NXT TakeOver Vengeance Day: Johnny Gargano Retains Against Kushida in Instant Classic

Triple H stated ahead of NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day that Johnny Gargano vs. Kushida was going to be a dream match. On Sunday night the two lived up to the hype, but by the end, Gargano still managed to hold on to his NXT North American Championship

Gargano entered the match short-handed, as Dexter Lumis snuck up and kidnapped Austin Theory just as The Way was walking out to the entrance ramp. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell left to go find him, making it a one-on-one matchup.

WHAT DID WE JUST WITNESS?!

Thanks to @DexterLumis lurking around, things aren't going #TheWay @JohnnyGargano had hoped before his match against @KUSHIDA_0904 for the #WWENXT North American Title at #NXTTakeOver: Vengeance Day! pic.twitter.com/gz99zE0xlM

— WWE (@WWE) February 15, 2021

Kushida spent the duration of the match attaching Gargano's left arm, going to far as to hitting a Top Rope Spanish fly into a Hoverboard Lock. Gargano eventually rolled out of the ring, but Kushida refused to break the hold. The champ got some distance by driving Kushida into the barricade, but then the Japanese star ran from the top of the entrance ramp and nailed Gargano's arm with a punt.

The ending of KUSHIDA and Gargano. pic.twitter.com/KrSl1kpG7R

— GIF Skull SIX (New Backup) (@gif_skull) February 15, 2021

Kushida tried for the kimura, but Gargano broke the hold by whipping his neck against the rope. He then nailed a One Final Beat on the elevated ramp, then followed it up with another for the pin.

#JohnnyTakeOver stands tall. #NXTTakeOver #AndStill @JohnnyGargano pic.twitter.com/31D0pY6jeI

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 15, 2021

The victory continues Gargano's record third reign as North American Champion, but he's still got quite a ways to go before he can dominate the title's record books. Velveteen Dream still holds the record for most cumulative days with the title at 209 days in just one reign.