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#3 Raquel Gonzalez survived another tough challenge at TakeOver: In Your House
Raquel Gonzalez retained the NXT Women's Championship at TakeOver: In Your House. Moon challenged Gonzalez for the title after Gonzalez purposely injured Moon's tag team partner, Shotzi Blackheart, following a recent tag team match.
The Shenom had her moments during the match, countering the Chingona Bomb several times. Despite the obvious size difference, the former NXT Women's Champ held her own against the much-larger champion. In the end, Gonzalez retained her title but things were far from finished between the two teams.
Blackheart reappeared at TakeOver: In Your House, rushing out to the ring towards the end of the match to attack Dakota Kai. Kai interfered at various points during the title contest, helping Gonzalez keep her belt at TakeOver: In Your House. Kai and Blackheart fought on the ramp before taking the fight backstage.
As champion, Gonzalez has now defeated Moon and Mercedes Martinez. Outside of Moon, Blackheart and Io Shirai, there aren't a lot of top-level faces to challenge Gonzalez. Blackheart will likely get the next crack at the championship due to the attack before TakeOver: In Your House.
After that, however, could some new blood make their presence felt in NXT? Or will Gonzalez be forced to turn face to battle the plethora of heels in NXT? Could she move up to the main roster as Champion and relinquish the title rather than dropping it?
Gonzalez was new to wrestling when she signed with WWE. She still needs a little seasoning and can get that on the job as champion. Sarray and Zoey Stark have been presented as potential future champions, so one or both could eventually get title shots.
Until then, however, Gonzalez is likely to remain dominant atop the NXT Women's division. She is a homegrown star and WWE loves to book those types of performers strongly. Just look at how Roman Reigns has been booked throughout his career.
A lot of women will try to take the title from Raquel, but after TakeOver: In Your House, it will only get tougher for those challengers. Gonzalez has improved greatly in the past year and she'll continue to do so going forward.
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