For the fifth consecutive year, NXT is hosting its Heatwave premium live event! Heatwave was originally an ECW event from 1994 to 2000, but it returned to the NXT brand after 22 years away.
NXT’s Heatwave PLE has six matches, with five for a title: Tony D’Angelo vs. Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana vs. Zilla Fatu, Kendal Grey vs. Kelani Jordan, and Myles Borne vs. Jackson Drake.
Below are my full predictions, picks, and analysis for every match at Saturday’s NXT Heatwave 2026 card, including quick picks for the full card, followed by a deeper breakdown of each matchup.
NXT Heatwave 2026 Quick Picks
| Match | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Tony D’Angelo (c) vs. Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana vs. Zilla Fatu — Fatal 4-Way NXT Championship Match | Zilla Fatu |
| Kendal Grey (c) vs. Kelani Jordan — NXT Women’s Championship Match | Kendal Grey |
| Myles Borne (c) vs. Jackson Drake — NXT North American Championship Match | Jackson Drake |
| Zaria vs. Wren Sinclair — Women’s North American & Speed Title Unification Match | Zaria |
| Myles Borne & Tavion Heights (c) vs. The Vanity Project — NXT Tag Team Championship Match | Myles Borne & Tavion Heights |
| Jaida Parker vs. Nattie — Submission Match | Jaida Parker |
Tony D’Angelo (c) vs. Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana vs. Zilla Fatu — Fatal 4-Way NXT Championship Match
Recently, NXT’s men’s division has been shaken up with the addition of Grayson Walker, Cruz Montana, and Zilla Fatu. Tony D’Angelo has been the NXT Champion since April and has done a good job,, but a title change could benefit the brand. Although it is his first match in NXT, having Zilla Fatu win the NXT Championship would elevate NXT and deliver an excellent, shocking, and exciting moment.
Tony D’Angelo vs. Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana vs. Zilla Fatu Prediction: Zilla Fatu wins the NXT Championship.
Kendal Grey (c) vs. Kelani Jordan — NXT Women’s Championship Match
Since Kendal Grey won the NXT Women’s Championship in June, she has successfully defended it twice. Now Grey will defend the title against a familiar rival, Kelani Jordan. Including their match on NXT Level Up in 2024, Jordan is 2-1 against Grey in singles competition. In 2026, they are 1-1. Although Jordan has gained momentum since their last match, it doesn’t make much sense for Grey’s reign to end, as it has been off to a positive start.
Kendal Grey vs. Kelani Jordan Prediction: Kendal Grey retains the NXT Women’s Championship against Kelani Jordan.
Myles Borne (c) vs. Jackson Drake — NXT North American Championship Match
Myles Borne enters this match with plenty of gold as he is the North American Champion and Tag Team Champion. This will be the first matchup between Myles Borne and Jackson Drake in NXT. Drake has won three straight matches over Shiloh Hill, Tavion Heights, and Mason Rook. Since Borne has two titles, this could be a good spot to have Drake win his first singles NXT Championship.
Myles Borne vs. Jackson Drake Prediction: Jackson Drake defeats Myles Borne to win the North American Championship.
Zaria vs. Wren Sinclair — Women’s North American & Speed Title Unification Match
After going back and forth this month, Zaria and Wren Sinclair will have their third singles match this year at Heatwave. This will be a title unification match with the Women’s North American Championship and the Speed Championship on the line. With Zaria coming off her first loss in four months, she is likely to put on a dominant showing at Heatwave.
Zaria vs. Wren Sinclair Prediction: Zaria defeats Wren Sinclair.
Myles Borne & Tavion Heights (c) vs. The Vanity Project — NXT Tag Team Championship Match
Although I have Borne losing the North American Championship, he will still leave Heatwave with gold. Borne and Heights recently won the NXT Tag Team Championship against Vanity Project, and now the teams will face off once again at Heatwave. With Borne and Heights only champions for a few weeks, a victory would add a ton of credibility to their inexperienced team.
Myles Borne & Tavion Heights vs. The Vanity Project Prediction: Myles Borne & Tavion Heights defeat The Vanity Project.
Jaida Parker vs. Nattie — Submission Match
Jaida Parker and Nattie’s rivalry adds another chapter as the two meet for their trilogy match at Heatwave. This time, they will face each other in a submission match. A submission match favors Nattie, who has used plenty of them throughout her illustrious career. With that said, Parker will likely pull off a surprise submission, which will help continue her ascension in NXT.
Jaida Parker vs. Nattie Prediction:
Predicted Match of the Night
My pick for Match of the Night at Heatwave is the NXT Championship match between Tony D’Angelo vs. Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana vs. Zilla Fatu. Four hungry wrestlers should translate into a phenomenal match at Heatwave.
Final Thoughts on NXT Heatwave 2026
Heatwave is stacked with five title matches, with all of them having intriguing storylines. This card also has a good mix of veterans and rising stars, giving something for all types of fans.
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