Ricky Saints Comments on His NXT Title Victory at NXT No Mercy 2025
As noted before, Saturday’s WWE NXT No Mercy 2025 event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida featured Ricky Saints defeating Oba Femi to become the new NXT Champion.
Following the show, WWE released a digital exclusive backstage video featuring Saints reflecting on his NXT Championship victory.
“What a wild ride so far, and you know, I’m not one to be at a loss for words but, tonight’s different. Tonight is very, very special. So tonight is a culmination of things that I didn’t think was possible, but I made it so, and not just me; people who supported me, people who believed in me, fans, everybody, and now, the Absolute Era truly begins.”
Transcript h/t: Fightful.com
WWE Accidentally Uses Samantha Irvin Graphic for NXT No Mercy Broadcast Team Graphic
Saturday’s WWE NXT No Mercy 2025 event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida also featured a notable production botch during the show.
During the opening match between Josh Briggs and Je’Von Evans, a graphic was shown on the screen featuring the broadcast team for the event. This graphic featured Vic Joseph, Booker T, Kelly Kincard, and Mike Rome’s names being shown but instead of Kincard’s photo being shown, it was former WWE ring announcer Samantha Irvin’s photo being shown by mistake.
Samantha Irvin accidentally featured on the broadcast team graphic for WWE NXT No Mercy tonight pic.twitter.com/Xy8NuTUrzl
— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) September 27, 2025
Irvin departed from WWE in October of 2024 due to issues related to the her and the company not being able to come to terms for outside music projects and Irvin wanting to do more than just be a ring announcer in the company.
Backstage Update on Pin Count Botch in WWE Women’s Title Mach on September 26th WWE SmackDown Show
This past Friday’s WWE SmackDown show in Orlando, Florida featured Tiffany Stratton defeating Nia Jax and Jade Cargill in a Triple Threat match to retain her WWE Women’s Championship.
This match was notable for the ending involving a botched pinfall sequence over Stratton breaking up Cargill’s pinfall on Jax and attempted her own pinfall on Jax. This led to referee Daphanie LaShaun visibly stopping her third count and motioning that Jax had kicked out despite Jax didn’t move and her shoulders were still on the mat. After some words between the referee and Jax, Stratton hit a Prettiest Moonsault Ever and pinned Jax for the real finish to the match.
?????#SmackDown
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) September 27, 2025
pic.twitter.com/FHfAJ1grhI
Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that besides Cargill’s busted open head injury, the match’s finish also a subject of conversation backstage at the show.
It was reported that WWE referees used to be instructed to count pins as a “shoot” meaning to continue the count unless a wrestler actually kicked out but this policy has not been used for quite some time.

WWE: Backstage Update on WWE’s Internal Reaction to Danhausen’s WWE Debut, Broadcast Status Update for NXT Stand & Deliver 2026, Bayley on Her Upcoming Match with AJ Lee for WWE Women’s Intercontinental Title
AEW Dynamite Notes: “Timeless” Toni Storm Attacked Backstage Before Show, Will Ospreay Makes In-Ring Return, Omega vs. Strickland for AEW World Title #1 Contender & EVP Status Set for 3/25 Show, 3/21 & 3/22 Collision Saturday & Sunday Slam Dunk 2026 Shows Cards
AEW Revolution 2026 Part II Notes: Kenny Omega Appears & Saves Brody King From Swerve Strickland’s Cinder Block Attack, Mistico & JetSpeed Wins AEW World Trios Titles, MJF Retains AEW World Title & Hangman Page Can Never Challenge For The Title Again, 3/18 Dynamite Show Card




