NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV Preview
Aleister Black’s injury may have been a blow to the main event, but plan B for the show doesn’t look too bad either. Here’s the full preview for the fourth installment of TakeOver: Brooklyn.
When it was leaked that Aleister Black suffered a groin injury at an NXT house show, a vast majority of NXT fans were sent into panic mode. Black was the chaotic good that separated the cleverly evil Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano, who is straying farther and farther from the light of good as Ciampa gets futher under his skin. The only person who didn’t seem to waver from Black’s injury was Triple H, the lead booker of NXT. After all, if one man in injured and can’t compete in a triple threat match, it only makes sense to turn it into a one on one match between the other two guys. What better match to fall back on than a last man standing match between two guys who have closed the past two NXT TakeOver’s with instant classics? It’s going to take some time to find out what will become of Aleister Black’s injury. He’s been much more cryptic across social media since he was officially announced to be out of action for Brooklyn, especially on Instagram, where he posted this unnerving picture just a few days ago. It will take patience to see how this story plays out once Black returns, but for now, let’s pay attention to the two world class athletes who will go at it yet again. The story of the friendship turned betrayal with Gargano and Ciampa is one of the most well- told stories WWE may have ever told. Their grudge match is being booked as the end of their story, but I’m finding it hard to believe that this will be it. We’ll see, though. One thing is for sure: these two haven’t disappointed yet and it’d be naive to expect that to start now.
While the main event of the show looks excellent as always, the rest of the card looks just as exciting. The story that’s been told with Shayna Baszler since she captured the NXT Women’s title has been nothing short of fantastic, and now the buildup for her Mae Young Classic rematch with Kairi Sane has left us with high expectations for their match in Brooklyn. The brash, bold, and cocky attitude of Shayna has gotten her a lot of attention, and her convincingly brutal style of wrestling can make even the most hardcore wrestling fans wince. Meanwhile, Kairi looked like she had no direction with her character for the longest time. Finally, she was thrust into the NXT Women’s title picture, and she’s shining as bright as she did last year when she won the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Just about a year later, it’s the same match on paper, but two very different performers will be in the ring this time around.
Lucky for us, those aren’t the only title matches set to take place. All the members of the Undisputed Era will be participating in matches for their respective titles, with Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong up against Trent Seven and Tyler Bate of Mustache Mountain, while Adam Cole will put his North American title on the line against Ricochet. The Undisputed Era and Mustache Mountain have exceptional chemistry together, which has been apparent with their first two matches together, where the NXT tag team titles have switched hands on both occasions. I’m hoping this match opens the show. If it’s anything like their previous two encounters, it will be a great match and an easy way to get the crowd hot quickly.
Meanwhile, after ducking him for weeks, Adam Cole was finally forced into a North American title match with Ricochet. Neither Ricochet or Adam Cole have had a lot of time under their belts in NXT compared to some other top stars of the brand, but both have made a substantial impact since their arrival. Ricochet has quickly become one of the most explosive superstars on the roster, while Cole obviously has made his mark as the first and only (as of now) North American champion. Already two of the top stars and best wrestlers in the world before their NXT debuts, this is a match that works as a draw just on star power alone, and it seems that’s exactly how this match was built. Of the five matches on the card, Ricochet and Cole have received the least amount of build, but these two are no strangers to the big stage and will surely be just fine when the bell rings.
With all the title matches set to take place tonight, it’s almost hard to remember that we still have another match left to preview. Almost. The charisma and energy that EC3 and Velveteen Dream bring to any segment their involved in would not dare let you forget about their match in Brooklyn. Much like the match previously discussed, EC3 has plenty of success to ride off of pre-NXT. Meanwhile, Velveteen Dream’s first major introduction to the wrestling world was an appearance on WWE’s reality show, Tough Enough, where he was actually eliminated long before anyone expected, but was far and away the most talented member of the cast. WWE took notice, signing him and debuting him as the Velveteen Dream. The gimmick seemed corny at first, but Dream lived it and embraced the role and soared straight to the top of the card. After delivering a sensational performance against Ricochet in Chicago, Dream is at it again in a non title match against another major player on the roster in EC3. I genuinely have no clue who is going to win this match, as both guys need a major win badly. Truthfully, though, I would be satisfied with either one winning. Both guys have been amazing since debuting and could use a push towards the title scene once the Gargano/Ciampa story reaches its peak.
Many say that TakeOver: Brooklyn is the equivalent of WrestleMania for the NXT roster. Over the years, as we’ve watched the event evolve, it’s hard to deny the fact that the NXT superstars bring their best in Brooklyn. From top to bottom, this card, as all the TakeOver cards are, is stacked. What’s amazing is how great this card looks even with the fact that they had to use a backup plan to book the main event of the show, and only had about two weeks to do so. NXT TakeOver’s are always special, but there’s something about Brooklyn that brings out that extra energy out of everyone, from the crowd to the wrestlers alike. NXT superstars bring it every year they come to Brooklyn, and this edition should be no different.
