NXT TakeOver: Phoenix aired live from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ. Here are 5 takeaways from the event:

War Raiders Won The NXT Tag Team Championships

Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) defended their NXT Tag Team Championships against War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe) to kick off NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. Undisputed Era started off the match in control and isolated Hanson in the corner of the ring.

Hanson finally was able to escape to tag in Rowe. Hanson went for a Suicide Dive but Strong got out of the way and Hanson crashed to the floor. Strong and O’Reilly then went to work on Rowe in the ring. Hanson eventually made his way up to the apron and pleaded for a tag. Rowe connected with an Exploder Suplex that sent O’Reilly flying into Strong on the apron.

Hanson tagged back in, cartwheeled across the ring and took out O’Reilly with a massive Clothesline. Hanson connected with a giant Splash off the top rope on O’Reilly but Strong broke up the cover. Strong then hit Hanson with a Superplex and O’Reilly followed it up with a knee to the face off the top rope for a near fall as the crowd shouted: “this is awesome!”.

Undisputed Era then connected with the High/Low but Hanson somehow was able to kick out at the last second. Hanson hit a handspring double elbow and then tagged Rowe in. Rowe lifted O’Reilly up onto his shoulders and Hanson connected with a Leg Drop. Rowe then covered O’Reilly and the War Raiders captured the NXT Tag Team Championships.

It's the end of an era… and the time to #JoinTheRaid.#WarRaiders @WarBeardHanson & @RAYMONDxROWE are your NEW #WWENXT #TagTeamChampions! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/eVLRnDNYqW

— WWE (@WWE) January 27, 2019

Undisputed Era and War Raiders put on a hell of a match to start off NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. Hanson is unbelievably athletic for a man of his size. The best part of this match was the crowd. They responded to every move and made the match that much more exciting.

EXCLUSIVE: "The war is here. The raid has begun. The #WarRaiders' reign starts NOW!"

We couldn't have said it better ourselves. #NXTTakeOver #AndNew @WarBeardHanson @RAYMONDxROWE pic.twitter.com/SawbO3AMIs

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

Matt Riddle Beat Kassius Ohno Into Submission

Kassius Ohno and Matt Riddle once again battled tonight at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. Riddle started off the match in dominant fashion but Ohno battled back. Riddle went for a Sunset Flip Powerbomb off the apron but Ohno held onto the ropes. Kassius then draped the ring skirt over Riddle’s face and stomped on him.

Ohno controlled the next few minutes of the match but couldn’t put Riddle away. Kassius kept taunting Riddle by calling him a “bum” and then booted him out of the ring. Kassius bashed Riddle’s face into the steel ring post and then sent him soaring into the steps.

Back in the ring, Ohno went for a Suplex but Riddle escaped. Kassius stomped on the bare foot of Riddle but Matt fought through the pain and hit a German Suplex for a near fall. Ohno then bit Riddle’s toes and followed it up with a Powerbomb for a two count. Kassius hit a Moonsault off the top rope but once again Riddle powered out at two.

Riddle fought back and Ohno pleaded for mercy while on his knees. Kassius extended his hand for a fist bump but Riddle opted to knee him in the face. Riddle then unloaded a flurry of punches to Ohno’s face and Kassius tapped out.

Calling all bros: Your leader has achieved victory in Phoenix!@SuperKingOfBros #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/gR9ZoznUkU

— WWE (@WWE) January 27, 2019

This match effectively showed off Matt Riddle’s strength and how desperate Ohno was for a win. I mean, he resorted to biting Riddle’s toes during the match. Towards the end of the bout, Riddle hit a Sleeper Hold Suplex and it looked like Kassius smacked his head off the canvas on the way down. Other than that spot, this match was solid and served its purpose by building up Matt Riddle.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1089323861051695111

Johnny Gargano Finally Won A Singles Championship

Ricochet put his NXT North American Championship on the line against Johnny Gargano tonight at TakeOver. Gargano started off the match in control brought Ricochet to the canvas. Johnny went for two Hurricanranas but Ricochet showed off his athleticism by landing on his feet each time. Ricochet sent Gargano to the outside and connected with an awesome Moonsault off the second rope.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1089327720285306880

Back in the ring, Gargano battled back and took Ricochet back down to the canvas. Gargano went for the Slingshot Spear but Ricochet dodged it and slammed Johnny to the mat. Ricochet followed that up with a Northern Lights Suplex and rolled through into a Vertical Suplex for a near fall.

