NXT TakeOver WarGames: Match Card, Full Preview and Predictions

NXT TakeOver is a special event held every few months for WWE's third brand, a chance for the best developmental talent to showcase their skills.

Not only has this show become an exciting spectacle for WWE fans, but the show has often outshone the WWE pay-per-view that follows it, with time given to excellent matches between wrestlers who all want to make an impact.

NXT TakeOver: WarGames could be seen as the dawn of a new era for NXT, showcasing a roster that looks much different than it did just a few months back at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III. With Shinsuke Nakamura, Asuka and Bobby Roode all recently joining the main roster, openings have been left for new talent.

While many are far from rookies, few of these stars have been given chances to shine in WWE up to this point. Those left over from earlier iterations of NXT will be facing the new wave, and the winners of these matches will decide where NXT goes from here.

This is the card for NXT TakeOver: WarGames:

• Kassius Ohno vs. Lars Sullivan

• Aleister Black vs. The Velveteen Dream

• Ember Moon vs. Kairi Sane vs. Peyton Royce vs. Nikki Cross (Fatal 4-Way for vacant NXT Women's Championship)

• NXT champion Drew McIntyre vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas

• The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly) vs. Sanity (Eric Young, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe) vs. The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) and Roderick Strong (WarGames)

At the top of this card, NXT champion Drew McIntyre will get his first chance to defend his championship at a TakeOver, while the three premier alliances in NXT will step inside the long-dormant WarGames cage to fight for supremacy. The NXT Women's Championship will also hang in the balance, as someone must rise to the mantle left by Asuka.

This will be an exciting night filled with interesting matches that have never been seen before in NXT. While it is hard to say whether this show will live up to the incredible legacy of past TakeOvers, the card shows promise that it might match or exceed WWE Survivor Series 2017 on Sunday.

Credit: WWE.com

Kassius Ohno vs. Lars Sullivan

Kassius Ohno has been a major part of WWE's developmental brand for years. He originally signed with the promotion in 2011 to work in Florida Championship Wrestling around the same time as Seth Rollins and Cesaro. Despite this, he has never appeared on the main roster, being released in 2013 and returning in 2017.

Since his return, Ohno has been a featured player in NXT, though not one of the top stars. This will be the first NXT TakeOver he has been booked for ahead of time. Ostensibly, the story of this match is Ohno's pursuit of the NXT Championship, demanding a match with the rising star Lars Sullivan to prove he deserves a title shot.

This match though could be a bigger deal for a man officially making his TakeOver debut. Sullivan is a monstrous, 300-pound man who has spent three years in developmental growing as a wrestler and character. In the past few months, he has shown a vicious streak, attacking his own partners after losses.

Playing a character inspired by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Freak is both an eloquent gentleman and an indomitable beast no one seems to be able to stop. Ohno will be a big step up in competition for Sullivan, and this battle of heavyweights has the potential to make Sullivan if he wins.

Prediction: Sullivan overwhelms Ohno and takes him down with surprising ease.

Aleister Black vs. The Velveteen Dream

Few NXT stars can claim to match the dominance Aleister Black has showcased since his debut in 2016, especially since Asuka headed to the main roster. Even the No. 1 contender to the NXT Championship, Andrade "Cien" Almas, and two members of The Undisputed Era have fallen to the striking ferocity of Black.

However, one man has surprisingly managed to get inside Black's head, manipulating him and consistently prodding him until he has shown signs of weakness in matches he should have won easily. The flamboyant Velveteen Dream's motives are unclear, but his effect has been plain as day.

Now, The Ominous Man from Amsterdam must overcome the mind games that Dream has played if he wants to defeat the charismatic performer. While The Black Mass has taken out everyone in Black's path, this is not a battle of strength or speed. It is a mental struggle.

