411’s NXT Takeover: San Antonio Preview

~THE STAFF~
* The returning , Mr. Ken Hill.
* 411’s weekly NXT reporter, Mr. Kevin Pantoja.
* He predicted this entire card back in 1999, on another website, Mr. Justin Watry.
* 411 wrestling reviewer, Mr. Chad Perry.
* 411 contributor, Mr. Mike Hammerlock.
* 411 contributor, Mr. Mitch Nickelson.

Roderick Strong vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas

KEN HILL: Admittedly, I’ve only seen glimpses of “The Messiah of the Backbreaker” throughout his times in the indies, but from what I’ve seen there and his current stint in NXT, he leaves more of an impression on me than Almas has, who’s been spinning his wheels even with the new change in attitude. Strong strikes me as having more upside at the moment.

WINNER: Roderick Strong

Kevin Pantoja: This is a strange TakeOver card. A lot of the show doesn’t have great build, and none more than this one. There was some interaction in a fatal four way match and then a few words exchanged. That’s it. Still, I’m a fan of both guys and this match has potential. Andrade Almas has looked rejuvenated since the heel turn and though Roderick Strong hasn’t impressed much in NXT yet, this could be the breakout match he needs. I was originally going with Almas, but I predict a fair amount of heel wins on this show, so I’m gonna say Roddy takes this.

WINNER: Roderick Strong

JUSTIN WATRY: Well, well, well. Who would have ever predicted Roderick Strong would falter out of the gate in NXT? Pretty easy to do your thing in Ring of Honor based on JUST wrestling skills. Now, we get the real test as to how great he can be. So far, results are about as I suspected…eh. Nothing bad but nothing that is silencing his detractors either. I’m not shocked. Putting him against Almas is a very good step forward though. Fans, for some reason, have decided to hate him, so it will be fun to watch everyone rally behind Strong. No big debate on the winner – it has to be the Not-So-Hot Rod. The real question is what he does afterwards and if it translates well…

WINNER: Roderick Strong

Chad Perry: For what may be the first time in the history of TakeOver/WWE PPVs running the same weekend, I am more excited for the PPV and think they will outperform the NXT special. Almas has slowly started to connect more with his heel persona, but is still not setting the NXT world on fire. Strong has been rather generic since his debut a couple months ago and with the weird taping schedule that took place to end the year we really haven’t got to see a lot out of him. I’ve been a big Roddy fan for years but can’t picture him getting above the NXT ranks.

WINNER: Andrade “Cien” Almas

Mike Hammerlock: Six months ago I really believed the WWE intended to make Almas a legit Latino star. Hasn’t worked out that way as he’s struggled to deliver in and out of the ring. Lesson to be learned, go to Lucha Underground or New Japan. I’m thrilled to see Roddy in NXT. I’m a sucker for all four members of Generation Next (Matt Sydal doesn’t count). Strong has become a true ace in the ring and I expect this to be a showcase for him.

WINNER: Roderick Strong

Mitch Nickelson: This match has the most show-stealing potential to me. Roddy is still new to NXT and this is his first TakeOver, so it’ll be fun to see how he performs on this particular stage. Almas, while he hasn’t caught fire or anything, has really started heating up. His more heelish persona works better for him and his couple of recent matches with Oney Lorcan were solid contests. As long as this gets around 15 minutes, it’ll be great.

WINNER: Roderick Strong

Eric Young vs. Tye Dillinger

KEN HILL: This one falls in the same vein as Nakamura vs. Zayn: Dillinger most likely on his way out and up to the main roster (anything but a Royal Rumble debut at #10 would be downright CRIMINAL at this point), and Young is on the rise in NXT as the leader of SaNitY. No brainier for me here. Get a “perfect 10” performance out of Dillinger that requires all of Young’s group to finally put him down, and send Tye out on a high note.

WINNER: Eric Young

Kevin Pantoja: Considering the story, I think this calls for a Tye Dillinger victory. He’s looking for his place in NXT and needs a win on a major show. He has never won on a TakeOver. However, I don’t see him staying with NXT much longer. Part of me believes he’ll be the tenth entrant in the Royal Rumble and carve out a niche in the lower midcard of Smackdown or Raw, similar to where Apollo Crews is (though both could do more). SAnitY is a cool group and though I’m not a big Eric Young fan, their leader should get his first major win here. Tye leaves NXT with a loss.

