It’s @HideoItami vs. @MmmGorgeous vs. @wwebalor in a #1 Contender’s #TripleThreat Match at #NXTTakeOver LIVE May 20th on @WWENetwork!

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) April 30, 2015

On Wednesday May 20, it’s @iLikeSamiZayn vs. @FightOwensFight for the #WWENXT TITLE at #NXTTakeOver LIVE on the Award-Winning @WWENetwork!

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) April 30, 2015

The NXT live specials have become sort of a sacred thing over the last year or so, and the next one on May 20th should be no exception. In addition to Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks for the NXT Women’s Title and Big Cass/Enzo Amore vs. Blake & Murphy for the NXT Tag Team Titles, we now know what the two main matches will be. Finn Balor, Hideo Itami and Tyler Breeze will square off in a Triple Threat Match to determine the #1 contender to whoever wins the main event, which is NXT Champion Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn. The amount of talent in these two matches alone are unreal, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

My pick for the #1 contender’s match is Hideo Itami. Balor is going up on the main roster after this live special, and I think Breeze follows him shortly thereafter. Both guys are main roster ready, and while it took Breeze some time to adjust to wrestling a WWE style, Balor came into NXT as a five tool player ready to take over the company. Itami had the biggest learning curve out of the three as his style was too ‘stiff’ for the WWE product. The funniest part about Itami is that the moves he used in NJPW were also being used in WWE, as CM Punk used his GTS finisher and Daniel Bryan used his running knee. After his WrestleMania moment in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, I can see Itami winning here and challenging the NXT Champion.

As for the NXT Championship match, it really depends on how long the Owens/Zayn feud is going to last. If this is going to be a long term feud, then I think Zayn wins here. Zayn already lost the belt to Owens fair and square, so another loss here would have to put him out of the title picture for awhile. If Zayn wins, I think the loss sends Owens into a tailspin where he just destroys everyone in NXT until Regal gives him another title shot. We haven’t seen a loose cannon Kevin Owens yet, but if he loses the belt to his blood rival, I think he’s going to snap. The best thing about NXT is that as a fan, you have confidence that not only are they going to develop good stories, but they’re going to end them the right way as well. No matter who wins or loses on May 20th, it’s going to be an awesome show.

– Ryan