Io Shirai and Dakota went face-to-face in the ring during tonight’s NXT TakeOver: XXX, and Shirai managed to overcome a ferocious and determined Kai to retain her NXT Women’s Championship. However, she needed help from Rhea Ripley after the match, who came down to save her from a brutal assault.
Late in the match, Shirai was somehow able to come away with a win despite Raquel Gonzalez interfering. After the referee was incapicitated, Gonzalez attacked Shirai from behind, hitting her with a chokeslam and setting up a Kai pin. However, Shirai was able to kick out, and then landed a viscious moonsault on the pair outside of the ring before rolling Kai back into the ring for another moonsault and the win.
Following the match, Gonzalez continued her attack, assaulting Shirai from behind before Rhea Ripley came down to help Shirai. In the ring, Ripley and Gonzalez stared each other down, before Raquel and Dakota left the ring and left Shirai to celebrate her title defense.
With the #WWENXT #WomensTitle on the line, @shirai_io fires up a comeback against the vicious challenger @DakotaKai_WWE at #NXTTakeOver: XXX! pic.twitter.com/M9TZtAvrnw
— WWE (@WWE) August 23, 2020
Pick on someone your own size, @RaquelWWE. #NXTTakeOver @RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/C9b6xMAjaj
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) August 23, 2020
