Oba Femi’s reign as NXT Champion continues, but his next challenge has already arrived. Femi retained his title against Je’Von Evans in a chaotic main event at NXT Heatwave, only to be confronted by Ricky Saints moments after the bell.
The match’s conclusion was built on a dramatic reversal. After the original referee was inadvertently knocked down, a second official rushed to the ring and counted a three-count for Evans. The initial ruling of a new champion was immediately overturned when the first referee recovered and noted Femi’s foot was under the bottom rope, invalidating the pinfall.
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Once the match was restarted, Femi capitalized on the opportunity. He drove Evans through the commentary table with a powerful throw from the ring and then brought him back inside to secure the victory, marking his ninth successful title defense since winning the championship in January 2025.
Femi’s celebration was cut short by the arrival of Ricky Saints. Saints entered the ring and stood face-to-face with the champion, making his title aspirations clear and setting a potential direction for NXT No Mercy on September 27.
The loss for Je’Von Evans concludes a hard-fought championship pursuit. He earned his opportunity by defeating TNA World Champion Trick Williams on the August 19 episode of NXT, a match that came after The Undertaker advised him to target the top champion. This main event was also a significant return for Evans to Lowell, Massachusetts, the same city where he suffered a kayfabe broken jaw at the hands of Ethan Page in late 2024.
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