Greg DeMarco’s Bold Predictions For NXT Takeover: Chicago

411Mania’s Greg DeMarco gets you ready for Saturday’s WWE NXT Takeover: Chicago in style with his B.O.L.D. Predictions!

On Saturday, May 20th, the WWE’s NXT brand presents the next installment of the Takeover series, aptly titled Takeover: Chicago. Believe it or not, this is the THIRTEENTH Takeover event! This event will emanate from the always rowdy Allstate Arena in RosemomtChicago, which has a wrestling capacity of 18k. Will this be the largest attendance for NXT? I’m sure Triple H will go front and center to tell us if it is.

Crazy to think of it, but the first Takeover was headlined by NXT Champion Adrian Neville defending is crown against Tyson Kidd. Also on the card, Tyler Breeze defeated Sami Zayn to be named #1 contender. He’d get that title shot in a Fatal 4-Way match at the next Takeover, also aptly titled Takeover: Fatal 4-Way. Zayn would find his way into that four-way, along with Tyson Kidd.

This Takeover features a hell of a line-up, topped by Bobby Roode defending his NXT Championship against Hideo Itami, which I expect to be a kickass match.

But precisely what is going to happen at the Takeover: Chicago? Hell if I know! I leave that to our team here at 411Mania to figure out!

Because contained below are bold predictions for the event. Not likely to happen, these are indeed B.O.L.D.: Bullheaded, Outlandish, Lascivious, and Deplorable. But if—I mean when!—one hits, I can promise you’ll never hear the end of it!

A Close Call For Roode

Bobby Roode is a hell of a champion for NXT, and I don’t expect it to end in Chicago. However, I also don’t think he’s winning the match. I think Roode loses by DQ to set up a rematch while NXT builds up a new challenger (more on that later).

His also gives Itami a ton of heat as he continues his chase. This strikes me as a middle-of-the-road “because we’re in Chicago and can draw a huge house” Takeover, and Itami hasn’t been feuding with Roode all that long. This one is going to continue past Takeover.

Roddy Has a Posse

This is a process of elimination one for me. Roderick Strong lost his shot at being #1 contender, and Hideo Itami is likely challenging Roode again after this show. Roddy is facing Eric Young, who has back-up. Drew Galloway and Kassius Ohno are arguably the biggest stars not on this show (and not named Aleister Black).

Sanity gets involved, along with Ohno and Galloway.

Except Roddy isn’t Tye Dillingr, and doesn’t want any damn help. He ends up walking out on his partners, laying the foundation for Roderick’s heel turn. Why else do you do a heartfelt pair of videos on the guy and then have him lose? To turn him heel, of course!

And NEWWWWWWW???

Asuka is undefeated, only losing in matches where she didn’t take the fall. The women’s division is getting stale with her as a division killer, and her top challenger is out with an injury. On top of that, no one is ready to truly challenge her, despite how fast Ruby Riot has gotten over.

How do you shake it up? In a Triple Threat match, it’s very easy. (Near) hometown girl Ruby Riot gets the fall on Nikki Cross, winning the women’s championship without causing Asuka to take the fall. Asuka wins it back at the next possible opportunity (UK tour anyone?) while we continue to build up new challengers or wait for her Stardom friends to make their way into the company.

And who wouldn’t love seeing Ruby Riot pull off that upset? It’d be almost as over as Sally Stitches challenging for the Freelance Championship.

Pete doesn’t get it…Dunne

I’m a huge fan of Pete Dunne, have been ever since the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament. He was the star of the show, but him not winning was the right call.

It’s easy to think he will win this title, but it doesn’t make sense for him to do it here. Why? Because Chicago is almost 3,800 miles away from Blackpool, where the champion was crowned.

What does that mean?

I think they’re saving Dunne’s win for the UK, if it happens at all.

Wait, what?

Ever notice that Pete Dunne is always billed at 205 pounds? (Same as Aleister Black, by the way.) Any other brand in the WWE that may possibly be built around that weight? I can’t see the WWE not signing Dunne to NXT and eventually 205 Live, especially if they want that to be a touring brand. Fact is, Dunne might get bigger than the WWE UK Championship before he ever gets the chance to win it.

HEEL TURN!

AS you know, The Authors Of Pain are defending the NXT Tag Team Championships in a ladder match against #DIY of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa.

Gargano and Ciampa are a beloved team in NXT, but let’s be honest here. They’re beloved mainly because of Johnny Wrestling. Ciampa, while Gargano’s equal in the ring, is along for the ride in terms of popularity. And you know the WWE can’t help but see how over Gargano is. How do you capitalize on that? By sending him solo against the best opponent possible—his partner.

So after they lose the ladder match to the AOP, Tommaso Ciampa decides that his partner is the weak link, turning on Gargano and sending him into the babyface stratosphere.

Because you can sell a metric ton worth of “Johnny Wrestling” t-shirts!

What craziness do YOU expect to go down at the Takeover: Chicago? Share in the comments below!

Hit up Greg DeMarco on Social Media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregdemarco411
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregdemarco411