TakeOver Chicago has come around so quickly, but then again time flies (as does Ricochet) when you are having fun. The last few weeks of build on NXT have been stellar with hotly anticipated matches reaching boiling point at just the right time. Will there be any further developments or additions to the card on this week’s show? And will those not (yet) involved in TakeOver get their chance to shine?
Let’s find out:
War Raiders v. Ricky Martinez & Justin Storm
It’s been a few months since we were shown the former War Machine in the crowd at TakeOver Phoenix, so it is with some disappointment that we are presented with another jobber mismatch here. It is not any different from the squash matches we have already seen Rowe and Hanson in. The crowd are into it and The Guillotine soon brings victory. Post-match, the War Raiders call out The Mighty before nearly killing one of the jobbers for emphasis.
Winner: War Raiders
At least War Raiders are on their way to a programme with a legitimate tag team and that match will take place next week. This week, however, was one squash too many for me.
EC3 v. Kassius Ohno
Kassius Ohno has become something of a punching bag for other guys on their way up recently and that trend looks set to continue as he takes on EC3 with the Top One Percenter getting a huge pop from the Full Sail Arena crowd. Chants for both guys accompany the start of the match as Ohno takes the initiative with aggressive strikes and chops. EC3 botches the moment he takes control as he raises his knees too late to block a senton splash. Nevertheless, Ohno sells his lower back and EC3 is in charge.
Ohno mounts a comeback with some stiff strikes, a cyclone kick and a trio of sentons including one delivered on the outside. Some crafty use of the ropes put EC3 back on top and he immediately hits the One Percenter for the victory.
Winner: EC3
Still not seeing what the EC3 hype is about, or why his finisher was devastating enough to put Ohno down so quickly.
Bianca Belair v. Aliyah
A new look for Aliyah and bizarre blue glitter lipstick for Bianca Belair that makes it look like she has just come from clown school. Belair is all serious business in the ring though overpowering Aliyah throughout the match. The EST of NXT shows off impressive agility and strength, deadlifting Aliyah from the floor to above her head at one point. A sit out facebuster gets her an easy win. After the break, she interrupts an interview with Dakota Kai setting up a match for next week.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Belair’s push continues. She certainly looks like a credible addition to the top of the women’s card.
UK Championship Match: Pete Dunne (c) v. Kyle O’Reilly
The crowd are hot for this match and clearly behind the Bruiserweight Pete Dunne. Watching Dunne pull on fingers and strike at limbs never gets old as he controls the early exchanges. O’Reilly soon gets back into it by targeting Dunne’s strapped up thigh, injured in last week’s brawl.
We are then treated to an exhibition of counters as neither guy is able to assert control. Dual submission holds, sit-out powerbombs countered into triangle locks and near falls aplenty keep the fans at fever pitch. One such exchange sees O’Reilly turn a Bitter End attempt into a Guillotine Hold, which Dunne counters into an exploder suplex. The UK champ then immediately slaps on an armbar, and O’Reilly twists that into an ankle lock. Seek that clip out if you haven’t seen it already.
The frenetic pace continues and both guys fall to the canvas together. Not knowing who to cheer for, the crowd break into an ‘NXT!’ chant. O’Reilly looks to be on top but a nasty finger snap from Pete Dunne opens up the chance for the Bitter End. 1-2-3 and that’s it.
But it isn’t. Undisputed Era hit the ring and start to beat down Dunne. Lorcan and Burch soon join the fray as all hell breaks loose. It is the challengers for the tag titles at TakeOver who stand tall to close the segment.
Winner: Pete Dunne
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Pete Dunne can’t have a bad match. That was a showstealer at any show in the world. A huge shame that one year on from his classic match with Tyler Bate and Takeover Chicago, there is no room on the card for Pete Dunne UK title match this weekend.
Aleister Black Promo
The promo doesn’t last long. Sullivan soon interrupts and charges the ring. He makes quick work of the champ flattening him with the Freak Accident. Two more Freak Accidents follow before Sullivan carries Black to the announce table and…. Lays him on top of it. The show ends with Sullivan standing over his opponent with the belt high above his head.
Quite a rushed segment for a rivalry that hasn’t had as much exposure as the other matches on the card for Saturday. Strange that the NXT Championship has been treated this way after months of stellar programmes with Andrade Cien Almas, Johnny Gargano, and Black himself.
Final Thoughts
Nothing new added to the card then but this week’s show offered a good balance between final pushes for most matches on the card (Ricochet and Velveteen Dream were notable for their absence) and showcasing the likes of War Raiders, EC3 and Bianca Belair who will not feature at TakeOver. We also have matches set up for next week so there is plenty to get excited about before and after Takeover.
