6 Predictions For NXT TakeOver: San Antonio
Which NXT stars will steal the show in Texas?
The 2017 Royal Rumble is the talk of the wrestling world at the moment, but NXT's rising stars will look to outdo them on Saturday night. The developmental brand's TakeOver live specials have a longstanding habit of upstaging their main roster counterparts on the eve of a major pay-per-view, and as strong as this year's Rumble looks, there's a decent chance this'll happen again.
Bolstered by three tremendous title matches, TakeOver: San Antonio promises to be another excellent show. The main event sees NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura defend his strap against his new nemesis, Bobby Roode, while Asuka's dominant reign as Women's Champion will be on the line against Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce, and Billie Kay.
DIY will defend their Tag Team Championships against the surging Authors of Pain, and the card is completed by two exciting non-title matches in Eric Young vs. Tye Dillinger and Andrade Almas vs. Roderick Strong. The Revival's absence is disappointing, but this is yet another strong card, and one that should continue TakeOver's tradition of excellence.
WWE always do a good job in making these cards tough to predict, and San Antonio is no different. Champions Nakamura, Asuka, and DIY will enter as justified favourites, but their respective opponents are surging, and multiple title changes aren't out of the question.
How will it all pan out? Let's take a look: here are 6 predictions for NXT TakeOver: San Antonio.
6. Andrade Almas Defeats Roderick Strong
The first match on this weekend’s TakeOver card comes with real show-stealing potential. Neither Roderick Strong nor Andrade “Cien” Almas have shown their best work in NXT thus far, but this feels like the perfect opportunity for both to breakout. Almas was regarded as one of the most exciting wrestlers in Mexico prior to joining WWE, while Strong is an independent wrestling legend with a legacy of great matches in ROH, PWG, etc.
Almas vs. Strong hasn’t had much build, but they’re going to set San Antonio alight if they’re given enough time. It’ll be a while before we see either come close to main roster contention, but a victory here should send the winner surging towards the NXT Championship, and the loser won’t be too far behind him either.
This is a tough match to predict at the moment. Both men qualified for the number one contendership four-way a few weeks ago, but that’s about the extent of their success. Strong, in fairness, is just getting started in NXT, and while Almas looks rejuvenated as a heel, he has been active for close to a year without making any real traction… and that’s exactly why he needs to win on Saturday.
It’s time for WWE to start doing something with Cien, and it starts with a blow-away match in San Antonio. Strong is only just through the door and has plenty of time to establish himself, but Almas has been treading water for far too long, and should be able to use his sneaky ways to steal a win.