This week’s WWE NXT Championship Results from Orlando, Florida, began with a significant backstage update: Ava has departed WWE, ending her tenure as NXT General Manager. Shawn Michaels promptly named Robert Stone as the interim GM, although the show offered no formal acknowledgment of Ava’s departure during the broadcast.
The night started with the first title match, a triple threat contest for the NXT Women’s North American Championship. Champion Izzi Dame defended her title against Lola Vice and former holder Thea Hail. The bout showcased all three competitors exchanging maneuvers and near falls, including Dame’s impactful double Codebreaker from the top rope and Hail’s tope suicida onto Vice before the commercial break.
Izzi Dame Holds Onto North American Title Through Intense Triple Threat
After the break, Lola Vice gained momentum with body kicks and tight corner hip attacks, while Hail countered with an exploder suplex and a World’s Strongest Slam. Vice nearly locked in a rear naked choke until Dame intervened. The match’s turning point came when rival Kelani Jordan attacked Vice outside the ring by trapping her arm under a ladder and stomping on it. This distraction allowed Dame to reverse a kimura attempt from Hail into a powerbomb for a decisive pin, successfully retaining her North American title after approximately 11 minutes of competition.
Rivalries Intensify as ZaRuca Faces Setbacks in Tag Title Clash
Backstage tensions surfaced when Zaria confronted Sol Ruca over her absence at the Royal Rumble. Ruca defended her silence, citing confidentiality around her event involvement, though Zaria remained visibly frustrated. Subsequently, a tag match was arranged between Chase University and the pairing of Stacks and Lexis King following an earlier confrontation.
In the second title bout, TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Champions Heather & M By Elegance defended their belts against the duo ZaRuca, composed of Sol Ruca and Zaria. Long-standing conflicts between the partners undermined their teamwork, as Ruca’s early blind tag irritated Zaria, preventing effective solidarity. Despite Ruca’s individual efforts including dropkicks and running knee strikes, the champions maintained control. The match ended with a double-team coup de grace from Heather & M, securing the Elegance Brand retaining their titles after 11 minutes.
Faction Dynamics and Recruitment Rumors Stir the NXT Roster
The rivalry involving Chase University and the emerging faction led by Stacks and Lexis King featured a quick match in which King pinned Chase U’s Kale Dixon in just three minutes using The Coronation finisher. Post-match developments saw Uriah Connors abandoning Dixon and Andre Chase, hinting at a possible new alliance with the Stacks-King faction. Later, the trio approached Charlie Dempsey to reconsider his recruitment, ending on a cliffhanger and indicating further faction growth.
Wrestling Promos and Upcoming Contenders Set the Stage
In a promotional segment, Fatal Influence’s Jacy Jayne expressed frustration toward Sol Ruca for her recent Royal Rumble elimination, preparing to announce Ruca as her next challenger. This was interrupted by Zaria, who asserted,
“Sol has got plenty of opportunities handed to her here,”
and challenged Jayne by adding,
“You should be worried about me.”
The tension escalated with the arrival of Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair, leading to an impromptu brawl among these wrestlers.
Interim GM Robert Stone proposed a tag match between Wren and Kendal Grey versus ZaRuca for next week. The winning team’s member would become the number one contender for Jacy Jayne’s NXT Women’s Championship, scheduled for February 24 in Atlanta. This decision, while somewhat puzzling given ZaRuca’s recent loss, promises to inject fresh storylines into the women’s division.
Elio LeFleur Advances in WWE Speed Tournament
A tournament to determine the next challenger for the WWE Speed Championship commenced, featuring newcomer Elio LeFleur against Charlie Dempsey in a fast-paced match. LeFleur executed impressive offense, including a springboard moonsault and a leg-scissor style slam. The contest concluded with LeFleur narrowly pinning Dempsey just before the three-minute time limit expired. Meanwhile, on the opposite bracket side, Eli Knight and Josh Briggs are poised to face off in upcoming rounds. Promotional commentary included Booker T mentioning Dempsey’s involvement with Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport, though his New Japan Pro Wrestling appearance was mistakenly noted.
Tony D’Angelo Declares Renewed Mission Against DarkState
One of the night’s narrative highlights featured Tony D’Angelo addressing his recent destructive actions on the NXT roster. He shared reflections on his past happiness surrounded by friends, which was undone by the group DarkState. D’Angelo explained his return with a renewed focus on his personal identity and his signature violence. He declared targeting DarkState as his primary goal, stating,
“And reason number two? You’ll find out when I’m done with DarkState.”
This development introduces clarity to a previously stagnant storyline and promises more depth to D’Angelo’s character moving forward.
Seven-Way Ladder Match for Vacant NXT Championship Delivers High Drama
The main event was a grueling 22-minute ladder match to crown the new NXT Champion, featuring seven contenders: Ricky Saints, Joe Hendry, Sean Legacy, Jackson Drake, Dion Lennox, Keanu Carver, and Shiloh Hill. The bout involved repeated ladder usage as weapons and platforms, producing impactful spots such as Carver being slammed onto a ladder and an innovative sequence where Shiloh Hill wielded a halved ladder as stilts. The wrestlers endured multiple physical assaults, including spinebuster-on-ladder combinations and various springboard moves.
Midway, the wrestlers worked together to isolate Carver beneath a pile of ladders ringside, attempting to eliminate him. Carver later emerged, unleashing a series of attacks including spearing Sean Legacy through a ringside platform and knocking Ricky Saints off a ladder. Saints’s hesitation after a pose was capitalized on by Hendry, who struck him with the championship belt and climbed the ladder to secure the title. Hendry’s victory marks a significant milestone, positioning him as a key figure in NXT’s men’s division.
Assessing the Impact and What Lies Ahead for NXT
The episode combined strong storytelling in the men’s championship ladder match with a well-executed opener for the Women’s North American title. However, flaws emerged in some booking decisions, notably the choice to grant ZaRuca a number one contender’s match right after a tag title loss, and the absence of a clear explanation for Ava’s sudden exit. Some midcard segments failed to captivate, but the overall show delivered compelling moments and set multiple threads for future development.
Joe Hendry’s ascendancy to NXT Champion signals an important boost to the men’s roster, which has lacked distinctive stars recently. His accomplishment, alongside intense encounters involving talents like Keanu Carver, Ricky Saints, and Sean Legacy, enhances the division’s depth. Meanwhile, women’s division rivalries and faction dynamics promise continued intrigue. Fans can expect the WWE Performance Center in Orlando to remain a hotbed of competitive drama as NXT builds towards upcoming episodes, including the crucial tag match next week determining the next challenger for Jacy Jayne’s title in Atlanta.
