WWE NXT Stand & Deliver 2026: 3 Things We Hated And 3 Things We Loved

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s review of WWE NXT Stand & Deliver 2026, a show that saw two new champions crowned, as Lola Vice and Tony D'Angelo finally captured the brand's top gold! The WINC crew has some thoughts about that, and about several other matches that took place on "NXT's" biggest show of the year, from Birthright coming up short on the preshow to Sol Ruca conquering her former best friend, Zaria.

As always, if you missed the show, you can catch up via our Stand & Deliver results page, which covers the entire show from start to finish. We will not quite be doing that here — sorry, Tatum Paxley vs. Blake Monroe, you were very good — but we will be hitting every match that gave the WINC crew a notably positive or negative feeling. In other words, here are three things we hated and three things we loved about WWE NXT Stand & Deliver 2026!

I don't understand why WWE would put together a big stable like Birthright and then have them lose to a team of thrown together acts, many of whom are silly, comedic gimmicks. Sure, a group led by Lexis King isn't exactly the most serious thing in professional wrestling, but it feels like "NXT" was trying to make the group feel like a big deal. A loss to Hank & Tank, Shiloh Hill, EK Prosper, and Wren Sinclair on the pre-show doesn't exactly help that.

While I am always one for actual matches on WWE pre-shows, this one could probably have been left off, if they were just going to give King, Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, Charlie Dempsey, Uriah Connors, and Arianna Grace the loss. The match itself wasn't bad, and I especially loved the interactions between Demsey and Sinclair, but I don't think it was too effective in making Birthright look credible.

Maybe William Regal and Fit Finlay whip them into shape on Tuesday, but that doesn't seem too likely. I'll forever be interested to know if this was all planned with the expectation that Connors' brother, David Finlay, would be joining "NXT" or what, and that feels more likely than not after this pre-show loss for the new stable, and the overall fact they feel pretty directionless. It currently feels like they're waiting around for a babyface tag team to take the gold off Vanity Project for something to do, so they can win the NXT Tag Team Championships and maybe free bird them around, but who knows at this point.

Written by Daisy Ruth

It has been a long time coming but Stand & Deliver saw Lola Vice take her place atop the "WWE NXT" women's division by pinning Jacy Jayne to take her title after a really fun match.

Sure, there were a few black-outs through unfortunate happenstance. But everything leading up to and after them was solidly worked and any three of Vice, Jayne, or Kendal Grey had their own justification to walk away with the win. Theirs was a bout that captured the very essence of a triple threat contest; one competitor had another out for the count, only for the third in the moment to come in and ensure the match continued.

Each had their own unique way of going for the win, Vice the striker, Grey the mat wrestler, and Jayne the nefarious villain making use of any means necessary. And even those on the outside looking on – Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid, and Wren Sinclair – got involved in the action towards the closing stretch. One spot that really worked well saw Vice deliver a spinning backfist to take out Grey, dropping out of the ring fatigued and leaving her downed to be pinned by the champion. Only when Jayne went for the cover, Vice was able to move Grey's foot onto the rope from the outside to break it.

That was when Fatal Influence got involved for Jayne, only to then be neutralized by Sinclair, allowing the three-way action to continue in the ring once again. And eventually it was the one who had no help who took the victory, Jayne hitting a Rolling Encore to drop Grey out of the ring before turning into a spinning backfist from Vice allowing her to get the pinfall.

For so long now has Vice been on the cusp of being the top woman on the "NXT" roster, both immensely popular and compelling in the ring with a very grounded style – she works the MMA-Wrestling style better than Ronda Rousey ever did – and it felt like the right moment for her to get her moment on the biggest show in the brand's calendar.

Jayne has had her moment(s) over the past year, Grey is almost guaranteed to have her moment sometime in the future – sooner rather than later hopefully – and the victor was the one who really needed the win when all was said and done. What a great way to open the show. This writer is certainly looking forward to her reign and the certified bangers to come.

