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Zen Arcade Reviews: NXT Takeover – Chicago

May 20, 2017 | Posted by Jake St-Pierre
WWE NXT - Bobby Roode - Robert Roode Image Credit: WWE
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Zen Arcade Reviews: NXT Takeover – Chicago  

We are LIVE from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.

Your hosts are Tom Philips, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson. Jim Ross will be the lead man for the UK Title match.

Roderick Strong vs. Eric Young
Roderick has seen his profile raise in the weeks building up to this show, following a series of fantastic vignettes about his life that have given Roddy an emotional edge some feel he’s lacked for years and years. This is especially valuable given his opponent here tonight, Eric Young, has been one of the most carefully curated characters NXT has had in some time. Given Roderick’s obvious in-ring talent and Young’s consistently underrated skillset, this ought to be quite the fun little opener.

Roddy jumps SanitY from the crowd, and it’s a Pier Sixer from the earlygoing as Roddy runs wild on EY. Young battles his way into an advantage after the early storm though, slowing the pace down. Roddy battles back himself and attempts to fight off SanitY in doing so, but Killian Dain levels him with a high cross outside to put a stop to all that. Young takes control for a fair amount of time until he dives off the second rope into a Roderick dropkick that stops him in his tracks. Roderick makes his comeback like a house of fire in the ring, but when things spill to the outside, EY hits his wheelbarrow neckbreaker on the floor. Roddy kicks out as they head back into the ring, but EY follows up with an elbow drop that gets a close nearfall. Roddy counters another wheelbarrow neckbreaker with a victory roll for two, but EY counters an Olympic Slam with an eye rake. He goes back up top, but Roddy meets him up top once more for a prospective Superplex. EY tries to Superplex him to the floor, but Roddy fights out and gives him a jumping knee that sends him tumbling into the arms of Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain. EY comes back in, but runs into a jumping knee and the END OF HEARTACHE, giving Roderick the win in 14 minutes. ***1/4 Not a showstealer by any means, but I’d say this match did its job perfectly. Roddy has the sort of explosiveness you want for an opening match, and he worked that in here wonderfully against seemingly insurmountable odds. He overcame those odds however, using his superior wrestling skills to beat Eric Young decisively. An easy story told very well by two consummate professionals, so there’s really nothing more you could want from an opener.

UK Championship: Tyler Bate © vs. Pete Dunne
These two had a total barnburner to cap off the UK Tournament back in January, so it was only natural to put their rematch in a larger spotlight to give the ensuing UK weekly series a bigger jump-start. Pete Dunne is probably one of the top 20 best workers in the world at the moment, having consistently fantastic matches between his PROGRESS outings and wherever else his talents might lead him. Tyler Bate isn’t far behind either, having had some awesome efforts on NXT defending his championship. This is an easy showstealer on paper, so who couldn’t be excited for it?

It’s a slow technical start in the beginning, with Pete Dunne controlling the early moments. A game Tyler Bate dropkicks Dunne out of the ring though. The champ is able to avoid some catastrophic arm work from Dunne, but runs right into a nasty release suplex onto the apron from the challenger. Dunne uses that to resume work over Bate’s joints and generally rough the champion up methodically with stomps and more finger manipulation. Bate eats a barrage of stomps, but fires up for an Exploder. Bate counters an X-Plex and hits a STANDING SHOOTING STAR, followed by a nasty Backdrop Driver for a 2 count. RUNNING SHOOTING STAR COUNTERED INTO A TRIANGLE! TYLER HEAVES HIM UP FOR A POWERBOMB! Tyler heaves Dunne up for the AIRPLANE SPIN OF DEATH~! Dunne kicks out at 2. Dunne flips out of a German and elbows Bate out of midair, BEFORE HITTING AN ORANGE CRUSH~! BATE KICKS OUT! The crowd is going mental. They throw leather in the center of the ring until Tyler CRUMBLES Dunne with a fakeout jab! Dunne fights back with an enzuigiri, but BATE HITS A CAPO KICK! MATT CROSS REBOUND LARIAT FROM BATE~! DUNNE KICKS OUT! Holy shit! Tyler Driver countered… BITTER END COUNTERED INTO A DDT FROM BATE! This match is unbelievable. GOLDEN TRIANGLE MOONSAULT FROM BATE! SPIRAL TAP FROM BATE INSIDE! DUNNE KICKS OUT AGAIN!~! Oh my God. TAKER PLANCHA FROM BATE… COUNTERED WITH AN ELBOW~! BITTER END FROM DUNNE! We have a new UK Champion in an unbelievable 16 minutes. ****1/2 This is one of those matches that I’m finding trouble even attempting to do justice in writing. It was worked so incredibly in every way that it seems like an exercise in futility to even give general compliments. But I will say that I was unbelievably impressed with these two men’s timing. A lot of times you’ll watch a high stakes WWE match that is ruined by poorly timed nearfalls, and energy being spent on false finishes that not a single soul believes can do the trick. I think a lot of John Cena matches especially have that issue. But both Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate did an absolutely remarkable job working with the crowd, and doing every nearfall and huge spot at exactly the right point for maximum impact. There were several points in the match where this crowd was certain they saw the finish, and when they didn’t, the intensity just grew and grew instead of waning. The escalation in urgency was nearly perfect, and just when you thought they hit their peak, things got even crazier. Hitting a crescendo so well is an incredibly tricky beast in wrestling, and these two men made it look like a walk in the park. Even better, they didn’t waste our time with a pointless heat segment or aimless limb work, instead opting to throw a barrage of bombs at each other in an attempt to simply find out who the better man was. This match was a FIGHT between two world-class athletes, and it was treated as such. Wrestling is a simple art sometimes, and Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne is as perfect an example as you can find to support that. A total Match of the Year candidate and something we’ll be talking about for a while.