This has been a fascinating and well-told story that has made sure Black and Dream did not get physical too often. The way Dream has quickly risen up the ranks through this feud only proves it has worked. Still, Black has to remain unstoppable, and he should soon be in position for an NXT Championship match.

Prediction: Black puts down Dream even through all the mind games.

Ember Moon vs. Kairi Sane vs. Peyton Royce vs. Nikki Cross (NXT Women's Championship Fatal 4-Way)

One name has been the focal point of the women's division for the past year: Asuka. Her 510-day reign as NXT women's champion was unprecedented, and she remains undefeated in WWE. After defeating everyone in NXT, she headed to the main roster, leaving the championship vacant.

After three qualifying matches, the three most dominant women in NXT emerged, all having formerly lost to Asuka. Ember Moon, Peyton Royce and Nikki Cross all are hoping to be the next woman up in NXT, but there is one woman who had to go through a much more grueling qualifier to get to this point.

The Mae Young Classic was a huge tournament for WWE, showcasing some of the best female wrestlers in the world. It was tournament favorite Kairi Sane who emerged from the pack, taking out other top talent including Dakota Kai, Toni Storm and Shayna Baszler. This automatically qualified her for this match.

Together, these women should put on a show, proving the division is far more than just the Asuka show. Even if Sane's victory is more or less certain, Moon, Cross and Royce are excellent performers who will put on a performance and would all be worthy champions in their own right.

Prediction: Sane hits Royce with the diving elbow drop to become NXT's newest dominant champion.

Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Andrade 'Cien' Almas (NXT Championship)

When Andrade "Cien" Almas appeared in NXT, it was obvious how talented he was, but he struggled to connect with fans. His cocky persona also led to repeated major losses for the man formerly known La Sombra. Luckily, Zelina Vega, a former associate of Almas, returned to his side in NXT and got him back on the right path.

She even managed to talk him up enough to get him into the NXT title picture. New champion McIntyre has been so focused on The Undisputed Era that he was not ready for another man to take a shot at him first. McIntyre has promised to take on all comers to prove himself again in WWE, but Almas has looked unstoppable with Vega in his corner.

This match has major potential given the talent involved, but it has been the most hastily booked of the major matches on the card. McIntyre vs. Cole was the money match that Brooklyn III set up, but the wait before it headlines a TakeOver of its own. It is great to see Almas in the spotlight, but he has hardly earned it.

This will be only the second time in TakeOver history that the NXT Championship match will be on the card yet won't be the main event. While WarGames is a huge deal for WWE, it is a shame to see McIntyre play second fiddle so soon after winning the championship.

Prediction: McIntyre overcomes Almas in a competitive bout after a decisive Claymore.

The Undisputed Era vs. Sanity vs. The Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong (WarGames)

WarGames was once the trademark match of both the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling, a concept that ranged from the best and worst the companies had to offer. With one massive cage encircling two rings, WarGames was a brutal gimmick in which teams would fight for supremacy.

Seventeen years after the last WarGames, NXT will return to the concept for its 31st time. However, this time, it has evolved to accommodate three teams, all fighting to prove they are the dominant power in NXT.

The Authors of Pain have ruled NXT in 2017, looking completely unmatched while taking out NXT's best teams in The Revival and DIY. When Sanity arrived, though, it took its shot and managed to overcome Paul Ellering's monsters.

Neither group, though, was ready for the slow, insidious invasion of The Undisputed Era. Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly appeared one at a time, only to return to teaming together at Brooklyn III, when they took out Sanity and The Authors. They were joined under the leadership of Adam Cole, who promised the three would soon run NXT.

These three teams are after the NXT Tag Team Championships, but they also are ready and willing to hurt each other to stand tall as the best. The one wild card in this match is The Authors of Pain's tag team partner, Roderick Strong, who has been offered a spot by Cole's side multiple times. He could well be the deciding factor as the one man whose allegiance is questionable at best.

Prediction: The Undisputed Era reigns supreme after Strong turns on The Authors of Pain.