WWE NXT Vengeance Day live results: Bron Breakker vs. Santos Escobar
Three title matches headline tonight’s special Vengeance Day edition of NXT.
The NXT Championship will be on the line as Bron Breakker defends against Santos Escobar in tonight’s main event. It will be Breakker’s first title defense since winning the championship from Tommaso Ciampa at New Year’s Evil last month.
The NXT North American Championship and NXT Women’s Tag Team titles will also be up for grabs tonight. Carmelo Hayes defends his North American title against Cameron Grimes, while Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta challenge Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne) for the Women’s Tag Team titles.
The finals of the 2022 men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will take place as MSK take on The Creed Brothers. Plus, Pete Dunne faces Tony D’Angelo in a weaponized steel cage match.
For the second straight week, NXT is airing on Syfy due to the Winter Olympics being on USA Network. Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Pete Dunne defeated Tony D’Angelo in a Weaponized Steel Cage Match
Pete Dunne was already standing in the cage as we kicked off the show. Then we cut to the back where Tony D’Angelo was driven into the building in a car that Vic Joseph mentioned might have been “lifted”.
Dunne attacked D’Angelo immediately after the bell and hit him with several of the weapons that were tied up around the cage. D’Angelo fought back and hit a Falcon Arrow on top of a garbage can as things got off to a really fast start.
Dunne went after D’Angelo’s fingers early in the match too. Attacking hands has sort of been the story of their feud. First Dunne slammed D’Angelo’s hands in a tool box, then he wrapped them in a wrench and stomped on them. Dunne then tried to escape the cage but D’Angelo hit him with a blast from a fire extinguisher and suplexed him off the top. After this, he tied Dunne’s hands behind his back.
Dunne actually managed to get some offense in despite having his hands tied behind his back. He landed a headbutt and then looked to lock in a headscissors on his opponent. D’Angelo slammed out of the hold, however, and then got a 2 count after a DDT.
D’Angelo went to Powerbomb Dunne into a table but Dunne wrapped him up in a Guillotine choke. In order to get out of the move, D’Angelo grabbed pliers from the tool box and cut Dunne’s hands free.
After this, D’Angelo went for his weapon of choice, the crowbar, but Dunne caught him and powerbombed him through a table. After that, Dunne went for his weapon of choice, a cricket bat, and broke it over D’Angelo’s back. Dunne then picked him up and delivered the Bitter End but only got a 2 count.
D’Angelo then hit Dunne with a low blow and then a fisherman buster for a 2 count. Dunne then grabbed a crowbar that was hidden by the ring apron and hit D’Angelo with it. He then hit Bitter End for a second time and got the pin.
This started fast and never let up. There was a lot of plunder used but also a lot of story to it with call-backs to things that happened earlier in the rivalry.
– We cut to a video of Cora Jade being woken up early in the morning by Raquel Gonzalez. They’ll team together in the Dusty Rhodes Classic so the story here is that Gonzalez wants to train hard to win the tournament. A montage of them doing various training exercises ensued.
– The Creed Brothers and Malcolm Bivens cut a promo backstage saying the only reason MSK won the Dusty Cup last year is because they weren’t in the tournament.
– MSK cut a backstage promo saying they plan on winning back-to-back Dusty Cups. They mentioned that now they were the veterans facing an up and coming team.
Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne) defeated Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta to retain the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships
Toxic Attraction attacked the challengers before the bell. Once things got back in the ring, Pirotta got her and Hartwell back into it pretty quickly, however, after giving Jayne a fall away slam.
The heels took over after Mandy Rose distracted Hartwell. Then after Indi had spilled to the outside, the ref caught Rose tossing her back in the ring and ejected her from ringside. We then went to commercial.
Hartwell started to make a comeback right as the show came back from break. She then made a hot tag to Pirotta who would take out both her opponents and eventually gave them a double Samoan Drop.
