NXT opened tonight’s (Sat., Oct. 22, 2022) Halloween Havoc Premium Live Event from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, with the North American Championship Ladder Match. Carmelo Hayes, Nathan Frazer, Oro Mensah, Wes Lee, and Von Wagner all earned their right to battle over the title Solo Sikoa was forced to vacate when he moved up to the main roster.
All had varying degrees righteous claim to becoming champion but only one could take the title down for himself.
As it turns out, the good guy made his way to the top in the end. Wes Lee is your new North American champion.
The match was an absolute sprint of creativity, with everyone one-upping themselves with a fresh new way to use a ladder as a weapon. Hayes, in particular, was the backbone of the match, always there to take a big bump just after dishing one out.
Robert Stone and Trick Williams inevitably got involved but a simple shoe took them out of the picture.
Wagner, though a big fella, took his fair share, getting put through a ladder bridged from the ring to the barricade — he nearly hit some fans in the face setting it up — by Frazer. Everyone went crazy, and it never felt like anyone had the clear edge, even the guys who had help.
Wagner also did this:
Holy shit!
The closest save of the match went to Lee, who got up from that just in time to sprint up a bridged ladder to jump punch Hayes off just as he was about to grab the title. He battled with ‘Melo for a time after, finally going all out and sacrificing himself to keep Hayes down with double knees onto another bridged ladder.
He dragged himself up the ladder from there.
The comeback story is complete.
Get complete Halloween Havoc results and coverage of every match on the show right here.
