#nxt takeover new york predictions

[hazyheel]

NXT Takeover: New York Predictions

Takeover: New York is shaping up to be the biggest takeover that we have ever had. All of the belts are being defended, including the WWE UK Championship, and all the matches feel like a huge deal. There was a definite snag when Tommaso Ciampa got injured, but the show still seems like it is going to be great. Here are my predictions NXT Takeover: New York.

First up is the War Raiders against Ricochet and Aleister Black for the NXT Tag Team Championships. Simple story here, as Ricochet and Black began to team on the main roster, while still competing in NXT. Because of their success as a tag team on Raw and Smackdown, they entered the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic together, defeating Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel, the reformed #DIY, and the Forgotten Sons to win the tournament. That gave them a championship match for the show, against the War Raiders. So, this seems like a pretty easy one to book, because Ricochet and Black are already on the main roster, so they shouldn’t win a title in NXT right now. Plus, they have a match on the main roster for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships at Wrestlemania, so they don’t need the NXT belts. So War Raiders will retain in what should be a fun match.

Next is Pete Dunne vs. WALTER for the WWE UK Championship. WALTER confronted Dunne on his first night in the company at Takeover Blackpool, beating down Joe Coffey in the process. He gathered up some wins in the coming weeks, before teaming with Dunne in a match against the Coffey Brothers. The two won, but there was a serious tension there. Dunne then requested to fight WALTER for the championship at Takeover New York, and the match was made. WALTER is definitely coming away with the win here. Dunne has held the title for so long, they need someone massive, both in size and popularity, to beat him for the belt. Short of the main roster, WALTER is the only one who fits that bill. It should be a great match, with a really historic finish given the length of Dunne’s title reign. This is the match that I am most looking forward to. 

Into the women’s division, there is a fatal 4-way between the champion Shayna Baszler, Kairi Sane, Io Sharai and Bianca Belair. After Belair lost to Baszler at Takeover Phoenix due to the interference from Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke, Belair teamed with Sane and Sharai in a 6-woman tag match. The faces won the match when Sharai pinned Baszler, causing tension between Sharai and Belair. The two had a number 1 contenders match, but Baszler interfered, beating both of them down as well as Sane. As a consequence of her actions, Baszler was put into a fatal 4-way against all of those women. This is a tough one to predict, but I think that Belair is going to take this away. Baszler has terrorized the locker room for a few months now, and while I don’t think that it is time for her to be called up just yet, I think we need a babyface champion. Io Sharai could also win, but I am picking Belair because of the Sky Pirates’ affiliation with the women’s tag division, belts that they definitely need to hold in the future. So, Belair is probably going to get the win here, but there are so many moving parts that I can’t say that 100%

For the NXT North American Championship, Velveteen Dream takes on Matt Riddle. This is a simple feud, where Riddle continued to express his want for a title match, with Dream refusing each time. Dream finally accepted his challenge after a series of wins, but became startled when mindgames did not work on Riddle. This is another tough one, but I am going to go with Dream retaining, because Riddle hasn’t been in the company all that long, and Dream really should be getting some wins on Takeovers. He has a pretty bad record at the event, so he deserves this win. Plus, Riddle is more of a main event guy. His first belt should be the NXT Championship, after he takes out a big heel.

And finally, in the main event, Johnny Gargano takes on Adam Cole in a two out of three falls match. The match was originally going to be Gargano against Ciampa (reportedly in a title vs. career, or career vs. career match) but Ciampa had to go in for neck surgery, meaning that the feud will be put on hold for a while. Adam Cole qualified for the match by beating Velveteen Dream, Matt Riddle, Ricochet and Aleister Black in a fatal 5-way. This is a simple bullying storyline, with Cole telling Gargano that he isn’t good enough and never will be. Plus, the Undisputed Era will probably be at ringside, further stacking the deck. But that doesn’t matter, Johnny is the ultimate underdog, and this is his time. He has spent some time meandering away from his feud with Ciampa, and this was almost the perfect time for the story to come to an end. But, life got in the way, so we have this. Johnny should still win, and maybe him against Ciampa in a ladder match later down the line. Johnny deserves this win, and I cannot wait to mark out for it!

So, those are my predictions for the show tomorrow. Every match looks really great, but I am probably most excited for the WWE UK Championship match, because WALTER is awesome and it will be a historic moment to see Dunne unseated, plus a great match. However, I always love watching Matt Riddle, and the vacant NXT Championship does offer some intrigue in the main event. This could easily be the best Takeover show ever (although most of them have that potential) and I can’t wait for tomorrow!

[storm-of-wrestling]

NXT TakeOver: New York Predictions

- Walter

- The Velveteen Dream

- The War Raiders

- Bianca Belair

- Adam Cole

[jandtre]

Wrestlemania 35 Weekend Predictions - Smark My Words

It's that time of year again, Has the WWE offered a satisfying build to their biggest show of the year? Find out as Kira gives his predictions for Wrestlemania 35, as well as the show that usually gives the main roster a run for its money: NXT Takeover New York.

With Wrestlemania upon us, once again, it’s time to take a look at my predictions for the two biggest events taking place this weekend.

First NXT Takeover New York, which takes place live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn New York tonight, and then The Show of Shows Wrestlemania 35, which will take place live from MetLife…

[angelkerisimasi]

NXT TakeOver: New York - Predictions

⚫ NXT Tag Team Championship - Tag Team Match

War Raiders [Rowe & Hanson] (C) V. 2019 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Winners, Aleister Black & Ricochet

Winners & STILL NXT Tag Team Champions: War Raiders

⚫ NXT North American Championship - Singles Match

Velveteen Dream (C) V. Matt Riddle

Winner & NEW NXT North American Champion: Matt Riddle

⚫ WWE United Kingdom Championship - Singles Match

Pete Dunne (C) V. WALTER

Winner & NEW WWE United Kingdom Champion: WALTER

⚫ NXT Women's Championship - Fatal 4-Way Match

Shayna Baszler (C) V. Io Shirai V. Bianca Belair V. Kairi Sane

Winner & NEW NXT Women's Champion: Io Shirai

⚫ NXT Championship - 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match

Johnny Gargano V. Adam Cole

Winner & NEW NXT Champion: Johnny Gargano

[pan-matsuri]

Wrestlemania Weekend Predictions

Candice LeRae vs. Aliyah     I just think Aliyah is neat.

War Raiders [C] vs. Ricochet & Aleister Black     The War Raiders just sorta disappeared after winning the titles but they didn't     really have much going on in terms of personality anyway.

Pete Dunne [C] vs. Walter     I don't watch the UK show but I really like Pete Dunne.

Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole     Johnny Gargano cannot be allowed to become NXT Champion.

Velveteen Dream [C] vs. Matt Riddle     Dream has put up big fights against some of the best, so I think he can     retain here.

Shayna Baszler [C] vs. Io Shirai vs. Bianca Belair vs. Kairi Sane     It will be either Bianca or Kairi. I think Shayna (and lackeys) will be called up     to assist Ronda.

Brock Lesnar [C] vs. Seth Rollins     Brock could very well win. I think it's a complete toss up.

Ronda Rousey [C - RAW] vs. Charlotte Flair [C - SDL] vs. Becky Lynch     If it was anywhere else on the card, I would say Ronda. I think Shayna and     lackeys will interfere to assist Ronda. Maybe it will be a situation where     Jessamyn and Marina brawl with Sasha and Bayley, Charlotte will fight     Shayna, and then Becky will submit Ronda while Charlotte is distracted.

Buddy Murphy [C] vs. Tony Nese - who cares     I'm never going to watch 205 Live. Buddy Murphy has wholly failed to     captivate me.

Triple H vs. Batista     I think Triple H officially needs to retire from the ring, and maybe this leads     into my crackpot theory that Mr. McMahon (the character) will be forced to     retire from the company. Because Wrestlemania succeeded despite him.

Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin     I'm not even sure what the Baron Corbin experiment is anymore. He seems     way more popular backstage than he does in the ring. He gets booed now,     but it's not even loud. There was a time when he was acting GM where he     was getting no response from the crowd at all. He also needs to stop     wearing normal people clothes.

Shane McMahon vs. The Miz     This is probably the most obvious one. Hopefully Miz stays face for a while.

AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton     This will probably will be the best match of the night regardless of who wins.

André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal - Kalisto     I just picked a name randomly. The winner will be whoever eliminates     Braun Strowman. But it's not like winning this match really matters anyway.     Cesaro won it, and he was in multi-team tag matches for three years in a row     and then lost to an actual child. Mojo Rawley won it once, and he's not even     in it this year or anywhere on the card for that matter. Matt Hardy won it too,     although after consuming Bray Wyatt for his youth, he gets another chance.

Samoa Joe [C] vs. Rey Mysterio     A wrestling match. As I understand, Rey may be injured, so if Rey doesn't     compete, Samoa Joe will lose to Rey's replacement.

Bobby Lashley [C] vs. Finn Bálor     Finn is supposed to be the demon here and the demon shouldn't lose.

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre     This is the next most obvious after The Miz, but Drew could win in a big upset.

Boss 'n' Hug [C] vs. The IIconics vs. Nia & Tamina vs. Beth Phoenix & Natalya     IIconics might win, that would be fun too.

Daniel Bryan [C] vs. Kofi Kingston     Kofi has to win or it will sour whatever comes after.

WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal - Naomi     Remember when Bayley almost won last year except that Naomi pulled a total     heel tactic and hid on the outside until the end but then everyone still cheered     for her? I think that might happen again, except with Asuka instead of Bayley.     Or maybe Alexa Bliss will enter and win.

The Usos [C] vs. Ricochet & Aleister Black vs. Bar vs. Nakamura & Rusev     The men's tag divisions are a mess. People are talking about Revival     possibly facing Ryder & Hawkins too? Ugh.

The Revival [C] vs. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins     UGH.

