So when I said, with confidence, I’d watch AEW’s PPV live? Well, I’m broke. So instead, with a Peacock , I watched NXT’s show live, then caught the last 3 matches of Double or Nothing on a pirated stream. Don’t worry, I’ll go back and watch the rest and that review will be out on Tuesday. Anyways, NXT’s PPV: live from Tampa in the arena once used for the Thunderdome, also was used for SNME the night before (which will also be reviewed this week, be patient).
1. Sol Ruca (c) Vs. Kelani Jordan for the NXT Women’s North American Championship
Winner: SOL Ruca
This was a great opener. The chemistry these two have is evident, and they work at a lightning pace that keeps the energy high. Sol’s athleticism is so smooth and effortless that it’s easy to forget how difficult some of her sequences are. Kelani played a perfect foil, really pushing Sol and making her earn every counter and comeback. Some of the reversals near the end got a bit sloppy, but it didn’t take away from the energy they brought.
Booking-wise, I expected Sol to retain, and I’m glad she did. Kelani had her moment at Heatwave last year, and this was a nice callback match that didn’t overstay its welcome. They didn’t try to outdo themselves; they just told a tight story with a clear winner. If this becomes a series, I’m not complaining. Good stuff.
Rating: 3.5/5
2. Hank Walker, Tank Ledger & Josh Briggs Vs. The Culling
Winner: Hank, Tank & Briggs
This was just kind of there. It felt like something that would’ve been on Level Up or a taped weekly episode and not a special. The Culling is still not clicking with me, and Hank, Tank, and Briggs are perfectly fine hosses but don’t really bring anything different to the table. It was a lot of “big boy throws big boy” energy, which has its charm in small doses—but 10 minutes felt long for this.
The booking is predictable, which isn’t always a bad thing, but when it’s paired with a match that doesn’t leave much impression, it becomes a problem. You could’ve replaced this with a backstage segment or even bumped it off the card and no one would’ve noticed. Definitely the low point of the show.
Rating: 2/5
3. Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo Vs. Tony D’Angelo
Winner: Stacks
This one surprised me a bit. The match was mid from a wrestling standpoint, but the storytelling effort here can’t be ignored. These two went for an emotional breakup angle that isn’t easy to pull off in a serious way—especially when your gimmick is basically “Goomba Mafia Family”—but they mostly managed. Some of the spots were clunky and slow, and the crowd was hot and cold, but Stacks played his role well.
That said, I still think Tony D should’ve won. I get the logic of giving Stacks the torch, but the guy’s never really felt like more than a sidekick. If they’re going full send with him now, cool, but this needed a more compelling in-ring finish to justify it. The match was fine. The result, I’m not sold on.
Rating: 2.75/5
4. Stephanie Vaquer (c) Vs. Jordynne Grace for the NXT Women’s Championship
Winner: Stephanie Vaquer
Match of the night, no question. This felt like a straight-up collision, in the best way possible.
Vaquer has that insane ability to carry a match technically while still selling the damage, and Jordynne brought the brute force energy that kept things intense. The pacing here was perfect—slow when it needed to be, explosive when it had to be—and the crowd gave it the exact reaction it deserved.
Booking-wise, I had a gut feeling Vaquer was retaining, and honestly, it was the right call.
Jordynne doesn’t need to be a full-time main event presence here, and this win just made Stephanie feel even more unstoppable. She’s becoming the ace of the NXT women’s division, and I love it. If they run it back, I’ll be there.
Rating: 4.25/5
5. Oba Femi (c) Vs. Myles Borne for the NXT Championship
Winner: Oba Femi
This was one of those matches where the outcome was never in doubt, but they made the ride worth it.
Oba’s aura is real. He just feels like a champion every time he walks out. Borne gave a great underdog performance here, bumping like hell and squeezing in just enough believable offense to make you almost buy into a near fall or two.
From a booking perspective, this is exactly what it needed to be. Oba wins, looks strong, and Myles gets his stock raised just by hanging with the champ that long. You don’t need overbooking when the story is this simple and effective. Oba’s reign is shaping up well.
Rating: 3.5/5
6. Joe Hendry (c) Vs. Trick Williams for the TNA World Championship
Winner: Trick Williams
What a surreal goddamn match. I still can’t believe I watched a TNA World Title match at a WWE show.
That alone makes this historic. The actual match was very solid—nothing crazy, but both guys delivered. Trick is so over right now, and Hendry leaned into the crowd dynamic perfectly, doing his classic smug routine but also showing more physicality than usual.
Trick winning? Genuinely jaw-dropping. I figured they’d let Hendry walk out with the belt and run it back in TNA, but no—they actually pulled the trigger and gave Trick the title. That’s either a sign of a strong partnership or a one-off headline grab, but either way, it’s wild. Match was good, moment was even better.
Rating: 3.5/5
Pros:
Stephanie Vaquer and Jordynne Grace put on a classic
Trick winning the TNA Title is insane in the best way
Oba vs. Borne told a solid story
Sol and Kelani delivered a fun, tight opener
Historic crossover energy that made this feel fresh
Cons:
The six-man tag was straight filler
The Tony/Stacks match never fully clicked
Trick/Hendry could’ve gone a bit harder in-ring
The card lacked a true blowaway main event-level match
Still no real direction for a lot of midcard talent
Final Score: 7.5/10
This show was surprisingly solid. Nothing overstayed its welcome, and the big matches all delivered on some level. While there were a couple mid matches and filler moments, the top-end stuff—Vaquer/Grace, Oba/Borne, and the Trick/Hendry headline grab—made this feel like a genuinely important show for NXT. It had history, it had some damn good wrestling, and it had Stephanie Vaquer absolutely cooking. We’re off to a good start this wrestling weekend. Bring on the Double or Nothing review next.
Comments (1)
When it comes to AEW PPVs, I can relate