8 WWE NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day Impulse Reactions
2. Io Shirai (c) Vs. Toni Storm Vs. Mercedes Martinez
Io Shirai was yet again forced into the position of having to have an absorbing story-driven NXT Championship match without the actual story. As has typically been the case for the duration of her title run, she was given ideal dance partners to make the best of an irritating situation.
Kicking the living sh*t out of each other for a little over TIME (and it felt even shorter than that), the trio were presumably given the shorter match on the card to provide something a little sharper in between the evocative Dusty Cup final and the the blustery main event.
A table collapsing by itself could have derailed things, but the energy level never dropped and it was hard to keep in mind as the contest raced to its conclusion.
Though good, the match never solved the problem placed upon it by the listless set-up. Storm and Martinez were great wrestlers, in a division of great wrestlers, that couldn't quite beat the best wrestler. NXT have done a wonderful job of preparing Raquel Gonzalez as the next titleholder, but it's a shame Shirai's reign threatens to end with a whimper.