As the WWE heads into Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona for the Royal Rumble; one of WWE's big four and highly anticipated events they first make a stop for NXT's TakeOver: Phoenix event where every championship will be on the line. Matt Riddle will also look to put an end to his issues with Kassius Ohno, presumably, as the show's opening match. The weekend's festivities are sure to be entertaining with NXT TakeOver: Phoenix being at the fore-front.

Kassius Ohno has had a bit of a chip on his shoulder for a while now, feeling he is being passed up by management for opportunities in favour of the new talent, or NXT's 'shiny new toys' as Kassius Ohno puts it. The last straw was Matt Riddle, who came into NXT with a lot of fanfare behind him. Taking umbrage to this, Kassius Ohno challenged Matt Riddle to a match at NXT War Games as Matt Riddle addressed the audience in attendance, siting that he will knock Matt Riddle out. Matt Riddle swiftly defeated Kassius Ohno in six seconds; the quickest match in NXT history.

Frustrated with the record-breaking loss, Kassius Ohno continued to hunt down Matt Riddle. The two had a rematch during the End Of Year nominees show for NXT in which Matt Riddle once again defeated Kassius Ohno, although it took a little longer to put Kassius Ohno down this time around. Realising he had been defeated, Kassius Ohno walked away from the ring with his head hung low. When Matt Riddle offered a hand out in respect, Kassius Ohno hesitated to accept it before viciously attacking Matt Riddle and ultimately turning heel. This would put Matt Riddle on the shelf.

Keith Lee, also one of the 'shiny new toys' Kassius Ohno spoke of, looked to seek vengeance for his fallen friend, Matt Riddle, where he challenged Kassius Ohno to a match. On the January 16th edition of NXT the two behemoths clashed and Kassius Ohno managed to defeat Keith Lee with an illegal low blow. This attack prompted Matt Riddle to re-emerge and to protect his friend. William Regal, General Manager of NXT made a match between the two for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix where the two bitter rivals will look to settle the score with one another once and for all.

Fresh off of his heated rivalry with former NXT Champion, Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano looked to make 2019 a new year, especially after the events of the Steel Cage match between Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano which saw Tommaso Ciampa interfere and a brief glimpse of a DIY reunion. Tommaso Ciampa, however, had other plans for Johnny Gargano, suggesting that Johnny Gargano challenge Ricochet to the NXT North American Championship at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, a suggestion Johnny Gargano took under full consideration. Ricochet commented on the potential of Johnny Gargano challenging for his championship, entertaining the notion and Johnny Gargano accepted to challenge Ricochet to the NXT North American Championship at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

Ever since defeating Adam Cole for the NXT North American Championship at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV, Ricochet has been fending off the challengers, those challengers including current NXT UK Champion Pete Dunne and the Velveteen Dream. Now he is forced to fend off the challenge of Johnny Gargano who is intent on kicking starting the new year by becoming NXT North American Champion. Ricochet and Johnny Gargano had a confrontation between one another ahead of NXT TakeOver: Phoenix where Johnny Gargano stormed the ring, said he had a plan, and blindsided Ricochet. As Johnny Gargano and Ricochet battled one another the NXT Champion, Tommaso Ciampa came to help out, this prompted Aleister Black to attack Tomasso Ciampa which, in turn, led to Johnny Gargano taking out Aleister Black, further hinting at the possibility of a DIY reunion.

Since breaking away from Tommaso Ciampa, who were collectively known as DIY and former NXT Tag Team Champions, Johnny Gargano has been on the cusp of singles championship gold in the past, including a bitter rivalry with Tommaso Ciampa over the NXT Championship. Johnny Gargano, however, has never quite broken through and become a singles champion. Will this be Johnny Gargano's night to become a singles champion or will Ricochet once again fend off another challenger?

The War Raiders (Hanson and Rowe) quickly began to turn heads upon making their debut, running through the tag team division as if it were nothing, including victories over The Mighty and Heavy Machinery. This eventually led to them earning themselves an opportunity at the NXT Tag Team Championships against The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong). However, War Raiders were unsuccessful in their attempts to capture the gold and thus the journey for the War Raiders continued to reach the top of the mountain within NXT's tag team division.

A match was booked between the War Raiders and Adam Cole and Bobby Fish, the other two members of The Undisputed Era on the October 31st, 2018 episode of NXT. However, the War Raiders were insistent on getting their hands on The Undisputed Era that they attacked them before the match could begin and the match was thrown out. The NXT North American Champion, Ricochet, and the NXT UK Champion, Pete Dunne - who had also had issues with The Undisputed Era in the past - joined the fray to help out the War Raiders who were out-numbered by The Undisputed Era's numbers. This prompt William Regal to emerge and book the second-ever War Games match for NXT at NXT TakeOver: War Games in which the team of the War Raiders, Ricochet and Pete Dunne would win.

