For the first time in more than 20 years, In Your House makes its return tonight in the form of an NXT TakeOver special.

Three title matches are set for the show. The NXT Championship will be up for grabs as Adam Cole puts his title on the line against Velveteen Dream in a Backlot Brawl. If Dream loses, he can’t challenge for the NXT title again as long as Cole is champion.

The NXT Women’s Championship will be on the line in a triple threat match between Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley, and Io Shirai. Charlotte has been champion since winning the title from Ripley at WrestleMania 36.

NXT North American Champion Keith Lee is also defending his title against Johnny Gargano. On NXT last week, Candice LeRae & Gargano defeated Mia Yim & Lee after Gargano stabbed Lee in the eye with his car keys.

Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett) will make his TakeOver debut against Tommaso Ciampa, Finn Balor is taking on Damian Priest, and Yim, Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart will face LeRae, Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez in a six-woman tag match.

The event starts at 7 p.m. Eastern time. There will also be a 30-minute pre-show prior to that.

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NXT TakeOver: In Your House pre-show:

Former WWE announcer Todd Pettengil appeared the pre-show. He hosted many of the original In Your House pay-per-views in the mid-’90s.

Scott Stanford, Sam Roberts and Pat McAffee hyped up the show early on. McAffee was off-set, sitting at his own desk.

Before they started, Sam Roberts explained that right now is the “golden era” for NXT and then compared the current scene to the idea of social darwinism. Yikes. Not the best term to use on television around these days.

The announce team continued running down tonight’s card. They showed a short clip of Tomasso Ciampa walking outside the venue.

Pat McAffee talked about the Keith Lee vs. Johnny Gargano match later on. He Gargano a scumbag and made fun of his clothes and his recent heel-ish behavior of late.

A promo montage aired for Adam Cole vs. Velveteen Dream. They aired clips from the angle lead-up and included the segment where commissioner William Regal explained the stipulations to Cole over Skype. Dream vowed to capture the belt in tonight’s Backlot Brawl.

Sam Roberts said that Bret Hart vs. Hakushi from the first In Your House was his all-time favorite match of the series.

A promo montage aired for Adam Cole vs. Velveteen Dream. They aired clips from the angle lead-up and included the segment where commissioner William Regal explained the stipulations to Cole over Skype. Dream vowed to capture the belt in tonight’s Backlot Brawl.

Sam Roberts said that Bret Hart vs. Hakushi from the first In Your House was his all-time favorite match of the series.

A package of Johnny Gargano and Candace LeRae aired next, followed up with more clips from NXT TV forwarding the current angle between Gargano and Keith Lee, or Gargano/LeRae vs. Lee/Mia Yim.

Stanford explained how Lee was still angry over Gargano using his car keys on Lee’s eyes. Roberts explained that this would be the first time we’ve seen Garagno “like this,” as a heel, and that his recent mean-streak would help him beat Lee tonight. Announcers then went over the women’s trios match of LeRae’s team vs. Mia Yim’s team.

A package for Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest was next. “Attack the guy, get the push,” Balor explained. Roberts said that this might the “low-key most important match tonight.”

The final montage on the pre-show focused on Charlotte Flair vs. Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women’s title tonight. In the voiceover narration, it was explained to the audience that this was a “battle for valor.”

NXT TakeOver: In Your House

Todd Pettengil reappeared. He did the voiceovers for tonight’s show and sounds exactly the same. I feel like I’m watching an episode of WWF Mania.

Code Orange performed next.

NXT TakeOver: In Your House

*****

Six-woman tag team match: Mia Yim, Shotzi Blackheart & Tegan Nox defeated Candace LeRae, Dakota Kai, & Raquel Gonzalez

The venue was designed to look like an In Your House event in the ‘90s. It worked in a setting like this.

There was a “this is awesome’ chant before the match by staff behind the plexiglas in the crowd. Forcing chants here isn’t necessary.

Yim and LeRae were the first in, though LeRae tagged out before the two even touched. Reina Gonzalez was in next.

Nox and Kai were really good together in this. Kai clearly relishes the heel role she’s in these days.

