The CW and Netflix will air a new episode of WWE NXT tonight, with Vic Joseph and Booker T at the commentary table, live from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The show will feature several matches and segments of interest, including a defense of the AAA Cruiserweight World Championship, as well as a Weaponized Steel Cage Match that will put an end to the rivalry between Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox.
Additionally, Kali Armstrong and Zaria will face off in a one-on-one match with title implications for NXT Heatwave. On the other hand, Romeo Moreno, Noam Dar, Sean Legacy, and Dorian Van Dux will team up against BirthRight. As always, we invite you to comment on the article to give your opinion on what happened on the show.
WWE NXT starts on Netflix!
We see the arrival of some of tonight's protagonists at the venue: Rey Fenix, EK Prosper, Tony D'Angelo, Kelani Jordan, and Wren Sinclair.
Weaponized Steel Cage Match
Saquon Shugars vs. Dion Lennox
Dion throws a trash can at his opponent as he enters the structure. Shugars dodges it to launch himself at Lennox. Saquon and Dion exchange attacks. Lennox picks up a metal chair to use it against his former partner. Dion repeatedly throws Shugars against the fence before smashing his face against it. Lennox removes Saquon's belt to use it as a whip against its owner.
Dion places a chair on the fence, resting it on the top rope. Lennox catches his rival to perform a powerbomb on a chair placed on the canvas. Dion tries to hit Shugars with a trash can, but his opponent attacks him first with another trash can. Saquon covers Dion's torso with the trash can and starts hitting him at will. Shugars finishes him off with a diving dropkick. 1..2..NO. Saquon picks up a metal chair to use it against Dion.
Shugars sets up a bed with two chairs intending to perform a suplex on Lennox on them. However, Dion resists until he finally surprises his former friend with a direct throat attack. Lennox rearranges the chairs, placing one on top of the other in such a way that the legs of the upper chair are facing upwards. After that, he performs a powerslam on Saquon on them. Shugars writhes in pain.
Lennox uses a chair again to punish his opponent. Shugars tries to defend himself with a kendo stick, but Dion quickly snatches it. Lennox uses the stick to hit Saquon, and even to reinforce a crossface. Shugars escapes from Dion to throw him against the fence of the structure. Lennox tries to recover, but his opponent dives on him with a diving crossbody.
Dion picks up a kendo stick to counterattack. Lennox places the stick in one of the corners with one end pointing forward. Dion tries to throw Saquon against it, but it is the former who ends up hitting the wooden weapon. Shugars continues with a backbreaker before performing a swinging flatliner on a metal chair. 1..2..NO.
Saquon seeks height on one of the corners, but Dion hits him with a kendo stick to make him fall. After that, Lennox applies a spinebuster on a trash can. 1..2..NO. Dion sets up two kendo sticks to prepare a metal chair on the fence. After that, he picks up another chair to go back for his rival, only to realize that he has his faithful baseball bat in his hands. Shugars uses the bat to disarm his opponent.
Saquon continues to attack Dion with the baseball bat. In a desperate act, Lennox throws a metal chair that hits Shugars' left knee. Dion immobilizes Saquon in one of the corners to hit his damaged knee again with a chair shot. 1..2..NO. Lennox traps the knee in a painful submission hold (reinforced with his opponent's baseball bat). Shugars manages to free himself by hitting his rival's head against the lid of a trash can.
Lennox sets up a table next to one of the corners. After that, he takes Saquon to the top of it, ready for his next move. Shugars foils his rival's plans by hitting his head with the lid of a trash can. After that, he prepares to execute a sunset flip powerbomb, but his knee fails him on the landing. Dion tries to catch Saquon, but he surprises him with his baseball bat. Saquon places Lennox on the table, but it ends up collapsing due to a poorly placed leg.
Shugars rearranges the table to place the leader of DarkState on it. Saquon places a trash can on Lennox's head before hitting him with a superkick. The table collapses again, this time splitting in half. Shugars ascends to the top of the structure. Once there, Saquon jumps on his opponent with a diving crossbody. 1..2..3.
