The Third Time’s The Charm! Preview of NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III

By: Russ Taliaferro

We are counting down the days to the “Biggest Party of The Summer… Summerslam, which mean NXT will have its own Summerslam the night before in the Barclays Center. Now I say this is their Summerslam, but it kind of feels like their Wrestlemania with them coming back every year for a show. Let’s take a quick look at what this year’s card has in store for us.

 

Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas

There was no build up for this match, so I won’t say much here. I will say though that both of them are great in-ring performers & this should be an entertaining match.

Winner: Andrade “Cien” Almas

 

 

Hideo Itami vs. Aleister Black

Once again, it’s another match that seems kind of rushed. Itami has been feuding with Kassius Ohno, but I do like Aleister Black quite a bit. This match does include 2 of the best strikers in the whole company, (main roster or NXT) & therefore should show some really good spots with hard hitting attacks. Someone in this match might literally get their head kicked off, especially if Black can land his Black Mass finisher.

Winner: Aleister Black. In my opinion, Black should’ve been in the match with Killian Dane & Drew McIntyre for #1 contendership, but he wasn’t. They obviously think very highly of him, but cases like this make me wish for a secondary belt on NXT.

 

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Authors of Pain (c) vs. SAnitY

This one is the hardest for me to pick. AoP have been wreaking havoc ever since they came to NXT. They debuted last June at TakeOver: The End, attacking American Alpha after they had just lost the tag titles. They have held the belts themselves since TakeOver: San Antonio earlier this year. SAnitY has been nothing short of an oddcase since they debuted. Eric Young has done an amazing job as the leader of this insane faction. I will admit, it was a little surprising at first not to see Young being part of this match, but his presence will definitely be felt ringside, alongside Nikki Cross. Paul Ellering would normally give AoP an edge, but I think SAnitY nullifies that advantage with Young & Cross.

Winner: SAnitY. Authors of Pain have given me no doubt that they will lose their belts anytime soon, but they haven’t met an equalizer to Ellering like Eric Young & Nikki Cross . For that reason, I find it almost impossible that they aren’t involved in this outcome somehow.

NXT Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Ember Moon

This one is a bit easier to pick. Asuka has been one of the most entertaining & dominant champions in recent WWE history. She made her first NXT appearance at the TakeOver: Brooklyn One, so this is somewhat of an anniversary for her. She made in-ring debut a month later & hasn’t lost since, capturing the title from Bayley at TakeOver: Dallas last year. Ember Moon is no slouch though. As dominant as Asuka is, Ember Moon clearly the #2 female on the NXT roster. Her only loss since joining NXT has been to Asuka in their first match at TakeOver: Orlando. Ember Moon has been jonesing for a rematch ever since the crooked finish, & would’ve gotten it in Chicago had it not been for a shoulder injury caused by the champ. She has incredible agility & in-ring talent paired with what might be one the coolest looking finishers in WWE history. If their first match was any indication, these ladies are going to go at it rather quickly.

Winner: Ember Moon. It’s hard for me to say that Asuka’a reign is going to come to an end, but I think that might happen here. Asuka has been rumored to be called up for months, & with all the rumored plans the WWE has for its main roster women, they’re going to need a new fresh hot name to bolster either show. Asuka will do exactly that, while leaving behind a very capable champion in Ember Moon to take the reins from her.

NXT Championship Match: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

This was another difficult one  to pick. Roode has been the perfect heel champion since joining NXT & taking the strap from Shinsuke Nakamura at TakeOver: San Antonio. The fact that Roode has even found his way back to a WWE ring is something I might thought possible a few years ago. While some say he spent the best years of his career back in the old TNA, he still has a few tricks left up his sleeve. McIntyre’s return has been welcomed by the NXT Universe just as much, with his first WWE run being a very forgettable one. One major difference I noticed is his size. I sure as hell don’t remember him being this big during the 3MB gimmick. Along with the added size, he has honed his skills to a very high level while paying his dues in the indie circuit. This is definitely going to be a great match & is my pick for match of the night.

Winner: Bobby Roode**. The reason I put the asterisk after his name is because there is 1 episode of NXT left before takeover with a very important match on it; Drew McIntyre vs. Roderick Strong. The stipulation for that match is, if Strong wins, he gets a title shot against Roode AFTER takeover. Win or lose, I don’t think the Strong will wait to get his hands on Roode, which is why I put the asterisk.