wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s WWE NXT Vengeance Day Review 2.15.22
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hello NXT viewers! It’s Tuesday, and the day after Valentine’s Day. And since we all know the day after Valentine’s Day we seek revenge, it’s time for NXT Vengeance Day! I’m Jeremy Thomas, here as always, and tonight we have a stacked card that includes most of NXT’s titles on the line! Bron Breakker will defend the NXT Championship against Santos Escobar, while Carmelo Hayes puts his North American Title on the line against Cameron Grimes. Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta will have a shot at Toxic Attraction’s NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles as well. Plus we have Pete Dunne vs. Tony D’Angelo in a Weaponized Steel Cage and MSK battling the Creed Brothers in the men’s Dusty Cup Finals. That’s a lot of big matches, so hopefully it’ll be a great show.
Here at Thomas Central, I’ve stayed busy with entertainment as always. I have new reviews up for Paramount+’s YA supernatural rom-dram The In Between and the witch comedy King Knight, the latter of which I heartily recommend. I watched the Steven Soderbergh tech thriller Kimi starring Zoe Kravitz and the school shooting drama The Fallout, both of which were quite good and are new on HBO Max. Jackass Forever was fun, Death On the Nile was okay but forgettable. I also watched the potent coming of age 2016 film Boys in the Trees as well as the abysmal, “not good enough for Lifetime” crime mystery Brazen on Netflix.
I also saw some TV as I finished up The Book of Boba Fett which was good (if not Mandalorian-level good), as well as the delightfully satrical The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window on Netflix. I’m keeping up on Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon Prime which continues to be great, too. It’s been a busy week!
Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop right in.
As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.
* We start off with Mandy Rose lounging by the pool texting with Gigi Dolan and Jacy Jayne about the card. Mandy is impressed with Carmelo Hayes, and the girls think there will be a new NXT Champion tonight. “Happy Vengeance Day, bitches,” says Mandy.
* We’re LIVE in the Capitol Wrestling Center, and we’re launching right into the WEAPONIZED Steel Cage Match. Tony D’Angelo arrives in a car, which is possibly stolen? Wade Barrett doesn’t think so.
Weaponized Steel Cage Match
Pete Dunne vs. Tony D’Angelo
Dunne enzuigiri’s Tony’s head off right off the bat and tosses him into the cage wall a couple of times, before grabbing a chair and cracking it over his back. He does it again, hard enough to break the chair! Dunne grabbs a garbage can but Tony tackles him, then hits a Falcon Arrow onto the garbage can.
D’Angelo pulls some weapons down and then grabs a kendo stick, slamming it down on Dunne. He tosses it away and goes in for the tool box, but Dunne slams the lid on Tony’s hands and then stomps on it! He grabs a socket wrench and bends Tony’s finger back! Stomp right on the elbow, and he goes for the cricket bat but D’Angelo sprays Dunne with a fire extinguisher and goes up top to beat on Dunne. He lifts Dunne up and puts him on the cage, going for a SUPERPLEX FROM THE CAGE TOP! Cover for two.
D’Angelo goes into the toolbox and comes out with zip ties, which he uses to cuff Dunne’s hands behind his back. Tony stomps on Dunne and talks trash, then lays in some firsts. He goes back to the box and gets a claw hammer, wrenching on Dunne’s mouth! Tony picks Dunne up and eats a headbutt, then a kneelift on a charging D’Angelo. He leaps onto D’Angelo with a triangle leg choke, but D’Angelo picks him up for a powerbomb. DDT by Tony and cover for two.
Tony picks Dunne up and puts him in powerbomb position, but Dunne counters into a guillotine choke while in the cuffs! Tony manages to get the pliers from the box and cuts himself free, freeing Pete’s hands. Dunne grabs Tony’s hands but is thrown into the cage.
D’Angelo goes up and gets the crowbar, but Dunne with a shot to him and he grabs him…running powerbomb into the set-up table! Cover for a nearfall. Dunne is now up and he goes for the cricket bat as Tony grabs the crowbay — Dunne steps on the crowbar and jumps on Tony’s hands — BITTER END. Cover for two and a half, but D’Angelo kicks out.
