NXT returns tonight (Feb. 5) from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. They are building towards TakeOver: Portland in a week and a half.
- Charlotte Flair to respond to Rhea Ripley’s challenge
- Face to face showdown between Rhea Ripley & Bianca Belair
- Jordan Devlin comes to Full Sail
- Undisputed ERA vows to get their hands on Tommaso Ciampa
- How will the BroserWeights follow up their win?
As per usual, here are our five questions about NXT tonight:
1) Does Charlotte’s presence this early choreograph the TakeOver finish?
It was unlikely that Rhea Ripley was losing her first title defense in general. Bianca Belair is great, but I think it’s more likely she’s on the main roster in a month than NXT champion in a month.
Adding Charlotte to the equation makes the outcome feel even more predictable. Yes, Charlotte can and probably will say she’s challenging the winner, but the big match is Charlotte vs. Rhea.
Not that Charlotte vs. Bianca Belair shouldn’t happen. They had a great moment in the Royal Rumble. In general, the Rumble was the moment that made Bianca look like a star for the main roster crowd. Belair vs. Flair is a match I’d much like to see in the near future. But I’d be very surprised if that’s the match for WrestleMania. Rhea has clearly been positioned as their top star of the women’s division. And the Queen is facing the top star.
So while the seeds are also planted for Charlotte vs. Belair given the Rumble, Charlotte likely challenging for the title pretty much ensures Rhea is walking out of Portland still champion.
2) Are we getting another return?
NXT aired a cryptic video last week, teasing something for tonight. And that something is likely a debut or a return. There are a couple of options.
One is Velveteen Dream. The three yellow circles in the video were very similar to his logo. His name has come up more in promos as well, as if to start reminding us of him. For my money, it’s the most likely option.
Charlotte Flair is another option. Yes, it wouldn’t be a surprise. We know she’s coming back. They straight up announced it. But maybe that wasn’t the plan last week. Now that they’re intertwining a main roster talent with an NXT program, there’s probably going to be more “last minute changes.” Maybe this time last week, Charlotte’s return to the black & gold was a planned surprised. But then the powers that be opted to go with an advertised return.
So my guess is Dream. Maybe this Charlotte announcement is a last minute change and the promos were for her. But that’d be a bit anticlimactic now. Feel free to speculate below for other options to fit this cryptic video.
3) Are Tommaso’s actions going to bite him?
Tommaso Ciampa humiliated the Undisputed ERA last week.
He beat up Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, & Bobby Fish all by his lonesome (we assume) before putting Adam Cole through a table and signing the NXT championship contract in blood.
With only two episodes to go before Portland, no doubt the Undisputed ERA are going to have their revenge. And the punishment will fit the crime. Meaning Tommaso has a world of hurt coming his way.
Most likely, one of the next two weeks (or both) we’re going to have to watch the Daddy Ciampa get beaten down, likely brutally, by the Undisputed for his actions. But the way Tommaso has been, that may just fire him up more. Because after last week, it looks like the Sicilian Psychopath is fully back.
4) What’s the role of the cruiserweight title?
The new cruiserweight champion Jordan Devlin will be in NXT tonight. And rumor has it NXT, and specifically Shawn Michaels, is very high on him. Supposedly, the idea he’s to defend the title over all brands.
I’d assume he’d be defending the title on NXT and NXT UK and maybe some 205 Live. But does this include Raw or SmackDown?
Honestly, it’d probably be the best bet for the title without a real division. (Yes, 205 Live still exists, but its relevance seems to fade by the week.) So why not show up, announced or unannounced, on different nights and show why you’re the best. Make this the true traveling title of WWE.
5) Are we getting a North American title match at TakeOver?
Last weekend, WWE added Dakota Kai vs. Tegan Nox in a street fight for Portland. That put the card at five matches.
Normally, that’s the max for these shows. And if that holds, Keith Lee would be left off the show. Given he’s one of the hottest acts in NXT right now, that’d be surprising. Dominik Dijakovic just won a match against Damian Priest to become the de facto #1 contender. That’s a match worthy of a TakeOver.
Given NXT is going with a Sunday night show, not Saturday night piggybacked to a WWE show, maybe they plan to run a 3 hour show compared to their usual 2.5.
We’ll see if we get any answers to these questions tonight at 8 ET on USA.