WWE NXT Review - June 9, 2026

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Fraxiom def. Romero Moreno and Noam Dar

This stemmed from a backstage segment these teams had last week. Nathan Frazer just lost to Moreno in a WWE Speed Championship number one contender's match two weeks ago, so this allowed him to get his win back. Hey, it's not like Fraxiom has anything else going on at the moment over on SmackDown. This was a fun, fast-paced opener. This is the sort of stuff I prefer over the Speed nonsense that feels contrived.

Naraku def. Mason Rook in an NXT Championship No. 1 Contender's Match

I was surprised this match was made official since you'd think both guys would be protected this early into their respective runs. That made me think this might end in a non-finish to set up a Triple Threat for The Great American Bash, but I'm glad they went with a decisive winner. Okay, so Kam Hendrix cost Rook the win, but that was better than doing a non-finish. The match wasn't anything special, which makes me worried that Naraku vs. Tony D'Angelo will be more of the same. Hopefully it exceeds expectations.

Kendal Grey def. Kelani Jordan in an NXT Women's Championship No. 1 Contender's Match

Two number one contender's matches in a row? You'd think they'd break them up a bit, but that was hardly an issue. This was actually the better of the two bouts as these women work well together and deliver more often than not, especially when it matters most. Grey feels like the one who should ultimately dethrone Lola Vice, so I assumed Jordan would win here to give Vice another filler challenger for The Great American Bash, but we'll see what they have in mind and if they go with the title change on that show.

Dion Lennox def. Jasper Troy

The aggressive push of DarkState continues, as does the downfall of Troy. Then again, is that even accurate to say when Troy has never really been prominently featured (his reign with the WWE Speed Championship barely counts because it was forgettable)? As a match, this was decent, but it appeared to only exist to give Lennox another momentum boost ahead of an outing with Saquon Shugars, who took Osiris Griffin out at ringside afterward.

Tristian Angels Attacked Shiloh Hill During the Mr. NXT Pageant

There were segments that aired throughout the show that essentially served as skits with these guys and featured Aaron Rourke (the WWE Evolve Men's Champion), Kit Wilson and some comedian I've never heard of. The segments were mildly entertaining, as was this. Despite the silliness of this, I do think both of these guys have potential and I thought this segment showcased that. Hill was named Mr. NXT, but Angels attacked him to keep the feud going and build to a match, possibly at The Great American Bash.

Zaria def. Tatum Paxley to Win the NXT Women's North American Championship

While I'm shocked this wasn't saved for the upcoming premium live event, it was cool to have this headline an episode of NXT because it gave it the spotlight it deserved. Zaria and Paxley produced a very good match and Paxley was protected in defeat with all the finishers she endured. Giving Zaria the title was a smart way to capitalize on the heat she has from coming out on top in her feud with Sol Ruca. Plus, I have no doubt Paxley will be just fine.

Overall Show

When you add some stakes, it makes matches more meaningful. It's not rocket science, and it infinitely enhanced this edition of NXT. The show on the whole has been flowing pretty well over the last two months, but this was a slight step up thanks to the two number one contender's matches (directly related to The Great American Bash at the end of the month) and the title change in the main event. NXT is slowly finding its groove again and it's nice to see.

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