As professional wrestling fans, we tend to view the past with rose-tinted glasses. In doing so, we don’t realize that we are living in an era of some great wrestling indeed. As we witnessed tonight, NXT Takeover: Chicago was truly magical in every sense. It is an honor to recap some of the events of the evening with you.
NXT Takeovers have a track record of being picture-perfect events, and this was no different. From the opening entrance to the big swerve at the end, the show delivered on every front. While nostalgia is a great thing, professional wrestling has never been this good. We were hard pressed to find a ‘worst’ for the evening, but we had some gripes that we’ll detail in this article. Without further ado, let’s get to them.
#1 Best: The return of Jim Ross
We heard Jim Ross call the UK Tournament on the WWE Network, but the ovation he got from the live crowd in Chicago was deafening indeed. He and Nigel McGuiness (who was on fire through the night) added their own special touch to what, in our opinion, was the match of the night (but more on that later). For their part, Tom Phillips and Percy Watson were not bad either, and the commentary truly was on point all through the night.
Jim Ross’ association with the UK participants gives the whole division some added weight, making it seem more relevant.
#1 Worst: Botches in the ring
Botches through the night prevented the night from being absolutely stellar, across the duration of this NXT special. Killian Dain from SAnitY took out Roderick Strong right in front of the referee, but because the match wasn’t supposed to end that way, Tom Phillips had to cover for the referee on commentary, saying how his eyes were not on the two men involved.
Eric Young messed up the Wheelbarrow Neckbreaker that he tried to deliver on the floor, and Hideo Itami attempted a disrespectful kick on Bobby Roode who was lying prone behind him but missed him by a country mile. Maybe insignificant points for some, but these were the glaring botches on display tonight.
#2 Best: Two ‘Match of the Night’ contenders
It was ‘make or break’ time for the two men from WWE’s UK Division. And did they bring their A-Game! Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne put on a match that few expected them to and stole the night with their efforts. This was the biggest match for both of these men, and did they ever step up and deliver! We hope that this match ignites a fire among the participants of the Cruiserweight Division too because this is how you get a division over. Congratulations to the new UK Champion Pete Dunne.
We knew #DIY could put on great matches but had our reservations about the Authors of Pain. However, both teams were exceptional tonight and closed the night with a performance to be proud of. The spots that they pulled off looked painful indeed, and we wonder if they'll be able to walk straight with the damage their bodies took. Heck, even Paul Ellering took a bump during the action-packed contest.
#2 Worst: Ordinary match on an extraordinary night
Asuka, Nikki Cross, and Ruby Riot were sandwiched between the exceptional UK Championship match and the solid NXT Championship match. They suffered as a consequence of this, and while there was nothing wrong with the match as such, it wasn’t in the same league as the matches through the night.
The good news is that Nikki Cross showed some promise, although she's nowhere in the league of Asuka with regard to in-ring work. We suppose it is safe to say that Ember Moon, who was watching from the stands, will be the one to dethrone Asuka when she is healed.
#3 Best: Bobby Roode’s in-ring psychology
You will be hard pressed to find someone who sells an injury better than NXT Champion Bobby Roode. The Championship match was very different from the two matches we've mentioned before, with more ‘psychology’ than ‘action’. However, the story that the two men told made it all worth it. Itami worked Roode's arm through the course of the match, while Itami sold his leg that suffered damage thanks to the ring steps. This was the perfect appetizer before the main course, which was the Tag Team Championship ladder match.
#3 Worst/Best: The swerve
We all signed in unison as Tommasso Ciampa turned on Johnny Gargano, and went full heel in the process. The crowd seemed to echo our sentiments too. While this was a great bit of television, it was heartbreaking for us to watch as fans of the tag-team. On an optimistic note, Ciampa vs. Gargano during the Cruiserweight Classic was a great match, maybe the best of the entire tournament.
In conclusion, NXT Takeover: Chicago made us proud to be wrestling fans, and realize that we’re living in a glorious era of sports entertainment.
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