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WWE NXT TakeOver: Chicago is all set to pop off tonight (Saturday, May 20, 2017) at 8 p.m. ET, live on WWE Network!
CagesideSeats.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, match-by-match coverage of NXT TakeOver: Chicago below, beginning with the first match of the evening and right on through to the main event.
Tonight's show kicks off Backlash weekend for WWE from Rosemont, Illinois' Allstate Arena, and it's offering up a pretty stacked card, with FOUR title matches.
The NXT title will be defended by a man who thinks he’s ushered in a new era for the brand, Bobby Roode, against someone who’s been there from almost the beginning of it’s rise, Hideo Itami. Women’s champion Asuka’s record-setting reign will be tested in Triple Threat by two wrestlers with a grudge against each other in Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross.
In the tag scene, a hobbled Tommaso Ciampa joins his #DIY partner in an attempt to regain the title from Authors of Pain in a ladder match, while Triple H’s efforts to take over the United Kingdom get a TakeOver spotlight, as Tyler Bate defends his UK championship against Pete Dunne.
The lone match without a belt up for grabs sees Roderick Strong try to gain revenge for SAnitY’s latest beatdown of him when he goes up against Eric Young.
While you're waiting for the show to begin, dig into our predictions - as well as a preview of the entire card!
Kick your off your shoes, relax, and enjoy all the action with the best damn pro wrestling community on the interwebs. And remember to keep refreshing!
REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.
WWE NXT TAKEOVER: CHICAGO QUICK RESULTS
Roderick Strong def. Eric Young
Pete Dunne def. Tyler Bate
Asuka def. Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot
Bobby Roode def. Hideo Itami
Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) def. #DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa)
WWE NXT TAKEOVER: CHICAGO LIVE BLOG & MATCH COVERAGE
Here comes another lonely night that I can't sleep. You know it's scary to think how much you know about me. Sometimes I think we're making terrible mistakes. Are we just working our way up to another heartbreak? Nope, actually I'm just liveblogging this here pro wrestling show for your reading enjoyment.
The show opens with a video talking about Chicago's history in sports and entertainment.
Commentary welcomes us to the show and away we go!
Eric Young vs. Roderick Strong
Roddy takes Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe out at the jump!
The bell rings and he's right on Young with punches! Chops, corner to corner, whip across, back body drop, clothesline sends EY to the floor! Strong out after him, another chop, right hand, back in the ring, more rights but Eric drops him with one of his own. Roddy with the dropkick in return, another chop in the corner, clubbing blow to the back, chop, more rights, Young fighting back but he can't pull out of the dive just yet.
Charge in the corner meets a back elbow, back suplex, EY starting to put it together, stomping a proverbial mudhole, overhead elbow to the back, off the ropes for a snap swinging neckbreaker, only a one count and he starts working a neck crank. Whip to the corner, Roddy gets a boot up, whip reversed, up and over, off the ropes for a big lariat!
Punches, into a combination, back elbow, charging elbow in the corner, whip, Young with the Flair Flip, Strong knocks him down and SAnitY get back into it. Roddy's able to fight Wolfe off but Dain absolutely wipes the Messiah of the Backbreaker out with a low freight train crossbody!
EY sets Strong on the apron, strike to the back of the head, back in the ring, drawing him up to throw him face-first into the turnbuckle. Slap to the face, Eric climbs, hanging Dragon sleeper from the turnbuckles! Diving elbow drop to the back of the neck, only good for two and EY starts throwing hands like mad.
Choking Roddy over the bottom rope now, Strong desperate and crawling for escape but Young picks him up and runs him sternum-first into the ropes. Drawing him up and choking him over the midle rope now, follows it up with a snapmare and back to the neck crank, grounding Roddy.
Strong fighting to his feet, throwing punches but he runs into a backhand that gets a two count. Setting him up in the corner, big slap, EY goes back to the hanging Dragon sleeper but Roddy has it scouted. Young with a dive and Strong catches him right in the mush with a dropkick!
Eric charges into a back elbow, Roddy ducks him, throwing haymakers, knocking him to the mat. Whip, catch the boot into a backbreaker, charging high knee, the flipping overhead back suplex drop, only a nearfall and Young heads outside. He yanks Strong out after him, wheelbarrow neckbreaker on the floor!
