When you’re the NXT Women’s Champion, you’re at the head of one of the most competitive divisions on the planet today. Io Shirai has two potential challengers in Dakota Kai and former champion Rhea Ripley.
While Kai has attacked Shirai from behind, that wasn’t enough to get a spot at NXT Takeover XXX. Instead, she needs to somehow overcome the aussie powerhouse that is Rhea Ripley. Who would advance to Takeover XXX?
Rhea Ripley Is Dominant
The opening lockup would be a complete mismatch, with Ripley shoving Kai across the ring with ease. Kai would lock in a headlock, but stop the takeover, until Kai would grab a handful of hair. A slap to the face would piss Ripley off.
Some ripcord lariats into a dropkick would pummel Kai, who would then have Ripley’s shoulders rammed into her midsection in the corner. A huge overhead open hand chop would do more damage, and Kai was already looking beat.
Paying homage to The British Bulldog, a delayed vertical suplex would drop Kai for a two count. Kai would try to get an advantage by countering a monkey flip, but get hit with a wheelbarrow facebuster instead.
Ripley would keep the pressure on Kai, beating her down without remorse, but was perhaps taking a bit too long to put her opponent away. She’d lock in a body scissors in the middle of the ring, looking to grind her opponent down a bit more. Kai pushed her bodyweight back into a pinfall, but only got a two and the hold would not be broken.
Dakota Kai Shows Her Heart
Getting back to her feet, Kai would be dropped with a lariat again. Ripley would go for another suplex, but Kai slipped out. Showcasing her speed, Kai would almost find an opening before getting kicked in the head.
Kai tried for a PK off the apron, but would be caught in an electric chair hold, and driven hard face first into the apron. We’d go into a commercial break, but through picture-in-picture, we’d see Kai finally get the upper hand.
He’d hit some signature strikes in the corner to batter Ripley, and even get some near falls. Ripley would have been wise to have hit the Riptide early and walk away with a victory, but now the unbeatable heart of Kai is shining. Despite being a hated heel, she’s really playing the babyface role in this one as the clear underdog.
She’d trap Ripley in a double arm choke in the middle of the ring, having complete control. The hold would be released just before commercial break ended. A missed scissors kick nearly cost Kai the match, as Ripley went for an O’Connor Roll for a near fall, before being dropped with a pump kick.
Kai would apply an abdominal stretch in the middle of the ring, grinding the powerhouse down. She’d move this into a rollup, but fail to get the pin.
Robert Stone Brand Doesn’t Forget
Ripley would create some distance with a back kick, and quickly retake control with some knee strikes and a dropkick to the back of the neck. Another Electric Chair Drop would get a near fall, victory being so close.
A head kick from Kai would start an exchange of strikes, but a scorpion kick would nearly drop Ripley. A simple pop-up toss would get a two and a half for Ripley, this match reaching a fever pitch.
Some jaw jacking from Ripley would see her call Kai pathetic, but Kai would then counter the Riptide into a huge DDT! A 2.9 count would follow, with Kai mere centimeters from winning. She’d go for the Kairopractor and be countered.
Ripley would look for the submission with the Prism Trap, but Kai narrowly escaped by sending her into the corner. A running boot to the head would send Ripley to the apron, and Kai would try to set up a superplex.
Ripley fought out and dropped her with a forearm, and Mercedes Martinez would rush in with a boot behind the referees back! A Go To Kick using the top rope would put Ripley away! This ended up being a great match in the end, and while you hate to see a big match with a dirty finish, it sets up another big match.
Rhea Ripley thought she was done with Robert Stone Brand, but their ace just cost her a title match. She would also beat Ripley down after the match with an Air Raid Crash, sending a clear message.
Dakota Kai is now one win away from reaching the heights of champion in WWE. Can she beat Io Shirai? Will Rhea Ripley get revenge on Mercedes Martinez? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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