Written by Max Everett

There was absolutely no reason to book Los Americanos vs. The Vanity Project at Stand and Deliver.

Don't get me wrong: Stand and Deliver was a packed card. Between the night's several title matches and blood feuds, I don't think this card had any skippable matches...until Los Americanos qualified to be the Number One Contenders for Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes' "NXT" Tag Team Championships. When I tell you I could not possibly care less about this match, I mean it. I wrote the article covering this story, and just now, I had to look at it again to remind myself what Baylor's name was. I truly could not care less about anything in wrestling.

It's not Baylor and Smokes' fault. They're just kids. They're very fresh on the scene, and it only makes sense that nobody knows or cares about them. Baylor is good, Smokes is an okay comedic wrestler, but these kids don't have salt in the game. It only makes sense that nobody knows or cares about them...so why pair them with Los Americanos? Why pair them with a team, who, if people had to really sit and think about their favorite tag team in wrestling, would not even breach the top ten tag teams the squared circle has to offer. Was nobody else available?

There are, objectively, more high-stock tag teams on the "NXT" roster that could have challenged for these titles, and given these kids the exposure they actually need. I don't know if we need to run back DarkState/The Vanity Project, but OTM is looking to take off right now. The Culling, with in-ring veteran Shawn Spears, could have been an easy Stand and Deliver shout that would have really benefitted The Vanity Project. If you really like them: Hank and Tank. WWE also loves to borrow people from TNA, so bring over The Hardys? Order 4 could have been fun. WWE also could have smashed any two singles "NXT" stars who weren't doing anything that weekend. Just...anyone but Los Americanos. I get that they're fun, but they're not the first team that come to mind when I think of Stand and Deliver, the "NXT-"equivalent of WrestleMania.

The match was fine. It was fun, but I never felt particularly emotionally invested in it, especially when it became a "Who Can Cheat More" match towards the end. Whether you like Los Americanos or not, you can acknowledge that, on a card of this reverance in the "NXT" locker room, it's a bit of a weird match to put on the same card as Johnny Gargano vs. Myles Borne and Zaria vs. Sol Ruca.

Written by Angeline Phu

I was really hopeful that tonight was going to be the night that Zaria finally got her revenge on Sol Ruca, especially after her promo on the March 24 edition of "NXT." That was the night when she poured her heart out and let everyone know how difficult it was to stand by Ruca as she got all the opportunities, while Zaria got nothing. The "do you know what that does to a person?" line was fire, and it still hit in the video package that played before their match. However, that wasn't to be tonight, and Ruca got yet another victory, and honestly, I don't really know if she needed this one.

I will say, I really love both performers and I have absolutely nothing against Ruca. Their match tonight was excellent, but I just didn't agree with the outcome. Sure, Zaria looked strong, kicking out of two Sol Snatchers, including one on the ramp, but it just wasn't enough for me. Thankfully, this seems to be the end of their feud, but I really thought this was going to be when Ruca officially got her call-up to the main roster. Maybe she puts Izzi Dame over next week before going up on the "WWE Raw" after WrestleMania or something, but her not immediately going away for a few weeks before popping up on the red or blue brands, if that's what she's destined for, kind of stinks for Zaria. I guess it's Zaria to maybe take some time off until Ruca goes up, but, again, that's not a confirmed thing that's happening.

Ruca made it known she wanted to go for the NXT Women's Championship next during the backstage segment with Dame, and I just wonder where that leaves Zaria after such a significant loss. She doesn't belong in the top title picture right now if Ruca's there, and I don't think she fits in the Women's North American Championship scene yet, either. Hopefully, they're granting her a few weeks off, so when she comes back, she has a fresh story and can be the monster I think she was meant to be when the teasers for her debut were first airing on "NXT" television.

Written by Daisy Ruth

We've missed you, "Johnny Takeover."

