WWE NXT TakeOver: New York Match Card Predictions Version 2.0

War Raiders (c) vs. The Forgotten Sons- NXT Tag Team Championship Match

Theoretically, the Forgotten Sons should be one of the more interesting acts in NXT. Their backstory, which basically alludes to them being displaced former members of the military who felt discarded by society once they returned home, gives them plenty of story branches to explore as frustrated heels and eventually as babyfaces (as long as the writers avoid infusing jingoistic overtones for cheap pops).

It’s the sort of gimmick that would concern plenty of fans if Vince McMahon and the main roster creative team were behind it, but the NXT crew has earned somewhat of a benefit of the doubt in regards to crafting a nuanced act that touches on a sensitive subject.

In practice, however, the trio of Jackson Ryker (formerly Gunner in TNA/Impact Wrestling), Steve Cutler, and Wesley Blake have been one of the most uninspiring factions in the entire promotion. The listlessness of this group becomes even more pronounced when you compare them to the far more entertaining Undisputed Era, but even on their own merits, the Forgotten Sons come across as generic guys that arrive, work their match, and go back to their abandoned warehouse to grumble about being forgotten.

In spite of all that, the writers have pushed them fairly hard and they seem like a clear favorite to win the Dusty Rhodes Classic and face the War Raiders for the NXT Tag Team Titles at TakeOver. It wouldn’t be the most exciting championship match, but Cutler and Blake — who was a former champion with the awesome Buddy Murphy a few years back — seem to have great chemistry as a team in the small sample that they’ve shown…and we all know how great Hanson and Rowe are. Hopefully, they can create something great on WrestleMania weekend, if they get the chance.