WWE NXT live results: NXT Championship ladder match qualifiers
WWE NXT on Tuesday, January 27th, 2026, has four advertised matches.
General Manager Ava announced a six-person ladder match for the February 3 episode of NXT to crown a new NXT Champion following Oba Femi vacating the title. Shiloh Hill, Sean Legacy, and Ricky Saints have already qualified, and Tuesday’s episode will feature the final three qualifying matches.
The remaining qualifiers set for the show are Joe Hendry vs. Jackson Drake of The Vanity Project, Keanu Carver vs. Andre Chase, and Myles Borne vs. Dion Lennox of DarkState.
The NXT Tag Team Championships will also be defended on Tuesday’s show. DarkState’s Osiris Griffin and Saquon Sugars will put their titles on the line against OTM’s Bronco Nima and Lucien Price. It will be the team’s third title defense, and second on NXT programming, since winning the belts from The Hardys at Halloween Havoc.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.
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NXT is on the air again in front of a live studio audience from a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando.
Ricky Saints is back on guest commentary, and he joins Vic Joseph and Booker T at the broadcast booth. Saints would leave the desk after the opening match was called into question. The NXT Championship belt still hangs above the ring ahead of the ladder match for the vacant title. The opener was set to be another bout in a round of qualifiers for that ladder match.
The show was supposedly set to open with a qualifying match between Joe Hendry and WWE Evolve Champion Jackson Drake. However, plans change. Hendry’s theme music rang through the sound stage, but no Hendry. Cut to the back where Hendry is down.
In a Tonya Harding angle, Joe Hendry is in the role of Nancy Kerrigan. Suspiciously, The Vanity Project trio are standing over Hendry, with Drake holding a metal folding chair. NXT General Manger Ava confronts the heel trio, and they deny attacking Hendry. Drake promises her they found him like that.
Referee Vicky D’Errico runs in to tell Ava that Tony D’Angelo arrived at the building. Ava instructs her call for medical attention, and keep an eye on Vanity Project. Ave then gets on a headset to tell the production crew they are going to “move some stuff around” on the card. Ava pitches to the announce desk. Meanwhile, Tony D’Angelo arrives surrounded by security.
Back at the announce desk, Saints says he came to call a singles qualifying match, not a tag team match. Saints leaves before the introductions of the new opening bout, which is also a tag title match.
Darkstate (Saquon Shugars & Osiris Griffin with Cutler James) vs. OTM (Bronco Nima & Lucien Price) for the NXT Tag Team Championship
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In keeping with the story of this bout being rushed to the ring, Saquon Shugars was still adjusting his gear during the entrance of Darkstate. Shugars would go on to play chickens*** heel, and he begs off several times. He also had wacky gear that set him apart from his Darkstate counterparts.
OTM start strong, and the champs backpedal and powder. Darkstate cut off OTM, but OTM soon comes back ahead of a commercial break. Price press slams Shugars over the ropes to the floor, where he was caught by Cutler James and Bronco Nima.
After the show returns from commercials, OTM rally again. They look to go home when in runs the Vanity Project trio. Brad Baylor, of the tag team called Swipe Right, jumps on the apron to distract Price. Baylor gets knocked off the apron, but the distraction is enough for Shugars to roll up Price. Shugars seemingly meant to get his feet on the ropes, but he could not reach them. Nonetheless, the Shuagrs pinned Price.
Match result: NXT Tag Team Champions Darkstate defeated OTM to retain the tag team titles via pinfall.
Melee erupts following the match as Hank & Tank run down to brawl with The Vanity Project. Chase U joins the brawl. In the meantime, Darkstate is celebrating in the ring when they are ambushed by Shawn Spears & Niko Vance of The Culling. They lay out the champs, and there is turmoil and mayhem in the tag team divison.
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Jaida Parker vs. Nikkita Lyons
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Parker is back in the ring for her first match since returning to NXT. Nikkita Lyons gets some offense, this match was meant to get Parker more over since her return. Parker shines before Lyons gets heat on her. Parker then comes back to deliver the Hip-notic spot. Parker then executes a combo finisher with a pumphandle into a Liger Bomb. Parker covers Lyons for a three count.
