Mason Rook debuted on the April 28, 2026 episode of NXT. He was the third of the three men who attacked Tony D’Angelo that night, which was the Tuesday after he claimed the NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver. Out of him, Naraku, and Tavion Heights, he’s the only one who hasn’t gotten a championship match with D’Angelo. But over the past couple of weeks, he has faced an even larger problem. Jackson Drake and the Vanity Project have also been targeting D’Angelo.
On the June 23 NXT, he and Drake got into a huge fight, leading to a match the next Tuesday. He ended up losing, but attacked fellow Vanity Project members Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes afterward. It seems like a great idea for him to face all three of them in a Gauntlet match as a way to really showcase his in-ring strength. If he can defeat them, there’s no question he’ll be ready to face D’Angelo when he gets the chance.
Mason Rook Will Be Able to Show Off His Power in the Ring
There are successful giants on the main roster that started in NXT like Rook. Two that instantly come to mind are Bronson Reed and Oba Femi. Both of them held titles in NXT and have been successful when they jumped to the main roster. Rook has shown off his power in several matches, but it hasn’t resulted in a singles win yet. Booking a gauntlet match is a great way to get people on his side as a potential championship holder.
Everyone saw what happened at the end of the match on Tuesday when he lost. He took down the NXT Tag Team Champions with ease as a direct warning to Drake that he is a threat. Another singles match wouldn’t make sense, as Drake always has Baylor and Smokes by his side. There has to be a way for him to get a dominant victory without any interference. A gauntlet match gives Rook time with each male member of the Vanity Project to showcase his wrestling skills.
The Vanity Project Wouldn’t Be Hurt by Losing
So far, the Vanity Project being on NXT has been a huge success. They hold championship gold and have shown off their incredible in-ring ability several times. All of them have shown that their ages aren’t a problem and that they deserve to be in NXT. But there is one problem. Just like any other faction in WWE, whenever one of their members is in trouble, the rest of them interfere to get the win. In a gauntlet match, Rook gets Baylor, Drake, and Smokes one-on-one.
Making the match gets him over with the crowd without fully hurting the Vanity Project. They won’t get squashed by him, and Baylor and Smokes will still hold the NXT Tag Team Championships. The only thing that will happen is that they will finally definitively lose without any interference. Many times a handicap match is made in order to showcase a giant. However, a gauntlet match ensures that the Vanity Project won’t be hurt with a Rook victory.
A Gauntlet Match is the Best Way to Proceed
There has been obvious tension brewing between Rook and the members of the Vanity Project. Drake views Rook as an obstacle that is in the way of him challenging for the NXT Championship. That’s why he was so happy when he won his match on Tuesday.
But he wasn’t smiling for long, as Baylor and Smokes were both taken out after the match was over. There are many different ways for them to proceed, but a gauntlet match is the best way not to hurt any of them.
A handicap match is usually the way to go in order to get a giant over. But Drake has been impressive since his call-up from Evolve, and the NXT Tag Team Championships belong to Baylor and Smokes. Having them get destroyed all at once by Rook will severely devalue them and their titles. A gauntlet match will showcase Rook’s talent in the ring while protecting the members of the Vanity Project from looking bad.
