Jevon Evans recently came close to capturing the NXT Championship but fell short, paving the way for a new top contender. Miles Bourne, Dion Lennox, Joe Hendry, and TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater all finished the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge with one fall each. These four then faced off in a fatal four-way match on Tuesday’s WWE NXT episode, with the winner earning the right to challenge the reigning NXT Champion Oba Femi at the upcoming NXT New Year’s Evil.
During the match, Slater seemed headed for victory after executing an avalanche slam suplex combo that knocked all his opponents off the top turnbuckle, though all three kicked out when he went for the pin. Slater kept his momentum, delivering a series of kicks before Bourne responded with a side suplex. Lennox then landed a spinebuster on Bourne but was quickly met with a German suplex from Hendry. Slater countered Hendry’s move with a slam and hit a long-range swanton on Lennox. Just as Slater was about to finish with another high-risk move, Bourne’s dropkick pushed him out of bounds. Despite this, Slater capitalized on a distraction between Hendry and Lennox on the ramp, delivering another swanton on Bourne to secure the win.
Oba Femi clinched the NXT Championship by defeating Ricky Saints at NXT Deadline on December 6. Femi successfully defended the title against Evans three days later, aided when Saints pulled the referee from the ring to stop Evans from pinning Femi.
Fan Take: This development is exciting for WWE fans as Leon Slater’s rise adds fresh intrigue to the NXT title picture. His mix of high-flying moves and raw power could bring thrilling matches and new storylines that keep the NXT brand dynamic and unpredictable.