WINNER: Eric Young

JUSTIN WATRY: Are we all in agreement that Tye needs to enter the Royal Rumble at #10 on Sunday? Yeah? Okay, good. Then he can end this ridiculous “Do I still belong?” story line in NXT and do something worthwhile after proving he is more than ready for a call up. That means losing on your way out the door. Thus, Eric Young wins. Trust me, I am no fan of Young. I’ve made that very clear over the past nine years of writing columns. However, his stable has potential after a near perfect debut. Young can win relatively clean (probably will be some kind of interference), beat down Tye, and leave him laying. Seems fine.

WINNER: Eric Young

Chad Perry: Both of these men have been highlights of the show for a few months. Young’s debut with Sanity a few months back was handled wonderfully and it feels like the group has really connected with the audience. The addition of Big Damo to the group has only increased my excitement. I have often gone back and fourth on my opinion of Young but this is the role I typically like him in. He serves well as a mid-card heel leader. Dillinger on the other hand has been telling a great “do or die” career for the last few months. I am torn on what I want from his future. I think he will be generally directionless on the main roster (see Crews, Apollo) but think the pop for Dillinger debuting #10 at the Royal Rumble would be great.

WINNER: Tye Dillinger

Mike Hammerlock: What we have here is a lesson in personality. Young has an abundance of it and Dillinger, not so much. Dillinger probably deserves more of a shot than being cast as a talented jobber, but Young has the critical ability to hook fans. The only thing that makes me slightly hesitant to pick Young is he’s good enough to get over with a loss. SAnitY doesn’t seem like something that requires a linear path to success.

WINNER: Eric Young

Mitch Nickelson : Tye’s going to be in the Rumble and Eric has a newer faction that needs to be prominent over the next 6 months to a year. This doesn’t have to be the greatest technical display because the crowd are already won over on Tye. As long as Eric gets the chance to show off as much of his character as possible, then this will be effective. The former Big Damo will likely make an appearance here.

WINNER: Eric Young

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Authors of Pain vs. Champions Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa

KEN HILL: Big time test for Ciampa and Gargano here with Ellering’s big boys. #DIY have firmly cemented themselves at the top following their multi-MOTY feud with The Revival. Authors of Pain have stormed through the rest of NXT’s tag roster and won the Rhodes invitational to put themselves directly in the path of Ciampa and Gargano. While I could see Ellering’s team take it here, I think a extended feud would give them that extra bit of seasoning they’ve been needing, so #DIY will squeak one out here.

WINNER: Ciampa and Gargano

Kevin Pantoja: #DIY had a great 2016. Their matches with the Revival and even the one with Akira Tozawa and Tajiri were awesome. They started 2017 strong as well and could be the team to lead the division for a long time. I just don’t think they retain here. I really want them to, but the Authors of Pain have been built up as a big deal and I don’t see them losing their first title shot. It could happen on some sort of fluke, but I think Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa get the Sami Zayn run. They fought hard to win the titles and had great matches, but ultimately get a short run in favor of a monster champion.

WINNER: The Authors of Pain

JUSTIN WATRY: I think it is time to end The Authors of Pain Experiment in NXT. The company gave it their best shot in getting over these two monsters as an unbeatable pair with a legendary manager…and it just hasn’t worked. They have thrown a whole bunch of accolades onto them with quite a few meaningful victories, with still no return on that investment. Now, the two are going to win the NXT Tag Team Titles from a beloved team that actually has some momentum? No thanks. My only hangup is I do expect new tag champs (which would be the wrong move), and WWE/NXT really can’t just abandon ship, can they? After everything to build them up? I don’t know. So much is riding on them for the tag division. My solution for both sides to win? The cheap roll up pin out of nowhere after being decimated for the entire match.

WINNER: NXT Tag Team Champions retain via quick roll up

Chad Perry: Of the matches on this card I would say this has been the most poorly built (this is being submitted before the final episode of NXT on 1/25). However, it really is just an old school feud that has AOP winning a tournament and wanting the belts. I am fully okay with that as sometimes simple just works. Last year the tag team division was the highlight of a lot of these shows with Revival facing off against Enzo/Cass, American Alpha and DIY. This does not seem like the strongest start of the year for the division but I do think DIY can get a pretty good match out of DIY, especially with Gargano getting the beat down. It feels too early to move the belts, but it feels too early for AOP to be handed their first loss too. I’m gonna go with the match being thrown out due to The Revival, and getting something special in Orlando with the three teams.

