NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver

NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver was a professional wrestling television special and WWE Network event, produced by WWE for their NXT brand division. It took place on April 7 and 8, 2021, and broadcasted from the Capitol Wrestling Center, hosted at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
It was the 34th NXT TakeOver event and the first to take place over the span of two nights. Both nights are scheduled to air on the WWE Network, thus marking the first WWE in-ring event to air on Peacock's WWE Network channel in the United States following the shutdown of the aforementioned service's standalone American version on April 4. The first night will also air in NXTs weekly Wednesday night timeslot on the USA Network, making it the first TakeOver to air on television and the final NXT broadcast on Wednesdays before moving to Tuesdays on April 13.
==Production==
===Background===
TakeOver is a series of professional wrestling shows that began on May 29, 2014, as WWE's NXT brand held their second WWE Network exclusive live broadcast, billed as TakeOver—at that time until September 2019, NXT was the promotion's developmental territory. In subsequent months, the "TakeOver" moniker became the brand used by WWE for all of their NXT live WWE Network specials. While originally exclusive to the WWE Network, NXT TakeOver events also became available on traditional pay-per-view (PPV) beginning with TakeOver 31 in October 2020. Stand & Deliver was the 34th NXT TakeOver event. It was also be the first two-night TakeOver, airing on April 7 and 8, 2021, with the first night airing in NXTs normal timeslot on the USA Network, making it the first TakeOver to air on USA, and the second night on PPV and the WWE Network, making it the first WWE event to air on Peacock's WWE Network channel in the United States after the shutdown of the standalone version of the American WWE Network, which will occur on April 4.
===Storylines===
The card comprised matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portray heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results are predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, while storylines are produced on their weekly television program, NXT.
At TakeOver XXX on August 22, 2020, Karrion Kross won the NXT Championship; however, during the match, he suffered a legitimate shoulder injury, requiring him to relinquish the title. Finn Bálor then won the vacant championship at Super Tuesday II on September 8. Kross then made his return from injury in December. Following Bálor's title defense on the March 10, 2021 episode of NXT, he was finally confronted by Kross over the championship. Bálor was subsequently scheduled to defend the NXT Championship against Kross at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, which was scheduled as the main event of Night 2.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin was unable to travel to the United States. An interim champion was then crowned to serve as titleholder in the U.S. until Devlin could return. Santos Escobar became the interim champion, and over the course of the following year, Devlin defended the title on NXT UK (when shows resumed in September 2020) while Escobar defended the title on NXT. After the travel ban was lifted in March 2021, Devlin made his return to the U.S. on the March 17 episode of NXT and confronted Escobar over who the real champion was. Escobar then challenged Devlin to a match at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver to determine the undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion. The following week, the championship unification match was scheduled as a ladder match for Night 2.
At TakeOver: Vengeance Day after Finn Bálor's NXT Championship defense against Pete Dunne, he was attacked by Dunne, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan. The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong) came to Bálor's aid to fend off Dunne, Burch, and Lorcan. Bálor and The Undisputed Era then stood together until Cole delivered a superkick to Bálor. O'Reilly then began to question Cole and Cole also superkicked O'Reilly. This ultimately led to The Undisputed Era disbanding, with Cole and O'Reilly feuding due to Cole wanting the NXT Championship which O'Reilly had also been contending for. On the March 24 episode of NXT, an unsanctioned match between Cole and O'Reilly was scheduled for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 2.
As a result of Danny Burch getting injured during his match on the March 17 episode of NXT, NXT General Manager William Regal vacated the NXT Tag Team Championship, which Burch had held with Oney Lorcan. On the March 24 episode, Regal scheduled a triple threat tag team match for the vacant championship for Night 1 of TakeOver: Stand & Deliver between MSK (Wes Lee and Nash Carter), Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson), and Legado Del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde).
On the March 24 episode of NXT, a six-man Gauntlet Eliminator match was scheduled for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 1 with the winner receiving an NXT North American Championship match against Johnny Gargano on Night 2. The participants for the gauntlet match will be determined in a battle royal on the March 31 episode of NXT. The battle royal participants are Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, Kushida, Leon Ruff, Cameron Grimes, Austin Theory, Roderick Strong, LA Knight, Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Pete Dunne, Tyler Rust, and Jake Atlas.
== Event ==
===Night 1===
====Preliminary matches====
The opening match was Pete Dunne & Kushida. The match consisted of technical wrestling throughout the whole match. The match ended when Kushida threw forearms at Dunne, followed by Dunne repeatedly targeting Kushida's fingers, then hitting a roundhouse kick followed by the Bitter End to win.
