NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia preview — Match card, predictions and more

A look at the full match card, start time, live stream information and more for NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.

After losing many big stars to the main roster in 2017, NXT has still been able to put on quality shows and great matches and looks to continue its trend of excellence with the first official pay-per-view of the year, NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.

Taking place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly just one night before the main roster begins its road to WrestleMania with the 2018 WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view, NXT has every title on the line as it forges its own path towards New Orleans this April. The outcome of these huge matches at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia could signify which direction the company is headed in 2018.

Here’s everything you need to know for NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia.

Event info

Event: NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia
Date: Saturday, January 27, 2018
Venue: Wells Fargo Center — Philadelphia, PA
Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Live stream: WWE Network

Full match card

NXT Championship Match: Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) vs. Johnny Gargano

Perhaps one of the most unlikely NXT Champions in history, Andrade “Cien” Almas stayed the course after a rough start to his NXT career and rode a nice wave of momentum from the summer into a title win over Drew McIntyre at NXT TakeOver: WarGames in November.

Speaking of momentum, Johnny Gargano has plenty of it heading into Saturday night. After splitting with his longtime #DIY partner Tommaso Ciampa last May, Gargano struggled a bit as a singles competitor but has found the formula to win, picking up a big victory over Kassius Ohno and defeating Lars Sullivan, Killian Dain and Aleister Black in a Fatal 4-Way Number 1 Contender’s Match to earn this NXT Championship match with Almas.

Gargano, however, hasn’t had the best of success against the champion. The two first met at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III this past August and then again on an episode of NXT  in October, both of which saw Almas emerge victorious.

Prediction: I like Gargano here. I’ve never seen Almas as the main-event type and with Ciampa due to come back from injury soon, I think the former partners battle it out for the title in New Orleans two nights before WrestleMania.

NXT Women’s Championship Match: Ember Moon (c) vs. Shayna Baszler

There hasn’t been a ton of time to build for this NXT Women’s Championship Match, mainly because Shayna Baszler didn’t debut on television until just before the end of the year, but this could be very entertaining.

After winning the vacant title at NXT TakeOver: WarGames in a Fatal 4-Way with Nikki Cross, Mae Young Classic winner Kairi Sane and Peyton Royce, Ember Moon went on to defend the title on an episode of NXT against Sonya Deville, who is now on the main roster as part of Absolution. It looked as if Kairi Sane was going to be in line for a title shot but she was attacked by a debuting Baszler, who lost to Sane in the finals of the Mae Young Classic. Baszler has continued her vicious assaults as the weeks have gone by, leading Moon to issue a challenge for TakeOver and here we are.

Prediction: There’s absolutely no way that Shayna Baszler can lose clean here. She’s being built as this crazy heel and it’s going very well thus far. I could see a disqualification loss here with Baszler refusing to let up on the champion, which could perhaps lead to a rematch or a Triple Threat in New Orleans, which is when I see Moon losing the title and heading to the main roster.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Undisputed ERA (c) vs. The Authors of Pain

This match has been a long time coming. On their first night as a team, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly attacked both SAnitY and The Authors of Pain in Brooklyn and they’ve been wreaking havoc ever since. They beat SAnitY for the NXT Tag Team Championship in December and have successfully defended them against Aleister Black and Roderick Strong, albeit due to some interference with their Undisputed ERA running mate, Adam Cole.

Since losing the tag titles to SAnitY in Brooklyn, their first loss in NXT, The Authors of Pain finally have a chance to regain the titles in Philadelphia. They were able to exact some revenge on Fish and O’Reilly for that initial attack when they teamed with Strong for WarGames, but this is the first time that these two teams will battle on their own.

Prediction: One way or another, I think that Fish and O’Reilly keep the titles here. Outside of this match, there’s not much more that The Authors of Pain can do in NXT and I see them on the main roster sooner rather than later. The Undisputed ERA is crazy hot right now and I just don’t see them losing.

Extreme Rules Match: Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole

This match is going to be insane and will likely be the match of the night. The rivalry is there with all three members of The Undisputed ERA costing Aleister Black a shot at the NXT Championship by attacking him during the Fatal 4-Way Number 1 Contender’s Match, which was won by Johnny Gargano. This was due to Black beating Adam Cole in a qualifying match to get to that Fatal 4-Way.

Cole then inserted himself into the NXT Tag Team Championship Match with Fish and O’Reilly taking on Black and Roderick Strong, perhaps costing Black the tag titles as well. So it’s safe to say that Black has plenty of animosity built up and it will all come to a head under Extreme Rules.

Prediction: Honestly, I don’t even care who wins here because this is going to be sick. I do think Cole picks up the win with some interference from Fish and O’Reilly and perhaps a big NXT debut.

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Which match at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia are you most looking forward to? Please feel free to join in the conversation in the comments section below.