Dunne grabs the crowbar and lies in wait — he charges in but Tony with a lowblow! Fuggedaboutit and a cover for a nearfall. Both men slow to get up now, D’Angelo crawls for his crowbar while Dunne gets another one! Dunne with a shot to Tony’s gut, then another to the back of the head! Bitter End and that will do it.
Winner: Pete Dunne (9:52)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: That was a crazy match that didn’t quite hit the epic level it could have, but was mostly good for the time it got. They were limited by only getting a bit under 10 minutes but they both delivered and Dunne gets his needed revenge.
* Cora Jade is woken up by a call from Raquel Gonzalez. It’s 5 AM, but Raquel says its time to get up because only losers are asleep at 5. She goes to her balcony and Raquel is waiting.
They go into the NXT Performance Center and Cora doesn’t believe it’s open. They begin warming up and start training. Raquel says Cora is impressed, until she sees Cora eating. That’s apparently not part of the plan. They go outside to run and Raquel asks if Cora has the stamina. They run, do push ups, sit-ups, and carry each other as they run. Raquel has high hopes for round one, but they’re doing this all again tomorrow. Raquel is proud of Cora, but Cora doesn’t seem as excited.
* Wade Barrett and Vic Joseph announce that the women’s Dusty Cup begins next week, and McKenzie hypes the men’s final. We get a look at their comments from earlier today, with Malcolm Bivens saying they couldn’t be more different. Brutus says they’re the ones that put in the work, and Julius says the only green they chase is money. Tonight, they take what’s theirs.
We then see MSK and they talk about how they walked in the new kids last year and walked out the Dusty Cup winners, and NXT Tag Team Champions. They argue about whether Nash Carter cried and Carter says the Creeds are freaks of nature, but they didn’t have Shaman Bro Riddle to take them to the top of the mountain.
* Earlier today: Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams arrived, as did Cameron Grimes.
NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
Toxic Attraction vs. Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta
Toxic Attraction attack during Indi and Persia’s entrances and send them to the outside, then dive onto them. Persia is rolled in and the bell rings. Jayne decks Persia and goes for a crossbody, but Pirotta catched her with a fallaway slam. Indi tags in and they take Jayne out, cover for two.
Indi catches Jacy in the ropes and kicks her in the face, flipping her into the ring for a two-count. Persia manages to shove Indi in the ropes and tags in Gigi, Mandy goes up for a distraction as Jacy and Gigi both kick her off the top. Mandy rolls Indi in as the ref is distracted, but he catches her and ejects her from ringside as we go to PIP break.
We’re back with Jacy and Indi trading shots, and they send each other headfirst into the mat. They crawl to their corners and make the tags, and Persia runs over Gigi before picking her up for a Snake-Eyes into the corner. Belly to back suplex, and Jacy Jayne runs in and jumps on her back but gets slammed into the corner. Persia picks up Gigi and Jacy for a double Samoan drop, cover on Gigi for two.
Overhand blows by Pirotta to Dolan, she tags in Indi and they hit a tandem spinebuster for two before Jacy breaks it up. Persia attacks Jacy and they roll to the outside, but Jacy dodges a charge and sends Pirotta into the ring steps. Indi goes to sprinboard into the ring but Jacy trips her, and Gigi covers for two.
Gigi tags in Jacy, who comes in and they go high and low on Indi for three.
Winner: Toxic Attraction (7:54)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: This never really got out of second gear. It wasn’t a bad match, but it just didn’t click like it should have and the finish didn’t have the epic end that it should have.
* Amari Miller and Wendy Choo are talking about their Valentine’s Day, and Wendy asks if she has a partner for the Dusty Cup. Amari says she committed to someone last week. Wendy plays it cool, but when Amari goes she raspberries her. She sees Dakota Kai and offers to have her team with him. Kai talks to herself and Wendy interjects, saying when she figures it out to let her know.
* Grayson Waller shoes up with Sanga and is excited to see LA Knight get arrested. Some cops show up and he tells them to follow him inside as we go to break.
