Support NeoGAF

[Aiii]

Live from a sold-out crowd comes the show of all shows (that happen at this very specific weekend), WWE NXT Takeover: Star Emoji Dallas!

Where Divas are just called women and Superstars are just called wrestlers, where nobody has to have a year of big over-the-top-rope spots to try and sollicit a crowd reaction, where everybody is important and every match is a match the crowd cares about and will be hot for. Also, it's not fucking six hours long, so you might make it to the end without feeling fatigued.

Oh joy.

This show will mark the debut matches of Austin Aries and Shinsuke Nakamura in WWE.

This year, the NXT Mania show is on the WWE Network, April 1st at 10 Eastern (title is in error), with a pre-show at 9:30 that has a stellar panel consisting of Renee Young, Lita and Mauro Ranallo.

The card is as follows:
Apollo Crews vs. Elias Samson

Austin Aries vs. Baron Corbin
http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/nxt-takeover-dallas-2016-04-01/article/austin-aries-baron-corbin

Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/nxt-takeover-dallas-2016-04-01/article/sami-zayn-shinsuke-nakamura

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Revival (c) vs. American Alpha
http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/nxt...ival-american-alpha-nxt-tag-team-championship

NXT Women's Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Asuka
http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/nxt.../article/bayley-asuka-nxt-womens-championship

NXT Championship: Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe
http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/nxt-takeover-dallas-2016-04-01/article/finn-balor-samoa-joe

 

[Bronx-Man]

It's gonna be great.

 

[Sephzilla]

It's gonna be great!

Seriously though, this is probably the most loaded card we'll see all year

Match Predictions!
Austin Aries vs. Baron Corbin
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Apollo Crews vs Elias Samson
The Revival (c) vs. American Alpha
Bayley (c) vs. Asuka
Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe

 

[Discotheque]

austin aries
american alpha

everything else feels like such a toss up to me. really hyped for this one.

 

[Liquidsnake]

That is so much better than the WM card.

 

[serenewarfare]

Crews vs. Samson is also on the card, FYI.

 

[miserable]

pretty excited for Nakamura's debut, and also for the main event. hopefully Joe wins.

it's gonna be greato

 

[klonere]

anyone else secretly, shamefully hoping the Asuka/Bayley match is a brutal, extended squash for Asuka, cementing her as an unstoppable murder machine and starting a 1 year road to redemption for Bayley

Spoiler

so she never has to go up to the main roster

?

 

[mreddie]

Best card since NXT Brooklyn

 

[Shadow780]

Only 5 cards? I swear there was more?

Regardless, quality over quantity, this is going to be great.

 

[wild wild rice]

Gonna watch so much wrestling this weekend... I wanna see Asuka grab that title. Interested to see the hype behind Nakamura as well. Where's Swann?

 

[Kaladin]

This is going to be awesome.

You have the start time wrong, pre-show at 9:30 PM EST and the show is at 10:00 PM EST.

 

[Aiii]

Crews vs. Samson is also on the card, FYI.

Right you are, it's not mentioned on the all-new WWE website, go figure.

This is going to be awesome.

You have the start time wrong, pre-show at 9:30 PM EST and the show is at 10:00 PM EST.

Right, I'll get a mod to correct that. That one's on me.

 

[wild wild rice]

anyone else secretly, shamefully hoping the Asuka/Bayley match is a brutal, extended squash for Asuka, cementing her as an unstoppable murder machine and starting a 1 year road to redemption for Bayley

Spoiler

so she never has to go up to the main roster

?

Not sure how extended I want it to be. That last Asuka match fell completely flat in the middle.

 

[SallyIsNow]

>

 

[serenewarfare]

I have a sneaking suspicion that Finn drops the title so he can show up on Monday with Anderson and Gallows. I used to think that was crazy fantasy booking, but now I feel like there are a lot of signs, both subtle and not so subtle, that it might be a legitimate thing.

 

[Fox318]

Match Predictions
Austin Aries vs. Baron Corbin
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Apollo Crews vs Elias Samson
The Revival (c) vs. American Alpha
Bayley (c) vs. Asuka
Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe

 

[Aiii]

I have a sneaking suspicion that Finn drops the title so he can show up on Monday with Anderson and Gallows. I used to think that was crazy fantasy booking, but now I feel like there are a lot of signs, both subtle and not so subtle, that it might be a legitimate thing.

They should call up anywhere between 5 and 10 people on Monday, because lord knows they need fresh bodies on the main roster now that everyone is injured.

 

[friskykillface]

Samoa joe the god

 

[Brinbe]

Gonna be a hell of a show. Enjoy Nakamura before they completely ruin him on the main roster.

 

[Bluekaveli]

Right you are, it's not mentioned on the all-new WWE website, go figure.



Right, I'll get a mod to correct that. That one's on me.

Forgetting my brothers on purpose. Motherfucker, I'll have you hunted.

 

[Bronx-Man]

 

[illmatic22]

Great card.

 

[SallyIsNow]

 

[Tom Nook]

Now this a much better wrestling show than the one in AT&T stadium.

 

[klonere]

I have a sneaking suspicion that Finn drops the title so he can show up on Monday with Anderson and Gallows. I used to think that was crazy fantasy booking, but now I feel like there are a lot of signs, both subtle and not so subtle, that it might be a legitimate thing.

Yeah the main event is a legit toss up. Both of them could head up on Monday. Finn has money making potential for the company on Raw. The Balor Club is something that needs a bigger stage than Full Sail. But he's Haitch's boy to build NXT around and who's to say that he won't stick around, break the record for longest title reign and be the draw upon which whatever NXT post Mania looks like is built.

