WWE returns to the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales on Saturday, August 31st, as they present their NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff live special event on the WWE Network.
Saturday’s show marks the second event promoted under the NXT UK TakeOver chronology, after their inaugural event — NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool — back on January 12th. It will stream live via the WWE digital subscription service starting at 2pm Eastern Time / 11am Pacific Time.
Heading into the event this weekend, WWE is advertising a five-match card for the NXT UK special event, three of which will feature World Championships on-the-line.
Closer Look At NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff Card
Scheduled in the headline spot for NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff on Saturday is a one-on-one showdown pitting WWE United Kingdom Champion against Tyler Bate with the title up-for-grabs.
In other title matches advertised for the show, Toni Storm will put her NXT UK Women’s Championship on-the-line against Kay Lee Ray, while The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) will defend their NXT UK Tag-Team Championships in a three-way match that includes the teams of Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) and Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster.
Rounding out the lineup will be two additional matches, as Travis Banks meets Noam Dar in the opener, and Dave Mastiff vs. Joe Coffey is scheduled in a Last Man Standing Match.
SEScoops.com NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff Round-Table Team
As is the case before every major pay-per-view event, SEScoops.com compiles a handful of pro wrestling journalists to provide their in-depth insight and analysis into each match scheduled on the card in our SEScoops.com Predictions Roundtable feature.
Joining us for this NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff installment will be veteran staff writers Matt Boone, Ian Carey and Andrew Ravens.
Without further adieu, let’s take a look at the SEScoops.com predictions for NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff.
Travis Banks vs. Noam Dar
Matt Boone: In what could be, if positioned as such, an excellent show-opener to set the tone for the evening inside the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales this Saturday, Travis Banks and Noam Dar will collide. Banks is a talent the company has appeared to have their eye on since launching the United Kingdom title and brand. Meanwhile, Dar doesn’t exactly appear to be soaring through the ranks. That should be your indicator right there if you’re going to the betting window. (Prediction: Travis Banks)
Ian Carey: I want Noam Dar to win this but it feels as though he’s in NXT UK mainly to put over talent they see as bigger stars. Travis Banks is one of those stars. Dar is a fun wrestler to follow but it just doesn’t seem to be his role to in NXT UK to win matches on a Takeover show. Putting over other talent? That seems more what Dar is about on the brand. Expect Banks to get the win and move on to a top storyline. (Prediction: Travis Banks)
Andrew Ravens: In theory Banks should come out on top here considering the spot that Dar is in during this storyline. In the eyes of the casuals, I can see why people would think Dar would go over here but Banks is someone to keep an eye on. Banks should go over to finish this program. (Prediction: Travis Banks)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Travis Banks
Joe Coffey vs. Dave Mastiff (Last Man Standing)
Matt: A Last Man Standing Match always makes for compelling storytelling from bell-to-bell. With the players involved in this one, Dave Mastiff and Joe Coffey, this one has the opportunity to be pretty unique. There is a lot they can do in terms of bells and whistles, but when the time comes for someone to stay down for the count of ten, I’m having a tough time envisioning which one it will be. In a coin-flip pick, I’ll go with … (Prediction: Dave Mastiff)
Ian: This should be fun as two big tough brutes clash in a Last Man Standing match. They have the opportunity here to have their match stand-out and I think they are going to do just that. At the end of this match, I’m expecting Mastiff to stand tall (unless Gallus gets involved) but this is basically a toss up. I think Mastiff could win because I could see them putting him up against WALTER shortly after. (Prediction: Dave Mastiff)
Andrew: Another Last Man Standing match on a TakeOver special and this will actually fit well on the card. Coffey and Mastiff have bright futures in the company. This one should deliver and I expect to see more of a hardcore style in this one. While I don’t think this feud needs this type of stipulation, it brings a different dynamic. (Prediction: Joe Coffey)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Dave Mastiff
