NXT TakeOver Vengeance Day: Full match card and winner predictions

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals: Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez vs. Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart

While the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic has existed since 2015, this is the first year that the women of NXT are getting in on the action. Eight teams rounded out the bracket, and after three weeks of action, the field has been dwindled down to our final two.

Of the two teams, Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez have the experience edge as a pairing; Kai has teamed with Gonzalez as early as February of 2020 when NXT was still on the road for non-televised live events. They’ve picked up some big wins since then, including being on the winning side of a women’s WarGames match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames last December.

On the other hand, Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart seem to be on a roll like no other pairing in NXT. They first joined up for WarGames, and that pairing reunited for the Women’s Dusty Classic. No outcome here would be disappointing, but I’m expecting the fresh pairing of Moon and Blackheart to carry their momentum into a win this Sunday.

Prediction: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart win the first-ever Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

NXT Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match: Io Shirai (c) vs. Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Martinez

In what could be the match of the night, Io Shirai will defend her NXT Women’s Championship in a Triple Threat Match. While some champions — usually heel champions — would be reluctant to defend in that environment, Shirai emphasized in the build to this clash that she’s anything but scared.

As the champion pointed out, she won that title in a Triple Threat Match that included Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley. Shirai seems to thrive on that kind of chaos, and she gets the chance to do so again against two formidable opponents this Sunday. Former NXT UK Women’s Champion Toni Storm is the youngest competitor in this match, but still brings 12 years of experience with her.

Meanwhile, Mercedes Martinez may be newer to NXT, but she has a significant experience edge with two decades since her in-ring debut. This will be a magnificent contest, and Storm may end up eating the fall for a new champion as Mercedes Martinez captures her first NXT championship.

Prediction: Mercedes Martinez is the new NXT Women’s Champion