8 Early Predictions For NXT TakeOver: New Orleans

5. Ricochet Vs. Velveteen Dream

Velveteen Dream Kassius Ohno
WWE

He probably won’t be billed as Ricochet, but Trevor ‘Ricochet’ Mann is a little too much to type at this juncture. What matters is that the only two-time PWG Battle of Los Angeles winner in history is now a WWE employee, and his NXT debut will come sooner rather than later. Who will be his first opponent?

NXT has a lack of singles heels at the moment, an issue that is exacerbated by the popularity of Velveteen Dream. Velveteen is a megastar in waiting, and it is difficult to imagine him staying a heel for too long. The NXT Universe is well and truly behind the Tough Enough alumni, a testament to the quality of his character. What that says about the booking is another matter.

Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream makes a lot of sense with all this in mind. Ricochet is going to need a showcase TakeOver singles match, and men like Lars Sullivan and EC3 are unlikely to provide it. Adam Cole is an option, but the Panama City Playboy will be busy elsewhere on the card. That leaves Velveteen Dream, in a battle of two wildly athletic young men.

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Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.