Zilla Fatu made his long-awaited WWE debut during Tuesday night’s episode of NXT, interrupting a No. 1 Contender’s Match and immediately inserting himself into the NXT Championship picture.
The surprise appearance came during the show’s main event, which featured Cruz Montana and Grayson Waller battling for the right to challenge Tony D’Angelo for the NXT Championship at Heatwave on August 30.
Zilla Fatu Appears During NXT Main Event
Prior to the broadcast, False Finish reported that Fatu had been spotted at the WWE Performance Center, with speculation growing that he had officially signed with the company. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp had previously reported that discussions between WWE and Fatu had been ongoing since June.
Those reports appeared to be confirmed when Fatu emerged from the crowd during the closing moments of the match.
Montana and Waller had been engaged in a competitive back-and-forth contest, with both men coming close to securing a title opportunity. Montana appeared poised for victory after connecting with his Spin the Block finisher.
Before he could make the cover, however, Fatu stormed the ring and attacked both competitors.
Main Event Ends In Chaos
The interference resulted in the match being ruled a no contest.
Fatu laid out both Montana and Waller as the broadcast came to a close, making it clear that he has his sights set on the NXT Championship.
The attack leaves the title picture in question heading into Heatwave.
What Happens At Heatwave?
With the No. 1 Contender’s Match ending without a winner, it remains unclear who will challenge Tony D’Angelo for the NXT Championship on August 30.
WWE has not yet announced whether Montana and Waller will receive another opportunity to determine a challenger or if Fatu’s actions have earned him a place in the title match.
Given the way Tuesday’s episode ended, a multi-man championship match now appears to be a possibility.
Regardless of the final decision, Zilla Fatu made an immediate impact in his first WWE appearance and has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in NXT.
Lola Vice’s time in WWE NXT may have officially come to an end.
During Tuesday night’s episode of NXT, Vice saw her undefeated streak in Underground Matches come to a halt when she was unsuccessful in her challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship against Kendal Grey. However, it was what happened after the show went off the air that has many believing Vice is headed to WWE’s main roster.
Lola Vice Addresses NXT Crowd
Following the conclusion of the broadcast, Vice spoke to fans in attendance and appeared to bid farewell to the NXT brand.
The former NXT Women’s Champion was joined by her real-life boyfriend, Damian Priest, as she reflected on her four-year journey in WWE’s developmental system.
“I came here four years ago. I took a leap of faith, sometimes, I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t sure if this was for me. I struggled a lot, but if there’s one thing I did is I always believed in myself. And all of you, every single Tuesday inspired me to keep going and represent Los Latinos … so, I just want to say thank you everybody and forever we are NXT.”
The emotional speech was met with a strong response from the crowd, further fueling speculation that Vice’s run in NXT has come to an end.
SmackDown Move Expected
According to a report from F4WOnline, Vice is expected to join Priest on WWE SmackDown following her departure from NXT.
The report also noted that she is likely to remain involved with AAA, where she has made appearances throughout the year while balancing commitments between the Mexican promotion and WWE.
Successful Run In NXT
Vice spent four years as part of WWE’s developmental brand and gradually established herself as one of the division’s featured stars.
While championship success proved elusive for much of her NXT tenure, she captured the NXT Women’s Championship earlier this year at Stand & Deliver, defeating Kendal Grey and Jacy Jayne in a triple threat match.
Outside of WWE, Vice also found championship success in AAA, where she held the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship alongside Mr. Iguana. Their reign came to an end last month when they lost the titles to La Hiedra and Laredo Kid.
Although WWE has not officially announced a main roster call-up, Vice’s farewell comments and recent reports strongly suggest that the next chapter of her WWE career could be taking place on Friday nights.
Former TNA World Champion Mike Santana has officially embraced his new WWE identity, and the story behind the name carries deep personal significance.
After WWE filed a trademark for the name Cruz Montana last week, the NXT newcomer took to social media on Monday to confirm the change and explain the heartfelt meaning behind it ahead of this week’s episode of WWE NXT.
A Tribute To His Late Father
In a post shared on X, Montana revealed that the name was chosen as a way to honor his father, who passed away six years ago.
According to Montana, his father’s death played a major role in one of the most difficult periods of his life, a struggle that ultimately helped shape the person he has become today.
Montana explained that he has always tried to keep his father close throughout his wrestling journey and viewed the new name as another way to carry that connection forward as he begins the next chapter of his career.
