'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Last night at NXT TakeOver: XXX, Dakota Kai challenged Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship. Despite the interference from Raquel Gonzales, Dakota Kai was unsuccessful as Io Shirai retained the NXT Women's Championship.
During the NXT TakeOver post-show media call, NXT founder Triple H was glowing in his praise of the New Zealand-born NXT Superstar. The Game praised the growth of Dakota Kai since arriving in WWE NXT:
"To see her growth and development from the sort of person that came in here, that was just comfortable being the friend of the other people to the person that was, in some ways, we did the creative where she was petrified of Shayne Baszler because you could almost see it in her that she was intimidated by a lot of the bigger stuff, and you can almost see it in her face in her eyes, and I was like, 'well, we're going to run with that,' but to see where she's come to where she is now. To see her step into it herself and to see her go out there week after week and put on great performances."
"To see her get the microphone and cut promos that are great. To see her go out there tonight and, as you said, Io Shirai, arguably I mean this across the board for everybody, you could make the argument that she's greatest female performer today in-ring. To go out there and hang with her at that level and do an amazing job with it and to make you believe. It's awesome. Can't say enough good stuff about her and her growth."
Triple H praises NXT Superstar Raquel Gonzalez
In addition to praising NXT Superstar Dakota Kai, Triple H also singled out Dakota Kai's partner Raquel Gonzalez for her recent growth on the black and gold brand.
Last night at NXT TakeOver: XXX saw a face off between Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez. Triple H praised this showdown as a "star-making moment" and spoke about the recent development of Raquel Gonzalez:
"Likewise with Raquel Gonzalez. To see the shift that she has gone from just the sort of nervous performer to all of a sudden being this giant badass force behind Dakota Kai, and you believe it and you feel it. She believes it, and she feels it. Then Rhea Ripley comes out there like a force of nature, and the two of them squaring off, like, to me, just in that brief moment, star-making moment for both of them."
"Those are special things, and again, hats off to Dakota Kai just earning it every step of the way, and win or lose man, she had a star-making night across the board. She is a player. Absolutely, and one of the best in-ring female performers in the world. Bar none."
