411’s WWE NXT Heatwave 2026 Preview

Hello folx! We are still at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas, for NXT Heatwave 2026! This is the fifth NXT Heatwave, and the 13th overall. This is also the second half of the AAA/NXT Double Shot, going head-to-head with AEW’s All In.

Much like Ola de Calor, Heatwave 2026 has a pretty stacked card, filled with championship and gimmick matches. So, let’s get into it! Zaria, Wren Sinclair, and Kali Armstrong will be in a Triple-Threat with the winner unifying the NXT Women’s North American Championship and the WWE Women’s Speed Championship!

Jaida Parka looks to prove herself in a Submission match against the Low Key Legend, Nattie! Myles Borne is pulling double duty, teaming with Tavion Heights to defend their NXT Tag Team Championships against Vanity Project’s Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes! And he will also defend his North American Championship against Jackson Drake!

Kelani Jordan is looking to win some gold as she takes on Kendal Grey for the NXT Women’s Championship! And in our main event, Tony D’Angelo must defend his NXT Championship in a Fatal Four-Way against Grayson Waller, Cruz Montana, and Zilla Fatu!

Triple Threat for the NXT Women’s North American Championship & WWE Women’s Speed Championship
Zaria vs. Wren Sinclair vs Kali Armstrong

Image Credit: WWE

If this were one-on-one, I would probably go with Zaria for the win. But the Triple Threat gimmick opens up more possibilities, and that has me leaning toward Kali Armstrong. Armstrong was the first Women’s Evolve Champion and could be a good dark-horse-style winner in this match. Zaria and Sinclair are so focused on each other that they ignore the threat, and that costs them both their titles.

Zaria is ready to be in the NXT Women’s Championship picture, and dropping the title in a Triple Threat protects her. Sinclair is probably ready to move up too, but I can see her sticking around the North American scene a bit longer. Armstrong has a great look and is decent in the ring, so giving her even a short run would help to establish her on NXT.

Winner and NXT Women’s North American Champion and WWE Women’s Speed Champion: Kali Armstrong

Submission Match
Jaida Parker vs. Nattie

Image Credit: WWE

With this being the rubber match, I am going with Parker for the win. Nattie is using the end of her career to help establish new stars. Dropping a submission match to Parker will go a long way in establishing her as a star. Parker has been lost in the shuffle for a long time. And a win here could really help get her on track.

Parker has a great look and is capable of putting on some good matches, and working with Nattie has helped to up her game. I want to see Parker succeed, and I think she has all the tools to do it. She just needs something more to sink her teeth into. And this feud with Nattie has done that. Putting Nattie away here will hopefully lead to bigger things for her soon. Otherwise, I don’t think she is going to last much longer. She has been in NXT for four years, and it’s time to push her or let her go somewhere else.

Winner: Jaida Parker

NXT Tag Team Championships
The Vanity Project (Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes) vs. Myles Borne & Tavion Heights

Image Credit: WWE

In his first of two title defenses tonight, Myles Borne teams with Tavion Heights to defend the NXT Tag Team Championships against Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes. Normally I don’t want quick title changes, but with Borne’s attention being split, the story here is him costing them the titles. This will lead to further tension between Heights and Borne.

Baylor and Smokes are one of the better things on NXT right now. They play the part of punchable douchebags so well. I can see both men becoming much bigger stars. And another run as NXT Tag Team Champions will only help them get to where they are going. All four men are good in-ring talents and I think this will be a fun match, even with a pretty obvious conclusion

Winners and new NXT Tag Team Champions: The Vanity Project

NXT Women’s Championship
Kelani Jordan vs Kendal Grey

Image Credit: WWE

A less obvious winner in this match. Grey has done a great job as champion, and I want her to continue that work. And Jordan has spent the last year really stepping up her game and proving herself. Her run as TNA Knockouts Champion showed that she can carry a division. Her time on top is now, and the question is, do they pull the trigger now or not?

This could be Match of the Night, and with how NXT usually goes, it probably will be. Honestly, Grey is ready for the Main Roster, and could be plugged into the Women’s Intercontinental scene easily. So, I could see Jordan winning if Grey is about to get called up. But with Vice, Paxley, and Monroe all getting called up recently, I think it’s less likely.

So, Jordan’s time isn’t tonight, but soon. I could see it happening later in the year or early next year.

Winner and still NXT Women’s Champion: Kendal Grey 

NXT North American Championship
Jackson Drake vs Myles Borne

Image Credit: WWE

And now we get to Borne’s second title defense. He will already be beat up and tired from the Tag Team Championship match, and that in itself protects him in a loss to Drake. But if we add in a heel turn by Heights, then it protects him even more and makes sense. A pissed-off Heights blames Borne for losing the Tag Team Championships, and so he costs Borne the North American Championship.

Vanity Project all get to hold some gold, which always works to create heat for a heel stable. And Borne and Heights can have a proper feud. I think this has potential to be a great match. While it’s been an issue for a long time, the men’s roster in NXT has some prospects to fill in the gaps at the top. Drake and Borne are both primed for bigger things, and this match will help establish them further.

Winner and new NXT North American Champion: Jackson Drake

Fatal Four-Way for the NXT Championship
Grayson Waller vs Cruz Montana vs Zilla Fatu vs Tony D’Angelo

Image Credit: WWE

Going back to NXT seems like a make-or-break moment for Waller. And that promo he cut showed that he is someone worth keeping around. He has all the tools to be a big player going forward. He just needs to keep building on that fire. Fatu is rumored to be on the Main Roster soon, so NXT is more of a pit stop to teach him the WWE style. And D’Angelo is more than ready for the Main Roster.

That leaves us with Cruz Montana, the former two-time TNA World Champion, who was thrust into the main event of NXT. With Zilla not being around NXT for long, this is Montana’s to win and to carry the division into 2027. He is the type of guy you want at the top. Great in-ring talent, great on the mic, great look, and a great redemption story.

Waller is probably going ot be set up for Montana’s biggest rival, and Waller is the perfect cocky ass to play off Montana’s man of the people type character. Waller can use Cruz’s past, and Waller’s issues with getting passed over for heat. And Cruz will look great knocking that smug smirk off Waller’s face.

Winner and new NXT Champion: Cruz Montana