Quick match results predictions for NXT Heatwave 2022

Apparently, WWE has run out of World Championship Wrestling pay-per-view names for these televised NXT 2.0 special events, so it has now turned to Extreme Championship Wrestling for show titles. Consequently, we have NXT Heatwave.

WWE has scheduled five matches for Heatwave, including two big grudge matches and three bouts with championships on the line.

Let’s predict who will win their matches at NXT Heatwave

Bron Breakker (c) vs. JD McDonagh- NXT Championship match

We know that the former Jordin Devlin is in this spot to continue Bron Breakker’s progression as a worker. Unfortunately, the decision to frame McDonagh as a creepy, sociopathic technician has not worked. If anything, it has only served to remind people how much of an alleged creep he is in real life (another point against that “separate the art from the artist” nonsense).

Much like the Joe Gacy feud did, this decision has also negatively impacted Breakker’s momentum, which makes you wonder if the promotion made the right decision keeping him in NXT. Nevertheless, this will follow the same formula we’ve seen for months: McDonagh gets a good match out of the green-but-talented champion before eating the pin.

Prediction: Bron Breakker pins JD McDonagh, retains the NXT Championship

Mandy Rose (c) vs. Zoey Stark- NXT Women’s Championship match

Another month, another match where Mandy Rose’s more skilled opponent has to carry her to something watchable. We are now nearly 10 months into Rose’s reign as NXT Women’s Champion, and WWE is still relying on the ironic troll heat from her getting this long reign to handle the heavy lifting.

Throughout this 290-day run, how many championship-level in-ring performances has Rose turned in? How many good promos has she cut (not great, good!) has she cut? Sure, there are plenty of wrestlers on the NXT roster that are struggling in those areas, too, but none of them are pushed as the brand’s top heel like Rose is.

Zoey Stark seems like a good choice to dethrone Rose, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see the champion retain, either.

Prediction: Mandy Rose pins Zoey Stark, retains the NXT Women’s Championship

Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Giovanni Vinci- NXT North American Championship match

This is the prime contender for Match of the Night. Even with it being heel vs. heel, these two are more than talented enough to rally the fans in their favor, particularly Carmelo Hayes, who’s essentially a “cool heel” that the crowd likes anyway.

There’s no reason to take the title off of Hayes here, especially with a feud with Wes Lee looming, so expect him to take this one. We should also expect Nathan Frazer to show up to give a receipt to Vinci from a few weeks ago and cost him the match.

Prediction: Carmelo Hayes pins Giovanni Vinci, retains the NXT North American Championship

Santos Escobar vs. Tony D’Dangelo- Street Fight; if D’Angelo wins, Escobar is banned from NXT, if Escobar wins, Legado Del Fantasma is free from the D’Angelo family

The stipulation makes this a tricky one to pick given that it’s time for Santos Escobar to move up to the main roster and that splitting up Legado Del Fantasma is a bad idea. Of course, it’s possible that Escobar wins to keep LDF together and they all move to Raw or SmackDown anyway (though Elektra Lopez could use more time in NXT), but it depends on what WWE’s plans are.

That said, D’Angelo can absorb a loss here and get his heat back on the mic the following week, so let’s go with the babyface getting a feel-good win here.

Prediction: Santos Escobar pins Tony D’Angelo

Roxanne Perez vs. Cora Jade

We know how good Roxanne Perez is, but Cora Jade has a chance to show that she can bring the intensity in a heated grudge match. If so, then WWE may have two potential stars on its hands, but we shall see.

These two will probably have multiple matches with each other. Perez should probably win those ones, but in order to get there, Jade will get the win here to pick up some needed credibility (unless they plan on pushing Perez hard after this, which they definitely should do).

Prediction: Cora Jade pins Roxanne Perez