If there’s one thing wrestling fans love more than a good match, it’s a good controversy—and the NXT Heritage Cup has delivered both in spades. Lexis King thought he was walking into 2025 with the cup firmly in his grasp. Instead, thanks to NXT GM Ava Raine, he’s walking into New Year’s Evil with a target on his back and a one-fall Sudden Death Match against Charlie Dempsey to settle the score.
How Did We Get Here?
On December 24, Lexis King became the new Heritage Cup holder… via disqualification. Yes, in a turn of events that screams, “Let’s make things messier!” King nabbed the cup under circumstances murky enough to make a fog machine jealous. Ava Raine decided to fix this by throwing everyone into her office—King, Dempsey, and even the regal William Regal—to lay down the law.
With a tone that said, “I’m done with this nonsense,” Raine declared the rules too vague to be definitive. Her solution? A Sudden Death Match at New Year’s Evil, where the British Round Rules are thrown out the window in favor of one fall to a finish.
The Drama in Raine’s Office
King looked like someone had stolen his lunch money. Dempsey, meanwhile, was quick to remind everyone he’s already held the cup twice and doesn’t need gimmicks to win it back. Raine, ever the peacemaker (or instigator, depending on your viewpoint), took the Heritage Cup from King’s hands and handed it to Dempsey—because nothing settles disputes like escalating them.
As for Regal? The former GM who helped King win the cup opted to play Switzerland, telling Raine he’d remain uninvolved and briskly leaving the room. Was he washing his hands of the situation entirely? Or was he just ducking an argument? Only time will tell.
What’s Next?
The stakes are set, and the tension couldn’t be higher. The Sudden Death Match promises to bring clarity—or possibly even more confusion—to the Heritage Cup picture. King and Dempsey will collide on January 7 at NXT: New Year’s Evil live from Los Angeles, and the wrestling world will (hopefully) get some closure.
Or at least a really good meme.