Results
- Jasper Troy def. El Grande Americano (WWE Speed Championship) (4:42)
- Thea Hail def. Alba Fyre (9:51)
- Fallon Henley def. Skylar Rae (WWE Speed Women’s Championship Tournament Semi-Finals) (2:16)
- Tavion Heights def. Josh Briggs (9:19)
- Ricky Saints def. Trick Williams (NXT Championship) (Last Man Standing) (15:31)
Jacy Jayne talks her way into a second chance
In the final episode of TV before NXT heads to New York City for back-to-back weeks of “Gold Rush,” the Tuesday night brand visited the WWE Performance Center this evening for a busy show featuring two different title bouts.
Before the action got started, a Veterans Day-themed video package played. We then went to the PC, where a segment featuring NXT Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley and the rest of The Culling got things started.
The NXT crowd remained strongly in support of Paxley, chanting “Tatum Tuesday” before she started talking. Izzi Dame, who has been quite protective, even controlling, with Paxley, suggested that she can’t just give out title shots to anyone, like she did with Lola Vice last month.
Paxley wasn’t convinced, mentioning how spinning a wheel to find her last contender was really fun. Dame kept pushing back: “The more you defend that title, the more you risk losing it.”
This back and forth was interrupted by Fatal Influence, who would certainly benefit from Paxley continuing to hand out title shots left and right. Former champ Jacy Jayne, who wants a shot to reclaim the belt, said that facing her again would prove that Paxley is a fighting champion.
Jayne said that she’s not a random, but instead someone who deserves a shot. Dame, however, said that Jayne didn’t deserve a rematch.
Paxley found herself caught between two sides: Give Jayne the rematch, or side with Dame, who said that she should decline the option.
“I have to be smart about who I give an opportunity to,” Paxley said. “I have to be more selective, and I absolutely am going to do that… Right after New York. Jacy Jayne, at Gold Rush, you get your rematch. But it’s your last one, and I mean it.”
The crowd sort of went silent after this line. The writing here was a bit off: Since the start of her reign, fans have sided with Paxley’s generous philosophy towards title shots over Dame’s controlling behavior. But, in this case, fans actually didn’t want to see heel Jayne get an automatic rematch and sort of sided with what Dame had said. Thus, Paxley’s move to make the match, even if it was in line with what she has said before, received a not-so-excited reaction. I get that the idea of Paxley’s character is that she’s too kind to everyone, good or bad, but the segment felt deflating. Nonetheless, there’s another match official for Gold Rush, and one that should be solid, considering how their first encounter went.
Backstage, NXT General Manager Ava noted that Jackson Drake will defend his EVOLVE Championship against Sean Legacy at Gold Rush. For anyone who isn’t in the loop, Drake has been EVOLVE’s top men’s talent since April, defending it five times along the way.
Jasper Troy dethrones El Grande Americano
The first title matchup this evening saw El Grande Americano defend his WWE Speed Championship for the first time in months, taking on WWE LFG alum Jasper Troy. This title opportunity was earned by Troy via a pair of tournament wins, beating Zachary Wentz and Axiom last month. Due to the Speed brand briefly going on hiatus earlier in 2025, this match marked Americano’s first appearance with the belt since June (it was still Chad Gable fighting under the nickname at that point).
Five minutes were put on the clock for the special Speed title matchup. Troy put the pressure on Americano early, slamming him down for a two-count during the first minute of the bout. After a series of reversals, Americano dropped Troy with a leg lariat, then scored a Penalty Kick for a near fall.
Troy got a near fall of his own with a standing splash. Troy came charging at Americano but was instead dropped with a big head kick. Americano came off the top rope with a Blockbuster, causing Troy to roll to the outside. Americano tried to follow up with a tope suicida, but was caught with a forearm to the head while going through the ropes.
Troy got into it at ringside with Americano’s two assistants, allowing Americano the chance to score a suicida upon second attempt. With 60 seconds to go, Americano was handed a metal plate, which he snuck into his singlet.
Americano dropped Troy with a running headbutt. Americano attempted to put the metal plate into his mask, but the referee caught him in the act. The exchange between Americano and the ref allowed Troy to score a splash in the corner, then pick Americano up for a Black Hole Slam, earning him the pinfall victory with 18 seconds to spare. Troy is the new WWE Speed Champion!
Somewhat of a shocking result to see Americano lose to Troy, but it seemed likely that the belt would be shifted off a main card talent sooner than later as it gets transitioned to being an NXT-exclusive title.
