8 Predictions For NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II
3. Asuka Will Retain Her NXT Women's Championship
Asuka is one of the best wrestlers in WWE today, NXT or otherwise. A stiff brawler and vicious, hard-hitting striker, she was an immediate hit with the Full Sail faithful upon debuting, and her eccentric, creepy character only adds to her mystique.
Asuka’s never going to be the type to walk-out and deliver a 20-minute promo, but she doesn’t need to be. Her popularity comes from her wrestling style and off-mic character work, and if she’s allowed to be herself when she’s eventually called-up, Asuka is going to dominate Raw or SmackDown.
She takes-on Bayley at Brooklyn II, and the stage is perfectly set for the former NXT Women’s Champion to regain her belt. This is the exact same building in which Bayley first captured the belt from Sasha Banks last year, and it was Asuka who took it from her back in April. It’s poetic justice that Bayley wins on Saturday evening, but can she pull it off?
It’s highly unlikely. Asuka isn’t even close to running out of steam as champion, and with the likes of Ember Moon and Billie Kay on the rise, a host of new challengers await. Bayley has already had a great run as Women’s Champion, and after several years in NXT, it’s time for her to finally move on: something she’ll struggle to do with a championship around her waist.