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Zoey Stark and Cora Jade Collide During The Final Stop Before NXT Heatwave

All eyes will be on these two top contenders as their one-on-match highlights a scorching-hot edition of NXT 2.0

By Chris Phelan
Zoey Stark and Cora Jade

With only one week to go before Heatwave, the WWE Universe will barely have enough time to catch its breath because this week’s episode of NXT 2.0 is once again packed full of exciting matches.

Although the NXT Women’s division is headlined by its champion Mandy Rose — whose current title reign is nearing the 300-day mark as we speak — two Superstars have quickly climbed up the ranks in the past month, and they’ll both meet in the ring tonight in what will be an explosive matchup.

Zoey Stark and Cora Jade both have reason to believe they’re the next face of the women’s division, and this match scheduled just one week before Stark challenges Mandy Rose for the NXT Women’s Championship carries a lot of interest, to say the least.

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Mandy Rose herself has been the puppeteer behind this match:

Mandy Rose’s logic has to be intriguing to Cora Jade, right?

If Jade not only beats but injures Zoey Stark tonight, rendering Stark unable to compete at Heatwave in the NXT Women’s Championship match, that puts Jade on a collision course with Mandy Rose herself, bypassing Roxanne Perez on the way.

It sure seems like Cora Jade wants to avoid getting in the ring with Perez at all costs, so this might be the best way to accomplish that particular goal.

Of course, it’s a win-win for Mandy Rose because in the end — whoever is challenging for the title at Heatwave — that particular Superstar will surely be battered and bruised, giving a huge advantage to the champion.

Needless to say, the entire WWE Universe will be glued to their TVs watching to see what the outcome of tonight’s match will be!

In addition, the fallout from the ending of last week’s NXT Tag Team Championship match has led to a matchup that has been promised as being the last meeting ever between these two competitors, as Santos Escobar takes on Tony D’Angelo!

After Santos Escobar made his shocking return to NXT last week by ruining “Stacks” and D’Angelo’s opportunity to win the tag team titles, D’Angelo was understandably irate — and put out the challenge for one last meeting between his long-standing rival.

Every time these two men meet in the ring, the drama and hatred is palatable. They last faced off on the May 17 edition of NXT 2.0, but somehow their feud has gotten even more personal.

While Escobar has been away from NXT for the past few months, D’Angelo took it upon himself to take Escobar’s ex-Legado Del Fantasma allies and insert them into his “Family,” and Escobar has not taken too kindly to that particular action.

With intentions to reunite Legada Del Fantasma and destroy D’Angelo’s “Family,” the WWE Universe will be treated to a match that has the possibilities to absolutely steal the show on Tuesday night!

And finally, with only one week before Bron Breakker defends his NXT Championship against JD McDonagh, we can only imagine what the atmosphere will be like tonight between the two men. In fact, there’s a multitude of possibilities between what the WWE Universe could witness between Breakker and McDonagh this week.

Could we see another face-to-face war of words?

Or another dastardly mind game played by JD McDonagh?

How about Breakker delivering one nice shot to the mouth of McDonagh to serve as a Heatwave preview?

And surely no one would be surprised if the tensions got so high that it triggered an out-of-control, locker room-clearing brawl.

All of these scenarios are on the table — no pun intended — just seven days before these two mens do battle in one of the biggest NXT main events in recent history! (And yes, we wouldn’t be surprised if a table breaks at some point tonight as well!)

Once the dust has settled from this week’s action-packed episode, the road to NXT Heatwave will be complete, leaving nothing but anticipation toward what will certainly be an epic and memorable event.

Everything comes to a head next week, Aug. 16 on USA!