NXT TakeOver: XXX Early full match card predictions

NXT Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match: Io Shirai (c) vs. Dakota Kai vs. Rhea Ripley

Io Shirai has been tearing through the competition, even when that competition includes “The Boss” Sasha Banks, ever since capturing the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT TakeOver: In Your House. We found out this week that Dakota Kai has her eyes on Shirai and a future title shot, but she’s likely not the only one.

Rhea Ripley lost the NXT Women’s Championship back at NXT TakeOver: In Your House, and she’s yet to have a chance to win it back. Leveraging that with a key victory, Rhea Ripley could certainly find her way into this contest which would showcase three of the best in the NXT women’s division.

There’s no doubt Raquel Gonzalez would be at ringside trying to ensure Dakota Kai walks out as champion, but the unpredictability of a triple threat match would serve as its own challenge. Ripley won’t be thrilled to be in another triple threat, whereas Shirai thrived in this kind of chaos, but all three women certainly would have a chance to walk out with the gold.

NXT Championship Match: Keith Lee (c) vs. Karrion Kross

Finally, while this isn’t a confirmed match, it might as well be. We’ve seen for weeks now that Karrion Kross has targeted the NXT Championship and Keith Lee. That reached a boiling point this week on WWE NXT when Kross took on Dominik Dijakovic.

After a fantastic contest, Dijakovic just couldn’t survive the onslaught of Kross. Keith Lee came to ringside to support his friend and looked ready to intervene, but Dijakovic kept insisting he stay out of it. Despite Dijakovic’s clear pain and struggle, Keith Lee respected his request and had to stand by and watch him be put to sleep with the Kross Jacket Choke.

Keith Lee will want to avenge that, and Kross is sure to take advantage by making sure it’s for the NXT Championship. These two behemoths will give us a hoss fight for the ages, and one fitting of the main event of NXT TakeOver: XXX.