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NXT TakeOver XXX was a solid show that ended with an incredible match for the NXT Championship. In the end, it was Karrion Kross who was able to defeat Keith Lee and claim the top prize of the Black and Gold brand of WWE.
Unfortunately, Kross's celebration was cut short due to an injury that he sustained during the match. Following was the statement released by WWE, revealing that Karrion Kross separated his shoulder.
WWE medical staff confirmed that Kross sustained a separated acromioclavicular joint during his battle with The Limitless One. Despite the injury, a determined Kross took down the champion, showing incredible toughness by lifting Lee up for a devastating Doomsday Saito off the middle rope to claim the NXT Championship.
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It was further revealed that Karrion Kross would be going through an MRI scan on Monday to determine the extent of his injury. In the worst case, it might keep him out of action for at least a few months, which would, unfortunately, mean that he would have to relinquish his NXT Championship.
As much as we hope that is not the case and Kross gets well soon, let's take a look at the five major consequences if Karrion Kross is forced to relinquish the NXT Championship due to his injury. Yet another reminder of the risks these Superstars take every time they step into the ring.
#5 Massive setback for NXT and their future planning
There is so much planning that goes behind the storylines that unfold on NXT. The decision to put the NXT title on Karrion Kross would have been made after a lot of planning and him having to relinquish the title unexpectedly would be a massive setback for NXT.
It would be interesting to see how does the Black and Gold brand of WWE overcome this massive obstacle and tweak their plans accordingly to minimize the damage as much as possible.
#4 Karrion Kross's NXT momentum breaks
Karrion Kross signed with WWE earlier this year, and from the moment he made his NXT debut, he has been booked like an unstoppable force. Destroying Tommaso Ciampa at NXT TakeOver: In Your House, taking out several Superstars after that, and now defeating Keith Lee at NXT TakeOver XXX to become the new NXT Champion, not many have gotten this "monster push" in NXT as Karrion Kross has.
Unfortunately, such an injury would derail all his momentum so far. The situation has reminded the WWE Universe of Finn Balor in 2016 when he made his main roster debut. He too received a similar "monster push", becoming the first Universal Champion, only to be forced to relinquish the title the next night due to an injury. As we all know, Finn Balor never really got that initial momentum back.
Of course, Finn Balor is doing well in WWE now, but people still wonder what if he hadn't injured himself that day? He would surely have been a way bigger Superstar than what he is now. Hopefully, Karrion Kross does not face a similar fate.
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#3 Change of plans for former NXT Champion Keith Lee
While everyone is talking about Karrion Kross and his NXT Championship victory, let's not forget that this entire scenario could change things up for the former NXT Champion, Keith Lee as well. Keith Lee has had a solid run in NXT in the last one year or so and there was massive speculation of him moving to the main roster after dropping the title to Karrion Kross at NXT TakeOver XXX.
But if Karrion Kross is forced to relinquish the title, there might be a change in plan for the Limitless One as well. Let's not forget that it was not long before Keith Lee held both the NXT as well as the North American Championship. He then went on to relinquish the North American title, which was won by Damian Priest at TakeOver XXX.
Unfortunately, Keith Lee went on to lose his very first feud and big match as the champion, thus getting his title reign cut short. Now, if Keith Lee was a heel, he would have come out, mocked Kross, and claimed that the title should be given back to him. But he is a pure babyface and would want to earn the title yet again.
#2 A tournament to crown the new NXT Champion
If Karrion Kross does end up relinquishing the NXT Championship on the upcoming episode of NXT due to his injury, the biggest question would be - who will be the next NXT Champion? Now, what happened when someone relinquished his title last time? A set of qualifying matches were announced, the winners of which would qualify for a final match for the vacant title.
The same could be done for the "vacant" NXT Championship as well, with William Regal or Triple H announcing a tournament or a match to determine the new champion. There are several Superstars on the NXT roster who would love to get a shot at the top title of the brand, which could make for a fantastic tournament.
With Tommaso Ciampa returning to NXT next week, he could very well be one of the contenders. Other than him, Keith Lee and Adam Cole would also want to get back the title as well. Finn Balor too could put his name in the hat to be crowned the new NXT Champion and have a long run with the title. He could then have a rematch with a returning Karrion Kross and drop the title to him.
#1 Scarlett enters NXT's women's division
While we have spoken about how Keith Lee would be affected by Karrion Kross's injury, another Superstar who would be massively impacted is Scarlett - the on-screen valet and real-life partner of the new NXT Champion.
So far, Scarlett has just been used alongside Karrion Kross, but those who have followed her career before NXT know that she is a wrestler as well, who could have a decent run as a singles competitor. If Karrion Kross is forced to be out of action for a longer time, one has to wonder what could be the plans for Scarlett?
While she can just go missing from the programming as well, Scarlett is too good of an on-screen character to not be used on NXT. She could definitely thrive as a singles competitor and could add a new flavor to the already fantastic roster of women on NXT. If given a chance, she could even go on to feud with Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship.
