WWE NXT aired from the WWE Performance Center in Winter Park, Florida. The show featured two quarterfinal matches in the 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, La Catalina defending the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship against Kali Armstrong, and Tony D’Angelo defeating Myles Borne to earn an NXT Championship opportunity at Halloween Havoc. Wren Sinclair’s controversial title shot was also confirmed, while Tavion Heights returned to exact revenge on Borne.
Commentators: Vic Joseph and Booker T
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
The Vanity Project vs. Mini Vikingo and Chazz “Star Boy” Hall – 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinal
Ricky Smokes and Chazz Hall started the match with a series of standing switches and counters. Smokes attempted to impose his strength, but Hall used his speed to escape and connected with a dropkick.
Brad Baylor entered and blocked another dropkick, but Hall answered with an up-kick and flying headscissors. Hall escaped a bodyslam and attempted an O’Connor Roll before Baylor held onto the ropes and tagged Smokes.
Vanity Project began isolating Hall with quick tags. Smokes and Baylor combined to send Hall into a forearm, and Smokes continued attacking him in the corner. Hall avoided a backdrop and tried to fight free, but Smokes cut him off.
Hall escaped an attempted powerbomb and reached Mini Vikingo. Vikingo intercepted Smokes with an enzuigiri from the apron and followed with a springboard tornillo.
Hall tagged himself back in as Vikingo connected with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Hall landed a spinning heel kick before the partners combined for an assisted standing moonsault.
Hall knocked Baylor from the apron, and Vikingo followed with a wrecking-ball dropkick. Myka Lockwood distracted Vikingo, allowing Baylor to attack from behind. Smokes then sent Hall back-first into the apron.
Vanity Project returned Hall to the ring, where Smokes delivered a slingshot double-knee drop for a two-count. Hall later escaped a vertical suplex, scored with an O’Connor Roll and landed a double foot stomp before tagging Vikingo.
Vikingo knocked Baylor from the apron and attacked Smokes with a running boot and forearms. Vanity Project regained control with a blind tag and a running clothesline to the back of Vikingo’s neck.
Baylor connected with an Ushigoroshi for a near fall. Smokes followed with a neckbreaker and grounded Vikingo with a rear chin lock before transitioning into a front facelock.
Vikingo fought back with chops and a forearm, then avoided a double clothesline that caused Smokes and Baylor to collide. Vikingo caught Baylor with a standing Spanish Fly and finally tagged Hall.
Hall entered with a slingshot dropkick to Smokes, a spinning back kick to Baylor and a double Pele Kick. He followed with a standing Sliced Bread and standing moonsault for a two-count.
After Smokes retreated to the floor, Hall tagged Vikingo and launched himself onto Vanity Project with the Space Flying Tiger Drop. Vikingo then landed a springboard 450 Splash on Smokes, but the pin was broken at two.
Smokes avoided a 630 Senton and tagged Baylor. Vikingo superkicked Smokes, but Baylor responded with a pump knee. Hall caught Baylor with an enzuigiri from the apron, only for Vanity Project to intercept him in midair and hit Swipe Right for another near fall.
Vikingo drilled Smokes with a Mexican Destroyer. Hall fought Baylor off and countered a vertical suplex into a hurricanrana before connecting with a roundhouse kick.
Vikingo returned and landed a 630 Senton, but Baylor survived. The action continued breaking down as Vikingo wiped out Jackson Drake with a corkscrew pescado.
The referee reminded Hall that Smokes was the legal competitor. Hall attempted a Shooting Star Press, but Smokes raised his knees. Smokes tagged Baylor, and Vanity Project connected with Hit It and Quit It to advance.
Winner: The Vanity Project via Pinfall
Saquon Shugars and Grayson Waller Exchange Words
Blake Howard interviewed Saquon Shugars, who complained that he should be challenging for world championships instead of dealing with Tristan Angels.
Shugars compared Angels to a Maltese biting at his ankles and questioned why he had chosen to behave like a clown. Shugars argued that he was competing against champions while Angels remained in catering.
NXT Champion Grayson Waller interrupted and sarcastically praised Shugars for putting down his phone and attempting to do something with his career.
