WWE NXT Heatwave 2025 Predictions: Wrestling Inc. Picks The Winners

All eyes will be on the wrestling world on August 24, and not just in London for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door — the same day, "WWE NXT's" latest premium live event takes over Lowell Memorial Auditorium, as Lowell, Massachusetts plays host to Heatwave 2025! It's an interesting card, with three titles on the line, three women's matches, and involvement from stars of both TNA Wrestling and "WWE LFG," and while it's a bit unpredictable (as you're about to see) that won't stop the Wrestling Inc. staff from trying to predict the future!

Who will win the much-hyped clash between Blake Monroe and Jordynne Grace? Will the TNA Knockouts division be able to regain their world title from Jacy Jayne? Will Sunday finally be Je'Von Evans' night against dominant NXT Champion Oba Femi? We're not terribly confident and we don't have much of a consensus, but that's never stopped us before — let's get to the picks!

Jordynne Grace is, by all conceivable metrics, the person who should probably win on Sunday. She's been bullied and body-shamed for the entirety of this feud, and it would be a downright bummer for her to lose to Blake Monroe at Heatwave, but sometimes wrestling is all about telling a bummer story.

Grace will get her revenge on Blake, maybe in an Extreme Rules match at Halloween Havoc, or somewhere else down the line, but Blake Monroe is a freshly signed blue-chip prospect and desperately needs the win over the former TNA Knockouts Champion. Monroe is still establishing what makes her different from Mariah May in AEW, and one of the differences that she won't want to establish is "loser."

It speaks to the embarrassment of riches that the "NXT" women's division currently has that both Grace and Monroe are scrambling to establish themselves at the same time, but the fact of the matter is that Grace feels like a more established presence, and therefor one that can take the fall and bounce back in ways Monroe might not yet be ready. Grace's time will come, but right now, "NXT" could not be more focused on Blake and her Sable-meets-Sabrina-Carpenter persona.

Written by Ross Berman

Hank and Tank will make their sixth defense of the NXT Tag Team Championship at Heatwave as they face two of the four members of DarkState, the faction comprised of Saquon Shugars, Cutler James, Dion Lennox, and Osiris Griffin. 

Since dethroning FrAxiom for the belts at Stand & Deliver, ending the former champions' 230-day run, Hank and Tank have seen off challengers in both "WWE NXT" and Booker T's Reality of Wrestling, but their latest challengers are fresh on the hunt for gold after targeting the likes of Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Tony D'Angelo previously. 

DarkState are undefeated in all of their outings on "NXT" TV, albeit suffering defeat at TNA Slammiversary and, in their only time facing one another previously, Hank and Tank scored a victory over DarkState's Lennox and Griffin at the WWE World at WrestleMania event at the Las Vegas Convention Center. And with all that said, they are the favorites in the Wrestling Inc. staff poll to end Hank and Tank's run at Heatwave, with 73% predicting new champions when the night comes. 

Naturally, that leaves 27% rooted in the belief that the champions will see off the faction. But then considering that they are only facing one half of the group on the night, there is always the possibility of a rematch with different members challenging for the titles. Ultimately, as always, time will tell which way the result swings.

Written by Max Everett

After holding the TNA Knockouts World Championship for just over 30 days thus far, 60% of the Wrestling Inc. staff believe that Jayne will retain the title against both Masha Slamovich and Ash By Elegance this upcoming Sunday. Although many fans have been mixed on Jayne being positioned as "NXT's" top female star, there's no doubt that WWE is interested in keeping the 29-year-old and Fatal Influence a strong unit for the time being, and having her lose the championship this early would diminish their credibility.

Since Jayne became TNA Knockouts World Champion, Slamovich and Elegance both defeated her in singles action, but the former Toxic Attraction star would retain her gold due to each contest ending in a disqualification. Therefore, with triple threat matches operating under no disqualifications or count-outs, WWE is trying to create the impression that Jayne is in danger of losing her title at Heatwave, but we expect that both Fallon Henley and Jazmyn Nyx will involve themselves in the contest in order to help Jayne pickup the victory. Although it could be argued that a triple threat match provides WWE with the opportunity to have the title change hands without pinning Jayne, it still feels too early to have Slamovich win the belt back, especially because she was the competitor that Jayne defeated to become champion. 

It's uncertain how long Jayne will continue to hold both titles, but 60% of us feel it's unlikely for her dominant reign to come to an end this weekend, and that WWE will look to extend her days with the TNA Knockouts World Championship before eventually losing it. The other 40% have all put their faith in Slamovich, with nobody picking the former Dana Brooke.

