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Welcome to another NXT TakeOver! Charly Caruso, Pat McAfee (in jorts), and Sam Roberts handle Pre Show duties. They open by taking a look at the Lars Sullivan/Aleister Black build. Following that discussion, the Women’s Title match becomes the focus. EC3 joins the panel to talk Ricochet/Velveteen Dream. The hilarious Pat says Drake Wuertz has a better tan than EC3. Pat’s been on fire all night. EC3 foreshadows that he’s not done here tonight. Adam Cole joins the panel and continues his feud with Pat, before transitioning to talking about the Tag Team Title match. That will open the show. Cole to Pat: Nice jorts, dork. The Kickoff Show ends with hype for Gargano/Ciampa II.

The opening video package talks about pain as we see highlights of each feud. Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson are on commentary.

NXT Tag Team Championship: Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong [c] w/ Adam Cole vs. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan

The pop for Undisputed is insane. Lorcan and Burch barely get a pop. Uh-oh. Lorcan opens against Strong. Lorcan wins the first exchange and tags out. Roddy takes Burch to the corner and tags Kyle to a pop. Loud chants for Kyle. Kyle works the mat, but Burch escapes and levels him with an uppercut. Tag to Oney and they hit a double elbow. Roddy enters and eats a tandem suplex. The champs go to opposite corners and the challengers wallop them with shots. Their poses get boos. The champs regroup outside. Oney and Kyle begin trading loud chops in the corner. Kyle loses and takes a headlock. Oney wins out again with a knee to the gut. Burch gets tagged and works over Strong. He poses after a missile dropkick to boos. Strong sends him outside, where Kyle wants a soccer kick. Burch blocks but Strong takes him out with a baseball slide. He whips Burch into the LED board and tags Kyle inside. Kyle hits a back suplex into a kneebar. Strong tags in and stomps on Burch as Kyle releases the hold. Backbreaker from Strong gets two. Burch remains isolated as the champs hit running shots in the corner one after the other. Burch nearly gets an opening, but Kyle takes him down with strikes and kicks. Burch fights out with some forearms but eats a dropkick from Roddy for two. Burch fights out of an arm wringer and avoids a corner knee. He back drops Roddy, who tags Kyle. Kyle kicks Oney off the apron. Burch headbutts Kyle and both are down. Both guys tag out. Oney levels Roddy with shots. He turns him inside out with a clothesline and adds a running European. Kyle walks into some chops. Oney dropkicks Kyle outside to join Roddy. He follows with a wild somersault tope. Inside, Oney catches Roddy with a dragon suplex. A running European gets two. Oney hits both opponents with elbows in opposite corners. Strong catches one for a backbreaker. Oney escapes and sends Roddy into Kyle. Double running Blockbuster. Tag to Burch and they hit the assisted DDT they beat Undisputed with in the past. Kyle makes the save on the pin. Kyle is dumped out again. They get Roddy up for a Doomsday Device but Oney is knocked horribly off the top by Kyle. Burch levels Roddy but eats an enziguri. Tag to Kyle who fires off kicks, chops, and knees. Burch jumps over his sweep with a headbutt and knee. Kyle with a knee of his own. Brainbuster connects for a near fall. Kyle transitions into the armbar, but Burch locks his hands to block. Kyle finally breaks the grip and Burch struggles to the ropes. He makes it. Corner knee from Roddy and facebuster. Kyle with a PK and Roddy covers for two. Kyle becomes legal again, bu Burch fights off a double team move. Oney is up and hits the champs with a Blockbuster off the apron. He sends Kyle back in and the Doomsday European Uppercut connects. He covers, but Cole pulls Kyle to safety from a pin. The referee ejects Cole to a chorus of boos. The challengers have a shaky Kyle alone. Roddy trips Burch to cut off their finisher and throws him into the announce table. Kyle traps Oney in a guillotine in the center of the ring. Oney fights out and escapes by back dropping Kyle. Tag to Roddy. Oney uppercuts him but eats a knee. Oney escapes the Angle Slam and chop blocks STrong. Powerbomb with a bridge gets two but he goes right into a half crab. Kyle slides in and boots him but Oney refuses to let go. Kyle puts him in a guiolltine, but Burch pulls him down into a crossface. DUAL SUBMISSIONS! Kyle turns over and manages to kick Oney a few more times to break it. The teams stand across from each other and just start throwing bobms. Kyle takes down Burch with a knee. Oney slaps the taste out of his mouth, but Roddy knees him. Ax, Smash and a Roddy knee. They hit a sweep/lariat combo and retain.

