WWE is once again distancing itself from the NXT nameand this time, its for a major showdown with AEWs Forbidden Door.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE is marketing the upcoming Heatwave event as WWE Heatwave, completely omitting any reference to the NXT brand.
The show is scheduled for Sunday, August 24, 2025, at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts, a relatively small venue for a WWE Premium Live Event. Despite the rebranding, ticket sales have been sluggish, and the venue has yet to sell out.
This marks the second time WWE has taken this approach. The first was Great American Bash, which was also presented as a WWE-branded event despite being fully NXT. Meltzer called attention to the strategic rebranding during his conversation with Bryan Alvarez:
He continued by pointing out the pattern, referencing the previous event:
Despite the WWE branding, Meltzer noted that the tactic hasnt moved tickets the way theyd hoped:
The decision to remove NXT from the name may be WWEs way of masking the fact that the brand still struggles with perception issues, even as they attempt to go head-to-head with AEW on one of the companys biggest weekends.
This situation also reflects WWEs continuing effort to prop up NXTs image while minimizing any direct comparisons to AEWs main roster-level events.
Ringside News will have live coverage of WWE Heatwave on August 24 from Lowell Memorial Auditoriumstay tuned for all the updates live as they happen.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
What do you think about WWE downplaying the NXT brand in its own promotional materials? Do you think it helps or hurts the show's credibility? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
