The John Report: WWE NXT 12/02/25 Review

This week’s WWE NXT features a big 8-man tag and the final push for NXT Deadline.

The last two weeks of NXT had Gold Rush episodes with several title matches over both shows. We are now on the road to NXT Deadline, which is this Saturday, December 6th.

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.

The commentary team this week was Vic Joseph and Corey Graves, who was filling in for Booker T. They didn’t say why Booker was off, but maybe he just got a break this week. Mike Rome was the ring announcer.

Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge Summit

The NXT GM Ava was in the ring with Kendal Grey, Lola Vice, Sol Ruca, Jordynne Grace and Kelani Jordan to talk about the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge Summit. Sol said that Ethan Page said she was a World Champion caliber talent. Sol said it’s time for her to see herself that way. Sol said she had her highs and some lows as well. Sol said life has been complicated recently, but there’s a simple path to getting her peace back, and that’s winning at Deadline, then walking into New Year’s Evil to become the NXT Women’s Champion.

Jordynne Grace spoke up while wearing her giant glasses. Grace said there’s not a woman in this ring who can stop her.

Lola Vice said John Cena picked them all for a reason. Lola said she still believes in herself. From NXT to AAA, Vice City is everywhere, and she said she should be the Women’s Champion.

Kendal Grey spoke up, saying she’s the only champion in the ring right now as the Women’s Evolve Champion. Grey said she is all about big moments.

Kelani Jordan told Grey to shut up and said now she’s swimming with the sharks, so there’s blood in the water. The fans booed Jordan loudly and Jordan said nobody cared about the other women’s excuses. Jordan said only her and Sol have been in Iron Survivor Challenge before. Jordan said that they are stand-ins while she is the standout.

The Fatal Influence Trio of NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne, Women’s Speed Champion Fallon Henley and Kendal Grey. Jayne said now that she has the title again, order has been restored in NXT. Jayne mentioned each woman saying Sol had a broken heart and bum leg, and then Grey is the new flavor of the month. Jayne mentioned beating Vice and Grace in the past. Jayne said it’s nice to see Jordan showing some spine.

Jordan said she’d still be Knockouts Champion if it wasn’t for Grace, so Jordan shoved Grace and they went fighting out of the ring. Fatal Influence went into the ring, so the trio of Grey, Vice and Ruca cleared the ring of that trio.

Analysis: It is the usual promo segment to build a multi-person match where everybody stands in a line and makes their points about why they are going to win. We have seen these types of promos many times. The fight at the end will likely lead to a tag team match as well. Jordan is getting a lot of heat as a heel, so it showed that her turn worked because, as a face, she was getting boring. I think Ruca is my pick to win the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge at this point, but that may change later in the week.

Joe Hendry and Thea Hail were shown talking earlier in the day. Joe talked about how honored he was that John Cena picked him in the Iron Survivor Challenge. Channing Stacks Lorenzo and Arianna Grace walked in to laugh at them. Arianna and Hail argued, so that set up a match.

Analysis: NXT leads all WWE shows in terms of having a backstage confrontation to set up a match either that night or the next week. They happen so often.

Thea Hail made her entrance, joined by her buddy Joe Hendry.

The WrestleMania 42 commercial aired, featuring the women, and this one with Becky Lynch talking about being the best female wrestler of all time.

(Commercial)

They showed Ava walking backstage and telling security to keep Jordynne Grace and Kelani Jordan apart. Ava also told Fatal Influence they’ll be in a 6-woman tag against Kendal Grey, Sol Ruca and Lola Vice.

Analysis: There’s the tag team match that was set up in the opening segment.

Thea Hail (w/Joe Hendry) vs. Arianna Grace (w/Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo)

Grace and Stacks are engaged in case you don’t know. Stacks distracted Hail, so Grace hit a chop to the throat and a neckbreaker. Hail countered Grace with a backslide pin. Hail sent a charging Grace out of the ring and Hail hit a suicide dive on the floor. Back in the ring, Hail hit an Exploder Suplex and a running kick. Stacks tried to interfere, so Hendry grabbed Stacks and gave him a Standing Ovation on the apron. Grace rolled up Hail for two, but Hail applied a Kimura Lock on the arm and Grace tapped out. It went about 3 minutes.

Winner by submission: Thea Hail

Analysis: ** Easy win for Thea Hail while Arianna Grace rarely wins. Hail is one of the most likable babyfaces in NXT. I think Grace would be a great fit as an ally of Chelsea Green on the main roster even though Grace rarely wins in NXT and you might not think she deserves a main roster spot, but as a character she’s a perfect fit. Hail is a star on the rise who could definitely win a singles title in NXT next year.

OTM was shown earlier in the day when Chase U’s Kale Dixon and Urijah Connors almost drove into them parking lot. Connors was driving a Tesla, so he was acting like he didn’t know how to control it. Andre Chase tried to calm OTM down. OTM said if it happens again then it’s on sight, meaning there will be a fight. OTM left. Chase told his guys to smarten up.

Josh Briggs made his entrance for singles action.

(Commercial)

A clip aired from John Cena’s interview about his career that will go online next week.

The babyfaces Je’Von Evans, Leon Slater, Myles Borne and Joe Hendry were in Ava’s office. Mr. Stone walked in with some delivery for Ava and she put it on her desk. Ava said whoever gets the pin gets to pick their spot in Iron Survivor Challenge. If Darkstate wins then Dion Lennox gets to pick. The guys liked that. Ava dumped the box out and it was some cut up material.

Tavion Heights vs. Josh Briggs

They started brawling before the bell. When they got into the ring, Briggs hit a Chokeslam for a two count. Heights came back with a German Suplex and a clothesline. Heights hit an impressive suplex where he captured the leg and flipped over into a two count. Briggs nailed Heights with a hard shot that knocked him off the barricade to the floor. Heights came back by lifting up Briggs and tackling him through the barricade. They went on a break for some fans as the action continued. I’ll take a break too.

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Here’s the lineup for NXT Deadline on December 6th in San Antonio.

* NXT Championship: Ricky Saints (c) vs. Oba Femi

* Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge for an NXT Championship match: Je’Von Evans vs. Leon Slater vs. Joe Hendry vs. Dion Lennox vs. Myles Borne

* Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge for a future NXT Women’s Championship match: Sol Ruca vs. Lola Vice vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Kendal Grey

I’ll update as they add more matches.