COOL POINTS: June 3, 2020 & TakeOver: In Your House Preview
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Welcome to the Cool Points. With many of us still quarantined at home, nXt did a great thing and brought back an old PPV theme for the next TakeOver: In Your House. The timing couldn’t be better. Furthermore, last week’s nXt episode featured WWE Performance Center talent as the fans, which helped the show come alive. It would seem logical that they would keep this trend going into this coming Sunday and that’s another plus for the timing of this TakeOver show.
Read on for everything you need to know about the feuds and stories going into TakeOver: In Your House. Last night’s show development and results will be included where appropriate.
nXt Championship Picture
Adam Cole (c) vs. Velveteen Dream
The Set-Up
On April 1st, Dream beat Bobby Fish and then called out Cole. On April 22nd, he is scheduled to face Finn Balor when Balor’s attacked before the show. No one takes responsibility for it, but Cole thinks it’s part of Dream’s plan to get an opportunity at the nXt Championship.
In the main event of that show, Dream teams with Dexter Lumis to defeat the Undisputed Era. Since then, a month has passed and the feud has been built mostly with promos.
Oh yeah, and Adam Cole is now the longest reigning nXt Champion in the history of the brand.
A stipulation is added via Cole’s conversation with nXt GM William Regal, that if Dream loses at TakeOver: In Your House, he cannot have any more title shots from Cole.
Cool Points Preview
That stipulation is intriguing. Is now the time for Dream to ascend the throne? The lack of fans would seem to suggest waiting is a better idea. When crowds do return to the wrestling events, they will be desperate to cheer a big moment like Cole and company losing, and Dream winning.
But, I’d like to see Keith Lee take out Cole, so I think Dream loses another close match. The backlot brawl sounds like it will be entertaining to watch, too. WWE’s done well with the cinematic type matches since Mania. I can’t see them messing this one up,
nXt Men’s Division- Karrion Kross Calls His Shot
Cameron Grimes vs. Bronson Reed
Grimes beat Finn Balor a few weeks ago for his biggest victory during his nXt run.
Been awhile since Bronson Reed wrestled in an nXt ring so the announcers have termed this a return for him. Reed got a few good hits in, including a corner hip attack that sent Grimes flopping to the floor.
A dumb choice to go to the top rope allowed Grimes to hit the Cave-In on Reed.
Post-match, Karrion Kross attacks Reed. He stares down the camera and says this Sunday will be special for Ciampa.
Cool Points Clincher
Grimes wins. Good on him. He’s got a little streak going and is one of the top TV performers of late. No TakeOver match for him.
So, Kross will face Tommaso Ciampa at TakeOver: In Your House. As outrageous and intimidating Ciampa can be, the push is on for Kross. A win would be expected, but I think the feud has legs. I think their styles could mesh well together and that they could get a few matches, one escalating from the other.
nXt Women’s Championship
Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley
The Promo
Beauty promo last night to hype this match up.
It starts with the darkness of a solo Io Shirai who prefers to be alone and who confidently and defiantly states she will be the next nXt champion. She is compared to AJ Styles and Pat McAfee picks her to win the match on Sunday.
Next is a look at Rhea Ripley, waking up early to begin her day of training and preparation to reclaim the Women’s nXt Championship. She recalls 2019 being the peak of her career and 2020 being quite the letdown so far. She wants to reclaim her title.
Charlotte Flair says it feels weird being back at the WWE Performance Centre. She’s nervous and baffled that fans sincerely chanted “she doesn’t go here” when she landed at Full Sail in the winter. She’s homegrown. She changed her life at the PC and got her start as a champion in nXt.
Cool Points Preview
Do it with Flair. I’m all for another champion but nothing that’s happened in the past few weeks has convinced me that Shirai or Ripley is ready to defeat Charlotte Flair. Shirai and Ripley are going to cost each other their opportunities to win, which will allow Flair to lock in the Figure-Eight on one of them and leave TakeOver: In Your House still the champ. Maybe that leads to a Shirai/Ripley one-off, which would be pretty cool.
Back to Flair. She may well have all the gold in a few months’ time and then fans will really be pissed. And that will make her even more despised, which makes her a huge draw.
nXt Women’s Division- 6 Woman Tag Match
Candice LeRae vs. Mia Yim/ LeRae & Gargano vs. Yim & Lee
Match Highlights & Feud Thoughts
LeRae’s new moniker, the “Pint-Sized Poison” sums up her change in attitude, moveset and appearance.
Yim’s stock in nXt must be high because this is a feature feud in the Women’s Division, just under the title picture. LeRae’s connection to her husband, as well as her major feud with Io Shirai for TakeOver: Toronto make her an appropriate foil for Yim to overcome.
Yim has had title matches in the past, but I’m a firm believer in having to work your way up to that level. Ancillary feuds are essential to giving a wrestler time and motive to prove they should be considered a serious contender.
Love the spillout of Nox, Gonzalez, Kai and Blackheart on to the stage and into the double countout. Good way of getting everyone a little face time. It serves as the stimulus for GM Regal to book a 6 woman tag match at TakeOver.
When the mixed tag match is called, cool seeing Yim dropkick Gargano. WWE has shied away from these interactions but nXt has handled this storyline quite well so far, allowing men’s and women’s divisions to be attended to through the partnerships of these four wrestlers.