Shugars called Waller “Pusan Bolt” and said he was glad the champion had stepped away from the treadmill to watch him prove why he was “up next.”
Waller acknowledged Shugars’ talent but said he lacked the willingness to do whatever was necessary to win. He advised Shugars to focus on the challenge directly in front of him rather than worrying about the champion.
Waller said he would concentrate on the main event between Tony D’Angelo and Myles Borne because its winner would challenge him for the NXT Championship. Shugars promised to show Waller and the world why he was up next while Waller was “up never.”
Kali Armstrong Receives an AAA Championship Match
Kali Armstrong stormed into Robert Stone’s office and complained about Wren Sinclair stealing the No. 1 contender’s spot in the previous week’s battle royal.
Armstrong pointed out that she had recorded the most eliminations and believed she had received nothing for her performance.
Stone agreed that Sinclair should not have been in the match. However, because Armstrong had eliminated La Catalina, he had spoken to AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio and secured her an AAA Reina de Reinas Championship match later that night.
Armstrong welcomed the opportunity and told Stone to warn Catalina that she had better be prepared.
Saquon Shugars vs. Tristan Angels
Tristan Angels threw his sash at Saquon Shugars before the bell. Shugars responded with a hip toss, deep arm drag and dropkick before throwing the sash back.
Shugars controlled Angels’ arm and continued outwrestling him, but Angels backed him into the turnbuckles and delivered several shoulder strikes.
Angels later pulled Shugars down by his hair and performed a hip swivel. Shugars answered by push-kicking him across the ring before mocking him and landing a diving bulldog.
Shugars connected with an atomic drop, a diving elbow through the ropes and a slingshot leg drop for a two-count. He continued attacking Angels’ arm and applied a cross-armbreaker.
Angels escaped by stomping Shugars in the face and later dumped him onto the top turnbuckle. When Angels attempted to expose the turnbuckle, Shugars attacked from behind with a jumping knee.
Shugars clotheslined Angels to the floor and connected with a wrecking-ball dropkick. Angels lost his temper and began throwing several steel chairs into the ring while arguing with the referee.
After the commercial break, Angels regained control and landed a Big Boot for two. Shugars prevented a neckbreaker, but Angels caught him with a draping backstabber and flying elbow drop for another near fall.
Angels grounded Shugars with a straightjacket hold and rear chin lock. Shugars escaped to the floor and used the bottom rope to hyperextend Angels’ right shoulder before push-kicking him into the steel steps.
Back inside, Shugars built momentum with two forearm knockdowns, a Kitchen Sink, corner clothesline and a backbreaker into a twisting Flatliner for a two-count.
Angels avoided a flying double foot stomp, and the fight moved outside. Shugars tackled Angels from the ring, but Angels blocked a tornado DDT from the announce table and sent him crashing into the LED board.
Angels followed with a leaping knee drop to secure the victory.
Winner: Tristan Angels via Pinfall
Tony D’Angelo Sends a Warning to Myles Borne and Grayson Waller
Tony D’Angelo addressed Myles Borne ahead of their No. 1 contender’s match.
D’Angelo said Borne’s new self-centered attitude would not carry him to the top of NXT because the position he wanted already belonged to The Don.
He acknowledged that Borne had struck him with a roll of quarters the previous week and praised him for seizing the opportunity. However, D’Angelo said the difference between them was that Borne had used approximately five dollars in quarters, while he would have used a crowbar.
D’Angelo said he may have traded his suit for jeans and a jacket, but he still determined who walked and who took a swim in NXT. He called himself the master of fate and promised to decide Borne’s destiny that night and Grayson Waller’s at Halloween Havoc.
Izzi Dame Explains Her Interest in Zaria
The Culling appeared in a new vignette, with Niko Vance attempting to understand Izzi Dame’s growing obsession with Zaria.
Dame said everyone viewed Zaria as an indestructible force, but she wondered how much effort it took for the NXT Women’s North American Champion to hold herself together.
Izzi explained that she was fascinated by broken things. Unlike others, however, she did not want to repair Zaria or tell her how to heal.
Dame believed Zaria was hiding something behind her championship, face paint and intimidating attitude. She said the issue was not about the title—at least not yet—but the championship allowed her to remain close enough to watch Zaria inevitably slip.
