May 6, 2025 delivered a tightly packed edition of NXT – with Battleground approaching, the #1 Contender spot for the NXT Women’s Championship was up for grabs, and we got a reminder that Kelani Jordan might need to invest in a better insurance plan. Let’s get into it.
We opened on Thea Hail giving Karmen Petrovic a pep talk about leaving Ashante in the dust—what Thea calls “being strong.” Enter Jaida Parker, who calls it what she sees: selfish. Thea gets barked at (literally), Karmen claps back, and we’ve got ourselves a match on deck with real bite. More on that later.
Kelani Jordan vs. Zaria
Kelani didn’t wait for the bell to finish echoing before blasting Zaria with a dropkick, setting the pace early. Zaria absorbed the heat and responded with elbows, a swinging gutbuster, and general disrespect.
Kelani fought back with agility—ripping off a rana on the outside and chaining together a smooth tilt-a-whirl DDT for two. A 450 splash almost landed, but Zaria dodged and speared Kelani out of her boots. That wasn’t enough—so after a near-fall and some more reversals, Kelani landed a slick moonsault to the outside. Unfortunately for her, it backfired.
Zaria flung her into Sol Ruca, then damn near split Kelani in half with a spear through the barricade. A brutal F5 in the ring closed the door.
Winner: Zaria
Zaria didn’t just win—she sent a message in all caps. And with Sol watching it all unfold? Safe to say the North American Title just got a new problem.
Lola Vice told Stephanie Vaquer she’s ready for whoever comes next, but Giulia was lurking and made it crystal clear she hasn’t forgotten what went down. As for Jordynne Grace, she predicted victory because she’s “the strongest.” Lash Legend and Izzi Dame begged to differ—literally, in Lash’s case. Grace walks out claiming victory for later tonight and at Battleground.
Karmen Petrovic vs. Jaida Parker
Karmen started sharp, using quick kicks and a dive to the outside to rock Jaida early. But Parker’s power turned things around fast with a blockbuster and some heavy corner offense.
Karmen fought out of a surfboard stretch with clotheslines, a sliding basement dropkick, and a slick sling blade. But when she went for her spin kick, Jaida dodged it like a pro and landed Hypnotic for the win.
Winner: Jaida Parker
Jaida wasn’t done. She attacked post-match, but Thea sacrificed herself to take the blow for Karmen. Karmen recovered in time to try a retaliatory kick, but Jaida backed off with a smirk. That one’s not over.
#1 Contender’s Match: Jordynne Grace vs. Giulia
This main event felt like a real fight from the opening bell. Jordynne and Giulia traded strikes with bad intentions, with Grace taking early control thanks to a devastating sit-out gutbuster and a stalling suplex that felt like she was showing off—because she was.
Giulia wasn’t just there to take punishment, though. A nasty STO shifted momentum, followed by a neckbreaker on the apron that sent us to break with a thud. Back from commercial, Grace survived a guillotine and answered with a spinebuster, but neither woman could keep the other down for long.
The final stretch was just bombs away: two bodyslams from Grace, followed by a Michinoku Driver. Giulia answered with her own version, and a DDT. They traded reversals, and Giulia nearly locked in an Octopus—but Grace powered out and planted her with the Juggernaut Driver.
Winner: Jordynne Grace
Stephanie Vaquer walked out as Grace celebrated, giving us a powerful image to close the show. Two champions in attitude—only one will walk out of Battleground with the belt.
This show didn’t waste time. Zaria’s eying the North American Championship, Jaida keeps stacking receipts, and Jordynne Grace punched her ticket to Battleground in a match that was equal parts brutal and technical. Great stuff all around.
But most importantly, what did you think of tonight’s show?