Joe is hungry and ambitious but has the experience to be slotted in anywhere on the card and work. The heel side is looking really weak right now. Roman will need quick fix heels to be fed until Cena is ready to come back.

I'm very excited for the match, it'll be the first bit of unspoiled NXT TV I will be watching since the start of the year. I think I'll be avoiding doing that from now on as it makes the already mediocre weekly even worse.

 

[Kaladin]

I'm legit hyped for every match on the card. Why can't this be Wrestlemania?

 

[Sephzilla]

The reason I think Finn wins is because he's approaching the record for longest NXT title reign and the rumors are that

Spoiler

Joe is going to be getting called up after Wrestlemania

.

 

[bigkrev]

I really hope they don't fuck up the match order like they did in Brooklyn. It was impossible for Owens-Balor to follow the Sasha-Bailey batch, and it will be impossible for Balor and Joe to follow Nakamura-Zayn.

The reason I think Finn wins is because he's approaching the record for longest NXT title reign and the rumors are that

Spoiler

Joe is going to be getting called up after Wrestlemania

.

I'd be shocked if the looser of the match wasn't at Raw on Monday

 

[najehe]

Now this a much better wrestling show than the one in AT&T stadium.

Well that is not saying much. The bar has been set really low with the main show.

 

[Parallax]

Im big on american alphas after seeing them fight the vaudevillians. That match was fantastic

 

[iMax]

3am start time? Chuff off.

 

[Sephzilla]

I really hope they don't fuck up the match order like they did in Brooklyn. It was impossible for Owens-Balor to follow the Sasha-Bailey batch, and it will be impossible for Balor and Joe to follow Nakamura-Zayn.


I'd be shocked if the looser of the match wasn't at Raw on Monday

I think Nakamura-Zayn will be the opening match of the night. If they were smart they'd space out the three biggest matches as much as possible

Nakamura-Zayn opens the night
Bayley vs Asuka is the middle of the night
Joe vs Balor is the final match of the night

 

[klonere]

3am start time? Chuff off.

It's 2am GMT right? Are you on the continent?

 

[Showaddy]

Can't wait. Been a long time since I've looked forward to every match on a card.

Gonna go with:

Austin Aries vs. Baron Corbin
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Apollo Crews vs Elias Samson
The Revival (c) vs. American Alpha
Bayley (c) vs. Asuka
Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe

3 title changes seems a lot but I think they're really going to push to freshen things up after Mania.

 

[wild wild rice]

Will there be a regularly scheduled NXT this Wednesday as well?

 

[Ronin Ray]

This will be the first full wrestling show I want to watch since WK 9.

Is it bad I am going to use the free WWE netowrk month for this and watch zero wrestlemania? ( well I will watch AJ Styles Match)

 

[Entropia]

Looking forward to this as much as I am Wrestlemania.


Predictions!

Austin Aries vs. Baron Corbin
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Apollo Crews vs Elias Samson
The Revival (c) vs. American Alpha
Bayley (c) vs. Asuka
Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe

 

[mreddie]

I fear the worst because 3 losers might be called up to the main show and get buried by creative.

 

[Tom Nook]

Austin Aries vs. Baron Corbin
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Apollo Crews vs Elias Samson
The Revival (c) vs. American Alpha
Bayley (c) vs. Asuka
Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe

 

[Aiii]

This will be the first full wrestling show I want to watch since WK 9.

Is it bad I am going to use the free WWE netowrk month for this and watch zero wrestlemania? ( well I will watch AJ Styles Match)

Nah, maybe watch the Hall of Fame as well since Sting is going in and check out the Stone Cold podcast with Mick Foley tonight? Also check out the WWE 24 special on Daniel Bryan that aired last night, very good.

Will there be a regularly scheduled NXT this Wednesday as well?

Yes, it will feature Bull vs. Joe, in Bull Dempsey's final WWE match.

 

[Zach]

I'm going!! Yeeeaaah!!

 

[Ronin Ray]

Nah, maybe watch the Hall of Fame as well since Sting is going in and check out the Stone Cold podcast with Mick Foley tonight? Also check out the WWE 24 special on Daniel Bryan that aired last night, very good.



Yes, it will feature Bull vs. Joe, in Bull's final WWE match.

I still need to go back and watch old school surfer sting matches since I was to young for that .

 

[iMax]

It's 2am GMT right? Are you on the continent?

We're in BST now, friend

 

[klonere]

I fear the worst because 3 losers might be called up to the main show and get buried by creative.

Main show? What's that? Becky, Tyler and co have all just gone away for awhile. They'll be back! I know it!

 

[serenewarfare]

Is there anyone who doesn't think Asuka is winning? Seems like the lock of the night to me. She's the only one credible enough right now to take the title from Bayley and one of the few who won't face fan backlash for beating Bayley. I fully expect Bayley to lose and show up on Raw Monday.

Main show? What's that? Becky, Tyler and co have all just gone away for awhile. They'll be back! I know it!

Becky has been booked pretty great the past few months. Hell, all the Sasha/Becky/Charlotte stuff has been good the last few months. I actually have faith in them again regarding those three, which is stunning.

 

[klonere]

We're in BST now, friend

FUCK goddamnit WHY

I have a bunch of friends coming over for it and I told them it started at 2...

 

[iMax]

FUCK goddamnit WHY

I have a bunch of friends coming over for it and I told them it started at 2...

It's for a completely arbitrary reason too, IIRC. Something to do with not causing a mass exodus from Axxess.

 

[BronsonLee]

Ooh 10 PM? I have a chance!

 

[klonere]

It's for a completely arbitrary reason too, IIRC. Something to do with not causing a mass exodus from Axxess.

eh once your up at 2am, 3am isn't all that much worse. Fuck em in any case.