NXT Battleground 2023: Main Event Title Match challenge issued for WWE PLE

Last night, WWE NXT presented a themed episode in the form of the Spring Breakin’ 2023 edition. In one of the marquee matches of the night, Carmelo Hayes successfully defended his NXT Championship against Grayson Waller.

Once the match was over, Hayes issued a challenge to defend his title against Bron Breakker in a rematch for the NXT Battleground event set for late May. The aftermath happening indicated that the title match will eventually be announced.

At Spring Breakin’, Breakker won his singles contest match against the leader of Chase University Andre Chase. Then he came out to respond to the challenge laid by Hayes to wreak havoc in the ring.

The heel 2.0 version of Breakker attacked Hayes and his friend Trick Williams from behind. After Trick was taken out, the current NXT Champion was also speared into a wall outside of the ring to make a statement.

This is the second time that Hayes was viciously attacked by Breakker since the title change at Stand & Deliver. Hayes defeated Breakker at the bygone PLE during the WrestleMania 39 weekend.

Before dropping the belt, Breakker had been the top champion of NXT for a year since defeating the former champion Dolph Ziggler on the April 4, 2022 edition of WWE Raw. This was his second reign with the NXT Title.

During his title run, the babyface version of Breakker had defended the belt against the likes of Joe Gacy, Jinder Mahal, Apollo Crews, Ilja Dragunov, and even the current WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.

As for Hayes, he’s currently in his first reign with the NXT Title and Battleground would mark his second defense. Last night’s Spring Breakin’ marked his first successful title defense against Waller.

The yet-to-be-confirmed title match between Hayes and Breakker should be the first match to be announced for Battleground 2023 and given these two top stars’ status on NXT, this bout should also headline the latest upcoming NXT PLE.

The 2023 NXT Battleground Premium Live Event takes place at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. The third NXT PLE of this year falls on the same date as the rival brand AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.