Kelani Jordan Defeats Sol Ruca to Retain NXT Women's North American Championship at Heatwave

In the second match of tonight's NXT Heatwave event, Kelani Jordan successfully retained her WWE NXT Women's North American Championship against Sol Ruca.

Match coverage courtesy of Rajah.com:

NXT Women's North American Championship Match: Kelani Jordan(c) vs Sol Ruca

Sol Ruca is out first for our next match. She gets a nice welcome from the Scotiabank Arena. Inaugural NXT Women's North American Champion Kelani Jordan is out next to a better pop. She takes the time to high-five multiple fans on her way down to the ring ahead of the bell. Both superstars are faces in this and the crowd treats them as such throughout. Jordan takes an early lead, but it gives way to Ruca after an X-Factor early on. Ruca focuses her offense on the champ's joints, eventually locking in an extended-length surfboard stretch. Ruca realizes, after some time, that the champ won't tap and returns to strikes. Jordan rebounds off the ropes and looks to get some offense in. Both women crash to the outside. The crowd is definitely alert for this match, "ooo"'ing and "ahh"'ing at everything it seems. Jordan takes control and drags Ruca into the corner. Jordan looks for a split-leg strike but Sol Ruca recovers and escapes.

Sol Ruca from the bottom rope with a springboard strike that flattens the champ. Ruca follows it up with a second springboard strike, this time from the middle rope. Ruca his a springboard 450 cannonball on the champ for a near fall! We get replays at the unique, new move. Ruca and Jordan begin exchanging blows in the ring, with each woman hitting the other in alternating right strikes that rock the recipient. Ruca with a spinning kick; Jordan blocks and rocks the challenger. Jordan hops up on Ruca's shoulders and hits a snap Poisonrana to a huge pop! Executed very well. Ruca rolls to the outside; Jordan follows, hitting a springboard middle-rope moonsault from the apron to the floor. Another big pop from the crowd that lads into a big NXT chant. The ref begins a countout but Jordan breaks it, getting Ruca to her feet. Ruca and Jordan battle at the apron again.

Ruca with a big running punt kick while standing on the apron, to the champ standing on the floor. Sol hits another running move, diving off the apron and crashing into the champ. Both women are down and the crowd erupts in a mild "holy shit" chant. The ref starts a double-countout. At seven, both women begin to move. At nine, both get to their feet. Both barely slide in at ten and this match continues, folks. Ruca looks for a firemarn's carry on the champ; Jordan powers out. Ruca with a scoop slam that is reversed into a roll-up by Jordan. A sequence of alternating roll-up attempts begins, with both women changing position and attempting various forms of roll-ups. Ruca ends the sequence with a single-arm powerbomb slam into a roll-up for a two. The NXT Universe with another loud "this is awesome" chant. Ruca rear climbs the turnbuckles after placing Jordan on it. Perhaps looking for a half-and-half suplex.

Jordan sends Ruca falling back to the mat then heads up top herself. Jordan looks for a diving strike but Ruca gets the knees up and both women are rolling in pain! Sol looks for a Sol Smasher but Jordan interrupts the move and counters it into a low-angle slam! Ruca and Jordan continue to battle in the corner as the crowd starts a loud dueling chant for both superstars. Jordan looks for another Poisonrana but the challenger reverses it into an inverted Alabama Slam in the corner! The two battle another brief moment until Jordan does connect with a Poisonrana off the top! Jordan covers and picks up the win at 7:45pm.

Your Winner AND STILL NXT Women's North American Champion, Kelani Jordan! (11 minutes)

The #WWENXT Women's North American Title is on the line RIGHT NOW!#NXTHeatwave pic.twitter.com/v4APwM49aT

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) July 7, 2024

 

.@SolRucaWWE and @kelani_wwe are on the same wavelength right now 👀#NXTHeatwave pic.twitter.com/BPOfSteb9p

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2024

 

.@SolRucaWWE is FLYING around the ring 😳#NXTHeatwave pic.twitter.com/8q5HAi9sBh

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2024

 

Nobody does it like @kelani_wwe! 😮‍💨#NXTHeatwave pic.twitter.com/1KlD0yqNTw

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2024

 

WHAT. A. MATCH. @kelani_wwe outlasts @SolRucaWWE and is STILL your #WWENXT Women’s North American Champion!#NXTHeatwave pic.twitter.com/QYlT8No06Z

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) July 7, 2024