Johnny caught Ricochet and planted him with a Powerbomb and then locked in a Crossface in the middle of the ring. Johnny tried to transition into the Gargano Escape but Ricochet countered into a roll-up for a two count. Gargano went for a Tornado DDT but Ricochet caught him and sent Johnny out of the ring. Ricochet hit another ridiculous flip and brought Johnny back into the ring.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1089329945380380672

Gargano went for a Frankensteiner off the top rope but Ricochet somehow landed on his feet. Ricochet went for an elbow but Johnny countered into the Gargano Escape. Ricochet broke the hold by deadlifting Johnny and launching him into the turnbuckle. Johnny rolled out of the ring and Ricochet leaped over the top turnbuckle and hit a Cannonball. Ricochet followed it up with a springboard 450 Splash for a near fall. Ricochet went for a Shooting Star Press off the top but Gargano got his knees up at the last moment.

Johnny went for a Suicide Dive but Ricochet caught him on his shoulders. Gargano countered into a reverse Hurricanrana and then hit the Slingshot DDT in the ring for another two count. Johnny got pissed off and ripped up the padding outside the ring to expose the concrete floor. Gargano was about to spike Ricochet’s head on the concrete with a DDT but came to his senses and brought him back in the ring.

Ricochet then locked in the Gargano Escape on Johnny in the middle of the ring. Johnny got out of the hold and shoved Ricochet into the ring post. Gargano brought Ricochet to the outside and planted him with a Brainbuster on the exposed concrete floor. Johnny then hit another Slingshot DDT for the pinfall victory.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1089332659233406976

Somehow, this match was even better than I thought it was going to be. I had unreal expectations and Gargano & Ricochet surpassed them with ease. Gargano was a Tag Team Champion alongside Tommaso Ciampa in DIY. However, he had never earned a singles title until tonight, despite having numerous chances. There is no doubt that Gargano vs. Ricochet at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix will be a candidate for Match of the Year in 2019.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1089334020025008128

Shayna Baszler Handed Belair Her First Loss To Retain The NXT Women’s Championship

Shayna Baszler defended her NXT Women’s Championship against the undefeated Bianca Belair at NXt TakeOver: Phoenix. Belair controlled the match early and leveled Shayna with a shoulder tackle. Baszler rolled out of the ring to regroup but Belair followed her, which wound up being a costly mistake. Shayna grabbed Belair’s long hair and whipped her into the steel ring post.

Bianca made it back into the ring at the last second but Shayna went to work on Belair’s injured arm. Baszler taunted Bianca by saying she is overrated and Belair responded with a slap to Shayna’s face. Belair followed it up with a Spear but Shayna kicked out at two.

Can @BiancaBelairWWE rally through the pain? #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/svTwDRwJ89

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

Bianca hit Shayna with the hair whip and Baszler collapsed to the canvas. Shayna shoved Belair into the referee. Bianca then hit the K.O.D. and went for the cover but the referee was down. Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke tried to interfere but Belair fought them off. Baszler capitalized with the Kirifuda Clutch on Belair in the middle of the ring just as the referee was getting back up.

Belair somehow got to her feet and broke the hold with a Suplex. Bianca made her way to the top rope but Duke hopped up on the ring apron. Belair booted her down and went for a 450 Splash but Baszler countered into the Kirifuda Clutch. Bianca tried to get up but fell back to the canvas. Belair then passed out and Baszler retained the NXT Women’s Championship.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1089340053816512512

If you were going to have Bianca Belair lose her first match in NXT, this was the way to do it. Baszler needed outside interference and locked in the Kirifuda Clutch twice in order to finally conquer Belair. Bianca didn’t become the NXT Women’s Champion tonight but did become an absolute badass to anyone that watched the event.

