Tony D’Angelo First WWE NXT Championship Opponent
WWE
History was made at WWE NXT Stand & Deliver 2026, not only was the event the first of its kind to take place outside of WrestleMania weekend, but a first-ever NXT Grand Slam Champion was crowned.
Tony D’Angelo was able to emerge from Stand & Deliver as the brand new NXT Champion, defeating Joe Hendry, Ricky Saints and Ethan Page in the show’s main event.
Here are five opponents that could be first to take on Tony D’Angelo for his newly won WWE NXT Championship.
5. Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo
Stacks turned on Tony D’Angelo at WWE NXT Stand & Deliver 2025
One likely candidate to tangle with Tony D’Angelo now that he is the NXT Champion could be his former “Underboss”, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo.
Since departing the D’Angelo Family, Stacks has found himself in a brand new faction. As a member of the group Birthright, Stacks along with real-life fiancée Arianna Grace plus Lexis King, Charlie Dempsey and Uriah Connors — the squad could become a bigger treat on the brand.
Likely to square up against his former right hand man at some point in the future, Tony D’Angelo may certainly go looking for Stacks on his own.
With some unsettled business between the former Family associates, these two could be set to have a showdown again soon.
4. Grayson Waller
Tony D’Angelo competed inside WarGames in only his fourth match in WWE
One heel that is always entertaining, Grayson Waller is no stranger to NXT or the brand new champion Tony D’Angelo.
Featuring in recent house show events with NXT’s top stars, Waller could easily find himself staking claim to the NXT Championship in the near future given his lack of opportunities on WWE Raw.
Teaming together (along with Carmelo Hayes and Bron Breakker) representing the ‘rookies’ of the emerging NXT 2.0 roster, the duo were victorious over the veteran team of Johnny Gargano, LA Knight, Pete Dunne & Tommaso Ciampa in WarGames in 2021.
Perhaps coming full circle five years later, Waller could have something to prove against his old rival D’Angelo now that he has made history capturing the first ever NXT Grand Slam.
3. Josh Briggs
Tony D’Angelo returned with a new character at WWE NXT Deadline 2025 and began laying several wrestlers in the weeks that followed
With a crop of talent from NXT potentially set to be called up to the main roster in the near future, one longtime star in the brand may stick around to challenge Tony D’Angelo.
A continued looming threat on the brand for the past several years, Josh Briggs could be a future challenger to the new champ.
With a continued reinvention of the star, he could be targeting the top of the card in his quest to succeed in NXT.
Able to take on Tony D’Angelo as a fellow veteran of the NXT roster, it could be Briggs’ time to shine during this time of transition on the brand.
2. Dion Lennox
Tony D’Angelo defeated Dion Lennox at WWE NXT Vengeance Day 2026
After proving himself as the leader of Darkstate, Dion Lennox could be getting into the NXT Championship picture again soon now that familiar rival Tony D’Angelo is the champ.
Dion Lennox remains a standout from the recent group of NXT stars, certainly finding his footing in the last year.
Likely to continue to factor into storylines down the road now that Tony D’Angelo has the NXT Championship, it could be that his feud with DarkState is far from over.
After their battle at WWE NXT Vengeance Day 2026 last month, it could be that the pair are looking to tangle again soon, perhaps after Lennox is done with NXT North American Champion Myles Borne.
1. Charlie Dempsey
Charlie Dempsey is the son of WWE legend William Regal
Another member of the generational faction Birthright that could be gunning for Tony D’Angelo is Charlie Dempsey.
Potentially taking aim at D’Angelo before Stacks in order to soften him up, Dempsey could certainly do some damage to the brand new champ.
Setting the stage for a technically impressive match in addition to being quite entertaining, having a marquee match against the new NXT Champion could be a signature moment for Charlie Dempsey.
With a transition of character that could be paving the way to a call-up in the near future, there may be a great feud on the horizon.
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