Carmelo Hayes Fails to Clinch NXT Title; Ilja Dragunov Retains

In a surprising turn of events, Carmelo Hayes was unsuccessful in his attempt to win the NXT Championship during the second night of NXT Halloween Havoc. Hayes faced off against current champion Ilja Dragunov in what was expected to be a high-stakes main event on Tuesday. However, the appearance of Trick Williams, who had been absent since October 17th, provided the distraction needed for Dragunov to hit his finisher, Torpedo Moscow, and secure the win.

Williams had previously vanished from the spotlight following the October 17th episode of NXT, where he was assaulted prior to a scheduled Fatal Four-Way involving Hayes, Williams, Baron Corbin, and Dijak. Hayes, who emerged victorious in that match and is suspected by many to have attacked Williams, lost the title shot last night due to his friend's unexpected return.

The dramatic scene continued post-match when Williams approached Hayes in the ring and lifted him to his feet. Just as tensions seemed about to boil over, the cameras switched backstage to reveal Baron Corbin assaulting Ilja Dragunov, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing saga.

⚡ Upcoming NXT Episode to Feature Newly Revealed Match-Up

WWE has confirmed that the newly-crowned NXT Women’s Champion, Lyra Valkyria, will return to NXT TV for the first time since her trium [...]

— Ben Jordan Kerin Nov 01, 2023 08:28AM