5 things WWE NXT Heatwave got right: Superstar's career ends; new champion arrives
This week's WWE NXT Heatwave turned out to be a must-watch for wrestling fans. The show had some incredible matches and segments that were worth the hype.
Bron Breakker defended his NXT Championship against JD McDonagh on the show. Meanwhile, Carmelo Hayes put his title on the line against Giovanni Vinci in one of the best matches of the night.
Mandy Rose defeated Zoey Stark to retain her NXT Women’s Championship. Rose is now approaching 300 days as the champion, and the brand will have a tough time finding a suitable challenger for her after putting Zoey down so easily.
There were a few surprises in store for the fans at the show. Plus, new rivalries were also built during the broadcast.
Take a look at the five things WWE NXT Heatwave got right on the show.
#5. Carmelo Hayes retained his North American Championship
The first match of WWE NXT Heatwave saw Giovanni Vinci challenge Carmelo Hayes for his title. Vinci started off well and used his aggression to take down The A Champion.
They took each other with double clotheslines before Vinci hit a backbreaker. The challenger stayed on top for some time and got a near fall before Hayes bounced back. He hit Vinci with a big leg drop and nearly picked up the win before rocking him with a Superkick.
The Italian hit a brainbuster and showcased his strength by keeping the NXT North American Champion down for some time. Trick Williams got in the ring and broke the pin after Vinci hit a moonsault. The latter put Williams away with a powerbomb, but Hayes took advantage and rolled him up for the win.
The match was great. WWE could have given the two superstars a little more time to make it even better. The ending suggests that the rivalry is not over yet. However, it was a good way to take down the repackaged Giovanni Vinci while keeping the North American Championship on Hayes for longer.
#4. Gallus interrupted Diamond Mine’s conflict
Diamond Mine came out next on WWE NXT. The Creed Brothers were furious with Roderick Strong and accused him of trying to sabotage their title reign.
They shared footage they saw last week of Strong trying to interfere in the match against Tony D’Angelo and The Family. Strong tried to talk his way out of the situation. He got into an argument with Brutus and Julius Creed before Gallus from NXT UK came out to attack the tag team champions.
They laid out all the members of Diamond Mine before the segment came to an end. It was a great way to build tensions between the members of Diamond Mine. Gallus’ arrival could also lead to a match between the two sides at Clash at the Castle.
WWE could use some UK Superstars to build hype around the event. Gallus is arguably the best team from the brand, and a match against The Creed Brothers will help the event get more eyeballs.
#3. Cora Jade overcame Roxanne Perez at WWE NXT Heatwave
Roxanne Perez was looking to teach her former friend a lesson at WWE NXT Heatwave. She rushed Cora Jade at the bell and beat her down with some big strikes. Jade fired back and took Perez down before sending her outside the ring.
She countered a dive from Perez with a fist to the face and kept the upper hand. Jade locked in a submission hold but Perez tried to reverse it into a pin. Both superstars continued to trade strikes before Roxanne took control of the match again.
Jade countered the Pop-Rox and reached for a kendo stick in the corner. Instead, her opponent got hold of it and was about to use it before the referee warned her. The distraction worked in Jade’s favor who hit a DDT on top of the kendo stick and pinned her former friend for the win.
The match was decent and allowed both superstars to take each other to the limits. It was also good to see the two youngsters putting on a good show on a big stage. The rivalry seems to be far from over, and it will be interesting to see how things work out in the days to come.
#2. Tony D’Angelo ended Santos Escobar’s run on the brand
.@EscobarWWE is GONE from #WWENXT?!? 😱
@TonyDangeloWWE picks up the win at #NXTHeatwave! https://t.co/gAa28z2Tn6
A Street Fight between Tony D’Angelo and Santos Escobar followed the match between the two young superstars. Escobar walked out in a Lucha mask while Tony came out with his Family by his side.
The former Cruiserweight Champion unloaded on Tony right off the bell and sent him face first into a steel chair. He got a nearfall early on NXT Heatwave before The Don fired back.
Stacks attacked Legado outside the ring, and Tony used the distraction to smack Escobar with a trashcan lid in the face. He stacked some chairs at ringside and hit a thunderous vertical suplex on them.
Stacks helped Tony get hold of a few weapons as he continued to beat Santos Escobar down. Legado stopped The Don’s associate, but it wasn’t enough to keep D’Angelo from retaining the upper hand.
Both superstars continued to use their weapons and entered the ring in hopes of finishing the match. The Don of NXT struck Escobar in the head with a crowbar and picked up the win to stay on top of the brand.
Meanwhile, the loss meant that Santos Escobar was officially done with NXT. It was a great way to end The Emperor’s solid run on the brand. Tony D’Angelo needed the win to move up the ladder and aim for a title. Will Santos show up on RAW or SmackDown next? Let us know in the comments.
#1. Bron Breakker defeated JD McDonagh to retain his title
🤯🤯🤯🤯
#NXTHeatwave #WWENXT #JDMcDonagh https://t.co/HoCsF4LuBR
JD McDonagh came out for his title match against Bron Breakker at WWE NXT Heatwave. Breakker slapped the newcomer right away before he was taken down with a suplex.
McDonagh fired back with a neck breaker and hit a few elbows to the neck to work on his injuries. The NXT Champion came back with a Spear and nearly took his challenger down before being locked in a crossface.
JD could not keep the big man down as he took a Frankensteiner from Breakker for a near fall. The Irish Ace answered back with a Spanish Fly from the top of the ropes but could not win the title.
NXT Heatwave heated up with Breakker hitting a couple of big Spears and followed it with a Powerslam to pin his challenger and retain the title.
After the match, NXT UK Champion Tyler Bate came out and got in the champ’s face. The two men raised their titles as the show went off the air. JD McDonagh did not get a chance to put on a great show after doing a great job at building the rivalry.
However, it looks like fans will get a match between Bate and Breakker down the line. WWE could book them to compete at Clash at the Castle in a title unification match. It would be a great way to get fans in the UK excited for the event.