NXT Women’s Title: Asuka © vs. Ruby Riot vs. Nikki Cross
After Asuka went full heel against Ember Moon in Orlando to retain her title, she kept up these shady tactics when NXT attempted to find a number one contender on an episode of TV. Asuka thought she’d just destroy everyone and that would solve it, but now she’s got a bigger problem in yet another multi-woman matchup. Ember Moon was supposed to be in this match too after her controversial loss in Orlando, but an “injury” keeps her out, so here we are.

Nikki tries jumping Asuka and co in the earlygoing, but she finds herself on the floor rather quickly, leaving Ruby and Asuka to fight it out alone for the time being. Ruby is game, keeping up with the speedy Asuka and sending her out to the floor. Ruby measures for a dive, but Nikki Cross cuts her off and it’s a Pier Sixer on the floor. Asuka heads to the top as things head back into the ring, hitting a combo missile dropkick/splash on Nikki and Ruby respectively. Asuka and Ruby fight it out some more until Asuka pulls out an Ankle Lock, only for Nikki to break up the proceedings with a back rake of all things. Nikki bridges Asuka out of the ring, so she and Ruby can fight it out finally. Ruby gets the upperhand, but runs right into Asuka… only to hit her with an ugly diving rana. Asuka fights right back, but Nikki sends her to the floor… only to dive right into a nasty knee from the champion. Ruby uses that distraction to hit a beautiful Lope. Ruby sends Nikki into the ring for a Dick Togo-esque senton, but Asuka breaks it up and hits her with a German for a two count. She tries one on Nikki, who hits a clunky neckbreaker for a two count. Nikki jumps on Ruby’s back, but Asuka grabs her for a superkick/German combo! She pops up, right into a Ruby Riot superkick. RIOT SENTON COUNTERED INTO THE ASUKA LOCK! Nikki breaks that up. Nikki hits Ruby with a nasty reverse DDT on the apron, and Nikki catches Asuka in the ring apron on a baseball slide and goes to town with elbows! Nikki hits a nasty hanging neckbreaker on Asuka, but Ruby breaks up the pin. Both women collide on a high cross, and all three competitors are down. Nikki and Ruby get rid of Asuka once more, but Asuka breaks up a pin with a shining wizard. She covers both women for the win in 13 minutes. *** There were a lot of very good ideas and moments in this match, but there was also a lot of sloppy execution that just didn’t do that admirable ambition justice. Funnily enough, whereas the Dunne/Bate match was a masterclass in timing and crispness and how it can make a match great, this was an example of how shoddy timing and execution can harm a promising match in some cases. It was a very fun match though, with some great psychology in both Ruby and Nikki trying to get rid of Asuka and fight each other due to their brewing rivalry. The three-way spots that worked, worked very well and did a good job of breaking apart the normal Triple Threat monotony. It was never boring, as they went out there to work a sprint and did so in perfectly good fashion. There wasn’t a lull, and they had a purpose for everything they did. They just went a little too fast at times, and a lot of the botches hurt the flow of the match. Luckily, the crowd stayed with them and nothing actively ruined the proceedings, so it’s hard to complain too much. Perfectly Acceptable Wrestling.

