It's finally here! The greatest wrestling weekend of the year! EVERY wrestling fan should be happy this weekend with all the events taking place. The first tapings for Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling happened, while ROH, NXT and WWE will be putting on events in Brooklyn. There's a little something for everybody but this post is going to be focused on the two WWE centered events, namely NXT Takeover Brooklyn and the four hour special that is SUMMERSLAM. Let's talk Takeover first!
NXT has been blowing up recently, just look at the fact that the 13,000+ arena has been sold out for this special event. NXT is a force to be reckoned with and if their last 6 specials are anything to go off of, then we're in for a treat, as well as the 13,000 in attendance. 6 matches on the actual WWE Network Takeover Special while 4 others will be shown on Wednesday's episode of NXT. There's Bull Dempsey VS Elias Sampson, Eva Marie VS Carmella, Charlotte/Becky/Emma/Dana and my favorite, The Hype Bros, Cass and Enzo VS The Mechanics, Jason Jordan and Chad Gable. Gable and Jordan remind me a lot of The World's Greatest Tag Team, Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas. I'm really pulling for them to become the next big heel team in the business. It looks like they will win here as they beat the team of Neville and Solomon Crowe in an upcoming episode of NXT. Here's hoping for big things!
Uhaa Nation will make his highly anticipated debut under his new NXT name Apollo Crews. He will face The Perfect 10 Tye Dillenger. That's going to be a dueling battle for chants there! Tye's Perfect 10 gimmick is over big. I remember when I first saw it at the show in Philly and he won over the Philadelphia crowd so quickly! It debuted well on NXT TV as well so this should be interesting. Obviously, Apollo will get the win but as a person who has never had to pleasure of seeing Uhaa Nation wrestle, it's all eyes on him to see what he can do. I hope he does his full Press Slam, Moonsault and Shooting Star Press combo. He should call it Apollo's Creed. Just saying...Apollo Crews wins in an impressive display.
Are you ready for a hard hitting and unforgiving fight? Samoa Joe has his first match on a NXT Special when he faces THe Lone Wolf Baron Corbin. This is going to be a war, straight up. Nothing pretty is going to be in this match. Corbin has been on a roll, beating Bull and Rhyno in his last two matches at Takeover and they both were the same; wars. Since this is Joe's debut at Takeover, I fully expect him to win and start making his way up to the NXT Title picture. Balor/Joe in October sounds good to me in the main event. It should be a great match with Joe kicking out of the End of Days. I mean, why not right? Joe wins by tap out.
The Vaudevillians get another shot at the NXT Tag Titles when they face BAMF (Blake Alexa Murphy Factor). Vaudevillians has said they have a solution for Bliss, who has thwarted their attempts at winning the belts before. Does that mean a new Diva will make her debut on the show? That would be awesome as there are a lot of women they haven't called up yet. Of all the matches on the card, this is the one I'm least looking forward to. NXT's Tag division is clearly their weakest but they obviously see that and with all the tag teams forming (Hype Bros, The Mechanics, Gable and Jordan) it looks like they get the message loud and clear. BAMF have been the champs since January so a title change is very likely here, especially with the two great heel teams in The Mechanics and Gable/Jordan. I can't stress enough how much I like Gable and Jordan! Vaudevillians get the win and the NXT Tag Team Titles.
Tyler Breeze, the most underutilized guy in NXT, get the opportunity of a lifetime as he faces Jushin Thunder Liger in a one time special attraction match. This is great and I hope more things like this happen with WWE. Not necessarily singing the talent, but getting them for one off deals. This is the first of hopefully many. Breeze has been NXT since I've been watching the program. He's been on just about every live special and has put on some great matches with Zayn, Itami and Balor in the process. He's STILL on NXT though, for whatever reason while guys like Neville, Kallisto and Owens have all moved on. I believe they came in AFTER him as well so I feel for Breeze but he has a great opportunity to show the world what he can do on the biggest stage that NXT can offer. I haven't seen a JTL match so I think I'm in for a surprise when the 50 year old battles Brreze. I pray that Breeze doesn't have to do a job here so I'm picking him for the win. This should open the show if Crews doesn't. It should be a great match up but Breeze takes the victory in the end.
