WWE NXT Live Results – July 8, 2025: Scary botch forces WWE star to forfeit; brutal backstage attack on NXT & more

Reporting by Rosanne Raphael.

Hi everyone!

Welcome to ITR Wrestling’s live coverage of the final NXT before the Great American Bash this weekend. Joe Hendry and Mike Santana team up, Ava is set to make a crucial announcement for Evolution & much more.

Vacant

Gauntlet match: Ricky Saints vs. Jackson Drake, Ricky Smokes, Brad Baylor (The Vanity Project)

Brad Baylor starts the match with Ricky Saints. Meanwhile, Ethan Page is doing commentary.

Saints is in control. He hits Baylor with a backbreaker as the crowd is amped.

The NXT North American Champion reminisces about his longstanding rivalry with Ricky Saints. In the ring, Baylor sets up Saints with a bodyslam and a failed pin.

Saints hits Brad Baylor with a DDT and pins him for elimination. Next up is Ricky Smokes. He has Saints in a headlock, who counters with a snap suplex.

Smokes throws hard-hitting punches and flings him on the ropes. Ricky Saints goes for a suplex over the top rope. While the referee is distracted, Jackson Drake slams Ricky Saints into the barricade.

A chaotic series of punches and a brawl leads to Saints pinning Smokes for elimination. Last up, is Jackson Drake.

He kicks Saints in the midsection before launching him into the corner, but the latter returns the favor with vicious chops to the chest. Drake sets up a submission move, which Saints manages to break with a hold on the bottom rope.

The Vanity Project member goes for a pin but The Revolution kicks out.

Drake’s agility in the ring briefly overpowers the Saints. He counters it with a Rochambeau and pins the Evolve Champion for the win.

Result: Ricky Saints def. Jackson Drake, Ricky Smokes, Brad Baylor (The Vanity Project)

Ricky Saints grabs a mic and warns Ethan Page of a falls count anywhere match at the Great American Bash this weekend for the NXT North American Championship.

Charlie Dempsey

Charlie Dempsey vs. Tavion Heights

This match is high stakes; if Tavion Heights wins, he can leave New Quarter Catch Crew.

Dempsey with an uppercut outside the ring. Tavion Heights gets him with a superkick—the two grapple for a while. A headbutt knocks them out as Wren Sinclair checks up on them. They get up to their feet and exchange blows simultaneously.

Heights is in control of the match as he suplexes Dempsey in the ring and continues to charge at him with vicious clotheslines. Charlie Dempsey uses the steel steps to his advantage, as Tavion Height’s foot got caught in the steps.

Dempsey sets up a submission move focusing on the now-injured foot as Heights struggles to grab the bottom rope.

Wren Sinclair throws in a white towel in the ring, forcing Dempsey to win.

Result: Charlie Dempsey def. Tavion Heights

Vacant

Joe Hendry & Mike Santana vs. High Ryze (Tyson Dupon and Tyriek Igwe)

Backstage, the NXT Tag Team Champions are hyping up for their match. They run into Je’Von Evans and have a whole-hearted conversation before Evans is brutally attacked by Jasper Troy.

Joe Hendry and Tyriek Igwe start the tag team match. Mike Santana is tagged in and teases a brief disagreement with Hendry.

Hendry sets up Tyriek Igwe for a suplex, but Wes Lee distracts the referee as Tyson hits Hendry with a cheap shot. Tyson Dupon is tagged in, and he overpowers Hendry. High Ryze continues a two-on-one attack on the former TNA Champion.

Joe Hendry manages to tag in Mike Santana who takes blows to High Ryze. A fired up Santana then dives over the top rope taking out Tyriek Igwe.

TNA Champion Trick Williams appears out of nowhere and slams Joe Hendry into the steel steps. Meanwhile, inside the ring Mike Santana pins Tyriek for the win.

Result: Joe Hendry and Mike Santana def. High Ryze

The TNA Champion continues his attack on Santana as Wes Lee joins him. Trick Williams, Wes Lee and High Ryze lay out Joe Hendry and Mike Santana.

During the match, NXT announced Natalya and Maxxine Dupri making their entrance into the building.

Vacant

Josh Briggs is here with Yoshiki Inamura to confront Oba Femi

Yoshiki Inamura tells Oba Femi he will be his greatest challenge but he is ready. He talks about the support from his family and fans and it’s time to make them proud. At The Great American Bash, he will fight with honor to become the new NXT Champion.

Oba Femi responds that while he has all the support, they will pick up the pieces after he’s done with Inamura. And questions him if he can lose with honor and is not worthy of taking the NXT title from him.

