Nia Jax won a Triple Threat on tonight’s NXT to become the new #1 contender to Asuka. They will face off for the Women’s Title at NXT “TakeOver: The End” on 6/8 at Full Sail University.
Austin Aries vs. Shinsuke Nakamura was also announced on tonight’s show. The two recently teamed together.
Previously announced for “The End” are Finn Balor vs. NXT Champion Samoa Joe in a steel cage and The Revival vs. NXT Tag Team Champions American Alpha.
NXT Diva Nia Jax recently spoke with Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald about her time in NXT thus far, training at the WWE Performance Center and doing plus-size modeling before joining WWE. Here are some highlights of what she said about:
The Rock Helping Her Get Into WWE:
“We talked about it, and I was going to attend Uncle Afa wrestling school [in Minneola, Florida],” Nia said. “[The Rock] got word of what I was doing, and he heard about the Performance Center opening up, and he thought maybe I should tryout there and see if it was exactly what I wanted to do. After the tryout, they said, ‘We’d like to have you come on board.’”
Her Modeling Career:
“Not everybody is made to be a size 0 or a size 4, and I’m not saying there is anything wrong with being a size 0 or a size 4. Being my [plus] size is something I’ve had to deal with my whole life. I’ve always been the big girl. I’ve always had curves, and I never could relate to any of the girls like the Victoria Secret models. Once I realized, when I became a plus-size model, that there were more women like me, my confidence immediately shot through the roof. When I was able to walk out there and show younger girls, who are like me when I was their age — who didn’t see girls who are curvier being put in a beautiful light — it just made me think that I have to be able to show these girls that they are just as beautiful as the girls who are size 0.”
Other topics discussed include training at the WWE Performance Center, her cousin The Rock and growing up in Miami.
The Rock posted a heartfelt message on social media last night praising his cousin, NXT Diva Nia Jax. Rock says they recently spoke for hours at his new personal gym and he told her not to worry about titles or being famous, just remember that the most powerful thing she can be in and out of the ring is herself.
– Following her loss to Bayley in the NXT Women’s Championship match on this week’s edition of NXT on the WWE Network, which aired on Wednesday evening, WWE Diva and Total Divas star Eva Marie spoke to WWE.com about coming up short and how she’s earned everything she’s gotten while in WWE, noting that nothing has been “handed to her.” You can check out the new Eva Marie interview above.
– On next week’s edition of NXT, Samoa Joe and Tommaso Ciampa will go one-on-one. In an interesting statistic, both Joe and Ciampa have worked for WWE, ROH and TNA during the 2015 calendar year.
– WWE posted the following video showing NXT Women’s Champion Bayley struggling to her feet after being attacked by Nia Jax on this week’s edition of NXT TV.
https://youtu.be/n0emUF8jDOM
Two familiar faces made their respective NXT returns at the NXT television taping on Saturday night, as Blue Pants (Leva Bates) and former TNA World Heavyweight Champion James Storm both worked matches.
A while back, it was reported that Blue Pants had backstage heat on her in WWE and would not be brought back any time soon, due to an incident involving alcohol during SummerSlam weekend in Brooklyn, New York.
Blue Pants taped a match on Thursday night with Nia Jax that will air on the December 2nd edition of NXT. Her last match with NXT was a loss to Alexa Bliss at the August 13th NXT tapings. Her last NXT appearance was at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn.
In Storm’s case, he recently made his NXT debut at the NXT tapings held October 8th. Storm beat Danny Burch that night. On the 12/2 edition of NXT, Storm will return on NXT television for the first time since his 10/8 debut, as he taped a match with Adam Rose.
A few weeks ago, it was reported that Storm had yet to actually sign an official WWE contract. Whether or not that remains the case now that he has been brought back to NXT TV remains to be seen. We’ll keep you posted.
NXT Diva Nia Jax recently spoke with WWE.com about her past and her journey towards joining the company. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On being a plus-size model and eventually gaining interest in becoming a wrestler:
“I always had a love for the business. I remember hearing the stories about the patriarch of our family, ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia, starting out wrestling in a rundown gym back in Auckland, New Zealand, then traveling the world, wrestling all over. I considered wrestling at a young age, but I never could relate to any of the Divas. I have always been a bigger girl, and I did not think that WWE would want a girl my size, so I never expressed my dream to wrestle.”
