NXT TakeOver WarGames: Predicting Biggest Surprises and Most Shocking Moments

The final NXT special event of the year, TakeOver: WarGames, is scheduled for Saturday, November 18, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

TakeOver pay-per-views are few and far between, which means every show needs to deliver in order to keep fans interested in the regular tapings of NXT week to week.

Thankfully, most of the matches on these cards tend to be fantastic, and it's easier to expect that every TakeOver show will be worth the view even if the main roster's follow-up doesn't quite pack the same punch.

One downside that can happen with TakeOver events, though, is that there can be a certain level of predictability.

Seeing as how there are only a handful of events, it becomes easy to guess when a new champion is going to be crowned or blatantly obvious when a debuting star is going to win his or her first match.

Still, there is potential for surprises, so with WarGames coming up, here are a few that may shock the system.

The WarGames Match in General

For many fans, this will be the first time they've ever witnessed a WarGames match, so just the sheer idea of it will be a surprise.

The WWE Universe has become conditioned to think of cages as singular structures and to never under any circumstances anticipate two rings being in the same arena at the same time.

Unless you grew up watching WCW or revisited the era by watching old clips on the WWE Network, this is a completely foreign concept, and the gimmick will be thrilling just to see unfold no matter what happens during the match.

With that being said, there is a chance this is not just the standout bout of the night, but also a potential match-of-the-year candidate.

History has shown that when it comes to TakeOver events, the tag team matches steal the show, which means even if the stipulation doesn't interest you, you could find yourself hooked by the in-ring action despite the cage.

Also, even though all signs point against it happening, Roderick Strong could shock the audience by aligning with The Undisputed Era and turning on his teammates, costing The Authors of Pain the victory.

Stranger things have happened, and it could be exactly the type of swerve that kicks off the next phase of this storyline.

The Velveteen Dream Upsets Aleister Black

Aleister Black is undefeated on WWE television after making his debut earlier this year at TakeOver: Orlando.

For months, no matter who he was up against, Black was calm and collected and kicked their heads off.

Then, The Velveteen Dream sauntered along and actually rattled his cage, which in itself was already a surprise.

As far as shocks go, seeing any undefeated star lose their first match is typically worthy of a pop, but for it to happen to Black against The Velveteen Dream would be even more surprising.

Their styles and attitudes contrast so much that it would evoke memories of Goldust defeating The Undertaker in the mid-90s.

The normally reticent Black succumbing to The Velveteen Dream's wishes by admitting defeat and saying his name would feel like a bitter pill to swallow and something fans likely aren't anticipating to happen.

Peyton Royce Wins the NXT Women's Championship

Out of the four women involved in the Fatal 4-Way to determine the new NXT women's champion, it seems as though Peyton Royce has the worst chances.

Ember Moon was built up as the best possible option to hand Asuka her first loss, coming so close that she actually only came up short due to The Empress of Tomorrow cheating and manipulating the situation multiple times.

Logically, with the track record Moon has, she should be the favorite going into this, so it won't be a surprise at all if she wins the title.

The same goes for Kairi Sane, who has two factors helping her chances.

First, she has the momentum of being the newest addition to the roster out of the foursome, combined with the Mae Young Classic tournament victory that catapulted her straight into the title hunt.

Again, if she were to win, it's doubtful anybody in the audience would bat an eye.

Then there's Nikki Cross, who has been receiving quite a push as of late and turning a lot of heads with her newfound babyface streak.

There's a frequent storytelling tactic in WWE of having someone fight back from the underdog spot before winning a championship, which would apply to Cross as she lost her qualifying match and had to win a second just to get this title shot.

Credit: WWE.com

With Royce, however, she's the one solid heel of the group and someone who regularly loses matches even with the help of Billie Kay by her side trying to interfere.

It's routine to have her play the part in the match where she garners heat and then takes the fall for whichever babyface the company wants to push going forward.

Wouldn't it be a surprise to see one half of The Iconic Duo actually pull out the victory, particularly if Kay isn't the reason it happens?

Not only could Kay be used as a sacrificial lamb in whatever feud Royce ends up with following TakeOver, but it would be a rightful title reign for a woman who has been ready for the main roster for quite some time without being called up.

Royce may have the least momentum heading into TakeOver, but don't count out a surprise win coming her way despite that.

Andrade "Cien" Almas Wins the NXT Championship

Everybody has to lose at some point and all titles eventually change hands, but typically speaking, at least a few events tend to pass by before a new champion is crowned.

Drew McIntyre has successfully defended his title against Strong and Bobby Roode in the past, and Almas doesn't appear to be as big of a threat on the radar compared to Adam Cole.

With The Undisputed Era wreaking havoc, Cole certainly seems like the most likely successor to McIntyre's title reign, which would make it unforeseen for Almas to suddenly be the new top dog on the brand.

Credit: WWE.com

Out of all the potential surprises named here, this is probably the one you shouldn't bet your house on, but that doesn't mean it's out of the realm of possibility.

Sometimes, it's good to keep the audience on edge by having a random new champion crowned instead of going in the direction the product seems to be broadcasting.

Almas is capable enough to hold the mantle for a little while, so it isn't crazy to put the title on him, particularly if it's a transitional reign that sets up someone like Johnny Gargano to be the new champion by the time TakeOver: Philadelphia or TakeOver: New Orleans comes around.

It's still probably not going to happen, but if it does, it would certainly be a surprise.

What are your predictions regarding NXT TakeOver: WarGames and do you think the event will meet your expectations? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!

Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, iTunes and Stitcher. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more.