So, my catchy title basically means I'll be doing double duty in one post. I HAVE to talk about NXT Takeover from last week and I am going to cast my predictions for WWE's surprise pop-up event, which by the match card and for summer storylines, is a must see. NXT first!
NXT Takeover: Unstoppable was the best live special yet. There hasn't been a bad special but this is the only special where every match was either good, great or amazing. Itami was unfortunately injured so his big moment was lost. If Itami had wrestled, I'm sure he would have won. Balor won the #1 contendership at the last event and Breeze is heel, so there's no way they would build to Breeze/Owens. Itami was the only choice to win and I'm sure he would have done it in style. To make him seem like more of a threat to Owens, Itami would have hit the GTS finally after months and months of teasing it. He already did it to Breeze at a live event so it was only a matter of time before he did it on TV. The shoulder injury threw a wrench in this plan but Balor and Breeze still had a great, fast paced match with Balor again becoming #1 contender. Balor is my favorite male wrestler in NXT but Itami and Zayn's injuries probably means he'll have to stay in NXT for the rest of the year. It's sad but he's needed.
The women's tag match was solid, certainly not the piss breaks that the main roster buts on. I like all four involved in the match and did well with the time given. Rhyno/Corbin was the best match of Corbin's career so far. It was the hard hitting match that I wanted out of Bull/Corbin. Corbin got the win in the most surprisingly good match of the night. The tag match was solid. This is clearly NXT's weakest division as I have not yet been super impressed by any tag match on a live special yet. I'm sure they'll get it together but the match here wasn't bad. Bliss turning heel was shocking, especially after she kind of called out Sasha Banks last month, who is the Women's Champion. Bad girl Bliss isn't a bad thing, I just wonder how she'll fit into the title picture.
Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch stole the show in an amazing wrestling match. The match had a great video package, the hype music as they walked to the ring and a great amount of time to showcase why everyone needs to keep their eyes on the NXT Women's division. They had such amazing in-ring chemistry it was scary. Everything about this match was great and is truly the best match I've seen from NXT. It deserves a spot not only as the greatest women's match of the Reality Era but also a serious contender for match of the year. There was not a second wasted in this instant classic. I loved when Sasha flung Becky in the corner, only to hit her with a pair of brutal looking double knees. The ending was also amazing as well. After slamming Banks into the steel steps after being caught from a suicide dive, Becky went to the top, got caught with a vicious arm takedown and locked into the Bank Statement. She had no choice to tapout. Becky took her place as an elite NXT star with the loss. Charlotte is known for being Ric Flair's daughter and an amazing superstar in her own shoes. Bayley is the lovable loser of NXT but ranks as the most loved women in NXT. Sasha is the champ of the division and has been putting on the best women's matches I've seen in WWE. Becky now joins that class of ladies and they represent the change that's needed in the women's division. I talk a lot about the NXT 5, which is the line up of Sami Zayn, Adrian Neville, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor and Hideo Itami but don't take anything away from the Four Horsewomen of NXT. They're breaking barriers down there in Florida so watch out. We live in a time where Sasha and Charlotte were allowed to main event the 1st live event in Philadelphia. That is HUGE. I'm calling it now, there will be a women's match to main event a live special soon. Sasha/Charlotte is kind of played out to me now in NXT. I've seen them wrestle about 5 times already and even though they have great chemistry, I think the match that should main a special is Sasha/Bayley. It would be the Zayn R Evolution scene all over again. The girl who always loses finally wins the big one. It writes itself. Bayley as champion is best for NXT as she'll have plenty of challengers in Dana Brooke, Emma, Sasha and Bliss. A heel Banks as champion just isn't needed right now. As much as I love Sasha, unless she turns heel, there needs to be a face champion. So yeah, match of the year candidate from Banks/Lynch. Banks and Bayley should definitely main event the live special in August. Have Bayley win a tournament by last beating Charlotte and go from there. Bayley deserves a run with the belt anyway!
Zayn/Owens II started off much faster than their first affair. I knew the match wasn't going to be what it could've been due to Zayn's injury but it was still a good match. Obviously, the big news here is that SAMOA JOE IS IN NXT! And he's gunning for champ Kevin Owens, who is feuding with just about everyone right now. Joe's presence in NXT elevates the talent pool that much higher. Joe is a steal for NXT and his matches with Owens should be hard hitting affairs. Once he gets to the main roster, I can't wait to see Bryan and Joe renew their rivalry from ROH. I guess that's if Bryan comes back. I've said this in other posts but CM Punk left WAY too soon. The change he was looking for is here now and it's apparent that it's in NXT. Ah well...
NXT Unstoppable was awesome and continued the trend of NXT putting on fantastic live specials. NExt up, let's talk about WWE's next event!
In a surprise twist, WWE announced that Elimination Chamber would be returning but only on the WWE Network. Although a surprise pop-up event, it's shaping up to be something special.
