WWE NXT preview: 20-woman No.1-contender battle royal and Dusty Classic first round set for Oct. 6 in Orlando

WWE NXT will broadcast live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida on October 6, 2026, as the brand builds toward Halloween Havoc on October 31. The episode features a 20-woman battle royal to determine the No. 1 contender for NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan and two first-round matches in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

The broadcast is scheduled for 8 ET/7 CT on The CW in the United States, with international viewers able to watch on Netflix in markets where the service carries NXT. The battle royal brings together competitors from multiple promotions, including NXT, WWE’s main roster, Evolve, AAA and TNA, creating an inter-promotional matchup for a title opportunity at Halloween Havoc.

The announced entrants in the NXT Women’s Championship No. 1 Contender’s Battle Royal are Arianna Grace, Layla Diggs, Indi Hartwell, Xia Brookside, M by Elegance, Heather by Elegance, Ivy Nile, Kiana James, Adelicious, Lady Shani, Lizzy Rain, Thea Hail, Skylar Raye, Zaria, Izzi Dame, Kali Armstrong, Reina Volcan, Nikkita Lyons, Chantel Monroe and La Catalina.

Several participants hold titles elsewhere: Xia Brookside is listed as TNA Knockouts Champion, La Catalina as AAA Reina de Reinas Champion, Zaria as NXT Women’s North American Champion and Nikkita Lyons as Evolve Women’s Champion. The winner of the 20-woman match will earn a shot at Kelani Jordan at Halloween Havoc on October 31.

In the 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic first round, Sean Legacy and Dorian Van Dux will meet AAA’s Tokyo Bad Boys, Kento and Takuma, while Hank & Tank will face Evolve representatives Shido Ash and Viktor Zanov. The tournament has returned after a one-year absence and these two matches will conclude the opening round.

Singles action includes Zilla Fatu versus Lexis King, a match confirmed for October 6 after an extended rivalry with members of BirthRight attempting to recruit Fatu and later preventing him from getting an opportunity at the NXT Championship. After weeks of back and forth, @Zillafatu and @LexisKingWWE go one-on-one THIS TUESDAY on #WWENXT!📺 8 ET/7 CT on @TheCW pic.twitter.com/FvLFoVgVLh

Shiloh Hill will take on Naraku in a second singles match, with Hill seeking to address unfinished business following their previous encounter and having "reportedly been studying the different types of mist Naraku uses." That rematch is part of the Oct. 6 card alongside the battle royal and Dusty Classic fixtures.

The Oct. 6 episode concludes the latest build toward Halloween Havoc: the battle royal winner will receive the NXT Women’s Championship opportunity against Kelani Jordan at the October 31 event, and the episode airs live on The CW at 8 ET/7 CT with international streaming on Netflix where available.