Shotzi Blackheart did a dive to the floor but Gonzalez caught and ragdoll’d her. Yim followed up with a dive, then LeRae did a springboard plancha. Nox did a somersault senton from the top onto all wrestlers.

Employees in the crowd chanted “N-X-T!” once this part of the match wrapped.

Kai, and later Gonzalez, worked over Blackheart back in the ring.

Blackheart finally tagged out to Yim after taking a beating for a few minutes. Yim pinned LeRae with a bridging dragon suplex for two. LeRae responded with a release German suplex and the two were out for a few moments.

After Gonzalez used a falling power bomb on Nox, LeRae and Yim ended up brawling on the floor and into the backstage area. This allowed Blackheart and Nox to take out Gonzalez; Nox then pinned Kai clean with the Shiniest Wizard running knee-strike.

Finn Balor defeated Damian Priest

Balor jumped Priest before the bell and landed a shotgun dropkick that sent Priest to the floor. The bell rang soon after, and Priest was able to shift the momentum early. Early on, he started throwing the steel steps around ringside, as though he had a plan for them. He sidewalk-slammed Balor onto the apron from one of those steps next. Balor going above and beyond for Priest in this match.

Priest taunted Balor while he used a half-nelson facelock on him. Balor countered out of it with a jawbreaker. He landed a perfect flying forearm next, then brought the match back out to the floor. Balor went nuts with stomps on Priest, who was prone against the crowd barricade.

Priest used a gigantic Broken Arrow (aka Falcon Arrow) on Balor. Balor rallied back with a standing double stomp and the two were both out.

Priest did a box jump onto the apron towards the end of this. He then grabbed Balor and did a Razor’s Edge onto the edge of the apron.

Balor made another comeback late and took Priest out with a Slingblade. Priest countered with a few high roundhouse kicks. Balor came back at Priest with another shotgun dropkick, but when he went for the Coup de Grace off the top, Priest grabbed him by the throat, climbed to the ropes, then did a huge flying sit-out chokeslam … for two.

The employees chanted a lot while both sold for a minute after the nearfall. The final spot saw Priest try using another Razor’s Edge on Balor, this time to the floor on the aforementioned steel steps, but Balor escaped and kicked him, which knocked Priest to the floor. I think the idea here was for Priest to land flat onto the steel step, but because it was in a horizontal position, Priest landed on the middle and lower part of his back. It made a loud thud when he hit the steel and it looked rough, more like something you’d see on MTV Jackass.

Balor took care of Priest back in the ring, and finally put him away with the Coup de Grace diving double-stomp for the win. Balor stared Priest down after the match.

NXT U.S. Championship match: Keith Lee (c) vs. Johnny Garganno

Before Gargano got to the ring, we saw him inside the In Your House set, designed like the interior of an actual house. There was a framed picture of Dok Hendrix hanging inside the place, which Gargano shot a thumbs-up gesture to before heading to the ring.

The backside of Keith Lee’s tights read “BLACK LIVES MATTER” in pink and black letters.

Keith Lee threw some high roundhouse kicks early on in the match but missed. Since Gargano couldn’t get an early advantage on Lee, he rolled to the floor. Lee went after him, which is where Gargano got a few sneaky licks in. When he tried kicking Lee’s head off but missed, he kicked the steel steps. Him and Lee then had a funny staredown, Gargano in the role of chickensh*t heel.

Gargano ran away and tried going back into the house, which was apparently locked. Lee krept up on him and we saw the scene from the “security cam” point of view, in black and white, as if we were also inside the house. Cool idea here.

Garganno did a great job making Lee feel invincible. He chipped away at Lee back in the ring by climbing on top of him in the corner and laying in punches, then tried wearing Lee down to the mat with a cobra clutch.

When Gargano went for a slingshot spear, Lee stepped to the side and dropped a knee on Gargano in response.

The two lots traded forearms next. Lee went for a pop-up power bomb, but Gargano held on and turned the hold into an armbar. Lee used a Rampage Bomb to break the hold. He took Gargano’s head off with a standing lariat for a close two.

