Right now, a very complex storyline is unfolding in NXT. Kam Hendrix, Mason Rook, and Naraku are all going after Tony D’Angelo’s NXT Championship. They all want a chance to fight him, but they keep running into each other. He understands Hendrix and Rook’s motivation but is confused about Naraku.
On the May 26, 2026, episode of NXT, D’Angelo called out Naraku, wanting answers about what he really wants from him. He came out and said that he didn’t want to challenge him for the NXT Championship, uncharacteristic of a veteran like him.
Instead, he wanted to protect his title reign, something that confused him and probably most of the audience. When Hendrix came out to attack D’Angelo, Naraku stopped him from getting hit, and a title match between Hendrix and D’Angelo was made for next week. It’s very intriguing as to why he doesn’t want to challenge D’Angelo right away. Luckily, some reasons could be explained that make sense of his recent behavior.
Naraku Wants D’Angelo Alone Without Interference
D’Angelo won the NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver this year, beating Ethan Page, Joe Hendry, and Ricky Saints in a fatal four-way match. He wrestled in NXT for five years before finally capturing the top title. Aside from a retention during night 1 of NXT Revenge against Page, he hasn’t defended the title on television.
With many guys wanting a title opportunity, Naraku is being smart. After spending over a decade in New Japan Pro Wrestling, he knows how things work regarding being a champion.
He sees Hendrix and Rook as young guys who are rushing into a title match. If D’Angelo retains, they’ll probably move on to someone else. That would be the best time for him to strike. If Hendrix and Rook are done with D’Angelo, he won’t have to worry about any interference going on in the title match.
No interference would mean a simple one-on-one match between himself and D’Angelo, which is what he ultimately wants.
He Knows the Scariest Opponent is the Unseen One
D’Angelo has his hands full with Hendrix and Rook, who both want his NXT Championship. Hendrix showed a great deal of promise on WWE LFG, while Rook has gone viral on the internet since the moment he arrived. However, Naraku is watching in the shadows, letting everything play out.
If the storyline between those three goes on for a couple of weeks, D’Angelo might forget about him. That could also make him easier to beat when they eventually meet for their NXT Championship match.
D’Angelo will be too busy with Hendrix and Rook that he’ll forget who he was originally targeted by. Naraku also convinced and showed him that he isn’t joking about protecting his championship from being taken away from him. But he told him that he knows the real reason why he is being targeted. However, Naraku could strike at any moment, which could leave D’Angelo extremely vulnerable and at risk of losing his NXT Championship.
How Will D’Angelo’s Current Situation Play Out?
Naraku’s current plan is extremely risky for a huge reason. If Hendrix or Rook somehow manages to capture the NXT Championship, his whole plan will fall apart. He targeted D’Angelo at the beginning, but by convincing him that he isn’t a threat, he’s positioning himself to be an even bigger threat in the near future.
Hendrix and Rook failing to win allows D’Angelo to forget about him so he can easily take the title. But if either of those two men wins, his whole outlook will completely change.
He could still get the title from them, but then he’ll have major regrets about not attacking D’Angelo when he had the chance. D’Angelo could attack them afterward, delaying his match even more.
Naraku is taking a major risk by watching from the shadows and letting Hendrix and Rook take their shots at D’Angelo. If there isn’t a championship retention, he might have some major regrets even though he could still win the title for himself.