Izzi predicted that Zaria’s mask would become heavy and her act exhausting, eventually revealing the person underneath. She vowed to discover who that person truly was.
Wren Sinclair’s Halloween Havoc Title Match Is Confirmed
Wren Sinclair celebrated becoming the No. 1 contender to the NXT Women’s Championship.
Wren admitted that she had previously talked herself out of opportunities because of fear and overthinking. The prior week, however, she took a risk by entering the battle royal disguised as Lady Shani despite being suspended.
Sinclair apologized to Shani—but only partially—and said removing the mask after winning proved that she no longer had to back down because she was afraid.
Wren acknowledged that she did not have the biggest name in the locker room and was likely the last person anyone expected to win. However, she wanted to step up for herself and for the injured Kendal Grey, who had always believed in her.
NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan interrupted and argued that Wren’s victory should not count. Jordan accused Sinclair of manipulating the situation, committing identity theft and receiving a reward despite being suspended.
Jordan refused to defend her championship against Wren at Halloween Havoc. She said she would face Kali Armstrong, a TNA competitor or even the real Lady Shani, but not someone who had used a stunt to receive a shortcut to the top.
Jordan called herself “The Standout, not The Handout” and claimed Wren had lacked the courage to enter the match as herself. She added that Sinclair could not even convince the crowd to love her for who she truly was.
Robert Stone entered and confirmed that Wren’s suspension had officially been lifted. Although he acknowledged Jordan’s argument, he could not ignore that Sinclair had eliminated 19 competitors to earn the opportunity.
Stone asked the NXT audience whether Wren deserved the match. After receiving an overwhelmingly positive response, he officially booked Kelani Jordan against Wren Sinclair for the NXT Women’s Championship at Halloween Havoc.
Jordan attempted to strike Wren with the championship belt, but Sinclair avoided it and kicked her in the midsection. Wren then nearly struck Jordan with the title before stopping herself.
Dion Lennox Attacks Cruz Montana
Backstage, Cruz Montana attempted to lift Lizzy Rain’s spirits before receiving a phone call from his mother.
Montana discussed his match against Dion Lennox scheduled for the following week. He knew people would use his past against him but said he was proud of his mother for doing whatever was necessary and making him the man he had become.
Lennox attacked Montana from behind and repeatedly struck him before slamming the back of his head against a production crate.
Lennox picked up Montana’s phone and called his mother back. He warned her that her son would need her after Lennox defeated him and sent him back to the dark place from which he had escaped.
La Catalina (c) vs. Kali Armstrong – AAA Reina de Reinas Championship
Kali Armstrong dropped La Catalina with an early shoulder tackle and talked trash to the champion. Catalina responded with a flying mare, Gator Roll and low dropkick.
Armstrong sent Catalina into the turnbuckles and followed with shoulder strikes and a corner Spear. Catalina escaped and connected with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors, Big Boot and running hip attack that knocked Armstrong from the apron.
Armstrong caught Catalina in midair and bodyslammed her on the floor. She then began removing the protective ringside padding, but Catalina escaped another bodyslam and sent Armstrong over the steel steps.
Catalina followed with a flying seated senton from the steps and returned Armstrong to the ring for a two-count.
The champion connected with several running corner clotheslines and stomped Armstrong’s midsection. When Catalina climbed the turnbuckles, Armstrong swept her legs and trapped her in the tree of woe.
Armstrong repeatedly stomped Catalina before delivering another corner Spear. She continued targeting Catalina’s back and twice applied the Camel Clutch.
Catalina escaped another corner charge with a sunset flip for two, but Armstrong continued cutting off her attempts to build momentum.
Catalina eventually drove Armstrong into the middle turnbuckle, landed a missile dropkick and followed with a soccer kick, running basement dropkick, two clotheslines and the Perro Attack.
A Gory Bomb produced a close two-count. Armstrong blocked a fisherman’s suplex and later countered with a Blue Thunder Bomb for another near fall.
Catalina escaped a powerslam with an inside cradle and connected with another Perro Attack. Armstrong answered with a powerslam and prepared for the Kali Connection.
