WWE NXT recap and reactions: On and upwards to Vengeance Day

The latest episode of WWE NXT aired live from the WWE Performance Center. And it featured plenty of build for Vengeance Day, the brand’s special live event set for two weeks from now.

Of course, this means the champions of the brand have their hands full trying to deal with contenders to their belts.

Let’s start with Mandy Rose and Toxic Attraction vs Kay Lee Ray, a storyline that bled – not literally – throughout the episode.

Ray challenged Rose for a shot at the NXT women’s title. Mandy being Mandy, refused. So Ray kidnapped Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jane – really – and then played mind games with Rose all night.

The exclamation point came after the main event of the night – Bron Breakker and Tommaso Ciampa vs Legado del Fantasma – came to a close.

Ray stalked Rose all the way ringside, got her wish for a title match, then superkicked the champion for good measure. The show closed with Ray posing over the fallen champion.

We have ourselves an NXT Women’s Championship Match NEXT WEEK on #WWENXT! @Kay_Lee_Ray @WWE_MandyRose pic.twitter.com/HAAzeWEZMz

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 2, 2022

This is an interesting direction for the women’s title. Rose needs Toxic Attraction to win, whereas Ray was showcased as a no-nonsense fighter.

All in all, this was very very good.

‘Can they co-exist’ done right

It’s something of a running joke that WWE’s main roster will book rivalries by using them in tag matches. Commentary will then helpfully ask “can they exist” knowing fully well they can’t – and won’t.

But this storyline between Ciampa and Breakker is layered enough that it makes you think. And that’s what makes it interesting.

Look, everyone knows Ciampa will turn on the young champion at some point. It’s his MO and he values gold over everything else.

But here, the ‘Sicilian Psycopath’ was the perfect partner. He said he wants to help Breakker become a better champion, and seemed to mean it.

Even the tag match saw the two work perfectly. Ciampa remains a fun hot tag, whereas Breakker did well to play the face-in-peril.

It was what happened after Bron military pressed Raul Mendoza and pinned him that really caught the eye.

.@bronbreakkerwwe & @NXTCiampa take down #LegadoDelFantasma on #WWENXT @RaulMendozaWWE @joaquinwilde_ pic.twitter.com/1tbIU0Mq49

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 2, 2022

Santos Escobar got in Breakker’s face and the camera panned to Ciampa. Surely he would turn now, right? He did not but his expression was intriguing.

Is he going to turn soon? Or at all? Does he actually want to mentor Bron? These are questions going through the mind at that point. And it is this which makes viewers want to tune in week after week.

More of this, please.

WWE NXT – best of the rest

• The night opened with Imperium taking on The Diamond Mine. Before the match began, Imperium took out Roderick Strong. This meant they worked over the Brothers Creed for the longest of time. Strong did try and make a comeback but it was for naught. Imperium won when GUNTHER – sigh – pinned Brutus Creed.
• Carmelo Hayes and Cameron Grimes had a fun back-and-forth, with Hayes more than holding his own on the mic.
• Wendy Choo beat Amari Miller after the latter was bribed by Tiffany Stratton to take the match. This was fine for what it was.
• Raquel Gonzalez beat Cora Jade in a decent match. Even in defeat, Jade put up a fight. As a result, the two will team up for the Dusty Cup.
• LA Knight lost to Joe Gacy after Grayson Waller and his bodyguard interfered. On next week’s WWE NXT, if Knight beats Sanga, Waller might lift his restraining order.
• Sarray beat Kayla Inlay in a squash, but it is hard to take the gimmick of the former seriously. It reeks of stereotypes.
• Andre Chase vs. Draco Anthony ends with a win for the former.

The grind NEVER stops for @DracoAnthonyWWE!#WWENXT @AndreChaseWWE pic.twitter.com/gOJ7BXT4SS

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 2, 2022

Grade: B+