Backstage, Sol Ruca met with NXT General Manager Ava about finally being medically cleared to compete again. Ruca was given the option of coming back now or at Deadline next month. Eager to get her North American Championship back, Ruca opted to face Blake Monroe for the title at Gold Rush next week.
Thea Hail gains momentum ahead of Gold Rush title bout
A week before she teams with Joe Hendry to challenge for Ethan Page and Chelsea Green’s AAA Mixed Tag Team Championships, Thea Hail fought Alba Fyre on the Secret Hervice this week. Green and Page mentioned in a backstage segment that Fyre could help damage Hail, making next week’s title bout easier for them.
Hail had control early on, scoring a springboard Coffin Drop to the outside to Fyre. However, a slight distraction from Green at ringside allowed Fyre to score a tope suicida, getting her back into the bout just before a commercial break.
Fyre and Hail were trading strikes in the middle of the ring as the show returned. After a series of counters, Hail dropped Fyre with a clothesline, then a World’s Strongest Slam. She tried for another springboard Coffin Drop, but Fyre rolled out of the way.
Hail found a kimura submission attempt after escaping a roll-up pin, but Fyre ran her into a set of turnbuckles to get out of the move. Fyre hit a tornado DDT for a near fall. Hail scored a Michinoku Driver, but it wasn’t enough to put away Fyre yet.
Green got onto the ring apron to briefly try and distract Hail. Moments later, as Hail applied another kimura, Ethan Page got onto the ring apron. The interference eventually became too much for Joe Hendry and Hail, who put their hands on their Gold Rush opponents at ringside.
Hail ate a Superkick after rolling back into the ring, but it still wasn’t enough to end the match. Fyre picked Hail up for a move but was instead rolled up for the three-count, ending things just before the 10-minute mark. This was just a throwaway match to build to next week, but honestly, the in-ring was really fun. Hail and Fyre had some good stuff here.
Backstage, Tatum Paxley was dragged away from a conversation with Ricky Saints by the rest of The Culling, just to further emphasize how controlling they are to her.
Evans, Slater set for tag title bout at Gold Rush
In a pre-taped video, Blake Monroe interviewed herself. A darker and more sinister-looking Monroe sat on one side of the room, while the normal Monroe was on the other side. “That title isn’t yours until you beat Sol,” the devil on Monroe’s shoulder said.
The darker version of Monroe told her: “You need to let me be a part of this [match next week] … You need me, and I always show up when you need me most.”
“Spotlight needs darkness, and together, we make the perfect champion,” Monroe said to herself.
Je’Von Evans appeared in the ring for a big announcement. We learned just last night that Evans will be competing in The Last Time is Now tournament, giving him the chance to potentially be John Cena’s last opponent.
But that wasn’t why Evans was here to talk. Instead, he was here for a special tag team announcement. To do this, he pulled up a video call with TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater, who they said was out of town.
Evans announced that at Gold Rush, he and Slater will challenge DarkState for the NXT Tag Team Championships – a bout that has been teased since Bound for Glory last month. As Evans was talking about this matchup, his opponents for next week appeared. Evans quickly found himself in a four-on-one situation, as Slater couldn’t do anything to help from a video call…. Or was that the case?
Thinking a few steps ahead, Slater was actually faking a video call. Slater ran into the ring and a brawl between the two groups kicked off. Slater and Evans sent the heel faction out of the ring, then delivered a pair of dives over the top rope and to the outside.
There’s another big matchup for Gold Rush, and what has become a big week is scheduled for Evans soon.
Fallon Henley defeats debuting Skylar Rae, earns Speed title shot
Who will face Zaria for the vacant WWE Speed Women’s Championship at Gold Rush? That was determined in the next match, when LFG Season 2 winner Skylar Rae faced Fallon Henley. This was the first-ever appearance on NXT TV for Rae, who has mainly been working house shows as of late. As is always the case for Speed tournament bouts.
Rae came off the top rope with a crossbody for a near fall at the halfway mark of the time limit. She followed up with a tornado DDT, another kickout at two. Henley caught a move from Rae, dumping her face-first into the ropes. Henley came running off the ropes for a clean Famouser, earning her the pinfall win in just over two minutes. Just like that, two of three Fatal Influence members have found their way onto NXT Gold Rush.
Tavion Heights gets past Josh Briggs
The co-main event of the night saw Josh Briggs meet Tavion Heights in a grudge match.
Briggs caught Heights off guard right after the bell went, dropping him with a big boot. Heights started to gain some momentum as the show returned, although a separation between the two wrestlers from the referee allowed Briggs to get back into the fight with a series of strikes.
