Tonight’s WWE NXT: 5 Hits & 3 Misses (July 29)

Rivalries and fan favorites seemed to be the key focuses on tonight’s WWE NXT, though the show still had some tricks up its sleeve and even a WWE legend in the mix before coming to a close. While the brand’s Champions were all in attendance, it was actually the challengers and rising showstoppers that got the most attention, and it made for an entertaining night of confrontations and in-ring action. We’re here to break down all of the biggest moments of the night and decide whether they were huge hits or big-time misses, so let’s get started with one of the bigger hits of the night.

Hit: Ms. Parker, Ms. Parker

After Stephanie Vaquer, Roxanne Perez, and Giulia were moved to the main roster, it was a race between several up-and-coming superstars to see who would fill that void. As of now, there are two main frontrunners for that top spot, and one is most certainly Ms. Parker herself, Jaida Parker.

It’s clear every time Parker’s music hits that she’s immensely over with the crowd, and the same was true tonight when she stepped in the ring with Jazmyn Nyx. As always, Parker has fun right up until the bell hits, and then it’s all business, and her mix of style and impactful offense is always fun to watch. Thing is, she shines even more on the mic, and tonight that was showcased once more in her exchange with Blake Monroe and Lola Vice. Vice and Monroe were good, but Parker brings a level of intensity to her promos that simply can’t be touched at the moment in NXT.

Hit: Je’Von is NXT

While we’re on the subject of rising stars, we have to talk about the young phenom that is Je’Von Evans. Evans has always been fun to watch due to his incredible athleticism and his willingness to take chances, but he’s been held back just a bit by his lack of presence on the mic. Tonight, WWE fans got a glimpse of Evans putting it all together, and if this keeps up, it will be difficult to keep Evans from taking off like a rocket.

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Evans held his own against one of the best talkers in NXT in Trick Williams, getting convincing jabs in and conveying the sense that he belonged. Evans has also been shining in backstage segments with whoever he’s interacting with, but that brings us to the ring, where Evans can simply be unreal at times. Evans never hesitates to pull out a cool move, but tonight they really connected and felt impactful, and that was on top of unforgettable moments like the coast-to-coast he not only attempted but completely nailed. Evans is a bright talent in NXT, and it really feels as if he’s putting it all together, which should scare just about everyone.

Miss: Past Time for a Main Roster Call-Up

Speaking of Evans, it didn’t hurt that his opponent was one of NXT’s best in Wes Lee. Lee has proven time and time again that he’s one of WWE’s most versatile talents, adapting his skillset on the fly and against anyone WWE throws at him. While he currently leads the faction High Ryze, these matches can’t help but showcase more than anything that it’s beyond time Lee moves past NXT and to the main roster.

While a lengthy Lee NXT Championship run could be worth sticking around for, that’s just not likely to happen with some other talents holding court in that Title picture. If that’s not the goal, then why is he sticking around, especially when both Raw and SmackDown could benefit from his talents. If he’s part of a faction here, he could most certainly be part of a faction on the main roster, and he could always form a new Tag Team to help Raw’s Tag Team division kick it up a notch. He just feels aimless, and with someone of Lee’s talents, that feels like a missed opportunity.

Miss: Something’s Not Clicking

You will find no bigger fans of Chase U than me and ComicBook’s Nick Valdez, and while I can’t speak for Nick, from my point of view, this Chase U 2.0 simply isn’t clicking. It was disappointing to see the previous version of Chase U fold, and once releases happened and Thea Hail moved on, it seemed like it would be difficult to replicate the magic the original had with new people.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s happened, and it’s not even due to any sort of missing enthusiasm from Kale Dixon or Uriah Connors, because they do create some fun moments. That said, there just doesn’t seem to be any real movement forward in the weeks that have followed the reformation of Chase U, and when compared to the original, there’s a magic missing that is hard to identify, but you know when it’s missing.

Hit: Blake Gets Vicious

It’s been a little bit of a rollercoaster ride for the Blake Monroe character in NXT, but Monroe started to hit her stride with the heel turn on Jordynne Grace, and she’s now followed up with her best promo since joining WWE. All the little details in Monroe’s entrance are fantastic, and those elements are now being paired with a heel that has real bite, especially after tonight’s vicious attack on Grace.

While Monroe went the direct route last week with a physical attack, this week she chose to attack Grace in a different way, taking shots at her for previously being an extra on WWE TV, as well as more shots at her physical appearance, accompanied by photos on the screen. She’s really leaning in on the heel tactics, and it’s slowly but surely getting bigger boos and crowd reactions from the fans in the building, and that should help the eventual beatdown Grace gives her later land with even more impact.

Hit: Nia vs Lash

Few NXT superstars have had as impressive a run over the past year as Lash Legend, who has already been featured and impressed during several main roster Premium Live Events and shows at this point. That was true of Evolution as well, and WWE has now capitalized upon her performance in that match and built a feud that should only propel her further when she gets to the main roster.

That feud will be with Nia Jax, who Legend eliminated at Evolution. Jax was understandably pretty upset about that, and tonight she not only cost Legend the match against Fallon Henley but also set up a feud that will probably shift between SmackDown and NXT, especially if WWE wants to showcase Legend in an even bigger way. Legend seems destined for the main roster soon, so this would be a great way to maximize a moment and launch Legend in the best way possible.

Hit: Can’t Help but Like Him

There are several likable talents on NXT’s roster, but one superstar who seems to steal the show every time he’s in front of a microphone is Myles Bourne. Bourne really turned heads in his brief feud with NXT Champion Oba Femi, and now NXT seems to be setting Bourne up for another spotlight against Lexis King. Tonight’s interview once again allowed Bourne to just be himself as he told his story, and while we’ve seen that approach many times before, there’s an effortlessness to Bourne’s approach and delivery that conveys how genuine he is, and it’s incredibly endearing. Bourne has a bright future, and more segments like this will only showcase that more and more.

Miss: Fun While It Lasted

Tonight’s WWE NXT concluded with the return of a Legend in Santino Marella, who jumped back in the ring to try and take Ethan Page’s North American Championship. The TNA authority was in vintage form too, even doing the splits at one point and teasing the return of the always lethal Cobra. This was fun for what it was, but it never felt like Santino was any real threat to Page, and the match was rather brief as well, so it didn’t have that much of a chance to ramp up to a big finish. There was fun to be had, but overall it was a bit underwhelming as a main event, though Santino will always be someone we love to see in the mix.

Alright, those were my picks, but what do you feel were the biggest hits and misses of the night? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling and NXT with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

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