Sean: It’s the Sean & Shawn Takeover Mania Weekend Show !
All Title Matches ! You get a title shot ! And you get a title
Shot !
Shawn: Wait… I get a title shot? SHAWN PUFF BAY-BAY! Let me stop before I get us a cease and desist. It’s Mania weekend and I’m locked in the man-cave for the duration. Don’t knock unless you brought pizza and beer cause it’s time for Takeover!!!
Johnny Gargano v Adam Cole
Sean: This has been a lllloooonnng time coming for Johnny. Will be FINALLY capture the big prize ? But will it really “count” since it won’t be against his arch nemesis Ciampa ? Will Adam Cole and his obnoxious charm stop Johnny in his tracks ? Like most Takeover shows, this match can go either way and that’s the beauty of NXT. Cole deserves a run with the belt so all incoming challengers would get a shot to shut him up, where if Johnny wins he can then fight to keep his belt until Ciampa comes back for the final pay off. Since it’s 2 out of 3 falls, The Undisputed Era will cost Johnny his opportunity because he always does one thing that keeps him from winning. Cole wins.
Shawn: Johnny Apple Pie. His theme song reminds me of American Pie or Crazy Taxi. Not exactly intimidating or threatening. Oh well. Kind of don’t care about this guy anymore. Of course Adam Cole is that dude. BAY-BAY!!! It looked like Johnny was going to the main roster to be buried until Ciampa suffered his injury. I’m hope this is his last match in NXT before they send him to waste away in obscurity on 205 Live. Kyle O’Reilly said at Evolve 125 that the UE will be around Evolve more in the future, so I’d say a call-up for them isn’t in the cards, soooo… My brother-from-another-mother-and-father has it right. The Era will cost Johnny Failure the match and the title. Adam Cole is your NEW NXT Champion BAY-BAY!!!
Velveteen Dream (Champ) vs Matt Riddle
Sean: Dream has stepped up against every obstacle in his path. Even when he loses, he comes out looking better. This kid is destined for greatness. His first title defense and it’s against the X factor that is Matt Riddle. Matt is undefeated with a lot of momentum behind him though. Will the Original Bro overwhelm the Dream, choking the title reign out of him, or will it be Dream Over for the winning streak, BRO? Dream matches tend to steal the show, and I expect that when the bell rings the Dream will be victorious – BRO.
Shawn: Yes to all of this. The Dream IS OVER. This kid is the future all the way. But then you have the undisputed King of Bros Matt Riddle. Bro. This is going to be a clash that will most likely steal the show and probably be the number one WWE match this weekend. This is a hard one to predict. Riddle is undefeated but this is only the Dream’s first title defense. Isn’t it too early to take it from him? Hold on. I need to tap into my inner Bro… … There we go. Now that I’ve ‘stimulated my mind’ I’ve got this figured out bro… It’s well past time for the Dream to find his way to the main roster. Hopefully they don’t misuse him like they’ve done with, oh I don’t know, EVERYONE else. It’s Dream over in NXT and time to bring the Velveteen Experience to SmackDown. Riddle walks out of New York your new North America Champion bro. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. …. No seriously. This is some good stuff, bro.
Shayna Baszler (Champion) v Bianca Belair v Io Shirai v Kari Sane
Sean: God gawd ! This is going to be high spot city ! These four are going to try to kill each other. Baszler’s deathgrip on this title is almost as strong has her grip on her opponents throats as she chokes them out. Bianca is still equally dangerous as she is delusional. The Pirates are just as dangerous. This match can and will go in all directions. In the end, Kari Sane comes out on top with the belt as Shayna heads up to help out her buddy Ronda.
Shawn: This one is going to be insanity. I don’t even know where to start, but then again, I’m still a little light headed from that last one. Talk about ‘high’ spots. Sean has this one right to some degree. We all know this is it for Shayna. I’m not convinced Ronnie is going home after Mania and Baszler showing up to get her homegirl’s back is pretty much a definite from my view. That leaves the other three. Kairi had her run already and I don’t think it makes sense to put the title back on her right now. So we’re down to two. Bianca Belair has the mindset that she is un-de-fea-ted and we’ll see why in New York, when she gets the pinfall and leaves the city that never sleeps as the new wo-mens-cham-pion. That doesn’t quite work as well but you get it.
The War Raiders v Aleister Black & Ricochet
Sean: There isn’t much to say. This will be a bump fest – with the WR doing power spots AND high flying Impact craziness while Black & Ricochet are already headed to Mania for ANOTHER car crash type match. B&R better not be looking past the WR though. If they do ? They won’t be making it to Mania in one piece. War Raiders will take all that Black & Rico throw at them – but power and speed will help them keep those belts a bit longer.
Shawn: I’m not sure which will be the bigger spot fest but I’m going to go with this match. This team should be called the Spot Monkeys because that’s all they’ve become. A thrown together team with no rhyme or reason that is getting shoved down our throats with the same string of spots week after week and match after match. I mean, they had a RAW Tag Title shot last week against the Revival. They’re going for the SmackDown Tag Titles at Mania against the Usos, The Bar and Roode & Gable. Do you really think they have a shot here? We’ll see all the usual spots from these two but in the end they won’t be able to get by the War Raiders. Stick a fork in them and and send them to Mania. The War Raiders will still be NXT Tag Team Champions.
Pete Dunn (Champion) v WALTER
Sean: Look, I love me some Pete Dunn. Loved him when he first arrived in NXT. He’s beaten everyone in his way. He’s run through all on-comers. Faster, younger, more experienced, bigger, stronger – didn’t matter. They all succumbed to the Bitter end and has made Pete the longest reigning champion in recent history. But that title run is about to come to an abrupt stop. WALTER is not a man to be trifled with. The Ring Admiral is going to be too much for the Bruiserweight. Fight as hard and as long as you can Pete / your very life depends on it. WALTER will dominate.
Hope everyone enjoys their Wrestlemania Weekend !
Shawn: I haven’t done my due diligence to keep up with what’s going on on NXT UK but I know all about the Bruiserweight and WALTER. This match is going to be BRUTAL. I can’t wait to see the type of pain these two put each other through. I expect a lot of “Fight Forever” chants and two very beat up dudes when this one is over. Grab some popcorn and a couple beers and sit down because this one is going to be everything you expect and more. Dunne has had a more than impressive title reign but all good things must come to an end and WALTER’s time is now. New Champ.