WWE's Roxanne Perez Retains NXT Women's Title at Heatwave

WWE's Roxanne Perez and Lola Vice have been circling each other for a while now , and they finally faced each other one-on-one at NXT Heatwave. Vice has shared just how much this match and spotlight means to her, and for Perez, her chances at a long and prosperous reign as NXT Women's Champion were riding on this. The intensity and animosity were high throughout the match, and Perez was able to capitalize on Vice's hurt arm about midway through and wear the challenger down. Perez had to deliver five Pop Rocks to get the win, but she got it and is still your NXT Women's Champion .

No Holds Barred

Perez and Vice locked up immediately, with Perez getting the first shot in. Vice then took down Perez and went for an armbar, but Perez was able to escape. Perez targeted Vice's arm with hard strikes and then Vice hit a few knee strikes before going for her back elbow strike, but Perez was able to dodge it and roll out of the ring. Vice was thrown into the ropes back in the ring and then Perez connected with hard shots to the back of Vice's head. Perez threw Vice into the opposite turnbuckle and then stopped on her chest as she taunted the crowd, but Vice was still able to kick out of the pin attempt. Perez taunted Vice with slaps to the head and then Vice threw Perez face-first into the turnbuckle before going for a pin, but Perez kicked out.

Perez pulled Vice's hair and used the ropes as leverage, but was made to break it up by the referee. Perez charged forward with a big uppercut and a Russian leg sweep into a cover, but Vice kicked out. Perez immediately applied a hold that put pressure on Vice's shoulder and arm but then got hit with several strikes to the midsection before almost rolling up Vice. Vice connected with her trademark kicks and then a hip throw but Perez countered and almost rolled Vice up again for a pin.

The Turning Point

Vice missed with a kick and ran into the unbuckle, but then Perez was caught with a sleeper hold when she went to follow up. Perez was able to break it but Vice caught her again with another sleeper hold, and Perez got to the outside and broke the hold by slamming Vice into the announce table. Perez then dodged Vice's backfist again, but this time Vice slammed it hard into the ring post. Perez capitalized by stomping on that same hand and then hitting a vicious suplex onto the floor.

Perez stayed on the hurt arm and stomped on it before trying to pull it out of the socket, though Vice was able to kick out of the pin attempt. Perez went after the arm again with a knee strike and then stopped on the arm to do it again but Vice was able to evade it. Perez caught the arm one more time and hit a suplex on the challenger. Perez went up for a springboard moonsault but then Vice locked in a triangle. Perez was able to break it but then Vice finally connected with the backfist, sending Perez to the floor.

Vice pulled Perez into the ring and went for the pin, but Perez got her foot on the rope. Vice was clearly having a hard time with her hurt arm, and then Perez damaged it further with big strikes to the arm on the outside. Perez then threw Vice's arm into the ring post again, but Vice was still able to get in some big kicks to the Champion. Perez hit the arm again and hit Pop Rocks, but somehow Vice was able to kick out at the last minute.

Perez knocked Vice to the floor and cleared the announce table and hit Pop Rocks on the table. It didn't shatter, but the damage was done, and Perez got Vice back into the ring for a cover, only for Vice to kick out. Perez started hammering the hurt arm of Vice and then locked in a crossface. Perez then countered a move and went for Pop Rocks but didn't get all of it. Then she hit it a fifth time and got the pin and the win, retaining her NXT Women's Championship.

NXT Heatwave Card

• Karmen Petrovic & Arianna Grace def. Jacy Jayne & Jazmyn Nyx
• NXT North American Championship Match: Oba Femi (C) def. Wes Lee
• NXT North Women's American Championship Match: Kelani Jordan (C) def. Sol Ruca
• NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Nathan Frazer & Axiom (C) def. Chase U
• NXT Women's Championship Match: Roxanne Perez (C) def. Lola Vice
• NXT Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: Ethan Page (C) def. Trick Williams, Je'Von Evans, and Shawn Spears

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