Belair will have her moment in the future, but with Duke and Shafir recently arriving in NXT, now was not the time for Shayna to drop the belt. You are completely mistaken if you think that this loss somehow made Bianca Belair look weak. It did the exact opposite and the crowd will be even more behind her once she gets another shot.

Pure joy.@QoSBaszler @MarinaShafir @jessamynduke #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/wNfWbrdmPg

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

Tommaso Ciampa Retained The NXT Championship

Tommaso Ciampa defended his NXT Championship against Aleister Black in the main event of NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. Velveteen Dream was shown in the crowd before the for the match.

?D?R?E?A?M?#NXTTakeOver @VelveteenWWE pic.twitter.com/ModwS6RSWT

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

Ciampa and Black locked up to start off the match and wound up dragging each other out of the ring. Back in the ring, Ciampa took control and brought Black to the canvas. Black battled back and launched Tommaso out of the ring. Ciampa slammed Black’s leg knee into the steel steps and then delivered a Suplex that sent Aleister flying into the steps again. Tommaso brought Aleister back into the ring and targetted his knee for the next several minutes.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1089345386182033408

Tommaso brought Black back to the outside and slammed Aleister’s knee on the announce table. Ciampa took a seat on top of the table and gave himself a round of applause. Tommaso took a sip of water but didn’t get a chance to swallow it because Aleister Black almost kicked his head off and the water sprayed everywhere. Back in the ring, Ciampa hung up Black in the Tree of Woe but Aleister escaped and connected with another kick that sent both Superstars tumbling out of the ring.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1089347083994386433

Back in the ring, Aleister went for a Suplex but couldn’t do it due to his injured knee. Aleister connected with a boot to the face and followed it up with a German Suplex for a near fall. Black locked in a Single-Legged Boston Crab but his injured knee once again gave out and he had to release the hold.

Ciampa hit the Tower of London on the ring apron for another two count. Black and Ciampa traded strikes but Tommaso got the better of the exchange with a Clothesline. Aleister battled back with a Double Stomp and once again went for a Suplex but his knee gave out for the third time. Aleister hit a knee to the face and then finally was able to hit the Suplex for a two count.

Tommaso rolled out of the ring for a breather but Black hit him with a Moonsault off the second rope. Aleister slipped on the water that Ciampa spit all over the place as he was rolling him back into the ring. Ciampa capitalized on that by hitting the Fairy Tale Ending but Black kicked out at two.

Ciampa then ripped up the padding to expose the concrete floor below. Tommaso started arguing with the referee and turned around into a Double Knees from Aleister. Black landed with his knee on the concrete but fought through the pain and rolled Ciampa back inside the ring. Aleister then hit the Black Mass but couldn’t cover Ciampa because he rolled away.

Aleister went for another Black Mass but Ciampa countered into a DDT. Tommaso followed it up with another Fairy Tale Ending for another near fall. Ciampa then hit the Fairy Tale Ending for the third time and tried for another one but Aleister blocked it. Aleister went for Black Mass but once again his knee gave out. Ciampa then hit the Fairy Tale Ending for the fourth time to retain his NXT Championship.

Ciampa raised the NXT Championship on the entrance ramp as Johnny Gargano came up behind him. Gargano then raised the NXT North American Champion next to Tommaso Ciampa to close the show.

Who's ready for Day 185 of @ProjectCiampa's #NXTChampionship reign? #NXTTakeOver #AndStill pic.twitter.com/OCvgb6Ncen

— WWE (@WWE) January 27, 2019

Ciampa and Black put on a very good match to close the show. It was a simple story, Black injured his knee early and battled his ass off to win the title. In the end, the injury was too much and Ciampa retained. There was no way anyone was going to Ricochet and Gargano tonight. The final shot was epic with Gargano and Ciampa raising the NXT North American Championship and the NXT Championship. I cannot wait to see where that storyline leads on NXT every week.

Overall, NXT TakeOver: Phoenix was a great show. Pretty much every TakeOver has been great and once again the main roster will have an uphill battle the following night to try and put on a better show. Gargano and Ricochet have already stolen the weekend in my opinion, but hopefully, I’m wrong and something amazing happens at Royal Rumble 2019.

