Is NXT Takeover: New York 2019 going to be better than WrestleMania 35? Probably.
With a match card this strong- and NXT’s consistency with work rate- this year’s Takeover is easily better than the Mania card. Which, in some ways, is a pity; but it’s not all bad news either.
Firstly, there is the explosive contest between Pete Dunne and Walter. It’s hard to say if this will be a long match or whether Walter will squash Dunne to finally end his historic title reign. Whatever the outcome, the fans win out in terms of sheer spectacle.
The NXT women’s scene has been robust as well. Shayna Baszler has spent most of her second stint as the champion waylaying any woman she can get her hands on. Her fellow horsewomen Maria Shafir and Jessamyn Duke have helped her in her rampage; but even as she stands dominant, Shayna still has to deal with Kairi Sane, Io Shirai and Bianca Belair all at once.
The North American title match looks potent, though it may fall short of spectacle when compared to the other matches. Matt Riddle has proved that he is more than solid in the NXT ring, and a title win against Velveteen Dream should add to his credibility. Dream, on the other hand, could absorb a title loss, since he has a lot less to prove. But a retention at Takeover: New York could prolong this feud for a couple of more months.
There is also the tag team title match, and honestly, it’s difficult to tell whether the War Raiders will retain or if Aleister Black and Ricochet will cause a major upset. Their impromptu team up has been very fun to watch, on both NXT and the main roster. Unfortunately though, there is little left to do for either of them before they get called up for good. So my smart money is on the War Raiders winning this feud, if not at New York, then eventually in a rematch.
It’s unfortunate that Tomasso Ciampa can’t compete in the event. His long term rivalry with Gargano was poised to culminate this WrestleMania weekend. Gargano still has the chance to win the vacant NXT Championship, but he will have to do it by fighting off Adam Cole.
Cole has worked out very, very well in NXT since his debut.
However, like Gargano mentioned in an intense promo, the management has always known that Cole is a dependable and entertaining guy, and thus have treated him accordingly from the very beginning. Gargano, however, has been here longer, climbing through the rungs of the NXT ladder step by step.
From competing in the Cruiserweight tournament to winning the NXT Tag titles as part of DIY, every victory Gargano has gained has been gained through perseverence and hard work. I am not saying that Adam Cole’s body of work doesn’t exhibit the same values, but his life has been a lot easier, since he started from the top, in a sense, as the leader of the Undisputed Era.
Adam Cole has proven that he can carry a brand as a multi-time ROH Champion. His run with the Bullet Club was also solid, if a bit unremarkable. Even if you count just his NXT run, Cole has showed remarkable potential with the feuds and matches he was given: from the two War Games classics to the ladder match last year where he won the North American title to make history.
But Gargano’s story is far more potent. He is the most natural babyface this side of Daniel Bryan, and with a story that’s this compelling, you want to see Gargano finally win the big one.
Whatever the outcome, Takeover: New York 2019 is sure to set the tempo for the main Mania show. I am as psyched as anyone about this WrestleMania weekend: hope you guys have a lot of fun too!