On what finally led to her wanting a WWE career and her tryout:
“I remember being ringside at WrestleMania 28, watching my cousin Dwayne (The Rock) face Cena, and thinking to myself, ‘I have to do this!’ I remember arriving to my tryout and being extremely nervous, but the second I stepped in the ring, I knew this was where I was supposed to be.”
On being a part of the NXT women’s division:
“NXT women have literally changed women’s wrestling, and being able to be a part of the division is great for me. I am completely different than any other Diva that we have in NXT, and having the advantage of being unique allows me to expand the revolution even further by showing people what a woman of my size can do. Ultimately, I want to convey an image of a beautiful, strong and confident woman. I want young girls to be inspired to love themselves and strive to follow their dreams no matter what.”
– WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is backstage at tonight’s WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view in Los Angeles, California. Austin, who has a home in the L.A. area, confirmed that he would be at the show. Below is a photo of Austin arriving earlier today.
https://twitter.com/wwediaries/status/658361369289363456
– NXT Diva Nia Jax will be back in action on this coming Wednesday’s edition of NXT TV. The official NXT Twitter account tweeted the following promo for her:
"Greatness is MY DESTINY… and my path to get there has only just begun!"- @NiaJaxWWE #WWENXThttps://t.co/wdf9zZB4gY
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) October 25, 2015
The following are spoiler results from the set of NXT television tapings held on Thursday, October 22, 2015 at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
NXT TV Spoilers For 11/4
– Asuka def. Cameron via submission
– Bull Dempsey def. Angelo Dawkins
– Eva Marie def. Gionna Daddio, who is now using the name Marley.
– Apollo Crews def. Finn Balor ended in a DQ when Baron Corbin attacked both guys in what was a NXT title match, so the title didn’t change hands. After Corbin hit the ring, Samoa Joe came out and took out Corbin, but then shocked everyone by attacking Finn Balor for a surprising heel turn to close out that week’s show.
NXT TV Spoilers For 11/11
– Adrien Reese (aka Athena) def. Peyton Royce with a top-rope jump into a Stunner for the 1-2-3.
– Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger never takes place as Apollo Crews takes out Corbin.
– Bayley, Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley def. Alexa Bliss, Blake & Murphy in a six-person inter-gender tag-team match. Bliss stole Bayley’s title and ran off with it during the match. Bayley hit a Belly-To-Bayley on one of the men and then ran after Bliss. Ryder hit the Rough Ryder to get the win for his team.
– Nia Jax def. Deonna Purrazzo in a squash match.
– The Mechanics def. The Vaudevillains via submission to become the new NXT Tag-Team Champions. Great crowd reactions for this match and for the title change.
– Samoa Joe came out for a promo segment. The fans boo him because he turned heel and attacked Finn Balor on “last week’s show.” Balor ends up coming out and confronts Joe. They get into it but referees end up holding them back. This segment ends the 11/11 edition of NXT TV.
NXT TV Spoilers For 11/18
– Nia Jax def. Carmella in a squash match.
– Chad Gable & Jason Jordan def. The Ascension in tag-team action when Gable and Jordan score the pin after hitting the assisted German suplex.
– Emma def. Mary Kate (aka Rosie Lottalove and Andrea) with the Emma-lock.
– The Mechanics def. Two local talents (believed to be Corey Hollis and John Skyler) to retain the NXT Tag-Team titles.
– Bayley def. Alexa Bliss via the Huggplex to retain the NXT Women’s Championship. Eva Marie ended up coming out to challenge Bayley to a future title match.
Nia Jax made her NXT in-ring debut this week after months of vignettes hyping her arrival. The cousin of The Rock and Roman Reigns showed off an impressive ‘big woman’ move set and displayed a commanding ring presence while making quick work of indy wrestler Evie.
With the recent arrivals of Asuka and Nia Jax, the NXT Women’s division is thriving once again despite the recent ‘graduations’ of Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch.
