Hot on the heels of a dramatic Royal Rumble, NXT has the chance to grab headlines and show the WWE Universe exactly what to expect from the Superstars of tomorrow.
A stacked card sees all of the brand’s Championships on the line, as the black and gold brand venture away from the Performance Center, and take centre stage in Charlotte, North Carolina.
But what can we expect from an NXT roster that has been in a seemingly perpetual state of flux in recent years? Andy Spoors gives us a quick rundown of what is on offer…
The NXT Big Things?
Not since the Takeover days of NXT have we seen WWE’s third brand host an event based solely of their own accord and talent. Mixed in with the packed WrestleMania weekend in 2022, NXT Vengeance Day 2023 marks the first standalone live streaming event for the brand to be held outside of Florida since NXT TakeOver: Portland two years ago.
From Full Sail University tapings to running shows from the PC. Black and gold theming, to colourful splashes and back again. Top tier indie talent, to a focus on creating Superstars from different athletic backgrounds. NXT over the past two years feels like it has been built on shifting sands. Nothing has remained in situ for too long.
But with the upheaval, there is a lot to be liked about WWE’s developmental brand. Now run by Hall Of Famer, Shawn Michaels, NXT has placed its faith (for the most part) on young, hungry talent.
Both the men and women’s NXT Championships are held by Superstars that will undoubtedly break through to the main roster. Roxanne Perez even featured in last week’s Royal Rumble, giving her some welcome shine to the WWE Universe and perhaps even more importantly, experience at a top level.
Here the NXT Women’s Champion faces off against both members of Toxic Attraction, Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne in a triple threat match. Long touted for the main roster to bolster the women’s tag division there, Toxic Attraction have a much deserved chance at single’s gold after some excellent work with Mandy Rose (before leaving the company).
The main event of the night sees Breakker defend his championship inside a steel cage against the brash and outspoken Grayson Waller. The latter is an almost TikTok version of The Miz, but at Vengeance Day, the Australian has a chance to let his performance do the talking.
Elsewhere, Apollo Crews looks to test the legitimacy of Carmello Hayes in a ‘2 out of 3 Falls’ match. Crews has been around the block, lurching from NXT prospect to an unpopular and over the top Nigerian heritage gimmick. In an attempt to reboot himself, Apollo has gone back to basics and looks every bit the Superstar he was originally touted to be.
Here, he meets one of the shining lights of NXT from the past couple of years in Hayes. Great on the mic and even better in the ring, Carmello looks to have a bright future, but will be looking to live up to that expectation by dispatching Crews and staking a claim for a future NXT Championship shot.
The New Day’s current run as NXT Tag Team Champions has been questioned in some quarters, but will face off against three of the brand’s tag teams in one go. There are very few tag teams in the entire industry that have the accolades and trophy cabinet possessed by the members of The New Day, making them the ideal measuring stick and brass rings, aspiring teams must reach for.
Full Match Card For NXT Vengeance Day
Bron Breakker defends the NXT Championship against Grayson Waller inside a Steel Cage
Roxanne Perez defends the NXT Women’s Championship against both members of Toxic Attraction in a Triple Threat Match
Wes Lee defends the North American Championship against Dijak
The New Day faces Pretty Deadly, Gallus, and Chase U in a Fatal 4-Way Match for the NXT Tag Team Championships
Kayden Carter & Katana Chance defend the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships against the team of Fallon Henley & Kiana James
Apollo Crews and Carmelo Hayes face off in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match