{"id":74061,"date":"2019-01-25T13:27:58","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T19:27:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=74061"},"modified":"2019-01-25T13:36:04","modified_gmt":"2019-01-25T19:36:04","slug":"nxt-takeover-phoenix-preview-aleister-black-vs-ciampa-gargano-vs-ricochet-baszler-vs-belair-undisputed-era-vs-war-raiders-ohno-vs-riddle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2019\/01\/25\/nxt-takeover-phoenix-preview-aleister-black-vs-ciampa-gargano-vs-ricochet-baszler-vs-belair-undisputed-era-vs-war-raiders-ohno-vs-riddle\/","title":{"rendered":"NXT TAKEOVER PHOENIX PREVIEW: Aleister Black vs. Ciampa, Gargano vs. Ricochet, Baszler vs. Belair, Undisputed Era vs. War Raiders, Ohno vs. Riddle"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-4030585619\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>NXT gave out their yearly awards a few weeks ago, and it drove home &#8211; if you hadn\u2019t actively noticed &#8211; how impressive a year it was for the brand. Feuds across the board were strong, and NXT seems largely immune to depressions in their talent pool, as a large pocketbook coupled with consistent and logical presentation of that talent means that we\u2019re seeing a strong week of TV even if the ten biggest stars on the brand aren\u2019t working.<\/p>\n<p>We now have a situation, like the main roster, where we\u2019re not trying to jam in halfway-decent matches to a major show, but are leaving valuable pieces off of them because timing isn\u2019t right. Velveteen Dream and Adam Cole aren\u2019t on this show; while I think there\u2019s a very good chance this means they\u2019re in the Royal Rumble match, it\u2019s hard to believe NXT has gotten to a point where cuts like this can be made with no obvious sacrifice to the impending TakeOver show.<\/p>\n<p>This has been a somewhat bizarre build, perhaps akin to Steve Austin\u2019s run on top; while the midcard feuds were working on TV and producing a lot of satisfying undercards, all the same, they were presented last-minute as the hype was almost entirely focused at the top. With that in mind\u2026<\/p>\n<h3>Tommaso Ciampa vs.\u00a0Aleister Black &#8211; NXT Championship<\/h3>\n<p>The #DIY feud is a great anomaly in the age of overexposure and too much TV time &#8211; it continues to grow, change and captivate even after a year of burn. Naturally it wouldn\u2019t remain fresh without other pieces getting involved, and Aleister Black has been the beneficiary of being in the company and being the right character at the right time to add sizzle to the feud while remaining over himself<\/p>\n<p>Black has been given a lot more mic time of late to transform him from a silent killer to a more main roster-ready character who can do his part to sell a PPV match; with the heavy amount of tweaking that\u2019s been done here, and the difference in build for his matches, I think he\u2019s all but done with his time in NXT. For his part, Ciampa continues to have the greatest championship reign in NXT history and is by all accounts an extremely valuable locker room presence.<\/p>\n<p>This one feels like a layup; I\u2019ve been surprised before, but I think Aleister is living in a different world because he is indeed about to do just that. Prediction: Ciampa retains and Black is in the Rumble match on Sunday.<\/p>\n<h3>Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano &#8211;\u00a0NXT North American Championship<\/h3>\n<p>On the PWT Talks NXT podcast on Wednesday night, I concurred with Justin James and Tom Stoup, saying I believed the Ciampa-Gargano feud will be paid off on Wrestlemania weekend. What gave me pause, and continues to, is the heavy storyline focus on \u201cwins and titles,\u201d things that have almost completely eluded Gargano on TakeOver, given his 2-9 record at the shows.<\/p>\n<p>This feud has been built parallel to the NXT Championship match; Ricochet has performed well in his role of meat-and-potatoes babyface while the true focus is Gargano, his intentions, and what truly lies within him. Though these two matches are going to be gold, the show has been built less around the matches and more around the single question of who Johnny Gargano wants to be.