Former Champion Turns Heel During WWE NXT

A former champion finally turned heel on the March 5 Roadblock edition of WWE NXT, after weeks of teasing.

As seen at Roadblock, former NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez finally snapped, beating down current champ Lyra Valkyria in an attack out of nowhere. Valkyria and Tatum Paxley had just lost a match against WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors when Perez attacked, targeting Valkyria’s left arm and snapping it over the bottom turnbuckle. 

NXT referees eventually managed to separate the two, with medical staff carrying Valkyria out on a stretcher as a result of the attack. Valkyria was later loaded into an ambulance as NXT heads Shawn Michaels and Ava watched on.

Perez has been showing signs of a heel turn for several weeks, showing off a more aggressive and frustrated demeanour. It seems as though NXT are building up to Perez vs. Valkyria at NXT Stand & Deliver 2024 on April 6. The two have never faced off in singles competition, but their last two clashes in triple threat matches ended with Valkyria on top.

Valkyria has been in possession of the NXT Women’s Championship since Halloween Havoc 2023.