NXT preview (Mar. 3, 2021): It’s time

NXT returns tonight (Mar. 3) from the Capitol Wrestling Center (CWC) in Orlando, Florida.

Advertised for tonight:

• Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Raquel González & Dakota Kai for the WWE Women’s Tag Team championship
• Did Adam Cole’s actions cement the end of Undisputed ERA?
• Timothy Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa vs. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch (non-title)

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

1) What are the odds the WWE Women’s Tag belts are coming to NXT?

Unlike when Sasha Banks & Bayley came through with the same titles last year, there’s actually a chance we could see Raquel González & Dakota Kai win tonight. It’s far from a lock, but it wouldn’t be shocking.

González has been as protected as anyone not named Karrion Kross over the last six months or so. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler seem likely to be the roadblocks Charlotte Flair has to drive over to [sarcasm] finally [/sarcasm] get a WrestleMania title shot, and they don’t need the belts for that.

For their Dusty Cup acceptance speech, Dakota & Raquel seemed to be playing babyfaces. That’ll help them make the rounds as fighting champs. And if the Tuesday move happens, WWE might want some NXT ambassadors showing up on Mondays and Fridays to remind fans which night to look for the black-and-gold show.

2) Speaking of Kross, what’s next for the undefeated former NXT champ?

Santos Escobar, and all of Legado Del Fantasma, gave him what for. But even with only one good arm, he put them down. Now what?

The NXT title program looks like it will be Finn Bálor vs. Adam Cole for at least a little while. Will we just get a month of Tick Tock videos while we wait for that to wrap up, likely with the return of Bálor’s frenemy. And speaking of him...

3) How long with Kyle O’Reilly be out?

Not gonna entertain the question asked by WWE’s commercial for tonight’s show, because whether or not Roderick Strong, KOR & Bobby Fish (whenever he’s due back) stick together, the Undisputed ERA as we’ve known is definitely over.

The question that’s worth asking is when will Kyle be back to lead Roddy and maybe Bobby in a quest for revenge against their betraying brother. I’m thinking it will be around the time Cole gets his shot at Finn. Will that happen on a WrestleMania week TakeOver, or maybe the first Tuesday show? So many questions, like...

4) Will Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch get new challengers due to Wes Lee’s injury?

Without Pat McAfee in their corner, we don’t have much reason to be that invested in the heel version of Oney & Danny. It might be best to get them out of the title scene until Pat’s coming back, or so they can return to being underdogs who love to fight. The next few top contenders are likely to be Grizzled Young Veterans and Imperium, so the belts should probably be on babyfaces. And if MSK won’t be ready for a while, someone else will just have to step up.

Someone like Dusty Cup semi-finalists Timothy Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa? They get a non-title shot at the Brit-Am Brawlers tonight. Maybe the old “beat the champs, earn a title shot” maneuver?

5) Is NXT getting too funny?

I love Cameron Grimes hillbilly rich kid schtick. I adore The Way’s dysfunctional family act, and the way (pun semi-intended) Dexter Lumis has fractured them to the point Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae are taking the whole team to therapy.

But are they tilting the black-and-gold brand too far away from its roots as the wrestling-focused horse in WWE’s stable? And especially when so many talented wrestlers like Kushida, Swerve Scott, Bronson Reed, and others are trying to get TV time, should a half hour a week go to comedy?

I don’t know the answer, but I’m curious to read your thoughts.

Join us in our live blog and we’ll see if we get any answers to these questions tonight.