On the final stop before NXT Deadline, tonight’s episode of WWE NXT on The CW felt like a pressure cooker finally hissing to life. With Deadline set to be the last NXT premium live event of 2025 and the brand’s first PLE to stream on Netflix internationally, every segment was about cementing stakes, sharpening grudges, and clarifying who walks into San Antonio with real momentum.

From a tense Women’s Iron Survivor Summit that devolved into chaos, to DarkState’s aura of invincibility cracking in an eight-man war, to the contract signing that confirmed Ricky Saints vs. Oba Femi for the NXT Championship will open NXT Deadline for the first NXT title match to ever kick off a PLE, this go-home show did exactly what it needed to: make Saturday feel unmissable.

Here Are The Full Results

• Thea Hail def. Ariana Grace (w/ Stacks) – Submission (Kimura) – ~3:00 
• Josh Briggs def. Tavion Heights – Pinfall (Lariat) – ~11:30 
• Sol Ruca, Lola Vice & Kendal Grey def. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Lainey Reid & Kiana James) – Pinfall (Sol Snatcher) – ~11:00 
• Out Tha Mud (Lucien Price & Bronco Nima) def. “New Chase U” (Uriah Connors & Kale Dixon) – Pinfall – ~4:30 
• Myles Borne, Leon Slater, Je’Von Evans & Joe Hendry def. DarkState (Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Saquon Shugars & Cutler James) – Pinfall (Borne Again) – ~15:00 

Iron Survivor Summit Sets the Tone

NXT opened not with a match, but with all five competitors in the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge standing in the ring under the watchful eye of General Manager Ava: Sol Ruca, Jordynne Grace, Lola Vice, Kelani Jordan, and Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey.

Each woman staked her claim:

• Sol Ruca leaned on the narrative that Ethan Page was right last week: it’s her time to ascend from record-setting double champion to NXT Women’s Champion–in-waiting, even as she battles lingering leg issues and emotional fallout with Zaria. 
• Jordynne Grace carried herself like the crossover juggernaut she is, reminding everyone that she’s not just visiting from TNA—she’s here to rewrite NXT history at Deadline. 
• Lola Vice framed the match as a hand-picked proving ground by John Cena himself, insisting his stamp of approval separates this field from everyone else in the division. 
• Kendal Grey, the only reigning champion in the ring, quietly flexed her résumé as WWE Evolve Women’s Champion, pointing out she’s used to surviving frantic multi-woman environments and still walking out with gold. 
• Kelani Jordan reminded everyone that she and Sol are the only two with prior Iron Survivor experience, though her attempt to control the room was nearly swallowed by a loud Performance Center crowd. 

The summit turned from tense to combustible when Fatal Influence crashed the party. NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne strutted out and tore into each challenger, dismissing the entire field as “the next loser” lining up to fail against her. She mocked Sol’s injured leg, scoffed at Grey as being in over her head, needled Grace and Vice for “choking,” and buried Kelani for losing the Knockouts title.

The verbal sniping boiled over into a full-on brawl, and when the dust settled, it was Sol, Lola, and Grey standing tall in the ring while the others regrouped on the floor. Ava quickly turned the chaos into a challenge: later tonight, the three Iron Survivor hopefuls would team against Fatal Influence in six-woman tag action.

In one segment, NXT crystallized the women’s Iron Survivor story: ego vs. opportunity, injuries vs. ambition, and a locker room that clearly sees Jacy Jayne’s title as the grand prize dangling over San Antonio.

Thea Hail Taps Out Ariana Grace and Puts TNA on Notice

Backstage, Thea Hail and Joe Hendry basked in the glow of John Cena’s endorsement and Hendry’s place in the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge, only to run into NXT–TNA liaison Ariana Grace and Stacks. Smirking at the idea of Hendry and Hail as a serious force, Grace essentially dared Thea to prove she belonged.

In the ring, Grace initially used distractions from Stacks and some crafty positioning to slow Hail down—but the moment Hendry neutralized Stacks with his Standing Ovation, the tide turned. Hail chained suplexes together and cinched in a tight Kimura, forcing Ariana to tap in short order.

It was brief, but symbolically important: one of NXT’s most chaotic babyfaces just choked out the brand’s bridge to TNA, adding a little extra edge to the ongoing NXT/TNA partnership that will hang over Deadline and beyond.

Josh Briggs Bloodies Tavion Heights’ Momentum

The mood shifted to big-man violence when Josh Briggs jumped Tavion Heights before the opening bell, channeling an increasingly bitter edge. Once the match officially started, Heights refused to back down, repeatedly muscling Briggs around and even driving him through the ringside barricade with a spinebuster that woke up the entire crowd.

