Grayson Waller retained the NXT Championship on the September 29, 2026 episode of WWE NXT, but not against the opponent originally advertised. Mason Rook was pulled from the show after being ruled not medically cleared to compete, according to Wrestling Inc and POST Wrestling. With his scheduled challenger unavailable, Waller instead issued an open challenge for the title live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
EK Prosper answered the call, and what followed was described as a lengthy, hard-fought battle. POST Wrestling and 411Mania both reported that Prosper mounted a serious challenge before Waller ultimately found a way to retain the championship. Fightful’s results coverage confirmed the Waller-Prosper open challenge match headlined the broadcast, which also continued the ongoing Dusty Cup tournament.
No details have been provided regarding the nature of Rook’s medical issue or a timeline for his return, and none of the supplied reports address whether a rescheduled Waller-Rook match is planned. Waller’s successful defense against Prosper means he heads away from this episode still holding the NXT Championship, with his program against Rook left unresolved for a future date.
