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The outlook for TakeOver: WarGames 2019 was greatly altered when Finn Balor essentially put Johnny Gargano out of commission with a neck injury. After a shocking heel turn, Balor threw Gargano into the barricade and capped things off by driving Johnny Wrestling's head into the metal entrance ramp.
Since the Demon King and Johnny TakeOver were slated to have a huge match at WarGames, it forced several changes upon the rest of the card for the event. Balor needed a new opponent and it came in the form of Matt Riddle. Riddle was already announced as a member of Tommaso Ciampa's team, but due to the former Universal Champion needing a high-profile opponent, the Bro's subtraction from the cage match was warranted.
After the huge shift in dynamic a few weeks ago, Team Ciampa has still only been operating with 75% of its team. We all know the opposition is the four members of the Undisputed Era but the reveal of the Blackheart's third teammate is being saved for the event itself. Pete Dunne would have made sense but he's in his own match on the card.
Outside of that, the other best options are either "injured", not a part of the NXT roster or possibly stars that haven't debuted yet. With the reveal set to be a huge moment of this weekend, here are six possibilities for how Team Ciampa's fourth member will emerge.
#6 Isaiah "Swerve" Scott
Isaiah "Swerve" Scott surprisingly lost in the first round of the Breakout Tournament earlier this year. He did fall to eventual finalist Cameron Grimes, but it was somewhat of a surprise due to Swerve's status as one of the biggest names in the whole competition.
Since that tournament, he has been a fixture on NXT TV and he clearly has the backing of the NXT Universe. If you've seen his matches, then it's easy to see why. He's explosive, exciting, charismatic and is a tough out for any opponent.
There are a few reasons why Scott would be an ideal choice for the final member of Team Ciampa. The first is that he's a high-flyer and has competed in insane matches like WarGames before. Just Google his Weapons of Mass Destruction matches from Lucha Underground. There are often dangerous spots from atop the cage and Scott would be perfect for those.
He also had an amazing match with Dominik Dijakovic a few weeks ago on NXT. The fact that he'd bring a different dynamic to the match can't be understated as the likes of Adam Cole and Ricochet have performed moves off of the cage in past years. Swerve belongs further up the card, and a great showing in the cage would propel him further up the food chain in NXT.
#5 Someone from the main roster
Another option for a team member comes from outside of NXT. Firstly, Triple H has tried to coax both Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens to come back to NXT instead of staying on RAW. Rollins eventually rebuked the Game's offer. Owens, as the Cerebral Assassin stated, "didn't fit the mold" of what management sees as a Superstar yet is just as good as or even better than Rollins.
Owens didn't officially answer the Game, but was instead attacked by which group? The Undisputed Era. Triple H seemed somewhat upset that Owens was unable to respond to his offer due to Adam Cole and his goons attacking the Prizefighter. In theory, it would make sense for Owens to somehow join the Game on either Saturday or Sunday this weekend.
The former Universal Champion would certainly want some revenge for TUE's actions and maybe the Game pays him back with a spot on Team Ciampa. Owens also has a history with Cole as a member of Mount Rushmore back on the indies. Things could also be compounded with Team RAW being reluctant to trust Owens the next night and it could set the stage for him to turn on the red team.
Drew McIntyre would make some sense as a one off due to his history with TUE. Adam Cole made his NXT debut after McIntyre lost the NXT title. Cole, Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish beat him down after a match. McIntyre "paid Cole back" in a way this past week with a Claymore kick during the episode-ending melee. Is he possibly out for some more revenge?
# 4 Tyler Bate
Just like his friend Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate has moved from NXT UK to NXT. He hasn't had as big a presence, but he's been featured by Dunne's side at various points. The Strongman has also been a part of the Bruiserweight's feud with Killian Dain and Damian Priest.
Bate has not really been seen much on TV over the last few weeks, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility if he shows back up to make an impact. He's hugely over with the crowd and would get a great pop if he was revealed as the final member.
Another reason why he would make logical sense is two-fold. He's a face for one, and the other reason is that he has history with The Undisputed Era. Back during one of Fish and O'Reilly's first reigns as NXT Tag Team Champs, they had a series of fantastic matches against Bate and Trent Seven. Mustache Mountain even won the titles in the feud last summer. The duo would eventually drop the belts back to the likes of TUE but both matches were among the best of the year in all of WWE.
Due to that history, it would be easy to understand why he'd be a fit with the team. They will always have that history to call back to and Bate is a big enough name to make sense in the match. His presence could also start him on a run in NXT just like Dunne, and perhaps a future shot at either Roderick Strong or Adam Cole.
#3 Kushida
The former NJPW star had been feuding with another group, Imperium, and it was in that battle that he allegedly injured his wrist. The Wrestling Observer states that it was a hairline fracture and that he'd be out about a month. Since the Observer also reports that the injury actually took place before the storyline injury, he could feasibly return at any time. It just depends on which storyline NXT bookers want to put the Timesplitter in.
When it comes to big names that would both make sense and pop the crowd, Kushida would fit both bills. He's a smaller, physical guy who has had great striking showcases with O'Reilly in the past. Kushida might be thrust more into the Cruiserweight division, but that would be a mistake. He should be involved in main-event feuds and ones with groups like the Undisputed Era.
The Timesplitter has been out of action for over a month, but his injury isn't as serious as a head, neck or back injury. He might have a cast on but Cole has been wrestling with a type of cast for the last few months. It all depends on the severity of his injury and how fast he could heal. Kushida hasn't had a huge match at a TakeOver event and this could be a spot where he gets his chance.
#2 Someone who hasn't debuted yet
In terms of stars that haven't debuted with the company, the two biggest names that stick out to me would be Austin Theory, since he's the biggest name currently at the Performance Center, and John Morrison.
Theory was a staple in Evolve and was featured during the tile unification event on the WWE Network. He won the WWN title to go along with the Evolve Championship. Theory was also shown in the stands at TakeOver: Toronto in August. Since his signing, the former dual Champ has been performing at NXT house shows. Could his debut with the yellow and black brand be saved for a huge event? Or is his time on NXT proper still a ways away?
In terms of Morrison, he has no ties to NXT but has reportedly signed a new deal with WWE. That was almost two months ago, but nothing has come from it. While I think he should and might be going right to the main roster, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility if he returned in grandiose fashion at WarGames.
If he did show up, he'd immediately be received as a face. He's also a Parkour master and that's something that would play well into the WarGames structure. One of our own star analysts, Gary Cassidy, also has some feelings regarding a possible Morrison appearance at WarGames.
#1 The Velveteen Dream
The most logical name to become the final member of Team Ciampa is the Velveteen Dream. He's somewhat of a tweener due to his character, but he has primarily been battling heels over the last year. He lost his NXT North American Championship to Strong and TUE continued to target the Purple Powerman even after Strong won the title.
One of the biggest moments on NXT on USA was when it was revealed that TUE had attacked Dream and that they left him out lying on his back. That caused Dream to miss time due to an apparent back injury. Both the former North American Champ and Kushida were on NXT's injury report after the October 10th episode of NXT. A huge melee took place on the episode and even Joaquin Wilde suffered an unfortunate orbital injury. According to the Wrestling Observer, Dream would likely be out longer due to a back injury, but you just never know in pro wrestling.
He could have suffered that injury prior to the attack and it was more than likely a way to write him off of TV so that he could recover. What better way to make a grand return than during TakeOver: WarGames? Dream is known for grandiose appearances and entrances and it just wouldn't be right if he wasn't involved in some fashion during Survivor Series weekend.
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