All is far is love and war. But there is no love loss between the men and women of the NXT brand. It’s a battle of supremacy, a battle of good and evil, and ultimately a battle of which group of superstars truly run WWE’s black and gold brand. For the men and women of NXT, there’s only one answer to all the fighting… WAR GAMES. This is the preview for WWE NXT Takeover WarGames 2020!
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Tommasso Ciampa vs Timothy Thatcher
Tommasso Ciampa wants to revitalize and have NXT turn the clock back to its old ways. Timothy Thatcher believes the ways of the mat game is the best way to move forward is the “thatch-as-thatch can” mentality.
So after this past week’s clash on NXT, at Takeover: WarGames, these two giant personalities will go one on one in what is sure to be a wrestling clinic.
Ciampa, whose already had some setbacks due to his losses to Karrion Kross and KUSHIDA and a momentous win over Velveteen Dream, looks to continue his winning ways against one of his hardest-hitting opponents in Thatcher. ‘The Teacher of the Mat’, however, continues to show many why he’s yet to be kept quiet by anyone in NXT regardless of his recent matches against Austin Grey. For these two, it’s a must-win.
And while Thatcher can be moving into a direction of being in the eventual NXT North American contention, it’s Ciampa who may look to step in that direction and become the next Triple Crown champion in NXT. That’s the direction I expect this to go.
Prediction: Ciampa continues to teach his own ways as he sneaks out a win over Thatcher
WWE NXT Takeover WarGames | Preview
WarGames Match: Team Shotzi (Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, Rhea Ripley, and NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai) vs. Team LeRae (Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Raquel Gonzales, and Toni Storm)
It seems like a never-ending clash between Candice LeRae and Shotzi Blackheart over the past few months. Championship opportunities, tanks destroyed; this has become a blood feud in every sense of the word. So why not turn these two women lose inside the devastating structure known as War Games? Throw in the fact that Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzales has been the thorn in the side of Ember Moon and Rhea Ripley. Oh yeah, and the champ is here, which makes this eight-woman clash one to remember. The biggest shocker here in the interesting heel turn of the crowd favorite Toni Storm, who seems to be primed for a big push to the moon as she sides with the Poison Pixie crew.
Expect a high level of violence in this match as these eight women have sat on top of the women’s division for the better part of 2020, all vying for the opportunity to take the title away from Shirai. I also expect the latest scream face reveal, Indi Hartwell, to make a random appearance in this match as well, but she may get her just desserts courtesy of Ember Moon.
Regardless of how this goes down, the hostile environment plays perfectly in team Shotzi’s favor. She has two women who have the WarGames experience and another woman in Moon looking to show she belongs at the top of the NXT Women’s food chain.
Prediction: Shotzi gets her much-wanted revenge on the Poison Pixie as Team Shotzi wins WarGames
WWE NXT Takeover WarGames | Preview
Strap Match: Dexter Lumis vs. Cameron Grimes
Dexter Lumis and Cameron Grimes have lived the proverbial ‘fight forever’ syndrome for most of the Fall into the Winter. But after championship opportunity screw jobs, one-on-one matches, backstage altercations, and a House of Terror match, this match has to have a winner as one strap will bind the superstars to one another for this for certain final showdown.
Lumis has had the height and strength advantage every time these two clash, but speed has been Grimes’ best friend… either running from zombies or from Dexter himself. Either way, this will be a brutal but fun matchup between two unlikely highlights of the black and gold brand over the recent months. Grimes could definitely take this win and catapult into the championship picture for the first time in months, but Lumis’ star power grows each time he’s on the NXT screen.
Prediction: Grimes gets a little ‘whip appeal’ as Lumis picks up the win
NXT North American Championship:
Leon Ruff (c) vs. Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano
Before we get into pleasantries and explanations of this match, we must ask ourselves, what can’t Johnny Wrestling do? This would make his 18th Takeover match in his career, for a certain unreachable record for any NXT superstar. But while history maybe Johnny’s middle name, his last name has become Loser as he continues to be unsuccessful in title defenses as Leon Ruff became the most recent benefit of this plight. But before Ruff became the unlikeliest of champions, Damian Priest was a dominant one until Indi Hartwell became the newest member of the Gargano Way.
Between rematches, disqualifications, and a hilarious Kevin Owens show, William Regal obviously has had enough and made it official, playa. These three men, one title, Takeover: WarGames. Leon Ruff has been the underdog story we never knew we wanted, but he’s playing a dangerous game as champion facing two of NXT’s most dominant superstars on the brand. This one is too close to call as all three men, even Ruff, deserve this victory and become North American champion. This is one triple-threat that may steal the show.
Prediction: While Priest and Gargano settle their differences, Ruff will once again steal a victory and retain his championship in the second-biggest upset in NXT history
WWE NXT Takeover WarGames | Preview
WarGames Match: Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong) vs. Kings Of NXT (Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch & Pat McAfee)
Finally, no more talking, no more running, no more sneak attacks. There will be no live mic for Pat McAfee, no more rehabilitation for Cole or O’Reilly; it’s these four men, two cages, and one match.
Ridge Holland took out Adam Cole after his running mate, Kyle O’Reilly, had an amazing showing against Finn Balor. At first, we all assumed Holland was running on his own intentions to be the next NXT Championship contender. That was until Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch began their reign as NXT Tag Team Champions after winning the titles in foul fashion after taking out the UE before their match against Breezango. It was that night Pat McAfee put the NXT brand on notice. But as Kyle O’Reilly reemerged to confront McAfee and the tag champs by enlisting Pete Dunne, he also realized the Bruiserweight was also in on the plan all along. This Sunday, for The Kings Of NXT, it’s a chance to re-solidify their message: they run the brand.
But their opponents are certified as legends of NXT. Adam Cole, the former NXT Champion and the longest-reigning champion in history and the second NXT Triple Crown Champion in the brand’s history. Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly, the first and only ever 3-time NXT Tag Team Champions in the brand’s history. Roderick Strong, a 3-time NXT Tag Team Champion and former NXT North American Champion. Decorated is an understatement when it comes to these four men. And when it comes to being decorated, you can add in the three times these four men have been involved in the War Games match, which ultimately will be the winning factor on Sunday.
Once again, this also means that Adam Cole will get to shut up Pat McAfee, hopefully for the final time.
Prediction: The Undisputed Era proves why THEY are the true kings of the brand and THE best four-person group in WWE
Sunday’s NXT Takeover War Games will be the fourth one in its chronology and maybe the most historic one yet. Two War Games matches, which should bring us more memorable moments for the black and gold brand! Make sure to tune in to War Games this Sunday, December 6th, live on the WWE Network at 7 pm EST!
