New Year’s Evil was the latest NXT event with show-stopping action and surprise story development. One of the most shocking things that happened took place at the end of the show. The main event was reigning NXT Champion Oba Femi versus TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater. Femi winning would mean more time as champion, while Slater winning would change the NXT-TNA partnership forever.
In the end, Femi’s Fall from Grace was too much for Slater. However, Robert Stone interrupted a pep talk from General Manager Ava to the Evolve roster, wondering if she saw what Femi did. The camera flashed to the NXT Championship alone in the ring with the spotlight on it.
The zoom out revealed Tony D’Angelo looking at the title from the stands. It’s obvious Femi is headed to the main roster. But why did WWE decide to make him drop the title?
They Wanted Him to End His NXT Run on a High Note
The ending of the match, while controversial, makes sense. Femi was one of the most dominant men in NXT history. He won the Men’s Breakout Tournament in 2023 and the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge in 2024.
Among those accomplishments, he was the NXT North American Champion. He had two reigns as NXT Champion after winning the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge. Having him drop the title to Slater would be a poor send-off to the main roster. Leaving as the dominant champion is a great way to end his NXT run.
On the TNA side, they have to be furious at what happened. Yet again, a TNA talent failed to win an NXT belt. Whoever they send next will be even more motivated to bring a title back to TNA. This decision established Femi as a big part of NXT history, while adding more fire to TNA challengers.
The Vacancy Opens the Door for New Challengers
At the conclusion of the show, it was clear that two men were obviously coming for the NXT Championship. One was D’Angelo, who has never been NXT Champion. The other was Ricky Saints, who cut a passionate promo about how NXT needs him.
But there are others that could rise to the challenge after Femi, Je’Von Evans, and Trick Williams all got called up. The winner of Joe Hendry vs. Dion Lennox could challenge for the title. Elio Lefleur, the former Aigle Blanc on the European circuit, could be the latest debuting wrestler to get the rocket push.
Ethan Page could push for another reign as NXT Champion. There could also be a tournament to determine who the next challengers will be for Vengeance Day. Whatever happens, new wrestlers will have to step up and take their place in the title picture.
Femi’s Decision Will Help NXT in the Long Run
Femi obviously dropped the NXT Championship because he’s headed to the main roster. Doing so, while controversial to some, helps out NXT in various ways. Having him lose before calling him up would’ve been a horrible idea that wouldn’t sit right with a lot of people.
The decision also complicates the NXT-TNA relationship. They still haven’t won a singles title, which is why they’ll be extra motivated from now on. If they have to pull out every trick in the book in order to get a title, that’s what they’re going to have to do.
Ultimately, the choice puts a spotlight on the talent still in NXT. With most of the main event scene called up, the lower card wrestlers have a chance to succeed in the title picture. This vacancy will allow those wrestlers to finally shine in NXT and get themselves over in a big way.
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