[followtherko-blog]

Broooooklyn today!

i think today winners will be:

MOUSTACHE MOUTAIN

EC3

BASZLER

RICOCHET

CIAMPA

[darkarfs]

This is gonna make so many horrible people unhappy. EVERY Takeover has had at least one match-of-the-year candidate on it. Some of the most emotional moments in that brand have come from cards that even aren't quite as good. I even considered not doing this list, because, by all accounts, NXT Takeover: Tampa isn't even going ahead. But then I thought, fuck it, let's celebrate, taken all together, for my taste, the best wrestling product in the history of mankind. It's not just moves; it's emotional investment, sharply-focused, character-based storytelling, intricately-performed spectactle from the greatest physical specimens ever to lace their boots. It FINALLY legitimized Western women's wrestling in the mainstream (Michelle McCool, Trish, Molly, Mickie, Jazz, Victoria, you all were stunning performers in your own right, but you and your kind were, until NXT, only given 3 minutes: the longest women's match IN HISTORY, until 'Mania 32, was Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James at Wrestlemania 22, and it got 9 minutes.), it's got some of the greatest tag wrestling ever seen on ANY brand, it's created the longest-drawn storytelling ever, it's the best of the indies, the best of the WWE, wrapped up in a sequence of shows that were epic without being FIVE FUCKING HOURS LONG.

Where do I even start...?

Honorable mention: Takeover: R Evolution (I have to, because I've only got 10) Sami Zayn spends over a year, clawing and sweating and tearing walls down, just to get to the top of the mountain in NXT. He has the opportunity to cheat, but does it his OWN way, as beautiful, unique babyface Sami Zayn...before being no-scoped by his best friend, who debuted THAT NIGHT. The undercard isn't as strong, so I can't officially include it, but this payoff, this triumph, and this tragedy represents everything the first era of NXT was, and kickstarted it, truly, onto its first golden era. So, properly, then...

10. Takeover: Rival If you leave this list feeling like the title reigns, and thus, ERAS, of Zayn/Owens are a little under-represented by it, I completely understand. After all, so much good came from that time. American Alpha soldifying themselves as the dominant tag team, the Iron-Woman match between Sasha and Bayley, Becky Lynch putting all the pieces together, Enzo and Cass actually being GOOD...it was, still, at its heart, a developmental brand at that time. It had indie megastars, yes, but it also had the likes of Bull Dempsey. And that's not a dig at Bull Dempsey, it's just that those early Takeovers were an eclectic mix of skill levels, which is what NXT was at that time. It was a place to showcase these people. That said, some of these cards were truly *fantastic.* Case in point: Takeover: Rival. Not only was the undercard completely stacked (Hideo Itami vs. Tyler Breeze over-delivered; we had the first and still SOMEHOW ONLY Fatal 4-Way match between the Four Horsewomen; and Finn Balor vs. Neville was a solid match of the year candidate), but the main event was the first step in one of the most storied rivalries in the history of wrestling: Zayn vs. Owens. The video package is one of the best NXT ever did, and the match...was a masterpiece of simple-but unexpected booking. Zayn mistimes a leap to the outside, hits his head, and Owens responds by powerbombing him over...and over...and over again, until the ref stops the match. Zayn loses nothing, because he was never pinned, Owens is made to look even MORE the loathsome monster, and Zayn's title reign ends after just a month, without the champion nor the championship devalued in any way. It showed that NXT knew, even then, how to reward fans for their emotional investment.

9. Takeover: Portland Right now, NXT feels like it's approaching the very end of a special time in its life. Like it's on the verge of hitting critical mass. One of either Gargano or Ciampa probably leaving the company after the next Takeover, and the reign of the Undisputed Era seems to be crumbling, too. In yesteryear, this would indicate a raft of very important call-ups, neccessitating a shift in the roster and a period of calm centered around more patient character-building. NXT's existence now as a third brand throws that formula into uncertainty, but it definitely feels like they're ramping up to a finale, because goddamn, this is NXT almost at a point of self-parody. Every match is so. MUCH. Lee/Dijakovic is the pinnacle of HOT wrestling (and Lee, will you marry me?) Bianca Belair breaks out as an actual superstar...just as Charlotte decides to visit and to ruin everything, which is just dreadful timing. Gargano/Balor being everything we need it to be, and also Balor pinning Gargano with his fucking dick. And the Broserweights being VERY DUMB...but also VERY, VERY GOOD. The only thing that lets this card down...and this is obviously subjective...is that NXT has almost come TOO FAR, now, in its delivery on its main events, in that every kickout starts to beggar belief. On the level of Triple H/Undertaker at Wrestlemania 28, in that I still love it, but...hoo, it can be exhausting. Depends on how much Ring of Honor you like in your gumbo, I guess, but it feels like everyone on the roster is racing toward Tampa to explode, like a wrestling Crisis on Infinite Earths, and then MAYBE...things can calm down. Just a hair. Y'know, if Tampa even...still happens.

8. Takeover: Philadelphia If there's one man that's become synonymous with NXT, it's Johnny fucking Wrestling. You know, what would happen if a meerkat put on muscle mass and became the best set-piece wrestler this side of Daniel Bryan. We knew since he started his tag team with Tommaso Ciampa that he was an exceptional wrestler, but it wasn't until Philadelphia, and his INSANE match with Andrade "Cien" Almas, that we saw him as truly the industry's next star. It was the first Takeover match to go over 30 minutes (Sasha/Bayley at Respect went EXACTLY 30, don't @ me), it was the first NXT match to get 5 stars from Dave Meltzer (if that matters to you), and it set a new bar for Takeover main events. And while the undercard doesn't live up to it, it's still loaded with excellent matches. A.O.P. vs. the Undisputed Era is something special. Shayna Baszler makes her Takeover debut, and while she's nowhere near her prime, it cemented her immediately. Velveteen Dream and Kassius Ohno have a very fun match, and Aleister Black and Adam Cole have a ludcriously stupid no-holds-barred match, featuring two men doing with chairs what no one ought to do with chairs. But as good as all of that is, it's really a one match show, but what a match, and Ciampa ending it by being an utter bastard yet again.

7. Takeover: Brooklyn I Does the first Brooklyn Takeover feature Canadian Destroyers, 18 kick-outs and "fight forever" chants? It does not. Does it create moments of wrestling happiness that are rarely, if ever, replicated? It sure does. Firstly, Blue Pants appears and helps the Vaudevillains defeat Blake and Murphy. Seems quaint to look back on it, but it made everyone SO goddamn HAPPY that night. If you're forgetting, Leva Bates (that wrestling librarian in AEW right now) was once a comedy jobber in NXT, who wore Blue Pants. Adorable. Ignore what happened on the main roster (which is something you'll probably have to do with a lot of these shows, I imagine), but the Vaudevillains were once incredibly over (I promise!), and their win was one of several beam-inducing moments from this stellar night. Samoa Joe destroyed Baron Corbin at the height of his game, Apollo Crews debuted brilliantly (again, ignore what happens next!) and Balor and Owens' ladder match was also fantastic. Also, what's Jushin Thunder Liger doing here?? Wrestling like he's in his early 30s, that's goddamn what!! But of course, the reason we're all here is Sasha Banks vs. Bayley, and...there's still something in my eye. Anytime people want to rag on NXT for being "predictable," remind them that giving the people a moment they've genuinely prayed for...is a good thing. Bayley besting Sasha Banks at her prime just made us all...so happy. All of us. Everyone. When that curtain call took place, it was so earned. The narrative of women's wrestling dominated most of 2015, and this moment, this match, was the apex of that narrative.

6. Takeover: Chicago I And speaking of feelings...hello, Ciampa, you godless fuck. And so begins maybe the actual greatest rivalry in all of NXT. It is truly an odyessy, with twists, turns, injuries, betrayals, wounds torn open, and this is the nexus point. Well, the seeds had already sort of been planted, because Triple H knows what he's doing. Ciampa almost ALMOST turns on Gargano after their terrific match in the Cruiserweight Classic, only for the team to die another day...and what a death it was. After a great ladder match, the two stand atop the ramp, and you think "will it happen?" And the absolute bastards show you the copyright logo, just to make you think the show ends there, because it always does, seconds after that happens. You unclench, you breathe out, relax...Ciampa whispers "this is MY moment" and then...It is a perfectly engineered bait-and-switch, and exactly as vicious as it needs to be. Pats on the back, all 'round. This moment alone makes this a worthwhile Takeover, but there's also a hell of an undercard. The women's triple-threat (Ruby Riott vs. Asuka vs. Nikki Cross) is stellar, Bobby Roode and Hideo Itami have their respective best Takeover matches ever, and then there was Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne. An absolute show-stealer of a match, a star-making performance for both men (especially Dunne), it cemented the career of several men, and was a fully-formed GREAT show, as opposed to a good show in service to a storyline.

5. Takeover: Brooklyn IV Gargano and Ciampa's battle of brotherhood, betrayal and brainwashing was supposed to blow off at Takeover: New York, but because God hates necks, Tomato Champion was out of action, making this the final singles encounter to date, until Tampa (again, IF it even happens). This is the weakest of their 3 excellent encounters (which still makes it better than any match over SummerSlam weekend), but it also features Johnny Stupid running into a speaker, because his dumb ass can't seem to quit Ciampa. It's one of the greatest long-form feuds for a reason, mirroring Bret and Owen from 1993 into 1994, with all the repeated imagery, the callbacks, the nuances, the psychological cruelty. The street fight at Chicago II is MAYBE better, but this undercard, for me, is a lot stronger. It featured the Undisputed Era vs. Moustache Mountain, aka the Brothers Shithead vs. the Proud Circus Bear and His Beautiful Son. Velveteen Dream vs. EC3 was the closest NXT got to WWE-style storytelling and was still brilliant (remember when EC3 wrestled?), and HEY, wouldn't you know it, Kairi Sane was once a character with dimensions, as evidenced by an amazing match with Shayna Bazsler. But what makes this undercard truly stellar is Adam Cole vs. Ricochet. It is so nice to see Ricochet used well, etc., but I will still never stop pissing myself at Cole nailing him square in the jaw with a superkick WHILE HE'S MID-MOONSAULT UPSIDE-DOWN SWEET JESUS. Sometimes...sometimes...things fall exactly into place.

