Baron Corbin vs. Samoa Joe
After spending seemingly forever destroying the dregs of NXT, Baron Corbin finally receives a test in the form of independant legend Samoa Joe. Their feud has been brief, but their initial encounter definitely succeeded in creating a hunger to see the two go at it. Corbin has been impressive since joining the developmental department and appears to be thriving since transitioning into a fully-fledged heel. Known worldwide for his hard-hitting offense and unbelievable athleticism, Samoa Joe is the perfect choice to push the rookie as a true main event player.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tyler Breeze
It’s incredible that despite wrestling across the world for well over three decades Japanese cruiserweight icon Jushin Thunder Liger has never once competed for the WWE. That all ends at TakeOver: Brooklyn however as he matches up with longtime NXT staple Tyler Breeze. Breeze will definitely have youth, strength and speed advantages, but just seems to lack the final piece needed to push him to the main roster. Breeze desperately needs the win here, but it seems unlikely that Liger will put him over. Breeze should be okay in the long run however, just by wrestling someone of the legend’s pedigree.
Winner: Jushin Thunder Liger
NXT Tag Team Championship
Blake and Murphy © vs. The Vaudevillains
Like its main stage counterpart it seems that the NXT’s tag division is in danger of becoming a little stale. Blake and Murphy are a promising duo with great chemistry, but the inclusion of Alexa Bliss into the fold has seen them take a backseat to her recent antics. The Vaudevillains tandem of Simon Gotch and Aiden English are competent as performers, but their gimmick just seems far too outlandish to truly succeed in today’s industry. A title run for them seems unlikely. The champs should retain here, but here’s to hoping the two teams can bring a little spark back to the dimming division.
Winners: Blake and Murphy
NXT Women’s Championship
Sasha Banks © vs. Bayley
The women from NXT continue to pave the way for a brighter future for female wrestling, and this latest match is the next in a seemingly endless parade of matches that have the potential to outshine the main event. Sasha Banks has been perfect since becoming champion at the turn of the year, and her ability to perform with Bayley has been demonstrated on multiple occasions in the past. Banks’ recent promotion to the main roster might have made the outcome of this match a tad predictable, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’re almost guaranteed a match-of-the-night contender, a match that will hopefully succeed in pushing Bayley as NXT’s top female performer.
Winner: Bayley
Ladder match for the NXT Championship
Finn Bálor © vs. Kevin Owens
‘The Demon’ arrives in Brooklyn as international sensation Finn Bálor seeks to defend his NXT title for the first time against the dangerous former champion, Kevin Owens. With both men no strangers to taking extreme risks for the sake of the art, it’s safe to say that we can expect a wildly entertaining main event. With Kevin Owens now firmly established on Raw and Smackdown the chances of him becoming the first two-time NXT champion are extremely unlikely, but like the preceding divas match this shouldn’t ruin our enjoyment of the match. Expect Bálor to prolong his title run with an effort on par with their initial Japanese clash last month.
Winner: Finn Bálor
What do you think will happen at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn? Leave your predictions in the comments section below!
