New Women’s Champion crowned at NXT TakeOver: In Your House

The NXT women’s division has a new champion.

In the main event of TakeOver: In Your House tonight, Io Shirai defeated Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley in a triple threat match to win the NXT Women’s Championship. Charlotte had Ripley locked in the Figure Eight at the end of the match, but Shirai hit a moonsault from the top rope on Ripley and pinned Ripley to win the title.

Charlotte had been NXT Women’s Champion since winning the title from Ripley at WrestleMania 36.

This is the first title that Shirai has held in WWE.

Shirai previously challenged Charlotte for the title on an episode of NXT last month. Charlotte got disqualified in that match for using a kendo stick. Ripley then made her return to NXT television, starting the three-way feud that led to tonight’s title match.

Ripley hit an avalanche Riptide on Charlotte during the match tonight, but Shirai broke up the pin. Ripley put Shirai in the Prism Trap, but Charlotte then used a kendo stick.

At one point in tonight’s match, Shirai hit a crossbody on Charlotte and Ripley from the doorway that was part of the set for the show. 

This was the second time that a women’s match has main evented an NXT TakeOver event. The only other women’s match to headline a TakeOver was Bayley and Sasha Banks’ 30-minute iron man match at TakeOver: Respect in 2015.