Briggs started to taunt Heights, but it only fired him up, causing Heights to score a huge slam to Briggs. He connected with a clothesline and a slingblade, but had his comeback stopped briefly by a big boot from Briggs.
Briggs got caught up in the ropes after Heights dodged another head kick. Heights caught him with a belly-to-belly slam, earning him the clean pinfall victory in nine minutes. A bit of a sudden finish, but a fun matchup between these two with good heat.
Backstage, Ava pleaded with Myles Borne not to get involved in tonight’s main event.
Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey were seen chatting about adding a third member to the Wren-QCC. This discussion was interrupted by Lainey Reid, who struck the EVOLVE Women’s Champion, causing a brawl. Reid mentioned earlier in the night that she knew just the way she could get a title shot at Gold Rush, and it turns out that strategy was to attack a champ. Knowing professional wrestling booking logic, that’s some very smart planning by Reid.
The broadcast provided a rundown of Gold Rush matchups set for next week:
- Blake Monroe vs. Sol Ruca (NXT Women’s North American Championship)
- Ethan Page & Chelsea Green vs. Joe Hendry & Thea Hail (AAA Mixed Tag Team Championships)
- DarkState vs. Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater (NXT Tag Team Championships)
- Tatum Paxley vs. Jacy Jayne (NXT Women’s Championship)
Here is what they confirmed for the second week of Gold Rush, which will air on November 25:
- Zaria vs. Fallon Henley (Vacant WWE Speed Women’s Championship)
- Kelani Jordan vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Lei Ying Lee (TNA Knockouts World Championship)
- Jackson Drake vs. Sean Legacy (WWE EVOLVE Championship)
- Kendal Grey vs. Lainey Reid (WWE EVOLVE Women’s Championship)
Ricky Saints wins an all-out war to retain against Trick Williams, Oba Femi returns just before show goes off-air
In the main event of the night, Trick Williams got possibly his final shot to regain the NXT Championship, meeting Ricky Saints in a Last Man Standing bout.
Saints, who was sporting tape around his ribs following an attack last week, got the jump on Williams to get things started. Saints won a tug-of-war over a kendo stick, then started to wail away on Williams with the weapon.
The fight went to ringside, where Williams was Irish Whipped shoulder-first into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Saints came flying off the ropes but ate a garbage can to the injured ribs while mid-air. Williams continued to target the mid-section with a fallaway slam onto the can.
Saints broke the standing 10-count, but was immediately dropped by a leg lariat from Williams. Saints was wrapped up in the ropes then struck in the body with the kendo stick, breaking the weapon in the process. Williams didn’t take the pressure off Saints, taking a steel chair to his back next.
Saints finally started to battle back into the fight, catching a garbage can lid and hitting Williams with it a few times. Bloody around his lips, Saints sent Williams to the outside with the garbage lid shots, giving him a chance to catch a breather as the show went to its final commercial break.
Williams gave Saints a brutal trashcan shot to the head during the commercial break. The match went to ringside as the show returned. Williams came charging at Saints for a move but was instead sent full-force into a barricade at ringside, knocking it over in the process.
Back in the ring, Saints went wild with nearly a dozen kendo stick shots. Williams tried to beg for mercy, but nothing was going to stop Saints. A chair was brought back into the mix, with Saints unloading on Williams.
Saints came running off the ropes and connected with a spear, but Williams was able to stay in the match. Williams escaped a move from Saints, then sent him flying into a chair, which was wedged between two turnbuckles.
Williams ran a steel staircase into the head of Saints, causing a “This is awesome chant.” With the commentary table taken apart, we knew this wasn’t the finishing sequence yet, nor was a flying knee Williams landed moments later.
Williams landed a nasty Bookend onto the steel stairs. He tried to stomp the stairs onto Saints’ head (this would’ve been murder?), but Saints escaped. Saints, who wrapped a chain around his neck, came charging at Williams but was sent through the wall of a platform at ringside.
Saints shot back up to his feet, barely beating the 10-count. Williams and Saints brawled into the crowd, just behind where the commentators were positioned. Williams started to celebrate after scoring another knee, but as he was standing on top of a guardrail, Saints speared him off the platform and through the commentary table at ringside.
Williams tried to use Saints as support to stand up, but was pushed down by the champ just before the 10-count. After an all-out brawl, a physical yet highly entertaining one at that, Saints retained.
Just before the show went off air, a shocking development occurred: Former world champion Oba Femi’s music hit, and he appeared on stage. Just before the show ended, commentator Vic Joseph said: “The Ruler is here for one more reign.” Quite the cliffhanger to end things on this week.