Winner: Saquon Shugars
Blake Howard interviews Tony D'Angelo backstage. Howard reminds the NXT Champion that he will have to defend the title against three men who have just arrived at the brand. Tony mentions that the last NXT PLEs have seen him triumph. That said, he reminds us that he is the only Grand Slam Champion in the history of the brand. D'Angelo knows that his rivals have come to NXT for different reasons, but ultimately, they have all been attracted by the prestige of this brand. "On Sunday, they will have their reasons. I will have mine", he says. "Guys, I defeated three men to win this title, and I will beat you three to retain it. See you tonight at the summit", he adds before leaving.
Sarah Schreiber interviews The Vanity Project at a bowling alley. The faction members revealed that they live in the same house, as they are like a family. Ricky Smokes and Brad Baylor assured that they are true friends, not like Myles Borne and Tavion Heights (their rivals at NXT Heatwave), who continue to compete against each other to see who is better. Jackson Drake added that The Vanity Project competes as a team to prove they are the best, whether in the ring or at the bowling alley. Baylor pointed out that they have always been together, from their beginnings on the independent circuit to their arrival at NXT, passing through EVOLVE before. Regarding the addition of Myka Lockwood, the faction members boasted that no one dares to touch them thanks to her. Drake was proud of his teammates, promising that they are all the future of this business. That said, he ensured that they will leave NXT Heatwave with three belts in their possession, adding that the post-event celebration will be incredible. The Vanity Project posed with the "V" gesture, inviting Sarah to join them. This is how this segment ended.
Nattie carries out a promo in the ring. The Canadian points out that her arrival at NXT was mainly due to her desire to face Jaida Parker, as she saw something in her. Something special that she hadn't seen in any woman for a long time. "Jaida looks like a million dollars. Talks like a million dollars. Fights like a million dollars. And can kick my butt. But I also saw something else: wasted potential", says Nattie. She points out that Parker has everything it takes to succeed, but she doesn't know what to do with it. In addition, she softened when she suffered several defeats in a row. But all that changed when Nattie faced her. Since then, Jaida has improved in the ring and on the mic and has started to believe that she belongs and can lead this division. "Jaida, I gave you the most valuable asset in women's wrestling: my attention. Jaida, you are a possibility that I turned into a reality. You're welcome".
Jaida Parker interrupts the promo!
"Nattie, since you arrived at NXT, you have tried to prove to me and everyone else that I am exactly who you say I am: wasted potential, soft, that I don't belong in this place. It doesn't seem that way to me", says Jaida as she points to the crowd. "Miss Parker! Miss Parker!", fans chant. Jaida acknowledges the achievements of the Canadian, but she also knows that she is not in NXT to help anyone. Nattie saw a rising woman and wanted to "break her". Parker thanks her for helping her remember who she is. "I'm not one of your little friends. I don't need your acceptance. I don't want your experience. And of course, I don't need someone like you to tell me who the hell I am!", she says. "If anything, you should be thanking me. If what you want is to be the center of all conversations again, you've come to the right person".
Nattie is glad to see that the best version of Jaida Parker has come to light. Now, it's time to take the next step. "I don't want a normal match against you. At Heatwave, in Texas, I want a submission match, b****!", exclaims Nattie. "If that's what you want, I promise you that's what you'll get. You may be the Discreet Legend, but I'm the one who's going to kick your butt in Texas, with everyone shouting Miss Parker... b****!", Jaida responds before throwing the mic. Parker heads back to backstage to end this segment.
Keanu Carver vs. Kam Hendrix
Both men struggle. Kam traps Carver in a headlock. Keanu frees himself to respond forcefully. Carver knocks down Hendrix with a right hand. Kam crawls towards the ropes. Keanu approaches his rival, but he surprises him to throw him against the ropes. Hendrix continues to attack Carver before taking him down with a flying clothesline. 1..2..NO. Kam uses the ropes again to hit Keanu.
Hendrix traps his rival in a headlock. Carver blocks a suplex, but he can't defend himself from a direct kick to the face. Hendrix continues to attack Keanu. Furious, he quickly responds. A direct chop to the back angers Carver even more, who performs two release German suplexes on his rival. Keanu continues with a Pounce. As a result, Hendrix ends up on ringside.
