“This isn’t going to work”- Wrestling fans puzzled after new WWE faction debuts at NXT: Vengeance Day

A new group of people has emerged from the shadows on NXT, giving reminiscences on the legendary Shield faction.

“This isn’t going to work”- Wrestling fans puzzled after new WWE faction debuts at NXT: Vengeance Day

New faction debuts on NXT (via WWE)

Last night, NXT presented its Vengeance Day PLE, delivering a lineup of intense, hard-hitting title matches. However, the event was also marked by the shocking debut of a mysterious new faction that stole the spotlight. Making an immediate impact, the group unleashed chaos and, in a bold statement, took out NXT Champion Oba Femi.

Following Oba Femi‘s match, the mysterious faction emerged from the crowd, launching a relentless assault on the NXT Champion from all sides. They didn’t just take him down—they completely overpowered and manhandled the 26-year-old. Adding to the chaos, the group later disrupted the tag team match between Nathan Frazer & Axiom and Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura.

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Their intentions are clear: They are here to wreak havoc on NXT. Moreover, their persona bore a resemblance to past dominant factions like The Shield and Retribution. While it remains uncertain if WWE will rebrand them with new names, the four men behind the chaos were Cutler James, Saquon Shugars, Dion Lennox, and Osiris Griffin.

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Interestingly, all four were still training at the Performance Center before making their shocking debut at Vengeance Day. That said, it will be intriguing to see how their journey unfolds from here. Given their disruptive actions, it’s fair to speculate that they have their sights set on the NXT Championship and the NXT Tag Team Championships, signaling a major shake-up in the brand’s landscape.

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WWE Universe reacts to the mysterious faction’s debut on NXT

While the faction made a thunderous debut, the WWE Universe appeared largely indifferent to their arrival. Fans took to social media to share their reactions, with many viewing the debut as a misstep for NXT. While some were skeptical about the group’s future, others outright rejected the idea of introducing such a reckless faction into an already stacked roster.

New faction attacked Fraxiom
New faction attacked Fraxiom (via WWE)

Furthermore, many fans dismissed the faction as a bootleg version of The Shield, criticizing Triple H and Shawn Michaels for relying too heavily on nostalgia. With opinions ranging across the spectrum, here are some of the top reactions from fans on X:

Moreover, fans drew comparisons between this faction and Retribution, the 2020 group led by Mustafa Ali. The overall sentiment was overwhelmingly negative, with many expressing little interest in seeing the group move forward. Given the backlash, fans believe that if Triple H wants this faction to succeed, he will need to craft a compelling and impactful storyline to win them over.

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