NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai has her challenger for TakeOver XXX.
Dakota Kai defeated Rhea Ripley in a number one contender’s match on tonight’s NXT and was confirmed as Shirai’s challenger for TakeOver. After interference by Mercedes Martinez, Kai hit the GTK on Ripley to get the win.
Martinez, who is the newest member of the Robert Stone Brand, continued to attack Ripley after the match and gave her an Air Raid Crash. Ripley has feuded with the Robert Stone Brand and defeated Stone & Aliyah in a handicap match at Great American Bash night one last month. The stipulation of that match was that Ripley would have to join the Robert Stone Brand if she lost.
June’s TakeOver: In Your House event was headlined by Shirai defeating Charlotte Flair and Ripley in a triple threat match to win the NXT Women’s Championship. She’s defended the title once since then, retaining against Tegan Nox on NXT three weeks ago. There was an angle after that match where Kai laid out Shirai with a kick to the face.
Shirai & Nox defeated Kai & Candice LeRae in a tag match on NXT last week after Kai forced LeRae to tag back in.
TakeOver XXX is taking place on Saturday, August 22. A five-man ladder match for the vacant NXT North American Championship has also been announced for the show. Bronson Reed and Dexter Lumis are the first two wrestlers who have qualified for that match.