With Hartwell and Dolin the legal competitors, Jayne and Pirotta ended up brawling on the outside. Jayne then tossed Pirotta into the steel steps, taking her out of the match. She then grabbed Hartwell’s leg as she was going for her springboard elbow. Shortly after this, Toxic Attraction hit a high and low double-team move on Hartwell and got the pin.
– We cut to the back where Wendy Choo was asking Dakota Kai to be her teammate in the Dusty Rhodes Classic. As this was happening, Dakota was talking to someone off-screen that only she was aware of.
– Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs were in a bar talking about their recent dates with Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter. Jensen’s date with Kayden didn’t appear to go too great, as she referred to him as like a brother. Everyone agreed that he has fallen into the “friend zone”. Riveting stuff.
Grayson Waller & LA Knight promo segment
LA Knight came out to cut a promo but was interrupted by Grayson Waller who had two police officers with him. He showed footage of Knight attacking him last week and breaking the restraining order he had taken out on him. Then Knight played a video of Waller attacking him from two weeks ago. Knight also pointed out that page 2 of the restraining order also said that Grayson Waller could not attack him either. The police officers then just decided to leave, perhaps realizing that two wrestlers attacking each other on a pro wrestling show is not something for them to get involved in.
Knight then attacked Waller and tossed him out of the ring before announcing the two of them will face off next week.
– We cut to the back where Pirotta and Indi Hartwell were consoling each other over their loss. They said they would enter the Dusty Rhodes Classic and get another shot at the titles. Dexter Lumis then came in and left with Hartwell. Duke Hudson then came in and led Pirotta away by the hand.
– Tommaso Ciampa cut a backstage promo about people thinking they are better than him because his accomplishments occurred in what they consider a “farm system.” He said Dolph Ziggler thinks he’s better than him but shouldn’t mistake his loyalty for weakness.
Carmelo Hayes (w/ Trick Williams) defeated Cameron Grimes to retain the NXT North American Championship
They started off with some back and forth grappling and a slow pace. Grimes then hit a big back body drop but got distracted with Williams on the outside. This allowed Hayes to attack from behind and go on offense. Hayes hit a springboard leg drop on Grimes as he was draped in the ropes just before we went to commercial.
During the picture-in-picture, Williams hit Grimes behind the referee’s back. Commentary played up that his interference was the story of this match thus far.
Grimes began to make a comeback shortly after we returned from break. He hit a big side slam for a 2 count. Hayes then hit a lung blower and a springboard clothesline for a 2 count. Grimes got the next near fall after a super kick.
Williams then tried to distract Grimes again but as Hayes went to attack from behind, the challenger side stepped him and gave him a poisonrana. Grimes then kicked Williams and delivered a flying crossbody to the champion for a two count.
Grimes called for his double foot stomp but Hayes rolled out of the ring. Grimes followed and went to give him the move on the floor but Williams pushed Hayes out of the way and ended up taking it himself. Hayes then tossed Grimes into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Hayes locked Grimes up in a crossface. As Grimes went for the ropes, Williams pulled the bottom rope away from him. Grimes ended up countering the hold into a pinning combination for a two count. Short after this, Hayes whiplashed Grimes’ neck off the ropes and hit a diving axe kick for the win.
In storyline, Trick Williams is really good at interfering. He did it a bunch this match without getting caught or ejected.
– In the back, Kay Lee Ray was smashing things with a baseball bat and asked if Io Shirai wanted to as well. This then led to a montage of them breaking stuff. With Zoey Stark injured, Shirai needs a tag partner for the Dusty Rhodes Classic. It looks like she’s chosen Ray.
The Creed Brothers (Brutus Creed & Julius Creed) w/ Malcolm Bivens defeated MSK (Nash Carter & Wes Lee) To Win The 2022 Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
Malcolm Bivens came out with a John Cena “Never Give Up” towel. He then flipped it around where it read “Nah, You Should”.
The two teams exchanged periods of offense early. Eventually, the Creed Brothers gained the advantage and knocked both members of MSK to the outside before we went to commercial break.
