Top WWE championship officially vacated — is this young NXT star main roster bound?

A few days ago, during the Jan. 06, 2026, episode of NXT, fans witnessed Oba Femi defend his NXT Championship against TNA X-Division Champion, Leon Slater. Following a gruesome battle and a closely fought bout, Femi emerged victorious. However, soon after retaining the title, Femi proceeded to place it inside the wrestling ring before walking out, as WWE NXT star Tony D’Angelo watched from the crowd.

This soon led to speculations around the title, which was later confirmed yesterday. Hours after NXT concluded, WWE’s official social media account released an update on the title’s future. Following New Year’s Evil 2026, WWE has now confirmed that the NXT Championship is officially vacant. It now remains to be seen how the Stamford-based promotion plans on crowning a new champion, with several potential top candidates on the 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

The young Oba Femi maintained a dominant presence throughout his run in NXT and held the NXT as well as the North American Championship for long periods of time. Soon after Femi vacated the title, speculations began around his main roster call-up.

The 27-year-old could now be joining the likes of Je’Von Evans, Jordynne Grace, and Trick Williams as part of the recent NXT main-roster call-ups. He also recently faced Cody Rhodes at the Dec. 13, 2025, edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event in a tie, impressing fans, the management, and increasing the chances of his call-up. He made his debut in 2022 after having been part of the WWE NIL program.

At New Year’s Evil, NXT General Manager Ava Raine addressed the WWE Evolve roster and indicated spots for new talent in NXT, mentioning Femi, Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams, Lash Legend, and Jordynne Grace’s promotions. Raine further hinted at potential other call-ups, which could point fingers toward Oba Femi.

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