All articles tagged with #nxt
WWE NXT General Manager Robert Stone publicly apologized to champion Kelani Jordan after suspended wrestler Wren Sinclair won the No. 1 Contender’s Battle Royal while disguised as AAA’s Lady Shani. Stone admitted the situation needs resolution, leaving Sinclair’s title opportunity in question ahead of Halloween Havoc.
Mason Rook was medically pulled from his scheduled NXT Championship match against Grayson Waller on September 29, leading to an open challenge. EK Prosper accepted the challenge and lost to Waller. The show also featured Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic bouts and a Women's North American Championship defense by Zaria.
Mason Rook was medically pulled from his NXT Championship match against Grayson Waller on September 29, leading to an open challenge that EK Prosper accepted. Rook called the setback a 'speed bump,' while the show featured Dusty Classic bouts and a Zaria title defense.
Mason Rook was pulled from his scheduled NXT Championship match against Grayson Waller on September 29 due to undisclosed medical issues. Rook issued a statement calling the setback a 'speed bump,' while WWE converted the main event into an open challenge, which EK Prosper accepted. The show also featured Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic bouts and a Women's North American Championship defense by Zaria.
Wendy Choo’s WWE release stunned the company’s Developmental system, with the Performance Center reportedly blindsided despite her ongoing roles across Evolve and LFG. Choo had endured multiple gimmicks and title pursuits, including a challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT In Your House (2022) and a No Mercy 2024 bid for the NXT Women’s North American Championship, before winning the Evolve Women’s Championship in April 2026 and losing it to Nikkita Lyons on June 24; her release came in the same developmental wave as PJ Vasa and Jasper Troy, despite her continued use as a veteran presence and player-coach.
WWE announced on September 4 a wave of talent departures, with several performers exiting from NXT and EVOLVE, including Jasper Troy, Adriana Rizzo, and Wendy Choo, signaling a notable roster shake-up in the company’s recent talent moves.
WWE has released Jasper Troy, and after a 30-day non-compete he becomes a free agent; the former NXT talent last wrestled on WWE Main Event on Aug 27 and had earlier competed in NXT and NXT Level Up.
PWInsider reports ongoing WWE NXT talent releases, with Jasper Troy the only confirmed departure so far; no main roster cuts are expected at this time, and more updates are anticipated.
Post-Heatwave, NXT reshuffles its title picture: Grayson Waller sits as champ while a wider field of contenders forms, Zilla Fatu leans into a babyface push after a strong win, and the Creed Brothers return to shake up the tag scene. Naraku continues to outsmart Shiloh Hill with a crafty mist finish, while GM aide Keanu Carver sets up a six-man and a follow-up triple-threat to crown Waller’s next challenger. Kelani Jordan claims the North American title, the Speed Title is retired, and Birth Right’s bid to recruit Zilla is politely rejected, signaling a roster-wide storytelling focus toward Halloween Havoc.
Grayson Waller kicked off his NXT Championship reign in chaotic fashion, triggering a massive post-title brawl on Sept. 1, 2026, as the night also featured Zilla Fatu’s strong showing, the Creed Brothers’ shocking return, and key results like Thea Hail defeating Nikkita Lyons, Mason Rook beating Kam Hendrix, and Jaida Parker challenging new NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan.
WWE was reportedly shocked by how the crowd reacted to back-to-back AAA Ola de Calor and NXT Heatwave shows in Edinburg, Texas, with many fans leaving after the AAA match and roughly half remaining for the NXT main event. Dave Meltzer indicated the Mexican crowd favored lucha libre, prompting talk that WWE should put NXT first in future cross-promotions. WrestleTix pegged day-of-ticket sales at 5,440 with a get-in price around $37.17.
WWE NXT’s Sept. 1, 2026 show at the Performance Center covers Kelani Jordan addressing her Heatwave win and calling for a title match against Jaida Parker next week, a Thea Hail vs. Nikkita Lyons non-title clash, Naraku defeating Shiloh Hill with a mist-assisted finish, Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno defeating Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy, Mason Rook defeating Kam Hendrix, Zilla Fatu defeating Tristan Angels, and Grayson Waller’s post‑Heatwave promo that tees up a Six‑Man Tag and a Triple Threat NXT Championship contenders match for next week.
WWE NXT on The CW closes Heatwave 2026 and rolls into the post-Heatwave era with Grayson Waller now the NXT Champion. The show features Shiloh Hill losing to Naraku after a mist ploy, Thea Hail defeating Nikkita Lyons in a non-title bout, and Mason Rook earning his first singles win by defeating Kam Hendrix. Romeo Moreno & Noam Dar upend Sean Legacy & Dorian Van Dux, while Zaria moves to retire the Speed Championship as King’s title is scrapped. Zilla Fatu defeats Tristan Angels and Birthright eyes him as a potential recruit. The night ends with a chaotic multi-person call-out and a plan for next week’s six-man tag that will determine the new #1 contender to Waller’s title.
Kelani Jordan defeated Kendal Grey at Heatwave to win the NXT Women’s Championship, using her gymnastics background to counter Grey’s amateur wrestling and survive a hard-fought clash that delivered one of the year’s top women’s matches.
WWE viewed the Edinburg, Texas double-header—AAA Ola de Calor followed by NXT Heatwave—as an eye-opener, with reports that many fans left after the AAA show and the Mexican crowd showing stronger support for lucha libre than for NXT wrestlers, prompting talk that future double-headers might reorder the lineup (e.g., placing NXT earlier) to boost engagement.