— The in-ring action at WWE NXT’s Halloween Havoc pay-per-view event kicked off with a high-energy cross-promotional tag team match featuring stars from NXT, TNA Wrestling, and AAA.
Representing NXT, Je’Von Evans joined forces with TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater to battle AAA standouts Mr. Iguana and La Parka. The match was made official earlier in the week on NXT television, after Evans and Slater expressed their desire to compete at Halloween Havoc. Their challenge was answered by Iguana and La Parka, setting the stage for an inter-promotional clash to open the show.
The contest delivered fast-paced action and aerial highlights from bell to bell. In the closing moments, Evans took flight with a daring dive to the outside, wiping out La Parka. Inside the ring, Slater capitalized, landing his signature Swanton 450 Splash on Mr. Iguana to score the pinfall victory for his team.
With the win, Evans and Slater gave NXT the early momentum on a night already filled with crossover intrigue and international flavor.
— The second contest of the evening at WWE NXT’s Halloween Havoc pay-per-view event saw the NXT North American Championship on the line in a Day of the Dead Match, as reigning champion Ethan Page defended against AAA Latin American Champion El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.
This marked Page’s eighth defense of the title, and the presentation matched the occasion — the arena lights were dimmed, with a haunting purple spotlight illuminating the ring to fit the eerie Halloween theme. Early in the match, the intensity escalated when Page was busted open, adding a layer of brutality to the atmosphere.
At one point, the crowd erupted when Page tore Wagner Jr.’s mask in half, a severe sign of disrespect in lucha libre tradition. The act enraged the AAA star, who fought back with renewed fury.
In the closing moments, Page resorted to underhanded tactics, throwing powder into Wagner Jr.’s face to blind him. Seizing the opportunity, the champion connected with a Twisted Grin off the middle rope, sending Wagner Jr. crashing through a table. The decisive impact allowed Page to score the pinfall, retaining the NXT North American Championship in hard-fought — and controversial — fashion.
— ZARIA’s reign as interim Women’s North American Champion came to an end at NXT Halloween Havoc, as she was unable to retain Sol Ruca’s title against Blake Monroe.
The bout was made under unusual circumstances, with ZARIA defending the championship on behalf of her injured tag team partner, Sol Ruca. Ruca was sidelined following an injury sustained during their Friday Night SmackDown match against WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, leaving her unable to compete.
Midway through the contest, Monroe sent ZARIA crashing shoulder-first into the steel steps, appearing to dislocate her shoulder. In a surprising moment, Ruca — watching from ringside on crutches — shoved ZARIA into the ring post to pop the shoulder back into place. The moment drew applause from the crowd, and ZARIA briefly rallied.
However, the momentum shifted again when Monroe blindsided Ruca on the outside, knocking her off her crutches. Concerned for her partner, ZARIA went to check on Ruca, leaving herself vulnerable. Monroe capitalized, attacking ZARIA from behind before planting her with the “Glamour Shot” DDT on the floor. She rolled ZARIA back into the ring and delivered a second Glamour Shot to score the decisive pinfall and capture the title.
With the victory, Blake Monroe becomes the fifth NXT Women’s North American Champion, joining Kelani Jordan, Fallon Henley, Stephanie Vaquer, and Sol Ruca on the list of titleholders. The win also marks Monroe’s first championship in WWE and her first since holding the AEW Women’s World Championship.
