NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn Preview and Predictions

Full Sail is booing this preview.

Giving their thoughts and predictions on what to expect from the PPV are members of the site @JoeySplashwater, @TimWelcomed and @TomBlargh.

Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tyler Breeze

Joey:

The idea of Jushin Thunder Liger making his WWE debut this late into his legendary career in front of a sold out arena is pretty cool. I think the atmosphere will make this match very good and it could end up being the most memorable moment of the night.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Tyler Breeze wins.

Tim:

Seeing Jushin Liger wrestle at a WWE event is pretty exciting to me. I’ve always been a huge fan of him so this is probably one of the biggest reasons for me to watch. I can enjoy Tyler Breeze from time to time so yeah, bring it on. I’m pretty interested in seeing these two square off in this environment.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Tyler Breeze wins.

Tom:

Sure, okay, alright. These guys are on opposite ends of their careers, and as a result, I think there’s a limit to just how good this’ll be. Like, neither guy is really capable of much more than a pretty good singles match right now – Liger’s great matches are all behind him and Breeze’s are all in the future (or at least hopefully they are). Liger in a WWE ring is a fun novelty though, and a nice amount of silliness in Breeze’s entrance should make this enjoyable.

Interest Level: 6/10
Prediction: Tyler Breeze wins.

Blake and Murphy vs. The Vaudevillains

Joey:

I kinda enjoy both these teams. I like the dynamic of Blake and Murphy with Alexa Bliss and I used to really like Aiden English so The Vaudevillains are okay. I’m mostly just happy I don’t have to deal with a bunch of “HOW YA DOING SAWFT” chants like I was expecting with Enzo and Cass winning the titles. Blue Pants or some new diva will help The Vaudevillains win.

Interest Level: 5/10
Prediction: The Vaudevillains win.

Tim:

I do not like Blake and Murphy but Alexa Bliss has helped them become bearable. The Vaudevillains can be entertaining. I have enjoyed watching them grow over time. I think The Vaudevillains are getting the big win here and I’m excited to see these two teams try and have a good match.

Interest Level: 5/10
Prediction: The Vaudevillains win.

Tom:

Alexa Bliss has done wonders for the dubstep guys, but I still don’t particularly anticipate their matches. The Vaudevillains are a cute idea but I think they could go further in terms of how silly they get with it. Like, once their entrance is over, they don’t really do a whole lot with the gimmick, or at least not as much as I’d like. Anyway, I’m sure it’ll be fine, if mostly unremarkable.

Interest Level: 4/10
Prediction: Blake and Murphy win.

Apollo Crews vs. Tye Dillinger

Joey:

It should be fun to see Apollo Crews make his debut on such a big show. Hopefully Crews can be a big player as NXT will need new talent to step up with the better wrestlers getting called up.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Apollo Crews wins.

Tim:

I’m really happy that Apollo Crews is finally debuting. The man is definitely talented and I hope his debut match is long enough for him to show what he’s got.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Apollo Crews wins.

Tom:

I’m sure I’ve seen Uhaa Nation wrestle matches before but none of them stand out to me! Maybe I haven’t seen Uhaa Nation matches?!? I remember seeing his name on posters for weird wrestling shows in Birmingham (the one in England, not Alabama), so that’s something. Anyway, this’ll be fun, it’s always cool to see how they present new guys initially and Tye Dillinger seems like one of the better NXT-ers to pair Crews with.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Apollo Crews wins.

Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin

Joey:

Joe is going to beat Corbin in under 2 minutes.

Interest Level: 4/10
Prediction: Samoa Joe wins.

Tim:

I am still a huge Samoa Joe fan after all of these years and love that he’s in NXT. This match is hard to care about though. Baron Corbin is an absolute bore. I’m hoping Joe gets the win here so that’s what I’m going with. I’m ready for bigger Joe matches.

Interest Level: 3/10
Prediction: Samoa Joe wins.

Tom:

This could be alright, man! This must be the biggest crowd Joe’s been in front of for aaaaages, so I think he’ll do his best with “The Motorcycle Wolf”. Also, seeing how Brooklyn reacts to old Baron could be fun. It could be alright! Maybe! I’m trying to stay positive!

Interest Level: 5/10
Prediction: Samoa Joe wins.

Sasha Banks vs. Bayley for the NXT Women’s Championship

Joey:

The double main event for this show is what caused me to choose to attend NXT over ROH. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley should be nothing short of electric considering the venue and the importance of the match. Banks has been flawless on these NXT live specials and this is the biggest match yet. This is the right time for Bayley to win the title and it should provide a very special moment.

Interest Level: 10/10
Prediction: Bayley wins.

Tim:

This is Bayley’s moment and I’m 200% behind her. Her character has been amazing and she’s such a joy to watch. Seeing a WWE character evolve at a good pace has been refreshing. Sasha Banks always brings it because she’s one of the best around. I can’t wait to see Bayley win the title.

Interest Level: 10/10
Prediction: Bayley wins.

Tom:

It goes without saying that Banks is really great but I think Bayley’s terrific too. The way her personality bleeds into how she wrestles is great stuff and that’s one reason I’m glad she’s not been included in this first wave of the “Divas revolution” – I think her main strength is her character and being so distinct from the others, so it’d be a bummer to see her lost in the shuffle of nine women in one feud.

ANYWAY. Match should be real good stuff and seeing Bayley win the belt would be cool! I just worry that she’s going to be stuck without too many other decent girls to work with down in NXT. I’ve heard some of the recent new hires are p. good, but I guess we’ll just see about that.

Interest Level: 9/10
Prediction: Bayley wins.

Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens for the NXT Championship in a Ladder Match

Joey:

I wasn’t too sure what to feel when this match was originally announced. Both men are main event talent and they have good matches but it was confusing why the rematch was going to main event this show until the Ladder Match stipulation was announced. The match stipulation made it my most anticipated match of the weekend and I look forward to seeing them tear the house down but hopefully not any of the retired Nets jerseys.

Interest Level: 10/10
Prediction: Finn Balor wins.

Tim:

Kevin Owens is one of my favorites and Balor is pretty good too. These two work well together and  making it a ladder match was the correct call. This should be one of the best matches from the whole weekend.

Interest Level: 10/10
Prediction: Finn Balor wins.

Tom:

Yes please! Owens knows how to make a ladder match work and I think this should be a pretty great showcase for both guys. Also, if this is going to be Kev’s NXT swan song, I’m sure it’ll be fantastic. It’ll also be really cool to see Balor’s entrance and reaction in an American venue that’s a full-sized arena, rather than just Full Sail. He’s an incredibly special talent that should be huge, so seeing him take another step towards the main roster should be great (even if you could argue that retaining the NXT title would be another step backwards, but at least Kev has set the precedent of the NXT champion working Raw without it being an issue).

Interest Level: 10/10
Prediction: Finn Balor wins.