Cool Points Clincher
2 cool points for LeRae and Gargano. They incited the call from GM Regal to make the mixed tag match and even won. After the match, Gargano lands a cheap shot on Lee, leaving him lying in pain.
As for the 6-woman tag on Sunday, there’s room for these feuds to continue, but only if LeRae’s team wins. I expect Blackheart to get opportunities to shine, but Yim needs to step up and be a leader for her team.
North American Championship Picture
The Set-Up
Keith Lee is the North American Champion. In April, Lee finally finished a long standing feud with Dominik Dijakovic and a shorter but equally challenging one with Damien Priest.
On May 20th, as Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae were berating Mia Yim, Lee decided to defend her and the four of them began feuding. They even found their way to the Gargano’s dinner table and spoofed their segment from the week before. See above for recent developments on that during last night’s show.
Cool Points Preview
Honestly, I’d like to see Lee retain and keep this championship until he challenges Adam Cole in a champion vs. champion match later this year. I think that Lee is the next big thing in nXt and that he’d do so well as champ. It’s hard to imagine Cole losing to anyone else right now.
So, a win over Gargano would carry a lot of weight into considering Lee the natural #1 contender.
On the other hand, Gargano is wrestling as a heel for the first time in recent years and a win would free up Lee to chase Cole, which is what nXt normally does when shifting a wrestler’s focus. Gargano’s sleazy nature as a baddie would be enhanced by the title, but, ultimately, it’s not essential for him.
nXt Tag Team Championship Picture
#1 Contender’s Triple Threat: Undisputed Era vs. Lorcan/Burch vs. Breezango
The Set-Up
Imperium are the new nXt Tag Team Champions, winning on May 13th. They need a first opponent so here we are. We’ve got the old old champs, a decent pair of hard-working hands and a veteran team that hasn’t been seen on TV in a while, but they do have history with the current champs.
Match Highlights
Wrestling for the Undisputed Era are Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish.
It’s hard to identify who’s who in this match. Everyone’s wearing black trunks. The distinguisher is that Lorcan & Burch have white boots.
Good to see Fandango healthy again. Beauty tornado DDT on Strong. Later, a leaping leg drop on Fish to get the win for he and Breeze.
Cool Points Clincher
2 cool points for Breezango. That was surprising but not unwelcome. A capable, veteran team like Breeze and Fandango present a fresh challenge for Imperium and they are an easy fan favourite against the European squad.
Interesting to see Malcolm Bivens’ team, Singh and Gurjar walk out behind Imperium to participate in the standoff. Calling shenanigans now!
Interim nXt Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Finals
El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Drake Maverick
The way Ranallo, Phoenix and Phillips are calling this match, they are leaning heavily on the Maverick leaving nXt storyline. That’s somewhat at the expense of what Fantasma and Maverick are actually fighting for…the Cruiserweight title.
Sit out powerbomb by Fantasma on Maverick to the arena floor. He rolls Maverick into the ring for a 2 count.
Mavericks shows his resiliency by kicking out of a second powerbomb. Then, he saves Fantasma from being attacked by the mysterious masked luchadors. Unfortunately, Fantasma thanked Maverick by hitting him with a Phantom Driver for the win and the Cruiserweight Championship.
Cool Points Clincher
1 cool point for Fantasma. As a newcomer to nXt, holding a title will give him added stock in the division and on the show. He wrestled well throughout the tournament and will capably handle any and all comers, including that mysterious masked crew who seem set on kidnapping him.
2 cool points for Maverick, 1 of those for the bonus of being resigned by HHH at the end of the show. Nice touch. The commentary were making a big stink about that all match. Actually, people on social media have been making a big stink about that saying he shouldn’t make fun of that situation when fellow wrestlers were legitimately let go.
Whatever. Maverick’s a great character and a decent wrestler, so it makes sense to keep him. That division needs character.
IN CLOSING
Here’s the recap on my predictions for TakeOver: In Your House:
LeRae/Kai/Gonzalez def. Nox/Blackheart/Yim
Ciampa def. Kross w. Scarlett by DQ or No Contest
Balor def. Priest (no development on this feud last night)
nXt North American Championship: Lee (NAc) ret. Gargano
nXt Women’s Championship Triple Threat: Flair (c) ret. Ripley, Shirai
nXt Men’s Championship Backlot Brawl: Cole (c) ret. Dream
While I’m not as invested in the debut of Karrion Kross as others, I am highly invested in these three championship matches. Each of them is going to be exciting to watch on an athletic level and on a storyline level.
I’ve called for all three champs to retain, but I’m also fairly certain someone is going to lose. The stipulation for Dream makes me think he’ll lose, but that’s partly because I am pushing for a Keith Lee/Adam Cole feud. That, to me, is the perfect place for Cole to lose and begin the sad but inevitable deterioration of the Undisputed Era.
Flair’s still big money and creates more controversy and attention by keeping the title and straddling all 3 shows. So she’s retaining. That leaves Gargano as a possible spoiler to Lee’s title reign. It would free up Lee to challenge Cole, but it weakens him to take a heavy loss like that.
What’s your take? Will you be watching In Your House? Does it have the potential to surprise us in its greatness or will it underachieve? Add your predictions and comments below or on Twitter!
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