Howdy folks and welcome to my occasional Wrestling predictions on the website. Tonight, William Regal can scream “WARGAMES” at the top of his lungs as the annual ‘NXT TakeOver: WarGames’ takes centre stage.
If you don’t know what a WarGames match is, technically, it is two rings put together with a bonus two steel cages atop of it. Four people are locked inside prisons at the top of the ramp and the timer counts down from two minutes, releasing one superstar from either team, until every star has entered hell. Once one opponent is pinned, submitted or beaten to a pulp, the conquering team is declared the winner – really complex but certainly an entertaining prospect!
This year will be no different, as the two WarGames matches taking place (and every other one-ringed match) are shaping up to be intense and electrifying.
Therefore, I shall convey my thoughts and predictions for the upcoming show:
WarGames Match: Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, Rhea Ripley & Io Shirai vs Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Raquel Gonzalez & Toni Storm
The first WarGames match we should discuss is the Team of Shotzi Blackheart vs. the Team of Candice LeRae.
This match got exciting with the addition of NXT Women’s Champion, Io Shirai and the heel turn of Toni Storm!
I believe they are using this match to build the next crop of female talent on the NXT roster and as a result, it should be hard-hitting and will probably announce the next #1 contender in some way.
I can see it simmering down to Shotzi Blackheart and Io Shirai left standing as Ripley & Moon are beaten and bruised. This results in a back-to-back battle – warrior style – against the opposing team.
I am choosing Team Shotzi as my winners as I believe Shotzi will be pushed as the next challenger for Io Shirai. She, potentially, could even be the next NXT Women’s Champion.
Prediction: Shotzi Blackheart
Timothy Thatcher vs Tommaso Ciampa
This match could be a late contender for MOTY, without a shadow of a doubt!
Tommaso Ciampa will be going to war with Timothy Thatcher and I cannot wait!
I think they will take each other to hell but Ciampa will be the one left standing at the end of the day. Ciampa is one of NXT’s biggest stars and I feel like Thatcher fits a certain role on the brand. He is there to dismantle and destroy his opponents but eventually, he will fall.
Prediction: Tommaso Ciampa
North American Championship Match: Leon Ruff (c) vs Damian Priest vs Johnny Gargano
I have been highly engaged in this triple threat storyline. At Halloween Havoc, Gargano won the NXT North American Championship from Damian Priest with the aid of a person in a scream mask.
Two weeks later, Gargano cockily put his title on the line against jobber, Leon Ruff. Gargano took Ruff as a chump, whereas he is a little warrior and with the help of Priest overcame the Rebel Heart for his first Championship win!
Priest had good intentions in mind, however, Ruff sees this as disrespect from Priest. He believes that Priest wanted the title on him as he doesn’t take him as threat – which is probably true.
Ruff is small and despite his quickness and athleticness, he is a jobber for the Black and Gold Brand. Although, I do think he will pick up the win here. Priest and Gargano will be too busy with each other, meaning the only problems may be the shenanigans of the Gargano followers in scream masks.
Furthermore, I do think NXT want to build Leon Ruff as much more than a jobber, which he is capable of being! Let’s see where this goes from here.
Prediction: Leon Ruff
Strap Match: Dexter Lumis vs Cameron Grimes
The comedy part of this TakeOver. Who doesn’t love watching scaredy-cat, Cameron Grimes, shiver as he stares into the warping eyes of Dexter Lumis?
This is a strap match, and should be the final chapter of their story. I think this match is done to display Lumis as a frightening monster, who comforts his victims with pain and he will be victorious against Grimes.
Prediction: Dexter Lumis
WarGames Match: Undisputed Era vs Pat McAfee, Danny Burch, Oney Lorcan & Pete Dunne
Finally, we can discuss the deadly, second encounter between Adam Cole and Pat McAfee. Cole and McAfee last battled at ‘NXT TakeOver: XXX’ which saw Cole come out with the win. Despite this, everyone was talking about the impressive skillset of McAfee!
He is surprisingly really good! You must be if your second match is inside WARGAMES!!!
Now with their respective partners by their side, they will do war once again. I feel like this time, it will swing the other way. McAfee will do this ‘For The Brand’ and they will walk away with bigger egos and enough cockiness for the entire roster.
I’d love to see Pete Dunne be the next man to face Finn Balor for the NXT Championship, as doesn’t that match sound mouth-watering?! I’m so excited for this match, plus, the entire card!
Prediction: Team McAfee
There are my predictions! Do you agree? Let me know on Twitter!
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