Austin Aries vs. Baron Corbin
Predicted Winner: Austin Aries
AA seems to have signed onto NXT full time, so do not expect him to show up for a few appearances and then leave (much like Storm). He is here full time to do what he does best, so expect him to come in with a bang. Whether you like Corbin or not, he has improved quite a bit since his 20 second squashes and dull matches with Bull Dempsey. We have seen men such as Chad Gable, Neville, and Apollo Crews pull strong matches out of him, so expect Aries to do the same. Austin will win, but it likely won’t hurt the stock of Corbin.
The Revival (Dawson & Wilder) vs. American Alpha (Jordan & Gable) – NXT Tag Team Championship
Predicted Winners: American Alpha
With such a strong singles and women’s division, the tag team division in NXT can sometimes seem like an afterthought. Luckily, American Alpha has stood out from the beginning. Chad Gable is an explosive mini-Kurt Angle with his own flair added, and Jordan has never looked better than with his partner at his side. Their technical and innovative style will mesh well with the Revival’s ‘no flips just fists’ brawler style. Although the bar was not very high, expect this to be one of the best tag matches in quite some time. With Enzo & Cass speculatively going up to Raw next week, Jordan and Gable will have to carry the weight of the babyface tag team division on their shoulders for now. American Alpha to win.
Apollo Crews vs. Elias Samson
Predicted Winner: Apollo Crews
This is the one tepid match of the night unfortunately. With Apollo’s lack of character development, and the Drifter’s lack of everything, this will end up being the bathroom break match. The only glimmer of hope is that Apollo is one of the most athletic people on the roster, and maybe Samson has held back until now. To be fair, his quick match with Gargano was a huge improvement from his other squashes. Crews needs to move onto bigger and better things, so a decisive win here would be best for his career.
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Predicted Winner: Nakamura
This is a fantasy booker’s dream match, and should not disappoint. With Nakamura debuting and Zayn already on the main roster, it is relatively obvious that Nakamura will win. This is not about who will win, but how great the match will be. Zayn has put on some of the best matches in NXT history (vs. Cesaro, Neville etc.), and Nakamura is regarded as one of the best professional wrestlers at this moment in time. This match will be loaded with high flying action, strong strikes, great grappling, and a fantastic story that will unfold in front of our eyes. Ensure that you fill up your popcorn bowl and empty your bladder during the previous match, as you do not want to miss a second of this. Nakamura to win, and this to be a contender for match of the year.
Bayley vs. Asuka – NXT Women’s Championship
Predicted Winner: Bayley
Of all the women under the WWE banner right now, this is another fantasy booker’s dream match. These two are the best women in the NXT division right now, so this match will be another one to not miss. Bayley has proven on multiple occasions that she is capable of a high caliber match (Fatal 4-way, vs. Sasha), and Asuka has always had a female Brock Lesnar feel about her. Asuka will capture the title, but not at this event. Expect Bayley to have one final Takeover win before eventually heading to the main roster in late 2016.
Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe – NXT Championship
Predicted Winner: Samoa Joe
Although we have seen this match before, it’s hard to complain about a rematch. Both men put on a fantastic show, and will up their game on their version of the grandest stage of them all. Anyone who watches NXT will know that both men will put on a 4-5 star match, and likely give a match of the year performance. We almost expect it at this point. The most intriguing part of this match is what will happen after it is over. If Joe wins, does Balor head to the main roster with his former Bullet Club members? If Balor wins, does he get help from Gallows and Anderson? Does Joe move to the main roster? So many questions leads to a huge investment on who wins the match.
