WWE NXT: Full Preview, Rumors and More for December 18

Welcome to Bleacher Report's preview for the Dec. 18 episode of NXT on the WWE Network. Spoilers are already out there, but if you want to know what will happen without having the matches spoiled for you, you're in the right place.

Last week's TakeOver: R Evolution special was a huge success for WWE's developmental brand. If you look at social media, you might even say it was a better show than Sunday's Tables, Ladders, Chairs...and Stairs pay-per-view.

Kevin Owens made his highly anticipated debut, Charlotte and Sasha Banks showed the entire Divas division how to put a match together, and Sami Zayn finally won the NXT title.

However, Zayn's celebration was short-lived. He ended up being attacked by Owens, a man who was known as being Zayn's best friend (and sometimes rival).

This week will feature all the fallout from the live special, and there will definitely be a lot. Let's take a look at what's on tap for Thursday's episode of NXT.

The Women

Charlotte and Banks will get the week off, but Banks' apprentice/partner, Becky Lynch, will be in action against Bayley.

If any two women in NXT can put on a match that will even come close to what we saw last week, it's these two women.

Lynch is a battle-tested veteran who spent 11 years honing her craft overseas, training under Finn Balor and working for several different European promotions.

Bayley might not have the same level of experience, but there is no denying this girl's drive to succeed. These two have very different styles, which usually makes for a fun match.

There isn't much on the line here, but whoever wins could be the next woman we see challenge Charlotte for the title. Every win actually means something in NXT, which is why this bout should be watched closely.

The Tag Teams

Following their loss to Balor and Hideo Itami at TakeOver, The Ascension will be looking to take out their aggression on the first team they see, and the unfortunate souls who have the unenviable task of facing them are Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady.

The Realest Guys in the Room are no slouches, but they don't have the record of Konnor and Viktor to back them up.

Based on recent video packages, The Ascension should be making their debut on the main roster sometime very soon, and if WWE wants to give them a boost, Konnor and Viktor will probably start racking up wins again.

Were Amore and Cassady to win, they would definitely find themselves in a great position to challenge for the Tag Team Championships.

Konnor and Viktor pretty much owned the tag team division for the last year, so beating them would be a big deal, even for a team as established as Amore and Cassady.

The Men

Tensions have been mounting between Bull Dempsey and Baron Corbin over the past several weeks, but we will have to wait a little longer to see them lock horns.

However, both men will be in action this week in separate matches against a couple of local jobbers. There's no point in beating around the bush on this. Corbin and Dempsey are definitely going to win, but there's always the chance one of them could cause trouble for the other.

These are two big powerhouses, but they have very different styles. When they eventually get in the ring together, it should be one hell of a fight.

Another man known for his love of fighting will get a shot at the former NXT champion in the main event when Owens collides with Adrian Neville.

Leading up to TakeOver, Neville was showing signs of a possible heel turn, but at the end of the night, he embraced his opponent and raised his hand in show of respect and friendship.

Owens ruined Zayn's moment of glory when he powerbombed him into the ring apron, so it's safe to assume that Neville will be looking for some revenge on behalf of his friend.

The great thing about this match is going to be the clash of styles. Neville likes to fly and keep things technical, whereas Owens will just punch you in the face until you stop moving.

Even with his brawling skills, Owens is willing to take the occasional risk, which will make this match even more exciting.

Neville still has a guaranteed rematch for the title, so he doesn't really need this win. Owens is the new kid in school and needs to build up momentum, which is why he will probably come away with his hand raised.

However, if Neville wins, it might anger Owens enough to take him out after the match, making him look like an even bigger heel in the process.

It won't match up to last week's live special, but Thursday's episode of NXT looks like it could be pretty entertaining.

What are you looking forward to on this week's episode?

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.