Next was the 6 man elimination gauntlet match between LA Knight, Bronson Reed, Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Cameron Grimes, Leon Ruff & Dexter Lumis. Ruff was the first to be eliminated by Scott. Lumis was pinned next by LA Knight, rolling him up to pin Lumis. Grimes was next to be eliminated by Scott as well. Bronson kicked out of 3 consecutive House Calls. Scott was looking for the finish, but Reed hit a massive powerbomb followed by a Alabama Driver. He hit his signature Tsunami Splash to pin Scott and win the match, heading to Night 2 of TakeOver Stand & Deliver to face Johnny Gargano for the NXT North American Championship.
Then, Walter defended his NXT UK Championship against Tommaso Ciampa. After a very back-and-forth matchup, Walter would eventually get the win over Ciampa.
==Match Preview==
Zoey Stark vs. Toni Storm 	Preview
Pete Dunne vs. Kushida 	Preview
Six man Gauntlet Eliminator match 	Preview
Walter vs. Tommaso Ciampa 	Preview
MSK vs. Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Legado Del Fantasma	Preview
Io Shirai (c) vs. Raquel González 	Preview
Breezango vs. Killian Dain & Drake Maverick 	Preview
Jordan Devlin vs. Santos Escobar 	Preview
Finn Bálor vs. Karrion Kross 	Preview
Adam Cole vs. Kyle O'Reilly 	Preview
Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart vs. The Way 	Preview
Johnny Gargano vs. Bronson Reed 	Preview
==Results==
===Night 1===
;
;
*Pre-Show: Zoey Stark defeated Toni Storm (9:49)
*Pete Dunne defeated Kushida (10:39)
*Bronson Reed defeated Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Cameron Grimes, Leon Ruff, LA Knight and Dexter Lumis in a Six man Gauntlet Eliminator match to determine the #1 contender for the NXT North American Championship on Night 2 (23:15)
:*Isaiah Scott eliminated Leon Ruff (9:45)
:*Bronson Reed eliminated LA Knight (16:09)
:*Isaiah Scott eliminated Cameron Grimes (19:15)
:*Bronson Reed eliminated Isaiah Scott (23:15)
*Walter (c) defeated Tommaso Ciampa to retain the NXT UK Championship (16:58)
*MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) defeated Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson) and Legado Del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) in a Triple threat tag team match to win the vacant NXT Tag Team Championship (15:24)
*Raquel González defeated Io Shirai (c) to win the NXT Women's Championship (12:55)
===Night 2===
;
;
*Pre-Show: Killian Dain & Drake Maverick defeated Breezango (Tyler Breeze & Fandango) (8:38)
:*
*Santos Escobar (Interim NXT Cruiserweight Champion) (w/ Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) defeated Jordan Devlin (NXT Cruiserweight Champion) in a Unification ladder match to determine the undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion (18:08)
*Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart (c) defeated The Way (Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell) to retain the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship (10:35)
*Johnny Gargano (c) (w/ Austin Theory) defeated Bronson Reed to retain the NXT North American Championship (16:23)
*Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett) defeated Finn Bálor (c) to win the NXT Championship (17:08)
*Kyle O'Reilly defeated Adam Cole in an Unsanctioned match (40:22)
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Vic Joseph
*Wade Barrett
*Beth Phoenix
*Carlos Cabrera - 
*Marcelo Rodríguez - 
*Mickie James - 
;Pre-show Panel
*Sam Roberts
*Jimmy Smith
*Arash Markazi
*Mickie James
;Interviewers
*McKenzie Mitchell
*Samoa Joe	
;Musicians
*Nita Strauss
*Poppy
;Ring announcer
*Alicia Taylor
;Referees
*Jake Clemons
*Aja Smith
*D.A. Brewer
*Drake Wuertz
*Darryl Sharma
*Stephon Smith
==See also==
*List of NXT pay-per-view events
==DVD release==
* [ TakeOver: Stand & Deliver on DVD]
==External links==
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver at WWE.com
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Pre-Show Night 1on WWE Network
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 1 on WWE Network
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Pre-Show Night 2 on WWE Network
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 2 on WWE Network
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Pre-Show Night 1 at CAGEMATCH.net
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 1 at CAGEMATCH.net
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Pre-Show Night 2 at CAGEMATCH.net
* NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 2 at CAGEMATCH.net
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:2021 NXT pay-per-view events
Category:NXT Takeover
Category:2021 events
Category:Events with Ladder matches
Category:NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver