The John Report: WWE NXT 11/11/25 Review
This week’s WWE NXT features Ricky Saints facing Trick Williams in a Last Man Standing Match for the NXT Title.
The NXT brand is building to two NXT Gold Rush shows on November 18th and November 25th, so there will be some big title matches in the weeks ahead. The NXT Deadline PLE is on December 6th.
I will do a summary-style review for most of the show and then play-by-play for one or two matches.
They were at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando for this week’s show. Follow me on Twitter @johnreport, and check out my NXT TV review archive. Let’s get to it.
A video package aired about Veterans Day in the US, saying thank you to the veterans who have served in the military. Well said.
They showed Trick Williams and Ricky Saints with some pre-show superstar walking to promote their main event match.
The commentary team was Vic Joseph and Booker T. Mike Rome was the ring announcer.
Let’s Hear From Tatum Paxley With The Culling
The NXT Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley made her entrance with The Culling’s Izzi Dame, Shawn Spears and Niko Vance. The fans chanted “Tatum Tuesday” for the champ.
Paxley said it gives her goosebumps whenever she hears that she is the NXT Women’s Champion. Paxley admitted she knows she has to listen to her friends. Paxley felt terrible about losing last week. Paxley said Dame forgave her because that’s what best friends do. Dame said all they want is what’s best for Paxley. Dame told Paxley to stop making irrational decisions and stop giving title matches to anybody who walks through the door. Paxley admits she can be impulsive, but spinning that wheel was fun. Dame wondered if Paxley wanted to be a champion for the fans or herself. Dame said that Paxley is everything they ever imagined, and said she was perfect. Paxley said she wanted to give opportunities. Dame said that the more you defend the title, the more you risk losing it. Dame said not everybody deserves an opportunity at the title. Dame said it’s not what is best for her or the title.
The former NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne arrived with her Fatal Influence allies Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid. Jayne said that Paxley has to figure out what kind of champion she wants to be. Jayne was booed heavily. Jayne said that Paxley wants to prove that winning the title wasn’t a fluke, so Jayne wanted Paxley to be a fighting champion. Jayne said you should give opportunities to those who have earned it and deserve it, referring to herself. Dame said that Paxley isn’t falling for it. Dame said that Paxley had nothing to prove. Jayne wondered if Dame had any faith in Paxley to keep her title and took a shot at Dame for not being a champion. Jayne said that the right thing to do is to give the former champion Jayne her rematch.
Paxley said she has to be smart and be more selective. Paxley said she’s absolutely going to do that. Paxley said she’ll do it right after New York. Paxley said that at Gold Rush, Jayne gets her rematch and it’s her last one. Jayne was happy about it, while Dame wasn’t thrilled about it.
Analysis: It took a while to get through that promo, but they got it done, and it set up the obvious Paxley-Jayne rematch for the NXT Women’s Title next week at Gold Rush. They spent a few minutes trying to have Dame convince Paxley not to defend the title so often, and it seemed like Paxley understood, until it was time to grant another title shot. Paxley is very likable, while Dame is going to turn on her at some point soon.
The Vanity Project from Evolve were backstage with Ava talking about an upcoming title match. The NXT North American Champion, Ethan Page, walked in with Women’s US Champion Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre. They claimed Joe Hendry and Thea Hail didn’t deserve a shot at the AAA Mixed Tag Team Titles held by Green and Page. Ava put Fyre in a match with Hail.
The El Grande Americano-Jasper Troy match was next.
A WrestleMania 32 commercial aired.
(Commercial)
There was a clip shown of a John Cena interview where he talked about how he nearly joined the military. The weekend before he was going to join, he stepped into a wrestling facility. The full interview will be out soon.
WWE Speed Championship: El Grande Americano (w/Rayo & Bravo) vs. Jasper Troy
This match has a 5-minute time limit since championship Speed matches get 5-minutes as opposed to 3-minute for the other Speed matches. El Grande Americano is Ludwig Kaiser along with Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate.
Troy tried to hit some power moves, but Grande kept avoiding them and hit a jumping side kick. Grande hit a running kick. Troy hit a clothesline, followed by an elbow smash. Troy punched Grande, kicked him and hit a splash for two. Troy charged, but Grande hit a jumping kick to the chest. Grande hit a Blockbuster neckbreaker off the turnbuckle. There were two minutes left as Troy bailed to the floor. Grande tried a dive, but Troy punched Grande to knock him down. Troy grabbed his chain, then he shoved Rayo and Bravo grabbed the chain from him, so referee Jerry Marcus saw Rayo and Bravo getting involved, so he ejected them from ringside. Grande was handed his metal object, which he put into his singlet. Grande hit a big, running headbutt. Grande tried using the metal plate, but the referee saw it and Troy was back up with a splash. Troy hit a Black Home Slam for the pinfall win at 4:42.
Winner by pinfall AND NEW WWE Speed Champion: Jasper Troy
Analysis: **1/4 It was fine for a shorter match with Jasper Troy picking up his first title win. Grande tried to cheat with the metal plate like we have seen many times before, but it didn’t work, and Troy capitalized to win. It’s obvious that WWE is high on and while I’m not a huge fan of the WWE Speed division in general (I think it’s an unnecessary title), at least they can use the title to build up Troy as a dominant champion.
Jasper Troy celebrated with the WWE Speed Championship. Booker T was excited about it because he had supported Troy since his LFG days. It is Troy’s first title win in WWE.
Thea Hail was backstage getting ready, she mentioned Joe Hendry’s name and Joe appeared. They thanked eachother for last week. Joe said he couldn’t have asked for a better tag team partner. Hail said she’s been waiting for a moment like this. Hail said they’ll become AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions. Hail said tonight she’ll take it to Alba Fyre because she believes in Joe Hendry, the fans believe in her and she believes in herself.
(Commercial)
Ava, the NXT GM, was talking to Shawn Legacy from Evolve. Legacy said he was going to end Jackson Drake’s Evolve title reign at Gold Rush.
Sol Ruca and Zaria walked in to talk to Ava. They mentioned Sol is cleared to return. Sol said she wants a shot at her title. Ava said she’s fine with it as long as Sol understands the risk. Sol said she does. Ava booked the match.
Analysis: It was a short injury for Sol Ruca since it was about a month since she was hurt and they took the title off her. Maybe she was never hurt in the first place, so it was just an angle to do a title change.
Alba Fyre (w/Ethan Page & Chelsea Green) vs. Thea Hail (w/Joe Hendry)
Fyre was in control with some kicks early on. Hail went for an armbar, Fyre slapped her, and Hail fired up with punches. Hail dropkicked Fyre out of the ring. Hail jumped off the middle ropes with a move like the Coffin Drop that Darby Allin uses. Green tried a slap on Hail, so Fyre dove onto Hail on the floor. They went on a break there. It was Fyre in control for a few minutes.
The match continued with Hail making a comeback with some offense, including a kick and two clubbing forearms. Hail hit a running clothesline. Hail went for a move off the ropes, but Fyre countered with a rollup for two. Fyre countered Hail by sending Hail into the turnbuckle. Fyre hit a jumping DDT for two. Hail came back with a Michinoku Driver for two. Hail was on the top rope, Green distracted Hail on the apron, Hail jumped over Fyre and Hail applied a Kimura Lock on Fyre. Page was on the apron, so Hendry grabbed him and threw him into the ring post. Hendry ducked Green’s slap attempt, so Green slapped Page by accident. Hail hit a suicide dive on Green on the floor. Fyre hit a superkick for two. Hail countered a Fyre move into a sunset flip pin for the win after about 11 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Thea Hail
Analysis: *** It was a good match where they managed to utilize the three wrestlers on the floor very well. There were some nearfalls for Fyre in the match, but it made sense for Hail to win since she’s going to team with Hendry against Page and Green for the AAA Mixed Tag Team Titles. Giving Hail that positive momentum was the right move.
Tatum Paxley was backstage with the NXT Women’s Championship and she spoke to NXT Champion Ricky Saints. Ricky told Paxley to be the champion that she wants to be and not to listen to others. The Culling showed up to get Paxley out of there. Paxley tried to tell Ricky something he needed to know, but Izzi Dame pulled Paxley.
Blake Monroe was next.
(Commercial)
Blake Monroe Interview
The NXT Women’s North American Champion, Blake Monroe, was backstage for an interview with…herself. Monroe was dressed in bright colors while holding her title, and the second Blake was in dark colors. Blake said that the title isn’t hers until she beats Sol. The regular Monroe that’s not true and said that she’s the most complete wrestler in NXT. The dark-dressed Blake said there’s only one way to beat Sol, and she needs to let the dark side of Blake be a part of this. The dark side of Blake said that Monroe needs her, and she will show up when Monroe needs her most. Monroe said that if she breaks Sol, “they” won’t like this. The dark dressed Blake said that they need eachother, saying the Glamour to be seen with the Woman from Hell. Monroe said that together, they make one perfect champion.
Analysis: That was a weird segment to recap. Basically, it was the normal version of Blake Monroe talking to her dark side, that is the “Woman From Hell” persona, and the Woman From Hell was telling Monroe to be more aggressive against Sol Ruca to beat her. In other words, target the knee injury that Sol has been dealing with. Anyway, there are people who thought that Blake talking to her ”better half” would lead to a boyfriend or even a female ally, but it wasn’t like that.
Je’Von Evans was talking to his friend Leon Slater on the phone about how he’s excited about being in John Cena’s Last Time Is Now Tournament. Evans said he’s going to make an announcement.
(Commercial)
Jordynne Grace was interviewed by Sarah Schreiber. Grace trashed Kelani Jordan for cheating to beat her. Grace said that TNA Knockouts Title was synonymous with her since she’s a former 3-time TNA Knockouts Title. Grace said that she’s going to make history in two weeks when she wins the title again.
Let’s Hear from Je’Von Evans
Je’Von Evans went into the ring for a promo. Evans said he’s excited about what he heard on Raw last night. Evans said he’ll be in the Last Time Is Now tournament, but he’s nervous because he’s against Gunther in the first round, and because he’s wrestling in Madison Square Garden at the age of 21. Evans mentioned MSG has been around longer than he’s been alive. It’s been around longer than I’ve been alive, and I’m more than double Evans’ age. Evans called for Amy to put Leon Slater on the screen. They showed Slater. Evans said that he’s been talking to Ava and Slater has been talking to Santino. Evans said that at NXT Gold Rush next week, they are going to challenge Darkstate for the NXT Tag Team Titles. Evans said when they are in the same ring, they make some magic, and they are going to take the Tag Team Titles.
The lights went out in the building, and Darkstate’s music hit. Osiris Griffin said that we found their next victims. Dion Lennox said that their future is in Darkstate’s hands and they will end the future in NYC. Cutler James and Saquon Shugars also spoke about Darkstate’s dominance. Saquon said that Evans told Darkstate that they are dumb as hell and Slater ran out to the ring. Evans and Slater managed to clear the ring of Darkstate. Evans and Slater hit a double superkick on Griffin. Slater hit a somersault dive onto two Darkstate guys. Evans hit an impressive leap over the top onto two guys. Referees showed up to break it up.
Analysis: Watching Evans and Slater together is a lot of fun. The deal here was that Evans acted like Slater wasn’t at the show, but Slater was really there and they managed to take care of the Darkstate guys even though it was 2 on 4. I doubt Darkstate will lose the titles to Evans and Slater since they just won them back a few weeks ago, but it should be an entertaining match.
Trick Williams was approached by TNA Knockouts Kelani Jordan, who said it’s lonely at the top as a champion. Jordan said that you had to look out for yourself and Trick said that’s what he’s been saying. Trick told Jordan to show everybody why she is Her and Jordan said she is Her.
Analysis: The “Her” reference might be a reference to Jordan’s fiancée, Carmelo Hayes, saying that he is “Him” all the time.
(Commercial)
A video aired from June 2002 when John Cena debuted against Kurt Angle on SmackDown. Cena said “Ruthless Aggression” and had a competitive match with Angle, who got the win. There were comments from Batista, Angle, Cody Rhodes, and The Undertaker who credited Cena for having passion.
Women’s Speed Tournament: Skylar Raye vs. Fallon Henley (w/Jacy Jayne & Lainey Reid)
This is Skylar Raye’s NXT debut. She won LFG Season 2. There’s a 3-minute time limit for this match.
Henley and Raye exchanged pin attempts. Henley chopped Raye. Henley went for a submission and they each got nearfalls out of there. Raye gave Henley a headscissors, along with a splash. Raye hit a cross body block off the top on Henley for two. Raye countered a move into something where she sent Henley into the mat. Henley sent Raye into the top rope, along with a spinning hair pull into the mat. Henley hit a Fameasser for the pinfall win at 2:15.
Winner by pinfall: Fallon Henley
Analysis: *3/4 It was an easy win for Henley. Raye is early in her career, and isn’t going to get wins in a match like that over an established NXT wrestler like Henley. I like Henley using the Fameasser (or Rocker Dropper) as a finish.
That win by Fallon Henley means she’ll challenge Zaria for the Women’s Speed Championship in two weeks at Gold Rush.
Jasper Troy was outside with the Men’s Speed Championship. Troy said that everybody in NXT is going to bend the knee toward him.
Darkstate were outside and they issued a warning to Evans and Slater. They said nobody is safe around them.
Josh Briggs made his entrance for singles action.
(Commercial)