Winners and Still NXT Tag Team Champions: The Undisputed Era in 16:02

Fantastic tag team wrestling. Even with the crowd not being into the challengers, they worked them into it. So many great moments and close calls. It was exactly the fight I was hoping for. [****1/4]

The fans give Burch and Lorcan a standing ovation.

Backstage, Lars Sullivan works out by lifting a structure like Brock Lesnar in 2002.

Kairi Sane is in the front row.

Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream

The video package for this is so good. Dream is special, man. DREAM IS DRESSED LIKE HULK HOGAN, BUT WITH PRINCE PUMA STYLE PANTS! Meanwhile, Ricochet is out in a Tanahashi like jacket. Dream watches as he lays on the announce table. Dream takes his time getting in the ring. They come face to face as the crowd chants “Velveteen.” They’re hesitant to lock up. When they do, Dream gives a surprisingly clean break and flexes like Hogan. Ricochet goes behind  but is taken over. headscissors by Ricochet. Dream fights out of one, but can’t escape the second. Ricochet keeps control as Dream can’t escape. Dream finally does and shoulder blocks Ricochet down. He avoids some shots and nearly lands on his head on a headscissors spot. Ricochet lands on his feet and Dream was unaware. Ricochet startes flipping around to avoid him. As he does his superhero pose, Dream slides away and they have a stare down. Big shots from Ricochet and a rollup for one. Ricoceht avoids Dream and catches him with a headscissors. He kips up and adds a dropkick, continuing to showcase his athleticism. Dream sends Ricochet to the apron. Ricochet hits him and wants a springboard, but Dream has it scouted and hits the ropes, causing Ricochet to hit his throat on the rope. Inside, an aggressive Dream fires off shots and stomps in the corner, but breaks before the count of five. He argues with the referee for touching him. Axe handle connects. Dream hits a hot shot and taunts before adding a slingshot senton, ala Ricochet. Dream hits a Rude Awakening for two. Ricochet hits a back elbow, but as he hits the ropes, Dream viciously shoves him outside. Dream uses the middle rope to springboard out for a tope. That gets two. Dream grounds him with a chinlock. Dueling chants as Ricochet fights back. He hits a big kick. Dream blocks another and sends Dream outside. Dream tries pulling Ricochet out but gets kicked away. He can’t follow up and misses an enziguri when Dream gets in. Ricochet rolls through and sends Dream across the ring. A dropkick knocks him outside. Ricochet succeeds with a tope suicida. Back in, he delivers corkscrew tope and sends Dream inside. European from Ricochet and a modified 619 type move. He springboards in with a back elbow for two. Dream is on the ropes. Ricochet eats a boot but hits a jumping neckbreaker and standing SSP for two. Dream escapes Ricochet and backs off, but uses it to send Ricochet out. Ricochet lands on his feet and climbs to the top, but gets crotched. They battle up top and Ricochet sends Dream down. He goes to fly but Dream is up. He jumps to the top, but Ricochet avoids and jumps to the apron with a strike. Ricochet gets caught with a super rolling Death Valley Driver and both men are down. Dream covers for two since he took long to cover. Dream gets cut off up top and eats a right hand on the apron. Ricochet climbs and pulls Dream up with him. Ricochet wants a deadlift sueprplex, but Dream counters with a suplex off the apron and to the outside! They both beat the count inside, with Ricochet doing so at the last second to survive. They struggle to their feet. Dream ducks a shot and hits the rolling DVD for another near fall. They trade blows but both are worn out. Uppercuts from Dream and forearms from Ricochet. Dream catches a shot but has his spinnign DDT countered into a Northern lights suplex. Ricochet wants to bridge into another suplex, but his back goes out. Superkick by Dream and pump kick by Ricochet. Dream tries a springboard move but gets turned inside out on a clothesline. Dream escapes him and hits the big DDT for yet another near fall. A frustrated Dream slaps Ricochet and talks trash. They are seated and worn out.  Dream screams that he’s a WRESTLING GOD. Rolling DVD from Ricochet! Ricochet goes up and does a Dream pose, before hitting the Purple Rainmaker for a near fall! Ricochet goes up for the 630, but Dream rolls away. Ricochet goes to climb down but gets back up and tries a long distance SSP. Dream gets the knees up and covers, but Ricochet kicks out. With Ricochet across the ring, Dream wants a long distance Purple Rainmaker but Ricochet moves and he crashes. With Dream down, Ricochet hits the 630 onto his back and wins.

