WWE NXT Battleground 2025 Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights

From the Yuenling Center in Tampa, Florida on May 25, WWE NXT delivered a major Battleground with multiple championships on the line.

This was the first time the TNA World Championship was on the line during an NXT premium live event. Could Trick Williams take the title from Joe Hendry?

Stephanie Vaquer put the NXT Women's Championship on the line against the top contender Jordynne Grace. Would this be the end of the line for La Primera?

Myles Borne hoped to prove everyone wrong, but he had a monumental challenge in fighting NXT champion Oba Femi. Would the No Quarter Catch Crew star pull off the upset?

Tony D'Angelo looked for revenge against Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo. Would The Don or The Underboss stand tall in the battle for The Family?

Sol Ruca and Kelani Jordan hoped to recreate the magic of their first battle for the Women's North American Championship. Could they steal the show? Who would walk out champion?

Shawn Spears hoped to make a statement at the expense of the NXT tag team champions. Could The Culling defeat the combination of Hank Walker, Tank Ledger and Josh Briggs?

This was an important night for NXT where the best needed to bring their best to walk out with gold.

Women's North American Championship: Sol Ruca (c) (w/ Zaria) vs. Kelani Jordan

Kelani Jordan had Sol Ruca's number at multiple points in this match, but Zaria saved the Women's North American champion from a split-legged moonsault when it mattered most.

While Zaria was sent to the back for her actions, Ruca regained momentum and caught Jordan with a unique top-rope version of the Sol Snatcher to win.

This was far too early in Ruca's title reign for her to lose, so the result was predictable. However, that was never the point of this match.

No one brings the best out of Ruca quite like Jordan. While the Women's North American champion is still figuring it out as a whole, she looked like one of the best pure athletes in WWE in this match.

It was easily the best match of the champion's career since her last match with her challenger. The back-and-forth was on point at a pace that rivals the best speedsters in the business.

The face-heel dynamic was messy here as Jordan never truly played up to the commentary comments about her new killer instinct. Zaria was the only real heel in this situation by cheating to help Ruca.

This could set up a rubber match between these two where Jordan more fully embraces a heel role, or it will just lead to issues between Zaria and Ruca down the line.

Those possibilities would make up for this match feeling a bit weak on story, though that was never the real reason these two were paired up again. This was about the spectacle, which was grand.

Result

Ruca def. Jordan by pinfall to retain the Women's North American Championship.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

- Zaria pushed Ruca out on a skateboard then carried her the rest of the way down the ramp.

- Ruca pulled out a STF, leading to a John Cena reference from Vic Joseph on commentary. Ruca pulled it off far cleaner than The Last Real Champ.

- Ruca pulled off one of the highlight spots of the night, hitting a multiple handspring moonsault out of the ring onto Jordan.

- Jordan caught Ruca with a Five Star Frog Splash, but Ruca kicked out of all three in attempts that followed.

- Ruca went for a super poisonrana, but Ruca landed on her feet and Speared her challenger for a near-fall.

The Culling vs. Hank Walker, Tank Ledger and Josh Briggs

Shawn Spears, Brooks Jensen and Niko Vance had the edge in this match due to their team experience, but the pure impact of the champions and Josh Briggs was the final decider.

Jensen took a Clothesline from Hell and Honk, Honk to seal the victory.

Afterward, The Culling laid out the champions and Briggs until Yoshiki Inamura took a steel chair away from Izzi Dame and helped clear the ring.

If there was one match on this card that did not belong on paper, it was this six-man battle. On a night of mostly championship action, it would made more sense to have a tag title match.

Beyond the surprise Inamura appearance after the match, none of this action proved that wrong. The match was fine but easily forgettable with a few noticeable, awkward mistakes.

The Culling ended up looking worse coming out of this and never got a real title opportunity throughout.

This was an unnecessary filler spot on a show that did not need it, especially since DarkState remains the only real threat to the NXT Tag Team Championships.

Result

Hank, Tank and Briggs def. Spears, Vance and Jensen by pinfall.

Grade

D+

Notable Moments

- Vance sent Hank head-first into the steel post so hard that the sound of the impact rang out through the arena.

- Vance and Jensen planted Tank in the ring and seemed to get the three before Hank broke up the pin, but the referee was slow on the count. This caused a crowd chant of "Ref, you suck!".

- Briggs and Inamura embraced after the surprise return of the NOAH star.