* We’re at a bar where Briggs and Jensen are hanging out. Briggs asks how the Valentine’s Day went and says Brooks owes him $50 for taking Kacy out. Brooks says that they talked about the Dusty Classic, Kayden paid for her half, and they went home. Briggs asks how it went and Brooks says that she said he was like a brother to her. Briggs says he’s a friend now. Briggs brings the bartender over and she spells it out. Jensen isn’t happy about being in the Friend Zone.
* LA Knight comes down to the ring and gets a mic, but Grayson Waller comes out with his cops and points Knight out. He says Knight has been obsessed with him for months and didn’t have to be this way, but he had no choice. He shows off video of Waller’s loss to AJ and then Knight attacking him “for no reason at all from behind.” He says he has emotional trauma so did what he had to do, but then Knight attacked him again. He says he can’t sleep at night and is full of anxiety. He says he’s seen the evidence, Knight broke the restraining order.
Knight grabs the envelope and says he read it front to back, and he knew the jackass would bring his own video evidence, so he brought his own of Waller attacking him two weeks ago. He says he’s no legal beagle, but he knows, Knight knows, the fans know, and the cops should know, that according to page two of the order, “Yes, LA Knight cannot touch Grayson Waller, but Grayson Waller cannot touch LA Knight.” Thus the order is null and void. Waller argues that it’s one way in Australia, but the cops leave. Waller says he tripped on the barricade. Waller says does this mean Knight can do whatever he wants? He turns around and gets wiped out by Knight, who beats on him and then stomps him down in the corner. Sanga comes up but gets knocked down onto the apron. Knight launches Waller over the ropes onto Sanga and says it’s open season on Waller. They’re facing off next week!
* Indi and Persia are upset aboutu coming so close. They say they can try again with the Dusty Cup. Dexy shows up and Indi says she’ll see Persia later. They leave, and Duke comes in to offer a hand. Persia takes it and they leave.
* Cameron Grimes prepares, as does Carmelo Hayes. That match is next.
* Apparently French Montana’s new track is the theme for NXT Vengeance Day. Okay then.
* Tommaso Ciampa is backstage talking about how he spent six years building his brand, his home. And still there are people who act like that doesn’t matter, like he’s doing it in a minor league farm system. They think they’re better than him; Dolph Ziggler does. He says that Ziggler mistakes loyalty for fear. But tonight it’s about Breakker vs. Escobar. He says he wants the title too and that Ziggler will probably be watching.
NXT North American Championship Match
Carmelo Hayes vs. Cameron Grimes
The crowd chants “TO THE MOON” and Grimes taunts Melo, who counters with his own taunt about shooting and not missing. They lock up and jockey for position, Grines ends up against the ropes and the ref calls for the break. Grimes goes for the foot, Melo gets the ropes, break. They go into some counter-wrestling, trading wristlocks until Grimes flips Hayes for a one-count.
Grimes with a waistlock, Hayes gets to his feet and backs Grimes into the corner. He swings but Grimes ducks and hits an armdrag, locking in an elbowlock and then snap flipping him around. Hayes reverses it with an armdrag, Grimes to his feet and they trade counters until Hayes shoots Grimes into the ropes but gets run over. Grimes runs the ropes, handstands over Melo and says to kiss his grits. Chops by Grimes and a kick to him against the ropes, Irish whip but Hayes counters, kicks Grimes, Irish whip countered, back body drop by Grimes.
Trick distracts Grimes, which allows Hayes to kick him in the head. Irish whip, Hayes flips over Grimes and clotheslines him down. He charges in but gets sent to the outside, Grimes onto the apron and goes for a kick but Hayes catches him and trips him. They’re back in, Hayes with a kick to Grimes in the corner and the Fadeaway as we go to PIP break.
Back from break and Hayes is still in control with a kneeling elbowlock. Grimes gets to his feet and armdrags Hayes, who charges in but gets kicked away. Grimes comes off the ropes and hits the turnaround crossbody on Hayes! Both men are down, with Hayes to his knees before Grimes kips up. They trade shots on their feet, but Hayes takes over with a throat thrust. He goes for a kick but Grimes hits a rana to counter, sends Hayes into the corner and charges in — kick. Big sequence of reversals ending in a tilt-a-whirl uranage for a near-fall!
Grimes with a leaping punch but Hayes blocks it, he leaps and takes Grimes down and then hits a springboard crossbody for two. Hayes to his knees now looking frustrated, he points to the sky and showboats — but Grimes nails him! Hayes dodges a shot but gets superkicked for about a 2.8 count.
Grimes back up and he goes in for kicks to the chest of a kneeled Hayes. Tirck on the apron, Hayes runs in and Grimes moves! Inverted rana, he takes out Trick and goes for a top-rope crossbody for a nearfall! Grimes is going To the Moon, but Hayes rolls out of the run. Grimes to the apron, Hayes moves and Grimes takes out Trick. Hayes shoves Grimes into the belt headfirst, Hayes gets him in the ring and hits a slam for two, but Hayes immediately locks in a crossface. Tirck pulls the ropes further away but Grimes rolls Hayes over for two. Hayes finally hits his top-rope Rocker Dropper for three.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes (15:58)
Rating: ****
Thoughts: This was just unequivocally great. I have absolutely no complaints; they delivered in about every way and Hayes got the win, but Grimes doesn’t look weak in the slightest in defeat. Excellent work by both men and that’s all I got to say about that..
* The men’s Dusty Classic finals are next, and we get a vignette for the finals.
* Kay Lee Ray asks Io Shirai if she wants to break something with her bat. IO says it’s not her style, bit KLR says that she knows Io is angry and hates Toxic Attraction. Io goes a little apeshit and has fun with it. Zoey walks in and asks what’s going on, and Io grabs Zoey’s coffee and smashes it. Io leaves, KLR says they’re going to have some fun, and Zoey looks impressed.
Men’s Dusty Classic Finals
MSK vs. The Creed Brothers
Brutus starts with Nash Carter and takes over quickly, tagging in Julius and whipping Carter into a fireman’s takedown. Julius returns the favor for Brutus and sends Carter into the ropes, Lee tags in and Julius charges into a shoulder tackle. MSK double team stomp on Julius who goes to the outside, and Lee dives over the ropes onto him. However, Lee gets a bit too flippy and gets slammed to the mat by Julius, who grabs Lee and drops him onto the ropes before sending him off the apron to the announcer’s booth. We’re on PIP break.
The Creeds are still in control when we come back, with Brutus slamming Lee down to the mat after a bearhug. Lee manages to roll out of the way from some Hulk smashing-style overhand blows, and Brutus dives in but Lee dogdes and Brutus hits the turnbuckle. Julius tags in and Carter tags in hit, going under Julius off the ropes and grabbing his leg to slam him down!
Carter with kicks to Julius before knocking Brutus off the ropes, and he goes to the apron — HOT FIRE FLAME TO THE outside onto Julius! He goes up top for a senton and takes out Carter, Lee with a twisting splash onto Julius and covers — kickout at two.
Lee with a kick to Julius’ back, Carter tages in and his thrown into Julius, but Julius catches him and tosses him to the outside. Lee catches Julius and levers him into a superkick and then a double knee drop, cover but Brutus breaks it up at two.
All four men slow to get up, Lee kicks Brutus in the head but Brutus kicks Lee across the ring. Carter with a knee to the back of Julius, he dives onto Juliue — who catches him! He slams Carter down, comes in, diving clothesline for three!
Winner: The Creed Brothers (9:32)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Very good match between these two guys that could have become truly great with a few more minutes. There were some fantastic spots, and the right team won It just needed a little extra so it could be paced like a truly great bout.
* We get another vignette for Nikkita Lyons who says her dad once sat her down and said she has to stop beating people up because she was built to bring people together. She says the rest was history, and then we get a hell of a dance routine. She’s a whole lotta woman who’s ready to do a whole lotta whuppin. Next week, she’s in action.
* Imperium are in the ring. Gunther gets “WALTER” chants. Aichner congratulates the Creed Brothers at earning a shot at their tag team titles, but it’s only an opportunity. Barthel says to understand what Imperium stands for they have to be willing to stuffer through anguish and misery (you mean, like watching Raw?). Gunther says it’s time for him to capture gold himself, and he’ll be watching Santos vs. Bron with the highest of interest.
