WWE NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia Match Card and Predictions

NXT’s next TakeOver event is upon us. Emanating from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia the night before the Royal Rumble, Triple H’s most prized asset will no doubt give the main roster show a run for its money yet again. There are some scintillating encounters that are well worth your time, guaranteed to provide us with impressive athletic displays and strong storytelling. So, what else is there to do other than break down each match and try to gauge a prediction? Here we go.

 

Kassius Ohno vs. The Velveteen Dream

Nobody came out of the last TakeOver event looking better than The Velveteen Dream. His star-making performance against Aleister Black made numerous Match of the Year lists, cementing Patrick Clark as one of WWE’s most beloved characters. Kassius Ohno, on the other hand, is in a real state of NXT limbo. He lost to Lars Sullivan at WarGames and his hopes of winning against a gimmick as hot as The Velveteen Dream are slim to none.

PREDICTION: Dream is an obvious choice. After winning over the fans so convincingly back in November, it’s time for him to score in the win column.

 

Extreme Rules Match

Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole

Despite being the leader of The Undisputed Era, Adam Cole certainly seems to take a fair few pinfalls while his compatriots sit atop the NXT tag team division. This match has been building ever since Black defeated Cole to earn his spot in a fatal four-way #1 contenders match, a match which Cole cost Black a potential victory in.

PREDICTION: Probably the toughest match of the night to predict, as Aleister has his undefeated record in singles matches to maintain. Cole is in dire need of a high-profile singles win though, and the presence of Extreme Rules means he can vanquish Black through the use of weaponry and not superior skills. We’re giving the edge to Adam Cole bay-bay.

 

NXT Tag Team Championship Match

The Undisputed Era (c) Vs. The Authors of Pain (with Paul Ellering)

Truth be told, The Authors of Pain really should have been promoted to be main roster by now. They’ve accomplished everything there is to do in NXT, having won both the NXT Tag Team Championship and the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (why didn’t we get one of those last year, anyway?), it’s time for them to mix it up with the guys on Raw or SmackDown Live. Meanwhile, The Undisputed Era have asserted their dominance as the top faction in NXT, dethroning Sanity in the process.

PREDICTION: AOP’s mystique has been somewhat damaged ever since they took their first loss, this is most likely their send-off match before a main roster promotion. The easiest match of the night to call, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish have got this, possibly with help from Adam Cole — if Aleister Black hasn’t killed him.

 

NXT Women’s Championship Match

Ember Moon (c) Vs. Shayna Baszler

Boy, they’ve really strapped the rocket to Shayna Baszler, haven’t they? Within less than a month of her NXT TV debut, she’s destroyed everything in her path and earned herself a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship. Ember Moon’s reign is still in its infancy and she’s already dealing with a former UFC fighter with a mean streak.

PREDICTION: Picking Baszler is tempting. They’ve put her on a warpath and WWE might want to shy away from lengthy reigns with the belt after Asuka held onto it for so long. However, great measures have been taken to protect Ember Moon as well, and establishing her as a prominent champion who can take on legitimate threats is paramount to her success. Tentatively, Ember Moon is our pick.

 

NXT Championship Match

Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) (with Zelina Vega) vs. Johnny Gargano

An article went up a couple of months ago that detailed the brilliance of Andrade “Cien” Almas and his rise to the top in NXT. Nobody thought he would dethrone Drew McIntyre and take the NXT Championship, yet here we are. An outstanding performer in the ring, with a strong manager in Zelina Vega, Andrade’s place at the top of the NXT mountain makes all the sense in the world.

On the other side of this story, you have the prime underdog character in Johnny Gargano. Watching him turn his fortunes around and actually start stringing together wins towards a title match has been compelling stuff. His retribution is so close that one can practically taste it.

PREDICTION: It’s more or less a given that Tommaso Ciampa will interfere here. It would be especially poignant as Almas distracted Gargano with a #DIY t-shirt in their last match to get the win. Seeing Gargano lift the belt would no doubt be a feelgood moment, but the eventual feud with his former tag partner has more narrative heft in the long run. Getting so close only to have it be snatched away from him by his biggest rival means more. Almas to retain.