What happened on this week's episode of WWE LFG? Here is a full synopsis and review of all the important highlights and more for WWE Legends & Future Greats episode #1, airing February 16, 2025! Who were the standouts of this episode? Which coaches scored points? What else interesting went down on this week's edition?
WWE LFG coverage begins at 8pm ET once the program begins to air on A&E. All material for WWE LFG was taped in advance at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
WWE LFG RESULTS: February 16, 2025
- Anthony Luke defeated Shilo Hill by pinfall.
- Tyra Mae Steele defeated Dani Sekelsky by pinfall.
The debut episode of WWE Legends & Future Greats (LFG) kicks off with Joe Tessitore, the play-by-play commentator for Friday Night SmackDown, introducing the WWE Performance Center and the journey it takes to become a WWE Superstar. He clarifies an important distinction—a training contract is not the same as an NXT contract, setting the stage for what’s at stake.
Next, Shawn Michaels meets with the four Legends to outline the show’s concept. He explains that out of nearly 100 elite athletes training at the Performance Center, only 16 of the most promising were chosen for this competition.
The Grand Prize: One male and one female competitor will earn a coveted NXT contract by season’s end.
For the Legends: They’ll be competing for the first-ever LFG Championship Title by mentoring their teams to victory.
And perhaps the most surprising revelation? LFG officially stands for "Let’s F*ing Go."
Shawn then introduces the Future Greats to their mentors, accompanied by career highlight packages for each Legend:
Booker T (Two-time WWE Hall of Famer & current NXT commentator) – "I want the Future Great who wants it the most."
Mickie James (Six-time WWE Women’s Champion, looking for her seventh) – "I can’t wait to see just how great the Future Greats are."
Bubba Ray Dudley (24-time Tag Team Champion) – "I’m not here to be your friend. I don’t even want to know your first names."
The Undertaker (A 21-1 record at WrestleMania & four decades in WWE) – "I need to merge my era with today’s era."
We get our first look at the Future Greats training in the ring, taking direction from their legendary mentors. The intensity is high as the Legends begin shaping their teams.
We then meet some of the Future Greats through introductory video packages:
Shilo Hill – A former Stanford starting linebacker, whose love for wrestling stems from his late father, who introduced him to WWE.
Zena Sterling & Drake Morreaux – Both share their excitement about training with their childhood heroes.
Anthony Luke – Perhaps the most notable detail? He’s WWE Superstar Maxxine Dupri’s boyfriend. Booker T even remarks that Anthony reminds him of a younger version of himself.
Dani Sekelsky – A former Tennessee Titans cheerleader who has been performing since age 3 and captained the Penn State University cheer team.
After getting to know some of the Future Greats, Joe Tessitore announces that the Legends will choose two men and two women to compete in a match tonight. To help determine their picks, it’s time for the Future Greats to cut their first promos (on LFG TV). Alicia Taylor introduces the trainees, and we dive into more short video packages, each offering a glimpse of their personality and backgrounds.
Tyra Mae Steele (1 year at the PC) – A 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist, and you could tell. She’s got a natural confidence and presence that makes you pay attention. Her promo felt genuine, nothing forced—just raw charisma. Give her time, and she’s gonna be dangerous.
Jasper Troy (18 months at the PC) – Big dude, powerhouse type, but something wasn’t clicking. Maybe it was his overuse of the word business (seriously, he must’ve said it five times), or maybe I’m just a hater. The intensity was there, but the delivery? Not so much.
Zena Sterling (1 year at the PC) – They made sure to tell us she’s Ukrainian, for some reason, but let’s talk about her actual promo. She leaned hard into a ditsy, almost clueless character, and honestly? I loved hating it. She’s got the kind of presence that makes you want to keep watching, which means she’s doing something right.
Leigh Laurel (5 months at the PC) – There’s something here. The emotion felt real, but it didn’t always land the way it should’ve. Either way, you could feel her passion. Needs refinement, but the potential is there.
Drake Morreaux (2 years at the PC) – Big dude, swamp guy gimmick. His presence was strong, but his promo felt off—until he dropped a horribly great line: "They may never see you later, alligator." I should’ve hated it, but I kinda loved it.
Chris Island – Went straight for a call-out promo on The Undertaker. The nerves were obvious, and it didn’t hit as hard as he probably hoped, but something about him radiates star power. Maybe it’s just me, but I got Carmelo Hayes vibes.
Elijah Holyfield (1 week at the PC) – Son of the legendary Evander Holyfield, and his promo was solid. The only issue? Some of his facial expressions felt… weird. (Or maybe I’m just a hater again.) Either way, the guy’s got something.
Shilo Hill (9 months at the PC) – A little shaky at times, but there’s definitely something there. His delivery felt more natural than most, and with some polish, he could be excellent on NXT.