Ever since his long-time friend and wrestling soulmate Tommaso Ciampa stepped away from WWE, Johnny Gargano has been in a sort of slump...which is putting it lightly. Gargano has become a shell of his former self. He hasn't been wrestling and seems to not be doing much, really. However, when Candice LeRae (because behind every man, successul or not, is a hardworking woman) pushed him to fight for the chance to contend for, then claim, Myles Borne's "NXT" North American Championship, flashes of the old Gargano began to come to life. When Gargano walked out onto the steel entrance ramp of Stand and Deliver, "Johnny Takeover" had come to do just that: take over.

While Gargano ultimately came up short in his fight against Borne, both men did exceptionally well. Gargano, a man who is known for his time in "NXT's" Black and Gold era, played the hits for a nostalgic "NXT" crowd, and Borne, one of "NXT's" quickest-rising stars, managed to hold his own in the ring, right next to one of the greats. With Borne's recent improvement and Gargano's uniquely-"NXT" style of wrestling, there was no way this match was ever going to be bad.

Gargano played the hits. We saw "Johnny Takeover" come to life, if only for a few moments, in the big '26. We saw his signature Superkicks, we saw One Final Beat, we saw several attempts at the Gargano Escape. They were all masterfully placed so that it didn't feel gratuitous, or like he was doing too much. Gargano paid respect to, frankly, the highlight of his WWE career, and showed us all who "Johnny Takeover" is. You could argue that Gargano became a shell of his former self long before Ciampa left. For him to reignite that fire in him for the "NXT" crowd was a blessing to watch.

Borne was able to hold up extremely well with Gargano, and that, in and of itself, is a feat. Borne has improved significantly since his No Quarter Catch Crew days, and while I know that WWE is probably just high on him because of the "baby Randy" comparisons, I do think he has a lot of potential to stand out in the overall wrestling world as his own star. Borne is doing great work, and I think that if he is sharpened by iron, like he was against Gargano Saturday, then he can absolutely help carry the company as it moves towards its future.

"Johnny Takeover" returned tonight, but Myles Borne was right there with him. This was easily the best match of the night. No question.

Written by Angeline Phu

Of all the names synonymous with the "WWE NXT 2.0" rebrand, Tony D'Angelo remains one of the only men to have stayed in the developmental territory while the likes of Carmelo Hayes and Grayson Waller made their way to the main roster. For a time, personally, it seemed as though he had a titanium ceiling above his head owing to the Mafioso character, even if he did manage to notch reigns as NXT Tag Team, Heritage Cup, and North American Champion during that time. 

But since The Family imploded and "The Don" was left without an organization, he has returned with a little more of a grounded character anchored to the one thing he had yet to achieve – winning the NXT Championship. First, he had to get through his vengeance mission against Dark State, the supposed catalyst for the end of his Family. But after that the destination was clear, even if the path had gotten muddied along the way. Sure enough, Stand & Deliver's main event saw him challenging for the title held by Joe Hendry, but also with the additional roadblocks shaped like Ethan Page and Ricky Saints each seeking to become two-time champions. 

Now it's not as though either of those guys winning would have been the end of the world, even if it feels like they should have been on the main roster yesterday. But the fact of the matter is Hendry's title reign had run its course and someone new was the mission of the day. D'Angelo was that someone. If he lost, it may have entirely derailed everything he has going for him. Saints and Page losing is just another set-back on what appears to be a path to greatness – hopefully – and there was also limited runway when it came to what they could do with the title. Now with D'Angelo as champion comes a fresh batch of match-ups and feuds to explore. 

The most obvious would be a revisiting of his feud with Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, now caught up in the Birthright faction which would arguably click with the lone wolf gimmick D'Angelo is working. But, since neither were factored into the decision, he could easily pick up with Page and/or Saints in the immediate future. There's a lot of potential to explore there, and it's always nice to see a veteran of the brand completing the gauntlet when it comes to gold. D'Angelo completed "NXT" with this win, and his reign will make for interesting TV in the coming weeks.

Written by Max Everett