Fans tuning into the WWE NXT episode on September 15, 2026 only saw part of what went down inside the Capitol Wrestling Center because WWE actually ran three matches before the cameras started rolling.
The crowd in Orlando got some extra action before NXT went live on The CW and internationally on Netflix, with several WWE EVOLVE names getting time in front of the live audience.
Niko Vance picked up a win over Elijah Holyfield, but he didn’t exactly do it clean. Vance stole the victory with a school boy pin while grabbing the tights for some added leverage.
WWE EVOLVE Women’s Champion Nikkita Lyons was also in action, taking on Vanta The Unknown in a non-title match. Lyons put her away with a roundhouse kick to score the victory before the televised portion of the show began.
The final non-televised match featured WWE EVOLVE Champion Harlem Lewis against Harley Riggins. Lewis walked away with the win after planting Riggins with the Boomslang, his Jackhammer finishing move, in another non-title bout.
None of those three matches aired as part of the September 15 NXT broadcast, meaning fans watching from home completely missed them. The live crowd, however, got an early look at several names WWE continues to feature through EVOLVE before the main NXT show even started.
Which of these three pre-show matches would you have wanted to see make television? Let us know what you think in the comments.
