The road has been riveting and the card is stacked as we head into the biggest NXT show of the year Saturday night.
Not only will the two premier names in NXT be squaring off for the brand's most prestigious title in NXT TakeOver: Orlando, but an epic women's championship collision craved by many for quite some time finally will come to fruition, and an NXT tag team championship match starring three of the bests tag teams -- not just in NXT, but all of the WWE -- will take place.
Are you excited? You should be. The Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, will be rocking, and this show has the potential to outshine WrestleMania 33.
NXT championship: Bobby Roode (champion) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
If their performance at TakeOver: San Antonio in which Roode became NXT champion was any indication, we should be in store for something special in Orlando.
Ring work aside, though, similar to the first go-round, the build to this match has been lacking a bit. In fact, we haven't seen these two in a ring together since the aforementioned match. In that match, Nakamura was left with a knee injury that forced him out of action for a number of weeks while Roode began his glorious NXT championship reign.
The king of strong style made his triumphant in-ring return three weeks ago when he took on former cruiserweight champion TJ Perkins in a fantastic bout. As great as that return match was, even more notable was the NXT championship rematch Nakamura had in his back pocket.
Roode later put the championship on the line against the returning Kassius Ohno to determine who would go on to TakeOver and defend against Nakamura. The grueling match went the way of the champ and the main event was set. Nakamura will have his opportunity to seek revenge on Roode and become the first-ever three-time NXT champion in the process.
Again, the chemistry is certainly there from an in-ring perspective -- that was made clear back in January. But this rivalry would be much more memorable if this match was built to appear as though it is one of the biggest in NXT history, which it is.
Having said that, Roode and Nakamura put on a show at TakeOver: San Antonio and the rematch should be just as captivating.
NXT women's championship: Asuka (champion) vs. Ember Moon
Ever since Ember Moon arrived to NXT last summer and displayed her unique and ultra-athletic skill set, her eventual clash with the equally fascinating women's champion Asuka has been craved. The two women are far and away the most talented performers in the division, and expectations at TakeOver could not be higher.
Asuka will be celebrating her one-year anniversary as NXT women's champion at TakeOver: Orlando. During that yearlong stretch, she has defended her title against the likes of current RAW women's champion Bayley, former six-time women's champion Mickie James and most recently survived a fatal four-way encounter against SAnitY's Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. She has dominated the division.
The same night Asuka defended her championship against Bayley at TakeOver: Brooklyn II, the enigmatic Moon made her NXT debut, defeating Billie Kay in less than five minutes. From that moment on, this has been the dream matchup.
Saturday will be the first time Asuka and Moon will face off, and for that reason, the element of the unknown exists -- but that makes it all the more exciting. Their undeniable energy and explosive repertoires create the potential for a show-stealer.
NXT tag team championship: Authors of Pain (champion) vs. #DIY vs. The Revival
TakeOver: San Antonio felt slightly empty with the omission of two-time NXT tag team champions The Revival. TakeOver: Orlando will not.
While Dash and Dawson sat on the sidelines in San Antonio, the other two teams in this triple-threat elimination match, #DIY (the team that knocked off The Revival) and the Authors of Pain (the team that knocked off #DIY), were battling it out for the titles.
This time, all three teams are in the mix as championship contenders, and the Authors of Pain will have to contend with two teams at once.
The tag team division has long been the most compelling division in NXT and this three-way rivalry is a prime example why.
Not only have all three teams been champions, but they all possess vastly different qualities that make them great. Will the psychology-based mat game of The Revival, the fast-paced strikers of #DIY or the brute power and dominance of the Authors of Pain prevail? We'll find out Saturday night.
SAnitY vs. Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, No Way Jose & Ruby Riot
Tye Dillinger has been the preeminent target of SAnitY throughout much of 2017. For about three months, the four crazed anarchists have used the numbers game to their advantage in their pursuit to lay waste to the perfect 10, and they have succeeded on multiple occasions.
But Dillinger acquired backup in the form of Roderick Strong and No Way Jose. The trio began evening the odds. That was never more apparent than it was on last week's episode of "WWE NXT" when Dillinger, Strong and Jose took on Eric Young, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe of SAnitY.
The chaotic scene, though ruled a no contest, saw Dillinger gain an advantage over Young while the other combatants brawled around the ring. That is, until SAnitY's resident spitfire Nikki Cross interfered. At that point, the sides officially became even as Ruby Riot made her NXT debut by attacking Cross and aligning herself with Dillinger, Strong and Jose. Our mixed tag match was set.
Andrade 'Cien' Almas vs. Aleister Black
After making his WWE debut as part of a bonus match during the United Kingdom tournament in January under his former ring name Tommy End, TakeOver will mark the official NXT debut of the anti-hero now known as Aleister Black.
His opponent will be Andrade "Cien" Almas, who unfortunately has lacked any legitimate storyline direction over the past few months.
One can hope that this is the beginning of a blooming rivalry that will bring out the best in these two talented performers.