NXT TakeOver In Your House: 5 matches for the event

NXT TakeOver: In Your House was announced as the next edition of PPV for the black and yellow brand. Here are five matches we’d like to see for next month’s showcase.

You would have to rewind time back to Feb. 14, 1999 to see the last time the then WWF used the moniker “In Your House” to name one of it is Pay-Per-View events. This night featured the likes of Mankind and The Rock battling over the WWF Championship while Vince McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin fought in a steel cage.

Those men may not be coming back, but the event name is, as Triple H and Shawn Michaels took to NXT to announce that NXT TakeOver: In Your House is scheduled for Sunday, June 7. Looking forward to the event, here are five matches that would fit on that card.

Karrion Cross vs. Tommaso Ciampa

There was a lot on intrigue in how Karrion Cross would be introduced to the NXT universe. Now that it has occurred, the attack on Tommaso Ciampa sets the stage for the first feud to build this character’s name. Ciampa is a former champion and after moving out of the title picture, there is a need to keep him in a relevant angle. The attack by Cross and Scarlett got him off television for a few weeks, and it is expected that he will target Cross upon his return.

Finals for the Interim NXT Cruiserweight title

With Jordan Devlin unable to travel, the WWE elected to hold a round-robin tournament for an interim title. As the tournament winds down, there is intrigue in its finals as Drake Maverick, who was released during the round of roster cuts in WWE, is still in the running for a shot at the title.

It would be par for the course if the WWE booked some shenanigans that led to a multi-man final. With Akira Tozawa, Maverick, Jake Atlas and Kushida as options for the finals match, any pairing of that group, or using them all, creates a must-see match for the WWE Network event.

Charlotte Flair vs. Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley

Io Shirai earned a title shot against Charlotte Flair. While things were going in her favor, Flair pulled out a kendo stick to get disqualified but cause a wealth of pain to her opponent. Former champion Rhea Ripley ran out to make the “save,” but Shirai did not appreciate that assist as they brawled backstage. Booking a triple threat between these women puts some of the best wrestlers on the roster in the ring at once. It also allows for Flair to lose the NXT Women’s title while remaining protected.

Damian Priest vs. Finn Balor

Finn Balor’s return to NXT has given his character a refresh of sorts. The former Universal and NXT champion has been the consummate bully whenever it seems fit. But the reveal that it was Damian Priest who “attacked” him three weeks ago creates a storyline where Balor is once again going up against the bigger man. Priest has hovered around the mid-card since being introduced on NXT. A solid feud and match with Balor are ways that he can be built up to new challenges in the future.

Keith Lee & Mia Yim vs. Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae

Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae welcomed the viewers into their home and spent the next few minutes trashing Keith Lee and Mia Yim. The heel versions of Gargano and LeRae talked about what they deserve and set themselves up for battles against Lee and Yim. Instead of going straight to the singles matches, there is value in pitting the four people together in a mixed tag match. Both Yim and LeRae have put on some great inter-gender matches before coming to the WWE, so it would be interesting to see if they experienced some interactions between those of the opposite sex in this match. Either way, this is a great way to build upon a feud between all parties involved.

NXT TakeOver events have always had a feeling like the In Your House PPVs of old. Combining the two is a creative way to reintroduce the event to a new generation of professional wrestling fans. As the wrestling industry and rest of the world slowly returns to a version of normal, these matches would be enough to keep people interested in the upcoming Pay per View.