'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It wasn't long after the curtain closed on NXT TakeOver: War Games that Triple H was promoting the next event in the acclaimed series, NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.
Scheduled to take place the night before the Royal Rumble, TakeOver: Philadelphia will be a seminal event for establishing the year to come on NXT programming. What matches would be ideal for NXT's next big show?
With a card of seven bouts - two for the pre-show which will air on NXT the following week and five for the main show, the first TakeOver of 2018 wouldn't go far wrong airing one or more of these matches.
#1. Kairi Sane vs. Nikki Cross (Pre-Show)
After failing to capture the NXT Women's Championship in the fatal 4 way in Houston, Kairi Sane and Nikki Cross appear to be without direction for the moment. Thus, it wouldn't be the worst decision in the world to set up a collision between two of NXT's most popular women, and I'm not the only one suggesting this idea.
Although it would essentially be a conflict between two babyfaces, their vastly different personas and styles alone would make for a great program.
Added to their diametrical personalities would be the Undisputed Era lurking in the background. The feud with SAnity still ongoing, it would be fascinating to see if Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O'Reilly would attempt to turn the lovable Pirate Princess to the dark side. This would fail and plant the seeds for some animosity between the two.
The NXT Women's Championship picture for 2018 seems fairly clear, and a meeting between Ember Moon and Kairi Sane in New Orleans or, at the latest, Brooklyn, appears inevitable, leaving the Pirate Princess an opportunity to go over in style.
#2. Lars Sullivan vs. Cezar Bononi (Pre-Show)
After a dominant performance against Kassius Ohno, Lars Sullivan doesn't look like he'll be stopped anytime soon. A series of squash matches against jobbers will certainly occupy his time for the next few months, as it's likely still too soon to insert him into any feud with more prominent people or the title picture. Yet, at the same time, it's important to keep building his momentum.
Right now, Cezar Bononi looks like the only one who can credibly give Sullivan a fight at this part of his journey. The 6'8" bruiser looks the part and this would give him a bigger stage to show what he can do.
Perhaps this runs longer than the match with Kassius Ohno did, but it would inevitably have a similar result. After taking Sullivan off his feet a few times, Bononi takes a Freak Accident for the pin.
#3. Pete Dunne vs. Velveteen Dream (United Kingdom Championship)
With his star-making performance in one of the best matches of 2017 at NXT TakeOver: War Games, it's imperative that Velveteen Dream gets another high profile opportunity in the spotlight. With the feud with Aleister Black likely at its end, where does he go from here?
Why not right into a match with Pete Dunne, another top performer who had the best match of 2017?
The story behind the match could be equally as enthralling as the one behind his encounter with Aleister Black. Pete Dunne, too, is as close to a polar opposite to Velveteen Dream as one can get. The gritty, no-cares-given "Bruiserweight" is about as different from the ostentatious, flamboyant Vainglorious One as the day is from the night.
It wouldn't take much to get the Dream into a championship opportunity. Perhaps Pete Dunne demands someone who will give him a good fight, or Velveteen Dream unexpectedly wins a title opportunity with a qualifying match. Either way, we'd get an entertaining feud, and likely a very early contender for next year's match of the year.
Pete Dunne would obviously go over, but it would be another way to make Velveteen Dream look great in defeat and further cement his place as a rapidly rising star.
#4. Aleister Black vs. Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano has fallen on hard times lately but in the right way. One of NXT's most popular performers, he's had a string of high profile losses since #DIY broke up. He's always put up a great fight but fell just short of the goal.
To prove he's worthy of being an NXT Championship contender in the future, he should demand a match with none other than the undefeated Aleister Black, which General Manager William Regal will grant him.
Gargano would enter this match as the ultimate underdog and obviously lose in a thrilling contest, keeping him a sympathetic and endearing figure that a big payoff in the future would pay dividends for.
In the meantime, the Undisputed Era could be at work too, much as they were with Roderick Strong, saying that for Gargano to get anywhere, he would need to be a part of "our era." It would be here where Aleister Black could have his first encounters with Adam Cole and his band, and thus set up what should be the major feud in NXT for the coming year.
#5. SAnity vs. the Undisputed Era (NXT Tag Team Championship)
Of all the potential matches for the next TakeOver, this is the most probable. It's been building since SAnity handed the Authors of Pain their first loss and took the tag team gold in Brooklyn.
No sooner had the deed been done than Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly ambushed both victors and defeated alike. While the gold wasn't on the line at War Games in Houston, that will surely change in Philadelphia, and by virtue of their victory in the double cage, the Undisputed Era must be the #1 contenders.
This will be a total war, but the only logical outcome would be to continue building the Undisputed Era's momentum by having them walk away with the titles in tow. The feud with SAnity could easily be dragged on until a rematch in New Orleans.
The Undisputed Era's night shouldn't end here though, far from it.
#6. Ember Moon vs. Bianca Belair (NXT Women's Championship)
The collision with Kairi Sane being the marquee NXT women's program for 2018, TakeOver: Philadelphia will essentially function as a mere pitstop for NXT Women's Champion Ember Moon. To make the most of this, it would be wise to give a prominent spotlight to one of the rising stars in NXT's women's division, and there's no bigger one right now than Bianca Belair.
Impressing everyone in possibly the standout match in the Mae Young Classic with eventual winner Kairi Sane, Bianca Belair has continued to shine every time she's been put on NXT television. She should thus be given an opportunity at the gold in Philadelphia.
Though she's certain to lose, inserting Bianca into a high profile match with Ember Moon would be the next major step up for her career, beginning her transition into one of the top players in the division in 2018.
#7. Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Roderick Strong vs. Adam Cole (NXT Championship)
As alluded to earlier, the best story to tell in NXT's main event scene in 2018 would be Aleister Black going against Adam Cole. Both men are extremely over and have made a huge impact. Adam Cole and his gang of outlaws against the mysterious, brooding Aleister Black draws more than a few shades of Sting going against Hulk Hogan and the nWo 20 years ago, and it would be fascinating to see NXT's take on this classic tale.
To begin weaving this story, Adam Cole needs to capture the NXT Championship at the earliest possible opportunity. The prevailing wisdom was that he would take it from Drew McIntyre, who after all, he laid out upon his championship victory in Brooklyn. McIntyre's injury has thrown a monkey wrench into those plans, but oddly, it seems that he was supposed to drop the title to Andrade "Cien" Almas anyway.
There are rumours that Adam Cole will indeed be Almas' next opponent, but the heel vs. heel dynamic could be a bit confusing. Instead, it might work better if Roderick Strong, who already has a beef with Adam Cole, found himself inserted into the title picture as well. It would tie up some loose ends, invite a potential heel turn from Strong which many expected at TakeOver: War Games, and create a less confusing alignment dynamic going into the match. It would also add heat to the Undisputed Era and save Almas, who seemed like a transitional champion the moment he won the title, from looking too weak.
Given these potential advantages, it might be best to do a triple threat match for the NXT Championship for the first time in a long while. The idea should be to set up Black vs. Cole and start to build the mountain for the dark hero to overcome as high as possible.
