5 Ups & 5 Downs From NXT Vengeance Day 2024
Good title matches, shocking developments keep brisk show on track.
Every so often when watching NXT, it’s worth reminding yourself that, even though it’s sometimes treated as a third brand, it’s technically WWE’s developmental territory, where less experienced wrestlers learn their craft. For example, their North American Champion has just two dozen matches to his resumé.
When watching Vengeance Day Sunday night, that reminder is helpful in tempering criticism of botches and matches that are more recitations and by-the-numbers performances than pseudo-athletic competitions. It doesn’t absolve NXT from putting stuff on its PLE that really had no business being there though.
Vengeance Day survived on the strength of its three title matches, which themselves relied on two big surprises to elevate them. The NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament winner Lola Vice finally executed her contract and went for gold. Meanwhile, the drama surrounding Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams finally reached a climax and sent fans into a frenzy.
But NXT’s backstage segments were lackluster at best and terrible at worst. Their other matches would have been better served on the Tuesday program than a PLE, and the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic final was a disappointment due to some sloppiness.
The event still was watchable, clocking in well under three hours and not dragging. It just isn’t going to be in the conversation for best WWE PLE of the year, and shouldn’t be for NXT either.
Let’s get to it…