The road to NXT Heatwave continued with an action-packed episode from the WWE Performance Center, highlighted by a brutal Street Fight for the NXT Championship and a shocking debut that changed the title picture.
NXT Championship Street Fight
Tony D’Angelo (c) def. Naraku
Tony D’Angelo survived one of his toughest title defenses yet, defeating Naraku in a violent Street Fight. The champion used a Rock Bottom through a table to finally put away his rival and retain the NXT Championship in a hard-fought main event.
The celebration didn’t last long. Former TNA World Champion Mike Santana made his surprise WWE debut after the match, confronting D’Angelo and immediately signaling that he’s coming for the NXT Championship.
Match Results
DarkState defeated Saquon Shugars,
Noam Dar & Romeo Moreno in a Six-Man Tag Team Match.
Keanu Carver defeated Hank Walker.
Jaida Parker defeated Nattie after Thea Hail controversially threw in the towel.
Shawn Spears defeated Niko Vance via disqualification after outsmarting his opponent
Reina Volcan made an impressive NXT debut, dominating Skylar Raye.
Key Storylines
Lola Vice challenged Kendal Grey to an NXT Underground Match for the NXT Women’s Championship, and Grey accepted. The highly anticipated bout is set for the August 4 edition of NXT.
DarkState continued its dominance while the rivalry with Saquon Shugars intensified.
Reina Volcan’s dominant debut established her as a rising force in the NXT women’s division.
Final Thoughts
This week’s NXT successfully built momentum toward Heatwave. Tony D’Angelo retained his championship in a physical war, Mike Santana’s surprise arrival immediately created a fresh main-event rivalry, and the women’s division continued to heat up with the announcement of an NXT Underground title match. With new challengers emerging across the roster, NXT heads into August with several intriguing storylines.
