This year’s Takeover before the Rumble has a card with amazing potential. Here’s my predictions for Takeover: Phoenix.
Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno
Who will win? Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle is one of the newer members of NXT roster, who fans think could give Brock Lesnar a run for his money. As Riddle has an MMA background, he is seen as one of the more legitimate contenders to the NXT throne, but first, he has to go through the gatekeeper that is Kassius Ohno, and I think he will succeed.
I don’t know what the deal is with Ohno and NXT, but for some reason, he has been made that unofficial gatekeeper, much like Dolph Ziggler has done on the main roster. Honestly, it’s a bit of a shame. Just like Ziggler, Ohno is an amazing and agile wrestler, especially for his size. He could move up to the main roster and instantly be put into the Intercontinental picture, but for some reason he’s being held back, it feels to this wrestling fan. Honestly, I’m hoping if Ohno does, in fact, loose, it will finally give him a chance to move up to the main roster.
NXT Tag Team Championship
Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong of Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders
Who will win? War Raiders
The Undisputed Era has had a long run with the titles filled with top-shelf match after top-shelf match. I honestly just think it’s time for their reign to end, and I think that the War Raiders have more than stepped up to the plate. I will say though that I will never call them War Raiders. They will always be War Machine to me.
NXT North American Championship
Ricochet (c) vs. Johnny Gargano
Who will win? Toss up
I’ll be honest—Johnny Takeover versus the new “Man that Gravity Forgot”. I can’t tell you who’s going to win this one. Both have put on amazing match after amazing match so both would be great representatives of the best that NXT has to offer. I don’t know who’s going to win, and I love that about this match. Also, I think it’s time that Gargano moves up to the main roster. Outside of holding a single’s title, Johnny has proven time after time that he is definitely among the top five wrestlers working today, if not in the top three. He has nothing left to prove.
NXT Women’s Championship
Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair
Who will win? Bianca Belair
Shayna has had a long and tumultuous reign with the belt. Though all the back and forth with her and Kairi Sane, they have both tried to hold the prestige that the Championship has garnered from the likes of Asuka, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Paige, Charlotte and the like, and I think they did the best job that they could. Now it’s time to move the belt on to someone who is on the rise. I think Shayna’s time in NXT is nearing its end, or at least it should. She has nothing else to prove, and honestly if in fact, Rousey is going to take some time away from the spotlight, Baszler would be an amazing next step in this slow burn to an eventual Horsewomen vs Horsewomen meeting. I think since joining NXT, Belair has taken the wrestling world by storm and has worked her way to earning a title shot. It’s her time now.
NXT Championship
Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Aleister Black
Who will win? Toss up
Ok, both of these wrestlers tore it up last year, and this year seems just as good. They have both proven to be the crème de la crème of the NXT roster, and both are deserving of the top spot. Having said that, I think both these guys need to move up to main. They have both accomplished everything they can in NXT. They have nothing left to prove. Regardless who wins, I think the rest of their time before WrestleMania should be spent lifting up other wrestlers and preparing to move up to the main roster.
There you have it. My picks for this year’s Takeover before the Royal Rumble. What do yall think? What are your picks?
