NXT Vengeance Day 2023 Review

Welcome to the NXT Vengeance Day 2023 Review. We are finally back on the road for a PLE. The Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC is jammed to the rafters for NXT’s traveling return. Reports indicated an almost sold out crowd of around 5000 people.

Smackdown Women’s Champion and Charlotte’s own, Charlotte Flair, opens the show with a narration of all of the matches taking place tonight. That was well done.

Live in the arena, Vic Joseph and Booker T welcome us and we go right to the ring for our first of five title matches.

NXT Vengeance Day 2023
Wes Lee vs. Dijak
(North American Championship)

This was a great choice for the opener. The basic story of Lee using his speed against Dijak’s power was very compelling. The match was super exciting and the crowd was super into it. It went back and forth with dramatic nearfalls. At multiple points in the match, it could have gone to either competitor.

This was the match of the night without a doubt. The closing sequence has Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo save Lee from a compromising Dijak moonsault outside the ring, allowing Lee to follow up with a backflip head kick to finally retain his championship.

Winner: AND STILL NXT North American Champion, Wes Lee

This match was well done and the match of the night. I’m not a big fan of the interference spot in an amazing match, but there was a good storyline behind it and it worked without taking away from the match. This is going to be a tough act to follow.

NXT Vengeance Day 2023
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance vs. Fallon Henley and Kiana James (with Briggs and Jenson)
(Women’s Tag Team Championship)

The tag champs cut a promo backstage with McKenzie Mitchell on their way to the ring. They are in a tough spot, trying to follow up the amazing opening North American Championship match. Carter and Chance work so well as a team, as shown by their record setting 186 day reign.

The Henley face/James heel story dynamic played out well throughout the match. They even briefly touched on the Carter/Chance courtship by Briggs and Jenson from early last year, I think. In the end, Henley gets a rollup like pin on Carter with James holding Carter’s legs down behind the referee’s back to capture the tag titles.

Winners: AND NEW NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions, Fallon Henley and Kiana James

After the match, Henley and James celebrate with Briggs and Jenson. I’m wondering if Carter and Chance are main roster bound since the women’s tag division is a little on the thin side.

Drew Gulak was talking to Hank Walker on Instagram from the Performance Center about the Lee-Dijak match and how they need to get Walker proper attire. Lyra Valkyria followed up taking about her feud with Cora Jade.

NXT Vengeance Day 2023
Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) vs. Apollo Crews
(Two Out of Three Falls Match)

A video package going over the feud starts us off. Williams is shown in the aisleway doing an introduction for Hayes. The first fall was pretty good. It was a hard hitting affair between two of the best NXT has to offer right now. Crews did his best to try to wear Hayes down throughout the first fall.

Hayes showed great resiliency and kept getting back up after Crews knocked him down. Hayes slipped a counter in and, after a couple of nearfalls, locked Crews in a Crossface and Crews tapped out rather quickly.

Carmelo Hayes wins the first fall

Hayes keeps on Crews to start the second fall. They kept beating each other up, trying to pick up the fall. Williams undid the top turnbuckle pad behind the official’s back. Williams clued Hayes in. Hayes went to whip Crews into that corner, but Crews reversed and sent Hayes crashing into the exposed turnbuckle instead. Williams tried to interfere with a chair but Dabba Kato (Commander Azeez on the main roster) appeared and took out Williams. Crews acknowledged Kato, giving Hayes an opening and he hits Nothing But Net to win the second fall.

Carmelo Hayes wins the second fall

Winner: Carmelo Hayes (two falls to zero)

After the match, Kato wipes out Crews with a sitout spinebuster. I really thought that this was going to go to the third fall, but it kept Hayes looking strong into his likely NXT Championship match at Stand and Deliver.

After Valentina Feroz challenged Lyra Valkyria, Fallon Henley and Kiana James were shown backstage celebrating with Briggs and Jenson.

NXT Vengeance Day 2023
The New Day vs. Gallus vs. Chase U vs. Pretty Deadly
(Fatal Four Way for the Tag Team Championship)

Before the match, Chase U was shown outside the Spectrum Center with Andre Chase talking about how he used to come to WWE events here (it’s his hometown). The match starts and it is the first pinfall or submission wins. The beginning portion of the match, everyone abides by the tag team rules even though there are no countouts or DQs.

The match eventually breaks down and everybody starts fighting. They are fighting all over the ringside area. Duke Hudson gets driven through the announce table by Gallus. Gallus eventually isolates Xavier Woods in the ring and pins him to capture the titles.

Winners: AND NEW NXT Tag Team Champion, Gallus

This was a really good match when things finally broke down. I had a feeling that Gallus was going to win and I think that was a good decision. Chase U would have been nice, given Andre Chase is from the Charlotte area, but Gallus was the right choice.

NXT Vengeance Day 2023
Roxanne Perez vs. Jacy Jayne vs. Gigi Dolin
(NXT Women’s Championship)

There was a great video package to show us Perez’s journey and Toxic Attraction’s right to fight her. Toxic Attraction worked together in the beginning but it doesn’t seem to last too long. I’m not sure if the long term plan is to break up Toxic Attraction, but they showed that they could be some legit singles stars in their own right. Perez looked really good in this match.

She’s really polished and could be the next legit Hispanic megastar that they have been looking for to replace Rey Mysterio. The fans got really into the match as well, which was a good sign for all three women. The end came with Dolin bumping off the top rope through a table on the floor to allow Perez to take out Jayne with a Pop Rox off the top rope to retain her title.

Winner: AND STILL NXT Women’s Champion, Roxanne Perez

The match was a good showing for all three ladies and I think Toxic Attraction could work as singles stars, if they decide to go down that route.

NXT Vengeance Day 2023
Bron Breakker vs. Grayson Waller
(Steel Cage Match for the NXT Championship)

The steel cage is lowered and it is time for our main event. The only way to win this match is by pinfall or submission inside the cage. Escaping the cage does not count. Waller jumped Breakker as he was getting ready to get into the cage and they fought at ringside for a minute or two before Waller gets tossed in the cage by Breakker.

Breakker was able to stay slightly ahead of Waller using his power, but Waller found ways to get one up on him. The match was good but the winner was never in doubt. Waller looked to have a couple of chances to win but Breakker finished him off with two spears to retain his title.

Winner: AND STILL NXT Champion, Bron Breakker

After the match, Breakker climbed to the top of the cage to pose with the NXT Title. Carmelo Hayes comes out with Trick Williams to have a stare down to acknowledge that Hayes is next in line for Stand and Deliver.

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Overall, the show was pretty good. The full house was a really good sign for NXT’s return to the road. Stand and Deliver will be in LA on WrestleMania Saturday.

You can catch me on Twitter (@ciscowebwiz76) with any feedback or discussion.

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