Winner: Ricochet in 22:10

Tremendous storytelling. They based the match around “anything you can do, I can do better” and it worked so well. It ended up nearly costing Ricochet and ultimately costing Dream. Everything Velveteen does is special. Dude is a megastar. [****1/4]

Backstage, Tommaso Ciampa is deep in thought.

NXT Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler [c] vs. Nikki Cross

Shayna jumps around for a fight, but Cross stands completely still. No flinching or anything. Nikki then yells for Shyna to hit her. Shyna trips her and Nikki shakes like she’s giddy with joy. She jboucnes around wanting more. She crawls forward and causes an unsure Shyana to back away. Nikki turns her back to Shayna. When Shyna goes in, Nikki turns around and scares him. She hops on Shayna’s back with a sleeper of sorts. Shayna fights out and puts on her finisher but Nikki backs to the corner to break it. Shayna heads outside for a breather but Nikki traps her in the apron and fires off shots. She hops on Shayna’s back again, which is broken by Shayna dropping back and slamming them onto the ramp. Vicious knee inside from Shayna for two. She wears down Nikki and covers her motuh, preventing her from breathing. Shayna grates her forearm on Nikki’s face. Nikki fights back but eats another knee. Shayna hits a running one and Nikki laughs before letting out a yell. Another one hits and again, Nikki smiles. Nikki catches one, stands, and hits a forearm. She adds another but gets put in the Kirifuda Clutch. Nikki gets out quickly with a back suplex. Nikki fires off a bunch of shots, gettign under Shayna’s skin. Cross body off the top works for a near fall. Nikki hits a reverse DDT on the apron and covers for two. Shayna gets back in control but has the Kirifuda Clutch broken again. Nikki hits a twisting suplex with Shayna’s feet draped on the ropes. The cover is broken when Shayna gets her foot on the ropes. Nikki wants a crucifix but Shayna counters into the Kirifuda Clutch. Nikki fights out but is trapped. Shayna lays back and Nikki keeps fighting. Nikki smiles as she begins to fade from the move. Nikki passes out.

Winner and Still NXT Women’s Champion: Shayna Baszler in 9:24

While that wasn’t as good as Shayna/Ember II, it had several good moments and told a strong story. Nikki playsed her character to perfection and the shot of her smiling as she passed out was perfect. [***]

Nikki awakens as Shayna leaves and again smiles.

EC3 is shown in the crowd. So is KEITH LEE! BASK IN HIS GLORY!

