The main event of the development show this week was a Women’s Championship #1 Contenders match between Kendal Grey and Lola Vice.
The Champion Jacy Jayne and the rest of the Fatal Influence showed up at the ringside halfway through the bout, with a second referee coming out behind them to stop the faction from getting involved in the match.
The ending of the bout saw Vice locking her opponent in a choke, with Grey almost passing out. In a last-ditch effort, Kendal countered the hold into a Suplex, landing on top of Lola Vice in a pinning position.
The referee in the ring counted to three and declared Kendal Grey the winner. The second referee, however, then entered the ring and informed his colleague that Vice never let go of her hold and that Grey actually tapped out during the pin sequence.
The broadcast showed an alternate angle of the finishing sequence as Shawn Michaels made his entrance. HBK entered the ring as everyone argued but the show went off air without the confirmation on which talent would be heading to Stand & Deliver to challenge Jayne.
NXT Women\’s Iron Survivor Kendal Grey experienced what she described as a \”full circle moment\” when she learned John Cena had personally selected her to compete in the 2025 Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline.
Speaking on Busted Open with WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray, the EVOLVE Women\’s Champion opened up about the surreal experience of going from a childhood Cena fan to being handpicked by the 17-time world champion for one of NXT\’s most prestigious matches.
\”It was like speechless. Like what, first off when I knew that John Cena was talking about me and watching my work, it was like scary but also like validating,\” Grey said.
\”Like I am working hard and people are seeing that and it\’s like a full circle moment because my dad and I and my older brother like used to watch WWE. My dad actually took us to some Smackdown events. I have a picture when I was like 8 years old with a \’you can\’t see me\’ chain.\”
Grey continued, emphasizing the magnitude of going from fan to selected competitor:
\”So knowing that I went from the kid that used to watch John Cena to having John Cena pick me to be in the Iron Survivor match was like a full circle moment and it\’s just insane to even think about.\”
What John Cena Sees in Kendal Grey
When asked what she believes Cena saw in her that led to the selection, Grey demonstrated remarkable self-awareness about her unique qualities as a performer.
\”I would like to say that he sees like my grittiness and I am a smaller girl and I think no one would expect the amount of aggression, intensity, and grittiness that I have that I bring in the ring,\” she explained.
\”And I think that hopefully he\’s seen that over the last couple, you know, matches I\’ve had on NXT or on Evolve and he sees like, \’Wow, this girl has it.\’ Like she has something that she can bring to the table.\”
Grey\’s belief in herself proved well-founded as she won the Women\’s Iron Survivor Challenge with just two seconds remaining, securing a title match against NXT Women\’s Champion Jacy Jayne at New Year\’s Evil on January 6.
WWE NXT Deadline delivered two thrilling Iron Survivor Challenge matches on Saturday night, with Je\’Von Evans and Kendal Grey emerging victorious in their respective matches to earn future NXT Championship opportunities.
The fourth annual NXT Deadline event took place at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, streaming live on Peacock in the United States and Netflix internationally.
Je\’Von Evans Wins Men\’s Iron Survivor Challenge
In the main event of the evening, Je\’Von Evans outlasted Joe Hendry, Leon Slater, Dion Lennox, and Myles Borne to win the 2025 Men\’s Iron Survivor Challenge.
Evans and his tag team partner Leon Slater started the match, exchanging high-flying offense from the opening bell. The 25-minute contest saw all five competitors battle for supremacy, with Evans ultimately scoring enough falls to secure the victory.
With the win, Evans earns an NXT Championship match at New Year\’s Evil on January 6, 2026, where he will challenge newly crowned champion Oba Femi.
Following the match, Femi came out to confront his future challenger. In a shocking twist, Tony D\’Angelo made his return to NXT, attacking Evans from behind and staring down Femi, potentially reviving their old rivalry.
Kendal Grey Wins Women\’s Iron Survivor Challenge in Dramatic Fashion
Earlier in the night, EVOLVE Women\’s Champion Kendal Grey pulled off an incredible comeback victory in the Women\’s Iron Survivor Challenge, defeating Jordynne Grace, Sol Ruca, Kelani Jordan, and Lola Vice.
Grey secured the winning fall with just two seconds remaining on the clock, hitting Lola Vice with a leaping flatliner off the top rope to score her third point and steal the victory.
The match featured major drama when Sol Ruca was attacked by Kelani Jordan during her entrance, injuring her knee. Ruca was helped to the back but bravely returned to compete, scoring two points despite the injury.
As the 2025 Women\’s Iron Survivor, Grey will challenge NXT Women\’s Champion Jacy Jayne at New Year\’s Evil. Following the match, Fatal Influence appeared on the entrance ramp, with Jayne holding up her championship as she stared down her future challenger.
What the Winners Receive
The Iron Survivor Challenge is NXT\’s signature December match format, introduced in 2022. The 25-minute contest features five competitors who earn points by scoring pinfalls or submissions. If a wrestler is pinned or submits, they must spend 90 seconds in a penalty box before re-entering. The competitor with the most points when time expires is declared the winner.
Both Iron Survivor winners receive guaranteed championship matches at NXT New Year\’s Evil on January 6, 2026:
Je\’Von Evans will challenge Oba Femi for the NXT Championship
Kendal Grey will challenge Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women\’s Championship
Other NXT Deadline Results
The event also saw Oba Femi defeat Ricky Saints to capture the NXT Championship for the second time. Femi will face Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes at Saturday Night\’s Main Event on December 13.
Additionally, Ethan Page retained the NXT North American Championship against Mr. Iguana, and Izzi Dame defeated her former Culling stablemate Tatum Paxley.