WINNER: NO CONTEST

Mike Hammerlock: #DIY has been winning this matchup at recent house shows. In fact those mark the first tag team losses for the Authors of Pain, though they’ll walk into this contest officially undefeated (because if it didn’t happen on TV, it doesn’t count). It would be nice to see #DIY hold the belts after their epic chase to win them. By the same token, another epic chase to win back the titles wouldn’t be the worst idea. Probably no way to go wrong here. I’ll go with the champs finding a way to defeat the unbeatable foe.

WINNER: #DIY

Mitch Nickelson : The Authors of Pain have been wrecking everyone since their debut in NXT and I’d be surprised to see them lose in San Antonio. Gargano & Ciampa are fantastic but they’re not halting the momentum of Paul Ellering’s boys. I expect this to be the best AOP match to date but that doesn’t mean I think it will be 4 stars or anything. Maybe #DIY will prove me wrong and pull a classic out of their challengers but I’m not putting my hopes up that high.

WINNER: The Authors of Pain

NXT Women’s Championship Fatal 4 Way Match: Peyton Royce vs. Nikki Cross vs. Billie Kay vs. Champion Asuka

KEN HILL: Royce and Kay are little more than fodder here, as Nikki versus Asuka seems to be the real story here. While Cross could win it to go along with Young’s victory over Tye, I see this as more of a platform to see how well Cross performs on the big stage. The beauty of triple threats and fatal four ways is that the party not involved in the finish can lay claim to a future title shot since the champ couldn’t put them away. Have Asuka put away Royce or May, then have Nikki establish herself as #1 contender to set up a one-on-one for the next Takeover.

WINNER: Asuka

Kevin Pantoja: Calle me crazy, but this is the match I’m looking forward to the most on this show. I’m a huge fan of both Peyton Royce and Billie Kay and have been dying to see them get TakeOver shine. They both deserve it. Check out their recent Performance Center videos posted on Twitter. They’re delightful. Nikki Cross has been great in her current role, which if you watched her on the indies, you wouldn’t have expected it to be a character she’d portray. Also, Asuka has been a dominant champion, but a multi-woman match isn’t a position we’ve seen her in before. Everything also feels fresh because none of these women have had a significant match with the other. Plus, the last women’s fatal four way on a TakeOver was awesome (****1/4 at Rival). I say Asuka retains and heads into Mania weekend nearing a year as champion for a clash with Ember Moon.

WINNER: Asuka

JUSTIN WATRY: Asuka is winning this one. I know the standard thought in fatal four way bouts is the champ can lose without being pinned or submitted. I get that. Just not in this case. Ember Moon is waiting for Asuka, and that needs to culminate in a battle WrestleMania 33 weekend in Orlando. That has been my mindset for months now. From there, you can move up Asuka to the main roster and/or tell the story of her being a heel for a little bit and THEN have her depart NXT. Either way, she has bigger fish to fry than Nikki Cross (busy in a stable) and the resident mean girls (Kay and Royce) tormenting the roster. Asuka vs. Moon is the money match for the women’s division, no doubt.

WINNER: Asuka

Mitch Nickelson : If there was ever a chance to take the title off of Asuka without having her take a pinfall of a submission, this is it. I feel like this is a great chance for her to jump up to Raw and brag how she’s a former NXT Women’s Champion who’s yet to be properly beaten in WWE. As for who to take the belt off her… Nikki Cross is one of my favorite people on NXT right now but I think it would be better to have her chase the title rather than hold it for the post-Asuka NXT. Billie Kay feels like the lead in her duo with Peyton Royce, so I say give the title to her. These three can then feud for a few months until it’s Ember Moon’s time to enter the title picture.

WINNER: Billy Kay

Chad Perry: When I first saw a four way was announced I automatically assumed this was a way to get the title onto Ember Moon without having Asuka pinned. Then I noticed Ember Moon was not booked for the match. The women’s division of NXT did a lot of rebuilding through 2016 after loosing Charlotte, Banks, Lynch, Bayley, Bliss, Jax and Brooke. While the division is not back to what it was in 2015 I would say we have made some good steps. The look on the face of Asuka when she entered Regal’s office in tears, demanding this match is an image that I still have engraved in my mind two weeks later. Asuka will head to Orlando with the belt, and there is where I expect Moon to become the new champ.

