Which Is Better: WWE Summerslam Or NXT Takeover Brooklyn?

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Backstory

Pretty big week ahead for all of us. Besides the fact I am staring down at yet another 50 hours at work, there is also this little thing called WWE Summerslam. Arguably the biggest wrestling show of the year next to WrestleMania. On top of that is the best NXT card possible for their latest Brooklyn Takeover live special on the WWE Network. Both look solid and while we can complain about the length of Sunday’s show, I am looking forward to both. Since my predictions won’t be made public until this weekend, why not compare and contrast each event.

Which Is Better: WWE Summerslam 2017 OR NXT Brooklyn III?

Main event for Summerslam – I’d make the case for Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jinder Mahal ending the evening provided a new champion is crowned. Still, there is no doubt that the true headlining act is for the Universal Championship. Brock Lesnar defends against Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe, and Braun Strowman. A rare fatal four way for The Beast in his WWE career. The added stipulation made by Paul Heyman is should Lesnar lose he will leave the company, hinting at all the UFC rumors out there. Honestly, RAW numbers are up and while you can point at carious factors, this is the big selling point. It is only fair to see these four and realize fans are drawn in right now. I’d prefer a one on one Brock/Braun bout as teased the night after WM33. However, this works just fine to protect all four…and keep the title in place.

Main event for NXT Brooklyn – Drew McIntyre has been on fire since re-appearing. Bobby Roode has been NXT Champions since January. Both have been kept strong. Both men have a stellar win-loss record. Both men are exact reasons why NXT gets praised so much. They know how to let their talents shine and NOT get dragged down by pointless losses on the weekly shows. Drew and Bobby are on a legitimate collision course where you can’t imagine either man losing. Smart money is on a new champ with the loser slowly transitioning to the main roster…but would that be glorious? We’ll see.

VERDICT: In terms of unpredictability (for those who love that), NXT gets the nod. In terms of hype and build, WWE wins easily. RAW has delivered the goods in recent weeks, and I expect more of the same on Sunday.

Tag Team Titles at Summerslam – On the RAW side, you have a yet to be announced match brewing between Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose vs. Sheamus and Cesaro. On the Smackdown side, you have the 476th match between The New Day and The Usos. Eh, I love the teases of a reunion for The Shield, although my prediction all along has been Dean ends up turning on Seth…down the road. The New Day and Usos is just an excuse to give new champs a title defense. Fairly disappointing. Outside of the entire thing with the former Shield members, the tag scenes are hurting without The Revival (hurt), Hardyz (waiting to be woken up), Big Cass and Enzo separated, Breezango still playing dress up, and American Alpha ending in a splat.

Tag Titles at NXT Brooklyn – Feels a little rushed. Still, The Authors of Pain vs. Sanity is what’s left of the NXT tag team division. I have no issues with this heel/heel showdown. My belief is Sanity is finishing up with NXT anyways, having never truly taken off. Might as well have a big brawl with the giant unstoppable monsters before exiting for the main roster.

VERDICT: Believe it or not, NXT wins here. All three feuds have had clunky story lines in July and August, so the favorite goes to the fresher bout. That is AOP and Sanity.

Womens Title match at Summerslam – The RAW side will either be Nia Jax vs. Alexa Bliss (ugh) or Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss (again). The blue brand is featuring Naomi versus Natalya, which just feels like a backdrop to Carmella cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase. Not exactly what I would call Summerslam worthy matches. Sasha Banks as a heel taking on a struggling Bayley – that is money. Jax as an unbeatable monster against a scared Bliss – that is money…except Jax tends to lose more than she should and has been kinda/sorta buddies with the champ. None of this really makes sense. Now to be fair, Bayley getting injured came at the worst possible time ever, so they do get a bit of a pass. Smackdown LIVE has no excuse though. Becky Lynch is doing nothing. Charlotte is doing nothing. Heck, I don’t even care too much for Naomi, but it definitely comes across as her just ‘holding’ the belt for Carmella.

Womens Title match at NXT Brooklyn – The exact match that should be happening. Asuka as the undefeated dominant champion going up against her biggest challenger and the one person she had to cheat in order to defeat in their prior meeting. A lot of folks do not think Ember Moon is the wrestler to dethrone Asuka. I think she is. Minus a Mae Young Classic winner coming in to confront the newly heel Asuka in a few months, nobody else fits the mold. Moon does perfectly. She has all the momentum she needs right now to beat Asuka and start a new era in the NXT women’s division. It is time. Asuka can lose on Saturday, lose in a rematch and then lose to a new signee/Mae Young Classic winner before heading up to Raw or Smackdown in 2018.

VERDICT: NXT takes it again. Asuka/Moon is the biggest bout the division can deliver. Naomi/Nattie and Bliss/Jax or Bliss/Banks is not. Easy decision here.

Best of the rest – I am not even going to debate this section. Summerslam is six hours long when you add in the Kickoff Show. NXT Takeover Brooklyn is nowhere near that length. Thus, it is a bit unfair to even imagine how different the cards would be without that reversed. There is just too many stacked performers on the main roster.

John Cena vs. Baron Corin, Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship, Big Show vs. Big Cass, Bray Wyatt vs. Finn Balor, Randy Orton vs. Rusev, AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens, and Neville vs. Akira Tozawa…

…or…

Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami and Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade Almas?

Come on. The six hour show may seem like a marathon on paper, but those matches all look fairly solid. Where NXT Takeover Brooklyn has the more intriguing and less predictable main matches (as noted above), the best of the rest belongs to WWE Summerslam by a landslide. So much potential there.

OVERALL SUMMARY: You tell me. Which card looks better heading into the weekend? Is it WWE Summerslam or NXT Takeover Brooklyn?

NRW: The Match

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