Last night’s episode of WWE LFG felt like the cleanest example yet of why Season 3’s format change has been the right move. The show is no longer bogged down by team points, forced reality-show tension or coaches trying to win a competition against each other. It is now exactly what it should have been from the beginning: young talent getting reps, legends coaching them through real flaws, and WWE showing who is ready, who is close and who still has a lot to figure out. Episode 5 was built around Elijah Holyfield returning from injury, but the entire hour worked because every match had a clear purpose. Braxton Cole needed to show character. Kali Armstrong and Sirena Linton needed to show aggression. Elijah Holyfield needed to prove he could come back sharper, leaner and more confident than he was before. For the most part, the episode delivered.
Before last night, the first four episodes had already established Season 3 as a much better version of LFG. Episode 1 set the tone by dropping the old team format and making it clear that anyone could be moved up at any time, which immediately happened when Kendal Grey beat PJ Vasa and was fast-tracked to NXT. Kali Armstrong also made an early statement by defeating Nikkita Lyons, while Drake Morreaux beat Keanu Carver in a match that exposed both men more than it helped them. Episode 2 continued that sink-or-swim feeling as Carlee Bright defeated Layla Diggs, Harley Riggins and Jax Presley beat Harlem Lewis and Mike Derudder, and Drake Morreaux defeated Nathan Cranton before Shawn Michaels told Drake that his time at the Performance Center was over and that his next opportunity would come in AAA. Episode 3 was more uneven, with Trill London defeating Braxton Cole in a rough match, Layla Diggs and Masyn Holiday beating PJ Vasa and Sirena Linton, and Kam Hendrix beating Tate Wilder before being pulled from LFG for a few weeks after struggling with his promo and overall performance. Episode 4 then tightened things back up with Bayley Humphrey beating Nikkita Lyons, Tate Wilder defeating Chris Island, and Chantel Monroe defeating Zena Sterling in a main event that showed Chantel’s heel instincts while leaving Zena still searching for that missing spark.
Here are the full results
- Braxton Cole def. Andre Chase
- Kali Armstrong def. Sirena Linton
- Elijah Holyfield def. Nathan Cranton
Last night’s opener with Braxton Cole vs. Andre Chase was the smartest kind of developmental match because Chase was not there to get himself over. He was there to be the measuring stick. Cole’s whole presentation is built around being intelligent, polished and a little too pleased with himself, so putting him across from the professor of Chase University made sense on paper before the bell even rang. Chase controlled the pace early, the crowd naturally leaned toward him, and that forced Cole to find a way to stand out without simply trying to out-wrestle the veteran.
That is where the finish mattered. Cole using the book as a distraction before stealing the win with a low blow and roll-up was simple, but it fit his character. The match was not about having the cleanest wrestling sequence of the season. It was about whether Cole could make the audience understand who he is in four or five minutes. He did that. The one fair criticism is that the book itself could have been emphasized more before the finish. If the prop is going to matter, the audience needs to be trained to watch it before the payoff comes. That is exactly the kind of detail LFG should be teaching, and the post-match feedback made the segment stronger instead of just moving on like nothing needed to be corrected.
The second match, Kali Armstrong vs. Sirena Linton, may have been the best example of what this show does well when the coaching and match story line up. Natalya challenged both women to bring out more aggression, and Kali looked the most natural in that role. She bullied Sirena early, talked down to her, shoved her around and made the match feel like it had a real emotional hook instead of just being another short developmental showcase. Kali has the athletic tools, but last night showed that her ceiling is much higher when she stops just looking impressive and starts making the viewer feel something.
Sirena deserves credit too. She fought from underneath, fired up late and gave the match a real babyface comeback before Kali caught her with the powerslam and finished her with the Kali Connection. There was a lot to like here. Kali looked dominant, Sirena showed heart, and Natalya’s feedback after the match gave the whole thing more weight. The hardest part about watching LFG right now is knowing some of these episodes were filmed before certain releases. That makes some of the praise and “next step” conversations feel awkward, but based strictly on what aired last night, Sirena went out there and worked like someone who understood the assignment.
The main event was all about Elijah Holyfield returning after a long injury layoff, and WWE framed it the right way. He was not just coming back to have a match. He was coming back to prove his confidence, promo ability, conditioning and presence were still there. Holyfield looked noticeably more locked in. The crowd was behind him from the start, and that matters because a lot of developmental prospects can look good physically but still feel cold once the bell rings. Elijah did not have that problem last night.
Nathan Cranton was also the right opponent for him. Cranton has quietly become one of the more interesting names on this season because he understands how to make the person across from him look better. He cut Holyfield off, worked him over, gave him something to fight through and made the comeback feel earned. Holyfield’s offense looked good, especially the spinebuster and the finishing uppercut, but the bigger takeaway was that the crowd wanted him to win. That is not something you can fake, and it is not something every big athletic prospect automatically gets.
The match was not perfect, but it did what it needed to do. Elijah looked like someone WWE can still invest in, Nathan once again showed he can be trusted to hold a match together, and Booker T’s praise after the match felt earned. Shawn Michaels also giving Nathan the note that he needed to sell Elijah’s size more was another example of why this season’s format works. It is not just praise for the sake of TV. It is specific, useful feedback that explains how small choices can change the entire match.
The best part of Season 3 continues to be the honesty. Kevin Owens on commentary added something fresh, and it is easy to see why he would be good in that role one day. He knows how to explain the little things without sounding like he is performing for the camera. Booker, Bubba, Natalya, Matt Bloom and Shawn Michaels all feel more valuable in this setup because they are no longer trapped inside the old team competition structure. They can just coach. That is what the show needed.
The biggest issue is still the same one that has followed LFG all season. Some of the talent featured has already been released or moved elsewhere, which makes the show feel strange at times. It is hard to fully invest in someone’s “future” when the audience already knows WWE may have moved on. That does not ruin the episode, but it does create a disconnect. WWE wants this to feel like a live developmental pipeline, but the taped nature of the show sometimes makes it feel like we are watching yesterday’s decisions play out after the fact.
Final thoughts
Last night’s episode was probably the strongest in-ring episode of Season 3 so far. None of the matches overstayed their welcome, every segment had a clear purpose, and the feedback actually made the episode better instead of feeling like filler. Braxton Cole showed he can lean into character. Kali Armstrong looked like a natural heel with real upside. Sirena Linton delivered a strong effort. Nathan Cranton continued to look like someone WWE should keep finding reps for. Elijah Holyfield’s return was the right closing note because he looked sharper, the crowd cared and the episode ended feeling like he still has something worth chasing.
Season 3 of WWE LFG is not perfect, but it finally feels like the show knows what it is supposed to be. Last night was not about manufactured drama. It was about learning, improving, exposing weaknesses and seeing who can actually handle the next step. That is the version of LFG WWE should have been making all along.
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I’m the quiet one until the bell rings then I’ve got takes. I live for WWE NXT and TNA, I want every promotion to succeed, and I will absolutely roast the bad decisions on sight (because someone has to). Anime taught me to respect long-term storytelling; wrestling taught me that sometimes the plan is “we panicked” and called it “unpredictable.” The Miz got me into all of this, so yeah I appreciate confidence, commitment, and the art of talking like you’re already the main event. Now I bring that same energy to the page as the main writer for Late Night Crew Wrestling because if you’re not here to be must-see and tell the truth, why are you here?!