Carver approaches the ropes to try to catch his rival, at which point he attacks him directly in the eyes. The referee attends to Keanu, at which point Mason Rook appears out of nowhere to crush Kam with a crossbody. The British man quickly sends Hendrix back into the ring, where Carver finishes him off with a Fisherman Buster. 1..2..3.
Winner: Keanu Carver
Kelani Jordan stars in a promotional video before her title match at NXT Heatwave. Jordan boasts of not being like the other women on the roster. She didn't need to work hard to gradually rise. She was simply number one from the moment she signed with WWE. Kelani mentions the rise to stardom of Oba Femi, Lola Vice, or Kendal Grey. However, she did it faster. She didn't need to fight on the independent scene, EVOLVE, or AAA, or have a famous last name or be part of a faction. Kelani describes herself as the best athlete to ever step into a WWE ring. Jordan recalls winning the NXT Women's North American Championship and the TNA Knockouts World Title on her first attempt. "You could call me One Shot Lani", she says before promising to repeat history by winning the NXT Women's Championship on her first attempt. "When your name is Kelani Jordan, you don't need years to become a star. You just need an opportunity", she states to end this promo.
Zilla Fatu stars in a promotional video. The Samoan boasts of going from being the most coveted free agent to being a contender for the NXT Championship. Now everyone has their eyes on him, and he likes it. Fatu shows the medal with his father's face (Umaga) hanging around his neck. "My last name is a blessing, but also a burden. But when it's all said and done, you will remember my name more than my last name. Because I'm not just another nepobaby, or whatever you want to call me. I'm a man who paid out of his own pocket to get here", he says. Zilla acknowledges that being named a contender for the brand's top championship right after arriving was controversial, but it's all part of his show. Fatu recalls that his simple arrival at NXT generated 25 million views on social media. "And that was just my debut. Imagine what I'll do on Sunday at Heatwave. Fatal four-way match. Tony D? Montana? Grayson Waller? I don't care. This Sunday, when I'm done with them, they'll find out why I'm The Main One", he says to end his promo.
Zaria vs. Kali Armstrong
Both women grapple, even clashing their heads, to test their strength. Zaria traps Armstrong to take her down with a powerslam. Kali immediately pays her back. Armstrong and Zaria continue to test their strength. Zaria crushes Armstrong in one of the corners, where she delivers a big boot. The Australian charges at her opponent in the opposite corner before throwing her to the canvas with a body drop.
Armstrong recovers to throw Zaria out of the ring with a clothesline. Kali seeks height on one of the corners to jump with a diving crossbody. Armstrong hits the Australian against the apron before bringing her back into the ring. Kali continues to hit Zaria, whom she throws against one of the corners. Armstrong performs two corner spears on the Australian before applying a powerslam. 1..2..NO.
Kali traps Zaria in a headlock. The Australian frees herself by performing a side suplex. Zaria stands over Armstrong to hit her with a flurry of punches. Zaria kicks Kali before strangling her from the second rope in one of the corners. The referee orders her to release her prey. Armstrong goes after the Australian to apply a superplex. Both women end up lying on the canvas.
Zaria and Kali exchange punches in the center of the ring. Armstrong surprises the Australian with a powerbomb. 1..2..NO. Kali performs a corner spear on Zaria. She stops a second corner spear with a knee before taking down Armstrong with a lariat. 1..2..NO. Zaria executes a release German suplex. Armstrong responds with a powerslam. The former EVOLVE champion gains momentum on the ropes, ready to perform a Kali Connection, but Zaria surprises her with a spear. The Australian carries Armstrong on her shoulders to perform her F5, but her opponent reverses it into a roll-up. 1..2..3.
Winner: Kali Armstrong
With this victory, Armstrong secures a spot in the title unification match that will pit Zaria against Wren Sinclair at NXT Heatwave.