4. Takeover: WarGames (2018) The WarGames Takeovers are just so silly. It's a silly shoebox, filled with huge, silly men who only barely know why they're killing each other. It's as close as we ever get to WWE's now-terminal problem of "set aside whatever feuds you have right now, because it's Stipulation Month!" (see: Hell In a Cell, most Money In the Bank shows, though Elimination Chamber largely sidesteps this). The other Shoebox Takeovers are really good, no doubt, but this one stands head-and-shoulders above the rest. But there is not a bad match on this card. Kassius Ohno rides Matt Riddle's knee all the way to heaven; NXT shows why 2-out-of-3-falls is fast becoming its signature stipulation with the excellent blowoff between Sane/Baszler; Sexy Mindgames Prince had a star-making match against Tommaso Ciampa, showing why he may be the best overall character in NXT right now, and sweet lord, Aleister Black vs. Johnny Wrestling. It somehow showed that Gargano was JUST AS, if NOT MORE engaging as a dirtbag than as a good guy. And those Black Masses are presents just for me, a guy who tends to like more community theater in his wrestling than flips ("I ABSOLVE YOU...OF ALL YOUR SINS!"). And then we get to the Shoebox, and gosh it's silly! The Viking Experience, Ricochet and Pete Dunne take on the Undisputed Era, and...its a fucking LOT. 45 minutes of spots and smashing, with just a sprinkling of story, with Fish locking Dunne in his cage so he can't participate in the match. Since this seems to be what this match is designed for...let's rattle off some spots! Ricochet, jumping from one ring to the other! That amazing face-off that recreates the Captain America: Civil War poster! Perhaps the beefiest Tower of Doom in all of wrestling! And then Ricochet proving just how amazing he is...with the double moonsault off the top of the cage. What a stupid thing to do in an amazing, amazing show.

3. Takeover: Dallas I get it; a lot of people might not rank this Takeover quite so high. But it might be my actual personal favorite...? Overall...? More than any other Takeover, this show feels the most like it's filled with living, breathing superheroes. Many NXT stars are seen as just indie guys whose only gimmick is "I'm a very good wrestler," making them almost anti-WWE at the core. But NXT doesn't get enough credit for being, at its core, the best aspects of WWE. The showmanship, the things that elevate mere wrestlers to things like monsters, gods, and demons. I will always like my NXT WWE-style: the best wrestling cut with the most theater, the most camp. And Dallas is that concept, writ large. Baron Corbin coming out with lil' skulls on his shoulders. American Alpha finally becoming Super Saiyan Nerds. Asuka killing our hero, because Bayley is a person, and Asuka is a goddess who can perform brain surgery with her feet. Finn Balor coming out and going actual Texas Chainsaw Massacre on Samoa Joe. It's excellent wrestling, near-mythic visuals...and then we get to Nakamura/Zayn. The most special moment of a very special night. It is, from nearly every perspective, perfect. The hype of the crowd, salivating with anticipation. That moment when Nakamura appears in silhouette, and that violin note slides like a knife across steel, to reveal the man who set New Japan aflame. Sami Zayn getting the best possible swan song in a promotion built almost entirely on HIS back. The end of his era. That bit where they just KEEP PUNCHING ONE ANOTHER. I know it's not a perfect show (Balor/Joe stops for 3 minutes to address a cut on Joe's forehead, stalling its momentum; that Corbin/Ares match isn't as good as it could be) but that all means nothing. It's a sentimental choice, and I'd make it #1 if I could.

2. Takeover: New Orleans I went around and around in my head, and this one and #1 kept jockeying for position in my brain. But these top two Takeovers are literally note-perfect, from ship to shore, soup to nuts, top to tails. So if this is YOUR favorite? (Honestly, maybe 1 person I know who loves wrestling as much as I do will even see this mess). I'm here for you, and I understand. But this show has TWO 5-star matches from the Wrestling Observer, and I don't ever agree with that. In this case, I agree with BOTH, in the North American Championship ladder match, and the first (and so far, BEST) match in the Gargano/Ciampa feud. Everything. Is. Amazing. Shayna Bazsler became Women's Champion after BEAST-MODING her SHOULDER back INTO IT'S SOCKET to show that, YES, she gets pro-wrestling. Roderick Strong shocked the world (and the System) by joining the Undisputed Era and becoming the final Chaos Emerald needed to make that stable Super Sonic. Aleister Black took the championship from Andrade "Cien" Almas and SMILED, I fucking SAW IT! And it all depends on what you want from your wrestling, but Gargs/Tamps might actually be the best main event in Takeover history, at least from a storytelling standpoint. The crutch, the neckbrace. Each man going back to their DIY roots (the tag team - they didn't build another ring when that one broke), and then sitting side-by-side, like they did at the Cruiserweight Classic. Brothers. Completely spent. Destroyed. No one but each other. And then Ciampa shits any chance at redemption up the goddamn wall, cementing his own destruction. Every. Bit. Counts.

and #1...

Takeover: New York For a whole bunch of other wrestling fans, this has the greatest main event in Takeover history. But first, let's take a minute to appreciate how lucky we are, or were, that NXT exists. It justfies the existence of WWE, artistically, almost by itself. If this one's only slightly worse than New Orleans, it is argued, it's that the North American title ladder match was TOO good, and hurt every other match on the card. It has been argued. Not by me, but this one is somehow the most perfectly paced, perfectly sized wrestling card, on its own, ever. Every match, through alchemy or magic, manages to enthrall the crowd equally, and completely. The Viking Raiders vs. Grumpy Smaller Undertaker and the Human Pinball was off the hook incredible, and that warm "thank you" feeling has translated, currently to a man trapped in a room and a man trapped in Vince McMahon's scorn for smaller wrestlers, respectively. Matt Riddle and Velveteen Dream put on an absolute fantasy match, pitting the best of MMA vs. the best of WWE-style theatricality, and adds to the complete, demented character-world of this brand, and the fact that Dream WINS against one of the hottest new prospects is so deserved, and shows that he can, and will, shine forever brighter. Then AAAAGH WALTER vs. Pete Dunne! WALTER LAYS into poor Dunne, his chops alone having you believe that after the match, he's going to run into the arena's parking lot to FIGHT THE CARS. Then Shirai vs. Baszler vs. Sane vs. Belair and goddammit how do I even expound on that without crashing thesarus.com? And then Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole wrestled for. 40. MINUTES. With Gargano as the defacto heel because it was allegedly Cole's time. And by the match's end, he had the crowd more behind him than maybe they ever had been before. Is it a bit much? Yes. Too many kickouts? Probably. But it stands as the apex of Johnny Wrestling's journey. After everything had been taken from him: DIY, his health, his sanity, even his chance at revenge...the only thing he has left is the NXT Championship. And in that moment, he is invincible, he is more than enough.

What a show. What a host of shows.

Thanks for reading, everyone.

[andymull]

WWE NXT Takeover New York - Preview & Predictions

Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole – NXT World Championship 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match

And so it comes to this, the long and winding road to this main event with sadness along the way but lets focus on NXT’s biggest match of the weekend. And there’s no better place to start than going and watching the hype video the company have put together for it as its awesome!! Anytime they mix the in-ring work with the hype packages showing the guys working out in preparation give it all such a solid and real feel.

Bringing Adam Cole into this was a great choice, instead of hoping for certain reactions from the crowd insert Adam Cole and you know exactly what you’ll get, a solid heel vs a solid face. I see the other members of Undisputed Era appearing during the first fall and probably get thrown out after interfering, maybe have a ton of other NXT face’s come out to level the score and get them backstage.

Gargano deserves the chance, the opportunity and the crowning, to the NXT audience its inevitable from suffering at the hands of Tommaso Ciampa to his redemption to this point but lets all just forget the mixed reactions he was receiving due to the crowd not really wanting to boo him, forget it.

Personally, I don’t think its as straight forward as most feel, Gargano should win and then extend his NXT stay instead of getting the full-time call-up to Raw or Smackdown as those plans have just fell flat sadly. But, Adam Cole reigning over NXT with his group looking to take charge and win the other titles makes perfect sense too and sets them up for months with different guys challenging them.

I see Hunter wanting to go with the most emotional outcome for the crowd and that Johnny taking the win and the championship – GARGANO

Io Shirai vs Shayna Baszler (c) vs Bianca Belair vs Kairi Sane – NXT Women’s Championship Fatal Four-Way Match

This should be fun, interesting build to the match with Shayna having beat 2 out of the 3 opponents but does that mean anything in a fatal four way? Io has been pushed as the main threat with her being the only one not defeated by Shayna.

I could see any of the girls being the victor in this bout, but then other factors come into it such as will any of them be called upto the main roster next week as Shayna has been rumoured? Will they decide to have the women’s tag champs come to NXT to feud with the Sky Pirates, in which case they may not decide to put the belt on either of them at the moment. But honestly, I love all involved so whatever happens im up for, ill go with Belair taking the win, sets up them having Kairi vs Io for the number one contendership which will be sweet. And also if Shayna doesn’t get called up she’s set up for another title shot as Bianca couldn’t beat her one on one so that bout will have some already existing heat to it too – BELAIR

Pete Dunne (c) vs WALTER – WWE United Kingdom Championship Match

Will Dunnes over 680 day title reign come to an end tonight?

I think it has to happen, its going to feel really weird seeing it happen but this is the time for it to occur. Walter is the new big driving force of the NXT UK brand and will build and build on the work that Dunne has put together for everyone involved on this brand.

This should be a tough tough brawl with the crowd mega behind both guys, but, this bout NEEDED to be held infront of the UK audience. It’s a big shot on them that the biggest bout in NXT UK won’t be held for them instead its for a crowd overseas, I see them probably getting a rematch between the two at some point but that doesn’t help them in not seeing the match first.

The title change will occur, Walter will receive a great reaction to his crowning, Pete will then get a heartfelt response from them as well. Dunne SHOULD then appear on Smackdown during the upcoming draft for his big opportunity to continue, that’s why I say a rematch may happen at some point and most likely in the next few weeks before the draft happens – WALTER

War Raiders (c) vs Aleister Black & Ricochet – NXT Tag Team Championship Match

Another fun match expected here, no surprise this is NXT, but this one will be a straightforward match outcome. Black and Ricochet have already made the jump to the main roster being given the big focus, and are just ready now to be split on either show to kick start their singles careers on Raw or Smackdown.

