NXT TakeOver: Chicago (2017): One Classic Match and One Betrayal Made It Legendary

Roderick Strong and Eric Young open TakeOver: Chicago with a sturdy grudge match that gives Strong a clean heroic payoff. Young uses SAnitY's numbers and his veteran control to slow the pace, while Strong's offense is sharper whenever he creates separation. The match works best when Strong fights through interference and turns the surrounding chaos into urgency rather than distraction. The crowd is engaged enough to reward each comeback, and the final End of Heartache gives the opener a decisive conclusion after nearly fourteen minutes. Nothing here approaches the card's later peaks, but it establishes a strong baseline: physical, focused, and free from the kind of filler that often weakens a five-match special.

Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate produce the match that defines TakeOver: Chicago from an in-ring standpoint. The fifteen-minute title bout combines compact technical wrestling, explosive counters, bruising strikes, and astonishing athletic recoveries without ever feeling rushed. Bate's strength spots are spectacular because Dunne continually drags the match back toward joint manipulation and punishment, creating a genuine stylistic battle rather than a sequence of highlights. The closing stretch escalates perfectly, with Bate surviving increasingly dangerous offense before Dunne finally lands the Bitter End to win the championship. Every major move feels earned, the crowd rises with the pace, and the title change gives the masterpiece a decisive historical payoff.

Asuka, Nikki Cross, and Ruby Riot face the difficult task of following Bate and Dunne, and they respond with a fast, compact triple threat rather than trying to imitate the previous match. Cross brings chaotic aggression, Riot supplies the cleaner striking exchanges, and Asuka remains the central force who can change the match whenever she enters. The three-way structure creates enough movement to avoid long stretches of inactivity, though the outcome rarely feels in serious doubt because Asuka's reign is still positioned above the division. The finish is memorable: Asuka blasts both challengers and pins them simultaneously. It is not a classic, but it is an efficient title defense with strong character work and a clever visual conclusion.

Bobby Roode and Hideo Itami deliver a deliberate championship match that gets stronger as Itami's striking begins to overwhelm the champion's control. Roode works patiently and repeatedly slows Itami's momentum, while Itami's kicks and GTS teases give the match a credible threat that Roode's entrance-heavy title reign sometimes lacked. The best sequence comes when Itami lands the GTS only for Roode to fall outside, preserving the champion without cheap interference. Roode survives, counters a second GTS attempt, and hits consecutive Glorious DDTs to retain. The opening minutes are measured, but the finishing stretch is excellent and leaves Itami strong in defeat while giving Roode one of his better NXT title defenses.

The Authors of Pain and DIY turn a size mismatch into a brutal ladder-match story rather than relying only on dangerous stunts. Gargano and Ciampa repeatedly sacrifice themselves to create openings, using ladders as bridges, weapons, and equalizers against opponents they cannot overpower conventionally. Akam and Rezar survive everything, including DIY's tandem offense with a ladder, before stopping both challengers at the belts and retaining with overwhelming power. The match itself is excellent, but the post-match angle makes the entire segment unforgettable. Ciampa suddenly attacks Gargano, drills him with running knees, and sends his best friend through tables, ending TakeOver with one of NXT's most consequential heel turns.