Things are getting topsy-turvy on "WWE NXT." The Women's NXT Title was defended, and a chaotic six-man tag match determined next week's Men's NXT Title #1 Contender's Triple Threat. The whole thing has been dutifully covered over on the WWE NXT 9/8/2026 Results Page.As always, the Wrestling Inc. Staff walked away from the show with many feelings, some good, some bad, and all ready for your consumption. There were some things that simply didn't sit right with us, like the odd backtracking in the feud between Myles Borne and Tavion Heights, while, paradoxically, Tavion's actual match with NXT NA Champion Jackson Drake was one of the night's highlights. The comments section is open, as it always is, for anyone who wants to keep the conversation going.There's nothing left to do, but get into the best and the worst of the first "WWE NXT" of September.
I was very intrigued by the prospect of a storyline between Myles Borne and Tavion Heights immediately after Borne blindsided Heights with Borne again at "NXT" Heatwave, given that everyone expected Heights to be the man who would turn heel. However, it isn't quite living up to what I thought it had the potential to be, and I'm quite disappointed with what we've seen from it on television thus far.It's become apparent that this storyline feels a little bit directionless and is almost at a bit of a standstill for no good reason at all. There just hasn't been much development in the plot points, and it also really lacks the intensity that's needed to make a storyline like this one between two best friends work. I think that the idea of the tweener Borne showing remorse for turning on Heights is a good one on paper, but it's felt like more of a hindrance in its execution and has slowed things down immensely, which isn't necessarily great in this case.While Heights has consistently been on "NXT" programming in person and backstage, Borne has yet to be seen on programming since Heatwave. It makes it hard to tell a proper story when you have one of the competitors in person and the other one doing their promos over social media videos. If "NXT" had instead just done a meeting between the two men in the ring where they talked about their conflicting views on the state of their friendship, it would make something that's already pretty hard to follow feel a little more simplified and streamlined. This rings especially true when you consider that Borne made a brief appearance in the crowd of the Performance Center after Heights' North American Championship match, and the opportunity was right there for him to do something other than just stare down Heights from the crowd.Written by Olivia Quinlan
Jackson Drake and Tavion Heights locked proverbial horns for the North American Championship this week as Drake's first defense since beating Myles Borne, causing Borne to turn on Heights in a move he may or may not be regretting.Thus, the match sort of went on under the cloud of a potential interference, either from Borne or Vanity Project stood at ringside. Naturally, Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes got involved in a fairly limited capacity in the early goings, but then their presence was mute as the bout went on.The bout actually went on in a very fun way, Drake genuinely dominating over Heights with spiteful, rather than cheaply underhanded, offense. Heights had to endure, and he did. Then he came back with his mat wrestling, wrenching at Drake's ankle both with his boots and padding on, and without.It was just really refreshing to have a wrestling match unmarred by unnecessary outside crap bloating it out. Heights genuinely came up short and that goes some way to legitimize Drake as champion. It also gives Heights a natural out from the North American title picture so he can focus on his program with Borne. That also works on the flip side and allows Drake to continue with his run without falling into the third wheel role in another pair's story.Written by Max Everett
While the NXT Championship scene is pretty wild, the fact that Zilla Fatu has just straight up fallen down the card after debuting right at the top to challenge for that title is even crazier. Sure, Fatu's status as a "nepo baby" makes sense for him to have a story with BirthRight, but the faction is just laughable and isn't anywhere near the top of "WWE NXT," where Fatu should be following his big debut. Charlie Dempsey's promo tonight, trying to explain what they're doing, proved that.I liked that Dempsey's dad, William Regal, mentioned his history with Fatu's late father, Umaga, backstage, to motivate his son. Dempsey went out to the ring to cut a promo on his own, something I don't think we've seen in a long time, and while I was initially on board with it, I quickly fell off. Dempsey was basically saying everyone in "NXT" treats BirthRight like they're a joke and he's sick of it, then spoke directly to Fatu to tell him that the faction can help him out. If they're treated like such a joke, how's that going to help Fatu? It would have made more sense for Dempsey to go against his father's wishes and ask Fatu to help them out.But, asking nicely wouldn't have allowed for Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, Uriah Conors, and Lexis King to beat down Fatu after Dempsey called him out to ask him to accept their offer to join them. Fatu barely got the chance to speak outside of his annoying "HELLO!" and declining the invitation before Connors told him they weren't asking, and the faction jumped him.BirthRight getting involved in a backstage segment later in the night with the tag team division, including the Vanity Project and the recently-returned Creed Brothers, made a lot more sense to me. It feels like they need to attempt to establish themselves further, and I certainly wouldn't hate Dempsey challenging Jackson Drake for the North American Championship. After the beatdown, Fatu was also nowhere to be seen in that backstage segment, and I was expecting him to jump out of nowhere and take all of BirthRight down.Usually I say I'll let something play out, but this just isn't all that exciting to me. Dempsey was right, nobody's taken BirthRight seriously, and it's going to be really hard to get anyone, especially "NXT" fans, to do so now.Written by Daisy Ruth
