NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 4 takes place this Saturday night from Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center. The card for this WWE Network special is stacked from top to bottom.
The main event will see Johnny Gargano challenging NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa in a Last Man Standing match. Shayna Baszler will put the NXT Women’s Championship on the line against Kairi Sane. The Undisputed Era’s gold will be up for grabs in two highly anticipanted contests. Ricochet will challenge Adam Cole for the NXT North American Championship. Tyler Bate & Trent Seven will look to capture the NXT tag titles from Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong. Finally, Velveteen Dream faces EC3 in what’s sure to be an exciting bout.
SEScoops staff writers Ian Carey, Andrew Ravens and Jeff Moss have prepared their predictions for each of the 5 matches. Without further adieu, here are our predictions for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 4:
The Velveteen Dream vs. EC3
Andew: People say styles makes fights. It will come true at least in terms of pro wrestling in this contest. Dream has been someone who has been on fire for over a year now . However, EC3 is known for his promos, not necessarily his in-ring performance. I see this being a good back and forth match to keep up the momentum of this card. EC3 goes over here as WWE intends to continue to present him as a big star. (Prediction: EC3)
Ian: This really comes down to who you think NXT is going to push as a bigger star. Unlike the main roster, a random single’s match on a pay-per-view tends to carry more importance in NXT. There’s usually just one title-less match a Takeover and the winner often finds themself in the title picture shorty after. I’m taking EC3 here, I think he becomes a fixture in the NXT title picture after a win over the Dream. (Prediction: EC3)
Jeff: We do not deserve a match as wonderful as this. That said though, I’m going to drink up every drop, because this may end up stealing the show. It’s a stacked show, so that says a lot. EC3 has done a great job of transferring his character into the NXT universe, filling a Bobby Roode-shaped void and doing it really, really well. But, Dream hasn’t won a Takeover match since January, defeating Kassius Ohno at Takeover: Philadelphia. It’s time for the Dream to pull the trigger and take the next step into a title picture and a victory over EC3 would certainly do that. (Prediction: The Velveteen Dream)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for EC3
NXT Tag-Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. Tyler Bate & Trent Seven
Andrew: We’ve seen these two teams wrestle each other in the past and fans will have high expectations coming into this one as it will be one of the best matches on the card, which is quite stacked. Although they have been swapping title changes as of late between the two teams, there is not a demand to have Bate and Seven as the champs as O’Reilly and Strong are main characters on the NXT brand right now. O’Reilly and Strong should retain. (Prediction: Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong)
Ian: I’ll take the Undisputed Era here as I imagine if they wanted Moustache Mountain to have the belts they would have kept them on the team after the UK tapings. The other option is MM take the belts with them to NXT UK but I think its more likely they stay with the current champs. (Prediction: Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong)
Jeff: This is a tough one. I like Moustache Mountain because, well, who wouldn’t? But I also like Undisputed Era with the tag straps. But I ALSO like the idea of giving them someone to feud with. So I’m hoping that this puts a cap on the current feud and sets up a new challenger for the Era. Perhaps a pair that’s fond of steaks? Or weights? (Prediction: Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong)
CONSENSUS: 3-0 for Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong
NXT North American Champion Adam Cole vs. Ricochet
Andrew: The big question coming into this match is the fact of how confident is WWE officials in Ricochet. Obviously, they’re big supporters of him but with him being out of action over the last several weeks to allow him to heal up, do they believe that he is ready to work on a regular schedule going forward. If so, I can easily see them putting the title on him and freshen up not only that title but also have a way to continue this feud. Ricochet wins this match and title. (Prediction: Ricochet)
Ian: I have a feeling Ricochet will in some way show he is better than Coler but still not come away with the championship title. Whether Ricochet wins by DQ, count-out, or it’s a no-contest, Adam Cole leaves with the belt but Ricochet leaves with a reason for William Regal to book a rematch. (Ricochet)
Jeff: What, no ladders? This is one of those matches that’s virtually impossible not to like. Adam Cole? Goooood! Ricochet? Goooood! Title on the line? GOOOOOOD!! Unless there’s some shenanigans from Cole’s Undisputed Era bandmates (I still say it sounds like a screamo group) it’s time for Ricochet to get his first taste of NXT Gold. I wouldn’t be upset if this was the beginning of a longer feud between the two over the North American title. It’d give both men a nudge towards the top and elevate the still-new title as well. (Prediction: Ricochet)
CONSENSUS: 3-0 for Ricochet
NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Kairi Sane
Andrew: An intriguing bout that could see either star win here as Baszler has breathed fresh air into the division as champion, but it’s clear that WWE officials are very high on Sane and could make her the queen on this night. However, I don’t see a reason to take the title off of Baszler at this point, this is why I see her retaining. (Prediction: Shayna Baszler)
Ian: I’m picking Baszler to pick up the win here. She has just done so well as champion that I can’t see them taking the belt off her before Evolution. The all-women pay-per-view is basically WrestleMania for the women’s rosters in WWE this year, so I don’t see her being dethroned before then. (Prediction: Shayna Baszler)
Jeff: I have to be honest; I was way more into the Shayna Baszler/Nikki Cross battle than I am Baszler/Kairi sane. No disrespect to the Pirate Princess, but Baszler playing off of the unknown entity that is Cross was far more entertaining. Now, that said, this match will be good because both women are at the top of their game and could easily steal the show, and Sane showed some real aggression this week on NXT. I still don’t think Sane is the one to dethrone the dominant Baszler however, so I can’t see a title change here, but it will be a hell of a match. (Prediction: Shayna Baszler)
CONSENSUS: 3-0 for Shayna Baszler
NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano (Last Man Standing)
Andrew Ravens: After months of this feud, this appears to be the finale of it. Although WWE’s original plans of having a triple threat match with these stars and Aleister Black would have been very good, having these guys go on last with a type of match where they will have full creative freedom, should deliver a contest that WWE fans won’t soon forget and should not only steal the match of the night but also of the weekend. Ciampa just won the title recently and the fact that this will likely be the end of this feud, it doesn’t make much sense to have Gargano win. Thus, Ciampa retains. (Prediction: Tommaso Ciampa)
Ian Carey: Things in this story got all messed up when Aleister Black got injured. Whatever their plans were, they have changed. At some point, they must have planned for Gargano to beat Ciampa so I’m thinking they’ll have that happen here even if they had originally planned for it to happen in November. (Prediction: Johnny Gargano)
Jeff Moss: While I never like to see anyone hurt, especially for a long period of time, losing Alistar Black from this match has made it better, which is really hard to say because I really like Black! But, Gargano and Ciampa are physically and psychologically unable to have a bad match as we’ve seen and the missing piece of the picture was always that Championship. The funny thing is, now that it’s involved I don’t care who holds it! The audience/story wins no matter who wins this match!
Ciampa is the best heel in WWE (maybe all of wrestling) and Gargano is the purest Babyface I’ve seen in years. I’m torn as to if I’d rather this be the end of their feud in NXT and one goes to Raw or Smackdown to elevate the talent there, or if they can stay in NXT and fight forever. Regardless, if I think about it hard enough, I think it’s time to give Johnny Wrestling his due and either start a long-term feud over the title or send Tomasso to SummerSlam to wreck Roman’s night. (Prediction: Johnny Gargano)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for Johnny Gargano
What do you think of our NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section.
