NXT TakeOver events are typically solid from top to bottom and Chicago was no exception. In fact, on the eve of WWE Backlash, the feeder brand put on what might’ve been the best wrestling show of the year. It was really, really good.
From top to bottom, every match was at least decent while a couple were downright outstanding. The U.K. Championship Match crept awfully close to 5-Star range and many might just give it a perfect score. Also, the Tag Team Ladder Match showcased an incredibly physical display from #DIY and AOP. In one of the standout spots from that match and on the entire card, Johnny Gargano took a ladder shot directly to the face. It was nuts. I could go on and on about great moments from this show but that’s not what this article is about, is it?
Honestly, it was a hard task finding botches and outrageous moments from a show that was this good. That’s commendable because many promotions struggle with so much time on live television. Still, nobody is perfect and there were several moves and decisions for us to pick apart. Moments like a complete whiff of a kick from Hideo Itami as well as the audacity of booking two would-be title contenders completely out of contention are discussed with an accompanied GIF for visual reference.
Without any further delay, here are the botchiest and most outrageous moments from NXT TakeOver: Chicago.
#5 Rubycanrana
The NXT Women’s Championship Match was top notch, featuring a title defence by Asuka against Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot. It was a strong match on a card that featured a couple of match of the year contenders. However, there was one standout slip up.
Ruby Riot went for a hurricanrana against Asuka but didn’t quite get her legs into the right position. Ruby’s right leg can be seen above and away from Asuka’s head well before the NXT Champion starts rotating. The saving grace here for Riot is that much of this is on the blind side of the camera, so it probably went unnoticed to most.
#4 Missed kick
Hideo Itami tried to toy with the NXT Champion during his title match, and it didn’t quite work out for him. After a couple of knee strikes to Bobby Roode’s head, he dropped his knee pad and teased an unprotected strike. Instead, he dove over Bobby and then nonchalantly kicked backward. The problem here is that Hideo completely missed him on the first try. He threw a second kick again, proving he actually could connect.
Tom Phillips tried to cover up this botch by saying that Itami was simply “toying with him,” but it’s clear to see that he definitely whiffed this kick.
#3 Who needs a Women’s division?
NXT has had a highly skilled Women’s Champion ever since Asuka took the title. She’s great, there’s no doubt about that. However, the division as a whole has struggled when compared to the fond days of The Four Horsewomen. During that era, there was a deep pool of talent that the modern roster simply doesn't have.
With the recent emergence of Ember Moon, Nikki Cross, and Ruby Riot, it really felt like things were starting to get competitive again. If you were like me and felt that way before the match concluded, you’ll need to think again.
Asuka pinned both Nikki and Ruby at the same time to retain her title, a tactic that logically kicks both challengers out of title contention for the near future. Why not let one of them go unpinned to keep somebody else at least a little competitive in the eyes of the fans? At least when Asuka defeated Ember Moon in a singles match she had to cheat to win. There was none of that here.
This felt like such a booking botch to definitively knock out two potential challengers to the title in one go. Hopefully, Ember will be allowed to win when she gets back at it. She just better not hope for credible challengers in the event that she'd win.
Also read: Best and Worst of NXT TakeOver: Chicago
#2 Posing with a celebrity
It’s not every day that an average person gets to stand so close to a world-renowned star, but here we can see one lucky fellow getting to be closer to Brock Lesnar Guy than he ever dreamed was possible. Wait...that’s backwards, isn’t it?
Hideo was getting ready for a running strike to Bobby Roode during their NXT Championship Match when a WWE superfan noticeably popped up right behind him. This guy has been seen at ringside for many WWE events over the years. He’s almost always wearing the very shirt he has on while behind Itami. He had this outrageous moment, posing with finger guns pointed toward Roode alongside Hideo.
#1 Overshot the ladder
The Tag Team Championship Ladder Match between #DIY and the Authors of Pain was absolutely incredible. They beat the life out of each other, gave us a definitive finish, and even broke everyone’s heart with the Tommaso Ciampa heel turn after the match. There were many times that genuine concern was felt for the competitors’ well-being as they put their bodies on the line, including this moment when Johnny Gargano dove off of the ladder.
Akam was expecting to absorb the impact of Gargano’s belly, collapsing the ladder beneath them. However, Johnny overshot this a little and mostly connected with only his knees. The camera didn’t show his head as he rolled off of the AOP member but he could’ve landed cranium-first onto the ground.
Gargano was okay after this move – more than well enough to get smashed directly into the face by a ladder later on.
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