Why NXT TakeOver: In Your House Is Make-or-Break Show for Karrion Kross

Karrion Kross has made a huge impact in NXT over a short period of time, but he needs to deliver in his first big match at NXT TakeOver: In Your House against Tommaso Ciampa on June 7 in order to truly be viewed as a main event player by fans.

Kross had his debut match on NXT TV on May 6 and was the talk of the wrestling business at the time because of his entrance.

The music, smoke, red light and overall presentation alongside Scarlett made it clear that NXT had big plans in place for the former Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling star.

Even before that, they made a brief appearance following Johnny Gargano's win over Ciampa on April 8, and then Kross took out The Blackheart with a sneak attack a week later during a backstage promo segment.

Kross has remained relevant in recent weeks by winning squash matches and cutting promos on Ciampa, but the true test regarding whether he can be a top heel in NXT over the long haul is how he performs in an actual match against The Blackheart on the TakeOver stage.

Ciampa is one of the most successful Superstars in NXT history, and fans of the brand take notice of everything he is involved with. The mere fact that Triple H and the brand's other decision-makers think enough of Kross to have him feud with the former NXT champion immediately says a lot about where they see him going.

A cool entrance and dominant squash wins can keep the fans' interest in a character for a certain amount of time, but long-term investment isn't achieved until that person shows they can talk and perform well in longer matches as well.

Kross has already shown off his promo ability, which comes as little surprise to anyone who has followed his career, as his promos in Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling fit his character perfectly and helped him rise up the ranks quickly.

The in-ring work is a bigger question mark. He has the ideal look and size of a top heel, but he isn't necessarily known for putting on five-star classics. Not everyone has to do that in order to be successful, but NXT is very much known for its elite in-ring work.

If Kross doesn't show that he can hang with a guy like Ciampa at TakeOver, then fans are more likely to gravitate toward the likes of Adam Cole, Gargano, Keith Lee, Finn Balor and others with long track records of spectacular matches in NXT.

Kross made a good first impression as far as his entrance goes, but there is only one first impression when it comes to wrestling on a pay-per-view, and falling short of expectations on that stage may be impossible to come back from.

Perhaps the in-ring work wouldn't be quite as important if fans were allowed to be there since they would be enthralled by the entrance and potentially more forgiving of any missteps otherwise, but since the coronavirus pandemic is still preventing them from attending, there will be a great deal of focus on the match itself by those watching at home.

Kross has the benefit of an ideal dance partner in Ciampa. He has had some of the greatest matches in NXT history, and he will recognize the value a monster heel will have to the NXT brand if he is built up in the right way.

Ciampa will do everything possible to get Kross over, as will Triple H. The best way to do that may be to make the match a hardcore-type bout to hide any potential deficiencies until the newcomer is fully established.

The rivalry between Kross and Ciampa is already personal enough to support that type of environment, and it would allow the former to get as vicious as he wants to be, which is perhaps the biggest key to getting the NXT fanbase to embrace him as a main event heel.

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