NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day takes place on Sunday evenings from the Capital Wrestling Center in Orlando. The event – as is the case with all TakeOver cards – should be filled with plenty of high-octane action and some memorable matches with three title fights and the finals of both the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournaments for men and women.
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In the main draw, NXT Champion Finn Balor will defend his belt against former NXT UK Champion Pete Dunne in a match with the potential to be among the best of the year. The NXT Women’s Championship will also be the line, with champion Io Shirai facing Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez.
Watch NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day
Date: Sunday, February 14
Place: Capitol Wrestling Center – Orlando, Florida
Start time: 7:00 PM ET (kick-off show starts at 6:30 PM)
Watch live: WWE network
WWE network: Web Apple TV Roku Amazon Fire Play station Xbox iOS Android
NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day card, predictions
NXT Championship – Finn Balor (c) against Pete Dunne: Dunne, with Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch by his side, demanded a title match, which included performing several attacks that forced Balor into an alliance with Undisputed Era. Those different ties leave behind many external factors that can come into play during the championship battle. It feels like a matter of time until Dunne has his time as NXT champion, especially with Triple H as one of his biggest supporters. However, it is difficult to see Sunday evening as the crowning glory. Select: Finn Ballor to keep the title
NXT Women’s Championship – Io Shirai (c) against Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez: Shirai was a great champion in the ring, but her title reign lacked solid storylines. Storm and Martinez both watched the Championship, forming a team for the Dusty Classic due to their bond of hunting Shirai and the belt. That would backfire if Shirai intervened in their first round, costing them their spot in the tournament and adding to the anger of the challengers even more. They still share the same goal, but now as opponents in the upcoming triple threat match. Martinez and Storm feel like future champions, although it doesn’t feel like either of them is quite ready to be raised yet, leading to the champion remaining in what should be a fantastic match. Select: Io Shirai to keep the title
NXT North American Championship – Johnny Gargano (c) to Kushida: After toying with the idea that Gargano had suffered a broken arm – leaving him in a wheelchair because his gait is so powerful that he can’t do it without swinging his arms – and couldn’t defend his title, the ruse became unmasked and the match has started again. Gargano has emerged as a fantastic heel and resists the idea of being a “forever face” in NXT. With the addition of The Way in its corner, it looks like a little Austin Theory interference will help Gargano hold the belt against Kushida’s fiery challenge. Select: Johnny Gargano to keep the title
Classic Final Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Men – MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson): MSK has been introduced to the NXT crowd in a very strong way, with the veteran team making their way to the final to take on former NXT UK tag champions Drake and Gibson. If anything, getting MSK to take the win feels like the right approach to fully establish them as a new force in the tag division, with Drake and Gibson already locked in as an accomplished and dangerous team. Choose: MSK wins
Final ladies Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Dakota Kai & Raquel González vs. Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart: WWE has spent a lot of time working on Moon and Blackheart, with the latter emerging especially in the past six months as someone who trusts the promotion as a major face for events. Moon and Blackheart duo get a brief feud with WWE women’s champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler also feel like an appropriate reward after they finish navigating the field in the Dusty Classic. Choose: Win Moon & Blackheart
