NXT Breakout Tournament explained

NXT Breakout Tournament
Promotions:WWE
Brands:NXT
Firstevent:2019

The NXT Breakout Tournament is a professional wrestling single elimination tournament produced by WWE for the NXT brand. First introduced in 2019, the tournament features eight wrestlers, who are new arrivals on NXT (usually WWE Performance Center recruits making their NXT television debuts). The winner receives a championship match of their choice which they can cash in anytime.[1]

Winners, dates and venues of finals

YearEventDateCityVenueWinner
2019NXTToronto, Ontario, CanadaScotiabank ArenaJordan Myles
2021NXTOrlando, FloridaWWE Performance CenterCarmelo Hayes
2022NXTRoxanne Perez
2023Halloween HavocLola Vice
2024New Year's EvilOba Femi

Male winner's championship opportunity

scope=colChampionshipscope=colVictoriesscope=colAttemptsscope=colSuccess rate
NXT Championship01
NXT North American Championship20
Total21

– Championship victory

– Championship match loss

!#!Winner!Event!Date!Championship match
1Jordan MylesNXTMyles lost to Adam Cole for the NXT Championship.
2Carmelo HayesNXTHayes defeated Isaiah "Swerve" Scott to win the NXT North American Championship by cashing in the title on Scott after Scott retained the title against Santos Escobar.
3Oba FemiNXTFemi defeated Dragon Lee to win the NXT North American Championship by cashing in the title after Lee retained the title against Lexis King.

Female winner's championship opportunity

scope=colChampionshipscope=colVictoriesscope=colAttemptsscope=colSuccess rate
NXT Women's Championship02
NXT Women's North American Championship00
Total00

– Championship victory

– Championship match loss

!#!Winner!Event!Date!Championship match
1Roxanne PerezNXTPerez lost to Mandy Rose for the NXT Women's Championship.
2Lola ViceVengeance DayVice lost to defending champion Lyra Valkyria, and Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women's Championship, after cashing in during a singles match between the two, thus converting it into a triple threat match. Valkyria pinned Vice to retain her title.

Tournament history

2019

In 2019, WWE introduced a new tournament called the NXT Breakout Tournament, featuring eight male wrestlers of the WWE Performance Center, who would be making their NXT television debuts.[2] The tournament was held through various television tapings of the weekly NXT show in June and the final occurred in August, which Jordan Myles won by defeating Cameron Grimes.[3]

2021

After a one-year hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Breakout Tournament returned for a second edition in 2021, introducing eight new wrestlers from the Performance Center.[4] Two qualifiers were held on the July 2 episode of 205 Live, which Andre Chase and Joe Gacy won by defeating Guru Raaj and Desmond Troy respectively.[5] The Breakout Tournament began on the July 13 episode of NXT.[6] The tournament final occurred on the August 24 episode of NXT. Carmelo Hayes won the 2021 tournament by defeating Odyssey Jones in the final.[7]

2022

In 2022, the tournament featured eight female wrestlers from NXT for the first time, with the winner earning a NXT Women's Championship opportunity any time. The 2022 edition began on the May 10, 2022 episode of NXT 2.0.[8] Roxanne Perez defeated Tiffany Stratton in the final on the June 7 episode of NXT 2.0.[9]Nikkita Lyons was injured during training and her semi-final opponent. Fallon Henley, originally got a bye to the finals but, Tiffany Stratton challenged Henley to earn her spot in the finals in which Stratton then replaced Lyons in the tournament.

2023 Women's

The fourth edition of the Breakout Tournament was held in 2023, beginning on the October 3 episode of NXT.[10] [11] The semifinals of the tournament were held at the Halloween Havoc night one on October 24 and the final was held at Halloween Havoc night two on October 31.[12] [13] Lola Vice defeated Kelani Jordan in the final to win the 2023 tournament.[14] † Reece replaced Jakara Jackson after Jackson was not medically cleared to participate.

2023 Men's

† King replaced Trey Bearhill after he attacked Bearhill with a chair.

2024 Women's

Notes and References

  1. Web site: John Clapp . NXT Breakout Tournament to begin next week . . 1 November 2023 . June 19, 2019.
  2. Web site: TOURNAMENT AT TONIGHT'S WWE NXT TV TAPING, LOTS OF TV DEBUTS SET FOR TONIGHT. Twiss. Andrew. PWInsider. June 12, 2019. June 12, 2019.
  3. Web site: John Clapp . Jordan Myles def. Cameron Grimes in the NXT Breakout Tournament Finals . . 1 November 2023 . August 14, 2019.
  4. Web site: Joseph Currier . NXT Breakout Tournament returning in two weeks . . 1 November 2023 . June 29, 2021.
  5. Web site: Anish V . 7/2 WWE 205 Live results: Anish V’s review of Joe Gacy vs. Desmond Troy, and Andre Chase vs. Guru Raaj in NXT Breakout Tournament qualifiers . Pro Wrestling Dot Net . 1 November 2023 . July 2, 2021.
  6. Web site: 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament set to begin July 13 . . 1 November 2023 . June 29, 2021.
  7. Web site: Joseph Currier . Carmelo Hayes wins 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament . . 1 November 2023 . August 24, 2021.
  8. Web site: Joseph Currier . WWE reveals bracket for NXT Women's Breakout Tournament . . 1 November 2023 . May 10, 2022.
  9. Web site: Bryan Rose . Roxanne Perez wins NXT Women's Breakout Tournament . . 1 November 2023 . June 7, 2022.
  10. Web site: Bryan Rose . WWE announces return of NXT Women's Breakout Tournament . . 1 November 2023 . September 12, 2023.
  11. Web site: Robert Defelice . NXT Women's Breakout Tournament Announced As 'Coming Soon' . Fightful . 5 November 2023 . September 12, 2023.
  12. Web site: Bryan Rose . Semifinals set for WWE NXT Women's Breakout Tournament . . 1 November 2023 . October 17, 2023.
  13. Web site: Bryan Rose . Finals set for NXT Women's Breakout Tournament . . 1 November 2023 . October 24, 2023.
  14. Web site: Bryan Rose . Lola Vice wins WWE NXT Women's Breakout Tournament . . 1 November 2023 . October 31, 2023.