Ranking all the matches at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day

#1 Finn Balor retains his NXT Championship against Pete Dunne in the main event of the night

STOP. WHY ADAM WHY?!? #NXTTakeOver @KORcombat @roderickstrong @AdamColePro pic.twitter.com/J7SbwOpqy6

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 15, 2021

Finn Balor retained his NXT Championship against Pete Dunne in a brutal and stiff encounter that was hard to watch at moments due to the sheer physicality on display.

Many fans might compare this bout with the two outstanding championship defenses Balor had against Kyle O'Reilly due to the similar style of match layout and wrestling style presented.

However, while the clash between Balor and Reilly at NXT TakeOver 31 was better on a purely technical level, the match today benefited from a proper face vs. heel dynamic in place. The NXT Champion yet again showed why he deserves to be on top of the card, while the challenger, with his career-best performance, proved he should not be away from the main event scene for the rest of his career.

THAT WAS AWESOME.His fingers may be broken, but @FinnBalor still wears the #NXTChampionship after a clinic of a match with @PeteDunneYxB! #AndStill #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/ocwe1e2C6O

— WWE (@WWE) February 15, 2021

Despite virtually no one expecting a title change here, Dunne did his best to create a moment or two where it looked he might have legitimately walked away as the NXT Champion. The post-match heel turn by Adam Cole, who laid down Finn Balor and Kyle O'Reilly, might just shift the landscape of NXT from this point onwards.

As convincing as Cole has been as a face, he works best as a heel. Now that he has reverted to his old persona, possible feuds with Balor and Reilly promise to be nothing short of memorable.