The tale of two champs…

…is a new chapter about to begin?

@ProjectCiampa @JohnnyGargano #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/EGhah7sKWn

— WWE (@WWE) January 27, 2019

WWE kicks off the new year for their NXT brand on Saturday evening at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Arizona with their NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event. It will mark the first “TakeOver” special of 2019 for the NXT brand, and will be the 33rd overall show in the NXT TakeOver chronology.

The show will air live on the WWE Network as part of WWE Royal Rumble 2019 Weekend featuring a five-match card, with four world championships up for grabs. Headlining the card will be Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black for the NXT World Championship, while Shayna Baszler will defend the NXT Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair in the co-main event.

Also on Saturday’s card will be Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno, Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano for the NXT North American Championship and The Undisputed ERA (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) vs. War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe) for the NXT Tag-Team Championships.

SEScoops.com writers Andrew Ravens, Ian Carey and Jeff Moss have prepared their predictions for each of the matches scheduled for Saturday’s big event. Without further adieu, here are the SEScoops.com staff predictions for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix 2019.

Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

Andrew Ravens: Yes, WWE is booking another match between these two stars and I can’t say that I’m complaining about. Obviously, it would be nice to see Riddle move onto his next program and work with someone else. It appears that WWE management sees something bigger for him in terms of long term storytelling and not just rushing him to the NXT Title right away. Riddle wins with ease. (Prediction: Matt Riddle)

Ian Carey: Last Takeover, Riddle defeated Ohno in an unadvertised match in mere seconds. Ohno should fair a little better this time out but it still seems likely Riddle walks away with his second straight victory on a Takeover show…bro. It’s just too early to book Riddle to lose. (Prediction: Matt Riddle)

Jeff Moss: “What? Why are we doing this again?” – Me, every time a Kassius Ohno match begins. Look, I get it; Ohno exists at this point to get new talent accustomed to the NXT way, a spot previously held by Tyler Breeze (who I’d much rather see back in NXT doing just that, to be honest). I keep hearing about how Matt Riddle is this amazing MMA performer turned wrestler, and what I’ve seen of him has been pretty good (minus his laughable entrance music) so he should probably be able to put the Ghost of Ohno behind him pretty quickly, no? All I can say beyond that is I hope this is the last time these guys square off for a while, Bro. (Prediction: Matt Riddle)

CONSENSUS: 3-0 (Bro), MATT RIDDLE

Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano (NXT North American Title)

Andrew: Unless they have something bigger in place, Gargano shouldn’t win the title here. In fact, it helps to keep the title on the champion as he’s not going to be in the NXT Title picture so why not give him a secondary title until that time comes. Personally, seeing a pairing as heels with Tommaso Ciampa and Gargano would be a lot of fun whether WWE officials end up doing so. Either way, this should be a stellar match that could be a candidate for match of the night. (Prediction: Ricochet)

Ian: This will be the match where Johnny Gargano really shows how dark he can go. For Gargano to solidify his spot as “Johnny Takeover”, he’ll need to show fans what his heel persona is all about in this match. With that being said, I believe Ricochet is going to take the win here. Gargano may have to demonstrate how vicious he can be after the match is over. (Prediction: Ricochet)

Jeff: Match of the night? Yeah, match of the night. Both of these guys are destined to be superstars, so I’m pretty hyped to see them going head to head. The North American Title needs a bit of a boost and I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Gargano having it would be that boost. Presuming Ciampa retains his NXT Title, this could be the beginning of building Heel #DIY as a threat to the Undisputed Era’s status as the dominant faction in NXT. Riccochet’s in a great spot as he could have a match with a broom handle at this point and earn 5 stars. He can be a main-event player without a title. (Prediction: Johnny Gargano)

CONSENSUS: 2-1, RICOCHET

The Undisputed ERA vs. War Raiders (NXT Tag Titles)

