Due to national coverage of the midterm elections in the United States this Tuesday, WWE is moving NXT to Wednesday night. Cruz Montana and Dion Lennox will face off in an Unsanctioned Match with UFC star Michael Chandler as the special guest referee.
Hank Walker and Tank Ledger face Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno in the finals of the 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament. The Vanity Project faces a main-roster trio in six-man tag team action.
Thanks for the submission!
WWE is loading up the special Wednesday edition with big names to counter All Elite Wrestling’s Blood & Guts special on Dynamite. WWE has promoted several names, including the 17-time World Champion John Cena.
He isn’t the only huge name who’ll show up. Other surprises could be in store to counter Blood & Guts. In addition to John Cena, the next five blockbuster WWE names have been announced for Wednesday’s NXT.
#5. Rey Fenix has worked four WWE brands in 2026
Rey Fenix has already competed in NXT a few times. He’s the current AAA Cruiserweight Champion and most recently defended his title against Ricky Saints on SmackDown.
The talented luchador’s style meshes well with the current NXT roster. Due to constant interference in Jackson Drake’s North American Title victory over EK Prosper last week, Robert Stone booked the Vanity Project in a six-man tag team match for Wednesday.
Fenix is just one of the big names who will compete this Wednesday. He won’t be defending his title, but a few familiar names will join him against Drake, Brad Baylor, and Ricky Smokes.
#4. Dragon Lee’s big 2026 continues
Dragon Lee has been heavily featured on RAW over the last few months. His contract was expiring, so WWE officials utilized his talents in RAW’s midcard. Lee had a fantastic showing when challenging Intercontinental Champion Chad Gable.
He has also dealt with the Vision, Ethan Page, and Big Cass. Since Stone is going with Drake, Fenix, and Gable, the match will feature several of WWE’s mid-card champions.
Lee is a former World Tag Team Champion with AJ Styles. He competed briefly in NXT, even winning the North American Championship and feuding with Dominik Mysterio.
#3. Chad Gable returns to NXT as Intercontinental Champion
Since Gable only seems to deal with luchadors lately, he’ll join Mexican stars Dragon Lee and Rey Fenix against the Vanity Project. Gable defeated both of his teammates in Intercontinental Title defenses.
Gable has truly made the title a work-rate belt like it used to be in the 1980s and 1990s. The former Olympian competed in NXT nearly a decade ago as part of American Alpha with Jason Jordan.
Booking Gable for an episode of NXT gets the Intercontinental Title on a big network. It won’t be the same as Blood & Guts, but the match gets two WWE Champions in the same match opposite AEW.
#2. CM Punk faces NXT Champion Grayson Waller
CM Punk is clearly invested in the future of wrestling. He’s travelled to NXT several times since returning to WWE. He confronted Roxanne Perez during her second run as Women’s Champion. He also came back for a Trick Williams title feud.
The Best in the World is also one of the names rumored to be taking over for Shawn Michaels once he fills Bruce Prichard’s backstage role on the main roster.
Robert Stone spoke with Punk on the phone during a backstage segment during Halloween Havoc. He appeared on the big screen at the end of the show to inform NXT Champion Grayson Waller that he’d be challenging for the title on Wednesday.
Bringing the former WWE Champion to NXT for a show opposite AEW’s Blood & Guts makes sense. He’s a huge draw across the wrestling industry. Despite a polarizing nature, he’s also one of the biggest stars in and out of WWE.
#1. Cody Rhodes has a special role on Wednesday’s episode of NXT
WWE announced Cody Rhodes’ participation for Wednesday after the semifinals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament this past Tuesday. He’ll present the tournament winners with the Dusty Cup.
Either Hank Walker and Tank Ledger or Romeo Moreno and Noam Dar will have the honor of adding their name to the prestigious trophy. The American Nightmare will be in town not only to hand the trophy to the winners, but he’ll also pop the ratings.
With Crown Jewel days away, Randy Orton could even show up to crash the ceremony. It would be another layer in their feud. Ruining a sacred moment would be a way for The Viper to regain some steam by ruining a personal moment for the Rhodes Family.
If Orton doesn’t show up, a current NXT heel, like someone from Birthright, could approach Cody. Rhodes is the epitome of coming from a famous wrestling family. He’d probably back up Zilla Fatu against Charlie Dempsey, Uriah Connors, Stacks Lorenzo, and Lexis King.
Get all the hottest wrestling news FIRST by clicking here
Edited by Matthew Serocki
