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NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver is set to take place this week. It is the first time that WWE's Black and Gold brand is hosting a two-day event. There are multiple championships on the line over the two days, including the NXT Championship and the women's title.
As well as this, there have been two musical guests announced for NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver. Guitarist Nita Strauss, who famously played Shinsuke Nakamura to the ring at WrestleMania 34 will be performing the American National Anthem to open the show. NXT favorite Poppy will be treating fans to a performance of a brand-new song on night two of the event.
With eleven matches announced for the card, including the preshow, it's set to be one of the biggest NXT TakeOvers yet. Here is the build-up to every match at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver ranked.
#11 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver - Toni Storm vs Zoey Stark
Toni Storm and NXT newcomer Zoey Stark will be battling it out on the preshow of night one. There hasn't been much time to build this, as it was announced the day before NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver would start.
In spite of this, Toni Storm and Zoey Stark are two women who always deliver, and they certainly feel as though they are the future of the women's division in WWE. Although there has been virtually no build towards this match, the two are certain to deliver.
#10 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver - Jordan Devlin vs Santos Escobar, undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Championship match
Before the COVID-19 pandemic forced Jordan Devlin off NXT, he was reigning as the NXT Crusierweight Champion. Santos Escobar won the tournament to determine the interim champion, and has held the title ever since.
Now that Jordan Devlin has been able to return to the States, a match has been set to decide who will be the undisputed Cruiserweight Champion.
Things have been heated between the pair over the past few weeks, and the stakes were upped when Shawn Michaels suggested that the bout should be changed to a ladder match. As good as the build has been between the pair, it has taken a bit of a backseat in comparison to other matches on the card as NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver has drawn closer.
#9 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver - Johnny Gargano vs. Gauntlet Eliminator winner for the NXT North American Championship
The challenger for the North American Championship at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver will be determined on night one of the pay-per-view. The winner will go head-to-head with Johnny Gargano on night two, with the title on the line.
It's hard to build towards a match when the challenger is still unknown. However, Gargano is a star who has had stand-out matches at a lot of NXT TakeOver events, so the expectations for the three-time North American Champion are always high.
#8 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver - Six-man Gauntlet Eliminator match (winner will face Johnny Gargano for the North American Championship)
Something that NXT always delivers on are their number-one contender matches. Some of the most memorable moments from the Black and Gold Brand over the years have been from their multi-competitor matches.
On night one of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, six men will battle it out for a shot at the North American Championship on night two. Former champion Leon Ruff will be involved along with Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Bronson Reed, Cameron Grimes, Gargano's current rival Dexter Lumis and NXT newbie LA Knight.
#7 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver - Pete Dunne vs Kushida
Pete Dunne versus Kushida is one of the matches on the NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver card that doesn't involve a title. However, Dunne and Kushida are two men who have been consistent in their recent pay-per-view outings.
The build-up for this match has been short, having only been announced a week ago. Despite the short build, the rivalry stemmed from a great moment when the two men eliminated each other from the 12-man battle royal. They went over the top rope together, with Dunne trapped in Kushida's Hoverboard Lock.
The two men are set to battle it out to determine who is the best technical wrestler, and it could be a show-stealer.
#6 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver - Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart vs The Way, NXT Women's Tag Team Championship
The women's tag team championship is the newest title created in NXT, following the inaugural women's Dusty Rhodes Classic tournament. Unlike WWE's main roster, NXT appears to be more invested in the women's tag team division, and has built bona-fide teams.
The rivalry between Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon and their challengers The Way has been great to see, with the two pairings being depicted as a threat as NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver draws closer.
#5 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, MSK vs Grizzled Young Veterans vs Legado Del Fantasma for the vacant NXT Tag Team Championship
After the NXT Tag Team Championship was vacated by Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan following an injury, this triple threat match was made for NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver.
All three teams have been putting in great showings on NXT over the past few weeks. As well as this, all of the duos have had strong momentum heading into the upcoming TakeOver. MSK and Grizzled Young Veterans shone in the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and Legado Del Fantasma has continued to be dominant week in, week out.
#4 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver - Finn Balor vs Karrion Kross (with Scarlett), NXT Championship
Finn Balor and Karrion Kross are two of the biggest names in NXT right now. Balor has reignited his career by moving back to the Black and Gold Brand, and has been a fantastic champion. It has also been great to see Kross finally back in action following his injury at NXT TakeOver: XXX.
The rivalry between Finn Balor and Karrion Kross has been great to see on NXT over the past few weeks. Scarlett's involvement has also added another layer to this as well. Balor vs Kross has had a strong build over the past month on NXT, even with the played-out "tag partners and rivals" angle that was briefly part of the story.
#3 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, WALTER vs Tommaso Ciampa, NXT UK Championship
WALTER has made a huge impact since his return to television, and subsequently, since his championship match was announced for NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver. The stakes are high between WALTER and Ciampa, as there is not only the NXT UK Championship on the line, but Timothy Thatcher is also involved, with the champion wanting him for Imperium.
WALTER is one of the most exciting stars of NXT right now, and Ciampa has been consistent as one of the top talents of the Black and Gold brand for years. Given the high stakes between the pair, this could be one of the best matches of the two nights.
#2 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, Io Shirai vs Raquel Gonzalez, NXT Women's Championship
Io Shirai has been NXT Women's Champion for almost a year. Since she won the championship at NXT TakeOver: In Your House from Charlotte Flair, she has torn through the women's division of the brand, defeating pretty much every woman in her path.
The rivalry between Shirai and Gonzalez has been bubbling over the past few months, ever since Gonzalez pinned Shirai at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. The two women have been warring on NXT ever since Gonzalez and Dakota Kai lost the tag team titles to Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart.
The rivalry between the two women feels like the biggest of Shirai's title reign, and is a worthy headliner for night one.
#1 NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, Adam Cole vs Kyle O'Reilly
The implosion of the Undisputed ERA has been one of the biggest moments in NXT history. The faction had been pretty much running NXT over the past few years, so to see them come to blows has been a long time coming.
Over the past few months, Kyle O'Reilly has been being built as a singles competitor, and also as a babyface. Seeing Adam Cole finally turn on O'Reilly has set up potentially one of the biggest ever rivalries on the brand, and the momentum has been building up more and more recently.
The rivalry between Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly has been captivating for fans, and it will be great to see the pair finally come to blows in their unsanctioned match at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver.
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