5 Ups And 2 Downs For WWE NXT (Jun 1)

3. Xia Li Sets Sights On Mercedes Martinez

Not every match heading into a TakeOver requires weeks of build and forced drama to feel worthy of the PPV stage. Sometimes all you need is two absolute badasses with a little bit of history and the promise of a boatload of violence.

That's precisely what we've got in the upcoming Xia Li vs. Mercedes Martinez bout at In Your House. After targeting Martinez with a black mark on her hand seven days ago, Li explained this week that she's been waiting to make an example out of the veteran star ever since the pair met in the Mae Young Classic in 2017.

Simple as that. Li felt she was embarrassed by the disrespectful Martinez on the night, and now she's equipped with a new attitude and some equally effective teammates in the rest of Tian Sha, it looks as though she's primed to exact revenge on the recent NXT Women's Championship challenger. But, judging from Martinez's comments later in the night, her rival doesn't plan on being walked over any time soon.

Could seeing off Martinez act as a stepping stone en route to a shot at the top belt for Li? As long as we're done with the demon breath, it seems like a solid plan to us...