NXT Championship: Aleister Black [c] vs. Lars Sullivan

They circle one another for a while, then come face to face. Lars is talking a big game but Black just stares. Lars goes to strike but Black fires off shots. Lars wants the Freak Accident but Black escapes. Lars catches Black Mass again, but Black still finds a way to hit a kick that sends him outside. Black is quick with the strikes outside. Lars launches him up onto the apron and Black comes off with Meteora. Back inside, Lars hits some big blows but runs into a knee for one. Black goes for the amr, gets shoved, and hits a kick. Lars grabs him by the throat and throws him to the corner. Black ends up on the apron and Lars pulls him up into powerslam position. Black slips out and Lars runs through a clothesline. Black takes a breather and Lars pounces. Black fights him off and wants a moonsault off the middle rope. Lars catches him into a snake eyes on the apron, then shoves him into the guardrail. Lars connects on an avalanche inside and adds some crossface punches. Lars wears him down in the center of the ring. Black fights out and nearly gets caught in a powerslam but again slips out. Lars blocks a rollup and hits a big slam for two. Lars talks smack as Black desperately hits some weak shots. Lars misses a clothesline but hits the popup powerslam for a near fall. Lars goes up top but eats a boot. He fights off a superplex ad eats some elbow strikes. He crotches Black up top and clotheslines him to the mat. Back up he goes for the headbutt but Black gets his knee up to block. They trade shots in the middle of the ring. Black uses the ropes for momentum. He catches a kick and sweeps Lars to the mat. Sliding kick and roll through. He fires off kicks and strikes before nailing the quebrada for two. Black picks up Lars with his foot for Black Mass. Lars grabs the foot and flips him over. He then chop blocks the knee out. Lars runs into a boot and Black kicks again, but his leg is too hurt to continue. Lars busts out the old Brock Lock, hanging Black with it. The champ fights out with a pin for two, then counters the Freak Accident into a DDT. Lars gets up on the apron and chokes Black. Black elbows out but eats a big clubbing forearm. Lars pulls him to the apron but Black fights off with kicks. He charges but gets powerslammed onto the apron. Lars climbs up again and hits the headbutt. He takes a moment to cover and Black gets the shoulder up. Black hops over the next chop block attempt and stomps on Lars’ back. Black Mass barely connects, getting Aleister a near fall. Lars catches the next attempt and hits a ridiculous clothesline. Freak Adccident is escaped and Black with a pump knee. Black Mass to the chest and Lars gets back up to his knees. He bleeding from the mouth. Black Mass to the skull and the champion retains.

Winner and Still NXT Champion: Aleister Black in 14:08

This was a very good title match that told the right story. Lars was an animal that Black has never faced before. The champion had to dig deep and find a way to overcome the beast, a role Lars played excellently. [***1/2]

As Johnny Gargano walks towards the arena, Candice runs up to him. Instead of stopping him, she gives him a crutch and says, “Kick his ass.”