Nia Jax made her NXT debut at Thursday night’s TV tapings from Full Sail University. She defeated Kay Lee Ray in a match that will air on next week’s show. Here are some photos from her debut via Twitter:
Debut of @NiaJaxWWE pic.twitter.com/rR3Wk2t4jJ
— Justin LaBar (@JustinLaBar) October 8, 2015
https://twitter.com/snkxwwe/status/652255505151356929
https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/652256064579215360
https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/652282652704292864
– Following last night’s NXT Takeover event, NXT is back at Full Sail tonight to tape the next several weeks of shows. The Rock’s cousin Nia Jax make her NXT TV debut next week. Check back later tonight for spoiler results.
– Bull Dempsey defeated Sawyer Fulton in the dark match prior to NXT Takeover: Respect.
– Triple H and Stephanie McMahon tweeted the following about the Iron Man match featuring Bayley and Sasha Banks that main evented NXT Takeover: Respect:
THAT is a main event. #IronmanMatch #NXTTakeOver: Respect #NXTProud @SashaBanksWWE @itsBayleyWWE pic.twitter.com/Sl2U0jjgSs
— Triple H (@TripleH) October 8, 2015
Thank you @itsBayleyWWE @SashaBanksWWE and @TheSaraDelRey for showing the world what #WomensWrestling is all about. pic.twitter.com/eanzlGXTkn
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) October 8, 2015
– WWE’s official website is indicating that Lana will not be with Dolph Ziggler for his match against Rusev at this month’s WWE Night Of Champions pay-per-view. There was some talk that Lana could still accompany Ziggler while she recovers from her wrist injury that she suffered this past weekend, however it appears that she won’t be on television after all.
– Following tonight’s show with former WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts, Jim Ross’ next “Ross Report” podcast, which drops Tuesday, September 15th at PodcastOne.com, will feature legendary WWE tag-team Demolition, Ax and Smash.
– The following is the latest vignette for soon-to-debut NXT Diva Nia Jax.
#WWENXT Divas beware, @NiaJaxWWE is coming soon!https://t.co/8t3Vm9C6uO
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) September 7, 2015
– As noted, Chris Jericho’s match with Kevin Owens at the upcoming WWE Network special from Madison Square Garden on October 3rd will be the 25th anniversary of Jericho’s pro wrestling debut. Jericho mentioned on his “Talk Is Jericho” podcast that he will be bringing Lance Storm, the man he wrestled in his debut 25 years ago, to the show to celebrate with him.
– NXT Diva Peyton Royce looks to have tweaked her knee during the NXT live event on Thursday night in Orlando, Florida. After she and Carmella lost to Nia Jax and Dana Brooke in a Divas tag-team match on the show, Peyton crashed to the floor, clutched her knee and took her knee pad off. She also had to be helped to the back.
– Below are the “Top 10 SmackDown Moments” for this week’s show.
During Saturday’s WWE NXT Takeover Brooklyn event, a video package aired hyping the debut of a new women’s wrestler, Nia Jax.
Nia Jax (real name Lina Fanene) is the real-life cousin of The Rock and a former college basketball star. She signed with WWE back in May and is one of the largest women’s wrestlers WWE has ever signed. Jax has teamed with Eva Marie at WWE live events and is being looked at as “the next Awesome Kong.”
Last August, she was involved in a bad accident with The Rock’s mother when the two were struck by a drunk driver. Thankfully there were no serious injuries – with The Rock posting an emotional message on Instagram shortly thereafter.
https://instagram.com/p/rhhV7iIh0u/
– The Wolfpac, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman were all sitting ringside at the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event on Saturday. The trio were shown on camera during the event.
– Also sitting in the audience on Saturday night was music mogul Rick Rubin.
– A pre-taped vignette aired during the show promoting the upcoming debut of a new NXT Diva. The vignette simply read, “Nia Jax coming soon.”
– WWE Tough Enough finalists Josh, ZZ, Amanda and Sara Lee were also sitting front row during the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn special.
– The following is the complete NXT Takeover: Brooklyn “Kickoff Show” pre-show, which features a panel consisting of Renee Young, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton and WWE Hall Of Famer Amy “Lita” Dumas.