Main roster star, big name planning retirement - 4 WWE challengers for Roxanne Perez following NXT Great American Bash Night 1
The first night of WWE NXT Great American Bash 2024 took place on Tuesday. The show featured several major matches, but the main event was the best bout of the night and it was certainly the most notable.
NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez put her prized title on the line in a singles match. She took on the star pupil of Chase University, the feisty and energetic Thea Hail.
The bout was fantastic and it was one of the best women's matches of the year. Despite her best efforts, however, Thea was unable to defeat the reigning champion. Roxanne retained her NXT Women's Championship courtesy of the Pop Rox.
This marks another successful title defense by The Prodigy in a title reign that many believe is one of the best in the history of the brand. Now, all eyes are on who Roxanne could battle next. This article will take a look at a handful of performers who could step up and challenge Perez for the coveted belt.
Below are four WWE challengers for Roxanne Perez following NXT Great American Bash Night 1.
#4. Jaida Parker sassed Roxanne on NXT this week
Jaida Parker is an NXT Superstar that WWE fans should keep an eye on. While she is still relatively new and developing, especially in the ring, Parker has a lot of personality and is already excellent on the microphone.
Parker is a member of OTM and is certainly the standout of the group. She was recently in a feud with WWE SmackDown's Michin, which went hardcore and delivered far beyond the expectations anyone had for it. While this was primarily thanks to Michin, Jaida certainly delivered on her end too.
Interestingly, NXT this week may have teased a feud between Roxanne and Jaida. While Roxanne was preparing for her match, Jaida walked over and took a slight dig at her before leaving. Roxanne wasn't pleased. This segment may have been a teaser for an upcoming title match.
#3. Giulia will soon be on the white and gold brand
Giulia is an international sensation. She exploded in popularity wrestling in Japan, including for the STARDOM promotion and later for Marigold. As Kairi Sane and IYO SKY left the scene, it was performers such as Giulia who took over.
It was rumored for quite some time that Giulia was WWE-bound, but outside of a brief appearance at NXT Stand & Deliver 2024, she has yet to appear. Now, however, it has become public that she will be wrapping things up in Japan in the coming weeks and will soon be moving to the United States.
The Italian-Japanese performer's debut has been teased a few times, however, including when she was named dropped by Roxanne herself. While getting a title opportunity immediately after coming in seems excessive, if anyone can get away with it, it would be the talented Giulia.
#2. Tegan Nox could move from WWE SmackDown to NXT
Tegan Nox has long been one of WWE's most underrated and underutilized performers. During her first run on the main roster, she only wrestled a few times and was kept away from TV. Her second run has been better but Tegan is still misused, even by the Triple H-led administration.
The Girl With The Shiniest Wizard last competed on television back in April. She was later moved to Friday Night SmackDown in the 2024 WWE Draft but Nox has yet to compete on the brand since being moved over.
If Nick Aldis won't capitalize on her talent, Ava will. The NXT General Manager could and should bring Tegan to the brand, just as they've done with Cedric Alexander and Ashante "Thee" Adonis. From there, Tegan could challenge Perez for the gold.
#1. Meiko Satomura could wrestle Roxanne Perez one last time before retiring
Meiko Satomura is a wrestling legend. She was first seen by most American viewers in WCW, but the bulk of her career was spent in Japan. For WWE, she was part of the Mae Young Classic and the NXT UK Women's Champion on the British brand.
Unfortunately, the wrestling legend has revealed plans to hang it up. Meiko noted that she planned to retire in April of 2025, meaning she has less than a year left as an active competitor. At the age of 44, she is still quite good in the ring but her decision seems final.
If The Final Boss is hanging it up, she should have one last run on NXT. She and Roxanne Perez had a handful of matches in the past, with Roxanne developing more each time. One last bout between the two would make a lot of sense. Will The Prodigy finally be able to handle The Final Boss?