Slimmer’s WWE NXT TakeOver: In Your House Review

Welcome to 411’s WWE NXT TakeOver: In Your House Report. We are LIVE(ish?) in beautiful Orlando, Florida. And O… M… G… TODD FREAKING PETTENGILL welcomes us to the In Your House Pre-Show. The Pre-Show panelists tonight are Scott Stanford, Sam Roberts, and Pat McAfee. They break down the entire card before heading to a video package for Adam Cole vs. Velveteen Dream. Next up is a video package for Keith Lee vs. Johnny Gargano followed by a quick discussion of Mia Yim, Tegan Nox, and Shotzi Blackheart vs. Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, and Raquel Gonzalez. We head to a video package for Finn Balor vs. Damien Priest before the Pre-Show finishes with a video package for Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai.

Code Orange kicks off the show with a live performance of Underneath.

Mia Yim, Tegan Nox, and Shotzi Blackheart vs. Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, and Raquel Gonzalez

Yim and LeRae start the match, but LeRae decides the smart move is to immediate make the tag to Gonzalez. Yim slides behind Gonzalez and grabs a rear waist lock before transitioning to a guillotine. Gonzalez breaks the hold and launches Yim to the corner, so Yim makes the tag to Nox. Gonzalez levels Nox, pulls her to the corner, and makes the tag to Kai. Nox blocks a kick from Kai, but Kai rolls her up for a two count. Nox connects with a running uppercut in the corner and follows up with the CannonBoar. Nox tags Blackheart, but Kai muscles her to the corner and tags LeRae. The action spills to the outside, and Nox hits the Molly-Go-Round onto all five other women. Blackheart pulls LeRae back into the ring, but Gonzalez catches Blackheart with a lariat, and LeRae makes the cover for a two count. Kai gets the tag and works over Blackheart before making the quick tag to Gonzalez. Kai once again gets the tag, but Blackheart hits an enzuigiri to create distance. LeRae gets the tag and tries to block Blackheart from making a tag of her own, but Blackheart slides between LeRae’s legs and makes the tag to Yim. Yim goes for Soul Food, but LeRae counters into a suplex. Nox and Gonzalez get the tags, and Gonzalez counters a Shiniest Wizard into a powerbomb for a two count. Yim and LeRae brawl to the back as Gonzalez tags Kai. Nox levels Kai with a choke slam and follows up with the Shiniest Wizard for the three count.

Match Result: Tegan Nox defeats Dakota Kai with the Shiniest Wizard.
Match Length: 9:48
Slimmer’s Rating: ***¼

Finn Balor vs. Damien Priest

Balor strikes first with the John Woo dropkick, but Priest takes control when the action spills to the outside. Priest carries Balor onto the ring steps and delivers a sidewalk slam from the steps onto the ring apron. Priest drags Balor back into the ring and this a leaping flatliner before locking in a head and arm submission on the mat. Balor hits a jaw breaker to break the hold and then drop kicks Priest from the apron to the floor. Balor heads to the outside and repeatedly kicks Priest against the barricade. Balor heads back into the ring and hits the ropes for a suicide dive, but Priest slides back into the ring and counters with a lariat. Priest goes for the Razor’s Edge, but Balor counters and hits a double stomp to the chest. Balor connects with the Pelé kick but only gets a two count. Priest goes for a choke slam, but Balor blocks and dumps Priest to the outside. Balor follows Priest to the outside, but Priest takes control and hits Razor’s Edge onto the ring apron. Priest drags Balor back into the ring and hits two leaping back elbow shots in the corner. Priest goes for a third leaping back elbow shot, but Balor counters with the Sling Blade. Balor again hits the John Woo drop kick and heads up top to set up for the Coup de Grâce, but Priest leaps up top and delivers a choke slam from all the way up top. Priest drags Balor to the apron and tries to hit the Razor’s Edge from the apron onto the ring steps, but Balor escapes and kicks Priest off the apron onto the steps. Priest makes it back into the ring, but Balor immediately catches him with a Coup de Grâce to the back of the neck. Priest crumbles to the mat, and Balor hits one more Coup de Grâce for the three count.

