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If you're not a follower of all the fine WWE products put out by the Cageside Seats' Preview team, on Monday we took a reader suggestion to mix things up, get away from the recaps and break things down, angle-by-angle.
For this last show crafted from June's NXT taping, we'll try that approach with Full Sail's finest...
NXT Women's Championship
Tonight's marquee match-up, and presumed headliner - although NXT has in the past opened the weekly television show with major women's bouts many of us felt should or could headline, that they'd put Sasha Banks defending against Charlotte anywhere but in the main event spot just two nights after their Raw debut set the internet ablaze is highly unlikely.
The Boss defeated The Nature Girl for the belt back at Rival, and again in Charlotte's rematch in March. Since then, Banks had one decent outing (against Alexa Bliss) and one epic one (against Becky Lynch) but has otherwise been suprisingly idle. Char has been in a slow-burn feud with new arrival Dana Brooke. It was Brooke and her partner Emma these two rivals teamed up to beat last week, with the former champ calling for another shot as payment for her assist.
What they should do: Let them fight. A loss hurts neither of them after Monday, and either woman would be fine handing the title to Bayley on their way out the door. In fact, Charlotte putting the Hugster over actually makes for a more logical and satisfying story arc. Hmmm...
What we're afraid they'll do: Devote a lot of time Dana Brooke before having her interfere and costing us a proper finish, leading to giving her a championship match that she might win. In case you can't tell, I'm not big on The Total Diva.
Tag Team Championship
The Vaudevillains shocked Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady, and most of the audience, last week with a roll-up win to once again become #1 contenders to the titles currently held by Blake & Murphy.
What they should do: Hurry up and give Aiden English & Simon Gotch their shot, because The Port Authority should be featured in a title feud when we get to New York for SummerSlam weekend. And it's been too long since the Alexa Bliss part of BAMF has been on my screens.
What we're afraid they'll do: Cast The Realest Guys off into the pit where failed tag title contenders go (the one from which The Vaudevillains just clawed their way out).
NXT Championship
New king Finn Bálor's big moment in front of the home crowd will come next week (or tomorrow for you spoiler happy types), so nothing major will happen in this scene now. With Kevin Owens' rematch already announced for TakeOver: Brooklyn, we may get some backstage or studio interviews building toward that, but any suspense about who will chase The Demon long-term looks to be on hold until late August.
Ready, Willing & Gable
After ditching Tye Dillinger as a tag partner, Jason Jordan tried out a random assortment of the Performance Center's undercard. Meanwhile, Olympian Chad Gable was not only free, but he wanted to team with a fellow amateur wrestler like Jordan. And he had towels.
For reasons unfathomable to us at home, Jason waited until last week to take Chad up on his offer. Tonight, the greatest odd couple since Riggs & Murtaugh enters the tag scene. I just hope we're Gable (with a 'G') to handle it.
Sami Zayn injury update
One of the reasons The Likeable One is so darn likeable is because he loves to keep us in the loop. He did it while he was on his Road to Redemption, when he was soul searching on the streets of Montreal after being betrayed by KO and he'll do it tonight when he fills us in on his rehab from shoulder surgery.
That's really swell of him. Unfortunately, most reports are that he's going to tell us he can't wrestle until 2016.
Other stuff to keep an eye on:
- For roughly the fourth time since he was signed, Solomon Crowe was presented like they might want to push him last week. The first three times they did that, they did not proceed with said push.
- Currently undefeated as a team, The Hype Bros have been talking about dancing on Twitter. Anyone who has seen Mojo Rawley's "Hammer Time" better hope Zack Ryder can find a better teacher.
- In addition to a wide array of female talent just signed from the indy and international scenes, one replacement for the promoted Charlotte, Sasha & Bex will probably be Eva Marie, currently only waiting on word from General Manager William Regal and Assistant Head Coach Sara Amato about how her tryout went.
- Bull Dempsey likes eating more than he likes working out or wrestling.
- Baron Corbin will show up and hit his finisher on enhancement talent at a rate of once every two episodes.
- Samoa Joe & Rhyno are still on the roster.
- I miss Tyler Breeze.
Note: I know some folks have come looking for a more definitive match listing - we strictly avoid NXT spoilers here at Cageside central. If WWE.com releases or the performers tweet more information on anything that's officially going to take place on tonight's show, that'll be updated here. If anyone wants to put a match listing in the comments, please use spoiler tags.