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3374464443\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>With Candice LeRae throwing a bucket of cold water on Johnny at the end of Wednesday\u2019s NXT, we expect she\u2019ll figure into the story in an important way either at or immediately following TakeOver; while Justin, Tom and I predicted Ricochet retains here to finally get to Johnny\u2019s NXT Championship Win, PWT Talks NXT regular contributor Harley Pageot thinks Gargano goes over here, setting up a modern day Two Man Power Trip and gets started with the establishment of a group that will eventually face a babyface Undisputed Era at WarGames. While I find his take intriguing, WarGames is a long way off, and I can\u2019t buy in just yet. All the same, if Gargano-Ciampa is saved for summer with both men holding the gold at the time, I wouldn\u2019t be overly shocked.<\/p>\n<h3>Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca Belair &#8211; NXT Women\u2019s Championship<\/h3>\n<p>On the podcast I favored a sports entertainment finish: Shayna retains via DQ, allowing Belair to remain undefeated so she use that part of her catchphrase on the main roster for a while. Still, of the entire card, this match feels like the toughest to call. Both are main roster material as soon as WWE feels like calling them up, and I predicted both would be in the Royal Rumble match no matter who walks out with the title. This was a split call on the podcast, as it feels like the Women\u2019s Championship has been a bit of a hot potato and could use some stability, but we\u2019re also past the young stage of NXT where long reigns were a given.<\/p>\n<p>The build for the match has been light, to say the least. Bianca won a qualifying match to get into a four-woman match that felt like a foregone conclusion, particularly with the knowledge that Lacey Evans was moving north; we got a strong segment two Wednesdays age with Bianca booked carefully as a sympathetic figure who could easily pivot back to heel after the match if that\u2019s what the company wants. This past Wednesday, we got a very strong video package to hype the match that belied what a small build there was.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the short build, this will likely be a match worth remembering, though I\u2019ll watch with interest to see if it\u2019s stashed as a comedown match between the two men\u2019s singles title matches.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>LISTEN TO THE PWTORCH DAILY CAST &#8220;PWT TALKS NXT&#8221; PODCAST PREVIEWING NXT TAKEOVER PHOENIX<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In this episode, Kelly Wells, Justin James, and Tom Stoup make TakeOver predictions, discuss whether another Riddle-Ohno match is a necessary way to go, twenty minutes&#8217; worth of action in a five-minute tag match, and more.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/tun.in\/tiXc6V\">CLICK TO DOWNLOAD\/STREAM<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/pro-wrestling-torch-livecast\/id354947346?mt=2\">SUBSCRIBE IN APPLE PODCASTS<\/a> (or search &#8220;<strong>pwtorch<\/strong>&#8221; on your podcast app)<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3193740772\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><iframe style=\"width: 100%; height: 100px;\" src=\"https:\/\/tunein.com\/embed\/player\/t128912437\/\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Undisputed Era vs. The War Raiders &#8211; NXT Tag Team Championship<\/h3>\n<p>This is no doubt the match that was always going to be on this show, but the build has been underwhelming to say the least. Injuries set back the Raiders to a point where I think they would have been better served to delay their title shot and return to TV to better make a case for the match. Instead, NXT made a rare production blunder, electing to announce this match by posting a tweet by William Regal before the Raiders actually even returned at the end of the episode, which killed the moment for those of us at home.<\/p>\n<p>Harley is predicting the Raiders win here, leaving the Undisputed Era with no gold after months of claiming they\u2019d all hold gold together in 2019, and leading to soul-searching that results in a face turn. While I think a face turn is certainly possible for the group (as long as some more heels are created), I have a hard time accepting the idea of a title change here after a build that consisted of a run-in followed by a wild fireside promo by the Raiders that came off as a little cheesy, as neither Raider is strong enough on the mic to commit.<\/p>\n<p>Based on my travels online, it\u2019s an uphill battle for the Raiders after that segment, but if they have a great match here I doubt people will care. All the same, win or lose, there has to be a strong follow-up to this. I\u2019m not sure what other team makes sense for a title shot on Wrestlemania weekend, so I have to think this match is repeated then. While acknowledging this means either team could win, I prefer UE winning via nefarious means to set up a rematch, perhaps with a stipulation.