Storylines
The event included matches that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television program, NXT . [5] [6]
On the January 28 episode of NXT, Raw's A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) hosted a special edition of The Grayson Waller Effect with the new NXT Champion Oba Femi as guest. Theory and Waller said they appeared to see if Femi was "worth the hype." Femi retaliated and said he has accomplished more in a shorter amount of time than both Theory and Waller combined. Afterwards, Femi declared that he would defend the title against either of the two at Vengeance Day. NXT General Manager Ava took issue with Femi declaring his opponents, but announced a triple threat match against both Theory and Waller for Vengeance Day. [7]
At New Year's Evil, Giulia defeated Roxanne Perez to win the NXT Women's Championship. [8] One week later, Perez addressed the fans, seemingly to announce her departure from NXT before being interrupted by SmackDown's Bayley, who tried giving Perez advice to no avail. A brawl ensued between the two women as the show went off the air. [9] During this time, Bayley had been transferred to the Raw brand as part of WWE's transfer window. Bayley appeared on NXT the following week to show gratitude to the fans before being interrupted by Giulia, who showed her respect to Bayley. Perez and her ally, Cora Jade, interrupted and insulted them as a brawl ensued between the two teams. [10] One week later, the two teams faced each other in a tag team match, which Giulia and Bayley won after the latter pinned Jade. Later that night, when NXT General Manager Ava was about to announce Giulia's Vengeance Day opponent, she was cut off by Perez and Jade, with Perez saying Bayley doesn’t deserve a title shot since she didn’t get her title rematch yet, and stating that it was Jade's fault they lost the match earlier in the show. After that, Ava announced that Giulia would defend the title against both Bayley and Perez in a triple threat match at Vengeance Day, much to Jade's dismay. [7] A week later, Jade attacked both Giulia and Bayley, and tried to hit Perez. This led to a match between Bayley and Jade on the February 11 episode, where Jade defeated Bayley after interference from Perez, who wore Bayley's previous "hugger" gimmick from 2015 to 2019. After the match, Ava announced that the NXT Women's Championship match would now be a fatal four-way match between Giulia, Bayley, Perez, and Jade. [11]
At New Year's Evil, Stephanie Vaquer won a fatal four-way match to become the #1 contender for the NXT Women's North American Championship, held by Fallon Henley. Later that night, however, Shotzi pinned Henley in a six-woman tag team match. [8] Shotzi and Vaquer argued over who should get the match first. A match between the two was scheduled for the following week, which Shotzi won after interference from Henley and her Fatal Influence stablemates, Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx. [9] Two weeks later, Henley defeated Shotzi to retain the title. After the match, Vaquer confronted Henley, and it was announced that Henley would defend the title against Vaquer at Vengeance Day. [7]
Ever since losing the NXT Championship and a NXT North American Championship match in 2024, Ethan Page went into an emotional turmoil and became depressed. On the December 17 episode of NXT, Page came to the ring stating that he deserved all the hate he was getting from the fans and that he had lost his smile. Afterwards, he was interrupted by Je'Von Evans, who praised him and said that Page deserved to be where he is now. Page said Evans was right and that he shouldn't worry about losing his smile, but rather take away Evans smile, prompting Page to attack Evans, crushing his jaw with a steel chair. [12] Two weeks later, Page defeated Evans' tag team partner Cedric Alexander and crushed Alexander's hand with a toolbox. [13] On the January 14 episode, Page defeated Dante Chen and crushed Chen's leg with the steel step. Evans returned to attack Page but was knocked down by Page punching his injured jaw. [9] On the February 4 episode, NXT General Manager Ava decided to suspend Evans so that he wouldn't end up getting even more injured, but Page said that Evans should be "punished" by facing him. Ava then stated that they could face each other at Vengeance Day, but only if Evans was medically cleared. [14] On the next episode, Evans was cleared to compete, but Ava made him sign a waiver that WWE wouldn't be responsible for any damage to Evans. After signing the term, Ava reluctantly made the match official. [11]
In July 2024, it was announced that Josh Briggs would be one of two NXT representatives (the other being No Quarter Catch Crew's Tavion Heights) to enter Pro Wrestling Noah's N-1 Victory tournament. [15] After his excursion to Noah, Briggs formed a tag team with Noah's Yoshiki Inamura, who Briggs defeated during his time at Noah, and they set their sights on Axiom and Nathan Frazer's NXT Tag Team Championship. On the February 4 episode of NXT, Frazer told Briggs and Inamura to find someone to beat to prove they deserve a title shot. Briggs challenged Hank Waller and Tank Ledger while Inamura challenged No Quarter Catch Crew (Heights and Myles Borne), which prompted NXT General Manager Ava to schedule a triple threat tag team match for the next episode. [14] After Briggs and Inamura won the match, Axiom and Frazer announced that they would defend the title against Briggs and Inamura at Vengeance Day. [11]
On the December 3, episode of NXT, Eddy Thorpe won a fatal four-way last chance match to qualify for the Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline. However, he was later found attacked backstage [16] and was ruled out for Deadline. [17] Two days after Deadline on the December 10 episode of NXT, Thorpe confronted NXT Champion Trick Williams and demanded a title shot, which Williams agreed. Upon signing the title match contract, Thorpe revealed to NXT General Manager Ava that he staged his own attack to ease his way into an NXT Championship match, turning heel in the process. [18] The title match on the following week ended in a double pinfall and Williams retained his title. [12] At New Year's Evil on January 7, Williams defended his NXT Championship in a triple threat match against Thorpe and the Iron Survivor Challenge winner Oba Femi, where Femi won to become the new NXT Champion. [8] On the February 4 episode of NXT, Femi and Williams lost to Raw's A-Town Down Under Austin Theory and Grayson Waller in a tag team match after Thorpe whipped Williams with a leather strap behind the referee's back. After the match, Thorpe continued to brutally whip Williams. [14] On the following week, Thorpe challenged Williams to a strap match at Vengeance Day, which was accepted by Williams. [11]
