5 Things we learned from NXT TakeOver: In Your House
Due to current global health issues, NXT presented just its second TakeOver special of the year on Sunday night. WWE even opted to revive their old "In Your House" pay-per-view name for the first time in over 20 years for the event - an acknowledgment of the fact that much of the viewing audience is currently in lockdown.
The show was not simply a nostalgia trip, though, as no less than three NXT Championships were on the line at TakeOver: In Your House. Both the NXT North American Championship and the NXT Women's Championship were defended, whilst the NXT Championship was up for grabs in the brand's first-ever Backlot Brawl.
In addition, several Superstars received their first major opportunity to shine on NXT's biggest stage. It may not have been on the level of some of the great TakeOver events of the past, but In Your House was still an entertaining show with many newsworthy happenings. Here are 5 things we learned from the event.
#5 The classic "In Your House" branding worked well
In the past when WWE has revived classic pay-per-view names from wrestling's history, they have done little more than just recycle the title of an old event. For example, think of the way that they have used the Starrcade name to promote glorified house shows in recent years.
However, the company spared no expense here and really invested in trying to present this NXT show in the same way that they did when producing the original In Your House pay-per-views years ago.
Former announcer Todd Pettengill opened the show in the same style that he did back in May 1995 at the very first In Your House pay-per-view. Many of the commercials that aired during the event were also shot in an old-school fashion. This TakeOver had a unique feel which definitely helped it stand out from a normal NXT event.
The most noticeable element of the In Your House branding, though, was certainly the entrance set that was used for the show. Featuring a giant house as its backdrop, Johnny Gargano even entered for his match with Keith Lee through the front door of the property.
It was Io Shirai, however, who made the best use of the set. Living up to her billing as the "Genius of the Sky", Shirai flew from the roof of the structure to take out both Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley in the evening's main event.
Given how well received the theme was on Sunday night, we could see TakeOver: In Your House become a regular fixture on the NXT calendar.