WWE NXT Heatwave 2026 took place at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas, with five championships changing hands during a significant night for the brand.
Grayson Waller left the show as the new NXT Champion after defeating Tony D’Angelo, Zilla Fatu and Cruz Montana in the Fatal Four-Way main event. Kelani Jordan, Jackson Drake and Vanity Project also captured championships, while Zaria unified the NXT Women’s North American and WWE Women’s Speed titles.
The show opened with a video package highlighting the events leading into the matches on the card before Vic Joseph and Booker T welcomed viewers.
WWE NXT Women’s North American Title / WWE Women’s Speed Title Unification Triple Threat Match: Zaria (c) [WWE NXT Women’s North American] vs. Wren Sinclair (c) [WWE Women’s Speed] vs. Kali Armstrong
NXT Heatwave opened with championship stakes as Zaria, Wren Sinclair and Kali Armstrong competed to unify the NXT Women’s North American and WWE Women’s Speed Championships.
Zaria and Armstrong immediately turned their attention towards Sinclair, but the opening stages quickly developed into a series of pinning combinations between all three competitors. Sinclair gained some momentum with clotheslines to Zaria before connecting with a Bulldog.
Zaria responded by delivering a double suplex to both opponents before landing a pump kick on Armstrong and a clothesline on Sinclair. Armstrong eventually sent Zaria out of the ring, but Sinclair pulled Armstrong outside before she could build momentum.
Armstrong then caught Sinclair with a strike before charging around ringside and taking Zaria down with a shoulder pounce. Her attempt to do the same to Sinclair backfired when Sinclair moved, sending Armstrong shoulder-first into the ring steps.
Zaria took control during the commercial break, but Sinclair fought back with a superplex from the middle rope. Armstrong intercepted Sinclair with a spinebuster before attempting to pin both opponents at the same time, only for both to kick out.
Sinclair later took down both opponents with a crossbody before Zaria delivered a German suplex to Armstrong. The match continued at a frantic pace as Armstrong hit Zaria with a sit-out powerbomb and Sinclair repeatedly looked for submissions and roll-ups.
Zaria eventually delivered a double spear before attempting an F5 on Sinclair. Sinclair escaped with another roll-up, but Armstrong broke up the pin with a shoulder pounce.
Sinclair caught Zaria with a facebuster and applied a Reverse Chicken Wing, only for Armstrong to drag her out of the ring. Sinclair attempted to attack Armstrong from the steps, but Armstrong caught her with a powerslam.
Back inside the ring, Zaria capitalised by hitting Armstrong with a spear followed by an F5 to secure the victory and add the WWE Women’s Speed Championship to her NXT Women’s North American Championship.
Winner: Zaria – NEW WWE Women’s Speed Champion
WWE NXT Tag Team Title Match: Myles Borne and Tavion Heights (c) vs. Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes
Vanity Project’s Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes challenged Myles Borne and Tavion Heights for the NXT Tag Team Championship in the second match of the night.
Borne and Baylor started the contest before Smokes and Heights entered. The champions initially controlled the action, with Heights carrying Smokes on his shoulders and sending him into Borne’s knee.
Vanity Project soon isolated Borne. Smokes sent him spine-first into the ring apron before delivering double knees to his back over the top rope.
Baylor and Smokes continued wearing Borne down until Heights eventually received the tag. Heights applied an Ankle Lock to Baylor, but Smokes grabbed his partner’s hands to help him escape. With the referee distracted, Baylor raked Heights’ eyes.
Vanity Project continued using distractions to their advantage as Smokes delivered a chop block to Heights while the referee’s attention was elsewhere.
Borne eventually returned to the match and delivered a scoop powerslam to Baylor before the champions combined their offence. Smokes prevented a potential victory by breaking up Borne’s pin.
The challengers responded with a dropkick and spinebuster combination, while Borne and Heights answered with simultaneous double underhook suplexes.
With Borne down on the outside, Smokes nearly caught Heights with a roll-up before connecting with a meteora. Heights fought back by suplexing both challengers at once, allowing Borne to make a blind tag.
All four men eventually exchanged strikes before Heights and Smokes spilled outside. Baylor and Borne remained in the ring, but Baylor managed to send Borne crashing into Heights.
Smokes then made the tag, allowing Vanity Project to connect with Hit It and Quit It on Borne to capture the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Winners: Vanity Project – NEW CHAMPIONS
Submission Match: Nattie vs. Jaida Parker
Nattie was accompanied by Nikkita Lyons and Karmen Petrovic for her Submission Match against Jaida Parker.
Parker immediately attacked Nattie with right hands before the fight spilled towards the entrance ramp. Lyons and Petrovic blocked Parker’s path, allowing Nattie to take advantage and apply a submission hold.
Parker escaped and exchanged strikes with Nattie before the pair began trading submission attempts. Nattie connected with a discus lariat, while Parker targeted her opponent’s neck and shoulder.
The outside interference continued when Petrovic distracted the referee, allowing Lyons to hold Parker in place.
However, the situation changed when Berto, Angel and AAA star Daga appeared at the top of the entrance ramp. Petrovic left to join them, leaving Lyons with Nattie.
Parker attempted a hip attack before Nattie escaped and applied a sleeper. Parker broke free, but Nattie transitioned into the Sharpshooter.
Parker reached the bottom rope, only for Lyons to throw her back into the ring. That brought out Thea Hail, who attacked Lyons before the pair brawled towards the back.
With the outside interference finally removed, Parker applied her own Sharpshooter. Nattie initially reached the bottom rope, but Parker dragged her back into the centre of the ring and forced her to submit.
