‘WWE NXT’ Review (Aug 19th 2025)
Welcome to this week’s review of NXT, right here on Nerdly. Let’s get straight into it and see what went down on this week’s show!
Match #1: Philadelphia Street Fight – Josh Briggs def. Yoshiki Inamura
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Former friends Josh Briggs and Yoshiki Inamura battled in an incredible Philadelphia Street Fight. The Man of Mayhem taped Inamura to the ropes and unleashed a vicious Kendo stick attack, but the Japanese Superstar powered through it and delivered some sumo shots. Inamura hit his signature diving splash through a table, but Briggs kicked out at the last possible second. As he tried to set up another table, Briggs countered and hit a huge moonsault through a table of his own to win the barbaric match.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Ricky Saints def. Jasper Troy
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Ricky Saints brought his A-game against the devastating Jasper Troy. Troy had the power advantage, but Saints showed off some power of his own by hitting a huge Samoan drop. The fired-up NXT Universe in Philadelphia stayed behind Saints, and he used that energy to hit a pair of Tornado DDTs to win the bout.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Fatal Influence def. The Elegance Brand
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Masha Slamovich served as the special guest referee for the match, and her actions inadvertently gave the win to Fatal Influence. A Swanton Bomb from Ash seemingly had the match won, but Slamovich was preoccupied with chaos on the outside and was late to get to the pinfall. Ash argued about that fact, and it cost her as she turned right into a match-ending Rolling Encore from Jayne.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: NXT Title No. 1 Contenders Match – Je’Von Evans def. Trick Williams
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Je’Von Evans is the No. 1 Contender for the NXT Championship after he defeated TNA World Champion Trick Williams. Williams stunned everyone when he caught Evans on the top rope and sent him crashing through the announce table on the outside, compromising The Young OG for the rest of the match. Somehow, Evans fought back, but Williams teed him up for what lookedl ike a match-ending Trick Shot. However, the TNA World Champion spotted Mike Santana in a luxury box, and that distraction allowed Evans to hit a cutter and a huge slam to become the No. 1 Contender.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This week’s NXT was a decent go-home show that combined hardcore intensity, strategic storytelling, and championship stakes. The opening Street Fight set the tone with its raw brutality, while Ricky Saints continued to climb the ranks with a convincing win. The women’s trios match delivered strong performances and proper drama, while the main event delivered an entertaining end to proceedings – Je’Von Evans earned his title shot with a clutch victory over Trick Williams, setting the stage for a compelling championship match. Plus, the Grace/Monroe confrontation added emotional fuel heading into Heatwave. Overall, this episode was a great balance of action and narrative.
