Tonight is a big one, folks… NXT takes the spotlight this evening with WWE NXT TakeOver: Portland! I truly do think that we are looking at one of the biggest NXT cards yet here tonight! We’re finally getting the big NXT title match between Adam Cole and Daddy himself, Tommaso Ciampa! It’s a huge main event to cap off a huge night! Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here to give you the full coverage for tonight’s NXT TakeOver! That means a live recap of every match posted mere moments after they conclude! And a preview of all six bouts on the card, capped off with this one right here! Let’s not waste any more time!
NXT Championship: Adam Cole (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa
It’s finally here. And at a pretty fitting time. It was a year ago, nearly to the day, that Tommaso Ciampa lost the NXT Championship without ever losing a match. Ciampa more than anybody made the NXT title feel like the most important thing in the world. Dubbing it “Goldie”, he treated it like his own child and cherished it just as deeply. (Hence the reoccurring chant that’s followed him ever since he returned – “Daddy’s Home”.) That was until tragedy struck, when just before the clash with Gargano that was going to finally end their rivalry, Ciampa went down with a serious injury.
That injury was severe enough that there were a lot of doubts about his future. It seemed very possible that his career was nearly over. Though Ciampa himself was always very positive and very certain to say otherwise, he’s revealed that this was basically a front. In truth, he was terrified that it might’ve been the end. But lo, he came back towards the end of the year and now he’s finally a match away from reclaiming Goldie. It’s a simple, but very meaningful story to all those who have followed NXT over the past several years.
The poetic thing would be for him to win. To go on to finally take the NXT title match into the pre-Mania TakeOver, perhaps even defend against Gargano like they were supposed to. It’s really tempting to me, to predict that. But wrestling doesn’t always go with the poetic thing. Adam Cole and the Undisputed Era are the most central figures of NXT right now and I think that will continue to be the case going into Tampa Bay. If the NXT title is going to be defended at WrestleMania as some have guessed, it’s gonna be Adam Cole doing it, baybay.
Another facet that Ciampa brought up; if Cole wins here, he’ll be closing in on the record for longest NXT title reign. If he makes it to Tampa Bay, he’ll already have it, in fact he’ll be the first to take it past 300 days. And I think he’s earned that accolade as well. Adam Cole to retain.
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