In an incredible opening to tonight’s NXT Halloween Havoc, it was Wes Lee who walked out on top of a Ladder Match as the newest NXT North American Champion.
In a match that had the fans going wild from the start, Lee was able to finally outlast the likes of Nathan Frazer, Oro Mensah, Carmelo Hayes, and Von Wager, tackling Hayes late to climb up and take the belt. The win marks Lee’s first singles title in his career, and his second in NXT overall, as he’s previously been one-half of the NXT Tag Team Champions.
HOW FAR DID @WWEVonWagner JUST THROW @WesLee_WWE?!?!?!#HalloweenHavoc #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/BEMfmcQrbR
— WWE (@WWE) October 23, 2022
.@WesLee_WWE has done it!!!!#AndNEW NXT North American Champion! #HalloweenHavoc pic.twitter.com/51huXgYcZB
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) October 23, 2022
For a full recap of how the match ended, check out below courtesy of our live, play-by-play coverage of Halloween Havoc:
Frazer hits an early splash on the floor then fights with Melo and Mensah for the ladder. Frazer decks Hayes again and gets the ladder in the corner, then Wes gets control of the ladder and stomps it into Wagner’s stomach. Wagner regains control and hits Frazer in the ribs with it, but Frazer holds on in the corner so Wagner powerbombs him repeatedly into the ladder. Melo slams Mensah on the ladder, then Frazer hits him with a springboard moonsault onto the ladder that results in a holy shit chant. Wes charges Wagner and hits a spin kick, then Mensah dives on everyone on the floor before setting up the ladder.
Robert Stone and Trick Williams end up getting involved and both climb the ladder. Stone throws a shoe before both get thrown off of the ladder and outside. Mensah rushes in and tries to climb the ladder, but Wagner cuts him off before he slams the ladder into Mensah’s ribs. Wagner gets another ladder and sets it up but Frazer tackles him and sends him crashing through a ladder on the apron. Wagner ends up regaining control and gets a ladder in the center of the ring, but Wes tries to cut him off. Wagner picks him up and press slams him over the ropes and onto the commentary table, resulting in another (well-deserved) holy shit chant.
Frazer rushes in the ring and shoves Wagner off the ladder, then takes him outside with a headscissors over the top rope. Mensah gets another ladder fights with Frazer in the center of the ring, then Melo hits Mensah in the knees with it and sends him outside. Melo rushes up the ladder and reaches for the belt, but Lee leaps off of another ladder and knocks him down. Lee snaps Melo’s head on a horizontal ladder, then he slugs it out with Melo on top off it. The ladder, balanced on the ropes and a vertical ladder, gives as Wes tackles Melo. Wes climbs over Melo and up the standing ladder, and takes the title to win.
Winner and NEW NXT North American Champion – Wes Lee
