hotter than its been in years and he’s doing what he can, and that he’s putting down NXT and TNA talent. He asks if Trick understands how big it is that the TNA World Title is being defended on NXT. He gets it because he’s in the match. Trick says he’s bigger than NXT or TNA and he’s Hollywood Trick. Everyone has their 15 minutes of faith except Trick, whose is forever. Next week he takes Joe’s title and his brand.

Trick signs the contract and Joe says Trick main evented Stand & Deliver back to back and that this may not be Trick’s biggest match, but it is his most important. He has no pathway to the NXT Title and if he loses this, he has no pathway to gold. His world will come crashing down and if anyone is going to find out what it’s like for their 15 minutes to expire, it’s Trick. Joe signs the contract and passes it back, then leaves.

* Briggs is backstage when Hank & Tank walk up. They feel for him, he lost his partner and best friend. Briggs says he didn’t want Inamura to leave, that was his brother. He was pissed that they kept losing, but he didn’t want to push him away. Hank & Tank say they’ve got his back.

Shawn Spears walks in and says Briggs doesn’t know what he has. Briggs doesn’t want to hear it and Spears says he’s talking about Brooks. He has a lot on his mind but a good idea of how to clear his head.

* Ava asks Kale & Uriah why they’ve been texting him. They say Chase U is back and they want a match. Ava says they’ll have their debut tag team match. Andre Chase walks in and Kale & Uriah give him the good news. Ava says they’re facing OTM and Chase says “WHAT THE FUCK, GUYS?”

Set For Next Week:
– Joe Hendry live in concert
– A rap performance by Trick Williams
– Kelani Jordan vs. Zaria
– Sean Legacy vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Ashante Thee Adonis

Jacy Jayne & Fallon Henley vs. Jordynne Grace & Stephanie Vaquer

Jordynne and Fallon start. Grace with a headlock, shot into the ropes and she runs Fallon over. Back into the ropes, backbreaker by Jordynne and the front and back clubbing blows. Into the ropes, Steph tags herself in and hits a high crossbody on Fallon. Chop to Fallon’s chest, she walks the ropes but Fallon crotches her.

Jacy tags in and they beat Steph down. Jacy screams she should be the champion and hits a big chop to Vaquer. Snap suplex, cover gets one. Whip into the ropes, but Vaquer with a runa into a roll-up for two. Another quick pin attempts on Jacy, a kick to the gut and a snapmare into the Devil’s Kiss — but Jacy escapes it and shoves Steph into the ropes. Cheap shot, superkick — and my feed goes wonky but Steph hits a codebreaker when it comes back.

Steph goes for the tag, she kicks Fallon off her but Jacy knocks Jordynne off the apron. Jacy dives on Jordynne, then Fallon dives on both babyfaces as we go to break.

We’re back as Vaquer fights her way free from Fatal Influence, but Jacy with a BIG lariat for a two-count. Vaquer rolls away from a charge in the corner, but Jacy with a big pump kick. She puts STeph in the corner and on top of the turnbuckle, climbs up — VAquer fights her off and hits the superkick through the legs before yanking Jacy to the mat!

Vaquer gets the hot tag, and Grace is in hot to lay out both Fatal Influence members! German suplexes and strikes in the corner, she throws Jacy into Fallon and then spinebusters Jacy, hits a DVD to Fallon, forearm to the face and cover but Jacy breaks it up.

Grace puts Fallon in the corner and on top, superplex but Fallon fights free. Tornado suplex! She picks Grace up but Grace with a big slap. Fallon on Grace’s shoulders, Jacy in the ring and all four women are in there. Vaquer taken out with a pump kick, they double team Grace and then superkick Vaquer! They set up Vaquer for a double team but Grace makes the save for Steph and takes the shot! Cover and a nearfall.

Jacy with a kick to Steph on the outside, back in but Grace fights both women off. Juggernaut Driver finishes it.

Winner: Jordynne Grace & Stephanie Vaquer (10:55)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Good showing by Fatal Influence, and Jordyne and Vaquer are great of course. The ending didn’t have the big ending feel but the rest of the match was pretty great outside of a couple minor sloppy moments.

Grace and Vaquer stare off in the ring post-match.

The NXT Battleground card is run down by Vic and Corey.

We’re back and Grace gives Vaquer the title, then holds her hand high.

* Something’s going on outside as Page attacked Saints and stands over him as officials call for medical.

* For some reason we go back to Grace and Vaquer in a very awkward moment.

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