Match result: Jaida Parker defeated Nikkita Lyons via pinfall.
After the match, Blake Monroe cuts a promo on Parker from the Titantron. Monroe says she will see Parker very soon. Parker looks into the camera to address Monroe. Parker says Monroe knows where to find her.
— Elio LeFleur, Tavion Heights and Eli Knight are talking in a backstage skit when they are approached by Arianna Grace, Stacks and Lexis King (who is wearing a cowboy hat for some reason). King cuts a promo on Heights, which sets up a match for later.
— The Elegance Brand from TNA cut a promo about being the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions.
— Zaria is trying to call Sol Ruca but no answer. Thea Hail tries to empathize with Zaria, who scorns Hail by insinuating Hail was given a title. Hail retorts by asserting she earned her shot. This skit sets up a match between Zaria and Hail for later.
— Myles Borne is talking backstage with NXT North American Champion Ethan Page, who continues trying to get Borne to embrace the dark side. Ricky Saints walks in and Borne cuts a promo on him, saying no one wants to hear him on commentary. Borne is headed to the ring for the next bout.
— Vanity Project is backstage pleading their case to Ava. Drake wants to be awarded a spot in the ladder match via forfeit. Ava grants him that wish, but she cautions that Joe Hendry also automatically qualifies for the ladder as well if Hendry is cleared to wrestle.
Dion Lennox vs. Myles Borne in a qualifier for the NXT Championship ladder match
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Ethan Page watches the match from ringside, and Page coaches and encourages Borne at times. They had a lengthy match that went through a commercial break. Lennox blatantly cheats, but he is often caught by the referee. Borne thwarts the cheating by Lennox as they go home.
Page slides the North American title belt to Borne to use as a weapon, and Page rushes around the ring to jump on the apron and distract the ref. Page meant for Borne to hit Lennox with a belt shot, but the referee catches Borne with the title belt. The ref takes the belt from Borne, and Borne turns around to get scooped up by Lennox for an Emerald Flowsion. Lennox then covers Borne for a three count.
Match result: Dion Lennox defeated Myles Borne via pinfall to quailify for the NXT Championship ladder match.
In a post-match angle, Borne hits Page with the title belt. Page is berating Borne over not “pulling the trigger” when Borne snatches the belt from Page and hits him with it. Page sells like he sees stars while Borne stands over him.
— Ricky Saints is talking with Ava in her office when in walks Tony D’Angelo. Saints cautions Ava to not let anyone interfere in the ladder match next Tuesday. Saints left after glaring at D’Angleo, who comes in to ask Ava why she bailed him out of jail. Ava says despite all of his wild card antics, NXT needs D’Angelo. Ava needs to know if D’Angelo is “in or out” of NXT. D’Angelo will give an answer next week. Ava then forbids D’Angelo from interfering in the ladder match next Tuesday.
Tavion Heights vs. Lexis King
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Arianna Grace and Stacks watch the match from ringside, as they are no a faction alongside Lexis King. Heights was shining until King targets an arm. Heights makes a comeback, but he goes sailing over the ropes trying to do a clothesline. He lands on the floor near the feet of Stacks and Grace. Heights is really selling his arm as he goes to slingshot himself back into the ring. King sidesteps him, and Heights crashes to the mat. King capitalizes with a Coronation, and King hooks a leg while pinning Heights.
Match result: Lexis King defeated Tavion Heights via pinfall.
— Hard sell for a deluxe edition of the 2K26 video game with Triple H on the cover, and a skit with Paul Heyman reveals the cover.
— In a personality profile dubbed “NXT Origins”, Finn Balor is featured in a look at his journey through NXT. No mention of New Japan, but Balor says he “just wrestled” before coming to NXT. His time in NXT turned a “wrestler into a superstar” after learning to play to the cameras.
