WWE NXT Heatwave 2023: Champion retains; Main roster Superstar makes appearance

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Bengaluru, August 23: WWE presented the themed Heatwave 2023 edition on their NXT show, this week with the main event featuring a championship match where Carmelo Hayes successfully retained his NXT Title against Wes Lee.

This match was historic itself as for the first time in the history of the Championship, a bout took place featuring two Black men. The former North American Champion did put up worth the fight but ultimately came up short to the "HIM" of NXT.

Hayes was put through the announce desk before digesting Lee's finisher, The Kardiak Kick. He not only kicked out of it but quickly recovered to pin Lee by hitting the Nothing but Net finisher.

This win essentially confirms Hayes going into NXT brand's next premium live event, No Mercy, on September 30 in Bakersfield, California as the reigning NXT Champion. He won the belt in April at Stand & Deliver PLE.

In another big match of NXT Heatwave 2023, Dragon Lee and Lyra Valkyria defeated NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio and WWE Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley in a mixed tag team match.

Ripley was in control of the match against Lyra for the better part of the match until Raw Superstar Raquel Rodriguez made a surprise return to the NXT brand to continue her feud with Ripley.

Raquel and Ripley brawled at ringside and then went out of the ringside area. The distraction allowed Lee to pin Dominik to pick up the win. Thus, Lee might again get a shot at Dom's North American Title.

Raquel announced on this week's episode of Monday during Raw that she's medically cleared for competition after overcoming a storyline knee injury that she suffered at the hands of Ripley via two consecutive attacks.

After beating Ripley down on Raw, Raquel also informed about securing a shot at the Women's World Title Match at WWE's next premium live event, Payback, on September 2 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Originally, Ripley vs. Raquel was rumored to go down at SummerSlam at the beginning of August, but reports indicate that match was scrapped from the card due to time constraints much like Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus.