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NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia preview - Jan. 27, 2018: Will Gargano fulfill his dream against Almas?

After an incredible streak of victories, Johnny Gargano will challenge NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas tonight at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia. Will Johnny “Freaking” Wrestling ascend the throne in Philly, or will El Idolo and Zelina Vega formulate a plan to get Gargano off his game?

>NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Johnny Gargano

Johnny Gargano has gone from a struggling singles career to one victory away from becoming the NXT Champion. Johnny Wrestling’s NXT underdog story will reach its dramatic climax tonight at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia when he challenges Andrade “Cien” Almas for the NXT Championship.

Considering Gargano represents NXT’s version of Rocky Balboa, a true underdog who has come out of nowhere to find himself in a huge title showdown, there may not be a better city to host this matchup than Philadelphia, the city that was famously the backdrop for the “Rocky” movie franchise.

Gargano was never even supposed to be involved in the series of matches to determine Almas’ challenger in the first place. Yet, after learning of an injury to Velveteen Dream, General Manager William Regal inserted the talented Gargano into the fray. The former NXT Tag Team Champion — who had stumbled mightily since transitioning to singles competition — went on to defeat the highly acclaimed Kassius Ohno in a Qualifying Match before overcoming Killian Dain, Aleister Black and Lars Sullivan in a No. 1 Contender’s Fatal 4-Way Match. That’s a Knockout Artist, two monsters and a previously undefeated Superstar, for those keeping count. Gargano even went on to defeat Velveteen Dream on the Jan. 24 episode of NXT after he put his NXT Title Match opportunity on the line.

Before Gargano can claim the NXT Title, he must defeat the red-hot Almas, a Superstar who has similarly gone from a struggling singles career to the top of NXT. Almas’ career resurgence can be traced in part to the arrival of his business manager Zelina Vega, who has helped El Idolo focus and, at times, even offered a helping hand.

This title match won’t be the first time these two competitors have met, with Gargano coming out on the losing side in their previous two battles. However, both clashes included timely interference from Vega. Will Almas’ fiery manager make her presence felt in this title contest? And if so, can Gargano not only overcome the extremely dangerous Almas, but also Vega’s distractions to become the new NXT Champion?

>Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole (Extreme Rules Match)

Aleister Black and Adam Cole will face off in a much-anticipated rematch at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia, but this time it will be under Extreme Rules.

What better way for these two foes to settle their rivalry in The City of Brotherly Love than under an Extreme Rules stipulation? Simply put, when the Dutch destroyer collides with the leader of Undisputed ERA, anything can go — meaning the match cannot end via disqualification or count-out. Black and Cole battled for the first time on the Dec. 13, 2017, episode of NXT in a No. 1 Contender’s Tournament Match. The highly acclaimed grapplers went toe-to-toe in a tremendous match that saw the tattooed striker deliver a Black Mass to keep Cole down for the three-count.

Unfortunately for Black, that was not the last he would see of Cole and his Undisputed ERA partners Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish. The rebellious faction attacked Black during his Fatal 4-Way No. 1 Contender’s Match, quite possibly costing him an opportunity to challenge for the NXT Title at TakeOver: Philadelphia.

This conflict escalated weeks later when Black joined Roderick Strong in challenging Fish & O’Reilly for the NXT Tag Team Championship. Once again, Cole would make his presence felt, assaulting Black and costing him and Strong the match. Then, following the contest, Cole made an emphatic statement by laying out Black in front of the NXT Universe. As a result, General Manager William Regal announced that Black and Cole would battle head-to-head at TakeOver: Philadelphia in an Extreme Rules Match.

Will Cole continue to shock the system and topple one of NXT’s most dominant Superstars? Or will Black cause his adversary to fade to black yet again? Plus, what type of chaos and mayhem will unfold when two of the world’s greatest in-ring competitors collide under extreme conditions?