Sorry, Britt Baker, but your nose can't stand next to that match!
Guys, the "TakeOver" screen wasn't there just for color it was there because this match was totally a TakeOver quality (as it was booked to be). These 6 women literally broke their back and a ladder to give us the well expected from NXT, action!
The end? Well, I don't know what I have expected, but it's kind of intriguing...
IO SHIRAI WON THE #1 CONTENDER'S LADDER MATCH,
AND SHE IS GOING TO FACE THE NXT WOMEN'S CHAMPION CHARLOTTE FLAIR
We have the First Queen Charlotte's victim officially determined in a back-breaking ladder match!
Just kidding... I guess?! 🤔
So, from where to start?!
Maybe from: You need to watch this!!! Watch AEW as an ordeal, because of the two ladies in there did a really good wrestling show and then watch this stunning match as the main dish and a dessert!!! I can't describe it...
We had rivalries referred. Raquel Gonzalez sneaking around and trying to beat everyone. All the ladies were kicking, throwing each other on ladders, with ladders, and off the ladders.
There was that spot where Mia Yim escaped another chair shot attempt by the hot talent Chelsea Green and nailed Green's stuck in the ladder knee with the steel.
Of course, Dakota Kai met the three women she betrayed in one ring, at the same time (Mia Yim, Dakota Kai, and Candice LeRae) so they didn't miss the chance to get some payback. It was a really great touch. They throw punch after punch, senton, after senton... real party until Io Shirai interrupted.
Tegan Nox got some payback over Gonzalez, who tried to throw Mia Yim over a table from the turnbuckles. Nox just grabbed Raquel's throat and send her and Yim straight to "bite'" the wood. Here Kai connected out of nowhere with her vicious kick to Tegan's head and sent her former friend through a ladder, as Nox broke it by falling on it.
Sadly Kai wasn't able to reach the contract's briefcase at the top of the ladder. The injured Chelsea Green and her agent Robert Stone also tried to climb but were stopped as well.
So, at the end there were two old rivals, enemies, nemeses - Io Shirai and Candice LeRae, nailing each other with punches under the briefcase with the golden (depends how you look at it) opportunity in it. Shirai gouged LeRae's eye and throw her on the horizontally set up in the rope ladder, to climb and claim the victory and the reward (hm) for herself.
Overall:
What I think?
I will start with the future. I think that Io Shirai might become the next Japanese Superstar's name crossed in Charlotte's list, next to Asuka's. Actually, Shirai never was that dominated as the Empress and despite winning a lot of matches, she also has several important losses. Thanks to the bad luck of course LOL. But since the beginning of her career after Mae Young Classic loss at the final against Toni Storm, she is not built as a serious threat. Until she turned heel on Candice. last year and beat her ex-friend at TakeOver: Toronto. Shirai is amazing and she will put a really outstanding fight but the chances are low - we are talking about Charlotte Flair - the golden goose, the arrogant character, who won that NXT belt with merciful mind games and tactics. Well, unless Io can answer with the same.
I am curious about what will happen. In the end, we are having two vicious heels fighting over the belt!
In general, the match was amazing. Great spots. Great moments for almost everyone. I wish that we could see more of Chelsea Green, who did some great stuff but spend some amount of time around the ring. Raquel Gonzalez was a total wild card and I think that her spot with Yim, Nox, and Kai, was really good. Also, the former friend's quarter (Yim, Kai, LeRae, and Nox) was interesting and Green and Shirai were broadly involved, as well. The end was nice and as good as possible for that kind of match.
I really wished to see a heel winning it and since Rhea Ripley is no titleholder anymore, Kai lost the eventual heat and Io Shirai was the best choice for meeting the Queen.
