WWE NXT - 5/19/2026: 3 Things We Hated And 3 We Loved

The stars of "WWE NXT" have returned from their tour of the northeast, just in time for another edition of the Tuesday night developmental show. You want to know what happened? That has been handled on the 5/19/2026 "WWE NXT" Results Page.

Now, it's time to break down the good and the bad from Tuesday's show in the Performance Center. There was plenty to like, especially from the in-ring action, but story developments like the teased breakup of the Culling and Saquon Shugars being exiled from Darkstate, were less than stellar. Agree? Disagree? There's plenty of room in the comments section to continue the conversation.

Here's the best and the worst from Tuesday's show.

Tony D'Angelo was stuck playing the fifth wheel in this week's "Can they co-exist?" bout between the NXT Champion alongside North American Champion Myles Borne, facing newcomers Mason Rook and Cam Hendrix. Rook and Hendrix have made a point of targeting the NXT Champion since arriving, along with Tavion Heights chasing a rematch after Hendrix put an asterisk on his title bout a couple of weeks ago.

Borne stepped up to team with D'Angelo, much to the ire of Heights, as he wanted to be the one next to Borne getting vengeance. And everything was building into some form of direction for the champions moving forward. What happened instead was a fun match with a great ending, but one that put everyone but D'Angelo in the spotlight and standing out as better. He didn't even factor into the finish with the guys that are chasing the title he holds.

Borne carried much of the work for their side, and even when Heights emerged in the closing stretch of the match, it was to further his storyline with him as well. D'Angelo fell to the wayside, and it's not exactly something you'd want from your top champion.

It's also in stark contrast to the way he was being built on the way to winning the title, presenting him as a lone wolf standing against all opposition. Now he doesn't feel like that, but rather than just a guy holding up the line.

Written by Max Everett

It's been a running theme that I've loved the in-ring debuts of several "NXT" stars over the last few weeks, with how well done I think they've been, and tonight was no exception with the in-ring debuts of both Tristian Angels and Romeo Moreno on "NXT".

I expected this to be a pretty decent match at the very least, given the names that Angels and Moreno made for themselves on the independent scene prior to signing with WWE, but nonetheless, this was still a great outing for both men. The pacing of this match was a bit on the slower side, but I thought that was perfect for the individual styles of both men, and it was a nice change of pace from the usual high-flying, fast-paced action of "NXT".

I also appreciated that this worked to further two storylines for Moreno and Angels in one go, with Moreno seeking Noam Dar's advice as his new mentor as a newcomer to "NXT" who wants to do everything he can to improve. Shiloh Hill showing up in the crowd for this match as tensions between himself and Angels continue to be built up, was also a great move, and the verbal post-match confrontation between the two men was sheer, silly perfection in my eyes. I'm excited to see more of Angels and Moreno on "NXT", and I think that bright things are ahead for both men in their careers.

Written by Olivia Quinlan

I've noticed the various teases about The Culling breaking up over the last few weeks, even though they always seem to be coming off commercial breaks, and I just barely catch them sometimes, like this week, and I just don't understand where they're going with it, or why. Sure, Izzi Dame's position seems to be slightly elevated since the latest slew of main roster call-ups, and she's challenging for the NXT Women's Championship next week, but it's not like she wasn't already a champion. It's her and Niko Vance subtly against Shawn Spears right now, and I just don't get it. I have no idea what Spears did to upset Dame.

I guess it's likely more common knowledge amongst us who are chronically online, but Spears is a coach at the WWE Performance Center, and it doesn't seem like he even wants to be called up to the main roster anytime soon. But we don't know that for sure. Thinking along the line that he is staying in "NXT," though, if The Culling breaks up, what's Spears going to do? And would Vance just be a bodyguard for Dame, as he's sadly not too relevant on the show anyway?

This week, the issue seems to be the fact that Spears booked himself and Vance in a tag team match for next week, the same week that Dame has her shot against Lola Vice. Later on in the night, Dame was on the graphic for the guys' bout, so she's presumably accompanying them ringside, so I can't see what the big deal is. I doubt Vice, a babyface, is going to come take her out.

With everything going on in "NXT" right now, from the new guys establishing themselves across all levels of the card, to new challengers for the NXT Women's Championship, including Dame, making themselves known, I just can't say I'm interested in a Culling breakup story. I don't see what it does for anyone involved, but I guess I also can't see what staying in a group does for them, either. Maybe I should just be more patient and let it all play out, but for now, I am just not interested whatsoever. I don't need a Spears vs. Vance match. I don't need to see Vance as Dame's only bodyguard outside of their cult-y faction, and I don't need to see Dame try to take over Spears as leader of the group, when she already kind of has been since her Women's North American Championship win.

