NXT Takeover XXX preview and predictions for the main matches on show airing August 22nd.
NXT Takover XXX Preview & Predictions
When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, August 22, 2020
Where: Full Sail University, Orlando, FL
TV: WWE Network
NXT Takeover XXX 8/22 Show Preview
When NXT was created in 2010, nobody could have guessed it would become one of the biggest brands in professional wrestling. Since the first Takeover event in 2014, NXT has consistently put on great show after great show making EVERY Takeover a must-see event. Raw and Smackdown are littered with the past stars of NXT and it has become arguably the most entertaining wrestling brand on the planet. NXT Takeover XXX is a monumental occasion for the “little brand that could” and I’m sure it will over-deliver once again with the card they have created.
The two biggest forces in NXT go one on one for the NXT Championship when the champion, Keith Lee, defends against Karrion Kross. In one of the biggest grudge matches in recent memory, Adam Cole looks to shut up smack-talker and former NFL player, Pat McAfee, once and for all. A new North American Champion will be crowned in a 5 Man Ladder match. NXT Women’s Champion, Io Shirai, will defend her title against Dakota Kai in what should be a tough test for the champ. Lastly, former NXT Champion, Finn Balor, will take on Timothy Thatcher after Thatcher attacked Balor on this past episode of NXT.
Keith Lee vs. Karrion Kross – NXT Championship Match
No one has had a better 365 days in the wrestling business than Keith Lee. He has shared the ring with superstars such as Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns. He was a part of the winning team at WarGames and the last man standing for Team NXT at Survivor Series in November. Then he participated in the Royal Rumble. Lee has won both the NXT Championship AND North American Championship. But for some reason, he looks like the underdog against Karrion Kross.
Since debuting just a few months ago, Karrion Kross has been unstoppable. He has torn through everyone he faced and that includes one of the pillars of NXT, Tommaso Ciampa. Kross has the “IT” factor that doesn’t come across often in the wrestling business. Lee has “IT” too but not many have jumped on scene like Kross and proved they should be “the man.”
That is why it is hard to pick a winner for this match and I LOVE IT! I have always said the best matches in wrestling are when both competitors are credible and either winning would be the right move. Neither Lee or Kross can really afford a loss right now. Lee has only been champion for a month while Kross just recently debuted and is still building momentum. Kross is the “new” toy to play with so him losing would do the most harm. So what looks to be the most logical choice here is Karrion Kross becoming the new NXT Champion and Lee moving to Raw or Smackdown in the upcoming draft.
Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee
Adam Cole is one of the top wrestlers in NXT history. He is the longest reigning NXT Champion EVER and he makes sure to tell everyone who will listen. Pat McAfee on the other hand is a former NFL player and one of the best punters ever. McAfee for some time now has become somewhat of an analyst at various NXT and WWE shows and has always for some reason had a problem with Adam Cole. The two just don’t like each other and that boiled over last month when Cole appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” and lost it on McAfee after McAfee kept insulting him.
McAfee and Cole seemed to make amends on an episode of “NXT” but then McAfee continued to hurl insults that same night at the former NXT Champion. This caused Cole to confront McAfee and the two had to be pulled apart to avoid things escalating further. It was then when McAfee took a cheap shot at Cole and punted him in the head. That’s what led to McAfee being challenged to a match and he gladly accepted.
Getting McAfee to agree to an angle like this is a great move for NXT as it will get more eyes on the brand. This match has already been promoted all over ESPN for weeks which is huge for NXT. That is why I believe Pat McAfee will beat Adam Cole at Takeover XXX. McAfee winning would be shown on every ESPN program in the following days and that’s the kind of publicity NXT and WWE wants. Will it hurt the credibility of Adam Cole losing to a non-wrestler? Not technically if done right and at this point, NXT should be given the benefit of the doubt as they have rarely disappointed in the past.
NXT Takeover 8/22 Predictions
10 PT Pick = Adam Cole VS. Pat McAfee – Pat McAfee WINS MATCH
9 PT Pick = Keith Lee VS. Karrion Kross OVER 18:30 MINS
8 PT Pick = Adam Cole VS. Pat McAfee OVER 12:30 MINS
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