But Heights hesitated arguing with the referee about Briggs’ chain, and that split-second lapse was all the veteran needed. Briggs cracked him with a Mafia Kick and followed with a brutal lariat to get the win.

It wasn’t about Deadline stakes so much as tone—NXT reminding viewers that underneath the flashy cross-promotional dream matches, there’s still a bruising undercard full of frustrated heavyweights waiting for their own shot at the spotlight.

Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley’s Breakup Gets Real – and Becomes Deadline Official

In one of the most emotionally charged segments of the night, The Culling, led by Izzi Dame, hit the ring to finally explain why they turned on Tatum Paxley during NXT Gold Rush, costing her the NXT Women’s Championship. Izzi painted herself as the architect of Tatum’s rise—claiming she gave Paxley purpose, a voice, and the confidence to climb out of her “hellhole,” only to be repaid with ingratitude.

On the big screen, a mascara-smeared Tatum appeared in a dark room, confessing that she is scared—but not of Izzi. She’s terrified of what she’ll become without Izzi’s hand on her shoulder, and she vowed to make Dame “feel all of my pain” in return.

By the time the confrontation ended, the match was official:

Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame – NXT Deadline, grudge match born from betrayal.

It’s not a title bout, but given how personal the story has become—and how visibly rattled both women looked by the end—this could quietly steal the show in San Antonio if they bring the rawness we saw tonight.

Sol Ruca, Lola Vice & Kendal Grey Ride Momentum Into San Antonio

The earlier summit brawl paid off when Sol Ruca, Lola Vice & Kendal Grey teamed to face Fatal Influence (NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne, Lainey Reid & Kiana James). This was a classic go-home multi-woman showcase: fast tags, layered rivalries, and subtle hints at Deadline strategy.

• Sol, working on a compromised leg and emotional distance from Zaria, still hit her lightning-quick offense and proved she hasn’t lost her touch as a former double champion.
• Lola blended sharp strikes with opportunistic tags, always keeping herself in position to capitalize.
• Grey, wearing the Evolve Women’s Title like a badge of honor, brought a champion’s poise and mat control in key moments. 

Late in the match, chaos broke loose—exactly the kind of environment the Iron Survivor Challenge thrives on. In the scramble, Sol nailed the Sol Snatcher on Jacy, scoring a huge pin over the reigning NXT Women’s Champion.

On a night built around momentum, this might be the most important visual for the Deadline women’s title picture: the champion pinned clean, on TV, by a woman with everything to prove and a 25-minute Iron Survivor sprint standing between her and another shot at gold.

Out Tha Mud Sends a Message to the Tag Scene

Before the main event, Out Tha Mud (Lucien Price & Bronco Nima) nearly turned the Chase U crew into parking lot casualties when Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon almost clipped them with their car. That brief, tense exchange spilled into the ring later when OTM faced the “New Chase U” pairing.

Connors and Dixon opened hot, hitting stereo dives and showcasing the raw athleticism that made them intriguing additions to the act. But OTM’s power and mean streak eventually took over, culminating in their assisted Alabama Slam for the decisive victory.

It was a statement win heading into a Deadline card that, while not featuring a tag title match, is heavily shaped by DarkState’s tag team dominance and Dion Lennox’s looming presence in the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge. OTM reminded everyone they’re lurking just outside that conversation.

Main Event Chaos: DarkState Finally Falls

The main event brought together nearly the entire Men’s Iron Survivor field in one blockbuster tag team match:

Joe Hendry, Je’Von Evans, Leon Slater & Myles Borne vs. DarkState (Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Saquon Shugars & Cutler James).

Ava added major stakes before the bell:

• If the babyface team won, each Iron Survivor competitor on that side would get to choose their own entry number on Saturday.
• If DarkState won, Dion Lennox would get to pick the entire order himself. 

What followed was a frenetic showcase of everything that makes this new-look NXT feel fresh:

• Myles Borne looked like the most dangerous “last man in” you could ask for, mixing mat wrestling with explosive power.
• Leon Slater lit the crowd up with his aerial game, living up to his buzz as one of the most exciting cross-brand prospects on the roster.
• Je’Von Evans, already a made man to hardcore fans after his feuds with Ethan Page and Oba Femi, once again played the fearless high-flyer willing to cannonball his body into DarkState traffic. 
• Joe Hendry brought charisma and power, feeding off the crowd and giving the match a big-fight feel every time he tagged in.

DarkState, for their part, wrestled like the calculating, dominant faction they’ve become—cutting the ring in half, controlling tempo, and looking every bit like a unit that recently reclaimed the NXT Tag Team Titles from the Broken Hardys.

In the closing stretch, Evans wiped out Shugars and Cutler at ringside with wild dives, Slater hit a breathtaking Swanton 450, and Borne sealed the deal with Borne Again on Osiris Griffin for the pin.

