WWE NXT rolled into the WWE Performance Center in Orlando on February 17, 2026. The night featured a hard-hitting opener between Kelani Jordan and Lola Vice and storyline implications for next week’s NXT Women’s Championship match, let’s dive in!
Kelani Jordan vs. Lola Vice
WWE NXT opened with immediate intensity as Lola Vice and Kelani Jordan brawled before the bell even rang, setting the tone for a physical, story-driven match. Vice entered wearing a brace on her right hand, selling previous damage from Jordan’s attacks, and Jordan wasted no time targeting it. From body slams to driving Vice’s hand into the mat and even the steel steps, Jordan’s offense stayed focused and deliberate. Vice fought back with strikes, a German suplex, and her signature running hip attack, managing bursts of momentum while consistently selling the injury.
The action spilled outside the ring, where Vice narrowly missed a back fist near the podium and ended up smashing her damaged hand into the structure, giving Jordan another opening. The closing stretch saw Jordan attempt a 450 Splash, only for Vice to counter into a Triangle submission. Jordan escaped, stomped the injured hand again, and transitioned into a tight armbar, wrenching the wrist until Vice was forced to tap after 12 minutes.
Winner by submission: Kelani Jordan
The match stayed grounded in its central story from start to finish. Vice’s selling gave the fight logical progression, while Jordan’s submission victory felt earned and strategically sound, even if submissions are not typically her calling card. A strong opener that balanced intensity with storytelling.
Backstage: The Culling and Title Intentions
Backstage, Izzi Dame, the NXT Women’s North American Champion, appeared alongside The Culling’s Shawn Spears and Niko Vance. Dame promised that no matter which version of Tatum Paxley appeared at Vengeance Day, the result would be the same.
Friendship Fallout: Sol Ruca and Zaria
In another backstage segment, Sol Ruca confronted Zaria, but the conversation went sideways quickly. Zaria bluntly declared their friendship one-sided and said she was done. She told Sol to deal with Fatal Influence alone and ended it with a brutal “go to hell.”
Jacy Jayne/Sol Ruca Face to Face
Fatal Influence entered next: NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne, Women’s Speed Champion Fallon Henley, and Lainey Reid. Jayne opened by saying she wouldn’t complain about facing Sol Ruca next week before unexpectedly dropping the confidence shield and admitting jealousy.
Jayne explained that despite her accomplishments, including holding both the NXT Women’s Championship and the TNA Knockouts Championship after defeating Stephanie Vaquer, fans still gravitate toward Sol Ruca. Henley mentioned Sol winning NXT Female Superstar of the Year. Jayne referenced watching John Cena’s final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event only to see Sol get the spotlight, and even at the Royal Rumble, people talked about Ruca finishing in the final three. Reid added that fans couldn’t stop talking about Sol.
Jayne twisted the knife by claiming Sol only got a title shot because she sacrificed her best friend. According to Jayne, there’s room for only one person at the top.
Sol Ruca interrupted, agreeing that Jayne’s issue wasn’t confidence, but envy. She told the champion to stop measuring herself against others and warned Jayne not to speak about her friendship with Zaria. Jayne insisted that success requires leaving friends behind. Sol countered that Jayne had never experienced a real friendship, promising that next week she’d “snatch her soul” and take the title.
The segment exploded when Jayne slapped Ruca. Henley and Reid jumped her until Zaria stormed the ring. Instead of attacking Sol, Zaria speared Henley, headbutted Reid, and press-slammed Jayne over the top rope onto her teammates. The crowd erupted with chants of “Zaria” as she helped Ruca to her feet and embraced her.
The promo worked because it leaned into insecurity rather than cartoon villainy. Jayne’s jealousy felt believable, Ruca came off confident without forcing it, and the Zaria appearance swerved expectations at exactly the right moment.
More Backstage Movement
Later, Robert Stone spoke with Women’s Speed Champion Fallon Henley about an upcoming title defense. Blake Monroe interrupted just as Stone revealed Jaida Parker was suspended and dealing with a neck injury. Stone inserted Blake into the Women’s Speed Title tournament against Thea Hail, a matchup Blake was clearly unhappy about given her previous loss.
Toward the end of the night, Sol Ruca and Zaria were shown backstage again. This time, tensions eased as Zaria offered support ahead of Sol’s NXT Women’s Championship match next week, leaving their alliance intact for now.
Final Thoughts
This episode quietly positioned multiple storylines but was lacking on in ring action. It’s a shame about Jaida Parker’s injury, it feels like every time she’s starting to gain momentum, it gets halted. Kelani Jordan strengthened her credibility with a smartly constructed win.
The tension between Sol Ruca and Zaria has been simmering since early summer, well before Evolution, and at this point the slow burn needs a payoff. With Sol seemingly just waiting for the inevitable main roster call-up after her Royal Rumble spotlight, now is the time to finally pull the trigger on their split. If the story follows its natural path, Zaria shouldn’t just cost Sol the championship next week, she should leave a lasting mark afterward. We’ll see what ends up happening.
Leave your comments below and let us know what stood out most from WWE NXT this week.