Lee went for Bg Bang Catasrophe but Gargano countered it into a sunset flip pin. Lee landed what Tom Phillips called a “one-armed spinebuster” which is also known as a chokeslam.

Gargano finally spiked Lee headfirst on the floor with a flying tornado DDT, but he had trouble getting Lee back into the ring because he was too big, so Gargano rolled back into the ring and broke the count, which the ref scolded him for.

Gargano went back to the floor to get Lee back into the ring, but Lee was back up. He used a pounce that sent Gargano flying through the plexiglass near the audience area.

Candace LeRae came out to distract Lee, but Mia Yim followed her out. When those two started fighting, Gargano gouged Lee’s eyes again with keys. Two-count. Before Lee could get up, Gargano superkicked Lee in the head. Two-count.

After landing a Spirit Bomb, then a power bomb into Big Bang Catasrophe for the emphatic win.

Backlot Brawl for the NXT championship: Adam Cole (c) defeated Velveteen Dream

Adam Cole came to the match in a giant truck with a slick Undisputed Era design painted on the sides. He cut a short promo on top of the truck until Velveteen Dream rolled up in a yellow Lamborghini. He dressed like Negan from The Walking Dead and carried with him a baseball bat not unlike Negan’s “Lucille.” Dream also had a picture of Hulk Hogan airbrushed on his jacket.

This was a part wrestling, cinematch. HD cameras were in use. It looked kind of cool, honestly.

The black NXT ring was in the center of a circle of parked cars. Each of the car’s lights were turned on, lighting up the ring. There were also spotlights shining down from the “neighborhood” set they filmed on. It’s an interesting arrangement, much better seen than read about. 

Cole went to smash Dream with his belt before the match, but Dream rolled him up for two.

Cole then shouted “I’m leaving!” and rolled out of the ring with his belt and into a car. Dream started hitting the car with his bat until Cole got out.

The two were brawling in the lot when an SUV rolled into the scene.

“Did anyone order an Uber?” A female voice came from inside the vehicle. Dream tried throwing Cole into the Uber, but they ended up on the ground soon. Uber was gone after this.

The two walked and brawled around the set until Cole escaped from the lot. Dream shouted “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” like he was in Cape Fear. 

Cole doused Dream with a fire extinguisher when he jumped out from behind a door. He was hiding. Cole yelled at Dream and called him stupid.

Dream rallied back and landed a double ax-handle off the apron to the ground. We could see a lot of extra production staff around ringside trying to keep things lit.

Dream brought out a ladder planned on jumping off it until the rest of Undisputed Era showed up in a sedan. They honked their horn then went after Dream, who was still on the ladder. Then, Cole’s three teammates started tossing him folding chairs to use on Dream.

“Tortured Artist” Dexter Loomis then appeared from nowhere and took care UE, scaring them to the back after pounding on them for a bit. 

Cole’s arm was scarred, bleeding and filled with glass by the end of this. When he went for the Panama Sunrise back in the ring, Dream countered it into the Dream Driver. 

Next, Dream landed the Purple Rainmaker flying elbowdrop onto Cole, who was sitting on a chair. Two-count. 

Cole landed a low blow on Dream while Dream trash-talked him, then used the Panama Sunrise onto a pile of steel chairs for the win. Cars honked their horns, then Cole celebrated on top of his Undisputed Era truck. “Nobody can beat me for this! Nobody!” It wasn’t perfect, but it felt fresh, if anything.

Todd Pettengil spoofed his old 1-900-WWE-SHOP segments from back in the day; it was actually an ad for WWE Shop online. DX then appeared and pretended like they didn’t know how to use a computer, joking around that they’re old. It was hokey but so were the original events. It was clever.

Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett Bordeaux) defeated Tomasso Ciampa

Ciampa landed elbows early on, but Kross no-sold them, then landed a hard standing front kick into Ciampa’s face in the corner. Kross then launched him from the corner with a uranage-stype suplex.