Kendal Grey enters the Performance Center medical room accompanied by NASCAR driver William Sawalich. Grey introduces Sawalich to the doctor (promoting the race he will compete in this coming weekend in the process). Kendal asks the doctor about her condition ahead of Heatwave. The doctor reminds her that the tissue in her ear has still not healed, so she needs to be especially careful not to take any attacks to that area. Grey asks if she has been medically cleared. The doctor says yes, but warns her that she is playing with fire. Kendal understands, but also points out that her priority is to defend the title. Wren Sinclair appears on the scene to tell the doctor that she will take it from here. Wren asks her tag team partner how she is feeling. Grey explains that she has been medically cleared, but the doctor is still worried about her. Sinclair points out that everyone is worried. She, for one, will now have to face not only Zaria, but also Kali Armstrong, which will make her title unification match even more difficult. Sawalich suggests that the two of them take a moment to breathe and calm down. The advice works. Kendal is convinced that Sawalich will win his race, just as WrenQCC will leave Heatwave with all the gold around their waists. The three pose triumphantly with the WrenQCC gesture to bring this segment to an end.
Tag Team Match
BirthRight (Lexis King, Charlie Dempsey, Uriah Connors and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo) (with Arianna Grace) vs. Romeo Moreno, Noam Dar, Sean Legacy and Dorian Van Dux
Noam and Charlie begin the match with a chain-wrestling exchange. Romeo gets the tag and crushes Dempsey's back. The Spaniard quickly tags in Dux to continue the offense, but his opponent heads toward his corner to bring Lexis into the match. He quickly falls into the Belgian's clutches. Lorenzo enters the ring, but eventually succumbs alongside King to the combined attack of Dux and Legacy.
Connors tags himself in with the aim of catching Sean off guard, but Sean stops him with an armdrag. Romeo gets the tag. The Spaniard trades chops with Uriah. Uriah catches Moreno off guard with a dropkick. Romeo traps Connors in an Ankle Lock. Channing tries to intervene, but Dar catches him in the same hold. Uriah and "Stacks" help each other escape from the Europeans, who end up at ringside.
Connors and Lorenzo build up momentum with the intention of diving onto Noam, but Sean and Dorian literally come crashing down on top of them with simultaneous diving crossbodies. Now they are the ones preparing to dive onto their opponents, but Arianna climbs onto the apron to stop them. King and Dempsey take advantage of the distraction to throw Legacy and Dux out of the ring. Moreno tries to build up momentum, but Connors grabs him by the legs and pulls him out of the ring. Uriah knocks the Spaniard out with a spinning kick.
The members of BirthRight take turns punishing Romeo. Lorenzo takes Moreno down with a clothesline before sending him into his corner. Channing hits Romeo with a knee drop before trapping him in a grounded headlock. Uriah gets the tag to combine with "Stacks." Channing launches the Spaniard onto his partner, allowing him to hit a sit-out powerbomb. 1..2..NO.
Romeo escapes from all of his opponents to tag in Dux, who enters the ring at full speed. The Belgian throws all of his opponents out of the ring before diving onto them with a tope. Dorian brings Lorenzo back into the ring before hitting a frog splash. Legacy follows up with a 450 Splash. 1..2..NO. King breaks up the count, taking out both Dux and Sean in the process. "This is awesome!", the fans chant.
Dar continues the match with Dempsey, whom he tries to trap in an armbar. Connors prevents it with a Swanton Bomb. The match descends into chaos. Romeo catches King with a tremendous running kick before diving onto the rest of his opponents with a diving crossbody. Legacy climbs to the second rope, allowing Dux to forcefully push him upward as if he were a catapult. Sean lands on both teammates and opponents. Suddenly, Dempsey kicks Dorian in the back, causing him to fall onto Legacy. Noam catches Charlie with a roll-up. 1..2..NO. Dempsey ducks a right hand from the Scot before answering with a bridging slam. 1..2..3.