He concluded the message by describing himself as “addicted to greatness,” a phrase that appears poised to become part of his WWE presentation moving forward.
Alongside the statement, Montana shared new promotional photos that appeared to have been taken backstage in WWE and included a tag for NXT.
First Appearance Created Immediate Buzz
The name change follows Montana’s surprise appearance on last week’s edition of NXT.
The former TNA standout made his debut moments after NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo successfully retained the NXT Championship against Naraku in a brutal street fight. As D’Angelo celebrated his victory, Montana emerged from the crowd inside the WWE Performance Center and locked eyes with the champion.
The segment ended without Montana saying a word, but the confrontation immediately sparked speculation that he could be positioning himself as a future challenger for the NXT Championship.
WWE Confirms New Identity
When Montana first appeared, WWE commentators Vic Joseph and Booker T deliberately avoided mentioning his former ring name. WWE’s social media accounts also referred to him only as a “new face,” leading many fans to suspect a name change was coming.
Those suspicions intensified when WWE filed the trademark for Cruz Montana, and Montana’s social media post has now effectively confirmed that the name will be his new in-ring identity moving forward.
While rebranding established wrestlers has become increasingly common in NXT, Montana’s explanation has already resonated with fans due to the personal story attached to the name.
New Name, Same Championship Ambitions
Though the name may have changed, Montana’s goals appear unchanged.
His debut confrontation with Tony D’Angelo strongly suggested that the former TNA World Champion has his sights set on NXT’s top prize. With his new identity officially unveiled, all eyes will now be on Tuesday night’s NXT to see what comes next for one of the brand’s newest arrivals.
If his first appearance was any indication, Cruz Montana isn’t planning on easing into WWE—he’s arriving with championship aspirations from day one.
Montana’s explanation adds an emotional layer to what could have otherwise been viewed as a standard WWE rebranding, turning the name change into a tribute to the person who helped shape his journey both inside and outside the ring.
CRUZ MONTANA
A name I put together as a tribute to honor my late father. Who I’ve always made sure to keep as close as possible to my journey.
Losing him 6 years ago, is what sent me on the spiral that I’d eventually rise from, to become the man you see today. And today, that… pic.twitter.com/idROguLV3W
WWE fans will soon have another way to watch NXT each week.
ESPN announced on Tuesday that CW Sports programming will begin streaming live through the ESPN app starting August 4 as part of the ESPN Unlimited subscription package. The move is part of the previously announced partnership between ESPN and The CW, which was first revealed earlier this year.
As a result, WWE NXT will be available live on ESPN Unlimited beginning with the August 4 episode. Future weekly episodes will also stream live on the platform while continuing to air on The CW network.
NXT Premium Live Events Also Headed To ESPN
The agreement extends beyond weekly television.
Starting with NXT Heatwave on August 30, NXT Premium Live Events will also be available through ESPN Unlimited. The addition further expands WWE’s presence on ESPN platforms, which began carrying WWE premium live events last September with Wrestlepalooza.
The partnership comes at a busy time for WWE programming on ESPN, as the company prepares for its two-night SummerSlam event on August 1 and August 2.
CW Sports Expanding Its Reach
When the partnership between ESPN and The CW was initially announced, CW President Brad Schwartz highlighted the benefits of combining traditional television with streaming accessibility.
According to Schwartz, the agreement represents a major step forward for CW Sports, allowing fans to access live content across multiple platforms while significantly expanding the reach of the network’s sports programming.
The CW currently offers more than 800 hours of live sports content annually, and much of that programming will now be available through ESPN Unlimited.
More Than Just Wrestling
In addition to NXT, the ESPN-CW partnership includes a wide range of sports programming.
Subscribers will have access to live coverage of NASCAR events, professional bull riding, college football, college basketball, and other CW Sports broadcasts through the ESPN app.
Fans can access ESPN Unlimited through participating television and mobile providers, while standalone subscription options are also available.
NXT Remains On The CW
Despite the new streaming option, WWE fans who prefer watching on traditional television won’t see any changes.
NXT will continue airing live every Tuesday night on The CW while simultaneously becoming available to ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
The addition of ESPN streaming gives WWE’s developmental brand another major platform and could help expand its audience as the company continues to grow the NXT product heading into the remainder of 2026.
The new arrangement gives NXT increased visibility across both broadcast television and streaming, providing WWE with another significant distribution outlet as the brand continues to evolve.
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