Hello it’s me TWB, back for what it seems my quarterly NXT Takeover article, for anyone new to SLTD Wrestling and haven’t read my predictions article before, what I do is run down the card, give my thoughts on the matches and predict a winner. Let’s get the ball rolling with our first match.
Bobby Roode vs Tye Dillinger
Ever since making his debut at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 2, the veteran Bobby Roode has taken NXT by storm, beating Andrade “Cien” Almas in his first match, despite being an obnoxious, suit wearing heel, I expect him to be cheered this Saturday, mainly down to Takeover being held in Toronto which is Roode’s home-town. In any promotion Roode has competed in, he’s been a champion and in NXT I expect no different.
The Perfect 10, Tye Dillinger is arguably the most entertaining and organically over character in NXT, and it’s only recently that he’s gone from jobber status to a mid-card guy. The “10” chants have won him over with the NXT crowd and I think it’s great that his skills are finally being shown.
When Roode left Dillinger to suffer a beat down at the hands of SAnitY, we began to see a different side of Dillinger, sure he was still throwing up the “10” sign but he was more aggressive and more focused on getting revenge on Roode.
I think this match will go on first on the show to get the crowd alive and raring to go, and it’ll be the Glorious one to be victorious, as I think Roode will be the next man to challenge whoever the NXT Champion will be.
Winner – Bobby Roode
TM61 vs Authors of Pain – Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Final (Paul Ellering suspended in a cage above the ring)
The Authors of Pain have received a huge push since their debut at NXT Takeover: The End in June, having former Road Warriors manager and Hall of Famer Paul Ellering in their corner/cage in this match, has boosted their credibility in the tag division, sure they’re not going to have a fast paced 20 minute technical classic like American Alpha and Revival have had in the past, but they do what their job is very well, and their job is to over – power opponents and the added inclusion of Ellering can make this team formidable.
TM61 I think are like Marmite whether you like them or not and personally I like them and I think they’re a good tag team. However, I do think there needs to be some character development and that they should mention their success in Japan and say that they’ve come to WWE to conquer the American tag circuit.
I’m not sure how but I expect Authors of Pain to win the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, as they’ve been on a roll since debuting in NXT and I don’t expect that TM61 will be the ones to inflict Paul Ellering’s men’s first defeat
Winners – Authors of Pain
#DIY vs The Revival – NXT Tag Team Championship match (2 out of 3 falls match)
This has the potential of being a match of the year candidate and certainly the match that could steal the show not just at Takeover but the whole Survivor Series weekend. These two teams put on a clinic at Takeover Brooklyn 2 in August and I fully expect them to do the same here in Toronto.
The Revival have been the most consistent tag team in the whole of the WWE in 2016, every big match that they’ve had has been memorable and they’re certainly ready for the main roster.
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa much like The Revival are one of the best tag teams in WWE, and I would accept them on the main roster in a heartbeat.
These two teams were set to face off in the Quarter Finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, but an injury sustained to Scott Dawson allowed #DIY a bye into the semi-finals, during the semi-finals Dash and Dawson would attack Gargano on the outside whilst the referee was distracted and #DIY would go onto to lose their match. Fortunately, #DIY can get their revenge this Saturday in what will be a tag team classic.
I predict that Ciampa and Gargano will beat the “top guys” 2 falls to 1, and hopefully The Revival debut on the main roster around The Royal Rumble time to feud with The New Day.
Winners and new NXT Tag Team Champions – #DIY
Asuka vs Mickie James – NXT Women’s Championship
As excited as I am to see Mickie James back in a WWE ring, it does show the weakness of the NXT Women’s division. Asuka has been on a rampage ever since her debut in October of 2015, and if you look at the current roster there’s no women who has a realistic chance of beating the “Empress of Tomorrow” and that’s where Mickie James comes into the conversation. Can she be the one to beat Asuka?
Mickie James is a veteran of women’s wrestling; she’s been WWE Women’s Champion 5 times and had a 3-year run in TNA where she was the Knockouts Champion 3 times. However, the usual protocol for veterans returning for one more match is to put over younger talent, therefore I expect Asuka to win after a 20-minute match where Mickie James provides a legitimate challenge to win the NXT Women’s Title but just falls short and passes out to the Asuka Lock.
I expect the crowd to behind Mickie, which could lead to a heel turn for Asuka and I expect following Asuka’s defense of the title she moves into a feud with the relatively new Ember Moon.
Winner and still champion – Asuka
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Samoa Joe – NXT Championship
In a rematch from their match at NXT Takeover Brooklyn 2, Shinsuke Nakamura defends his NXT Championship against arch rival Samoa Joe.
Much like fellow Japanese compatriot Asuka, Nakamura is undefeated since debuting in NXT after beating some of the biggest names in NXT past and present.
Samoa Joe has been in NXT for 18 months and many believe that he is more than ready for the main roster, he’s done everything in NXT, won the Dusty Rhodes Classic and been NXT Champion and had memorable matches with some of NXT’s elite.
I think it would make sense for Nakamura to win and move onto a feud with Bobby Roode as we head into 2017, as for Samoa Joe I think we could see him debut potentially as early as Sunday night at Survivor Series.
Winner #andstill NXT Champion – Shinsuke Nakamura
So, these are my predictions for NXT Takeover: Toronto, do you agree? Make sure to come back on Sunday for my review of the event, and keep your eyes peeled on SLTDWrestling’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and website, for more Survivor Series week content.
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