With TakeOver Vengence just around the corner, NXT produced yet another great action-packed night of wrestling, helping the build for TakeOver Vengence as well as the build towards the Dusty Rhodes Classic finals.

With that in mind let’s looking at the moments that stood out on the show.

5. Everything Johnny Gargano did 

During his extended time in NXT, Gargano has proven that he can perform well as both a face and a heel. Whether it’s Johnny being an underdog babyface, a deluded heel, or a goofy heel, Gargano has always been great to watch. Tonight was no different as Gargano’s mannerisms during a match between Leon Ruff and Austin Theory were fun to watch, with the best part being Gargano’s reaction to being ejected after Leon took a page out of Eddie Guerrero.

Gargano wasn’t done there as his reaction to hearing he will face Kushida at TakeOver Vengence for the North American Championship was hilarious.

Recently, Gargano has done a great job in elevating talent like Leon Ruff to the next level and I wouldn’t be surprised if Kushida is next.

4. NXT goes Lucha 

Due to inconsistent booking on RAW, it is easy to forget how damn good all 3 members of Lucha House Party are. Their match against Legado Del Fantasma was a great showing and reminded fans of their unsung talent. Both teams have a history in Lucha wrestling but are the complete opposite when it comes to their character work and their gimmicks.

It was also a good showing for Legado Del Fantasma who showed fans they are more than just back up for the Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar.

With Legado Del Fantasma now in the Dusty Rhodes Classic semi-final, it will be interesting to see if they go all the way and win.

3. Santos Escobar remains Cruiserweight Champion 

If there is one thing that NXT has done well it is having dominant champions. From Adam Cole and the NXT title to Keith Lee and the North American title, NXT does an amazing job of making nearly every title reign have meaning and purpose. Santos Escobar’s Cruiserweight title reign is no different, as he defeated Curt Stallion to remain champion in a very solid match

Having a champion as strong as Escobar also helps the eventual person that will beat him for the title in the future, as they will have beaten such a strong champion.

The only negative I really have at the moment with Escobar is his current feud with Karrion Kross, as there is a small chance that it could lead to him not defending the title, making the title feel redundant.

2. NXT goes rated R 

Despite it being a year since his return at the 2020 Royal Rumble, it still feels like a dream to see Edge back in a WWE ring. Edge continued to show how good he is on the mic on NXT, as he delivered a passionate promo about NXT helping fuel the fire for his return, while at the same time putting over Pete Dunne and NXT Champion, Finn Balor.

Credit also has to be given to the interaction between Dunne and Balor, heading into their TakeOver Vengence match. Whilst it was a simple promo between the two men, it was effective and did the right job in building their match

Edge would later interact with Karrion Kross in the night, being completely fearless despite the ominous threat given by Kross.

1. Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa team-up. 

The Dusty Rhodes Classic always does a great job in making makeshift tag teams. From Aleister Black and Ricochet to Pete Dunne and Riddle. This year’s edition of the Dusty Rhodes Classic is no different as former rivals Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa teamed up to beat Undisputed Era members Adam Cole and Roderick Strong to advance, in what was easily the best match of the night.

The match did a great job in making Strong look tough, with Strong taking a massive beating from Ciampa and Thatcher, showing how well the Undisputed Era can work a match as faces

With Thatcher and Ciampa just one step away from being the Dusty Rhodes Classic final, their match against Grizzled Young Veterans is sure to be a great match.

These are my top 5 moments for this week’s edition of NXT. What were your top 5 moments and what teams do you think will make it into the Dusty Rhodes Classic Final? Let us know in the comments down below.