- Sarah Schreiber interviewed TNA's Mike Santana, who made clear he was next up for the TNA World Championship. Charlie Dempsey disrespected Santana, but Tavion Heights challenged him to a respectful match on NXT.

Tony D'Angelo vs. Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo

After a heated stretch of dominance from Tony D'Angelo, The Don hesitated to finish the job, allowing Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo to keep fighting.

After a longer fight, D'Angelo planted Stacks with the elevated spinebuster, only for Luca Crusifino to arrive as a distraction. The Underboss low blowed The Don and hit the Cement Shoes for the victory.

Afterward, Crusifino tried to hug The Don, but he would not let him, clearly not trusting The Consigliere anymore.

When you've worked with and teamed with a wrestler for years, you build chemistry, and that chemistry was obvious throughout this grudge match.

This was a physical battle that used the environment outside the ring to sell the hatred between these men without adding a stipulation.

However, even with the chemistry of both men, the pacing was off. This went too long and played out too many different dramatic story beats over just one match.

D'Angelo's hesitation, the multiple finishers, and the Crusifino return all sold this as if it could be the end of the rivalry and not the first big match of a likely series.

While Stacks has massively improved in the last couple of years, it was obvious how much better D'Angelo was throughout this match. Stacks was surviving this battle rather than out-wrestling The Don.

If D'Angelo is headed to the main roster, he will likely lose this rivalry by its close, but that is putting everything on Stacks' shoulders in carrying The Family forward in NXT.

In this match, he still looked like a second-in-command, even if his presentation is improving.

Result

Stacks def. D'Angelo by pinfall.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments

- Stacks came out to a new (surprisingly solid) theme and walked over the jacket he once was gifted by The Don.

- Booker T and Vic Joseph spent a good portion of this match arguing over whether Stacks should be already considered "the boss".

- Stacks sent The Don's ribs into the steel steps and frame of the ring outside to set up a target for the rest of the match.

- D'Angelo hit two spinebusters, but instead of taking the pin, he kept battering The Underboss with punches.

- The Don ducked Stacks, sending him into the steel post, then D'Angelo hit him with the Fuhgeddaboudit. The Underboss managed to kick out.

NXT Women's Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Jordynne Grace

Stephanie Vaquer and Jordynne Grace went to war, and it took everything in La Primera's arsenal to seal the win. She pulled it out after the Spiral Tap.

The strongest aspect of the NXT roster is the women's division, and it may end up looking like a big mistake to not end the show with Vaquer vs. Grace.

This was technically clean in a way that highlighted how good both of these women are. They flowed through their spots while selling the emotion of this moment.

The Juggernaut knew that La Primera was the favorite and leaned heel in moments for this epic battle for the NXT Women's Championship.

The ramp-up to the Spiral Tap sold it as Vaquer's final weapon against a worthy adversary, making it clear that the result on this night might not be the same in the future.

It should be interesting going forward to see what The Juggernaut does from here because she has yet to pick up a big win in NXT.

Result

Vaquer def. Grace by pinfall to retain the NXT Women's Championship.

Grade

A

Notable Moments

- Ava was talking to AAA's Chik Tormenta and Dalys backstage. Later, they were watching this match in the front row.

- Vaquer went for the Devil's Kiss, but Grace rolled the champion outside and planted her on the announce table.

- The crowd was louder in support of Vaquer than anyone else up to this point on the card.

- Grace nearly got the win off a superplex into a Jackhammer.

- La Primera sent The Juggernaut through the barricade then hit the SVB in the ring for a surprise near-fall.

- Backstage, Vaquer was arguing with Tormenta and Dalys. Jacy Jayne attacked La Primera, forcing officials to break up a brawl.

Ricky Saints and Ethan Page Give Fans a Preview for NXT

Backstage, Ava interrupted "All Ego" Ethan Page to advise that he would open the show in his North American Championship challenge against Ricky Saints, and the winner would defend the gold at Worlds Collide.

The Revolution got an in-ring interview with Sarah Schreiber, who promised to beat Page on Tuesday and stand as an ambassador for NXT at Worlds Collide.

All Ego tried to sneak attack Saints, but he sent him outside the ring then dived onto him and security.

As a hype segment for NXT, this was good business all around. Saints cut a solid promo then showed off just a bit of what he might do to retain against Page on Tuesday.

It was odd thought to put this in the ring in the midst of a strong six-match PLE, taking time away from the scheduled action.