Winner: Jaida Parker
WWE NXT Women’s Title Match: Kendal Grey (c) vs. Kelani Jordan
Kendal Grey put the NXT Women’s Championship on the line against Kelani Jordan in another title match at Heatwave.
Grey attempted to take to the air immediately, but Jordan intercepted her on the outside. Grey responded with a hurricanrana from the ring apron before the pair began exchanging submission holds.
Jordan targeted Grey’s arm throughout the contest, using the ring post before delivering a shoulderbreaker. Grey fought through the punishment with an uppercut and suplex before attempting a Tornado DDT.
The champion later landed a scoop powerslam, but Jordan countered and headed to the top rope for a 450 Splash. Grey avoided the move and locked in an Ankle Lock, although Jordan escaped by sending her into the middle turnbuckle.
Jordan followed with a split-legged moonsault for a near fall.
The challenger continued applying pressure and connected with a reverse Spanish Fly before delivering a twisting neckbreaker over the top rope. Grey survived and responded with a superkick and belly-to-back GTS.
Jordan answered with a springboard German suplex before Grey delivered a German suplex of her own. Jordan then connected with a 450 Splash, but Grey again kicked out.
Grey returned to the Ankle Lock before transitioning into an armbar following another series of pinning combinations. Jordan escaped and sent Grey ear-first into the turnbuckle.
Jordan immediately followed with another split-legged moonsault and scored the pin to become the new NXT Women’s Champion.
Winner: Kelani Jordan – NEW CHAMPION
Backstage, Tavion Heights expressed his disappointment after losing his first championship in WWE alongside Myles Borne.
Despite the setback, Heights said the past was the past and insisted the pair needed to do whatever it took to keep the NXT North American Championship around Borne’s waist. Heights told Borne that he would be his brother for life before they embraced.
However, Heights remained visibly disappointed after Borne walked away.
WWE NXT North American Title Match: Myles Borne (c) vs. Jackson Drake
Myles Borne returned to action later in the night to defend the NXT North American Championship against Jackson Drake.
Borne started quickly with a back body drop before clotheslining Drake out of the ring. Tavion Heights then appeared at ringside to support his tag team partner following their earlier championship loss.
Drake soon took control by sending Borne into the ring steps and targeting him with a series of knee strikes. Borne fought back with a dropkick and DDT before levelling Drake with a clothesline.
Drake regained momentum and prepared for a 450 Splash, but Borne moved out of the way before delivering a dropkick and two powerbombs. Drake survived the resulting pin attempt.
Borne then knocked Drake from the top rope and launched himself through the middle rope to take him down on the outside.
After Borne struck Ricky Smokes, outside interference proved decisive. With Smokes distracting the referee, Lockwood delivered a modified powerslam to Borne on the floor.
Heights took out Smokes, but Drake was waiting for Borne back inside the ring and connected with a 450 Splash to capture the NXT North American Championship.
Winner: Jackson Drake – NEW CHAMPION
The result proved to be the breaking point for Borne.
After losing his second championship of the night, Borne suddenly delivered Borne Again to Heights before leaving his tag team partner behind and heading backstage.
WWE NXT Title Fatal Four Way Match: Tony D’Angelo (c) vs. Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana vs. Zilla Fatu
The NXT Championship was on the line in the Heatwave main event as Tony D’Angelo defended against Grayson Waller, Cruz Montana and Zilla Fatu.
D’Angelo immediately went after Montana, but Montana soon wiped out his opponents at ringside with a tope con hilo over the top rope.
Zilla and D’Angelo began brawling around ringside while Montana turned his attention to Waller inside the ring. Montana connected with the Three Amigos before delivering a backbreaker.
Waller responded with an uppercut and attempted to get Montana onto his shoulders, but Montana escaped and planted him with a Death Valley Driver.
D’Angelo eventually returned to the ring and delivered a Death Valley Driver to Waller, only for Zilla to take out the defending champion. Zilla and Montana then came face-to-face.
Montana unloaded with chops before D’Angelo re-entered the action and delivered a belly-to-belly suplex to Zilla. The champion followed with another suplex that sent Montana into the bottom turnbuckle.
D’Angelo later introduced a table from underneath the ring, although Waller prevented him from using it and slid it back underneath.
The challengers and champion continued exchanging major moves before Waller joined Montana on the top rope. Zilla and D’Angelo lifted Waller into a double electric chair position, allowing Montana to come off the top with a blockbuster.
Montana then sent Zilla shoulder-first into the ring post before connecting with a cannonball. D’Angelo prevented Montana from scoring the pin.
Zilla later covered D’Angelo, but Waller pulled the referee out of the ring to stop the count.
Zilla responded by clearing the announce desk and lifting Waller onto his shoulders. Waller escaped by raking Zilla’s eyes and sent him into the ring post.
D’Angelo then speared Zilla before Montana placed the newcomer on the announce desk. D’Angelo and Montana subsequently took one another out while fighting from the top rope.
That gave Waller his opportunity.
Waller spotted Zilla lying on the announce desk and climbed to the top rope before delivering an elbow drop that sent both men crashing through the desk.
D’Angelo and Montana were left alone inside the ring and traded right hands. The champion connected with a German suplex, but Montana recovered and attempted Spin The Block.
D’Angelo intercepted him with a spear, but Montana recovered again and finally connected with Spin The Block.
Before Montana could capitalise, Waller returned and threw him out of the ring. Waller then covered D’Angelo himself to steal the victory and capture the NXT Championship.
Winner: Grayson Waller – NEW CHAMPION
Waller’s victory brought NXT Heatwave to a close with another championship change, as he left Edinburg, Texas, with the NXT Championship.