WINNER: Asuka

Mike Hammerlock: This seems like a perfect way to get the belt off Asuka without her having to take the loss. That would free her up to join the WWE roster, where they could use the help. I’m not really sure who the breakout talent is among the challengers – two Aussies and a Brit. I’m going to throw a dart on this one and say Billie Kay emerges victorious.

WINNER: Billie Kay

NXT Championship Match: Bobby Roode vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

KEN HILL: Roode’s NXT run up to now has most certainly been GLORIOUS. That being said, after the game of “NXT title hot potato” Nakamura played with Joe, I’d like to see him hold it for at least another month. The fan in me wants to see a Aries run-in, which would work given his past feud with Nakamura and history with Roode, but again I’d rather see Nakamura get a good run with the strap before he drops it to Roode and comes up to the main roster.

WINNER: Shinsuke Nakamura

Kevin Pantoja: Similar to Tye Dillinger, part of me senses that Shinsuke Nakamura is about done with NXT. He could enter Mania weekend as champion to help promote that show but I think he possibly makes the Mania card against the Miz or something. Bobby Roode is wildly over and is a good choice to help lead the brand moving forward. The one negative is that a lot of the best guys in NXT are also heels (Aries, Almas, Young, Joe, etc.) Still, Roode against a returning Hideo Itami, Roderick Strong or even singles runs for Gargano and Ciampa could be interesting. I’m gonna say Roode wins a good match, though I’m not expecting great.

WINNER: Bobby Roode

JUSTIN WATRY: Does NXT save the big title change for WrestleMania weekend or just pull the trigger now? That is what I am wondering. Shinsuke Nakamura JUST got the belt back. The last thing we need is yet another new champion being crowned. NXT tends to avoid that kind of thing, but it appears inevitable with these two feuding. Roode will win the championship at some point. With only five matches on the card, this main event will have to do more than just fast forward to a dramatic finish. Nakamura and Roode will have to deliver the goods, maybe more than most expect out of them. My gut says the champ retains, the challenger freaks out for a few weeks in frustration, and the rematch is their REAL showdown in Orlando, rather than this fairly quick thrown together one. Until then, I’m just going to go with Roode winning and proclaim this to be a glorious year for him. Oh yes…OH NO!

WINNER: Bobby Roode

Chad Perry: I said during our Toronto preview that this would be the match we would get in Dallas, and here we are. The contract signing 2 weeks ago was very well executed, mostly from the strong promo work of Roode. Against the feud has been very abbreviated because of the two international shows that aired but this still has loads of potential. Before Chris HEro returned I would have laid money down on Roode winning here and sending Nakamura to the Rumble. However it would appear that we are poised for Hero vs. Nakamura in Orlando (a common theme with my picks). This will likely be the match of the night and I really would love to see the two put on a match of the year contender.

WINNER: Shinsuke Nakamura

Mike Hammerlock: If I were running the WWE, Nakamura would be saying goodbye to NXT here in order to make his WWE debut in the Royal Rumble (where he’d win). Roode’s been great so far in NXT. No surprise. He’s a pro’s pro. A few months with the NXT title and then he can move up to the main roster this summer. Mostly what I think is these two could steal the weekend.

WINNER: Bobby Roode

Mitch Nickelson : This one’s a toss up for me because when I try to guess who’s closer to a main roster jump, I’m unsure. Nakamura can easily be a main eventer on Raw or SmackDown but if they don’t have specific plans for him then he should retain here and make his jump on the Raw after WrestleMania. Bobby Roode is a little different. I think he could appear on the main rosters and he doesn’t have to be inserted into the main event. It would feel more natural if he’d hang somewhere around the upper mid-card. I also think Roode could appear in the Royal Rumble, just so that massive crowd can pop for his amazing entrance. This should be an above average match but I’m not expecting anything better than the Joe/Nakamura matches, which were good but not great.

WINNER: Shinsuke Nakamura

411 will have live coverage of the show, starting at 7:30PM ET.