WWE NXT TakeOver: Portland early match card predictions

Roderick Strong (c) vs. Keith Lee- NXT North American Championship Match

By virtue of his win over Dominik Dijakovic, Cameron Grimes, and Damien Priest, Keith Lee is the number one contender to Roderick Strong’s NXT North American Championship.

Yes, Lee and Strong are scheduled to have said title match on next week’s episode of NXT, but there are still a few scenarios that could result in this match happening at a later date: they could shoot an angle before the match that forces general manager William Regal to reschedule it, book a rare non-finish to necessitate a rematch, or they could have Lee win the title and have them run it back in February.

No matter what they do next week, there’s still a decent chance that Lee and Strong will square off at NXT TakeOver: Portland. They can still give this match away on free television to compete with All Elite Wrestling (AEW): Dynamite. They could even slot it in a TV main event spot to give Lee a grand celebration should he wrest the belt away from Strong.

But given how Lee’s stock has risen since going move-for-move with Roman Reigns in that elimination match at Survivor Series last November, booking only one Lee/Strong match and putting said match on the weekly show would register as somewhat of a letdown for a man whom the fans have desperately wanted to see get a legitimate push since for at least the last year.

Booking this match at TakeOver: Portland would afford Lee and Strong plenty of time to create something special for the fans on a stage that’s fitting for wrestlers of their caliber.