WWE NXT Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights Before Heatwave 2025
Welcome to Bleacher Report's live coverage of WWE NXT on August 19.
We are just days away from NXT Heatwave, so plenty of time was spent hyping the show, but WWE still had to ensure Tuesday's episode had enough meat on the bone.
Here is what WWE advertised for this week's show:
- Fatal Influence vs. The Elegance Brand
- Yoshiki Inamura vs. Josh Briggs
- Je'Von Evans vs. Trick Williams
- Jordynne Grace and Blake Monroe meet face-to-face
- Chelsea Green and Ethan Page meet with Tyra Mae Steel and Tavion Heights
- Ricky Saints vs. Jasper Troy
Let's take a look at everything that happened on Tuesday's NXT.
Josh Briggs vs. Yoshiki Inamura
1 of 7
The show opened with Briggs and Inamura's Street Fight. There was no wasting time this week.
There was no lockup and no easing into this match. They were fighting all around the ring and going for weapons almost immediately.
Both men did a good job selling the personal nature of their feud. With Heatwave coming up on Sunday, it was shocking that this bout wasn't saved for then. It feels like one of NXT's better storylines.
Briggs used a roll of tape to tie Inamura to the top rope and beat him with a kendo stick. Once he freed himself, Inamura began unloading on his former friend.
Both men put each other through tables, but it was Briggs who got the win with his spot. He almost missed Inamura and landed on him mostly with his legs, but it worked.
This was a fun and energetic way to get the show going.
Result: Briggs defeated Inamura
Grade: B
Notable Moments and Observations
- The venue was much different this week. There was a much bigger space around the ring than usual.
- It's still kind of funny to see the Maybelline logo in a WWE ring for some reason.
- Inamura took some stiff shots to the back, but it didn't seem to slow him down at all. The marks on his back looked brutal.
- The way Briggs put himself on the table for Inamura looked way too contrived.
Ricky Saints vs. Jasper Troy
2 of 7
As Saints made his way to the ring for this match against Troy, Briggs bumped his shoulder walking past as a sign of disrespect.
Saints came out of the gate with a dropkick in an attempt to take control, but Troy barely moved. Saints got him to his knees with a sleeper, but the powerhouse was able to muscle out of it.
This was a typical big guy vs. smaller guy match. Saints is not that small, so it tells you how big Troy is to put him in that position.
Troy's inexperience definitely came into play. Saints did a good job trying to mask it, but there was a noticeable lack of chemistry between the two. They didn't look too bad working together, but give Troy a year and most of the mistakes in this match won't be a problem.
Saints ended up getting the win after Troy missed a senton on the steel steps and was planted with two DDTs, which seemed to shock Booker T on commentary.
Result: Saints defeated Troy
Grade: C
Notable Moments and Observations
- It's kind of funny that Troy takes off one vest to reveal a similar one underneath it.
- Troy was just a split second late to hit a boot when Saints tried to jump over the top rope. It still worked, but it was slightly awkward.
Two Rivals Meet Before Their Match
3 of 7
Grace came to the ring and talked about her career and being duped into thinking a friendship in pro wrestling could work with Monroe.
She said she doesn't care about revenge, but she does want to show Monroe exactly who she is. This brought out The Glamour with a team of security guards by her side.
Monroe tried to insult her rival, but Grace pointed out she was in the ring at Evolution while Monroe was on the sidelines, which made her jealous. Grace took out the security to end the segment.
This was a cookie-cutter segment, but it was fine for what it was.
Grade: C
Notable Moments and Observations
- The security guards took a second before they followed Monroe into the ring. She could have easily been attacked before revealing Grace is not allowed to touch her before their match.
The Elegance Brand vs. Fatal Influence
4 of 7
Heather, M and Ash visited from TNA this week to take on Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley and Jazmyn Nyx in a six-woman tag match.
Masha Slamovich got her wish to be the special guest referee in this bout. M and Henley started for their teams, but Fatal Influence quickly took control.
While it wasn't ignored, the announcers didn't make many references to Ash's time in WWE as Dana Brooke. They sort of tip-toed around it by not saying her old name.
