TNA Victory Road and WWE NXT No Mercy reviews

After a lackluster weekend of wrestling with both AEW All Out and WWE WrestlePalooza not really delivering anything memorable, wrestling fans got to see two events that were actually really good and delivered some strong wrestling and moments.

If I’m being honest, while I love TNA, I was planning on waiting to watch Victory Road until the free edited version aired on TV in a few weeks. But TNA offered a free month of TNA+, and since the event did interest me, I took them up on it. I watched the show yesterday morning, and I’m glad I did because the show was really good and advanced some of the stories heading into Bound for Glory in a few weeks.

The System vs. Order 4

The show started hot with an impromptu 8-man tag match between The System and Order 4. They transitioned seamlessly from the pre-show into the PLE with a quick match before the opening video. It was short, but still a good match that helped advance the feud between both factions.

Rating: 2.5/5

After this, we got the proper opening montage and the classic intro with the commentary team running down what to expect.

Ash by Elegance’s Announcement & Women’s Battle Royal

We went to the ring with Santino and the TNA president already there for Ash by Elegance’s big announcement. As you know, she revealed that she was injured and had to relinquish the Knockouts Title.

Personally, I didn’t like how they handled this. I get that TNA wanted to separate real life from the fantasy world of wrestling, but having Ash cut a babyface promo before relinquishing the belt felt odd. I would have preferred she stayed in character, unless this was truly her retirement speech. Otherwise, she should’ve stayed in character, like Naomi did in a similar situation.

After she relinquished the title, Santino made two announcements: first, that the Tag Title match would be postponed to Thursday, and second, that there would be a battle royal to determine the new Knockouts Champion.

Looking at the participants, it was clear TNA doesn’t have a deep women’s roster. They barely had 10 women in the match, and could have benefited from bringing in more NXT talent. In the end, Kelani Jordan and Xia Li were the final two, setting up their match later on. The battle royal itself was basic with a predictable outcome, but I give TNA props for improvising.

Announcement Rating: 2/5
Battle Royal Rating: 2/5

Matt Cardona & The Hometown Man vs. The Nemeths

This was a fun TV-style match, and it was nice to see Matt Cardona playing a babyface again in TNA after a long heel run. Cody Deaner’s “Hometown Man” gimmick is also a blast, and he plays it well.

The match ended with Deaner scoring the lucky pin on Ryan Nemeth (who seems destined to always take the loss for the team). Afterward, the Nemeths attacked Cardona and Deaner, stealing Deaner’s mask. A solid tag match that kept the feud moving forward.

Rating: 2/5

Mike Santana vs. Ridge Holland

This was a violent brawl, with Ridge making Santana look strong heading into his title match at Bound for Glory. Santana hit his finisher for the pin, but afterward Trick Williams laid him out with the belt.

Rating: 2.5/5

Mustafa Ali vs. Moose (Advantage Match for Bound for Glory)

This was one of the strongest matches of the night. Moose proved once again he’s one of the best big men in wrestling, while Ali looked great without coming off as too much of an underdog.

The finish was predictable—Tasha Steelz disguised herself as one of Ali’s dancers to cost Moose the match—but the execution worked, and the match delivered.

Rating: 4/5

Joe Hendry vs. Eric Young

This was a classic Hendry match: the heel dominated most of it, the babyface made a big comeback, and the crowd loved it. Hendry won thanks to interference from Young’s former allies, then celebrated as if this were his last night in the company (given the rumors he’s WWE-bound).

Rating: 3/5

Matt Hardy vs. AJ Francis (Tables Match)

Honestly, this match didn’t need to be on the show. It was mainly there to promote Hardy’s upcoming match against the Dudleys at Bound for Glory.

Matt has slowed down considerably due to injuries, and AJ Francis isn’t a great worker. The 10-minute match dragged until Hardy finally put Francis through a table.

Rating: 1.5/5

Kelani Jordan vs. Xia Li for the Vacant Knockouts Championship (Indi Hartwell as Guest Referee)

Originally, this was supposed to be Masha Slamovich vs. Ash by Elegance with Indi Hartwell as the special referee. With Ash injured and Masha under investigation, TNA had to scramble.

