NXT TakeOver: In Your House 2021 match results predictions

Looking at this card for this coming Sunday’s NXT TakeOver: In Your House show, it gives off “we forgot this show was on the schedule, so we just threw this together” vibes.

Despite that, the amount of talent that WWE’s alternative brand has squeezed onto this five-match supercard should provide more than enough entralling action to make fans forget about that critique once the event ends, especially if the right wrestlers get their hands raised in victory.

As of now, we don’t know which wrestlers will receive that honor, so let’s take a look at each scheduled TakeOver: In Your House match and pick the winners based on how WWE has build to each bout and what seems to be the direction for each participant.

Here are your predictions for NXT TakeOver: In Your House 2021

Karrion Kross (c) vs. Pete Dunne vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole- Fatal 5-Way Match (NXT Championship)

Let’s get this out of the way: the lead-up to this match has stunk. The NXT creative team got things off to a bad start by scripting a number one contender’s triple threat match to end in an Adam Cole-induced no contest as the pretense for this multi-man free-for-all, and them taking this iceblock of a build and putting it in the microwave for 30 seconds to heat it up on the go-home episode of NXT did little to make up for it.

Aside from getting as many stars as possible on the card, WWE often books these matches for two reasons: Take a title off of a wrestler without having said wrestler take a pinfall loss or tease a babyface win only to have the rug pulled from under them to prolong the chase.

Fans could see both of those plot devices employed here. While his momentum has stagnated a bit, Kyle O’Reilly seems to be earmarked to win the NXT Championship at some point, but his crowning moment will likely come in a singles match. On the other end, whether it’s because WWE has soured on him or because a call-up in his future, they may consider having Karrion Kross drop the title while “keeping him strong”.

That said, Kross and his overproduced presentation getting roasted by everyone else in the match on last Wednesday’s NXT, the writers will likely reassert his dominance with a definitive win.

Prediction: Karrion Kross pins Johnny Gargano, retains the NXT Championship

Raquel Gonzalez (c) vs. Ember Moon (NXT Women’s Championship)

It’s a shame that the NXT creative team gave this match such a lifeless build, because two could produce the best match of the night. The dichotomy of Ember Moon and Raquel Gonzalez’s respective in-ring styles — Moon relying on speed and technique, Gonzalez on power — already make this a fascinating pairing, and that combined with each woman’s penchant for laying in some heavy-looking strikes gives this one all the ingredients needed for a potential classic.

Pondering over that is more exciting than the result since we all know Gonzalez is picking up the win here. That’s not a bad thing, logic-wise: WWE clearly has big plans for the current NXT Women’s Champion and transferring some of Moon’s equity as a well-positioned former champion over to Gonzalez is the right move.

We’ll likely see a spot where Dakota Kai attempts to interfere on Gonzalez’s behalf only to be stopped by a returning Shotzi Blackheart, but aside from that, the outcome here seems pretty straightforward.

Prediction: Raquel Gonzalez pins Ember Moon, retains NXT Women’s Championship

Bronson Reed and MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza, and Joaquin Wilde)- Winner Take All Six-Man Tag Team Match [NXT North American and Tag Team Championships]

In another case of WWE making it’s featured babyfaces look like some of the dumbest people on the planet, the NXT writers crafted a scenario in which Bronson Reed and MSK eagerly accepted a match challenge where they could lose their championships without getting pinned or made to submit.

MSK, a team that has garnered a surprising amount of resistance from the audience as lead babyfaces of the tag team division, look especially bad for accepting this challenge given that they had already beaten two of the people who issued the challenge. Mindboggling stuff.

Anyway, the creative team likely booked this match to give Legado Del Fantasma the win while protecting the babyfaces in defeat, as the tecnico trio would have the out of not being the cohesive unit that LDF is and that either Reed or MSK will have not taken the loss to lose their belt.

Yes, it’s too soon to take the NXT North American Championship off of Reed so soon after winning the title in momentous fashion a few weeks ago, and sure, giving up on MSK this fast is foolhardy, but the temptation to strap up LDF will be too strong for the NXT crew to resist.

Prediction: Legado Del Fantasma win; Santos Escobar wins the NXT North American Championship, Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza win the NXT Tag Team Championships (Escobar pins Nash Carter)

LA Knight vs. Cameron Grimes- Ladder Match (Million Dollar Championship)

If nothing else, at least Triple H and the gang finally realized that no one wants to boo Cameron Grimes and transitioned him into this babyface role. They were also smart to match him up with the smooth-talking, methodical LA Knight, who is a natural foil for the dynamic North Carolinian.

The ladder match stipulation feels unnecessary, especially considering that the previous TakeOver also featured a ladder match, but this will allow Grimes to get some cool spots in before he ascends and collects the Million Dollar Championship. Listen, a lot of heels (and whatever Karrion Kross is supposed to be) will probably get wins on this show, so they need to include at least one feel-good moment. Since Knight doesn’t need the title to get over, Grimes feels like a safe choice here.

Prediction: Cameron Grimes wins

Xia Li vs Mercedes Martinez

This should be a good test for Xia Li. The NXT bookers have protected her well by accentuating her newfound aggression in short enhancement matches and angles — and, thus far, Li’s performances have been up to par — but the time has come to see if she can handle longer matches. Working with a decorated veteran like Mercedes Martinez will make that process easier.

As an upper midcard gatekeeper, Martinez is here to get Li and this Tian Sha gimmick over, so she will doubtlessly eat the pin here in a competitive match. The intrigue, however, will rest with how Li looks en route to that win.

Prediction: Xia Li pins Mercedes Martinez