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WWE has done a commendable job in the last few months in establishing NXT as the official third brand of the company, alongside Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown. The so-called developmental brand got its big break at the recently concluded Survivor Series pay-per-view, which saw NXT dominate and defeat both the blue and red brands - much to the shock of many fans. But that was not all, as WWE might have some major plans for the Black and Gold brand going forward.
According to WrestleVotes, one of their trusted sources have informed them that NXT will have a role to play at WrestleMania 36, which takes place at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on April 5th, 2020. The source also mentioned that the involvement would not be restricted to NXT TakeOver, but on the actual WrestleMania card.
This certainly looks to be another major step from Vince and Triple H to solidify the legitimacy of NXT, by giving them the chance to showcase their talent at the grandest Sports Entertainment platform in the world. But what could they be planning?
In this article, let's take a look at five such NXT surprises which might be in store for us at the Show of Shows. Be sure to let us know your predictions and theories in the comments section below.
#5 NXT Championship match on the main card
In what could be the simplest thing to bet on, we might see the NXT Championship being defended on the WrestleMania card this year. At Survivor Series last month, the NXT Champion Adam Cole defended his title against Pete Dunne in a match-of-the-night contender, letting the casual fans understand what they are missing by not following NXT.
While there has been a significant increase in NXT's ratings after Survivor Series, they still are in a tight competition with AEW Dynamite. A grand showcase at WrestleMania 36 with the NXT Champion defending his title on the show is sure to attract more eyes to the Black and Gold brand. Imagine someone like Johnny Gargano or Tomasso Ciampa winning the NXT title at the Show of Shows.
#4 An NXT Superstar takes on Triple H at WrestleMania
It is not an overstatement to say that NXT would not have been where it is today without the man who has been the backbone and mentor of these young Superstars throughout their journey on the brand. Yes, we are talking about the founder and senior producer of NXT, Triple H.
The WWE COO started the brand with the vision to change the culture of the company. And looking at the NXT alumni on the main roster, he has been more than successful in achieving that. WWE Network released an amazing documentary earlier this year, titled "Creation and Destruction: Triple H’s Road To Wrestlemania" focusing on his varied roles from a corporate officer to a WWE Superstar.
Despite being a part-timer for the last few years, the 14-time World Champion always laces up his boots during the WrestleMania season for a marquee match at the Show of Shows. What if he clashes with one of his own "family" guys from NXT this year? A match against one of the all-time greats at WrestleMania is sure to boost the career of whoever is the lucky one to get the opportunity.
Superstars like Finn Balor, Tomasso Ciampa, or even Adam Cole could prove to be a great opponent for the Cerebral Assassin, with the seeds being sowed sometime around Royal Rumble. Whom would you want to see take on Triple H?
#3 Four Horsewomen vs Four Horsewomen feud begins
Survivor Series 2019 was headlined by the three women's champions from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT in a triple threat match. Even though the feud involved Bayley as well, the focus seemed to be more towards a budding rivalry between Becky Lynch and Shayna Baszler.
While it was the NXT Women's Champion who won the match by forcing Bayley to submit, the night ended with The Man putting the Queen of Spades through a table and standing tall to close the show. The message was clear - these two are not done yet. This led to the talks of WWE planning for the two to take on each other at WrestleMania 36.
Another major opponent rumored for Lynch at Mania is Ronda Rousey, with whom she already has a lot of bad blood. With her being at odds with these two former MMA fighters, there could not be a better time to kickstart the UFC vs WWE Four Horsewomen feud.
Lynch and Charlotte have been teaming up lately as well, which is a good sign for this rivalry to start - though they need to find out a sensible way to include Sasha Banks and Bayley in the feud too. With the other two UFC horsewomen also being a part of the NXT roster, the company might use it to their advantage with a classic year-long build-up, leading to a grand 4-on-4 match at WrestleMania 37.
#2 Matt Riddle defeats and retires Goldberg
The art of storytelling and engaging the fans into believing that the animosity between the two Superstars fighting it out in the ring is what makes pro-wrestling so captivating. No doubt, the current generation of WWE Superstars are exceptionally talented with their in-ring skills, but when often we see many storylines that make close to no sense.
Thankfully, there still are many yet-to-be explored rivalries which, if done properly, could lead to a memorable feud. The prime example of the above is strife between NXT Superstar Matt Riddle and WWE Hall of Famer, Goldberg. The Original Bro has been very vocal about criticizing Goldberg and his dislike towards the Superstar. Interestingly, WWE has also been teasing a feud between the two for some time now.
In WWE Network's Special - WWE Chronicle Goldberg, the former Universal Champion had a confrontation with Matt Riddle, and the friction between the two was so real. The visual of a displeased Goldberg reminding Riddle "I'm not your BRO" was chilling. Honestly, it would be a missed opportunity if WWE doesn't utilize this and book the two in a proper feud.
A match of this status deserves a stage like WrestleMania and should end with Riddle going over and retiring Goldberg. WWE has a chance to make a big Superstar out of Riddle if they go ahead with this, and potentially set up another dream match between him and Brock Lesnar.
#1 The Royal Rumble winner makes his own rules
The official kickstart of the Road to WrestleMania starts on the night of the Royal Rumble. Taking place on January 26, 2020, in Houston, Texas, the PPV is sure to have major implications on the Show of Shows later in April.
As per the recent rumors, WWE is planning to have 10 entrants each from the three brands on both the Men's and Women's Royal Rumble. While we've seen a couple of NXT Superstars make a one-off appearance at previous Royal Rumbles, this move of having one-third of the participants would establish the brand properly.
Traditionally, the winner of the Royal Rumble has been challenging for either the World title of RAW or SmackDown, but if NXT gets involved this time, could we see a change in the rules? Three interesting cases could happen here! If an NXT Superstar ends up winning the Rumble, he can go on to challenge the NXT Champion at WrestleMania. Or, that could serve as his official call-up and he challenges either of the World Champions on RAW and SmackDown. But the third possibility is the most interesting.
What if a Superstar from RAW and SmackDown wins the Rumble, but instead of choosing the WWE or Universal Champion, he chooses to face the NXT Champion? The same can happen for the Women's Royal Rumble as well. This could prove to be a massive shocker with NXT coming out as a legitimate brand that Superstars prefer to be in. With the many massive and unexpected steps taken by the company recently, one can never say never!
