Hello it’s me TWB, back for my NXT Takeover preview 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 each match and try and predict a winner.
I must admit and I hope some of you agree, that this Takeover is the least hyped NXT special arguably ever, to me as a fan of NXT for a long time, I feel this is the weakest NXT has been for a while and only 2 months on from Takeover: Toronto we have another NXT PPV. This show has been built very poorly in my opinion with very little time to build new feuds and every match on the card is different to what it was for the previous Takeover.
That doesn’t mean that I’m not excited for Saturday’s show as recent form shows that Takeovers on PPV weekends have topped the main roster and exceeded expectations. So, let’s get started with our first match.
Tye Dillinger vs Eric Young
This match I expect to go on first to get the crowd warmed up for the rest of the show. Tye Dillinger is really the last developmental guy in NXT, he is NXT, and in my opinion the best baby face on the roster. His opponent Eric Young is what I fear NXT is becoming, a show for former TNA guys who are maybe too good for TNA but not quite good enough for the main roster. I do enjoy him as leader of SAnitY and think they bring an edge and a difference to NXT, with fellow member Nikki Cross featuring in a fatal 4 way later in the night.
This in fact I think is the best booked match on the card with SAnitY there or thereabouts wherever Tye Dillinger is, of course it was SAnitY who defeated Dillinger and Bobby Roode in the Dusty Rhodes tag team classic back in October, and even in a qualifying match for a chance at the NXT Championship, the perfect 10 defeated Young via disqualification.
Tye Dillinger no matter how many times he loses is still over with the NXT crowd therefore I expect Eric Young to win, likely with help from SAnitY members Big Damo and Alexander Wolfe.
As for Tye Dillinger, it’s written in the stars surely that he’ll debut on the main roster on Sunday night as number 10 in the Royal Rumble.
Winner – Eric Young
Roderick Strong vs Andrade “Cien” Almas
Roderick Strong has already suffered a tough break in his short NXT run, with his then tag team partner Austin Aries getting injured, before the team made any real progress in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, so it’s been difficult for me as a fan to get to know the Roderick Strong character. His opponent Andrade “Cien” Almas has been flourishing as a heel, he was a very bland face, but as a heel, he is arrogant, snarky and needs to win here at Takeover: San Antonio to cement his heel run.
I expect Roderick to look strong (pun intended) in defeat, but who knows what to expect for either men heading into Takeover : Orlando in April, I doubt they’ll be in the NXT Title picture, as it seems that spot belongs to a returning star (more on that later) but maybe Strong could have a match against Austin Aries, blaming him for costing them an opportunity to be the winners of the Dusty Rhodes tag team classic, however Aries involvement with NXT is up in the air, due to him being a competitor in the cruiserweight division upon his return. As for “Cien” Almas, there’s not a lot of faces who he could take on at the next Takeover special.
Winner – Andrade “Cien” Almas
Asuka vs Billie Kay vs Peyton Royce vs Nikki Cross (NXT Women’s Championship match)
In my opinion this will be a good way to get the title off Asuka without her looking weak but I don’t expect that happen unfortunately. I like Asuka I think she’s a great wrestler and certainly one of kind and her style and breed of wrestling is something we haven’t seen in the women’s division before. However she’s not a face, her style of kicking someone hard in the face and having no remorse and choking out opponents is more heelish than it is as a face, but I don’t think she’s to blame entirely, ever since Bayley left to join the main roster in August, the NXT Women’s division has looked incredibly weak on the face side of the roster. WWE even had to bring Mickie James back to have a match against Asuka, where if you remember Asuka showed heel traits by refusing to shake hands with James after the match. To me it seems WWE have forgotten about this and gone ahead with this match with Asuka as the only face pitted against 3 heels of Billie Kay, Peyton Royce and Nikki Cross.
I expect Billie and Peyton to have a falling out mid – match over who should pin Asuka, so I would rule them out winning, so that leaves Nikki or the champion herself, I presume Asuka will somehow find a way to retain, but I just hope that the other 3 look strong in defeat and not jobbed out to the longest reigning women’s champion.
Winner and still champion – Asuka
#DIY vs Authors of Pain w/Paul Ellering (NXT Tag Team Championship match)
It’s no secret that I’m a huge Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa fan, in recent articles I’ve praised them for their instant classics against The Revival, however this time they’re facing Authors of Pain, so I’m not expecting a technical classic. Even though they’re champions #DIY are the underdogs in this match as they face the undefeated and Dusty Rhodes tag team classic winners Akam and Rezar. Both teams clashed in the tag team classic in the semi-finals, where Authors of Pain were victorious.
Aside from these two teams, the tag division is looking a bit weak, the Revival are projected to be on the main roster soon and TM61 have been struck down with an injury to Shane Throne, then you have Sanity.
Personally due to the lack of depth in the tag division I’d have Authors of Pain win in a short and dominating fashion, then for the next few months you can have #DIY climb the tag team ladder to get another shot against Authors of Pain, where they can get there rematch at Takeover: Orlando in April.
Winners and new champions – Authors of Pain
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Bobby Roode (NXT Championship)
This match will be entertaining just based on both guy’s alone, along with Tye Dillinger, these two guys are the most popular on the NXT roster. The issue with this match and Takeover is the build, we’ve only had one promo with Roode and Nakamura together, sure it’ll be a good match, but from a storyline perspective there’s not much excitement for it.
Bobby Roode has had a glorious few months in NXT, he is undefeated in singles competition and I expect him to lose to the King of Strong Style but my problem is like it was for both Roderick Strong and Andrade “Cien” Almas, what do they do next? In my opinion and even though there’s too many titles in WWE I wouldn’t be against a mid-card title introduced to NXT, then you could have mid-card guys like No Way Jose, Almas, Young, Dillinger, Strong, Oney Lorcan etc. fighting over the title, as personally I prefer feuds and matches that revolve around a title instead of a match just to get guys on the card.
I think Nakamura will likely win clean on Saturday night, and feud with the returning Kassius Ohno (Chris Hero) leading to match at NXT Takeover: Orlando.
Winner and still champion – Shinsuke Nakamura
So these are my predictions for tonight’s NXT Takeover in San Antonio – Texas. I hope everyone enjoys the show and check back on Sunday to read my thoughts on what happened!
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