6 Predictions For NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III
Gold, glory, and undefeated streaks: the stakes are high this Saturday.
NXT TakeOver heads to Brooklyn, New York for the third consecutive year this Saturday night (August 19th), and after stealing the main roster's thunder during 2016's SummerSlam weekend, WWE's developmental brand will be out to do the same again.
The card isn't as stacked as last year's, but it's still a well-built affair across the board. Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami and Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade 'Cien' Almas will prop the show up, before three big title matches bring it home, starting with Sanity challenging NXT Tag Team Champions The Authors Of Pain, who haven't taken a clean loss since debuting last June.
Elsewhere, Asuka will put her own undefeated streak (and the NXT Women's Championship) on the line against Ember Moon, who at last has a shot at redemption after her TakeOver: Orlando failure. Finally, we have NXT Champion Bobby Roode vs. Drew McIntyre, with speculation suggesting that whoever loses could be heading to the main roster, adding a whole new layer of intrigue to the contest.
A very solid lineup, but who'll emerge victorious, and who find themselves sliding down the ladder? Let's take a stab at it...
6. Johnny Gargano's Singles Career Takes Off With A Win
If it weren't for Tommaso Ciampa's injury, Johnny Gargano would likely be facing off with his former DIY partner this weekend. Ciampa's heel turn closed TakeOver: Chicago on a devastating note back in May, but a ruptured ligament incurred prior to the event is expected to keep him sidelined until March 2018, putting NXT's most anticipated feud on the back burner.
Gargano's run as a singles competitor started with a win over Raul Mendoza last month, and will continue against Andrade 'Cien' Almas this weekend. No longer adrift in the lower midcard, Almas has sharpened his focus since taking Zelina Vega on as his manager. He answered Gargano's TakeOver challenge a few weeks ago, and while his NXT run has been pretty lacklustre thus far, him and Gargano have every chance of putting on a great match.
Expect a win for the former NXT Tag Team Champion. Almas' direction has improved lately, but he has been primarily used to put others over since joining WWE, and that doesn't look like changing. Gargano, meanwhile, is a white-hot babyface commodity who must be preserved for Ciampa's eventual comeback. He'll likely win, and look strong doing so.