Looks like it's time for another NXT Takeover.
Andrade "Cien" Almas Vs. Tye Dillinger
This one seems pretty cut and dry. We've got a debuting star who is probably the safest bet to win WWE's Cruiserweight tournament later this month against NXT's new version of Tyler Breeze, another capable performer who lost to guys on the rise. I like Dillinger and he's got a nice gimmick going for him, but I just don't see any reason for him to win this match.
Winner: Andrade "Cien" Almas
Number One Contender Match - Shinsuke Nakamura Vs. Austin Aries
I'm pretty sure Regal said this was a number one contender match. Either way, the odds are good that the guy who wins this will go on to challenge Samoa Joe (or Finn Balor if he wins) for the NXT title at the next Takeover in Brooklyn around Summerslam. Nakamura seems like the easy choice to win this. The only caveat is if they plan to bring him to the main roster in July with news of the brand split. If that's the case, he'll likely lose since I think Aries will be around NXT for a while. I'll go with Nakamura, though, under the assumption that they want to give him a reign as NXT champ this year and call him up either around the Rumble or next year's 'Mania. Regardless, this should be a great match, and will likely be the best one on the card.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
NXT Tag Team Championship Match - American Alpha (c) Vs. The Revival
I really enjoyed their match in Dallas. It was just a great tag team match. Dash and Dawson fought dirty throughout, but American Alpha prevailed and took the titles. I expect a similar match this time around. There is literally no reason for American Alpha to drop the titles, though, unless the plan is to call them up to the main roster. I don't think that's the plan yet, as the tag team division in the WWE is pretty loaded right now between New Day, Gallows & Anderson, Enzo & Cass, and the Vaudevillains. I can't really see where American Alpha fits in there. Maybe if they're going to do unique tag team belts on both Raw and Smackdown? Still, I think American Alpha will be in NXT for a while longer.
Winner: American Alpha
NXT Women's Championship Match - Asuka (c) Vs. Nia Jax
I honestly just don't see it with Nia Jax. She has yet to have a match where she impresses me. She's basically just the women's division version of the big, slow, lumbering wrestlers that I don't enjoy watching. She's been booked well enough, and she just killed Bayley two weeks ago, but are they really going to push her as champ? Asuka seems like the better bet to head the women's division right now. The roster has gotten really thin with Charlotte, Becky, and Sasha gone, and Asuka is the type of talented performer who can lend the women's division legitimacy. Nia can't do that. Unless the plan is to have Bayley take the title back from heel Nia in Brooklyn, I'd expect Asuka to retain. And she should retain until someone worthy comes along. Personally, I would have much rather seen Alexa Bliss in this one as the heel (and not just because dat ass).
Winner: Asuka
NXT Championship Steel Cage Match - Samoa Joe (c) Vs. Finn Balor
This is the toughest match on the card to call. Either one of these guys could be called up to work Raw or Smackdown in the wake of the impending brand split. Further, with the Bullet Club reunited and heeling it up against John Cena, now could finally be the time to see Finn Balor make his main roster debut and help Styles destroy Cena at Money in the Bank (or Summerslam). The WWE has been kind of playing "will they or won't they" with calling him up, after all. Samoa Joe is another guy I could easily see called up. He's a veteran with a name people recognize and another former TNA guy that Vince can have eat pins on PPVs to prove the WWE is better. If Joe wins, I'd expect him to feud with Nakamura next. If Finn wins, a heel Aries makes more sense. I honestly don't know which way it will go, as both make a certain amount of sense and both guys could be solid main roster additions. I'll go with Joe, though.
Winner: Samoa Joe
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This card obviously isn't as good as Takeover Dallas (we knew Nakamura/Zayn was going to be a classic from the time it was announced), but it's still a typically solid NXT special that is only diminished because two of the title bouts are rematches from Dallas. I also feel like Balor and Joe have been feuding for-fucking-ever, so it will be nice to finally end that rivalry and have one or both of them move on to work with other guys. The only match I'm not really into is Asuka/Nia. I just don't think Nia is a great worker, and I think she's only in the spot she's in because she's related to the Rock (sounds kind of similar to a certain WWE Champion, right?). Maybe that match will surprise me, but I wouldn't wager on it.
Should be a fun Wednesday, though.
