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WWE will present NXT Takeover Stand and Deliver Night Two on Peacock (in the United States) tonight Here's our take on what will happen.
Night Two
NXT Men's Champion Finn Balor vs. Karrion Kross with Scarlett.
Dave: Balor has had a renaissance in NXT and it's been great for his career. He looks like he is having fun out there. I expect a war here, and Kross comes out on top because of his size. I am really looking forward to this as it's so legit from a booking standpoint, the guy who never lost the belt vs. the guy who won it after he was hurt.
Mike: I really enjoy Kross' presentation as a character but I feel he is still waiting for that great in-ring match that lifts him up higher. If it's me, I have them go all out with a big physical war but Balor finally figures out the riddle of the Sphinx and scores the pin after the Double Stomp..maybe he even brings back The Demon as a surprise to show he's going to war and sees Kross as a different type of threat. To me, Kross needs that all out physical war that fans look upon and respect afterward, especially since his big moment with Keith Lee was mitigated by the separated shoulder. This needs to be something special. Balor is the man here. Well, the man used to be defined by someone raising others to the next level. That should be the goal for Balor and Karrion here.
Rich: The man who never 'lost' his title finally gets his chance to get the title back and I am happy they didn't rush it in February. Balor has been great in the ring and in promos and deserves a long title reign, but I think that it ends on Thursday night. I would have the next opponent, after a rematch, be the winner of the Kyle/Cole match.
Kyle O'Reilly vs. Adam Cole in an Unsanctioned Match.
Dave: The build for this has been so great and honestly, it should close the show. I usually don't think that when there is a Title match as well, but this has been a war. The Prime Target piece from last week was awesome. To me, Kyle needs to win. He came up short to Finn and he needs this win to ascend into the upper pantheon. Plus, Cole is the heel and deserves the comeuppance for his heinous behavior.
Mike: This has been the best thing week to week to watch on NXT and I am with Dave, this should be the final match of the night and it has to be about Kyle being brought up to the next level. I wouldn't even have Roderick Strong or Bobby Fish interfere, but perhaps have them watching as spectators and reacting. These two have torn the house down everywhere else they have fought and this should be no different.
Rich: Do you put this match on last after the Men's Title match, like they have done before with Gargano and Ciampa. This match will not be for the squeamish, but we have precedent with these two from their days in ROH. Nothing will be held back by either man and they will do whatever it takes to end the other's career, or at least shorten it. Will Roddy or Fish get involved in the match or will they leave that for the following week when NXT debuts on Tuesday? Will Kyle's humanity be the flaw that gives Cole the victory in this match? I think it is.
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin vs. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar in a Unification Ladder Match.
Dave: I like both of these guys a lot, for different reasons. Being a huge NXT UK fan, I love Devlin's journey. He even did an open challenge and when The Bomber Dave Mastiff took him up on it, he found a way to win. I love that he showed he is not "the small champion" he is A champion. He too also never lost his Title. I think he comes in and gets the duke on Escobar, who then moves out of the Cruiser division.
Mike: Devlin deserves the win here. I like Escobar a lot but I feel he's been running on a treadmill to nowhere for months. Get him off of that with a great showing where he loses and move Devlin on, since he's the true champion anyway. Plus, this gives NXT UK another strong win.
Rich: The future of the Cruiserweight Championship will be the determining factor in who wins this match. If they want to do what I suggested about a 'Pure' Title and have KUSHIDA/Dunne be the genesis of it, I can see Devlin winning and taking the title back to the UK. Of course that would make 205 Live a bigger lame duck show. The creation of the Heritage Cup Championship gives NXT UK another title that means we don't need a Cruiserweight Title. I think Devlin has been a great champion, but for the sake of the 4 people, including me, who watch 205 Live, we need Escobar to retain so he can tease maybe facing someone in the division at some point.
NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano vs. Gauntlet Eliminator Winner.
Dave: This is interesting. Last Takeover, Johnny went into serious mode once the bell rings. If he does that again, he retains. If he is The Way kind of comedy Johnny, he loses the belt.
Mike: I don't see Gargano losing no matter who is involved.
Rich: I think if it is Dexter Lumis, Austin Theory factors into the finish of the match and may cost Gargano the title once he realizes that "dad" is manipulating him. If it is Knight, some might think they give him the title, but Knight has already lost to Bronson Reed. I would love to see Scott get this match and show that he was right all along and that he just needed the chance and he took advantage of it and won the title. Reed could be a good match for Gargano but I think that would feature some shenanigans from Knight to continue the Knight/Reed feud. If it is Grimes, does he 'buy' the referee like Ted DiBiase did with the Hebners? I think Gargano survives even if he only has 24 hours advance notice of his opponent.
NXT Women's Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon vs. The Way (Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae).
Dave: I like Shotzi and Ember but they are not really doing it for me as a team. Candice and Indi? They are great as a team (and by that I mean in and out of the ring). I switch the belts here. Candice more than deserves the gold after all she has contributed to the brand.
Mike: I like the idea of a switch here as well, especially since the babyfaces can chase the champs after. Candice and Indi are pretty entertaining characters and they can do some fun vignettes with them as the champs. I'd also let the belts rest on their shoulders for awhile so they aren't constantly being hot potato'ed all over town.
Rich: I think this is the night that the Way gets to showcase their talents and we will see Indi and Candice defeat Shotzi and Ember for the titles. I didn't like that they handed "Cobra Kai" the tag titles and have them lose their first defense. I don't want this title to be passed around like the 24/7 Title, but I am excited for the feuds we can get unlike the 'strange bedfellow' matches that the other women's tag champs have to deal with.
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