One poor thing I will say about the brand is that the tag champions haven’t been too much of a focus since winning the titles, some of that is down to the Dusty Classic occurring, but at the same time they could have had some competitive matches in the mean-time but oh well.

Ricochet will bump like mad for the tag champions and it will be glorious. But again after the match we will see some emotional scenes as I see Black and Ricochet getting the goodbye treatment from the fans for leaving NXT – WAR RAIDERS

Velveteen Dream (c) vs Matt Riddle – NXT North American Championship Match

A great opportunity for Matt Riddle to ‘experience’ the Takeover stage for the second time and really receive the opportunity to let go and show what he can do for 10 minutes, and at the same time it allows Dream to develop his-self on the big stage.

I will say im not too sure how well these two will combine together in-ring I hope its great but not too sure, Riddle will still power through to something great though no worries there. In terms of the winner I see it being Dream but that will mean Riddle has to be beat which im not keen on just yet, I don’t think it will end in cheap fashion, so I guess Dream goes over clean – DREAM

 This should be another A class card from NXT Takeover, no chance Wrestlemania even gets close to the quality this show will produce this weekend.

I hope everyone enjoys the show and any surprise that may occur, also try not to take in too much wrestling this weekend. Its easy to over do it with how much content is available from EVERY company these next few days, but just think about it, in terms of content there’s tons of greatness around. Don’t feel obliged to have to watch it all, especially matches that haven’t been built well or have great wrestlers in them, show companies that you have the final say but watching the best of whats produced then make companies work harder to get us to watch everything they put on…….oh well I can hope

Bye for now

Andy

[sunnytkm23]

My NXT Takeover: New York Predictions

NXT Tag Team Titles : War Raiders (c) Vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet

WWE United Kingdom Title: Pete Dunne (c) Vs. WALTER 

NXT North American Title: Velveteen Dream (c) Vs. Matt Riddle

NXT Women's Title: Shayna Baszler (c) Vs. Io Shirai Vs. Kairi Sane Vs. Bianca Belair

NXT Title - 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match: Johnny Gargano Vs. Adam Cole 

[elmomachete]

Wrestlemania XXXV Predictions.

Yeah, yeah, they don’t use the Roman numerals anymore. They don’t even use regular numerals. Humor me, it’s out of habit. I actually watched most of NXT Takeover last night, mostly live. I’m still not entirely sold on Blackochet or Matt Riddle, but the War Raiders and Velveteen Dream are the tittyballs and so were both matches. I fell asleep during the UK Championship match and intended to finish the show this morning, but then the results were spoiled for me by Cageside Seats in article headlines. Weak sauce, gentlemen. The weakest of sauces. Oh well, I’ll finish the show eventually. Anyway, with a 42 match card, the pre-show is liable to start any minute now so I better get these predictions up before all the poor souls in New Jersey (I’m sorry, I meant “New York”) start freezing their asses off. Let’s get prognosticating, shall we? Fabulous Moolah Memorial Women’s Battle Royale Totally not promoting human trafficking since 2018. Who won last year, Naomi? It’ll be tough to live up to those standards. I’ll go with Lacey Evans as the winner, because I’m sure that makes sense as a payoff to her coming out, doing nothing, turning around and walking to the back in Crazy Uncle Vinny’s mind. It’d be nice to give Asuka something after her seemingly random dethroning, but Lacey seems more predictably random. Cruiserweight Championship: Tony Nese vs. Buddy Murphy (c.) 205 Dead Crowd. I watched the Cruiserweight match from the Rumble pre-show the other day, and Buddy Murphy seems like a pretty good wrestleperson. Let’s say he retains, because he’s marrying Alexa Bliss and the company still loves her even though she’ll probably never wrestle again. Andre Roussimoff Memorial Battle Royale (ARMBaR) Just look what it did for Mojo Rawley! How can they make up for having Braun Strowman win the tag titles with a ten year old last year? Have him feud with two schmucks from Saturday Night Live so WWE can end up on a legitimate sports program the next morning! So either he wins, or after he eliminates the aforementioned schmucks he eliminates himself and chases them to the back leaving it open for (randomly points at list of entrants with eyes closed) Curtis Axel to win. Side thought: I think next year they should bring back Nicholas and rehire Matt Striker, putting them against the Bar, the Usos and the New Day. Striker can tutor the kid on the road, and putting them over the entire division will really solidify Nicholas’ legacy as an undefeated two-time tag team champion. Raw Tag Team Championships: Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins vs. the Revival (c.) The Battle of the WWE Random Name Generator Recipients! ...good lord, they’re actually giving the Edgeheads a Mania match? For the titles? I know the belts don’t matter and that maybe a dozen people give a rat’s ass about both teams combined, but still - Ryder and Hawkins’ whole shtick is that they never win. That ALWAYS gets over. So obviously they have to win here to get their “Wrestlemania Moment,” in their “home state” of “New York.” Smackdown Tag Team Championships: Nakamusev vs. the Bar vs. Blackochet vs. the Usos (c.) Aren’t I so witty with my portmanteau tag team names? I’m glad Wikipedia exists to not only tell me all 107 matches, but to remind me that yes, the Usos are tag champs again. What with them losing in Brooklyn, I expect Black and Ricochet to win the titles to start off their big show (no, not that one) debut with a bang and to finally tie them to Smackdown instead of Raw. they’ll have better matches on that show anyway. Or the Usos retain because they’re related to the Rock, who cares. Shane McMahon vs. the Miz Because Super Shane needs to get his annual hyperventilating stunt show in. God bless the Miz, he may be the best company man since John Cena for doing whatever stupid shit they come up with for him. Case in point: this fucking match. Does anyone besides Shane or Vince give two shits about this? Logic says the Miz wins because he’s (somehow) the babyface, so I’ll say Shane wins and the Miz’s dad hugs him afterwards because even though his son main evented Wrestlemania and defeated John Cena (there he is again) and got married to a smokin’ hot model and had a kid, NOW he’s finally proud of him because he put up a valiant effort against the 50 year old son of the owner of the company. Women’s Tag Team Championships: the IIconics vs. Nia Jax and Tamina vs. Beth Phoenix and Natalya vs. the Boss n’ Hug Connection (c.) Who’s got the worse name, the Australians or the champions? I guess Trish and Lita said no, so they dusted Beth Phoenix off and pretend she’s important enough to justify her Hall of Fame induction. Nia and Tamina suck, Billie and Peyton don’t matter, Beth won’t be around the next day and I can’t see them changing the titles so soon after creating them. Bayley and Sasha retain. Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin John Cena Oh, shut up. You know it’s going to happen. Cena beats up Corbin on the way to the ring, spouts some jargon about hustling respect loyally, he drags Angle through three minutes of suck hoping he doesn’t accidentally kill him, somebody wins and they both go away. (Flips a coin) Cena wins, LOL. AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton Fighting because reasons! Um... let’s say AJ wins, because Orton is a made man and they wanna thank AJ for not leaving for All Elite Wrestling (what a terrible name). Christ, how many pointless matches could they trim to make this a show of reasonable length? Not everybody needs a Wrestlemania payday... do those even exist anymore with the Network? United States Championship: Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe (c.) I’ve got nothing sarcastic to say about this match, I’m actually looking forward to it somewhat. Rey Mysterio can still go, and although people say Joe has lost a step since coming to WWE I’m actually a bigger fan of him now than ever. I think he’s benefited a lot from having to tone it down and only do two or three big spots in matches as opposed to a billion, although whether that’s due to the restrictions of the “WWE Style” or age/injuries is up for debate (I felt the same about Cesaro slowing it down going from Ring of Honor to WWE). Rey can survive a loss here and I think they wanna get as much out of Joe while they still can, so he retains. WWE Championship: Kofi Kingston vs. the New Daniel Bryan (c.) Remember when the “World” title wasn’t likely to be in the middle of the show? As much as I’d hate to see the Hempyweight Championship belt go (and no matter what it’ll eventually have to), I think the crowd would riot if Kofi didn’t win. So I reckon Kofi wins, then Big E. and Xavier turn on him right afterwards to piss the crowd off right after throwing them a bone. Y’know what? I think it would be interesting to see a riot at a wrestling show. Fans have threatened it with signs ever since Cena vs. Van Dam, but we’ve never actually seen one. It’d certainly be a “Wrestlemania Moment.” Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre Yay, Roman’s back! And he’s not in the main event again! Yet! I’m as glad as anyone that Reigns seems to have beaten leukemia, but the entire feud with Drew seems like something they threw together at the last minute because they didn’t expect him to come back so soon. I can never tell if they’re behind Drew or not, they seem to change their minds every other week. Roman wins, obviously, then probably goes right back into the Universal title picture. Triple H vs. Batista The epic final battle between Drax the Destroyer and whatever Triple H’s character was called in Blade 3. I’m interested in this match due to sheer sideshow curiosity. Big Dave hasn’t wrestled in however long, and last time Hunter wrestled he ripped a titty off his chest in the beginning of the match. I have enough faith that’ll it be something watchable at least, Triple H’s match with Angle and Rousey was good last year. Batista wins and rides off into the sunset, and Trips “retires” for about a year. Let’s give it a year and a half if we’re being generous. Universal Championship: Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar (c.) Prediction for number of German suplexes: 11. Now this one is a sticky wicket. On the one hand, it’d be nice to have the Rumble winner, y’know, win, and have someone with the belt who’ll be around every week. On the other hand, I’m sure Vince is already salivating over the thought of Roman conquering the unstoppable once every four months onslaught of Brock Lesnar. On the THIRD hand, they did make a t-shirt for Rollins that says “Beastslayer” which would be completely pointless to peddle at shows if he lost. I’ll go out on a limb and pick Lesnar, but whoever wins is getting Roman as a challenger  Intercontinental Championship: Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley (c.) Can we get this show over with already? I’m already bored just writing about it. The Demon wins back the title that he just lost for no reason a few weeks ago, Lio Rush probably gets beat up and the crowd continues to go mild for Bobby Lashley. Next. Women’s Championship, winner takes all: Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair (c., Smackdown) vs. Ronda Rousey (c., Raw) Becky. Becky, Becky, Becky. Wait, I have to say something other than that about the match? The build for this has been all over the place. Becky taps to Asuka at the Rumble, then takes Lana’s spot to win the Rumble match itself. Becky’s suspended, but she’s on every show anyway. Then she’s not suspended, she and Ronda break the fourth wall on Twitter, Charlotte replaces Becky, then she wins the Smackdown belt from Asuka and it’s a triple threat, and my God I think I’ve gone cross eyed. Who wins will really depend on where they place this match on the card. I know they’ve said it’ll be the “main event,” and if it truly goes on last then they’d be insane not to give it to Becky. I’ve been trying to reasonably predict the order in which the matches will take place. BUT... we all know WWE has been saying double main event, triple main event, whatever for years. If it DOESN’T go on last, it’s probably gonna be Charlotte. She’s already beaten Trish’s record for number of Women’s title reigns, and lord knows WWE wants to make her seem like the best at everything due to her name. I’ll (perhaps foolishly) put all my chips on Becky, but won’t be surprised in the least if it’s Charlotte. Oh yeah, Ronda’s in the match too. How ‘bout that. *whew* So yeah, sixteen matches on what’s liable to be a seven hour show. I’m likely to watch it in spurts, because A) my TV is always at the risk of being hijacked by a six year old, and 2) I’m going to fall asleep if I try to watch it all in one shot. I won’t be drinking, because I’d rather fall asleep due to boredom rather than alcohol consumption this year. I almost don’t want the women’s match to go last, because the crowd will be fucking exhausted by then. Of the sixteen matches, I’m confident about half will be good. So there’s that. We’ll have a couple overblown entrances, some forced “Wrestlemania Moments,” the possibility for an entertaining car wreck or two, maybe an Undertaker appearance. This is the first year though where I’m sort of dreading the Grandest Stage of the Showcase of the Immortally Ultimate Thrill Ride in twenty years of fandom, and that’s pretty disheartening. That Takeover sure was something though, wasn’t it?

