Land of Confusion
.@Jaida_Parkerwwe went OFF! pic.twitter.com/GoCTMwolta
— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2025
While I usually beat the drum about Fatal Influence looking weaker than high school toilet paper, I’m okay with Jaida Parker getting the win over Jazmyn Nyx. That’s the logical thing that should happen to get us to the finishing line. Jazmyn started strong, continuing the thing she does when she gets some time in the ring. Good looks on showing that she can go in the ring, she just wasn’t enough for Ms. Parker. Satisfying opening match that set
the stage for...Jaida to follow that up by interjecting into something between Blake Monroe and Lola Vice? That screams audible.
Fast forward to Lash Legend’s match against Fallon Henley, which introduced a plot twist not even foreshadowed: Nia Jax.
If memory serves, Lash eliminated Nia Jax from the Evolution Battle Royal. That it took Nia two weeks to get her revenge, which isn’t like Nia at all, says this is also an audible.
— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2025
NIA JAX JUST ATTACKED LASH LEGEND!!! pic.twitter.com/2xCXFr4Air
NXT’s biggest issue for me of late is the inconsistent booking. The inability to see things through, make a way out of no way, or just create logical weekly steps is their kryptonite. Why devote so much time to Lash & Jaida not only challenging Jacy, but also going at each other? Why make your champ’s group look even weaker with one taking a clean pin and the other only getting a pin thanks to Nia’s presence? If the match’s original intent is no longer a thing, then let’s not have the match.
The larger issue is the false starts. Who is Jacy’s next challenger? Jordynne Grace has a “neck injury” but is making a beeline to Blake when she’s ready. Kelani and Blake have a match next week but the last person to pin the champ is Blake! Why not just put her in that position since she did the thing that usually opens the door to a championship shot?
I’m at a loss for words. And that’s saying something.
Album Cuts
- Tavion Heights is finally on his own. This was an awesome match that built on the first bout between Tavion and Charlie Dempsey, including going back to the spot where Wren Sinclair threw in the towel. Charlie locked Tavion in the Single Leg Crab after shoving his partner’s knee into steel steps and hitting him with a Dragon Screw. Wren saw Tavion in agony and looked for a towel that wasn’t there. Tavion got the chance to fight through the submission this time, continue the fight and eventually get the win thanks to a Belly-to-Belly. The announce team asked what’s next for No Quarter Catch Crew and I think that’s an easy answer unless they plan on rebuilding NQCC. I wouldn’t mind that for Charlie’s character since he seemingly lives to lead a crew. And Wren isn’t quite ready to go solo, so establishing a new. crew of killers sounds like a good look.
- Unsurprisingly, Je’Von Evans vs. Wes Lee rocked my world. How’d we get here? Je’Von hit the ring to call out Oba Femi, per Undertaker’s advice, and he got Trick Williams instead. Trick felt disrespected, Wes and High Ryze hit the ring, Wes challenged Je’Von, then all the heels put hands on the young OG. The match delivered exactly what I wanted from these two: several close finishes, a competitive back and forth, and at least one death-defying move in the form of a coast-to-coast Senton from Je’Von. That boy is not only bouncy but a bit crazy. Despite the outside shenanigans from Wes’ crew, Je’Von walked away with a hard fought victory. That was great. Not so great? It looks like we’re going back to the Je’Von vs. Oba vs. Trick well again. The men’s division giveth and it taketh away, I suppose.
- Yoshiki Inamura and Josh Briggs still have a score to settle. And their feud now includes Stacks, who said the wrong thing at the wrong time. They’re trying to give every former member of the D’Angelo Family something to do, at least I think. Stacks was here, Luca Crusifino is lurking in the background muttering to himself about family not always being for the best, and The Don? Well...
- For some reason, the show closed with the former Don of NXT at his restaurant. He talked to the waiter about things changing and then a very large shadow stepped in the picture right before the shoe cut to black. Part of me thinks that’s a Sopranos homage. Actually, all of me thinks it was. I like the idea but ending the show with a main event featuring a former WWE wrestler who is now a TNA authority figure, followed by that moment with Tony D’Angelo was indicative of a show off the rails.
- Ethan Page defeated Santino Marella. He bent the rules a bit to do so, using the ref as shield from the Cobra, but this outcome was never in doubt. I actually would’ve preferred Ethan getting a decisive win here. He’s the North American champ with a brand new belt coming off a big battle with one of his top rivals. Why is he barely beating another company’s authority figure?
- Another shining moment in this show was the Myles Borne sit-down with Vic Joseph. Giving us Myles’ story along with showing his sense of humor signals they’re getting behind him again. It was odd when it looked like they had abandoned their plans for him, but this is a good way to rev up the engine again. I hope he dismisses Lexis King rather quickly so he can move to bigger and better things.
This was stronger than last week’s episode but not by much. NXT needs its mojo back because the show has no flow or consistency. It rattles from one moment to the next without any sense of purpose or urgency. And while NXT doesn’t have a SummerSlam show, it’s crazy that the main event during SummerSlam week is Santino Marella vs. Ethan Page.
What say you, Cagesiders? Are you ready for Lash vs. Nia Jax?
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