NXT Takeover: Chicago Review 05/20/2017

Hello Misfits! It’s the Wrestling Classic here with my NXT Takeover: Chicago review. I might miss NXT’s weekly show almost every other week but I never miss a NXT Takeover event. I didn’t watch this live but I got on it as soon as I could. NXT and their Takeover shows aren’t you’re typical WWE sports entertainment shows. They are wrestling shows with solid wrestling action. The stories are mainly told in the ring and rarely involve inference and over booking. The Takeover shows are where stars are made and never let you down. I knew that going into this show.

NXT Takeover: San Antonio comes to us from the All State Area in Rosemont, Illinois.

– There was an awesome video package to open the show. Tom Phillips, Percy Watson and Nigel McGuinness are our commentary team of the night.

Roderick Strong def. Erick Young
in 13:45 via pinfall
This was a strong opening match. Strong has had issues with Sanity of months now and he was looking to overcome the odds against them. I enjoyed the beginning suspense when Strong came out from the crowd to attack his foes to try to beat the odds. This was a solid wrestling match and told a great story of Strong continuously trying to beat the odds against Young, Dain and Wolf. The crowd was strongly behind Strong throughout the match, mostly when Young was working the heat. Strong picked up the victory after he hits a jumping knee strike and lumbar check on Young. It really was Roddy vs. The World in this match and he overcome the odds in the end. I feel like it was the right call and that this might have been Roddy’s best Takeover performance yet.
Rating – ***

– Jim Ross came out to commentate along side McGuinness for the next match.

WWE UK Championship
Pete Dunn def. Tyler Bate (C)
in 15:40 by pinfall
Holy crap. This started methodical and technical, but once it picked up pace, it never slowed down. This match totally was a MOTY candidate. It had me on the edge of my seat. I fell for every near fall. If they wanted to re-capture peoples attention to get them to tune into the UK Show since its been some time since the tournament, this match definitely did that. I was already a fan of both guys. I went in as a huge fan of Pete Dunne but and I enjoyed Tyler Bate, but this match definitely made me a bigger fan of Tyler Bate. Both guys showed there technical skill to begin, but following an airplane spin by Bate on Dunn the match ended up being a roller coaster ride. I absolutely had no idea who was going over which made it so much more enhjoyable. Factor in the fact that Jim Ross was on commentary with McGuinness, it just created the perfect atmosphere. I watched this match more than once and it was just as entertaining the second time as it was the first time. The crowd was fully into it, which was cool since these stars aren’t your regular NXT stars. This was better than the finals of the UK Tournament as well, which itself was spectacular. Both of these guys are in their early twenties, with Bate just entering his twenties and they’re already making history. Dunn picked up the victory with the Bitter End winning the UK Championship Title. This was truly a classic. I HIGHLY recommend everyone check out this match.
Rating – *****

NXT Women’s Championship
Asuka (C) def. Ruby Riot & Nikki Cross
in 12:30 by pinfall
The NXT Women’s Division has really lost my interest since the days of the Four Horsewomen. Asuka is still on a dominant undefeated streak and slowly becoming the longest reigning NXT Women’s Championship. It doesn’t matter who or what combination of women they throw at her she always finds a way to com out on top. However, the division doesnt peak my interest like it once did. Plus having to follow the performance Dunn and Bate just put on is a really tough position to be put in. I’m aware of Nikki Cross, since her involvement with Sanity but not that familiar with Ruby Riot. They put on a really good match with Asuka picking up the win whenRiot counters the fisherman’s neck breaker with an up kick, but Asuka in to make the save, wipes out Riot with the sliding kick and covers then both to win and retain. There were some flaws in the match such as the stipulation leading to one person usually being knocked out, outside the ring while the other too went at it, until there was a rotation of who was knocked out. The match for me personally was missing that hype factor for me but following the UK Championship match, they did a great job.
Rating – ***