Winners: BirthRight
We see Robert Stone talking with referee Victoria D'Errico backstage. The General Manager reminds her that tonight's summit could be a powder keg, so he asks her to organize everything to prevent any problems as much as possible. D'Errico leaves, at which point Keanu Carver appears. Stone watched his match tonight and the controversial finish, so he believes it is only fair that Carver face Kam Hendrix again. Keanu reminds him that referees' decisions are final. Besides, a win is a win. Stone agrees with that, but this particular victory was achieved through cheating, so... "THE REFEREE'S DECISION IS FINAL, Stone!", Carver exclaims before walking away. The General Manager turns around to find Shiloh Hill. He reminds Robert that Naraku cost him the victory last week. Stone asks him how he is feeling. Hill points out that he regained his sight completely sooner than Tony D'Angelo did. Shiloh believes the composition of the Japanese wrestler's red mist was different this time. Stone plays along, implying that he understands all this chemical jargon. Finally, the General Manager grants his wish: a one-on-one match with Naraku. Hill thanks Stone and leaves to bring this segment to an end.
AAA Cruiserweight World Championship Match
Rey Fenix (c) vs. EK Prosper
Both men grapple as they look for a quick victory. EK Prosper catches Fenix off guard with his great agility. Rey catches EK Prosper and hits him with two painful chops. Rey tries to dive from the apron, but his opponent stops him with a superkick. The champion falls to ringside. EK Prosper climbs one of the turnbuckles to hit a moonsault. "NXT! NXT!", the fans chant.
EK Prosper brings Rey back into the ring. EK Prosper dives at his opponent, but Rey catches him with a superkick. 1..2..NO. Fenix takes EK Prosper into one of the corners and hits him with several chops. EK Prosper blocks a suplex and answers with a direct kick to the masked man's face, following up with a DDT. 1..2..NO.
EK Prosper and Fenix trade attacks by the ropes. Rey takes the challenger down to the mat. EK Prosper breaks free and trades strikes with the Mexican. Both men knock each other down with simultaneous clotheslines. Rey and EK Prosper trade attacks in the center of the ring. Fenix kicks EK Prosper before looking for a Liger Bomb, but the challenger counters into a faceplant. EK Prosper finishes off the champion with a diving legdrop. 1..2..NO.
Rey ducks a big boot near the ropes and kicks his opponent in the back of the neck. Fenix follows up with a Tightrope Penalty Kick, followed by a diving crossbody. 1..2..NO. Rey climbs up for a frog splash. 1..2..NO. Fenix charges at EK Prosper, but the challenger stops him with a German suplex. EK Prosper sends Rey into the ropes. The masked man uses the momentum to answer with an improvised handspring cutter. "AAA! AAA!", the fans chant.
Fenix hits EK Prosper with a running knee strike in one of the corners. The champion tries to hoist him onto his shoulders, but his opponent won't allow it. EK Prosper catches Rey off guard with a Frankensteiner. EK Prosper hits a spinning moonsault. Fenix dodges, causing his opponent to crash face-first onto the mat. EK Prosper takes refuge in one of the corners, where he receives another running knee strike. Rey hoists his opponent onto his shoulders and finishes him with a definitive Mexican Muscle Buster. 1..2..3.
Winner and STILL AAA Cruiserweight World Champion: Rey Fenix
Fenix helps EK Prosper to his feet and the two shake hands. Both men show mutual respect as the segment comes to an end.
Myles Borne and Tavion Heights talk with NASCAR driver Sam Mayer in the men's locker room (promoting the upcoming race in the process). Heights tells Mayer that he and his partner will have to defend their championships this Sunday. What he doesn't know is which match will take place first. If they have to defend the tag team titles first, Tavion suggests that Borne let him handle the heavy lifting. That way, Myles can be more rested when it's time to defend the North American Championship. Borne doesn't want him to worry about these things. He will have two matches, and both will end in victory. Heights tells Mayer that Myles is a great friend and will do whatever it takes to keep that championship around his waist. "I know it's your first title defense, but you can't let the nerves control you. One match at a time," Borne tells his partner.
