NEW YORK, May 18, 2025 — For the past three months, wrestling fans have followed the intense competition on A&E as 16 hopefuls from the WWE Performance Center battled for an NXT contract. The journey, overseen by legends like The Undertaker, Booker T, Bubba Ray Dudley, and Mickie James, showcased the recruits’ skills in the ring, on the mic, and their personal narratives.
After a grueling season, the winners emerged on Sunday night: Team Undertaker’s Tyra Mae Steele and Team Booker T’s Jasper Troy took home the coveted NXT contracts. “I’m so excited. It’s been a long time coming. I swear I’ve just been waiting for my moment to shine,” Steele exclaimed. “I just feel elated. I just feel so, so freaking blessed.” Tyra, whose real name is Tamyra Mensah-Stock, is notably the 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist in women’s freestyle wrestling, making her the most credentialed competitor in the series.
Jasper Troy, originally a less-known recruit with a football background, stepped up his game throughout the series. He expressed his thoughts post-victory, saying, “I’m just excited I didn’t take my foot off the gas after winning. This isn’t a movie where it ends and cuts to black. This is just the beginning… we won the show, but I’m ready for what’s next in my WWE journey.”
To secure their wins, Steele and Troy competed on the grand stage of Madison Square Garden for the first time. Steele faced Zena Sterling while Troy faced Shiloh Hill, both competing for their futures. “Man, when I first walked into The Garden, I was like, ’not a lot of people, alright.’ But by the time my match started, I was astonished by the crowd,” Steele recalled. Troy echoed her sentiment, saying, “Once I felt that roar, it was like, ’okay we got them.’ Now I’m locked in.”
The overwhelming support from the audience was a surprise for Troy, who noted, “Bro, I’m a nobody. You don’t know me. You may have seen me on LFG, but not like a regular star. Still, the crowd reacted, booing and cheering for me. I appreciate it immensely.” Meanwhile, Steele felt validated by the cheers, saying, “It inflated my ego and made me feel I was in the right place with the right people.”
Tyra’s and Jasper’s paths to the finals differed significantly. While Steele’s Olympic glory was an asset, Troy had to carve his way through several challenges, including a standout moment where he impressed the coaches with a passionate promo delivered during a guest appearance by CM Punk. “When I cut that promo, it was a lot of passion, a lot of intensity. I needed to show them I’m not just an intimidating force,” Troy said.
Conversely, Steele had to confront her critics, including Bubba Ray Dudley, who questioned her gumption. Her breakout moment came during a personal segment where she opened up about her struggles, leading to validation from The Undertaker himself. “When he told me, ’that’s the passion I want to see,’ it urged me to bring my true self into this,” Steele explained.
In the end, each wrestler learned what it truly takes to succeed in the world of wrestling, navigating their individual journeys and experiences that solidified their wins. Their triumph in this season’s WWE LFG marks just the beginning of their careers in WWE as they advance to the next level.
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