WrestleMania weekend is here! Well…sort of.
NXT will be a two-night event that features ten matches on Wednesday and Thursday night. As always, these are just my predictions with no insider knowledge. Let’s get started with the first match:
NXT Championship match: Finn Balor (c) vs. Karrion Kross
After that oddball feud with Santos Escobar, Karrion Kross will finally get his shot at regaining the NXT Championship. Here’s the thing, Finn is dropping the belt. Looking at the NXT roster, there’s just no one else primed as the next challenger for Finn Balor. The NXT Champion has beaten every main eventer on the black-and-gold brand. Sure, LA Knight (God I hate that name) could step up and be the next contender for the prestigious title; however, the creative forces killed that chance when Knight lost his very first feud on NXT.
There’s no point in Balor beating Kross here as “The Prince” doesn’t need the win like Kross. Plus, Kross still has the undefeated streak going thus I expect NXT to be smart enough to give an up-and-comer the win over Kross. As far as Balor goes, I could see him ending up on the Smackdown brand very soon. Here’s pretty much done everything that there is to do down in NXT. Unless he goes to NXT UK, Balor being in the black-and-gold brand is pointless, though he can always serve as the gatekeeper of the brand.
Winner: Karrion Kross
NXT Women’s Championship match: Io Shirai (c) vs. Raquel Gonzalez
Finn Balor isn’t the only champion losing their title. WWE has been building up Raquel Gonzalez for the past few months and I can see the company going all the way here. Like Balor, Shirai doesn’t have many fresh challengers left, though former Impact Knockouts Champion Taya Valkyrie could easily slide into the title picture if Shirai gets past Gonzalez.
However, it’s Gonzalez time at the top. It should be very interesting to see what happens between Dakota Kai and Gonzalez should her heavy win the prestigious belt. Shirai is likely moving up to either RAW or Smackdown as she doesn’t have much to do in NXT, though she could easily put over Valkyrie before she heads over to the main roster.
Winner: Raquel Gonzalez
Ladder match to unify the NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Santos Escobar vs. Jordan Devlin
This is a tough choice. NXT isn’t doing much with Escobar’s faction and the champion himself doesn’t have much direction coming out of this match either. Sure, there are plenty of guys that Escobar can fight down on the 205 Live roster, but creative hasn’t given the former Lucha Underground Champion much to chew on after his big win against Drake last year.
I know, I know, he fought Karrion Kross earlier this year, but it was a side feud to distract Kross and the storyline was by no means spectacular. Honestly, I don’t know where Escobar goes from here, but I see Devlin emerging victorious. There’s a lot of fresh challengers waiting for Devlin, though Escobar can win both belts as I’m not too sure on what his future lies following the TakeOver match. Perhaps he’ll be kidnapped by his crew and a new leader will emerge? Yeah, that sounds like a good direction.
Winner: Jordan Devlin
NXT UK Championship match: Walter (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa
On one hand, giving Ciampa the NXT UK title will finally give him something to do. The former NXT Champion hasn’t had much direction since the brand moved over to the USA Network and honestly, there just isn’t much left for Ciampa on the black-and-gold brand. However, I suspect that Ciampa’s goal is to simply put over the reigning NXT UK Champion. Of course, he’ll give a valiant effort, but the last man standing will be…
Winner: Walter
Triple Threat match for the NXT Tag Team Championship: “MSK” Wes Lee and Nash Carter vs. “Grizzled Young Veterans” Zack Gibson and James Drake vs. Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde
Mendoza and Wilde are likely here to take the pinfall. The Grizzled Young Veterans may steal a win here with MSK getting the victory in a singles contest later on. However, I feel NXT will give Lee and Carter the prestigious titles. The former Impact tag team will be a great representation for the division and there are still some exciting match-ups on the horizon involving this duo. Again, Grizzled Young Veterans may walk out with the belts, but it’s a guarantee that MSK win will them soon.
Winner: MSK
NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship match: Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon (c) vs. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
For some reason, I don’t see Moon and Blackheart as long-term champions. These two are single competitors and if Gonzalez does win the NXT Women’s Championship then Moon or Blackheart would make great challengers for the new champ. The Way doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon and LeRace and Hartwell will likely end up with the belts eventually. My money is on the challengers, though I wouldn’t bet my house on it.
Winner: Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
Six-man gauntlet eliminator for a shot at the NXT North American Championship on night two: Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah Scott vs. Bronson Reed vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Dexter Lumis vs. LA Knight
Dexter Lumis. Gargano may cost Lumis the opportunity for the title, but the company has been telling the story between both men over the past couple of weeks so I believe they’ll pull the trigger with Lumis. Gargano has already beaten Ruff. Scott, Grimes, and Knight are heels. That leaves Bronson Reed. If it came down to Lumis vs. Reed then it wouldn’t make sense for Gargano to give Reed the title opportunity. Sure, he avoids facing Lumis, but Reed is a 200 plus pound man. How would he be any easier? Reed is a dark horse of this match, but shenanigans will happen if Lumis doesn’t win. That’s why my pick is…
Winner: Dexter Lumis
NXT North American Championship match: Johnny Gargano (c) vs.???
You know, I can see Johnny Gargano dropping the title here. It would surprise me if Lumis had a lengthy title reign though as I suspect that Gargano would win back the championship a short time later. For me, all signs point to Gargano retaining as The Way hasn’t lost its steam just yet; however, Dexter Lumis becoming the next NXT North American champion is a strong possibility.
Winner: Johnny Gargano
Unsanctioned match: Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Cole has to be going up to the main roster soon, right? There’s nothing else for him to do down in NXT following his feud with O’Reilly. Perhaps he can fight against Strong after this, but I get the sense that this is the former NXT Champion’s last NXT feud. Of course, I’ve been saying that Adam Cole is main roster bound for the past year so I can easily be wrong.
With this being an unsanctioned match, Kyle O’Reilly will likely be the winner. I don’t see the former NXT Tag Team Champion leaving the black-and-gold brand anytime soon, so I expect O’Reilly to fight Kross for the belt down the line. Whether he wins or not is a question mark, though if the bout happens during Summerslam weekend then the likely hood of a Kyle O’Reilly title reign is strong. As for Roderick Strong, there are many directions to take with the former Undisputed Era member.
He can swerve everyone and side with Adam Cole in the end. Or, Strong can accidentally end up costing O’Reilly the unsanctioned match. The obvious method could see Roderick Strong get his revenge on the bastard (Cole) and aid O’Reilly to victory. Strong will play a role in the match, but how he does remains a compelling mystery.
My heart is telling me that Strong will help Cole win the unsanctioned match. The “attack” from a couple of weeks back could’ve been a ruse to trick O’Reilly and the fans into a false sense of security. I’m likely wrong, but the heart wants what the heart wants.
Winner: Adam Cole
Kushida vs. Pete Dunne
The former NXT UK Champion gets my vote. Officials are rebuilding Dunne following his failure at beating Finn Balor, though I don’t exactly know what the end goal for Dunne is. He’s not getting the NXT title anytime soon, though the North American Championship is a strong possibility. As for Kushida, there’s no focus on the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion right now so the chances of him winning are as strong as Zack Snyder directing another DC movie.
Winner: Pete Dunne
That’s it! Thanks for reading and feel free to put your predictions in the comment section.