NXT Goes Off the Rails Before Halloween Havoc
If WWE wanted NXT to feel completely unpredictable heading toward Halloween Havoc, mission accomplished.
The October 20, 2026 episode mixed tournament movement, personal rivalries and several moments where the show seemed ready to fly off the rails.
In the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, AAA World Tag Team Champions El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno advanced by defeating BirthRight. Zilla Fatu returned during the match, helped derail Charlie Dempsey and Lexis King, and then tore through the group himself.
Hank & Tank also punched their semifinal ticket by upsetting The Creed Brothers. WWE’s recap says a distraction involving Brutus and the referee left Julius open for Hank & Tank’s Honk Honk finish. That gives the tournament another result that didn’t feel automatic.
The night’s ugliest moment came during Dion Lennox versus Cruz Montana. The grudge match ended in a double count-out after Lennox referenced Montana’s family and Montana snapped. The violence continued afterward, with Montana attacking Lennox and members of DarkState.
Elsewhere, Izzi Dame defeated the returning Layla Diggs by targeting her previously injured shoulder—then surprisingly rejected Zaria’s offer of a Women’s North American Championship opportunity. NXT Champion Grayson Waller and Tony D’Angelo also traded personal shots before their Halloween Havoc title match, while Kelani Jordan sent a vicious message to challenger Wren Sinclair.
The strongest wrestling shows make several stories feel important at once. This episode moved the Dusty Cup forward, intensified Halloween Havoc and made Cruz Montana feel dangerously unpredictable without relying on one giant closing angle.
Which development grabbed you most: Zilla Fatu’s return, Hank & Tank’s upset or Cruz Montana completely losing control?
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