The last "WWE NXT" before this weekend's big Heatwave event saw a title defended, a title match added to, submission matches made, and even more, all of which you can read about over on the WWE NXT August 25, 2026 results page.As always, there was plenty to love on the show, such as the fiery contest between EK Prosper and AAA Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix. There was also a tremendous promo segment between Nattie and Jaida Parker. There was also plenty to hate, like the sluggish opening cage match, or the heatless interaction between Keanu Carver, Mason Rook, and Kam Hendrix. The comments section will be open for any who wish to keep the NXT conversation alive.Otherwise, there's nothing left to do but let the Wrestling Inc. Staff explain what they loved and what they very much didn't on the last pre-Heatwave NXT.
WWE NXT has a nasty habit of holding "summits," which are usually just a way to get as many of the upcoming PLE competitors on screen as possible. Sometimes there's a brawl, but mostly it just ends up feeling like an infomercial.There's a lot of good stories heading into Heatwave, but the end of the show did little to bring out the positives. The series of pre-taped vignettes that were sprinkled through the show did what the Summit meant to do, and I think those are all the show needs going forward. Remind us what's been going on, let the talent cut a clean, edited promo, and don't do the unnecessary PLE pitch at the end of the show. This is NXT, everyone watching knows what they signed up for.While there was plenty of good on tonight's show, I felt like the ending took the heat down on all of the main event programs. I'm hoping that future go-home shows won't rely on such lazy booking, especially glaring in contrast to the heated exchange between Nattie and Jaida Parker.Written by Ross Berman
WWE is mirroring a dynamic we just saw a few weeks ago, but hey, if it works, it works.At the beginning of August, Kendal Grey defended the NXT Women's Championship against Lola Vice in the Underground, a match seemingly made for the former MMA star. After all, Vice had already conquered it four times.Surprisingly, Grey emerged victorious, though, bleeding ear and all.Looking back on the creative decision, it was probably for the best. Grey snapped Vice's undefeated Underground streak, and in the process, gained even more respect from the WWE Universe. The former amateur wrestler solidified herself as a badass, too. Vice, meanwhile, helped elevate a rising talent on her way out of "WWE NXT," as she's now headed to "WWE Raw" in three weeks.WWE has an opportunity to replicate these benefits when Jaida Parker takes on Nattie in a submission match at "NXT" Heatwave. Nattie has the obvious experience and skill advantage heading into this (she's kept the Sharpshooter legacy alive, after all). She's also already defeated Parker cleanly before. Parker, on the other hand, only beat the WWE veteran in return because Thea Hail sneakily threw in the towel behind the referee's back.Much like Kendal Grey, Jaida Parker has a chance to prove herself as a legitimate threat by taking on a match that clearly favors her opponent. If we're being honest, Parker should have already done that by now, but at least this way, Parker can achieve it on an even bigger stage, in a much more high-profile stipulation.How many people can say that they made the legendary Nattie Neidhart tap out? Hopefully at Heatwave, Parker will be one.Written by Ella Jay
I lamented last week about how much I was looking forward to the weaponized steel cage match pitting Saquon Shugars against Dion Lennox one final time. I was disappointed that the bout wasn't taking place at Heatwave, and tonight, it wasn't even the main event of the show. It actually opened up "NXT," and it was entirely forgettable.Maybe it's because, I'll say it once again, this feud has gone on way too long, but something about the match wasn't clicking. I just couldn't get invested, and hoped something would eventually happen that would fully grab my attention. There were quite a few clunky spots involving the table, which Shugars had to set back up at one point. The rest of the match, outside of maybe the kendo stick spots where they were trying to run one another into the weapon throat-first with it stuck in the structure, was a pretty paint-by-numbers stipulation bout.The only really exciting, memorable spot happened at the very end, when Shugars, who was selling his knee, leapt from the very top of the cage to take out Lennox with a cross body to win the match. Shugars looked great, and I'm glad he came out on top, but there was just something missing. I also expected to hear from Shugars backstage at some point, for him to explain what's next after finally putting DarkState behind him, but that was apparently asking for too much from creative, who likely have no idea what's next for him.The "Heatwave summit" between the top champions and their challengers took priority as the main event of the show, and I'm just so tired of talking segments taking that spot in WWE. It's now bleeding into "NXT," which doesn't happen too terribly often. I was probably expecting too much when I thought this grudge match would be the main event, but "NXT" usually does prioritize big stipulation matches, no matter the feud, so I don't feel too entirely off base in my thinking. The match wasn't anything memorable, but at least these two are free to move on, and I suppose that's all that counts.Written by Daisy Ruth