Andrew: This one is going to be a lot of fun as they have a lot of dynamics that can be used to tell a story that is sure to be very entertaining and one that I’m personally looking forward to seeing. I’m actually taking The War Raiders to go over here as I see it being the only title change on this card and one that makes sense. Undisputed Era has held the titles for long enough, and some could even say that it’s time for them to move on from NXT to the main roster although I wouldn’t have confidence in how they would be booked on RAW or SmackDown Live. (Prediction: War Raiders)

Ian: The War Raiders should leave Phoenix with the NXT tag titles. They have been built up as unstoppable on NXT programming and it seems too soon to have them come up short, even if the Undisputed Era pulls out their usual tricks and chicanery. (Prediction: War Raiders)

Jeff: In my mind I’m weaving an elaborate fantasy booking that includes the NXT, North American and yes Tag Championships all being used to unseat the Undisputed Era as the top faction in NXT. For that to work, the War Raiders need to get the belts here. Yes, my prediction is entirely based on my own head canon. I’m excited to see the match, I love smaller, technical guys going up against monsters, but I’d like to see some more fluidity in the Tag scene in NXT. While it’s better than RAW’s (what isn’t?) Division, it could use some new blood and some new challengers and champions. Especially heading into WrestleMania Season. (Prediction: War Raiders)

CONSENSUS: 3-0, WAR RAIDERS

Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca Belair (NXT Women’s Title)

Andrew: As much fun as Belair has been on WWE NXT TV as of late, I don’t see how it’s her time to be champion or even why they would book a title change here as Baszler is one of the more interesting characters that NXT has to offer right now. Unless they plan to call her up to the main roster in the near future, WWE should keep the title on the champion.(Prediction: Shayna Baszler)

Ian: Either Baszler is losing the NXT Women’s Championship Saturday night or Bianca Belair is going to pick up her first loss in NXT. This match might come down to how quickly WWE wants one or both of these Superstars on the main roster after WrestleMania. I just don’t see Baszler losing the title again so soon after regaining it, however, so I’m picking her in this tilt. (Prediction: Shayna Baszler)

Jeff: Look, I like Bianca Belair. She’s my favorite hair—based wrestler right now for sure. She’s had a dominant run in NXT, but she’s not at Shayna Baszler’s level or able to combat her particular brand of assholery. Baszler is the best heel in the company, non Ciampa Division and while I’d expect this to be competitive, the champion will retain and make a star out of Belair. Unless WWE has plans to pull the Horsewomen trigger soon (note to WWE: DO NOT DO THIS) Baszler’s position as Champion is secure and I can only see this match end with Belair being de(clap)fea(clap)ted(clap), but it will be a great match. (Prediction: Shayna Baszler)

CONSENSUS: 3-0, SHAYNA BASZLER

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black (NXT World Title)

Andrew: I thoroughly enjoyed Black’s reign as champion but the job that Ciampa has done for the last several months on TV as a heel has been one of the impactful runs in quite some time. I believe that WWE plans to keep the title on Ciampa for bit more time and in fact, think that Matt Riddle will be the one to dethrone him as the top champion in NXT. Until that time, don’t fix something that isn’t broken. (Prediction: Tommaso Ciampa)

Ian: Tommaso Ciampa has been arguably the most unique NXT Champion in history but I’m predicting his reign comes to an end Saturday night. Aleister Black will win the belt for a second time, leading both Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano to wonder what led to both of them picking up losses. Perhaps they need to combine their efforts and take over the whole brand. (Prediction: Aleister Black)

Jeff: Even though I’m glad we live in the “no Rematch Clause” era of WWE, if there’s one pairing that I’ll never get tired of it’s these two. Both are ring psychologists as well as heavy-hitting fans of pure violence. Guys like Ciampa and Black are the reason I started watching wrestling in the first place and I’m always excited to see them lock up. That said, this should be the last confrontation between these two. Let Black ascend to the main roster in the Rumble and create an opening for what we really need to see: Ciampa Vs Velveteen Dream II at the Wrestlemania-adjacent Takeover. (Prediction: Tommaso Ciampa)

CONSENSUS: 2-1, TOMMASO CIAMPA

For more news heading into NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, check out the Triple H’s complete pre-show media call. What do you think of the above NXT TakeOver: Phoenix predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section below, and make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com on Saturday for live play-by-play results coverage of the show!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKQI8jc3W0A

The card for tonight’s (Saturday, January 26, 2019) WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event has been finalized.

