This coming Saturday 25 January 2020, the night before the Royal Rumble, there is no NXT Takeover event. In it’s place will be a special WWE World’s Collide. It’s a special event as NXT roster members will be facing off with their NXT UK counterparts in a selection of matches. Much like Survivor Series is, World’s Collide will be for brand supremacy. Who is the better NXT? The new upstart brand, or the more established brand?
Let’s take a look at the match card and see if we can predict the winners of this one night only event –
Ilja Dragunov vs Finn Balor
Due to the lack of build to this match, this is the one I’m looking forward to the most. It might have to do with the fact that I’ve been following Ilja for a while now since he burst on the PROGRESS Wrestling scene a few years ago.
Finn on the other hand, well everyone knows all about him! Dragunov is the mystery component in this match. At the moment in NXT UK, he has been feuding with Imperium, in particular, WALTER. While Finn over at NXT has been a thorn in Johnny Gargano’s side. Culminating in a match between the two at NXT Portland next month.
This has the potential to be a sleeper match of the night. Finn has experience in wrestling strong style, which is how Ilja likes to wrestle. As for a winner? I’m torn. I really want Ilja to win but I can’t see Finn losing momentum heading into Portland. So yeah, Finn for the win.
NXT Women’s Championship
Rhea Ripley (c) vs Toni Storm
Get ready for the heel turn of the night! Toni has been on a losing streak as of late. It’s so bad that I’ve heard reports that she would have joined the Dark Order if they were on WWE programming!
She’s going to have to suck up another loss here, as this Rhea is a different person to the woman she faced over here in the UK. Rhea is on a whole new level, and with the NXT women’s division on her back, she’s gonna up her game even more.
Storm is going to lose, no doubt. There’s no way that the machine went behind Ripley just for her to lose her first defense. But in making Toni lose she’s going to look weak. The best way to make her look strong again is to turn her heel. Mega huge heel monster Toni Storm sounds like big bucks to me
NXT Cruiserweight Championship
Angel Garza (c) vs Isiah “Swerve” Scott vs Travis Banks vs Jordan Devlin
Excuse the lack of Banks and Devlin on the above picture. I scoured the internet for so long to find one that had all four in BEFORE all four were announced. Sorry folks 🙁
I really wish that Angel wasn’t making his first defense of the NXT Cruiserweight Championship in a four-way. It screams that he’s walking away still as champ. That thinking takes away the uncertainty of the match in my opinion.
BUT….it will showcase four of the best cruiserweights in WWE right now, which I’m all aboard for. This match, along with the DIY/MM match later, really has show-stealing potential. I mean, have you seen the talent?
Garza has wowed not only the crowd but WWE officials since his NXT debut. SO much so that he beat Lio Rush to become Cruiserweight Champion…Then you have Isiah Scott. I mean do I really need to talk to you about the former Shane Strickland? The guy has an amazing pedigree and has carried it over to his NXT run.
And the British duo? For those that read my NXT UK reviews, you all know I wax lyrical about Jordan Devlin on a weekly basis. He is frickin amazing and on a worldwide scale as this? He’s gonna blow up BIG STYLE! And don’t forget Travis Banks! The former PROGRESS Wrestling champion can go with absolutely anyone! His hybrid strong/cruiser style has to be seen to be believed.
Yup…this match will blow people’s minds!
#DIY vs Moustache Mountain
Yup this has no backstory. Yup this match has no build. And you know what….I love it for just those facts! Remember when, back in the day, Survivor Series matches were thrown together for no reason? And those matches were great! This has the feel of those times. Just a team (Moustache Mountain) wanting to beat the best NXT tag team (#DIY) for bragging rights.
See @JohnnyGargano and @NXTCiampa are mates again @Tyler_Bate…
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could stay mates long enough to fight us?
Moustache Mountain vs #DIY?
What do you say @RealKingRegal? Possibly #WorldsCollide?
— Trent Seven (@trentseven) January 16, 2020
All four men haven’t teamed with their respective partners in quite some time. So at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who wins and loses here. Tyler Bate has a reputation for putting on fantastic matches, and let’s not forget that #DIY has a catalog of MOTY contenders.
In a perfect world, both teams would win. That would be the result my wingman (nickname for my son) would want. But if push comes to shove, I’m going for a Moustache Mountain victory. Maybe Finn or Adam Cole interfere to cause Johnny and Tommaso the loss?
Undisputed Era vs Imperium
Whoever booked this match needs to be congratulated, given a raise, and probably a promotion. This is a dream match of the highest proportions for me and many others.
And it’s probably that same person that booked Undisputed Era to rush Imperium at the end of Takeover: Blackpool II. Raising the stakes of this match even more!
From what I have gleaned, this isn’t an elimination-style match. Just a one fall to a finish. So with that in mind, you can bet your bottom dollar that this will be an all-out war. The referee will have trouble trying to enforce the rules here peeps!
As for a winner? It’s got to be Undisputed Era surely? The stable of champions has got to go over the NXT UK stable. Any other way would make UE look weak, which I’m sure is not what NXT head honchos want. Although after last night’s NXT and the dethroning of Roddy Strong as NA Champion, could we see the beginning of the end of Undisputed Era?
And that’s another preview in the books peeps! All that’s left is to wait for the event. I shall be watching it in the comfort of my home with my wingman. He’s 8 years old and watches all the NXT Takeover’s live with me. Yes, it’ll be after midnight by the time it airs over here but he loves his NXT almost as much as myself! Bring on the buffalo wings, pizza, and Worlds Collide bay-bay!
