WWE NXT TakeOver XXXVI preview/predictions

NXT will present their 36th installment of TakeOver this Sunday, Aug. 22. The show will emanate from the Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, Fl, which has been the home of NXT since October 2020.

NXT is currently dealing with a ton of doubt about their future and direction, and many seem to think TakeOver 36 could be the swan song to the product that all of us have come to know. For now, let’s take a look at what could happen on this show.

NXT Takeover 36 Preview/Predictions

LA Knight (c) vs. Cameron Grimes (w/ Ted DiBiase) – Million Dollar Championship Match

If Grimes loses this match, Ted DiBiase will become the new butler for LA Knight.

Aside from some questionable booking early on, I’ve fairly enjoyed Knight’s run in NXT so far. The feud with Grimes has been one of the few things that has kept my interest on the program and I feel like this is the right time to end their storyline, and the correct way to do that is to have Grimes go over clean.

Grimes needs to win this match, retire the Million Dollar Championship again, and move on to another opponent. Not every feud needs to be drug out over 3-5 matches, and I feel like it’s the right time to end things here.

Prediction: Cameron Grimes

WALTER (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov – NXT UK Championship Match

Will ever be a day where somebody worthy of beating WALTER will come around? He’s obliterated the entire NXT UK roster and has wins over multiple NXT superstars as well.

Dragunov is one of the people from the shortlist of NXT UK guys that could, eventually, maybe have a shot at beating Walter. But this isn’t the time, nor place for Dragunov’s big moment.

WALTER has been NXT UK champion for 866 days and counting. When it does come time to beat a champion of his magnitude, it doesn’t need to be in the dark and depressing CWC in front of 400 people.

I’d be perfectly fine with this being Dragunov’s big moment if it was in front of a big crowd, but because it’s not, I say hold off for now.

Regardless, the match will be fantastic and probably be the match of the night.

Prediction: WALTER retains the NXT UK Championship

Raquel González (c) vs. Dakota Kai – NXT Women’s Championship Match

Gonzalez’s championship reign has been underwhelming thus far, and I think it’s time for NXT to give one of their hardest workers, Dakota Kai, her proper due and flowers.

Kai has worked really hard to become an overall well-refined performer and I think it’s time to pull the trigger and give her a big win over Raquel. This feud has been teased for a while and it can be stretched over 2-3 matches, but in order for that to happen, Kai needs to win.

You can give the win back to Gonzalez later down the line, but I don’t feel like she was ready to be Women’s Champion just yet. Kai is better than her at practically everything, so it’s a no-brainer in my eyes.

Prediction: Dakota Kai wins the NXT Women’s Championship

Karrion Kross (c) (with Scarlett) vs. Samoa Joe – NXT Championship Match

This match means absolutely nothing to me; I just want Samoa Joe to win.

Kross’ reign as NXT Champion was boring even before he started regularly losing on Raw, but when that happened, I completely lost any interest in the reign. I’d argue that Karrion Kross has had the most uneventful and boring NXT Title reign that the brand has ever seen. It’s time to make Samoa Joe the first-ever three-time NXT Champion.

Prediction: Samoa Joe wins the NXT Championship

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole – Two-out-of-three-falls match

Fall One is a traditional wrestling match, Fall Two is a Street Fight, and if needed, Fall Three (if necessary) is a Steel Cage match.

Rumors continue to circulate about Adam Cole and his future with WWE/NXT, and this match should spell out the future for the former NXT Champion. If Cole wins, I say he’s on his way to the main roster but if he loses, I say he’s on his way to join his friends in All Elite Wrestling.

The first two Cole vs. O’Reilly matches were good, but both went way too long and pale in comparison to some of their matches in Ring Of Honor. This 2 out of 3 Falls match will probably go around the 50/60 minute mark, which I’m absolutely dreading. Due to the nature of the match and the way the stipulations are set up, though, the match should pace itself very well and I trust in both guys to put on a great match.

I’m fine with either guy winning, but I’m leaning towards O’Reilly. The match will go to the third fall and I believe that O’Reilly will pin or submit Cole in the cage.

Prediction: Kyle O’Reilly