NXT TAKEOVER VENGEANCE DAY RECAP & REVIEWS
NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day was a professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by WWE for their NXT brand division on February 14, 2021.
VENGEANCE DAY MATCHES
Io Shirai (c) vs. Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Martinez. Triple threat match for the NXT Women’s Championship
OUR PREDICTION: TONI STORM
WINNER: TONI STORM
RATING: 5/10
RECAP: This was the worst match of the night. It wasn’t bad, just underwhelming with the talent involved. The best decision they could have made would have been having Io Shirai face Toni Storm in a singles match and have Storm win the title. Instead, we have Io Shirai retaining the title. Shas done a great job as champion but her run has gotten a bit stale and someone new needs to take over. The match was slower than expected and had us thinking Storm was going to win. It was just Storm and Martinez in the end with Toni Storm about to pin Martinez before Io Shirai came and won for herself. Overall, it was okay but the finish was boring.
Dakota Kai and Raquel González vs. Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart
Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic finals
OUR PREDICTION: SHOTZI BLACKHEART & EMBER MOON
WINNER: DAKOTA KAI & RAQUEL GONZALEZ
RATING: 7/10
RECAP: This was a really well thought out opener for the show. Raquel Gonzalez is due to have a huge push in the women’s division and this is just another stepping stone towards that. Dakota Kai was getting double teamed this match by Shotzi and Ember while they tried to keep her away from Raquel Gonzalez. Once Dakota Kai got the tag on Raquel Gonzalez, she dominated the match. It was a pretty fun and fast paced match which is what we should expect with NXT openers by now. Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzlez won the match after Gonzalez hit a powerbomb on Shotzi Blackheart to win. Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez most likely won’t win the tag team titles from Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax but it should be an interesting match and hopefully it happens at Elimination Chamber. Overall, a really good opener to the show.
MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson)
Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic finals
OUR PREDICTION: MSK (NASH CARTER & WES LEE)
WINNER: MSK (NASH CARTER & WES LEE)
RATING: 8/10
RECAP: This was another really good match. MSK started off with the upper hand but slowly James Drake and Zack Gibson started to take over. In the end, MSK took the upper hand and won this really fast paced match. MSK is getting a huge push and we can see them taking the titles from Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan in the near future. It’s too bad that the Grizzled Young Veterans lost in the finals for the second year in a row, but there is always next year. Overall, the best match of the night so far and we’re seeing some new teams in the tag team title picture which is always nice.
Finn Bálor (c) vs. Pete Dunne
Singles match for the NXT Championship
OUR PREDICTION: FINN BÁLOR
WINNER: FINN BÁLOR
RATING: 9/10
RECAP: A really good match and definitely best match of the night! The match was a really technical match with lots of submissions and reversals. Finn Bálor won the match after the 1916. The only thing better than the match on the show was the result after. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch attacked Bálor for the Undisputed Era to come out for the save. After they all posed and tried to get Bálor to join the Undisputed Era, Bálor didn’t so Adam Cole super kicked him and started arguing with Kyle O’Reilly. Adam Cole then super kicked Kyle O’Reilly as well. Adam Cole stood tall with Roderick Strong watching on.
Johnny Gargano (c) vs. Kushida
Singles match for the NXT North American Championship
OUR PREDICTION: JOHNNY GARGANO
WINNER: JOHNNY GARGANO
RATING: 6/10
RECAP: Before the match took place, Dexter Lumis kidnapped Austin Theory. This prompted Gargano to send Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell to find him. Johnny Gargano headed to the ring without his backup making it his first title defense without people helping him. Kushida put on another really good showing here. The match was awesome with lots of submissions and counters and a clean finish which rarely happens in heel victories now. The only downside to this match is that it just didn’t feel special. It’s hard to care about a storyline that was only built up for a few weeks when you know for a fact the Kushida isn’t going to win the championship. Still, a really good match and Johnny Gargano winning was a good decision.
