NXT Minus 6: Takeover In Your House – Before

Bradley Jay gets you ready for WWE NXT Takeover In Your House with his ranking of each match as they have been built!

You know the drill. I rank the matches in order of my excitement to see them. After the show, I rerank the matches to see who ran the bingo & who lost their card.

6. Before we get In Your House, I have to address the majesty of Meiko Satomura versus Kay Lee Ray. They delivered another 4.8 star MOTY candidate. I would have liked to see Satomura with more rage & anger throughout. And it would have been better if I watched on mute instead of enduring Nigel McG. Satomura’s post-match reaction was priceless. She’s been wrestling for two decades and still looked like she just won her first title. If you tell me that either is the best women’s wrestler in the world, I will not argue with you. Now on with the show…

5. Mercedez Martinez versus Xia Li

With the proper build, I would have higher expectations. Sadly, they’ve done so little with Xia since her return, and even less with her centuries-old master. If I didn’t read that WWE wants to use Xia for expansion into China, I’d have no idea why this match is even on the card.  

4. Cameron Grimes versus La Knight

Grimes is superior on the mic. He’s superior in the ring. This is a waste of his talent and a waste of a character that is as hot as anybody. I feel bad that he’ll have to carry Knight through a match for what really is a lame stipulation. Sorry to burst your bubble. The Million Dollar Belt should stay a memory.

3. Kyle O’Reilly versus Pete Dunne versus Johnny Gargano versus Adam Cole versus Karrion Kross

You know what would make this match better? If it was a fatal 4-way. I give Kross credit. He stood in the ring while everyone else told him how much he sucks. That doesn’t change the fact everything he says and does is boring and generic and generic and boring and generic and boring and boring and generic. Please anybody but Kross leave with the title. 

2. Ember Moon versus Raquel Gonzalez

A match needs drama, and Moon has less than a 5% chance of winning. I don’t care. Moon is so good I’d watch her wrestle La Knight. That’s right. I said it. 

1. MSK and Bronson Reed versus Legado Del Phantasma 

Dare I say right now these are the 6 best performers on the Black & Gold brand? Yes, even Santos Escobar. Now that he’s moved away from saving Lucha and on to being a confident, smarmy prick, I’m really enjoying his work. Such a well-dressed bad ass. NXT also has a strong track record of turning multi-wrestler trainwrecks into match of the night candidates. I’d be deeply shocked if this is more the former than the latter.