On the floor, Kross picked Ciampa up with two hands and slammed him back-first against the apron. Kross tossed Ciampa twice more with his overheard arm-clutch suplex, then washed Ciampa’s face with his knee in the corner. Mauro Ranallo made a UWFi in reference to Kross’ style.

Ciampa tried chopping his way out of harm’s way, and after a bit of effort, he was able to plant a running knee into Kross’ face, then tried pinning him after a draping DDT for two.

Kross returned Ciampa’s attack, first spinning him into the air with an inverted F-5, then forced Ciampa to pass out in the Kross Jacket, a modified neck crank submission. The referee called for the bell once Ciampa was out.

“Karrion Kross just routed Tomasso Ciampa!” Great call from Tom Phillips after the match.

This was probably the best match on of the night, or at least the most effective, and Kross truly came across like a monster. IMPACT really should have let him use more of his shoot-style offense, because in 2020, that’s the kind of stuff that will help guys get over inside the ring, not just the size.

Io Shirai defeated Charlotte Flair (c) and Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat match to become NXT Women’s champion

Flair rolled to the floor and insisted that Shirai and Ripley start the match off. Ripley went after Flair on the floor, so Shirai went after Ripley. From here, the match was underway.

Flair took over early on, chopping both her opponents and talking trash at them until they both fought out. No alliance here, though, as Shirai and Ripley went right back after each other.

Ripley went for a somersault senton off the apron but missed when Flair side-stepped out of the way. Flair then smashed Ripley into the barricades ringside.

Shirai shot back with a frankensteiner off the apron to the floor on Flair.

Flair had a Boston crab on Shirai for a while. Ripley finally returned to the match and took out Flair. Shirai landed a 619 to Flair next; Ripley had been knocked to the floor again.

Flair took Ripley and Shirai out with a double spear for two separate two-counts. She then went for a double moonsault but took too long: Ripey moved and Shirai got her knees up while Flair was on her way down.

The three then exchanged high spots and submissions. Shirai landed a big springboard dropkick on Ripley, then landed the Bullet Train knees attack. As Shirai celebrated, Flair caught her with Natural Selection, then locked Shirai into the figure eight until Ripley dragged Flair to the floor.

Shirai then landed an absolutely perfect plancha onto Ripley.

Flair took Shirai and threw her into the event monitors on set. Ripley smashed a plant on Flair.

Shirai then did a goregeous-looking cross body block from the top of the In Your House doorway. She got great hangtime.

Shirai tried a top-rope Frankensteiner but Ripley blocked it; Flair then ran over and booted Ripley in the face. Ripley fought back and landed the Riptide to Flair from off the ropes. Shirai broke up the close two-count.

Ripley caught Shirai in the Prism Lock, but Flair broke it up when she brought a kendo stick into the ring and whacked both Ripley and Shirai with it. She then put Ripley into the Figure Eight leglock, but before Ripley could tap, Shirai landed a moonsault off the top onto Ripley and pinned her. Since Flair was still entangled inside the Figure Eight, she couldn’t break the pinfall attempt. Shirai “didn’t quite get all of it” with regard to that final moonsault, but it’s negligible, as much of this match was really good. 

Final thoughts:

No show today will come close to perfect due to world’s condition right now; real fans aren’t even allowed to attend yet.

But if you’ve been jonesing for a solid night of modern wrestling, this was a pretty much a success.

It wasn’t the greatest night of pro wrestling ever, but it did the trick. And there weren’t any bad matches, which is still par for the course for TakeOver shows.

I imagine the most-talked about match might be the Backlot Brawl. As mentioned earlier, it wasn’t a perfect match, but it felt and looked fresh, which is what every company needs right now the plan is to continue running empty venues. The match itself wasn’t great, but was creative enough to keep me distracted from Dream’s wrestling.

The main event triple threat was really good, but of course would have been that much better with a crowd. Flair was outstanding in this. Shirai was perfect aside from the weird landing on the moonsault finish. Ripley felt like a natural in this, which is impressive since three-way matches never feel smooth. It was well put-together.

Overall, it was a solid supercard from the NXT crew, with Io Shirai’s title win as the only real surprise of the night.