The company has yet to officially announce the main event of this event that takes place in Phoenix, Arizona at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and will air on the WWE Network. There is speculation that this special will be headlined by WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black. 

This show marks the first special for the yellow brand in 2019, which features a stacked lineup. There are a total of five matches booked for this show with four of them being championship matches.

As a reminder, we will be providing live play-by-play coverage of this special later tonight. Our staff has released their predictions for the NXT TakeOver: Phoenix show, which you can read here.

Final Card For WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix

• • WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black.
  • WWE NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca Belair.
  • WWE NXT North American Champion Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano.
  • WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders.
  • Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

What are your thoughts on this card and the feuds that WWE is presenting to their fans? Sound off in the comment section.

WWE has announced that Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno in a singles match would take place at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. This marks the third match between these stars that will be broadcasted.

The NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event takes place on Saturday, January 26, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and will air on the WWE Network. It will go down the night before the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event.

This show marks the first special for the yellow brand in 2019, which is looking like a stacked lineup. WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black is expected to headline the event. Here is how the lineup looks now:

Updated Card For WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix

• • WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black.
  • WWE NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca Belair.
  • WWE NXT North American Champion Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano.
  • WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders.
  • Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

What are your thoughts on this card and the feuds that WWE is presenting to their fans leading up to the show? Sound off in the comment section.

While it was an obvious direction for the North American title, WWE waited this long to make the match between Ricochet and Johnny Gargano official for the upcoming NXT Takeover: Phoenix event.

It all started when Tommaso Ciampa helped Gargano in beating Aleister Black in a cage match a few weeks back. After this, the NXT Champion suggested that his former partner deserved a shot at Ricochet’s title.

It became clear that this match is in the mix when Johnny himself later demanded the same and now the company has made it official with a press release on WWE.com:

“At TakeOver: Phoenix, these two NXT Superstars will put it all on the line when they tangle for the NXT North American Title. For Ricochet, the plan is to walk out of TakeOver: Phoenix and remain the one and only NXT North American Champion. For Johnny Wrestling, it’s all about two things: wins and championships.”

With this match, the total number of officially announced bouts for the upcoming Takeover event has become 4. You can check out the full match card for the show below:

NXT Takeover: Phoenix Updated Match Card

• Aleister Black vs. Tommaso Ciampa (c) for the NXT championship
• Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair for the NXT Women’s title
• Johnny Gargano vs. Ricochet (c) for the North American championship
• War Raiders vs. Undisputed ERA (c) for the NXT Tag titles

Takeover: Phoenix takes place the day before Royal Rumble on Saturday, January 26th from the Talking Stick Resort Arena.

WWE will be receiving an interesting theme song for their upcoming NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event. The show goes down from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday, January 26, 2019. It was recently announced YouTube star-turned-pop singer, Poppy, will be providing the theme song for the show. Her song, “X,” will be the official theme song for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

Poppy, who is famous for her strange videos online, made the following clip in reference to her partnership with WWE for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. Check it out here:

https://twitter.com/poppy/status/1083124683027841024

Even NXT frontman Triple H took to Twitter to comment:

More than meets the eye. @Poppy is #NXTLOUD. #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/fQuseEzwSX

— Triple H (@TripleH) January 9, 2019

As of this writing, only three matches are confirmed for the card. WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era will be defending their titles against The War Raiders.

Also, NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler will be defending her title against Bianca BelAir. And, of course, NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa will be defending his title against Aleister Black.

WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Card

• NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black
• NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca BelAir
• WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders

What do you think about WWE partnering with Poppy for the NXT TakeOver: Phoenix theme?

A new title match has been announced for WWE NXT’s next special, NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

As seen on this week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network, which was taped on Wednesday, November 28, 2018, from Winter Park, FL at Full Sail University, WWE NXT General Manager William Regal revealed NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong would defend the titles at this show. Their opponents will be The War Raiders.

The NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event takes place on Saturday, January 26, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and will air on the WWE Network. WWE will be adding more matches to this card in the coming weeks for the first special for the yellow brand in 2019, which is looking like a stacked lineup. Here is the updated card:

WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Card

• NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black
• NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca BelAir
• WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders

What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? What other matches do you expect WWE to announce for this show? Sound off in the comment section.

New matches have been revealed for the first special of the yellow brand in 2019 as the card is close to being finalized for WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. New feuds were set up during Thursday’s NXT TV taping in Winter Park, FL at Full Sail University, which marked the final taping before NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

The new matches added to the card include WWE NXT North American Champion Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano and WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders.

The NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event takes place on Saturday, January 26, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and will air on the WWE Network. It will go down the night before the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event Here’s how the lineup looks now:

Updated Card For WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix

• WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black.
• WWE NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca Belair.
• WWE NXT North American Champion Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano.
• WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders.

What are your thoughts on this card and the feuds that WWE is presenting to their fans leading up to the show? Sound off in the comment section.

A new title match has been announced for WWE NXT’s next special, NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

As seen on this week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network, which was taped on Wednesday, November 28, 2018, from Winter Park, FL at Full Sail University, Bianca BelAir defeated Io Shirai, Mia Yim, Lacey Evans in a Fatal 4-Way Match in order to become the new #1 contender for the strap.

Now, BelAir will challenge NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler for the title at TakeOver: Phoenix, which marks only the second match announced for this show.

The NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event takes place on Saturday, January 26, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and will air on the WWE Network. NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. WWE will be adding more matches to this card in the coming weeks for the first special for the yellow brand in 2019. Here is the updated card:

WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Card

• NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black
• NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca BelAir

What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? What other matches do you expect WWE to announce for this show? Sound off in the comment section.

NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Logo Revealed

The NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event takes place on Saturday, January 26, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and will air on the WWE Network. Former WWE NXT North American Champion Adam Cole revealed the logo for this upcoming event, which you can see here:

The likely main event for WWE NXT’s next Takeover special has been officially announced. WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa will defend the title against Aleister Black. More matches will be added to the card shortly.

Sheamus Closing In On WWE Accomplishment

Longtime WWE star Sheamus is closing in on a big WWE accomplishment as he brought this to attention in a recent post on his official Twitter account. He showed off the collection of gold on his shelf back home. This is when it became obvious that he was missing the Intercontinental Championship.

Sheamus has had great success in the company as he has been a former WWE/World Heavyweight Champion, Tag Team Champion, United States Champion, and a King of The Ring and Money In The Bank winner. If he wins the Intercontinental Title then he would become the ultimate “Grand Slam Champion.”

He posted the following photo of WWE Championship belt collection with the caption, “What’s missing from this picture?”

The likely main event for WWE NXT’s next Takeover special has been officially announced. As seen on this week’s episode of NXT that taped on November 28, 2018, from Winter Park, FL at the Full Sail University and aired on WWE’s streaming service, WWE Network, a big match was booked. It was also later confirmed by NXT General Manager William Regal.

WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa will defend the title against Aleister Black. Also, Black will take on Johnny Gargano in a steel cage match next week on NXT TV. Regal wrote the following:

“.@WWEAleister will face @ProjectCiampa at #NXTTakeOver Phoenix for the #NXTChampionship! And to square things away, @JohnnyGargano and @WWEAleister will get their matters settled in a #SteelCage Match in two weeks!”

.@WWEAleister will face @ProjectCiampa at #NXTTakeOver Phoenix for the #NXTChampionship! And to square things away, @JohnnyGargano and @WWEAleister will get their matters settled in a #SteelCage Match in two weeks!

— William Regal (@RealKingRegal) December 6, 2018

Ciampa is the 16th champion in the history of the NXT Title that was created back in 2012 when the inaugural champion was Seth Rollins when the brand was first introduced to the WWE fans. Ciampa is also a former NXT Tag Team Champion under the WWE banner when he won the titles with Johnny Gargano.

The NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event takes place on Saturday, January 26, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and will air on the WWE Network. WWE will be announcing more matches for the show in the coming weeks.