We knew coming into the Oct. 25 episode of NXT that one championship match for next month’s TakeOver: War Games (which isn’t even called that in continuity yet) would be settled, but officially learning another is a bit of a surprise.
It didn’t even happen on the show, although most of the set-up occurred there. Instead, General Manager William Regal went ahead and turned a planned face-off between NXT champion Drew McIntyre and Andrade “Cien” Almas into a contract signing:
EXCLUSIVE: #WWENXT GM @RealKingRegal has announced that @AndradeCienWWE will challenge #NXTChampion @DMcIntyreWWE at #NXTTakeOver! pic.twitter.com/vqwnbcOj8q
— WWE (@WWE) October 26, 2017
That’s a bit of a bummer, as the build has focused on the champ wanting Andrade to ask him personally for the match instead of repeatedly sending his associate Zelina Vega, but it gets us to McIntyre vs. Almas, so it’s all good. It also gets us away from all the “be a man” talk on a show where the women are clearly every bit as tough as the performers with those balls us dudes are always going on about...
This, of course, joins the already announced Fatal 4Way for the vacant Women’s title, which after this week’s battle royal victory for Nikki Cross, we now know will involve SAnitY’s Scottish Psychopath, Ember Moon, Peyton Royce and Mae Young Classic winner Kairi Sane.
It's official: #SAnitY's @NikkiCrossWWE is going to Houston! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/pFTYT06QJE
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) October 26, 2017
Not a bad card so far, eh?