Saints vs. Page feels predictable, but NXT is teasing something big for NXT at the end of this match, perhaps a first-time appearance for a AAA or TNA talent that will challenge for the gold next.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

- While it was announced that the North American Championship would be defended at Worlds Collide, no challenger was announced.

NXT Championship: Oba Femi (c) vs. Myles Borne

Oba Femi dominated Myles Borne early in this match, but the No Quarter Catch Crew star stayed strong and found technical openings to wear down the NXT champion.

The Ruler was never out-matched, but Borne kept him on his toes. After the challenger kicked out of the first Fall From Grace, Oba hit two more to seal the win.

Oba has worked most of his matches in NXT in a fast-paced, high-impact style. This was paced much more like a typical WWE main event clash.

The slow pace steadily built, allowing Borne to play the crowd favorite by increasing the speed of the action. Each near-fall was an escalation on the last until the crowd was alive for every move.

It was not a highlight-reel performance in terms of action, but the story of Borne rising to the occasion certainly delivered.

The end goal was to sell that the No Quarter Catch Crew star is ready for a breakout, which is exactly what it did. He is more likely though at a North American Championship level rather than the NXT Championship.

Result

Oba def. Borne by pinfall to retain the NXT Championship.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

- Charlie Dempsey glared at Borne when he put out his fist for a fist bump during his entrance.

- While Borne was supposed to be the underdog babyface in this match, the crowd was behind Oba from the start.

- Vic Joseph frequently questioned by No Quarter Catch Crew was not in Borne's corner while Booker T and Corey Graves said it kept Borne focused.

- Borne hit a double foot stomp into a standing moonsault, but Oba caught him into a chokeslam for a near-fall.

- The Ruler went for the Fall From Grace, but the challenger reversed into a stack-up pin for two.

- Oba gave a nod of approval to Borne before he headed to the back.

TNA World Championship: Joe Hendry (c) vs. Trick Williams

Trick Williams felt the match falling away from him after Joe Hendry kicked out of the Trick Shot, so he brought the TNA World Championship into the ring.

While the referee tried to get it out quickly, Trick planted Hendry on the championship in the ring followed by a Trick Shot for the win.

This was a fine match, heavily reliant on teasing the same few moves across the course of the contest. It was out-shined technically by multiple matches.

However, it was clearly positioned as the main event due to the result. For the first time ever, a NXT Superstar is the TNA world champion.

Hendry was heavily protected in the loss, but NXT and TNA will need to tread carefully with this story to not lose focus on the credibility of both brands.

Trick could be a great champion as the invading WWE star that TNA's top talent must find a way to overcome.

Whether it is Hendry that gets the title back or Mike Santana that saves the gold, the right spotlight could elevate both brands and the important of the world title in the eyes of WWE faithful.

It is a difficult story to tell though and will require Trick to work significant time on both brands. As an in-ring performer, he will also need to continue improving working with a variety of names.

Result

Trick def. Hendry by pinfall to become the new TNA world champion.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

- The crowd was rocking for Hendry and chanting "TNA" to start.

- Trick hit Joe with a fallaway slam and went for the classic Hendry pose. He then caught the champion running for a Book End and near-fall.

- Booker T called out that he had been training Trick, followed by Trick hitting the Spinaroonie. Hendry made him pay for it with a Book End.

- Hendry ducked an axe kick from Booker and hit the Standing Ovation, but Trick got his foot on the bottom rope.

- Trick sent Hendry with the announce table with a Book End then hit a Trick Knee in the ring, but the champion kicked out.

Overall Show

Battleground sold the women's division as great while delivering the biggest story moments with the men.

In particular, Stephanie Vaquer and Jordynne Grace delivered the match of the night with technical quality that will match any singles match on the main roster.

Sol Ruca and Kelani Jordan delivered the biggest athletic spots of the night in a rematch that lived up to the hype from their original bout.

Trick Williams though will be the talk of the show after defeating Joe Hendry in a decent match, capturing the TNA World Championship.

Myles Borne raised his level on the card by fighting Oba Femi tough in his loss for the NXT Championship.

Tony D'Angelo and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo felt overbooked but still delivered the drama, selling a shifting dynamics in The Family.

Even the throwaway six-man tag match was aided by the return of Yoshiki Inamura, a needed presence in the men's tag division.

Overall, Battleground was a good show for NXT but should not set the long-term standard, especially for the women's division.

Vaquer proved she deserves more than just good opponents. She deserves the same level of dramatic storytelling going into the summer.

Overall Grade: B