New North American Champion crowned on WWE NXT

A new NXT North American Champion was crowned tonight — but it wasn’t the person everyone was expecting.

Carmelo Hayes defeated Isaiah “Swerve” Scott on NXT tonight to win the North American Championship. Hayes used the title shot contract he got from winning this year’s NXT Breakout Tournament to face Scott for the North American Championship after Scott had already defended the title against Santos Escobar.

There was an angle before tonight’s NXT where Legado del Fantasma attacked Hit Row in the parking lot and kidnapped Top Dolla and B-Fab. It was also said that Hit Row hadn’t heard from Ashante “Thee” Adonis.

Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde tried to get involved in Scott and Escobar’s North American title match, but Hayes and his tag team partner Trick Williams fought them off.

Scott hit the JML Driver on Escobar to retain the North American title. Hayes held up Scott’s arm after the match, but he then dropped Scott with a clothesline. Hayes handed his title shot contract to the referee and his match against Scott began immediately. Hayes won with an axe kick from the top rope.

Hayes (formerly known as Christian Casanova) made his NXT debut this June. In August, he won the Breakout Tournament by defeating Odyssey Jones in the finals.

Hit Row were called up to the main roster when they were selected by SmackDown in the WWE Draft earlier this month. Prior to tonight, Scott hadn’t defended the North American title since winning it from Bronson Reed in June.