Grayson Waller unloads on WWE, Austin Theory and TNA in explosive NXT return

Posted By: Ben Kerin on Jul 29, 2026

Grayson Waller made an unforgettable return to WWE NXT on Tuesday night, opening the show with a fiery, unscripted style promo that saw him air frustrations about his WWE run while taking aim at several familiar names.

Waller admitted his main roster stint had not lived up to expectations, claiming the last two years of his career had been "a complete embarrassment." He suggested his lack of opportunities came down to refusing to play backstage politics.

"Maybe I didn't politic. Maybe I didn't kiss the right a**," Waller said before insisting it was time to shake things up.

The former NXT standout then turned his attention to former tag team partner Austin Theory, blaming him for their lack of success as a team.

"I spent a year carrying 240 pounds of idiot on my back," Waller said. "I don't care how many bells and whistles you give him. At the end of the day, that Marty Jannetty is still allergic to the microphone."

Although he avoided naming them directly, Waller also referenced his brief association with The New Day, joking that the only funeral he had attended recently was for his own career.

He also questioned Cruz Montana's immediate rise into the NXT Championship picture, mocking both the former Mike Santana and his accomplishments in TNA Wrestling.

"It ain't 2005, lad. Being the top guy in TNA is like being the best basketball player at the local YMCA, I'm not impressed."

Waller declared that his sights are firmly set on the NXT Championship before widening his criticism to the entire locker room. He claimed the women's division was outperforming the men's roster, arguing that while many male wrestlers believed they were ready for the main roster, only a small number truly were.

"The women are running laps around the guys," he said, adding that while he respected the athletic ability of many independent wrestling standouts, they remained "charisma vacuums."

The promo eventually came to an abrupt end when Waller's microphone was cut. He attempted to continue speaking directly into the camera as he walked up the entrance ramp, but the broadcast suddenly faded to black before heading to a commercial break.

Waller has rarely appeared on WWE television since The New Day exited programming following Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods' departure from the company. In recent months, he has primarily competed at WWE and NXT live events.