During "WWE NXT's" final broadcast of 2025, Ethan Page successfully defended his NXT North American Championship against TNA Wrestling's Moose, courtesy of the Twisted Grin and a definitive pinfall. According to WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray, there is no shame in Moose losing to the "NXT" star; there is, however, a glaring consequence to him losing in clean fashion.
"Ethan hits one false finish on Moose, but then he gets up and Ethan hits his version of the diamond cutter on Moose. Then the ref counted one, two, three, and Uncle Bully said, 'What the f***?'" Ray recalled on "Busted Open After Dark." "... I'm like why is Moose losing so clean in the middle to a swarmy, snarky, cheating, little weasley heel? Moose is, unless I'm mistaken, the biggest man in physical stature in TNA. TNA is going live on AMC come January the 15th. TNA needs all of its firepower locked and loaded for that show, and one of the biggest stars in the company, part of The System, just lost as clean as clean can be to a scumbag heel. I'm like, 'Why, why, why?'"
Rather than seeing Page cleaning pinning Moose, Ray would have preferred to see the reigning NXT North American Champion retain it by cheating, such as putting his legs on the rope as added leverage when covering Moose for the fall. As another alternative, Ray suggested that Page could have attempted a follow-up attack on Moose after the match, prompting the six-foot-five man to then issue one of his own in return."At least Moose is standing tall, something for the TNA guy to be able to hold his head high despite the fact that he lost clean," Ray said.
In TNA, Moose is a former TNA World and X-Division Champion, with the latter title now belonging to the NXT Championship's number one contender Leon Slater.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open After Dark" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