When we got back from break, Lee made a hot tag to Carter. He hit a snap German suplex on Brutus and a series of kicks on both Creed Brothers. He then hit a Senton on Julius as Lee tagged in and delivered a diving corkscrew right after. MSK then kept up the attack with double-team moves after this.
The Creed Brothers then turned things around. Brutus took Lee out with a push kick. Meanwhile, Julius caught a tope attempt from Carter and gave him a spine buster on the floor. He rolled him back in the ring, gave him a big clothesline and got the pin.
The Creed Brothers and Malcolm Bivens then celebrated with the Dusty Cup as confetti dropped from the floor.
– We cut to a vignette of Nikkita Lyons. She said she’ll be making her debut next week.
Imperium Promo
The fans kept chanting “Walter” at Gunther. He then corrected them on how to properly pronounce the name “Gunther”.
They congratulated The Creed Brothers on winning the Dusty Cup but said they wouldn’t be ready to face them for the titles. Gunther then said he’ll be watching the NXT Championship match between Bron Breakker and Santos Escobar with interest. He was likely about to mention something about the mat being sacred when Solo Sikoa interrupted.
Sikoa said that on the island they find the biggest and baddest guy and smack the taste out of his mouth and that’s what he was looking to do. He never did get in the ring, though. His music played and he left. So, it looks like we’ll be getting Gunther vs Sikoa sometime soon.
– Dolph Ziggler was interviewed in the back and spoke about Ciampa’s promo from earlier. Ziggler said that he plans on ending Ciampa’s hope of becoming NXT champion again by beating him next week. He also said he’ll be watching the NXT Championship match between Breakker and Escobar closely.
– In the back, Pete Dunne congratulated Carmela Hayes on still be NXT North American Champion “for now”. It looks like Dunne plans on challenging for that belt soon.
– The lineup for next week was revealed. The Women’s Dusty Rhodes Classic begins next week, though no teams or matches were announced. LA Knight vs Grayson Waller and Dolph Ziggler vs Tommaso Ciampa were also announced.
Bron Breakker defeated Santos Escobar to retain the NXT Championship
During his ring entrance, Breakker lit the Vengeance Day logo on fire before walking out to the ring.
They established Breakker as the much stronger wrestler early in the match. He knocked the challenger over with a shoulder block and also no-sold a shove attempt (as in Escobar shoved him but he didn’t move an inch).
Escobar got back into things with a dropkick. Breakker then regained the advantage shortly after with a big delayed vertical suplex. A lariat and a backbreaker followed. Then Joaquin Wilde got up on the ring apron, distracting the champion. Escobar knocked Breakker off the ring apron and landed his patented tope. This led to Escobar going on a sustained period of offense.
After a very long period of Escobar wearing the champion down, Breakker eventually made a comeback. He hit a flurry of punches and shoulder blocks to get back into it. Mendoza and Wilde then both got up on the ring apron but Breakker took them both out. Then Elektra Lopez distracted the referee and Dolph Ziggler ran in and super kicked Breakker. Escobar covered the champion but only got a two count. This really upset Ziggler on the outside.
Ziggler then tried to get back in the ring but Tommaso Ciampa prevented him. They then brawled on the outside.
Escobar hit a tornado DDT but missed a frog splash attempt. Breakker then hit a spear, pulled the straps down on his singlet and gorilla pressed his opponent into a power slam and got the pin.
Final Thoughts: This was a fun show. The NXT Championship picture is getting exciting. Multiple guys stated their intentions to go after the belt tonight. Ziggler, Ciampa, and Gunther all referenced wanting a shot at the title. Ziggler and Ciampa will face each other next week while Gunther has to get passed Solo Sikoa at some point it seems. A Gunther vs Breakker match would be fun, Ziggler vs Breakker would be good too. I imagine those will be the next two title matches. The cage match tonight was awesome, and Grimes vs Hayes was good too. There are things to like about NXT 2.0.