Grayson Waller Retains NXT Title After Defeating EK Prosper in Open Challenge

On Sept. 29, Grayson Waller retained the NXT Championship by defeating EK Prosper in an open challenge limited to the NXT roster; AJ Styles and CM Punk declined before Prosper stepped up. Prosper mounted a sustained challenge, including a moonsault through the announce table, but Waller pinned him after two rolling stunners. Mason Rook was ruled medically unable to compete and was expected to be out for the foreseeable future; WWE did not disclose the reason or details. The match was Waller’s first televised title defense since winning the championship at Heatwave. The episode also advertised Thea Hail challenging Zaria for the Women’s North American Championship, two first-round Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic matches, and an appearance by Myles Borne.
Prosper opened with a springboard missile dropkick, an apron moonsault and a Frog Splash that earned a near fall. Later, he also scored a near fall with a Michinoku Driver.
Styles declined Waller’s challenge because he said he was retired and had poor eyesight; Punk said he could not accept because he was not an official NXT roster member.
Rook had earned his title shot after winning a six-man tag match and then a triple threat, before being ruled unable to compete.
The advertised Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic bouts paired Fraxiom with DarkState and BirthRight with AAA’s Mini Vikingo and Chazz “Starboy” Hall.
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