Ever since their first appearance at Vengeance Day, the group known as Darkstate has been running wild across NXT. They show no mercy, beating up anyone they deem to be a target.
Right now, those targets are Je’Von Evans, Oba Femi, and Trick Williams. However, their actions have caught the eye of another faction. The D’Angelo Family have been wondering about this new group.
As the Don of NXT, Tony D’Angelo sees them as a threat to his family. He sent out his stablemates to find out anything they could about them.
On the April 1, 2025 episode of NXT, Adriana Rizzo, Luca Crusifino, and Stacks returned with information about the four men. This not only gave viewers a deeper look at who they were, but it also previews a potential clash between the two factions while progressing the Family’s current storyline.
Darkstate Gets Legitimacy From Another High Profile Faction
The four men, collectively known as Darkstat,e have taken NXT and the fans by storm with their actions and willingness to attack anyone at any time. Prior to this week’s episode, they were only known as PC athletes by commentary. Naturally, fans probably wondered about their backstory and where they came from.
They could’ve introduced themselves with some basic facts. Instead, a rival faction spilled all that out for them. The D’Angelo Family went one by one, talking about each of them.
They talked about where they went to school and what sports they played. Their degrees and behaviors were mentioned as well.
Crusifino, Rizzo, and Stacks didn’t just give D’Angelo and the fans crumbs. They gave out meaningful information that sells them as definitive threats to anyone in NXT. Their actions gave Darkstate legitimacy by showcasing where they came from and how athletically gifted they truly are.
The D’Angelo Family Advance Their Storyline as Well
On the surface, the segment does what it was supposed to do. Tony D’Angelo sees Darkstate as a threat and sends his family to get information. They come back with lots of stuff, and fans are excited for a storyline between the two.
However, viewers have noticed tension between D’Angelo and Stacks. Last week, Stacks was asked to stay behind to confirm his allegiance to the Don. This week, he butted heads with D’Angelo in front of Crusifino and Rizzo.
He wanted to attack Darkstate, but D’Angelo wanted to wait due to his last plan not going well. Then Stacks stayed back by himself and stared at him before leaving. It seems like D’Angelo doesn’t fully trust him, while he wants to do things his way.
This segment not only previews a clash between the two factions but also increases tension between the Don and the Underboss.
Both Factions Come Out Looking Better
When WWE runs segments, they have to make sure that they advance the storyline in an understandable way. They did an amazing job with this one.
Darkstate is now a legitimate threat to everyone because of what the D’Angelo Family found out about them. They’re not just random wrestlers from the Performance Center who want to make a name for themselves. They have legit credentials that should make everyone fear them.
The D’Angelo Family now has a reason to gear up for a potential showdown with them. It seems that will happen sooner or later.
Finally, the storyline between Stacks and Tony D’Angelo is getting hot. It’s clear that their issues with each other will come to a head in the near future.
This segment brilliantly introduced Darkstate while also showing the cracks starting to form between the two prominent members of the D’Angelo Family.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – WWE – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on Darkstate, D’Angelo Family, WWE NXT, and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
You can check out WWE programming on Netflix (Raw), USA Network (SmackDown), The CW (NXT), Tubi (WWE Evolve), A&E (WWE Superstar Sunday – Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments) and Peacock (WWE Main Event as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on YouTube, and catch fast-paced action on X (WWE Speed).