Match Result: Finn Balor defeats Damien Priest with the Coup de Grâce.
Match Length: 13:04
Slimmer’s Rating: ****

NXT North American Championship Match
Keith Lee (Champion) vs. Johnny Gargano

Lee tosses Gargano across the ring to start. Gargano catches Lee in a side head lock, but Lee breaks the hold and again tosses Gargano across the ring. Gargano charges at Lee, but Lee easily levels him with a shoulder block. Gargano goes for a suicide dive, but Lee catches him. Lee goes for a Spirit Bomb on the outside, but Gargano grabs the top rope to block. Gargano dives off the apron toward Lee, but Lee again catches him. Lee again tries for the Spirit Bomb, but Gargano floats over to escape. Gargano flees up to the In Your House stage, but Lee retrieves him and chases him back into the ring. Lee tosses Gargano across the ring, but Gargano finally takes down Lee and goes to work with the ground and pound offense. Gargano focuses on Lee’s injured eye as he works him over in the corner. Gargano traps Lee’s head against the middle turnbuckle and grinds his forearm into Lee’s face. Gargano wrenches Lee’s injured fingers around the turnbuckle and then locks in a modified Cobra Clutch in the middle of the ring. Gargano hits a springboard knee drop and makes the cover for a two count. Gargano fish hooks Lee’s mouth and continues his assault on Lee’s injured eye. Lee fights back to his feet but misses a corner splash. Gargano goes for a slingshot spear, but Lee swats him out of the air. Lee follows up with a backbreaker for a two count. Gargano connects with a volley of forearm shots in the middle of the ring, but Lee levels him with a singles shot of his own. Gargano hits the ropes and catches Lee with a leaping arm bar. Lee powers out of the arm bar and levels Gargano with a clothesline for a two count. Lee goes for the Spirit Bomb, but Gargano floats over and counters into a sunset flip for a two count. Gargano goes for the Gargano Escape, but Lee tries to counter into the Big Bang Catastrophe, but Gargano counters into a rollup for a two count. Lee heads to the outside and Gargano goes for suicide dive. Lee again tries to catch Gargano, but this time Gargano counters the catch into a tornado DDT. Gargano heads back into the ring to break the referee’s count, but when he heads back to the outside, LEE POUNCES GARGANO OVER THE BARRICADE AND THROUGH THE PLEXIGLASS BARRIER!!! Lee retrieves Gargano and heads toward the ring, but Candice LeRae tries to interfere. Mia Yim emerges from the back to deal with LeRae, and Gargano gouge’s Lee’s eye with a key while the referee is distracted by LeRae and Yim. Gargano hits One Final Beat but only gets a two count. Gargano lands a side kick to the head, but Lee again kicks out at two. Gargano stands on Lee’s injured fingers, but Lee powers Gargano into the Spirit Bomb. Lee hits a seconds Spirit Bomb and follows up with the Big Bang Catastrophe for the three count.

Match Result: Keith Lee defeats Johnny Gargano with the Big Bang Catastrophe.
Match Length: 20:49
Slimmer’s Rating: ***¾

Backlot Brawl Match for the NXT Championship
Adam Cole (Champion) vs. Velveteen Dream

Cole drives to the ring in an Undisputed Era monster truck, but Dream arrives in a yellow Lamborghini. Dream is dressed as Negan from the Walking Dead, complete with Lucille. The ring is set up outside and surrounded by cards and trucks, illuminating the ring with their headlights. The match begins and Cole hops in a car to flee, but Dream grabs Lucille and begins destroying the car. Dream chases Cole out of the car, and they brawl through the backlot. Dream whips Cole into a garbage can and then tries to slam the garbage can onto Cole, but Cole rolls out of the way. Dream grabs another garbage can and chases Cole through the backlot. Cole runs into one of the backlot buildings to hide from Dream. Dream opens the door to pursue Cole, but Cole blasts him with a fire extinguisher. Cole beats Dream back toward the ring and lands a kick to the face. Cole connects with an uppercut, but Dream fights back to his feet. Dream slams Cole’s face into the ring post and then hits a double ax handle off the apron. Dream rolls Cole into the ring and goes for the cover, but Cole keeps rolling and heads back to the outside. Dream heads up top and dives toward Cole on the outside, but Cole catches him with a super kick. Dream slams Cole onto the hood of a car and then grabs a ladder. Dream begins to climb the ladder, but suddenly the Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish drive up and distract Dream. Cole uses the distraction to climb the ladder with Dream, but Dream knocks Cole off the ladder, and Cole slams through the windshield of the car, cutting his arm in several locations. Strong and Fish attack Dream and then toss a mountain of chairs into the ring. Strong goes to grab something from under the ring, but Dexter Lumis emerges from under the ring. Lumis attacks Strong and Fish, throws them into the trunk of a car, and drives away. Dream crawls into the ring as Cole scrapes himself off the windshield. Cole heads up top and goes for the Panama Sunrise, but Cole counters into the Dream Valley Driver. Dream heads up top and hits the Purple Rainmaker on the chairs, but Cole kicks out at two. Dream says that it’s dream over, but Cole low blows him to regain control. Cole heads up top and hits the Panama Sunrise onto the chairs for the three count.

