Welcome one and all to my preview and predictions blog for the upcoming NXT Takeover special, Phoenix. Before I begin I want to encourage you to check out my new feature, The 52 In 52, in which I watch and review a film I have never seen once a week. This week I reviewed Upgrade. If you have any comments or feedback on this or any post leave a comment below or by following me on Twitter and Instagram.
This week will be a busy week for WWE with not only Takeover but, The Royal Rumble taking place the night after. There are some fantastic matches on the card for Takeover:Phoenix with a lot of newer faces getting a spot on the card due to some talent moving up to Raw and Smackdown Live. As always I will be talking about the matches in no particular order.
1. Matt Riddle Vs. Kassius Ohno: This has been built as a grudge match between two of the hardest hitting NXT superstars and so far that's what we've seen. Kassius Ohno has fallen under the radar since his return to NXT a year or so ago and it is simply due to the sheer volume of talent in NXT. This has been incorporated into a story line where Ohno has taken it upon himself to break the "new toys" in NXT and Matt Riddle is top of the list. Riddle was someone I had really wanted to see in WWE for a long time and so far I've felt that he hasn't had much exposure, that may change with this match. Ohno and Riddle's styles compliment each others well and this match should see a lot of heavy hits and kicks. This will be an entertaining enough match that will further this story line hopefully into something more high profile. I think this match will see Ohno finally pick up a win over Riddle.
2. NXT Tag Team Championship: The Undisputed Era (C) Vs. War Raiders: The Undisputed Era have done something that no other stable has done in NXT, last as a successful stable. Over the years there have been numerous teams and stables that just don't seem to last the distance or get over with the audience and not for the want of trying. The Undisputed Era have really connected with the audience in a big way that has allowed them to be successful without holding all of the gold. The War Raiders are just beginning to pick up some momentum after a series of decent matches that have cemented them as one of the top teams in a lacking tag team division. This will be a great, fast paced match, really showing the unbelievable athleticism of Hanson and Rowe and just the brutal smash mouth style of O'Reilly and Strong. I can't see what winning the championships would do for Hanson and Rowe at the moment and if The Undisputed Era won it would allow for a rematch on Wrestlemania weekend. Era will win the match with a little outside help.
3. NXT North American Championship: Ricochet (C) Vs. Johnny Gargano: This match has been a little hastily thrown together but, could prove to be one of the matches of the weekend. Ricochet entered NXT with a lot of momentum and expectation behind him but, save for a few matches hasn't really reached his full potential yet. Johnny Gargano has done incredibly well transitioning for one of the top baby faces to a weird anti hero heel character in a short amount of time. This match will be a fast paced match with a lot of high spots from both competitors. I have a funny feeling there may be some outside factors that will come into play with the ending of this match. I think Candice LaRae will prove the deciding factor in Gargano becoming the North American champion.
4. NXT Women's Championship: Shayna Baszler (C) Vs. Bianca Belair: Bianca Belair has been one of the most surprising break out NXT superstars of the past year. She has gone from barely being on TV to having a championship match in a short amount of time and I feel that she is one of the future top stars on the NXT brand. Shayna Baszler has continued her reign as the top heel female superstars in NXT for a very long time. I actually can't remember a time in NXT where a female superstar is one of the top heel characters on the show. This could prove to be a real coming out party for Belair, showcasing her unbelievable athleticism and continually improving wrestling ability. I fully expect outside interference to come into play in the favour of Baszler. I can't really decide a winner in this one. I can't see what losing the championship would do for Baszler and likewise I feel that Belair becoming champion might be too early in her career and might damage her in the long term. for that reason Baszler will come out on top.
5. NXT Championship: Tommaso Ciampa (C) Vs. Aleister Black: Tommaso Ciampa has been on an uneven path as of late. Whilst he still remains entertaining enough his exposure and opportunities have been few and far between which is a shame because he is a great worker and an brilliant heel character. Aleister Black has been a little under whelming since his return which is a shame because there have been some tweaks to his character, bringing an almost supernatural gimmick to his already mysterious, occult styling. This will be a hard hitting match that will slow the pace down in a good way. There will be a lot of submission work throughout as this really is the strong point for both competitors. As for a winner I think there might be a changing of the guard on the cards with Black becoming a two time champion. This could then allow for a rematch between Black and the Velveteen Dream for Wrestlemania weekend.
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