[placetobenation]

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a little vengeance, right?

NXT takes over the PPV landscape Sunday night with its latest edition of TakeOver: Vengeance Day, highlighted by the NXT Championship match between Finn Balor and Pete Dunne. That alone should be worth the price of admission and maybe we’ll get Edge standing by as an interested bystander. But, in addition, they’ll crown the winners of both men’s and women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic plus Johnny Gargano defending his North American Championship against KUSHIDA which could steal the show. That is of course, unless Io Shirai doesn’t steal it first!

We know the card will deliver as it always does! Less is always more as far as the number of matches when it comes to NXT. Gives it room to breathe.

Just think about it, it’s a card that’s without Karrion Kross, The Undisputed Era, Tommaso Ciampa, Timothy Thatcher, Candice LeRae and the tag team champions, Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan, among others.

NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day – Updated Card

Dusty Rhodes Men’s Tag Team Classic Finals: Grizzled Young Veterans vs. MSK

Dusty Rhodes Women’s Tag Team Classic Finals: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

NXT North American Championship Match: Johnny Gargano vs. KUSHIDA

NXT Championship Match: Finn Balor vs. Pete Dunne

NXT Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match: Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Martinez

Star of the week:

WWE's Nia Jax trends on Twitter after screaming 'my hole!' during match https://t.co/15cdcHNT9H pic.twitter.com/Q4fMI6T4h4

— New York Post (@nypost) February 9, 2021

Nia Jax – No, not for being the best, but for being one of the best moments on WWE television this week. It was a moment more memorable than anything Jax has done in the ring in months.

RAW

RESULTS

AJ Styles defeated Jeff Hardy

The New Day defeated RETRIBUTION (T-BAR & SLAPJACK)

Lacey Evans defeated Charlotte Flair by DQ to win RAW Women’s Championship Match vs. Asuka

Damian Priest defeated Angel Garza

Keith Lee defeated Riddle

Tables Match: Lana defeated Nia Jax

Naomi defeated Shayna Baszler

Non-title WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton ended in no-contest

Welcome to the WHY edition of Monday night RAW.

Why did we need Shane McMahon out to help Adam Pearce announce that Drew McIntyre would defend his WWE Championship inside the Elimination Chamber against Sheamus, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton and The Miz?

"I think at a different level than you. You're content with being awesome? I'm not. Did that 20 years ago … I NEED to be champion!" – @EdgeRatedR to @mikethemiz #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/aqqyFRmjeJ

— WWE (@WWE) February 9, 2021

Why is Edge so damn good? Rhetorical question as he now waits until after Elimination Chamber to make his WrestleMania decision. Edge schooling The Miz was priceless and on point!

The Queen has SNAPPED, forcing this match into a DQ!#WWERaw @MsCharlotteWWE @LaceyEvansWWE @RicFlairNatrBoy pic.twitter.com/rov45KVOkz

— WWE (@WWE) February 9, 2021

Why did we need another DQ finish? This time with Charlotte Flair beating up Lacey Evans, giving Evans a title shot against Asuka. Not sure that helped anyone out there.

Why is Angel Garza being wasted in a squash match against Damian Priest? And why does Priest need Bad Bunny with the distraction to beat him? That of course, is another rhetorical question. Excellent piece of business right there for sport entertainment.

Dialing 1-800-HURT BIZ!#WWERaw @fightbobby @RealKeithLee pic.twitter.com/uwUlceEFJV

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) February 9, 2021

Why is the WWE so transparent putting Keith Lee up against Riddle when we know it’s only going to lead to a triple threat match against Bobby Lashley for the US Title? Storyline aside, Lee vs. Riddle was very good.

Why did we get no build-up to a tables match between Lana and Nia Jax? Yes, they should’ve had the match, but give me at least some time to make it worthwhile.

Why haven’t we been giving a “Oh, my hole!” t-shirt from Nia Jax and why does the WWE feel the need to edit that amazing moment, trending Worldwide, out of the RAW replays? Use it my friends! It actually made Jax entertaining for a moment and made her our star for the week. At least they made amends Friday night!

Payback!

#WWERaw @DMcIntyreWWE @RandyOrton @WWESheamus pic.twitter.com/NGR5b6Qwd7

— WWE (@WWE) February 9, 2021

Why do we need yet another no-contest in a RAW main event? This time McIntyre vs. Orton goes nowhere with Sheamus’ predictable interference.

Why is there no Miss Alexa Bliss?

In the end, RAW could’ve been a very entertaining show if not for some missteps.

NXT

RESULTS

Dusty Rhodes Men’s Tag Team Classic Semifinals: MSK defeated Legado del Fantasma

Xia Li defeated Kora Jade

Dusty Rhodes Women’s Tag Team Classic Semifinals: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart defeated Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

KUSHIDA defeated Austin Theory by DQ

Dusty Rhodes Men’s Tag Team Classic Semifinals: The Grizzled Young Veterans defeated Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher

Our favorite move is back, y'all… and this time it's off the ring apron!!!

#WWENXT #DustyClassic @joaquinwilde_ @NashCarterWWE @RaulMendozaWWE @WesLee_WWE pic.twitter.com/9yNx7LXdhu

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 11, 2021

Is it time for MSK to make their way to the top of the NXT tag team title scene? They’re just one step away now with a Dusty Rhodes Classic finals appearance!

Talk about The WAY to NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day!

IT'S A MIRACLE!!! …or not. Tough break, Johnny Wheelchair. #WWENXT @KUSHIDA_0904 @JohnnyGargano pic.twitter.com/5Q4GbkcLDv

— WWE (@WWE) February 11, 2021

Johnny Gargano first tried to weasel his way out of the NXT North American Championship Match with a fake broken arm diagnosis that William Regal saw right there. With Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, Austin Theory and of course, KUSHIDA, the segment was pure gold! Then, Gargano tried to payback KUSHIDA with a cheap shot in his match with Theory, only to be held at bay in an armbar by KUSHIDA and Dexter Lumis.

As for LeRae, she and Hartwell fell short to Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart in getting to the Dusty Rhodes Women’s Tag Team Classic Finals. Now, it’s Blackheart & Moon taking on Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez for the Dusty Cup and a future WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match.

Do not disobey Tian Sha. #WWENXT @Bigboawwe pic.twitter.com/vE8x5Ir93Q

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 11, 2021

The aura surrounding Xia Li, Boa and Tian Sha has Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter as interested bystanders. Supportive friends are now turned into foes. A curious angle gets better and better with Li becoming more of a badass. Great makeover!

Tick tock…….@WWEKarrionKross & @LadyScarlett_13 await @EscobarWWE on #WWENXT this coming Wednesday! pic.twitter.com/6bgJBGw84d

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 12, 2021

Next week, we get Karrion Kross against Santos Escobar with Scarlett ringside. Sounds delicious! Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza have already felt the wrath. It’s only a matter of time. Tick. Tock.

Loved the build-up to this Sunday’s PPV especially the vignettes for the triple threat match for Io Shirai’s NXT Women’s Championship against Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez. Plus, the face-offs on each match at the end of the night was a nice touch! NXT does such an outstanding job of matching it feel big time for their TakeOver events.

Cameron Grimes. Kiss My Grits. Oh my! Maybe he’s the new Million Dollar Man!

For the second straight week, we get a quality tag team main event with an upset. This time, Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher see their run come to an unexpected end at the hands of The Grizzled Young Veterans. So, it’ll be Wes Lee and Nash Carter taking on Zack Gibson & James Drake, as the GYV make it to the Finals for the second straight year.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: King Corbin & Sami Zayn defeated Dominik & Rey Mysterio

Intercontinental Championship Match: Big E defeated Shinsuke Nakamura by DQ

Bayley defeated Liv Morgan

The Street Profits defeated Otis and Chad Gable

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Daniel Bryan & Cesaro defeated Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode

There’s no disputing the fact that Roman Reigns is the top dog, the head of the table, the number one performer right now in WWE. What I do find disconcerting though is the repeated open each week’s Friday night SmackDown. Having Reigns walk to the ring for a 10-minute promo with all talk week after week isn’t maximizing his greatness. It gets old quick. I did love that it quickly turned into Reigns turning down Adam Pearce’s request to defend the Universal Title in the Chamber just like Drew McIntyre’s WWE Championship. No need to have the same match twice. Plus, by having Kevin Owens and Jey Uso join those who qualify for the match face-off inside the demonic structure before having to face Reigns the very same night ultimately gives the Big Dog the upper hand to walk out of the PPV still the Champ heading to WrestleMania. It should also give Edge one fun night of watching.

