As expected, NXT TakeOver: London was another solid event in the laundry list of great pay-per-views for the brand this year. While there weren’t any title changes, heel or face turns, debuts or anything monumental along those lines, this show was still instrumental in setting forth the path ahead that will lead to The Road to WrestleMania.
Instead of doing a 3-Count of the biggest mistakes (of which there really weren’t any) or the highlights (Asuka vs Emma, for instance), I figured we could use a change of pace. Instead, the three elements to be broken down post-event are going to be the direction the three championships will be taken on the build to NXT TakeOver: Dallas.
NXT Tag Team Championship
I doubt anybody would have been surprised if Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady had won the titles from Dash and Dawson, but I definitely wasn’t expecting it to happen going into the show. Enzo and Cass seem to be cursed as the most over team on the roster that always comes up short when the belts are on the line. WWE keeps setting them up for title shots only to have the other team go over so they look strong by defeating the fan favorites.
If you’re a fan of Dash and Dawson, you’ll enjoy the next few months. I myself don’t see what’s so great about them, so instead of having fun watching them hold the titles, people like I will find solace in something else: the build to their inevitable loss.
Enzo and Cass are most likely not going to receive another shot at the belts come Dallas, but the team of Jason Jordan and Chad Gable, on the other hand, are in a prime spot to fill that gap. After defeating Team SAWFT, The Mechanics will probably coast past the next couple of tapings by having a mini-feud with The Hype Bros to also add to their credibility. Essentially, WWE will fatten Dash and Dawson up and serve them on a platter to Gable and Jordan, who have been gaining more and more popularity as of late with their babyface turn.
While Dash and Dawson take out some babyface teams, Jordan and Gable will be finishing up their feud with The Vaudevillains, wherein they will be victorious and earn a title shot. Then, the clock will be ticking for the championship to switch hands. By April 1st, the tag team division will be ready, willing, and Gable to call that duo the new champions.
Women’s Championship
WWE’s decision to put Nia Jax in a title match so quickly is something that I feel was a bit of a mistake, considering how the match turned out. While it was far from terrible, it was clearly nowhere near the caliber of Bayley’s most recent fights against Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss and even Peyton Royce. Odd to go along with it was the absence of Eva Marie, who was aligned with Nia Jax and just lost to Bayley in a title match on her own a few weeks ago.
Already, a feud between Asuka and Nia Jax has been teased, so I wouldn’t be surprised if WWE moved on from Jax vs Bayley very quickly. Just the same, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Eva Marie hovering around Bayley for the month of January to give the champion something to do. The red head is on the same level of Nia Jax as far as not being ready for a title run, so if you’re a fan of hers, don’t get your hopes up that we’ll see Bayley drop the title any time soon.
In fact, I would bet that Bayley’s opponents during Royal Rumble and Fastlane season will be largely filler while Asuka sorts out her issues with Nia Jax. Out of everyone on the roster who could challenge Bayley at Dallas for the Women’s Championship, the best option that stands out to me is Asuka. The match quality would be fantastic and by defeating Dana Brooke, Emma and Nia Jax, she’d have proven by February that she is deserving of a shot.
Bayley vs. Asuka at NXT TakeOver: Dallas could rival the Sasha Banks match and be the first match of the year candidate from the NXT side of things. If it doesn’t happen at Dallas, it’s bound to happen at some point, so keep your eyes open.
NXT Championship
Finn Balor survived his greatest challenge as champion so far by defeating Samoa Joe, but it doesn’t appear to be over between those two. Since there are three months before Dallas, the same methodology applies here that was mentioned with the other belts—continuing with some filler. Samoa Joe and Finn Balor could be wrestling again for the title on a random NXT episode or they could just be on opposite ends of tag match or similar setups, but I don’t think this is the last that we’ve seen of these two facing off.
While this is going on, Baron Corbin’s somewhat shock victory over Apollo Crews has two directions it can go. First, if WWE wishes to go with a standard heel vs. babyface match, Corbin can win a few more decisive victories over Crews, Sami Zayn and anybody else that could propel him into the spotlight. That way, for the first time ever, he would receive a singles title shot at a TakeOver event.
Alternatively, Corbin’s win over Crews could just be a means to give Crews something to undo. Fighting back from a loss could be used as a motivator to light a fire under Apollo, making him step up his game to the next level. It’s already been teased that he wants another shot at Finn Balor’s championship, so those cards could easily be dealt. Crews can finish his feud with Corbin and re-earn a second chance at Balor, with WWE booking a babyface vs. babyface match in Dallas where Crews would possibly be the favorite to win the title.
Since Sami Zayn’s made his return, many would assume that he will be entering the title picture at some point in the next few months. That’s an assumption that is hard to disagree with and we naturally have no proof to support or refute that claim, but I have my suspicions that he’s more likely to show up on the main roster than fighting for the NXT title. The Royal Rumble is a perfect event for him to make an appearance and with the company so thin for stars at the moment, he could be utilized for WrestleMania’s midcard for sure. Finn Balor is arguably ready to get called up as well, but he would have to drop the title before Dallas for that to happen, and since it didn’t happen here in London, I wouldn’t expect the demon to show up on Raw or SmackDown until after Extreme Rules.
These are obviously very early predictions for what’s to come in the first quarter of 2016, but I think with the way things went down at this TakeOver event, they’re pretty sound bets to make nonetheless. What do you think will end up being booked for Dallas? Do you have any particular ideas in mind that you’d like to see the company take into consideration?
Tell us your predictions and booking ideas in the comments below!