Over the last year, WWE fans have understandably complained about the lack of Rey Fenix on WWE programming. This week, the exciting luchador is now taking over almost all of it.Fans in Edmonton and Calgary were first treated to Fenix's successful AAA World Cruiserweight Championship defenses over Ricky Saints and Kit Wilson at local WWE live events on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, Fenix then bested Dragon Lee in the semi-finals of a tournament in which the winner will challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Come Tuesday night, Fenix defended the AAA World Cruiserweight Title once more, this time in an exhilarating match against EK Prosper on "WWE NXT."This Friday, Fenix will battle his brother Penta in the finals of the aforementioned tournament at the "Raw" tapings in Cleveland. Finally, on Sunday, August 30, he'll complete the cycle by teaming with Penta and Dragon Lee to take on Perros del Mal (Daga, Berto, and Angel) at AAA's Ola de Calor event in Edinburgh, Texas.Needless to say, Fenix is in the midst of the busiest eight days of his WWE/AAA career. Considering the alternative, though, I can't say it's a bad thing.Written by Ella Jay
Keanu Carver and Kam Hendrix wrestled one another in singles action this week, a match that the former had asked for at the beginning of the show as part of climbing the proverbial rankings to a title match.That's fine, considering Hendrix has challenged unsuccessfully for the title held by Tony D'Angelo, the same title that he will be defending against three men at Heatwave. North American Champion Myles Borne is already wrapped up in a double jeopardy deal with Vanity Project, defending that title along with the NXT Tag titles he holds with Tavion Heights this weekend. So it's not as though there is room for them in any of the title pictures at the moment.But then when all was said and done, Carver only got the win via cheap interference from Mason Rook. This is where the issue starts to become apparent. These three are simply treading water because there is nothing else for them at this current stage in time, and it's clear that someone can't make up their mind as to who should be leading the race for a title shot.Too often now does interference comes merely as a device for running something back at a sooner rather than later date, a transparent attempt to stretch the very little there is in a storyline or angle into multiple weeks of programming. Carver could have gone over clean, and Rook could have confronted him afterward. Hendrix could have gone over with a little cheating (or clean), and Rook could have confronted him afterward. They could have wrestled to a draw and then both been confronted by Rook.There are other options than distraction, distraction, distraction, all the time. There are other ways to explore a feud other than fighting for the sake of it. They've been thrown together because there is literally nothing else for them to do at the moment, despite the company clearly wanting to do something with them. That is fine; those are the bones. But nine out of ten doctors would agree, you should not be able to see the bones. There should be meat and connective tissue wrapped around them.Here that is missing, and it's like a compound fracture. No one in their right mind really wants to look at a compound fracture. These are three big men who do big men things and a little bit more, let them loose. If they have to fight one another, make it interesting. Let them prove that they should be next up, not based on cheap wins or cut-paste finishes, but with a unique selling point.Written by Max Everett
I think Kali Armstrong is fantastic, but she hasn't done much yet on "NXT," or really, she hasn't been given the opportunity to show off often enough for my liking. Tonight, however, she really shined in her match against Women's North American Champion Zaria, and if scoring a win wasn't enough, that win got her added to a match at Heatwave, which I believe is her first big event in "NXT."She had a good, strong showing against Zaria, and I'll admit, I didn't expect her to get the win and make the unification match (or really, the match to just make the Women's Speed Championship go away) bout a triple threat. While Zaria overpowered her for the first few minutes, Armstrong quickly got her feet underneath her and held her own.Armstrong rallied after Zaria hit her with a back body drop, and her strikes to get her back in the game looked really good, as did her jump up to meet Zaria on the ropes before hitting a superplex. Right before the final sequence or so of the match, there was a good series that could only be described as a battle of strength between the two women as they countered one another's moves, which made them both look fantastic. Armstrong looked to be right on Zaria's level there, and in the end, she rolled her up by countering the F5 for the victory.Even if Armstrong doesn't win on Sunday, she's going to have one hell of a showing in the match. She's already shown what she can do with a fellow powerhouse like Zaria, and Sinclair is no slouch. It will be interesting to see Armstrong's style go up against Sinclair's, while Zaria remains a threat throughout. It's going to be a good, interesting bout, and I always love it when I'm not sure what the outcome is going to be. Win or lose at Heatwave, after tonight, Armstrong looks to be on the up-and-up on weekly "NXT" TV, and I'm excited to see what's next for her.Written by Daisy Ruth