For a while, "NXT" fans have known Wren Sinclair as a smiley, dependable supporting character, whether it be for No Quarter Catch Crew or former NXT Women's Champion Kendal Grey. Tonight, she finally changed things up and thrust herself into the main character spotlight, specifically by attacking Kelani Jordan, the reigning champion, with a kendo stick.Yes, her actions did result in General Manager Robert Stone "suspending" her. That suspension might be the very thing that takes her to the next level, however.In her backstage segment with Stone, Sinclair took umbrage at the fact that Jordan had injured Grey during their NXT Women's Title match at Heatwave. It became apparent that Sinclair didn't take too kindly to being called a "sidekick" either, which ultimately led to her lashing out on Tuesday night.I've been there, and I understand that feeling of being a "doormat." And sometimes, we, as people, do need to grow a backbone. In Sinclair's case, she grew one not only for herself, but for her friend who is now unable to defend herself due to a case of Vertigo.With Grey on the shelf for the foreseeable future and a number of "NXT" women moved up to WWE's roster this year, Sinclair's newfound aggression might pave a path for her to fill one of their spots left behind in the main event scene. She's already proven herself to be a reliable in-ring worker, seller, and master of facial expressions. This new attitude could now round her out.Written by Ella Jay
When Izzi Dame confronted NXT Women's North American Champion Zaria, I thought it made sense. We hadn't seen Dame on "NXT" television for a hot minute, and we know she's always keen on capturing championship gold, so a return immediately eyeing this title fits well in the storyline.When Thea Hail then strolled out, a part of me felt like I had seen this situation before. That's because I had.Last week, NXT Champion Grayson Waller found himself surrounded by six potential challengers: Mason Rook, Cruz Montana, Saquon Shugars, EK Prosper, Tony D'Angelo, and Keanu Carver. A complicated announcement involving a six-man tag match and a subsequent triple threat followed.Listen, I'm all for multiple women stepping up in a title scene. It creates a layer of intrigue and unpredictability as to which way WWE will lean. Given that this circus came just one week after the men's, however, its appeal was lacking. Or as the internet would say, the women were simply reheating the men's nachos.I will give "NXT" some credit as Zaria's third potential challenger, Kali Armstrong, voiced her interest in a backstage segment, meaning tonight's series of events didn't completely copy last week's. They did come awfully close, though.Written by Ella Jay
The NXT Championship picture has been such a wild scene in recent months, I have to say I'm almost getting used to it, but thankfully, Mason Rook seemed to put things on the right track. For now, at least. The star scored the pin over EK Prosper in tonight's six-man tag team match, earning himself a spot in a triple threat number one contender's match next week for Grayson Waller's title, alongside former champion Tony D'Angelo and Saquon Shugars. The team defeated Prosper, Cruz Montana, and Keanu Carver.I expected one of the "bigger" stars, for lack of a better term, in Montana or D'Angelo to get the victory here, so I was pleasantly surprised to see Rook set up. Even though he was teaming with D'Angelo, he straight up put the former champion on his shoulders to hit his backpack cannonball senton move to the corner on Prosper. It was the perfect way to assert dominance, without the entire match being the "can they co-exist?!" trope.Both teams actually avoided that really well, which I thought was rather surprising after recent weeks. Even Waller behaved himself at ringside, as he was yucking it up on commentary with Vic Joseph and Booker T. It was still a bit chaotic, but it was overall just a fun, fast-paced match that fit the main event spot well.I can't say for certain that next week's triple threat match won't be absolutely insane, with Carver, Prosper, and/or Montana interfering in things, but those three are pretty big babyfaces at the moment, and it doesn't seem too terribly likely. Carver's trying to get on general manager Robert Stone's good side, and Montana and Prosper are fan favorites, albeit at different levels, so it doesn't make too much sense to get them involved. We could always, of course, end up getting another four-way match at Halloween Havoc or whenever the title match is, between Waller, Rook, D'Angelo, and Shugars, but I'll remain hopeful for now that the upcoming title match is a singles bout.Written by Daisy Ruth
