WrestleMania is growing closer and closer with every passing WWE event and later this evening at NXT TakeOver: Portland, the women of NXT look set to put on a WrestleMania calibur event of their own, with two high stake matches.
As friends turned bitter enemies, Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox prepare to face off in a hellacious Street Fight, Rhea Ripley puts her NXT Women’s Championship on the line against the E.S.T of NXT Bianca Belair.
Also with that WrestleMania open invitation from Charlotte Flair looming, could the woman leaving TakeOver: Portland find herself facing one of WWE’s greatest superstars on the grandest stage of them all? It’s time for our NXT TakeOver: Portland PPV Predictions:
Street Fight: Tegan Nox Vs Dakota Kai
Elle: When it comes to NXT the brand certainly has a knack for creating enthralling storylines, the likes of which you don’t often find on the main roster these days. If Dakota and Tegan have proved anything it’s that they have just as much chemistry as rivals as they do as a tag team. Over these last few weeks both women have had me chomping at the bit to see what happens next and I just can’t get enough of the back and forth between them. Considering that this match is set to be a street fight, I can’t help but feel that Dakota is going to use every tool at her advantage to decimate her former friend leading to an obvious result. Of course this could go the complete opposite direction with Nox finally getting revenge on Kai. Prediction: Dakota Kai
Adam (TheInsanityInc): Nox and Kai have done some great stuff with this feud, and I was happy that they didn’t just end the feud with the aided win Nox got thanks to LaRae a couple weeks back. I think that this match with the no DQ rules will favour the more devious of the two Superstars, and that’s going to be my pick. Prediction: Dakota Kai
NXT Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley Vs Bianca Belair
Elle: While I have no doubt that a match between Rhea and Belair will be awesome, I kind of feel like my excitement for the matchup has been somewhat misplaced due to the added inclusion of Charlotte Flair. While being entertaining, Bianca has somehow been completely pushed to one side with Flair and Ripley taking complete focus and even though I’m not mad about a Rhea and Flair feud I can’t help but feel sorry for Bianca. Speaking of Rhea, Rhea has been on one hell of a run since dethroning Baszler and I can’t see that run coming to a halt anytime soon, especially on the road to WrestleMania weekend. Belair certainly has gold in her future, I just don’t see it coming to fruition later tonight. Prediction: Rhea Ripley
Adam: This should be a great one. There’s obviously potential for interference and distractions from Charlotte Flair but hopefully the action will do the talking in the ring and we can have any WrestleMania matchups hyped on Raw. My gut instinct is that they build Rhea for months now, and just ripping the Women’s title off from her so soon would be very surprising, especially with how they’ve built Ripley Vs Flair already. Belair will have to wait a little longer for her moment with the gold. Prediction: Rhea Ripley