NXT Championship
Bobby Roode (C) def. Hideo Itami
in 17:34 by pinfall
This was NXT of today facing NXT of the past. I like how the video package before the match highlighted it as that. I think the Chicago crowd was really looking forward to Itami to hit the GTS. A move which he created in Japan but Chicago native CM Punk made famous in the USA. Bobby Roode’s entrance tonight which involved a virtual piano was nothing short but “GLORIOUS”. I really loved his robe tonight too. This was a very solid NXT Championship match. Itami returned with his “A” game. The story was told in the ring. Roode upped his game from Mania weekend and Itami was busting his ass as he had a ton of pressure on him. This was really enjoyable, with Itami’s insistence on hitting the GTS biting him in the ass, allowing Roode to retain. The finish came whenItami finally catches Roode with the GTS but Roode rolls to the floor. Itami rolls him back in and covers for 2. Huge over hand rights by Itami follow, he drops the kneepad to signal another GTS, and Roode then counters the GTS into the DDT, hits another and Roode retains. The second Glorious DDT looked a lot and was sold a lot better. I wasn’t ready for Roode to lose the title as I think he really is a top quality champion for the NXT brand. In my Roode is a solid 3.5 out of 5 guy. All of his matches are solid and good, but never horrible or unforgettable. He has the look and his matches always get the job done. I wonder if he continues to work with Itami or moves on to a new foe.
Rating – ***1/2

Ladder Match
NXT Tag Team Championships
The Authors of Pain (C) w/ Paul Ellering def. #DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tomasso Ciampa)
in 20:00 by retrieving the titles
I was really looking forward to this match. I think #DIY is a tag team featuring two of the most talented guys on the NXT roster. I’m also a huge fan of the Authors of Pain and how dominant they’ve been on the NXT roster. They’re unstoppable and I hope that carries over when they debut on the main roster. This match was great and these four guys found a way to tell a story only they could with the participants involved. There was innovation and unique spots. There was a story being told about the underdog talented team trying to overcome these monsters, as well as an underlying story that wouldn’t develop until after the match. They did really well here as the Authors came off like beasts, but DIY had plenty of hope spots and near grabs to make the drama work and also make you feel DIY could overcome the monsters. There was a ton of suspense throughout the match. The german suplex ladder bump that Rezar took looked great and painful. The double ladder dive on the outside from DIY onto the AOP was classic and had the crowd into it. There was a spot where AOP was about to brutally smash Ciampa in the head with the ladder but Gargano pushed Ciampa out of the way and took the hit himself. This really was added to the angle that took place following the match, involving DIY’s friendship.  The finish came when DIY fight back with super kicks and the ladder is stuck on Akem’s head. DIY hit the superkick/knee strike combo! Ciampa again is selling that knee. DIY struggle to their feet, set up a ladder and climb. They grab the rigging, and the Authors knock out the ladder and hit power bombs and the super collider; they climb and grabs the titles to retain. I’m glad AOP dominance continues but this left you wondering what would happened with DIY…we find out very shortly.
Rating – ****1/2

– Following the match DIY pull themselves to their feet and get a standing ovation from the Chicago crowd. The fans are chanting “DIY” loudly. They hug leave the ring. They did something really smart here when they put up the ending credit as if the show was going to end with Ciampa and Gargano on the stage embracing and showing love to the crowd. Instead, Ciampa turns on Gargano by throwing him head first into the entrance LED screen. He then kills him with the running knee strike, Ciampa then destroys Gargano with another knee strike. The fans are chanting “FUCK YOU CIAMPA.” Ciampa then takes Gargano to the commentary table and hits the air raid crash off the table onto the platform below which looked like a couple of tables! That turn works so well and makes Ciampa a grade a piece of shit when you consider Gargano saved him from the big ladder shot and took the bullet for him. The Psycho Killer is back. I loved it and I loved how they aired it. These two killed it against each other during the CWC tournament and I’m sure they will again during this feud. I will miss them as a tag team though.

Final Thoughts
This is what a wrestling or sports entertainment special should be like. Tremendous wrestling, storyline progression, feuds ending and new feuds beginning. NXT Takeover events rarely let you down and this one from Chicago is no exception. It was show everyone should watch to see how great WWE can be at wrestling when they try. NXT may be in a rebuilding period but even so they are capable of putting on tremendous events. The UK Championship match between Dunn and Bate is a match everybody should definitely make time to watch. It’s the only match this year that is a runner up for MOTY, with Okada/Omega 1 from Wrestle Kingdom being it’s only competition. Roode/Itami and Strong/Young were solid in ring matches worth watching. The women did their best to follow the UK Title match and put on a decent outing for a rather dull division right now. The main event was awesome and they made the best out of their stipulation. The big guys AOP proved they could put on a solid ladder match with talented smaller guys like Gargano and Ciampa. The post match attack added more drama and had everyone lost on this emotional roller coaster. I would highly recommend this show to any wrestling fan. I don’t think anyone would regret watching it. It’s classic stuff.
Final Rating – 9/10

What were your final thoughts on NXT Takeover: Chicago? What final grade would you give the event? Where would you rate it on a scale of ten? Do you agree with my review? Leave your comments, opinions and thoughts below in the comments section.