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Hello and welcome to PWInsider’s coverage of NXT Heatwave 2026 from The Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas! This show is being broadcast live on the CW Network and ESPN Unlimited in the U.S. and internationally on Netflix.
The show opened with a promo package to hype the afternoon’s card.
Vic Joseph and Booker T are our announcers for the card. They’re ringside hyping the matches and setting the stage as we watch talent enter the building.
Match #1 - Triple Threat Title Unification: NXT Women’s North American Champion ZARIA vs. WWE Women’s Speed Champion Wren Sinclair vs. Kali Armstrong
The match kicks off with a bunch of quick pin attempts as each performer tries to get an advantage. Lots of high-speed action. ZARIA with a double suplex, taking out both opponents and getting the advantage. She hits both opponents with some power moves, but Armstrong is able to reverse the momentum and gain control. She tosses both opponents from the ring. Sinclair drags Kali out and they trade blows. Kali with a running shoulder into ZARIA. She tries the same with Sinclair, but Sinclair moves and Kali hits the ring steps.
In the ring, ZARIA and Sinclair trade blows. Wren hits two of the Three Amigos before Kali re-enters the fray and takes out both.
Kali and ZARIA are on the top rope, struggling to gain advantage. Finally, Wren intervenes, takes out Kali and hits a butterfly suplex on ZARIA from the second rope.
Tons of back and forth action between all three, with no one maintaining the advantage for long.
Wren held a sleeper on ZARIA, so ZARIA cannonballed them into Kali, who was knocked down in the corner.
All 3 are trading fists, kicks and clotheslines. Wren breaks up a pin attempt. Kali with a second pin attempt. ZARIA with a double spear. Kali takes out Wren and hits a huge powerslam and almost gets a 3-count.
Wren locks her bridging double armbar submission, the Final Wrench, on ZARIA. Kali breaks the hold. Kali with huge powerslam on the outside on Wren.
Back in the ring, ZARIA spears and F5s Kali for the win.
ZARIA is your unified champion.
Cruz Montana is backstage promo with Sarah Schreiber. He’s ready to go to hell and back to win the NXT title.
WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Myles Borne & Tavion Heights vs. Vanity Project's Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes with Myka Lockwood
Match #2 - WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Myles Borne & Tavion Heights vs. Vanity Project's Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes with Myka Lockwood
Borne and Heights get the advantage early, frustrating Baylor and Smokes. The Vanity Project with some tag tactics and heel work to take over. Borne is hurt, and Smokes and Baylor are taking advantage, cutting the ring in half and keeping Borne from making the tag.
Borne fights back against Smokes, but his ribs are hurt, and Smokes stomps him down in the corner.
Baylor and Smokes keep targeting Borne’s ribs. Myka Lockwood is outside encouraging them.
Borne is finally able to slip away and get the tag. Heights is in like a tornado, taking out Baylor and Smokes. Heights hits a gutwrench powerbomb on Smokes and locks Baylor in an ankle lock.
Lockwood distracts ref, and Vanity Project with some double-team moves to regain the advantage.
Myles Borne is finally back on ring apron hoping to tag back in. Heights tags him, and Borne is in like a house of fire.
Both teams are in the ring, lots of back and forth tag team power moves. Heights with a double belly-to-back suplex on both members of Vanity Project.
The story of the match was Borne’s injured ribs and Vanity Project’s heelish tactics allowed them to keep getting the advantage.
Baylor shoves Borne into Heights, knocking him to the floor. Vanity Project hits their finish on an injured Borne and get the 3-count.
Vanity Project has reclaimed NXT Tag Team Championships.
The champs bail with their new titles. Borne and Heights hug in the ring. Borne is holding his ribs as Vic Joseph questions how Borne will manage in his second match tonight when he defends the North American title against Jackson Drake.
We’re shown a recap package of the Nattie and Jaida feud.
Match #3 - Submission Match - Nattie Neidhart (w/Karmen Petrovic and Nikkita Lyons) vs. Jaida Parker
Nattie with a takedown to start the match. The women are trading blows and quickly go to the outside. Jaida confronts Karmen and Lyons, then hits Nattie with a suplex on the floor.
Back in the ring, Jaida and Nattie are slugging it out.
Nattie gains advantage and stomps Jaida on the mat, playing to the crowd.
They trade Abdominal stretches, trying to wear each other out.
Karmen and Nikkita distract ref, allowing Nattie to take over.
Nikkita and Karmen are posing together when Karmen sees her AAA friends Daga, Berto and Garza at the ring entrance. She leaves Nikkita at ringside to join her AAA teammates, and they go backstage.
In the ring, Nattie has the advantage before Jaida fires back up and takes over.
Jaida with Rings of Saturn on Nattie. Jaida has it locked in. Nattie manages to shift her weight, counter and quickly get out of the hold. She locks on body scissors and then an arm bar. Jaida rolls through and overpowers Nattie. Her arm is hurt.
Nattie focuses on Jaida’s knee, then goes for the sharpshooter. Parker makes it to the ropes, but rope break won’t help in this match. Parker manages to get out of the ring, but Nikkita hits Jaida with a huge kick to the face.
Thea Hail comes in and takes out Nikkita, so we’re down to a one-on-one match.
Jaida with her own sharpshooter. Nattie gets to the ropes, but again it doesn’t help. Nattie is screaming. She finally taps.
Jaida Parker wins the submission match.
Wren is in the back with Kendal Grey who is gearing up for her upcoming title match.
WWE NXT Women’s Champion Kendal Grey vs. Kelani Jordan
We see a recap of their feud so far.