We get a Patrick Clark Experience vignette, in its new form as the Velveteen Dream.

NXT Title: Bobby Roode © vs. Hideo Itami
For the first time since 2015’s Takeover: Respect, the NXT Championship does not main event a Takeover. The former KENTA has had a very troubled NXT run thus far, being put out a year with a bad shoulder injury before getting dropped on his head by a sloppy rookie at an NXT house show. This time around, it seems NXT wants to really make sure they spotlight Hideo when they can, and he steps into a fairly cold match against Bobby Roode as a result. Still, Itami is an elite worker when he wants to be, so I have high hopes for this one despite Roode’s pretty bland match with Nakamura in Orlando.

Roode showboats a little too much early and nearly eats a G2S within the first minute, but scampers away in a hurry before tragedy strikes. Hideo controls the opening minutes, throwing some perfectly laid strikes at a reeling Roode. Itami hilariously misses his non-challant boot to the head, before recovering by mocking Roode’s taunting. Itami tries a backslide, but rolls right back up into a clothesline from Roode that knocks him silly. Hideo slaps the SHIT out of Bobby, who BOOTS HIM IN THE FACE to respond. Itami fires right back with a nasty Sick Kick, before starting to make his comeback proper. Itami goes up top for a flying clothesline, getting a two count. Roode escapes the G2S, but Itami sends him right into the post. Itami throws some stiff kicks to the knee and tries a Fujiwara Armbar, but Roode is able to escape it. Itami sends Roode up top for a Superplex, but Roode sends him to the floor. Itami escapes a Blockbuster and DOES THE DEAL with a Falcon Arrow for a 2 count. Hideo measures Roode for a running attack in the corner, but he runs right into a Glorious Spinebuster for a two count. Itami escapes the Glorious DDT and tries another G2S, but Bobby Roode slithers to the apron and stuns Hideo on the ropes to get away. He spends too much time talking again though, and Hideo throws him shoulder-first into the stairs… only to miss a follow-up dropkick into the steps. They trade strikes in the center of the ring until Hideo hits the Shibata corner dropkick on Roode, but his bad leg gives out when he tries the G2S.. and Roode hits the Glorious DDT! Hideo kicks out. GO 2 SLEEP FROM ITAMI! ROODE FALLS OUT OF THE RING! Roode kicks out as Itami rolls him into the ring. Itami tries it again, but Roode counters out… only for ITAMI TO COUNTER A GLORIOUS DDT WITH INSANE SLAPS~! GO 2 SLEEP COUNTERED INTO A GLORIOUS DDT! RIGHT INTO ANOTHER ONE! Roode retains his title in 18 minutes. **** I have a feeling I’ll end up liking this match more than others, but I thought this ended up being Hideo’s best NXT match thus far and close to Roode’s best as well. This was worked much differently from Roode’s matches with Nakamura, and was all the better for it in every conceivable way. Instead of working the tired “heel works over limb” formula we saw Roode do in Orlando, Itami was actually the aggressor for almost the entire match. The match was worked his way, and he did everything in his power to try and do away with the slow, methodical pace of Bobby Roode. And as such, he had Bobby’s number at almost every point. He was the better wrestler, he was speedier, and threw harder strikes. He went after the champion’s arm, and was able to nullify the Glorious DDT at multiple points in the match. Roode’s selling of the arm even was tremendous, so let’s not pretend this was all Hideo Itami. Although in terms of psychology, this was a Hideo Itami match worked with Bobby Roode, and the story was told extremely well… but Roode was still the better man Hideo’s reliance on the Go 2 Sleep against him, so he off of a simple counter and showed why he’s the champion. That’s the sort of old school psychology Roode is great at, and he comes out with an incredibly satisfying encounter against Hideo when I wasn’t expecting it.

Ladder Match for the NXT Tag Titles: Authors of Pain © vs. DIY
This is the rematch of their tremendous San Antonio match-up, where the AOP won the belts from Gargano and Ciampa in somewhat of a surprise. DIY tried once more to get their titles back in Orlando in an even better matchup alongside the Revival, but were once again defeated. Here, they get one more opportunity in NXT’s third ever ladder match, but the first in a tag team environment. Given these two’s rivalry thus far, I think it would be wise to assume we’re in for something special here despite Ciampa’s alleged injury a few nights before.

