Hello, it’s me TWB, I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. This Sunday we have NXT Takeover: In Your House, the first In Your House PPV in over 20 years, and the first Takeover since Portland in February. We have 6 matches on this card, so let’s get started with our first bout.
Tegan Nox, Shotzi Blackheart and Mia Yim Vs Candice LeRae, Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai
This ought to be a fun 6 Woman Tag Team match, with all competitors being heavily featured on NXT for the last few months. LeRae has recently turned heel, and perhaps for the first time in her run, she’s been treated as a major player on the brand. The partnership between Gonzalez and Kai has seen Dakota pick up victories against Tegan Nox, and kept them over as a heel partnership
Shotzi Blackheart has been a breath of fresh air since debuting in NXT towards the start of the year, she has a unique look and character, and is definitely one to watch over the course of the next few years. Tegan Nox has bounced back from two horrific injuries, and she’s now one of the main faces on the ‘Black and Gold brand’ and depending on who wins the NXT Women’s Championship Match, Nox could find herself as the number one contender very soon. Mia Yim has been featured prominently throughout her time in NXT, facing both Shayna Baszler and Charlotte Flair in Women’s Title bouts.
I think the heel trio in particular LeRae need the win here, she needs to keep the momentum going, and maybe in the near future, she could be feuding with whoever the NXT Women’s Champion is.
Winners – Kai, LeRae and Gonzalez
Finn Balor Vs Damian Priest
Really since the start of the Coronavirus, Finn Balor’s feud with WALTER has been put on halt, and it feels that until that programme can restart Balor is having mini feuds just to keep him on TV.
Damian Priest hasn’t won many of his big matches in his NXT run, but he’s remained a threat on the roster feuding with the likes of Keith Lee and Dijakovic. Personally, I could see Priest moving to the main roster and becoming a star, he’s got the look and the build of a main eventer and a feud with Drew McIntyre would be really entertaining.
I think Balor wins this one he’s still in a bit of limbo without WALTER but he needs to remain strong and whenever the NXT UK champion is back on our screens that feud can continue.
Winner – Finn Balor
Keith Lee Vs Johnny Gargano – NXT North American Title Match
Johnny Gargano’s heel run has been a real highlight on NXT during the recent months, his vignettes with LeRae have been a perfect use of the two during the current situation that we’re going through. Gargano won the North American Championship in 2019 against Ricochet, but he only held the title for a few weeks before losing it to Velveteen Dream, so another run this time preferably for much longer than his first reign would be great.
Is it me or has Keith Lee’s momentum post Survivor Series slightly cooled off, I think WWE could’ve put him on Raw or Smackdown and he’d been US or IC champion by now.
I can see the heel Gargano sneaking the victory here, perhaps Candice distracts the referee to allow Johnny to low blow Lee and get the win. Gargano can then have his open invitationals be for the title to add to the stakes.
Winner (and New Champion) – Johnny Gargano
Karrion Kross Vs Tommaso Ciampa
This is probably Karrion Kross’ biggest match of his career so far, it’s his first NXT Takeover, and he’s taking on an NXT stalwart in Tommaso Ciampa. Kross made his debut attacking Ciampa in a backstage segment and has since squashed two jobbers in pretty quick succession.
Tommaso Ciampa is going to be in NXT for as long as he wants to be, he’s voiced his concerns joining Raw or Smackdown, and NXT keeping him is a big deal, he’s someone who could either be NXT Champion or be used as someone who feuds with the new incoming stars similar to what Kassius Ohno had done in the past.
Kross has to win, it should be a 15-20 minute hard-hitting match, with Kross going over, I wouldn’t be shocked if they continue their feud into the next Takeover whenever that should be.
Winner – Karrion Kross
Charlotte Flair Vs Rhea Ripley Vs Io Shirai – NXT Women’s Championship Match
This is the toughest match to call, I can think of reasons why all 3 of these competitors could walk out as NXT Women’s Champion.
The defending champion Charlotte is really a love or hate character, I can understand why people get annoyed by her, she’s on Raw, NXT and even sometimes Smackdown most weeks and there’s no need for it, just have her on NXT, you don’t see Adam Cole or Keith Lee rock up to Raw or Smackdown.
That being said she doesn’t deserve all the criticism that she gets, Charlotte is one of the best women’s wrestlers ever in WWE, she’s damn good at what she does and she’s earned her way to multiple title reigns. If she retains on Sunday I wouldn’t be too mad, I just hope she’s exclusive on NXT and maybe we see her take on her Tegan Nox or a heel Candice LeRae.
Rhea Ripley losing at Wrestlemania to Flair was a surprise to everyone, except me who predicted that she’d drop the title. I think she has to be the favourite though, in this match, she barely had a run with the title belt, and there’s a lot of contenders for Rhea to feud with should she regain on Sunday night.
However my pick is the outsider Io Shirai, it’s crazy to think that Io hasn’t even had a run with the title yet, and if rumours are true that she’s considering returning to Japan, I really hope NXT is able to change her mind and give her the NXT Women’s Championship and a good run with the belt. Io can feud with Ripley, Nox, Kai, LeRae, Blackheart etc.
I think this match ends with Flair having the Figure 8 locked in on Rhea, then out of nowhere Shirai hits the Moonsault onto Charlotte, and pins her for the victory.
Winner (and New Champion) – Io Shirai
Adam Cole Vs Velveteen Dream – Backlot Brawl: NXT Championship Match
Adam Cole’s NXT title reign has now lasted over a year, and I can’t see it stopping on Sunday night. I think the day when Cole drops the title needs to happen in front of a Full Sail or Takeover crowd, not in a pre-taped Backlot Brawl match.
The Velveteen Dream has been fingertips away from becoming the top star in NXT on a few occasions now, but similar to why Cole shouldn’t lose, Dream shouldn’t become NXT champion without a crowd. However, after Sunday night if Dream loses what else can he do? Personally, I would like him to face-off with Finn Balor, especially assuming that Balor’s feud with WALTER is still on hold, I feel a Demon Vs Dream rivalry would give us good matches and a great storyline.
My guess is Cole retains, there’s no need for him to drop the title at the moment until NXT goes back to having non-WWE personnel in the crowd, Cole will remain the NXT Champion, and that’s Undisputed.
Winner (and Still Champion) – Adam Cole
That’s it for my NXT Takeover: In Your House Predictions, feel free to follow me on Twitter @callumowen98 and @sltdwrestling, until next time, stay safe and stay healthy!
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