The latest World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) NXT premium live event (PLE) took place on Sunday, May 25, and was one of the most thrilling events so far this year.
NXT, WWE’s developmental brand, held Battleground at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Fla. It is NXT’s first PLE since Stand & Deliver, which took place during WrestleMania 41 weekend.
This was also the third Battleground under the NXT brand, with the first taking place in 2023. It was primarily an event that featured WWE main roster stars from “Monday Night Raw” and “Friday Night SmackDown.”
Match 1: Sol Ruca (champion) versus Kelani Jordan in a singles match for the NXT Women’s North American Championship
The first match of the night featured the NXT Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca defending her title against Kelani Jordan.
Ruca is also the current WWE Speed Champion, making her a double champion. This championship is contested in gripping, fast-paced matches on “WWE Speed,” the first WWE show airing exclusively on X. She won the Speed title on the April 16, 2025 episode of “WWE Speed,” defeating the then-champion Candice LeRae.
At last year’s Battleground, Jordan became the inaugural NXT Women’s North American Champion after she defeated Ruca, Lash Legend, Fallon Henley, Jaida Parker and Michin.
Ruca won the North American title back at Stand & Deliver after Stephanie Vaquer vacated the title. The match for the title was a ladder match featuring Ruca, Izzi Dame, Kelani Jordan, Lola Vice, Thea Hail and Zaria.
Jordan found her way in this match after she defeated Zaria on the May 20, 2025 episode of “WWE NXT,” which made her the number one contender for Ruca’s title.
The entire match was full of great moments and close finishes as both Ruca and Jordan put it all out there in the ring.
Jordan looked to close out the match by performing her finisher, the “One of a Kind,” which is a split-legged moonsault. However, she failed to connect with the move.
Ruca was able to retain the title after she hit her finisher, the “Sol Snatcher,” from the top rope and pinned Jordan for the victory.
Match 2: The Culling (Shawn Spears, Brooks Jensen, Niko Vance) (with Izzi Dame) versus NXT Tag Team Champions Hank & Tank (Hank Walker and Tank Ledger) and Josh Briggs in a Six-Man Tag Team Match
Battleground’s second match was a six-man tag team match featuring The Culling’s Shawn Spears, Brooks Jensen and Niko Vance battling the team of the NXT Tag Team Champions, Hank Walker and Tank Ledger and Josh Briggs. Walker and Ledger became tag champions at Stand & Deliver as they upset the then-champions Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom), who held the titles for 229 days.
This match was very exciting as both teams constantly battled it out. The team of Walker, Ledger and Briggs was close to winning it after Briggs performed a moonsault, but The Culling was able to stay alive.
The three were able to secure the victory after Walker and Ledger performed their tag team finishing move and took down The Culling.
Following the loss, The Culling attacked as they were furious with the result. Fortunately for Walker, Ledger and Briggs, Yoshiki Inamura returned to NXT and helped them overcome.
Match 3: Tony D’Angelo versus Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo in a singles match
The third match featured Tony D’Angelo facing off against his former ally, the group’s underboss, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo.
The two were very close as Lorenzo was a part of the group called “The D’Angelo Family,” which was led by D’Angelo. Tensions had been high for weeks after the emergence of a group called Darkstate, which brawled in the parking lot with D’Angelo’s group on the April 15, 2025 episode of “WWE NXT.”
This led to a six-man tag team match between the two factions at Stand & Deliver on April 19, 2025. Late in the match, Lorenzo betrayed D’Angelo by hitting him with a low blow from behind, thus turning heel and becoming a bad guy.
It was a back-and-forth contest between the former allies that included a ton of amazing moves. In the middle of the match, D’Angelo hit Lorenzo with a spinebuster, which is one of the best moves in his repertoire. He then followed it up with a powerbomb.
D’Angelo had the chance to close it out, but he hesitated. This allowed Lorenzo to regroup and go back on the attack. However, it didn’t last long as D’Angelo later delivered his finisher, a swinging fisherman suplex, the “Forget About It,” to Lorenzo, but could not pick up the win.
It then looked like it was over for Lorenzo after D’Angelo performed another powerbomb on him, but Luca Crusifino, one of the members of the D’Angelo family, appeared at the ringside area and just stared. This distracted D’Angelo, allowing Lorenzo to hit him with a low blow from behind and securing the win over his former ally.
After Lorenzo won the match, he left the ring, leaving D’Angelo alone in it. Crusifino then made his way into the ring and went for a hug, but D’Angelo pushed him away. This could potentially spell the end of the D’Angelo family, as there are cracks in the foundation of the group. This was one of the most dramatic parts of Battleground because of Lorenzo’s betrayal.
Match 4: Stephanie Vaquer (champion) versus Jordynne Grace in a singles match for the NXT Women’s Championship
Battleground’s fourth match featured Stephanie Vaquer defending her NXT Women’s Championship against Jordynne Grace.
Vaquer has been the champion for 75 days after she won the title at NXT Roadblock on March 11, 2025, becoming a double-champion. She also won the NXT Women’s North American Championship at Vengeance Day on Feb. 15, 2025, as she defeated the then-champion Fallon Henley.
Unfortunately for Vaquer, she had to relinquish the North American title on the April 1, 2025 episode of “WWE NXT.”
On the May 6, 2025 episode of “WWE NXT,” Grace defeated Giulia to become the number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship.
This match between Vaquer and Grace was one of the most action-packed matches of the night. Both competitors made sure they gave it their all in the match.
There was a big moment where Grace performed a spinebuster on Vaquer. A little after that, she performed a sit-out slam, but was unable to secure the win and the title. This was just one of many close finishes to the match as both of them were able to keep fighting. It was shocking how close Grace was to becoming the new NXT Women’s Champion.
