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WWE just put on their second annual NXT TakeOver: In Your House. This year’s event was nothing short of exciting, featuring five action-packed match-ups. The In Your House concept is something that they brought back last year, and it turned out to be a great success.
In Your House started in the mid-90s, and was WWF’s title for most of their pay-per-views during the attitude era. Last year, NXT brought back a few other nostalgic shows as well, but the In Your House show was one of their greatest.
Again, this year’s show only featured five matches but each of them could be considered match of the year candidates.
Xia Li took on Mercedes Martinez in a rematch from their 2017 Mae Young Classic encounter. Li had everything to prove, and her character development really shined during the match. Clearly, WWE has some exciting plans for her in the future.
Not only was Bronson Reed’s North American Championship on the line, but MSK’s NXT Tag Team Championships were as well. The twist is that they were all on the line during the same match.
Reed and MSK successfully defended their titles against Legado Del Fantasma in a Winner Take All Six Man Tag Team Match. The match provided the fastest-paced, high-flying action it was expected to.
The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBaise brought back his Million Dollar Championship for In Your House. Cameron Grimes and LA Knight fought to be the next Million Dollar Man as the championship was on the line in a Ladder Match.
Raquel González retained her NXT Women’s Championship against a former champion, Ember Moon.
In Your House ended with NXT Champion Karrion Kross defeating four of NXT’s best in a Fatal Five Way Match. Adam Cole, Pete Dunne, Johnny Gargano, and Kyle O’ Reilly just were not enough in comparison to Kross.
The show was great, but it did leave the fans with some questions that will need to be answered soon.
Here are five questions we have to ask about what’s next following NXT: TakeOver In Your House!
Is Mercedes Martinez’s time in NXT coming to an end?
Mercedes Martinez has been a dominant force in NXT and has managed to stand out among the rest of the NXT women's roster. Even though she lost to Xia Li last night, she still managed to stand at the end of the match.
That was until she felt the wrath of Mei Ying, Li’s manager and apparent leader of Tian Sha. Ying took out Martinez at the end of their segment, leaving many to question what is next for her.
In Your House might be one of the last time’s we see Martinez in NXT. WWE could be using this loss as a transition to either RAW or SmackDown.
Martinez did have a decent absence on NXT, prior to the last few months. She was a masked member of RETRIBUTION before WWE decided that they no longer wanted her to be a part of the group.
Now could be the time to have her appear in a role that suits her current character a bit better. There are rumors going around that she will somehow be tied to the returning Eva Marie.
Marie has aligned herself with Piper Niven, but Martinez joining the pair would make for an interesting turn of events.
If she does end up being a body guard-like character for Marie, it would be a good fit for everyone. Marie has stated that she is coming back to wrestle but if her character is the same as it was before she left, she might have some tricks up her sleeve in the form of Niven and Martinez.
The RAW Women’s Roster could use a bit of a shake-up and a strong physical competitor like Martinez would be a great addition.
The SmackDown Women’s roster is stacked right now, but Martinez would be a monster to be reckoned with. Her athletic abilities would fit in perfectly on SmackDown and her experience would be beneficial to some of the younger members on the roster.
Even if Martinez is done with NXT, this is not the last we will see of her on WWE Television.
Is Cameron Grimes giving up on his million dollar dreams in NXT?
Over the last few months, Cameron Grimes has been appearing on NXT showing his new lavish lifestyle. Grimes has been flashing his money around and living his best life. Now, even though Grimes has a lot of money, there is someone who has more; The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase.
DiBiase started appearing on NXT in Grimes’ weekly vignettes, with the sole purpose of proving he was richer than Grimes was. His classic character has not changed a bit, but it is time for his legacy to move on to someone else.
Many thought that his appearances were going to lead to him managing Grimes. However, Grimes and his rival LA Knight found themselves working for a different prize. DiBiase allowed his Million Dollar Championship would be put on the line in a ladder match at In Your House.
Cameron Grimes was humiliated once again when LA Knight ended up the new Million Dollar Champion.
NXT TakeOver: In Your House did not end the way that Grimes wanted it to. Does this mean that he is to give up on his championship dreams, or do we see another million dollar match-up?
Grimes’ character has really developed since his first appearance on NXT. He has now adapted into a persona that the fans have really gotten behind.
His character is a modern-day Ted DiBiase, and the fact that he is not the Million Dollar Champion shows that this feud is not over just yet. Now that Grimes is a fan favorite, if he were to hold the championship then it would make for some very entertaining segments on NXT television.