Kelani vs. Xia was predictable if you watched Impact the previous week. Kelani was the obvious transitional champion, but both women delivered a strong match that felt competitive. The referee bump to make it look like Xia was robbed was unnecessary, but in the end Kelani won and will likely drop the title to Indi Hartwell at Bound for Glory.

Rating: 3/5

Frankie Kazarian vs. Steve Maclin (International Title)

This should have been the main event, especially since it featured a title change. Regardless, the match was excellent. Maclin embraced his babyface role, while Kazarian was fantastic as a despicable heel. Kaz used a low blow followed by his finisher to win the match and the title.

Rating: 4/5

Leon Slater vs. Myron Reed (X-Division Title) – Main Event

This was a showcase for two young stars, and they absolutely delivered. A high-flying spectacle with strong storytelling, it proved why they deserved the main event spotlight. Slater retained after hitting the Swanton 450.

Rating: 5/5

Afterward, Santino announced that Slater will defend the X-Division Title at Bound for Glory against Je’Von Evans, who cut a pre-taped promo since he was busy with SmackDown. That’s how the show ended.

Overall, this was one of TNA’s better PLEs of the year. Despite the curveball with the Knockouts Title, it delivered strong wrestling and advanced the Bound for Glory storylines.

Overall Rating: 4/5

WWE NXT No Mercy

Going into this show, my expectations were low since NXT PLEs haven’t been great this year. But this one delivered and reminded fans why NXT is the brand to watch.

Je’Von Evans vs. Josh Briggs

This was a classic David vs. Goliath match and a great opener. Briggs played the dominant heel well, while Evans kept fighting back until he hit his finisher for the win.

Between this and his match against Sami Zayn on SmackDown, Evans proved he’s a future star in WWE. Briggs also shined as a strong heel.

Rating: 4.5/5

Sol Ruca vs. Jaida Parker (Speed Championship)

Originally, Sol was supposed to face Lainey Lane, but Lainey was injured in training. Jaida was a last-minute replacement, which made the recent tournament feel pointless.

Still, this match worked. The speed concept forces wrestlers to create an exciting bout in a short window, and they succeeded. The ending saw Lash Legend accidentally speared by Zaria after Jaida taunted her, allowing Sol to hit the Sol Snatcher for the win.

For a 5-minute match, it exceeded expectations.

Rating: 3.5/5

Jordynne Grace vs. Blake Monroe (Weaponized Steel Cage Match)

This was a brutal match without blood, which I appreciated. Both women used every weapon imaginable, including a bag of diamonds.

The only weak spot was Blake cutting Jordynne’s extensions, which looked too fake and comical. Still, it was violent, physical, and the right woman won.

Rating: 4/5

Ethan Page vs. Tavion Heights (North American Title)

A solid TV-level match. Tavion held his own, but he’s clearly not at Page’s level. As expected, Page retained, likely setting up a future title-for-title match with Dr. Wagner Jr.

Rating: 2.5/5

Jacy Jayne vs. Lola Vice (NXT Women’s Title)

I don’t know why WWE waited so long to push Jacy, but now that she has the ball, she’s running with it. This was a really good women’s match with strong storytelling.

The finish, with a masked woman helping Jacy retain, leaves intrigue heading into Tuesday’s NXT episode. Both women came out looking like stars.

Rating: 4/5

Ricky Saints vs. Oba Femi (NXT Title)

This was NXT’s ultimate “F.U.” to AEW. They took someone AEW treated as enhancement talent and made him a champion.

The match was excellent—classic David vs. Goliath. Oba looked like a dominant force, and Ricky proved he’s a major star in the making. The decision to put the belt on Ricky earlier than expected suggests WWE has main roster plans for both men.

Rating: 4/5

Overall, this was NXT’s best PLE of the year. It felt like the old black-and-gold era, even without the indie-heavy roster.

Overall: 4/5

Closing Thoughts

The announcement of NXT’s “Invasion” episode on October 7th is intriguing. While the Hardy Boyz vs. Darkstate in a winner-take-all match is questionable (since it’s unlikely Darkseed will win), it’s still a great promotional tool for Bound for Glory.

All in all, it was a strong weekend of wrestling. Once again, the underdogs proved they can sometimes deliver better shows than the biggest companies.