Hank Walker and Tank Ledger appear on the scene. Myles welcomes them back to NXT after their little trip to Hollywood, where they took part in the filming of a movie. Hank wonders if, now that they're back, Borne and Heights would give them a title opportunity once they take care of The Vanity Project. "Right now, we're focused on one thing at a time. That will happen at Heatwave. We'll see you then," Tavion replies. Ledger and Walker leave satisfied with the answer. Myles slaps hands with his partner and Mayer to bring the segment to an end.
Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair make their way to the ring. Several members of the security team are positioned around the ring. Grey wants to get straight to the point. Kendal acknowledges Kelani Jordan's accomplishments and undeniable talent. But it is also true that she always makes excuses. Jordan says her rise was meteoric. Well, a year ago, nobody knew who Kendal Grey was. Since then, she has won the EVOLVE Women's Championship, was the 2025 Iron Survivor and is the current NXT Women's Champion. So Kelani can call herself "The Standard" of NXT, but when it comes to the women's division, Grey is the one who truly sets the standard. Kendal points out that once she won the championship, she had no hesitation in defending it against future Hall of Famer Nattie. She also had no hesitation in doing so against Lola Vice in an Underground Match (where Vice had never lost). And after suffering her injury in that match, she decided not to take time off; she didn't go 100 days without defending her title like other champions do. Grey reminds everyone that she was the one who asked Robert Stone for the contract that would grant Kelani her desired title opportunity. "Now it's her turn to make her actions match her words. At Heatwave, I'll have a target on my back. She'd better not miss," she says.
Kelani Jordan appears on the scene. Jordan points out that she was the one who put that target on Grey's back, and that she won't need more than one opportunity to take the championship from her. Kelani enters the ring and promises Kendal that this Sunday she will take the gold from her and send her straight to the sidelines. Sinclair steps forward to assure Jordan that won't happen, as WrenQCC will leave Heatwave with all the gold around their waists.
Zaria interrupts the conversation by mockingly imitating Wren's tone of voice. The Australian makes her way toward the ring. Zaria doesn't care how many family members or friends show up at the venue to cheer Sinclair on, because nothing will prevent the match from ending the same way as the last time they faced each other: with the Texan laid out on the mat. "And I'll erase forever all the bad memories this Speed Title has tormented me with," the Australian says. Kali Armstrong joins the conversation to remind Zaria and Wren that she has defeated them both. "And I did it one after the other. And I'll say it bluntly: I'm going home with both titles. That's right. I hope you're ready," Kali says.
Grayson Waller interrupts the segment to (half-heartedly) mock the women in the ring. The Australian is happy to see the 10% good part of the roster, as well as the energy they're bringing. Although listening to them is a bit of a struggle for him. Now he will take over the segment. Grayson acknowledges that they were the best thing about this show... until he arrived on the brand. Waller climbs into the ring and promises that this Sunday nobody will be talking about those AAA acrobats' show or the NXT women. The only thing anyone will be talking about is him winning the brand's top championship.
Tony D'Angelo appears on the scene to make it clear that it doesn't matter which version of Waller shows up at Heatwave. 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, or whatever. The reinvention the Australian was looking for when he returned to NXT won't do him any good, because nothing will change. "You'll do what you always do: be a disappointment," D'Angelo says after stepping up to Waller.
Cruz Montana appears in the stands. The Puerto Rican knew NXT was a dysfunctional place before signing with the brand... but he loves it. Cruz makes his way toward ringside. Several members of security approach him to keep him under control. Montana points out that there is a big difference between the people in the ring and him. They came here to talk. He didn't. Cruz gets rid of security, at which point chaos breaks out.
Zaria hits Kali with an F5, only to be caught off guard by a faceplant from Wren. Kelani tries to strike Sinclair, but she ducks to avoid the attack. Kendal quickly charges at Jordan and takes her down with a back elbow. Meanwhile, Grayson, Tony and Montana brawl at ringside while several members of security try to break them up.
At that moment, Zilla Fatu appears on the scene. The Samoan climbs one of the turnbuckles to dive onto his Heatwave opponents. Zilla returns to the ring to pick up the NXT Championship. The Samoan poses with it from one of the turnbuckles. Kendal and Wren do the same, raising all three women's titles in the center of the ring. With this image, we come to the end of this week's show.
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