SmackDown Superstar Ricochet will be looking to become a two-time WWE NXT North American Champion at Sunday’s NXT Worlds Collide event.
Tonight’s Worlds Collide go-home edition of NXT saw Hayes and Trick Williams insult Wade Barrett and Vic Joseph at the end of the show, upset because Hayes was not announced for a Worlds Collide bout. Hayes went on about being disrespected and said all the talk about unifying titles means nothing because he did that 8 months ago. He declare that he would not be taking his talents to Worlds Collide and would not be defending this weekend because no one else is on his level, or even under him. Hayes went on with the mic until Ricochet interrupted to a big pop.
Ricochet said he returned to NXT on official business because Worlds Collide needs a little bit of blue brand on it. He gave Hayes some praise for his work but said when it comes to the four corners of the ring, Hayes can’t do it like Ricochet. The back & forth continued on the mic until Ricochet said no one remembers any of Hayes’ title defenses, so he figured he’ come back to NXT to give them something to remember, a Hayes match they will remember. Ricochet then declared that he will become a two-time NXT North American Champion on Sunday. Trick tried to hit Ricochet with a cheap shot, but he ducked and ended up taking out both Trick and Hayes. Ricochet raised the title belt over Hayes and talked some trash, then knelt down in his face and left him with the title as the Worlds Collide go-home edition of NXT went off the air.
WWE then announced Ricochet vs. Hayes for Worlds Collide, with the title on the line.
Ricochet became the second-ever NXT North American Champion back on August 18, 2018 at the “Takeover” Brooklyn 4″ event by defeating inaugural champion Adam Cole. Ricochet held the strap for 161 recognized days before dropping the title to Johnny Gargano at “Takeover: Phoenix” on January 26, 2019. Hayes is currently in his second reign with the title. His first reign went for 172 recognized days after cashing in his Breakout Tournament win to defeat Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (aka AEW World Tag Team Champion Swerve Strickland) on the October 12, 2021 edition of NXT. Hayes then unified the NXT Cruiserweight and North American Titles at New Year’s Evil on January 4 of this year with a win over Roderick Strong. Hayes ended up dropping the title to Cameron Grimes at Stand & Deliver on April 2 of this year, but won the title back at In Your House on June 4 with a Ladder Match win over Grimes, Solo Sikoa, Grayson Waller and Santos Escobar. Hayes is currently 87 recognized days into his second reign.
NXT Worlds Collide is scheduled to air live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando this coming Sunday, September 4. The thirty-minute Pre-show will air at 3:30pm ET via Peacock, the WWE Network, and WWE Digital pages. The main Worlds Collide card will then begin at 4pm ET on Peacock and the WWE Network. This is the day after the WWE Clash at The Castle event from Cardiff, Wales. Worlds Collide will see NXT 2.0 and NXT UK Superstars do battle as the company prepares to launch NXT Europe in 2023, which will bring the end of the NXT UK brand.
Below is the current announced Worlds Collide card, along with related shots from tonight’s go-home show:
Champion vs. Champion Title Unification Match
NXT Champion Bron Breakker vs. NXT UK Champion Tyler Bate
Triple Threat Title Unification Match
NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose vs. Blair Davenport vs. NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura
Fatal 4 Way Title Unification Elimination Match
NXT Tag Team Champions The Creed Brothers vs. Pretty Deadly vs. Gallus vs. NXT UK Tag Team Champions Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen
NXT North American Title Match
Ricochet vs. Carmelo Hayes (c)
NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles Match
Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. vs. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter (c)
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more on NXT Worlds Collide.
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