Velveteen Dream Beats Tyler Breeze, Retains North American Title at NXT TakeOver

Velveteen Dream defeated Tyler Breeze at NXT TakeOver: XXV on Saturday to retain the NXT North American Championship.

There was some question as to who Dream would face this weekend, but it was answered last week when Breeze made a surprise return to the yellow brand and immediately set his sights on one of the hottest stars in the business.

Upon interrupting Dream, Breeze talked about how it was nice to be home and then proceeded to take some shots at his rival, including the suggestion he was a knockoff version of himself.

Never one to back down from a verbal joust, Dream engaged and said the only reason Breeze was back in NXT was because he couldn't hack it on Raw or SmackDown Live. That elicited a loud response from the live crowd, which was clearly fired up about the interaction between two of NXT's most popular Superstars ever.

Dream offered to take a selfie with Breeze before he left, and while The Gorgeous One obliged, he used it as an opportunity to hit Dream with his phone and leave a lasting impression.

As a result of that segment, NXT general manager William Regal booked Dream vs. Breeze for the NXT North American title at NXT TakeOver: XXV.

While there wasn't a lengthy build for Dream's match against Breeze, that may have been due to the possibility that the NXT creative team had to call an audible.

NXT seemed to be building toward a North American Championship match between Dream and Dominik Dijakovic, but the latter announced on May 8 that he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee.

With Dijakovic out of action, a suitable replacement was needed. Since Breeze is remembered fondly by NXT fans and hasn't been used with any regularity on the main roster as of late, he was the perfect candidate to step in and face the up-and-coming Velveteen Dream.

The match gave the champion an opportunity to show he can go toe-to-toe with an NXT alum who has enjoyed a fairly lengthy run on the main roster, while Breeze was afforded a chance to shine on a major stage after going largely unused for the past several months.

Both Dream and Breeze made the most of the situation, and they delivered a quality match that the live crowd seemingly loved.

With Dream retaining the North American title, it may mean Breeze is on his way back to the main roster, although he could be an asset in NXT in the event that Triple H wants to continue utilizing him.

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