10 Ups & 1 Down From NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day

Adam Cole explodes and WWE's women make history at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day.

by Jamie Kennedy

What a f*cking pro wrestling show.

It's obvious as hell from looking at the title of this piece, but NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day was an early contender for best show of the year. If that sounds ridiculous (it's February), then consider this: WWE put on a pulsating five-match card that mixed tag-team brilliance and one-on-one genius with storyline twists and typically stellar production.

Nobody can ask for any more than that - the pacing was great, each bout had something different to say, history was made and the night closed with one of the best cliffhangers in recent memory. A few hearts might be broken over that ending, come to think of it. Worth it though, because....well, wow.

It says everything for Vengeance Day that the show only had one real 'Down', and even that could be construed as slightly cheap by some.

Quick bit of praise for the commentary trio of Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett and Beth Phoenix too. They raced along with the action, never once stepped on each other's toes and managed the tricky three-person dynamic like absolute pros.

Brace yourself for some serious positivity...

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Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.