The path to crown a new NXT Heritage Cup Champion has been set after an injury forced Noam Dar to relinquish the title. On Saturday, June 21, NXT General Manager Ava confirmed the championship was vacant and announced that Stacks would compete for the prize on the upcoming Tuesday episode of NXT, though his opponent was not named at the time.
The identity of Stacks’ challenger was revealed a day later by his former stablemate, Luca Crusifino. In a video posted to social media, Crusifino announced that he had arranged for his boss, Tony D’Angelo, to face Stacks for the held-up Heritage Cup.
Crusifino positioned the move as an act of allegiance, declaring it was proof of his loyalty to D’Angelo and The Family.
“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen I didn’t think this beautiful day could get much better, but it just did. And that’s because I just got off the phone with the GM Ava and she just told me some good news. She’s actually helping me do what I’ve been trying to do for the past few weeks and what I have been doing for almost two years and that is prove my loyalty to Tony D’Angelo. Now I understand what happened last week when I inadvertently struck Tony D’Angelo in the face but it was completely incidental. However, I take full responsibility for my actions and Tony you looked me in the eyes and you told me to prove my loyalty to you. So I did just that. Ava confirmed this Tony D’Angelo vs. Stacks Lorenzo this Tuesday for the held up NXT Heritage Cup. Now Tony if that doesn’t prove my loyalty to you, that of my character nothing will be good enough. Tony its time to put family business to bed.”
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You wanted me to prove my loyalty?
You don’t have to trust what I say, trust the move I just made. That’s loyalty.
His loyalty has been a central point of contention in recent months, especially after Stacks betrayed D’Angelo at NXT Stand & Deliver. The situation intensified on the most recent edition of NXT when, during a fracas involving Stacks, Crusifino accidentally struck D’Angelo.
The championship match on Tuesday presents a significant opportunity for both men. Stacks has the chance to win his first-ever singles title within WWE. D’Angelo, a decorated competitor during his four years on the brand, has the opportunity to become a two-time NXT Heritage Cup Champion.
I'm a Brazilian journalist and a Pro Wrestling specialist with over 15 years of experience. I'm the founder of Wrestling Notícias, the largest website dedicated to the subject in Brazil. I created my first pro wrestling website at the age of 16 and have been producing content about the industry online ever since. My articles have even been featured during WWE broadcasts, especially on NXT.
