Predictions for NXT TakeOver: In Your House

Remember the era where WWE (then WWF) held PPVs where real houses were given away? Well, those times are (sort of) back, with WWE reviving the In Your House gimmick for a new edition of the NXT supershow.

The NXT TakeOver: In Your House comes in a very specific time for the world, and for wrestling in particular, as WWE presents its first TakeOver since the start of the lockdown (and yes, they did have a mini-TakeOver on NXT TV, but that won't count), following the main-roster models of WrestleMania and Money in the Bank.

The show has a lot of potential to be among the best NXT TakeOvers ever, which is a very high bar considering that the worst show has been better than any main roster PPV in the last five years. This NXT TakeOver looks very eventful and enticing despite taking place in front of limited/non-existent audience, with the debut of Karrion Kross, Gargano's first match as heel since the Ciampa feud "ended" (presumably), and the NXT Women's Championship match bound to be big highlights from the show.

The card seems fine like always, with a lot of potential for an all-time great show just because of the wrestling alone. NXT TakeOvers are always very good at least and provide some eye-popping moments. Some matches were built more than others, which is normal in some cases as the frantic nature of the tapings makes it almost impossible to focus on all matches in the same way. However, the atmosphere and the talent involved can elevate even a half-built storyline into a great showcase.

With that in mind, let's go over the card and make some predictions. Hopefully, this NXT TakeOver still manages to entertain us as these shows always do despite the current circumstances.

Let's get to business...

#1 Mia Yim, Shotzi Blackheart & Tegan Nox vs. Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

Mia Yim, Shotzi Blackheart & Tegan Nox will take on the team of Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

This match is as basic of a booking as it could get, but that doesn't deny the talent involved their ability to turn it into a very enjoyable match. The intersection of multiple feuds may seem like a classic and lazy way of booking at points, yet it is the perfect choice to have some exciting storyline crossovers.

The main feud here might look like Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae, but it is actually Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai despite that feud falling flat since the introduction of Raquel Gonzalez. The story between them goes back to Survivor Series 2019, as does their relation with (now heel) LeRae, yet it feels like the least interesting story, and definitely falling behind Candice-Yim feud, which in itself orbits around the Keith Lee-Johnny Gargano feud.

Heading into this encounter, the momentum is on the heels' side (at least considering Candice LeRae). On the go-home NXT episode, LeRae pinned Yim during the intergender tag match they had alongside Gargano and Lee respectively, which gives her an edge over 'The Blasian Baddie' heading into this six-woman tag match.

As mentioned, the Nox/Kai feud has fallen back in importance behind any women's rivalry or any rivalry on NXT in general. Since the introduction of Raquel Gonzalez, WWE seems to lose their memo on what the purpose of the feud is and don't know who to push exactly coming out of it or even when to end it in the first place. Gonzalez still seems like a pretty green prospect and needs more matches to shine and build herself up so the lackey role might be her comfort zone at the moment. In general, the only interesting thing here is how the character of Shotzi Blackheart will interact in a tag team situation.

Predicting this match might seem hard, considering that WWE are trying to push Candice LeRae's new heel act with her husband as their priority with this six-woman tag. However, a babyface win, particularly for Mia Yim, can be beneficial considering its relation to what will happen in the Women's title match, so there is a clear conflict of interest. A final prediction, however, has to be made.

Prediction: Mia Yim, Tegan Nox, and Shotzi Blackheart to win

#2 Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest

Oh, what could have been! — Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest

You think Finn Balor was unlucky on the main-roster?. Well, he is facing Damian Priest instead of WALTER at In Your House. Considering his resume of feuds since rejoining NXT and the potential feuds that could have been tapped into, this is just as unfortunate as that ill-faded run on RAW and SmackDown. This is the least built match on the show seemingly, and Balor's fourth wall shattering promos are not exactly pushing viewers in droves to watch this encounter.

However, we can't discredit WWE for putting Priest in a (comparatively) another high-profile match at a TakeOver show since he has shown that he can work those against Pete Dunne and Killian Dain. Also, this match is going to be good for sure and if WWE are willing to be behind Priest, then Balor will make sure to make him look as good as ever. Though the question is, when trying to predict a winner, which of these two Superstars NXT would need to move into North American/NXT Championship picture?.

The easy answer is Finn Balor since he didn't have a proper full feud to sink his teeth into from the moment he announced, "Finn Balor is NXT". Fantasy booking went wild for potential matches against Keith Lee/Tomasso Ciampa/Adam Cole (he had some on TV but what was meant is TakeOver show-stealers and not half-baked NXT TV main-events), but some unfortunate circumstances and NXT's priorities haven't exactly put "The Prince" in the best spot so it might just be his time.

On the flipside, there is a valid argument that can be made for the former Punishment Martinez that he needs to be moved up the ladder as the Black and Gold brand certainly needs new blood across the board. Yet, it is up to WWE to make the decision to push one of them up in the pecking order.

Prediction: Finn Balor to win

#3 Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship match

In what could be the best match on the card, Charlotte Flair puts her NXT Women's Championship against Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai in a very tasty triple threat.

At WrestleMania, we saw what Ripley and Flair could do and adding Shirai to them only adds to the excitement. This match has a 'Match of the Year' candidate written all over it, and this is no exaggeration. Rhea Ripley is probably NXT's (and maybe all of WWE) best prospect of a character, Io Shirai is one of the smoothest and most spectacular workers in the whole company, and Charlotte Flair is one of the greatest big-match performers in the world (not just for women).

