There are three huge events on this weekend's agenda, and the staff of Fightful.com is bringing you their picks. Be sure to comment and leave your selections as well!
NXT Takeover: Back To Brooklyn:
NXT Championship
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Samoa Joe (3): Mike Straw, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
Nakamura (8): Sean Ross Sapp, Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Vince Russo
NXT Women's Championship
Asuka (c) vs. Bayley
Asuka (9): Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Vince Russo, Sean Ross Sapp, Alex Pawlowski
Bayley (2): Showdown Joe, John Moorehouse
NXT Tag Team Championship
The Revival (c) vs. Ciampa & Gargano
Revival (2): Ryan Cook, John Moorehouse
Ciampa & Gargano (8): Showdown Joe, Sean Ross Sapp, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Vince Russo, Alex Pawlowski
Andrade Cien Almas vs. Bobby Roode
Almas (2): Steven Muehlhausen, Mike Straw
Roode (8): Showdown Joe, Sean Ross Sapp, Carlos Toro, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
No Way Jose vs. Austin Aries
Jose (3): Showdown Joe, Zach Brendza, Vince Russo
Aries (8): Sean Ross Sapp, Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Brandon Howard, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
WWE SUMMERSLAM
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
Cena (5): Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Zach Brendza, John Moorehouse, Vince Russo
AJ Styles (7): Sean Ross Sapp, Steven Muehlhausen, Mike Straw, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, Carlos Toro, Alex Pawlowski
Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton
Lesnar (8): Sean Ross Sapp, Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
Orton (4): Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Vince Russo
WWE United States Championship
Rusev (c) vs. Roman Reigns
Rusev (9): Steven Muehlhausen, Sean Ross Sapp, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, Vince Russo, Alex Pawlowski
Reigns (2): Showdown Joe, John Moorehouse
WWE Championship
Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
Ambrose (10): Showdown Joe, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Sean Ross Sapp, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse
Ziggler (1) Alex Pawlowski
WWE Universal Championship
Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor
Rollins (6): Sean Ross Sapp, Showdown Joe, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse
Balor (6): Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Alex Pawlowski
WWE Tag Team Championship
New Day (c) vs. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
New Day (5): Sean Ross Sapp, Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Mike Straw, Jimmy Van
The Club (7) : Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
Enzo & Cass vs. Kevin Owens & Chris Jericho
JeriKO (2): Showdown Joe, Mike Straw
Enzo/Cass (10): Sean Ross Sapp, Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
First Match In Best of Seven Series
Sheamus vs. Cesaro
Sheamus (10): Sean Ross Sapp, Showdown Joe, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
Cesaro (2): Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Miz (c) vs. Apollo Crews
Miz (8): Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Jimmy Van, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
Crews (4): Sean Ross Sapp, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard
WWE Women's Championship
Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte
Banks (11): Sean Ross Sapp, Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse, Alex Pawlowski
Charlotte (1): Showdown Joe
Carmella, Naomi and Becky Lynch vs. TBD, Natalya & Alexa Bliss
Team Eva (5): Showdown Joe, Carlos Toro, Brandon Howard, Jimmy Van, Alex Pawlowski
Team Becky (7): Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse, Sean Ross Sapp
UFC 202
Conor McGregor (FTW C) vs. Nate Diaz (#4)
McGregor (5): Sean Ross Sapp, Showdown Joe, Steven Muehlhausen, Mike Straw, Vince Russo
Diaz (6): Ryan Cook, Carlos Toro, Zach Brendza, John Moorehouse, Justin Golightly, Jimmy Van
Anthony Johnson (#2) vs. Glover Teixeira (#4)
Rumble (8): Sean Ross Sapp, Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Zach Brendza, John Moorehouse, Justin Golightly, Jimmy Van
Glover (2): Mike Straw, Vince Russo
Rick Story (#10) vs. Donald Cerrone (#14) (#6 LW)
Story (1): Vince Russo
Cerrone (10): Sean Ross Sapp, Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Steven Muehlhausen, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw, Zach Brendza, John Moorehouse, Justin Golightly, Jimmy Van
Cody Garbrandt (#8) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (#11)
Garbrandt (6): Sean Ross Sapp, Jimmy Van, Carlos Toro, Zach Brendza, John Moorehouse, Justin Golightly
Mizugaki (4): Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Mike Straw, Vince Russo
Neil Magny (#7) vs. Lorenz Larkin
Magny (6): Sean Ross Sapp, Jimmy Van, Showdown Joe, Ryan Cook, Carlos Toro, Mike Straw,
Larkin (4): Zach Brendza, Vince Russo, John Moorehouse, Justin Golightly
JIMMY VAN'S ANALYSIS
Cena vs. AJ: Cena is pretty much a part-timer now with more and more "mainstream" gigs on his schedule all the time while AJ is rumored to be heading into a program with Orton next, plus Cena destroyed AJ on SmackDown so seems likely AJ will win. Of course this is WWE and they have no logic when it comes to Cena. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and pick AJ Styles.
