Oba Femi has officially vacated the NXT Championship following a successful title defense in the main event of NXT New Year’s Evil on January 6, 2026. Performing in Orlando, Florida, at the WWE Performance Center, Femi defeated TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater to retain the gold. However, in a move that shocked those in attendance, Femi left the championship belt in the middle of the ring after his victory, signaling his departure from the brand.
The vacancy was officially confirmed by WWE today via social media, with the company noting that Femi has officially vacated the title and further details are expected soon. Femi’s decision to relinquish the championship comes amid a series of video packages airing on both Raw and SmackDown that imply he is headed for the main roster.
Femi ends his reign as one of the most dominant forces in the brand’s history, holding the record for the longest NXT North American Championship reign at 273 days. During the event, several stars made their intentions clear regarding the now-vacant title.
Ricky Saints appeared earlier in the night to stake his claim, reminding fans that he is tied 1-1 with Femi and stating that he is here to show the locker room what a “real star” looks like. The show also featured a notable appearance by Tony D’Angelo, who was seen lurking in the crowd as the final shot of the night focused on the championship belt left in the ring.
Tony D’Angelo previously held the North American Title for 147 days. Additionally, NXT General Manager Ava hinted that more opportunities would be opening up in 2026, with Trick Williams and Je’von Evans also officially being called up to the main roster.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨
After his victory at #NewYearsEvil, Oba Femi has officially vacated the #WWENXT Championship. Stay tuned for more details. pic.twitter.com/NwMFVOuJjG
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 7, 2026
