NXT delivered a loaded show on September 23, 2025, just days away from No Mercy. With cross-brand drama spilling into the spotlight, the episode set the stage for a chaotic weekend. From Speed championship qualifiers to a violent post-match brawl, the women’s division was at the forefront and every segment carried implications for what’s to come.
Candice LeRae vs. Lainey Reid: WWE Speed Qualifier
The night’s first major bout saw Lainey Reid go one-on-one with Candice LeRae, with the winner earning a shot at Speed Women’s Champion Sol Ruca this weekend at No Mercy.
LeRae opened hot, connecting with a senton seconds in before missing a springboard moonsault. Reid capitalized, forcing the action onto the apron. A tense moment followed when LeRae teased a German suplex to the floor, but Reid fought it off—only to get smashed face-first into the edge of the ring for her trouble.
LeRae looked to take control, launching herself outside with a crossbody as the match hit the halfway mark. Back inside, she transitioned seamlessly into a crossface, nearly locking in the submission before Reid rolled her into a pin attempt. Both women scrambled through rapid-fire roll-ups until Reid cut through the exchange with a brutal knee to the head. The strike sealed it—Reid earned the pin at two-and-a-half minutes.
Winner: Lainey Reid (advances to face Sol Ruca for the Speed Women’s Championship at No Mercy)
Earlier, Jordynne Grace had been shown watching Blake Monroe’s latest unsettling vignette. Arianna Grace, trying to distance herself from Jordynne despite the shared last name, said, “I’d be scared” of Monroe, then doubled down that she and Jordynne have nothing in common. Jordynne responded by challenging her to prove it in the ring.
Arianna Grace vs. Jordynne Grace
When the match began, Arianna tried to gain an edge by attacking before the bell. But the advantage was fleeting. Jordynne absorbed the offense and quickly imposed her power. After brief back-and-forth exchanges, she planted Arianna with a spinebuster, then followed with a powerbomb for the decisive pinfall.
Winner: Jordynne Grace
Post-match, chaos erupted. Blake Monroe stormed to the ring with a pink kendo stick. Jordynne armed herself with a steel chair, and the two collided in a heated brawl that referees struggled to contain. Interim GMs Stevie Turner and Robert Stone stepped in to make it official: Jordynne Grace vs. Blake Monroe, steel cage weapons match at No Mercy.
Fatal Influence & NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne dismissed her stablemates and entered the ring alone, insisting she could handle Lola Vice herself.
Jayne started with bravado, downplaying last week’s loss and reminding the crowd she’s been NXT Women’s Champion for over 100 days. “End of the day, whether you like it or not, I’m still your champion,” she said, before mocking Vice as “a crossover act pretending to be a wrestler.”
Vice fired back with confidence. She acknowledged Jayne’s reign but called it survival, not dominance. One year removed from her last title opportunity, Vice declared she’s no longer just a fighter, she’s a professional wrestler. “At No Mercy, I’ll knock you out and become NXT Champion,” Vice vowed.
Jayne, in a rare moment of honesty, admitted she may take a beating but promised she’d still walk out with the gold. She cut deep by taunting Vice about her family’s sacrifices. That was the trigger: Vice decked her with a spinning backfist and hoisted the NXT Women’s Championship high as the segment closed.
The tension heading into No Mercy couldn’t be clearer.
Backstage Notes
- TNA’s Xia Brookside and Xia Li were spotted arriving earlier in the evening.
- Jaida Parker declared her rivalry with Lash Legend “isn’t over by a long shot.”
- Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Paxley’s chat was interrupted by Izzi Dame, who stirred the pot by reminding Paxley she’d been abandoned by Lyra before.
- Jazmyn Nyx was attacked off-screen during a Je’Von Evans interview—her assailant remains unknown. Later, Jayne privately told Fallon Henley it was time to drop her from Fatal Influence: “Only the strong survive.”
The night’s closer carried blockbuster stakes. Oba Femi put the NXT Championship on the line, while Trick Williams wagered the TNA World Championship in a Winner Take All showdown.
The crowd knew interference was inevitable, given how many TNA talents were in the building. Even so, the match kicked into gear quickly. TNA talent would appear in the audience throughout the match. After Trick Williams smashed Femi into the steel steps, he then turned his attention to TNA’s Santana at ringside. In a bold move, Williams slapped Santana across the face. Santana returned the favor, slapping Trick right back. That was enough for the referee, he threw out the match out on the spot.
What followed was bedlam. TNA and NXT wrestlers stormed the ring, men and women alike, sparking a massive brand-versus-brand brawl. The melee reached its climax when Femi and Ricky Saints stared each other down, a preview of their No Mercy clash for the NXT title.
The main event didn’t produce a winner, but it left plenty of wreckage ahead of No Mercy this weekend. Leave your comments below!