Finish of women’s WarGames sets up Io Shirai’s next title feud

NXT opened their fourth TakeOver: WarGames with one of the two two-rings-one-cage matches that give the even its name. And given the star power and talent involved in Team Shotzi vs. Team Candice, it was the one many fans thought should close the night on Sun., Dec. 6.

Wherever it landed on the card, the women’s WarGames we got was a lot of fun.

Blackheart made a statement before anyone entered the structure. This WarGames was born when LeRae destroyed Shotzi’s tank. The green-haired Superstar rolled out in her rebuild war machine… and even fired a “shot” from the barrel at Dakota Kai.

Once their teammates were in their cages, the match started with Ember Moon & Kai (who was a part of last year’s match but never entered after she turned on her squad). Dakota controlled the action in the first five minutes, culminating in a Kai-ropractor to Moon. That was key, because this was the rare case of the babyface side having the entry advantage.

The captain charged in, but not before getting a crowbar and a toolbox from under the ring. Shotzi didn’t really use those weapons though, which allowed Kai to survive.

Next to enter was Raquel González, and as many expected, the Texan powerhouse was booked being worth two wrestlers.

She cleared house and helped Dakota springboard onto Moon & Blackheart just as the clock hit zero. In came Rhea Ripley for another showdown between the two titans, but heels are gonna heel, and Kai jumped Rhea to delay the start of the slobberknocker.

After Ripley used some tools from the toolbox to neutalize Dakota…

…we finally got a hoss fight in the area between the two rings.

Toni Storm stopped under the ring to get some kendo sticks before she joined the party. She helped Team Candice take charge for a while, but a pair of Tower of Doom spots left everyone wiped out as Io Shirai charged to the fight. The Women’s champ put a pair of ladders in the structure, but paid the price as González assaulted her at the entrance and kept her from entering.

The heels conspired to keep Io out of the match until Candice was given the green light, and during a staredown between LeRae and Shirai, the Poison Pixie’s henchwoman Indi Hartwell jumped her from behind. Team LeRae locked the cage with the Genius of the Sky still outside, and made the most of a four-on-three advantage.

But when they tried to pin Shotzi, the referee refused to count three since “The Match Beyond” hadn’t started. It began a second later, however, when Shirai appeared on the top of the cage, put a trash can over her head, and dove onto the seven women below.

The good gals ran roughshod over Candice’s team after that, and looked to have it won after Moon & Ripley held González down for a moonsault from the champ. Team Shotzi couldn’t stop their opponents from breaking up the pin, though.

Big spots followed in rapid succession. The captains tried to end things with dueling submissions. Kai flattened a trash can on Io with a double stomp, then was drive through two chairs by Moon’s Eclipse.

Ember then took Storm Zero onto a trash can from the former UK Women’s champ. Blackheart hit a senton from a ladder onto LeRae, but not before Candice pulled a chair over her body to take out Shotzi, too.

There were bodies and plunder everywhere.

The final spot set up Shirai’s next challenger. González put the champ through a ladder with a one-arm choke slam from the top turnbuckle in the space between the rings, and no one was ready to break up this pin.

Looks like we have our next Women’s title feud. We certainly had a heck of a WarGames.

For a complete rundown of everything that happened during TakeOver: WarGames on Dec. 6, head to our live blog here.

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