Indi Hartwell Vacates NXT Women's Championship Following WWE Raw Move
Drafted WWE NXT superstar bids farewell to brand and announces tournament for vacant title.
Indi Hartwell relinquished the NXT Women's Championship on last night's episode of the show ahead of her upcoming move to Monday Night Raw.
The now-former titleholder bid farewell to the brand on the May 2nd edition of NXT by announcing that there would be a tournament for the vacant prize that would culminate in the crowning of a new champion at NXT Battleground on May 28th. She was drafted to Raw during Friday's episode of SmackDown,
Hartwell delivered the promo on crutches with her right foot in a surgical boot following an injury sustained what proved to be her last title defence on the April 25th Spring Breakin' special. She suffered what first appeared to be a serious ankle injury during a spot alongside challengers Tiffany Stratton and Roxanne Perez, but returned to finish the match and retain the gold.
Closing the segment with sentimentality, she went to leave before being carried out by longstanding storyline husband Dexter Lumis in a mirroring of their familiar pose. The pair were part of 'The Way' alongside Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae and Austin Theory, and already there are rumours swirling that the group could be reunited on Raw without the SmackDown-bound United States Champion.
After signing with WWE in 2019, Hartwell made her television debut for NXT on the January 15th 2020 edition of the show, covertly attempting to help LeRae during the bout. The pair later went on to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles together.