Wrestling On FanNation

Major Name Returns And Oba Femi Crowned NXT Champion At NXT Deadline 2025

Oba Femi is once again the NXT Champion and Tony D'Angelo is back in NXT.
Zack Heydorn|
WWE

NXT Deadline 2025 was a newsworthy event and featured not only a title change, but a surprise return from a major star.

In the opening match of the show, Oba Femi defeated Ricky Saints to win the NXT Championship. Saints had his moments against Femi, including nearly getting the victory by countout. Saints couldn't get the job done and lost his title to Femi after being hit with two Femi power bombs.

Because Femi is now the NXT Champion, he's in for a huge moment on next week's episode of Saturday Night's Main Event. That show will feature John Cena wrestling his final match against Gunther. It's also slated to showcase NXT stars against main roster talent. On that show, Oba Femi will face the Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes.

Later in the show, Saints frustratedly told Je'Von Evans that he blew his opportunity and that he would never become NXT Champion again. Evans told him that wasn't true, but that he would win the Iron Survivor Challenge to earn a shot at Femi and the championship.

It was close, but Evans won the match. After, Oba Femi walked out to the ring and stared Evans down. They talked trash at one another from a distance, but then the lights in the arena went out. A video played of a man walking on a bridge. When it ended, the lights stayed out, but Tony D'Angelo appeared in the ring behind Evans.

Tony D'Angelo makes return at NXT Deadline

NXT Logo
WWE.co

The lights came back on and Evans offered up a handshake to D'Angelo. D'Angelo didn't accept it. Instead, he dropped Evans in the middle of the ring with a side slam. D'Angelo then stared down Femi as the NXT Deadline, the final WWE PLE of 2025, went off the air.

D'Angelo hasn't been seen in NXT since this summer. His mob family imploded this year and he's been away from television since that unrest happened. He's a former NXT North American Champion and now it looks as if he wants the top NXT gold.

What was D'Angelo's reason for attacking Je'Von Evans? WWE fans will likely find out on this week's upcoming episode of WWE NXT on the CW Network. As for Femi, in addition to the Rhodes match next weekend, his first NXT Championship defense is scheduled for New Year's Evil in 2026.

He'll put his newly won title on the line against Je'Von Evans. The other announced match for that show is the NXT Women's Championship match between Jacy Jayne and the Women's Iron Survivor Challenge winner, Kendal Grey.

The Latest On WWE, AEW, & More

John Cena Reveals Ambitious Original Plan For His Retirement Tour

John Cena Reveals Real Reason For Changing Name Of His WWE Finishing Move

John Cena's 10 Greatest Matches Of All-Time

How To Watch WWE Saturday Night's Main Event: Date, Start Time, Match Card, Location & Live Stream

Published
Zack Heydorn
ZACK HEYDORN

Zack Heydorn has been covering the pro wrestling industry for a decade and writes news, features, and interviews for The Takedown On SI. He also hosts and cohosts a variety of WWE and AEW shows on YouTube. Heydorn is a former Assistant Editor of PWTorch and Managing Editor of SEScoops. Zack is also the author of the Hybrid Shoot book Stunning: The Wrestling Artistry of Steve Austin, which is available on Amazon. You can follow Zack on X and Bluesky.

Share on XFollow Zack_Heydorn
Home/WWE