Countdown To WWE Wrestlemania 33 #31: WWE NXT Takeover Orlando Predictions

David Tees Mar 31, 2017 5:30PM

Every day from March 1 until WWE Wrestlemania 33 on April 2, Fightful will be bringing you the Countdown To WWE Wrestlemania 33. Each day, you will be getting a top 10 list or an event preview or statistics/figures from past ‘Mania events and everything in between.

In today’s column, I'll be giving my WWE NXT Takeover Orlando Predictions. WWE NXT Takeover events routinely feature some of the best wrestling of the year and this piece will take a look at who I think will be walking away victorious on the five match card.

WWE NXT Title Match
Bobby Roode (Champion) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Even though I truly believe this match will be even better than their first meeting, a certain wrestler being called up to the main roster makes this one an easy pick. Despite the fact that Nakamura will be competing on the upcoming WWE NXT tour of the United Kingdom, he is expected to be called up to the main roster in short order. Roode also has yet to suffer a defeat since coming to NXT less than a year ago and it will not be happening on Saturday Night. Nakamura comes close to winning the title, but it will be Roode holding onto the gold in the end.

My Pick: Bobby Roode to retain the WWE NXT Title

WWE NXT Women’s Title Match
Asuka (Champion) vs. Ember Moon

This one is much like that first match I previewed above, but the question still remains as to whether or not Asuka in main roster bound. Whether she is or not, this match should live up to the level of quality set by previous high profile women’s bouts in NXT. Asuka has done a great job as champion and the creative team has done a great job building up Moon as her undefeated challenger. The two have fought before at house show events and while those matches were reported to have been very good, this one should be the best of them all. My thinking leads me to believe that Asuka somehow counters Moon’s Total Eclipse finisher into the Asuka Lock to keep the title.

My Pick: Asuka to retain the WWE NXT Women’s Title

WWE NXT Tag Team Title Match
Triple Threat Elimination Match
The Authors Of Pain (Champions) vs. The Revival vs. DIY

To me, this is like the culmination of the tag team division because I believe these are the three best tag teams (the fourth being American Alpha) to ever compete in NXT. The Authors Of Pain are suitably managed by Paul Ellering, which is fitting considering Ellering’s past as the manager for the Legion Of Doom. The Revival are easily the best heel tag team in NXT history, while DIY does a great job in the underdog role. The WWE NXT Tag Team Titles have been bouncing from team to team in the last few Takeover events, but the buck stops here and the Authors will leave as champions.

My Pick: The Authors Of Pain to retain the WWE NXT Tag Team Titles

Tye Dillinger, No Way Jose, Roderick Strong & Ruby Riot vs. Sanity

If there is a match that has the potential to be the show stealer of the card, it is this one. Ruby Riot, better known to independent wrestling fans as Heidi Lovelace, will be making her televised in ring debut in this match. There is no really a weak link in this match, as all eight competitors can easily hold their own inside the squared circle. SAnitY is also the only true heel faction in NXT right now and keeping them strong would be the way to go here.

My Pick: SAnitY

Aleister Black vs. Adrian “Cien” Almas

This will be the official debut for Black, who is best known by independent and international wrestling fans as Tommy End. Almas is being put into an interesting role here, as he has been getting a decent push and has shown great work as a heel wrestler. Black, for those who have never seen him wrestle before, is like an MMA fighter turned pro wrestler with the variety of kicks and strikes he uses in his matches. You cannot debut Black and have him lose in his first televised match--not even the WWE is stupid enough to do that.

My Pick: Aleister Black

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