NXT preview (June 17, 2020): Tag titles galore

NXT returns tonight (June 17) from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. We’re two weeks removed from TakeOver: In Your House.

Advertised tonight:

• Bayley & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Shotzi Blackheart & Tegan Nox for the Women’s tag team championships
• Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) vs. Breezango for the NXT tag team championships

As per usual, here are our five questions about NXT tonight:

1) Who’s facing Adam Cole for his title next?

Last week, both Keith Lee & Karrion Kross made their intentions for Adam Cole’s title known. Both are big threats to Cole’s historic championship reign. Keith Lee feels unstoppable at this point, and no doubt Adam remembers the time he was pounced into the crowd. Meanwhile Karrion Kross has done nothing but impress in his short time in NXT to the point that title feels inevitable.

So who gets the shot? Do they both get the shot? Does someone else get it first?

Keith Lee would make sense, but recently Finn Bálor made it known that the North American title is a title he’s never held and he wants to. So it’s possible the Prince stands in the way of the Limitless One’s ascension.

Karrion Kross getting a shot seems inevitable, but it also seems too soon. So it’s possible NXT put’s another road block or two in his way. Plus, they may want a babyface champ to win that title so Kross can ruin the dreams of one of our faves.

It feels like one of these two will be challenging Cole next, but it’s possible it’s neither. Though with Velveteen Dream going to the back of the line and Dexter Lumis unable to beat the champ, there don’t seem like many viable options.

2) What’s the role of Bayley & Sasha tonight?

Bayley & Sasha Banks return tonight to defend their tag team championships against Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart. It’s always great to see the NXT alums back in a spot that will always feel like home for them. (Though less so given the location and audience is no difference than their times on Monday and Friday.)

It’s entirely possible this is just a fun one off that they can easily do because there’s no travel required. They’ll help raise the status of this week’s episode and hopefully raise that status of Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart.

But it’d be cool if they stuck a round for a short period time. Maybe to run a little program with those ladies after this, or even give us a champion vs. champion match between Bayley & Io Shirai that doesn’t have a real finish. If Charlotte can go wherever she wants, why shouldn’t we see Bayley & Sasha Banks in NXT a bit more?

Also, if the IIconics can show up to attack them, that’d be grand. It’d be a big ol’ NXT reunion.

3) What happens if Breezange loses?

I almost should say ‘when’ because I really don’t think the gorgeous duo are walking out with gold tonight. If I’m right and they lose, what happens with them?

NXT is good at taking a wrestler or wrestlers out of a feud they lose and transitioning them to something else, usually using that loss as the motivator. After Tyler Breeze and Fandango spoke about how they take wrestling seriously despite how much they like to have fun, that should be the focus.

Not that they should suddenly be serious. No one wants that. But maybe going back to the line in the tag division with a fire lit under them to win the belts. Or maybe starting to focus on singles accolades while still acting as a unit.

Hopefully it’d be something more than Breezango occasionally acting as strong wins for other talent.

4) What’s next for Velveteen Dream?

Despite attacking the Undisputed ERA last week to assist Dexter Lumis, Velveteen Dream has got to be out of the NXT title picture. It’s time to move on. That means what he’s doing now is going to help him move on to the next plan.

Perhaps he and Lumis form a tag team for awhile. That’d be quite the pairing - the flamboyant Dream and the creepy Lumis. There could be a bunch of fun to be had there.

Maybe he turns heel on Lumis, blaming Dex for that first title loss to Cole. He’d have to alter his character a bit to really sell the fact he’s now a heel. But it’s an option.

Otherwise, he just moves onto another feud with a heel. Perhaps one with Johnny Gargano, who will be looking for a new program now that Keith Lee is moving on.

5) Will we learn more about Santos Escobar?

Last week’s reveal that El Hijo Del Fantasma is now Santos Escobar and prior kidnapped men Joaquin Wilde & Raul Mendoza are his henchmen was very well done.

The move felt so devious. Because it feels like Escobar leveraged his prior persona to get into this tournament only to pull stings to ensure he wins said tournament to hold some power.

We should get a further explanation one day and I look forward to it. It was such an evil play, and his story to how he fooled us all ought to be good.

We’ll see if we get any answers to these questions tonight at 8 PM ET on USA.