DIY is quick to throw hands, but they’re overwhelmed immediately by the champions. DIY uses their speed to send both AOP’s to the outside though, and they immediately go for ladders. Razar stops Ciampa though, and soon Akam is on Johnny Wrestling’s trail. DIY fights right back and goes for the bigger ladder, but they’re again stopped by the champs… only for Gargano to DIVE THROUGH THE BIG LADDER WITH A TOPE SUICIDA! The AOP tries to stop a ladder bound DIY, Akam hitting a nasty Uranage on Gargano, throwing him on Ciampa. Akam holds the ladder as Razar climbs, but DIY stops that in its tracks with some ladder shots. Akam and Razar try again, but DIY is as resourceful as ever as they climb on the ladder mid Powerbomb and try to sneak their way to the belts, but the champs stop that very quickly and have their way with the challengers. Akam stops Razar as he climbs, because they see DIY starting to climb back up to their feet, and they flatten the challengers some more. DIY escapes certain death via Powerbomb, and Gargano superkicks Akam down to the propped up ladder, with Ciampa kneeing Razar down on his side. DIY climbs to the top of the big ladder, AND THEY HIT HUGE STERO SPLASHES ON THE AOP! Ciampa drags his carcass in the ring and tries to set up a ladder, but Akam crawls in with him. Gargano sets up a ladder of his own, with Razar giving chase. Johnny nearly gets the belts, but Paul Ellering stops Johnny! JOHNNY SUPERKICKS ELLERING! Akam stops Gargano as he tries again to set up a ladder, and the champs corner Ciampa in the ring. Gargano saves Ciampa, and GETS BRAINED BY A LADDER SHOT from the AOP. Jesus Christ. The AOP nearly gets the belts, but Ciampa GERMAN SUPLEXES RAZAR OFF THE LADDER THROUGH THE LADDER IN THE CORNER~! JOHNNY GRABS AKAM’S FOOT! Akam shoves Gargano away, but DIY stagger Akam AND HIT THE KNEE/SUPERKICK INTO THE LADDER! Ciampa tries to will Gargano up so they can get the belts, but the AOP is stirring again. They kick the ladder away, leaving DIY hanging, and they HIT THE SUPER COLLIDER FROM THERE! The Authors of Pain retain their titles in 20 minutes. **** Yet another tremendously entertaining encounter between these two teams, and possibly the most dramatic. This is the first time I’ve felt legitimately bummed that Gargano and Ciampa weren’t able to come away with the win, as they made it look like they tried so damn hard to beat the monsters, but couldn’t quite do it. Gargano sacrificied his own well-being to make sure Ciampa was still able to do his part, but the Authors of Pain were just too big and bad to be beaten on this night. Gargano was glassy eyed, but went on auto-pilot to try and will his way to another title reign and just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t the most spectacular of ladder matches, but it told a simple-yet-effective story of DIY trying one last time to slay the giants. We got some incredible hope spots, and it felt like the crowd actually believed DIY was going to win in a couple instances. But alas it was not to be, and DIY is at a crossroads in their career…

The Chicago crowd gives DIY a standing ovation after the champs leave… BUT CIAMPA TURNS ON GARGANO~! Gargano is devastated, looking at Ciampa before the Psycho Killer knees him to death. Gargano crawls unwittingly into a sitting Ciampa’s lap, glassy-eyed in one of the more heartbreaking scenes you’ll ever see. Ciampa gives him the Air Raid Crash off of the announce table through a pile outside to really hammer it home. Now you have a new top babyface and heel for another year. The show fades out with a stone-faced Ciampa sitting on the announce table, his former best friend in heaps below him. Unbelievably great angle to end what was an all-time great show.

9.5
The final score: review Amazing
The 411
I might have to give it a few months to see if it holds up, but my gut reaction tells me that this is the best NXT Takeover thus far... even eclipsing the legendary Dallas event. There's the obvious greatness of Dunne vs. Bate, but everything surrounding it was quite great as well. You got your crazy spotfests, storytelling, and the huge angle at the end with the split of DIY. What more could you want from a wrestling show? This is a show I'd recommend to even the most jaded of wrestling fans, because it truly has something for everyone. An absolutely phenomenal event.
legend