Catalina escaped and sent Armstrong crashing onto the exposed concrete outside the ring. She followed with a running boot to retain the championship.
Winner and still AAA Reina de Reinas Champion: La Catalina via Pinfall
Kendal Grey Receives Medical Clearance
Backstage, Myles Borne told Wren Sinclair that standing up for herself felt good.
Wren responded that disguising herself to combat an injustice was entirely different from Borne attacking his best friend, Tavion Heights. She called Borne’s actions selfish.
Borne mocked Wren for renaming an entire group after herself and predicted that he would become No. 1 contender before capturing the NXT Championship at Halloween Havoc.
Kendal Grey arrived and predicted there would also be a new NXT Women’s Champion. Wren greeted her with a hug while Borne walked away.
Grey asked why Wren had not told her about the plan to enter the battle royal. Wren explained that she could not tell anyone.
Kendal then revealed that her doctors had medically cleared her to compete. Wren celebrated the end of their injuries and suspensions, while Kendal said their only remaining task was bringing the NXT Women’s Championship back to the WrenQCC.
Chazz Hall Challenges The Vanity Project
EK Prosper praised Mini Vikingo and Chazz Hall for their performance in the Dusty Cup. He encouraged them to learn from the defeat and keep moving forward.
The Vanity Project interrupted, with Ricky Smokes joking that it was unsafe to have so many losers gathered in one locker room. Jackson Drake said anyone not motivated by money and championships had no purpose in professional wrestling.
Prosper accused The Vanity Project of talking too much. Hall asked for another opportunity to silence them and issued a challenge for a six-man tag team match.
Drake accepted, saying another easy victory would look good on their résumé.
Fraxiom vs. Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno – 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinal
Nathan Frazer and Noam Dar opened with an athletic exchange of counters. Dar caught an attempted springboard moonsault-reverse DDT combination and transitioned into the Champagne Super Kneebar, forcing Frazer to grab the bottom rope.
Frazer answered with a double-leg takedown and Crossface, but Dar also reached the ropes. Dar refused Frazer’s offer of a handshake before tagging Romeo Moreno.
Axiom entered and exchanged holds with Moreno. Both men countered each other’s aerial offense before reaching a stalemate. Moreno offered a handshake, but Axiom slapped him and attacked with forearms, stomps and a running corner dropkick.
Moreno responded with a roundhouse kick before Frazer tagged himself in. Moreno drove him into the corner and brought Dar back into the match.
Dar hit a running corner dropkick before combining with Moreno for a wishbone attack. Moreno later sent Frazer outside with a headscissors, while Dar knocked Axiom from the apron.
Fraxiom avoided stereo kicks, causing Moreno to accidentally strike Dar. Frazer and Axiom capitalized with an assisted dropkick.
The match continued with all four men exchanging strikes and submissions. Dar trapped Axiom in the Champagne Super Kneebar, but Axiom reached the bottom rope.
Frazer entered and built momentum against Moreno with flying forearms, a Sling Blade and a Flatliner into the middle turnbuckle. He followed with a springboard reverse Spanish Fly for a two-count.
Moreno sent Frazer to the floor and tagged Dar. Moreno attempted a springboard crossbody, but Axiom redirected him face-first into the announce table.
Frazer struck Dar with an enzuigiri from the floor and attempted the Phoenix Splash. Dar raised his knees and hooked both legs for a near fall.
Fraxiom combined for a series of running forearms, a DDT and a clothesline to the back of Dar’s neck, but the pin was broken at two.
Dar and Axiom traded shots before Axiom applied a rear-naked choke. Frazer made a blind tag, but Dar transitioned into a cross-armbreaker.
Frazer attempted a 450 Splash, only for Dar to catch him in a triangle choke. Axiom broke the hold with the Golden Ratio, and Frazer followed with a Frog Splash for another two-count.
Fraxiom continued with a missile-dropkick and leg-sweep combination. Moreno later reentered with a release German suplex and springboard enzuigiri.
Axiom caught Moreno on the top rope with an enzuigiri before tagging Frazer. Axiom delivered an avalanche Spanish Fly, and Frazer followed with a Phoenix Splash, but Dar broke up the pin.