Both men down and out, referee Drake Wuertz begins his count but EY drags Roddy back in the ring for the cover... NO DICE! Strong throwing desperate punches and chops, Young knocks him down with one of his own in return and climbs up top but Roddy runs over and grabs his foot to stop him.
Eric knocks him down with a headbutt, diving elbow drop... RODERICK STRONG LIVES! Wheelbarrow, Roddy reverses, victory roll pin, not enough! Big boot, enzuigiri, one for Dain, he throws EY into Wolfe, going for the Olympic Slam but Young rakes the eyes and Strong crumples. Climbing the turnbuckles again, Roddy meets him, thinking superplex but EY blocks and grabs the facelock himself!
Struggling, Strong turns it back around, drops to the mat, and catches Eric with a knee flush with the jaw, knocking him onto the rest of SAnitY on the outside! EY catches him with a kick but Roddy’s still in it, jumping knee... END OF HEARTACHE! IT'S OVER!
Roderick Strong wins by pinfall with End of Heartache.
Ruby Riot, Asuka, and Nikki Cross are all shown preparing for their match in their own unique ways.
Pete Dunne vs. Tyler Bate (c) (WWE United Kingdom Championship)
Jim Ross is a guest on commentary for this one.
Circling, collar and elbow, Peter with the go-behind, he takes Tyler to the mat for a front chancery, spinning around him to keep him off balance. Bate reverses to a wristlock, Dunne with a snapmare, headscissors, keeping the champion locked down. Tyler goes for the ol' World of Sport headstand escape but Pete reverses him by rolling over.
Back to normal positioning, the escape takes and we have stalemate. Collar and elbow, Pete going hard, taking him down for a Jim Breaks Special with a knee ot the side of his head. Tyler rolling through and around, breaking the hold and firing a dropkick off that sends Dunne bailing outside.
Bate follows and Pete catches him hard with a forearm, dragging him over the to the steps and wrenching his fingers unmerciful! He goes to stomp his hand into the step but Tyler catches him with a straight right and follows it up with a diving uppercut off the steps!
Back in the ring, Dunne rolls immediately out and catches Bate with a knee and the X Plex on the apron! Toying with him in the ring now, disdainful kicks and slaps, putting the champion in a hard spot before going back to the hand. Hammerlock, trapping the arm, sort of Ode to Jim Breaks style and adding the Jim Breaks Special wrist manipulation on top.
Stomp to the ribs follows, clipping his face with elbows, wristlock stomps to the head American Dragon style! He keeps throwing them but Bate gets fired up, exploder suplex! Charging in with an uppercut, another, trying to keep Peter off balance but the Bruiserweight comes in with a sliding enzuigiri.
X Plex, Bate lands on his feet, right back into it with a standing shooting star press to his back, back suplex... NOT ENOUGH! Running shooting star press... DUNNE CATCHES HIM INTO A TRIANGLE CHOKE! PUNCHES TO THE HEAD! BATE WITH A PIN BUT PETER CLOBBERS HIM MORE! DEADLIFT... POWERBOMB! BUT THE DAMAGE IS DONE, TYLER IS CLUTCHING HIS ARM!
Fireman's carry, airplane spin! Picking up velocity! Fireman's carry drop... NO GOOD! Waistlock, Bate with the German, Dunne lands on his feet, Tyler looks for a springboard but runs right into a cracking forearm! ORANGE CRUSH! NOT ENOUGH!Sitting on the mat, throwing punches at each other, rising to the knees and to their feet, slugging it out hard and fast!
They flag, Bate digs deep, Bop and Bang! Trying to lift Pete, Dunne manages to crack an enzuigiri off! Forehead to forehead, stereo slaps, forearm begets a koppo kick, the Bruiserweight passes him into the ropes but Tyler springboards with the back of his neck and comes off the ropes to ends the exchange with a falling lariat... only a nearfall!
Underhooks, Dunne floats over! Pumphandle... TYLER REVERSES TO A DDT! Pete falls outside! Bate follows, ASAI MOONSAULT! Climbing... SPIRAL TAP! NO GOOD! AGAIN PETE ROLLS OUTSIDE! SUICIDE DIVE... DUNNE SIDESTEPS! PUMPHANDLE...
