Fairytale of New York: NXT Takeover Brooklyn II Prediction Post

This Saturday night, Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn will play host to another massive NXT TakeOver show with NXT TakeOver Brooklyn II.  This card is fantastic, so let’s not waste any time with pleasantries, as you’re easily going to get some match of the year candidates out of these so they’ll do the speaking for themselves.

Matt: I don’t know anything about Ember Moon, but given this image if she doesn’t pull that thing off and have that Mileena face from Mortal Kombat I’m going to be thoroughly disappointed.  They’ve given her plenty of promo of late so you can expect that she’s going to slaughter Billie Kay pretty quickly.  That’s probably why it’s Billie Kay and not people they’re actually trying to get any higher in the women’s division, like Daria Berenato or that chick that dresses like Poison Ivy who’s name eludes me presently.  Ember Moon in the quickest women’s match ever on NXT.

Jeremy: Ember Moon.  Billie Kay is great though.  Bonus points if Noob Saibot shows up.

Matt: This one is going to be hard for me to pick.  I don’t know that they’re going to have Aries eat a loss because it would slow his momentum.  Why is his momentum important?  Joe has to go up to the main roster sooner rather than later and I think Aries and Roode are being groomed to collectively hold down the heel fort for a while.  I do love No Way Jose though.  He bring great energy to the ring and in his matches, but Aries is going to take this one in a fairly long match.  Austin Aries 

Jeremy: I feel like this could be the sleeper hit of the card.  I think Aries is going to put No Way Jose over while still picking up a win.  Not an easy feat.  Austin Aries

Matt:  I have to call this one the same way as above.  And it’s almost the exact same match up.  But for all of the fun I have watching Almas wrestle, Roode is going to get the win here.  Roode

Jeremy:  CFO$ made too good of a theme for Roode not to win this.  This is going to be a fun match.  Roode

Bonus points if Gargano and Ciampa show up for a #GloriousBomb.

The Revival (Dash & Dawson) vs Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano

Matt:  The beauty of the NXT TakeOver Brooklyn II card is that I don’t see a way to be upset no matter who wins pretty much any of these matches.  This one is particularly impossible for me to pick.  Anyone who’s seen either of these teams can’t dislike either of them.  Anyone who watched the CWC match that Gargano and Ciampa saw one of the hardest fought matches of the year and then two of the best friends in professional wrestling embrace in a truly heartfelt moment afterward.  But having seen them live a number of times, and absolutely loving everything they bring to professional wrestling, the tag division and NXT as a whole, I can’t vote against The Revival.  #NoFlipsJustFists

Jeremy:  I’m not doing this to be contrarian.  I’m going to go with Ciampa & Gargano.  That CWC match completely sold me on them.  It’s currently my favorite match of the year.  I love the Revival…but I think they’re doing the favors and getting a callup soon.  Both Raw and Smackdown’s tag team rosters are very thin and I wouldn’t be surprised if we get the old school style up on the main roster very soon.

Main Event One:

Matt: It was rumored a while back that come Summerslam weekend, Nakamura would be on the main roster and engaged in a feud with Chris Jericho.  I would have been thrilled.  Now that it hasn’t happened, I couldn’t be happier with exactly where he is this weekend in Brooklyn.  Now the question rises as to whether they will take Joe’s belt this soon.  NXT Champions tend to have lengthy title reigns, its just kind of how the establish top guys.  That could change.  Nakamura has an almost cult like following.  In any event, this is two extremely talented and sturdy veterans who are going to put on one hell of a show.  But I’m answering this one with a GIF rather than a bold type face:

Jeremy:  Argh…I really don’t know about this one.  It’s going to be a great match either way.  I think Samoa Joe wins this and drops the belt in the next Takeover special.  I wouldn’t put it past some kind of cheating finish here.

Main Event Two:

Matt: My heart belongs to the Hugster, and nothing changes that.  A win here?  No, for two reasons.  1) She’s on the main roster in the next month, maybe two, because they’re going to have to run a lengthy angle to get it to Wrestlemania, where she’ll start her title reign.  2) Asuka can use this match to further establish her place as the top dog in NXT, where she, kind of like Nakamura, will probably be for a while as they get their English a little more fluent and their promos begin to flow a little more smoothly.  I’m picking Asuka, but she’s just so damned adorable.

Jeremy:  I love the passion and energy from both these women.  I can’t wait to hear Brooklyn lose their shit for Bayley.  And chant “Asuka’s gonna kill you.”  It’s going to be a solid match.  I think better than Dallas.

I think Asuka picks up the win, for the same reasons Matt outlines above.

Observations:

Matt:  Given these match ups, I don’t see any way this show doesn’t one up last year’s triumph of a TakeOver event.  I am disappointed that there will be no Tye Dillinger on the card, because the Perfect 10 is Perfect for a show of this magnitude.  This is going to be a great show, and like last year, Summerslam is going to need to really bring it on Sunday night to follow it.

Jeremy:  For me, this is going to be more fun as I’m way more invested in NXT than I was a year ago.  I watched the Bayley/Banks match out of curiosity and that’s what sold me.  This time around, I know most, if not all the participants and their stories.  I know I’m going to see some great matches in front of a great crowd.  Can’t wait.