Ethan Page retains NXT North American title in Day of the Dead match

Ethan Page retained the NXT North American Championship Saturday night, defeating El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. in a Day of the Dead match at WWE NXT Halloween Havoc at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Arizona. The match was physical and weapon-filled, and Page left the ring with a visible cut after an accidental collision with the ring steps.

The Day of the Dead stipulation, selected by Wagner, allowed both competitors to employ hardcore tactics. The bout spilled around ringside early, with Wagner using chairs and a trash can to put Page on the defensive before Page fought back with chair shots and throws into the steel steps. At one point Page tore part of Wagner’s mask, exposing the top of the luchador’s head, a move that drew a fierce reaction from Wagner and further intensified the confrontation.

The match featured several high-impact near falls, including Wagner sending a trash can into Page after a coast-to-coast dropkick and later a moonsault from the top rope. Page was also cut during the brawl; reports indicate the bleeding resulted from an unplanned strike to the ring steps and was not scripted. He continued the match after receiving attention, and is not...