Dar applied the Ankle Lock to Frazer and later countered Axiom’s Golden Ratio into another Ankle Lock. Axiom sent Dar outside, and Frazer superkicked him from the apron.
Moreno knocked Frazer from the turnbuckles, but Axiom made a blind tag. Frazer delivered a superplex, and Fraxiom followed with their brainbuster-superkick combination for a near fall.
Moreno sent Frazer into Axiom and delivered an avalanche Death Valley Driver. He tagged Dar, who struck Frazer with a discus back elbow.
Dar and Moreno then combined a discus back elbow with a leg sweep on Axiom to secure the victory and advance in the tournament.
Winner: Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno via Pinfall
The Wagner Brothers Confront The Birthright
Blake Howard interviewed AAA World Tag Team Champions El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno about competing in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
The Wagner Brothers said they felt no pressure despite their family’s rich history in Lucha Libre. They were humbled to enter the tournament as champions and intended to win for AAA and their family.
The Birthright interrupted and mocked the number of third-generation wrestlers gathered together. Uriah Connors bragged that he was the only fourth-generation star present.
Arianna Grace said The Wagner Brothers would make good additions to The Birthright, although the group was not accepting applications. Lexis King then boasted about breaking Zilla Fatu’s hand.
The Wagner Brothers promised to beat respect into The Birthright when they met in the Dusty Cup. Charlie Dempsey dismissed them, saying even AAA’s best could not compete with his group.
WWE announced that the Dusty Cup quarterfinals would conclude the following week. The Creed Brothers would face Hank and Tank, while The Wagner Brothers would meet The Birthright. Cruz Montana would also battle Dion Lennox.
Tony D’Angelo vs. Myles Borne – NXT Championship No. 1 Contender’s Match
Myles Borne attacked Tony D’Angelo immediately with a punch and knee to the midsection. D’Angelo responded with a running clothesline and two bodyslams, forcing Borne to retreat outside.
D’Angelo pursued him and landed a running forearm for a two-count. Borne escaped a bodyslam and connected with the Slop Drop before following with a powerslam for another near fall.
Borne drove D’Angelo into the turnbuckles and hit a running knee. D’Angelo answered by catching him in midair with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
Borne pulled D’Angelo from the ring and sent him shoulder-first into the barricade, ring post and steel steps. Back inside, Borne connected with an Ushigoroshi for a two-count.
D’Angelo stopped Borne on the top rope with a running right hand. The fight returned outside, where D’Angelo threw Borne into the barricade and slammed his head against the apron.
Borne escaped to the ring after D’Angelo cleared the announce table, but The Don followed and connected with a Spinebuster for two.
D’Angelo delivered a belly-to-back suplex onto the steel steps and a fisherman’s suplex on the floor. He returned Borne to the ring but could only earn another near fall.
Borne later avoided a Superman Punch and landed a step-up enzuigiri. He slowed the match with repeated suplexes, knee strikes and a rear chin lock while targeting D’Angelo’s back and ribs.
D’Angelo eventually powered through the punishment and delivered two release German suplexes, a corner clothesline and running bulldog. A pop-up powerslam earned another two-count.
Borne escaped a powerbomb and connected with a rising knee. D’Angelo drove him into the corner and placed him on the top turnbuckle, but Borne fought back with a forearm.
D’Angelo caught Borne in midair with a Spear for a close near fall. The two traded strikes and counters, with Borne escaping Dead to Rights and D’Angelo preventing Borne Again.
A sit-out powerbomb from D’Angelo produced another two-count. Borne answered with Snake Eyes and an Angle Slam.
Borne then noticed an unusually large cameraman at ringside and became distracted. D’Angelo capitalized with Dead to Rights to earn the championship opportunity.
Winner: Tony D’Angelo via Pinfall
After the match, the cameraman revealed himself to be Tavion Heights. Heights attacked Borne with punches, avoided a clothesline and delivered a side belly-to-belly suplex.
Heights then powerbombed Borne through the announce table and stood over his former friend.
The broadcast moved to Robert Stone’s office, where Stone discovered an anonymous note reading: “Make me the host of Halloween Havoc or you are cursed!”
Danhausen’s laugh could be heard as NXT went off the air.