The match was back-and-forth most of the time. Both teams had some opportunities to be in control so all six women had time in the ring, but Ash did the heavy lifting for her team since she was the most recognizable talent on her side.
Slamovich booted the personal concierge from ringside after he interfered, but he had done enough to give his team the upper hand by tripping Henley to distract her.
While this match had some slow points and a few weak moments, overall, it was an enjoyable fight. All six competitors had their moments to shine, but we also got to see different combinations work together in fun ways.
After Ash almost won but was thwarted by the ref being distracted, Jayne came in and decked her with a huge right hand to get the pin.
Result: Fatal Influence defeated The Elegance Brand
Grade: B-
Notable Moments and Observations
- Sol Ruca implied in a backstage segment that she was going to defend the Speed title soon, which has been forgotten about since the show stopped airing on X.
- This was the first time the entire Elegance Brand was featured on NXT, so M and Heather will be new to many fans.
- The personal concierge of The Elegance Brand played a good weasel-like manager.
- Nyx and Henley had some nice double-team offense. They were perfectly synced up for a couple of moves.
The USA and Canada Summit
5 of 7
Page and Green came out with some new combined entrance music for their segment with Steel and Heights.
Page started off by complimenting Heights and putting over his work before saying he despises how he feels disrespected by him.
They exchanged a lot of words, but nothing new was said in this segment until the end when NXT general manager Ava came out and finally booked a mixed tag match between all of them.
Page and Green were both their usual entertaining selves, and the brief fight at the end was a good way to wrap it up. But this could have been half as long and accomplished the same things.
Grade: C+
Notable Moments and Observations
- They need to just make Charlie Dempsey a heel already. He has been acting like one for a long time, but WWE keeps pulling away from doing it.
- Steel and Heights both being Olympic athletes sets them apart. It's wise for WWE to lean into that more.
- Lexis King apologized to Myles Borne backstage before spraying him in the face with pepper spray, so this feud clearly isn't over.
Je'Von Evans vs. Trick Williams
6 of 7
This week's show concluded with a No. 1 Contender's match for the NXT title between Evans and Williams.
Evans found himself bleeding from the mouth after just a couple of minutes, but it seemed to energize him as he unleashed a flurry of kicks against Williams.
It seemed like an even matchup until Williams shoved Evans off the top rope and he went flying through the announce table in one of the wildest spots we have seen outside of a premium live event in some time.
Throughout the break, we saw Evans struggling to make it back to the ring in the picture-in-picture segment. As soon as he got back in, Williams was on top of him again.
Oba Femi was watching from a balcony as The Young OG continued to struggle. Evans eventually made a comeback, but Williams didn't make it easy on him.
Mike Santana showed up and distracted Williams just long enough for Evans to hit his finisher to get the pin and the win.
Result: Evans defeated Williams
Grade: B+
Notable Moments and Observations
- Joe Hendry burst out of a cabinet during a backstage segment with DarkState because someone said his name.
- The commentators said Williams wearing the TNA title belt upside down was intentional.
- The table spot Evans had was nuts. He went flying off the top rope right through the announce table and almost went past it because he flew too far.
The Final Word
7 of 7
Tuesday’s NXT was a somewhat uneventful episode overall, but it had a couple of moments that stood out.
Ava booking a mixed tag match for Heatwave rounded out the card for the PLE, a handful of feuds were addressed, and a new No. 1 contender was decided.
The two best things on the show ended up being the first and last things we saw.
Briggs and Inamura opened the episode with an entertaining Street Fight that the crowd at the Metropolitan Opera House in Philadelphia loved, and the show ended with Williams and Evans having a fantastic match.
Heatwave should be a decent show with the card WWE has put in place, but NXT’s weekly shows have been lacking some of the excitement that once made the brand must-see TV every week. If it can find a way to regain that, NXT could become the best brand in WWE again.
Right now, Evans is one of the hottest prospects WWE has on the roster. If he can keep himself healthy and limit dangerous spots like the one he had on this show, he could have a long and fruitful career.
Grade: C+
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