WWE NXT 8/11 Results: Zilla Fatu debuts, crashes #1 contenders match – POST Wrestling
Results
- EK Prosper & Lizzy Rain def. Izzi Dame & Niko Vance
- Dion Lennox def. Saquon Shugars
- Zaria def. Wren Sinclair (NXT Women’s North American Championship)
- Kam Hendrix def. Mason Rook
- Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana (NXT Championship #1 Contenders Match) (No Contest)
EK Prosper helps Lizzy Rain secure mixed tag win
This week’s episode of NXT, live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, opened with a recap of last night’s women’s title showdown between Lola Vice and Kendal Grey. Like all of their matches, that one was worth checking out. Other headlines from last week included: Tavion Heights and Myles Borne winning the tag titles, and a #1 contenders match being booked for this week between Grayson Waller & Cruz Montana.
Our first match of the night was scheduled to be The Culling’s Izzi Dame and Niko Vance facing off against the makeshift duo of Lizzy Rain and Shawn Spears. One issue: It was revealed in a backstage segment that Rain can’t find her partner, Spears! “Looks like I’m going on alone,” the NXT rookie said.
This started as a handicap match… Sort of. In mixed tag rules, the men can only fight the men, and the women can only fight the women. With Spears out of the mix, Vance wasn’t able to get into the match and fight. Sure, this still gave the heel side an advantage due to Vance being able to break up pins and whatnot, but this was basically a one-on-one match to start.
Vance tagged in and teased attacking Rain (although commentary stressed that this is strictly against the rules). It was at this point when the high-flying EK Prosper ran down to the ring and joined the match, taking Spears’ spot.
Rain got a hot tag after the show returned from a break, hitting a hurricanrana out of the corner then connecting with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Dame dropped Prosper with her amazing Crucifix Bomb during a sequence involving all four wrestlers. Vance came off the top with a headbutt to Prosper but only earned a two-count.
Prosper connected with a Swanton Bomb then tagged Rain into the match. Rain tried to score her Thunderstruck knee to Vance, but Vance instead tossed her into the arms of Dame, who scored a powerbomb for a near fall.
Rain knocked Dame out of the ring with a flying headbutt. She connected with a Thunderstruck to Vance upon second attempt. Prosper then scored a Shining Wizard and a huge top-rope frogsplash for the pinfall win. This mixed tag match exceeded expectations and ended up being a really fun opener.
Backstage, we saw NXT’s medical crew assessing women’s champ Kendal Grey. The worked ear injury she suffered last week will keep her out of the ring for another week, they said.
Kendal Grey offers Kelani Jordan a title shot, Kali Armstrong wants in
Following the win, EK Prosper was asked backstage why he decided to get involved in the match. He said, like Grayson Waller mentioned a few weeks back, the men’s division needs to step up. And, that’s exactly what he’s trying to do.
This interview was cut off by Kali Armstrong, who took the interviewer’s mic and brought it to the ring. Expecting champ Kendal Grey’s arrival soon (she was booked for a segment), Armstrong said she’s coming to the ring to demand her shot at the women’s title. Kelani Jordan cut off this promo and said Armstrong wants a title shot, but “based on what?”
Grey, alongside Wren Sinclair, cut off this back-and-forth. She came to the ring with a contract in hand, and it didn’t take long for her to reveal what the contents of the deal included. The champ said she’s sick of Jordan’s non-stop complaints for a title shot, so she’s offering her an opportunity whenever she wants.
Armstrong didn’t like that she was overlooked here. Grey said she’ll give her a title shot once she’s done with Jordan. “Keyword, Kali: After! After I get mine,” Jordan said, trying to rub it in.
Jordan got some good heat here, saying she wants to cash her title in on a show that isn’t in front of the Performance Center fans. So, she called for a shot at Heatwave later this month.
Armstrong spoke up again, “Hell no!” Sinclair snapped back at her: “Did you not hear her say ‘After?’”
Armstrong tried to strike Sinclair but instead dropped Grey with a right hand. Armstrong and Jordan stared eachother down to end the segment. Curious how they’re going to book Armstrong in this situation.
Saquon Shugars is still feuding with DarkState
In a rematch of June’s Great American Bash event, Saquon Shugars faced Dion Lennox one-on-one. This was teased as the finale in the Shugars vs. DarkState feud, but we all knew it would somehow continue beyond the two-month mark.
There was a messed-up move early on: Shugars tried to leapfrog over Lennox, but Lennox seemingly didn’t see the jump coming and never ducked down. Shugars awkwardly ran into Lennox’s shoulder.
Interference from Cutler James and Osiris Griffin gave Lennox a significant advantage throughout the match. During a referee distraction spot, Griffin and James slammed Shugars onto the commentary desk. They tossed him back in the ring, where Lennox scored a side slam for the pinfall win. This was a really quick match and felt like it lacked finality, and we found out why just moments later…
Backstage, Grayson Waller was seen grilling Shugars over his loss. Go do something about your complacency, he said. Shugars shot up to his feet and limped out of the medical room, clearly moved by Waller’s lecture. Shugars wasn’t done with DarkState.
On a phone call with AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio, NXT GM Robert Stone pitched hosting a four-way #1 contenders match next week to see who can challenge Cruiserweight Champ Rey Fenix (presumably at Heatwave).
