From AEW to WWE Champion: Ex-AEW Star Captures WWE Gold

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Mar 6, 2025, 13:07 IST

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Shawn Spears, a former AEW star, has been crowned the new NXT North American Champion after defeating Tony D'Angelo on the March 4 edition of NXT. This victory marks a significant milestone in Spears' wrestling career, suggesting potential new directions in WWE storylines.

From AEW to WWE Champion: Ex-AEW Star Captures WWE Gold

(Image Via WWE)

The WWE NXT grand stage witnessed the vivid crowning of a brand-new WWE champion. After the jump from AEW to WWE, Shawn Spears delivered an unexpected and thrilling night with a hard-fought win against Tony D’Angelo on the March 4 edition of NXT. The crowning of the new NXT North American Champion has indeed left the fans and critics stunned. Still, the unexpected turn of events signals heavily toward new possibilities of twists and turns in the WWE storylines ahead.

Former AEW Star Dethrones WWE Champion

Over the past year, AEW stars like Shawn Spears, Ricky Saints, Ethan Page, and Lexis King have switched from AEW to WWE, and these four are currently on the NXT roster. While Page captured the NXT championship and King acquired the Heritage Cup, Saints remained in the hush with only one fight in the NXT. Coming to Spears, the former AEW star had yet to win a title in the company. Everything changed on March 4, when Spears finally got the chance he has patiently waited for through his stints with the company over the past years.

Shawn Spears is crowned as the new NXT North American Champion

Despite being in the wrestling industry, Spears lacked the breakthrough opportunities to establish his mark as an iconic wrestler with prestigious title wins. On the March 4 edition of NXT, Spears shook the whole arena by taking down the reigning champion, D’Angelo, and acquiring a well-deserved victory. Spears’ clever ways of getting inside the head of D’Angelo worked massively to his advantage to take over his opponent. Not only did Izzi Dame turn her back on D’Angelo by revealing her alliance with Spears, but D’Angelo’s storyline back injury made him easier to defeat.

Shawn Spears says he has proved everyone wrong with his title win: NXT exclusive, March 4, 2025

This victory is not just monumental for the former AEW star but also marks his rise in the company. Even though this is the first-ever title win acquired by Spears throughout his long wrestling career, with long enough stints in WWE and AEW, this victory has raised numerous questions as the fans question what’s next. As the newly crowned champion continues to celebrate his spectacular win, speculation has started swirling around as fans discuss the possible WWE strategies to integrate former AEW talents to further enrich the roster and offer fresh narratives.
Also Read: The Undertaker Reveals His Next WWE Television Appearance at Upcoming NXT Show

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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