The win gives the babyface side crucial strategic leverage heading into Deadline—and, perhaps more importantly, finally puts a visible crack in DarkState’s armor just days before Dion Lennox steps into the Iron Survivor match.

Contract Signed, Clock Ticking: Ricky Saints vs. Oba Femi to Open NXT Deadline

NXT closed with a stark, no-nonsense contract signing between NXT Champion Ricky Saints and former champion Oba Femi. No tables were flipped, no brawls broke out—just two men who have already gone to war and know exactly what the rematch means.

Oba signed first, dismissing Saints as a footnote in his legacy—a man who took advantage of a vulnerable moment at No Mercy when Oba’s 263-day reign finally cracked.

Saints responded not with bravado, but with introspection, openly wondering what happens if he loses in San Antonio… then reminding Oba that there’s “an exception to the rule and the ruler,” and his name is Ricky Saints.

Ava made the final announcement that turned a big match into a historic one:

The NXT Championship match will OPEN NXT Deadline.

It’s a statement of confidence in both men and in the NXT title itself—placing the brand’s top prize at the very start of the final NXT PLE of the year and daring the rest of the card to follow.

Finalized NXT Deadline 2025 Card – Full Breakdown

As of the end of tonight’s show, the NXT Deadline 2025 card is:

1. NXT Championship – Ricky Saints (c) vs. Oba Femi
2. Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge – #1 Contender for NXT Championship
   
   • Joe Hendry vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Leon Slater vs. Myles Borne vs. Dion Lennox
3. Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge – #1 Contender for NXT Women’s Championship
   
   • Sol Ruca vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Lola Vice vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Kendal Grey
4. NXT North American Championship – Ethan Page (c) vs. Mr. Iguana
5. Tatum Paxley vs. Izzi Dame – Grudge Match 

Ricky Saints (c) vs. Oba Femi – NXT Championship

This is the rematch that’s been looming since NXT No Mercy, where Ricky Saints ended Oba Femi’s 263-day reign in a brutal main event and ushered in a new era atop the brand.

• Why Saints deserves this spot: He didn’t luck into the title; he survived Oba, matching the former champion’s power with resilience and a relentless offensive barrage that included multiple DDTs and his Fall from Grace. Since then, he’s carried himself like a fighting champion in a brand that’s constantly juggling cross-promotional obligations and rising prospects.
• Why Oba could reclaim the throne: Oba is still the most dominant pure athlete NXT has produced from its NIL pipeline, and tonight’s calm, menacing presence suggested a man who has learned from his lone major failure and is ready to correct it. 

With the match confirmed to open Deadline, the pressure is doubled: whoever wins has to set a tone for the entire night, not just close it.

Why Every Man in the Iron Survivor Challenge Can Win

The Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline might be the most wide-open match on the card. John Cena himself hand-picked the field across NXT Gold Rush, and tonight’s main event added a new layer of strategy with the entry-order stipulation.

Joe Hendry

• Why he deserves to be here: Hendry is the embodiment of cross-brand momentum—already a cult favorite in other promotions, he’s now been validated by Cena on NXT television and has quickly become a key face of the NXT/TNA pipeline. His charisma isn’t just window dressing; it changes rooms and crowds the second his music hits.
• Why he should win: Iron Survivor rewards endurance, timing, and the ability to manipulate crowd energy. Hendry has all three. If he enters mid-pack, he can ride fan support to multiple falls, especially if DarkState’s focus stays locked on Borne and Evans.

Je’Von Evans

• Why he deserves to be here: Evans has already headlined major NXT events, fought Oba Femi for the NXT Championship, and tangled with Ethan Page in a feud that helped define NXT’s modern style. 
• Why he should win: Few wrestlers in WWE right now can create a highlight reel as quickly as Evans can. In a 25-minute match where every second matters, his ability to rattle off a flurry of offense and steal falls out of nowhere makes him incredibly dangerous—especially if he can secure a late entry number thanks to tonight’s victory.

Leon Slater

• Why he deserves to be here: Representing the TNA relationship on the men’s side, Slater brings a big-ticket aura from international tours and a reputation as one of the most electric high-flyers of his generation. 
• Why he should win: Slater’s Swanton 450 is exactly the kind of game-changing exclamation point this match is built for. If he can stay upright long enough to avoid DarkState’s four-on-one ambushes, he has the tools to string together falls in a hurry and send the NXT Title picture into a truly global direction.

Myles Borne

• Why he deserves to be here: Borne didn’t get hand-picked—he earned his way in at the last second by beating Trick Williams at Gold Rush, then pinned Osiris Griffin in tonight’s main event to give his team control of the entry order. He is, in every sense, the workhorse of the field. 
• Why he should win: In Iron Survivor, conditioning is king. Borne’s mix of amateur-style grappling, deceptive explosiveness, and proven ability to hit Borne Again late in a grueling match makes him tailor-made for this format. If anyone can walk into San Antonio as an underdog and walk out with a guaranteed title shot at New Year’s Evil, it’s him.

Dion Lennox

• Why he deserves to be here: As the leader of DarkState and co-holder of the NXT Tag Team Titles, Lennox is arguably the most powerful political force in NXT’s men’s division. His presence alone warps matches; his faction has already impacted countless main events, and they’ve reclaimed gold from The Hardys in chaotic stipulation bouts. 
• Why he should win: Put simply: if Dion wins, DarkState controls the NXT Championship chase. Even though his side lost tonight and forfeited exclusive control over entry order, Iron Survivor’s “anything goes” environment means DarkState interference is almost guaranteed. A Lennox victory would turn the NXT title picture into a full-blown faction war heading into 2026.

Why Every Woman in the Iron Survivor Challenge Can Win

On the women’s side, the Iron Survivor field is stacked with champions, crossover stars, and big-moment specialists—each bringing a very different path to San Antonio.

Sol Ruca

• Why she deserves to be here: Sol is already a record-setter—a former NXT Women’s North American and Women’s Speed Champion, and the longest-reigning double champion in NXT women’s history. 
• Why she should win: Tonight, she pinned Jacy Jayne clean in the middle of the ring, proving she can still deliver under pressure even while nursing a bad leg and a fractured friendship with Zaria. If she survives the early chaos and picks her spots, there’s a believable path to her earning another shot at the very champion she just pinned.

Jordynne Grace

• Why she deserves to be here: A multi-time champion in TNA and one of the most respected powerhouses in women’s wrestling, Grace embodies the “world-class outsider” energy that NXT has been courting in this cross-promotion era. 
• Why she should win: Iron Survivor can be a war of attrition, and Grace is built for that. In a field heavy on high-flyers and technicians, her strength and conditioning could allow her to outlast everyone and rack up falls by simply overpowering opponents in the closing minutes.

Lola Vice

• Why she deserves to be here: A former Bellator flyweight with a legitimate striking background, Vice has translated her combat sports past into a sharp, modern NXT style. Cena’s endorsement at Gold Rush solidified her as one of the brand’s centerpieces going into Deadline. 
• Why she should win: In a match where seconds matter, knockout-level offense is priceless. One well-timed head-kick or spinning backfist could swing an entire match, and if Vice finds herself in sudden-death situations late, she may be the most dangerous woman in the field.

Kelani Jordan

• Why she deserves to be here: The former NXT Women’s North American Champion has been at the front of nearly every major women’s multi-woman match in the last year, and her previous Iron Survivor experience means she knows the clock, penalty box, and entry system inside and out. 
• Why she should win: Kelani’s hybrid of high-flying and athletic mat work is tailor-made for chaining falls together when opponents are winded. If she can keep her emotions in check—especially with Grace and Vice in the same ring—she has as strong a claim as anyone to a New Year’s Evil title shot.

Kendal Grey

• Why she deserves to be here: As the reigning WWE Evolve Women’s Champion, Grey walks into Deadline as the only current champion in either Iron Survivor match. She just retained her title at Gold Rush and has been quietly building one of WWE’s most intriguing developmental résumés. 
• Why she should win: Tonight’s six-woman tag showed how comfortably Grey thrives in chaotic, multi-person settings. Her grappling base and emerging big-match confidence give her a realistic chance to control long stretches of the 25-minute time limit, especially if her Evolve experience pushes her to out-think the field as much as out-fight them.

Ethan Page, Mr. Iguana, and the Wildcard Factor

While not an Iron Survivor match, the newly added NXT North American Championship bout between Ethan Page and Mr. Iguana might be the biggest wildcard on the Deadline card.

Tonight, a backstage segment saw Ava finally corner Page—who has been balancing his NXT reign with AAA’s World Mixed Tag Team Championship—and announce that he would defend his North American Title against AAA’s unpredictable Mr. Iguana. Iguana quite literally drove away in Page’s car after the reveal, giving the whole thing a wild, almost Lucha-movie energy.

Page brings experience, cunning, and a track record of cutting corners to keep gold. Iguana brings chaos, speed, and the element of surprise. In a show already built around clocks, strategy, and cross-promotional bragging rights, this match could be the one that fundamentally reshapes the mid-card picture heading into 2026.

When the dust settled on tonight’s WWE NXT, there were no mysteries left about who’s going to San Antonio—or what they’re fighting for. The only question now is who can take the momentum, the card-positioning, and the personal grudges that were sharpened tonight… and turn them into defining Deadline moments on Saturday night.

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