For the first time ever, there will be a chamber match for the WWE Tag Team Titles. The New Day defends against Cesaro/Kidd, The Prime Time Players, Lucha Dragons, The Ascension and Los Matadores. I'm really looking forward to this match. Now granted, there are some irrelevant teams in here but there's a total of 12 men in this match. There should be some big spots and I'd love if The Ascension and Lucha Dragons started the match off as LD were the ones to end the long reign of The Ascension. After a LONG chamber match, I see The New Day retaining. They are the most over team in the match and I can't see Cesaro and Kidd winning the belts back. The PTP seems to be getting back over with the fans so a New Day/PTP feud would be nice following this event. New Day retains.
In a rematch of former NXT Champions, Bo Dallas will do battle with Neville. This feud has literally come out of nowhere but as NXT has proven, this could be a nice little match. I'm sure the fans won't want to see it but as a NXT fan, I'll give it a shot on the main roster. Neville needs some momentum as he'll most likely be in the MITB match come two weeks so he needs a win here. Bo will try to make a Bo-liver out of Neville but he won't. Neville wins.
I'm really looking forward to this Divas Title match. It could be that Banks/Lynch have me excited for more women's wrestling or the fact that Paige is involved, I'm not sure the reason. I'm not expecting a match of the night here but it could be good. Paige/Naomi could be a really good feud for the summer. It seems like Nikki is not even important in this feud but she is the Divas Champion. I say give Naomi the title and build towards a big PPV match between Paige and Naomi. Naomi wins.
Once again, WWE puts on a big multi man match for the IC Title. This time though, it's vacant. Rusev, Ryback, King Barrett, Sheamus, Ziggler and R-Truth will do battle for the title. R-Truth gets into ANOTHER IC Title match? How is this possible? How is Ryback in the match when Wyatt beat him at Payback? This match doesn't make sense! Anyway, reports say the Rusev injured his ankle and his status is up in the air for the match. It's not like he was going to win anyway but if he doesn't compete, Wyatt might get the nod to take his place. Either way, it should be a brutal Chamber match. The only person I want to hold the IC Title right now is Neville but he's nowhere to be seen in this match. Sheamus is the most likely star to be walking away the Chamber with the belt. I don't have a problem with that and he's the only real choice here anyway. Truth ain't winning it, Ziggler and Barrett have held it too many times in a short period, Rusev just dropped his title, and Ryback....well, he's Ryback. I could see them doing a Ryback/Sheamus feud for the belt afterwards though. If Wyatt gets into the match, I'd love to see him win it but how many times has a last minute addition ever won a match? Sheamus walks out as IC Champion after pinning Ziggler.
Now here's a surprise match up! NXT Champion Kevin Owens will battle United States Champion John Cena in a Champion VS Champion. Welcome to the big league Kevin Owens! This is Cena's 3rd match against a member of the NXT 5 in the last month. This has the making to being a fantastic match up. Owens has a great in ring style and Cena steps up his game whenever he faces someone who can wrestle well. The only bad thing about this match is that it has to end and the end will probably be the same with other Cena matches; Cena wins. Owens is the NXT Champion, meaning he's still apart of NXT. Not many of the WWE Universe know who he is so a win won't really hurt him. If he loses to Cena, he just goes back to NXT and comes back once he's done his time there. A loss for Cena would make him look weak and we all know that WWE can't do that ever. Cena lose to a guy that has gotten the upper hand on him two weeks in a row? Yeah, not going to happen buddy! Maybe they'll do a DQ finish or a Samoa Joe run in but I gotta believe that this is all leading to something. Why in the hell would you have a star like Owens just randomly have a match with Cena? There's got to be a bigger plan that hasn't been brought to fruition yet and I'm waiting to find that out. Is a NXT invasion angle happening soon? I guess we'll see. Regardless, John Cena will defeat Kevin Owens, making Owens victim #2 of the NXT 5.
Ambrose and Rollins will main event another PPV together. They had a Hell in A Cell match back in October that was actually the main event over Cena/Orton XIV. I think this will also be the first one on one WWE World Title Match between two NXT alumni that main events a PPV. Check me on the internet. Anyway, these two have great chemistry together and will definitely close the show out in style. The only question is: how? There are a lot of variables in this match. One, Kane and J&J Security. They will definitely interfere on behalf of Rollins. Two, Roman Reigns. The golden boy doesn't have a match on the WWE Network exclusive event. He's gotta be helping his boy Ambrose fend off the attacks of The Authority. Or does he? Does anyone else have a gut feeling that Reigns is going to turn on Ambrose? I just don't trust that he would be alright if Ambrose won the title before him. I could be crazy and this is all just leading to a Shield Triple Threat but the seeds are definitely planted. A Reigns heel turn would suck at first because the fans seem to be back on his bandwagon again. I would like to see Reigns' first title win be as a face as well. While I want Ambrose to walk out as champion, Kane, J&J and even Reigns will have something to say about it. Seth Rollins retains the title.
There you go! NXT and WWE events all in one post! Rooting hard for Ambrose come Sunday!
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