Zaria vs. Thea Hail
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NXT Women’s North American Champion Izzi Dame joins the announce desk for guest commentary during the match. The bout itself goes through a commercial break. Zaria does her hanging tree spot after the show returns from the break, but Hail soon makes a comeback.
Hail goes for a Kimura lock, only for Zaria to escape and spear Hail. Zaria goes for a finisher, but Hail counters into tornado DDT. Hail and Zaria then bonk heads as they collide. Double down in the ring while at ringside is a run-in by Tatum Paxley.
Paxley flew into the scene with a dive over the announce desk. Paxley with a cross body on Dame, who is still seated in a chair at the desk. Paxley attacks Dame, who attempts to flee by rolling into the ring. Paxley chases her out of the ring and up the aisle. Zaria is distracted by the melee, which allows Hail to roll her up for a three count.
Match result: Thea Hail defeated Zaria via pinfall.
Hail offers a hand shake after the match, and Zaria slaps her hand away. Suddenly, Fatal Influence (Lainey Reid & WWE Women’s Speed Champion Fallon Henley) run down and jump on the apron. They face off with Zaria and Hail, who puts her hand on Zaria’s shoulder while telling her that Hail has got her back. Zaria then snatches Hail to deliver a F-5, which seems a rather harsh reaction. Fatal Influence back away.
— Hard sell for Royal Rumble weekend precedes a backstage skit with Wren Sinclair, Charlie Dempsey and WWE Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey. Up walks the recently formed trio of Lexis King, Arianna Grace and Stacks. They want to speak with Dempsey. Grace tells him that he is “one of us.”
Keanu Carver vs. Andre Chase in a qualifier for the NXT Championship ladder match
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Andre Chase wrestled with a nose guard. I did not like his chances against someone getting a major push like Keanu Carver, who ate up Chase in the match. Chase still took the fight to Carver, only for Carver to mow him down. Chase is soon tossed outside the ring, where Carver pummels him around ringside. Carver wrestled like a heel, as he punished Chase by pummeling him some more in the ring. Chase was no match, yet he bumped and fed well for Carver.
Chase gets a comeback and a tornado DDT off the middle rope. Chase follows up with a high cross off the top rope. Outside the ring on the floor, Carver rams Chase into the edge of the ring apron. Chase retaliates with by charging toward Carver. They tumble over the announce desk. On commentary, Chase is credited with being the aggressor as Chase rises from the ashes to stand defiantly stop the announce desk. He lets out a primal yell, only for Chase to fall prey to Carver. After an impressive leap on to the desk, Carver with a sidewalk slam sends Chase crashing on the desk. Back in the ring, Carver delivers a twisting powerslam, and Carver covers Chase for a three count.
Match result: Keanu Carver defeated Andre Chase via pinfall.
In a post-match beat down, Carver continues his assault on Chase. Carver smashed him into a turnbuckle repeatedly, and Carver rips off the turnbuckle pad before smashing Chase into the exposed buckle. Not finished yet, Carver drags Chase over to the ring steps. Carver stomps Chase’s head on the steps in an injury angle.
Carver then gets the house microphone and cuts a promo warning everyone he is winning the ladder match. Shiloh Hill is watching on a monitor backstage. After a commercial break, Hill and others are in the ring for a go-home promo.
Shiloh Hill is the ring alongside other ladder match participants Sean Legacy, Dion Lennox and Jackson Drake. They take turns cutting a promos until the are interrupted by the entrance of Ricky Saints. He carries a ladder on the stage, and Saints climbs atop the ladder. Saints remarks on the view looking good from up there. Saints sees a lot of potential in the ring, but they are seeds that are yet to sprout. Saints is the rose that sprouts in a concrete jungle. Saints vows to be a two-time champion.
Carver butts in to say they are doing too much talking. You can say that again. A melee erupts and everyone starts brawling around the ring. Parade of high spots before Vic Joseph on commentary says his name and he appears. Out runs Joe Hendry clutching his arm. Hendry with a Spirit of ’76 comeback, and he is a house of fire until running into Carver. Hendry is given the twisting powerslam that Carver used as his finisher.
Carver looks dominant as the show goes off the air.