The Vanity Project (professional wrestling)

Last updated
The Vanity Project
Stable
Members Jackson Drake
Brad Baylor
Ricky Smokes
NameThe Vanity Project
Combined
billed weight		599 lb (272 kg)
Former members Bryce Donovan
Zayda Steel
DebutApril 23, 2025 (2025-04-23)
Years active2025–present

The Vanity Project is a villainous professional wrestling stable in WWE, where they perform under the NXT and Evolve brands. The group is led by Jackson Drake and consists of Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes. As a stable, Drake is the current and inaugural Evole Men's Champion in his first reign, and Baylor and Smokes are the current NXT Tag Team Champions in their first reign.

Contents

History

On the March 5, 2025 episode of Evolve , Jackson Drake and Swipe Right (Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes) lost to Jack Cartwheel, Sean Legacy and Cappuccino Jones in a six-man tag team match in Evolve's first main event after its revival in WWE. [1] On the April 23 episode, Drake, Swipe Right, Bryce Donovan, and Zayda Steel joined together to form a stable called The Vanity Project. [2] On the May 21 episode, Steel lost in a Fatal Four-Way match against Kylie Rae, Aria Bennett and Chantel Monroe to earn an opportunity to become the inaugural WWE Evolve Women's Champion. [3] On the June 4 episode, Drake defeated Sean Legacy, Edris Enofe, and Keanu Carver in a fatal four-way elimination match to become the inaugural WWE Evolve Champion. [4] [5] After weeks of Drake blaming Donovan—who was the group's enforcer— for the group's failures, Donovan announced on the October 8 episode that he's done with the stable and that he will take the Evolve Championship away from Drake on the following week. He would then begin fighting against his former stablemates. [6] At the Evolve special "Succession" on October 15, Donovan failed to dethrone Drake. [7]

On October 9, Steel announced that she would not be renewing her WWE ID contract. [8] She wrestled her last WWE televised match on the October 22 episode of Evolve, where she was defeated by Thea Hail. [9] [10] She made her last appearance with the group on the following week's episode. [11]

On the January 13, 2026 episode of NXT, The Vanity Project were promoted to the NXT brand. [12] On the February 24 episode, Baylor and Smokes won the NXT Tag Team Championship by dethroning Osiris Griffin and Saquon Shugars of the DarkState stable after an interference by Tony D'Angelo. [13]

Members

*Founding member
LLeader

Current

MemberJoined
Jackson Drake (L)*April 23, 2025
Brad Baylor *
Ricky Smokes*

Former

MemberJoinedLeft
Bryce Donovan *April 23, 2025October 8, 2025
Zayda Steel *October 29, 2025

Timeline

The Vanity Project (professional wrestling)

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ↑ Tessier, Colin (March 5, 2025). "WWE EVOLVE (3/5/2025) Results: Jack Cartwheel, Cappuccino Jones, Carlee Bright, Keanu Carver, And More". Fightful. Archived from the original on March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  2. ↑ Vetter, Chris (April 23, 2025). "WWE Evolve results (4/23): Vetter's review of Bryce Donovan vs. Timothy Thatcher, Carlie Bright vs. Kalyx, Zara Zakher vs. Aria Bennett, Jackson Drake vs. Sean Legacy". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  3. ↑ Vetter, Chris (May 22, 2025). "WWE Evolve results (5/21): Vetter's review of Keanu Carter vs. Harlem Lewis for a spot in the four-way to determine the Evolve Champion, Swipe Right vs. Sean Legacy and Timothy Thatcher". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  4. ↑ Vetter, Chris (June 4, 2025). "WWE Evolve results (6/4): Vetter's review of Sean Legacy vs. Jackson Drake vs. Edris Enofe vs. Keanu Carver in a four-way elimination match to become the first WWE Evolve Champion". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  5. ↑ Lambert, Jeremy (June 4, 2025). "Jackson Drake Becomes First-Ever WWE EVOLVE Champion". Fightful. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  6. ↑ Vetter, Chris (October 9, 2025). "WWE Evolve results (10/8): Vetter's review of WWE Evolve Champion Jackson Drake's challenger for Succession revealed, WWE Evolve Women's Champion Kali Armstrong and Kendal Grey". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  7. ↑ Vetter, Chris (October 15, 2025). "WWE Evolve results (10/15): Vetter's review of "Succession" with Kali Armstrong vs. Kendal Grey for the Evolve Women's Championship, Jackson Drake vs. Bryce Donovan for the Evolve Championship". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  8. ↑ Lambert, Jeremy (2025-10-09). "Zayda Steel Leaving WWE ID". Fightful. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  9. ↑ Vetter, Chris (October 22, 2025). "WWE Evolve results (10/22): Vetter's review of The Vanity Project in a six-man tag main event, Thea Hail vs. Zayda Steel, and Sean Legacy vs. Edris Enofe". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Matches « Zayda Steel". Cagematch. Archived from the original on October 23, 2025. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  11. ↑ Vetter, Chris (October 29, 2025). "WWE Evolve results (10/29): Vetter's review of Laredo Kid vs. Marcus Mathers vs. Tate Wilder in a three-way, Jin Tala vs. Masyn Holliday". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  12. ↑ Lambert, Jeremy (January 13, 2026). "Vanity Project Sign With WWE NXT". Fightful. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  13. ↑ Moore, John (February 24, 2026). "NXT TV results (2/24): Moore's review of Jacy Jayne vs. Sol Ruca for the NXT Women's Championship, DarkState vs. Vanity Project for the NXT Tag Team Titles, Keanu Carver vs. Sean Legacy". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved February 25, 2026.
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