What's happening kiddies! Welcome back to the latest opinions from me about the current goings-on in professional wrestling. Next week I'll have something to say concerning the whole TNA Impact-GFW situation and how this could be either a win-win or a lose-lose situation. More on that next week. For now, this week is reserved for what appears to be a pretty good weekend for the WWE. I've covered Summerslam already and my predictions. Now it's on to NXT's newest Takeover special entitled "Brooklyn". As with most NXT specials in the past, this has the potential to be a damn good show. While Summerslam has the possibility of actually matching up with the entertainment and competitiveness of NXT for a change, this new NXT special could hold up quite well with some of their other specials. While I don't see it as classic like NXT Takeover or NXT Takeover: R Evolution, this will still do very well. Let's start shall we?
NXT Title/Ladder Match
Finn Balor (c) vs. Kevin Owens
To no surprise, this will and should be the main event. After their excellent match in Japan at Beast In The East when Balor won the title, one could only imagine how the rematch was going to work. I couldn't have thought of a better type of match for these two. Owens' history with Ladder matches has been known with his fantastic, yet brutal, match in ROH with Sami Zayn, when he was El Generico. Along with the high flying capabilities of the man formerly known as Prince Devitt, this has classic written all over it. The last time there was a Ladder Match was when Adrien Neville defeated Bo Dallas to become NXT Champion at NXT Arrival. Expect Finn Balor to get over in this match, thus Owens can really be a full-timer on the main roster. This could either be a bad weekend for Owens or an okay weekend for him, depending upon if he defeats Cesaro tomorrow at Summerslam. Regardless, expect "The Demon King" to emerge victorious. Now about those "Paul Heyman guy" rumors...???
Winner & still champion: Finn Balor
NXT Women's Title
Bayley vs. "The Bo$$" Sasha Banks (c)
I know, I know. these two have fought before. Yes they have. However, this will be the first time they've fought with Banks as the champion. Yes I'm also aware that this isn't the first time we've seen Bayley have good momentum going into a big match or a championship match and somehow doesn't pull it off. Call me nuts, but I think this will be different. Not to mention, Sasha is really turning heads since she has been part of the main roster in the Divas revolution being part of Team B.A.D. (Beautiful And Dangerous). Chances are this will be her NXT swan song, and Bayley will finally grab the brass ring.
Winner & new NXT Women's Champion: Bayley
NXT Tag Team Championship
The Vaudevillains vs. Blake & Murphy (c) w/ Alexa Bliss
Let's face it, Blake & Murphy were already a pretty good team with chemistry that resembled The Midnight Express. However, since they managed to get Alexa Bliss on their side, they've been damn good. At the last NXT special, NXT Takeover: Unstoppable, they defeated huge favorites Enzo Amore & Big Cass. Now they face the very impressive Vaudevillains. This past Wednesday, we watched as The Vaudevillains tried to let the challengers what would be in store for them, but every time they tried, they would get slapped in the face by Bliss, so as to not even utter a word. This humiliation could be all they need to defeat the champs. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. I see Blake & Murphy continuing their forward momentum as champs and staying on top of the division.
Winners & still champions: Blake & Murphy
Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin
This has physical written all over it. The world-renowned "Samoan Submission Machine" has had a hell of a run with NXT, but now he'll be facing another impressive NXT talent in Baron Corbin. While some of Corbin's steam has cooled since his debut last year, it damn sure hasn't stopped him from kicking people's asses and defeating them in quick, resounding fashion. I do expect for the former TNA and ROH Champion to defeat Corbin, but nowhere near in easy fashion.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs. Tyler Breeze
What a historic moment for the WWE and NXT, as Japanese icon Jushin "Thunder" Liger is wrestling against the mega-talented Tyler Breeze. Liger is far from a stranger here in the States, as his series of matches with the late Brian Pillman in the early to mid nineties have been placed among some of the greatest in the history of WCW. He also has competed in TNA and ROH, as he faced the likes of Daniel Bryan and Austin Aries. Seen as one of the revolutionaries of the high flying style so very emulated today, the fifty year old has shown he can still go with the young guys. No disrespect to Breeze, who's a superb talent in his own right, but the legend who has won thirty-eight championships and multiple tournaments is in a class all by himself and I expect him to get the 'W' in this encounter.
Winner: Jushin "Thunder" Liger
Also, NXT Takeover: Brooklyn will mark the in-ring debut of Apollo Crews, the indie superstar formerly known as Uhaa Nation. If you've never seen this man compete, you're in for something special, as this man has been compared to the likes of Bobby Lashley and Booker T in terms of athleticism, and then some. For a guy his size, he can moves like staining shooting star presses and over the top cross bodies like there nothing to do. In 2009, he suffered a near career ending knee injury that put him on the shelf for over a year, but emerged better than ever. He'll be facing NXT vet The Dillinger in what I expect to be an impressive mainstream showing for the "One Man Nation".
As you can see, this will be quite the exciting card and one that will serve as one hell of a precursor for the next night's Summerslam. This will be bittersweet, as this will be the first NXT special without close friend, mentor, and teacher "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, but you know he'll be smiling with that signature smile of his and will be thrilled to see his NXT kids on the biggest stage they've been on yet. This will be a great night and an even better weekend. Report back to me next week for the review and reaction of both Summerslam and NXT Takeover: Brooklyn. Until next week folks, be safe, live life, and enjoy some wrestling!
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