NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III: Match Card, Full Preview and Predictions

A reloaded roster will be on full display at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III.

The WWE draft and post-WrestleMania call-ups had the developmental brand scrambling for talent. Then in strode Drew McIntyre, ready to be a headline act; Aleister Black arose, making it instantly clear he was going to be a major player for NXT; and The Authors of Pain grew into their roles as bloodthirsty beasts atop the tag team division.

Those bruisers will all step into the Barclays Center for Saturday's live special looking to prove they can be the foundation for the brand moving forward.

Ember Moon will attempt to end Asuka's record reign. The Authors of Pain will defend their tag titles against Sanity. McIntyre has the NXT Championship in his sights.

And the brand's newest acquisition may make a surprise appearance. 

PWInsider's Mike Johnson reported that former Ring of Honor champion Adam Cole has signed an NXT deal. The timing is such that he could show up to the Barclays Center to announce his arrival. 

The following is a preview of TakeOver: Brooklyn III, looking at the matches lined up, who will walk away victors and what kind of matches fans can expect to unfold.

Match Card

• Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas
• Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami
• The Authors of Pain vs. Sanity (NXT Tag Team Championship)
• Asuka vs. Ember Moon (NXT Women's Championship)
• Bobby Roode vs. Drew McIntyre (NXT Championship)

Predictions

• Gargano over Almas
• Black over Itami
• The Authors of Pain over Sanity
• Asuka over Moon
• McIntyre over Roode

Gargano vs. Almas

After his friend and tag team partner Tommaso Ciampa betrayed and attacked him, Gargano is now a solo act. A showdown with Almas is the first major stopping point of his journey as a singles competitor. 

Credit: WWE.com

Almas, meanwhile, is in the midst of a shift in attitude. The devil-may-care playboy has grown more focused thanks to Zelina Vega (aka Thea Trinidad) at his side. 

This should be a solid bout from an in-ring standpoint and intriguing in terms of who WWE is more interested in pushing right now. 

Black vs. Itami

Frustration has seen Itami morph into a more vicious competitor of late. He turned on his friend Kassius Ohno during a slow-burn heel turn and is now intent on climbing the NXT ladder with a new, looser moral code. 

He faces one of NXT's hottest acts in Black. 

The Dutch bruiser's presence, heavy-handed strikes and technical prowess have made him a star for the brand in short time. WWE seems to recognize his potential as a top-tier anti-hero. He's undefeated at NXT so far, taking down the likes of Bobby Fish, Ohno and Almas.

This bout promises to be a thriller flush with haymakers. Black and Itami are among NXT's hardest strikers, and there will be plenty of red flesh and loose teeth when this is all over.

The Authors of Pain vs. Sanity

In a rare heel-on-heel championship match, the unhinged faction that is Sanity will try to be the first to topple Akam and Rezar of The Authors of Pain.

Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain will have the advantage of their stablemates Nikki Cross and Eric Young lurking at ringside. And after Sanity has suffered so many losses with zero titles to show for it, Wolfe and Dain can change the group's narrative in a big way here.

This will be a major test for both teams, as The Authors of Pain have long had the benefit of top-notch opponents facing them, from The Revival to #DIY. Wolfe and Dain aren't that. 

Beyond retaining, Akam and Rezar will be out to prove WWE's faith in them as a top monster duo is justified. 

Asuka vs. Moon

No one has been able to touch Asuka.

The women's champ remains undefeated. She remains the unstoppable champion no challenger can bring down.

Moon offers the most convincing threat Asuka has faced, though.

The Texas native is one of the best in-ring performers in NXT right now. She's a compelling, larger-than-life figure. Her ceiling is high, and she's most certainly championship material.

Will she be the woman who finally dethrones Asuka?

Win or lose, Moon promises to deliver one of the most thrilling matches of Asuka's reign. She can hang with the champ whether the bout leans more toward a slugest or an aerial affair. This has show-stealer written all over it.

Roode vs. McIntyre

A cocky, flamboyant Roode has managed to keep hold of the NXT title since January by taking out his opponent's weak points or simply outlasting them. After retaining the gold against Shinsuke Nakamura, Roderick Strong and others, the former TNA star faces a hungry gladiator. 

McIntyre is looking to complete a major turnaround. 

WWE released the Scottish wrestler in 2014. After tearing it up in the United Kingdom and the U.S. independent scene, he has stormed into NXT looking stronger, more magnetic and more fiery than ever before.

He's produced a number of smashmouth works of art at Full Sail. Roode, on the other hand, has had a number of underwhelming performances with sluggish energy. Something has to give when they meet in Brooklyn. 

McIntyre is poised to snatch the title from Roode and replace him as the flag-bearer of the brand. Seeing him try, one boot to the chin after another, is going to be quite the ride.