Chicago Street Fight: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Gargano seems to be wearing Captain America inspired gear. Still no music for Ciampa, who also has a crutch and a Thanos inspired shirt, I believe. He hits the ring and they both go for crutch shots and miss. Gargano sends Ciampa outside and hits a superkick from the apron. He leaps off with a somersault. Ciampa is launched over the announce table. Ciampa escapes to the  crowd and Johnny fires off shots. Ciampa fights back and rips up a Gargano sign. Or, he attempts to, but can’t. Gargano hits him and then uses the sign as a weapon, which turns out to be a stop sign. More shots to Ciampa’s back. Ciampa gets to his feet unaware that Johnny has climbed some sort of structure. He leaps off with a huge cross body. They make it back to the ring where Gargano pulls out a trash can. He misses a shot with the lid and Ciampa scores with a German suplex. They start trading shots as some fans give us dueling chants. Another German by Ciampa, who holds on and adds two more. He wants a fourth but Johnny turns it around for a German of his own. Ciampa goes outside and Johnny nails a tope suicida. Johnny throws him into the steel steps but then has them sent into him. Ciampa throws him into the guardrail and then moves the steps over by the apron. He brings out another chair and trash can. Chair to the gut by Ciampa. He puts his head in the open chair and fires off shots. Ciampa then takes Johnny and runs him throat first, with the chair wrapped around his head, into the steel steps. he adds a shot with the trash can to Gargano’s back, then places Gargano’s head on a step and just throws the trash can into it. Ciampa puts Gargano inside and continues the shots. He moves Johnny under the bottom turnbuckle and delivers a slingshot, sending Johnny face first into it. Ciampa gets handcuffs but Johnny begins fighting him off. He hits the slingshot spear out of desperation. Gargano removes his belt and starts whipping Ciampa. This gets “you deserve it” chants. Gargano puts the trash can over Ciampa’s head and delivers his half of Meeting in the Middle. He sets up the trash can in the corner. Ciampa rakes him in the eyes and hits Project Ciampa. He adds a running knee with the trash can lid for two. Another lid knee strike. Gargano begins raining down elbows on the apron. Ciampa fights through and hits the Air Raid Crash onto the steel steps. He rolls Gargano inside and that only gets two. Ciampa gets a toolbox from under the ring and pulls write cutters. He starts cutting the ropes that hold the mat and the rest of the ring together. He pulls the canvas up, leaving the harder part of the ring exposed. He adds a shot to Johnny in the middle of this setup and waves goodbye as the wood under the mat is exposed. He sets up Gargano on the top and bites him. Ciampa looks for an Air Raid Crash off the top onto the wood, but Gargano slips free. Ciampa blocks a sunset flip bomb and delivers punches. Gargano pulls him into a superkick and both men are down. They get up and trade blows. Ciampa knees a trash can lid into Johnny’s face. Johnny stops a crutch shot with a superkick. They hit each other with the crutch and lid at the same time. Gargano falls on Ciampa for a near fall. Ciampa goes outside and Johnny tries a dive, but eats a face full of trash can lid. Ciampa wants to knee Gargano into the steel steps, but misses. It was his surgically repaired knee. He rolls inside and struggles with his knee brace. Johnny pounces and beats on the knee. He hits it with a chair. Ciampa shoves him into the trash can in the corner, where he hits the back of his head. Gargano Escape applied by Ciampa. Gargano goes for the crutch and Ciampa stops it, trying to use it for leverage. He pounds on Gargano’s head with shots. He fixes his knee brace. Gargano tries getting up, being held by the crutch. Another knee from Ciampa. Johnny is out on his knees and Ciampa hits him with the crutch for yet another near fall. Johnny crawls outside to escape, but Ciampa catches up and helps him walk. He shouts, “WE WERE LIKE BROTHERS. YOU WERE MY FAMILY! YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELF!” He says Johnny says bye to Chicago, Candice, and his career now, before throwing him into the LED stage, just like last year. He adds a knee strike and shouts THAT’S NOT ENOUGH. Ciampa climbs on top of some crates and brings Johnny with him. Ciampa removes Gargano’s wedding ring and spits on it! Johnny snaps out of it and delivers his own Air Raid Crash off the crates and through tables! The referee says they need help and calls for medics. As medics check on Ciampa, Johnny sits on the crates the same way Tommaso did last year. They put Ciampa in a neck brace and call for a stretcher. As they put Ciampa on the stretcher, Johnny stares are his bare finger. When Ciampa is taken away, Johnyn shakes his head no. He goes after Ciampa, continuing the match. Angry Johnny shoves EMTs to the side and pulls the stretcher back to the ring. He sends Tommaso inside and puts the Gargano Escape again. Ciampa taps and guys in suits come back out to stop him. Gargano beats them up and gets the handcuffs. Gargano cutts Ciampa and delivers superkick after superkick. He puts on the Gargano Escape again. Ciampa is passing out and trying to tap but he can’t. More suits pull Johnny away. He fights them off and heads back in, only to walk into a DDT onto the exposed wood. A beaten Ciampa lays on him and gets the three.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa in 35:27

Incredible. They somehow bested New Orleans. The story they told was outstanding. There were so many callbacks to their history, especially in this building. Gargano snapped and got his revenge, but went too far and it cost him. Ciampa knowsJ Johnny was better, but gets to leave as the smug winner. [*****]

Candice and officials check on Johnny as Ciampa leans on the stretcher to help get to the stage. Ciampa waves goodbye with a smile as the fans chant “Fuck you Ciampa.”