When tag teams aren’t agreeing on things, they often decide to go their separate ways. Sometimes, a split is amicable, where they agree to do their own thing. But other times, one person betrays the other, setting up a nasty feud. On the February 24, 2026 episode of NXT, the dreaded day finally came for Sol Ruca and Zaria.
Many people online speculated that Zaria would betray Ruca the same night the latter got an NXT Women’s Championship match. But no one could foresee how she would betray her former partner.
As Ruca and Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne stood in the ring, Zaria suddenly tackled Ruca before the bell rang. She gave her an F5, the bell rang, Jayne gave her a Rolling Encore, and the match was over. It was a shocking turn of events, but there are reasons why the scenario played out when it did.
The Split is Much More Painful for Ruca and Her Fans
If fans who thought the split would happen Tuesday night had said a variety of answers on when it would happen. Some would say Zaria would cost her the title at the end of the match. Others would have Ruca win, then have Zaria attack her. No one would’ve predicted her to be laid out before the match even started, giving Jayne the easiest win of her career. Doing it like that increases the hatred for Zaria and compassion for Ruca.
She didn’t even have a chance to do anything before Jayne hit the Rolling Encore. It was clear she was dazed and was in no position even to compete. The win was extremely unfair, and she’ll probably have a lot to say about it next week. Attacking your former partner before the bell rings is not a good look for Zaria at all.
The Feud Between the Two Gets Ignited Immediately
It was announced that Jayne’s next defense of the NXT Women’s Championship will be next Tuesday, March 3. Zaria clearly wanted a title shot before taking out Ruca, which is why she is given the next opportunity.
That may seem like good news, but it could quickly turn into a nightmare. Ruca doing the same thing to her that she did on Tuesday is the best possible scenario. That way, they can immediately jump into their feud. There are 5 weeks between Vengeance Day, Roadblock, and Stand & Deliver this year.
That’s not a lot of time, but it can allow WWE to smartly navigate their feud. They could have matches in all three events, two of them, or build it up for Stand & Deliver. Given the tight scheduling, the two women already have a compelling storyline mapped out for them thanks to Zaria’s betrayal.
This Betrayal Worked Out Perfectly for Them and the Fans
When a betrayal happens in professional wrestling, two things have to happen immediately. The person who turned on the other has to make a reason for fans to be outraged, and the match has to happen as soon as possible. Zaria did the first thing in a great way by attacking a defenseless Ruca before the match started, ending her victory hopes from the beginning.
That instantly made fans and Ruca turn on her, which could come into play during next week’s match. The second thing will be made possible in the next couple of weeks in NXT.
Three events are taking place over the next five weeks. WWE could save the match until Stand & Deliver, or have another match before then at Vengeance Day or Roadblock. Along with a built-in story, fans are guaranteed to see them clash sooner rather than later.