Written by Daisy Ruth

As "NXT" commentator Booker T put it, Zaria has finally woken up, and so far, she's taken down three women in her path.

Last week, Zaria turned on her tag team partner Nikkita Lyons, making it clear that her goals were purely self-motivated. She would no longer be attached to another figure in the "NXT" locker room, but rather, drive through them.

Zaria reiterated that tonight, when she ambushed NXT Women's North American Champion Tatum Paxley and Lizzy Rain with a double spear and a pair of F5s. The redhead then held up Paxley's title, signaling her interest in capturing it for herself. And truthfully, as much as I like Paxley, it's about time that "NXT" strapped gold onto Zaria.

Zaria came into "NXT" with a strong allure and intensity, but in the blink of an eye, both elements vanished. Instead, she found herself stuck in the shadow of a tag partner who thrived as a singles star with the singles gold to prove it. Now that she's out from that shadow, though, Zaria can finally shine and bring back that intensity that we saw in her early "NXT" days. More than anything, she can make good on her promise to scorch everyone and everything in the road to her first singles championship in WWE.

Written by Ella Jay

I'm not going to beat around the bush. I don't think Darkstate has been around long enough to start shedding members like this.

Saquon Shugars has been getting the team into trouble, and everything about the team betraying him made logical sense. It's just that I don't feel like Darkstate established themselves enough for this betrayal to really mean anything. Saquon and the team have been around just over a year, and yet, it still feels like they're finding their footing. Maybe they'll have an easier time of it with one less member, but considering how much Shugars carried the team on the microphone, I'm not sure he was the one to jettison. 

It just feels like the group is going to become a slightly flatter version of themselves, while Shugars, one of NXT's better trash-talkers, will likely be forced to play sympathetic babyface, a role which I'm not entirely sure he's suited.

There are some NXT developments that feel like natural story developments, and there are some that feel like homework for a developmental talent. Saquon is being told to go figure out who he is as a personality, the rest of Darkstate are being told to figure out who they are on the microphone. It all feels a little too much like class, and not enough like a storyline.

Prove me wrong, kids. Prove me wrong.

Written by Ross Berman

While I expected Mason Rook to really look good in tonight's tag team match, where he teamed with fellow newcomer Kam Hendrix against NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo and North American Champion Myles Borne, I didn't expect to also really be impressed by Hendrix. I was thinking to myself as the match rolled on that I hope the creative for Hendrix is pivoting to him going up against Borne, rather than him continuing to attack D'Angelo, and with the finish of the match, that thankfully looks like where we're headed, especially after Rook laid out Hendrix for thinking he could call his shot against D'Angelo later in the night.

I liked that this tag team match opened the show. I wasn't sure where it would fall tonight, with both champions being involved. But I thought it was a fun way to open things up, especially with the crowd so hot with their chants for Rook. And, while he didn't body slam anyone's dad tonight, he looked really impressive. He went toe-to-toe multiple times with D'Angelo, and at the beginning, just absorbed the champion's punches. I also knew he was speedy for his size, but this is the first full Rook match I've ever seen, and I was still impressed. D'Angelo had to work hard to get Rook off his feet, and it took Borne to help him get the big man up for a suplex.

I also liked that it was Tavion Heights that basically cost Borne the match, so it kept the champions looking strong, while the new guys still scored the victory. I don't necessarily need a Borne vs. Heights match, but I'm not going to complain about it if and when it happens. It also makes sense to do that first if Hendrix isn't immediately going after Borne.

Rook did the excellent (and I still think unnamed?) move of his where he put Borne across his shoulders, then hit a cannonball into the corner, nailing him off the second turnbuckle pad. Hendrix then tagged himself in, and I thought maybe that's where we'd see the tension between the two heels, but nope, Rook just let him pin Borne, one, two, three.

The tension came later on in the night, when Hendrix was interviewed in the ring and said he wasn't looking to challenge Borne, but to go for the top gold. That didn't sit right with Rook, who laid him out for failing to acknowledge it was he who won the match. I could have dealt without that, and Hendrix could have just pivoted to Borne without kind of burying the NA Championship, but I think we'll get back there, eventually, now that Rook put him in his place.

Written by Daisy Ruth