NXT Stand And Deliver 2022 - Ranking the buildup to every match
NXT Stand and Deliver 2022 will mark the first live event for the brand outside of Orlando in over two years. The NXT 2.0 rebrand has been polarizing among most of the fanbase, but there have been performers who have gotten over with the CWC crowd that the company will be looking to see what their reaction will be in front of the Dallas crowd during WrestleMania 38 weekend.
NXT Stand and Deliver 2022 will more or less be a barometer for where the developmental brand is currently. The card features most of the stars who have achieved considerable success in the past seven months since their rebrand to 2.0. Top to bottom, there have been some focused leadups to this event to build excitement.
We are officially one week away from #StandAndDeliver!
Check out the full card and how to watch below! #WWENXT ⤵️
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Despite the valid criticism given to the brand, NXT 2.0 has done an admirable job of building for this show. In some fans' eyes, they did an even better job than RAW and SmackDown did to build WrestleMania 38. In this article, let's rank the buildup to every match at NXT Stand And Deliver 2022.
Toxic Attraction vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships - NXT Stand And Deliver 2022 Kickoff
Reunited and it feels so good! 🎶 Reunited and it feels so good! 🎶
#WWENXT @RaquelWWE @DakotaKai_WWE https://t.co/eS75HrQLLr
It seemed like the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles were going to be defended at this event with the Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic supposed to crown top contenders. However, the women's division took some strange turns on the Road to WrestleMania 38 weekend. The winners of the tournament decided to cash in for a shot at the top prize, leaving the champions without challengers.
On the go-home show to NXT Stand And Deliver 2022, Toxic Attraction took out Wendy Choo for not getting the job done against Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray. Choo's tag team partner Dakota Kai came looking for revenge. Just when it was a three-on-one beatdown, none other than Raquel Gonzalez came out to make the save.
Gonzalez was taken out by Toxic Attraction during her Dusty Cup semifinals match, costing herself and Cora Jade the win. She was looking for vengeance against the group and made the save for her former partner-turned-enemy Kai. However, the strange development of Raquel and Dakota hugging without any buildup felt hollow. Based on their history, it just didn't make sense.
GUNTHER vs. LA Knight - WWE Stand And Deliver 2022
Ahead of their respective showdowns at #WWENXT #StandAndDeliver, @LAKnightWWE and #MSK join forces to take on #Imperium.
@WesLee_WWE @NashCarterWWE @Gunther_AUT @FabianAichner @Marcel_B_WWE https://t.co/GQXKeLv830
On the road to NXT Stand and Deliver 2022 in Dallas, LA Knight has been in the spotlight quite often. He finished up his feud with Grayson Waller in a fun Last Man Standing Match on the Roadblock special before getting his first singles opportunity at the NXT Championship against Dolph Ziggler. Despite coming up short on both, GUNTHER took exception to this.
The Imperium leader felt like Knight didn't earn his shot at the gold and instead used his mouth to get the title opportunity. For someone who believes the mat is sacred, it led to hostilities against Knight in a major way and this matchup here. It was abbreviated in the buildup, which is why it ranks here compared to other matches at NXT Stand And Deliver 2022.
Tommaso Ciampa vs. Tony D'Angelo - WWE Stand And Deliver 2022
.@NXTCiampa sends a message to the #WWENXT Universe ahead of his match at #StandAndDeliver. https://t.co/LHNaLcBzMz
Another relatively short leadup heading into NXT Stand and Deliver 2022 was the showdown between Tommaso Ciampa and Tony D'Angelo. Despite the length of their issue, this match has been propped up by what is being billed as Ciampa's final NXT match.
Tommaso Ciampa is a former two-time NXT Champion and mainstay of the brand. His continued involvement on the show has helped make the transition into the 2.0 era a little easier to swallow. Tony D plans on being "The New Don of NXT", so he must defeat a legend of the brand to accomplish that. This is probably the most unpredictable outcome for NXT Stand And Deliver 2022.
Mandy Rose vs. Cora Jade vs. Io Shirai vs. Kay Lee Ray in a Fatal Four Way Match for the NXT Women's Title - WWE Stand And Deliver 2022
Who leaves NXT #StandAndDeliver this Saturday with the #WWENXT Women's Title? @WWE_MandyRose @CoraJadeWWE @shirai_io @Kay_Lee_Ray
@ your pick 👇
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NXT Women's Champion Mandy Rose has let her success get to her head and stated that she can take on any woman on the roster. Toxic Attraction watched the Women's Dusty Cup closely and injected themselves when they saw fit. They took out Cora Jade's tag team partner Raquel Gonzalez, leading to Jade targeting the group. Her stalking led to her earning a shot at the gold.
Io Shirai wanted vengeance for Toxic Attraction, and taking out her partner Zoey Stark, while Kay Lee Ray wanted the same after the group cost her a shot at the title. Shirai and KLR came together and won the Women's Dusty Cup, but they chose to take a shot at the NXT Women's Title instead of the tag titles. This Fatal Four Way should be good, but chose a complicated road to get here.
Imperium vs. MSK vs. The Creed Brothers in a Triple Threat Match for the NXT Tag Team Championships - NXT Stand And Deliver 2022
Who will leave NXT #StandAndDeliver this Saturday with the NXT Tag Team Championship?
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Imperium have reigned as NXT Tag Team Champions since last October. Along the way, they have feuded with former champions MSK as well as Diamond Mine's The Creed Brothers. The Creeds defeated MSK to win the Men's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. However, they were attacked by mystery assiliants when their title match came around and MSK filled in.
The Creeds were none too pleased and attacked both tag teams to stake their claim to their rightful shot. This set the stage for this Triple Threat Match that could be a potential showstealer. All three tag teams have been the best NXT 2.0 has to offer and will look to showcase the division at NXT Stand And Deliver 2022.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Bron Breakker for the NXT Championship - NXT Stand And Deliver 2022
Whose #WWENXT is it?
@HEELZiggler puts the #NXTChampionship on the line against @bronbreakkerwwe this Saturday at NXT #StandAndDeliver
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This has been building for a few months now. What started as a standard Twitter beef became real when RAW Superstar Dolph Ziggler made his NXT debut. He set his sights directly on the NXT Championship owned by Bron Breakker. After earning a title opportunity, Ziggler took a loss to Tommaso Ciampa, making things a three-way the following week.
At NXT Roadblock, Dolph Ziggler did the unthinkable and won the NXT Championship by defeating Ciampa and Breakker. This brought more spotlight to the brand on the Road to WrestleMania 38 weekend. Breakker will look to regain his gold at NXT Stand And Deliver 2022. The two men have created a strong feud that should deliver an entertaining main event for the show.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar vs. Solo Sikoa vs. Grayson Waller vs. Cameron Grimes in the NXT North American Title Ladder Match
With one spot left in the #NATitle Ladder Match, @CGrimesWWE, @roderickstrong, and @AKidWrestler all look to earn their way to #WWENXT #StandAndDeliver. https://t.co/kP3BnoVBkL
WrestleMania weekend in 2018 saw the NXT North American Championship introduced in a legendary multi-man ladder match at TakeOver: New Orleans. Four years later, the A-Champion Carmelo Hayes has decided to run back this classic by defending his gold in a multi-man ladder match of his own at NXT Stand and Deliver 2022.
Hayes set up a series of qualifying bouts featuring the best that NXT 2.0 had to offer. Along the way, Santos Escobar beat Cameron Grimes, Solo Sikoa pinned Roderick Strong and Grayson Waller overcame A-Kid. The three losers met in a breathtaking Triple Threat on the go-home show to NXT Stand and Deliver 2022. In this great contest, Cameron Grimes earned the final spot in the ladder match.
Many of these performers seem likely to strive in this stipulation. Carmelo Hayes has been the best in-ring worker of the 2.0 era, while Santos Escobar won a ladder match last year to become the undisputed Cruiserweight Champion. Solo Sikoa has had an impressive win-loss record with only one in the loss column, while Grayson Waller has been one of the most prominent heels on the brand.
Grimes has told an intriguingly sympathetic babyface story about trying to make his deceased father proud by winning gold on the NXT brand. Anyone can win here and this seems destined to be one of the best matchups of the entire WrestleMania 38 weekend. That's why the North American Title Ladder Match is the best buildup of any match at NXT Stand And Deliver 2022.