NXT TakeOver: New Orleans Predictions

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This Saturday’s (7th April) live on the WWE Network NXT Takeover: New Orleans is set to be the best card of wrestling this weekend as we don’t even though what the line-up is yet! and this could give their WWE main carders something to worry about. All five matches could be seen as not only match of the night, but as the match of the weekend.

Here’s what I believe will happen at NXT Takeover: New Orleans:

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NXT Tag Team Championship – Undisputed Era (c) vs Authors Of Pain vs Rodrick Strong & Pete Dunne

This match has to open the show as Adam Cole (baby!) is doing double duty (after Bobby Fish is out injured) and defending the tag titles alongside Kyle O’Reilly will be important for Undisputed Era and I believe they will in this hard-hitting match.

AoP has got to be called up and we’ll hopefully see them on Monday Night bringing destruction to the Raw tag division and maybe a line themselves with a returning Samoan. As for Strong & Dunne, this is a temporary team.

Prediction – Undisputed Era will retain

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NXT Women’s Championship – Ember Moon (c) vs Shayna Bazler

Good old’ Shana B has been nothing but a monster ripping her way through the NXT women’s division and in their last Takeover meeting Moon just held on but left injured and the build has got us to the point the only winner I can see is Bazler.

She’s still new but she can dominate the women’s division for a little bit and this will be Moon’s final NXT match as we’ll likely see her getting called up to Raw this Monday night after appearing in the Women’s Royal Rumble and we could see her in the Women’s Battle Royal too.

Prediction – Shayna Bazler will become the new NXT Women’s Champion

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Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa (Unsanctioned Match)

The build of this feud has been perfect as you could point to the origin back during the Cruiserweight Classic and this match will likely steal the weekend and could be seen as a five-star classic.

I’ve been in two minds as to won will actually win because if Gargano wins we could see one more match between him and Ciampa, but if his former #DIY partner wins then it could be pointing too Johnny wrestling moving to the main roster with my guess being Smackdown Live.

However, if you really want to build the perfect villain of this brand and bum out the crowd for rest of the night then Ciampa will win and because of that Gargano getting called up and this piss of Blackheart and will likely follow him to Smackdown to try and get rid of him from WWE forever.

Prediction – Tommaso Ciampa will win

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NXT Championship – Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) vs Aleister Black

I’m not a fan of the top title not headlining the show but for this time only there’s something more historic happening that’s more important, which is why the NXT title match is the penultimate match.

I’ve been in two minds about this match too because I feel like Almas could be called up (with manager Zelina Vega) after appearing and did decently well in the Men’s Royal Rumble after beating Gargano the night before in one of the greatest NXT matches ever.

Then again Black has such a great look that Vince [McMahon] might just want him called up right away and I’d see either on Smackdown Live. Then again, Almas or Black could hold on to the NXT title for a while and have a longer feud and see them take on recently revealed NXT arrivals.

I’m going to go with Black leaves New Orleans in another classic with the belt.

Prediction – Aleister Black will become the new NXT Champion

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NXT North American Championship (Ladder Match) – Adam Cole vs EC3 vs Lars Sullivan vs Velveteen Dream vs Killian Dane vs Ricochet

Again, sorry for repeating myself but, this could steal the show and the whole Wrestlemania weekend!

I’m putting this match on last because it’ll give Cole enough time to recharge himself after pulling double duty and this is an important historic match for NXT and giving the headline show will help.

Additionally, it’s about time NXT had a mid-card title similar to the Intercontinental and United States titles and be used as a title for rising stars to have before a possible world title run.

If that was the case, then Velveteen Dream is differently in line to win and hold the belt, but then you have EC3, Ricochet and Killian Dane who could do brilliant things and have great matches. Whatever happens, these five wrestlers will have one-on-one matches for this title at some point.

I feel like Cole and Sullivan won’t win, both EC3 and Ricochet could jump between this title and NXT Championship. Finally, Dream and Dane could be the first in line to feud with the winner of this ladder match.

Taking all of this into account and he has been on a building his way up the ladder (pun not intended) this could be the perfect moment for Dream and could you imagine the pop from the crowd if he won!

Prediction – Velveteen Dream will win and become the new North American Champion

Make sure you check out NXT TakeOver: New Orleans and Wrestlemania on the WWE Network and it's FREE for the first month!