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At NXT Takeover: Portland, Adam Cole successfully defended his NXT Championship against Tommaso Ciampa in a match that has divided opinions within the IWC. While the in-ring action in the match received unanimous praise, a lot of people took umbrage to the fact that the match was laden with far too many false finishes. The ending that saw Johnny Gargano turn on his DIY partner, Ciampa, clocking him with the NXT Title for Cole to pin him didn't sit well with a lot of fans. Following the event, The Leader of The Undisputed Era was left with gold on his waist among the quartet as Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly lost the NXT Tag Team Championship to Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle.
Ever since winning the NXT Championship from Johnny Gargano at NXT Takeover: XXV, Adam Cole has been on quite a run as the top dog of the black and yellow brand. The Panama City Playboy has successfully defended the title across all three brands. Cole has defeated the likes of Johnny Gargano, Matt Riddle, Daniel Bryan, Finn Balor and Tommaso Ciampa on route to becoming one of the greatest NXT Champions. Cole has been the flagbearer for the brand as it has gone from being a developmental show to a legitimate.
With NXT Women's Championship being defended at WrestleMania 36, there needs to a big-time match for the Men's title at NXT Takeover:Tampa Bay, the night before The Showcase of Immortals.
Here are four potential opponents for Adam Cole at NXT Takeover: Tampa Bay:
#4 Damian Priest
The Puerto Rican Powerhouse has been a revelation on the Black and Gold brand. The former Punishment Martinez was considered by many to be a good hand during his time in Ring of Honor. He had a good look and could go in the ring but something was missing from his character. When he debuted for NXT late last year, no one expected Priest to be a major player on the Black and Gold brand.
But, the man billed from New York City has proven us all wrong. Martinez was repackaged as 'Damian Priest' earlier this year. He has had some excellent matches on NXT TV and has one of the best entrances in the company. Damian Priest is among one of the many big men in NXT who are incredibly agile. But, what makes him stand out is his character work. Whether it be the way he walks to the ring or his deep baritone, one cannot help but be captivated by Damian Priest.
With Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa feuding against one another, this leaves the door open for someone like Priest to challenge Cole for the brand's top prize. Although the heel vs heel dynamic here might look a bit odd, if there is one brand that could make something like this work, it is NXT.
#3 Tyler Bate
One of the founding fathers of NXT UK, Tyler Bate is one of the most well-rounded performers in the company. The inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion had a great 2019 having some excellent matches. His UK title match against WALTER at NXT UK Takeover: Cardiff was one of the best matches of 2019.
The 22-year old has done almost everything there is to achieve in WWE's UK division. NXT is currently short on babyfaces who could Challenge Cole for the NXT Title. Tomasso Ciampa is currently embroiled in a feud against Johnny Gargano while Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle are a part of the tag division. It's about time that Bate makes the jump to NXT like British Strong teammate, Pete Dunne.
Bate is someone who is a natural babyface. His impeccable skills inside the ring coupled with his charming personality have endeared fans all across the globe. We have previously seen him and Trent Seven going up against The Undisputed Era. Bate and Seven captured the NXT Tag Team Championship from The UE during day two of the 2nd Annual WWE UK Championship Tournament. They would lose it a few days later on the July 11, 2018 episode of NXT TV. So, there is history between Bate and members of the UE.
Bate vs Cole is a dream match for many in the WWE Universe. They are two of the best in the business at the moment and given their recent track record, this one is going to be a sure shot classic.
#2 Velveteen Dream
The Washington-native has been a constant thorn in the Undisputed Era's path for the past few months. Velveteen Dream's first encounter with the stable was last year when Roderick Strong challenged him for the North American Championship.
The eccentric Superstar would retain his championship in a Triple Threat Match against Strong and Pete Dunne at NXT Takeover: Toronto, pinning Dunne to score the victory. This lead to Strong once again challenging Dream for the title on the debut episode of NXT on the USA Network on September 18, 2019.
Strong would defeat Dream to capture the NXT North American Championship. Velveteen would suffer a back injury during the match. The Undisputed Era would attack him backstage thereby writing him off TV. The former NXT North American Championship returned to the Black and Gold brand on the February 5 episode of NXT. He would attack the UE and lay out Strong before tearing off his tights to reveal the spraypainted picture of Strong's wife, Marina and his son with 'Call me up Marina' written on the back.
Velveteen defeated Strong on this week's episode of NXT but before he got a moment to celebrate, the UE attacked him and Strong laid him out with an 'End of Heartache'. The feud between Dream and the members of The UE seems to be far from over. Following his victory over Strong, it would be logical for Dream to call out Cole and challenge him for the NXT Title at NXT Takeover: Tampa.
Despite his somewhat heel-ish antics, Dream continues to be one of the most over stars on the third brand. He is a character unlike any other on NXT and it's about time that he gets the main-event push that he deserves.
#1 Finn Balor
The longest reigning NXT Champion of all time, Finn Balor returned to the brand on October 2, 2019, episode of NXT TV. Balor's move to the black and gold brand has infused new life into the Irishman's career. Despite being on the main roster for over three years, Balor was never presented as a main event player on either RAW and SmackDown. The inaugural Universal Champion was aa upper mid-carder for the majority of his run on the main roster.
But, since his arrival on NXT, Balor's presentation has undergone a massive overhaul. Not only does the Balor feels like a top dog, his character work and promos have also been top-notch. Balor's heel turn coupled with his new demeanor with throwbacks to his heel character in New Japan has an absolute joy to watch. The Irishman has been almost unstoppable since reappearing on Full Sail.
Balor had previously challenged Cole for the NXT Championship on the December 18, 2018 episode of NXT. Balor dominated the majority of the match and was within inches of putting down the NXT Champion before an impromptu appearance by Johnny Gargano led to the referee being distracted which allowed Cole to low-blow the PrinXe and hit The Last Shot for the win.
Balor finally got one over Gargano after he defeated 'The Rebelheart' at NXT Takeover: Portland. While Cole has been a great Champion, putting the title on a red-hot Balor, who is the most renowned star on the roster, seems to be the next logical step. If their match was any indication, Cole vs Balor II is going to be nothing short of a MOTY contender.