.@SamiZayn & King @BaronCorbinWWE have punched their tickets to the #SmackDown Elimination Chamber Match at #WWEChamber! pic.twitter.com/378R8tLuZw

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2021

I did like Sonya Deville giving us tag team matches as a way of qualifying for the Chamber Contender match. Sami Zayn and King Corbin taking out the Mysterios was fun although I did fear for Dominik’s safety when he almost cracked his head against the announce table flying through the ropes and over Zayn. The right team went over and both should show strong inside the Chamber.

@DomMysterio35 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/hANUFd7JP0

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) February 13, 2021

Big E vs. Shinsuke Nakamura put on a show, albeit too short for me with Apollo Crews predictable match. Shinsuke gets the DQ victory but robs us of a better match. Maybe down the road as the Big E vs. Crews feud continues.

"YOU WILL NEVER LIVE UP TO YOUR POTENTIAL WITHOUT ME!!"

#SmackDown @WWERollins @WWECesaro pic.twitter.com/vVDSGOUEfU

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2021

Welcome back Seth Rollins! I thought you were going down the right path. A new road. Fatherhood and positivity. It would’ve been the right path for him and the WWE. Instead, all of the SmackDown superstars surrounding the ring left him high and dry standing alone in the ring until a vicious attack on Cesaro.

Another week and another misstep by Billie Kay costs The Riott Squad a victory over Bayley. Last week, it was Ruby Riott and this time, it’s Liv Morgan going down to defeat. At what point, do Billie get the buh-bye?!

After a bit of momentum at the start, it looks like Otis and Chad Gable have leveled off a bit. This week, it’s a loss to the former tag team champion The Street Profits.

Anyone else find it odd that Montez Ford is dancing with Sasha Banks in a bit of a runway crossover? After all, Ford is married to Bianca Belair, who just may be choosing Banks as a WrestleMania opponent.

Oh no, NOT AGAIN!!

#SmackDown @NiaJaxWWE @SashaBanksWWE @BiancaBelairWWE pic.twitter.com/UtBMqFEjl5

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2021

As for Belair and Banks, they made interesting short work of the tag team champs. First, mocking Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler for their losses on RAW this week. Then, they actually do play the “oh my hole” line from Jax which is hilarious! Finally, they get physical with the champs. You wonder if we’ll get an Asuka/Charlotte Flair redux with Banks and Belair, champ and cohort, getting a title match soon.

#WWEChamber can't get here soon enough! #SmackDown @BaronCorbinWWE @SamiZayn @WWEDanielBryan @WWECesaro @FightOwensFight @WWEUsos pic.twitter.com/kGWylfzNve

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2021

Instead of fighting each other, Daniel Bryan and Cesaro teamed up to win a shot in the Chamber match which is a plus for all of us as anytime you can put those two inside the wretched structure along with Kevin Owens, Jey Uso, King Corbin and Sami Zayn, you’ve got yourselves some moments to remember coming! No disrespect to Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode, but Cesaro and Bryan deserved the spot and will absolutely shine. Even despite Cesaro being less than 100% thanks to Rollins, he still gets Ziggler to tap out! Give me Cesaro vs. Reigns please! Nice little brawl with all six Chamber members to end the show as Owens reminds us that he’s not going away.

Parting Shots:

During halftime of Saturday’s Celebrity Flag Football Game on ESPNews, Heisman Trophy-winning professional quarterback @DougFlutie pinned @RonKillings to become the new #247Champion!!!! #AndNew #CelebSweat @CelebritySweat1 pic.twitter.com/2YqwNzFOHU

— WWE (@WWE) February 6, 2021

Congratulations Doug Flutie! You’re in the record books as a former WWE 24/7 Champion! Flutie beat R-Truth at the Celebrity Flag Football Game during Super Bowl LV weekend. Sure, it only lasted for a few brief, fleeting moments as R-Truth won it back for his 49th title reign, but it’s more mainstream attention for the WWE, which never hurts.

Coming up this week:

RAW: Gauntlet Match – Winner gets last pod open at Elimination Chamber: Drew McIntyre vs. The Miz vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles MizTV with Drew McIntyre

NXT: Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day fallout

SMACKDOWN: TBD – Go Home Show for Elimination Chamber

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at jcrowe567@gmail.com. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND

[hazyheel]

WWE NXT Takeover: Toronto II Predictions

We are headed back to Toronto for Summerslam weekend this year, which means that Takeover will be hosted from the same city. It is certainly an interesting card this time around, with every championship in NXT proper being defended, in addition to a non-title women’s match, which is nice. All of the matches look really good, so let’s just hop right into the list.

The first match on the list is Candice LaRae vs. Io Sharai. During Sharai’s pursuit of the NXT Women’s championship, her and LaRae were best of friends. Sharai had a championship match at Takeover XXV, where Shayna Baszler’s lackey’s tried to get involved, but LaRae beat them down with a kendo stick. Still, Sharai tapped out to the kirifuda clutch, and lost. But after the match, she beat down Baszler and earned herself a rematch. That rematch was inside of a steel cage, and the two beat the hell out of each other. This time, Sharai looked like she was about to escape, when Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke came out again to cost her the match. LaRae ran out to support her friend, and helped to beat down the women. In the finish, Sharai was locked in the Kirifuda clutch right in the door frame of the cage as she tried to escape. To get out of the hold, she bashed Baszler’s head with the cage door, causing Baszler to fall out of the cage unconscious, but still winning the match. Afterwards, Sharai brutalized LaRae and blamed her for the loss. Since then, the two have brawled a couple of times, prompting Regal to make the match for Takeover. This is a bit of a tough one to predict, because LaRae is probably next in line for a title shot, but Sharai has had a recent heel turn. Both women need the win, but I would say that LaRae needs it more. It will propel her into the Women’s championship scene, and she can finally be the one to take the belt from Baszler. I doubt this will be the last time these two fight, and it is very possible that Sharai actually takes the women’s championship from LaRae, but right now, the babyface needs it more. This is LaRae’s Takeover debut, at least in a match, and it is the biggest stage that she has ever been on, so I think she will deliver in a big way. Sharai is great and has proved as such, so she is the perfect opponent for a debuting star. I’m excited for this match a lot, a sleeper great match for this card. 

Then, in the first of the championship matches, we have the Street Profits vs. The Undisputed Era for the NXT Tag Team Championships. This is a pretty simple story. The Street Profits won the titles in a ladder match at Takeover XXV, and have proceeded to beat each of the other teams in that match since then. They beat Lorcan and Burch, and then the Forgotten Sons. Fish and O’Reilly are the last team on their list, but they are also probably the best tag team in NXT history. I found this one a bit tough too, considering that the Street Profits have been appearing on Raw lately, but something about their NXT promo makes me think that they are going to retain. The two are really good together, but they haven’t had a breakout tag match yet. They were awesome in the ladder match, but in that sort of environment, big spots are given more attention. So in a straight tag match, they can show all of their talent and establish themselves as good champions and a great team. Of course, we could also end up with the Undisputed Era with the championships, so that the team holds all the gold at the end of the night, but considering how common that is in WWE right now, I think they will hold off on that for a bit. I think the Street Profits will win in a match that will be very good, but maybe just shy of great. 

Then we have a triple threat match for the NXT North American Championship: Velveteen Dream vs. Pete Dunne vs. Roderick Strong. This match was originally just going to be Dream vs. Strong, because Strong pinned Dream in a 6-man tag a few weeks ago. So he had a claim to the title, but Dunne made a shock return to NXT proper, and inserted himself directly into the title picture by virtue of his very long title reign as the WWE UK Champion. He also has a noted history with Roderick Strong, as the two were tag team partners for a couple months before Roddy betrayed him last year to join the Undisputed Era. So we had a triple threat on our hands. I don’t think that Dunne is going to win here, but I do think it is a toss up between Strong and Dream. The only reason I’m picking Dream to retain is that I doubt another stable will hold all the gold in WWE. But if there is any match that I’m going to be wrong about, it will most likely be this one. I think Dream will retain here, but then go on to lose the title to Cameron Grimes after he wins the breakout tournament. But I could definitely see Roddy winning too. This is a match that makes my mouth water, and I’m really excited to see three of the best talents in NXT square off. 

Next up is Shayna Baszler defending the NXT Women’s championship against Mia Yim. The two have had a very violent and personal rivalry, starting in a match where the two beat the hell out of each other for a short period. When Yim was granted this title shot, Baszler, Shafir and Duke all beat her down in the ring and left her laying, calling her gutter trash as they did. In response, Yim channeled her street smarts and put both Shafir and Duke on the shelf with attacks in the parking lot and locker room respectively, saying that now the field is even. Baszler insists that Yim doesn’t deserve a title shot and is not good enough to be on the gold brand, while Yim says that Baszler can’t win without her friends and can’t deal with an opponent who fights dirty. This is an easy pick, Baszler is going to retain. Yim just doesn’t have the star power to take it right now. She is a placeholder. Still, should be an interesting match. 

And in the main event, we have Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole three, for the NXT Championship, three stages of hell. It isn’t being billed as that, but it is a much cooler name for when the stipulation changes. This all started back at Takeover New York. The title was vacant, and Gargano was the most recent #1 contender, so he was guaranteed a spot. Cole won a fatal 5-way to be the other competitor, and it was a 2 out of 3 falls match to ensure a decisive winner. Cole won the first fall, but Gargano came back and won the match. Cole said that he would have won in any other match, so he was given a rematch in a straight singles match, and sure enough, he won. So now, Cole has been rubbing his championship in Gargano’s face. He paraded around with the title, going to his wrestling school and telling students to give up, and even showing up at his parent’s restaurant and pinning his picture on the wall. The two brawled several times, so Regal made the match official. He also added the 2 out of 3 falls stipulation, but with a twist. Gargano picks the stip for the first fall, Cole for the second, and regal picks for the third if it comes to that. Gargano picked a street fight, as he has been tapping into a darker side for about a year now, and he wants to embrace that here. Cole picked a straight singles match, as he said that he does not need anything special to win. Regal hasn’t revealed the third stipulation, which adds some intrigue into an otherwise predictable stipulation. And I know I’m picking every champion to retain here, but I really don’t think there is any point in putting the belt back on Gargano. He is better chasing, and he already had a fairytale moment. Cole is a great villain right now, and he should have the belt for a while. For it to mean anything, Gargano is going to need to beat a new foe for the NXT Championship, maybe even Tommaso Ciampa when he returns. Cole should have a nice run, because if he loses it now, then it will be way too much hot potatoing for my liking. The last two matches have been great, although I question the A+ I gave the second match in hindsight, and I have high hopes for this match. They killed it twice before, make it a hatrick.

