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The biggest question regarding the tag team championship match at NXT TakeOver Chicago tonight (Sat., May 20, 2017) wasn’t “Who is going to win?” but “Will Tommaso Ciampa be able to compete?”
It was only a couple days ago that he looked to have a nasty landing on a running knee that had many worried he may not be able to compete alongside his partner Johnny Gargano in their ladder match against the Authors of Pain. Not only did he compete, they were given the main event slot.
Because it was a ladder match, there was the usual “climb the ladder so slow the other team breaks it up” type of thing:
When this one is set and done, @JohnnyGargano @ProjectCiampa @Akam_WWE & @Rezar_WWE will ALL be in a lot of PAIN! #NXTTakeOver #LadderMatch pic.twitter.com/ZpibJkP6sA
— WWE (@WWE) May 21, 2017
But there were also some insane spots:
Desperate times call for desperate measures for #DIY @JohnnyGargano & @ProjectCiampa! #NXTTakeOver #LadderMatch pic.twitter.com/2mPApz4n4i
— WWE (@WWE) May 21, 2017
Paul Ellering took a superkick at one point, enraging AoP, but Ciampa stifled that rage the only way he knew how, by breaking a ladder on Rezar’s back.
Ladder explosion! pic.twitter.com/DnOYfelJ1A
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) May 21, 2017
Akam was taken out shortly after and it looked like DIY had the match won. They simply couldn’t get a ladder set up and the belts down fast enough, as AoP recovered just in time to knock them off and retain their titles.
What a match.
Get complete Takeover: Chicago results and coverage of every match on the card here.