Josh Briggs takes over and claims Yoshiki Inamura beat Jasper Troy easier than Oba Femi did. The NXT star cites that Inamura may be a man of honor, but he isn’t, and is a man of mayhem, willing to do whatever it takes that Inamura leaves the Great American Bash as NXT Champion.

Oba Femi tells him it’s not his fight and warns him to move out of harm’s way, but a fight breaks out. Femi sends Briggs outside the ring with a clothesline as Inamura launches at him and bodyslams the heavyweight, much to his surprise. WWE officials are out to diffuse any tension from escalating.

Vacant

Kelani Jordan vs. Lainey Reed

Lainey Reed charges at Kelani Joradan split seconds before the bell rings. Jordan counters her moves and sends Reed outside the ring with a vicious dropkick.

Reed focuses on injuring Jordan’s left foot, slamming it on the apron. Jordan struggles to get up and continues her series of kicks. Lainey Reed goes for a boston crab as Jordan rolls over, forcing Reed to hit her head on the turnbuckle.

Meanwhile, backstage Zelina Vega is spotted entering the building.

Kelani Jordan hits a series of drop kicks on Lainey Reed. She struggles to lift up Reed as her leg gives away but manages to climb the top rope.

Kelani Jordan hits Lainey Reed with a moonsault off the top rope and pins her.

Result: Kelani Jordan def. Lainey Reed

As Jordan celebrates victory, Thea Hail charges in the ring and attacks Lainey Reed.

Vacant

Je'Von Evans attacked again backstage

Je’Von Evans is seen at the trainer’s room but is attacked again by Jasper Troy. Security and WWE officials escort him out of the arena.

A clip of The Family sitting down for a talk airs. Adriana Rizzo hosts the sit-down to restore some order and announces she spoke to Ava to set up a triple-threat match for Tony D’Angelo, Luca Crusifino, and Stacks.

In the ring, Jasper Troy demands NXT General Manager Ava to set up a match against Je’Von Evans this weekend. Evans runs out and attacks Troy as security separates the two stars but to no avail.

Vacant

NXT Tag Team Championship: The Culling vs. Hank Walker & Tank Ledger

The NXT Tag Team Champions barely make their entrance and pounce on The Culling before the bell rings.

Niko Vance and Hank Ledger are in the ring and take turns to exchange blows. Tank Williams is tagged in and the two wreak havoc on their opponent.

Tank Williams sets up Niko Vance in a headlock, who counters and tags in Shawn Spears. Chaos ensues again as the tag team champions work together to lay out The Culling.

Tank Ledger runs around the ring but bumps into Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley. The distraction enables Shawn Spears and Niko Vance to launch an unsuspecting superkick and they land on Booker T at the announcer’s table.

Niko Vance entered the match,h but no official tag was made. The referee was distracted by Izzi and Tatum’s distraction with Tank Ledger. Meanwhile, Hank attempts a roll-up but no one is around to count the pin.

Hank is fired up and spears Niko Vance, followed with a dive over the top rope onto Shawn Spears outside. Tank is tagged in. Niko Vance goes for a frog splash and a pin which Hank breaks up just in time.

Tatum Paxley distracts the official and takes a cheap shot at Hank Williams. Shawn Spears goes for a pin but his opponent kicks out.

Sol Ruca and Zaria run out and attack Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley.

A stunned Vance and Spears look on only to be attacked by the champions from behind. Tank Ledger pins Shawn Spears to retain the NXT Tag Team Championships.

Result: Hank & Tank def. The Culling

Ava Raine

NXT General Manager Ava with a huge announcement for Evolution

Ava reflects on the 1st edition of Evolution in 2018. She was in high school when the event took place and highlights key moments and matches.

Ava announces that NXT will be a major part of Evolution this year. Jaida Parker, Lola Vice, Kelani Jordan, Lash Legend, Izzi Dame, and Tatum Paxley are announced as the 6 women from NXT to represent the brand at the Evolution Battle Royal.

She is interrupted by Fatal Influence. Jacy Jayne calls out Ava for not focusing the spotlight on her and the NXT Women’s Championship.

Jordynne Grace walks out and claims she will be steering the division into the future after her win at Evolution. Lash Legend is next to come out and sets her eyes on the Women’s Title.

Stephanie Vaquer is back on NXT. She backs Jordynne Grace as the winner of Evolution. Main roster stars Natalya and Maxxine Dupri are out here on NXT, citing their spot in the Battle Royal.

Jaida Parker, Zelina Vega, and Ivy Nile are out here ringside. Parker boasts that Evolution is her time to shine. All women charge at each other,and chaos ensues with a major brawl in the ring.

Thank you for staying tuned to ITR Wrestling’s live coverage from WWE NXT.