Pete Dunne wins by pinfall with Bitter End, becoming WWE United Kingdom Champion!
Hideo Itami and Bobby Roode are shown backstage getting ready for their title match in their own unique ways.
Asuka (c) vs. Nikki Cross vs. Ruby Riot (NXT Women's Championship)
Cross wipes Riot out with her jacket and gets into it with Asuka! Whip, hip attack knocks Ruby off the apron, back and forth, hip attack for Nikki! Asuka dumps Cross out and Riot comes back in, circling, taking her time. Drop down, shoulder block, neither woman gives an inch. Another try, same, then Riot fakes Asuka out with a rollup.
To the apron, Ruby knocks the champion down, getting ready to fly but Nikki bowls her over! To the outside, Cross tries to throw her into the steps but Riot steps up them and catches Asuka with a flying forearm! Nikki back on her as Ember Moon looks on from high above, back in the ring, to the corner, double palm thrust to the midsection and raking the bone of her forearm across Ruby's face!
Neckbreaker lays Riot out, Asuka up top with a dropkick / splash combo! Chest kicks on Cross, Nikki fires back with another neckbreaker, only two. Champion with a Codebreaker, Riot back in, hamstring kicks, the champion catches one and lifts her into a powerbomb! Ankle lock applied, Ruby's in agony and Cross breaks it up.
O'Connor roll from Riot, she runs into a forearm from Nikki on the kickout, who then low bridges Asuka to the outside. Cross shoving Ruby disdainfully but Riot is game for more and slaps her hand away before throwing chops. Duck, lariat, back elbow, dropkick, Ruby's on fire!
Asuka back in, she tries to put Riot in the corner and eats a Frankensteiner. Deadly Nightshade into the turnbuckles for Cross, she and Asuka get into it on the outside and Ruby plants a suicide dive on the champion! Tossing Nikki back in the ring, diving senton, cover... Asuka breaks it up by way of a bridging German suplex!
Trying one on Cross, she blocks with elbows, Regal Cutter, no dice! Cross on Riots back, Asuka plus her off, Ruby assists the German suplex with a superkick before laying Asuka out with another kick. Up top, diving senton, Asuka catches her in the Asuka Lock! NIKKI BREAKS IT UP WITH A SPLASH!
Riot to the apron, Cross follows, inverted facelock... INVERTED DDT ON THE APRON! Asuka with a baseball slide but Nikki catches her in the apron and throws wild punches over and over while the champion is trapped! Cross drags Asuka back in the ring, suplex lift puts her feet up top, neckbreaker... RIOT BREAKS IT UP!
Ducking a charge, double crossbody! Asuka draws herself up against the ropes and both women clothesline her outside! Trading flash pins, Cross connects with a knee, fisherman neckbreaker, Ruby slips out, inverted stomp facebreaker... ASUKA BREAKS IT UP WITH A SLIDING KNEE! She collapses on both...
Asuka wins by pinfall with a double lateral press, retaining the NXT Women's Championship.
Asuka celebrates with her title, holding it close.
We get a vignette for the Velveteen Dream, promising an appearance this Wednesday.
Bobby Roode (c) vs. Hideo Itami (NXT Championship)
Staredown, collar and elbow, Roode forcing Itami against the ropes and breaking clean. Taunting, Hideo with the fireman's carry and Bobby gets the hell out of town and halfway up the entrance ramp. Back in the ring, Roode with a headlock, taking Itami to one knee and wrenching it in. Itami shoots him off, eats a shoulder block, drop down, back elbow wipes the champion out.
Cover only gets one, Hideo with a headlock, into the takeover to ground Roode, but the champ backs him in the corner to force the break, breaking dirty with shoulder thrusts this time. Itami ducks a chop, throws a hard one of his own and walks into a boot. Again a chop is ducked and one returned, a few more, Bobby ducks one but Itami slaps his back.
Snapmare to a kick combo, finishing with a Penalty Kick, then another to knee drops to the face. Taking the knee pad down, he hops over and hits the little disdainful mule kick to the head. Mocking the Glorious pose, knee left, elbows to the gut in the corner and right hands to the head.
Whip reversed, Hideo with the boot up, to the second, tornado DDT blocked, Roode with a back elbow and a diving blockbuster into mounted punches, kicks and stomps. Choking the challenger over the middle rope and kicking the rope when ordered to break, chops in the corner, whip, corner lariat, bulldog headlock to a swinging neckbreaker and grinding him down with a rear chinlock.
Out with back elbows, a forearm, Bobby catches Itami with a knee to the midsection, trying another neckbreaker, backslide reversal, only two. Big lariat lays Hideo out, a disdainful slap straightens him up and he cracks a huge one across Roode's face! More kicks, off the ropes, single leg dropkick to the face!
Throwing lariats, kick rush, snap suplex, Itami's fired up! Whip reversed, boot up, to the second, tornado DDT over the top rope, diving lariat, only a nearfall! Hideo stalking, looking for the fireman's carry but Roode has it scouted and throws him into the turnbuckles. Itami dodges a charge and Bobby takes the ringpost shoulder first hard!
Kicks to the arm, really laying 'em in, Bobby dodges one but Itami blocks the schoolboy by grabbing the arm and turning it into a Fujiwara armbar! Roode out, thinking Glorious DDT, Hideo jams him in the corner to block and sets him up top. Climbing after him, the champion firing shots to knock him down, looking for the blockbuster but the challenger sidesteps.
Falcon Arrow, no dice! More kicks to the injured shoulder, targeting it. Charge, Roode catches him with the spinebuster but his arm is jacked so he can't get any spin on it! One-armed Glorious taunt but his shoulder gives out on the clutch! Fireman's carry, Bobby gets the ropes and is just barely able to counter Stunner Itami over the top rope.
Taking him outside, throwing him into the barricade as the referee counts but Hideo is able to throw Roode bad shoulder first into the steel steps! Hesitation dropkick... NOBODY HOME! Both men in agony, Bobby clutching his shoulder, Itami clutching his leg, the referee breaks the count to check on them and then restarts it.
Roode to his feet first, rolling back in, but Itami follows soon after. Trading blows, Itami gets a strike rush off and backs Roode in the corner... HESITATION DROPKICK! He's limping but he's in it, fireman's carry but his leg gives out! Bobby hooks him, Glorious DDT... NO GOOD!
Fireman's carry... GO 2 SLEEP! ROODE ROLLS OUTSIDE! Itami rolls him back in... NOT ENOUGH! Hideo dragging him up again, Roode slips out to a sunset flip, Itami reverses to a pin of his own, no good! Glorious DDT hooked again, Itami slips out and hauls off! SLAP AFTER SLAP! KNEE PAD IS DOWN! FIREMAN'S CARRY! ROODE REVERSES! GLORIOUS DDT! HE KEEPS IT HOOKED...
Bobby Roode wins by pinfall with the Glorious DDT.
Kevin Owens and a sportballman are shown in the front row, followed by Sami Zayn, Pat Patterson, and Kassius Ohno in a different part of the front row.
#DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) vs. Authors of Pain (c) (NXT Tag Team Championship Ladder Match)
#DIY right in with punches but the Authors back them up to opposite corners and put a beating on them. Charges ducked, Johnny catches Rezar and Ciampa knocks Akam outside before they team to knock Rezar to the outside. Going outside for plunder but the Authors take advantage of the isolation and throw both indie standouts into the barricade.
Tommaso stops himself short of being thrown into the steps and puts his Author into them! Gargano dives off the apron with a cannonball and #DIY consult a moment before going and getting the big ladder in on the stage. But before they can get it in, the Authors blindside Ciampa... Johnny Wrestling wipes 'em both out with a suicide dive!
In the ring, #DIY set up a normal sized ladder under the titles and Akam comes in. He tries to knock it over and they throw it at him. Rezar after, he takes a ladder shot as well before Gargano and Ciampa put boots to him. Tommaso whipped into him with a knee, thinking Poetry in Motion but Rezar throws Johnny onto his partner!
Akam holding the ladder in place as Rezar climbs but #DIY run interference and Ciampa knocks 'em around with a ladder. He and Gargano drop a ladder across both their backs before setting it back up. Going to climb but the Authors knock 'em down and away with the ladder.