<\/p>\n<h3>Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno<\/h3>\n<p>Two podcasts ago, Justin and I were obsessing over what could be the non-title match on this show. We ran through the potential pool of players and did indeed mention these two, but hoped for something fresh. I get it, of course; Riddle is a big-time part of NXT\u2019s future so you don\u2019t want to burn all his money matches early and therefore need him to have longer feuds. And, since you have to present him as a meaningful star, you can\u2019t solve the problem by leaving him off TakeOver entirely.<\/p>\n<p>This feud is as simple as it gets; the babyface has dominated the heel and the heel doesn\u2019t like it. I\u2019m not sure what outcome makes this match worth running again; either Riddle does what he\u2019s already done twice or Ohno gets a win that, while it would help him, extends the overlong feud and does no favors to Riddle. If Ohno is being primed for a run higher up the card, then all of this makes sense, but I don\u2019t see that happening and I think most would agree at this point.<\/p>\n<p>On the podcast I suggested Keith Lee, at ringside, helps Ohno win either intentionally or not, leading to a Lee turn on a show that needs strong singles heels, which also would justify the match\u2019s placement at TakeOver, but it\u2019s probably a long shot.<\/p>\n<h3>Royal Rumble Match?<\/h3>\n<p>I don\u2019t think I\u2019m stepping too far outside of convention when I say I think Black and Dream will appear, and Adam Cole feels a safe bet since he isn\u2019t booked on Saturday and also worked the Rumble match last year. My deeper cut on the podcast was Dominik Dijakovic. He\u2019s already everything you could ask for in the ring (I\u2019d love to see \u201cfeast your eyes\u201d go away, but WWE gonna catchphrase) and there\u2019s no room for him at the top of the card in NXT right now, so better to move him up as a monster with some mystique rather than have him obliterate a couple of jobbers and then have some low-level feuds for months before a spot opens up against a champion Gargano or something. If there\u2019s some doubt over whether the crowd will be cognizant of who this guy is, have him draw #5 and get the Diesel push, tossing out Curt Hawkins, Xavier Woods, an Uso or two and the like before he\u2019s eliminated by a cadre of heels.<\/p>\n<p>There you have it. I was excited for this weekend, and after writing this find myself moreso. We\u2019ll be recording PWT Talks NXT immediately following Takeover for the VIP site, so check us out there if you\u2019re so inclined. Cheers!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>RECOMMENDED:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2019\/01\/24\/1-23-nxt-tv-report-final-takeover-developments-with-ricochet-gargano-velveteen-dream-vs-bobby-fish-kairi-shirai-vs-nova-brooks-lorcan-burch-vs-european-union\/\">1\/23 NXT TV REPORT: Final Takeover developments with Ricochet-Gargano, Velveteen Dream vs. Bobby Fish, Kairi &amp; Shirai vs. Nova &amp; Brooks, Lorcan &amp; Burch vs. European Union<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-1698418657\"><div id=\"pwtor-3082562141\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>NXT gave out their yearly awards a few weeks ago, and it drove home &#8211; if you hadn\u2019t actively noticed &#8211; how impressive a year it was for the brand. Feuds across the board were <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2019\/01\/25\/nxt-takeover-phoenix-preview-aleister-black-vs-ciampa-gargano-vs-ricochet-baszler-vs-belair-undisputed-era-vs-war-raiders-ohno-vs-riddle\/\" title=\"NXT TAKEOVER PHOENIX PREVIEW: Aleister Black vs. Ciampa, Gargano vs. Ricochet, Baszler vs. Belair, Undisputed Era vs. War Raiders, Ohno vs. Riddle\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":74062,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,4452,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-ppv-predictions","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2019\/01\/NXTTakeoverPhoenix_3x2_600.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74061"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74065,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74061\/revisions\/74065"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}