He continues to speak, but Solo Sikoa interrupts! Solo says we get it; the mat is sacred, right? He doesn’t give a damn about the mat, because on the island, they find the biggest and baddest dude and then smack the taste out of his mouth. That’s what he’s about to do. He gets up on the apron and says he doesn’t care how Gunther says he’s name; he’s about to make Gunther his bitch. And…then he drops off the apron and backs up.
* McKenzie is backstage with Dolph Ziggler, who says Raw wasn’t the first time he had a drink thrown in his face. He says it must be nice to be Ciampa, staying in his lane. He says Ciampa probably flew in on his own dime and will sell a lot of phots from Raw. Ziggler says next week he’s kicking down the door to Ciampa’s home. He notes that he’ll be watching the NXT Championship match closely.
* Carmelo and Trick are backstage and they say Grimes is good, but Melo was great. Pete Dunne says congratulations on being North American Champion still — for now.
Set For Next Week:
– Women’s Dusty Cup begins
– LA Knight vs. Grayson Waller
– Tommaso Ciampa vs. Dolph Ziggler
NXT Championship Match
Santos Escobar vs. Bron Breakker
Santos jaws a bit and they circle, going into a lockup. Santos tries to power Bron but gets pushed into a corner. Bron breaks it, Santos decks him with no effect and gets shoved back across the ring. They go for a lockup but Escobar ducks and locks in a waistlock, Breakker turns it into a headlock. Santos tries to shoot him into the ropes but Bron cinches in. He succeeds in pushing Bron into the ropes a second time but gets run over.
Back into the ropes and Escobar with a big dropkick. Breakker back to his feet and he gets another headlock, Breaker into the ropes and catches Escobar with a rolling front facelock into a hanging vertical suplex. Bron kips up and Escobar bails to the outside. Breakker chases, they go into the ring and run the ropes, Breakker turns Santos inside out with a clothesline.
Breaker with shoulders to the gut in the corner and he gets Santos on his shoulders for a senton, Wilde causes the distraction on the outside and Santos knocks Breakker to the floor, then dives through the ropes to take Bron down! Santos tosses Bron into the steps and then rolls him into the ring. Cover gets two.
Escobar with overhead axehandles to the back and follows up with a neckbreaker for two. Santos with a submission stretch, he lets it go and pulls Breaker through the ropes, neckbreaker snapping Bron’s neck against the ropes. He roles back in, senton, cover on Bron for two.
Bron is fighting back in the corner now, he lays in body shots before getting backed off. He goes back in but gets a boot to the jaw. Santos sets Bron on the corner and backs up, he comes in with a double knee strike and cover for two.
Santos now outside and he pulls Breakker out onto the steps by the legs, he tiwsts Bron and grinds his nose against the ringpost, then slams him headfirst into the post before rolling him back in. Elbowdrop and another, then Escobar with a shoulder stretch. He turns it into a rear chinlock, wrenching back hard. Bron manages to get to his feet and punches out of it, but gets decked down. Santos with shots to the back, he talks trash and says it’s his time. He goes for a punch but Bron catches it and gets up.
Headbutt and then punches to the challenger, he runs over Escobar a couple times and hits a tilt-a-whirl sidewalk slam. Bron takes out Mendoza on the apron, pulls Wilde into the ring and throws him over the top. Lopez for the distraction, Ziggler slides in and hits a superkick! He escapes and Santos covers — but only gets a nearfall! Ziggler loses it and goes to slide in, but Ciampa catches him and they brawl to the back.
Santos goes for a tornado DDT, hitting it! He goes up top, frog splash but Breakker moves! Phantom Driver but Breakker slips out — SPEAR! Breakker takes down the straps, gorilla press powerslam, three-count!
Winner: Bron Breakker (12:06)
Rating: *** 3/4
Thoughts: That was a strong effort for both men. It wasn’t fancy, it was just clean, effective wrestling and that did the trick. Breakker gets the expected successful first title defense as he should have.
Breakker celebrates, and with that we’re done for the night!
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