While WWE is on the road to SummerSlam, "NXT" is raising the temperature in preparation for Heatwave. Tuesday's show saw a chaotic main event triple threat that determined a new Women's number one contender, as well as an impromptu Women's North American Title 4-way, and a tag title match. You can read all about it in the WWE NXT 7/14/2026 Results.All that's left is to break down what worked, and what very much didn't, from Tuesday's show in the Performance Center. The main event itself was divisive, the in-ring work left one writer impressed, the booking left another writer cold, and if you want to tip the scales in either writer's favor, the comments section will be open, as always, to continue the conversation.Without further ado, let's get to what the Wrestling Inc. Staff loved, and what they hated.
I've vocally been a fan of the storyline between Shiloh Hill and Tristan Angels, finding it to be one of the most entertaining running threats on "NXT" programming and enjoying the natural chemistry that the two men have with one another both in the ring and during promo segments. However, even I will admit that the storyline has gone on a little too long between them and should've already come to an end.There was nothing objectively wrong with Angels's in ring segment where he stomped on Hill's missing fake tooth, only for Hill to respond with fog to Angels. It just felt like it was a little bit unnecessary and kind of random, leaving me with the impression that there's a good chance "NXT" is grasping for reasons to keep these two men embroiled in a bitter feud with one another. "NXT" The Great American Bash was the perfect time to wrap things up between the two men, and felt like a natural conclusion for the storyline, so there isn't really a good reason I can think of for things to still be going on between them in my opinion.Written by Olivia Quinlan
Let's just point out the obvious. Vanity Project retained their titles with the help of Jackson Drake and Myka Lockwood. Everything before Drake and Lockwood's involvement was evenly matched, though.More importantly, it left me on the edge of my seat.When Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy landed that splash-450 Splash combo on Ricky Smokes, I was already envisioning the pair as the new champions. Out of nowhere, Brad Baylor then snapped me back to reality with a last-millisecond save for his partner.Van Dux-Legacy vs. Vanity Project generated a number of other exciting close calls tonight. In between, Van Dux and Legacy countered multiple double-team attempts from the defending champions; they also utilized the element of flight. In return, Baylor and Smokes successfully isolated their challengers. They further leaned into their cocky characters, which made us as viewers root for the daring yet inexperienced tag team even more.Combining Van Dux and Legacy's high-flying and fast-paced nature with Vanity Project's seasoned tag team work was a recipe for success on paper. And much to my pleasant surprise, it delivered on-screen as well.Written by Ella Jay
I figured Bronco Nima's involvement in AAA's revived Los Perros del Mal stable alongside Daga, Berto, Angel, and Karmen Petrovic would be addressed further on "NXT" after Nima and tag team partner Lucien Price had a brief interaction about it backstage last week. So, while I saw it coming, and it's not exactly from out of nowhere, I didn't love that there was a breakup angle teased between OTM tonight.That's because, no shade to Nima and Price, but I just don't feel like they've done enough on "NXT" for me to care about them breaking up. They've only wrestled a handful of televised matches this year, though to be fair, at least one has been a shot at becoming number one contenders for the NXT Tag Team Championships. I just don't feel invested in them at all, as they're never prominently featured. They also sat down with Emily Agard a few weeks ago in one of her segments, but nothing really came of that, either.BirthRight's Lexis King did use a piece of information from that interview segment, however, mentioning Nima's little brother who appeared in the piece. King was trying to goad Price, saying that Nima already has a family, both in AAA, now, as well as his younger brother, and that Price was never Nima's true family. It was odd, and just felt like the opportunity to give BirthRight something to do and a new feud to start, when they should be going after the tag titles or training alongside Fit Finlay and William Regal in pre-recorded segments or something interesting.It also feels strange to bring up Nima's involvement in Perros del Mal when Petrovic is also in the stable, but now hanging around Nattie in her group alongside Layla Diggs and EVOLVE Women's Champion Nikkita Lyons. If Petrovic can do both, why can't Nima? The tag division also can't exactly spare an established tag team, as good as some of these thrown-together teams, like Dorian Van Dux and Sean Legacy, are together.I thought tonight's edition of "NXT" was a pretty strong episode, so this may be a nit-pick. I wish I was given more of a reason to care about OTM, though I also wouldn't be surprised if this BirthRight backstage segment was just meant to fill time and isn't even addressed moving forward.Written by Daisy Ruth