Troy Yearwood (1 year at the PC) – Started off slow, but he finished strong. I believed it. The coaches didn’t. (Which probably just proves I know nothing.) The Legends really tore into him, and he’s either gonna come out of it better, or crushed.
We take a quick break from the ring and head to the back, where we meet Brayden "BJ" Ray—11 months into his time at the Performance Center. After a tense (albeit lame) confrontation with Bubba Ray earlier in the episode, BJ is itching for a chance to cut a promo and make his voice heard. The whole thing feels a little too scripted… but honestly? I can’t stand BJ Ray, and that means he’s got money written all over him.
Back to the promos:
Dani Sekelsky (3 months at the PC), Anthony Luke (9 months at the PC), Bayley Humphrey (1 week at the PC), Tatyanna Dumas (2 months at the PC), and Penina Tuilaepa—aka P. Nasty (2 months at the PC) all get their moments. Some stand out, some don’t, but let’s be real the producers knew who they wanted to feature.
Then it’s BJ’s turn.
We get a short package hyping up the cocky, self-proclaimed "West Coast Gangster" and the heat is real. He steps up and delivers a sloppy, unfocused promo that goes absolutely nowhere, until Booker T stops him mid-sentence. "Cut a real promo" Booker demands. And on who of all people? Bubba Ray Dudley, the very man BJ has already had issues with.
Everyone was remarking online that they saw this setup coming from a mile away, but hey, if it works, run with it. BJ calling out Bubba was weak in concept but at least had confidence behind it, and it almost felt real. Then Bubba fired back. The moment they went back and forth, BJ completely fell apart. Bubba didn’t just expose him, he dismantled him. And then, just when it couldn’t get worse, The Undertaker stepped in and shut BJ down completely. "Fix your attitude," Taker growled. BJ is then shown backstage talking more smack.
At this point, I couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t. And that? That’s WWE at its best.
Our last promo:
Sirena Linton (1 week at the PC) steps up next, and man, this one hit different. She delivers an emotional, gut-wrenching promo about her father being deported when she was just 16. You could feel every word—raw, unfiltered, almost too real for a wrestling promo. With time and polish, that kind of emotion could be a serious asset, but right now, it’s pure, unrefined heartbreak.
Every one of these Future Greats have something in them, and your first promo in front of some of the best in the business will always give you a few more butterflies. Give them some time and practice! Let's also remember were not getting the whole story, from what I saw i assume each Future Great ran with an introductory promo and a call out promo, but that's coming from a guy who actually knows nothing.
Finally, it’s time to see which four Future Greats impressed the Legends and will get their shot in tonight’s matches:
Dani Sekelsky vs. Tyra Mae Steele
Shilo Hill vs. Anthony Luke
The stakes? The winners get to choose which Legend will train them.
The Men’s Match:
Shilo and Luke put on a solid match, but something felt a little off. They gave each other too much—as in, it never looked like they were actually trying to avoid getting hit. I won’t use the "F" word, but they didn’t exactly sell me on the fight. Luke won by pinfall, and Mickie James mentioned he needed to show more heelish tendencies, though I thought he already was the natural heel here. Either way, the Legends picked him (Luke) as the standout. We’ll find out who he chooses later.
The Women’s Match:
Now this was a different story. These two came to work. They played their roles perfectly, took some serious bumps, and put on an actual TV-quality match. The athleticism was on full display, and it was way more compelling than the men’s bout. Tyra won by pinfall, and the Legends had nothing but praise for both women—well deserved. In the end, Tyra stood out the most.
To close out the show, Tyra picked Team Taker after deliberating with her husband and shedding some tears, and Anthony went with Booker T, believing his style and character was a better fit. Honestly, any of the Legends would have been solid picks, but I do wonder, did they really get to choose? Or was there some backstage guidance involved? Either way, it’s hard to argue with the results.
WWE LFG took me on a ride I didn’t expect. While it had its highs and lows, it ultimately left a lasting impression. I'm excited to watch the Future Greats grow and learn from the Legends week over week. This week focused on introducing us to the concept and the participants backgrounds, we got to hear some wonderful insights from the Legends, and hear some promos from the Future Greats. Both matches showed us a bit of what the men and women had to offer and overall it's always great to see others living out their dreams and giving everything they have to be the best they can be. WWE LFG swept me into an unexpected journey, a rollercoaster of emotions that ultimately etched itself into my wrestling-loving heart. The show's raw energy and potential left me buzzing with anticipation for the Future Greats' evolving stories. Watching these athletes pour their heart and soul into every moment was nothing short of inspirational. At the end of the day LFG had something special, and that's why I can't wait for WWE LFG Episode 2 airing February 23, 2025.
What did you think of the premier episode? Which Future Greats stood out to you? Do you think the Legends made the correct choices for the first competition? Leave a comment below and let's discuss!
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