WWE NXT: Homecoming Review - September 16, 2025

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Triple H, Shawn Michaels and William Regal Interrupted Each Other

We hear from Triple H so often on WWE TV nowadays that these rah-rah speeches don't really mean as much as they once did, but him being back in Full Sail University was still an awesome visual. Michaels was fun in his role and I popped huge Regal coming out and screaming "WARGAMES!" like old times. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss shouting out the women of NXT's past was a nice touch.

WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair def. The Culling (Tatum Paxley and Izzi Dame)

I'd love if Flair's original (and superior) entrance theme was back permanently, but it may have only been a one-off for this show. As for the match, it was decent, though it suffered from having an obvious outcome. The focus seemed to be on The Culling losing when it mattered most yet again and Paxley taking the pinfall loss, so her time in The Culling may be limited.

Carmelo Hayes and TNA World Champion Trick Williams def. #DIY

I liked Hayes and Williams ​teasing some tension because they broke up less than two years ago and aren't on the same page. The Miz being the reason why they won also made sense with him trying to be buddy-buddy with Hayes right now. The match itself was enjoyable, and #DIY wrestling in Full Sail again was a treat considering how synonymous they are with the brand.

NXT North American Champion Ethan Page def. Tyler Breeze

Breeze was such a big part of my early NXT viewing when he was originally on the brand between 2013 and 2015, so it was cool to see him brought back for this show. He looks like he hasn't aged a day and he showed no signs of ring rust. He was never going to take the title from Page (especially with Tavion Heights still being owed a shot at the strap), but this was a good, well-wrestled match, regardless.

TNA World Champion Trick Williams Interrupted NXT Champion Oba Femi and Ricky Saints on The Grayson Waller Effect Hosted by Grayson Waller

As Waller mentioned, he never actually appeared at Full Sail until this episode, but I guess you can say the same for Hayes as well. Plus, I can't think of any NXT talk shows they could've brought back from the Full Sail days, probably because NXT didn't have many (if any) of them back then. Nonetheless, this was a solid segment to build toward Femi vs. Saints at No Mercy and set up Femi vs. Williams in a Title for Title match on next week's NXT (which I'm sure will end in chaos with TNA invading).

Finn Balor and Myles Borne Attacked Lexis King

Yes, Balor coming out in total babyface mode and to his old entrance music was random as hell if this is technically WWE "canon," but oh well, it was a sweet throwback. Before getting attacked, Lexis announced that he'll be facing Borne in a Lights Out match on next week's show, but don't expect it to be anywhere near as extreme as AEW's Lights Out matches. This was a basic angle, but the crowd ate it up.

Rhea Ripley, Stephanie Vaquer and Lyra Valkyria def. Fatal Influence (NXT Women's Champion Jacy Jane, Fallon Henley and Jazmyn Nyx)

Valkyria was the replacement for Tiffany Stratton, who wasn't cleared to compete after her match with Jade Cargill on Friday's SmackDown. Valkyria is another name who never stepped foot in Full Sail to my knowledge, but she worked well with Ripley and Vaquer and it was entertaining main event for the star power alone. Vice costing Jane the win furthered that feud, but Jane eating yet another pinfall loss doesn't exactly do her reign any favors.

Overall Show

It was made extremely obvious that TNA will be invading NXT next week with there being a million mentions of TNA throughout the show. I wish they didn't hammer it home so much, but at least the "invasion" is finally happening after it was first teased back in July. As for the Homecoming edition of NXT, I had a blast with it, personally. They had a ton of cameos (though everyone still works for the company in some form or fashion, including Breeze and even Shayna Baszler in a backstage role) and they nailed the nostalgia. There weren't any major storyline advancements or above-average matches worth seeking out, but the seeds planted for the TNA invasion should make for an interesting episode next week.

SEE MORE: NXT Reviews