WWE announces NXT event for night before Royal Rumble 2017

Reports are that WWE wants to make their “Big Four” (or possibly five, with Money in the Bank also rumored to be a joint Raw and SmackDown affair in this new brand split era) shows weekend-long extravaganzas, as we’ve seen with the last two SummerSlams in Brooklyn.

Part of that plan includes incorporating a big NXT live experience. So far this year, the WrestleMania 32, SummerSlam and Survivor Series pay-per-view (PPV) events have or will have a TakeOver special leading up to the Sunday show.

In 2017, it looks like Royal Rumble will follow suit.

The company revealed this morning travel packages for Jan. 29’s event in San Antonio will go on sale next week (Oct. 11). In addition to front row seating to the Rumble itself, an autograph breakfast & behind-the-scenes tour on Sunday and hotel accommodations, the package includes a “NXT Ticket” for Saturday night in the Freeman Coliseum.

This show is not specified as a WWE Network special, but it’s hard to imagine it wouldn’t be a TakeOver, given both the precedent discussed above and the fact it would roughly be the right time for one of what are essentially NXT PPVs, coming a little more than two months after Toronto and before a Mania-weekend one.

We’ll update you as soon as this becomes more official, but in the meantime, what do you think? Like the way TakeOvers are becoming linked to the main rosters bigger shows? Why or why not?

Sound off in the comments below.