So, those are my predictions. No title changes I don’t think, but anyone in the Undisputed Era can concievably win their match. It’s a toughy for a lot of them, which makes the pay per view that much more exciting. I can’t wait for tomorrow night. 

[wrestling-and-such]

My 10 Favourite Matches of 2019

Ok, so I was planning to release this days ago, but school caught up and now everyone is over 2019. But I’m still gonna finish this list anyway cause I said so. Shhhhh... let me have this...

So, I see a lot of people talking about the best wrestlers or best matches or best promotions of the 2010s. But I only just got back into wrestling in 2019, so I don’t feel as though I can talk about the entire decade. Instead, I decided to make a list of my favourite matches of just 2019. Now, these aren’t the BEST matches, these is my FAVOURITE matches, and thus subject to my own opinion. And obviously spoilers for each of the matches ahead. Got it? Good. 

Honourable Mentions: 

Grizzled Young Veterans vs Gallus (Mark Coffey and Wolfgang) vs South Wales Subculture (NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff) 

The Women’s Wargames Match (NXT TakeOver: Wargames (2019))

A-Kid vs Will Ospreay (Triple W Total Rumble 9)

Kenny Omega vs Jon Moxley (AEW All Out)

Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks (WWE Hell in a Cell (2019))

10: Jon Moxley vs Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW G1 Climax 2019 - Day 6 Jul 19th 2019)

I liked Dean Ambrose. I love Jon Moxley. So, what happens when you put one of the most legitimately badass wrestlers in the world today with perennial fellow badass, Tomohiro Ishii? A straight up brawl between two of the best brawlers in the business. Moxley was at his violent and unhinged finest, while also refining that brutality in a more serious and direct manner. We even got to see a more technical side of Moxley that we weren’t presented in WWE’s “sports entertainment” landscape. Also, ISHII DIVES OFF THE TOP ROPE THROUGH A TABLE, ISHII DOES NOT DO THAT GUYS, YOU JUST DO NOT SEE THAT, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT. Ishii is one of those wrestlers in NJPW that I instantly connected with, and he worked his ass off in this match, and basically the entire G1 Climax. And with a match like this, I would like to see him in more. Amazing.

9: PAC vs Ben-K (Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2019))

So, Disclaimer; I do not watch Dragon Gate. I’m sure I should, but I don’t. That being said, I absolutely loved this match. From what I’m told, there was another match at Kobe World that might have been better than this one. But if I’m being honest, it would have to be REALLY great to top this one. Ben-K, through just one match, became one of my favourite wrestlers today. Dragon Gate is a promotion primarily made up of Junior Heavyweights, so it’s somewhat strange to see a wrestler like Ben-K among their mix, as he’s primarily a power and ground based wrestler. Nonetheless, his style was completely in-sync with the high flying PAC. PAC is a sadistic son of a b%&* throughout the match, as usual. However, when he lost he made sure he put Ben-K over HARD, even risking his stable’s own credibility to do so. If you want a great underdog and redemption story, this is definitely one to watch.

8: The Revival vs Undisputed Era (O'Reilly & Fish) (NXT Tapings: Nov. 20, 2019)

Anyone who’s seen this match will know where I’m coming from. A sleeper hit on the road to Survivor Series, everyone who recognized the abilities of those involved knew something big was going to happen. Despite, traditionally being Heels, The Revival were the de facto Babyfaces in this match, with the single goal of showing the world why they were so big in NXT. And they did, in a showcase of Tag team wrestling at its finest. Matched up with the technical excellence of the Undisputed Era, this match produced GOLD. Its all the fixings of a great Revival match: blind tags, fluid tag team moves, climactic hot tags. All topped off with a surprising chemistry with the almost always excellent Undisputed Era. I love you Revival. Now please go somewhere else to do your thing. I would like to see it.

7: Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole (bay bay) (NXT TakeOver: New York)

This was the first NXT TakeOver show I had ever watched, as I had just missed the Phoenix show and hadn’t had the chance to watch it before the Wrestlemania weekend. That being said, what an introduction to TakeOvers this was. The entire New York card was probably my favourite WWE PPV of the year (save for one other NXT PPV mentioned) and this match was just delicious sugary icing on the cake. And I don’t even like icing that much. Johnny Gargano is by far one of the best Babyfaces in the world and draws sympathy like no other, most people recognize this. But what this match did differently than his other matches was introduce us to his uncanny ability to suspend you disbelief.  And Adam Cole was an integral foil for Johnny, even if it was never planned, as I don’t think Tommaso could have gotten this out of Johnny as he was only one man. But when the rest of the Undisputed Era came out to assist Cole, Johnny took down all of them, and you believed it possible. It wasn’t a cop out like we see so many times on the main roster and its main event scene. It was genuine, heartfelt, underdog resilience that we hoped, we knew, and we saw pay off in the end. 

6: WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match (WWE Elimination Chamber (2019))

I know, I know, many people prefer Kofi Kingston’s Wrestlemania triumph over “The New” Daniel Bryan. However, for personal preference, I enjoyed Kofi’s Elimination Chamber Showcase just a little bit more. Essentially, this is where KofiMania started. Kofi was an incidental figure in the match due to Mustafa Ali getting injured, but he nonetheless seized his opportunity and put it all on the line for one of the greatest matches of his life. This isn’t to say that the other members of the match didn’t play their part either; Daniel Bryan may have been more conniving than ever before, Samoa Joe was a literal machine during his time in the match, Jeff Hardy was at his high flying best, AJ Styles put his technical excellence on display once again, and Randy Orton actually felt threatening for once! However, this was Kofi’s night, and this is where it all began.

5: Rhea Ripley vs Shayna Baszler (NXT Tapings: Dec. 18, 2019)

As of this writing, Shayna Baszler is basically headed to the main roster, so it was almost a shoe-in that Rhea Ripley would be walking out of 2019 as the new NXT Women’s Champion. However, the skill and strength of this match was making you forget about that and question whether or not Rhea could actually get the job done. But she did! And it was great! Shayna’s new style lends itself as both punishing to her victims but also rewarding to those who know what they’re up against. And for a while, Rhea was especially rewarded for her close understanding of Shayna and her ability to read her out, as seen in her previous match with her a few months earlier and the Women’s Wargames Match. But when that ability was hindered by Shayna when she finally managed to injure Rhea’s arm, you were left on the edge of your seat the entire match worrying about the outcome. And that’s what a match is supposed to do, even if the outcome is somewhat predictable. Even still, sometimes its best to just give fans what they want, and that’s exactly what they did.

4: Tomohiro Ishii vs Shingo Takagi (NJPW G1 Climax 2019 - Day 16 Aug 8th 2019)

I showed this match to a friend who had never watched pro wrestling in his life and had no interest in it. I still showed him this match and he actually had a lot of fun watching it. When you take two big beefy bois and have them run into each other for about 22 minutes, you get this wonderful match. The story of this match is a classic case of one-upmanship, with the two men battering each other while no-selling each others moves throughout much of this match. This is also helped by the fact that these they look like they’re actually hitting each other in the face. One of the hardest hitting matches of the year, this was the Japanese Strong Style at some of its finest with how stiff the strikes were. That’s not to say there wasn’t much technical work in this match either. Nonetheless, I still feel as though this explanation doesn’t do this match justice. It’s still available online, so just go watch it yourself right now. Please.

3: Candice LeRae vs Io Shirai (NXT TakeOver: Toronto (2019))

I’m gonna be honest, this match is kind of helped by the fact that this took place in my home country of Canada. Don’t care, this was a phenomenal match either way. Context: Io Shirai had just turned heel, and Candice LeRae had just been dropped onto her head. Onto a chair. Being honest, she’s probably taken worse bumps on the indies, but still bad though! So Candice wants revenge, and she’s given this match at TakeOver. And it is wrestling at its finest. The story is so simple; one wrestler hurts another wrestler and the two have a match because of it. And it’s made all the better thanks to that match being great. That night in Toronto, LeRae even got more sympathy behind her than Johnny Gargano, who, as noted earlier, is a sympathy magnet. And Io proved herself a heel not through necessarily nefarious means (though there was some of that), but by simply being a fantastic technical wrestler, revived with a new heel persona. Made all the better by a resilient babyface opponent who Io literally had to choke out in order to put away. Candice LeRae is a tough f*&#ing cupcake, dammit.

2: Walter vs Tyler Bate (NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff)

Another contender for one of the world’s best babyfaces, big strong boi Tyler Bate helped put on my favourite match at my favourite WWE PPV of the year, the ever so underrated NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff. Walter is one of my favourite wrestlers, and I’m saying that as a guy who probably likes spots a bit too much. His old school catch wrestling style stands out amongst his contemporaries, and know one understands the fundamentals better than him. But what really stood out in this match was actually when he was on the back foot, selling for Tyler in a way that suspended your disbelief. And when Tyler managed to actually LIFT Walter up you really felt as if this David would conquer his Goliath. And when he didn’t you felt genuinely heartbroken, but not cheated. And that’s the important distinction. Thank you boys.

