NXT 4/22/2025

NXT is on the air from what is billed as a five-star hotel that is called Fountainbleau Las Vegas. The show begins with a recap from Stand & Deliver.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriquez defeated Gigi Dolan & Tatum Paxley to retain their titles

**3/4

Thumbs In The Middle Pointing Down

Morgan pinned Dolan to win the match and retain the tag titles. Dolan & Paxley earned the title bout after winning a four-way elimination tag team match on the pre-show for Stand & Deliver, only for Dolan & Paxley to lose here. Good opener, though. Subtle tease of trouble for Dolan & Paxley as teammates.

Paxley does a quebrada off the apron just before the show cuts the first commercial break. The challengers are standing tall when the show heads to commercial, but the champions are in control again when the show returns from the break.

Heat on Paxley, as the champs work her over. Liv with the Three Amigo suplexes and an Eddy Guerrero shimmy for Dirty Dom. Hot tag to Dolan, and she is a house of fire. Near fall for Dolan, but a moment later she and her partner Paxley nearly collide into each other. They stop short, only to get mowed down by a double lariat.

Paxley counters Gonzalez for a near fall, and then Dolan knocks down Gonzalez with a senton. Paxley follows up with a 450 splash. Liv breaks up the subsequent pinning attempt. The fight continues, but not for long.

Bling tag by the champs. Gonzalez powerbombs Dolan, and Liv follows up with her Oblivion finisher. Liv then covers Dolan for a three count. And still…

Penn & Teller cameo alongside Lexis King, who still has not gotten back his Heritage Cup trophy. In order for Penn & Teller to magically make the trophy reappear, King must agree that magic is real. King must also agree to defend the trophy tonight on NXT. King agrees, so Penn & Teller use a box gimmick to make the trophy reappear. King grabs his coveted trophy and clutches it to his chest. He is then informed his challenger tonight is a mystery opponent.

NXT North American Champion Ricky Saints is seen walking around backstage with his title belt on his shoulder. Saints is headed to the Gorilla Position for a monologue that is advertised as up next.

When the show returns from the break, clips highlight No Quarter Catch Crew at the Bloodsport show over the weekend.

Myles Borne of the Catch Crew then in a backstage skit agrees to team up with Je’Von Evans, which sets up a tag match tonight against Darkstate.

North American Champ Ricky Saints enters the ring for his monologue. Saints plays to the crowd and he talks about successfully defending the title against Ethan Page over the weekend.

Heritage Cup Champion Lexis King interrupts Saints, because in NXT no monologue can go uninterrupted. King and Saints cut promos on each other. This all leads to King challenging Saints to a title match for next Tuesday on NXT. King even agrees to put the Heritage Cup trophy on the line in a title vs. trophy match. Saints agrees to the challenge, but King first must retain against a mystery opponent.

The returning Noam Dar is the mystery surprise, as he returns looking to regain the Heritage Cup. The most decorated Heritage Cup champ, Dar, is back to take his crown.

Noam Dar defeated Heritage Cup Champion Lexis King to win the title

***

Thumbs Up

Dar pinned King after a back elbow strike, and Dar wins the trophy for the fourth time. This time in one fall no less. Dar was rather dominate, and he ran circles around King. Dar looked elated to be back.

Not sure where this leaves the title match with Saints for next week, except things are getting rather convoluted.

Sarah Screiber interviews Roxanne Perez, and Perez cuts a promo on NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer. Perez vows to become champ for the third time.

Thea Hail defeated Fallon Henley (with Jacy Jayne & Jazmyn Nyz)

**1/4

Thumbs Up

Hail submitted Henley with an armbar to win the match, which was rather short. Henley is great, but this was about getting Hail over and planting seeds of dissension in the Fatal Influence trio. Namely, Jayne accidentally costing Henley the match.

Henley has Hail in a full nelson when Jayne goes to kick Hail, but Hail ducks. Jayne boots Henley, who takes a bump into the ring steps. Henley sells big, as Hail rolls Henley back into the ring. Hail knocks down both Nyz and Jayne. then Hail applies her version of a Kimura lock. Henley taps out, and Hail wins via submission.

Femi talks about retaining his title at Stand & Deliver in a triple threat match against Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans. Femi talks about doubting Evans, but Femi puts over Evans as a future star. Trick Williams on the other hand, Femi will not put him over. Instead, Femi cuts a promo on Trick.

Out comes Trick to confront Femi. Trick still wants his title back. They are soon interrupted by a surprise inter-promotional appearance.

TNA Champion Joe Hendry enters the scene. Hendry cuts a promo on Trick, and Trick responds with a promo on Hendry. This led to Hendry saying he as the TNA champ has business with the NXT champ. The two champs double team Trick.

Hendry and Femi pummel Trick, and they toss him out of the ring. Hendry and Femi then face off in a champion against champion showdown.

A pre-taped skit from the desert is a cinematic scene where Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo is met by Luca Crusifino.

WWE Tag Team Champs Liv Morgan & Raquel Gonzalez have words with Sol Ruca and Zaria in a backstage skit.

Trick Williams is freaking out backstage, and he is wrecking the place. The television feed cuts out amid the mayhem.

Dion Lennox & Osiris Griffin (with Darkstate) defeated Myles Borne & Je’Von Evans

***

Thumbs Up

This was a way to get Darkstate over, with limited success. Griffin pinned Borne to win the match, while Griffin is still nursing a hand injury suffered at Stand & Deliver. He is assisted with a double team powerbomb on Borne for the finish.

Yoshiki Inamura thanks NXT GM Ava for her support, as Inamura is sit to return to NOAH shortly. Inamura is upset he almost won the tag titles. In walks Josh Briggs, and Inamura gets so emotional that Ava books a return tag title match for them. After Ava leaves, Inamura reveals to Briggs his ploy was an old trick.

The pre-taped skit with The Family continues, as Tony D’Angelo comes to a hotel to meet with Adrianna Rizzo. They chat about the recent development with Stacks turning on “The Don” himself. This is very much soap opera. Maybe Granny can review it on the Bryan & Vinny Show. D’Angelo wants Rizzo to hide out until this all bows over.

No Quarter Catch Crew are seen watching the match from the ramp, as their charge dropped the fall.

NXT Champion Oba Femi gets a full entrance with him wearing street clothes. Femi poses with his title belt before beginning a monologue.

Ricky Saints is interviewed by Sarah Screiber in a backstage area. Saints is confronted by Ethan Page, which is a distraction. Lexis King ambushes Saints with a sneak attacks. King blames Saints for losing the Heritage Cup trophy, but King is still challenging Saints for the North American title in a match set for next week.

NXT Champion Stephanie Vaquer defeated Roxanne Perez to retain her title

***1/2

Thumbs Up

Vaquer pinned Perez clean after the STB finisher. They had a really good match. Perez should be headed to the main roster, as she is long overdue. In a cliffhanger ending, Jordynne Grace and Giulia are seen glaring at Vaquer as the show fades to black.

Overall: Thumbs Up

I didn't forget about RAW.