Kevin Owens and Finn Balor will do their 3rd battle for the NXT Title, this time though, it's a Ladder Match. The last NXT Title Ladder match was average at best but I think with the combined talent of these two, this one can steal the show in Brooklyn. I need to see a Powerbomb on a Ladder. It just need to happen. Ladder matches are very dangerous so the more risks these guys take, the more I'm going to cringe. Common knowledge will tell you that Finn Balor is easily going to retain, due to the fact that Kevin Owens has been hot shot to the main roster and owns a CLEAN pinfall victory over John Cena. For what reason would be need to be NXT Champion? Apparently, Owens enters one of the NXT shows with the NXT Title so I don't know what that means for this match. Title switch or just a theft of the title? Who knows? I just don't think Owens is going to hold the title. WWE just wants him to finish out here and then be fully on the main roster, hence why he didn't beat Cena at Battleground. Vince couldn't have the US Champ beaten by the NXT Champ twice in the same year. After a long and grueling match, Balor will retain and start looking towards either Joe or a returning Itami, who should be appearing on the show in some fashion.
I know it's an impossible dream but storyline wise, Bayley challenging Sasha Banks for the NXT Women's Title should be the main event show closer. It has the most storyline to it and it's really a touching tale of redemption. This is the Sami Zayn VS Adrian Neville match from Takeover R Evolution all over again. Bayley has sat there, watching all her peers pass her by, including Paige, Emma, Charlotte, Becky and even Sasha. All of them have been called up to the main roster before her. Bayley's on a mission though, to become NXT Women's Champion and to prove all of the doubters wrong. Bayley had to beat Emma, her arch nemesis, Charlotte, the best NXT Women's Champion that she couldn't defeat and Becky Lynch, the last person to challenge Sasha Banks. She beat 3 women who were all chosen over her to be on the main roster. Sasha is the last obstacle in the way between her and her dream. This should be a very emotional and trying match for both women. The NXT Women's matches always deliver on the big stage of Takeover and at the biggest one yet, it should be even better. Sasha is on the main roster and doesn't even bring her title out when she competes on television. She doesn't need it anymore. She's outgrown the title, by force I have to add. It's Bayley's time to finally win the title. While I'm a HUGE Sasha supporter, it's time for Bayley to run the division and start to face some new challengers, like Carmella, Alexa, Eva and some of the newer hires, like The Rock's MASSIVE cousin. Sasha losing is going to be hard for me as a fan but she just beat Nikki Bella by submission! I'll get over it. Bayley will dethrone The Boss in MY main event of NXT Takeover Brooklyn.
What other surprises do you think are in store for Takeover? Any other debuts? Where is AJ Styles going to be this weekend? I mean, anything is possible now that Samoa Joe is there!
SummerSlam is next!
HUGE four hour SummerSlam this year that features 10 matches on the card. 10!!! It's like tag team match aplooza though. Anyway, let's talk matches.
Ziggler and Rusev will do battle over a woman. Regardless of the dumb set-up, this should be a pretty good match up. Ziggler VS anyone is great as he really brings out the best in everyone he faces. I wish there was a title at stake but the rivalry is enough for now. Ziggler gets the win.
Orton and Sheamus do battle at another PPV. This isn't the first time this two have done battle at SummerSlam as they fought over the WWE Title 5 years ago. It's a rematch from last month's Battleground, which was good but with no added stipulations or anything, it's really a throw away match. Sheamus lost at Battleground so he'll win at SummerSlam.
Arrow star Stephen Amell will compete at SummerSlam! The actor teams with Neville to face Stardust and King Barrett. I don't know how the match will turn out but Amell's spear to Stardust was pretty spot on. Him being a fan is definitely helping sell the story here. Also, Stardust crowning Barrett The Cosmic King leads to believe that they will be doing more teaming together, which would make me very happy as both guys are kind of lost without any direction. Since it's Amell's first match and that he's an actor, Amell and Neville will get the win in a very cartoony but needed gimmicky match.
The Divas take center stage as Team BAD, Team Bella and Team PCB face off in a three team elimination match. This means that Nikki will escape ANOTHER PPV without defending her title. If she reaches Night of Champions with the belt, she'll beat AJ's record. It's not fair, especially seeing how both Charlotte AND Sasha have made her tap out. These feuds are pointless without the title being involved somehow. I'm really looking forward to the Divas getting time to show the world what they can do. I think after what happened on Raw that Team Bella will be eliminated first, since they're really the afterthought in all this and that it will come down to BAD and PCB, specifically, Charlotte and Sasha will the ones in the deciding pinfall. Sasha will be coming off of a loss at Takeover so I'm going with The Boss to secure a submission victory for her team. Charlotte had her time last month, it's Sasha's time.
