On September 7, 2025, at a WWE live event held at Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Georgia, NXT’s Sol Ruca suffered a surprising loss in a tag team match. Sol Ruca, who currently holds both the WWE Women’s Speed Championship and the NXT Women‘s North American Championship, teamed with Zaria against The Judgment Day duo Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez. Despite her stature as a double champion, the match concluded with Perez pinning Zaria, giving Rodriguez and Perez the victory.
Although Sol Ruca was not personally pinned during the contest, the defeat was notable for the champion, raising questions about her positioning ahead of upcoming title defenses in WWE.
Plans Announced for Women’s Speed Title Defense at No Mercy Event
During a backstage interview on WWE NXT Heatwave the previous month, NXT General Manager Ava revealed plans to bring both the Men’s and Women’s Speed Championships to the developmental roster. Ava confirmed that Sol Ruca will defend her WWE Women’s Speed Championship at the forthcoming No Mercy event, with her challenger to be decided through a multi-brand tournament.
The tournament is set to spotlight competitors from several promotions, including RAW or SmackDown, NXT, TNA, and AAA, each sending one participant. The winner will earn the right to challenge Sol Ruca for her title.
“We have a very, very busy Fall schedule. We have our Homecoming show. We have No Mercy and Halloween Havoc, but also I have a pretty big announcement. I’m officially bringing the Men’s and Women’s Speed Titles to NXT. And I also wanted to introduce our Speed Women’s Champion, Sol Ruca… Sol, you are gonna be defending your Women’s Speed Title at No Mercy… Well, starting on September 2nd, there’s gonna be a tournament, it’ll be one superstar from RAW or SmackDown, one superstar from NXT, one wrestler from TNA, and one wrestler from AAA. Whoever wins, that’s your opponent,” she said.—Ava, WWE NXT General Manager
Implications for Sol Ruca’s Upcoming Title Run
Sol Ruca’s recent loss could impact her momentum going into the No Mercy event, where she is expected to showcase her skills as the WWE Women’s Speed Champion. The involvement of superstars from multiple brands in the tournament indicates a highly competitive environment, which will test her ability to retain the championship. Fans and analysts are now looking to Shawn Michaels’ role in preparing Ruca for this challenge, as the NXT team plans the next phases of her championship reign.