When analyzing this match, a lot of factors have to be regarded. First, the fact that Charlotte Flair is basically a 'Free Agent' showing up on all the brands. Recently, she had #1 contender's matches on RAW, which can be argued that it devaluates the NXT title and doesn't give NXT the importance that it was (to a decent extent) given during the Survivor Series build last year. Second, stemming from that first point, is the fact that this triple threat (despite being a great match) is only another way of protecting Charlotte in either case of losing or retaining.

If Flair retains, then this match will serve as a way to have her involved in another big match where she doesn't make a lot of effort (though we know she is a tremendous worker). If she loses the title, then it's easy to assume that it will be a way to drop it without having to pin her directly and eventually regain it if they are truly behind the idea of having her as the one to break her dad's (at least in WWE's cannon) record of 17 world titles, from which she has now 12.

It's clear that Flair is the match's most valuable asset even beyond being the NXT Women's Champion, and not laying down to the eventual winner if she drops the title might be taken the wrong way by the fans who can get quite critical about her at times.

Prediction: Io Shirai to win (by pinning Rhea Ripley)

#4 Keith Lee (C) vs. Johnny Gargano for the NXT North American Championship

This match comes with a lot of shades from Johnny Gargano's first heel run, which lost its steam quite quickly, and really was a stain on an otherwise very glorious NXT run. So the first concern is if this second run would be a failure as well. However, hope is up that this run might be the right decision as his mega-feud with Tommaso Ciampa is (seemingly) over at least for the foreseeable future.

The events from the go-home NXT episode might suggest that this match will pan out in a classic heel vs. face style match where Gargano is going to try and evade Keith Lee's immense power game. The match itself will be a barn-burner for sure, but it is really interesting to see the dynamic of Gargano's heel persona (take two) in the ring. Another question is whether Candice LeRae and Mia Yim will be involved in this match in any manifestation which, judging by recent build, is a real possibility and almost bound to happen.

Now we turn towards 'The Limitless One', the NXT North American Champion, Keith Lee. He has been low-key one of the best things about the "NXT on USA" era so far, and looks like he deserves a certain promotion up the card. This match is the perfect opportunity for him to make his mark before moving to something bigger and better (we will get to it later) as he was stuck in the Dijakovic/mid-card orbit too long for the immense talent that he has shown in spades during his Survivor Series performance.

Keith Lee's interaction with Brock Lesnar is one of the best moments of the 2020 Royal Rumble and he has all the charisma in the world to be a lovable goof and a killer wrestler at the same time. Though, moving to bigger things is not necessarily to the main-roster (but we will get there eventually).

Prediction: Johnny Gargano to win

#5 Adam Cole (c) vs. Velveteen Dream for the NXT Championship

These fancy taglines, similar to a "last chance" match, can be tricky as they shift your focus from the actual story. The transition from a feud between Velveteen Dream and Roderick Strong to a feud for the NXT Championship with Adam Cole was not done in the smoothest way.

Straight off the bat, Velveteen Dream is not an NXT championship material. Not in any way because he is bad (far from that, he is actually very good), but because he doesn't work the NXT style of things. Adam Cole is both a perfect cocky character and a great NXT style wrestler at the same time, and that's why he has been the champion for a full year (in case you forgot that detail).

Velveteen Dream, on the other hand, if he becomes an NXT champion, might fall more towards the Bobby Roode end of NXT Champions' gallery rather than an Adam Cole or a Tommaso Ciampa since he is more of a character and an "experience" rather than a wrestler you would like to watch perform.

Back to the stipulation intricacies, this "last chance" match is actually a very good way to have Dream simply lose the match and move up to the main roster where he can flex his character under the more promo-based environment of WWE's programming.

For Adam Cole, though, winning here does not mean that his run should extend for another year because he should drop to the next challenger (which you can guess by this point), Keith Lee. Adam Cole, and the Undisputed Era as a unit, enjoyed a top run on the brand, so him winning here only to drop it to Lee so they can all move up to the main-roster later down the line might just be the more reasonable move.

Prediction: Adam Cole to retain his title

#6 Tommaso Ciampa vs Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett Bordeaux

In what should be the main-event at NXT TakeOver: In Your House (yes, over the NXT Championship match), Tommaso Ciampa faces Karrion Kross in a match that is as intriguing as it is unpredictable and wild. Karrion Kross debuted less than a month ago and spent his time squashing no names en route to his debut TakeOver match. His entrance and mannerisms just scream "main-event level", and really that's what he should be, a "killer" of a wrestler (no pun intended) that intimidates the NXT roster.

Now here is the catch, this is his first "proper" match and it is against Tommaso Ciampa, who himself comes on the back of losing to Johnny Gargano and seem like he is fading in stature in the NXT pecking order. Having him lose here should at least serve a big purpose, which clearly needs to be pushing Kross like a mega-star. For that to happen, Karrion Kross should have the upper hand, but not by making Ciampa look unnecessarily like an underdog.

The structure and booking for this match can be as easy as ever, simply give Ciampa an early lead, but without having Kross sell too much, then just as simple turn the tables and have Kross completely brutalize Ciampa on the way to a (clean) victory. The key here is a "clean" victory, as there is no need for Scarlett to be involved more than she should do as a valet.

Obviously, it's going to be a miscalculation if Kross loses here simply because Ciampa lost to Gargano before. This is his debut TakeOver match, and he needs to look as strong as WWE can make him look going forward because they need fresh talent. As for Ciampa, a loss would not be the end of the world as he can lay off for a while (and that's safer in these times) and return better and fresher for pastures new on NXT or elsewhere.

Prediction: Karrion Kross to win

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