Grizzled Young Vets (C) vs. Gallus vs. Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster (NXT U.K. Tag Titles)
Matt: The Grizzled Young Veterans just captured the tag-team titles from Moustache Mountain and still appear to be on their ascension. With that said, I can’t see a title change happening here. If WALTER doesn’t lose his title, and I don’t expect Toni Storm to drop hers this weekend either, you would think at least one title would change hands on this card. If so, this would seem the most likely candidate, unless they go the upset-route in the main event. From a logical standpoint, I think the champs retain. (Prediction: The Grizzled Young Veterans)
Ian: I’m almost wondering if a title change could happen here purely on the fact that I don’t think we’ll see new champions in either of the other two title matches. With that being said, the last NXT Takeover in Toronto had no title changes either, so it’s not like that doesn’t happen. Still, I sort of feel like the belts could go on Gallus here. It doesn’t seem right to have the Young Vets beat Moustache Mountain only to lose the titles here but maybe that is what they have planned. (Prediction: Gallus)
Andrew: Well, this one is a hard one to pick. I can see Gibson and Drake retaining the titles but at the same time, I can see Andrews and Webster winning if WWE wants to do a title change. This should be a really fun match with high paced tag team action. In the end, I see this being the only title change on the card with Andrews and Webster winning. (Prediction: Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster)
CONSENSUS: 1-1-1, PICK’M
Toni Storm (C) vs. Kay Lee Ray (NXT U.K. Women’s Title)
Matt: Toni Storm should get the “W” here. This should be a good match, but is most likely a showcase bout for what is one of the more promising talents on the current NXT U.K. roster. She’s already been called out by “The Man,” as Becky Lynch named her when asked about talent she’d like to fight that isn’t already on the main roster. With that in mind, the only questions are how good does she look and how much does she impress en route to victory on Saturday night? (Prediction: Toni Storm)
Ian: I’m expecting Toni Storm to retain here. She’s one of the top athletes in the company not on the main roster, it doesn’t seem like they would want to take the title off her anytime soon. As for Kay Lee Ray, she could get her time with the belt at some point but it feels like Storm might hold it for a while to really establish the NXT UK Women’s title as a tough one to win. (Prediction: Toni Storm)
Andrew: I’m a big Toni Storm fan and while I think it’s likely a lock for her to hold onto the title, I can’t rule out Ray getting an upset win if WWE wants to move Storm to NXT with the show moving to the USA Network soon. In the end, I think it’s best for Storm to stay in NXT UK and she will retain. (Prediction: Toni Storm)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Toni Storm
WALTER (C) vs. Tyler Bate (WWE U.K. Title)
Matt: With the NXT U.K. brand still very much resting on the broad shoulders of their current champion and his faction, WALTER appears to be one of the locks of the card. While the match itself should be interesting, and could get you to bite on a potential title change due to how it is laid out (particularly if there are any run-ins and/or distractions), in the end, Imperium’s leader should retain with a victory. By the way, does Cesaro get inserted here, or somewhere else? WWE might want to do something newsworthy so they don’t overwhelmingly lose, at least in terms of fan interest coming out of each show, their final AEW vs. NXT (UK) same-day-showdown before the “Wednesday Night Wars” kick off. Nah. I’m over-thinking things! (Prediction: WALTER)
Ian: Watching WALTER chop down Tyler Bate could be the highlight of this show. We will get a real David and Goliath type battle. With Bate’s strength and WALTER’s size this could turn into a really interesting match. Don’t miss this one. In terms of who wins, WALTER has to be the heavy favourite as Imperium continues to make NXT UK their “yard.” (Prediction: WALTER)
Andrew: I like Bate a ton but does anyone actually give him a real chance of winning this match? WALTER has been an unstoppable force since making his way to NXT UK and with only holding the title for months, WWE should keep the title on him. The company likes for their champions in NXT UK to hold the strap for long periods of time and I don’t see that changing here. (Prediction: WALTER)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, WALTER
NXT U.K. TakeOver: Cardiff Outro
What do you think about Matt, Ian and Andrew’s picks for Saturday’s matches? How do their above picks compare to yours? Let us know by sharing your own NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff predictions in the “Comments” section below.
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