Match Result: Adam Cole defeats Velveteen Dream with the Panama Sunrise.
Match Length: 15:23
Slimmer’s Rating: ***¼

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett

Ciampa lands two quick forearm shots as soon as the bell rings, but Kross doesn’t budge. Kross suplexes Ciampa across the ring, but Ciampa fights back with a big boot. Ciampa clotheslines Kross to the outside, but Kross beats down Ciampa on the outside before rolling him back into the ring. Kross hits a belly-to-belly suplex and then wrenches on Ciampa’s surgically repaired neck. Kross traps Ciampa in the corner and connects with a volley of knee shots to the head. Kross hits a Northern Lights Suplex and then rolls directly into a short clothesline. Ciampa fights back to his feet and connects with an enzuigiri. Ciampa hits Willow’s Bell, but Kross kicks out at two. Ciampa goes for the Fairytale Ending, but Kross counters into a modified F5. Kross locks in the Kross Jacket, and Ciampa passes out.

Match Result: Karrion Kross defeats Tommaso Ciampa with the Kross Jacket.
Match Length: 6:17
Slimmer’s Rating: **½

Triple Threat Match for the NXT Women’s Championship
Charlotte Flair (Champion) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai

Flair rolls out of the ring and is happy to let Ripley and Shirai start the action. Ripley and Shirai trade shots in the middle of the ring, but Flair slides back into the ring and cheap shots Ripley from behind. Ripley and Shirai double team Flair and stomp her into the corner. Ripley pounds on Flair’s back, but Flair fights back with a forearm shot. Flair heads to the apron, but Ripley pulls her to the floor. Ripley goes for a rolling senton from the apron, but Flair side steps her, and Ripley crashes to the ground. Flair whips Ripley into the barricade and then does the same to Shirai. Flair rolls Shirai back into the ring and goes for a belly-to-back suplex, but Shirai flips over and lands on her feet. Flair locks in a Boston Crab, but Shirai rolls to her back and kicks Flair in the face to break free. Ripley charges back into the ring and levels Flair with a big boot. Ripley connects with a basement drop kick to Flair’s face, but Shirai follows up with the Tiger Feint Kick. Flair levels Ripley and Shirai with a double spear and positions them both near the corner. Flair heads up top and goes for a moonsault, but Shirai rolls out of the way, and Ripley gets her knees up. Shirai catches Flair in a crossface, but Ripley breaks it up with a kick to Shirai’s head. Flair goes for Natural Selection on Ripley, but Ripley blocks. Shirai connects with a springboard drop kick to Ripley and follows up with double knees in the corner, but Flair hits Shirai with Natural Selection for a two count. Flair locks in the Figure Eight on Shirai, but Ripley pulls Flair out of the ring. Shirai dives out of the ring onto Ripley, but Flair levels Shirai with a clothesline from behind. Flair tosses Shirai through the In Your House set and then brawls with Ripley all around the set. Flair and Riley continue to brawl as Shirai climbs to the top of the set. SHIRAI WITH A DIVING CROSSBODY OFF THE TOP OF THE IN YOUR HOUSE SET!!! Shirai rolls Flair back into the ring and heads up top, but Ripley makes her lose her balance. Ripley heads up top with Shirai and goes for a superplex, but Shirai reverses positions and goes for a Frankensteiner. Ripley shifts her weight to prevent the Frankensteiner, and Flair connects with a big boot to Shirai. Ripley pulls Flair up top and hits a super Riptide, but Shirai breaks up the pin. Flair grabs a kendo stick and assaults both Ripley and Shirai. Shirai rolls out of the ring as Flair spears Ripley. Flair locks in the Figure Eight on Ripley, but Shirai heads up top and hits a moonsault onto Ripley. Shirai covers Ripley, and Flair can’t untangle her legs fast enough to prevent the three count.

Match Result: Io Shirai defeats Rhea Ripley with a moonsault.
Match Length: 17:22
Slimmer’s Rating: ****¼

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The return of In Your House felt a bit underwhelming by TakeOver standards, but that's only because we've been conditioned to expect near perfection from every NXT TakeOver. Flair vs. Ripley vs. Shirai stole the show, once again demonstrating the strength of the NXT Women's division. Balor vs. Priest was the highlight of the undercard and probably Priest's best match so far in NXT. The real question is why Cole and Dream were saddled with a backlot brawl instead of letting them perform as we all know they can in the ring. The Boneyard Match was a huge success at WrestleMania, but WWE needs to learn that cinematic matches should be used extremely sparingly. This show would have been much closer to our typical expectations of TakeOver quality if Cole and Dream would have simply been given the chance to shine in a traditional match.