Written By Julien D'Alessandro

The triple threat match to determine the No. 1 Contender for Jacy Jayne's NXT Women's Championship is an extremely close one for us, with the three participants separated by the thinnest of margins. In the end, however, 40% of the WINC staff believe the next title shot is going to Lola Vice.

While Kelani Jordan is a fantastic talent in the "NXT" women's division and the first-ever Women's North American Champion, she doesn't seem to have as much momentum as the other two — though she is a babyface, which makes sense going up against the heel Jayne. She gathered 27% of the vote, but her co-worker Jaida Parker beat her out with 33%. Parker is presented more as a heel-leaning tweener, though the crowd in the Performance Center is completely behind her, and that extends to crowds outside of Orlando, as we saw when Parker appeared in the battle royal at Evolution 2. WWE can't ignore the "Miss Parker!" chants forever, and it would be an excellent time to get her up against Jayne. Parker getting a shot at the title would elevate her stock even more in "NXT," which is something fans obviously want to see.

However, Vice is coming off a Triplemania XXXIII match against The Judgment Day alongside Mr. Iguana and Niño Hamburguesa, and while her team lost the fact that she appeared on that show alongside main roster talent is a sign that WWE believes in her. She's also a clear babyface, and Vice could easily win this match at Heatwave, then go on to topple Jayne, allowing to appear on shows such as the upcoming WWE vs. AEW Worlds Collide event as NXT Women's Champion.

Written by Daisy Ruth

It will be continental warfare on Sunday, as Canada's Chelsea Green and NXT North American Champion Ethan Page are set to take on the United States' Tavion Heights and Tyra Mae Steele in mixed tag team action. While Green and Page might have championship gold adorning their ranks, 67% of our staff at Wrestling Inc. are backing former United States Olympians Heights and Steele for "Heatwave's" high-profile tag team match.

Heatwave's continental turf war began when Page, hot off a win against TNA's Santino Marella, took to the August 4 episode of "WWE NXT" to, once again, claim himself as the "greatest North American Champion of all time." Heights, himself hot off of a win against former No Quarter Catch Crew stablemate Charlie Dempsey, took to challenge Page's self-adorned title in a showcase of American pride. Green quickly inserted herself into the mix, and after remarking that Heights would not hit a lady, inaugural "WWE LFG: Legends & Future Greats" winner Steele appeared to back up Heights and even the odds. After weeks of failed peace negotiations, General Manager Ava made Heatwave's tag team match official on the August 19 episode of "NXT."

While Page and Green are established in-ring competitors, the chances of the powerful Steele accepting a loss in her WWE premium live event debut are slim. Heights is also seeing a push since his departure from No Quarter Catch Crew, and the former Olympian is eager to ascend in NXT's competitive ranks. Some may point to Green's Secret Her-vice as equalizers in Sunday's match-up, but the August 12 episode of "NXT" saw Steele make quick work of both Alba Fyre and Piper Niven. 

Both nations are armed to the teeth, but two thirds of us at Wrestling Inc. have our bets on a Team USA victory Sunday.

Written by Angeline Phu

Je'Von Evans might be NXT's bounciest, most resilient young talent, but the Wrestling Inc. staff is not convinced that it will be Evans's moment on Sunday.

Specifically, 73% of the staff think that Oba Femi's 225+ day reign as WWE NXT Champion will continue at Heatwave. Femi has managed to overcome his challengers handily in the past, no matter how many he has to deal with, and the dominant Nigerian star has become something of a focal point as "WWE NXT" becomes more and more chaotic. The influx of TNA talent and TNA titles has led to something of an identity crisis for the Tuesday night show, and Femi has remained the standard bearer while other stars like Trick Williams chase gold in other promotions. It certainly doesn't feel like Femi and Williams's issues are done, and with Jacy Jayne already a double champion in the women's division, it's not crazy to assume that the NXT Champion and the TNA World Champion will have to collide in some meaningful way sooner rather than later.

If anyone could beat Femi, it's probably the plucky underdog Evans, but there's also an issue of timing. Nothing happens in the fall in "NXT," with title changes usually saved for April, when former champions can graduate to the main roster. Evans will likely come close at Heatwave, but after the beating he took on Tuesday to earn the match, the outsized Femi will retain, hopefully paving a path back to the title for Je'Von through the Iron Survivor Challenge or similar means.

Written by Ross Berman