Sean Ross Sapp's Live NXT Takeover: Chicago Notes!

Pre Show

• Make sure to check out our live coverage, and our live thread!
• Charly Caruso struggled at times, but I think she'll end up excelling in this role.
• No Aleister Black or Drew McIntyre on the main show tonight. I think Black is can't miss. Black defeated Curt Hawkins and McIntyre defeated Wesley Blake in dark matches.
• The benefit of being so loaded that these guys aren't on the show, is that it looks like we won't have countless NXT title rematches moving forward.
• A few notes I'll drop in here for those of you who are loyal and read these. WWE took nice care of Brian Pillman Jr at Thursday's NXT show. He also visited OVW today.
• Non-NXT related, but Impact isn't doing commentary at the location of their India tapings. It'll be done remotely. 

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Roderick Strong defeated Eric Young (w/ Sanity)
7/10

• Sanity's entrance is a fantastic one to see in person. TV doesn't do it justice.
• Strong attacks Sanity from behind and gets a big pop. Those vignettes and this crowd will make him look like a star. Nobody can say WWE didn't give him the platform now.
• Someone wanna do a Phillips OH! count?
• I saw many saying Eric Young's style isn't the right kind for an opener. The crowd is behind the match though, so who cares?
• This was a good mix of spots, cutoffs, and overall action. Not a lot of "working a body part," but what's wrong with that?
• The crowd loved Roderick Strong winning this. Really good opener. 

United Kingdom Championship
Pete Dunne defeated Tyler Bate (c) to become champion
9/10

• My wife thought Tyler Bate was 37 years old.
• It's so good to see JR.
• Love that McGuinness specified that wrestlers make money for winning. Vince wants WWE guys to be portrayed as above worrying about money
• There was a sweet flip out of a suplex by Bate, but Dunne kind of watched him hit the standing star press.
• Tyler Bate with the damndest airplane spin that I bought as a nearfall. 
• An Orange Crush Bomb gotta finish someone, playboy. 
• Laughed out loud at the ref begging these two to get their hands up while trading strikes.
• Pete Dunne wins one of the damndest matches I've seen in a long time.
• This was great. Some will say they did too much, but they had the crowd the whole time.

NXT Women's Championship
Asuka (c) defeated Ruby Riot & Nikki Cross
7/10

• I saw a preview of this match Thursday, and it was really, really good. 
• None of the 5 NXT Women's Champions have held that title any less than six months.
• The spots in this match and Thursday's are already different, as Nikki cuts off a Riot suicide dive violently.
• Asuka lands badly on top of Ruby Riot while missile dropkicking Nikki Cross. Riot rolls out right away.
• There aren't many people in WWE right now who wrestle their gimmick better than Nikki Cross
• I appreciate these girls not bumping before strikes land like they do on the main roster.
• I hope someone in WWE changes their finisher name to the "OHOHOH" so announcers can't call every move as that.
• Nikki Cross catches Asuka in the apron and beats her senseless, really cool spot.
• Asuka retains in a another good match.

NXT Championship
Bobby Roode (c) defeated Hideo Itami

5.75/10

• They didn't even try to top old Roode entrances. 
• I think Roode is very fortunate that Nakamura passed on this theme.
• Itami whiffed on the kick.
• Bobby Roode has a main event tan.
• Those new ringposts sound great when you throw someone into them
• Falcon Arrow from Itami. I love me a Falcon Arrow.
• Some good steel stair play between both dudes. Itami misses a dropkick and takes a nasty spill. 
• Itami's ode to Shibata was nice.
• Itami smacked the piss out of Roode.
• The finish from Roode was bad ass. 

NXT Tag Team Championship
Ladder Match
Authors of Pain (c) (w/ Paul Ellering) defeated DIY
7.25/10

• The ladder almost fell as they carried it!
• AOP slamming Gargano on Ciampa was psycho.
• Ciampa and Gargano both almost died on a dive.
• AOP just bumped their asses off for DIY off the ladders.
• Oh my god, that was disgusting. The ladder shot to Gargano who saved Ciampa.
• Ciampa with a back suplex through a ladder OFF A LADDER!!
• A good finish gives the win to AOP. good stuff.
• After the match, Ciampa turns heel on Gargano, in excellent fashion. 
• This was outstanding post-match, and big things are ahead for Ciampa.