WWE’s next NXT Takeover live special is this Wednesday from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. The two-hour event features five matches, including three for championships. As usual, the NXT writing team effectively built to each match with basic, straightforward storytelling, a contrast from the at times convoluted story weaving on the main shows. Expect another strong in-ring outing from the developmental promotion.
“The End” of a rivalry.
WWE titled this Takeover event, “The End”, referencing the main event of the show. NXT Champion, Samoa Joe defends his title against Finn Balor in the brand’s first ever steel cage match, billed as the final encounter between both wrestlers. On April 21 at a house show in Lowell, Massachusetts, “The Samoan Submission Machine” defeated Balor, ending the Irishman’s 292-day reign. In his first match as titleholder, Joe beat the debuting Eric Young. The next week, Balor beat Elias Sampson decisively with Bloody Sunday and called out the Orange County native. As Joe came out and made his way to the ring, NXT General Manager William Regal came down to prevent physicality. Regal announced a fourth rematch between the two for the next Takeover show. The former champ took out the incumbent with a flip over the ropes not long after.
The two engaged in a pull apart brawl at house shows over the weekend, leading to Regal making the title match a steel cage match during a live announcement on Facebook on May 17. On June 1, WWE put the final touches on the feud with a very good sit-down interview conducted by Corey Graves. The writing team did a nice job adding some heat to the longstanding feud.
Who’s Greater?
After Blake and Murphy interrupted Regal and Austin Aries’ conversation complaining about a lack of opportunities, the former King of the Ring winner signed a tag team match for the three the following week. Regal allowed “The Greatest Man that Ever Lived” to choose anyone he wanted to be his partner. The first two-time ROH World Champion chose well, picking Shinsuke Nakamura. Aries and Nakamura beat the former NXT tag team champions in a glorified squash match, with the "King of Strong Style" electing not to tag in Aries (who reached out for one) and knocking Murphy’s head off with the Kinshasa and scoring the pin.
A week later, Aries cut a promo in the ring, declaring his intentions to challenge for the richest prize in NXT. The former IWGP Intercontinental Champion interrupted, making the same proclamations as the Milwaukee native. The 2008 King of the Ring winner made his way out not long after, announcing a match between the two in what is essentially a number one contenders match (it is not advertised as such). The former TNA World Heavyweight Champ followed up with an enhancement win over “The Drifter” and cut another slightly heelish promo after. This match is a potential show-stealer, maybe even another contender for match of the year.
Trouble for Asuka?
At NXT Takeover: Dallas, Asuka defeated Bayley to win her first NXT Women’s Championship. Asuka plowed through Eva Marie in her first match as champion. Afterward, the champ stared down the Total Divas stars associate, Nia Jax. On the May 11 NXT, Jax barged in on Bayley’s interview segment, challenging the former champ to a Takeover: London rematch. In the next week’s main event, Jax beat Bayley, with “The Hugster” selling a knee injury afterward (she has been working the house shows as of last weekend, it is purely a storyline ailment).
GM, Regal announced the following week that Bayley was not cleared to compete and signed a triple threat match between Jax, Carmella, and Alexa Bliss to determine “The Empress of Tomorrow’s” next challenger. Jax pinned Carmella to earn the title shot at Takeover. Both challenger and champion faced off in a contract signing, ending with Jax power bombing and standing tall over the women’s champion, positioning her as the dominant force Asuka has to overcome.
The NXT writers teased this match all the way back in London, so it was only a matter of time before these two locked up. Expect the contest to be laid out similarly to the Bayley/Jax match with the experienced Asuka expected to carry the green powerhouse.
Can American Alpha hold off The Revival?
American Alpha defeated The Revival to become the new NXT Tag Team Champions in Dallas. Much like the build to the Women’s Title match, the creative team effectively built up the challengers. On April 27, Dash and Dawson beat an enhancement team and cut a promo afterward, saying they would get their titles back. Later in the night, the former Mechanics laid out the Hype Bros. The former champs beat Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder on the next show, with a Shatter Machine on the former Maryland Terrapin football player. Regal officially announced the rematch for Takeover on the May 18 broadcast. On the go-home edition of NXT, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa upset the number one contenders. As the challengers attempted their knee breaker on Ciampa after the match, the tag champs made the save, suplexing their opponents out of the ring. The stage is set for another entertaining tag team match with a little more heat behind it.
A perfect opportunity for Almas.
On the last NXT before Takeover, Tye Dillinger defeated Murphy in fairly short order. Throughout the past week, “The Perfect 10” took to Twitter, asking for an opportunity from the NXT General Manager. Regal complied to the former Gavin Spears’ request, announcing he would face the debuting Andrade “Cien” Almas. Andrade is known for his work in CMLL and New Japan Pro Wrestling as the masked La Sombra, Spanish for “The Shadow”. Almas began wrestling at age 14 in his family’s promotion from 2003-07. He then moved to CMLL, training under El Satanico working under the name “Brilliante”. Almas formed "Los Ingobernables" in 2014, a group now headed by IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito. Almas signed with WWE on November 19, 2015, and competed on NXT house shows.
Just as he did for Apollo Crews in Brooklyn, Dillinger looks to help Almas look good in what should be a showcase match for the luchador.
This NXT show looks to be another strong one, as it all takes place Wednesday, June 7 on the WWE Network.