On the January 9th episode of NXT the War Raiders made their intentions clear once again when they attacked The Undisputed Era during Adam Cole's match with EC3. This prompted William Regal to take to Twitter and book the War Raiders against Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong of the Undisputed Era in a match with the NXT Tag Team Championships on the line at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. War Raiders receive another shot at the championships, War Raiders will be looking to make this one a successful outing, it could be their last opportunity to challenge for the NXT Tag Team Championships for quite some time with many other talented tag teams flooding the NXT roster.

After losing the NXT Women's Championship to Kairi Sane at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV Shayna Baszler was intent on re-claiming her championship gold. She felt like Kairi Sane never defeated her, she defeated herself and at WWE Evolution Shayna Baszler proved that by defeating Kairi Sane to become the only two-time NXT Women's Champion with a little help from the debuting Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. Shayna Baszler would defeat Kairi Sane in her championship rematch at NXT TakeOver: War Games with a 2-1 lead in a 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match. Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir once again intervened in the match but their interference was matched by Kairi Sane's friends; Dakota Kai and Mae Young Classic runner-up, Io Shirai.

With Kairi Sane out of the equation, it was time for a new challenger to step forward. William Regal announced that a Fatal Four Way would take place on the December 26th, 2018 edition of NXT between four women, three of which who would need to qualify in qualifying matches. The fourth was Bianca Belair who was instantly added to the equation because of the un-de-fea-ted streak she had managed to acquire since becoming a permanent member of the NXT roster. Mia Yim would defeat Reina González, Lacey Evans qualified during an NXT live show and Io Shirai earned her spot by being the one to get the pinfall in a tag team match that also included Dakota Kai against Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir, who were making their in-ring debut. After a wildly contested Fatal Four Way, Bianca Belair remained un-de-fea-ted and earned herself an opportunity at Shayna Baszler's NXT Women's Championship. Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir will no doubt play a role in this match. Will Bianca Belair have back-up of her own or will she have to withstand a three-on-one situation?

Leading up to NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV the main event was set to be Aleister Black defending the NXT Championship against Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano who were right in the middle of a heated rivalry with one another. On the July 25th, 2018 episode of NXT, however, it all took a huge turn of events as Aleister Black put his NXT Championship on the line against Tommaso Ciampa. Intent on getting his hands on Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano interfered in the match and went to attack Tomasso Ciampa with a Superkick, the kick missed and connected with Aleister Black. Now laid out, Tommaso Ciampa capitalised and pinned Aleister Black for the NXT Championship in controversial fashion. As the weeks went on leading up to NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV it was announced that Aleister Black had been attacked in the parking lot and an investigation went out to find out who the culprit was, with Tommaso Ciampa being a prime suspect. This lead to the match at NXT Takeover Brooklyn 4 becoming a singles match with Tommaso Ciampa defending his newly won NXT Championship against former friend and bitter rival, Johnny Gargano, in which he would successfully retain.

Fast forward a few months and the investigation into Aleister Black's attack would reach a climax. Aleister Black would return from injury and Johnny Gargano would reveal that he had been the one who attacked Aleister Black in the parking lot. This led to Aleister Black turning his attention away from Tommaso Ciampa and the NXT Championship and onto getting revenge against Johnny Gargano. Tommaso Ciampa focused on defending the NXT Championship against Velveteen Dream, who had been certain Tommaso Ciampa attacked Aleister Black. Aleister Black would gain a modicum of vengeance at NXT Takeover War Games with a victory over Johnny Gargano, but that wasn't enough. A steel cage match would be booked for the December 19th, 2018 episode of NXT between the two in which Johnny Gargano would win due to some unlikely help from Tomasso Ciampa, this would lead to speculations of a DIY reunion between the two heading into NXT TakeOver: Phoenix where Tommaso Ciampa was set to defend the NXT Championship against Aleister Black.

Whilst Johnny Gargano turned his attention away from Aleister Black and onto challenging Ricochet for the NXT North American Championship, Aleister Black turned his attention towards Tommaso Ciampa and the NXT Championship. But with this unique alliance between former friends and bitter rivals, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano was still a driving force in the feud between Aleister Black and Tommaso Ciampa. During NXT's last episode before NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa once again teased a DIY reunion as they attacked Ricochet, which led to Aleister Black interfering and eventually being laid out by Johnny Gargano before Tommaso Ciampa took advantage and attacked Aleister Black. With Johnny Gargano seemingly in the corner of Tommaso Ciampa, can Aleister Black capitalise on his contractually obligated rematch and become a two-time NXT Champion? Only time will tell. Perhaps Ricochet may even play the role of friend for Aleister Black and step into Aleister Black's corner to fend off the potential advances of Johnny Gargano.