NXT ON USA PRIMER 1/8: Ripley Era begins, Grimes vs. Lee vs. Dijakovic vs. Priest, O’Reilly & Fish vs. Coffey & Wolfgang from NXT UK, Imperium vs. Forgotten Sons in Dusty Tag Tourney matches

Roderick’s Strong next challenger for the NXT North American Title will be determined tonight as Cameron Grimes, Damian Priest, Dominik Dijakovic, and Keith Lee will compete in a Number One Contender’s Fatal Four-Way match. Plus, the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic begins tonight. It’s sure to be another action packed episode of NXT which will air live on the USA Network from Full Sail University as Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuiness, and Beth Phoenix will have the call.

Let’s take a look at what’s currently advertised for tonight’s show.

• Fatal Four-Way Match to determine No. 1 Contender to NXT North American Championship
• The Undisputed ERA and Gallus clash in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
• Imperium and The Forgotten Sons meet in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
• What’s next for NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley?

ADVERTISED MATCHES & SEGMENTS

Fatal Four-Way Match to determine No. 1 Contender to NXT North American Championship

What a way to start 2020 for Cameron Grimes, Damian Priest, Dominik Dijakovic and Keith Lee as they will wrestler in a Number One contenders Fatal Four-Way match earn an opportunity to challenge Roderick Strong for the NXT North American Title. The question is who will rise and be the first to challenge for championship gold in 2020?

This Wednesday on #WWENXT, we will find a new #1 Contender for the NXT North American Championship in a #Fatal4Way as it will be @RealKeithLee vs. @DijakovicWWE vs. @CGrimesWWE vs. @ArcherOfInfamy.

— William Regal (@RealKingRegal) January 3, 2020

(Amin’s Analysis: This should be terrific as everyone in this match are all terrific wrestlers. I can see either Dijakovic or Priest winning if the title match will take place on NXT TV. If this is a long-term program leading to a match at the next Takeover special I would like to see Lee win.)

The Undisputed ERA and Gallus clash in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

It will be battle of champions to kick off the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic as NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish will face NXT UK Tag Team Champions Mark Coffey & Wolfgang in the first round. The question can Gallus stop the momentum of Fish & O’Reilly who were voted the NXT Tag Team of the Year?

THIS WEDNESDAY on @WWENXT: It's a HUGE first round match in the #DustyClassic as the #WWENXT #TagTeamChampions @KORcombat & @theBobbyFish of #UndisputedEra battle the #NXTUK Tag Team Champions @m_coffey90 & @WolfgangYoung of #Gallus.https://t.co/2d9yfhPRfD pic.twitter.com/lhezH2WWM6

— WWE (@WWE) January 5, 2020

(Amin’s Analysis: This should be a good tag team wrestling match as both teams are very talented. I expect Undisputed Era to win but this should be a great showcase for Gallus before they defend the NXT UK Tag Team Titles at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool 2.)

Imperium and The Forgotten Sons meet in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

In another first round match in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel will face Wesley Blake & Steve Cutler in a battle between NXT vs. NXT UK. The question will Imperium continue to show why the mat is sacred or will the Forgotten Sons be forgotten no more?

The 2020 #DustyClassic kicks off this Wednesday when #WWENXT's #ForgottenSons @SteveCutlerWWE & @TheWWEBlake take on #NXTUK's #Imperium @FabianAichner & @Marcel_B_WWE! https://t.co/lBi7v9kivS

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 4, 2020

(Amin’s Analysis: This should be a good hard hitting wrestling match. I expect Imperium will win so they look strong heading into their eight-man tag team match against Undisputed Era at the WWE Worlds Collide event.)

What’s next for NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley?

After winning the first-ever Women’s WarGames match and leading her team to victory at WWE Survivor Series, Rhea Ripley capped off 2019 by defeating Shayna Baszler to become the NXT Women’s Champion. The question is who will step up and be the first to challenge Ripley for her NXT Women’s Title?

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1210003241477517313

(Amin’s Analysis: It will be interesting to see who challenges Ripley first as I could see either Bianca BeLair or Dakota Kai get the first opportunity. I would prefer if they held off a program with Io Shirai and have the match with Ripley take place at NXT TakeOver: Tampa Baduring WrestleMania week. That’s where they should switch the title and give my favorite wrestler Io Shirai her coronation as she’s the best female wrestler in all of WWE.)

The Big Takeaway from last week’s show

• Undisputed Era walked away with the top NXT Year End Awards.

Overall Thoughts

This should be another very good episode of NXT as I expect we will get some great wrestling matches. We should also see the start of some new programs leading into the upcoming WWE Worlds Collide event.

CATCH UP… 1/1 NXT ON USA REPORT: Wells’s report on year-end awards, Dusty Classic teams announced