Everyone has a price, and if Grimes has the money to back it up, there is a strong chance he will best LA Knight and become the next Million Dollar Champion.
Who is next for NXT Women's Champion Raquel González?
NXT Women’s Champion Raquel González is one of the most talented female stars to grace the brand. González defeated a former NXT Women’s Champion, and NXT Tag Team Champion, Ember Moon to retain her championship at In Your House.
Now, she did have a bit of help from her partner Dakota Kai. Moon’s partner, Shotzi Blackheart, came to her aid when the numbers game was just too much.
After the match, all four women were seen arguing backstage. Producers were holding them back and it appears that we might see a tag match in the future.
In regards to the NXT Women’s championship, who could be the next worthy challenger to take on Raquel González? If WWE is planning to continue the story between Kai, González, Moon, and Blackheart, it could mean that we might see a rematch from In Your House.
If Moon does not get another shot, maybe it is time for Blackheart to be in the NXT Women's Championship picture. She is a fan favorite that WWE has put a lot of trust in. If she were to lose against González for the championship though, it might stop the momentum she has been building.
Another possibility could be González’s partner, Dakota Kai. Despite their work as a tag team, Kai does have a history of turning her back on her friends.
González has been a big help for Kai since her first appearance on NXT. If González’s character happens to be sick of carrying Kai, it could be a good way to put on an exciting program between them.
It would also be a great way towards redemption for Dakota Kai as she has been a heel for quite a while now. Kai might not be the one to dethrone González either, but placing these two against one another would make for a great story.
Who on NXT will cross the path of Kross?
NXT Champion Karrion Kross is still fairly new to WWE, but he has already made an unforgettable impact . Kross won his first NXT championship not long after joining NXT, but his reign was cut short due to injury.
When he returned, it did not take him long to win the championship back after he defeated Finn Balor in an epic battle. At NXT TakeOver: In Your House, Kross defeated four other men to retain his title. If that wasn't impressive enough, all four men were also former champions in NXT.
Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole are former NXT Champions. Pete Dunne is a former NXT UK Champion and NXT Tag Champion, and Kyle O’ Reilly is a former NXT Tag Champion.
All five men fought their hearts out in this Fatal Five-Way match. Still, Kross was just too much for his competitors. So who is next for Kross?
He could fight each of these men individually given that O’Relily was the one who technically lost. It seemed that they were building up a feud between Adam Cole and Kross directly.
Pete Dunne taking on Karrion Kross one-on-one would make for a very technical and exciting match-up. Johnny Gargano does have the backing of The Way to help him. Gargano does currently have a story that he is mixed up in though, so it is unlikely to be him.
So, if it is not these men, then who?
Could Kross be so unstoppable that he needs to vacate the title when the time is ready? Asuka did that when she moved up to the main roster, maybe it would be best for Kross as well.
He did an interview recently where he said that fans should not expect him to stay in NXT forever. Imagine Kross on RAW with someone like Bobby Lashley, or on SmackDown with the likes of Roman Reigns.
Some incredible matches could be had and the future is bright for Karrion Kross. No matter who crosses paths with Kross next, it is going to take a lot for someone to defeat the NXT Champion.
Will NXT be in need of a new General Manager?
William Regal has been a part of the WWE family for many years, and he has served as NXT General Manager for the last seven of them. At the end of NXT TakeOver: In Your House, William Regal was seen walking out of the arena.
He was stopped for an interview and was asked what he thought of the show. In summary, he implied that NXT has come off the rails and he has never seen so much turmoil. He ended by saying “It might be time for a change."
What could this change possibly be? By the looks of it, Regal might be stepping down from his position and taking a break from his on-screen character.
Triple H and Shawn Michaels talked about this situation in a post-show interview session. Both men made it seem like Regal would always have a home in WWE no matter what.
If Regal is planning on leaving then NXT would need a new General Manager. Rumors are swirling around that Samoa Joe will fill the position. Joe is a former NXT Champion himself, and he has wrestling experience all over the world.
This would make him the perfect fit on paper and the screen. Joe was recently let go by the WWE due to budget cuts. It was very controversial as many fans thought that Joe did not get a chance to meet his full potential with the company. Even if it was just for a short time, Joe could really make a difference in NXT. If he were to return to the ring, he would also make a great match for Karrion Kross.
Again, this is all just rumor for now. Regal could be making a change in regards to the way that NXT handles business. He could issue out punishments for those that act out of line. There are many possibilities on what he could have meant by using the word “change."
One thing is for sure, Regal is not a character to say something and not mean it. Change is coming, but what that is, we will just have to wait and see.
