NXT Takeover: New York match card predictions

NXT Takeover: New York will take place on Friday, April 5, 2019, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It will be right before WrestleMania 35 and as a result of that, it is a really important pay per view.

The pay per view will likely feature several big matches involving some of NXT's top competitors including Johnny Gargano, NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, Ricochet, NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler, Aleister Black, NXT Tag Team Champions the War Raiders, Adam Cole, and NXT North American Champion the Velveteen Dream.

All of NXT's titles will obviously be defended on this pay per view. The two matches that WWE is expected to tape at the show for the episode of WWE NXT that follows NXT Takeover should be Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong and the Brit-Arm Bruisers vs the European Union. While Riddle does not have a high profile feud to get him on the NXT Takeover card, he can still face off with the Undisputed Era member in the main event of the post-Takeover episode of NXT.

But which matches will feature on the main Takevover card? Here are the most likely choices:

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#1. Dominik Dijakovic vs Keith Lee

These two superstars recently faced off on an episode of NXT.

Dominik Dijakovic and Keith Lee gained a lot of attention after they had a five-star match on the independent scene a couple of years ago. They are now two breakout stars in WWE's yellow brand that are just waiting for the opportunity to truly shine.

The two superstars stole the show on this past week's episode in a match that displayed heavy athleticism that the crowd was incredibly behind. Both men have a deceptive amount of speed for their size and that allowed the crowd to be heavily invested in the match. The bout ended in a double count-out after Dijakovic hit a springboard moonsault to the outside. After having a match that got the crowd well invested, the two superstars deserve the opportunity to do so once again on a bigger stage.

#2. NXT North American Championship: The Velveteen Dream (c.) vs Adam Cole

The Velveteen Dream has started a rivalry with Adam Cole and the rest of the Undisputed Era.

The Velveteen Dream is now the NXT North American Champion. He defeated Johnny Gargano in a great match and now has to focus on defending his newly-won title. Because WWE seems to be moving away from the automatic rematch clause, it is likely that Dream will be given a fresh opponent at NXT Takeover: New York.

Johnny Gargano was never able to successfully retain his championship against anyone on NXT TV and had just won the championship from Ricochet at NXT Takeover: Phoenix. Therefore, the Velveteen Dream has to find fresh competition and that competition should come in the form of the first ever NXT North American Champion in Adam Cole. The two faced off with each other on a recent episode of NXT and w predict the two can have an awesome match if given the chance.

#3. NXT Women's Championship: Shayna Baszler (c.) vs Io Shirai

Shayna Baszler and Io Shirai once faced off on Stardom.

Shayna Baszler is the Queen of Spades and the Queen of the NXT Women's Division. She has defeated every single woman that has stepped up to challenge her. Someone needs to raise their levels and defeat her and that woman should be Io Shirai.

Shirai may have lost in the second ever Mae Young Classic but since then, she has only managed to gain a lot of momentum. She has already become a main part of NXT and even got an upset pinfall over Shayna Baszler in a six-woman tag team match when she teamed with Bianca Belair and Kairi Sane against Baszler, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke.

Shirai is set to face Bianca Belair in two weeks in an NXT Women's Championship number one contender's match. Io will likely score the victory before moving onto NXT Takeover: New York. Baszler and Shirai are expected to have a great match where the former MMA fighter should finally lose the championship.

#4. NXT Tag Team Championships: The War Raiders (c.) vs Aleister Black & Ricochet

The War Raiders are NXT Tag Team Champions.

The War Raiders will have their first title defense on NXT television on NXT Takeover: New York as they will face the winners of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The eight tag teams in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic are the Street Profits, the Forgotten Sons, Undisputed Era, the European Union, the Brit-Arm Bruisers, #DIY, Aleister Black and Ricochet, and Moustache Mountain.

Moustache Mountain are not even a part of NXT so they have no chance. The Brit-Arm Bruisers, the European Union, the Street Profits, and the Forgotten Sons are all more likely to get an opportunity at the NXT Tag Team Titles after NXT Takeover: New York, meaning that the only potential choices are Undisputed Era, Aleister Black & Ricochet, and #DIY.

#DIY will likely not get the victory because Tommaso Ciampa needs to defend the NXT Championship at this event and Undisputed Era has already been given a chance and will likely not be given another one. Therefore, it will likely be Aleister Black and Ricochet that get the victory. The War Raiders vs Aleister Black and Ricochet will be a great match that can highlight how special tag team wrestling is.

#5. NXT Championship: Tommaso Ciampa (c.) vs Johnny Gargano

Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are back together (for now).

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa were involved in NXT's best rivalry of the year in 2018. That feud will likely continue very soon. After Gargano lost to Ciampa at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV, he became a tweener and has not looked back ever since then.

Gargano recently agreed to team with Ciampa in the Dusty Rhodes Classic but I do not envision that they will last long in the tournament. After losing in the tournament, I predict that one of the two superstars will turn on each other and that we will have an NXT Championship match between the two superstars at NXT Takeover: New York. This will be another solid match and will potentially be the final bout of their series before one or both of the men move to the main roster permanently.