Match starts with a feeling out process, trading headlocks, takeovers, fists. Jordan with a dropkick. Grey to the outside. Jordan with Asai moonsault to the floor. Grey soon takes over and the match is back in the ring. Lots of fast-paced back and forth action.
Joseph says Grey seems a half-step slower than usual, likely due to ear injury.
The women are matching up evenly, Joseph and Booker are questioning how either will gain the advantage. Lots of mat wrestling, trading holds quickly. Jordan gets the ropes, and ref breaks them up.
Jordan with a neckbreaker, and she’s pounding forearms on Grey’s head and neck. Grey fights back but she’s too hurt. Jordan keeps advantage, continuing to target Grey’s injured head and ear with blows. She hits a shoulder-breaker on Grey, and Joseph makes an unexpected Papa Shango reference in 2026. Jordan hits eat da feet.
Grey manages to toss Jordan outside. Grey with moonsault in the ring and almost gets a 3-count.
They’re trading elbows and forearms. Grey with a suplex and a few overhead throws. Jordan with a Northern Lights suplex and tries for a pin.
Jordan yanks the bandage from Grey’s ear.
Grey is laid out, but rolls out of the way from Jordan’s 450 attempt.
Grey with ankle lock, but Jordan gets out.
Jordan tosses Grey outside, she hits announce table.
Grey is struggling. She’s selling her head/ear, and her balance is off. Jordan is pummeling her, relishing it. She stops to look at the Women’s Championship.
Back in the ring, Jordan whips Grey into the turnbuckles. She’s pounding on Grey’s head. Crowd is booing loudly as Jordan is relentlessly targeting Grey’s injury.
Jordan attempts superplex, but Grey fights her off. Jordan with a kick, Grey falls but then slips out. They’re both on the top rope, and Grey hits reverse Spanish fly.
Both women are laid out in the ring.
Jordan with springboard cutter and pin attempt. She continues stomping and kicking Grey’s head. Jordan with flying forearm. Powerbomb attempt, but Grey with hurracanrana. Superkick by Grey. Grey with an impressive gutwrench suplex turning it into a knee into Jordan’s face.
They trade German suplexes and are laid out again. Crowd with a “this is awesome” chant
Grey with an ankle lock, but Jordan counters. Jordan with superkick. She nails a 450. Grey kicks out of the pin.
Grey hits a surprise Shades of Grey, but Jordan kicks out of the pin.
Inside cradle from Jordan. Grey with an ankle lock. She’s still selling the ear. Jordan rolls her through, they’re trading pins. Grey with armbar, but Jordan hits the ear again.
Jordan misses a second rope moonsault. They’re trading blows. Jordan with a nasty stomp on Grey’s injured ear.
Jordan sends Grey head and neck-first into the steel post and hits another 450 from the top. She gets the pin.
Your new NXT Women’s Champion, Kelani Jordan
Sarah Schreiber is backstage with NXT General Manager Robert Stone, who is putting over the show so far. Stone announces that the next NXT premium live event is Halloween Havoc on Saturday, Oct. 31.
We see a recorded promo from Naraku where he threatens Shiloh Hill and puts over the power of the mist.
Myles Borne and Tavion Heights are backstage. Heights is upset about their tag title loss, but he encourages Borne for his upcoming North American title match against Jackson Drake. Borne says they’ll get another tag title shot, and they agree thy will always be brothers.
Match #5 - WWE NXT North American Champion Myles Borne vs. Jackson Drake (with Myka Lockwood)
The Vanity Project comes out with Jackson Drake, Baylor and Smokes showing off their new tag belts.
Myles Borne is out next. Joseph and Booker T are talking about how this is Borne’s second match of the night, and he’s clearly not 100%.
Drake starts things off quickly, firing blows at Borne. Borne with a huge backdrop. Borne clotheslines Drake over the top rope. Drake gets up first and kicks Borne’s head into the ring steps. Borne reverses a suplex attempt on the floor.
Tavion Heights comes to ringside to cheer on Borne and even up the ringside odds a bit.
Drake attempts a suplex, both men spill to the floor.
Drake is talking trash to Heights as Borne tries to recover. Back in the ring, Drake gets a 2-count. Drake is taking methodical shots on the injured Borne. Drake puts Borne in a bearhug on his injured ribs. Drake with a kick to the ribs. Borne manages to hit a dropkick, but he’s still favouring his ribs and struggling to get around. Borne rolls up Drake, but Drake reverses and gets a running knee that drops Borne.
Borne with a huge DDT, but Borne is struggling due to his ribs.
Drake with a cutter off the ropes. Borne barely kicks out.
Borne is outside the ring and Drake flies through the ropes with a clothesline. Drake attempts a 450 but Borne rolls out of the way. Drake with a gutbuster.
Borne with a dropkick right to Drake’s face. Borne with two powerbombs. Drake kicks out of a pin attempt.
Borne with a clothesline to Drake outside the ring. Borne attacks Smokes. Baylor distracts the ref, and Myka Lockwood hits Borne with a powerbomb/powerslam on the floor, destroying Borne. Drake with a 450 in the ring, and he gets the pin.
Your new NXT North American Champion, Jackson Drake!
The Vanity Project celebrates with all the belts and leaves.
Heights comes in the ring to console Borne, but Borne attacks him and leaves him laying. The crowd boos as Borne heads to the back.
We see a promo from Kam Hendrix, ranting about Mason Rook in advance of their match on Tuesday’s NXT.
Up next:
NXT WWE Champion Tony D’Angelo vs. Zilla Fatu vs. Cruz Montana vs. Grayson Waller
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