NXT TakeOver: Phoenix preview: Live stream, start time, match card, predictions

Here’s everything you need to know about WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, including the full match card, predictions, start time and live stream information.

As it happens when the bigger WWE pay-per-view events roll around, the men and women from NXT will once again look to steal the weekend as TakeOver: Phoenix goes down the night before the Royal Rumble. And once again, the card is stacked full of early “Match of the Year” candidates.

Four of the five matches currently scheduled are championship matches as all the titles of the yellow brand are on the line on Saturday night on the award-winning WWE Network. With the kickoff show beginning at 6:00 Eastern, the main show will get going one hour later from the Talking Stick Resort Arena.

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

Event info

Event: WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix
Date: Saturday, Jan. 26
Venue: Talking Stick Resort Arena – Phoenix, Arizona
Start time: 7 p.m. Eastern/4:00 p.m. Pacific (kickoff show one hour prior)
Live stream: WWE Network

WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix match card

Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

Following a six-second victory over Kassius Ohno at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Matt Riddle followed that up with another win over The Knockout Artist on an NXT episode that aired just after the New Year, that match going much longer. Riddle tried to end the feud there but Ohno gave him a beating instead, which leads us right into this third installment.

Prediction: I think Riddle picks up yet another victory here and moves on to something else leading into the next few months, which could result in a major bout just before WrestleMania.

NXT North American Champion Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano

Remember when I was talking about the early “Match of the Year” candidates? Look no further than this match right here. It’s Ricochet. It’s Johnny Gargano. It’s going to be awesome. I don’t know if Gargano has the full handle on this heel character just yet but it has certainly been interesting to watch, hasn’t it? Johnny Wrestling never could win the NXT Championship from his former partner, Tommaso Ciampa, and it was actually Ciampa who essentially put the idea in Gargano’s head to go for the North American Championship. Whether he wins the title or not, this is likely to be the match of the night and maybe the match of the weekend.

Prediction: I think the title drought continues for Gargano. I think this character is only going to get better if he keeps coming up short and this would be one more big win for Ricochet, who’s quickly becoming one of the biggest stars in the world.

NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed ERA vs. The War Raiders

This heated rivalry between The Undisputed ERA and The War Raiders just keeps getting more and more intense with every passing week. Hanson and Rowe came close to taking the NXT Tag Team titles from Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly on an episode of NXT all the way back in late October before Bobby Fish got involved to save the straps for his buddies. The War Raiders picked up that win and then another at WarGames teaming up with Ricochet and Pete Dunne and hope to finally take the gold this time around.

Prediction: If you go by the air date, O’Reilly and Strong will have been tag champs for right around 200 days on Saturday and this might just be the time to take the belts from them. It could be fun to see them chasing again so I’ll go with The War Raiders here.

NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Bianca Belair

Shayna Baszler made history at WWE Evolution by defeating Kairi Sane to become the first and only two-time NXT Women’s Champion. That was also the first night that the title was defended and the first time it changed hands on a main-roster pay-per-view. On the other side of things, Bianca Belair is making a bit of history on her own. She remains undefeated in NXT and won a solid Fatal 4-Way to earn this opportunity at the title. Her rise continues to be one of the biggest storylines of the yellow brand.

Prediction: We’re likely looking at a screwy finish here to protect everyone involved. I don’t think that it’s time for Baszler to lose the title just yet and I’m sure creative isn’t looking to end Belair’s streak just yet either. So we likely get a DQ win for the challenger with some interference from Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke.

NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black

In a rematch that’s been seven months in the making, Aleister Black finally gets the opportunity to reclaim the title that Tommaso Ciampa took from him all the way back in July. The former champ took out Johnny Gargano at WarGames and has a lot of momentum heading into this match. But after yet another big victory on pay-per-view, this last time over Velveteen Dream, Ciampa is still the man to beat and the man to be right now in NXT. This should be another classic.

Prediction: I’m actually going to go with Aleister Black here. Ciampa has been a great champion but I think he loses here and then gets his rematch just before WrestleMania, loses there as well and then makes his way to the main roster. But I’ve been wrong before.

Which match are you most looking forward to at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix? Will this show steal the weekend from the main roster? Please feel free to join in the conversation in the comments section below.