Io Shirai retains the NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day
At NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, Io Shirai was victorious, retaining her NXT Women's Championship in a Triple Threat Match. The Joshi Judas faced off against Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez in, arguably, her most difficult title defense of this reign.
The match between the three women began with Io Shirai getting attacked by Mercedes Martinez, who launched herself at the reigning NXT Champion before the bell had even rang to signal the start of the bout. Io Shirai, Toni Storm, and Mercedes Martinez felt equally matched as they battled on for the NXT Women's Championship.
Shirai was initially knocked down to the outside of the ring by Martinez, and the two challengers then began to beat one another down in the ring, but Shirai quickly rejoined the action.
Io Shirai knocked Mercedes Martinez off the apron and then turned her attention to Toni Storm, who hit the champion with a running boot. Martinez returned to action, once again targeting Toni Storm. Shirai took this as her opportunity to land a moonsault on her rivals, but Martinez stepped out of the way and then followed this up by clotheslining Shirai into the barrier.
As the NXT Women's Champion was laid out, Martinez got Storm back into the ring, covering her for a two count. As Martinez attempted to weaken Storm with the Three Amigos, Shirai returned with a missile dropkick.
As the match progressed, the action began to gather pace, with Io Shirai hitting Mercedes Martinez with a classic 619, leaving the challenger on the floor. The women once again began to move the action outside the ring.
Io Shirai took a huge risk to retain the NXT Women's Championship
Once more, Martinez launched Shirai into the plexiglass, leaving her unable to move. As Martinez and Storm fight by the announce table, Shirai was seen standing waiting on a lighting rig. From the rig, Shirai lept onto her opponents.
After getting up, Mercedes Martinez targeted Io Shiari once more while also gaining the upper hand on Toni Storm. Storm managed to kick out of a pin at the hands of Mercedes Martinez, and after a flying headbutt, Storm thought that she had Martinez pinned. However, much like her win at NXT TakeOver: In Your House, Io Shirai crashed down on both of her opponents with her incredible moonsault.
In another exciting match, the Genius of the Sky emerged victorious.