On February 10, 2026, at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, NXT aired live on The CW Network delivering high-stakes matches and heated confrontations that set the tone for the brand’s future. Central to the evening was Joe Hendry, the newly crowned NXT Champion, who confronted the Vanity Project faction, led by Jackson Drake. Hendry’s championship win was built on a foundation stretching from his amateur wrestling achievements to his storied matches in TNA and a high-profile WrestleMania bout against Randy Orton. His ethos as a proven competitor was reinforced during an intense segment where he traded barbs with the WWE Evolve Champion, Drake.
“Say his name and he appears! I believe in Joe Hendry! Clap Clap!”
the crowd chanted as Hendry made his way to the ring, emphasizing his connection to the fans and his climb to the top. Hendry promised,
“We are NXT, and we are taking NXT to new heights,”
highlighting his vision for the brand’s future. However, Vanity Project’s interruption, particularly Jackson Drake’s dismissive comments on Hendry’s ability, sparked a brutal confrontation. After a vicious attack capped by a Knee Plus move from Drake, Hendry lay incapacitated ringside, underscoring the dangerous rivalry brewing within NXT.
The NXT Championship bout itself was a showcase of athleticism and resilience. Hendry and Drake clashed in a back-and-forth contest featuring signature maneuvers, counters, and escalating intensity. Notably, Hendry countered Drake’s Standing Shooting Star into a powerful Spinebuster and executed his finishing moves culminating in a Standing Ovation for the pinfall victory. Yet, the match ended on a shocking note when Ricky Saints, concealed in a hooded garb, assaulted Hendry post-match by slamming the champion onto the title and posing with it before leaving Hendry hurt and vulnerable.
This segment propels a compelling storyline with Saint’s attack marking the beginning of a dangerous feud, putting Hendry’s reign under immediate threat. The injury angle and villainous emergence of Saints impart urgency and tension, leaving fans eager to see how Hendry will respond in upcoming episodes.
Tag Teams Collide in a Fierce Contest Highlighting NXT’s Depth
The tag team division also reached a boiling point with a hard-fought match between Hank Walker & Tank Ledger and the Vanity Project duo of Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes. The contest was marked by high-energy exchanges and tactical teamwork. Walker and Ledger’s synergy shined in sequences featuring executing a Bossman Slam and the honed precision of a Wheelbarrow Slam, while Baylor and Smokes brought relentless pressure with dropkicks and sidelined arm work.
After over eleven minutes of intense action, the match climaxed with Drake unexpectedly interfering against Tank Ledger, shifting the momentum. Baylor capitalized on the distraction, rolling up Tank for a decisive pinfall, giving Vanity Project a crucial victory.
This win helped reestablish Vanity Project after Drake’s earlier loss, preserving their credibility as a top faction and escalating rivalries within the NXT tag ranks. Meanwhile, the involvement of Hank and Tank signals ongoing competition as multiple teams vie for the tag team titles with looming multi-team matches hinted by general manager Robert Stone.
Emerging Contenders Battle in Speed Tournament and Tag Matches
The night featured a rapid-paced Speed Tournament match between Josh Briggs and Eli Knight, emphasizing the arrival of new athletic talent. Knight impressed by executing stunning aerial moves such as a Triangle Moonsault and a superkick before sealing a pinfall win in just over two minutes. Immediately after the match, chaos erupted as Jasper Troy attacked both LeFleur and Knight, setting the stage for future conflicts.
Another highly anticipated tag team bout saw Sol Ruca and Zaria face off against Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair. The match was an intense rollercoaster of momentum swings with skilled teamwork, arena-wide strikes, and high-flying maneuvers like Grey’s Triangle Moonsault and Sinclair’s Underhook Suplex followed by her signature X Factor. Despite Wren Sinclair’s strong effort featuring multiple near falls, the reluctant partnership between Sol and Zaria prevailed as Sol secured the decisive pinfall.
Sol Ruca’s victory crowned her and Zaria as the number one contenders for the NXT Women’s Championship, heightening tensions given their complicated alliance. The long-running storyline of this reluctant tag team partnership continues to tease a possible split or betrayal, promising further drama for the women’s division.
Intense Backstage Interactions Fuel Ongoing Rivalries
Throughout the show, backstage tensions simmered, adding depth to ongoing narratives. Sol Ruca and Zaria rehearsed their uneasy truce, while Kendal Grey prepared alongside Wren Sinclair for their match. Robert Stone navigated complex challenges as factions like Vanity Project, DarkState, and individual wrestlers such as Keanu Carver and Ethan Page voiced demands or sought revenge. Stone’s role as interim general manager positioned him as the decision-maker in escalating conflicts, booking matches with high stakes including an upcoming North American Title bout between Page and Shiloh Hill, who ominously brandished a machete during segments.
Additionally, Lola Vice was spotlighted backstage after her AAA Mix Tag Championship win, only to be viciously attacked by Kelani Jordan. The assault resulted in a storyline injury that threatens Vice’s ability to compete in upcoming matches, intensifying the feud further. This incident dovetailed with Keanu Carver launching an ambush on multiple NXT roster members, raising the brand’s environment of unpredictability and chaos.
DarkState and Other Factions Clash Amid Rising Tensions
The dominant faction DarkState continued to assert their supremacy, delivering a menacing promo about their status atop NXT and targeting rival Tony D’Angelo. The ongoing faction warfare was punctuated by confrontations involving Shawn Spears, Niko Vance, and newcomers Bronco Nima and Licien Price, who vowed to challenge established groups like Vanity Project and OTM. These multi-layered interactions intensified the brand’s factional rivalries and foreshadowed future large-scale conflicts.
The ebb and flow of teamwork and antagonism continued in matches and backstages alike, reinforcing the narrative tapestry of a fiercely competitive and tightly wound roster. The arrival of various characters with distinct motivations contributed to a palpable atmosphere of urgency and stakes across NXT’s landscape.
WrestleMania Weekend Builds Anticipation and Sets New Storylines
With WrestleMania weekend approaching, NXT’s live broadcast successfully built momentum with high-impact matches, character-driven promo segments, and emerging feuds. The episode showcased both established stars like Joe Hendry and promising newcomers such as Eli Knight and Wren Sinclair, underscoring the brand’s evolving roster post recent roster raids. Vince WWE’s creative direction appears focused on unpredictability, with surprise attacks like Ricky Saints on Hendry and ongoing tension between reluctant teams providing a strong narrative engine.
Upcoming episodes are poised to further explore feuds, including the escalating championship chase between Sol Ruca and the reigning NXT Women’s Champion, the fallout from backstage injuries and betrayals, and the chaotic energy fueled by factions battling for dominance. The expanded use of character vignettes, like the stylistic package for Tatum Paxley, adds depth to individual stories and suggests a greater emphasis on storytelling beyond in-ring action.
As NXT continues to navigate intense rivalries and fresh talent integration, viewers can expect increased drama, high stakes, and redefining moments for contenders such as Wren Sinclair, who, despite her defeat in the number one contender’s match, displayed resilience and skill that should not be overlooked.