Kudos for Ryback getting injured to make the IC Title boring again. Actually, it got boring again as soon as Ryback won and his first feud was with Big Show. They HAVE to do better than this if they ever want to make the IC Title relevant again. Ryback wins in the dud match of the night.
Tag Title mayhem! Prime Time Players defend against The Lucha Dragons, Los Matadores and The New Day. Multiple man tag title matches at big PPVs are very common place now. Just look at the last two Wrestlemanias! This will be a fun and fast paced match, especially anytime Kallisto gets some time in the ring. PTP are winless at SummerSlam but I like their reign as champions and if Stardust and Barrett continue to team together, it may be those two to dethrone them eventually. With that being said, The Prime Time Players will retain in a quick tag match.
It's The Shield VS The Wyatt Family: The Abridged Version! Yes, 2014's Match of the Year gets a somewhat reboot here when Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper face Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. Reigns/Wyatt is the feud of the new generation; two guys who's gimmicks are so far on both sides of the spectrum that you have to be interested. Harper and Ambrose are around because they have nothing else better to do. If the battles in the past are anything to go by, this is going to be a war. Maybe not on the level of Elimination Chamber 2014, but still, a great match regardless. Reigns and Wyatt are both undefeated at SummerSlam, with both superstars owning wins over former World Champions, including Kane, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton. Someone's O has got to go! Wyatt got the first win so by one-upmanship, Roman Reigns should get the victory here for his team. The two should continue to feud until Hell in a Cell, where their feuds ends inside the ultimate feud ender. Reigns and Ambrose win.
Kevin Owens and Cesaro are going to steal the show at SummerSlam. Two fantastic stars with so much talent in-between them. WHY did Owens not win the US Title? This would have made for a great battle over the belt. Anyway, if given time, Owens and Cesaro will give you a MOTY candidate, mark my words. They both want to move onto the next level of their careers and both guys are obstacles their way. Someone has to fall while the other goes up to the top. Kevin Owens already has the big match experience, beating John Cena back at EC 2015, something Cesaro still hasn't done in his career. Cesaro is on a bit of a career resurgence after Kidd's unfortunate injury. It's good to see, though the way it happened wasn't the best. I expect some finishers to be kicked out of here and after 15 minutes, I expect Kevin Owens rebound from his Takeover loss with a big win over Cesaro in his SummerSlam debut.
Taker/Lesnar has to be No Hold Barred to be good. I really don't want to see this match as it does nothing for anyone. Taker wins, yay, he avenges his only WM loss. He can't get it back. It's not like the loss is erased if Taker wins and he would destroy everything Lesnar has accomplished during his Suplex City run. If Lesnar wins, he beats Taker for what, the fifth time in his career? It ruins the potential for a new Lesnar match, like Lesnar/Sheamus or Lesnar/Owens. I think Taker has to get his revenge though so Taker wins. This is the main event unfortunately.
The REAL main event is the clash between the two best singles champions in WWE; John Cena and Seth Rollins. It's title for title as Cena puts his United States Title against Rollins WWE Title. WWE CLEARLY took this idea for Ring of Honor and are proud of it. To be honest, it's a good match up on paper though so I can't blame them. This is the ultimate test for Rollins career as he has survived through everyone he faced in the past 5 months. John Cena, on the other hand, has made the United States Championship relevant asgain. Defending it against all comers every week makes every defense important and the person to dethrone Cena is going to certainly earn it. This match will be good. Cena has had some amazing match of the year candidates this year. His matches against Owens and Cesaro have been absolutely amazing. Cesaro and Cena battled for 30 minutes on Raw. Rollins/Cena will be no different. Cena's record at SS is not a good one. Amazingly, he's 4-7, with 4 of those 7 loses coming in the last 4 years. His record against Ring of Honor alumni in WWE Title matches is 0-3, losing to Punk twice and Daniel Bryan. So, how does it go down then with all the history against Cena? Well, didn't they just release a new Cena shirt that says he's a 15x champion? Why release that if he's going to win the title Sunday? It could be to swerve the audience but that would be very cheap of WWE to do; to make a new shirt for Cena that plenty of people brought, only to release a new one a couple of weeks later. I don't think WWE would sink that low. I got Seth Rollins walking out with both titles Sunday, but definitely dropping the US Title the next night on Raw. Hell, he might not walk out of SummerSlam with the WWE World Heavyweight belt to be honest...
There you go! Predictions for both huge WWE events this weekend! Go watch and enjoy! I know I sure will!
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