Women’s title match for TakeOver: Phoenix revealed at NXT TV tapings
Editor’s note: This article references results from NXT television episodes that have yet to air.
The first match is set for NXT’s Royal Rumble weekend TakeOver special.
Bianca Belair defeated Lacey Evans, Io Shirai, and Mia Yim in a fatal four-way number one contender’s match at tonight’s NXT television tapings and will challenge for Shayna Baszler’s NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver: Phoenix. Belair pinned Evans to win tonight’s match.
Baszler vs. Belair will be Belair’s first match on a TakeOver special. Belair’s character on NXT TV is that she’s undefeated.
Baszler is a two-time NXT Women’s Champion. She regained the title from Kairi Sane at last month’s WWE Evolution pay-per-view and then retained against Sane in a two-out-of-three falls match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II during Survivor Series weekend.
The Talking Stick Resort Arena will host NXT TakeOver: Phoenix on January 26, 2019. The Royal Rumble is taking place at Chase Field in Phoenix on January 27.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.