1: Cody vs Dustin Rhodes (AEW Double or Nothing)

Ok, you guys knew this was gonna be here. It’s on most people's lists, but nonetheless, I just loved this match a lot. Even as a kid, I remember not thinking much of Cody Rhodes. Goldust was neat, if a little weird for me as a kid. Like many people, I expected this match to be good and very emotional, but not great. Then it happened, and I was blown away. The buckets of blood, sweat, and tears spilled in this match would in theory be enough to turn some more squeamish eyes away, but it was so powerful that I’m not sure that too many people could actually take their eyes off it. Dustin was there to prove that, even after all these years, this old gunslinger’s still got it, with a technical smoothness to rival even the younger guys on the AEW roster. Meanwhile, Cody proved a dastardly but nonetheless sympathetic, nay empathetic, heelish wrestler who was tortured by his own actions in trying to put down his older brother. Nothing I say could truly capture the beauty of this match, but the sheer fact that I found it beautiful is a large reason why I’ll continue to watch wrestling for a long time to come.

[hmoney316]

Predictions for NXT TakeOver: New York!!

[junker-town]

NXT TakeOver: New York preview — can the Velveteen Dream steal the show ... again?

Five matches, and not a snoozer among them.

NXT is, technically, developmental minor league wrestling. It’s Takeover events feel like anything but.

The WWE’s feeder organization long ago surpassed American wrestling’s monolith as the company’s top product. NXT is superior when it comes to both in-ring action and character development, creating compelling figures who too often rise up to the top level only to have the edges that made them unique shaved down in order to fit into the circle-shaped gaps Monday Night Raw necessitates.

So enjoy Shayna Baszler while you can, because it’s only a matter of time before the WWE turns her from “MMA badass” into either “dork sidekick” or “so stupid she drops the mic three times in an attempt to seem threatening and cool.”

NXT Takeover: New York could be the last event in the organization for grapplers like Baszler, Johnny Gargano, Ricochet, and Aleister Black. Post-Wrestlemania Raws and Smackdowns have cut a recent tradition of raiding NXT’s coffers for the talent who can re-charge their storylines, and Gargano, Ricochet, and Black have already made a handful of appearances across the two brands. Friday night could be their swan song — and if past results are any indication, they’ll get fittingly explosive sendoffs.

Here’s a look at the five matches scheduled for Friday night, ranked by how excited I am for each. Spoiler: they’re all pretty compelling.

5. NXT Tag Team Championship match: War Raiders (c) vs. Dusty Rhodes Classic winners Ricochet and Aleister Black

Black and Ricochet have been predictably great as a mismatched tag team, and the Raiders (Hanson and Ray Rowe) have got powerhouse credibility going back to their days in Ring of Honor. Friday’s match will be a classic showdown that pairs an occultist kickboxer and the human avatar of hitting all the Tekken buttons at one time versus literal vikings. Hanson and Rowe, two large, hairy, leather-cased slabs of meat, are probably coming to the ring in a langskip.

Rowe and Hanson won the titles from the Undisputed Era at the last Takeover, transferring the title from longtime indie darlings to ... longtime indie darlings. They’re challenged by the not-really-a-tag-team duo of Ricochet and Black (working name: Chet Black), two former individual NXT title holders who paired up for the Dusty Rhodes Classic’s tag team tournament in the midst of an unexpected (and sorta pointless) promotion to the WWE.

Both sides will pull off a number of “whoa, what?” moments. For Ricochet and Black it’ll be a function of absurd athleticism and acrobatic skill. With the Raiders it’ll be the cartoonish piano-falling-on-the-sidewalk splatters of their high impact maneuvers. Will Chet Black take the titles with them up to the next level? Will the War Raiders retain and lord over an extremely good NXT tag division?

This’ll still be a very strong match, but there’s still reason for doubt. Chet Black aren’t quite a cohesive unit yet. Something about the two bearded monsters standing in the middle of the ring, throwing up devil hands and headbanging, makes them seem more like your dad’s friends drinking in the garage than the last thing you’d see before you’re murdered in a Norwegian forest. It loses steam in a very dumb way for me, and he rest of this card is STACKED, so it gets relegated to No. 5.

4. WWE UK Championship bout: Pete Dunne (c) vs. WALTER

Dunne is the longest-reigning current champion signed to the company. On Friday night, he faces an opponent who answers the age-old question “what if Rod Farva were German, competent, and intent on slapping your heart through your spine?”

WALTER’s main stage debut comes against the Bruiserweight in a match that’s taken place several times across the continent of Europe but for the first time on American soil. He’ll take on the role of unstoppable force against Dunne, some 100 pounds lighter than his primetime foe. That means he’ll be fighting from underneath, a role he’s intimately familiar with.

This should challenge the headliner as the most brutal match of the night, and it’ll give the big German a showcase event while allowing the ever-ready Dunne to continue shining.

3. Fatal four-way for the NXT Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Kairi Sane vs. Io Shirai

Baszler’s reign is ripe for toppling with Ronda Rousey set to vacate her claim as the main roster’s resident MMA badass after Wrestlemania. Having her lose the title without getting pinned will keep her aura intact before she gets called up, goes on a tear in her first month on RAW, and then starts losing matches to Riott Squad members for reasons only Vince McMahon can understand.

Baszler’s gonna come in and kick, punch, and choke her way through what should be a 20 minute sprint. That’ll leave Belair, her UN-DEE-FEET-ED mindset, and the Sky Pirates (Saine and Shirai) to surround that with some high-flying athleticism in a match that should have few slow moments. Ideally I’d like to see Belair pick up Baszler, then have Saine and Shirai unleash dual top rope attacks on her, only to get caught in midair and for all three to wind up getting suplexed. I’m not sure on how the physics of that would work, but I’m still about 60% certain Belair could pull it off.

The biggest question in this match is how the Sky Pirates are going to interact with the championship on the line. Will this be the beginning of a falling out between the two countrywomen? Will they work together before begrudgingly squaring off over the broken bodies of their fallen competitors? Will they collide during mid-air performing dueling elbow drops, allowing Belair or Baszler to escape with a win?

Either way, you’ve got a little something for everyone here, ranging from abject brutality (Baszler) to absurd strength and athleticism (Belair) to high-flying innovation and polished craftmanship (the veterans Shirai and Sane). As long as this match doesn’t fall victim to the “two fighters are hurt and recovering outside the ring while two fight inside it until it’s time to switch partners” trope, it should be great.

2. NXT North American Championship Match: Velveteen Dream (c) vs. Matt Riddle

Riddle’s regular schedule of winning fights and then getting suspended for cannabis use pushed him out of UFC and into the squared circle, where he became a commodity on the independent scene and, now, one of the hottest prospects in NXT. After feuding with organization gatekeeper Kassius Ohno (a man with the mane of a lion and the body and clothing of an enormous toddler), he’s worked his way up to the NA title scene and a date with NXT’s most compelling presence.

The Dream, effectively a jacked, deep-voiced, pansexual Prince, has developed into one of the organization’s top stars thanks to his commitment to both his character and becoming one of NXT’s most reliable in-ring performers. The 23-year-old has a preternatural grasp of his industry, working over fans and storylines like a skilled accountant slides through tax code. He’s a scholar of the squared circle capable of paying reverence to the wrestlers who came before him while still throwing shade at the shittier ones.

This shouldn’t obscure the fact he can out-and-out GO in the ring, and now he’s facing another phenom who’s a full decade older in Riddle. Like Baszler, he brings MMA gravitas to his strikes and submissions and makes everything look 10-20% more painful, even as he smiles doing it. He’s the dopey frat bro you hated from afar in college and then really liked once you got stuck doing a group project with. He’s charismatic and has a body that suggests weed is a tremendous diet supplement.

Riddle hasn’t really gotten much of a chance to shine in NXT yet — he’s only had two televised one-on-one matches run longer than four minutes so far — but he’s lived up to the hype in limited spots so far. Now he’s set for the most-hyped match of his career against a guy who turned “what if Prince, but a wrestler?” into one of the best characters in wrestling.

1. Best 2 of 3 falls match for the NXT Championship: Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole

Gargano has been as can’t-miss as any wrestler in the world lately, throwing out A-tier matches throughout his three-plus year run in the company. Cole is an absolutely workhorse capable of taking a ludicrous amount of damage and putting on classic matches.

Arrrrgh no no no no jesus

Both competitors are innately capable of making you care more about everyone in the match as it wears on. Gargano has been on a longterm, unbroken quest rarely seen in the WWE, going from unsigned underdog talent to tag team champion alongside Tommaso Ciampa. That led to a tumultuous breakup, disparate singles runs, and Gargano’s virtue being ripped away by his desire to chase gold. His alignment flipped back to good after another falling out with Ciampa (right before a neck injury tragically deprived us of Gargano-Ciampa IV and the feud-ending blowout the world richly deserves), and now he’s got the opportunity to earn his belt the right way.

Cole, on the other hand, has gone from overconfident scumbag to ... successful overconfident scumbag. It’s been a hell of a journey.

Adding the NXT title proper would make either man the organization’s first triple crown champion (tag belts, NA title, NXT champ). To honor that occasion, NXT’s powers that be gave this match its highest marker of quality; a best two-out-of-three falls showdown. That distinction was given to burners like Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro (amazing), Hideo Itami vs. Tyler Breeze (excellent), and American Alpha vs. the Revival (a masterclass on WWE’s inability to handle matriculating tag teams). Getting that shot is a marker of the trust NXT (and WWE) have in its main event performers to put on a compelling, 30-minutish battle in front of a frenzied crowd.

This stipulation also allows Cole’s feckless friends (the rest of the Undisputed Era) to interfere, cause a pinfall, and get thrown out of the building without completely costing Gargano the match — though NXT has typically been good about subverting tropes like these. It also allows Gargano to fight from his back, embracing the underdog role that shot him up NXT’s power rankings, turning him from hired gun to organization hero. He’s gonna get his ass kicked for 10 straight minutes before mangling Cole like he’d done a full loop on the swingset, and it’s gonna be beautiful.

Gargano-Cole doesn’t have the gravitas of Gargano-Ciampa or the outlandish presence of Velveteen Dream, but it’s two of the world’s best wrestlers throwing two complimentary styles at each other in one of the sport’s purest forms. NXT is saving the best for last Friday night — even if the undercard throws a couple of instant classics into the mix.

[electronicmediacollective]

E385: Wrestlemania 35 and NXT New York Predictions On this episode of Marked out Podcast Rob, Adam and Brian run through both the Wrestlemania 35 and NXT Takeover Cards.