Lesnar vs. Orton: Lesnar is WWE's golden goose (at least before USADA came along) so makes no sense to beat him here. Again WWE logic probably dictates a Lesnar loss as punishment for the drug failure. But I'm picking Brock.
Rusev vs. Roman Reigns: Roman already beat Rusev on Raw last Monday night and the US Title would be considered a "demotion" for him unless he does the "open challenge" deal which worked well with Cena. I'll pick Rusev to retain either due to interference or DQ/countout.
Ziggler vs. Ambrose: I'd pull the belt off Ambrose based on that brutal Steve Austin interview. But I don't see Ziggler drawing as champion at live events so Ambrose retains.
Balor vs. Rollins: One of the matches I'm most looking forward to. Balor's first match in a WWE ring as the "Demon" but Rollins is more deserving of the new title so I'll go with him.
New Day vs. The Club: New Day are still over, the Club aren't so unless they plan to continue this program into another PPV, New Day retain the belts.
Enzo and Cass vs. JeriKO: Similar deal to the other tag match - if they plan to continue into another PPV then the heels win but I suspect that there will be dissension with Jericho and Owens and so Enzo and Cass win it.
Miz vs. Crews: I wonder if Apollo Crews has taught WWE a lesson as far as you can have a great look and be a great athlete but if you have no personality you're destined for Superstars matches. They have likely learned nothing and will put Apollo over but I'll go with what SHOULD happen as my prediction - Miz wins.
Cesaro vs. Sheamus: I'm a big Cesaro fan and think he should be in the title picture but according to Vince him being Swiss is a problem so he's stuck in this "best of seven" series. Cesaro won the last two matches and this is the first in this series which means nothing so Sheamus wins.
Sasha vs. Charlotte: Sasha just won the belt, she ain't losing it that fast. Sasha retains.
Women's six-women tag: Eva Marie is who WWE perceives to be the star so (assuming she actually shows up) her team wins.
McGregor vs. Diaz: McGregor claims that he's training specifically for Diaz this time and didn't last time due to Diaz being a short notice fill-in. But Diaz took the fight last time on one week's notice against a guy who had a full training camp and still won. I don't see this one being any different now that Diaz gets a full camp. Diaz wins by TKO, and McGregor crawls back to his proper weight class.
Rumble vs. Teixeria: This is a good match-up stylistically for Johnson because it'll stay standing. Rumble wins by TKO.
Cerrone vs. Story: Cerrone's on a roll and it'll continue on here. "Cowboy" wins by decision.
Garbrandt vs. Mizugaki: Garbrandt is already being talked about for bigger fights so I give him the nod by decision.
Magny vs. Larkin: Larkin took the fight on about five weeks' notice. Magny will continue his winning streak with the victory and if Larkin's record is any indication, he tends to lose by decision most of the time so I'll go with Magny by decision.