Mysterio put forward EK Prosper and La Parka to be in the match. Stone will pick the other two (it was later revealed that he picked Romeo Moreno and Tristan Angels). Mysterio ended this call with an odd line, saying he has to go and figure out “Some problems that I got going on.”
DarkState drama causes Wren Sinclair to lose title shot
The sole title match of the week was next, with Wren Sinclair challenging for Zaria’s NXT Women’s North American Championship. This match was made after Sinclair successfully retained her Speed title over Zaria last week (albeit due to a five-minute time limit being reached).
Late in the match, an F5 from Zaria was countered by Sinclair, who started to set up for the Final Wrench. Zaria avoided the submission, then came running off the ropes for a spear. As the match was happening, a brawl between Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox made its way down the ramp and into the ring. They left the ring after a moment, but this brawl distracted Sinclair and allowed Zaria to hit an F5 for the pinfall win. This was stupid.
They want to build Zaria up as this beast, but the wins she’s earning against, honestly not the best names, are coming via distraction? That’s wild. And there’s something angering about a match ending due to another rivalry, one which isn’t even that exciting.
Kam Hendrix takes down Mason Rook
The next match saw NXT newcomers Mason Rook and Kam Hendrix face off in a grudge match. For whatever reason, they haven’t booked Rook in a TV match since late June. This was only his fourth NXT TV match so far.
Rook got a near fall after scoring a Blue Thunder Bomb. A top turnbuckle was sneakily ripped off by Hendrix part-way through the match. Rook later escaped a move from Rook, pushed him into the exposed buckle, then scored a Showtime Kick for the pinfall win.
Backstage, GM Robert Stone booked a high-stakes match for next week: Jackson Drake will wrestle a one-on-one match next week and, if he wins, he’ll get a shot at Myles Borne’s North American title, and the rest of Vanity Project will get a tag title shot. Borne expressed some hesitance about possibly wrestling twice on Heatwave if Drake wins, but said he would be able to do it.
Who would Drake have to get past next week, though? The returning Shiloh Hill!
Lucien Price makes statement, earns title opportunity for next week
The co-main event saw Lucien Price go head-to-head with Lexis King. Price has been struggling to get along lately with his OTM teammate Bronco Nima, who has been splitting his time with AAA heel faction Perros del Mal. Price has been so focused on tag wrestling, this was actually his second-ever singles bout (his previous was in 2024 against Andre Chase).
You don’t see it often, but King’s chest was actually cut open from a chop by Price early on. Price overcame ringside interference from the rest of Birthright, then scored a huge one-arm powerbomb to put away King. Price is trying to prove a point to his tag partner that he doesn’t need him!
Wren Sinclair approached Robert Stone about potentially unifying the Speed and North American titles at Heatwave against Zaria. Stone agreed – I’m curious if this means the Speed titles are on borrowed time.
Here’s what was announced for next week:
- La Parka vs. Romeo Moreno vs. EK Prosper vs. Tristan Angels (AAA Cruiserweight Championship #1 Contenders)
- Wren Sinclair & Kendal Grey vs. Kelani Jordan & Kali Armstrong
- Shiloh Hill vs. Jackson Drake
- Lexis King vs. Lucien Price (WWE Speed Championship)
Zilla Fatu crashes main event, makes NXT debut
The main event saw Cruz Montana and Grayson Waller face off in a #1 contender’s match for Tony D’Angelo’s NXT Championship. This was Montana’s first TV match since signing with NXT, and Waller’s first since moving back down to the brand.
Montana was on a roll before a break, scoring a huge tope suicida onto the ringside commentary desk. After the show returned, Montana hit an Outlined In Chalk. Waller responded with a discus forearm. Waller came charging off the ropes but ran into a Death Valley Driver from Montana.
A series of reversals ended with Montana catching Waller with a Rolling Buck 50, causing a near fall. A Spin The Block was avoided by Waller, who rolled out of the ring. Waller reversed a tope suicida, catching Montana coming through the ropes with a knee strike. Waller got back into the ring and scored a flatliner for a two-count of his own.
Waller got a near fall following an incredibly crafty Curbstomp. A second attempted Flatliner from Waller was countered by Montana into a Spin The Block! This was a fun sequence. Just as Montana was closing in on a win… Zilla Fatu hit the ring and attacked both men! This match was thrown out in a no contest.
Fatu, who has been tearing up the indies, destroyed both Waller and Montana. He then stared down D’Angelo and shouted, “new champ” as the show came to an end.
It became clear that Fatu was WWE-bound last week when he said his goodbyes at a House of Glory show. I expected this match to have a funky finish, as both Waller and Montana seem like names they want to keep around the title picture, but I didn’t think this was how they were going to do it. These three names have made the men’s title program quite interesting! I’m sensing we’re going to get a four-way at Heatwave, but we’ll see.
Final thoughts
There’s no doubt that NXT’s men’s title picture is an interesting one currently. Tonight’s main event was strong and had an intriguing end. I’m curious about the women’s title program and how it will end, with Kali Armstrong being an outsider looking in on the match currently. The opener was good, too. I thought some of the midcard lacked significantly; it’s frustrating that the never-ending Saquon Shugars & DarkState feud will continue beyond what was discussed as the final chapter. Not a flawless week for NXT, but it had some strong segments.
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