WWE has launched 2025 in spectacular fashion with the Raw on Netflix premiere and the NXT New Year’s Evil special, which delivered two significant title changes. The event opened with Giulia defeating Roxanne Perez to claim the NXT Women’s Championship, ending Perez’s remarkable 276-day reign. Later in the show, Oba Femi emerged victorious in a high-stakes triple threat match against Trick Williams and Eddy Thorpe to capture the NXT Championship, marking his first reign with the title.
Oba Femi’s win was a historic milestone, as he became the fifth Black wrestler to hold the WWE NXT Championship. He joins a prestigious group that includes Big E, Keith Lee, Carmelo Hayes, and Trick Williams. Femi’s victory also marks only the second time in WWE history that the NXT Championship has changed hands between two Black competitors, the first being Carmelo Hayes defeating Trick Williams in 2022. Previously holding the North American Title, Femi’s accomplishment further cements his place as a standout talent in WWE.
This moment also contributes to the broader legacy of Black champions in WWE, alongside names like The Rock, Kofi Kingston, Bobby Lashley, and Big E, who have held the WWE Championship. With Femi’s historic achievement and Giulia’s impactful title win, WWE’s developmental brand has set an exciting tone for the year, leaving fans eager to see what unfolds next in 2025.
Click here for complete WWE New Year’s Evil results.