I'm finding myself getting extremely tired of WWE's weekly main roster shows, which shouldn't be happening leading into what used to be my favorite premium live event (though, back then it was still pay-per-view), SummerSlam, but alas, "WWE Raw" last night was painful. The show had just three matches, with one just thrown together at the last minute, or so it was made to seem to the fans, and excruciatingly long segments. Tonight, "NXT's" five varied matches felt like a breath of fresh air.The opening NXT Tag Team Championship match was an excellent way to kick off the show, as my colleague mentioned. Tate Wilder is another fun watch, though he lost to Naraku, who then furthered his story with NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo tonight.The Women's North American Championship match was changed to a four-way, due to an unfortunate injury, but that only helped the pace of the show feel refreshing compared to the red brand, as the inclusion of Lizzy Rain and Izzi Dame, especially, in the match against Zaria was really fun, and the bout overall was so fast-paced. "NXT" then threw in another, more low-stakes singles match, with Jackson Drake going up against Tavion Heights, and I always love a good women's main event on Tuesday nights, though I can't say I agreed with the winner of the triple threat number one contender's match.Even when "NXT" has its goofy segments, and there's always at least one per show, they're not nearly as long as anything on "Raw" or "WWE SmackDown." Last night, we saw a brutal Vision vs. Alpha Academy face-off, and an extended contract signing between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. Sure, the red brand has an extra half hour on "NXT," at least, but WWE chooses not to spend it on anything exciting.Some of the troupes are the same, like a lot of interference in matches on both the main roster and "NXT," but just having more matches on the show makes a world of difference. The stars may be in "developmental," but there are honestly a few talents I would choose to watch, even if they're still trying to find their footing and figure things out, over a lot of what we see on the main shows. "NXT" is easily my favorite main roster show of the week these days, and I'm feeling less and less apologetic about it as the weeks roll on.Written by Daisy Ruth
Let me first clarify that I enjoyed the in-ring action we saw tonight between Lola Vice, Kelani Jordan, and Kali Armstrong. We witnessed a mix of false finishes, hard hits, high-flying moves, and triple-threat chaos. All of that, however, almost seemed pointless once the final bell rang.Considering that Vice just lost the NXT Women's Championship to Kendal Grey less than three weeks ago, I considered her participation in this number one contender's a simple formality. It would have been a logical way to keep her involved in the title's vicinity while ultimately putting someone fresh over. After all, neither Kelani Jordan nor Kali Armstrong has challenged for the NXT Women's Championship in a televised setting.Jordan is long overdue for this title opportunity. Armstrong has a previous history with the reigning champion, Kendal Grey. Therefore, either could have reasonably been granted the win tonight. Scratch that. One of them should have received it. Instead, "NXT" fans now await a matchup they've already seen before.Don't get me wrong. Vice vs. Grey in a rematch makes sense. In fact, I'm looking forward to seeing what other magic these two stars can conjure up in the ring. Putting a whole number one contender's match in front of Vice to get there, though, was senseless.If "NXT" booker Shawn Michaels wanted a Vice-Grey rematch, Vice could have simply invoked it through the contractual rematch we often see awarded to other former champions. Ex-NXT Women's Champion Jacy Jayne literally did that a few months ago after Vice dethroned her.Written by Ella Jay
This week's main event wound up becoming something of a long-winded way of giving Lola Vice her contractual NXT Women's Championship main event, beating Kelani Jordan and Kali Armstrong in a triple threat. But that doesn't mean the match itself wasn't fun.Each woman gave something unique to the bout, with Vice the striker and grappler, Jordan the nimble high-flyer, and Armstrong just raw explosive power and athletic ability. The dynamics meshed really well, too. Vice, the former champion looking for her rematch, Jordan the yet uncrowned Women's Champion, and Armstrong, the blue-chip prospect looking to make her mark sooner rather than later.That was very much how the match played out, too, Jordan painting a target on herself as the antagonist who would do anything to make this her moment, trying so desperately to get one of her opponents down for the three-count. She was slipping in and out of the ring, trying to steal the win, and ultimately had the match stolen from her.Armstrong was the powerhouse of the match, eventually taking the pin after becoming the target of much of the finish-intended offense in the closing stretch. Vice was the one with pedigree as it came to big matches, and it was when Jordan thought she was out of the match that she came back to win. Everything just slotted into place for a really enjoyable watching experience, even if this writer didn't personally get the result they wanted.This bout was another example of the talent occupying the "WWE NXT" women's division. And another great main event.Written by Max Everett