The momentum then shifted to Vaquer after she sent Grace right through the barricade at ringside. Vaquer looked like she was about to retain the title after hitting her finisher, the “SVB,” on Grace, but was unable to secure the pinfall victory.
With Grace now down and out, Vaquer climbed up to the top rope and performed the “Spiral Tap” to help her retain her title.
Match 5: Oba Femi (champion) versus Myles Borne in a singles match for the NXT Championship
This match featured one of the most dominant champions in NXT, Oba Femi, defending his NXT Championship against underdog Myles Borne of the No Quarter Catch Crew.
Borne was able to get into this match for the title after he won a 25-man battle royal on the May 6, 2025 episode of “WWE NXT.” He last eliminated Ethan Page and became the number one contender for Femi’s title. It has been an amazing story for Borne, who is partially deaf, but has defied the odds to get to this point.
Femi has held the NXT Championship for 138 days after he won it in a triple threat match at New Year’s Evil against the then-champion Trick Williams and Eddy Thorpe. That was the first time Femi had won the NXT Championship. He was previously the NXT North American champion for a record 273 days, and lost the title to Tony D’Angelo on the Oct. 8, 2024 episode of “WWE NXT.”
This match was Borne’s first ever shot at the NXT Championship, as he looked to win his first title as a singles competitor.
Borne started the match with a ton of early offense that included him hitting a drop kick on the champion Femi. That didn’t last for long as Femi fired back against underdog Borne, taking control of the match and performed a vertical suplex on Borne.
After Borne performed a third drop kick on the champion, he attempted to dive through the ropes, but was hit with a punch by Femi.
Then, the momentum shifted in the direction of Borne after he sent Femi right into the ring post.
Femi looked to bounce back, but Borne hit him with a Randy Orton-esque powerslam, but could not pick up the win just yet. He followed it up with a German suplex, but Femi was able to stay alive.
After Borne hit a fourth drop kick on Femi, Femi regrouped and hit his finisher, the “Fall From Grace” powerbomb, but Borne kicked out before the referee could make the three-count.
Femi was finally able to put Borne away following another “Fall From Grace” and picked up the win to retain the NXT Championship.
Match 6: Joe Hendry (TNA) (champion) versus Trick Williams (NXT) in a singles match for the TNA World Championship
This match featured Joe Hendry defending his Total Nonstop Action (TNA) World Championship against the former two-time NXT Champion Trick Williams. Both competitors have been embroiled in a fierce rivalry since the April 22, 2025 episode of “WWE NXT,” where Hendry confronted Williams.
This was the first time the TNA World Championship has been defended on a WWE premium live event. It was such a far cry from the previous regime under Vince McMahon, who would have never had something like this take place in WWE because he was not someone who acknowledged other wrestling companies.
Hendry won the TNA World Championship on Jan. 19, 2025 at TNA Genesis, defeating the then-champion Nic Nemeth in the main event. The TNA title has been held by many well-known former champions, including AJ Styles, Bubba Ray Dudley and Kurt Angle, making it one of the most prestigious championships in professional wrestling.
On April 27, 2025, at TNA Rebellion, Hendry defended the title in a triple threat match against Frankie Kazarian and Ethan Page. Following the match, Williams attacked Hendry, setting up this match at Battleground.
The match began with a deliberate pace as there was a feeling-out process in the early going. In one of the earlier stages, Hendry hit Williams with a fallaway slam from the top rope. That was followed up with an exchange of punches between the two superstars.
Williams then performed a scissor kick on Hendry — a signature move by WWE Hall of Famer Booker T. After the scissor kick, Williams emulated Booker T by doing a “Spinaroonie” in the center of the ring. It almost cost him as Hendry then hit a move on him, but was unable to secure the win.
A little later in the match, Hendry fended off Williams and hit him with a vertical suplex and a fallaway slam, gaining control of the match.
It looked like Hendry had the match won after he performed his finisher, the “Standing Ovation,” on Williams, but Williams caused a rope break after he placed his foot on the bottom rope.
This shifted the momentum to Williams, who caught Hendry outside the ring and sent him crashing through the announce table. He went back into the ring to secure the win, but Hendry instinctively kicked out just before the three-count.
In the final stage of the match, Williams went to the ringside area, picked up the TNA title and brought it into the ring to use to his advantage. Williams attempted to use it so he could hit Hendry with it, but the referee prevented him from doing so.
Hendry looked to close out the match by going for another “Standing Ovation,” but Williams was able to counter the move by sending Hendry face-first into the TNA title that was in the ring.
After Hendry recovered and stood up, Williams hit his finisher, the “Trick Shot,” on Hendry to win the match and become the new TNA World Champion. With the loss, Hendry’s reign as champion unfortunately ended at 126 days.
As for Hendry, we will have to see what is next for him after the defeat at the hands of Williams.
The win for Williams will certainly send shockwaves throughout WWE and TNA since this was such a shocking outcome.
TNA star Mike Santana appeared backstage at one point during Battleground and was interviewed by WWE correspondent Sarah Schreiber. In the interview, Santana stated that he will be coming for the TNA World Championship. He appeared on the May 27, 2025 episode of “WWE NXT,” and competed in a match against Tavion Heights of the No Quarter Catch Crew. It was Santana’s WWE in-ring debut and he was able to secure the victory.
Now with Williams being the new TNA World Champion, this could set up Santana challenging him for the title at TNA’s next pay-per-view, which is Slammiversary on July 20 at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. This would be a homecoming for the native New Yorker; it could also be a great moment for Santana’s career if he challenges and defeats Williams for the title of TNA World Champion.
The weeks leading up to TNA Slammiversary will be very exciting, and it will surely be interesting to see what happens.