Authors climbing, #DIY try to stop, Authors thinking powerbombs but the indie men latch onto the ladder, forcing them Authors to knock the whole ladder down. Ciampa lands bad on his knee, and Akam and Rezar wipe them out besides. Sandwiching Tommaso in the corner with a ladder, they smash his face into the steel.
Turning their attention to Gargano momentarily, they beat him down in the corner and set the ladder up again. Climbing, one Akam stops Rezar short because #DIY were getting up, so they lay some more beating in and clothesline Gargano and Ciampa with the ladder! Authors get another ladder as #DIY writhe in agony on the mat.
They put a contraption together, running ladders from apron to barricade on either side of the entrance. Up on the apron, thinking powerbombs but Ciampa gets away and saves Gargano besides! Johnny with a superkick and #DIY have time to regroup. Strikes set the Authors up on their ladders and #DIY throw a few punches to keep 'em down.
Johnny and Tommaso climb the big ladder as referee Drake Wuertz begs them to stop... TANDEM SPLASHES THROUGH THE LADDERS! The Sicilian Psychopath is the first back in the ring, setting a ladder up under the titles as the crowd chants "Psycho Killer!" for him, but Akam is right there with him.
Both men climbing, Johnny Wrestling is back in the ring, grabbing at a second ladder and setting it up as Akam and Ciampa fight it out atop theirs. Gargano climbs, Rezar joins him, Johnny reaching but he's just not close enough. Punches exchanged, Tommaso falls down but knocks Gargano's ladder down! Akam falls off! Paul Ellering pulls Gargano down! Johnny superkicks Precious Paul!
Akam back in to run Gargano over as Rezar checks on their mentor. Ciampa alone in the ring, the Authors take it to him, setting a ladder up in the corner, hammering his head with elbows using the ladder as anvil! Using the ladder to push Ciampa's head up, they rear back but Johnny makes the save! AUTHORS PUT THE LADDER THROUGH GARGANO'S HEAD!
Setting it up, the Authors climb but Ciampa gets behind Rezar... GERMAN SUPLEX OFF THE LADDER THROUGH THE LADDER IN THE CORNER! AKAM'S CLIMBING BUT JOHNNY HAS HIS FOOT! Akam folds the ladder up and kicks Gargano's face in. He's thinking using the ladder for a spin, #DIY throw kicks and knock him down... MEETING IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE LADDER!
The Authors laid out, #DIY try to get their wits about them but Gargano is on dream street. Getting a ladder set up, both men climb, Johnny unsteady... THE AUTHORS KICK THE LADDER OUT FROM UNDER THEM! STEREO POWERBOMBS! SUPER COLLIDER! THE AUTHORS CLIMB...
Authors of Pain win by climbing the ladder and retrieving the titles.
The Authors celebrate with the titles while Ciampa and Gargano sit in the middle of the ring, dejected. Tommaso hugs Johnny close for a moment before they get to their feet and soak in the atmosphere. Another embrace and they leave the ring as we get some replays of the closing moment of the match.
#DIY pause on the stage... AND TOMASSO RAMS JOHNNY'S HEAD INTO THE LED SCREEN! PUNCHES ON PUNCHES, THE SICILIAN PSYCHOPATH IS LOOSE! KNEE TREMBLER!
Referees check on Gargano as Ciampa walks away, but he's not done yet. He takes the knee pad down... RUNNING KNEE PUTS JOHNNY ON THE ANNOUNCE TABLE STAGE! "F#$! YOU CIAMPA" CHANTS RING OUT FROM THE CROWD! HE SETS GARGANO ON THE ANNOUNCE TABLE! DRAWING HIM UP BY THE CHIN, MAKING HIM LOOK IN HIS SOULESS EYES... AIR RAID CRASH OFF THE ANNOUNCE TABLE THROUGH SOME EQUIPMENT TABLES IN THE PIT!
Medics check on Johnny Wrestling while Ciampa stares down from the announce table and the crowd chants "Asshole!" at him. Ciampa then takes a seat and surveys the carnage.
Friendship is dead.
That's the show, folks.