Candice LeRae One Step Closer To WWE Speed Title Rematch

Candice LeRae is one step closer to earning a WWE Women's Speed Championship rematch after defeating Xia Brookside on "WWE NXT."

Following the news that the Men's and Women's Speed Championships now belong to "NXT," the brand kicked off a tournament to crown a new number one contender for the women's iteration on Tuesday night's broadcast. Participants in the tournament opener were LeRae and Brookside, who represented "WWE SmackDown" and TNA Wrestling, respectively. As per the rules of Speed, competitors had a three minute time limit.

LeRae found victory as the clock rang in with 24 seconds left, thanks to a string of late-match offense. As time dwindled down, LeRae spiked Brookside with a tornado DDT off the top rope, then crushed her in the center of the ring with a senton. To cap it off, LeRae nailed the TNA Knockout with a springboard moonsault for the win. With it, LeRae now moves ahead in the Women's Speed Championship tournament.

Next week, AAA's Faby Apache will take on "NXT" star Lainey Reid, with the winner facing LeRae in the semifinals of the tourney. From there, the victor will challenge Sol Ruca, the reigning titleholder, for the Women's Speed Championship at "NXT" No Mercy on September 27. Ruca defeated LeRae for the title back in April, and has since successfully defended it against Ivy Nile and Alba Fyre. LeRae became the inaugural champion in October 2024 by besting IYO SKY. Still, she has yet to receive a rematch for the title.